NCERT Solutions Class 7, English, The Alian Hand (Supplementary Reader), Chapter- 6, A Tiger in the House.
Comprehension Check
1. “He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game...” The phrase in italics means
(i) Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party.
(ii) Grandfather was the only sportsperson in the party.
(iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.
Mark the right answer.
The correct option is : (iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.
2. Complete the following sentences.
(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when —————
(ii) ————,I became one of the tiger’s favourites.
(iii) Timothy had clean habits, —————
Solution:
(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when Timothy lost his temper.
(ii) One of Timothy's favourite amusements was to stalk anyone who would play with him, and so, when I came to live with Grandfather, I became one of the tiger's favourites.
(iii) Timothy had clean habits, and would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.
Comprehension Check
1. Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger
(i) would prefer Mahmoud’s bed to sleep in.
(ii) and the cook would disappear together from the house.
(iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.
Mark the right answer.
The correct option is : (iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.
2. When Timothy was about six months old, a change came over him.
The phrase in italics means that
(i) Timothy had grown to his full size.
(ii) Timothy grew more friendly.
(iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous
The correct option is : (iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous
3. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
(i) Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment_______.
Solution: False
(ii) The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger________.
Solution: True
(iii) Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first class compartment_______.
Solution: True
(iv) All passengers in the compartment thought that Timothy was a well-fed and civilised tiger________.
Solution: False
4. Grandfather suggested that Timothy should be put in another cage. The reason was that
(i) the tiger had become very bad tempered.
(ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.
(iii) the cage was too small for a full grown tiger.
The correct option is : (ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.
5. The tiger was still licking his arm, with increasing relish. The phrase in italics suggests that Timothy
(i) was good natured.
(ii) recognised an old friend.
(iii) smelt fresh food.
The correct option is : (iii) smelt fresh food.
Exercises
Answer the following questions.
1. Where was the tiger cub hiding when Grandfather found him?
Solution:
The tiger cub was hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra.
2. (i) What did Toto do to entertain Timothy?
Solution:
Toto used to pull Timothy by the tail.
(ii) What did he do when Timothy lost his temper?
Solution:
Toto climbed up the curtain if Timothy lost his temper.
3. “I became one of the tiger’s favourites”. Who is ‘I’ in the statement? Why did he think so?
Solution:
In the statement ‘I’ refers to the narrator of the story, Ruskin Bond. He think so because the tiger with a crafty look in his glittering eyes and crouching his body creep closer and closer to the author. Suddenly making a dash for his feet, rolling over on his back and kicking with delight, and pretending to bite his ankles.
4. Where was Timothy most comfortable during the day? Where was he during the night?
Solution:
Timothy was most comfortable on the long sofa in the drawing room during the day which was his favourite place in the house. He slept at night in the cook’s quarters.
5. What was Grandmother’s prophecy about the cook? Did it come true?
Solution:
Grandmother’s prophecy was that Timothy would one day kill the cook Mahmoud, and make a meal of him. No, it did not come true.
6. What made Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo?
Solution:
When Timothy was about six months old, he grew less friendly. When out for a walk with the author, he would try to steal away to stalk a cat or someone’s pet dog. Sometimes at night they heard frenzied cackling from the poultry house, and in the morning, feathers were lying all over the verandah. And finally, when he began to stalk Mahmoud about the house with what looked like villainous intent, Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo.
7. Why did Grandfather want Timothy to be put in another enclosure?
Solution:
A leopard in the next cage snarled at Timothy. Every time, the leopard would rush at the bars and Timothy had to slink back to his corner. So, Grandfather wanted Timothy to be put in another enclosure.
8. What shocked Grandfather in the end?
Solution:
Grandfather visited the zoo after six months to see Timothy and went to the cage where he was put in straightly. When Grandfather asked the keeper to transfer Timothy to another cage, he said that the tiger in the cage was not Timothy. He was informed by the zoo keeper that his tiger Timothy had died two months ago, which shocked him in the end.
Discuss the following topics in groups.
1. Shoot animals with a camera, not with a gun.
Solution:
It is true that you cannot befriend all sorts of wild beasts, but that does not give you a license to hunt them all for your pleasure. Animals and human beings have been sharing the earth for ages; they share our joys and sorrows and play a very important part in our existence. However, sometimes for our greed, we kill them. This attitude destroys nature. Without animals, our lives would be worthless. Instead of shooting them with a gun, we should capture their beauty and charm with a camera to preserve it.
2. Keeping pets helps us become more loving and tolerant. It also helps us respect life in any form. Do you agree?
Solution:
Yes, man and his pets are our best friends. We often play with pets, and they lick our hands with affection. Keeping pets changes our fear of animals into tolerance. We learn to respect life in every form. We learn the great lesson – Live and let live.
3. Have you heard of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)? What do they do?
Solution:
Yes, this organization SPCA is animal friendly. It aims at protecting the animals- even tigers and cobras, from needless cruelty and killing.
