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Read the given extract and… (Class 10 English 2024, Q7a)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2024, set 2/2/1 · 5 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 English 2024: question 7(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2024, paper 2/2/1, section C, question 7(a), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q7(a) · 5 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedHow to Tell Wild Animals

Read the given extract and answer the questions :

The true Chameleon is small
A lizard sort of thing;
He hasn't any ears at all,
And not a single wing,
If there is nothing on the tree,
'Tis the Chameleon you see.

(How To Tell Wild Animals)

  1. (i)

    Fill in the blank with one word :
    When the speaker says "If there is nothing on the tree, 'Tis the Chameleon you see", he refers to ______ as characteristic trait of a true Chameleon.

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    What does the speaker mean when he says, "A lizard sort of thing" ?

    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    Which of the following best describes the speaker's disposition while describing the Chameleon ?

    1. (A)indifferent
    2. (B)playful
    3. (C)dismissive
    4. (D)respectful
    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    Comment on the poet's use of language in these lines. Answer in about 40 words.

    2 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2024 board paper, set 2/2/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Think about why nothing can be seen on the tree.

Hint 2

Ask whether the speaker sounds serious or is having fun with the animal.

Hint 3

For (iv), look at the word choices, the rhyme and the humour.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (i) The blank is filled with camouflage (changeability / blending in). The chameleon takes on the colour of the tree, so it seems that nothing is there.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) "A lizard sort of thing" means the chameleon looks very much like a lizard and is close to one, but the speaker casually says it is only 'sort of' a lizard. It is not an ordinary lizard.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) (B) playful. The speaker teases the animal in a light, joking tone with a rhyming, casual description. He is neither indifferent, dismissive nor respectful.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) The language is simple, conversational and humorous. The informal phrase 'lizard sort of thing' and the comic list of what the creature lacks ('no ears at all, not a single wing') amuse the reader. The regular rhyme (thing/wing, tree/see) and rhythm add a sing-song quality. The lines are informative yet light-hearted.

    2 marks

Answer: (i) camouflage; (ii) it resembles a lizard but is not quite one; (iii) B, playful; (iv) simple, humorous, informative language with rhyme and rhythm

Where the marks are

  • Fills the blank with camouflage/changeability (1 mark)
  • Explains that the chameleon is like a lizard but not exactly one (1 mark)
  • Chooses option B, playful (1 mark)
  • Comments on the humorous/simple/informative language (1 mark)
  • Refers to rhyme, rhythm or the casual phrase (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from How to Tell Wild Animals, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2024 board paper, set 2/2/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.