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

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2024, set 2/4/1 · 5 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English 2024: question 7(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2024, paper 2/4/1, 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 · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedA Tiger in the Zoo

Read the following extract and answer the questions.

But he's locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.

(A Tiger in the Zoo)

  1. (i)

    Why is the tiger 'stalking the length of his cage'?

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    What is the significance of the use of the word 'locked' to describe the concrete cell where the tiger is kept and how does it contrast with the tiger's presence in its natural habitat? Answer in about 40 words.

    2 marks
  3. (iii)

    Complete the sentence with the appropriate option: The lines from the poem tell us that the tiger is __________.

    1. (A)enjoying his time in the cell
    2. (B)being indifferent to visitors because it is a daily routine for him
    3. (C)not as strong as his counterpart in the jungle
    4. (D)wanting to be free from the cage
    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    Identify the type of literary device used in the line: 'But he's locked in a concrete cell'

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2024 board paper, set 2/4/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Think about how much space a caged tiger has compared with a forest.

Hint 2

For (ii), ask what 'locked' says about the tiger's power and choices, then picture him in the jungle.

Hint 3

For (iv), look at the repeated initial sound of 'concrete cell'.

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 tiger paces up and down because the cage gives him no room to run or roam. He is restless and confined to the length of the cage.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) 'Locked' stresses that the tiger is imprisoned and helpless. His strength and power are taken away and he cannot escape, and his natural instinct is crushed. In the wild he moves freely and is seen as the most powerful, fearless creature of the jungle.

    2 marks

  3. (iii) (B) being indifferent to visitors because it is a daily routine for him. He ignores the visitors because being watched has become part of his daily life.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Alliteration: the repeated 'c' sound in 'concrete cell'.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) restless, only the cage's length to move; (ii) captive and powerless vs free and powerful in the wild; (iii) B; (iv) alliteration

Where the marks are

  • Reason for pacing: confined, no room to run (1 mark)
  • Significance of 'locked': helplessness or lost freedom (1 mark)
  • Contrast with natural habitat: free and powerful (1 mark)
  • Correct option B (1 mark)
  • Alliteration in 'concrete cell' (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: A Tiger in the Zoo (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from A Tiger in the Zoo, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2024 board paper, set 2/4/1: 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.