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Though to distinguish beasts… (Class 10 English 2026, Q7a)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 2/2/1 · 5 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 7(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, 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

Though to distinguish beasts of prey / A novice might nonplus, / The Crocodile you always may / Tell from the Hyena thus: / Hyenas come with merry smiles; / But if they weep they're Crocodiles. / 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)

    How does the poet describe the crocodile's tears? Choose the correct option:

    1. (A)genuine and heartfelt
    2. (B)joyful and sincere
    3. (C)false and deceptive
    4. (D)cold and indifferent
    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    What confusion will a newcomer face while distinguishing between a hyena and a crocodile, as described humorously by the poet in the above extract?

    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    Mention any two characteristics of a chameleon on the basis of the given extract.

    2 marks
  4. (iv)

    Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given in the brackets: The tone of the poet in the above lines is __________ (playful and humorous/serious and confused).

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 2/2/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Think about what the 'tears' of a crocodile really mean.

Hint 2

Read the lines about the hyena's smile and the crocodile's weeping.

Hint 3

Look at the playful rhyming style of the poem to decide the tone.

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 poet says a crocodile weeps while appearing to be sad, but its tears are not real. So the tears are false and deceptive, option (C).

    1 mark

  2. (ii) A newcomer may mix up the two animals because the hyena appears to wear a merry smile, as if laughing, while the crocodile appears to weep. So the smiling hyena and the weeping crocodile can easily be confused, which the poet treats humorously.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) The chameleon is small, like a lizard. It has no ears and no wings. (A student may also say it blends in with the background of a tree.)

    2 marks

  4. (iv) playful and humorous

    1 mark

Answer: (i) C; (ii) The hyena seems to smile and the crocodile seems to weep, which causes confusion; (iii) small, lizard-like, no ears or wings; (iv) playful and humorous

Where the marks are

  • Chooses option C (1 mark)
  • Explains the smiling hyena and weeping crocodile confusion (1 mark)
  • Gives two characteristics of the chameleon (2 marks)
  • Writes playful and humorous (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 paper2026 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.