CBSE Important Questions Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2

CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2: Chapter 2 of CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Poem includes A Tiger in the Zoo, a thought-provoking poem by Leslie Norris. This poem contrasts the life of a tiger in captivity with its natural existence in the wild, highlighting themes of freedom, confinement, and human impact on wildlife.

To help students grasp the poem’s deeper meaning and perform well in exams, we have compiled important questions covering literary devices, themes, and critical analysis. Practicing these questions will enhance comprehension and answer-writing skills, ensuring better preparation for board exams.

CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2 Overview

The poem A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris presents a stark contrast between a tiger’s life in captivity and its natural habitat. The poet describes the tiger pacing restlessly inside a cage, deprived of its freedom and natural instincts.The confinement robs it of its true identity, reducing it to a mere shadow of its powerful self. In contrast, the poet imagines how the tiger would behave in the wild—stalking prey, roaring in the jungle, and roaming freely.

Through this contrast, the poem conveys a strong message about the injustice of keeping wild animals in captivity. It evokes sympathy for the tiger and highlights the importance of freedom, not just for humans but for all living beings. 

CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2 PDF

To help students prepare effectively for their exams, we have compiled chapter-wise important questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2, which includes A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris.

These questions focus on key themes, literary devices, and critical analysis, ensuring a thorough understanding of the poem. By practicing these questions, students can improve their answer-writing skills and boost their confidence for the CBSE board exams.

CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2 PDF

CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2 A Tiger in the Zoo

Here are the important questions that will be helpful for board exam preparation.

These questions focus on key themes, literary devices, and critical analysis, ensuring a thorough understanding of the poem. By practicing these questions, students can enhance their answer-writing skills and gain confidence for the CBSE board exams.

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.

He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.

He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle's edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!

(i) State any one point of contrast between the tiger in the zoo and in its natural habitat.
Ans: He is confined in the zoo, whereas he experiences freedom in the jungle.

(ii) When the speaker suggests that the tiger should be “snarling around houses at the jungle’s edge,” what does he insinuate about the tiger’s natural behavior and habitat?
Ans: By nature, the tiger is fierce, roaring to frighten the villagers residing near the jungle’s edge.

(iii) The poet’s skillful use of imagery effectively depicts the confinement and frustration of the tiger. Elaborate in about 40 words.
Ans: The poet talks about the tiger in the zoo, locked in a small cage. It walks quietly in the tiny space and doesn’t roar. Its soft paws, like velvet, make no noise as it moves.

(iv) Which phrase would correctly substitute ‘quiet rage’ in the given sentence from the extract?
The few steps of his cage on pads of velvet quiet in his ‘quiet rage’.
Ans: Hidden frustration

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.

(a) Explain the contrast created by the words ‘stalks’ and ‘few steps of his cage’.
Ans: The word 'stalks' suggests walking with majesty, reflecting the tiger’s natural elegance and strength. In contrast, 'the few steps of his cage' highlight the tiger’s restricted movement and lack of freedom.

(b) Which of the following best describes the tiger’s feelings in the context?
Ans: The best description of the tiger’s feelings in this context is frustration and helplessness. The tiger, though powerful, is trapped in a small cage, unable to express his true nature.

(c) Comment in about 40 words on the poet’s use of imagery in the above extract.
Ans: The poet uses strong imagery to depict the tiger’s confinement and suppressed anger. "Vivid stripes" emphasize his majestic appearance, while "pads of velvet quiet" contrast with his "quiet rage," showing his silent suffering. The imagery effectively evokes sympathy for the tiger’s captivity.

(d) Which word in the stanza means the same as ‘clear and bright’?
Ans: The word "vivid" in the stanza means 'clear and bright' and is used to describe the tiger’s stripes.

3. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

He hears the last voice at night.
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
He stalks in his vivid stripes
A few steps of his cage.

(i) Whose is the last voice heard by the tiger?
Ans: The tiger hears the sound of patrolling cars at night, which is the last voice it hears before solitude takes over.

(ii) Complete the sentence appropriately:
It is clear that 'Repetition' is the poetic device used for 'his brilliant eyes at the brilliant stars' because (Clue: explain how repetition applies here)
Ans: The word “brilliant” is repeated to emphasize the contrast between the tiger’s vivid eyes and the distant stars.

(iii) The main contrasting ideas in this extract are:
(A) Tiger and deer
(B) Cruelty and sympathy
(C) Confinement and freedom
(D) Master and slave

Ans: The extract contrasts the tiger’s confinement within the cage with its yearning for freedom, symbolized by the stars.

(iv) The use of the word ‘stalks’ creates an image of:
Ans: The word “stalks” suggests the tiger’s restless movement, indicating frustration due to its confinement.

(v) State whether the following statement is True or False:
The poem uses ‘staring at the sky’ to symbolize the freedom ‘he’ yearns for.

Ans: The act of staring at the stars symbolizes the tiger's longing for freedom and a life beyond the bars of its cage.

4. Read the following extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage.
On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass Near the water
hole where plump deer pass.

(i) ‘Quiet rage’ refers to the tiger’s____.
(A) Helplessness
(B) He has not been able to hunt
(C) His prey does not come to the water hole
(D) He is not free

Ans: "Quiet rage" indicates the tiger's frustration and helplessness due to its confinement, where it cannot express its anger openly.

(ii) He is lurking in shadows because____.
Ans: The tiger is depicted as lurking in the shadows near a water hole, where it waits quietly for its prey, such as deer, to pass by.

(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately:
It is clear that metaphor is the poetic device used for 'pads of velvet' because (Clue - explain how metaphor applies here).

Ans: The softness of the velvet is used to describe the softness of the tiger's feet.
The term "pads of velvet" is a metaphor, comparing the softness of the tiger's paws to velvet, emphasizing their quiet and gentle touch.

(iv) Find a word from the extract which means – to walk with measured, stiff, or haughty strides:
(A) Steps
(B) Lurking
(C) Pads
(D) Stalk

Ans: "Stalk" means to walk in a controlled and calculated manner, often indicating a sense of purpose or restraint, as the tiger does in its cage.

Benefits of Solving CBSE Important Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 2 A Tiger in the Zoo

1. Improves Understanding of Themes and Poetic Devices

• Helps students grasp the central theme of the poem, which contrasts the tiger’s captivity with its natural life.

• Enhances knowledge of literary devices like metaphor, imagery, repetition, and contrast.

2. Enhances Answer-Writing Skills

• Provides a structured approach to answering different types of questions, including short and long answers.

• Helps in forming well-explained answers using appropriate vocabulary and poetic references.

3. Boosts Exam Confidence

• Solving a variety of questions prepares students for different formats in the CBSE exam.

• Builds confidence in attempting comprehension-based and analytical questions effectively.

4. Strengthens Critical Thinking and Interpretation

• Encourages students to think critically about the poet’s message and symbolism.

• Helps in developing personal interpretations while staying relevant to the exam pattern.

5. Improves Time Management in Exams

• Practicing important questions helps students learn how to manage time efficiently while answering comprehension passages and poetry questions.