Mastering the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight poem “A Tiger in the Zoo” by Leslie Norris is essential for students aiming to score top marks in their CBSE Board Examinations. This comprehensive guide delivers 100% accurate, fully solved textbook exercises, detailed poetic device analyses, model answers for writing tasks, and curated high-probability board exam questions. Designed meticulously in alignment with the latest CBSE marking scheme and standard pedagogical frameworks, these solutions provide precise, structured, and exam-oriented responses. By studying these expert-crafted answers, students will gain deep insights into the poem’s thematic dualities, structural rhythms, and literary devices, ensuring complete academic readiness.
Class 10 English A Tiger in the Zoo Solutions
The NCERT Class 10 English poem “A Tiger in the Zoo,” authored by the acclaimed Welsh poet Leslie Norris, serves as a poignant critique of human cruelty toward wild animals. The poem presents a stark contrast between a majestic tiger confined within the artificial boundaries of a zoo cage and the same wild beast thriving in its natural habitat. Through vivid imagery and sharp emotional undertones, Norris explores the theme of physical entrapment versus absolute freedom, prompting readers to reflect on the moral implications of holding wild creatures captive for human entertainment.
Navigating through the NCERT solutions for this chapter requires a structured approach that directly addresses the core comparative elements designed by the board curriculum setters. Class 10 students are expected to articulate how the physical environment dictates the behavior, emotional state, and regal nature of the tiger. Achieving a perfect score in CBSE English Literature examinations depends heavily on using precise keywords and structured textual evidence when answering questions related to the text.
The structural design of the poem shifts systematically between two distinct settings: the restrictive environment of the zoo and the expansive wilderness of the jungle. Norris arranges the five stanzas in a deliberate sequence—moving from the zoo to the jungle, and returning once again to the zoo. This circular structure highlights the tragedy of captivity, emphasizing that regardless of the tiger’s inherent power, its physical reality remains permanently restricted inside concrete walls unless human intervention changes its fate.
When preparing textbook solutions, it is crucial to first categorize the poem’s stanzas based on their setting. Stanzas 1, 4, and 5 vividly portray the tiger locked inside the zoo, highlighting its suppressed aggression and helplessness. Conversely, Stanzas 2 and 3 transport the reader to the wild, depicting how the tiger ought to live—hunting freely near water bodies and intimidating human settlements at the jungle’s edge.
In Stanza 1, the tiger is seen pacing within the narrow boundaries of its cage, moving with silent dignity on padded paws while concealing its quiet rage. Stanza 4 returns to this captivity, describing the tiger locked inside a concrete cell where its magnificent strength is rendered useless behind iron bars. Stanza 5 concludes the poem on a sombre note, depicting the trapped apex predator listening to patrolling police cars late at night and staring hopelessly at the distant, brilliant stars.
In stark contrast, Stanza 2 illustrates the tiger’s natural lifestyle in the wild, lurking in deep shadows, sliding stealthily through long grass near water holes to hunt plump deer. Stanza 3 expands this portrayal of natural majesty by describing the tiger snarling around houses situated at the jungle’s periphery, displaying its sharp white fangs and deadly claws to establish territorial dominance and terrorise villagers.
Understanding this alternating narrative framework is essential for students responding to extract-based comprehension questions and analytical short-answer prompts. CBSE evaluation rubrics assign high weightage to answers that explicitly contrast the tiger’s suppressed rage in captivity with its uninhibited power in the wild. Our detailed textbook solutions provide the exact phrasing, vocabulary, and analytical depth needed to meet these strict evaluation standards.
Ultimately, mastering the NCERT solutions for “A Tiger in the Zoo” enables Class 10 students to build high-level textual comprehension and analytical writing skills. By studying the detailed solutions provided below, learners can comfortably tackle extract-based questions, short conceptual queries, long value-based reflection questions, and formal debate writing tasks with maximum accuracy and confidence.
Textbook Questions and Answers for Class 10 English
Reading for Meaning
Question 1
Read the poem silently once, and say which stanzas speak about the tiger in the zoo, and which ones speak about the tiger in the jungle. (Page No. 30) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
Based on a careful reading of Leslie Norris’s poem, the stanzas are divided between the two settings as follows:
- Stanzas that speak about the tiger in the zoo: Stanza 1, Stanza 4, and Stanza 5. These stanzas describe the tiger locked inside a concrete cell, pacing the limited length of his cage, ignoring human visitors, and listening to the late-night patrolling cars.
- Stanzas that speak about the tiger in the jungle: Stanza 2 and Stanza 3. These stanzas depict the tiger in its natural habitat—lurking in shadows, sliding through long grass near the water hole to hunt deer, and snarling around village homes at the forest edge.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1(i)
Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns. (Page No. 30)
Answer:
The contrasting movements and actions of the tiger in the two different settings are detailed below:
| Movements and Actions in the Cage (Zoo) | Movements and Actions in the Wild (Jungle) |
|---|---|
| Stalks in his vivid stripes | Lurking in shadow |
| Few steps of his cage | Sliding through long grass |
| Pads of velvet quiet | Lurking near the water hole |
| Quiet rage | Snarling around houses |
| Stalking the length of his cage | Baring his white fangs, his claws |
| Ignoring visitors | Terrorising the village |
| Hears the last voice at night | Hunting plump deer |
| Stares with his brilliant eyes | Prowling freely in nature |
Question 1(ii)
Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns. (Page No. 30)
Answer:
The specific vocabulary and environmental imagery used by the poet to describe the two locations are categorized below:
| Words Describing the Cage / Zoo | Words Describing the Jungle / Wild |
|---|---|
| Cage | Shadow |
| Concrete cell | Long grass |
| Behind bars | Water hole |
| Length of his cage | Plump deer |
| Patrolling cars | Jungle’s edge |
| Visitors | Village |
Question 1(iii)
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations. (Page No. 30) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
The poet Leslie Norris masterfully employs vivid sensory imagery and contrasting vocabulary to juxtapose the helpless existence of a captive animal with the dynamic vitality of a wild beast:
- Visual and Tactile Contrast: The poet contrasts the restrictive “concrete cell” and iron “bars” of the zoo with the expansive natural surroundings like the “long grass” and “water hole”. The physical limitation of taking only a “few steps” in the cage directly contrasts with the freedom of “sliding through long grass” and prowling at the “jungle’s edge”.
- Emotional and Behavioral Contrast: In the zoo, the tiger’s supreme power is completely neutralized; he experiences a “quiet rage” and spends his time “ignoring visitors” because he realizes his helplessness. In contrast, in the jungle, he displays his natural majesty by “baring his white fangs” and “terrorising the village,” asserting his natural dominance as a top predator.
- Auditory Imagery: The artificial and mundane sounds of human captivity—such as the noise of “visitors” and the night sound of “patrolling cars”—stand in sharp opposition to the natural sounds of the wild, such as the tiger’s ferocious “snarling around houses.”
Through these sharp stylistic contrasts, the poet emphasizes that captivity robs a wild animal of its innate pride, dignity, and natural instincts, reducing a majestic apex predator to a helpless, confined spectacle.
Solutions for Thinking About the Poem Questions
Reflect and Respond
Question 2
Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition? (Page No. 30) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
The deliberate repetition of specific adjectives by Leslie Norris serves as a powerful poetic device (poetic repetition/epizeuxis) designed to intensify the emotional atmosphere and deepen the thematic contrast between physical captivity and natural freedom:
(i) Repetition of “quiet”:
- In the phrase “pads of velvet quiet,” the word “quiet” describes the soft, silent nature of the tiger’s paws, enabling him to walk soundlessly within his cramped enclosure.
- In the phrase “In his quiet rage,” the word “quiet” highlights the tiger’s internal, suppressed anger. He is furious about his loss of freedom, but his rage remains helpless and silent because he cannot break through the concrete walls.
- Combined Effect: The repetition underscores the tragic intensity of his suppressed emotions. The tiger’s physical movement is silent, and his immense power is forcibly muted, creating a poignant contrast between his inner fiery rage and his outward physical helplessness.
(ii) Repetition of “brilliant”:
- The phrase “brilliant eyes” reflects the fiery, luminous, and wild nature of the tiger that remains unextinguished despite his physical captivity.
- The phrase “brilliant stars” describes the majestic, shining celestial bodies hanging freely in the vast night sky.
- Combined Effect: The repetition establishes a silent, cosmic connection between the trapped tiger and the infinite universe. As the tiger gazes at the free, brilliant stars, his brilliant eyes convey a silent longing for the vast, unrestricted wilderness that is his true home.
Critical Reflection
Question 3
Read the following two poems — one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss:
Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals? Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos? (Page No. 31) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
A comparative reading of Peter Niblett’s The Tiger, Rainer Maria Rilke’s The Panther, and Victoria Sackville-West’s The Greater Cats reveals the profound psychological suffering endured by wild animals kept behind bars. Based on these texts and contemporary environmental perspectives, the critical points regarding zoos are analyzed below:
- Necessity for Protection and Conservation: Traditional zoos were primarily established for human entertainment. However, modern scientific zoos play a role in ex-situ conservation and captive breeding programs for endangered species facing immediate extinction due to poaching and habitat destruction. They provide medical care, safe shelter, and protection from predators. Nevertheless, lifelong confinement in cramped artificial cages often causes severe psychological trauma, known as zoochosis.
- Educational Utility for the Public: Zoos offer urban populations a chance to observe exotic wildlife firsthand, raising awareness about biodiversity. However, seeing a depressed, captive animal pacing in a small cell gives the public a skewed perspective of wildlife. True education lies in understanding how animals behave naturally in undisturbed ecosystems, rather than viewing passive, spirit-broken creatures on display.
- Viable Alternatives to Zoos: Modern wildlife management strongly favors natural alternatives over conventional cages:
- National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries: Expansive, legally protected natural habitats where animals roam freely, hunt naturally, and reproduce without human interference.
- Biosphere Reserves: Large-scale protected ecosystems that integrate human conservation efforts while keeping core forest zones strictly untouched.
- Virtual Education and Wildlife Documentaries: High-definition media, interactive digital tours, and immersive VR experiences allow the public to learn about wildlife behavior authentically without depriving living creatures of their fundamental right to freedom.
Explaining Poetic Devices and Imagery in the Poem
Analyzing the literary craftsmanship of “A Tiger in the Zoo” reveals how Leslie Norris employs figurative language and sensory imagery to convey his anti-captivity message. In Class 10 CBSE English examinations, extract-based questions frequently test a student’s ability to identify and explain these devices. Below is an exhaustive breakdown of all poetic devices utilized throughout the poem.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| POETIC DEVICES IN "A TIGER IN THE ZOO" |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| Literary Device | Exemplary Textual Usage |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------------------+
| Personification | "He stalks in his vivid stripes..." |
| Metaphor | "Pads of velvet quiet", "Concrete cell" |
| Oxymoron | "Quiet rage" |
| Imagery | "Sliding through long grass", "Plump deer pass" |
| Alliteration | "behind bars", "plump deer pass" |
| Assonance | "vivid stripes", "with his brilliant eyes" |
| Consonance | "stalks, his, vivid, stripes" |
| Rhyme Scheme | abcb (e.g., cage/rage, grass/pass, cell/bars) |
+---------------------+---------------------------------------------------+1. Personification:
The poet consistently uses the personal pronoun “He” instead of “it” when referring to the tiger throughout the poem (“He stalks…”, “He should be lurking…”, “He hears the last voice…”). By personalizing the tiger, Norris accords dignity and individuality to the wild animal, encouraging readers to feel empathy for his captive state rather than viewing him merely as a biological specimen on display.
2. Metaphor:
A metaphor is a direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as”. Norris uses two striking metaphors:
- “Pads of velvet quiet”: The soft, cushioned bottom of the tiger’s paws is directly compared to smooth, soft velvet fabric to emphasize how soundlessly he moves across his cage floor.
- “Concrete cell”: Represents the unnatural, cold, and impenetrable structure of human imprisonment that restricts the tiger’s boundless physical energy.
3. Oxymoron:
An oxymoron is a figure of speech combining two contradictory terms side by side.
- “Quiet rage”: The word “quiet” implies silence and calmness, whereas “rage” represents intense, furious anger. Combining these two opposite words highlights the tiger’s emotional conflict: he is boiling with intense fury over his confinement, yet he is forced to remain silent and motionless because he cannot overcome his physical imprisonment.
4. Visual and Auditory Imagery:
Norris creates vivid mental pictures using powerful sensory words:
- Visual Imagery: “vivid stripes”, “long grass”, “water hole”, “plump deer”, “white fangs”, “brilliant stars”.
- Auditory Imagery: “snarling around houses”, “hears the last voice at night”, “patrolling cars”.
5. Alliteration:
Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in consecutive or closely positioned words:
- “behind bars” – Repetition of the initial /b/ sound.
- “plump deer pass” – Repetition of the initial /p/ sound.
- “he hears” – Repetition of the initial /h/ sound.
6. Assonance and Consonance:
- Assonance (repetition of vowel sounds): Repetition of the short /i/ sound in “in his vivid stripes” and “with his brilliant eyes”.
- Consonance (repetition of consonant sounds): Repetition of the /s/ sound in “He stalks in his vivid stripes”.
7. Structural Rhythm and Rhyme Scheme:
The poem is structured into five uniform four-line stanzas (quatrains). Each stanza follows a consistent abcb rhyme scheme (Stanza 1: stripes [a], cage [b], quiet [c], rage [b]). This structured, rhythmic flow echoes the mechanical, repetitive pacing of the trapped tiger back and forth inside his narrow cage.
Understanding these poetic devices allows students to write high-scoring answers during literature extract assessments. Board examiners look for precise technical terminology paired with textual quotes, making this analytical breakdown an invaluable study reference.
Solved Writing Task on the Role of Animal Zoos
Writing Task
Question 4
Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about this topic for a couple of minutes in class. (Page No. 31) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
(Below is a comprehensive model response designed to meet the CBSE Class 10 assessment rubrics for formal speech/paragraph writing tasks, formatted with clear structure, compelling vocabulary, and coherent thematic progression).
The Relevance of Zoos: Protection Centers or Prisons for Wildlife?
The debate surrounding the existence of animal zoos is complex, balancing human education and wildlife conservation against ethical concerns regarding animal freedom. On one hand, supporters argue that modern zoos play a critical role in ex-situ conservation and species preservation. With industrial expansion causing rampant habitat destruction and deforestation across the globe, several vulnerable species face imminent extinction. Managed breeding programs in certified zoos have successfully prevented the total disappearance of fragile animals, including the Golden Lion Tamarin and the Arabian Onyx. Furthermore, zoos offer valuable educational platforms for urban populations, fostering empathy and ecological awareness among children who might otherwise remain disconnected from nature.
On the other hand, animal rights advocates argue that keeping wild creatures behind bars is inherently unethical. Animals in captivity are stripped of their natural instincts, territorial freedom, and normal social structures. Confinement in small concrete cages leads to intense stress, apathy, and abnormal repetitive behaviors known as zoochosis. As depicted so movingly in Leslie Norris’s poem A Tiger in the Zoo, locking a majestic apex predator in a narrow cage reduces his magnificent wild spirit to a state of suppressed anger and helpless despair. The commercial display of animals for public entertainment prioritizes human amusement over animal dignity.
In conclusion, while traditional zoos focused solely on public entertainment are ethically indefensible, modern wildlife management must pivot toward natural, non-intrusive alternatives. National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves allow wild animals to live freely in their natural habitats while receiving protection from illegal poaching. Society should phase out urban cages in favor of protected natural sanctuaries, ensuring that wild animals remain free, majestic, and untamed in the wilderness where they belong.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| SUMMARY OF ARGUMENTS: ANIMAL ZOOS VS. NATURAL HABITATS |
+------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| Arguments FOR Zoos | Arguments AGAINST Zoos |
+------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| • Ex-situ species conservation | • Deprivation of fundamental freedom |
| • Captive breeding of endangered | • Psychological stress & zoochosis |
| species | • Loss of natural hunting instincts |
| • Public education & ecological | • Commercial exploitation for human |
| awareness | entertainment |
| • Specialized veterinary care | • Unnatural concrete environments |
+------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------+This model writing task provides Class 10 students with balanced arguments and high-level vocabulary necessary to secure maximum marks in both oral presentations and formal writing assessments.
Board Exam Important Questions and Model Answers
To help Class 10 students prepare effectively for their upcoming CBSE Board Examinations, this section compiles critical past-year questions, extract-based comprehension tasks, and value-based long answer prompts. Each answer is written using official marking scheme strategies, highlighting key scoring phrases.
Extract-Based Questions (Reference to Context)
Question 1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (4 Marks) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
“He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.”
(i) Who does “He” refer to in these lines?
(ii) Why should “He” be lurking in the shadow?
(iii) Identify the poetic device used in line 2 (“Sliding through long grass”).
(iv) What does the phrase “plump deer pass” suggest about the tiger’s natural lifestyle?
Answer:
(i) “He” refers to the wild tiger in his natural jungle habitat.
(ii) The tiger should be lurking in the shadow to camouflage himself in the long grass, allowing him to stalk and hunt deer near the water hole without being seen.
(iii) The poetic device used is Alliteration (repetition of the /s/ sound in Sliding) and Visual Imagery.
(iv) The phrase suggests that in the wild, the tiger is an active, self-reliant apex predator who hunts healthy prey to sustain himself, living in balance with his ecosystem.
Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)
Question 2
Why does the tiger ignore the visitors at the zoo? (3 Marks) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
The tiger ignores visitors because he is fully aware of his helpless condition. Locked inside a concrete cell, his strength is restricted behind bars. He realizes that the human visitors are merely spectators who cannot help him gain freedom. Stripped of his wild dignity, he expresses his silent protest and quiet rage by completely disregarding human presence.
Question 3
How does the tiger create terror in the village near the forest edge? (3 Marks)
Answer:
In his natural habitat, the tiger creates terror by prowling around houses situated at the jungle’s edge. He displays his apex strength by baring his sharp white fangs and deadly claws, and uttering terrifying growls. His presence alone asserts his territorial dominance, intimidating villagers and reminding humanity of the untamed power of the wild.
Long Answer / Value-Based Questions (100-120 Words)
Question 4
“Freedom is a natural instinct of every living creature.” Elucidate this statement with reference to the poem A Tiger in the Zoo. (6 Marks) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer:
Leslie Norris’s poem A Tiger in the Zoo highlights the fundamental truth that the desire for freedom is an inherent instinct shared by all living beings. Confinement in an artificial environment, no matter how safe, breaks a wild creature’s spirit.
In the poem, the poet contrasts the tiger’s natural lifestyle—hunting freely near water bodies, roaming open lands, and expressing his raw power—with his sad reality inside a zoo cage. Locked behind iron bars in a cold concrete cell, the magnificent beast is reduced to pacing the short length of his cage. His ferocious roar is muted into a “quiet rage,” and his fiery spirit is constrained to staring helplessly at the distant stars late at night.
Through this powerful contrast, Norris emphasizes that keeping wild animals in cages for human entertainment is morally wrong. True dignity and happiness can only exist in freedom. Human beings must respect the natural right of every wild creature to live unhindered in its natural habitat, ensuring that ecological balance and animal rights are preserved.
In conclusion, mastering “NCERT Solutions Class 10 English A Tiger in the Zoo” provides students with a solid foundation for achieving exceptional results in their CBSE board examinations. By thoroughly understanding the contrasting stanzas, poetic devices, and core themes presented in Leslie Norris’s poem, learners can answer extract-based, short, long, and writing task questions with clarity and confidence. Utilizing these structured responses, key phrase underlinings, and model answers will help students meet the strict requirements of CBSE evaluation rubrics, ensuring top academic performance in Class 10 English Literature.