Navigating through the CBSE Class 10 English curriculum requires a sharp appreciation of poetic craft, comedic devices, and structured literary analysis. Poem 4 of First Flight, “How to Tell Wild Animals” by celebrated American humorist Carolyn Wells, is a lighthearted piece that introduces students to various dangerous beasts of prey through humorous methods of identification. The poem blends biological traits with exaggerated irony, clever rhyme schemes, and deliberate poetic license. To help students master every aspect of this unit, this comprehensive solutions guide offers textbook-accurate, highly structured, and pedagogically sound responses aligned with the latest CBSE evaluation standards and marking schemes.
Every question presented in the official NCERT textbook—including stanza-by-stanza analysis, poetic license explanations, rhyme scheme evaluations, humour devices, and an expanded set of 15 board-level FAQs—has been solved with thorough detail. Short-answer responses are calibrated strictly to the official 30–40 word limit, while analytical questions meet the 100–120 word board standard. Key scoring terms, literary devices (such as alliteration, inversion, poetic license, paradox, and irony), and identification traits have been highlighted to ensure students secure top marks in their board examinations.
NCERT Class 10 English How to Tell Wild Animals Solutions
In this poem, Carolyn Wells suggests comically lethal ways to distinguish wild animals if one encounters them in the wild. The speaker warns that if a large, tawny beast roars as you are dying, it is the Asian Lion. If a noble wild beast with black stripes on a yellow hide eats you, it is the Bengal Tiger. If a beast whose hide is peppered with spots leaps on you repeatedly despite your cries of pain, it is the Leopard.
The poem moves to the yard, noting that a creature hugging you hard is a Bear. It contrasts the Hyena’s smiling face with the weeping Crocodile, and concludes with the tree-dwelling Chameleon, which has no ears or wings and is invisible against the bark. Wells relies on dark humor and parody to educate readers on wildlife traits while maintaining a regular ababcc rhyme scheme. Below are the complete and detailed textbook solutions.
Thinking about the Poem (Page No. 45)
Question 1 Does ‘dyin’ rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does? (Page No. 45)
Answer: In standard English pronunciation, ‘dying’ does not perfectly rhyme with ‘lion’ because of the concluding ‘g’ sound.
However, the poet deliberately truncates the word into ‘dyin’ using colloquial abbreviation. When pronounced informally as “lie-an” and “die-in”, the two words create an effective, humorous slant rhyme that preserves the rhythmic meter of the stanza.
Question 2 How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him? (Page No. 45) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: The poet distinguishes the two beasts through specific visual traits and dangerous encounters:
- Asian Lion: A large, tawny beast found in the eastern jungles that identifies itself by roaring ferociously as you are dying of fright.
- Bengal Tiger: A noble beast with black stripes on a yellow ground that identifies itself by eating you as soon as you meet him.
According to the humorous premise of the poem, you can only identify them at the very moment of your death.
Question 3 Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong hug—such as bears are thought to give, when they attack you! Again, does the idea of a bear hug make you laugh? (Page No. 45)
Answer: A ‘bearhug’ in colloquial language refers to an extremely tight, affectionate embrace between two people.
The poem creates humor through dramatic irony and wordplay: while a human bearhug is an expression of warmth, a literal bear’s hug is a fatal crushing grip meant to suffocate its prey. Describing this lethal attack as a loving hug that will continue if you have any doubt makes the situation comical.
Question 4 Look at the line “A novice might be nonplus’d”. How would you write this correctly? Why is the poet’s incorrect line better in the poem? (Page No. 45) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: In grammatically correct English prose, the line would be written as: “A novice might be nonplussed.”
The poet’s shortened spelling ‘nonplus’d’ is better in the context of the poem for two reasons:
- It maintains the strict iambic meter and rhythmic flow of the line.
- It creates a clean visual and phonetic rhyme with the word ‘thus’ in the alternate line of the stanza.
Question 5 Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your mother tongue? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your language? (Page No. 45)
Answer: Yes, poets frequently take liberties with grammar, vocabulary, and spelling—a literary privilege known as Poetic License—to maintain rhyme schemes and meter.
In this poem, Carolyn Wells provides prime examples:
- Writing ‘dyin’ instead of ‘dying’ to rhyme with ‘lion’.
- Using the non-standard term ‘lep’ and ‘lep again’ instead of ‘leapt’ to rhyme with ‘leopard’.
- Inversion in lines like “A noble wild beast greets you” instead of regular prose ordering.
Humorous nursery rhymes, limericks by Edward Lear, and satirical verse in regional Indian languages (like the nonsense rhymes of Sukumar Ray in Bengali or humorous Hasya Kavita in Hindi) use similar linguistic modifications to create comical effects.
Question 6 Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are also funny. Do you agree? Why/Why not? (Page No. 45) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: Yes, I completely agree. The humor arises from the combination of absurd ideas and clever linguistic choices:
- Absurd Juxtaposition: The poet treats life-threatening situations (being mauled by a tiger or crushed by a bear) as casual learning exercises for wildlife identification.
- Playful Understatement: Describing a deadly tiger attack as “A noble wild beast greets you” or a leopard’s assault as “‘twill do no good to roar with pain” uses irony to produce humor.
- Inventive Wordplay & Poetic License: Altering words into ‘lep’, ‘dyin’, and ‘nonplus’d’ enhances the musicality and lighthearted tone of the piece.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Class 10 English Poem 4
Question 1: What is the central theme of the poem “How to Tell Wild Animals”? Answer: The central theme is a lighthearted, humorous introduction to the distinguishing physical characteristics and behavioral habits of dangerous wild beasts, presented through witty rhymes and satirical advice.
Question 2: Who is the poet of “How to Tell Wild Animals”? Answer: The poem is written by Carolyn Wells, a famous American author known for her humorous poetry and mystery novels.
Question 3: What is the rhyme scheme of each stanza in this poem? Answer: Every stanza in the poem follows a regular and musical rhyme scheme of ababcc.
Question 4: What are the physical features of the Asian Lion mentioned in the poem? Answer: The Asian Lion is described as a large, powerful, and tawny-colored (brownish-yellow) beast that inhabits the eastern jungles and roars terrifyingly at its prey.
Question 5: How does the poet describe the Bengal Tiger? Answer: The Bengal Tiger is characterized as a “noble wild beast” possessing distinctive black stripes across a yellow background hide, ready to pounce and eat an intruder.
Question 6: How can one recognize a Leopard according to Carolyn Wells? Answer: A leopard can be recognized by its hide, which is “peppered” with dark spots. It leaps repeatedly (lep and lep again) upon its victim, ignoring any cries of pain.
Question 7: Why does the poet use the word ‘lep’ instead of ‘leap’ or ‘leapt’? Answer: The poet uses ‘lep’ as an example of poetic license to create a clean, humorous rhyme with the word ‘leopard’ and maintain the stanza’s rhythm.
Question 8: How does a Bear attack its victim according to the poem? Answer: A bear attacks by hugging its victim tightly in a crushing embrace, continuing to caress them until life is extinguished.
Question 9: What is the difference between a Hyena and a Crocodile in the poem? Answer: A hyena is distinguished by its perpetual, deceptive smile while attacking prey, whereas a crocodile is known for shedding fake tears (crocodile tears) while devouring its victim.
Question 10: How does the poet describe a Chameleon? Answer: A chameleon is described as a small reptile resembling a lizard. It has no ears and not a single wing, and possesses the ability to camouflage itself against tree bark.
Question 11: What does the poet mean by saying “If there is nothing on the tree, ’tis the chameleon you see”? Answer: This line refers to the chameleon’s natural camouflage. When it changes its skin color to match the tree branch perfectly, it becomes invisible, meaning looking at an empty branch indicates a chameleon is present.
Question 12: What literary device is used in “A noble wild beast greets you”? Answer: The line uses Irony and Personification, presenting a ferocious tiger as a polite aristocrat who formally greets visitors before consuming them.
Question 13: What does the word ‘nonplus’d’ mean in the poem? Answer: ‘Nonplus’d’ (nonplussed) means being thoroughly confused, perplexed, or puzzled when trying to distinguish between different predatory beasts.
Question 14: What is the tone of the poem “How to Tell Wild Animals”? Answer: The tone of the poem is playful, humorous, satirical, and lighthearted throughout.
Question 15: Why is the advice given in the poem considered impractical? Answer: The advice is impractical and ironic because following the poet’s identification criteria requires an individual to be fatally attacked, mauled, or eaten by the wild animal first.
Mastering the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Poem 4, “How to Tell Wild Animals”, equips students with the exact poetic definitions, rhyme scheme breakdowns, and analytical points required for board success. Reviewing the comic techniques, examples of poetic license, and the 15 board-level FAQs above will ensure maximum marks in your CBSE literature assessments.