Question 1 - How to Tell Wild Animals - First Flight - Poems (Literature) - English Class 10

Read the given extract and answer the questions

Extract:

If ever you should go by chance

To jungles in the east;

And if there should to you advance

A large and tawny beast,

If he roars at you as you’re dyin’

You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…

(How to tell wild animals)

Question (i)

The poem describes a beast that might be an Asian Lion. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of this beast mentioned in the poem?

• a) It is large
• b) It is tawny
• c) It roars
• d) It has stripes

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

d) It has stripes

Step-by-Step Explanation:

•  The poem describes a scenario where someone goes to jungles in the east.
•  In this scenario, a large beast advances towards them .
•  The color of this beast is described as being " tawny ".
•  The action of this beast that helps identify it as an Asian Lion is that it roars at them as they're dying.
•  However, the poem does not mention anything about the beast having stripes.
•  Therefore, the characteristic of the beast that is NOT mentioned in the poem is that it has stripes.

Question (ii)

 How does the poet use irony to describe identifying an Asian Lion in the poem?

Answer: 

Answer as written by the student:

The poet uses irony by suggesting a dangerous and absurd way of identifying an Asian Lion that would be useless in reality.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

• The poem describes a scenario where someone goes to jungles in the east.
•  In this scenario, a large and tawny beast advances towards them.
• The poet suggests that if this beast roars at them as they're dying, then they'll know it is an Asian Lion.
•  This suggestion is ironic because it implies that one can only identify an Asian Lion when it's too late and knowing its identity would no longer be useful.

Question (iii)

When the poet says that if a beast roars at you as you’re dying, then you’ll know it is an Asian Lion, she refers to _________ as the means for identification.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

  The roar of the beast

 Step-by-Step Explanation:

• The poem describes a scenario where someone goes to jungles in the east.
• In this scenario, a large and tawny beast advances towards them.
• The poet suggests that if this beast roars at them as they’re dying, then they’ll know it is an Asian Lion.
• Therefore, according to the poem, the roar of the beast is the means for identifying it as an Asian Lion.

Question (iv) 

How does the poet use language to create humor in the poem?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The poet uses language in a playful and witty manner to create humor in the poem.

Step-by-Step Explanation:

•  The poem "How to Tell Wild Animals" by Carolyn Wells contains humorous elements.
•  One way that the poet creates humor in the poem is through the use of language.
•  The poet uses language in a playful and witty manner to create humor.
•  For example, the poet suggests dangerous and absurd ways of identifying wild animals that would be useless in reality.
•  This creates a humorous contrast between the serious tone of the poem and the absurdity of the suggestions.