NCERT SOLUTIONS FOR CLASS 10 - ENGLISH NOTES - HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS - CAROLYN WELLS - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CBSE

 

HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS

CAROLYN WELLS

 

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

1) Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Ans: No, ‘dyin’ does not rhyme with ‘lion’. It may rhyme with the word ‘dyin’ if we change the pronunciation of lion by speaking it as ‘lying’.

 

2) How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so according to him?
Ans: The poet suggests that we can identify the lion and the tiger while roaming in the jungle. According to poet a lion is a large and tawny beast whereas a Bengal tiger has black stripes on its yellow coat. A tiger attacks its prey silently, while a lion roars when it falls upon its prey.

 

3) Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this?
Ans: The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are not spelt correctly in the third stanza. The poet has spelt them like this to keep up with the rhythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, 'lept' is leapt and 'lep' is leap. The poet has purposefully spelt them mistakenly to make a comical inclination.

 

4) Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong hug-such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! Again, hyenas are thought to laugh and crocodiles to weep (‘crocodile tears’) as they swallow their victims. Are there similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in your own language (s)?
Ans: A “bearhug” is when the bear hugs its prey tightly with both hands and presses it to death.
“Girgit ke tarah rang badalna”

“Magarmach ke aansu aaana”

“Haathi ke daant dikhane ke aur, khane ke aur”

“Ab pachtaye hot kya jab chidiya chug gai khet”

There are similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in Hindi  language.

 

5) Look at the line ‘A novice might nonplus.” How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s ‘incorrect’ line better in the poem?
Ans: The line “A novice might nonplus” can be written correctly as “A novice might be nonplussed”. However, the poet's incorrect line is better in the poem as it keeps up with the rhyme scheme of the poem. By composing it mistakenly, 'nonplus' rhymes with 'thus'.

 

6) Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own language? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language (s)?
Ans: One can discover a lot of examples in poetry where poets mistreat language. This is called 'poetic licence'. Poets take such freedoms to make legitimate rhyming and rhythm. For instance, in the accompanying lines the word 'prest' is utilized rather than 'pressed' so it might rhyme with 'breast'. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth's sweat flowing breast.

 

7) Much of the humour in the poem arisesfrom the way language is used. Although the ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these lines with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny.
Ans: The manner in which the poet has utilized language and thoughts in the poem is without a doubt humourous. The lines from the poem that has all the earmarks of being clever are "A noble wild beast greets you". The possibility that a wild beast will welcome you is very entertaining. The language in the line, "He'll only lep and lep again" is also exceptionally humorous. The idea of 'lep' from the word 'leopard' creates humor