A Tiger in the House

NCERT Solutions for Class 7th: A Tiger in the House An Alien Hand Supplementary Reader English

Ruskin Bond

Page No: 60

Comprehension Check

1. "He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game..."

The phrase in italics means
(i) Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party.
(ii) Grandfather was the only sportsperson in the party.
(iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

Mark the right answer.

Answer

The phrase in italics means (iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

2. Complete the following sentences.

(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when ——————————————————————

(ii) ——————————————————————— ,I became one of the tiger’s favourites.

(iii) Timothy had clean habits, ————————————————————————————

Answer

(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when Timothy lost his temper.

(ii) One of Timothy's favourite amusements was to stalk anyone who would play with him, and so, when I came to live with Grandfather, I became one of the tiger's favourites.

(iii) Timothy had clean habits, and would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.

Page No: 64

Comprehension Check

1. Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger

(i) would prefer Mahmoud’s bed to sleep in.
(ii) and the cook would disappear together from the house.
(iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.

Mark the right answer.

Answer

Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger (iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.

2. When Timothy was about six months old, a change came over him.

The phrase in italics means that

(i) Timothy had grown to his full size.

(ii) Timothy grew more friendly.

(iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous

Answer

The phrase in italics means that (iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.

3. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.

(i) Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment.

(ii) The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger.

(iii) Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first class compartment.

(iv) All passengers in the compartment thought that Timothy was a well-fed and civilised tiger.

Answer

(i) False
(ii) True
(iii) True
(iv) False

4. Grandfather suggested that Timothy should be put in another cage.

The reason was that

(i) the tiger had become very bad tempered.

(ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.

(iii) the cage was too small for a full grown tiger.

Answer

The reason was that (ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.

5. The tiger was still licking his arm, with increasing relish. The phrase in italics suggests that Timothy

(i) was good natured.

(ii) recognised an old friend.

(iii) smelt fresh food.

Answer

The phrase in italics suggests that Timothy (iii) smelt fresh food.

Page No: 65

Exercises

Answer the following questions.

1. Where was the tiger cub hiding when Grandfather found him?

Answer

Grandfather found the tiger cub was hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree.

2. (i) What did Toto do to entertain Timothy?
    (ii) What did he do when Timothy lost his temper?

Answer

(i) Toto teased and pull Timothy by the tail to entertain him.

(ii) Toto climbed up the curtains when Timothy lost his temper.

3. "I became one of the tiger’s favourites". Who is 'I' in the statement? Why did he think so?

Answer

In the statement ‘I’ refers to the narrator of the story, Ruskin Bond. He think so because the tiger with a crafty look in his glittering eyes and crouching his body creep closer and closer to the author. Suddenly making a dash for his feet, rolling over on his back and kicking with delight, and pretending to bite his ankles.

4. Where was Timothy most comfortable during the day? Where was he during the night?

Answer

Timothy was most comfortable on the long sofa in the drawing room during the day which was his favourite place in the house. He slept at night in the cook’s quarters.

5. What was Grandmother’s prophecy about the cook? Did it come true?

Answer

Grandmother's prophecy about the cook was that one day Timothy sitting on cook's bed would make a meal of cook with his clothes and shoes left behind. However it didn't come true because the tiger had begun to stalk Mahmoud about the house with a villainous intent.

6. What made Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo?

Answer

When Timothy was about six months old, he grew less friendly. When out for a walk with the author, he would try to steal away to stalk a cat or someone’s pet dog. Sometimes at night they heard frenzied cackling from the poultry house, and in the morning, feathers were lying all over the verandah. And finally, when he began to stalk Mahmoud about the house with what looked like villainous intent, Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo.

7. Why did Grandfather want Timothy to be put in another enclosure?

Answer

A leopard in the next cage snarled at Timothy. Every time, the leopard would rush at the bars and Timothy had to slink back to his corner. So, Grandfather wanted Timothy to be put in another enclosure.

8. What shocked Grandfather in the end?

Answer

Grandfather visited the zoo after six months to see Timothy and went to the cage where he was put in straightly. When Grandfather asked the keeper to transfer Timothy to another cage, he said that the tiger in the cage was not Timothy. He was informed by the zoo keeper that his tiger Timothy had died two months ago, which shocked him in the end. 

Discuss the following topics in groups.

1. Shoot animals with a camera, not with a gun.

2. Keeping pets helps us become more loving and tolerant. It also helps us respect life in any form. Do you agree?

3. Have you heard of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)? What do they do?

Answer

Students need to do these questions by themselves to enhance their knowledge and speaking power.