A TIGER IN THE HOUSE
1. Division of the Text
The whole story can be divided into three SGPs (Sense Group Paragraphs) for better understanding. Each SGP consists of some paragraphs. Each part is based on a single main idea and some supporting ideas. Read the story silently SGP wise and answer the comprehension questions. Check your answers with the Answer- key.
Outlines:
1. What is this part of the story about?
2. Who was Timothy?
3. Where was Timothy discovered?
4. Was Grandfather a shikari?
5. Why was he requested to accompany the party?
6. What was the camp like?
7. How many elephants were there in the camp?
8. How many elephants had howdahs?
9. What were the sportsmen beginning to shoot at?
10. Who discovered the tiger cub?
11. What was the length of the tiger cub?
12.Where was the tiger cub hiding?
13. Do you think Grandfather was very bold?
14. What kind of special quality did Grandfather have?
15. Was Grandfather different from other members of the party? How?
16. What will the Grandfather do with the tiger cub?
Outlines:
Discovery of tiger cub: Hunting expedition Camp-tiger cub
SGP-1 (Para1-4):
Questions for Comprehension:
Comprehension Questions:
Timothy’s life as a pet: Raising of Timothy-His
companions and amusements - Changes in Timothy - Grandfather’s prediction-Transfer of Timothy to a zoo SGP-2 (Para5-13):
[74]
1. Who are there in this part of the story?
2. Who named the tiger cub Timothy?
3. Who brought it up?
4. What was the diet of the tiger cub at first?
5. What was the tempting diet of Timothy?
6. Who were Timothy’s companions?
7. What was Timothy’s favourite amusement?
8. What was Timothy’s favourite place?
9. Where did he sleep at night?
10. When did a change come over Timothy?
11. Which zoo was Timothy transferred to?
12. How was he taken to the zoo?
13. Why were the zoo authorities glad to receive Timothy?
14.Do you think Timothy will be glad to live in the zoo?
Outlines:
.
1. After how many months did Grandfather call at the zoo?
2. Where was the writer’s house?
3. “The tiger was there crouched in a corner, full grown with a magnificent striped coat”. Who does ‘the tiger’ refer to?
4. What did Grandfather tick?
5. What was the old way of keeping Timothy quiet?
6. Who kept the tiger frightening?
7. Who did the Grandfather want to see to lodge a complaint?
8. How was the old keeper observing the Grandfather?
Questions for Comprehension:
Comprehension Questions:
Grandfather’s visit to the zoo and reaction at Timothy’s death news: Grandfather’s fondling with the new tiger considering him Timothy-His conversation with the new keeper and the old keeper-Complaining to the zoo Superintendent-Timothy’s death news -Grandfather’s reaction and departure from the zoo
SGP-3 (Para14-32):
Questions Comprehension:
Comprehension Questions:
[75]
9. What did Grandfather suggest to the second keeper?
10.What did Timothy die of? When?
11.Where was the new tiger trapped?
12. What did Grandfather mumble near the tiger?
13.How did Grandfather walk out of the zoo?
14. Who is the writer of the story?
15. What is the main idea of the story?
SGP-I
1. how Timothy was discovered 2. a tiger-cub
3. on a hunting expedition in the Terai Jungle near Dehra 4. No
5. because he knew the forests of Siwalik hills better and to advise on the land and the direction the beaters should take once a tiger had been spotted.
6. sumptuous 7. fifteen
8. four 9. jackals 10. Grandfather 11. eighteen inches
12. among the intricate roots of a banyan tree
13. Yes
14. love for animals
15. Yes, he was the only member of the party to have bagged any game, dead or alive
16. keep him as a pet at home
SGP- II
1. The writer, Grandfather, Grandmother, Timothy, Mahmoud, Toto and mongrel puppy
2. Grandmother
3. Mahmoud, the writer’s cook 4. milk
5. pigeons and rabbits 6. Toto and a mongrel puppy
7. to stalk anyone who should play with him
8. the drawing room 9. in the cook’s quarters
10. when Timothy was about six months old
11. a zoo at Lucknow
12. in a first class compartment on a train 13. because Timothy was well fed and fairly
civilized 14. No
SGP-III
1. about six months later 2. Dehra
3. a new tiger who was trapped in the hills
Answer-key to the Comprehension Questions:
[76]
4. the tiger’s ear
5. smacking him across the mouth
6. the leopard
7. the Superintendent of the zoo 8. with alarm
9. to transfer Timothy to another cage
10. Pneumonia, two months before 11. in the hills
12. good night Timothy 13. briskly
14. Ruskin Bond
15. love between man and animal
A. The following is the summary of the story ‘A Tiger in the House’. But some important words or phrases are missing. Fill in the blanks of the summary with the suitable words from the box.
1. Timothy was discovered by Grandfather on a hunting expedition in the __________ Jungle.
2. Grandfather brought it home and it was brought up by ______________.
3. Timothy was put on a diet of milk, raw mutton, cod liver oil and then tempting diet of _____________________.
4. He lived happily like one of the members of the ______________.
5. But when he was about _______________ old, a change over him and he became less friendly and more furious.
6. So Grandfather transferred him to a zoo at ______________.
7. About ________months later, Grandfather visited the zoo to see Timothy.
8. The keeper told him that Timothy had died of ____________ two months before.
9. Grandfather was shocked at the news of Timothy’s death and left the zoo quickly with a ___________ look at the keeper.