Read the passage given below:
1. I rested for a moment at the door of Anand Bhawan, on Market Road, where coffee-drinkers and tin-eaters sat still at their tables, uttering low moans on seeing me. I wanted to assure them, "Don't mind me, you hugging the cash box − you are a coward, afraid even to breathe. Go on, count the cash, if that is your pleasure. I just want to watch, that's all. If my tail trails down to the street, if I am blocking your threshold, it is because, I'm told, I'm eleven feet tip to tail. I can't help it. I'm not out to kill − I'm too full. I found a green pasture full of food on my way. I won't attack until I feel hungry again. Tigers attack only when they feel hungry, unlike human beings who slaughter one another without purpose or hunger."
2. To the great delight of children, schools were being hurriedly closed. Children of all ages and sizes were running helter-skelter, screaming joyously. "No school, no school. Tiger, tiger!" They were shouting and laughing and even enjoying being scared. They seemed to welcome me. I felt like joining them. So I bounded away from the restaurant door. I walked along with them, at which they cried, 'The tiger is coming to eat us; let us get back to school!"
3. I followed them through their school gate while they ran up and shut themselves in the school hall securely. I climbed up the steps of the school, saw an open door at the far end of a veranda, and walked in. It happened to be the headmaster's room. I noticed a very dignied man jumping on the table and heaving himself up into an attic. I walked in and ung myself on the cool oor, having a special liking for cool stone oors.
4. As I drowsed, I was aware of cautious steps and hushed voices all around. I was in no mood to bother about anything. All I wanted was a little moment of sleep; the daylight was very bright.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:
(a) How did the diners at Anand Bhawan react on seeing the tiger?
(b) When do tigers attack? In this context, how are human beings different from tigers?
(c) Why were children happy and even enjoying being scared?
(d) What did the headmaster do on seeing the tiger? What did the tiger like to do in the headmaster's oce?
(e) Identify the word which means the same as 'hugging'. (Para 1)
(i) counting
(ii) hiding
(iii) rubbing
(iv) holding tightly in the arms
(f) Identify the word which means the same as 'delight'. (Para 2)
(i) pleasure
(ii) fear
(iii) sorrow
(iv) nervousness
(g) Identify the word which means the same as 'dignied'. (Para 3)
(i) tall
(ii) honourable
(iii) terried
(iv) tired
(h) Identify the meaning of the word, 'bounded'. (Para 2)
(i) walked
(ii) jumped forward
(iii) walked with heavy steps
(iv) ran lazily
Answers
a) The diners were terrified and were sitting still in their tables on seeing the tiger.
b) Tigers attack only when they are hungry whereas humans attack each other without any reason.
c) The children were happy as the schools were closed mid-day. They enjoyed being scared as the tiger scare was the reason that the schools were closed.
d) The headmaster was very terrified and climbed onto the table. He was trying to climb into the attic on seeing the tiger. The tiger lied down on the cool floor as he had a liking for it.
e) (iv) ""holding tightly in the arms""
f) (i) pleasure
g) (ii) honourable
h) (ii) jumped forward
Answer:
(a) The diners sat still at their tables, and uttered low moans on seeing the tiger.
(b) Tigers do not attack unless they are hungry Human beings on the other hand, slaughter one another without purpose or hunger.
(c) Children were happy as schools were hurriedly closed. They enjoyed being scared crying that the tiger was coming to eat them.
(d) The headmaster jumped on the table and heaved himself up into an attic. The tiger flung himself on the cool floor as he had a special liking for cool stone floors.
Answer:
(e) holding tightly in the arms.
(f) pleasure
(g) jumped forward
(h) honourable.
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