How to Tell Wild Animals

CBSE Class 10 · English · Chapter 13

Past board exam questions

CBSE 2026 board paper · 5 marks

Read the following extract and answer the questions : Though to distinguish beasts of prey A novice might nonplus, The Crocodile you always may Tell from the Hyena thus: Hyenas come with merry smiles; But if they weep they’re Crocodiles. The true Chameleon is small, A lizard sort of thing; He hasn’t any ears at all, And not a single wing. If there is nothing on the tree, ’Tis the chameleon you see. (How to Tell Wild Animals) (i) How does the poet describe the crocodile’s tears ? Choose the correct option : (1) (A) genuine and heartfelt (B) joyful and sincere (C) false and deceptive (D) cold and indifferent (ii) What confusion will a newcomer face while distinguishing between a hyena and a crocodile, as described humorously by the poet in the above extract ? (1) (iii) Mention any two characteristics of a chameleon on the basis of the given extract. (2) (iv) Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given in the brackets : (1) The tone of the poet in the above lines is __________ (playful and humorous/serious and confused).

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(i) (C) false and deceptive (ii) A novice may be puzzled (nonplussed) in telling these beasts of prey apart; the poet humorously says the hyena comes with merry smiles while the crocodile seems to weep – so the one that smiles is the hyena and the one that weeps is the crocodile. (iii) (Any two) It is small, a lizard sort of thing; it has no ears at all and not a single wing; it changes colour and blends with its background, so if there seems to be nothing on the tree, it is the chameleon you see. (iv) playful and humorous

CBSE 2026 board paper · 5 marks

Read the given extract and answer the questions given below : Though to distinguish beasts of prey A novice might nonplus, The crocodile you always may Tell from the Hyena thus : Hyenas come with merry smiles But if they weep they’re crocodiles. (How to tell Wild Animals) I. What is the most likely reason the poet uses the word ‘nonplus’ instead of confused ? (1) II. Explain the irony in the last two lines of the stanza. (2) III. Fill in the blank with one word : (1) The word ‘novice’ signifies a/an _______ person. IV. What kind of atmosphere is created through these lines ? (1) Select the correct option : 1. humorous 2. mysterious 3. aggressive 4. confusing 5. fearful Options : (A) 1 and 4 (B) Only 5 (C) 1, 2 and 3 (D) 4 and 5

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I. The poet uses poetic licence: ‘nonplus’ rhymes with ‘thus’ and also conveys a deeper sense of confusion (being completely perplexed). II. The attributes of the animals do not match their real nature. Hyenas seem to smile ‘merrily’ and crocodiles seem to ‘weep’, as if friendly or sorrowful, yet in reality both are deadly predators – the smile and the tears hide their danger. III. inexperienced IV. (A) 1 and 4

CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

What lesson does the poet convey about nature in ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’ ? (Answer in about 40-50 words.)

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(Content 2 – any two points; Expression 1) Using humour, the poet cautions readers about wild animals. Each description – the roaring Asian Lion, the Bengal Tiger, the hugging Bear, the Hyena, the Crocodile, the Chameleon – shows nature’s unpredictability and the surprises awaiting anyone travelling in a jungle. Each animal is different, and nature, though majestic, must be observed, respected and approached carefully.

CBSE 2024 board paper · 5 marks

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two : The true Chameleon is small A lizard sort of thing; He hasn’t any ears at all, And not a single wing, If there is nothing on the tree, ‘Tis the Chameleon you see. (How To Tell Wild Animals) (i) Fill in the blank with one word : (1) When the speaker says “If there is nothing on the tree, ‘Tis the Chameleon you see”, he refers to _____ as characteristic trait of a true Chameleon. (ii) What does the speaker mean when he says, “A lizard sort of thing” ? (1) (iii) Which of the following best describes the speaker’s disposition while describing the Chameleon ? (1) (A) indifferent (B) playful (C) dismissive (D) respectful (iv) Comment on the poet’s use of language in these lines. Answer in about 40 words. (2)

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(i) camouflage (also accepted: changeability) (ii) The chameleon looks very similar to a lizard but is not exactly a lizard. (iii) (B) playful (iv) The poet’s language is simple, humorous and easy to understand, yet informative – it tells us that the chameleon is small, lizard-like and camouflages itself. The regular rhyme (small–all, thing–wing, tree–see) and rhythm, and the humorous exaggeration in “If there is nothing on the tree, ‘Tis the Chameleon you see”, make the lines playful and memorable. (Any two points.)

CBSE 2024 compartment paper · 3 marks

Discuss the tone of the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’ with reference to the usual description of the animals. (How to Tell Wild Animals)

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(Content 2; Organisation 1 – any two-three relevant points) The tone is humorous and witty, though also informative. The poet gives correct features of each animal – the lion’s tawny colour, the tiger’s black stripes on yellow, the leopard’s spots – but suggests dangerous, comic ways of identifying them: you know the Asian lion when it roars at you as you are dying, the Bengal tiger when it eats you, the bear when it hugs you, the hyena when it smiles as it eats its prey, and the crocodile by its tears. If there is nothing on the tree, it is the chameleon you see.

CBSE 2023 board paper · 5 marks

Attempt any one of the given two extracts : Though to distinguish beasts of prey A novice might nonplus, The crocodiles you always may Tell from the Hyena thus : Hyenas come with merry smiles; But if they weep they’re crocodiles. (5 × 1 = 5) (i) Select the appropriate option to complete the sentence, according to the extract : Crocodiles can be identified by their _______. (a) tears (b) attitude (c) smiles (d) attacks (ii) State whether the following statement is True or False : Hyenas are famous for weeping. (iii) ‘Novice’ in line 2 means the same as : (a) learner (b) beast (c) tender foot (d) beginner (iv) In this extract the poet has presented two different behavioural traits of animals. They are ______. (v) The poet uses ‘A novice might nonplus” instead of the novice might get confused. How does this usage impact the poem ? (a) adds an incorrect option. (b) it is associated with beasts. (c) it rhymes and adds humour. (d) it simplifies the meaning.

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(i) (a) tears (ii) False (iii) (d) beginner (iv) the smiling of the hyena and the weeping (crying) of the crocodile (v) (c) it rhymes and adds humour.

CBSE 2023 board paper · 5 marks

Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below : Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : (5 × 1 = 5) Or if some time when roaming round, A noble wild beast greets you, With black stripes on a yellow ground, Just notice if he eats you. This simple rule may help you learn The Bengal Tiger to discern. (i) Who is the ‘noble wild beast’ in the above lines ? (a) zebra (b) Asian Tiger (c) Asian Lion (d) Bengal Tiger (ii) Complete the sentence appropriately. It is clear that ‘Alliteration’ is the poetic device used for ‘roaming round’ because ___________. (Clue : explain how alliteration applies here) (iii) State whether the following statement is True or False : The extract helps to identify a Royal Bengal Tiger. (iv) In the given lines, what effect does the poet create ? ‘Just notice if he eats you. This simple rule may help you learn The Bengal Tiger to discern.’ (a) irony (b) terror (c) sympathy (d) criticism (v) Which word in the extract tells you that you have recognised the ‘noble beast’ ? (a) rule (b) discern (c) roaming (d) notice

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(i) (d) Bengal Tiger (ii) the same consonant sound ‘r’ is repeated at the beginning of the neighbouring words ‘roaming’ and ‘round’. (iii) True (iv) (a) irony (v) (b) discern

CBSE 2023 board paper · 5 marks

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate option : (5 × 1 = 5) If strolling forth, a beast you view, Whose hide with spots is peppered, As soon as he has leapt on you, You’ll know it’s the leopard. ’Twill do no good to roar with pain, He’ll only lep and lep again. (i) One can find out that it is a leopard by the way it _____. (a) leaps (b) eats (c) looks (d) roars (ii) State whether the following statement is true or false : When an animal repeatedly leaps at a person, it is a leopard. (iii) Complete the sentence appropriately : It is clear that repetition is a poetic device used for ‘lep and lep again’ because _______. (Clue : explain how repetition is applied here.) (iv) The Royal Bengal Tiger has black stripes on yellow skin whereas a leopard has _______. (v) Complete the analogy with a word from the extract : claws : nails :: ? : skin

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(i) (a) leaps (ii) True (iii) the word ‘lep’ is repeated to show the repeated action of the leopard leaping / jumping on its victim again and again. (iv) dark-coloured / black spots on its hide (skin). (v) hide