A Tiger in the House – NCERT Solutions

Q. “He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game…” The phrase in italics means

• Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party.
• Grandfather was the only sportsperson in the party.
• Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

Mark the right answer.

Ans. Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.

Q. Complete the following sentences.

1. Toto climbed up the curtains when _________________.
2. ___________________, I became one of the tiger’s favourites.
3. Timothy had clean habits, __________________.

Answer

1. Timothy lost his temper.
2. When I came to live with my Grandfather.
3. he would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.

Q. Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger

1. would prefer Mahmoud’s bed to sleep in.
2. and the cook would disappear together from the house.
3. would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.

Mark the right answer.

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

Q. When Timothy was about six months old, a change came over him. The phrase in italics means that

1. Timothy had grown to his full size.
2. Timothy grew more friendly.
3. Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.

Ans. Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.

Q. Write “True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements:

1. Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment.
2. The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger.
3. Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first class compartment.
4. All passengers in the compartment thought that Timothy was a well-fed and civilised tiger.

Answer

1. False
2. True
3. True
4. False

Q. Grandfather suggested that Timothy should be put in another cage. The reason was that

1. the tiger had become very bad tempered.
2. a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.
3. the cage was too small for a full grown tiger.

Ans. a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.

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

• was good natured.
• recognised an old friend.
• smelt fresh food.

Ans. smelt fresh food.

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

Ans. The tiger cub was hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree in the Terai jungle near Dehra.

Q. What did Toto do to entertain Timothy?

Ans. Toto used to pull Timothy by the tail.

Q. What did he do when Timothy lost his temper?

Ans. Toto climbed up the curtain if Timothy lost his temper.

Q. “I became one of the tiger’s favourites.” Who is ‘I’ in the statement? Why did he think so?

Ans. ‘I’ stands for the narrator, Ruskin Bond. He thought so because Timothy would come closer to him, roll over on his feet and pretended to bite his ankles.

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

Ans. During the day, Timothy was most comfortable on the long sofa in the drawing room. He slept at night in the cook’s quarters.

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

Ans. Grandmother’s prophecy was that Timothy would one day kill the cook Mahmoud, and make a meal of him. No, it did not come true.

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

Ans. When Timothy was about six months old, he grew less friendly and more dangerous. He chased the cats and ate up hens. He also followed Mahmouod with evil intentions. So Grandfather decided to shift him away to Lucknow zoo.