Here is a comprehensive study guide for the SEBA Class 10 English chapter, “A Tiger in the Zoo,” including a summary, complete textual question answers, previous years’ HSLC questions, and a list of most important questions in both English and Assamese, all in the requested format.
Poem: “A Tiger in the Zoo
Summary Note (কবিতাটোৰ সাৰাংশ)
English Summary:
“A Tiger in the Zoo” by Leslie Norris is a poignant poem that contrasts the life of a tiger in a zoo with its life in its natural habitat, the jungle. The poet creates a stark difference between the two environments to highlight the themes of freedom and captivity.
The poem begins by describing the tiger in the zoo. It stalks majestically with its “vivid stripes” but is confined to the “few steps of his cage.” Its paws are like “velvet quiet,” but its heart is filled with “quiet rage,” showing its helplessness and suppressed anger. It ignores the visitors, as they are irrelevant to its captive life.
In contrast, the poet imagines the tiger in the wild. It should be “lurking in shadow” and “sliding through long grass” near a water hole, waiting to hunt a plump deer. Or, it should be at the jungle’s edge, “snarling around houses” and “terrorising the village” with its white fangs and claws. This depicts the tiger’s natural, powerful, and free self.
The poem returns to the reality of the zoo, where the tiger is “locked in a concrete cell,” its immense strength “behind bars.” The final stanza is particularly moving. At night, the tiger hears the sound of patrolling cars and stares at the “brilliant stars” with its “brilliant eyes.” This image suggests a deep, silent longing for the freedom of the open, natural world that it can see but can never reach. The poem serves as a powerful critique of caging wild animals for human entertainment, emphasizing that their true spirit can only thrive in freedom.
Assamese Summary (অসমীয়া সাৰাংশ):
লেছলি নৰিছৰ “A Tiger in the Zoo” এখন মৰ্মস্পৰ্শী কবিতা, য’ত এটা চিৰিয়াখানাত থকা বাঘৰ জীৱনৰ সৈতে তাৰ প্ৰাকৃতিক বাসস্থান, অৰণ্যৰ জীৱনৰ তুলনা কৰা হৈছে। কবিয়ে স্বাধীনতা আৰু বন্দীত্বৰ বিষয়বস্তুক তুলি ধৰিবলৈ দুয়োটা পৰিৱেশৰ মাজত এক স্পষ্ট পাৰ্থক্য সৃষ্টি কৰিছে।
কবিতাটো চিৰিয়াখানাত থকা বাঘটোৰ বৰ্ণনাৰে আৰম্ভ হৈছে। ই তাৰ “উজ্জ্বল ডোৰা”ৰে ৰাজকীয়ভাৱে খোজ কাঢ়ে, কিন্তু সি তাৰ “সঁজাৰ কেইটামান খোজ”তে সীমাবদ্ধ। তাৰ থাপনা “মখমলৰ দৰে শান্ত,” কিন্তু তাৰ হৃদয় “শান্ত ক্ৰোধ”ৰে ভৰি আছে, যিয়ে তাৰ অসহায়তা আৰু দমন কৰা খং দেখুৱায়। সি দৰ্শনাৰ্থীসকলক উপেক্ষা কৰে, কাৰণ তেওঁলোক তাৰ বন্দী জীৱনৰ বাবে অপ্ৰাসংগিক।
ইয়াৰ বিপৰীতে, কবিয়ে অৰণ্যত থকা বাঘটোৰ কল্পনা কৰিছে। সি “ছাঁত লুকাই” থাকিব লাগিছিল আৰু পানীৰ ডোঙাৰ ওচৰত “দীঘল ঘাঁহৰ মাজেৰে পিছলি” গৈ শকত হৰিণ চিকাৰ কৰিবলৈ অপেক্ষা কৰিব লাগিছিল। অথবা, সি জংঘলৰ কাষত “ঘৰৰ চাৰিওফালে গৰ্জন” কৰি আৰু তাৰ বগা দাঁত আৰু নখেৰে “গাঁৱবাসীক সন্ত্ৰাসিত” কৰি থাকিব লাগিছিল। ই বাঘটোৰ প্ৰাকৃতিক, শক্তিশালী আৰু মুক্ত স্বৰূপক চিত্ৰিত কৰে।
কবিতাটো পুনৰ চিৰিয়াখানাৰ বাস্তৱতালৈ ঘূৰি আহে, য’ত বাঘটো “কংক্ৰিটৰ কোঠা”ত আৱদ্ধ, তাৰ অপৰিসীম শক্তি “লোৰ শলখাৰ আঁৰত।” শেষৰ স্তৱকটো বিশেষভাৱে মৰ্মস্পৰ্শী। ৰাতি, বাঘটোৱে টহলদাৰী গাড়ীৰ শব্দ শুনে আৰু তাৰ “উজ্জ্বল চকু”ৰে “উজ্জ্বল তৰা”লৈ চাই থাকে। এই ছবিখনে মুকলি, প্ৰাকৃতিক জগতৰ স্বাধীনতাৰ বাবে এক গভীৰ, নীৰৱ আকাংক্ষাৰ ইংগিত দিয়ে, যিখন সি দেখিব পাৰে কিন্তু কেতিয়াও পাব নোৱাৰে। কবিতাটোৱে মানুহৰ মনোৰঞ্জনৰ বাবে বন্য প্ৰাণীক সঁজাত আৱদ্ধ কৰি ৰখাৰ এক শক্তিশালী সমালোচনা আগবঢ়ায়, আৰু এই কথাটোত গুৰুত্ব দিয়ে যে তেওঁলোকৰ প্ৰকৃত আত্মা কেৱল স্বাধীনতাতে বিকশিত হ’ব পাৰে।
Complete Textual Question Answers (সম্পূৰ্ণ পাঠ্যভিত্তিক প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
Thinking about the Poem (কবিতাটোৰ বিষয়ে চিন্তা)
1. Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
(কবিতাটো পুনৰ পঢ়া, আৰু যোৰা বা গোটত তলৰ কামবোৰ কৰা।)
(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
(সঁজাত আৰু অৰণ্যত বাঘৰ গতি আৰু কাৰ্য্য বৰ্ণনা কৰা শব্দবোৰ বিচাৰি উলিওৱা। সেইবোৰক দুটা স্তম্ভত সজোৱা।)
Answer:
| In the Cage (সঁজাত) | In the Wild (অৰণ্যত) |
|---|---|
| Stalks (in his cage) | Lurking in shadow |
| Quiet rage | Sliding through long grass |
| Ignoring visitors | Snarling around houses |
| Hears the last voice | Baring his white fangs, his claws |
| Stares at brilliant stars | Terrorising the village |
(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.
(দুয়োটা ঠাই বৰ্ণনা কৰা শব্দবোৰ বিচাৰি উলিওৱা, আৰু সেইবোৰক দুটা স্তম্ভত সজোৱা।)
Answer:
| Cage (সঁজা) | Wild (অৰণ্য) |
|---|---|
| Few steps of his cage | Shadow |
| Concrete cell | Long grass |
| Behind bars | Water hole |
| Patrolling cars | Jungle’s edge, Village |
2. Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:
(i) On pads of velvet quiet, / In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes / At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
(এই শাৰীবোৰত পুনৰাবৃত্তি হোৱা শব্দৰ ব্যৱহাৰ লক্ষ্য কৰা: (i) On pads of velvet quiet, / In his quiet rage. (ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes / At the brilliant stars. এই পুনৰাবৃত্তিৰ প্ৰভাৱ কি বুলি ভাবা?)
Answer: The repetition of these words creates a powerful poetic effect by emphasizing a contrast.
- In the first example, the repetition of “quiet” contrasts the silent, soft movement of the tiger’s velvet pads with the intense, suppressed anger (“quiet rage”) inside him. It highlights his helplessness and the intensity of his silent suffering.
- In the second example, the repetition of “brilliant” contrasts the life and brilliance in the tiger’s eyes with the brilliance of the distant stars. It creates a poignant image of a captive spirit longing for the vast, open freedom of the natural world, which is as distant and unreachable as the stars.
3. Read the following two poems — one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss: Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals? Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos?
(তলৰ দুটা কবিতা পঢ়া—এটা বাঘৰ বিষয়ে আৰু আনটো পেন্থাৰৰ বিষয়ে। তাৰ পিছত আলোচনা কৰা: কিছুমান প্ৰজাতিৰ প্ৰাণীৰ সুৰক্ষা বা সংৰক্ষণৰ বাবে চিৰিয়াখানা প্ৰয়োজনীয় নে? জনসাধাৰণক শিক্ষিত কৰাৰ বাবে এইবোৰ উপকাৰী নে? চিৰিয়াখানাৰ কোনো বিকল্প আছে নে?)
Answer: (This is a discussion-based question. A sample answer is provided below.)
Yes, zoos can be considered necessary to some extent for the protection and conservation of endangered species. They run breeding programs that help to increase the population of animals that are on the verge of extinction.
Zoos are also useful for educating the public, especially children. They provide an opportunity for people to see and learn about animals they might never encounter in the wild. This can foster a greater appreciation for wildlife and awareness about conservation issues.
However, there are strong arguments against zoos as they keep animals in unnatural, confined spaces, which can cause them stress and suffering, as highlighted in the poem.
Alternatives to zoos do exist. These include wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, where animals can live in their natural habitats under protection. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, along with high-quality nature documentaries, can also serve as powerful educational tools to teach people about animals without keeping them in captivity.
Previous Year HSLC Question Answers (2015-2025)
Short Questions (চমু প্ৰশ্ন)
- Where should the tiger have been according to the poet? (HSLC 2015)
(কবিৰ মতে বাঘটো ক’ত থাকিব লাগিছিল?)
Answer: According to the poet, the tiger should have been in its natural habitat, the jungle, lurking in the long grass near a water hole to hunt its prey. - How does the tiger feel in the cage? (HSLC 2016)
(সঁজাত বাঘটোৱে কেনে অনুভৱ কৰে?)
Answer: In the cage, the tiger feels angry, helpless, and frustrated. His power is locked behind bars, and he is filled with “quiet rage.” - What does the tiger do in his cage? (HSLC 2018)
(বাঘটোৱে তাৰ সঁজাত কি কৰে?)
Answer: In his cage, the tiger stalks the few steps of his cage, ignores visitors, hears the sounds of patrolling cars at night, and stares at the brilliant stars. - How does the tiger terrorise the villagers? (HSLC 2019)
(বাঘটোৱে গাঁৱৰ মানুহক কেনেকৈ সন্ত্ৰাসিত কৰে?)
Answer: The poet imagines that the tiger would terrorise the villagers by snarling around their houses at the edge of the jungle and showing them his white fangs and claws. - What does the tiger stare at in the night? (HSLC 2022)
(বাঘটোৱে ৰাতি কিহলৈ চাই থাকে?)
Answer: In the night, the tiger stares at the brilliant stars with its brilliant eyes.
Long Questions (দীঘল প্ৰশ্ন)
- What is the central idea of the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo”? (HSLC 2022)
(কবিতাটোৰ মূল ভাব কি?)
Answer: The central idea of the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo” is the stark contrast between freedom and captivity. The poet highlights the misery and helplessness of a powerful and majestic animal like a tiger when it is confined to a cage, away from its natural habitat. The tiger’s suppressed anger and longing for freedom are evident. The poem serves as a powerful argument against the cruelty of keeping wild animals in zoos for human entertainment and emphasizes that their true life, spirit, and majesty can only be found in the wild. - How does the poet contrast the tiger in the zoo with the tiger in the wild?
(কবিয়ে চিৰিয়াখানাত থকা বাঘৰ সৈতে অৰণ্যত থকা বাঘৰ মাজত কেনেকৈ পাৰ্থক্য দেখুৱাইছে?)
Answer: The poet contrasts the two tigers by alternating stanzas between the zoo and the jungle.- The Zoo Tiger: Is a prisoner. It “stalks the few steps of his cage” in “quiet rage.” Its strength is locked “behind bars.” It is a sad, helpless spectacle for visitors.
- The Wild Tiger: Is a free and powerful predator. It should be “lurking in shadow,” “sliding through long grass” to hunt, and “terrorising the village.” It is majestic, fearsome, and lives according to its natural instincts.
This contrast effectively shows how captivity robs a wild animal of its true identity and spirit.
Most Important 10 Questions and Answers (১০টা আটাইতকৈ গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
1. What are the two distinct settings described in the poem?
(কবিতাটোত বৰ্ণনা কৰা দুটা পৃথক পৰিৱেশ কি কি?)
Answer: The two distinct settings are the tiger’s cage in a zoo and its natural habitat, the jungle.
2. Explain the phrase “quiet rage”.
(“শান্ত ক্ৰোধ” বাক্যাংশটো ব্যাখ্যা কৰা।)
Answer: “Quiet rage” refers to the tiger’s intense but suppressed anger. Because it is helpless and locked in a cage, it cannot express its fury openly. The anger simmers inside him silently, making it even more profound.
3. Where should the tiger be lurking? Why?
(বাঘটো ক’ত লুকাই থাকিব লাগিছিল? কিয়?)
Answer: The tiger should be lurking in the shadow of the long grass near a water hole, in order to ambush and hunt its natural prey, like a plump deer.
4. Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?
(বাঘটোৱে দৰ্শনাৰ্থীসকলক কিয় উপেক্ষা কৰে?)
Answer: The tiger ignores the visitors because he sees them as irrelevant to his existence. He is consumed by his loss of freedom and his silent anger, and the presence of human onlookers means nothing to him in his captive state.
5. What does the tiger’s staring at the stars suggest?
(বাঘটোৱে তৰালৈ চাই থকাটোৱে কি ইংগিত দিয়ে?)
Answer: The tiger’s staring at the stars suggests its deep longing for freedom. The stars symbolize the vast, open, and natural world that it has been deprived of. It is a silent, desperate appeal to the free and open sky.
6. What is the theme of the poem?
(কবিতাটোৰ বিষয়বস্তু কি?)
Answer: The main theme is Freedom vs. Captivity. The poem explores the idea that wild animals lose their true spirit and majesty when they are caged and that they belong in their natural environment.
7. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
(কবিতাটোৰ ছন্দ-বিন্যাস কি?)
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem is abcb for each stanza.
8. What is the mood of the tiger in the cage?
(সঁজাত বাঘটোৰ মনোভাৱ কেনেকুৱা?)
Answer: The tiger is in a mood of anger, frustration, and helplessness. He is sad and longs for his freedom.
9. What literary device is used in the line “On pads of velvet quiet”?
(“On pads of velvet quiet” শাৰীটোত কি সাহিত্যিক কৌশল ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হৈছে?)
Answer: The literary device used is a metaphor. The tiger’s soft paws are compared to velvet without using “like” or “as”.
10. What message does the poet want to convey to the readers?
(কবিয়ে পঢ়ুৱৈসকলক কি বাৰ্তা দিব বিচাৰিছে?)
Answer: The poet wants to convey the message that caging wild animals for human entertainment is a cruel act. It robs them of their freedom and natural instincts, reducing a majestic creature to a sad shadow of its former self.
