CBSE Class 7 English Chapter 9 A Tiger in the House Summary, Explanation, Question Answers from An Alien Hand Book
A Tiger in the House Class 7 – NCERT Class 7 English An Alien Hand book Lesson 9 A Tiger in the House Summary and Detailed explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words. Also, the explanation is followed by a Summary of the lesson. All the exercises and Questions and Answers given at the back of the lesson have been covered. Take Free Online MCQs Test for Class 7 Click Here
- A Tiger in the House Introduction
- A Tiger in the House Part 1 Video Explanation
- A Tiger in the House Part 2 Video Explanation
- A Tiger in the House Summary
- A Tiger in the House Explanation
- A Tiger in the House Question Answers
A Tiger in the House Introduction
This story is about a tiger-cub named Timothy who grew up in the writer’s Grandfather’s house.
A Tiger in the House Part 1 Video Explanation
A Tiger in the House Summary
The writer’s grandfather had gone to the Terai jungle near Dehra with a group of people. He was strolling down the forest path at some distance from the rest of the party, when he discovered a tiger-cub. The cub was about eighteen inches long and was hiding among the roots of the banyan tree. Grandfather picked up the cub and brought it home. The cub was named Timothy by the writer’s grandmother. The tiger-cub was at first fed with milk, which was given in a feeding-bottle by their cook whose name was Mahmoud. But after noticing that milk was too rich for him, he was given raw mutton and cod-liver oil, followed by pigeons and rabbits. Timothy had two animal companions – Toto, the bold and daring monkey and a small mongrel puppy who was found on the road by Grandfather. The tiger was at first afraid of the small puppy and would act in a ridiculous way when it would get too close to him. One of Timothy’s amusements was to stalk someone who would play with him. When the writer came to live with his grandfather, he was the tiger’s favourite person to stalk. By that time, the tiger had grown up to the size of a retriever dog. Whenever the writer would take him out for walks, people would get scared and would get away from them. The tiger would sometimes go so fast that he would pull the chain, making it difficult for the writer to keep up with him. His favourite place in the house was the drawing-room where he would sit comfortably on a sofa, reclining with dignity. He would snarl at anyone who would try to take him out of his comfort zone. Timothy had clean habits. He spent the night in the cook’s room and would be delighted to be let out by him in the morning. Then one day, Grandmother predicted that a day would come when they would find the tiger sitting on the cook’s bed and no sign of the cook except his clothes and shoes because the tiger would gulp him. Even though that never happened, people living in the house could see a negative change in the tiger’s behaviour when he became six months old. He was growing less friendly. Whenever the writer took him out on a walk, he would try to capture a cat or a dog. Frantic sounds could be heard from the poultry house and in the morning, the family members found feathers lying all over the verandah indicating that Timothy had gulped down a few hens. Timothy had to be tied with chains more often. In his last days in the house, the tiger was seen to be following Mahmoud as if he wanted to eat him, when Grandfather decided it was time to put him into a zoo. Grandfather and Timothy travelled by train in a first class compartment where they were quite alone because no one would share seats with them. Grandfather took the tiger to a zoo in Lucknow, where the zoo authorities were grateful to have a well-fed and fairly civilised tiger. Six months later, the writer’s grandparents were visiting relatives in Lucknow. Grandfather thought of visiting Timothy to see how he was getting on. When he reached the zoo, he went straight to the cage in which Timothy had been kept. In the cage was a large tiger with striped skin. Grandfather called him by his name and put his arm through the bars of the cage. The tiger came towards him and allowed Grandfather to put both hands around his head. Grandfather stroked and tickled him, slapping him lightly whenever the tiger growled, which was his old method of keeping him quiet. The tiger licked his hands, but would get away when the leopard in the adjoining cage roared at him. Grandfather shooed the leopard away, but the leopard would come back and snarl at the tiger again, and the tiger would go back to the corner of the cage. A number of people had gathered around the cage to see their reunion. A keeper pushed his way through the crowd and asked Grandfather what he was doing. Grandfather introduced himself and the surprised keeper gave him permission to continue the conversation while saying that he had never been able to touch the tiger because of its bad temper. Grandfather then decided to meet the Superintendent of the zoo so that the tiger could be free from the leopard, but he found out that the Superintendent went home early. As it was getting dark, he decided to visit the tiger one last time to say good-bye. He had been stroking and slapping the tiger when he saw that another keeper, one who was there when Timothy had first arrived at the zoo, was looking at them with worry. Grandfather asked him to separate the tiger from the leopard. The keeper stammered as he told him that the tiger he was touching was not his tiger. At first Grandfather did not completely understand what he said but then the keeper told him that Timothy had died two months ago. After hearing that, he saw that the tiger was licking his hand with relish rather than affection. Timothy had died due to pneumonia while this tiger had been trapped from the hills only last month, and it was very dangerous. Grandfather slowly took his hand out of the cage, still numb with the new information. He still mumbled goodnight to the tiger and gave the keeper a hateful look, as he just could not believe that his precious Timothy had left the earth.
A Tiger in the House Part 2 Video Explanation
A Tiger in the House Lesson Explanation
Passage: Timothy, the tiger-cub, was discovered by Grandfather in the Terai jungle near Dehra.
One day, when Grandfather was strolling down the forest path at some distance from the rest of the party, he discovered a little tiger about eighteen inches long, hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree. Grandfather picked him up, and brought him home. He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game, dead or alive.
Word Meaning
strolling: walking in a relaxed and leisure way
intricate: detailed and tangled
distinction: excellence that sets someone or something apart from others
bagged: won
Explanation of the above Passage: Timothy was a tiger-cub which was discovered by the writer’s Grandfather in the Terai jungle near Dehra. Grandfather had gone to the forest with some other people. They were hunting for animals and in those times, animal hunting was a popular game. Grandfather was walking leisurely down the forest path and he was falling behind the rest of the party. As he was strolling, he discovered a little tiger which was only about eighteen inches long. The tiger-cub was hiding among the detailed and tangled roots of a banyan tree. Grandfather picked him up and brought him home. He had the excellence of having won a game dead or alive which set him apart from the rest of the hunting party.
Passage: At first the tiger-cub, who was named Timothy by Grandmother, was brought up entirely on milk given to him in a feeding-bottle by our cook, Mahmoud. But the milk proved too rich for him, and he was put on a diet of raw mutton and cod-liver oil, to be followed later by a more tempting diet of pigeons and rabbits.
Word Meaning
tempting: delicious, something that is attractive
Explanation of the above Passage: The tiger-cub was brought home. He was given the name Timothy by the writer’s grandmother. He was brought up on milk only, which was given to him in a feeding-bottle by their cook, whose name was Mahmoud. However, the milk they were giving to the cub turned out to be a bit too rich, meaning that he could get overweight by drinking the milk. So, they had to change his diet to prevent him from getting overweight. He was then put on a diet of raw mutton and cod-liver oil. After that, they started to give him a diet of pigeons and rabbits which he found delicious.
Passage: Timothy was provided with two companions—Toto, the monkey, who was bold enough to pull the young tiger by the tail, and then climb up the curtains if Timothy lost his temper; and a small mongrel puppy, found on the road by Grandfather.
Word Meaning
companions: someone who gives you company
bold: daring, someone who can do dangerous things
mongrel: a dog of no definable type or breed
Explanation of the above Passage: There were two animals in the house who provided company to Timothy. The first animal was called Toto and he was a monkey. Toto was not afraid to do dangerous things, and would pull the young tiger by his tail. If Timothy lost his temper, that is when Timothy became annoyed by what Toto was doing, he would try to harm the monkey. Toto would climb up the curtains and reach a particular height which the tiger cannot reach. The second animal was a small puppy. The puppy did not have a definable breed, so it was probably a stray dog. The puppy was found on the road by Grandfather, just like the way the tiger-cub was found in the jungle.
Passage: At first Timothy appeared to be quite afraid of the puppy, and darted back with a spring if it came too near. He would make absurd dashes at it with his large forepaws, and then retreat to a ridiculously safe distance. Finally, he allowed the puppy to crawl on his back and rest there!
Word Meaning
dart: move or run somewhere suddenly or rapidly
spring: move or jump suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards
absurd: ridiculous, illogical
dash: run
retreat: go back
Explanation of the above Passage: When Timothy first met the puppy, he was quite scared of it. Whenever the puppy came too near to Timothy, he would run back quickly with a sudden jump. Then, he would run illogically towards the puppy, and would try to scare it with his large forepaws. Then, he would go back and sit on a spot which was far away from the puppy. Finally, he would allow the puppy to crawl on his back where he would take a rest. The writer was greatly surprised to see how the tiger was first scared of the puppy and then he became friendly with him.
Passage: One of Timothy’s favourite amusements was to stalk anyone who would play with him, and so, when I came to live with Grandfather, I became one of the tiger’s favourites. With a crafty look in his glittering eyes, and his body crouching, he would creep closer and closer to me, suddenly making a dash for my feet, rolling over on his back and kicking with delight, and pretending to bite my ankles.
Word Meaning
amusement: something that is entertaining or amusing
stalk: follow someone stealthily
crafty: clever
crouch: adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself
creep: crawl
delight: happiness
pretending: acting
Explanation of the above Passage: Timothy used to do a lot of things to entertain himself. One of them was to secretly follow a person who would play with him. When the writer came to live with Grandfather, he became one of Timothy’s favourite people to stalk. Whenever the tiger would stalk, he would have a clever look in his eyes, which glittered. His body would be in a position where his knees were bent and the upper body was brought forward and down. He would crawl closer to the writer and then he would suddenly run towards the writer’s feet. Then he would roll over and kick with happiness as he acted that he would bite the writer’s ankles.
Passage: He was by this time the size of a full-grown retriever, and when I took him out for walks, people on the road would give us a wide berth. When he pulled hard on his chain, I had difficulty in keeping up with him. His favourite place in the house was the drawing-room, and he would make himself comfortable on the long sofa, reclining there with great dignity, and snarling at anybody who tried to get him off.
Word Meaning
retriever: a breed of dog (trained to retrieve game in hunting)
give us a wide berth: keep a safe distance from us
recline: lean or lie back in a relaxed position with the back supported
dignity: pride, being proud
snarl: growling while showing teeth
Explanation of the above Passage: When the writer started to live with his grandfather, Timothy had grown up to the size of a full-grown retriever dog. Since he had grown a lot, people on the road would give the writer and the tiger space whenever they went out for walks. People were scared of the tiger and kept themselves far away from him. Sometimes, the tiger would pull the chain with great strength, due to which the writer had a hard time trying to keep up with the tiger and to keep him under control. The tiger’s favourite place in the house was the drawing-room. Timothy liked the sofas which were present in the drawing-room. He would lie comfortably on the long sofa. He laid back in a relaxed position on the long sofa while being really proud of himself. He would growl and show his scary, sharp teeth at anyone who tried to get him off the sofa.
Passage: Timothy had clean habits, and would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat. He slept at night in the cook’s quarters, and was always delighted at being let out by him in the morning.
Word Meaning
scrub: rub hard to clean something
quarters: a place where someone stays, a room
Explanation of the above Passage: Timothy had clean habits, meaning that he took care of his hygiene. Tigers are like cats, and the writer could see that in Timothy as well when he would rub his face with his paws to clean it like a cat. The tiger would sleep at night in the cook Mahmoud’s room. He was always happy when Mahmoud would let him out of the room in the morning.
Passsage: “One of these days,” declared Grandmother in her prophetic manner, “we are going to find Timothy sitting on Mahmoud’s bed, and no sign of the cook except his clothes and shoes!”
Of course, it never came to that, but when Timothy was about six months old a change came over him; he grew steadily less friendly. When out for a walk with me, he would try to steal away to stalk a cat or someone’s pet dog. Sometimes at night we would hear frenzied cackling from the poultry house, and in the morning there would be feathers lying all over the verandah. Timothy had to be chained up more often. And finally, when he began to stalk Mahmoud about the house with what looked like villainous intent, Grandfather decided it was time to transfer him to a zoo.
Word Meaning
prophetic: accurately predicting the future
steadily: in a regular and even manner
Steal away: to leave secretively
frenzied: loud and frantic
cackling: noise (made by hens)
poultry: domestic fowl, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese.
villainous intent: wicked and dangerous plan or idea
transfer: send somewhere else
Explanation of the above Passage: One day, the writer’s Grandmother declared in a manner that seemed to others that she was actually predicting the future. She declared that one day, they were going to find Timothy sitting on Mahmoud’s bed, with no sign of the cook except his shoes and clothes. It meant that the cook would go missing and only his shoes and clothes would be his remaining signs because the tiger would have eaten him up. Grandmother feared that the tiger would eat the cook. That day never came, but Grandmother’s prediction was not completely wrong. When the tiger became six months old, everyone could notice a change in the tiger’s behaviour. He was growing less and less friendly day-by-day. When the tiger was taken out for a walk, he would try to leave secretively to follow someone’s pet or a stray animal. There were some nights when the people living in the house would hear loud and frantic noises of the hens coming from the house where domestic fowls were kept. In the morning, they would find feathers lying all over the verandah. Timothy had to be chained up more often as he was becoming more disobedient and aggressive with each passing day. Then one day, Timothy was seen to be following the cook secretively and it looked like he was planning to do something wicked and dangerous to Mahmoud. So, Grandfather decided that it was time to send Timothy to a zoo.
Passage: Reserving a first class compartment for himself and Timothy—no one would share a compartment with them— Grandfather took him to Lucknow where the zoo authorities were only too glad to receive as a gift a well-fed and fairly civilised tiger.
Word Meaning
reserve: book
civilise: polite and well-mannered
Explanation of the above Passage: Grandfather booked a first class compartment for himself and Timothy. They were all alone in the compartment as no one wanted to share a compartment with a tiger. Grandfather took him to Lucknow. The zoo authorities in the city were very happy to get a well-fed, well-mannered and polite tiger.
Passage: About six months later, when my grandparents were visiting relatives in Lucknow, Grandfather took the opportunity of calling at the zoo to see how Timothy was getting on. I was not there to accompany him but I heard all about it when I returned to Dehra.
Word Meaning
opportunity: chance
call at: to stop by for a short period of time
Get on: make progress
Explanation of the above Passage: About six months since the tiger had gone to the zoo, the writer’s grandparents decided to go to Lucknow to visit some relatives. As grandfather was going to Lucknow he got a chance to meet Timothy. He decided to stop for a while at the zoo to see Timothy’s progress and well-being. The writer tells us that he was not in Lucknow and so he was not there to accompany his grandfather to the zoo. However, when he returned to Dehra, he heard everything about Grandfather’s visit to Timothy at the zoo.
Passage: Arriving at the zoo, Grandfather made straight for the particular cage in which Timothy had been interned. The tiger was there, crouched in a corner, full-grown and with a magnificent striped coat.
“Hello Timothy!” said Grandfather and put his arm through the bars of the cage.
Word Meaning
Made straight: went directly
interned: kept
Crouched: to lowering the knees to prevent being seen
Coat: here, the skin of the tiger
Explanation of the above Passage: When Grandfather arrived at the zoo, he went straight towards the specific cage in which Timothy had been kept by the zoo authorities. He could see a full-grown tiger with a beautiful striped pattern on the skin, sitting in a corner. Grandfather greeted the tiger and then put his arm through the bars of the cage.
Passage: The tiger approached the bars, and allowed Grandfather to put both hands around his head. Grandfather stroked the tiger’s forehead and tickled his ears, and, whenever he growled, smacked him across the mouth, which was his old way of keeping him quiet.
Word Meaning
approached: came closer or nearer to someone or something
stroke: move one’s hand to put pressure gently on someone
smacked: hit lightly
Explanation of the above Passage: The tiger came closer to the bars of his cage and gave Grandfather permission to put both his hands around his head. Grandfather moved his hand gently on the tiger’s forehead and tickled his ears. This was his way of showing affection to the tiger. Whenever the tiger growled, Grandfather hit him lightly across the mouth, which was his old way of instructing Timothy to keep quiet.
Passage: He licked Grandfather’s hands and only sprang away when a leopard in the next cage snarled at him. Grandfather ‘shooed’ the leopard away, and the tiger returned to lick his hands; but every now and then the leopard would rush at the bars, and he would slink back to his corner.
Word Meaning
Sprang away: ran away
Snarled: made an angry growling sound showing his teeth
shoo: a word said to frighten or drive away a person or animal
slink: move noiselessly
Explanation of the above Passage: The tiger licked Grandfather’s hands in affection. However, he would jump back in fear when a leopard which was kept in the next cage growled at him while showing his teeth. Grandfather said the word ‘shoo’ to frighten the animal, and the tiger would return to lick his hands. But the leopard would rush at the bars and the tiger would move noiselessly to his corner.
Passage: A number of people had gathered to watch the reunion when a keeper pushed his way through the crowd and asked Grandfather what he was doing.
“I’m talking to Timothy,” said Grandfather. “Weren’t you here when I gave him to the zoo six months ago?”
Word Meaning
gathered: come together in one place
reunion: when someone meet after a long time
Explanation of the above Passage: A number of people had come together and formed a crowd to watch the whole scene of Grandfather meeting Timothy after a long time. They loved the reunion of Grandfather and Timothy and found it sweet. A keeper pushed his way through the crowd and asked Grandfather what he was doing because it was dangerous to go near a ferocious animal. Grandfather told him that he was talking to Timothy. He then asked if he had not been there when he had given Timothy to the zoo six months ago. He asked this because he found it weird that someone would stop him from meeting the tiger even after knowing that Grandfather was the tiger’s previous owner.
Passage: “I haven’t been here very long,” said the surprised keeper. “Please continue your conversation. But I have never been able to touch him myself, he is always very bad tempered.”
Word Meaning
conversation: a synonym for a talk
bad-tempered: someone who is angry or in a bad temper
Explanation of the above Passage: The keeper was surprised to know that Grandfather was the tiger’s previous owner. He told Grandfather that he had not been working in the zoo for very long, meaning that he did not work there when Grandfather gave Timothy to the zoo. So, the keeper was not aware about the bond between Grandfather and the tiger. Once he got to know this, he told Grandfather to continue talking with the tiger. He added that the real reason why he was really surprised was that he had never been able to touch him as he was an angry and violent tiger.
Passage: “Why don’t you put him somewhere else?” suggested Grandfather. “That leopard keeps frightening him. I’ll go and see the Superintendent about it.”
Grandfather went in search of the Superintendent of the zoo, but found that he had gone home early; and so, after wandering about the zoo for a little while, he returned to Timothy’s cage to say good-bye. It was beginning to get dark.
Word Meaning
suggest: give an advice or recommend something to someone
superintendent: a person who manages or superintends an organisation or activity
wandering: roaming
beginning: starting
Explanation of the above Passage: Grandfather recommended the keeper to put the tiger somewhere else, somewhere far away from the leopard which kept on frightening him. He said that he would go and see the person who managed the zoo to talk about that matter. He then went in search of the superintendent but he had found that the person had gone home early. Grandfather roamed around the zoo for a little while and then he went back to the tiger’s cage to say good-bye. He was planning to go back home too as it was starting to get dark. It was about to be night-time.
Passage: He had been stroking and slapping Timothy for about five minutes when he found another keeper observing him with some alarm. Grandfather recognised him as the keeper who had been there when Timothy had first come to the zoo.
Word Meaning
alarm: a mixture of fear and anxiety
recognise: identify someone by its looks
Explanation of the above Passage: Grandfather reached the tiger’s cage. He had been stroking and slapping the tiger for about five minutes. He found out that another keeper was observing him and his affectionate behaviour with Timothy with fear and anxiety. He identified him to be the keeper who had been there when Timothy had first come to the zoo.
Passage: “You remember me,” said Grandfather. “Now why don’t you transfer Timothy to another cage, away from this stupid leopard?”
“But— sir —” stammered the keeper, “it is not your tiger.”
“I know, I know,” said Grandfather. “I realise he is no longer mine. But you might at least take a suggestion or two from me.”
Word Meaning
stammer: speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words mostly due to nervousness or an inability to express oneself feelings properly.
Explanation of the above Passage: Grandfather knew that the keeper remembered him. He asked him to transfer Timothy to another cage. He called the leopard stupid as he was angry at the animal for frightening Timothy. The keeper stammered because he did not know how to tell Grandfather the truth. He told Grandfather that the tiger was not his or in other words, he told him that the tiger was not Timothy. Grandfather thought that the keeper was saying that Timothy now belonged to the zoo and not to him. However, what the keeper meant was totally different. Grandfather told him that he knew that he was now not the owner of Timothy but they must take one or two suggestions from him because he knew Timothy more.
Passage: “I remember your tiger very well,” said the keeper. “He died two months ago.”
“Died!” exclaimed Grandfather.
“Yes sir, of pneumonia. This tiger was trapped in the hills only last month, and he is very dangerous!”
Word Meaning
pneumonia: a bacterial or viral lung infection
trap: catch someone in a cage
Explanation of the above Passage: The keeper told Grandfather that he remembered his tiger very well. Timothy had died two month ago. Grandfather exclaimed with shock when he got to know the truth. The keeper further said that Timothy had died of pneumonia. The other tiger in the cage had been trapped in the hills last month and was put in a cage. The tiger was very dangerous unlike Timothy.
Passage: Grandfather could think of nothing to say. The tiger was still licking his arm, with increasing relish. Grandfather took what seemed to him an age to withdraw his hand from the cage. With his face near the tiger’s he mumbled, “Goodnight, Timothy,” and giving the keeper a scornful look, walked briskly out of the zoo.
Word Meaning
relish: great enjoyment
withdraw: take away
mumbled: say in a low voice
scornful: feeling or expressing contempt or derision
briskly: in great hurry, impatient and active way
Explanation of the above Passage: Grandfather was so shocked to hear the news that he had no words to express himself. The tiger was still licking his arm, and slowly, his enjoyment in licking kept on increasing. Grandfather did not know whether the tiger was licking him out of hunger or with affection. Since he did not know what to do, it took a lot of time for him to take out his hand from the cage. However, he did not want to believe that the tiger in the cage was not Timothy. He went closer to the tiger and said goodnight in a low voice. He looked at the keeper in a contemptuous way, meaning that he did not like the keeper for saying such lies. He believed that the tiger was Timothy and that keeper lied because that is easy to accept rather than the bitter truth. He then walked at a fast speed out of the zoo, indicating that he was angry at the zoo keeper.
A Tiger in the House Question and Answers
Comprehension Check
Q1. “He had the distinction of being the only member of the party to have bagged any game…”
The phrase in italics means
(i) Grandfather was the most distinguished member of the party.
(ii) Grandfather was the only sportsperson in the party.
(iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.
Mark the right answer.
Ans. (iii) Grandfather was the only successful member of the hunting party.
Q2. Complete the following sentences.
(i) Toto climbed up the curtains when ————————— ———————————————————————
(ii) ———————————————————————————————,I became one of the tiger’s favourites.
(iii) Timothy had clean habits,————————————— ———————————————————————
Ans. (i) Toto climbed up the curtains when Timothy lost his temper.
(ii) When I came to live with Grandfather,I became one of the tiger’s favourites.
(iii) Timothy had clean habits, and would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.
Q3. Grandmother’s prophecy was that the tiger
(i) would prefer Mahmoud’s bed to sleep in.
(ii) and the cook would disappear together from the house.
(iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.
Mark the right answer.
Ans. (iii) would one day make a meal of Mahmoud.
Q4.When Timothy was about six months old, a change came over him.
The phrase in italics means that
(i) Timothy had grown to his full size.
(ii) Timothy grew more friendly.
(iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.
Ans. (iii) Timothy grew less friendly, in fact more dangerous.
Q5. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
(i) Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment. __________
(ii) The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger. (iii) Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first class compartment. __________
(vi) All passengers in the compartment thought that Timothy was a well-fed and civilised tiger. __________
Ans. (i) True
(ii) True
(iii) True
(iv) False
Q6. Grandfather suggested that Timothy should be put in another cage.
The reason was that
(i) the tiger had become very bad tempered.
(ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.
(iii) the cage was too small for a full grown tiger.
Ans. (ii) a leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy.
Q7. The tiger was still licking his arm, with increasing relish.
The phrase in italics suggests that Timothy
(i) was good natured.
(ii) recognised an old friend.
(iii) smelt fresh food.
Ans. (iii) smelt fresh food.
Answer the following questions.
Q1. Where was the tiger cub hiding when Grandfather found him?
Ans. The tiger cub was hiding in the intricate roots of a banyan tree when Grandfather found him.
Q2. (i) What did Toto do to entertain Timothy?
(ii) What did he do when Timothy lost his temper?
Ans. (i) Toto pulled the young tiger by his tail to entertain him.
(ii) Whenever Timothy lost his temper, Toto would run and climb up the curtains to keep himself safe from Timothy’s rage.
Q3. “I became one of the tiger’s favourites”. Who is ‘I’ in the statement? Why did he think so?
Ans. The writer is ‘I’ in the statement. He thought so because out of all the people living in the house, Timothy played with the writer the most.
Q4. Where was Timothy most comfortable during the day? Where was he during the night?
Ans. Timothy was the most comfortable in the drawing-room of the house during the day. During the night, he was the most comfortable in the cook Mahmoud’s quarters.
Q5. What was Grandmother’s prophecy about the cook? Did it come true?
Ans. Grandmother’s prophecy about the cook was that one day, they would find Timothy sleeping on Mahmoud’s bed with no sign of him except his clothes and shoes. No, her prophecy did not come true.
Q6. What made Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo?
Ans. One day, all the people living in the house saw Timothy stalking Mahmoud with a plan to make a meal out of him. This made Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to the zoo.
Q7. Why did Grandfather want Timothy to be put in another enclosure?
Ans. Grandfather wanted Timothy to be put in another enclosure because there was a leopard in the cage beside Timothy’s who kept on scaring him. Grandfather did not want Timothy to be afraid and he wanted to have a comfortable life in the zoo.
Q8. What shocked Grandfather in the end?
Ans. There was a keeper who was watching the interaction between Grandfather and Timothy with alarm. When Grandfather approached and requested him to change the cage of the tiger, the keeper revealed to him that Timothy had died due to pneumonia and the tiger he was interacting with was a dangerous tiger he had been talking to was a dangerous tiger. The news of Timothy’s death and the tiger in the cage not being Timothy shocked Grandfather.