A Tiger in the House Summary and Question Answers

Here is a new blog post in Class 7th English. “The Bear Story” is Chapter 9 taken from the newly introduced Let’s Read English textbook for students of Class 7^th of JKBOSE and An Alien Hand English for NCERT students. A famous Indian writer, Ruskin Bond, best known for his stories about nature and the hills has written this. This post explains A Tiger in the House Summary and Question Answers. In my previous post, you read about The Bear Story Summary and Question Answers. So, let’s get started with today’s post.

A Tiger in the House Summary and Question Answers

Introduction

The story “A Tiger in the House” by Ruskin Bond is about Timothy, a baby tiger that the author’s grandfather finds near a banyan tree. Timothy becomes part of the grandfather’s family and is raised like a human child. As Timothy grows, he becomes less friendly and wild, so the family decides to take him to the zoo. The story follows Timothy’s journey from being a cute cub to becoming a big tiger. It shows how taking care of a wild animal can be challenging as it grows up with its natural instincts.

A Tiger in the House Word Meaning

A Tiger in the House Summary in English

One day, the narrator’s grandfather was walking in the forest when he found a little tiger cub, and despite his hunting party being unsuccessful, he brought the cub home. The cub, named Timothy by the narrator’s grandmother, was raised on bottled milk and later fed raw mutton, cod liver oil, pigeons, and rabbits.

Toto, the monkey pulled the cub’s tail. Toto climbed up the curtain when Timothy lost his temper. He and a mongrel puppy were Timothy’s companions. When the narrator came to live with Grandfather, he became one of the tiger’s favourites. Initially, Timothy was afraid of the puppy. Finally, the puppy was allowed to crawl and rest on his back. Timothy’s favourite amusement was to stalk his playmate. He also dashed the narrator’s feet. He pretended to bite his ankles.

After some time, he was of full size. Sometimes he pulled hard at his chain. The narrator kept up with him with great difficulty. He reclined on a long sofa in the drawing room. He snarled at everybody. He had clean habits. He would scrub his face with his paws like a cat. He slept in the cook’s quarters. He preferred to be taken out in the morning for a walk. He grew less friendly when he was six months old. He also started eating small animals.

As Timothy grew, he reached full size and exhibited less friendly behaviour. He was taken to Lucknow by the grandfather, where he was presented to the zoo. After six months, the grandfather visited Timothy in the zoo, but the tiger had become more dangerous. The grandfather tried to transfer Timothy to another cage due to conflicts with a leopard in the neighbouring cage. The zookeeper, unaware of the owner’s identity, considered Timothy bad-tempered. He did not know the owner of the tiger. Grandfather wished the tiger to be transferred to some other cage. A leopard in the next cage would constantly rush at Timothy. However, he could not meet the superintendent.

During the visit, the grandfather stroked and slapped Timothy, who licked his hands. The grandfather learned about Timothy’s recent capture and the tiger’s death from pneumonia. Timothy was still licking the grandfather’s arm, expecting food. The grandfather, realizing the danger, withdrew his hand, gave the keeper a scornful look, and bid Timothy farewell.

A Tiger in the House Question Answers

Intext Exercises

Comprehension Check Page No. 60

1. “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.

2. 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 my grandfather, I became one of the tiger’s favourites.

(iii) Timothy had clean habits; he would scrub his face with his paws exactly like a cat.

Page No. 64

1. 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.

2. 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. 

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

(i) Timothy and Grandfather went to Lucknow in a special compartment.

Ans. False 

(ii) The compartment in which Grandfather and Timothy travelled had no other passenger

Ans. True 

(iii) Timothy and Grandfather travelled in a first-class compartment.

Ans. True

(iv) All passengers in the compartment thought that Timo- thy was a well-fed and civilized tiger.

Ans. False

4. 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.

5. 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.

Textual Exercises Page No. 65

Answer the following questions:

Discuss the following topics in groups.

1. Shoot animals with a camera, not with a gun.

Ans. Certainly, you can’t make friends with every wild animal, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to hunt them just for fun. Animals and humans have been living together on Earth for a long time. They experience our happy and sad moments and play a crucial role in our lives. Unfortunately, sometimes we harm them because of our desire for more. This behaviour damages the natural world. Without animals, our lives wouldn’t be as meaningful. Instead of shooting them with guns, we should capture their beauty and charm with a camera to preserve their existence.

2. Keeping pets helps us become more loving and tolerant. It also helps us respect life in any form. Do you agree? 

Ans. People and their pets are great friends. We play with our pets, and they show affection by licking our hands. Having pets helps us become more accepting of animals and less scared of them. It teaches us to respect all forms of life. The big lesson is to live and let live.

3. Have you heard of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)? What do they do? 

Ans. Yes, I have heard of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). This organization SPCA is animal friendly. This is an organization that works towards the safeguarding of animals. It protects them from man’s cruel acts and poaching.