He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage
Read the following extract and answer the questions.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:15 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) "Stalks" suggests the tiger's powerful, majestic movement, as if roaming a vast jungle. But "few steps of his cage" immediately reveals his confinement. The contrast highlights how his natural grandeur is cruelly limited by captivity.
(ii) (A) anger
(iii) The poet uses visual imagery — "vivid stripes" paints a striking picture of the tiger's bright coat. Tactile imagery is created by "pads of velvet quiet," suggesting the softness of his paws. Together, these images highlight the tiger's natural beauty trapped within a cage, making the reader feel both admiration and sympathy.
(iv) Vivid
Source: A Tiger in the Zoo, Stanza 1
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Explanation
- (i) Focus on the contrast between action (stalks = powerful, free movement) and space (few steps = restricted). One mark for clearly explaining both sides of the contrast.
- (ii) "Quiet rage" points to suppressed anger, not fear or pessimism. Option (A) is correct.
- (iii) For 2 marks, name two types of imagery (visual + tactile are the clearest), quote the relevant phrases, and link each to its effect. Do not write vaguely — cite exact words from the stanza.
- (iv) "Vivid" means clear, bright, and striking in colour. It is the only word in the stanza that fits the meaning.