Q1. [5]
Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they're Crocodiles.
The true Chameleon is small,
A lizard sort of thing;
He hasn't any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
'Tis the chameleon you see.
Read the following extract and answer the questions.
- (i) How does the poet describe the crocodile's tears? Choose the correct option: [1]
- (A) genuine and heartfelt
- (B) joyful and sincere
- (C) false and deceptive
- (D) cold and indifferent
- (ii) What confusion will a newcomer face while distinguishing between a hyena and a crocodile, as described humorously by the poet in the above extract? [1]
- (iii) Mention any two characteristics of a chameleon on the basis of the given extract. [2]
- (iv) Fill in the blank with the correct option from those given in the brackets:
The tone of the poet in the above lines is __________ (playful and humorous/serious and confused). [1]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2026 2/2/1 Q7(a)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:18 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
(i) (C) false and deceptive
(ii) A newcomer (novice) will be confused because both the hyena and the crocodile have similar expressions — the hyena comes with a merry smile, while the crocodile weeps. The beginner may not know that the hyena's smile is its natural look and the crocodile's tears are false, making it hard to tell them apart.
(iii) Two characteristics of a chameleon:
- It is small and lizard-like, with no ears and no wings.
- It is so well-camouflaged that when it sits on a tree, nothing seems to be visible — "If there is nothing on the tree, 'tis the chameleon you see."
(iv) The tone of the poet in the above lines is playful and humorous.
Source: "How to Tell Wild Animals," Stanza 5 & 6
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Explanation
- (i) "Crocodile tears" is a well-known phrase meaning fake sadness — examiners expect students to recognise this.
- (ii) The humour lies in the absurdity: the only way to tell them apart is by their expressions (smile vs. weeping), which a novice would find confusing.
- (iii) Pull two distinct physical/behavioural traits directly from the lines. Both must come from the extract.
- (iv) The poem uses comic exaggeration and ridiculous logic throughout — this is the hallmark of a playful and humorous tone.
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