TRUST
THE BIG CAT, Ruskin Bond
WORD MEANING:
1. Ravine – a narrow
passage in the forest
2. Rhododendron – a kind of
bushy plant
3. Pebbles – stones
4. Accustomed – get
habitual
5. Perched – higher place
or position
6. Munched – chewed
7. Chattering – making
noise (bird)
8. Grunting – animal noise
(pig)
9. Rattling – burst of
sound
10. Thrust – push
11. Quest – search
12. Extinction – vanish,
disappear
13. Rasping – unpleasant,
harsh
14. Stump – puzzle
15. Deceive – cheat
16. Summoned – called
17. Astonished – surprised
18. Denizens – inhabitants,
dwellers
19. Feline – related to cat
family
20. Lair – place in the
forest
21. Crouched – moving with
crawl
22. Glimpse – look
23. Sinewy – lean and strong
24. Bestowing – present with gift
A.3 WORK IN PAIRS:
a. Why do you think the langurs were chattering
in the trees that evening?
Langurs were trying to warn narrator of some hidden
danger of a leopard who poised on a rock about 20 feet above him.
b. Do human in general treat the trees and
the animals in the forests fairly?
I do not think human in general treat the trees and
the animals in the forest fairly. Human activities such as deforestation,
hunting, and encroachment on animal habitats can pose threats to the well-being
and survival of trees and animals.
A.4 FROM THE TEXT:
a. What kind of a place would ideally be a
safe haven for animals: a habitat shared with human or a habitat without
humans? Why?
Ideally, a habitat without humans would be a safe
haven for animals. The presence of humans can disrupt the natural balance and harmony
of the ecosystem. Human activities such as deforestation, hunting, and
encroachment on animal habitats can pose threats to the well-being and survival
of animals.
b. Then, climbing the hill, I met a party of
shikaris. They asked me if I had seen a leopard. I said I had not. Is the
narrator telling the truth? Is he doing the correct thing? Why?
The narrator is not telling the truth when he says he
has not seen a leopard. We know first he had seen the leopard poised on a rock
about 20 feet away and second time bounding away with a grunt from hollow stump
of tree where the narrator hid.
I believe he is doing the correct thing. The narrator
has developed a unique bond and trust with the leopard, and is trying to
protect it from the shikaris who are trying to hunt it down.
c. Do you think the narrator wanted to own a
gun to feel safe?
No, the narrator never had a gun, nor wanted to own one
to feel safe. He walked alone in the forest without a weapon. His interest lies
more in observing and developing a bond of trust with the leopard rather than
resorting to violence or seeking personal protection.
d. Look up the Internet to find two more
examples of oxymorons and use them in sentences of your own.
They asked us to submit the original copy.
This is just the false truth.
Sam left the painting completely unfinished.
e. Why was the narrator full of self-doubt
and regret?
The narrator was full of self-doubt and regret because
he felt responsible for the leopard's death. He wonders if he had made the
mistake of bestowing his trust on him and left him defenceless by casting out
all fear from the leopard.
f. Did the narrator pay a huge price for the
unusual friendship he had with the leopard?
Yes, the narrator paid a huge price for the unusual
friendship he had with the leopard. The leopard's trust in the narrator, a
human made it an easy target for the shikaris. The leopard had been shot dead
and the narrator feels guilty for leaving the leopard defenceless by casting
out his fear.
A.6 COMPLETE THE TABLE
BY GIVING REASONS FOR THE GIVEN ACTIONS:
a. How does the narrator draw a relationship
between the depth of the ravine and the fact that it was a little haven of
wildlife?
Ex. A.7 Read the passage and chose the
correct options: (Page: 40)
It was not looking towards me, but had
its head thrust attentively forward in the direction of the ravine. It must
have sensed my presence, though, because slowly it turned its head to look down
at me. It seemed a little puzzled at my presence there; when, to give myself
courage, I clapped my hands sharply, the leopard sprang away into the thickets
making no sound as it melted into the shadows.
a. Select the option that
correctly lists the qualities of the narrator (N) and the leopard (L) with
reference to this excerpt.
ii. N-self-assured; L-alert
b. The most likely reason
why the leopard might have been puzzled to see the narrator was that
ii. a human encounter was uncommon
for it.
c. Which image displays thickets
most suitably, with reference to the excerpt?
iii. image III
d. How did the narrator’s
clapping, in all likelihood, impact the leopard?
iv. It startled it.
e. What is the narrator conveying
about the leopard’s action with the use of the phrase melted into darkness?
iv. It blended in with the surroundings.
Ex. A.8 (Page: 41)
a. Select the option that
has the correct response to the incomplete sentence given. The narrator visited
Mussoorie for …………………………………..
I. research
II. relaxation
III. family
IV. health
V. work
iv. Options II and IV
b. Select the option that
best suits the narrator’s sentiment in the following: I had seen them as their species Homo
sapiens, and not as individuals.
iii. seen one, seen them all
c. Which emotion comes
through prominently in the given sentence? “We told you there was a leopard!” they
shouted.
ii. triumph
A.9 ANSWER THE
FOLLOWING QUESTIONS BRIEFLY:
a. How does the narrator draw a relationship
between the depth of the ravine and the fact that it was a little haven of
wildlife?
The narrator mentions that the ravine was so deep that
it remained in shadow for most of the day. This created a cool environment, sheltered
many birds and animals encouraging them to come out of their cover during the
daylight hours, making it a haven of wildlife.
b. What comment is the narrator making on
humankind by saying As I had not come to take anything from the jungle…?
By saying this, the narrator implies that he had a
respectful and caring approach towards nature and its inhabitants. Unlike some
people who exploit the wilderness for their own gains, the narrator came to the
jungle to observe, appreciate and befriend with nature without causing any
harm.
c. Describe the narrator’s first encounter
with the leopard.
The narrator first encountered the leopard when in the
hill, he looked up where the pebbles had come from. He looked up and saw the sinewy
leopard poised on a rock about 20 feet above him. The leopard's attention was
focused on the ravine. It was puzzled to see the narrator there and sprang away
into the forest when the narrator clapped his hands to give himself courage.
d. Why do you think the narrator lied to the
shikaries about having seen a leopard?
The narrator probably lied to the shikaris about
having seen a leopard to protect the animal from harm. He had developed a sense
of trust and respect for the leopard and did not want to reveal its presence,
knowing that the shikaris might hunt or harm it.
e. Give one reason why the narrator refers
to his climb to Pari Tibba a stiff undertaking?
The climb to Pari Tibba was referred to as a stiff
undertaking because there was no path to the top, and the narrator had to
scramble up a precipitous rock face. This made the ascent challenging and
physically demanding.
A.10 ANSWER IN
DETAIL:
a. Explain what the narrator wishes to
convey in the given lines: My attitude to them was similar to the attitude of
the denizens of the forest. They were men, unpredictable, and to be avoided if
possible.
In these lines, the narrator compares his attitude
towards humans with the behavior of the forest animals. He sees humans as
unpredictable and potentially dangerous, much like the denizens of the forest
view them. The narrator prefers to avoid human interaction whenever possible,
just like the forest creatures try to avoid human encounters to protect
themselves.
b. The narrator felt that the leopard would
make itself defenceless if it trusted humans. Do you agree? Why/Why not?
Yes, I agree. The narrator believes that by trusting
him and being comfortable with his presence, the leopard may have become too
trusting of humans in general. This could make the leopard vulnerable to the
shikaris or other humans who might not have the same benevolent intentions as
the narrator. In the end, the leopard's trust might have contributed to its
tragic fate.
c. The narrator experiences a flood of
emotions during his silent walk back home, through the forest, after seeing the
leopard's end. As the writer, draft a diary entry capturing these emotions.
DO BY SELF (100-120 WORDS)
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