SEBA Class 10 English Literature (Poetry) A Tiger in the Zoo – Important Q&A

📘 A Tiger in the Zoo – Important Q&A

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A. Very Short Type Questions (1 Mark)

★ Choose the Correct Alternative

#	Question	Answer
a	"A Tiger in the Zoo" was written by —	Leslie Norris
b	The captured tiger is stalking in —	the cage
c	The tiger should be lurking in the grass —	for his prey
d	The tiger snarls around —	the houses in the village
e	The strength of the tiger after being captured is now —	in his room (cage)
f	The tiger hears the last voice —	at night

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★ Word Meanings

Word	Meaning
stalks	to walk slowly and quietly
snarling	making an angry, growling sound

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★ True or False

#	Statement	Answer
a	Leslie Norris wrote "A Tiger in the Zoo".	True
b	The tiger after being captured was released again.	False
c	The tiger stalks in the jungle.	False (he stalks in the cage)
d	The tiger lurks in the grass to escape from hunters.	False (to prey on deer)
e	The strength of the tiger lies behind bars.	True
f	The tiger hears the last voice at noon.	False (at night)

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★ One-Line Answers

#	Question	Answer
4	Who wrote "A Tiger in the Zoo"?	Leslie Norris
5	Where does the tiger stalk after being captured?	The few steps of his cage
6	What emotion does the tiger show?	Apathy and quiet rage
7	Where should the tiger be lurking?	In the shadow of long grass in the jungle
8	What animal does the tiger prey on?	Deer
9	Where can the tiger find food?	Near the water holes where plump deer pass
10	Where should he be snarling?	Around houses at the jungle's edge
11	Who is terrorized by the tiger?	The villagers living at the jungle's edge
12	Where does his strength lie after being caged?	Behind bars of the concrete cell
13	When does he hear the last voice?	At night
14	What is the 'last voice' heard by the tiger?	The noise of patrolling cars
15	Where does he stare with his eyes?	At the brilliant stars in the night sky

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★ Rhyming Words

Word	Rhyming Word
cage	rage
grass	pass
edge	village
cars	stars

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B. Short Type Questions (2/3 Marks)

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★ Q1. Where does the tiger stalk? How is his behaviour?

Ans: The tiger stalks the few steps of his cage — back and forth, slowly and quietly. He ignores the visitors completely while hiding his rage. His behaviour shows disinterestedness and silent, suppressed anger — a creature of the wild reduced to helplessness.

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★ Q2. Why does the tiger express his rage quietly?

Ans: The tiger expresses his rage quietly because he is locked behind bars and can do nothing from inside his cage. His immense strength, which once ruled the jungle, now lies useless behind the concrete cell. He is no longer free, and so his rage has no outlet — it stays silent and suppressed.

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★ Q3. What does the poet think about where the tiger should be?

Ans: The poet believes the tiger should be free in the jungle — lurking in the shadow of long grass, sliding silently near water holes to prey on plump deer. He should also be at the edge of the jungle, snarling around village houses, baring his white fangs and claws, and filling the villagers with healthy terror. That is his natural life.

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★ Q4. Why does the tiger slide through long grass?

Ans: The tiger slides through the long grass to stalk and catch plump deer that pass near the water holes. This is his natural hunting behaviour — silent, patient, and powerful — a sharp contrast to his helpless pacing in the cage.

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★ Q5. How does the tiger make his presence felt in the village?

Ans: The tiger makes his presence felt by snarling around houses at the jungle's edge and by baring his white fangs and sharp claws. This terrifies the villagers — a natural and fearful reminder that the wild belongs to the tiger.

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★ Q6. Why is the tiger ignoring the visitors?

Ans: The tiger ignores the visitors because he is locked in a concrete cell and is completely helpless. His strength lies behind bars and he can do nothing to the visitors. He sees them as unfeeling spectators who come and go without any thought of freeing him. So he simply stops noticing them.

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★ Q7. Who hears the last voice and what is it?

Ans: The tiger hears the last voice. The 'last voice' is the noise made by patrolling cars at night. It is the only sound that breaks the silence of the tiger's lonely, imprisoned night.

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★ Q8. What is common between the tiger's eyes and the stars?

Ans: The common thing between the tiger's eyes and the stars is that both are brilliant — shining brightly in the dark night. The poet uses this comparison to show that despite his captivity, the tiger's spirit and inner fire have not been extinguished.

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★ Extract-Based Questions

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Extract 1:

"He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage, / On pads of velvet quiet / In his quiet rage."

Question	Answer
Name the poet and poem	Leslie Norris; "A Tiger in the Zoo"
Who is 'he'?	The tiger in the cage
Where does 'he' stalk?	The few steps of his cage
How does the tiger look in his cage?	He has sharp vivid stripes, moves slowly and majestically on soft velvety pads, makes no noise, and has brilliant shining eyes — yet he is filled with quiet, helpless rage

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Extract 2:

"He should be snarling around houses / At the jungle's edge, / Baring his white fangs, his claws, / Terrorising the village!"

Question	Answer
Who is 'he'?	The tiger
How does the tiger terrify villagers?	By snarling around their houses and baring his white fangs and claws
What should the tiger be doing in the jungle?	Lurking in tree shadows, sliding silently through long grass, waiting near water holes to prey on plump deer
What should he be doing at the jungle's edge?	Moving around village houses, growling and snarling, filling villagers with terror through his fangs and claws

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★ Q15. Why does the tiger ignore visitors? (Detailed)

Ans: The tiger paces slowly and quietly along the length of his cage. He watches visitors come and go — but none of them thinks of freeing him. He sees them as beings without feeling, spectators who stare at his misery without empathy. Realizing that no help will come from them, the tiger stops paying any attention to them altogether.

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★ Q16. Why does the tiger look at the brilliant stars?

Ans: The tiger has lost all hope from the people around him. The visitors offer no help; the cage offers no freedom. Now his only hope lies with heaven. It is this last remaining hope that keeps the brilliance alive in his eyes. That is why, in the silent darkness of the night, the tiger stares at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes — a powerful symbol of a free spirit imprisoned but not broken.

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💡 Exam Tip: The central theme of this poem is the contrast between freedom and captivity. The tiger in the zoo vs. the tiger in the wild — always remember this contrast when answering questions. The poet sympathizes deeply with the tiger and criticizes the practice of keeping wild animals in zoos.

SEBA Class 10 English Literature A Letter to God – Important Q&A

📘 A Letter to God – Important Q&A

Class 10 | SEBA Board | English Literature

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A. Very Short Type Questions (1 Mark)

★ Choose the Correct Answer

#	Question	Answer
a	A Letter to God was written by —	G.L. Fuentes
b	The house stood on —	the crest of a low hill
c	The crop that grew was —	corn
d	Lencho's profession was —	farming
e	Lencho went out into the rain to —	have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body
f	Lencho wrote a letter to —	God
g	Lencho's manner of posting the letter showed that —	he was truly a kind hearted and simple man

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★ True or False

#	Statement	Answer
a	Lencho was a farmer by profession.	True
b	Lencho had no family of his own.	False
c	Lencho predicted the rain by looking at the clouds.	True
d	All the corns of Lencho were totally destroyed.	True
e	Lencho had an unshakable faith in God.	True
f	Lencho expects 100 roubles in reply to his letter.	False (he expected 100 pesos)
g	The postmaster came to know about Lencho's belief by opening his letter.	True
h	Lencho wrote a second letter to thank God.	False (he wrote to complain)

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★ Word Meanings

Word	Meaning
crest	top of a hill
downpour	heavy fall of rain
solitary	lonely
amiable	friendly
contentment	satisfaction

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B. Short Type Questions (2/3 Marks)

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★ Q1. Give a brief description of Lencho's house.

Ans: Lencho's house was the only one in the entire valley. It sat on the crest of a low hill, overlooking the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with flowers that always promised a good harvest.

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★ Q2. Who was Lencho? What was his profession?

Ans: Lencho was a Latin American farmer who grew corn. His profession was farming. He was hardworking — described as "an ox of a man" who worked like an animal in the fields.

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★ Q3. Give a brief description of Lencho's family.

Ans: Lencho had a wife and at least four boys — older boys who worked in the fields and smaller ones who played near the house. It was a happy, deeply religious family living in a solitary house on a hilltop.

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★ Q4. When did the rain start? How did Lencho's family welcome it?

Ans: The rain started during the meal. The family welcomed it warmly, as they needed it for their crops. Lencho was so excited that he went outside just to feel the raindrops on his body.

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★ Q5. What did Lencho hope for?

Ans: Lencho hoped for a downpour or at least a shower before his crops ripened. He wanted rainfall so that his corn would grow well and give a good harvest, bringing him money.

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★ Q6. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like 'new coins'?

Ans: Lencho believed that the raindrops would ensure a good harvest, which would in turn bring him money. So he compared the raindrops to new coins — a sign of prosperity and hope.

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★ Q7. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho's fields?

Ans: After a sudden strong gust of wind, very large hailstones began to fall along with the rain. Lencho's entire field was completely destroyed — not a leaf remained on the trees, the flowers were gone, and the corn was wiped out. The field looked white, as if covered with salt.

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★ Q8. Describe the destruction caused by hailstones in Lencho's fields.

Ans: The hail rained on Lencho's house, garden, cornfield, hillside and the entire valley for about an hour. The field turned completely white, as if covered with salt. Not a single leaf remained on the trees, the flowers were destroyed, and all the corn was lost — leaving Lencho with nothing.

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★ Q9. What were Lencho's feelings when the hail stopped?

Ans: Lencho was filled with deep sadness. He told his sons that they would have no corn that year. But despite his grief, he was hopeful — he had unshakable faith in God and believed God would help him.

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★ Q10. How did Lencho console his family?

Ans: Lencho told his family that it was not a total loss, even if it seemed so. He reminded them that no one dies of hunger, and expressed hope that God would provide for them.

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★ Q11. Who or what did Lencho have faith in?

Ans: Lencho had deep, unshakable faith in God. He truly believed that God's eyes see everything and that God would never abandon those who trust Him.

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★ Q12. What did Lencho write in his first letter to God?

Ans: Lencho wrote — "God, if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm..." He humbly asked God to send him 100 pesos.

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★ Q13. How did Lencho send the letter?

Ans: Lencho went to the post office in town one Sunday, placed a stamp on the letter addressed simply to "God", and dropped it into the mailbox.

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★ Q14. Why was the postmaster amazed after seeing the letter?

Ans: The postmaster was amazed because the letter was addressed to God — something he had never seen in his entire career. He was also deeply moved by Lencho's extraordinary and unshakable faith in God.

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★ Q15. What did the postmaster do to protect Lencho's faith in God?

Ans: The postmaster decided to answer the letter as God himself. He collected 70 pesos — from his employees, several friends, and part of his own salary — and sent the money to Lencho through the postman, signing the letter as 'God'.

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★ Q16. Why did the postmaster send money? Why did he sign as 'God'?

Ans: The postmaster sent the money as an act of charity, so that Lencho's firm faith in God would not be shaken. He signed the letter as 'God' so that Lencho would believe the reply truly came from the Almighty.

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★ Q17. Was Lencho surprised to find money in the letter?

Ans: No, Lencho was not at all surprised. He was completely sure the money came from God. Such was his absolute faith — he never doubted for a moment that God had answered his prayer.

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★ Q18. Why was Lencho angry after opening the letter?

Ans: Lencho found only 70 pesos instead of the 100 he had asked for. He did not get angry at God — he was certain God had sent the full amount. Instead, he blamed the post office employees, thinking they had stolen the remaining 30 pesos.

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★ Q19. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God?

Ans: In the second letter, Lencho informed God that he had received only 70 pesos. He requested God to send the remaining money through some other way besides the mail, because he believed the post office employees were dishonest thieves.

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★ Q20. Do you think the post office employees were really crooks?

Ans: No, the post office employees were not crooks at all. In fact, they were generous and kind-hearted people who collected money from their own pockets to help a stranger, just to protect his faith in God. The real irony is that Lencho called them crooks despite their good deed.

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★ Q21. Write about the postmaster and his noble character.

Ans: The postmaster was a fat and amiable man — honest, helpful, and deeply compassionate. When he read Lencho's letter, he laughed at first but was then moved by Lencho's innocent faith. He took it upon himself to collect 70 pesos from his employees, friends, and his own salary, and sent it to Lencho signed as 'God'. His act showed that true humanity lies in selfless kindness.

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💡 Exam Tip: The most important theme of this story is "Faith and Irony" — Lencho's unshakable faith in God is beautiful, but the irony is that he calls the very people who helped him "a bunch of crooks."

SEBA Class 10 English Literature The Midnight Visitor – Important Q&A

📘 The Midnight Visitor – Important Q&A

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★ Q1. Who was Ausable? How was he different from other secret agents?

Ans: Ausable was a secret agent, but he was very different from the typical image of one. He was extremely fat, lived in a small, dark room on the sixth floor of a French hotel, and spoke with an American accent he had brought from Boston. He dealt with no mysterious figures, no pistols cracking in the night, and no dark-eyed beauties slipping messages into his hand — only a prosaic telephone call. For all these reasons, Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent that Fowler had ever read.

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★ Q2. Who was Fowler? What was his first authentic thrill of the day?

Ans: Fowler was a young, romantic writer who had come to meet Ausable to collect material for a book on detectives. He was hoping to witness mysterious and thrilling events of a secret agent's life.

His first authentic thrill came when he and Ausable entered the room and found Max — a man standing mid-room with a small automatic pistol pointed directly at them.

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★ Q3. Who was Max? How did he get into the room? What did Ausable say about it?

Ans: Max was a rival secret agent — thin, slightly tall, with a fox-like face. He had come to steal a highly important report concerning new missiles, for which several men and women had risked their lives.

• How he actually got in: Max unlocked the room using a passkey.
• What Ausable claimed: Ausable cleverly said Max had entered through the balcony — which was connected to his apartment from the next room — in order to trick Max into believing the balcony existed.

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★ Q4(a). How did Ausable convince Max about the balcony?

Ans: Ausable gave a very detailed and convincing description of the balcony:

• He said it was the second time that month someone had entered through the balcony.
• He explained that the balcony belonged to the next apartment.
• He said the room was once part of a larger unit, and the next room used to be the living room.
• The balcony extended under his window, making it easy to climb in.

This detailed, matter-of-fact description made Max fully believe in the balcony's existence.

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★ Q4(b). What makes "The Midnight Visitor" a convincing story?

Ans: The story is convincing because Ausable's description of the non-existent balcony is so detailed and natural that even the reader is almost fooled. The use of two false pieces of information — the balcony and the police — is cleverly woven into real events (someone knocking at the door). Ausable's calm, intelligent thinking under pressure makes the story feel completely believable.

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★ Q5(a). When did Ausable think up his plan to get rid of Max?

Ans: Ausable had not planned anything in advance. The moment he and Fowler entered the room and saw Max with a pistol, Ausable instantly began forming his plan — taking advantage of the situation as it developed.

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★ Q5(b). How did Ausable get rid of Max?

Ans: Ausable used two false pieces of information:

1. The Balcony — He told Max that someone had already entered his room through the balcony that month, making Max believe there was a real balcony outside the window.

2. The Police — When Henry (a waiter) knocked at the door, Ausable told Max it was the police, whom he had requested for extra protection of the report. This panicked Max.

As the knocking grew louder and the doorknob turned, Max — believing there was a balcony below the window — jumped out of the window to escape. But there was no balcony. Max fell to his death, and Ausable saved both himself, Fowler, and the important report.

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★ Q6. Did Ausable work out his plan from the beginning?

Ans: No. Ausable had not planned anything beforehand. He made up his plan on the spot, taking advantage of events as they happened:

• The balcony idea came from a common burglary method.
• The police idea came when Henry knocked at the door unexpectedly.

This shows Ausable's quick wit and presence of mind — his greatest strength as a secret agent.

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★ Q7(a). Who was the Midnight Visitor?

Ans: The midnight visitor was Max — a rival secret agent who had an appointment at 12:30. He secretly entered Ausable's room with a passkey to steal the important report about new missiles.

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★ Q7(b). What happened at the end? How did Ausable defeat Max?

Ans: Ausable tricked Max with the story of the balcony and the police. When Henry knocked at the door and the doorknob turned, Max panicked and jumped out of the window — believing the balcony would catch him. But there was no balcony, and Max fell to his death.

Thus, Ausable — using only his sharp mind and clever words — defeated Max's scheme without any weapon, saved the important report, and protected both himself and Fowler.

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💡 Exam Tip: The most important theme of this story is "intelligence over weapons" — Ausable defeats Max not with a gun, but with his presence of mind and clever use of words.

SEBA Class 10 हिंदी व्याकरण – 2020

📘 हिंदी व्याकरण – 2020

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(क) मुहावरों से वाक्य निर्माण

मुहावरा	अर्थ	वाक्य
अँगूठा दिखाना	इनकार करना	कल लेने गया तो उसने अँगूठा दिखा दिया।
किताब का कीड़ा होना	पुस्तकों में ही खोया रहना	विद्यार्थी को केवल किताब का कीड़ा नहीं होना चाहिए, बल्कि एक होनहार युवक होना चाहिए।
पहाड़ टूट पड़ना	भारी विपत्ति आना	उस बेचारे पर तो दुःखों का पहाड़ टूट पड़ा।
हथियार डालना	हार मान लेना	शत्रु को सामने देखकर उसने हथियार डाल दिए।

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(ख) लिंग परिवर्तन

शब्द	लिंग परिवर्तन
श्रीमान	श्रीमती
वधू	वर
बन्दरी	बन्दर
पण्डा	पंडाइन
नर	नारी / मादा
मामा	मामी

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(ग) सन्धि-विच्छेद

शब्द	सन्धि-विच्छेद	नियम
परमार्थ	परम + अर्थ	दीर्घ सन्धि (अ + अ → आ)
यथोचित	यथा + उचित	गुण सन्धि (आ + उ → ओ)
स्वागत	सु + आगत	यण सन्धि (उ → व)
अत्यन्त	अति + अन्त	यण सन्धि (इ → य)

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(घ) बहुवचन रूप

एकवचन	बहुवचन
चिड़िया	चिड़ियाँ
रात	रातें
गधा	गधे
अध्यापिका	अध्यापिकाएँ
स्त्री	स्त्रियाँ
तिथि	तिथियाँ

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(ङ) पर्यायवाची शब्द

शब्द	पर्यायवाची
अमृत	सुधा, पीयूष, अमिय, सोम
गणेश	गजानन, गणपति, विनायक, लम्बोदर
मेघ	घन, जलद, वारिद, नीरद, अम्बुद
राजा	नरेश, भूपाल, महीप, नृपति, सम्राट
मृत्यु	मौत, निधन, देहांत, स्वर्गवास, मरण
सर्प	नाग, विषधर, भुजंग, अहि, फणी

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(च) उपसर्ग / प्रत्यय से शब्द निर्माण

उपसर्ग / प्रत्यय	शब्द
प्र	प्रहार / प्रताप
अप	अपकार / अपमान
ता	मानवता / दानवता
ई	पढ़ाई / लिखाई

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(छ) अनेक शब्दों के लिए एक शब्द

वाक्यांश	एक शब्द
जो कहा गया है	कथित
जो शाक आहार करता है	शाकाहारी
जो लोक में संभव न हो	अलौकिक
आदि से अन्त तक	आद्योपान्त
पढ़ने योग्य	पठनीय
जो पीने योग्य हो	पेय
पुत्र का पुत्र	पौत्र

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(ज) वाक्य-शुद्धि

अशुद्ध वाक्य	शुद्ध वाक्य	कारण
मैंने रोटियाँ खाये हैं।	मैंने रोटियाँ खाई हैं।	क्रिया स्त्रीलिंग होनी चाहिए
उसने बोला था।	उसने कहा था।	'बोलना' के स्थान पर 'कहना' सही है
विष्णु के अनेकों नाम हैं।	विष्णु के अनेक नाम हैं।	'अनेकों' अशुद्ध है, 'अनेक' सही है
कोई अध्यापक जरुर जायेंगे।	कोई अध्यापक जरूर जाएगा।	'कोई' एकवचन है, क्रिया भी एकवचन होनी चाहिए

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💡 परीक्षा टिप: वाक्य-शुद्धि में लिंग, वचन और क्रिया का मेल सबसे जरूरी है — हमेशा इन तीनों की जाँच करें!

SEBA Class 10 हिंदी व्याकरण – 2019

📘 हिंदी व्याकरण – 2019

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(क) मुहावरों से वाक्य निर्माण

मुहावरा	अर्थ	वाक्य
पीठ थपथपाना	किसी की तारीफ करना	उन्होंने आंदोलनकारियों की पीठ थपथपाना आरंभ कर दिया।
नमक खाना	किसी का अहसान मानना	मेरा नमक खाकर भी तुमने मुझे धोखा दिया।
मुँह की ओर देखना	आशा में चुपचाप देखते रहना	अपने मुँह की ओर देखो कि जो पाना चाहते हो, उसके योग्य हो भी या नहीं।
नौ-दो ग्यारह होना	भाग जाना	जब भी घर के सामने से अध्यापक जाते, तब मैं नौ दो ग्यारह हो जाया करता था।

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(ख) स्त्रीलिंग-रूप

पुल्लिंग	स्त्रीलिंग
बन्दर	बन्दरिया
महाराज	महारानी
नायक	नायिका
सभापति	सभानेत्री
माली	मालिन / मालनी
बनिया	बनियाइन
बूढ़ा	बुढ़िया

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(ग) सन्धि

शब्द	सन्धि	नियम
गिरि + इंद्र	गिरींद्र	दीर्घ सन्धि (इ + इ → ई)
सदा + एव	सदैव	वृद्धि सन्धि (आ + ए → ऐ)
अति + उत्तम	अत्युत्तम	यण सन्धि (इ → य)
उत् + लास	उल्लास	व्यंजन सन्धि

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(घ) विपरीतार्थक (विलोम) शब्द

शब्द	विलोम
आगामी	पिछला / विगत
कटु	मधुर
उत्तीर्ण	अनुत्तीर्ण
आलोक	अंधकार / तम
स्थावर	जंगम
भक्षक	रक्षक
निर्गुण	सगुण

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(ङ) पर्यायवाची शब्द

शब्द	पर्यायवाची
रात्रि	रात, निशा, यामिनी
पण्डित	विद्वान, विचक्षण, ज्ञानी
तालाब	जलाशय, पोखर, सरोवर
वृक्ष	पेड़, तरु, विटप
समूह	समुदाय, झुंड, समुच्चय
विष्णु	नारायण, चतुर्भुज, चक्रपाणि

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(च) उपसर्ग / प्रत्यय से शब्द निर्माण

उपसर्ग / प्रत्यय	शब्द
उप	उपदेश / उपवन
अति	अतिरिक्त / अतिशय
परा	पराक्रम / परामर्श
त्व	देवत्व / व्यक्तित्व / अमरत्व

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(छ) अनेक शब्दों के लिए एक शब्द

वाक्यांश	एक शब्द
जिसकी उपमा न हो	निरुपम
जिसके शेखर पर चन्द्र हो	चन्द्रशेखर
स्वेद से उत्पन्न होने वाला	स्वेदज
शिव का उपासक	शैव
जो संगीत जानता हो	संगीतज्ञ
बिना वेतन के	अवैतनिक
वह जो भू धारण करता है	भूधर

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💡 परीक्षा टिप: सन्धि में यण और वृद्धि सन्धि के नियम सबसे अधिक पूछे जाते हैं — इन्हें उदाहरण सहित याद करें!