Class 10 English - CBSE
Poetry: How to Tell Wild Animals
How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Wells is a humorous and engaging poem prescribed for Class 10 CBSE English (First Flight). The poem introduces readers to various dangerous wild animals, such as the Asian Lion, Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Bear, and Hyena, but through a dangerously funny lens. Instead of scientific descriptions, the poet uses witty identifying features and dark humor to tell them apart. For CBSE board exams, this chapter is crucial for testing students' understanding of poetic devices, rhyme schemes, and the poet's clever use of humor and irony in extract-based and short answer questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Humor and Irony
The poet creates humor through dangerous situations, suggesting you can identify a beast while it is eating you.
Rhyme Scheme
The poem follows a strict and musical rhyme scheme (ababcc for most stanzas) which adds to its playful tone.
Poetic Devices (Enjambment)
The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, verse, or couplet, used frequently to maintain momentum.
Poetic Devices (Alliteration)
The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of closely placed words, such as 'wandering who' or 'novice might nonplus'.
Poetic License
The poet intentionally alters spellings and grammar (like 'lept' for leaped or 'nonplus') to maintain the rhythm and rhyme scheme.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam, this chapter typically carries 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually appear as reference-to-context (extract-based multiple-choice or short answer questions) testing poetic devices, tone, and comprehension, or as 40-50 word short answer questions focusing on the central theme of humor and animal identification.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tone of the poem 'How to Tell Wild Animals'?
The tone of the poem is highly humorous, witty, and satirical, as it uses dangerous situations to create laughter.
How can you distinguish between a leopard and a tiger according to the poem?
A tiger has black stripes on a yellow background, while a leopard's body is peppered with spots.
Why does the poet use poetic license in the poem?
The poet alters words like 'lept' instead of 'leaped' to fit the rhythm and maintain the strict rhyme scheme of the poem.
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