Class 10 English - HARYANA
Poetry: How to Tell Wild Animals
How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Wells is a humorous poem prescribed in the Class 10 English syllabus for Haryana (BSEH) students. The poet introduces various dangerous wild animals, such as the Asian Lion, Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Bear, Hyena, Crocodile, and Chameleon, using dangerous yet comical ways to identify them. Through witty descriptions and puns, the poet helps readers distinguish between these creatures. For board exams, this chapter is crucial for scoring high marks in reading comprehension, extract-based questions, and central idea questions, as it tests both literary appreciation and understanding of poetic devices.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Humor and Satire
The poet uses gentle humor and irony to describe terrifying wild animals, making identification both funny and memorable.
Identification of Wild Animals
The poem gives physical and behavioral traits of animals like the tawny beast of the east, peppered skin of the leopard, and weeping behavior of the crocodile.
Poetic Devices - Enjambment
The running on of a sense from one line to the next without a punctuation mark is heavily used throughout the poem to maintain flow.
Poetic Devices - Allison and Inversion
The poet uses poetic license, altering normal sentence structure (inversion) and repeating consonant sounds (alliteration) for musical effect.
Central Theme
The poem highlights the unique physical characteristics of wild beasts in a lighthearted manner, distinguishing harmless animals from dangerous ones.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Haryana Board (BSEH) Class 10 English exam, this chapter typically carries around 3 to 5 marks. Questions commonly include reference-to-context (extract-based questions), short answer questions testing the identification features of specific animals, and value-based or poetic device questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you distinguish between a leopard and a tiger?
According to the poem, a tiger has black stripes on a yellow ground, while a leopard has dark spots (peppered marks) all over its hide that pounces on you.
What is the role of humor in the poem?
Humor is used to reduce the fear associated with dangerous wild animals by giving funny and absurd suggestions on how to identify them.
How does the chameleon differ from other animals mentioned?
A chameleon is a small, lizard-like creature that has no ears or wings and can change its color to blend with its surroundings, often found sitting on a tree.
Learn Poetry: How to Tell Wild Animals with Your AI Tutor
10 different ways to study this chapter. Free for 3 chapters per day.
Lecture
Key Points
Interactive
Quiz
Flashcards