Class 10 English - ODISHA
Poetry: How to Tell Wild Animals
How to Tell Wild Animals by Carolyn Wells is a humorous poem prescribed for Class 10 students under the Odisha Board (BSE). The poet introduces various dangerous wild animals, such as the Asian lion, Bengal tiger, bear, hyena, crocodile, and chameleon, through a series of funny and dangerous identifications. She uses dark humor and clever descriptions to explain how a novice can recognize these beasts in the jungle. For the board exams, students must understand the poetic devices, central theme, rhyming scheme, and the humor embedded in the poem, which frequently appear in both objective and subjective questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Humor and Satire
The poet uses gentle humor and irony to describe dangerous situations, like suggesting you can identify a tiger by being eaten by it.
Rhyme Scheme
The poem follows a strict rhyme scheme, mostly ABABCC, which gives it a light-hearted, nursery-rhyme rhythm that contrasts with the danger of the animals.
Poetic Devices (Enjambment)
Enjambment is used across lines where a sentence continues to the next line without punctuation, creating a conversational flow.
Poetic Devices (Alliteration)
The repetition of consonant sounds at the start of nearby words is used, such as 'wandering who' and 'novice might nonplus'.
Poetic Devices (Assonance)
The prominent use of vowel sounds within words is seen for musical effect, enhancing the playful tone of the poem.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Odisha BSE Class 10 English examination, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include multiple-choice questions (MCQs) testing stanza comprehension, short-answer questions about the identification of specific animals, and questions on poetic devices like rhyme scheme and figures of speech.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central theme of 'How to Tell Wild Animals'?
The central theme is the humorous and dangerous ways to identify wild animals using quirky physical traits and behaviors.
How can you distinguish between a crocodile and a hyena?
According to the poem, hyenas come with merry smiles, while crocodiles can be recognized by the tears they shed while consuming their prey.
Why does the poet use humor in a poem about dangerous beasts?
The poet uses humor to create a comical contrast between the terrifying nature of wild animals and the casual, lighthearted way they are described.
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