CBSE-Class XII

English-Vistas
Exam Practice The Tiger King

Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks)

Note: These questions must ideally be answered in your own words, in approximately
30-40 words each.

1. What was satirical about the prediction made by the astrologers at the time of Prince Jilani
Jung Jung Bahadurs birth?

2. What was incredible about the infant's reaction to the astrologer's prophecy?

3. How did the hundredth tiger pose a threat to the king?

4. Who is the Tiger King? How did he get that name?

5. What did the royal infant grow up to be?

6. Why was it celebration time for the tigers of Pratibandapuram?

7. What did the Maharaja do to find the required number of tigers to kill?

8. Why did the British Officer wish to hunt a tiger? What does it tell you about him?

9. How did the Maharaja prepare himself for the hundredth tiger which was supposed to decide
his fate?

10. Did the King kill his hundredth tiger? What had actually happened?

11. What do you think about the astrologers skill? Was his prophecy proved wrong?

Long Answer Type Questions (6 marks)

Note:
i. This list takes care of extrapolatory, value-based and global comprehension
questions, as per the latest curriculum.
ii. These questions must ideally be answered in your own words, in approximately
120-150 words each.

1. The Tiger King is a scathing satire on the conceit of those in power. Comment.
2. How does the author employ the literacy device of dramatic irony in the story?

3. What is the authors indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of
human beings?

4. How would you describe the behaviour of the Maharajas minions towards him? Do you find
them truly sincere towards him or are they driven by fear when they obey him? Do we find
a similarity in todays political order?

5. How did the hundredth tiger take its final revenge upon the Tiger King? What has the author
conveyed through this incident?

6. Why do you think the Tiger King sent 50 diamond rings to the British officer? What was he
hoping?

7. As Dewan Saheb, write a letter to your friend in Madras, sharing your anxiety and asking
him to look for a suitable job for you.

8. As the Tiger King, write your diary after you ostensibly killed your hundredth tiger.

Answer Type Questions (3 marks each)

Value Points for Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks)

Note:

The 3 marks for these questions are split as follows:

Content: 2 marks
Expression & Accuracy: 1 mark

1. What was satirical about the prediction made by the astrologers at the time of
Prince Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur?

Value Points
Astrologers predicted that prince being born under a particular star will meet his death
one day
Satirical because all human beings are mortal; would certainly die one day being born
under any star

2. What was incredible about the infant's reaction to the astrologer's prophecy?

Value Points
Ten-day old infant understood astrologers prediction, intended to be kept a secret from
him
The baby engaged in a sensible and logical interaction by asking them vital details and
then warned the tigers to be cautious
Understood that all mortals die; wanted to know cause of his death
Faculties possessed by as a ten-day old infant incredible

3. How did the hundredth tiger pose a threat to the king?

Value Points
 According to state astrologer King could kill ninety nine tigers effortlessly
predicted with immense convictionKing must be wary of the hundredth tiger; that will
prove to be the cause of the Kings fatal end

4. Who is the Tiger King? How did he get that name?

Value Points
Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur, the king of Pratibandapuram, known as Tiger King
Renowned astrologer prophesied that tiger would be cause of Kings death
Once he ascended throne, prime obsession hunting tigers; hence earned that name

5. What did the royal infant grow up to be?

Value Points
grew to be tall and strong
groomed and tutored by an Englishman
had primary obsession to kill hundred tigers

6. Why was it celebration time for the tigers of Pratibandapuram?

Value Points
royal proclamation banning public from tiger hunting
even throwing a stone at tigersa grave offence
this protection good for tigers of the state; fearless and relaxed; so celebration time for
them

7. What did the Maharaja do to find the required number of tigers to kill?

Value Points
in ten years, had killed seventy tigers
all tigers in Pratibandapuram killed
married a princess whose state had large tiger population
would kill 5-6 tigers during each visit to the in laws
slowly inched closer to his target

8. Why did the British Officer wish to hunt a tiger? What does it tell you about him?

Value Points
Wished to hunt a tiger to show off his valour
Wanted his photograph posing over the tiger's carcass holding a gun
Didnt value life of other creatures

9. How did the Maharaja prepare himself for the hundredth tiger which was
supposed to decide his fate?

Value Points
An old tiger spotted
Maharaja aimed and fired
Tiger crumbled to ground, supposedly dead
Maharaja left in his car, content
Left instructions to carry tiger in a procession to the capital, with aplomb

10. Did the King kill his hundredth tiger? What had actually happened?
 Value Points
King missed his aim; the old tiger collapsed out of fright
Closer look by an accompanying hunter disclosedtiger alive
Afraid of incurring the Kings wrath, one hunter shot it dead before taking it in a
procession to the capital

11. What do you think about the astrologers skill? Was his prophecy proved wrong?
Value Points
Astrologer adept; his prediction was accurate, though seemed to be wrong
Hunter, not the king, killed the 100th tiger
Wooden toy tigerKings 100th tiger became instrument of his death

Value Points for Long Answer Type Questions (6 marks)

Note:

The 6 marks for these questions are split as follows:

Content: 4 marks
Expression & Accuracy: 2 marks

1. The Tiger King is a scathing satire on the conceit of those in power. Comment.

Value Points
A scathing satire on the vanity of those in power
King used his political might to change his destiny and save himself
Born highly conceited; warned tigers as a ten-day-old infant
Challenged astrologers prediction and his death
His numerous names and titles indicative of his vanity
Killing all tigers, imposing a ban on othersnothing but arrogance
Spoilt the sanctity of marriagemarried due to the number of tigers in that state
Exercised his authority to punish or tax people according to his whims and fancies
Flaunted his power and richness by sending rings worth three lakhs
King should be known for the public welfare work; here known as Tiger King for his
personal obsession

2. How does the author employ the literary device of dramatic irony in the story?

Value Points
Kalki made effective use of dramatic irony
a Crown Prince expected to be trained in matters related to the state and warfare not
only in English
king to be responsible for the safety of his people; Tiger King thought only of his life
Kings prime focus to be maintaining an ecological balance in the state, not to drive tiger
population to extinction
married not to better the relationship between two states but to kill more tigers to save
his life
king to levy taxes wisely, not due to personal whims
 irony reaches its peak when a harmless a toy tiger becomes the instrument of the kings
death

3. What is the authors indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the

willfulness of human beings?

Value Points
Condemned the indiscriminate killing of tigers by Tiger King
Entire species extinct in Pratibandapuram and the Queens native state
Being in power doesnt entitle one to kill innocent beings, when one cant create
British officers desire to kill a tiger merely for proving his courage through a
photographmeaningless and unwarranted
Revenge by the inanimate wooden tiger dramatically drives home the message

4. How would you describe the behaviour of the Maharajas minions towards him? Do
you find them truly sincere towards him or are they driven by fear when they obey
him? Do we find a similarity in todays political order?

Value Points
Maharajas minions only driven by fear of unjustified punishments
Ministers dared not advise him on indiscriminate killing of tigers or for neglecting his
duties towards people and state
Dewan asked to resign-pointed out the impracticality of doubling taxes
Shopkeeper afraid to tell price of wooden tiger toy
Hunters afraid to inform King that the 100th tiger wasnt killed
Dewan covertly arranges for tiger
Plenty of commonality between Maharaja and present day politicians
Common man discontented with those in power; latter indifferent to the welfare of the
masses
Selfish motives guide their decisions; coffers being filled at the cost of the poor
Those who revolt transferred or eliminated

5. How did the hundredth tiger take its final revenge upon the Tiger King? What has
the author conveyed through this incident?

Value Points
Tiger King obsessed with killing the last tiger to save his own life
Forgot about his three-year-old sons birthday
Searched the market place for a suitable gift
Found a wooden toy tiger
Carved by unskilled carpenter; poor finish; thin wooden slivers all over it
King pricked by one on his right hand when playing with the toy and his son
Next day Kings infection set in; aggravated; was operated upon; died during the
operation
Wooden toy avenged the killings of all the fierce tigers of the state; as you sow, so shall
you reap

6. Why do you think the Tiger King sent 50 diamond rings to the British officer? What
was he hoping?

Value Points
British officer keen to shoot a tiger; Tiger King couldnt allow that; other British officers
would follow suit
 Would have lost his state if he angered British officer
Arranged to gift one-two diamond rings; sent 50 for the officers wife to choose from
Hoped rest of the rings would be returned but officers wife kept all fifty rings, thanked
him for the gift
Tiger King didnt antagonise the British officer

7. As Dewan Saheb, write a letter to your friend in Madras, sharing your anxiety and
asking him to look for a suitable job for you.

Value Points
This tiger killing crossed all limits
Where can I find one; when all have been killed
Now the crazy Maharaja orders the doubling of land tax
Fear that he is losing his mind
Asked me to resign; find me a job; thinking of leaving this state soon

8. As the Tiger King, write your diary after you ostensibly killed your hundredth tiger.

Value Points
Now can finally rest in peace; proved the astrologer wrong; strong men like me make
their own destiny
The procession proved to the state how powerful I am
Was preoccupied; forgot about our sons third birthday; will personally go to the market
to get a gift for him
Now can lead a relaxed life and even spend some time looking after the state