A Day in the Zoo by Gerald Durrell - Textual Questions and Answers (Class

A Day in the Zoo

Gerald Durrell

Exercise 01

Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives.

1. The average day in a zoo begins just before – (a) dusk (b) dawn (c) afternoon (d) evening

Answer: (b) dawn

2. The birds searching the dewy grass on the lawn were – (a) peahens (b) peacocks (c) robins (d) thrushes

Answer: (a) peahens

3. Stephen with a broom in his hand was guarding over the – (a) bears (b) gorilla (c) apes (d) armadillo

Answer: (c) apes

4. The name of the black Celebes ape was – (a) Etam (b) Jeremy (c) Mike (d) Stephen

Answer: (a) Etam

5. The reptiles dozed in the temperature of – (a) sixty degrees (b) seventy degrees (c) eighty degrees (d) ninety degrees

Answer: (c) eighty degrees

Exercise 02

Answer the following questions within fifteen words.

1. How does the sky look as one is awakened by the birdsong?

Answer: The sky appears to be tinged with yellow, when one is awakened by the birdsong at dawn.

2. How do the parrots and parakeets salute people?

Answer: The parrots and parakeets salute people with a cacophony of sounds.

3. What do all the animals do at the start of a new day?

Answer: All the animals, excited and eager at the start of a new day, bustle about the cages.

4. As the light fades, where does the robin fly off to?

Answer: When light fades, the robin flies off to roost in the mimosa tree.

Exercise 03

Answer the following questions within twenty five words.

1. What work do Jeremy and Mike do in the gorillas’ cages?

Answer: Mike and Jeremy are both busy inside the gorilla’s cages. They sweep up the mess on the floor. They scatter fresh white sawdust. They assure that everything is all right.

2. Describe the state of the frogs and snakes in the reptile house.

Answer: In the reptile house the temperature is eighty degrees. Snakes look at someone calmly with lidless eyes. Frogs make gulping sounds.

3. What would one see and hear while lying in bed at night?

Answer: While lying in the bed at night one would see the moon separating itself from the shadow of the trees. One would hear the lion’s coughing.

Grammar in Use

Exercise 04

Classify the underlined adverbs according to their functions in the chart given below.

(a) I have already done the job.

(b) Bappa can go anywhere for his works.

(d) Nargis sings sweetly.

Answer:

Manner	Time	Place	Frequency
(d) sweetly	(a) already	(b) anywhere	(c) often

Exercise 05

Underline the clauses in the following sentences and state what kind of clauses they are.

(a) As he was not there, I spoke to his brother.

Answer: As he was not there – Adverb clause of reason

I spoke to his brother – Principle Clause

(b) The house where Nazrul was born is in Churulia.

Answer: where Nazrul was born – Adverb Clause of Place

The house is in Churulia - Principle Clause

(c) She said that she would return soon.

Answer: that she would return soon – Noun Clause as an object to the verb ‘said’

She said - Principle Clause

(d) Have you read the book which you borrowed from me?

Answer: Have you read the book - Principle Clause

Which you borrowed from me –Relative Clause describing the antecedent, ‘book’

Let’s know!

(1) Simple Sentence – A sentence that has one subject, one predicate and one finite verb is called a Simple Sentence.

Example – The average zoo day begins just before dawn.

(2) Complex Sentence – A sentence that has one principle clause and one or more dependent clauses is called a complex Sentence.

Example – You pass slowly down the house to the big cage at the end where the touracos now live.

(3) Compound Sentence – A sentence that has two or more principle clause and they are joined by a conjunction is called a compound sentence.

Example – Soon it will be dawn and the chorus of birds will take over.

Exercise 06

Identify the following sentences as Simple, Complex, or Compound sentence.

(i) He is too tired to walk alone.

Answer: – Simple Sentence

(ii) I have a friend who lives in Mumbai.

Answer: – Complex Sentence

(iii) Priyam wrote a letter but he got no reply.

Answer: - Compound Sentence

(iv) Being ill, I could not attend school.

Answer: - Simple Sentence

(v) She told me that she would enter a house which is believed to be haunted.

Answer: - Complex Sentence

(vi) The sun shines brightly and the flowers bloom.

Answer: – Compound Sentence

Exercise 07

Write a letter to the Headmaster/ Headmistress of your school within 100 words seeking leave for three days to visit your ailing grandmother.

Answer:

The Headmaster

Gopinath High School

17, Salkia School road

Salkia, Howrah – 711106

Sub: Leave of absence

Sir,

This is to inform you that I, Subhash Ghosh, a student of Class IX-A of your school would like to visit my ailing grandmother. She has fallen ill with severe encephalitis since last Monday. The doctor has already prescribed her medicines and advised her to follow the diet chart carefully.

Since I live with my parents in a government housing complex, it is my earnest request to you to kindly allow me a three-day leave so that I may go to my grandmother’s house in Bolpore.

I shall be highly obliged if you kindly grant me permission

Thank you,

Yours sincerely

Subhash Ghosh

Sulekha Bhaban

1, Benimadhob Som Lane

Boiddyadanga, Hoogly – 700096

22 March, 2021

Exercise 08

Write a letter to your friend within 100 words narrating your experience of visiting a wild life sanctuary.

Answer:

Palpara, Medinipur (East)

Medinipur – 721458

Date: 22.03.2021

Dear Rishan,

Nothing is more beautiful to me than the wild life. I have seen the zoo many times. But a visit to a wild life Sanctuary is a completely different experience.

Last year, I went to Jaldapara with my parents. There we hired a jeep and entered the core area of the forest at noon. What an amazing stillness! I saw wild elephants, rhinoceros, deer and monkeys. A great many birds were chirping in the trees. The peafowls were wandering across the grassy outfield. I heard the trumpet of a lonely elephant. I thought that a tiger might come out of the forest at any time. What a thrill it was! After a while our jeep stood still. My heart was beating fast! A herd of elephants roamed silently.

I had a mixed feeling of joy and fear in my mind. Beast and birds are really wonders of nature. I shall never forget such an experience in my life.

With respect to your parents and love to you.

Yours ever,

Adhrit Barick

11, Shailendra Bose Road

Dum Dum

Kolkata – 700074

*****

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