Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Question Answers| Class 10 Communicative English Chapter 2

by Meenu Saini | Jul 27, 2023 | General | 0 comments

CBSE Class 10 English Communicative- Interact in English Chapter 2 Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Important Question Answers

Looking for Mrs Packletide’s Tiger question answers for Class 10 English Communicative- Interact in English Chapter 2? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 10 English Communicative question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Our solutions provide a clear idea of how to write the answers effectively. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Chapter 2: Mrs Packletide’s Tiger now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given solutions to the chapter’s extract based questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and long answer questions.
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.

Mrs Packletide’s Tiger Question Answers – Book Questions, Extra Questions

Book Questions

Q1 Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

“It was Louisa Mebbin who drew attention to the fact that the goat was in death throes from a mortal bullet-wound, while no trace of the rifle’s deadly work could be found on the tiger. Evidently the wrong animal had been hit, and the beast of prey had succumbed to heart-failure, caused by the sudden report of the rifle, accelerated by senile decay. Mrs Packletide was pardonably annoyed at the discovery; but, at any rate, she was the possessor of a dead tiger, and the villagers anxious for their thousand rupees, gladly connived at the fiction that she had shot the beast. And Miss Mebbin was a paid companion.”

1. Which line from the extract supports the idea that people had no doubts about Mrs Packletide missing her mark?

Ans “In a moment a crowd of excited natives had swarmed on to the scene, and their shouting speedily carried the glad news to the village, where a thumping of tom-toms took up the chorus of triumph. And their triumph and rejoicing found a ready echo in the heart of Mrs. Packletide.”

2. Select the option that correctly reveals the character traits of Mrs. Packletide.
1. Miserly
2. Opportunistic
3. Blunt
4. Greedy
5. Pretentious
A. 1, 3 and 4
B. 2, 3, 4 and 5
C. 1, 3, 4 and 5
D. 2, 4 and 5

Ans. D. 2, 4 and 5

3. Select the idiom that captures the central idea of the extract.
A. Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.
B. Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.
C. Humans are the most unreliable species.
D. The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance- it is the illusion of knowledge.

Ans. B. Sometimes a man wants to be stupid if it lets him do a thing his cleverness forbids.

4. Identify the writer’s tone in this extract.

Ans. The writer’s tone in this passage is humorous.

5. Select the option that displays the reason for Mrs. Packletide’s brief annoyance.
A. The covering up of her blunder.
B. The death of the goat.
C. The sudden report of the rifle.
D. The participation of the villagers.

Ans. A. The covering up of her blunder.

Q2 Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. What made Mrs. Packletide decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton’s honour? What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide made the decision to invite Loona Bimberton to a luncheon party after she shot a tiger. She planned to display the recently obtained tiger skin during the gathering. It would be appropriate to discuss her tiger-shooting adventure with Loona Bimberton during the celebration and display the tiger skin. She had planned on giving Loona Bimberton a tiger-claw brooch for her birthday.

2. Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?

Ans. Miss Mebbin worked as an assistant. She was acquired by Mrs. Packletide so she might see the tiger being shot. She had a strong materialism. She didn’t want to perform tasks for which she wasn’t being paid. She even urged Mrs. Packletide to refuse to pay for the goat if the tiger did not consume it. She had absolutely no loyalty to Mrs. Packletide. She was only there for the cash.

3. Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

4. What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide fired the shot? Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to this comment?

Ans. Miss Mebbin threatened to point out to everyone that Mrs. Packletide had actually killed a goat instead of a tiger. The tiger passed away as a result of a heart attack brought on by the sound of the gunshot. With this piece of knowledge, Miss Mebbin intended to extort money from Mrs. Packletide. She wished to rob her of more money. This disclosure really irritated Mrs. Packletide. She convinced herself, though, that Miss Mebbin was just a hired helper who, if given more cash, would keep the information to herself.

5. Briefly comment on the behaviour of the villagers throughout the story.

Ans. The only reason the people were upset was for their thousand rupees. They paid no attention to Miss Mebbin’s admission that Mrs. Packletide had slain a goat instead of a tiger. They quickly assumed Mrs. Packletide had killed the beast since they didn’t want to loose their money.

6. Did Mrs. Packletide achieve her heart’s desire? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans. It is made obvious right on in the narrative that Mrs. Packletide had made up her mind to shoot a tiger and have her photos published in the media as a way to outshine Loona Bimberton. She was successful in killing the goat. Heart failure caused the tiger’s death. But she managed to get her photographs with the dead tiger printed in the media. She gifted Loona Bimberton a tiger-claw brooch. She also invited Loona Bimberton to a lunchtime party, but the latter declined to attend it. As a result, Mrs. Packletide finally got what she wanted.

7. How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so many tiger lillies in her garden?

Ans. Using extortion, Louisa Mebbin forced Mrs. Packletide to give her the weekend cottage; otherwise, she would have informed Loona Bimberton that Mrs. Packletide had shot a goat, not a tiger. The tiger lillies served as a constant reminder of her journey to obtaining the cottage.

8. “The incidental expenses are so heavy,” she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?

Ans. The speaker is Mrs. Packletide. The lines are spoken in answer to inquiries about why she stopped hunting. The statement refers to the additional costs Mrs. Packletide had to suffer when she went hunting for the first time. She had to pay the villagers, Louisa Mebbin, and even had to purchase her a cottage in order to keep her mouth shut that she had killed a goat instead of a tiger.

9. Do you think the silent figure of Loona Bimberton in the background plays a crucial role in the story? Explain.

Ans. If not to show off and overpower Loona, Mrs Packletide wouldn’t have thought of killing a tiger. The only function of the attention-seeking London socialite Loona Bimberton in the narrative is to provoke Mrs Packletide, to which Mrs Packletide reacts with jealousy and takes upon the task of outshining her.

Q3 Discuss the following questions in detail and write the answers in your notebooks:

1. Do you think the tiger shooting organized by the villagers was a serious affair? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans. The villagers’ planned tiger shooting was a serious event because Mrs. Packletide had promised a thousand rupees for the chance to shoot a tiger without taking any significant risks. The game killing took place in a nearby community. The people were motivated by the prospect of making a thousand rupees.

In an attempt to prevent the tiger from moving on to new hunting grounds, they had stationed their kids at the edge of the neighbourhood jungle. Cheaper varieties of goats were dispersed widely to provide food to the tiger. They took every precaution to avoid scaring the tiger away.

A platform was built on a tree that was in a good location for Mrs Packletide to shoot the tiger. An old tiger was arranged which was lazy and thus, easier to kill. Even Mrs Packletide’s companion, Miss Mebbin, was paid to go to the shoot with her.

The fact that a swarm of joyfully yelling locals arrived at the scene as soon as the gun flashed and the beast rolled over dead gave the impression that it was a serious situation for them. They yearned to receive their one thousand rupees.

2. Do you think the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the story i.e. Mrs. Packletide, Miss Mebbin and Loona Bimberton? Pick out instances from the story that point to this fact.

Ans. The humour in this tale is hilarious. Through the three women’s characters in the narrative, the author attempts to parody society. Mrs. Packletide’s competitive and envious temperament led her to kill animals since her friend Loona Bimberton had acquired a tiger hide and secured press coverage. Mrs. Packletide even offered a thousand rupees for this game without taking any risks, and she smiled for the cameras while claiming to have killed the beast, but the tiger had actually passed away from heart failure as a result of the rifle’s loud noise.

Miss Mebbin, who had a possessive and avaricious attitude towards money, was recruited by Mrs. Packletide to go to the game with her. Even worse, she mocked Mrs. Packletide by telling her, “If it’s an old tiger, you should get it cheaper.” Mrs. Packletide was coerced by Louisa Mebbin into buying her a lovely cottage in exchange for keeping quiet about the fact that the wrong animal had been murdered. The fact that Mebbin named her cottage “Les Fauves” is made fun of by the author.

The image of Loona Bimberton has been painted as cunning and vindictive. Although she had bragging rights over the tiger skin, she had for weeks avoided looking at the illustrated paper because it featured photographs of Mrs. Packletide and her hunted tiger. She penned a letter of gratitude for receiving a tiger claw brooch, but it sounded as though she was suppressing her feelings. Three ladies who each sought in their own manner to gain notoriety were mocked by the author.

3. A person who is vain is full of self importance and can only think of himself/herself and can go to great lengths to prove his/her superiority. Do you think Mrs Packletide is vain? Give reasons in support of your answer.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide is vain as she did not shoot a tiger for her enjoyment, nor did she feel lust for it rather Mrs. Packletide was jealous of her friend Loona Bimberton when she bragged about getting a tiger skin and appearing in front of the cameras. She planned to shoot a tiger since she was naturally competitive.

In addition to planning to give Loona Bimberton a tiger claw brooch, she had previously prepared a luncheon in her honour. She wanted to face the camera and demonstrate her superiority by shooting the tiger herself. She made every effort to demonstrate this. She made plans to attend the filming with a paid companion. Every effort was made to ensure its success. She bravely stood in front of the camera holding the dead tiger to demonstrate her courage even though the wrong animal had been killed.

4. Sometimes writers highlight certain negative aspects in society or human beings by making fun of them. This is called a Satire. In your groups, discuss whether you would classify this story as a satire. Give reasons to support your answer.

Ans. In the story, the author uses satire. To highlight the satire, he pokes fun at the story’s characters. Mrs. Packletide is a cunning and competitive individual who develops resentment for her friend after she learns that Loona Bimberton has a tiger skin, had appeared in front of the media, and obtained images. She too plans to shoot a tiger out of pride. She even goes so far as to give the peasants money. Cheaper goats are used to entice an aged tiger.

The author utilises satire to ridicule a society that, as Mrs. Packletide depicts, will stop at nothing to achieve fame. Miss Mebbin is a mirror of the other side of the materialistic culture. She is a stingy lady who threatens to purchase Mrs. Packletide a cottage if she does not keep the secret about the wrong animal being murdered. The villagers stand in for a different segment of society that is similarly materialistic. Whether it was a goat or a tiger that was shot, money was more important to them than the subject of the shooting.

5. How does the writer create humour in this story?

Ans. The hilarity in the tale is abundant. Mrs. Packletide makes the shooting arrangements. The most amusing aspect is that a frail tiger is set up and cheap goats are left to entice him. Despite Mrs. Packletide’s poor shooting skills, a platform has been built in a tree on which she sits holding a gun and a pack of patience cards. The funniest thing is that the tiger laid down on the ground as soon as it saw the goat, seemingly less out of predation instinct than out of fear.

The big beast leaps to one side and then rolls over dead as the rifle fires with a loud sound. By pointing out that Mrs. Packletide had killed the incorrect animal, Miss Mebbin makes fun of her. The goat was struck by the bullet, but the tiger’s heart failed as a result of the rifle’s deafening noise. The villagers yelled joyfully since all they cared about was getting their one thousand rupees, and they eagerly bought into the lie that she had killed the tiger. Mrs. Packletide smiled for the cameras when her photograph appeared in Texas Weekly Snapshot.

Q4 Choose extracts from the story that illustrate the character of the people listed in the table given below. There are some words given to help you. You may add words of your own. One has been done as an example:

Ans.
1. (i) Competitive
(ii) Shrewd
(iii) Proud

2. (i) Materialistic
(ii) Greedy
(iii) Humorous
(iv) Satirical

3. (i) Spiteful
(ii) Jealous

Q5 There are many amusing lines in the story. Here are a few of them. Rewrite each one in ordinary prose so that the meaning is retained. One has been done for you as an example:

1. It was Mrs. Packletide’s pleasure and intention that she should shoot a tiger.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide wanted to shoot a tiger

2. Mrs. Packletide had already arranged in her mind the lunch she would give at her house on Curzon Street, ostensibly in Loona Bimberton’s honour, with a tiger-skin rug occupying most of the foreground and all of the conversation.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide had planned to give lunch at her house in Curzon Street in honour of Loona Bimberton showing everyone the tiger skin rug hat she had.

3. Mothers carrying their babies home through the jungle after the day’s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd-robber.

Ans. In order not to disturb the tiger, mothers tried to keep their babies quiet.

4. Louisa Mebbin adopted a protective elder-sister attitude towards money in general, irrespective of nationality or denomination.

Ans Louisa Mebbin cared a lot for money irrespective of anything.

5. Evidently the wrong animal had been hit, and the beast of prey had succumbed to heart-failure, caused by the sudden report of the rifle, accelerated by senile decay.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide hit the wrong animal and the tiger died of heart failure because of the loud noise of the rifle.

6. As for Loona Bimberton, she refused to look at an illustrated paper for weeks, and her letter of thanks for the gift of a tiger-claw brooch was a model of repressed emotions.

Ans. Loona Bimberton was jealous to see Mrs. Packletide with the dead tiger. She unwillingly wrote a letter of thanks to her for the gift of a tiger-claw brooch.

Q6 An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines normally-contradictory terms. The most common form of oxymoron involves an adjective-noun combination of two words like- failed success.
Writers often use an oxymoron to call attention to an apparent contradiction. For example, Wilfred Owen’s poem The Send-off refers to soldiers leaving for the front line, who “lined the train with faces grimly gay.” The oxymoron ‘grimly gay’ highlights the contradiction between how the soldiers feel and how they act: though they put on a brave face and act cheerful, they feel grim. Some examples of oxymorons are- dark sunshine, cold sun, living dead, dark light, almost exactly etc.
The story Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger has a number of oxymorons. Can you identify them and write them down in your notebooks?

Ans. Oxymorons :
morbid dread
sympathetic hands
laud report
glad news
pardonably annoyed
disagreeably pleasant
gladly connived

Q7 Years later Mrs. Packletide writes her autobiography. As Mrs. Packletide, write about the tiger episode with the help of the clues given below.
jealous of the applause Loona was getting-thought of tiger hunt–all arranged– Louisa Mebbin accompanied; turned out to be a blackmailer-huge price to pay to outdo a rival

Ans. My buddy Loona acquired a tiger hide, and as a result, she received all the attention in the media. She made me envious, and I considered obtaining a tiger hide for myself. I offered to pay the people one thousand rupees if they would organise everything necessary to kill a tiger. I coerced my pal Mebbin into going on the quest with me. We both sat down on a platform that was mounted on a tree. My gun was aimed towards the goat that was restrained beneath the other tree. I fired at the tiger as soon as he came closer. It jumped to one side and collapsed, dead. The peasants screamed in celebration. Mebbin, though, informed me that the tiger had actually perished from the loud noise of the bullet and not from consuming the goat. Mebbin was shrewd enough to use my lack of knowledge of the hunt as leverage to demand that I buy her the summer cottage she so desperately wanted. To beat a rival, I had to pay a high fee.

Q8 Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger by Saki is seeped in rich wit and humour. Choose and describe the most Laugh-Out-Loud (LOL) moment in the story. Give at least three reasons as to why you think this the most LOL moment.

Ans. Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger is a humourous story.
1. The author makes fun of almost all the characters. He satirises Mrs.Packletide’s obsession with killing a tiger so as to show off in front of Loona Bimberton.
2. He makes fun of Louisa Mebbin’s materialistic nature. She was very particular about how every penny was spent.
3. He makes fun of Loona Bimberton who refused to attend Mrs. Packletide’s luncheon party because she was jealous of her achievements.

Extract Based Questions

Extract-based questions are of the multiple-choice variety, and students must select the correct option for each question by carefully reading the passage.

A Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“Mothers carrying their babies through the jungle after the day’s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd- robber.”

1. Why did the mother hush their singing?

Ans Mothers hushed their singing to avoid disturbing the tiger from his restful slumber.

2. What does the expression ‘venerable herd-robber’ mean and for whom is this expression used?

Ans. The term ‘venerable herd-robber’, refers to the tiger. The expression is used to convey two opposite qualities of the tiger-one that he is a very respected animal as he is of old age, but at the same time he is called a herd robber, because he robs the life of its prey for survival.

3. What was the ulterior motive for such precautions?

Ans. The villagers’ measures were done with the intention of presenting the old and problematic tiger to Mrs. Packletide alive and intact so she could kill it. In addition, they wanted the Rs. 1000 promised as compensation for their assistance.

4. Which figure of speech is used in the expression venerable herd-robber?

Ans. This example of a figure of speech is an oxymoron. An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two phrases that seem to be at odds with one another are used simultaneously, such as truly false.

B Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack of patience cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry.”

1. Who is the sportswoman referred to here?

Ans. The sportswoman referred to here is Mrs. Packletide.

2. What is “the quarry”?

Ans. The tiger that Mrs. Packletide was supposed to track down what is referred to as the quarry.

3. Why did she carry the ‘thumbnail pack of patience’?

Ans. A brave, confident and calm Mrs. Packletide carried with her the “thumbnail pack of patience” to tide over the time they might have to wait for the tiger’s arrival by playing a game of cards.

4. Why were all these arrangements made?

Ans. All of these preparations were made in an effort to surpass Loona Bimberton.

C Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“And their triumph and rejoicing found a ready echo in the heart of Mrs. Packletide; already that luncheon-party in Curzon Street seemed immeasurably nearer. “

1. Who is rejoicing in these lines?

Ans. The natives of the village are rejoicing.

2. What do you mean by ‘triumph and rejoice? Why are they triumphing and rejoicing?

Ans. ‘Triumph’ denotes success, and’ rejoice’ is a state of joy. The tiger had been killed, and the villagers were celebrating their victory.

3. What is the luncheon party being referred to here?

Ans. It’s the luncheon celebration that Mrs. Packletide had suggested holding in Loona Bimberton’s honour.

4. What echoed in Mrs. Packletide’s heart?

Ans. The sound of the celebration echoes Mrs. Packletide’s realisation that the moment to throw the party in Loona’s honour and exact revenge was drawing near.

D Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“Circumstances proved propitious. Mrs. Packletide had offered a thousand rupees for the opportunity of shooting a tiger without over-much risk or exertion, and it so happened that a neighbouring village could boast of being the favoured rendezvous of an animal of respectable antecedents, which had been driven by the increasing infirmities of age to abandon game-killing and confine its appetite to the smaller domestic animals.”

1. What does the word propitious mean?

Ans. ‘Propitious’ means to be favourable.

2. What circumstance is being referred to here?

Ans. The circumstances are those surrounding Mrs. Packletide’s most recent interest. She ended up with the fame of killing a tiger, when in fact she missed the shot and killed a goat instead but the tiger dies out of a heart attack as he was frightened by the sound of the gunshot.

3. How did the circumstances prove propitious?

Ans. Because both Mrs. Packletide and the villagers stood to benefit in some way from the intended event, the conditions turned out to be favourable.

4. For whom did circumstances prove propitious?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide was successful in obtaining a dead tiger, which was fortunate for her. The locals, meantime, received a payment of a thousand rupees in addition to killing the problematic old tiger.

E Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“The compelling motive for her sudden deviation towards the footsteps of Nimrod was the fact that Loona Bimberton had recently been carried eleven miles in an aeroplane.”

1. For whom is the pronoun ‘her’ used in this context?

Ans. ‘Her’ has been used to allude to Mrs. Packletide.

2. What was the sudden deviation being referred to here?

Ans. The unexpected diversion alludes to Mrs. Packletide’s sudden professed interest or propensity for hunting.

3. Who is Nimrod?

Ans. A biblical figure named Nimrod is the great-grandson of the legendary hunter Noah.

4. Why is his reference made here?

Ans. The allusion to his persona is made in this instance since Mrs. Packletide also wished to follow him. She intended to go tiger hunting.

Short Answer Questions

In this post we are also providing important short answer questions from Chapter 2 Mrs Packletide’s Tiger for CBSE Class 10 exam in the coming session

Q1 “It was Mrs. Packletide’s pleasure and intention that she should shoot a tiger.” Why was Mrs. Packletide intent on shooting a tiger?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide had no desire or obsession to kill a tiger. She only meant to participate in the game because she despised Loona Bimberton, who had gained notoriety by travelling eleven miles in an aircraft flown by an Algerian aviator. To diminish the fame of her opponent Loona was her goal. Consequently, she had in mind doing something daring like shooting a tiger. This would undoubtedly create a stir, and naturally the spotlight would turn to her.

Q2 Who was Loona Bimberton? What daring feat had she achieved that led to Mrs. Packletide disliking her?

Ans. The fiercest rival of Mrs. Packletide was Loona Bimberton. Both of the women harboured a shared hate for one another. By travelling eleven miles aboard an aircraft being flown by an aviator from Algeria, Loona had accomplished a remarkable accomplishment. Mrs. Packletide’s anger and envy for Loona were heightened by the renown and grandeur that followed her.

Q3 What plan did Mrs. Packletide orchestrate to honour Loona?

Ans. At her home on Curzon Street, Mrs. Packletide had planned to host a celebration in Loona Bimberton’s honour. Her foreground would be adorned with a tiger hide mat, and talk would inevitably turn to her accomplishment. Additionally, she had created a tiger-claw brooch that she wished to present to Loona on her following birthday.

Q4 Why did the mothers carrying their little babies hush their singing?

Ans. To prevent waking the tiger from his peaceful nap, the mothers muffled their singing as they made their way home from the jungle. In order to prevent the tiger from leaving their area, they were likewise being cautious.

Q5 Why were the cheap goats let loose by the villagers?

Ans. The villagers let out many of the inexpensive goats to keep the wild animal happy. Additionally, this would guarantee that the tiger wouldn’t look for new hunting grounds.

Q6 What preparations were made for the shooting?

Ans The locals of the village made intricate arrangements. Mrs. Packletide and her hired companion were to sit on a safe platform that had been built on a convenient and comfortable tree. A goat was chained at the ideal distance and allowed to bleat nonstop day and night. A thumb-nail pack of patience cards and an accurately aimed gun were both in Mrs. Packletide’s possession as they waited for their victim.

Q7 Who accompanied Mrs. Packletide for the shooting? Was she helpful?

Ans. She was joined by Louisa Mebbin, Mrs. Packletide’s hired companion. She served Mrs. Packletide no use. On the other hand, she kept her mistress from her work with her odd and unnecessary remarks. She was a frugal person. She disapproved of spending money to kill an elderly tiger. To avoid doing any further labour, she feigned to be terrified of the tiger. She firmly believed that she should only work for pay.

Q8 What happened after Mrs. Packletide had fired the shot? How did the villagers react?

Ans. The tiger that had been spotted ambling towards the goat was observed jumping to one side and then rolling over into the stillness of death as soon as the rifle blazed out with a loud report. The town’s ecstatic residents flocked to the scene right away, shouting with joy as they were now free of their tiger-related fears. The sound reverberated throughout the entire village.

Q9 “Mrs. Packletide was pardonably annoyed at the discovery.” What led her to be annoyed?

Ans. The goat was killed by Mrs. Packletide’s rifle’s bullet, according to Miss. Louisa Mebbin’s observation, but th.e tiger died of heart failure brought on by the rifle’s pounding noise. Mrs. Packletide was irritated by this because the tiger’s carcass had no signs of injury whereas the goat’s body showed the fatal wound.

Q10 Though Mrs. Packletide knew that she did not shoot the tiger, still she was sure that no one would reveal the secret. Why?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide was confident that the error involving the tiger’s gunshot would remain a closely-guarded secret. The locals would remain silent because they did not want to forfeit the guaranteed one thousand rupees. Miss Mebbin, the other person who was aware of the incident, exchanged her quiet for a weekend cottage from Mrs. Packletide.

Q11 What was Loona Bimberton’s reaction at Mrs. Packletide’s instant fame?

Ans. The conceited Loona Birnberton, Mrs. Packletide’s fiercest opponent, responded in the most immature way. For several weeks, she avoided reading any newspapers or magazines that had photographs of or news concerning Mrs. Packletide. She declined the invitation to the luncheon but took the birthday gift with a lot of suppressed emotion.

Q12 Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger?

Ans. The reason Mrs. Packletide wanted to kill a tiger was that she didn’t like Loona Bimberton, who had just flown eleven miles in one of the planes with an Algerian aviator, a remarkable performance for a woman. She shared the same yearning for media attention and public recognition. So she makes the decision to kill a tiger.

Q13 What made her decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton’s honour? What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide’s loathing of Loona Bimberton was the primary motivator behind all of her actions and decisions. She hosted a party in her honour to demonstrate to her that Mrs. Bimberton’s glory had been overshadowed and that Mrs. Packletide had taken centre stage. She had intended to send Loona Bimberton a tiger-claw brooch for her upcoming birthday in an effort to further offend her.

Q14 Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide’s paid companion, Miss Louisa Mebbin, accompanied her to the shooting. She wasn’t at all loyal to her, no. Instead, she demonstrated via her behaviour on the podium that she was a shrewd businesswoman. She believed that she was under no obligation to provide her services for more than what she had been compensated for. She, however, convinced Mrs. Packletide that she should not have paid such a high price for the old tiger. She also instructed Mrs. Packletide, being as cunning as she was, that she need not pay for the shot if the beast did not touch the goat.

Q15 Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss

Ans. The given statement is actually an instance of sarcasm. Mrs. Packeltide maintained a very bad shot by scaring the tiger to death and killing a goat instead. However, Miss Mebbin kept this as a secret from everyone in order to extort money from Mrs Packletide. The tiger, the elderly animal, passed away from heart failure while the goat suffered a fatal injury. The locals were attracted by the uproar, and they screamed across the hamlet to announce that memsahib had slain the tiger.

Long Answer Questions

Q1 Imagine you are Mrs. Packletide. After being betrayed by Louisa Mebbin, you learnt a Lesson for life. Now you are completely changed. You are purged of all ill-will and dislike that you nursed for Loona Bimberton. Write a letter of apology to Loona Bimberton telling her how you were blackmailed because of your craze for feme.

Ans.
#15, Curzon
Street London

June 24, 19XX*

Dear Loona
You will be surprised when you read my letter because we never had a close friendship. Our last encounter was about five years ago. I feel incredibly sorry for myself and ashamed of how I behaved as I reflect on the past occurrences. I acknowledge my pride and insensitivity. The tiger shooting event and all the fanfare that went with it have unequivocally exposed my hopelessly vain character. I despise myself for constantly pitting you against me. What a great thing it would have been if we had gotten along!

I must confess something to you. Only a portion of the events surrounding the tiger shooting were actually factual. The tiger was not slain by me. It had perished due to an organic cause. Since I had paid the locals and my paid companion generously to keep quiet, neither I nor my friends, the villagers, or my paid companion revealed the truth. I did, however, pay dearly for my deception. To protect my secret, Louisa bullied me into giving her a weekend getaway home. My self-confidence was destroyed by this.

I’ve come to my senses, and I’ve made the decision to start fresh. Time has taught us a lot. It taught me that while human relationships last a lifetime, fame and wealth do not. I humbly ask for your forgiveness, Loona, for my despicable attitude towards you. I offer a hand of friendship to you. I hope to hear from you soon.

Your friend
Ruby Packletide

Q2 Imagine you are Louisa Mebbin. Write a diary entry expressing how you could afford a cottage. Dorking

Ans.
June 4, 19XX*,

Saturday 9:00 p.m.

Dear Diary,

Prior to meeting Mrs. Packletide, I had never in my wildest fantasies imagined owning my own cottage. Living in a world of scarcity has always helped me understand the worth of money, something my mistress never did. She frittered away money so carelessly flaunting her conceit. That gave me the impression that she did somewhat foolishly when she paid the villagers a significant sum of money—a thousand rupees—just to shoot a ferocious old animal that could hardly walk. I kept bringing up how she had been wasting money in such stupid ways that it hurt me. But all of my recommendations were ignored.

When I came to the conclusion that the goat, not the tiger, had been shot and died, it was thanks to my serious attitude towards life and my powers of observation. My mistress expected me to keep silent after learning the truth because I hadn’t been paid for going with her. Furthermore, I did not want to waste it by doing an atom for free; the money had already been spent for that. At that time, I thought I might get money out of this foolish, conceited woman.

When the time was ripe, I went to warn her that I would reduce her splendour to ashes if she did not pay me the money I needed to buy a cottage. She was forced to part with the cash I needed to buy this property because she was so desperate for fame. I acknowledge that I have used blackmail, but I don’t think I should apologise because these upper-class women don’t understand the value of money. They spend their money so extravagantly and lavishly that even if I benefited from her excess to lead a respectable life, I didn’t do anything wrong.

Louisa

Q3 “Materialistic morals of high sophisticated society lead to hollowness and shallowness.” What Values do you learn from Mrs. Packletide’s materialistic morals and vaingloriousness?

Ans. In the tale “Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger,” the so-called smart elite of society is shown to be shallow and hollow, engaging in risky activities not for their own joy and excitement but rather to impress those around them. In truth, they use money and power to maintain their safety and comfort while cultivating their false heroic images. They pretend to be brave and expose themselves to risk and danger.

People who think they are smart enough to outsmart others, like Mrs. Packletide, frequently outsmart themselves. These deceptive persons risk having their acts backfire on them. Like Mrs. Packletide attempted to surpass Loona Bimberton, but she herself fell victim to Louisa Mebbin, who used blackmail to obtain money from Mrs. Packletide. She became a source of fun and humour due to her vanity and weakness for publicity. Mrs. Packletide actually went on a lamb hunt despite her desire to go on a tiger hunt. Mrs. Packletide’s ostentatious personality just made her feel hollow and shallow. A person can achieve greatness by noble thoughts and deeds rather than wealth and conceit.

Q4 Before targeting anyone, one must not forget that even a biter can be bitter.” Explain with the reference to the story Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger. What values do you learn from the story?

Ans. Mrs. Packletide had performed the tiger hunting scenario out of vanity. Her desire to surpass Loona Bimberton was merely an effort to indulge her vanity. Her efforts to establish her dominance and gain notoriety can be seen in her posing for photos and hosting a luncheon party with the tiger skin prominently displayed in the drawing room.

Mrs. Loona Bimberton was the target of Mrs. Packletide, but Miss Mebbin also singled her out. Mrs. Packletide was first subjected to extortion by the cunning Miss Mebbin. Mrs. Packletide was forced to pay Miss Mebbin a hefty sum in order to keep quiet and conceal the fact that she (Mrs. Packletide) had actually hunted a lamb rather than a tiger. Therefore, those who believe they are intelligent enough to surpass others frequently surpass themselves. Instead of insulting and engaging in rivalry with others, we should aim to gain reputation and notoriety via our good activities. The manipulative tactics we use could backfire and turn against us.

Q5 Give a brief character sketch of the following characters, based on the clues given in the lesson.
A Mrs Packletide

Ans. She was naturally competitive. She makes the decision to go hunting in an effort to undermine Loona Bimberton’s successes. She was cunning and deceptive. In order to control the issue, Mrs. Packletide arranges a hunt and gives the locals a thousand rupees. She goes after an elderly tiger because there was no danger involved. She lacked conscience and was vain. She is happy to pose for pictures while concealing the truth about the quest. She pays Mebbin to keep quiet. She would go to any length to stand out. She hosts a party that she claims is to honour Bimberton but is really just a display of her success.

B Louisa Mebbin

Ans She is extremely frugal and is always conserving money. She believed that the elderly tiger couldn’t possibly use a thousand rupees. She makes a cunning comment about not paying for the goat if the tiger does not touch it. She threatens Mrs. Packletide with revealing information about the hunt and is cunning enough to do so. She is a cunning opportunist who is able to take advantage of the circumstance to realise her ambition of owning a weekend cabin.

C Loona Bimberton

Ans She is extremely envious and vindictive and was unable to accept Mrs. Packletide’s achievement. Due to their fierce antagonism, she declines to go to Mrs. Packletide’s celebration. She is a frivolous member of high society whose goals in life were to outdo her adversary. She also chooses to take the chance of flying in an aeroplanes since she is adventurous. She makes sure she receives media attention for her achievement since she is conceited and publicity-hungry.

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