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CBSE Chapter Wise Question Bank for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Poetry Chapter 10 Summary
This is a story of a girl Belinda, who has some strange pets. They have queer names. She calls the black kitten Ink, the little grey mouse as Blink, the yellow dog as Mustard and the cowardly dragon Custard. Belinda’s, the kitten, the mouse and the dog were very brave but the dragon was a coward. One day, a pirate came armed with a pistol into their house except the dragon, Custard and all the others were terrified of the pirate. Custard attacked the pirate and gobbled him up. Belinda then embraced him while Mustard licked him. Even after this brave incident, Custard did not give up his cowardly ways. He still kept on crying for a safe cage.
Extract Based Questions (4 marks each)
Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:
Question 1.
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
(a) Here ‘she’ refers to ………..
(b) Belinda did not live with the ………….
(c) Actually the dragon was not ……..
(d) The yellow dog was ………….. (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
(a) Belinda.
(b) green parrot.
(c) coward.
(d) sharp as mustard.
Question 2.
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.
(a) Who was Custard ?
(b) What was beneath his body ?
(c) How does his nose looked like ?
(d) Which poetic device is used in the above lines ? (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
Custard was dragon.
(b) There were scales beneath his body.
(c) His nose looked like chimney.
(d) Simile
Question 3.
. Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.
(a) Who is Belinda ?
(b) How did Belinda and the other pets laugh at the dragon ?
(c) Which word in this extract means the same as ‘unkind’ ?
(d) Name the poem and the poet. (1×4 = 4)
OR
(a) With whom was Belinda unmerciful ?
(b) Who are Ink and Blink ?
(c) Why did they make fun of the dragon ?
(d) What was the colour of the wagon. (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
(a) Belinda is a little girl who lived in a little white house and had a dog, a kitten, a mouse and a dragon for a pet. She also had a red wagon.
(b) Belinda was a brave girl and so were her pets-Ink, the kitten, Blink, the mouse and mustard, her dog. But custard, the dragon, though fierce looking was extremely timid and cowardly and so the others ridiculed him and laughed at the dragon.
(c) ‘Unmerciful’ means unkind.
(d) The Poem ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is written ‘Ogden Nash’
OR
(a) Custard.
(b) Ink is a cat and Blink is a rat.
(c) They made fun of the dragon because he was very cowardly.
(d) Red
Question 4.
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.
(a) Who held the pistols ?
(b) What did the dragon do to him ?
(c) What does the expression ‘the pirate meant no good’ convey ?
(d) Which word means the same as ‘thief’ ? (1×4 = 4)
OR
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Who is ‘he’ in the second line ?
(c) What was wrong with his one leg ?
(d) What did he hold in both hands ? (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
(a) the pirate.
(b) ate him.
(c) that he was going to do some harm.
(d) Pirate.
OR
(a) ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ by Ogden Nash.
(b) the pirate.
(c) It was made of wood.
(d) Pistol in right and left hand
Question 5.
Belinda paled, and she cried Help ! Help !
But Mustard fled with terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mousehold. [Board Term-II, 2012, EL (62002)]
(a) Why did Belinda cry for help ?
(b) What did Mustard, Ink and Blink do ?
(c) Name the rhyme scheme of the stanza.
(d) Which poetic device is used in the passage ? (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
(a) Because a pirate had broken into her house.
(b) They all ran away in fear at the sight of the pirate.
(c) a a b b.
(d) Alliteration
Question 6.
The pirate gaped at Belinda’s dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon.
He fired two bullets but they didn’t hit,
And custard gobbled him every bit. [Board Term-II, 2012 EL (62004)]
(a) What was the pet name of Belinda’s dragon ?
(b) What did the pirate do when he gaped at Belinda’s dragon ?
(c) ‘Gobbled’ means …………
(d) How many bullets did he fire ? (1×4 = 4)
Answer:
(a) Custard.
(b) The Pirate drank some wine from a bottle that he carried in his pocket while watching the dragon.
(c) swallowed.
(d) Two bullets.
Question 7.
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him, No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate Around the dragon that ate the pirate.
(a) In glee did gyrate means that ……………
(b) Everyone embraced Custard because ……………
(c) Name the bravest creature who saved every body in Belinda’s house ?
(d) Which word means the same as ‘hug’ ?
Answer:
(a) they danced happily circular movement.
(b) he killed the pirate.
(c) Custard the dragon
(d) Embraced
OR
(a) Whom did Bilenda embrace ?
(b) What did the dragon do ?
(c) The word mourned means ………..
(d) Name the poem and the poet.
(a) Bilenda embraced Custard, the dragon.
(b) He gobbled the Pirate and Killed him.
(c) Mourned means to grieve.
(d) The poem ‘The Tale of custard the Dragon’ is written by Ogden Nash
OR
(a) Who does him stand for in the first line ?
(b) Who is the victim ?
(c) Rhyme scheme of the stanza is …………
(d) Which word means the same as culprit ?
(a) Custard-dragon
(b) Pirate
(c) aabb
(d) Victim
Short Answer Type Questions (30-40 words & 2 marks each)
Question 1.
Describe the appearance of the dragon ?
Answer:
Custard, the dragon had a formidable appearance, with sharp teeth, toes like daggers, spikes on back and scales on the belly. Its mouth was a fireplace and the nose was always fuming like a chimney. However, in sharp contrast to the appearance its temperature was extremely timid.
Question 2.
Do you find ‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ to be a serious or a light-hearted comedy ? Give reasons to support your answer. [NCERT]
Answer:
‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is a humorous, light hearted poem as the characters display behavioural attributes contrary to their appearance as well as nature. It is extremely funny to imagine a fierce looking dragon crying for a safe cage or mouse raging like a Hon.
Question 3.
Is there a hidden message that the poet is wishing to convey or do you think that entertainment is the sole purpose of writing this poem ?
Answer:
The interpretation of the message in the poem may vary for different readers. The situation narrated underscores a basic truth that the real test of courage is during a crisis. The dragon though never put his strength on display but exhibited it in action when it was required to do so.
Question 4.
What do you think changed the attitude of the other animals and that of Belinda towards the dragon ?
Answer:
The dragon, Custard, initially commanded no amount of respect from Belinda and the other pets, on account of its cowardice; but when the house was attacked by an armed pirate and all others panicked and ran for shelter, the dragon savagely attacked the pirate and ate it up. Thus, the other animals realised his worth and came to respect him genuinely.
Long Answer Type Question (4 marks each)
Question 1.
‘Bravery is spontaneous’ Explain with reference to the poem.
Answer:
Custard was truly brave and did not boast like Belinda and her other pets. Custard had the courage to face real danger, whereas everyone only boasted of their bravery. Custard faced the pirate and killed him, and he proved it by not running away. Bravery and courage are qualities which are, exhibited when someone actually faces a dangerous situation. Thus these qualities are spontaneous, taking the example of custard.
For More Resources
- NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English
- CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter Wise Question Bank
- CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter Wise Question Bank
- CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Extra Questions
- CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Extra Questions
- CBSE Revision Notes for Class 10 English First Flight
- CBSE Revision Notes for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet
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