“The Lion and The Lamb” – Questions and Answers

Target Audience: Polytechnic Teachers and Students in Tamilnadu
Subject: English-2, II YEAR MOP, M SCHEME
Objective: Students should be able to interpret and explain a content in English. 
Question Pattern in Exam: II. Answer any FIVE questions  each in 30 words : (5 x 2=10)
Eight questions from 4 lessons will be given in the exam and students should answer FIVE questions in 30 words.
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1. Where, according to the advertisements, did the animals in Bostock and Wombwell come from? OR What does the author mean when he says that the homely English air quivered with the unfamiliar cries of Africa, Asia and America?

The animals in Bostock and Wombwell came from the forests of darkest Africa, the mysterious rivers of South America, the thick jungles of Asia and the seas around the Poles.  They started making sounds while bringing for the beast-show in England. So the writer says that the homely English air quivered with them.

2. Why did the boy’s mother tighten her grip on his hand and hurry him off down the hill?

When the writer was a boy, the mother showed him the place where the lion had escaped from the cage once.  So the boy’s mother tightened her grip on his hand and hurried him off down the hill.

3. How did the lion escape?

 It was a snowy evening and the snowfall was heavy.  Suddenly the horses carrying the lion’s cage slipped to their knees. The cage got crashed and the lion escaped into the darkness.

4. Who were the people who went in search of the lion as soon as it escaped? OR What weapons did the policemen and the natives use when they scoured the countryside?

When the escape of the lion was reported, the inspector, sergeant and two constables rushed with dozen natives in search of the lion. They used shotgun, pitchfork and walking stick during the search.

5. What does the author mean by “a superhuman feat of nocturnal engineering”?

Carrying the caged animals uphill especially on a heavy snowy evening is a Himalayan task.  But the travelling beast-show company did it.  So the writer refers to this as “a superhuman feat of nocturnal engineering”.

6. What did William Godbeer, the milkman say about the lion?

The milkman Godbeer told the writer’s mother that he, on his way, saw the lion’s tracks in Long's meadow.  But he was just adding to the rumours of the village.

7. But happily this was contradicted before noon. What was that?

 The mother’s neighbour Mrs. Whittle said that Mr. Cox heard from James that actually six lions escaped and ate whole sheep, later recognised to be a baby.  This rumour was contradicted before afternoon.

8. What did the town-crier announce about the lion?

The town crier announced on the street that the beast-show company Bostock and Wombwell had declared a reward of 5 pounds for anyone who gives information about whereabouts of the escaped lion.

9. What happened at the women’s Bible class?

In women’s bible class, a lean lady Miss. Rolls said that the lion might starve to death in such a snowy weather and being charitable Christians, they should leave some food for it.

10. Where was the lion found at last? OR What did the Vicar say about the lion? OR Then the joke of it suddenly struck all of them – what was the joke?

After two and a half days, at last, the lion is discovered in a jovial manner lying down before a fireplace near a Vicar named Mr. Lamb who has given two legs of pork to it as dinner. He has been reading the Bible to the lion.  The lion lying with Lamb is the joke.