NCERT Solutions Class 10 English Literature Reader Chapter 7 The Frog and the Nightingale

Extract Based Choice Questions

Read the extracts given below and complete the statements that follow:

Question 1. Now the frog puffed up with rage.
“Brainless bird-you’re on the stage-Use your wits and follow fashion.
Puff your lungs out with your passion”. (Board 2014, Set PRE2N18 QUD9VQW)
(a) Why was the frog puffed up with rage?
(b) Give the opposite of ‘Brainless’?
(c) What happened when the nightingale puffed up her lungs?

Answer :
(a) The frog’s income from the sale of tickets had come down.
(b) Intelligent.
(c) She died because of the bursting of her vein.

Question 2. “Other creatures loathed his voice
But, alas, they had no choice And the crass cacophony
Blared out from the sumac tree.” (NCT 2014) (Board Term-I 2012, Set 28)
(a) Whose voice was loathed?
(b) Why did they have no choice?
(c) ‘Crass-Cacophony’ means………………..

Answer :
(a) The frog’s voice was loathed.
(b) Because the frog was stubborn and did not stop croaking.
(c) a very loud and unpleasant noise.

Question 3. Animals for miles around
Flocked toward the magic sound And the frog with great precision Counted heads and charged admission. (Board Term-I 2013, Set 101)
(a) From where did the animals rush to the bog?
(b) What does the ‘Magic sound refers’ to?
(c) How did the frog cash in on the nightingale’s talent?

Answer :
(a) The animals rushed from all comers of that place, some of them even waded through water and rushed to the bog.
(b) If refers to the melodious song of the nightingale.
(c) The frog took an admission fee from all the creatures of the bog to listen to the sweet song of the nightingale.

Question 4. Now the frog puffed up with rage,
“Brainless bird-you’re on the stage-Use your wits and follow fashion
Puff your lungs out with your passion.” (Board Term-I 2012, Set EC2,018)
(a) The frog was puffed up with rage because………………..
(b) The frog called her a brainless bird because………………..
(c) When the nightingale puffed up her lungs………………..

Answer :
(a) animals stopped coining to listen her song.
(b) she did not follow frog’s instructions.
(c) she died because her vein burst due to strain.

Question 5. “Well, poor bird she should have known
That your song must be your own.
That’s why I sing with panache Koo-oh -ah! ko- ash !ko-ash!”
And the foghorn of the frog Blared unrivalled through the bog. (Board Term-I 2012, Set 32)
(a) Who is referred to as the ‘poor bird’ in the first line?
(b) What is it that she should have known?
(c) ‘Panache’ here means?

Answer :
(a) The nightingale.
(b) That one should be original.
(c) Feeling of pride.

Question 6. So the Nightingale once more, Quite unused to such applause, Sang till dawn without a pause. (Board Term-I 2012, Set 40)
(a) The nightingale was not used to so much appreciation as………………..
(b) The creatures of the Bingle Bog requested her for another song as………..
(c) The nightingale’s song made the frog think about………………..

Answer :
(a) she had no audience before.
(b) her musical notes were a welcome change.
(c) how to take advantage of the situation.

Question 7. Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks, Insults or complaints or bricks Stilled the frog’s determination To display his heart’s elation. (Board Term-I 2012, Set 28)
(a) The stones were thrown at the………………..
(b) The frog determined to………………..
(c) The figure of speech in line 1 is………………..

Answer :
(a) frog.
(b) croak from dusk to dawn.
(c) alliteration.

Question 8.”But I can’t sing in the weather” “Come my dear. We’ll sing together Just put on your scarf and sash Koo – oh – ah! ko – ash! ko – ash !” (Board Term-I 2012, Set 55)
(a) Which quality of the frog is revealed here?
(b) Why can’t the nightingale sing?
(c) Which figure of speech is used in the last line?

Answer :
(a) Heartlessness.
(b) Because it is raining.
(c) Onomatopaea.

Question 9.”In this bog I’ve long been known For my splendid baritone And of course, I wield my penFor Bog Trumpet now and then.” (Board Term-I 2012, Set 59)
(a) Who is speaking and to whom?
(b) What is ‘Bog Trumpet’ here?
(c) What does the word ‘baritone’ mean?

Answer :
(a) The frog to the nightingale.
(b) A music magazine.
(c) A male singing voice.

Question 10. I am the frog who owns this tree. In this bog I’ve long been known For my splendid baritone And of course I wield my pen For Bog Trumpet now and then
(a) What does the frog talk about?
(b) The lines show that the frog is………………..
(c) The Bog Trumpet is……………….. (Board Term-I 2012, Set 29)

Answer :
(a) About his singing talent.
(b) proud/arrogant.
(c) a magazine for which he writes.

Question 11. ‘So the frog and nightingale Journeyed up and down the scale For six hours, till she was shivering Till her voice was hoarse and quivering’
(a) The journey mentioned here is………………
(b) The nightingale was shivering because of………………..
(c) The rhyme scheme of these lines is……………….. (Board Tenn-1 2012, Set 20)

Answer :
(a) the musical journey.
(b) cold and exhaustion.
(c) aa bb.

Question 12. ‘Next night when the Nightingale Shook her head and twitched her tail, Closed an eye and fluffed a wing And had cleared her throat to sing She was started by a croak’ (Board Term-12012, Set 28)
(a) The Nightingale was eager to sing because………………..
(b) She was started by………………..
(c) She twitched her tail to………………..

Answer :
(a) she wanted to gain applause.
(b) the frog’s croak.
(c) sing a song.

Question 13. Day-by-day the nightingale
Grew more sorrowful and pale.
Night on night her tired song Zipped and trilled and bounced along.
(a) Why did the nightingale grow sorrowful and pale?
(b) What did she perform at night?
(c) What is the poetic device used in the phrase ‘tired song’?

Answer :
(a) She was constantly scolded and forced to sing.
(b) She sang tired songs.
(c) Transferred epithet.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Do you agree with the frog’s assessment that the nightingale is a brainless bird? (Board 2014, Set QUD9VQW)

Answer :
Value Points:

The nightingale is not a brainless bird-highly talented; her only fault is that she is trusting and unsuspecting and all such beings are credulous; her chief shortcoming is credulity. (CBSE Marking Scheme, 2014)

Detailed Answer:

The nightingale is not a brainless bird. She is a highly talented bird who is not aware of her talent. Her only fault is that she is trusting and unsuspecting. She is misled by the evil frog who only wishes her ruin. Her chief shortcoming is credulity.

Question 2. How did the frog impress the nightingale when he first met her? (Board Term-12013, Set 5007)

Answer :
Value Points:

He said that he owned the sumac tree, was a critic of repute and wrote for Bingle Bog.

Detailed Answer:

The frog told the nightingale that he was the owner of that sumac tree and was famous for his ‘baritone’ there. He informed her that he wrote for the ‘Bog Trumpet’ and thus tried to impress the nightingale.

Question 3. What was the frog’s reaction when, the earnings from the box office dropped? (Board Term-12012, Set 28)

Answer :
The frog was extremely annoyed with the nightingale and he made the nightingale sing day and night in spite of her pathetic condition and scolded her vehemently for not performing well.

Question 4. What is the irony in the statement of the frog when he says, “That your song must be your own”? (Board Term-I 2012, Set 41)

Answer :
The nightingale suffered disgrace and death because she was not sure that her own original song was melodious. Her lack of confidence made her believe the frog.

Question 5. Describe the role of the audience in the tragic fate of the nightingale. (Board Term-I 2012, Set 52)

Answer :
The audience in the poem are the creatures of the bog. They rejoice at the sweet and melodious songs of the nightingale. They praise her for it. She is highly impressed by the same and exerts herself to amuse them.

Question 6. Why did the nightingale call the frog a Mozart in disguise? (Board Term-I 2012, Set 54)

Answer :
The nightingale called the frog a Mozart in disguise because she thought he was a great singer and musician like Mozart and could help her to become a great singer too.

Question 7.Do you think the nightingale is brainless? Give reasons to support your answer. (Board Term-1-2011, Set 12)

Answer :
The nightingale was not aware of her talent. She was foolish to be misled by the evil frog, who only wished her ruin. The bird called the frog the Mozart, in spite of its crass cacophony.

Question 8.Why is the frog’s joy both sweet and bitter? (Board Term-1-2011, Set 14)

Answer :
The frog was thrilled to see the audience. He believed he could earn a handsome amount at the cost of the nightingale, who entertained the crowd. Yet, he could not bear to see the nightingale being appreciated and applauded for her song.

Question 9.What was the aim of the frog? (Board Term-1-2011, Set 16)

Answer :
The aim of the frog was to maintain his supremacy in the bog. He earned a lot of money at the expense of the nightingale and wanted to make her realize that the bog belonged to him and not to anyone else.

Question 10.To some extent the nightingale was herself responsible for her downfall and death. Comment.(Board Term-1-2011, Set 18)

Answer :
The nightingale was a brainless creature who got carried away by the frog’s appreciation. She could not guess that she was being fooled by the frog.

(i)Her strong desire for recognition and fame left her open to exploitation.

(ii)Despite having an appreciative audience she did not have much faith in her own abilities.

Question 11.How did the animals in the forest react to the frog’s song? (Board Term-1-2011, Set 20)

Answer :
The animals in the forest disliked the blaring sound. They did everything they could to stop the song. They threw sticks, complained and requested but all in vain.

Question 12.How did the frog train the nightingale? (Board Term-1-2011, Set 21)

Answer :
The frog made the nightingale practice continuously for six hours. She was cold and sleep-deprived, her voice became hoarse and uninspired. Still she kept on practising.

Question 13.Why is nightingale called foolish? (Board Term-1-2011, Set 24)

Answer :
The nightingale was foolish as she fell prey to the frog’s words. She tried to imitate him which resulted in losing her beautiful voice and in the end she died.

Question 14. Comment on the frog’s character. (Board Term-I 2011, Set 26)

Answer :
The frog as depicted in the poem is very clever and shrewd. He represents people who are manipulative. He exploits the nightingale to get rid of his rival as he assessed the bird’s nature very well. He himself has no talent.

Question 15. Why according to you did the frog exploit nightingale? (Board Term-I 2011, Set 30)

Answer :
The frog was very greedy and callous. He exploited the nightingale for his selfish interests.

Question 16. How did the frog once again become the unrivalled king of the bog? (Board Term-I 2011, Set 34)

Answer :
The frog acted cleverly and got rid of the nightingale. As the nightingale died, he became the unrivalled king of the bog.

Question 17. How does the frog introduce himself to the nightingale? (Board Term-I 2011, Set 35)

Answer :
The frog introduced himself as the owner of the sumac tree. He told the nightingale that he was a great writer and critic and writes for the magazine Bog Trumpet.

Question 18. What according to the Nightingale was a ‘fairy tale’? (Board Term-I 2011, Set 39)

Answer :
The frog who introduced himself as a great singer and critic commented upon the nightingale’s voice. He offered to train her to become a good singer. This was like a fairy tale to the nightingale.