Q1 :
Where did the lady find the bear cub? How did she bring it up?
Answer :
The lady found the bear cub in the forest. It was half dead of hunger, and very
small and helpless. It had to be brought up on the bottle by the lady and the
old cook.
Q2 :
Most people keep dogs and cats as pets. Can you think of some unusual pets
that people keep?
Answer :
This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your
analytical skills. The answer to the question would vary from one person to
another. It is suggested that you read the text carefully and try attempting it
on your own.
Q3 :
The bear grew up but "he was a most amiable bear". Give three examples to
prove this.
Answer :
He was a most amiable bear as he did not harm anybody. He sat outside his kennel
and looked with his small intelligent eyes most amicably at the cattle grazing
in the field near by. The children rode on his back and had more than once been
found asleep in his kennel, between his two paws. The three dogs loved to play
various kinds of games with him. They pulled his ears and his stump of
a tail, teasing him in every way. However, he did not mind it in the least.
Q4 :
The second bear did not attack the lady because he was afraid of her. Do you
agree?
Answer :
The second bear did not attack the lady because he too was a friendly bear. He
was charging towards her and it seemed as if he wanted to sit near her heels.
Thinking that he was her pet bear, the lady scolded him and even hit him with
her parasol. The bear did not respond angrily, and slowly turned around and went
away, perhaps sad at being shouted at.
Q5 :
What did the bear eat? There were two things he was not allowed to do. What
were they?
Answer :
The bear ate bread, porridge, potato, cabbage, and turnip. He was not allowed to
pluck apples off the trees. He learnt later that it was against the law. He was
also not allowed to touch the beehives. He was punished for doing so by being
put on the chain.
Q6 :
When was the bear tied up with a chain? Why?
Answer :
The bear was tied up with a chain at night. He was also tied up on Sundays as
his mistress used to spend the afternoon with her married sister. She did so
because she did not think it was good for him to wander about in the forest with
all its temptations.
Q7 :
What happened one Sunday when the lady was going to her sister's house? What
did the lady do? What was the bear's reaction?
Answer :
One Sunday when the lady was going to her sister's house, she saw a bear coming
along at full speed. Thinking that he was her pet, the lady got very angry.
Being already late for lunch, she scolded him and told him to go back. She saw
that he had even lost his new collar. This made her angrier, and she hit him on
his nose with her parasol. The parasol broke in two. The bear opened his mouth
several times as if he wanted to say something, and then it turned around and
went on its way.
Q8 :
Why was the bear looking sorry for himself in the evening? Why did the cook
get angry with her mistress?
Answer :
The bear was looking sorry for himself in the evening because he had been
chained all day and he could not do his usual activities. When his mistress
returned, she scolded him, thinking that it was him she saw in the forest. She
said that as punishment, he would have to remain chained for two more days. The
cook loved the bear as her child and could not bear to see the bear being
scolded like that. This was why she got angry. She told the mistress that the
bear had been very good the whole day, and had been sitting outside his kennel,
looking at the gate and waiting for her to come back.