MCQ Questions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem 10 The Tale of Custard the Dragon
I. Read the following extracts and answer the questions/complete the sentences that follow.
“Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed. ,
But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm”
Question 1.
Which option lists the quotes that support the ideas in the extract?
(1) Fear makes strangers of people who would be friends.
(2) If you’re brave enough to start, you’re strong enough to finish.
(3) Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.
(4) You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.
(5) Fear has a large shadow, but he himself is strong.
(A) land 5
(B) 2, 3 and 4
(C) 2 and 3
(D) 1,3 and 5
Answer:
(C) 2 and 3
Explanation:
The one who has courage to start something has the courage to end it also. Also, we should never feel afraid does not mean to be courageous. Courageous are those who overcome their fear and try to start something new.
Question 2.
What is the poet’s purpose of using the onomatopoeic words given in the extract?
(A) It is to emphasize on the might and boldness of Custard.
(B) It is to introduce the character Custard to the readers.
(C) It is to impress upon the readers that Custard was ready.
(D) It is to make Custard bold enough to face the situation.
Answer:
(A) It is to emphasize on the might and boldness of Custard.
Explanation:
The words forming a sound with what it is named as or the onomatopoeic words have been used in the poem to highlight and attract attention towards the courage of Custard.
Question 3.
Pick an option that best fits the usage of the word’ trickled’ as used in the extract.
(A) The water trickled down the tap and filled the trough.
(B) Students trickled into the classroom as the teacher entered.
(C) Tears trickled down her cheeks as she heard the sad news,
(D) His enthusiasm for the task slowly trickled away.
Answer:
(B) Students trickled into the classroom as the teacher entered.
Explanation:
In the poem, trickled has been used to refer to forming a line and entering some place.
Question 4.
Select the option that fits with the reaction of the characters in the context of the extract.
Ink : terrified : Blink : (i)……………..
Pirate: (ii)…………… :Custard: undaunted
(A) (i) shocked (ii) displeased
(B) (i) petrified (ii) wondered
(C) (i) upset (ii) dazed
(D) (i) petrified (ii) shocked
Answer:
(D) (i) petrified (ii) shocked
Explanation:
Just as Ink was terrified, Blink appeared petrified or alarmed. Similarly, Pirate was dazed or amazed while Custard remained undaunted.
Question 5.
‘He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm’. Why has this comparison been used here? Just like the robin catches the worm,
(A) Custard attacked the pirate after careful observation.
(B) Custard attacked the pirate without delay.
(C) Custard attacked the pirate valorously.
(D) Custard attacked the pirate stealthily.
Answer:
(B) Custard attacked the pirate without delay.
Explanation:
It was the courage of the Custard that unlike other pets at home, he wasted no time in attacking the pirate.
Question 6.
Pick the option that does not display a simile from the extract.
(A) Clashed his tail like irons… .
(B) .. .at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
(C) … Custard, snorting like an engine…
(D) … trickled down to the bottom…
Answer:
(D) … trickled down to the bottom…
Explanation:
Simile is when one thing is compared to another. ‘Tail like irons’, ‘pirate like a robin’ and ‘snorting like an engine’ are comparisons and thus, examples of similes. ‘Trickled down to bottom’ means flowing down to the bottom which is not a comparison and thus, not a simile.
Question 7.
The extract mentions ‘irons’ in dungeons. According to this extract, ‘irons’ is a reference to :
(A) Iron racks for sacred books.
(B) Iron cases housing treasures.
(C) Iron chains holding the prisoners captive.
(D) Iron coffins for burying the royal dead.
Answer:
(C) Iron chains holding the prisoners captive.
II. Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Question 1.
What can you infer from the repetition ‘suddenly, suddenly’ in the above extract?
(A) There was an immediate change in the scene.
(B) It focuses on the hasty attack and the loud noise.
(C) It emphasises that an unexpected noise was heard.
(D) It draws our attention to the loud cry that occurred.
Answer:
(C) It emphasises that an unexpected noise was heard.
Explanation:
The repetition of the word ‘Suddenly’ indicates the fraction of second in which the event took place.
Question 2.
A cage means captivity. Why is Custard inclined to remain in a cage despite what it symbolizes? This is so because he viewed it as a:
(1) sanctuary
(2) guardhouse
(3) cubicle
(4) refuge
(5) booth
(A) 1,2&5
(B) 1&4
(C) 3,4&5
(D) 3&5
Answer:
(B) 1&4
Explanation:
Because for Custard, the cage represented sanctuary and a refuge from the outside world.
Question 3.
Why has the poet used the word ‘weeck’ to signify the giggling of the mouse?
The poet
(A) uses it to add suspense in the poem.
(B) has imagined how the mouse would sound in this mood.
(C) has mocked at the mouse for giggling at Custard.
(D) uses it to create a scary effect for readers.
Answer:
(B) has imagined how the mouse would sound in this mood.
Question 4.
Pick the option with the correct matches for columns A and B.
| A | B |
| Word | Meaning |
| 1. chuckle | A. to smile in a half-suppressed mocking way. |
| 2. snigger | B. to smile in an irritating, conceited manner. |
| 3. smirk | C. to let out a quiet and suppressed laugh. |
| D. to let out a laugh, heartily and loudly. |
(A) 1- D, 2-A, 3-C
(B) 1 – C, 2-A, 3-B
(C) 1-B, 2-D, 3-C
(D) 1 -A, 2-C, 3-D
Answer:
(B) 1 – C, 2-A, 3-B
Question 5.
Which belief about dragons is in contrast to Custard’s behaviour in the extract.
(A) Dragons are brave and feared.
(B) Dragons can grant wishes.
(C) Dragons can become invisible at will.
(D). Dragons are soft-hearted and kind.
Answer:
(A) Dragons are brave and feared.
Explanation:
Dragons were believed to be brave and need to be feared of. In reality, Custard was fearful of other pets and never seemed brave for a moment in the initial part of the poem.
Question 6.
A hyperbole is a literary device where the poet/writer/speaker purposely and obviously exaggerates to an extreme. Choose the option that includes an example of hyperbole, from the extract.
(A) And Mustard growled, and they all looked around
(B) Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age
(C) Belinda giggled till she shook the house
(D) When custard cried for a nice safe cage.
Answer:
(C) Belinda giggled till she shook the house
Explanation:
It is too much of an exaggeration that a small girl laughed so much that the house started shaking. So, this is an example of hyperbole.
III. 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.
Question 1.
Name the poem and its poet.
(A) The Tale of Custard, the Dragon-Ogden Nash
(B) Fire and Ice-Robert Frost
(C) How to Tell wild Animals-Carolyn Wells
(D) The Ball Poem-Berrymore
Answer:
(A) The Tale of Custard, the Dragon-Ogden Nash
Question 2.
What is the colour of Belinda’s dog?
(A) Yellow
(B) Black
(C) White
(D) Brown
Answer:
(A) Yellow
Question 3.
What were the kitten and the mouse called?
(A) Blink and Ink
(B) Custard and Pirate
(C) Ink and Blink
(D) Mustard and Blink
Answer:
(C) Ink and Blink
Question 4.
Which word in the stanza is the antonym of ‘dull’?
(A) Black
(B) Sharp
(C) Coward
(D) Called
Answer:
(B) Sharp
Explanation:
Black refers to a colour, Sharp means quick in understanding and responding. Coward means afraid to fight and stand for right. Called is when you ask someone to do something.
Question 5.
Which of these are character traits of Custard?
(A) Fierce looking
(B) Coward
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of these
Answer:
(C) Both (A) and (B)
IV. 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.
Question 1.
Who was tickled by Belinda?
(A) Ink
(C) Blink
(C) Custard, the dragon
(D) Mustard
Answer:
(C) Custard, the dragon
Explanation:
Belinda mercilessly tickled the dragon named Custard.
Question 2.
Why did she tickle ‘him’?
(A) To tease
(B) Make fun of him
(C) To help
(D) Both (A) & (B)
Answer:
(D) Both (A) & (B)
Explanation:
Belinda was trying to make fun of Custard and tease it in front of her other pets.
Question 3.
Who are Ink, Blink and Mustard?
(A) Ink-black kitten
(B) Blink- grey mouse
(C) Mustard-Yellow dog
(D) All the above are correct
Answer:
(D) All the above are correct
Explanation:
They were all pets of Belinda.
Question 4.
Why did they all laugh at ‘him’?
(A) Because he was a joker
(B) Because he was very huge
(C) Because he was spiky
(D) Because he was a coward.
Answer:
(D) Because he was a coward.
Explanation:
They all had always heard that dragons are something to be afraid of. Custard was contrast to I what they had heard about dragons. So, they all thought him to be a coward.
Question 5.
What do the words ‘realio, trulio’ mean?
(A) Really and Truly
(B) Real and True.
(C) Only (A) is correct
(D) Both (A) & (B) are correct
Answer:
(A) Really and Truly