Page 158 - English Grammar - 8

C. Read the following passage carefully.

The Bengal Tiger, or Panthera Tigris, is one of the most majestic creations of Mother Nature. The
Royal Bengal Tiger is a subspecies of the tiger family and inhabits regions in India, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan and Southern Tibet. For its grace, beauty and strength, India has
picked this big cat as its national animal.
A full-sized Bengal Tiger can attain nine feet in length. The female tigress, however, is smaller
and mostly weighs around 310 pounds. Tigresses rarely grow beyond 8 feet in length. The
powerful structure of a Bengal Tiger enables them to drag a prey for almost a mile, even though
the prey may be heavier than their own weight. The canine teeth of the Bengal Tigers can grow
to four inches and these powerful creatures have retractable claws which allow them to climb.
Their vision is superior to many animals, and they have excellent hearing ability.
Bengal Tigers are solitary animals. They prefer low lands and are often seen in grasslands,
swamps and mangroves. Sometimes, they can be spotted living in groups of three or four.
They may appear to be lazy animals, sleeping and resting by day, but when in action, tigers
are known to traverse large distances, protecting and marking a territory that can extend to as
much as 200 square miles. These bulky animals are not suited to climbing trees, but are great
swimmers and a prey cannot escape their powerful jaws even inside water. Their favourite
preys are wild boars, deer, antelope and water buffaloes. But when a tiger is hungry anything
that moves around can be its food. One forceful attack can snap one’s spinal cord. This big cat
can eat 30 to 40 kilograms of meat in one meal and then feel no need to hunt for another three
weeks.
Female Bengal Tigers mature at three years of age. They usually give birth to a litter of three or
five cubs. Blind at birth, a newborn cub weighs less than two pounds. The male cubs stay with
their mothers till they leave at about two years of age. The female cubs on growing up choose
to stay in the territory of the mother. The Bengal Tiger can live for almost 25 years in captivity
and a little less in the wild. Its roar can be heard two miles away.
Bengal Tigers are highly endangered animals. These majestic animals are struggling to survive
in wild because of reduced habitat and the looming threat from poachers. Their population is
believed to have dwindled down to just about 1,300.

Answer the following questions on the basis of your reading of the passage.
1. Answer briefly.
a. Why was the Royal Bengal Tiger chosen as our national animal?
b. What makes the Bengal Tiger an endangered animal?
c. Describe the habitat of the Bengal Tiger.

d. How do male and female tiger cubs differ on growing up?
Comprehension 2. Find the synonym of the following words in the passage.
a. decreased b. regal
c. customarily d. lengthen
e. massive f. area
g. that can be moved or pulled back into the main part of something
3. Find the antonym of the following words in the passage.
a. inferior b. weak
c. active d. often
e. increased f. freedom
g. defense
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