Comprehension

Read the following extract and answer the questions :

When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid

(Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers)

Question: 1

What is the irony reflected in the contrast between Aunt Jennifer and the tigers she embroidered ?

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The tigers she made are fearless and free, but Aunt Jennifer herself is terrified and oppressed.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Look at the tigers:
The tigers she stitched are 'proud and unafraid' and will keep 'prancing'. They stand for strength, freedom and fearlessness.

Step 2: Look at Aunt Jennifer:
Her own 'terrified hands' are 'ringed with ordeals'. She lives in fear, held down by her marriage in a patriarchal society.

Step 3: State the irony:
The creator is weak and oppressed, while her creation is bold and free.

Final Answer:
The tigers made by Aunt Jennifer show courage and freedom, but she herself lives in fear and oppression.
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Question: 2

Select the phrase that suggests the following :

The oppressive nature of Aunt Jennifer’s marriage.

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The ring and the word 'mastered' together point to a marriage in which she was ruled.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Spot the words about marriage:
In the poem the wedding band is the heavy 'weight' on her hand. In this extract the same idea appears as being 'ringed' and 'mastered'.

Step 2: Pick the phrase:
'Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by' shows a ring (marriage) and being ruled by a master (a dominating husband).

Final Answer:
'still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by'
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Question: 3

What does the imagery of the ‘tigers’ NOT represent in the given extract ?

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The tigers are proud and unafraid, so terror is the quality they do not show.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
  • Terror
  • Freedom
  • Fearlessness
  • Majesty
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Read what the tigers do:
They 'go on prancing, proud and unafraid'. Prancing shows freedom, 'unafraid' shows fearlessness and 'proud' shows majesty.

Step 2: Find the one that does not fit:
Terror is the feeling of Aunt Jennifer, whose hands are 'terrified'. It is not what the tigers represent.

Final Answer:
Option 1: Terror
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Question: 4

The poet’s tone towards Aunt Jennifer can BEST be described as :

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The poet describes her fear and suffering with understanding, so the tone is empathetic.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
  • celebratory
  • indifferent
  • empathetic
  • judgemental
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Study the poet's words:
The poet speaks of her 'terrified hands' and the 'ordeals' she suffered. These words show that the poet understands and shares her pain.

Step 2: Match the tone:
A tone that shows understanding and sympathy is empathetic. It is not celebratory because the lines are sad, not indifferent because the poet cares, and not judgemental because Aunt Jennifer is not blamed.

Final Answer:
Option 3: empathetic
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Question: 5

Aunt Jennifer is referred to simply as ‘Aunt’ in the end, highlighting _______.

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Using only 'Aunt' turns her story into the story of many women and shows her lost identity.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Notice the change in name:
Earlier the poem uses her full name, 'Aunt Jennifer'. In this extract the poet says only 'Aunt'.

Step 2: Explain the effect:
Dropping her personal name moves the focus from one woman to all aunts and women. Her own identity is lost, and the theme becomes general.

Final Answer:
the universality of the theme, as the poem moves from one woman to women in general, and the loss of her identity.
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Question: 6

State in one sentence, what is your advice to Aunt Jennifer with reference to the given extract and other women like her most likely to include ?

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Advise her to be as fearless as her tigers and to speak up against oppression.
Updated On: Oct 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understand what holds her back:
The extract shows a woman with 'terrified hands', mastered by her ordeals, while her tigers are proud and unafraid. Fear and male dominance keep her silent.

Step 2: Frame the advice:
She should learn from her own tigers and become fearless. She should speak up for her rights and challenge the oppression she faces.

Final Answer:
Aunt Jennifer and women like her should speak up for their rights and challenge oppression instead of silently suffering.
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