10th Standard English | Unit 2 Supplementary: "Zigzag" - Complete Book Back Answers
Explore our comprehensive guide for "Zigzag," the supplementary chapter from Unit 2 of the Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Book. Here, you can find detailed questions and answers, a full summary, notes, and all activities. This guide is designed to help you thoroughly revise the complete Tamilnadu State Board's new syllabus and achieve higher marks in your examinations.
Zigzag Textual Questions
A. Identify the speaker/character.
"Even though I clearly said no!"
Dr. Krishnan
"The one that spits deadly poison straight into its opponent’s eyes."
Maya
"Remember the tiny penknife he gave me last year."
Maya
"It’s Somu’s thoughtless ways that reduce me to tears."
Mrs. Krishnan
"Come in, Zigzag, come in, dear!"
Visu, the old cook
Additional Questions (Identify the speaker/character)
"Find Visu! I will not keep Zigzag here another minute!"
Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan
"Don’t you dare sleep!"
Dr. Krishnan
"May I take Zigzag to school, Papa?"
Arvind
"We’ve been truly blessed!"
Lakshmi
"Just wait till Zigzag settles down in this new home."
Visu
"And what about the aboriginal boomerang?"
Arvind
"Then you can have a great time listening to him."
Visu
"It’s raining papayas and bananas in this room!"
Lakshmi
"But Zigzag is different. Somu says we are sure to love Zigzag."
Dr. Krishnan
"Most of these so-called ‘favourite’ possessions that he has given us were absolute nuisances!"
Mrs. Krishnan
"Remember the rare insect-eating plant he brought back from the rainforest!"
Mrs. Krishnan
"I thought it was a scientific fact that birds couldn’t snore."
Maya
"That wretched plant requires a room heater to keep it alive."
Mrs. Krishnan
"Ma! Uncle Somu’s given us some really fabulous gifts."
Arvind
B. Read the story again and write how these characters reacted in these situations:
Situation: Dr. Krishnan explains that Zigzag is a bird, not a snake or beetle.
Dr. Krishnan hastened to explain. Mrs. Krishnan was horrified on hearing about Zigzag.
Situation: Mrs. Krishnan complains about Somu's gifts.
Mrs. Krishnan spoke irritably. Dr. Krishnan was in a hurry to get to his clinic.
Situation: Visu claims Zigzag will be wonderful once settled.
Visu comforted everyone. Arvind and Maya were excited to hear the bird talk.
Situation: Somu replies to the email about Zigzag's snoring.
Somu sent an email to Dr. Krishnan about Zigzag. Dr. Krishnan's prediction about the reply was ridiculously simple.
Situation: Dr. Krishnan realizes Zigzag's value at the clinic.
Dr. Krishnan sighed and spoke to Zigzag. Zigzag didn’t bother to reply.
C. Complete the given tabular column.
Answers:
- ...not liking the new nuisance.
- ...her painting exhibition to be held the next week.
- ...dropped one wizened eyelid in another solemn wink as he sank his beak into a plump guava.
- ...it rained papayas and bananas.
- ...to ask him to find out what they should do.
- ...predicted the reply to be ridiculously simple.
- ...he replied, "I have never heard Zigzag snore."
- ...he was not accustomed to being kept waiting and was already making his way to the clinic, where he perched himself on the nurse’s reception table.
- ...realized what an absolute treasure he was!
D. Answer the following question in one or two sentences:
Why did Dr. Ashok's cousin, Somu, call him?
Dr. Ashok's cousin called to ask him to shelter Zigzag, his pet bird, while he was away in Alaska.
What are two expressions that show Mrs. Krishnan was unwilling to have Zigzag at home?
The following expressions show her unwillingness: (i) "I am going crazy with the sound of Zigzag snoring, plus all these angry telephone calls." (ii) "And my beautiful painting…"
What other pets did Somu have?
Somu had a giant green-and-gold fighting beetle and an African snake.
What was Mrs. Krishnan busy with?
Mrs. Krishnan was busy preparing her paintings for an exhibition that was scheduled for the following week.
What commotion did the boomerang cause in the neighborhood?
The boomerang sliced through all the TV aerials, permanently damaged several cars in the parking lot, and knocked out their watchman.
What happened when Somu left Zigzag with the Krishnans?
Zigzag transferred all the fruits and nuts onto the chandelier and the ceiling fan blades. Then, it perched on a curtain rod and went to sleep.
How did Zigzag communicate with the Krishnans?
Zigzag did not communicate with the Krishnans at all. Despite their efforts to speak to him in various languages, he only slept and snored.
What was the email message Dr. Krishnan sent to Somu?
Dr. Krishnan sent an email to Somu asking for instructions on how to stop Zigzag from snoring.
What did Arvind confess?
Arvind confessed that, for the first time in his life, he was actually looking forward to going to school because it was as calm as a monastery compared to their chaotic house.
Why did Mrs. Jhunjhunwalla buy the painting?
Mrs. Jhunjhunwalla bought the painting because she loved the "new technique" created by the streaks of fruit pulp splattered on it.
E. Answer the following questions in about 100 -150 words:
Write in your own words the various commotions caused by Zigzag at Dr. Krishnan’s residence.
Introduction: The story "Zigzag" revolves around a peculiar bird of the same name, a pet of Dr. Somu. When Somu leaves for Alaska, he entrusts Zigzag to Dr. Krishnan's family, leading to a series of chaotic events.
Arrival and Commotion: Upon arriving, Zigzag, described as a multi-lingual bird, refused to speak. Instead of eating the fruits and nuts offered by Arvind, it systematically placed them on the blades of the ceiling fan and a chandelier. It then perched on a curtain rod and fell into a deep sleep, producing thunderous snores that disturbed the entire household and even the neighbors.
The Painting Incident: The real chaos erupted when the maid, unaware of the fruit on the fan, switched it on. This sent slices of papaya and nuts flying across the room, splattering all over Mrs. Krishnan's prized painting, "Sunset at Marina," which she was preparing for an exhibition.
Conclusion: Thus, Dr. Krishnan was surprised and wanted to keep Zigzag with them. Mrs. Krishnan’s painting was also sold for Rs. 5000. Thus, Zigzag was an absolute treasure for them.
What was the turn of events when Zigzag was taken to the clinic?
When Zigzag was taken to the clinic, he was asked to wait in the car by Dr. Krishnan. He warned him not to sleep and snore. But Zigzag was not accustomed to being kept waiting, so he made his way to the reception and perched himself on the nurse’s reception table.
Dr. Krishnan had hardly walked through the swinging half-door that separated his clinic from the waiting room when he heard a voice. The voice was from Zigzag, clear and commanding. There was pin-drop silence in the room as everyone waited, open-mouthed, for Zigzag's next sentence. Dr. Krishnan was amazed. Zigzag's bored and grumpy expression was gone. Instead, the bird looked happy and alert as it went about the job it had been trained for with the doctors. Thus Dr. Krishnan’s clinic, which was usually a noisy sea of tears and outbursts, was transformed into a calm, orderly place. He efficiently soothed the patients and naughty ones.
Narrate the story Zigzag in your own words.
Title: Zigzag
Author: Asha Nehemiah
Characters: Zigzag, the Krishnan family, Dr. Somu, Visu, the old cook.
Theme: “What is coming is better than what is gone.”
This story is about Zigzag, a multilingual bird. Dr. Krishnan's clinic usually sounded noisy as there was shouting and crying of children. His friend Dr. Somu asked him to shelter his pet Zigzag because he left for Alaska.
When Zigzag was brought to his house, he did not speak to anyone. He could talk and sing in 21 languages, but he transferred the fruits and nuts given to him to a chandelier and the plates of a ceiling fan. Then he perched on a curtain rod and went off to sleep. When the maid switched on the fan, the fruits and nuts fell down.
The papaya slices splattered on Mrs. Krishnan's painting and spoilt it. Mrs. Krishnan got irritated and told Dr. Krishnan to send the bird to Visu’s house. Dr. Krishnan took Zigzag to his clinic. He commanded the patients and changed the clinic into a calm and orderly place. The bird spoilt the painting, but it was considered a new technique. Mrs. Krishnan was happy to sell it for Rs. 5000. Mrs. Krishnan wanted to keep Zigzag with them for one more week.
Describe the entry of Zigzag and his behaviour thereafter as soon as he entered the residence of Krishnan.
Into Krishnan’s residence tottered the strangest, weirdest-looking bird, Zigzag. He was brought in by Somu’s cook, Visu. About a foot and a half tall, its bald head was fringed with a crown of shocking pink feathers while the rest of its plumage was in various shades of the muddiest and sludgiest brown. Its curved beak was sunflower-yellow and its eyes were the colour of cola held to sunlight.
Visu introduced Zigzag as Ziggy-Zagga-king-of-the-Tonga and said that he talks very beautifully. He even added that he could recite French Poetry! Despite all the praise showered on him, he stood cool and unmoved, with an expression of almost-human grumpiness in his cola-colored eyes.
Arvind tried his best to make Zigzag speak. He dashed into the kitchen and brought a plate with juicy fruit slices and some nuts. Bored eyes brightened as Zigzag picked up a walnut. It refused to speak, dropped one wrinkled eyelid in a solemn wink, and flew clumsily to deposit the nut on the enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Silently and slowly, all the fruit on the plate was transferred to the chandelier and the blades of the ceiling fan. As soon as the cook Visu left, Zigzag, still perched on the curtain rod, went off to sleep. Zigzag was truly queer and weird.
Additional Questions
A. Rearrange the following sentences in a coherent order.
Set 1:
e, d, b, a, c
Correct Order:
e. Dr. Ashok’s clinic usually sounded like an ancient Chinese torture chamber.
d. Due to the commotion, Somu mistook Ashok’s commitment to keeping Zigzag.
b. Mrs. Ashok was busy getting ready for the painting exhibition.
a. Their nine-year-old daughter Maya was excited about Zigzag’s arrival.
c. Zigzag is an unusual bird that speaks in 21 different languages.
Set 2:
c, a, e, d, b
Correct Order:
c. Isn’t that Uncle Somu’s prized giant green-and-gold fighting beetle?
a. Apparently, Zigzag was bred by a genuine African witch doctor.
e. Somu had cured the witch doctor’s son last month.
d. Somu says the bird is an absolute treasure and real help.
b. But most of his possessions were absolute nuisances!
B. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate phrases.
Set 1: (crying so loudly / for your exhibition next week / who were his patients / to ask whether / more like an)
Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan’s clinic usually sounded (i) ____________ ancient Chinese torture chamber than a child specialist’s clinic. This was because the tiny children (ii) ____________ left out a variety of blood-curdling yells and ear-splitting sobs. ‘It’s all because my patients were making so much noise and (iii) ____________. He rang me in the clinic (iv) ____________ we could keep Zigzag with us when he leaves for Alaska. I know you are busy getting your painting ready (v) ____________.
(i) more like an, (ii) who were his patients, (iii) crying so loudly, (iv) to ask whether, (v) for your exhibition next week
Set 2: (went off to sleep / fell asleep / when Zigzag stubbornly refused / Even though they tried / perched comfortably)
Zigzag (i) ____________ on a curtain rod and dropped one wizened eyelid in another solemn wink. Visu comforted the children, noticing how disappointed they looked (ii) ____________ to say a single word to them. (iii) ____________ speaking to him in English, Hindi, Tamil, and French, Zigzag spoke no word. As soon as Visu left, Zigzag, still perched on the curtain rod, (iv) ____________. And the moment he (v) ____________, he began to SNORE!
(i) perched comfortably, (ii) when Zigzag stubbornly refused, (iii) Even though they tried, (iv) went off to sleep, (v) fell asleep
C. Choose the correct answer.
1. Somu was leaving for ____________.
(a) Alaska
2. Maya mistook Zigzag to be ____________.
(b) beetle
3. Zigzag was bred by a genuine African ____________.
(a) Witchdoctor (Note: The text uses 'witch doctor', but option 'd' 'Witch surgeon' is incorrect)
4. Mrs. Krishnan applied a dab of yellow-ochre paint on Sunset at ____________.
(d) Marina
5. The rare insect-eating plant came from Amazonian ____________.
(a) Rainforest
6. That wretched plant required a ____________ to keep it alive in Chennai!
(b) room heater
7. The aboriginal boomerang was a gift from ____________.
(c) Australia
8. Zigzag could speak in ____________ different languages.
(d) twenty-one
9. When Zigzag sings, it moves the listeners to ____________.
(a) tears
10. Arvind wants to display Zigzag in the ____________ exhibition.
(c) Science
D. Match the following appropriately:
1 - e, 2 - d, 3 - b, 4 - a, 5 - c
1 - c, 2 - a, 3 - e, 4 - b, 5 - d
1 - d, 2 - a, 3 - e, 4 - b, 5 - c
E. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Passage 1: Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan’s clinic usually sounded more like an ancient Chinese torture chamber than a child specialist’s clinic. This was because the tiny children who were his patients left out a variety of blood-curdling yells and ear-splitting sobs. ‘It’s all because my patients were making so much noise and crying so loudly, ‘ he apologized to his wife one evening, ‘that Somu couldn’t hear me properly. He rang me in the clinic to ask whether we could keep Zigzag with us when he leaves for Alaska. And now Somu thinks I said “yes”, even though I clearly said “no”! I know you are busy getting your painting ready for your exhibition next week. ’
(a) What was Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan’s specialization in the medical field?
Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan was a Paediatrician or a child specialist.
(b) How did Dr. Krishnan’s clinic generally sound?
Dr. Krishnan’s clinic generally sounded like an ancient Chinese torture chamber.
(c) Why couldn’t Somu hear the telephonic conversation with Ashok clearly?
Somu couldn’t hear Ashok clearly because the children in the clinic were making so much noise and crying loudly.
(d) Where was Somu going?
Somu was going to Alaska.
(e) What reason did Ashok give for denying Somu’s request?
Ashok denied the request because he knew his wife was busy with her painting exhibition for the next week.
Passage 2: ‘Zigzag! ’ interrupted their nine-year-old daughter Maya. ‘Isn’t that Uncle Somu’s prized giant green-and-gold fighting beetle. The one that spits deadly poison straight into its opponent’s eye?’ ‘No, no,’ corrected her older brother Arvind, eyes shining in pure delight. ‘The beetle is called Spitfire. Zigzag must be Uncle Somu’s pet snake. The African sidewinder! You know, the one that slithers zigzag all over his house!’ ‘You’re both quite mistaken,’ their father hastened to explain, seeing his wife’s horrified expression. ‘Zigzag is a mostly harmless, unusual, and lovable bird. Apparently, it was bred by a genuine African witch doctor, who gifted it to Somu when he—being a child specialist like me—cured the witch doctor’s son while he was touring the deepest jungles of equatorial Africa last month. Somu says the bird is an absolute treasure and a real help. It’s his favourite pet, you know’.
(a) Who is Maya?
Maya is Dr. Krishnan’s nine-year-old daughter.
(b) What did Maya mistake Zigzag to be?
Maya mistook Zigzag for Uncle Somu’s prized giant green-and-gold fighting beetle, Spitfire.
(c) According to Maya’s brother, who was Zigzag? Why?
According to Arvind, Zigzag was Uncle Somu’s pet snake, the African sidewinder, because it slithers in a zigzag pattern.
(d) Why did Ashok hasten to explain the mistaken identity to his children?
Ashok hastened to explain after seeing his wife’s horrified expression at the mention of a poisonous beetle and a snake.
(e) Who was Zigzag, according to Ashok?
According to Ashok, Zigzag was a harmless, unusual, and lovable bird gifted to Somu by an African witch doctor whose son Somu had cured.
F. Study the given mind map and fill in the incomplete details:
(i) picked up a walnut, (ii) all the fruit on the plate was transferred to the chandelier, (iii) perched comfortably on a curtain rod, (iv) have a great time listening to him, (v) went off to sleep and began to snore.
(i) but he was saved by the telephone bell, (ii) rang up to demand some peace, (iii) Zigzag slept on unconcerned, (iv) an exhausted Mrs. Krishnan, (v) I am going crazy with the sound of Zigzag snoring.
Zigzag Summary
Introduction
Author Asha Nehemiah unfolds the delicate love a bird can exhibit, to the astonishment of the inmates. Interesting facts about plants and animals draw the attention of students. Let us read the family’s reaction towards the wonder bird, Zigzag.
Zigzag finds a new home
Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan’s family shelters Somu’s new pet, Zigzag, a queer-looking African bird known for talking and singing in twenty-one different languages. It is brought in by Visu after a telephonic conversation that wasn't audible due to the variety of blood-curdling yells and ear-splitting sobs in Dr. Krishnan's clinic. Dr. Krishnan knows about Mrs. Krishnan’s painting exhibition the next week and denies Somu's plea to shelter the pet, but is misunderstood.
An Unusual Bird
Zigzag is a harmless, unusual, and lovable bird bred by a genuine African witch doctor, who gifted it to Somu when he, being a child specialist like Dr. Krishnan, cured the witch doctor’s son while touring the deepest jungles of Africa a month ago.
A Sleeping Bird
Zigzag does nothing but sleep and snore all the time at home, so loudly that even the neighbours complain. All attempts to awaken the bird go in vain. Before resorting to a steadfast sleep, the bird eats some nuts and fruits, then hides the rest in the chandelier and on the fan blades.
Maid Makes a Mess
The maid, Lakshmi, shrieks when she switches on the fan, thinking she is blessed with papayas and bananas raining down. Mrs. Krishnan is annoyed as a slice of overripe papaya whizzes off the fan and splatters all over her unfinished masterpiece, "Sunset at Marina," spreading streaks of gooey orange pulp and shiny black seeds.
Six Frantic Days
Dr. Krishnan leaves an e-mail message for Somu, asking for instructions on how to stop Zigzag from snoring. After six frantic days of checking their e-mail, they are dumbstruck by the reply from Somu on the seventh day that the bird never sleeps nor snores. Mrs. Krishnan wants it to be sent to Visu as experts are coming to choose her paintings for the exhibition.
Dr. Krishnan takes it to the clinic
Dr. Krishnan takes Zigzag in the car, hoping Zigzag’s snore doesn’t add to the din of the tiny patients. However, Ziggy-Zagga was not accustomed to waiting and made his way to the clinic, where he perched on the nurse’s reception table.
Zigzag Speaks
Dr. Krishnan had barely walked through the door when he heard a strange voice say, ‘You there in the blue T-shirt, don’t jump on the sofa...’ It was Zigzag’s voice, clear and commanding. There was pin-drop silence in the room as everyone waited for Zigzag’s next sentence. Dr. Krishnan was amazed!
Cheerful Zigzag
Gone was Zigzag’s bored and grumpy expression. Instead, the bird looked happy and alert as it went about the job it had been trained for. To top it all, Zigzag never slept nor snored at the clinic. Dr. Krishnan realized Zigzag was an absolute treasure and no longer wanted Visu to take him away.
Mrs. Krishnan Rewarded for the Art
Mrs. Krishnan calls, pleased with herself. She says that Mrs. Jhunjhunwala, the art critic, would buy "Sunset at Marina" for herself for Rs. 5,000/- because she loved the new "streaky" technique of painting!
Conclusion
Zigzag finally attracts the Krishnan family after all the mess and irritating snores. The lesson reveals amazing facts about African animals and plants, adding to the students' delight, and shows how a perceived nuisance can turn into a blessing.
Glossary
- Aboriginal
- Inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times; relating to the indigenous people of Australia.
- Blood-curdling
- Filling with horror; terrifying.
- Boomerang
- A curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower.
- Chandelier
- A large, decorative hanging light with branches for several light bulbs or candles.
- Commotion
- A state of confused and noisy disturbance.
- Crinkly
- Having many small folds or wrinkles.
- Din
- A loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.
- Ear-splitting
- Extremely loud.
- Frantic
- Wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other emotion.
- Fringed
- Having a decorative border of hanging threads.
- Gooey
- Soft and sticky.
- Grumpiness
- The state of being bad-tempered and sulky.
- Horrified
- Filled with horror; greatly shocked.
- Nuisance
- A person, thing, or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance.
- Perched
- To rest or sit on something, especially a high or narrow place.
- Plumage
- A bird's feathers collectively.
- Samacheer Kalvi
- The unified curriculum of the Tamil Nadu State Board of Education in India.
- Slithers
- To move smoothly over a surface with a twisting or oscillating motion.
- Sludgiest
- Resembling sludge; thick, soft, wet mud or a similar viscous mixture.
- Snore
- A grunting or snorting sound in a person's breathing while asleep.
- Solemn
- Formal and dignified; serious.
- Splattered
- To splash with a sticky or viscous liquid.
- Unconcerned
- Not worried or concerned about something.
- Wizened
- Wrinkled and shrunken with age.
Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Book Solutions Supplementary