Factual Recall
What did the boy do in front of the lion’s cage?
the boy stood motionless - He stood motionless.
Which technique is used in “as still as a frozen tree”?
Simile
What idea does the story suggest about the enclosure? Give a quotation.
Idea: It is bare / unnatural.
Quotation: “a bare enclosure, a fallen branch, and a patch of worn grass.”
Why does the writer use short, simple sentences when the lion stops walking?
To show that everything becomes still.
Give one quotation showing the lion is mentally strong.
“He’ll tire before I do.”
How long had the boy been standing during the first day?
Nearly two hours.
The boy stood motionless… as if rooted to the ground.” Identify the technique.
Simile
What shows the lion misses the lioness?
“Since she passed, he had kept moving without pause.”
What is the effect of dividing the story into “ONE”, “TWO”, “THREE”?
To clearly show the passing of each new day.
Give one quotation showing the lion is emotionally vulnerable.
“A tear formed along the edge of his missing eye.”
What shows that a new day has begun in the passage?
“The next morning…”
Give one example of repetition from the story.
“The boy… motionless” / “stood motionless” (repeated idea)
What emotion does the lion feel when the boy keeps staring?
Frustration.
Identify one piece of punctuation in the story that creates tension and explain it.
Ellipsis in “the world felt as if it had paused…” creates suspense.
What thought shows the lion is surprised by the boy’s return?
“Did he wait here all night?”
What two things does the lion see on his “outward” and “return” turns?
Outward: the zoo and the boy
Return: the bare enclosure (fallen branch + worn grass)
“Why does he just stand there?” - what technique is used here?
Rhetorical question.
What idea is suggested by the boy’s presence on the third day? Give a quote.
Idea: He is extremely persistent.
Quotation: “By the third day, the boy was still there.”
Why is the phrase “silent and empty” effective at the end?
It creates stillness and focuses attention on the lion and the boy.
What shows the lion is unsettled or anxious?
“The lion twitched in surprise.”
What phrase suggests the boy was increasingly intense in his presence?
“The weight of his gaze pressed on the lion.”
Identify alliteration from the text.
"paws stirring up dust" "lions fear little" etc.
What does the tear forming along the edge of the lion’s missing eye suggest?
Emotional strain / helplessness.
How does the writer show they have “all the time in the world”?
With a long, slow-paced sentence describing their final stare.
Who is narrating the story at key moments — the boy, narrator, or lion?
A third-person narrator with access to the lion’s thoughts.