IMPORTANT: Comprehension questions will be in chronological order as you read through the story. Page numbers are approximate, and will vary with different editions of the book.
Section 1: Chapters1-4
Vocabulary
- tang: a strong taste, flavor or smell
- pugmark: foot print of an animal used to identify it.
- escapade: an exciting act or adventure
- tenurean: amount of time an office is held
- prestigious: having high status and respect
- botched: carry out a task carelessly or badly
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- The botched proverb grated on his already raw nerves. (Ch. 4, pg. 28)
- “…I was on my way to tell him about your disgusting lack of effort, and this escapade of yours will prove my case.” (Ch. 2, pg. 12)
- “I have selected your son to compete against students from all other schools in the region for the prestigious Sunderbans Scholarship…” (Ch. 3, pg. 18)
- “Fisherman spotted small pugmarks on the shore, leading across the path into the mangrove forest.” (Ch. 2, pg. 9)
- Neel didn’t mind – he loved the tang of salt on his tongue and the squish of mud between his toes. (Ch. 1, pg. 2)
- “…Our school has not had a winner of this competition in recent years, but your son, Neel, is the brightest student I have seen in my tenure here.” (Ch. 3, pg. 18)
Comprehension Questions
- Boys are supposed to do well in school, not on the sports field. (Ch. 1, pgs. 2-3)
- Neel’s father never takes Neel into the reserve because it’s too dangerous. (Ch. 1, pg. 5)
- Ajay is worried the mother tiger is going to escape and come to their island looking for it’s cub. (Ch. 2, pg. 9)
- Headmaster appears from behind the golpata tree and grabs Neel, and Ajay and Viju run away. (Ch. 2, pg. 11)
- Neel often devours poetry and English novels that he finds in the school library during recess. (Ch. 2, pg. 13)
- The tiger cub escaped through a poor mending job on the fence. (Ch. 3, pg. 16)
- The soldiers say the tiger mother is frantic to find her cub. (Ch. 3, pg. 17)
- Neel has no desire to go study in the big city of Kolkata. (Ch. 3, pg. 19)
- When Rupa sees Headmaster with Neel ,her mouth falls open and she drops the towel she was wringing. (Ch. 3, pg. 21)
- Gupta’s big house is going to be made of bricks and wood instead of clay and thatch. (Ch. 4, pg. 23)
- Baba’s wife has fallen sick and they need to pay for the doctor and medicine. (Ch. 4, pg. 26)
- Baba tells Neel the scholarship is a chance to have a different kind of future. (Ch. 4, pg. 28)
Section 2: chapters 5-8
Vocabulary
- rivulet: a very small stream
- dysentery: infection of the intestines resulting in severe diarrhea
- averted: turn away ones eyes or thoughts
- mangrove: a tree that grows in in tropical coastal swamps
- silhouette: the dark shape and outline of someone against a light background
- protractor: an instrument for measuring angles
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- Headmaster threw a scowl at Neel, who averted his eyes and went back to gathering papers. (Ch. 6, pg. 47)
- The medicine to cure dysentery, had been expensive, but it had done the job. (Ch. 5, pg. 39)
- It was low tide now, so he was able to take short detours into the dense patches of mangrove plants that lined the small creeks and inlets, but there was still no sign of the cub. (Ch. 5, pg. 31)
- His fingers, unlike Baba’s, were clumsy around tools, especially ones as delicate as a protractor, compass, or ruler. (Ch. 5, pg. 36)
- “He didn’t expect to see small pugmarks along the banks of the rivulets and creeks, because two high tides and two low tides swept in and out every day.” (Ch. 5, pg. 31)
- She looked up at the tall sundari trees silhouetted against the moon and wiped her cheeks again. (Ch. 8, pg. 59)
Comprehension Questions
- Ma says Neel must win the scholarship because he could get a good job and save the family. (Ch. 5, pg. 31)
- Girl’s haven’t been chosen for the scholarship because many never make it to Class Five, they were sent to the city to earn money for their families, or had to work at home. (Ch. 5, pg. 35)
- It isn’t fair to have to study math when he really wants to live at home, fish, build, carve and hunt honey like his father. (Ch. 5, pg. 37)
- Neel maps out the island he knows so well and mentally strolls around the paths. (Ch. 6, pg. 41)
- Headmaster is angry at Gupta because he didn’t donate any money to the school. (Ch. 6, pg. 45)
- Nell guesses that the cub is too terrified to leave her hiding place, except to scavenge for food. (Ch. 6, pg. 49)
- Neel wishes Ajay would be the one to take the exam. (Ch. 7, pg. 53)
- Neel and his sister hear Baba say that Gupta wants him to join the hunt for the cub. (Ch. 7, pg. 54)
- Baba says knowing how to read and write gives you a certain power others don’t have. (Ch. 7, pg. 57)
- Neel and Rupa decide to go hunt for the cub that night to save their father from shame. (Ch. 8, pg. 60)
- Neel is energized by making a map to help find the cub. (Ch. 8, pg. 61)
- Neel reluctantly uses math skills to make his map. (Ch. 8, pg. 64)
Section 3: Chapters 9-12
Vocabulary
- estuary: the tidal mouth of a large river where the tide meets the stream
- chuff: noisy exhalations
- fronds: the leaflike part of a palm
- tidal bore: a large wave caused by the funneling of a flood tide into a narrow inlet
- decoy: an imitation of a bird or mammal
- lure: tempt an animal or person to do something by offering a reward
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- Neel had never heard tiger first hand, only people who had imitated, but he tried calling to the cub with a low chuffing noise. (Ch. 10, pg. 73)
- Thorns and roots clawed at him from the sides and above his head, tearing at his hair, skin, and the decoy mask still attached to the back of his head. (Ch. 9, pg. 70)
- The only way down was during low tide, where a muddy path near one edge of the bridge led to the estuary shore. (Ch. 9, pg. 68)
- Neel pushed apart the tall, wide golpata fronds. (Ch. 9, pg. 70)
- How could they lure her out? (Ch. 10, pg. 73)
- The soil was dry now, completely out of the reach of the water, except perhaps for when a tidal bore – a dangerous surge of water – rose suddenly after a storm and flooded the creek. (Ch. 9, pg. 71)
Comprehension Questions
- Snakes slither freely at night. (pg. 66)
- Rupa and Neel discover footprints of the men out searching for the cub. (Ch. 9, pg. 69)
- Thorns and roots claw at Neel and Ruba as they crawl along the tunnel. (Ch. 9, pg. 70)
- The cub, with glowing round eyes rimmed with black shows up in the light beam. (Ch.9, pg. 71)
- The cub has been eating shrimp and crabs in her cave. (Ch. 10, pg. 72)
- Rupa soaks Neel’s vest in milk, ties it to the stick and puts it in front of the cub. (Ch. 10, pg. 74)
- The rising tide causes the creek to rise fast. (pg. 76)
- Neel and Rupa are going to hide their clothes and Rupa will wash them the next day. (Ch. 10, pg. 77)
- Rupa has the idea to borrow a cell phone to contact the rangers. (Ch. 11, pg. 79)
- The children are worried the cave will flood and drown the cub. (Ch. 11, pg. 80)
- The lack of moonlight will make it harder to be spotted. (Ch. 12, pg. 82)
- Neel could hardly believe that he felt the rough little tongue licking the milk off his knuckles. (Ch. 12, pg. 85)
Section 4: Chapters 13-17
Vocabulary
- jolt: move with a sudden lurch
- escort: to accompany another person usually for their protection
- cavort: dance or jump around excitedly
- barge: to move forcefully or roughly
- unveil: announce publicly
- proctor: a person who monitors students during an examination
Vocabulary Usage in the Book
- “…You’re going to barge into his office to show him a chair?” (Ch. 16, pg. 109)
- The three creatures became one ecstatic tangle of golden, white and black fur, cavorting in the moonlight. (Ch. 14, pg. 102)
- “…I had to escort her home.” (Ch. 14, pg. 94)
- The vessel swayed with the jolt of his landing. (Ch. 13, pg. 92)
- Proctors strode up and down the aisles as they administered the exam. (Ch. 17, pg. 119)
- It was time to unveil his entire idea. (Ch. 16, pg. 112)
Comprehension Questions
- Rupa trips on her sari and falls to the ground while being chased by the men. (Ch. 13, pg. 89)
- Neel says, “Many things in life are worth more than money.” (Ch. 13, pg. 91)
- Neel says he would name the cub Sundari which means “Little Beauty.” (Ch. 14, pg. 95)
- Papa says, “Definitely, “ in response to the rangers question. (Ch. 14, pg. 97)
- Kushal gives all the books to Neel to keep. (Ch. 14, pg. 100)
- When Rupa hears all the good news she bends and touches Baba’s feet and then her own forehead in a pranam. (Ch. 15, pg. 104)
- “Let them,” Baba replies, “A man’s body can bear a beating, but if his soul is damaged…” (Ch. 15, pg. 106)
- The news delivered to Headmaster says Neel had saved the cub and that Gupta had vanished in the night. (Ch. 16, pg. 110)
- The last person to win the scholarship and return to the island is Headmaster. (Ch. 16, pg. 113)
- Headmaster turns out to be a top-notch math teacher despite his impatience. (Ch. 17, pg. 117)
- Rupa crows, “I knew you would win, Neel!” (Ch. 17, pg. 122)
- Headmaster says, “Stand up, stand up, Jai. You raised this fine boy; all the credit goes to you.” (Ch. 17, pg. 123)