CBSE Class 7 English An Alien Hand: Bringing Up Kari NCERT Solutions

The enclosure for Kari, his pavilion, was constructed with a thatched roof supported by thick tree stumps. This design was essential because elephants, especially young ones like Kari, are large and can be quite boisterous. When Kari moved around inside his enclosure, he would sometimes bump against the supporting poles. The sturdy tree stumps ensured that the roof remained stable and intact, preventing any damage from his movements.

Yes, Kari thoroughly enjoyed his morning bath in the river. Evidence of his enjoyment is seen in how he would linger in the water for a long time, and then continue to relax on the sand afterwards. Furthermore, when the narrator would rub his back with water, Kari would squeal with pleasure, indicating his delight and comfort during the bath.

The reason finding good twigs for Kari took a long time was due to his very specific and delicate palate. Kari did not eat just any twigs; he had a preference for only the most tender and delicate ones. He would refuse to eat twigs that were bruised or mutilated. This meant the narrator had to search extensively, often climbing various types of trees to find the perfect, fresh twigs and saplings that Kari would accept.

Kari pushed his friend into the stream not out of malice, but as an act of rescue. He saw a young boy drowning in the river. Initially, Kari tried to pull the boy out himself but couldn't manage it from the riverbed. Realizing he needed help and that the boy was somewhat afloat, Kari pushed the narrator (his friend) into the water. This action was intended to enable the narrator to reach and save the boy more effectively.

Kari was compared to a baby in several ways. Firstly, his call sounded more like a baby's cry than an elephant's trumpet. Secondly, like a human baby, he needed to be trained to behave properly; if he was not corrected when he was naughty, he would cause more trouble. Thirdly, he understood words and commands in a manner similar to how children learn. He was taught to sit down and to walk at different paces (slow and fast), much like a child is taught basic actions.

Kari cleverly used his long trunk to steal bananas from the dining room. The table where the bananas were kept was positioned near a window. Kari would discreetly put his trunk through the open window, reach for the bananas, and take them away without anyone in the house noticing his actions.

Kari learned two main commands: to sit and to walk. To teach him to sit, the narrator would pull Kari's ear and say the word 'Dhat'. To make him walk, the narrator would pull his trunk forward and say 'Mali'. Kari mastered the command 'Mali' quite quickly, learning it in just three lessons, although it took him three weeks to learn the command 'Dhat' for sitting.