10.(a) The great night duly arrived, moonlit and cloudless. A platform had been constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree, and thereon crouched Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion, Miss Mebbin. A goat, gifted with a particularly persistent bleat, such as even a partially deaf tiger might be reasonably expected to hear on a still night, was tethered at the correct distance. With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack of patience cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry. (Mrs. Packletide's Tiger) (iii) Where was the platform constructed ?
10.(a) The great night duly arrived, moonlit and cloudless. A platform had been constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree, and thereon crouched Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion, Miss Mebbin. A goat, gifted with a particularly persistent bleat, such as even a partially deaf tiger might be reasonably expected to hear on a still night, was tethered at the correct distance. With an accurately sighted rifle and a thumbnail pack of patience cards the sportswoman awaited the coming of the quarry. (Mrs. Packletide's Tiger) (iii) Where was the platform constructed ?
The platform was constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree - stated directly in the extract, where Mrs. Packletide and Miss Mebbin crouched to wait for the tiger.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: stating that the platform was constructed in a tree (a comfortable and conveniently placed tree).
- 2Accept 'up in a tree / on a tree' as correct.
- 3No mark for answers placing it on the ground or elsewhere not supported by the text.
Hint
Read the second sentence: the platform was built up in a tree.
Quick Oral Answer
The platform was built up in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree, where Mrs. Packletide and Miss Mebbin crouched to wait for the tiger.
Analysis & Explanation
A direct factual-recall question from Saki's 'Mrs. Packletide's Tiger'.
Concept
- The answer is explicit in the second sentence: 'A platform had been constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree.'
- Context: the raised platform (machan) let Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion Miss Mebbin crouch safely above the tiger's reach while it was lured by the tethered goat.
Common mistakes
- Placing the platform on the ground or elsewhere not supported by the text.
Real-world use
- The detail that the tree was 'comfortable and conveniently placed' reinforces Saki's satire on how the entire 'wild' hunt was arranged for the rich woman's ease and vanity - close reading trains you to quote the exact supporting detail rather than guess.
Common Mistakes
- 1Writing that the platform was built on the ground or near the goat, contradicting the text.
- 2Omitting the key word 'tree' and vaguely saying 'at the hunting spot'.
- 3Confusing the tree platform with the position of the tethered goat, which was on the ground at a distance.
Previously Asked
Both, the poem 'The Frog And The Nightingale' and the story 'Mrs. Packtetide's Tiger, reflect themes of exploitation of others in pursuit of personal benefit. How... do each... manipulate situations to attain their personal desires and with what consequences?
Interesting Facts
A raised hunting platform built in a tree for shooting big game is traditionally called a 'machan' in the Indian subcontinent — exactly the arrangement Saki describes.
Placing hunters above ground level kept them out of a charging tiger's reach and gave a clear downward line of fire — practical details Saki uses to show how safe and stage-managed Mrs. Packletide's 'daring' hunt really was.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a platform built in a tree for hunting called?
It is traditionally called a 'machan' — a raised platform set up in a tree from which hunters shoot big game. In the story, Mrs. Packletide and Miss Mebbin crouch on such a platform to wait for the tiger safely above the ground.
Why was the platform built in a tree and not on the ground?
Building it up in a tree kept the hunters out of the tiger's reach and gave them a clear downward line of fire. Saki notes the tree was 'comfortable and conveniently placed', highlighting how safely and carefully the whole hunt was arranged.