At the Zoo / William Makepeace Thackeray

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First I saw the white bear swimming in the water-tub,
And then I saw the camel with his lofty humpty-hump;
And then I went and looked at the elephant and kangaroo;
And then I saw the wolverines a-feeding in their coop.

I saw the lion and the tiger, and the leopard and the lynx,
And the little lively squirrel and the monkey tall and grim;
And you never saw a sight that was so surprising and so droll,
As the look of the rhinoceros did at the hippopotamus.

I saw the cockatoo and parrots with plumage red and yellow;
And I went and heard the lion roaring in his den;
And then I saw the little kids a-teasing the old baboon,
And laughing at the jackal and the little guinea-hen.

I didn't stop to see the deer, because I'd seen them oft before;
And the wolf and fox I passed by without a single word.
But I gave a penny bun to the elephant and kangaroo;
And I think they are the finest beasts that ever I have heard.

Talking About At The Zoo

A Study Guide to "At the Zoo" by William Makepeace Thackeray

Quiz

1. What is the first animal the speaker mentions seeing at the zoo, and what is it doing?
2. Which animals does the speaker specifically note as having "lofty humpty-hump"?
3. Besides the elephant, which other animal does the speaker give a penny bun to?
4. What was surprising and droll to the speaker at the zoo?
5. Which two animals did the speaker pass by "without a single word" because they had seen them often before?
6. What sound did the speaker hear the lion make?
7. Which animals did the "little kids" tease?
8. What color plumage did the cockatoo and parrots have?
9. According to the speaker, which are the "finest beasts that ever I have heard"?
10. What is the overall tone of the poem?

Quiz Answer Key

1. The first animal the speaker mentions is the white bear, which was swimming in a water-tub.
2. The speaker notes the camel as having a "lofty humpty-hump."
3. Besides the elephant, the speaker also gave a penny bun to the kangaroo.
4. The most surprising and droll sight for the speaker was "the look of the rhinoceros did at the hippopotamus."
5. The speaker passed by the wolf and fox without a word because they had seen them often before.
6. The speaker heard the lion roaring in its den.
7. The "little kids" were teasing the old baboon and laughing at the jackal and the little guinea-hen.
8. The cockatoo and parrots had red and yellow plumage.
9. The speaker considers the elephant and kangaroo to be the "finest beasts that ever I have heard."
10. The overall tone of the poem is one of childlike wonder and amusement, conveying the joy and excitement of a visit to the zoo.

Essay Questions

1. Analyze the speaker's observations of the animals. What does their choice of detail and description reveal about their perspective and the general atmosphere of a zoo visit?
2. Discuss the speaker's interactions with the animals, specifically the act of feeding the elephant and kangaroo. How does this action contribute to the poem's overall theme or message?
3. Compare and contrast the animals the speaker pays close attention to with those they "passed by without a single word." What might explain these differences in attention?
4. Explore the use of imagery and sound devices in "At the Zoo." How do these poetic elements contribute to the vividness and sensory experience of the poem?
5. Consider the final line, "And I think they are the finest beasts that ever I have heard." What does this statement suggest about the speaker's perception of the animals and their experience at the zoo?

Glossary of Key Terms

• White bear: Refers to a polar bear, mentioned as swimming in a water-tub.
• Camel: An animal with one or two humps, described with a "lofty humpty-hump."
• Elephant: A large, grey animal with a trunk and tusks, one of the animals the speaker gives a penny bun to.
• Kangaroo: A marsupial known for hopping, also given a penny bun by the speaker.
• Wolverines: Carnivorous mammals, seen by the speaker feeding in their coop.
• Lion: A large, powerful cat, heard roaring in its den.
• Tiger: A large, striped feline, seen by the speaker.
• Leopard: A large, spotted cat, observed by the speaker.
• Lynx: A medium-sized wild cat, seen by the speaker.
• Squirrel: A small, lively rodent, seen by the speaker.
• Monkey: A primate, described as "tall and grim."
• Rhinoceros: A large, thick-skinned mammal with one or two horns on its snout, whose "look" at the hippopotamus was surprising.
• Hippopotamus: A large, thick-skinned mammal inhabiting rivers and lakes, observed by the rhinoceros.
• Cockatoo: A type of parrot, mentioned for its red and yellow plumage.
• Parrots: Birds known for their colorful plumage, also described as red and yellow.
• Kids: Children, mentioned as teasing the old baboon.
• Baboon: A large African or Arabian monkey, teased by the kids.
• Jackal: A wild dog, laughed at by the kids.
• Guinea-hen: A fowl, also laughed at by the kids.
• Deer: Ruminant mammals, which the speaker did not stop to see.
• Wolf: A wild canine, passed by without a word.
• Fox: A carnivorous mammal, passed by without a word.
• Penny bun: A small, inexpensive baked good, given as a treat to the elephant and kangaroo.
• Plumage: The feathers of a bird.
• Droll: Curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement.

( N.B. 위 콘텐츠는 Google AI Studio 로 제작한 것입니다 )