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He was at that time as droll and roguish-looking a grizzly cub as ever stepped. In a grizzly-gray full moon of fluffy hair, two big black eyes sparkled like jet beads, behind a pudgy little nose, absurdly short for a bear. Excepting for his high shoulders, he was little more than a big bale of gray fur set up on four posts of the same material. But his claws were formidable, and he had the true grizzly spirit.
The Bears' Nursery at the New York Zoological Park is a big yard with a shade tree, a tree to climb, a swimming pool, three sleeping dens, and a rock cliff. It never contains fewer than six cubs, and sometimes eight.
Naturally, it is a good test of courage and temper to turn a new bear into that roistering crowd. Usually a newcomer is badly scared during his first day in the Nursery, and very timid during the next. But grizzlies are different. They are born full of courage and devoid of all sense of fear.
When little Cyclone's travelling box was opened, and he found himself free in the Nursery, he stalked deliberately to the centre of the stage, halted, and calmly looked about him. His air and manner said as plainly as English: "I'm a grizzly from Alaska, and I've come to stay. If any of you fellows think there is anything coming to you from me, come and take it."
Little Czar, a very saucy but good-natured European brown bear cub, walked up and aimed a sample blow at Cyclone's left ear. Quick as a flash, outshot Cyclone's right paw, as only a grizzly can strike, and caught the would-be hazer on the side of the head. A m a z e d and confounded, Czar fled in wild haste. Next in order, a black bear cub, twice the size of Cyclone, made a pass at the newcomer, and he too received so fierce a counter charge that he ignominiously quit the field and scrambled to the top of the cliff.
Cyclone conscientiously met every attack, real or feigned, that was made upon him. In less than an hour it was understood by every bear in the Nursery that, that queer-looking gray fellow with the broad head and short nose could strike quick and hard, and that he could fight any other bear on three seconds' notice.
From that time on Cyclone's position has been assured. He is treated with the respect that a good forearm inspires, but being really a fine-spirited, dignified little grizzly, he attacks no one, and never has had a fight.
Explanation:
Little Cyclone was a very playful and funny looking bear. In the moonlight, the little bear's two big black eyes looked like beads among the fluffy hair. Cyclone's nose was fat but was very small for a bear face. The bear had high shoulders, and Cyclone looked like a bunch of grey fur bundled on four legs, and both of Cyclone's legs looked similar. But is claws were intimidating and made him the accurate grizzly bear that he was.
The New York Zoological Park gave the bear a big yard with a tree so that he could climb the tree whenever he wanted. Little Cyclone also had a swimming pool, three dens to sleep in, and a rock cliff. It had just six to eight cubs.
The celebrating crowd at the zoo were testing the bears' courage and temper. Generally, any newcomer in the zoo will be scared at first, and feeble and timid during the next few days. But grizzly bears are not like that. They are full of courage and are not scared of anything. When they opened Little Cyclone's box in the nursery, he walked as if he was walking on a stage, and was calm. He acted as if he was declaring that Cyclone is a grizzly from Alaska and that he was there to stay. If anyone thinks that there is anything to take from him, they can come and take it.
Another soft natured bear cub from Europe named Little Czar went near Little Cyclone and tried to aim a blow at his left ear. But Cyclone reacted immediately and struck his right paw on the side of Czar's head. Czar ran away from Cyclone, as he was surprised by Cyclone's reaction. Next, a black bear cub, twice the size of Cyclone, went near him. He faced the same response from Cyclone, who was in a fury, and the black bear cub went off and climbed the cliff.
Cyclone made sure he reacted in the same way, whether the opponent attacked really or not. By the next hour, every bear in the nursery understood that the newcomer, with a broad head and short nose, should not be provoked. Otherwise, they will get it hard, and that within three seconds notice, Cyclone could fight with any of the bears in the nursery.
So, finally, Cyclone's position became firm in the nursery. His fellow bears always treated him with respect. Cyclone was a good bear, a bear that never went for a fight.
Meanings of difficult words:
Numbers | Word | Meanings |
1. | Droll | Amusing. |
2. | Roguish | Naughty. |
3. | Pudgy | Rather fat. |
4. | Bale | Bundle. |
5. | Formidable | Alarming. |
6. | Roistering | Frolic. |
Reference:
State Council of Educational Research and Training (2018). Term-1 English Standard-9. Little Cyclone: The Story of a Grizzly Cub - William Temple Hornaday(pp. 212-214). Published by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.
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