The Ark's Anniversary — Summary, Question Answers & RTC Solutions

The Ark’s Anniversary — Class 8 English Solutions

Author: Gerald Durrell | Class: Class 8 English Literature

Table of Contents

• About the Story & Summary
• Textbook Exercise: Short Questions & Answers
• Reference to Context (RTC) Solved Passages
• Recommended Class 8 Study Guides

About the Story & Summary

The Ark’s Anniversary is an engaging autobiographical extract by noted naturalist Gerald Durrell. In this piece, Durrell recounts the lively early days of establishing the Jersey Zoological Park. He shares charming anecdotes—such as playful chimpanzees visiting his mother's cottage for biscuits and tea—while articulating his deeper, noble mission: creating a sanctuary to breed and protect endangered species threatened by human expansion.

Textbook Exercise: Questions & Answers

Q1. What was Durrell sure of at the age of six?
Ans: At the age of six, Durrell was completely certain that when he grew up, he would establish and own his personal zoo.

Q2. What did Durrell promise to his mother and what was her reaction to it?
Ans: Durrell promised his mother that once he owned a zoo, he would provide her with a cottage on the grounds to live in.

Q3. How did Durrell fulfill his promise?
Ans: Durrell fulfilled his childhood promise by moving his mother into the historic manor house built within the grounds of the Jersey Zoo.

Q4. What did he fill his matchboxes with?
Ans: During his childhood explorations, Durrell filled his matchboxes with a wide variety of smaller insects, specimens, and flora that he collected.

Q5. When was the Jersey Zoological Park founded?
Ans: The Jersey Zoological Park was formally established on March 15, 1959.

Q6. Why does the author not consider the ‘bizarre happenings’ to be interruptions?
Ans: The author did not view such unusual events as interruptions because erratic, unpredictable animal antics had naturally become part of his everyday life as a dedicated zookeeper.

Reference to Context (RTC) Questions

“1. My sister’s neighbours heaved a collective sigh of relief.”

Explanation: Prior to opening the zoo on March 14, 1959, Gerald brought an assortment of animals—including lively chimpanzees from West Africa—and kept them temporarily in his sister’s back garden in Bournemouth. The noisy and mischievous animals caused regular disturbance in the neighborhood. When the animals were finally moved to Jersey, the relieved neighbors heaved a collective sigh of relief.

“2. This they proceeded to do one afternoon when no one was around.”

Explanation: The two adolescent chimpanzees, Chumley and Lulu, discovered that if they found an open end on the wire mesh fence, they could unravel the enclosure just like an old knitted sweater. Finding themselves unsupervised one afternoon, they promptly began taking their enclosure apart.

“3. They had jolly sight better manners than some of the people you’ve had up here.”

Explanation: After slipping out of their enclosure, Chumley and Lulu walked over to visit Gerald’s mother at the manor house. Delighted to see them, his mother welcomed them inside and treated them with biscuits and chocolates. The chimps behaved with remarkable calmness, prompting her to remark that they possessed far better manners than many human visitors.

“4. In spite of thinking us eccentric in the extreme – they are impressed.”

Explanation: While everyday visitors often viewed Durrell's unorthodox zookeeping methods and intimate animal bonds as eccentric, they invariably left deeply impressed by the extraordinary mutual affection and trust shared between the humans and wild animals.

“5. One raison d’être is to provide sanctuary for these creatures, and this is the reason I wanted my own zoo.”

Explanation: Durrell explains that over 80% of his zoo's animal population comprised endangered species threatened by habitat destruction and human encroachment. Providing a secure breeding sanctuary to save vulnerable species from extinction was the driving purpose (raison d’être) behind building his zoo.

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