Read the poem and answer the questions given below it.
The Dog on the School Steps
He is there before the gates swing wide,
before the watchman finds his keys,
curled on the top step like a doormat,
one ear twitching in the morning breeze.
The little ones step round him gently,
the big boys jump him two at a time.
He will not move for the Principal’s car,
but wakes at the lunch bell’s first chime.
At prayer he lies at the end of a row,
eyes half shut, so still, so good,
till he lets out a long and noisy yawn
and Class Five giggles, as children would.
At lunch he makes his rounds of the benches,
half a roti here, a biscuit there,
thanks each giver with a thump of his tail,
then sleeps it off in the warm noon air.
At four the school spills out of the gates.
He sees the smallest girl to her bus,
then climbs back up to his own top step,
nobody’s dog, and one of us.
Which of the following best describes the tone of the poem?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Affectionate and amused
The speaker watches the dog fondly and smiles at his habits.
- The dog is “like a doormat” on the step, ignores the Principal’s car and lets out “a long and noisy yawn” at prayer. These funny details show the speaker is amused.
- The last line calls him “one of us”. The speaker is fond of the dog, so the tone is affectionate (full of love and liking).
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Pitying and sad — Incorrect. Misread: Pitying means feeling sorry for someone. He is “nobody’s dog”, but the same line says he is “one of us”. He is fed and happy, so there is nothing to pity. Example: The crowd gave the injured player a pitying look.
Option 2: Mocking and scornful — Incorrect. Misread: Scornful means looking down on someone as worthless. The speaker laughs with fondness, not to make the dog look small. Example: She gave a scornful laugh at his silly excuse.
Option 4: Serious and respectful — Incorrect. Contradicted: Respectful means showing high regard. The dog lies “so still, so good” at prayer only till the yawn that makes Class Five giggle. The poem is light, not serious. Example: The students stood in respectful silence for the national anthem.