On Killing a Tree Class 9 Question Answer
Textbook Questions:
Thinking About the Poem
Question 1.
Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? Why not?
क्या छुरे के साधारण आघात से पेड़ मर सकता है? यदि नहीं तो क्यों?
Answer:
No, simply stabbing a tree with a knife will not kill it. The tree is very strong. It has become thick and stout over the years.
Question 2.
How has tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
पेड़ पूरे आकार का कैसे बना? उन शब्दों की सूची बनाओ जो इसके जीवन व गतिविधियों की ओर संकेत करते हैं।
Answer:
The tree has grown to its full size over many years. It has slowly consumed the soil, it has absorbed sunlight, air and water, and put forth leaves. Words suggestive of its life and activities – consuming, rising, feeding, absorbing sprouting.
Question 3.
What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’? What makes it bleed?
घायल (रक्त बहती हुई) छाल का क्या अर्थ ? इसका खून क्यों बह रहा है?
Answer:
‘Bleeding bark’ means the wounded rind (bark) of the tree. It is bleeding because it has been hacked and chopped.
Question 4.
The poet says ‘No’ in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
कवि तीसरे पद्यांश के आरम्भ में ‘नहीं’ कहता है। उसका इससे क्या अभिप्राय है?
Answer:
‘No’ is connected with the activity mentioned in the second stanza. The poet means to say that hacking and chopping the tree will not kill it. You will have to do something more than that.
Question 5.
What is the meaning of‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’?
‘थामने वाली धरती’ व ‘धरती की गुफा’ का क्या अर्थ है?
Answer:
Anchoring earth : The tree stands securely with the help of its roots inside the earth. Thus the earth supports (anchors) it to keep standing.
Earth cave : The root hides inside the earth like a wild animal. So the earth serves the root like a hiding cave.
Question 6.
What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?
उसका “the strength of the tree exposed” से क्या अभिप्राय है?
Answer:
When the root has been pulled out, strength of the tree is gone. The tree is deprived of its strength and it lies unprotected and without security and support.
Question 7.
What finally kills the tree?
पेड़ अन्त में मरता कैसे है?
Answer:
When the tree is entirely uprooted, it lies exposed in the sun and air. It dries up. It cannot feed on the soil. It cannot breathe. Then it dies.
IV. Very Important Examination Questions:
Short Answer Type Questions
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:
Question 1.
What does the poet mean by ‘the strength of the tree exposed’?
‘पेड़ की शक्ति उजागर’ से कवि का क्या तात्पर्य है?
Answer:
When the root has been pulled out, strength of the tree is gone. The tree is deprived of its strength and it lies unprotected and without security and support.
Question 2.
How do human beings humiliate the Mother Earth?
मानव जाति किस प्रकार धरती माता की खिल्ली उड़ाता है?
Answer:
Human beings humiliate Mother Earth by playing havoc with Nature. Our environment is being misused. Trees are being cut, forests depleted, man is humiliating earth by destroying all our natural resources and creating thereby an imbalance in the nature.
Question 3.
What do you understand by “anchoring earth” and “earth-cave”?
‘एंकरिंग अर्थ’ और ‘अर्थ केव’ से आप क्या समझते हैं?
Answer:
The roots of tree are embedded in the earth like an anchor in the sea is laid and takes a great strength to pull it out. The roots of trees are embedded in the soil of the earth as the animals are hiding inside a cave. One has to extract a great stamina and strength to pull out the roots of the trees.
Question 4.
Is it possible for a “simple jab of the knife” to kill a tree? Why?
क्या यह संभव है कि चाकू की एक चोट से पेड़ कट जाए? क्यों?
Or
Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? If not, why?
क्या चाकू के एक वार से पेड़ कट सकता है? यदि नहीं तो क्यों?
Answer:
No, simply stabbing a tree with a knife will not kill it. The tree is very strong. It has fed upon the crust of the earth, sunlight, air and water over the years. Its strong roots beneath the earth serve to make it even stronger.
Question 5.
What message does the poem “On Killing A Tree” convey?
‘ऑन किलिंग ए ट्री’ कविता क्या संदेश देती है?
Answer:
The poem conveys the message that this trees should not be cut for the good of the environment. They should not be cut to sustain our environment and our lives.
Long Answer Type Questions
III. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :
Question 1.
What do you learn about the existence of a tree from the poem “On Killing A Tree”. What hardships does it suffer? How is it killed finally?
‘ऑन किलिंग ए ट्री’ कविता से पेड़ों के अस्तित्त्व के विषय में हम क्या जानते हैं? कौन-कौन सी तकलीफें ये झेलते हैं? किम प्रकार इन्हें अन्ततः मार दिया जाता है?
Answer:
A tree flourishes well gaining nourishment from the crust of the earth, sunlight, air, and water over the years. As a result, it grows bigger and stronger as time moves on. Its root below the earth makes it even stronger.
But a tree goes through many hardships during its life. Its existence is threatened continuously. It suffers jab of the knife. It is hacked and chopped. Much pain is inflicted on it and its bark bleeds.
When the selfish man realises that it is not so easy to kill a tree, it is uprooted. Thus, its ‘strength’, the roots lie exposed under the sun. Now, the tree withers and hardens. And sadly, it is killed.
Question 2.
The tree is cut roughly by striking heavy blows. How can you save trees from such a painful life?
तगड़े प्रहारों के द्वारा पेड़ों को उबड़-खाबड़ तरीके से काट दिया जाता है। ऐसे दर्द भरे जीवन से आप पेड़ों को किस प्रकार बचा सकते हैं?
Answer:
The tree is cut roughly by striking heavy blows by chopping it mercilessly. Trees too have a life of theirs and the blows made on it create great pains and injury. Trees are like silent nurturer of man’s life, giving him oxygen to breathe and sustaining his life. In return, man tries to cut trees by striking heavy blows. Man should be given awareness and education so as to know that by eradicating forests and clearing off trees, he is actually endangering the existence of his species completely. Man should know the value of trees and their benefits to himself. He should know that cutting a tree gives a lot of pain to the trees and an imbalance in nature would yield to unnatural results.
I. Summary In English:
It is not easy to kill a tree. Just wounding it with a knife will not harm the tree. It is because a tree is very strong. It has grown big and stout over many years. It has fed on the soil, it has sucked in air and sunlight to grow up. It puts forth new leaves.
You might try to kill it with an axe. Its bark will be badly wounded. Even if you have cut it down, it will put forth new twigs. After some time the twigs will grow into thick branches and limbs again. So chopping and hacking will not kill the tree either.
So to kill a tree you have to uproot it completely. You can do it by tying ropes and pulling it out with violent jerk. Once the root is out, the tree loses all its strength. But even then it is not dead. It will be dead when it dries up. It is unable to sprout again then.
II. Complete Text with Hindi Translation and Extract Based Objective Type Questions:
STANZA I:
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it. It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide Sprouting leaves.
Vocabulary : jab (जैब) stab छुरे का घाव, वार, आघात; consuming (कंज्यूमिंग) eating up उपभोग करते हुए; feeding (फीडिंग) eating खाते हुए; crust (क्रस्ट) hard outer layer of earth, soil पपड़ी, ऊपर की मिट्टी की परत; absorbing (अबजॉर्बिंग) sucking in सोखते हुए; leprous (लेपरस) having silvery scales on its bark सफेद धब्बों वाली जैसे कोढ़ी की होती है; hide (हाइड) bark छाल; sprouting (स्प्राउटिंग) putting forth अंकुरित होना।
अनुवाद : पेड़ को मारने में बहुत समय लगता है। छुरे के साधारण घोंपने से कुछ नहीं होता। यह तो धीरे-धीरे धरती का उपभोग करके बड़ा हुआ है। उसमें से खड़ा हुआ है। उसकी मिट्टी को खा कर। वर्षों तक धूप, वायु व पानी को सोख कर। और उसकी सफेद धब्बों वाली छाल में से पत्ते फूटते रहे हैं।
(i) Why can’t a simple jab of knife kill a tree?
(a) Because it creates a very small wound to it.
(b) Because the tree had become thick and stout over the years.
(c) Because the wound it gives heals up soon.
(d) Because it does not harm its roots.
Answer:
(d) Because it does not harm its roots.
(ii) The leprous hide’ of the tree is its :
(a) branches
(b) bark
(c) roots
(d) fruit
Answer:
(b) bark
(iii) It is called ‘leprous’ because :
(a) its bark is used by lepers.
(b) it is dicoloured, rough and ugly like the skin of a leper.
(c) because its use causes the disease of leprosy.
(d) because lepers sit beside it.
Answer:
(b) it is dicoloured, rough and ugly like the skin of a leper.
(iv) A tree feeds on :
(a) earth, sunlight, water and air.
(b) dung of animals, water and sun.
(c) fodder, water and earth.
(d) fertilizers, water and sun.
Answer:
(a) earth, sunlight, water and air.
(v) The killing of a tree takes _________.
Answer:
much time.
(vi) According to the poet a single blow of the axe _________.
Answer:
will not kill a tree.
(vii) A tree gets its food from _________.
Answer:
crust of the earth, sunlight, air and water.
(viii) The poet feels the growing of a tree is _________.
Answer:
slow
(ix) Why does it take much time to kill a tree?
Answer:
It takes much time to kill a tree because it has grown stronger feeding upon the crust of the earth.
(x) The poetic device used in the phrase leprous hide’ is _________.
Answer:
metaphor.
(xi) The poet feels that the growing of a tree _________.
Answer:
a gradual process that goes over the years.
(xii) The poem appreciates the _________.
Answer:
growth of a tree, nurtured by nature.
(xiii) A simple jab of knife cannot kill a tree because _________.
Answer:
it has fed upon the crust of the earth, sunlight, air and water over the years and has grown strong.
(xiv) The tree has grown slowly feeding upon _________.
Answer:
the crust of the earth, sunlight, air and water over the years.
(xv) The poem highlights the _________.
Answer:
gradual growth of a tree, its high level of endurance and capacity to resist its easy destruction by the minor blows in the form of ‘cutting’ or ‘chopping’.
(xvi) The poem appreciates the _________.
Answer:
growth of a tree, nurtured by nature.
(xvii) How does a tree become strong?
Answer:
A tree becomes strong by consuming the earth, feeding upon its crust and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.
(xviii) Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? Why/why not?
Answer:
A simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree because it has grown strong after consuming years of sunlight, air and water. Even after it is ‘chopped’ or ‘hacked’ it retains its ability to sprout again putting forth new leaves.
(xix) Why is it not easy to kill a tree?
Answer:
In spite of being cut to its lowest part, a tree retains its life force, the stump is enough to give birth to a new one. So, it is not easy to kill a tree.
STANZA II:
So hack and chop
But this alone wont do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
Th former size.
Vocabulary : hack (हैक) cut by blows कुल्हाड़ी से काटना; chop (चॉप) hack to pieces काटना, टुकड़े-टुकड़े करना; bleeding (ब्लीडिंग) injured घायल; heal (हील) get well again फिर से भर जाएगी; close (क्लोज) very near बिल्कुल समीप; curled (कर्ल्ड) bent मुड़ी हुई, बल खाती; twigs (टविग्ज) shoots छोटी-छोटी कोंपलें; miniature (मिनिएचर) tiny नन्हीं; boughs (बाओज) branches बड़ी टहनियाँ; expand (एक्सपेंड) spread फैल जाना; former (फार्मर) as before पहले जैसा।
अनुवाद : इसे कुल्हाड़े से काटो, टुकड़े-टुकड़े करो। परन्तु केवल ऐसा करने से भी कुछ न होगा। घायल छाल का घाव फिर से भर जाएगा और धरती के बिल्कुल पास से बल खाती हुई हरी कोंपलें फूट पड़ेंगी। वे नन्हीं शाखाएँ हैं यदि उन्हें न रोका गया तो वे फिर से पहले जैसे आकार की बन जाएँगी।
(i) Hacking and chopping will not cause much harm to the tree as it will :
(a) give it wounds that will heal soon.
(b) do no harm to its roots.
(c) have no effect on tree.
(d) do little harm to the tree.
Answer:
(b) do no harm to its roots.
(ii) ‘bleeding bark’ implies :
(а) blood coming out of bark
(b) the wounded bark.
(c) the bark that causes bleeding.
(d) a kind of bark.
Answer:
(b) the wounded bark.
(iii) ‘miniature boughs’ are :
(a) the tiny form of branches.
(b) the branches of a tree named miniature.
(c) a kind of bough.
(d) the twigs.
Answer:
(d) the twigs.
(iv) The above lines are composed by :
(a) Gieve Pate
(b) Edward Lear
(c) James Kirkup
(d) William Wordsworth
Answer:
(a) Gieve Pate
(v) According to the poet, a hack and chop alone _________.
Answer:
won’t kill a tree.
(vi) From close to the ground again _________.
Answer:
it will rise with curled green twigs.
(vii) What will happen to the bleeding bark?
Answer:
The bleeding bark will heal again and sprout new leaves.
(viii) What will rise from close to the ground?
Answer:
Twigs and boughs will rise from close to the ground.
(ix) Name the poem and the poet.
Answer:
Above lines have been taken from the poem, “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel.
(x) What alone will not kill a tree?
Answer:
Hacking and chopping alone will not kill a tree.
(xi) What will expand again?
Answer:
The twigs and boughs will make the tree expand again.
(xii) What will happen to the miniature if unchecked?
Answer:
It will regrow to its former maximum size.
(xiii) How are the green twigs held to the ground?
Answer:
Even after being cut, the stump of the tree remains alive sucking its life force from the soil. Thus, green twigs are held to the ground.
(xiv) What happens if the miniature boughs are left unchecked?
Answer:
If the miniature boughs are left unchecked, it regrows to its former size.
(xv) What does ‘hack and chop’ do to a tree?
Answer:
‘Hack and chop’ does not kill a tree; they simply shortens its size for a while.
STANZA III:
No,
The root is to be pulled out
Out of the anchoring earth :
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out-snapped out
Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed
The source, white and wet,
The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.
Vocabulary : anchoring (एंकरिंग) supporting सहारा देने वाली; roped (रोप्ड) tied with ropes रस्सों से बाँधना; snapped out (स्नेप्ड आउट) pulled out with a jerk झटके से खींचना; entirely (एन्टायरलि) completely पूर्णतः; earth-cave (अर्थ केव) hollow underground गुफा; exposed (एक्सपोज्ड) laid open, deprived of cover नंगा कर दिया, असुरक्षित कर दिया; source (सोर्स) origin मूल स्थान; sensitive (सेंस्टिव) tender नाजुक।
अनुवाद : ऐसे नहीं। इसकी तो जड़ धरती से बाहर निकालनी है जहाँ वह जमी हुई है। इसे रस्सियों से बाँधना होगा और झटका मार कर पूर्णत: धरती की गुफा से बाहर खींचना होगा। और इसकी शक्ति को, इसकी सफेद और गीली जड़ को जो इसका सबसे अधिक संवेदनशील भाग है और वर्षों से धरती के अन्दर है बाहर निकाल कर नंगा (बे सहारा) करना होगा।
(i) The poet says ‘No’ to :
(а) the hacking and chopping of the tree.
(b) the way of killing a tree.
(c) the killing of trees by men.
(d) the pulling out of roots.
Answer:
(а) the hacking and chopping of the tree.
(ii) How does the earth anchors the tree?
(a) The roots of the tree hold the soil firmly that the tree stands firm on the ground.
(b) The soil spreads around the trunk of the tree and keeps it standing steady.
(c) The tree is tied with ropes to the hooks fixed in the soil.
(d) The tree pushes itself inside the soil to get anchored.
Answer:
(a) The roots of the tree hold the soil firmly that the tree stands firm on the ground.
(iii) The earth-cave implies :
(a) a cave in the earth.
(b) earth acting as a cave (for roots).
(c) roots hide themselves inside the earth as animals hide themselves in a cave.
(d) a type of cave.
Answer:
(b) earth acting as a cave (for roots).
(iv) ‘The strength’ of the tree’ means its :
(a) branches
(b) leaves
(c) trunk
(d) roots
Answer:
(d) roots
(v) A tree can be killed _________.
Answer:
by pulling its root out of the earth.
(vi) The strength of a tree will be exposed _________.
Answer:
when the root is pulled entirely out of the earth.
(vii) What do you mean by ‘anchoring earth?
Answer:
‘The earth harbours the roots of trees as if embedded in the soil like an anchor in the sea.
(viii) The root of the tree is to be roped and tied so that they may be _________.
Answer:
snapped out or pulled out entirely.
(ix) The word, ‘roots’ in the above extract is compared to _________.
Answer:
the strength of the tree.
(x) What anchors a tree?
Answer:
The earth anchors a tree.
(xi) When can you say that a tree has been killed?
Answer:
We can say that a tree has been killed when the root is pulled out of the earth entirely, thus exposing the ‘strength’ of the tree, and it is left to wither and die in the sunlight.
(xii) What has roots been compared with?
Answer:
The roots have been compared with the strength of the tree.
(xiii) The most sensitive part of the tree is its _________.
Answer:
‘source’, i.e., the root
(xiv) How does a tree come out from the earth cave?
Answer:
A tree comes out from the earth-cave when its root is pulled out entirely.
(xv) Name the poem from which these lines are taken.
Answer:
These lines have been taken from the poem “On Killing a Tree”.
(xvi) Explain ‘anchoring earth’.
Answer:
The earth harbours the roots of trees as if embedded in the soil like an anchor in the sea.
STANZA IV:
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering, ‘
And then it is done.
Vocabulary : matter (मैटर) work, job काम; scorching (स्कॉर्चिंग) drying up in the sun सुखाना; choking (चॉकंग) unable to breath साँस घोटना; twisting (टविस्टिंग) warping टेढ़ा-मेढ़ा होना; withering ( विदरिंग) causing to become dry and discoloured मुर्झाना; it is done (इट इज डन) the job (of killing) is over काम तमाम हो गया।
अनुवाद : फिर काम है इसे धूप व हवा में सुखाने का और इसका दम घोटने का। इसको सुखाने का और कठोर बनाने का, टेढ़ा-मेढ़ा करने का, इसे मुईाने का। और फिर बस इसका काम तमाम हो जाएगा (यह मर जाएगा)।
(i) ‘It’ in the last line refers to _________.
(ii) Scorching and choking actions refer to
(iii) The sun and air will help one in _________.
(iv) The name of the poet and the poem from which this extract has been taken are _________.
(v) What should be done after pulling the root out of the earth?
(vi) Like the title of the poem, which words or images are suggestive of violence in this stanza?
(vii) What is the style employed by the poet?
(viii) What is ‘It’ refers to in the last line.
Answer:
(i) finally killing a tree.
(ii) the drying up of the tree after being uprooted.
(iii) browning, hardening, twisting, and withering a tree.
(iv) “On Killing A Tree” by Gieve Patel.
(v) The tree should be scorched and choked in the sun and air.
(vi) Scorching, chocking and twisting are suggestive of violence.
(vii) The poet has employed the free style
(viii) ‘It’ refers to finally killing a tree.