ON KILLING A TREE

 VIVEKANANDA COACHING CENTRE

 TUTOR : -SWAPAN KUMAR RAY ( M.A ) 

VERSE : -ON KILLING A TREE 

A. complete each of the following sentences , choosing the correct option from the alternatives provided :-

1. A tree grows up absorbing sunlight, air and water for --- days / months / years / weeks.

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 2. ' On Killing a Tree ' is written in - blank verse / free verse / heroic verse / reymed couplet.

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3. Killing a tree is not possible with ---  a hack of an axe / a jab of the knife / injecting poison / several blows of hammer .

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 4. The bark of the tree is described as " leprous ' because ---  it is soft and smooth / it is wounded by  the knife / it is rough and has marks / it is glossy and shining .

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5. The ' curled green twigs ' rise from ---  the earth's cave / the unrooted tree / close to the ground / the rough bark . 

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6. ' Miniature boughs ' - the word ' boughs ' means --- leaves / roots / branches / stems .

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7. ' Miniature boughs ' -- the word ' miniature ' means --- small / very small / not so big / very big .

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8. The root needs to be pulled out of the --- soil / anchoring earth / underground / none of these .

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9. The tree has grown out of the earth --- slowly / quickly / peacefully / rapidly . 

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10. The task of killing of tree is  --- ceremonial / methodical / logical / controversial . 

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11. The source of the tree is ---  White / green / pale / black . 

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12. The most sensitive part of the tree is --- the roots / the leaves / the twigs / the seeds . 

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13. Green twigs rising out of the severed stem are --- curled / straight / shining / broken . 

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14. The first step of uprooting a tree is to --- dig the earth / tie a rope / pull it out / none of these.

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15. The root is --- pale and wet / green / yellowish / White and wet . 

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16. The uprooted tree is left in the --- field / sun / sand / seashore.

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 17. An uprooted tree is scorched in --- air / sun / water / fire.

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 18. The most sensitive part of the tree is the --- roots / bark / twigs / leaves . 

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19. The roots have laid hidden in the soil for --- centuries / months / days / years .

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20. A tree will not be completely dead until it ---  turns brown / hardens / withers / gets twisted . 

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21. ' And then it is done here it refers to the process of ---  killing / scarching / choking / twisting . 

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22. Not so much ---- will do it. ---  pleasure / smile / pain / work . 

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 23. But this alone won't do it' --- here ' it ' refers to ---  stabbing a tree / killing a tree / chopping a tree / whipping a tree .

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 24. The bark of the tree bleeds because of ---  stabbing / uprooting / chopping / hacking and chopping.

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25. The bleeding bark of the tree will --- come / hail / hack / heal . 

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 26. Where does irony lie in the poem ? --- that the killing is almost ceremonial / that trees don't die / that man is a killer / none .

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 27. Gleve Patel is a ---  practicing lawyer / practicing physician / popular politician / professional engineer . 

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 28. Green twigs are curled because they are ---  new / fresh / young / weak .

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29. " Feeding upon it's crust here crust means ---  earth's inner surface / top layer of the earth / bark of the tree / root of the tree . 

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30. New leaves  will appear from ---  the bark / the leaves / close to the ground / any part of a tree . 

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31. The strength of a tree is in its --- roots / leaves / fruits / hide.

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B. Answer the following questions , each in a complete sentence :-

1.  What type of poem is " On Killing a Tree " ?  ( Sub + Aux + ---- ) 

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2. What kind of task is it to kill a tree ? ( Sub + Aux + ----)

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 3. How does a tree grow ? {Sub + ( V + es / s ) + ---- } 

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4.How is the hide of the tree ? ( Sub + Aux ---- ) 

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5.  " Not so much pain will do it " --- What task does the word ' it ' refer to ?  {Sub + (V+es/s) +P + ---- )

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 7. From where would the curled green twigs rise ? ( Sub + Aux + V + P+ ----) . 

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6.  " The bleeding bark will heal "  --- Why does the bark bleed ? { Sub + ( V + es / s ) + Because + --- }

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8. What does the phrase ' earth cave ' refer to ? { Sub + ( V + es / s ) + P + ----} .

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 9. What according to Gieve Patel is the most sensitive ' part of a tree ? ( According to + Sub , ---- + Aux + Obj ) . 

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10. " And then it is done. " ---  Which act is referred to here ?  ( Sub + Aux + --- ) .

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 11. What does the word ' crust ' mean ? { Sub + ( V + es / s ) + ----}.

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 12. What are ' miniature boughs ' ? ( Sub + Aux + ----)

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13. What does the phrase , ' the anchoring earth ' mean ? {Sub + ( V + es / s ) + ---- } .

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 14. Why is the root white ? ( Sub + Aux + Obj +  Because + ----) .

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 15.  Why is the root wet ?  ( Sub + Aux + Obj + Because + ---- )

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16. What makes this poem easy to read ? ( Sub + Aux + Obj + P + --- ) . 

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 17.  " But this alone won't do it " Why does this refer to here ? { Sub + ( V + es / s ) + P + ---}

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18. How can the roots be pulled out completely ? ( Sub + V2 + ----)

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 19. " No " --- What is ' no ' ? ( Sub + Aux + ---- ) . 

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 20.  Contrast ' bleeding bark' with ' green twigs ' .. ( Sub + Aux + ----;  Sub + Aux + ---- ) . 

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 21. Why cannot a ' simple jab of knife ' kill a tree ?  ( Sub + Model + not + V + Obj + Because + ---- ) . 

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22. " It is to be roped , tied " ---  Which is to be roped and tied ?  ( ----+ Aux + Obj ) .

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23. " And then it is done ? " - When it is done ? ( When +  -----)

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24. " The source , white and wet " ---  Why are the roots called source ?  ( Sub + Aux + Obj + Because + ----) .

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25. Which part is hidden ? ( ---- + Aux + Obj ) .

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1. And then it is done " - What is done then and how ?

Or,

Why it is not quite easy to kill a tree ?

Ans : - Then the act of final killing of a tree is done in the poem ' On Killing a Tree ' .

 The poet declares that the process of killing a tree is a long one . A simple jab of the knife or hacking and chopping are not enough to kill a tree . The reason is that the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight , air and water . What is required to kill a tree is to uproot it . The root is exposed and then , the tree roped , tied and snapped out . Thereafter , the root is kept in the sun and air to get scorched and choked . Next , the root is left in the sun till it gets hardened and becomes brown . Finally the root is twisted and withered in the sun to kill the tree completely .

 2.Justify the title of the poem " On Killing a Tree " .

Or, 

Write the substance of the poem 'On Killing a Tree'.

 Ans : - ' On Killing a Tree ' depicts the process of destroying a tree . The poet declares that the process of killing a tree is a long one . A simple jab of the knife or hacking and chopping are not enough to kill a tree . The reason is that the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight , air and water . What is required to kill a tree is to uproot it . The root is exposed and then , the tree roped , tied and snapped out . Thereafter , the root is kept in the sun and air to get scorched and choked . Next , the root is left in the sun till it gets hardened and becomes brown . Finally the root is twisted and withered in the sun to kill the tree completely . Thus the poem describes the process of killing a tree . So the title is appropriate . 

3. The source , white and wet , 

The most sensitive , hidden ' ----  What is the ' source ' referred to here ? Why does the poet call the ' source ' the most sensitive ? 

Ans : - The source of the tree is it's root . The poet says that root of the tree lies hidden inside the earth for years . It is white and wet .

 It is white because it is kept under the ground for years and does not get sunlight . It is wet because it always absorbs water and minerals to make the tree alive . 

The strength of the tree lies in its root . The root gives strength to the tree . So it is source of the strength . It is the most sensitive because it has been hidden for years inside the earth . 

4. Describe the detail the growth of the tree in the first stanza . 

Ans : - In the first stanza of ' On Killing a Tree ' the poet describes the growth of the tree and the role of the earth in it's growth . The tree grows slowly , consuming the sunlight , air and water of the earth for many years . It spreads it's roots into the earth and the earth gives it's support . The newly formed green leaves begin to sprout from the hidden discolored part . Thus the tree grows up to be strong and steady , spreading it's branches and leaves . As it takes years to grow up , it cannot be simply killed within a short span of time with a single jab of the knife . 

5. 'Not a simple jab of the knife

will do it.'' --- Why is a simple jab of the knofe not enough to kill a tree? How can a tree ultimately killed?

Ans : - The tree has grown slowly consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight , air and water . It feels upon the earth's crust and gains much strength . The more blow of the knife , hacking and chopping cannot kill it all because new shoots come out again so , it takes much time to kill a tree . 

To kill a tree , its root is to be pulled out . The root is to be kept in the sun and air to get scorched and choked . The root is to be lift till they get dry and became brown . In time , it becomes hardened , twisted and withered .