Class 12 Chapter 1 Solution
On Killing a Tree
1. MCQs Question Answer
1. Which of the following set of words is associated with life and growth?
a) hack, chop, scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting, withering
b) consuming, feeding, absorbing, sprouting, green twigs, etc. ✔
c) anchoring earth, earth-cave, white and wet
d) sunlight, air and water
2. In the poem the killing of a tree is described as
i) a healthy exercise
ii) a woodcutter’s job
iii) a deliberate act
iv) an innocent act
Ans. ii) a woodcutter’s job
3. To kill a tree
i) is not easy
ii) takes a little time
iii) is a right thing
iv) is almost impossible
Ans. i) is not easy
4. A simple jab of the knife
i) can kill a tree
ii) can encourage a tree to grow
iii) cannot kill a tree
iv) must be fatal to a tree
Ans.iii) cannot kill a tree
5. What is the theme of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’?
a) man’s love for nature
b) man’s cruelty towards nature ✔
c) man’s indifference to nature
d) man’s endeavour to protect nature
6. Which of the following set of words is associated with violence and death?
a) hack, chop, scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting, withering ✔
b) consuming, feeding, absorbing, sprouting, green twigs, etc.
c) anchoring earth, earth-cave, white and wet
d) sunlight, air and water
7. Which of the following set of expressions suggests that the tree is personified?
a) hack, chop, scorching
b) anchoring earth, earth-cave
c) leprous hide, bleeding bark, heal and sensitive ✔
d) green twigs, miniature boughs
8. What makes the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ impressive?
a) conversational tone and logical sequence
b) brilliant image and personification
c) ironical treatment of the theme
d) all of these ✔
9. What does the movement from ‘bleeding bark’ to ‘green twigs’ symbolise?
a) the change from near-death to life ✔
b) the change from life to death
c) the change from life-giver to life-taker
d) the change from joy to sorrow
10. The ‘browning’ and ‘hardening’ of a tree is done in
a) a factory
b) a courtyard
c) the open air ✔
d) a shade
11. “In the sun and air,/Browning, hardening,/Twisting, withering” Here ‘withering’ means
a) weathering
b) shrivelling ✔
c) wanting
d) breaking
12. The tone on which the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ ends is
a) irony ✔
b) joy
c) tragedy
d) achievement
13. The form of the verse used in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ is
a) blank verse
b) free verse ✔
c) iambic pentameter
d) rhymed couplet
14. The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ encodes the message that
a) killing a tree is an act of cruelty
b) killing of a tree is painful
c) trees cannot be killed so easily ✔
d) killing of a tree is an adventurous work
15. After uprooting, the tree is exposed
a) for sprouting leaves
b) for scorching and choking ✔
c) preparation of food
d) for revival
16. “And then it is done.” Here ‘it’ refers to
a) killing of a tree ✔
b) planting of a tree
c) healing of a tree
d) browning of a tree
17. The word ‘scorching’ means
a) burning ✔
b) scoring
c) catching
d) serving
18. The word ‘choking’ means
a) checking
b) sinking
c) changing
d) strangling ✔
19. The word ‘browning’ means
a) drying up ✔
b) bringing
c) bridging
d) breaking
20. The word ‘hardening’ means
a) making something tougher ✔
b) making something smooth
c) making something difficult
d) making something rougher
21. The word ‘done’ means
a) accomplished ✔
b) complete
c) dashed
d) deed
22. A tree grows
i) rooted deep in the earth
ii) shedding leaves
iii) consuming the earth
iv) eroding soil
Ans.iii) consuming the earth
23. By consuming the nutrients of the earth, the tree has grown
i) at rapid rate
ii) fast
iii) very slowly
iv) slowly
Ans. iv) slowly
24. “It has grown/Slowly consuming the earth”-The statement indicates
i) the tree has completely destroyed the earth in its process of growing
ii) the tree has gained nourishment from the earth
iii) the tree grew along with the earth
iv) the growth of a tree is helpful for the earth
Ans.ii) the tree has gained nourishment from the earth
25. “Rising out of it, feeding/Upon its crust’-Here crust refers to
i) the light covering of the roots
ii) the top layer to the earth
iii) the bark of the tree
iv) the last layer of the earth
Ans.ii) the top layer to the earth
26. A tree draws its sustenance from
i) the earth’s core
ii) a water body
iii) the earth’s crust
iv) fertilizer
ans.iii) the earth’s crust
27. A tree grows by absorbing
i) sunlight
ii) Bair
iii) water
iv) all of these
Ans.iv) all of these
28. The expression ‘leprous hide’ refers to
i) the bark of a tree
ii) the skin of a leper
iii) snooth skin
iv) rough skin
Ans. i) the bark of a tree
29. The expression ‘leprous hide’ means
i) the tree’s bark
ii) the leper’s skin
iii) smooth skin
iv) glossy skin
Ans.ii) the leper’s skin
30. Feeding upon the earth’s crust, the tree rises out of
i) the cave
ii) the earth
iii) the sun
iv) water
Ans.ii) the earth
31. Leaves sprout out of the tree’s
i) green twigs
ii) white root
iii) leprous hide
iv) dry stem
Ans. iii) leprous hide
32. The statement ‘It takes much time to kill a tree’ indicates
i) a sense of joy, that killing a tree is not an easy task
ii) a sense of impatience, that killing a tree takes much time and effort
iii) a sense of irony, that a tree cannot be easily killed
iv) a sense of defeat that killing a tree takes much time
Ans.iii) a sense of irony, that a tree cannot be easily killed
33. ‘A simple jab of the knife’ can’t do what?
i) It cannot kill a tree.
ii) It cannot hamper a tree’s growth.
iii) It cannot hurt a tree.
iv) It cannot stab a tree.
Ans .i) It cannot kill a tree.
34. The phrase ‘a simple jab of the knife’ means
i) a simple step for the growth of a tree
ii) cutting the tree completely
iii) shaping the tree with a knife
iv) stabbing the tree with a knife
ans.iv) stabbing the tree with a knife
35. The poet’s observation about the growth of the tree is that
i) the tree grows steadily
ii) the tree grows slowly
iii) the tree does not grow at all
iv) the tree grows rapidly
Ans.ii) the tree grows slowly
36. The phrase ‘leprous hide’ suggests
i) the discoloured bark of the tree
ii) the skin of a leper
iii) the bleeding bark
iv) the skin of the man cutting down the tree
Ans. i) the discoloured bark of the tree
37. ‘Leprous hide’ bears
i) fruit
ii) flower
iii)leaves
iv) birds
Ans, iii)leaves
38 . The word ‘jab’ means
i) job
ii) jar
iii) jerk
iv) stab
Ans. iv) stab
39. The word ‘consuming’ means
i) taking in
ii) consulting
iii) containing
iv) talking
Ans i) taking in
40. The word ‘crust’ means
i) inner layer
ii) outer layer
iii) sandy layer
iv) muddy layer
Ans.ii) outer layer
41. The word ‘absorbing’ means
i) attacking
ii) attracting
iii) sucking
iv) secreting
Ans. iii) sucking
42. The word ‘leprous’ means
i) of a leper
ii) dangerous
iii) curious
iv) ludicrous
Ans. i) of a leper
43. The third stanza of Gieve Patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ starts with the word
A) Yes
B ) So
C) No
D) Then
ANS. C) No
44. In order to kill a tree successfully, it is to be
A) stabbed
B) uprooted
C) hacked
D) chopped
ANS.B) uprooted
45. The most sensitive part of the tree is its
A) leaf
B) stem
C) bark
D) root
ANS.D) root
46. The root in ‘On Killing a Tree’ is
A) pale and wet
B) green
C) yellowish
D) white and wet
ANS. D) white and wet
47. ‘White and wet’ refers to
A) the stem
B) sprouting leaves
C) the roots
D) the earth
ANS.C) the roots
48. The strength of tree gets exposed when it is
A) roped
B) chopped
C) uprooted
D) hacked
ANS.C) uprooted
49. To kill a tree one needs to
A) jab
B) hack
C) chop
D) uproot
ANS. D) uproot
50. What is formed in the earth when a tree is uprooted?
A) an earth-cave
B) a pond
C) an anchor
D) a hollow space for a new tree
ANS. D) a hollow space for a new tree
51. The phrase ‘earth cave’ indicates
A) the cave in which the tree was planted
B) the hollow in which the tree grows
C) the earth in which the tree is planted
D) the gaping hole in the earth when the roots are pulled out
ANS.D) the gaping hole in the earth when the roots are pulled out
52. What does the expression ‘anchoring earth’ suggest?
A) The tree has grown in water.
B) The tree is strong enough.
C) The tree is firmly fixed in the earth.
D) The tree has human feelings.
ANS.C) The tree is firmly fixed in the earth.
53. What does the poet refer to as the ‘strength of the tree’?
A) green twigs
B) miniature boughs
C) sprouting leaves
D) life-supporting roots
ANS.D) life-supporting roots
54. What gets exposed as a result of uprooting?
A) green twigs
B) miniature boughs
C) new leaves
D) life-supporting roots
ANS.D) life-supporting roots
55. Why is the source white?
A) Because it absorbs sunlight.
B) Because it has been painted white.
C) Because it remains hidden inside the earth.
D) Because it is full of phosphorus.
ANS. C) Because it remains hidden inside the earth.
56. Why is ‘the source’ wet?
A) Because it is full of water and other nutrients.
B) Because it is exposed to rain.
C) Because it is in water.
D) Because it reflects sunlight.
ANS.A) Because it is full of water and other nutrients.
57. Knowing a tree’s power to come to life, what does man decide to do?
A) to root it out
B) to allow it to grow naturally
C) not to kill a tree
D) to plant more trees
ANS.A) to root it out
58. What does the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ expose?
A) man’s love for nature
B) man’s cruelty towards nature
C) man’s indifference to nature
D) man’s endeavour to protect nature
ANS. B) man’s cruelty towards nature
59. The word ‘anchoring’ means
a) clinging
b) alarming
c) answering
d) changing
Ans .a) clinging
60. The word ‘snapped’ means
a) sniffed
b) sneezed
c) sneaked
d) jerked out
ans.d) jerked out
2.Very Short Question Answer
1. Where do the leaves sprout from?
Ans. The leaves sprout from the leprous hide of the tree.
2. What are the processes helped by the sun and air?
Ans. Scorching and choking of a tree are the processes helped by the sun and air.
3. What are the two final mechanisms done to the tree after which ‘it is done’?
Ans. Twisting and withering are the two final mechanisms done to the tree after which ‘it is done.
4. “And then it is done”-What act is referred to here?
Ans. The act of killing a tree completely is referred to here.
5. What makes ‘On Killing a Tree’ easy to read?
Ans. The easy conversational style makes the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ easy to read.
6. What scorch and choke the tree after it is pulled out?
Ans. After the tree is pulled out the sun and air scorch and choke the tree.
7. In what verse-form is the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ written?
Ans. The poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’, is written in free verse.
8. What human activity is really ironical in Gieve Patel’s poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Ans. The fact that man destroys nature that nourishes human civilization is really ironical
9. What role do the sun and air play in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Ans. In the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’ the sun and air are both life-givers and life-takers.
10. What type of poem is ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Ans. ‘On Killing a Tree’ is an ironical poem, written in free verse.
11. What message does the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ convey?
Ans. The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ conveys the message that
12. What is the final process of killing a tree?
Ans. The final process of killing a tree is uprooting the tree.
13. How is the role of the nourishing sun reversed after the tree is uprooted?
Ans. The role of the nourishing sun is reversed to a destructive force after the tree is uprooted.
14. Who wrote the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Ans. Gieve Patel wrote the poem ‘On Killing a Tree! [‘On Killing a Tree’ কবিতাটি জীভ প্যাটেলের লেখা।]
15. How much time does it take to kill a tree?
Ans. It takes much time to kill a tree.
16. Why does it take much time to kill a tree?
Ans. It takes much time to kill a tree because the tree is deep- rooted and it requires a lot of effort to kill it.
17. What kind of task is it to kill a tree?
Ans. To kill a tree is not an easy task because it takes much time and effort.
18. What does ‘crust’ mean?7
Ans. The word ‘crust’ means the top layer of the earth.
19. What does the tree absorb?
Ans. The tree absorbs sunlight, air and water.
20. “But this alone won’t do it.” -What is ‘this’?
Ans. Here ‘this’ refers to hacking and chopping of a tree.
3. Short Question Answer
1. Which expressions suggest that the tree is personified in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’? Tree’
Ans. Words and expressions such as, ‘leprous hide, ‘bleeding bark, ‘heal, ‘sensitive, etc. suggest that the tree is personified in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’
2. What does the poet mean by ‘It takes much time to kill a tree’?
Ans. By the statement ‘It takes much time to kill a tree’ the poet means to say that killing a tree is not a simple or easy task. [‘It takes much time to kill a tree’
3. Why can’t a simple jab of the knife kill a tree?
Ans. A simple jab of the knife cannot kill the tree because it has grown by consuming nutrients from the earth and it is deep-rooted
4. How, according to Gieve Patel, has the tree grown?
Ans. The tree has grown slowly by consuming the earth, feeding off its crust, and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.
5. What does the expression ‘consuming the earth’ mean in ‘On Killing a Tree’? [‘On Killing a Tree’
Ans. The expression ‘consuming the earth’ means using up the resources of the earth, absorbing water and minerals from the soil.
6. What does the expression ‘leprous hide’, in Gieve Patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, refer to?
Ans. In Gieve Patel’s poem, ‘On Killing a Tree, the expression
7. What does the ‘leprous hide’ in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ mean?
Or, What is meant by ‘leprous hide’?
Ans. In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ the phrase ‘leprous hide’ means that the bark of the tree looks like the discoloured skin of a man suffering from leprosy.
8. How does a tree grow?
Ans. As pointed out by Gieve Patel in his poem ‘On Killing a Tree, a tree grows slowly by consuming the nutrients from the earth and absorbing sunlight, air and water for years
9. What will happen after hacking and chopping of the tree?
Ans. The bleeding bark of the tree will heal its wound and produce curled green twigs after hacking and chopping of the tree.
10. “No,/The root is to be pulled out”-What does the word ‘No’ suggest here?
Ans. Here the word ‘No’ suggests that all the violent steps of knife-jabbing, hacking and chopping, cannot kill a tree completely.
4. Long Question Answer
1. The poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’, describes man’s cruelty and violence to nature. -Discuss.
Or, How has Gieve Patel shown violence and the philosophy of non-violence in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Ans. Gieve Patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ presents a vivid description of man’s cruelty and violence to nature to advocate the philosophy of non-violence. In the poem, the tree stands for nature that provides nourishment for man. But modern man, out of selfish greed, kills a tree and thereby destroys nature. The poet describes the whole process of killing a tree. Neither a simple jab of the knife nor hacking and chopping can kill a tree. It is firmly fixed with its roots anchored in the earth. So, it has to be roped, tied and pulled out of the earth-cave to kill it completely. Then it has to be exposed to sunlight and air scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting and finally withering. The poet uses a number of images of death to highlight man’s cruelty and violence. Thus he tries to arouse our love and sympathy for all its objects of nature.
2. How does a tree offer resistance to its destruction? How does its resistance fail?
Ans. A tree grows slowly by consuming the earth’s nutrients and absorbing sunlight, air and water. But selfish greed and cruelty of man knows no bounds. At every stage of its growth and development a tree faces challenges and offers resistance to its destruction. Neither a jab nor hacking and chopping can kill a full-grown tree. Even if it is cut with powerful and cruel strokes, it feels pain but does not die. Its bleeding bark heals itself. Its trunk, from close to the ground, produces green twigs and small branches. And gradually it grows to its former size.
• But all its resistance fail when it is uprooted and cut off from anchoring earth. It has to give up when bare roots come out and as a result the life-supporting system fails. Then in the sun it is scorched and choked. Finally it goes through the process of browning, hardening, twisting and withering. Thus, ultimately the tree is killed.
3. Explain: “And then it is done”.
Ans. In his poem ‘On Killing a Tree, Gieve Patel gives a graphic (description of the total destruction) of a tree. Man realises that neither a simple jab of the knife nor hacking and chopping can kill a tree. In order to kill a tree, it has to be uprooted. So the tree is roped, tied and pulled out. It is now cut off from the earth. Finally, in the presence of sun and air, the roots pass through the processes of scorching, choking, bro highlights man’s satisfaction in destroying nature. Ironically , it shows how man glorifies ) his cruelty .
4. How does the poet describe the killing of a tree in the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Or, How can the tree be killed in ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Or, How is the life-force of the tree described in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Or, Write after Gieve Patel a note on the power and strength of a tree to withstand man’s cruelty.
Ans. The poet shows how a tree is tortured (টরচারড্) for complete destruction. Killing a tree is a difficult task. It takes much time and effort. Neither a simple jab of the knife nor hacking and chopping can kill a tree. It is not so easy a task because the tree has grown slowly, consuming the earth and absorbing sunlight, air and water. It is firmly fixed with its roots anchored in the earth. After hacking and chopping, new twigs sprout and grow to former size. So, in order to kill a tree it has to be uprooted. It has to be roped, tied and snapped out. It has to be pulled out entirely from the earth-cave. After uprooting, the root has to be exposed to sunlight and air so that it scorches, chokes, browns, hardens, twists and finally withers. Thus man has to take up and more and more violent steps to complete the process of killing a tree.
5. Why does the poet describe the killing of a tree in such graphic detail? mental issues of the day.
Ans. The poet Gieve Patel has deep concern for environment. In the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree, he treats trees as living organisms He observes that man’s greedand selfishness cause destruction of trees. So he raises his voice against reckless felling of trees. The images of violence that the poet uses
in the poem show the poet’s genuine love for trees. Words and expressions such as ‘a simple jab of the knife’, ‘hack and chop, ‘pain, ‘bleeding bark, ‘most sensitive’ highlight the poet’s heartfelt sympathy for trees. As a sensitive poet, Gieve Patel describes the killing of a tree in such a vivid manner as to evoke our sympathy for trees. Thus the poem denounces man’s callousness towards the trees.
6. What message does Gieve Patel convey through the poem, “On Killing a Tree”?
Ans. Gieve Patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ has a strong message. The poem wants to say that a tree is a very powerful organism. It is a living organism. It has life and feelings. The growth of a tree is no less than the growth of a human being, and the cutting down of a tree is nothing but killing a tree. The act of killing a tree is a blood-ridden business. This is an act of extreme brutality. A tree cannot be killed so easily. Man has to make a lot of violent effort to kill it. The tree tries to overcome all the bruises and wounds, all the violent attacks of man. Man continues the murderous actions till it is killed. When the tree is finally killed, man sees it as victory. But the irony is that humans are destroying the nature that nourishes the human civilization.
7. Explain the irony behind the meticulous act of killing a tree as depicted in the poem.
Ans. Gieve Patel’s ‘On Killing a Tree’ is an excellent ironical poem. In the poem the work of cutting down a tree becomes a violent ritual. This ceremonial task of killing a tree is purely ironical as man kills his best friend in a triumphant manner. The last line of the poem says: “And then it is done.” The line suggests that a great success is achieved in the end. This is nothing but a devastating success. It is an act of extreme brutality, a cold-blooded murder of a living thing. The title of the poem is ‘On Killing a Tree’ but at the outset of the poem the poet tells us how a tree grows up to its full feature. The tree grows slowly, consuming the earth and absorbing water, air and sunlight for years. It is the same sun that dries up and destroys the tree. The use of irony makes the poem interesting and rich in meaning.
8. Give the central idea of the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Ans. Gieve Patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree, records the poet’s genuine love for nature. It presents his deep concern for indiscriminate felling of trees. The tree consumes nutrients from the earth and absorbs sunlight, air and water for years. Thus, the tree grows slowly. It is also a generous helper. But in return, it has to suffer much. It struggles for existence because of man’s cruelty. Hacking and chopping do not kill it. It bleeds and feels pain. Then it heals itself naturally. It produces new twigs and develops into a full-grown tree again. But it has to finally surrender to man’s selfish greed when it is uprooted. Thus the poem focuses on the irony of the killing of a benefactor by its beneficiary
9. Justify the appropriateness of the title of the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Or, Justify the title of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Ans. The title, ‘On Killing a Tree, indicates the ironical fate
of a tree. A tree is a generous helper. But man’s selfishness and greed annihilate it. As a simple jab or chopping cannot kill a tree, cruel man uses a number of cruel methods to kill a tree. So a tree is uprooted and snapped out of the earth. Then roots are exposed to sunlight for drying. They pass through the processes of scorching, choking, browning, hardening and twisting. The act of killing becomes complete when the tree becomes completely withered. The poet treats trees as sensitive living organisms. He adds human qualities to them to highlight their struggle for existence. Thus, the title ironically points out man’s utter callousness and cruelty towards trees. So, the title is appropriate.
10. “It takes much time to kill a tree, / Not a simple jab of the knife / Will do it. “-What does the phrase, ‘a simple jab of the knife’, mean? Why can’t ‘a simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? [এখানে ‘a simple jab of the knife’
Ans. The phrase, ‘a simple jab of the knife, means the attempt to kill a tree by mere stabbing it with a knife.
• The poet says that an attempt to kill a tree only by stabbing it with a knife cannot be successful. If a tree is struck hard with a knife, it does not die. The tree can overcome such a blow. It has become strong by absorbing the nutrients from the earth. Since birth, it has been absorbing sunlight, air and water. So a simple jabbing won’t kill it. A tree can withstand a simple jab of the knife. The poet defines the difficult task of cutting down trees by using such a phrase ironically.
11. How does a tree grow? Or, Describe in detail the growth of a tree, as stated in the first stanza of the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Ans. In the first stanza of the poem, ‘On Killing a Tree, Gieve Patel describes the growth of a tree. According to the poet, a tree grows slowly by consuming the nutrients from the earth. The tree takes essential nutrients from the earth’s upper crust and prepares its food. It also absorbs sunlight, air and water, the three elementalforces of nature, to produce food. This food reaches all parts of the tree as a result of which the tree grows. Thus, taking in nutrients from the earth and the atmosphere , the tree grows gradually. The poet describes the growth of a tree to suggest its vivacity
12. “So hack and chop/But this alone won’t do it. “-What does ‘it’ refer to? Why won’t hacking and chopping do it?
Ans. Here ‘it’ refers to killing a tree.
• Hacking and chopping cannot destroy a tree completely. They may inflict pain for the time being and affect the tree. But they won’t kill the tree because its ‘bleeding bark’ will heal itself. Then fresh twigs are sure to come out from it and develop into small branches (ব্রাঞ্চেস্). These fresh twigs that grow near the ground will develop to their former size if unchecked. The poet wants to mean that killing a tree is a difficult task because it also has life which has been nourished (নারি) for years.
13. How does the tree in ‘On Killing a Tree’ heal itself? [‘On Killing a Tree’
Ans. In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ the tree symbolises nature. Nature is the best healer. The tree is a powerful living organism. It has great regenerative power. It has the unique power of healing wounds and attacks. A simple cut with the knife cannot make it dead. Its amazing vitality enables it to withstand the cuts and bruises. Man gives the tree much pain by hacking and chopping, but the act of hacking and chopping cannot kill it. The tree fights for life again. The bleeding bark heals its wounds. New leaves come out of its leprous hide. The small boughs grow into big branches and expand to its former size. In this way, the tree survives all odds and heals itself after a period of time.