On Killing a Tree – Class 9 Assam

On Killing a Tree

Answers to Questions on “On Killing a Tree”

1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?
(কুঠাৰৰ এটা সাধাৰণ ঘাপত গছ এজোপা মৰিব নে? কিয় নমৰে?)
No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree because its roots are deeply anchored in the soil, sustaining it despite surface wounds.
(নাই, কুঠাৰৰ এটা সাধাৰণ ঘাপত গছ এজোপা নমৰে কাৰণ ইয়াৰ শিপা মাটিত গভীৰভাৱে সংলগ্ন, পৃষ্ঠৰ ক্ষত সত্ত্বেও ইয়াক জীয়াই ৰাখে।)

2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
(গছ এজোপা কেনেকৈ ডাঙৰ হয়? কবিতাটোৰ পৰা গছ গঠনৰ লগত জড়িত শব্দবোৰ বাছি উলিওৱা।)
The tree has grown to its full size over years by absorbing nutrients from the earth, sunlight, air, and water. Words suggesting its life and activity: “grown slowly,” “rising out,” “feeding upon,” “absorbing,” “sprouting.”
(গছ এজোপা বছৰৰ পাছত বছৰ ধৰি মাটিৰ পৰা পুষ্টি, সূৰ্যৰ পোহৰ, বায়ু আৰু পানী শোষণ কৰি ডাঙৰ হৈছে। জীৱন আৰু কাৰ্যৰ শব্দ: “লাহে লাহে ডাঙৰ হোৱা,” “বাঢ়ি অহা,” “খাদ্য গ্ৰহণ কৰা,” “শোষণ কৰা,” “কুঁহি ওলোৱা।”)

3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?
(গছৰ ছালৰ ৰক্তক্ষৰণ মানে কি? কিহে ইয়াৰ ৰক্তক্ষৰণ কৰে?)
“Bleeding bark” refers to the sap oozing from the tree’s trunk when it is cut or hacked, resembling blood. Human actions, like striking it with a knife or axe, make it bleed.
(“গছৰ ছালৰ ৰক্তক্ষৰণ” মানে গছৰ কাণ্ডৰ পৰা ৰস ওলোৱা যেতিয়া ইয়াক কাটা বা ঘাপ মৰা হয়, ৰক্তৰ দৰে। মানুহৰ কাৰ্য, যেনে কুঠাৰ বা ছুৰিৰে আঘাত, ইয়াক ৰক্তক্ষৰণ কৰায়।)

4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
(কবিয়ে তৃতীয় ছন্দৰ আৰম্ভত “নাই” কৈছে। ইয়াৰ দ্বাৰা তেওঁ কি বুজাইছে?)
The poet says “No” to assert that merely hacking or chopping the tree’s trunk is insufficient to kill it, as its roots keep it alive.
(কবিয়ে “নাই” কৈছে এইটো জোৰ দিবলৈ যে গছৰ কাণ্ড কাটিলে বা ঘাপ মাৰিলে ই মৰি নাযায়, কাৰণ ইয়াৰ শিপাই ইয়াক জীয়াই ৰাখে।)

5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” & “earth cave”?
(মাটিত লঙ্গৰ লগোৱা আৰু মাটিৰ গহ্বৰ মানে কি?)
“Anchoring earth” means the soil that firmly holds the tree’s roots, giving it stability. “Earth cave” refers to the hidden space beneath the ground where the roots are embedded.
(“মাটিত লঙ্গৰ লগোৱা” মানে মাটিয়ে গছৰ শিপাক দৃঢ়ভাৱে ধৰি ৰাখে, স্থিৰতা দিয়ে। “মাটিৰ গহ্বৰ” মানে মাটিৰ তলৰ লুকাই থকা ঠাই য’ত শিপা সোমাই থাকে।)

6. What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?
(গছৰ শক্তি উদঙ হৈ পৰে ইয়াৰ জৰিয়তে কবিয়ে কি বুজাব বিচাৰিছে?)
“The strength of the tree exposed” means the roots, its life source, are pulled out and left vulnerable to air and sunlight, leading to its death.
(“গছৰ শক্তি উদঙ হৈ পৰে” মানে শিপা, ইয়াৰ জীৱনৰ উৎস, উঘালি বতাহ আৰু সূৰ্যৰ পোহৰত এৰি দিয়া, যাৰ ফলত ই মৰে।)

7. What finally kills the tree?
(অৱশেষত গছ এজোপাক কিহে মাৰে?)
The tree is finally killed by uprooting it from the earth, exposing its roots to wither, dry, and harden under sunlight and air.
(গছ এজোপা অৱশেষত মাটিৰ পৰা উঘালি শিপা উদঙাই দিলে মৰে, য’ত শিপা সূৰ্যৰ পোহৰ আৰু বতাহত শুকাই, কঠিন হৈ যায়।)

Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)

General Understanding

1. Can a simple jab of a knife kill a tree, according to the poem?
   a) Yes
   b) No
   c) Sometimes
   d) Only if repeated
   Answer: b) No
   Explanation: The poem states a simple jab won’t kill a tree due to its deep roots.
2. Why can’t a single knife jab kill a tree?
   a) The bark is too thick
   b) The roots sustain it
   c) The tree heals quickly
   d) The knife isn’t sharp enough
   Answer: b) The roots sustain it
   Explanation: The roots, anchored in the soil, keep the tree alive despite surface wounds.
3. What does the poet emphasize about killing a tree?
   a) It’s an easy task
   b) It requires deliberate effort
   c) It happens naturally
   d) It’s impossible
   Answer: b) It requires deliberate effort
   Explanation: The poem details a process beyond simple cuts, involving uprooting.

Tree’s Growth and Life

4. How long has the tree taken to grow to its full size?
   a) A few days
   b) A few months
   c) Over years
   d) Overnight
   Answer: c) Over years
   Explanation: The poem mentions it “grown slowly consuming the earth” over time.
5. What has the tree absorbed to grow?
   a) Rain only
   b) Sunlight, air, and water
   c) Wind and soil
   d) Moonlight and stars
   Answer: b) Sunlight, air, and water
   Explanation: The poem lists these as the tree’s sustenance.
6. Which word suggests the tree’s gradual development?
   a) Feeding
   b) Grown slowly
   c) Sprouting
   d) Rising
   Answer: b) Grown slowly
   Explanation: This phrase highlights the tree’s slow growth process.
7. What does “feeding upon” indicate in the poem?
   a) The tree eating animals
   b) The tree absorbing nutrients
   c) The tree growing leaves
   d) The tree bleeding
   Answer: b) The tree absorbing nutrients
   Explanation: It refers to the tree drawing sustenance from the earth.

Imagery and Actions

8. What does “bleeding bark” symbolize?
   a) The tree’s strength
   b) Sap oozing like blood
   c) The tree’s roots
   d) Leaves falling
   Answer: b) Sap oozing like blood
   Explanation: It describes sap flowing from cuts, likened to bleeding.
9. What causes the bark to “bleed”?
   a) Rain
   b) Hacking or chopping
   c) Wind
   d) Sunlight
   Answer: b) Hacking or chopping
   Explanation: Human actions with tools make the bark bleed.
10. Why does the poet say “No” at the start of the third stanza?
    a) To deny the tree’s strength
    b) To reject that chopping alone kills it
    c) To refuse help
    d) To stop the tree’s growth
    Answer: b) To reject that chopping alone kills it
    Explanation: It emphasizes that surface cuts aren’t enough.

Roots and Destruction

11. What does “anchoring earth” refer to?
    a) The sky above
    b) The soil holding the roots
    c) The tree’s trunk
    d) The leaves
    Answer: b) The soil holding the roots
    Explanation: It’s the earth that stabilizes the tree via its roots.
12. What is the “earth cave” in the poem?
    a) A hole in the trunk
    b) The space where roots are hidden
    c) A cave near the tree
    d) The tree’s branches
    Answer: b) The space where roots are hidden
    Explanation: It’s the underground area where roots reside.
13. What does “the strength of the tree exposed” mean?
    a) The trunk is cut open
    b) The roots are pulled out
    c) The leaves are removed
    d) The bark is peeled
    Answer: b) The roots are pulled out
    Explanation: Exposing the roots makes the tree vulnerable.
14. What must be done to finally kill the tree?
    a) Cut the trunk
    b) Burn the leaves
    c) Uproot it from the earth
    d) Poison the soil
    Answer: c) Uproot it from the earth
    Explanation: Uprooting and exposing roots is the fatal step.
15. What happens to the roots once exposed?
    a) They grow stronger
    b) They wither and dry
    c) They sprout again
    d) They stay alive
    Answer: b) They wither and dry
    Explanation: Sunlight and air cause the roots to die.

Poetic Elements

16. Which word suggests the tree’s resilience?
    a) Bleeding
    b) Sprouting
    c) Withering
    d) Hardening
    Answer: b) Sprouting
    Explanation: It shows the tree’s ability to regrow after cuts.
17. What natural elements kill the exposed roots?
    a) Rain and wind
    b) Sunlight and air
    c) Snow and ice
    d) Soil and water
    Answer: b) Sunlight and air
    Explanation: These dry out the roots, leading to death.
18. What does “rising out” describe in the poem?
    a) The tree growing upward
    b) The roots digging deeper
    c) The bark bleeding
    d) The leaves falling
    Answer: a) The tree growing upward
    Explanation: It depicts the tree’s upward growth from the earth.

Themes and Tone

19. What is the central theme of the poem?
    a) The beauty of trees
    b) The resilience of nature vs. human effort
    c) The ease of destruction
    d) The growth of forests
    Answer: b) The resilience of nature vs. human effort
    Explanation: The poem contrasts the tree’s strength with the effort to kill it.
20. What tone does the poet use when describing the tree’s death?
    a) Joyful
    b) Neutral and factual
    c) Sad and mournful
    d) Angry and vengeful
    Answer: b) Neutral and factual
    Explanation: The poet describes the process objectively, without emotion.