The Felling of The Banyan Tree
A1 Complete the following statements by using words from the extract.
1. The poet’s house was on the ……
2. Trees are regarded as ………
3. According to poet’s grandmother felling tree is a ……
4. The banyan tree is compared ………
1. The poet’s house was on the hill
2. Trees are regarded as sacred
3. According to poet’s grandmother felling tree is a crime.
4. The banyan tree is compared to problem and house.
A1 State whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.
1. The banyan tree was a problem because its roots lay deeper.
2. The banyan tree was as tall as the poet’s house.
3. The age of the banyan tree was fifty years.
4. The poet was unafraid and fascinated to watch the cutting of the banyan tree.
1. The banyan tree was a problem because its roots lay deeper. True
2. The banyan tree was as tall as the poet’s house.False
Correct statement:The banyan tree was three times taller than the poet’s house
3. The age of the banyan tree was fifty years. False
The age of the banyan tree was two hundred years.
4. The poet was unafraid and fascinated to watch the cutting of the banyan tree. False
The poet was afraid of and fascinated to watch the cutting of the banyan tree.
A1. Arrange the following statements in order as they occur in the extract .
1. The poet’s father massacred all the trees.
2. The poet’s father asked the tenants to leave.
3. The banyan tree stood as a hurdle.
4. The structures on the hill were pulled down.
1. The poet’s father asked the tenants to leave.
2. The structures on the hill were pulled down.
3. The poet’s father massacred all the trees.
4. The banyan tree stood as a hurdle.
A 1 Complete the web
A2. ‘But the huge banyan tree stood like a problem.’ Name and explain the figure of speech. Write one more example of your own of simile.
Simile: The 'banyan tree' is compared to 'problem'by using the word like. 1. She used to sing like a nightingale.
A2. Find out an example of each: 1. Antithesis 2. Repetition
Antithesis : We watched in terror and fascination this slaughter. 'terror and 'fascination' are opposite ideas brought together.
Repetition : Fifty men with axes chopped and chopped. The word 'chopped' is repeated for the poetic effect.
A2. ‘Its trunk had a circumference of fifty feet.’ Identify the figure speech and explain. Write one more example of it.
Alliteration : The consonantal sound 'f' is repeated pleasingly. Another example : Soon afterward we left Baroda for Bombay.
A3. Pick out the expressions that give pictorial quality to the extract.
The expressions that give pictorial quality to the extract are as follows: 'the huge banyan tree', 'roots lay deeper' , the banyan tree was three times as tall as our house', 'trunk had a circumference of fifty feet', 'aerial roots fell to the ground'.
A3 There are some words in the extract which are associated with the ‘killing’ of the banyan tree. Pick them out from the poem and write them down.
The word which are associated with the 'killing' of the banyan tree are 'massacred', 'slaughter', 'felling' 'cut down' 'sawing' 'chopped'.
A3. Discuss ‘ Trees are the saviors of mankind.
A4. Write four lines on the importance of trees.
