CBSE Study Notes for Class 10 English Chapter – 7

 

CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 7 Solutions – Download PDF

Glimpses of India

Glimpses of India is the seventh(7th) chapter of the class 10th English textbook First Flight. This chapter has three different parts written by three other authors. 

The three stories are A Baker from Goa, Coorg, and Tea from Assam. All three parts talk about Indian History and how people at different places had diverse cultures and beliefs. This is a huge chapter. But, it is essential to prepare this chapter carefully since it can help you get good marks in exams. Students can supplement their reading with the PDF Notes provided by GharPeShiksha. The study material available at the website of GharPeShiksha has helped numerous students enhance their understanding of this chapter and its teachings. The material contains the chapter’s vocabulary with meaning, textbook exercise questions with solutions, previous year questions with solutions, important questions that may come in the exam, teachings of the chapter, model answer sheet, and many more things compiled by expert teachers. You can download the PDFs through the website of GharPeShiksha.

The Trees

‘The Trees’ is a poem included in class 10th English textbook First Flight. It is written by Adrienne Rich. The poem talks about trees. And how uprooting these trees for our own benefit has led to an unbalanced ecosystem. The poet tries to teach the importance of trees in our atmosphere. Students are advised to supplement their reading of this poem with some good notes. The best way to understand the poem is to study it from the PDF notes provided by GharPeShiksha. The PDF Notes contain a summary of the poem in easy language, vocabulary with meaning, textbook exercise questions with solutions, previous year questions with solutions, important questions that may come in the exam, literary devices used in the poem, rhyming scheme analysis, and many more things all compiled by expert teachers of GharPeShiksha. This study material is available at the website of GharPeShiksha. Here is Pdf notes file of this chapter.

 

The chapter ‘Glimpses of India’ consists of three parts

  1. A Baker from Goa by Lucio Rodrigues
  2. Coorg by Lokesh Abrol
  3. Tea from Assam by Arup Kumar Datta

The first part is a pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker or pader who still has an important place in Goan culture although the Portuguese have left India long the back.
The second part is a pen-portrait of Coorg, which is a coffee country, famous for its rain forests and spices.
The third part is about the tea plantations in Assam.

PART I A BAKER FROM GOA

Glimpses of India A Baker from Goa Introduction

‘A Baker from Goa’ revolves around the relevance of a baker in the Goan culture which dates back to the time when Portuguese ruled over the city of Goa. The Portuguese may have left but the bread-makers continue to have an inevitable stature. In this story, the author recalls his childhood days and their excitement on seeing the baker. They were enthusiastic to the point that they would run to him as soon as they woke up without even brushing their teeth.

Glimpses of India A Baker from Goa Summary

The lesson begins with how narrator’s elders often recall the time when Goa was under the rule of the Portuguese. They talk how the importance of bakers is still maintained in their villages even after the Portuguese have left. They are known as ‘Paders’ in Goa. The mixers, moulders and their time-tested furnaces continue to serve the people of Goa with their famous bread loaves. It is possible that the original ones may not exist, but their profession is being continued by their sons. The thud of their bamboo stick can still be heard in some parts of the village. The same jingling thud would wake the narrator and his friends during their childhood days who would go running to him without brushing or washing their mouth properly.  It was the maid-servant of the house who collected the loaves while children sorted out the bread bangles for themselves. Bakery products have importance in the culture and traditions of Goa. Bol or sweet bread is a part of marriage gifts, cakes and Bolinhas or coconut cookies are eaten at every festival and the lady of the house prepares sandwiches at her daughter’s engagement. Earlier bakers wore a unique frock of knee-length known as ‘kabai’ but during the narrator’s childhood days, they wore a shirt and trousers of length slightly shorter than the usual ones. They generally collected their bills at the end of every month. Bakery has continued to be a profitable profession, managing to keep their families joyous and prosperous.

Glimpses of India A Baker from Goa Lesson & Explanation

OUR elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, timetested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are, even today, known as pader in Goa.

Glimpses of India A Baker from Goa Question and Answers

Q1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
A. The narrator often finds his elders thinking about ‘those good old days’ and telling them about the famous breads that date back to the time when Portuguese ruled over Goa. They ponder over the past and tell them that though the Portuguese have left Goa but the bakers still exist, if not the original ones, their legacy is being continued by their sons.

Q2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know? 
A. Yes, bread-making is still popular in the city of Goa. It is evident from the existence of time-tested furnaces, mixers and moulders. The legacy of bakers is being continued by their sons. You will find a bakery in every Goan village as bread is an important part of the Goan culture.

Q3. What is the baker called?
A. The baker is referred to as ‘Pader’ in the city of Goa.

Q4. When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?
A. The baker would come twice every day during the narrator’s childhood days. Once in the morning to deliver the loaves of bread and secondly, in the evening on his return after selling his stock. The children would go running to him to take the special bread bangles he had made for them.

Q5. Match the following. What is a must 

  1. as marriage gifts?                             – cakes and bolinhas 
  2. for a party or a feast?                      – sweet bread called bol
  3. for a daughter’s engagement?       – bread
  4. for Christmas?                                   – sandwiches

Answer:-


As marriage gifts 
Sweet bread called bol
For a party or a feast Bread
For daughter’s engagement Sandwiches
For Christmas Cakes and bolinhas

Q6. What did the bakers wear:

  1.  In the Portuguese days? 
  2. When the author was young?

A. 
(i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers wore a unique knee-length frock dress typically known as ‘kabai’.
(ii) In the narrator’s childhood days, he had seen them wearing shirts and shorter than usual pants.

Q7. Who invites the comment — “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?
A. During the narrator’s childhood days, the bakers had a peculiar dress. They wore shirts and shorter than usual pants. Thus, if someone is seen wearing pants of this much length, they invite the comment – “he is dressed like a pader”.

Q8. Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
A. The monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall with a pencil.

Q9. What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?
A. ‘Jackfruit-like appearance’ means a well-built or plump physique, similar to a jackfruit. In those days, bakers had plump physique because baking was a profitable profession. His family and servants never starved and were prosperous.

Q. Which of these statements are correct? 

  1. The pader was an important person in the village in old times. 

True

  1. Paders still exist in Goan villages.

True

  1. The paders went away with the Portuguese.

False, they still exist in Goan villages.

  1. The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.

False, they wear shirts and trousers that are shorter than the usual ones and longer than the half-pants.

  • Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.

False, they are still an integral part of Goan culture.

  • Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.

True

  • Paders and their families starve in the present times. 

False, it is still a very profitable business and their families are happy and prosperous.

Q. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
A. Bread is an important part of the Goan culture and it is evident from its presence at every important occasion. From sweet breads at marriages to sandwiches at engagement parties and cakes and Bolinhas at Christmas as well as other occasions, makes the presence of a baker in every village, very essential.

Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?

  1. The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
  2. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
  3. I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
  4. The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
  5. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)
  6. The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answers-

  1. Nostalgic
  2. Nostalgic
  3. Nostalgic
  4. Funny
  5. Matter-of-fact
  6. Matter-of-fact

 

Glimpses of India PART II COORG

 

 

Coorg – A Heavenly Place
Coorg district of Karnataka lies between the towns of Mysore and Mangalore. It is like a heaven on Earth. It is inhabited by martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.

Weather and Environment of Coorg
It is the smallest district of Karnataka. It consists of evergreen forests, spices and coffee plantations. The best season to visit coorg starts in September and continues upto March. The weather in coorg is pleasant during those months.

People of Coorg
The people here are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. According to a legend, Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and settled there only when they were unable to return to their country. These people married among the locals and their culture can be witnessed by their martial traditions, marriages and religious rites. The Kodavus (residents of Coorg) wear a long black coat with an embroidered waist belt. Known as Kuppia, it resembles kuffia worn by the Arabs and the Kurds.

Bravery Tales of Coorg
Coorg people are well-known for their bravery. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. General Cariappa, the first Indian Army Chief, was a Coorgi. Even today, only the Kodavus are permitted to carry firearms without a licence.

Wildlife In Coorg
Coorg is home to a large number of wild animals and birds. Mahaseer, a large freshwater fish, is found here. Kingfishers, squirrels and langurs live without any fear.
Wild elephants enjoy being bathed and scrubbed in the river by their mahouts. The river Kaveri gets its water from the hills of Coorg.

Coorg – A Tourist Place
Even the laziest tourists become adventurous on coming to coorg as it is full of adventure sports like river rafting, canoeing, rock climbing etc. The climb to Brahmagiri hills bring smiles to many faces as one can see the panoramic view of coorg from there.

Nature at Its Best
India’s largest Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe is inhabited by monks in red, ochre and yellow robs. There are many more surprises waiting at Coorg for the tourists to discover.

Reaching Coorg
Coorg can be reached by road and by rail. If one prefers to go by air, then the nearest airports are Bangalore and Mangalore. By road, it is around 250 – 260 km from Bangalore.

Chapter Highlights

  1. Coorg or Kodagu, the smallest district of Karnataka, is a heavenly place.
  2. The best season to visit it is from September to March.
  3. The people living there are probably the descendants of Arabs or Greeks.
  4. Their culture is apparent in their martial traditions, marriages and religious rites.
  5. The Kodavus wear a long, black, embroidered coat called Kuppia.
  6. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments in the Indian Army.
  7. Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a license.
  8. The river Kaveri begins from the hills and forests of Coorg.
  9. A variety of plants, birds and animals can be seen there.
  10. The place offers a number of adventure sports for the tourists.
  11. The Tibetan monks are amongst many surprises that can be seen there.

PART II

Word Meaning
PAGE 90 Drifted from Been carried along gently by air
Martial Having to do with war
Plantations An area planted with trees
Pours Rains heavily
Canopies The highest layer of branches in a forest
Prime (here) The best
Mainstream A tradition which most people follow
PAGE 91 Tales of valour Stories of courage and bravery usually in war
Hospitality Generous and friendly Ireatment of visitors and guests
Most decorated Having received maximum number of awards for bravery in war
Laidback Relaxed
Mahouts The keepers of elephants
Rafting Travelling in a river in a raft
Canoeing Travelling in a river in a canoe
Rappelling Going down a cliff by sliding down a rope
PAGE 92 Trails Paths created by walking
Panoramic view A view of a wide area of land
Misty Filled with fog
Landscape An area of land that has a particular guality or appearance
Ochre A moderate yellow-orange to orange colour

Part II Coorg
Thinking About The Text
(Page 92)

Question 1. Where is Coorg?
Answer:
Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated midway between Mysore and the cbastal town of Mangalore.

Question 2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
Answer:
The fiercely independent people of Coorg are descendents of Greeks or Arabs. A section of Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and settled here only when they were unable to return to their country. These people married among the locals. This is the story about the descent of Kodavu people.

Question 3. What are some of the things you now know about?
1. the people of Coorg?
2. the main crop of Coorg?
3. the sports it offers to a tourists?
4. the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?
5. its distance from Bangalore and how to get there?
Answer:
1. They are fiercely independent people and have descended from the Greeks or the Arabs.
2. Coffee is the main crop of Coorg.
3. It mostly offers adventure sports which include river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.
4. The animals likely to be seen in Coorg are macaques, Malabar squirrel, langurs, slender loris, elephants etc.
5. By road, it is around 250 – 260 kilometres from Bangalore.

Question 4. Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
1. During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (Para 2)
2. Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (Para 3)
3. The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their son’s and father’s valour. (Para 4)
4. Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high energy adventure sports of Coorg. (Para 6)
5. The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (Para 3)
6. Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (Para 7)
Answer:
1. to keep visitors away
2. As one story goes
3. are more than willing to recount
4. The most laidback individuals become converts to
5. draws support from
6. keep a watchful eye

Thinking About Language (Page 93)
Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’. For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.
Questions.
1. ‘How old are you?’
‘How young are you?’
2. a pleasant person a pleasant pillow
Answers:
1. The odd sentence is ‘How young are you?’
2. The odd phrase is ‘a pleasant pillow’.

Question 1. Here are some nouns from the text,
‘culture’ ‘monks’ ‘surprise’ ‘experience’ ‘weather’ ‘tradition’
Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.
‘unique’ ‘terrible’ ‘unforgettable’ ‘serious’ ‘ancient’ ‘wide’ ‘sudden’
Questions.
1. culture : unique culture, ancient culture
2. monks : _____________
3. surprise: ___________
4. experience: __________
5. weather: ___________
6. tradition: ___________
Answer:
2. serious monks, unique monks
3. unique surprise, sudden surprise, unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise
4. unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden experience
5. terrible weather, unforgettable weather
6. unique tradition, ancient tradition

Question 2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?
                                            Missing                 Alternate word

1.  tales of                         __________         ___________
2.  coastal                         __________         ___________
3. a piece of                      __________         ___________
4.  evergreen                    __________        ___________
5. plantations                   __________         ___________
6. bridge                           __________        ___________
7.  wild                              ___________       ___________
Answer:

          Missing                           Alternate word      

  1. valour                                         bravery
  2. town                                          belt, village
  3. heaven                                          cake
  4. rainforests                                 jungle
  5. coffee                                        tea, banana
  6. rope                                         steel, concrete
  7. creatures                                    animals

Glimpses of India Part III Tea from Assam

Tea from Assam is an informative story written by Arup Kumar Dutta. The central theme of the story is tea gardens of Assam. This chapter also tells about the story of origin of the tea. This combines two stories.

Pranjol is a youngster from Assam. He is Rajvir’s classmate and currently studying in a school in Delhi. Pranjol’s father is the manager of a tea garden in Upper Assam. Pranjol has invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. Rajvir visits Assam in a train with Pranjol and he keeps taking pleasures of the scenery. They arrive at Mariani junction. From there, they were drove to Dhekibari Tea Estate. It was the tea garden of Pranjol’s father. They saw women with bamboo baskets were plucking the new leaves from the plants. Almost 8 crores cups of tea are drunk every day in the whole world.


There is story about the origin of the tea. It is said that a Buddhist monk felt sleepy while meditating. To avoid it, he cut his eye lids and threw them. Few saplings sprouted out of them. It is said they were tea leaves that banished sleep after boiling and drinking it.

There is one more story. The other story tells that, there was a king in China who was in habit of drinking water after boiling it. Few twigs fell into his boiling water. After drinking it, his sleep went off. They called it tea. Tea was first drunk in China as far back as 2700 BC. Chai & chini words have their origin in China.

Tea from Assam is supposed to be the best kind of tea in the whole world. The best yield comes from May to July every year.

Part III Tea from Assam

Thinking About Language       

(Page 96,97)
Question 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.
1. A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
2. Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning.
3. My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property.
4. The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high.
5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview.
Answer:
1. downpour
2. undergo
3. upkeep
4. dropout
5. walk-in

Question 2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.
‘over’ ‘by’ ‘through’ ‘out’ ‘up’ ‘down’
1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)
2. Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)
3. The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)
4.Gautama’s ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)
5. Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)
Answers:
1. overthrow
2. breakthrough
3. bypass
4. lookout
5. downcast

 

Question 1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.
How would you describe
1. a good detective serial on television? ____
2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ____
3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____
4. how you feel when you open a present? ____
5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____
6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____
7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____
8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____
Answers:
(Sample answers are given; you may have a different answer.)
1. exciting
2. interesting
3. bored
4. excited
5. interested
6. disappointed
7. thrilled
8. thrilling

Question 2. Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

Part III Tea from Assam

Thinking About Language       

(Page 96,97)
Question 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.
1. A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
2. Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning.
3. My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property.
4. The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high.
5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview.
Answer:
1. downpour
2. undergo
3. upkeep
4. dropout
5. walk-in

Question 2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.
‘over’ ‘by’ ‘through’ ‘out’ ‘up’ ‘down’
1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)
2. Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)
3. The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)
4.Gautama’s ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)
5. Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)
Answers:
1. overthrow
2. breakthrough
3. bypass
4. lookout
5. downcast

 

Question 1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.
How would you describe
1. a good detective serial on television? ____
2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ____
3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____
4. how you feel when you open a present? ____
5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____
6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____
7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____
8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____
Answers:
(Sample answers are given; you may have a different answer.)
1. exciting
2. interesting
3. bored
4. excited
5. interested
6. disappointed
7. thrilled
8. thrilling

Question 2. Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg.


Answer:
Do it yourself.

 

 

The Trees (Poem)

Introduction to the lesson

The poem has a symbolic meaning, the trees are an extended metaphor for women. The poet says that the women have rested, healed and recovered and are ready for their primary purpose – to renew the empty forest of mankind.

The Trees Summary

The poet talks about trees symbolically. They refer to women who have been healed and are ready to move out of their houses to fulfil their primary purpose – to renew the forest of mankind. As women have remained indoors, the forest has become empty, the birds and insects rendered shelterless. The Sun’s rays do not have the tree trucks and leaves to fall upon and thus, reach the earth. She says that the forest will be full of trees the next morning. The roots of the trees are working hard to separate from the floor of the veranda where they have remained fixed. The leaves and branches are moving towards the glass windows. They are desperate to move out just like a newly discharged patient who has not recovered completely, moves to the exit door of the hospital in a hurry. The poet is sitting in her house with the doors of the veranda open. She is writing letters but does not mention this movement of the trees. It is night time, the sky is clear and a bright moon is visible. She can smell the leaves and lichen which seem to be calling out desperately. She hears the glass of the window pane breaking. The trees are moving out and the fast blowing wind embraces them.  As the trees have reached the forest, the tall and strong oak tree overshadows the moon and it seems that the moon has been broken into several pieces.

Questions and Answers

NCERT Solutions

Thinking about the Poem (Page 100, 101)

Question 1 : i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest.

ii) What picture do these words create in your mind:

“……….sun bury its feet in shadow….”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’?

Answer : i) The three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest are – the sitting of a bird on trees, the hiding of insects and the sun burying its feet in the shadow of the forest.

ii) The sun’s ‘feet’ refers to the rays of the sun that fall on the earth. When there is no shadow on the ground, because there are no trees, the rays fall  directly on the ground. In a forest with trees, the shadow hides the sun rays and it seems that the sun is burying its feet in the shadow that fall from the trees.

Question 2 : i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves and their twigs do?

ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?

Answer : i) In the poem, the trees are trapped in the poet’s house. Their, roots work all night to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves try very hard to move towards the glass and put a lot of pressure on it so that it breaks, while the small twigs get stiff with exertion.

ii) The poet compares the branches to newly discharged patients of a hospital. The large branches of the trees become cramped (bent) due to the roof above them, and when they get free they rush stumblingly to the outside world. While doing so, they look half-shocked like the patients, who wait for a long time to get out of the hospital.

Question 3 : i) How does the poet describe the moon: a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and b) at its end?

ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?

iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.)

Answer : i) At the beginning of the third stanza, the poet says that the full moon is shining in the open sky in the fresh night. At the end of the stanza, she describes that the moon breaks into pieces like a broken mirror and shines on the heads of the tallest oak trees. As the trees move outside, they cover some of the shine of the moon and it can be seen only in parts. This is why, it seems that the moon has broken into pieces.

ii) When the trees move out of the house, the glasses break and the whispers of the trees vanish, leaving the house silent.

iii) The poet hardly mentions about “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters because it is humans, who did not care for nature in the first place. So, maybe, the poet now thinks that nobody would be interested in knowing about the efforts that the trees are making in order to set themselves free. If other men cared about the trees, they would not have destroyed them. It seems that this whole beauty of trees moving back to forests can be seen and felt only by the poet.

Question 4 : Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?

i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ‘imprisoned’ and need to ‘break out’?

ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?

Answer : Do it yourself.

Extra Questions

Extract Based Questions

Read the following extracts carefully and choose the correct option.

Question 1 : 

The trees inside are moving out into the forest,

the forest that was empty all these days

where no bird could sit

no insect hide

no sun bury its feet in shadow

the forest that was empty all these nights

will be full of trees by morning

i) In the poem where are trees found?

a) In the garden

b) In the forest

c) In the house

d) All of them

ii) The trees are found useful for

a) the birds

b) the insects

c) the wild animals

d) Both (a) and (b)

iii) what types of plants are mentioned in the poem?

a) Painted plants

b) Real plants

c) Decorative plants

d) Both (a) and (c)

iv) Which word in the stanza mean ‘unoccupied’?

a) Inside

b) Empty

c) Hide

d) Full of

Answer : 

i) c) In the house

ii) d) Both (a) and (b)

iii) d) Both (a) and (c)

iv) (b) Empty

Question 2 : 

All night the roots work

to disengage themselves from the cracks

in the veranda floor.

The leaves strain toward the glass

small twigs stiff with exertion

long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof

like newly discharged patients

half-dazed, moving to the clinic doors.

i) According to the poet what is the actual place for trees?

a) Inside house

b) Garden

c) large forests

d) Schools

ii) How are the small twigs of these plants?

a) Green

b) Stiff

c) Soft

d) All of these

iii) What does the use of ‘stiff’ and ‘roots trying to free themselves’ suggest here?

a) Trees are kept at wrong place

b) Trees not growing properly

c) Trees require open large space

d) Both a) and c)

iv) What are the ‘boughs’ compared to?

a) A newly admitted patient

b) Newly discharged patient

c) A very sick patient

d) All of the above

Answer : 

i) c) Large forests

ii) b) Stiff

iii) d) Both (a) and (c)

iv) b) Newly discharged patient

Question 3 : 

I sit inside, doors open to the veranda

writing long letters

in which I scarcely mention the departure

of the forest from the house.

i) Why is the forest stumbling out of the house?

a) It is not actually happening

b) Poetess visualizes trees in the forest

c) Trees can not move themselves

d) Both (a) and (b)

ii) What is the poet doing?

a) Planting more trees

b) Writing long letters

c) Reading a book

d) Gazing at the stars

iii) Which word will be antonym of ‘frequently’ in these lines?

a) Mention

b) Seldom

c) Scarcely

d) Only just

iv) What is the theme of the poem?

a) Greed of man

b) Conflict between man and nature

c) Negativity impact of decorative platns

d) All of the above

Answer : 

i) d) Both (a) and (b)

ii) b) Writing long letters

iii) c) Scarcely

iv) b) Conflict between man and nature

Question 4 : 

My head is full of whispers

which tomorrow will be silent.

Listen. The glass is breaking.

The trees are stumbling forward

into the night. Winds rush to meet them.

The moon is broken like a mirror,

its pieces flash now in the crown

of the tallest oak.

i) Whose whispers are mentioned here?

a) Of trees

b) Sound of wind blowing

c) Both (a) and (b)

d) None of the above

ii) Why are tree stumbling forward?

a) Want to move out

b) Have grown big

c) Can’t be contained inside the house

d) Both (b) and (c)

iii) Which word is synonym of ‘slip’ or ‘loose one’s balance’?

a) Muddle

b) Rush

c) Stumble

d) Flash

iv) Which poetic device has been used in the line ‘The moon is broken like a mirror’?

a) Metaphor

b) Alliteration

c) Simile

d) Personification

Answer : 

i) c) Both (a) and (b)

ii) d) both (b) and (c)

iii) c) Stumble

iv) c) Simile

Short Questions and Answers

Question 1 : Why are the trees moving outside?

Answer : The trees are moving outside because they want to set themselves free from the walls and roofs that humans have put around them. They belong to the forest and that’s why they are making efforts to go there.

Question 2 : What changes would the departure of the trees bring to the forest?

Answer : The departure of the trees to the forest would result in the birds sitting on their branches again, insects hiding in them and the sun burying its feet under the trees’ shadows. The empty forest will become full of trees and there will be balance in nature.

Question 3 : What efforts do the trees make to get free?

Answer : The roots of the trees work all night to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves exert a lot of force on the glasses to break them and the twigs become stiff with exertion.

Question 4 : Where are the trees kept? Why are they kept there?

Answer : The trees are kept inside for interior decoration and they have been kept there by human beings who have destroyed their natural home, the forests. Humans as such do not have any love for the trees.

Question 5 : In the poem ‘The Trees’ where are the trees? What are their roots, twigs, etc trying to do?

Answer : In this poem ‘The trees’, the poet tells us that trees or plants have been used inside the houses of human beings as part of interior decoration. The roots and twigs of trees are trying to disengage from the cracks in the veranda floor. They work all night to move to the forest. The leaves exert a lot of force on the glasses to break them and twigs become stiff with exertion. The poet wants to give the message that keeping the trees inside homes is like keeping them in a prison.

Long Questions and Answers

Question 1 : The trees in the poem stretch out their branches, break barriers and struggle hard to move out in open in their natural environment. Analyse the efforts that one puts in to break away captivity and strive for freedom.

Answer : For anyone, freedom is much more important than any kind of comfort, growth or development. Even, when we have all the riches in the world but no freedom, we do not really have anything. Freedom is the most wanted thing in this world. A bird in golden cage also does not feel happy.

When it is freed, it flies chirpy and happy. And those, who live with bare minimum necessities but are able to live freely are always the happiest. Just like the trees in the poem, freedom is gained after a lot of effort. For example, the freedom movements of countries all around the world, where people give up their lives to get freedom.

Question 2 : A conflict between man and nature is going on. In this civilization pursuit men are disregarding the natural growth of plants and trees. In total confinement, nature also rebels against civilization and becomes destructive. Elaborate.

Answer : In the conflict between man and nature, man has caused much harm to nature. With civilization, man has learnt to acquire a lot of material goods but forgotten the importance of nature and cut down large forests, killed animals, destroyed water bodies and done several other such acts. But, man wrongly judges nature to be weak, , while nature is the most powerful.

No matter how much technologically advanced we become, we can never present any natural disaster from taking place. Such destructive forms of nature like flood, earthquake, volcanoes, tornadoes, etc, teach man that the real power lies with nature and it can do anything. Moreover natural calamities are a reminder to man that by spoiling nature, man is inviting threat to his peaceful existence as nature will lash back at man only in the form of more rains, global warming etc.

Have any Question or Comment?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join GharPeShiksha Learning Program

 

  

 

Join Our Telegram Channel

telegram