Page 1 : ON KILLING A TREE, GIEVE PATEL, Thinking about the Poem (Page 111), 1. Can a "simple jab of the knife" kill a tree?, Why not?, Ans. A tree has grown strong by absorbing, many, elements for, many years. It has taken, nutrients from the soil and absorbed sunlight,, air and water for a long time such that many, leaves had grown on it. This the simple act of, stabbing it with a knife is not enough to kill a, tree. A simple jab of the knife will only injure it., And in due course of time the tree will heal itself.

Page 2 : 2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List, the words suggestive of its life and activity., Ans. The tree has grown to its full size by, absorbing nutrients from the soil. It had, absorbed the, sun,, air and water for a long time., The words are consuming, rising, feeding and, absorbing., 3. What is the meaning of 'bleeding bark'? What, makes it bleed?, Ans. The "bleeding bark' refers to the bark of, the tree which gives out a liquid after it is cut or, hurt. Hacking and chopping the tree makes the, bark bleed., 4. The poet says "No" in the beginning of the, third stanza. What does he mean by this?

Page 3 : Ans. The poet says "No" in the beginning of the, third stanza to highlight the fact that a tree, cannot be killed merely with a jab of a knife or, by hacking and chopping. The poet states that, to kill a tree completely, its roots needs to be, taken out of the deep soil where it is hiding, inside the Earth., 5. What is the meaning of 'anchoring earth' and, earth cave'?, Ans. 'Anchoring earth' refers to the soil in which, the roots of the tree are kept hidden. The soil, and the roots of the tree form a very tight grip,, like an anchor and keeps it rooted. As a result,, the tree stands firmly and deeply at a place., 'Earth cave' refers to a small region inside the

Page 4 : ground where the roots are generally fixed., After the roots are pulled out, the area looks like, а сave., 6. What does the poet mean by the strength of, the tree exposed'?, Ans. The strength of the tree are its roots. They, keep it anchored to the earth. They are the, provider of nutrients for the tree. When the tree, is pulled out of the earth's soil, these are, 6., exposed and the tree dies., 7. What finally kills the tree?, Ans. The tree is killed, when its roots are, exposed to the outside. The burning heat of the, sun and air choke it. It loses all its leaves and, gets brown. It twists, hardens and dries, to

Page 5 : finally die.