2.1 Cherry Tree by Ruskin Bond

 Summary, Analysis and Activty sheet 

Unit 2.1 Cherry Tree        

 -Ruskin Bond

2.1 Cherry Tree by Ruskin Bond

About the Poet:

    Ruskin Bond is regarded as one of the prolific writers of Indian writings. Born in Kasauli, (Himachal Pradesh) in 1934, he grew up in Jamnagar (Gujarat), Dehradun, New Delhi and Shimla. his first novel The Room on the Roof written when he was seventeen and received the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. Since then and he has written over 500 short stories essays and novellas and more than forty books for children. He was conferred the 'Sahitya Akademi Award' in 1992 for Our Trees Still Grow In Dehra. He was also awarded the 'Padmashri' in 1999 and 'Padma Bhushan'in 2014.

Cherry Tree: Ice-breakers Activities and Appreciation 

   Read the following extract carefully and do all the activities that follow.

A.1 State the following statements are TRUE / FALSE.

     1.  The poet wanted his own tree.

               TRUE

     2. They destroyed the Cherry tree

               FALSE

     Correct sentence - Despite many threats, the cherry tree has grown three new shoots 

      in the next spring.

        

     3. The cherry tree did not take long to grow.

              FALSE

      Correct sentence - The cherry tree took 8 years to grow.

     4. The Cherry tree had an instinct to survive

              TRUE

A.2  Give reasons

 The life of the cherry tree was threatened.
Ans: The life of the Cherry tree was threatened because the cherry tree was surrounded by tall wild grass, goat ate the leaves, grass cutter scythe and soon it gets damaged and dried but in the next spring the tree was struggling for light, air and the sun.

A4   Personal opinion

   1. Write a note on 'importance of trees'
                               or
   2. Write a note on 'benefits of trees'
                              or
   3. Trees are revered because -

 i. Trees give us joy

 ii. They give us oxygen & food

 iii. Trees maintain environmental balance

 iv. Trees provide us fruits, flowers, wood and shelter 

 v.   They are the habitat of insects, birds and animals

 vi. They prevent soil erosion and flood. 

A.4  Figures of speech

   1. Personification

1.  ' I found a tree had come to stay.
     It was very small, five months child'

Explanation:  A tree has attributed a human quality of coming and staying.

 2. 'Its arms in a fresh fierce lust'

Explanation: A tree is described as having arms like humans.

    2. Alliteration 

 1. Shrivelled the slender stem...... Even so

Explanation:  sound "s" is repeated rhythmically

 2.  'Its arms in a fresh fierce lust'
Explanation:  sound "f" is repeated rhythmically

A.5  Poetic Creativity 

 Write a poem of your own of four-line on a tree/ a plant.

  

 "Now, I will plant this little tree

 Forever and ever it belongs to me

 It can be short, it can be tall
 They give us oxygen, they give us all.."

                                     OR

  Students can compose their own poem and write it.

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