On Killing a Tree-Comprehension Passages

ON KILLING A TREE

By– Gieve Patel

COMPREHENSION OF STANZAS

STANZA 1

It takes much time to kill a tree,

Not a simple jab of the knife

Will do it. it has grown

Slowly consuming the earth,

Rising out of it, feeding

Upon its crust, absorbing

Years of sunlight, air, water,

And out of its leprous hide

Sprouting leaves.

हिंदी अनुवाद –पेड़ को मारने (समाप्त करने) में बहुत समय लग जाता है । चाकू की एक चुभन मात्र से पेड़ को नही मारा जा सकता । यह धरती से पोषण प्राप्त करते हुए और इसकी ऊपरी सतह से उगते हुए वर्षों तक धूप ,हवा और पानी को चूसते हुए बड़ा होता है । इसकी छाल में से पत्ते निकलते रहते हैं और ये ऐसे प्रतीत होतें है जैसे कि इस पर कुष्ठ रोग के अनेक रंगों के धब्बे पड़ गए हों ।

Questions :

(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Can we kill a tree just with a simple jab of the knife?
(c) How does a tree grow up?
(d) What does it absorb for years?
(e) What does a tree symbolize in this poem?

Answers :

(a) The name of the poem is ‘On killing A Tree’ and the name of the poet is `Gieve Patel’.
(b) No, we can’t kill a tree just with a simple jab of the knife.
(c) A tree grows up consuming the earth.
(d) It absorbs sunlight, air and water.
(e) It symbolizes a deep-rooted evil.

STANZA 2

So hack and chop

But this alone won’t do it.

Not so much pain will do it.

The bleeding bark will heal

And front close to the ground

Will rise curled green twigs,

Miniature boughs

Which if unchecked will expand again

To former size.

हिंदी अनुवाद –इसलिए इसे भारी चोटें मार–मार कर फाड़ना चाहिए । परंतु मात्र इतना करने से ही पेड़ मर नहीं जाएगा । इससे उसे अधिक पीड़ा भी नहीं होगी । उसकी घायल छाल जल्दी ही ठीक हो जाएगीं और छोटी –छोटी कुंडली के आकार की हरी शाखाएँ निकलेगीऔर यदि उन्हें रोका (तोड़ा) नहीं गया तो वे पहले के आकार की हो जाएँगी I

Questions :

(a) How should we kill a tree?
(b) That alone can’t kill a tree?
(c) What will happen to Its bleeding skin?
(d) What rises from dose to the ground?
(e) What is the meaning of ‘miniature boughs’?

Answers :
(a) We should kill a tree by hacking and chopping it.
(b) lacking and chopping alone can’t kill a tree.
(c) It’s bleeding skin will heal very soon.
(d) Small green twigs rise from close to the ground.
(e) ‘Miniature boughs’ means small branches.

STANZA 3

No,

The root is to be pulled out-

Out of the anchoring earth;

It is to be roped, tied,

And pulled out-snapped out

Or pulled out entirely,

Questions :
(a) What should we do to kill a tree entirely?
(b) What is the main anchor of the trees?
(c) Where does the strength of a tree lie?
(d) What should we do to its roots?
(e) Name the poem and the poet

Answers :
(a) To kill a tree entirely we should pull out its root from the earth.
(b) The earth is the main anchor of the trees.
(c) The strength of a tree lies in its roots.
(d) The roots should be snapped and taken out of the earth
(e) The name of the poem is ‘On Killing A Tree’ and the name of the poet is ‘Cleve Patel’.

STANZA 4

Out from the earth-cave,

And the strength of the tree exposed

The source, white and wet,

The most sensitive, hidden

For years inside the earth.

हिंदी अनुवाद – धरती की गुफा के अंदर से वृक्ष की ताकत निकल आती है और वृक्ष की ताकत का वह स्रोत सफ़ेद रंग का और गीला होता है तथा बहुत ही संवेदनशील होता जोकि वृक्षों से धरती के अंदर छिपा हुआ था I

Questions :
(a) What is taken out of the earth’s cave?
(b) What Is the source of the strength of a tree?
(c) Where does the root remain hidden for years?
(d) Name the most sensitive part of the tree.
(e) How is the strength of the tree exposed?

Answers
(a) The root of a tree is taken out of the cave.
(b) Root is the source of the strength of a tree.
(c) Under the earth.
(d) The most sensitive part of the tree is its ‘root’.
(e) The strength of a tree is exposed by Pulling out its root.

STANZA 5

Then the matter

Of scorching and choking

In sun and air,

Browning, hardening,

Twisting, withering,

And then it is done.

हिंदी अनुवाद—तब धूप में झुलसने और हवा न मिलने के कारण दम घुटने के लिए खुला छोड़ देना चाहिए l फिर वह भूरे रंग का होकर कठोर हो जाएगा और फिर उसकी शाखाएँ बल खाकर मुरझा जाएंगी और हम कह सकेंगें कि पेड़ मर गया है I

Questions :
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What is scorching done by?
(c) What is chocking done by?
(d) ‘And then it is done’. What is done?
(e) In this poem what is a symbol of a tree?

Answers :
(a) The name of the poem is ‘On Killing A Tree’ and the name of the poet is Gieve Patel’.
(b) Scorching is done by the heat of the sun.
(c) Chocking is done by the absence of the air.
(d) A tree is put to an end forever.
(e) In this poem, the tree is a symbol of deep-rooted evil.