CBSE Class VIII English (Poorvi) Unit 4: Environment — The Cherry Tree Questions and Answers

The Cherry Tree

Unit 4: Environment | Poorvi | Questions and Answers

Let us do these activities before we read

A boy and a girl planting seeds and watering them.

I. 1

Have you ever used a seed or a sapling to grow a plant?

Yes, I have planted a seed in a small space in a garden.

I. 2

What kind of care did the plant need? Who helped you with it?

The plant needed water, but not too much, and protection from harm.

I. 3

How did you feel when you saw the plant grow?

I felt happy and excited.

II

What kind of trees do people plant in their homes? Why is it important to plant trees?

People plant fruit trees, such as the cherry tree in the story, and trees that give shade. It is important to plant trees because they give us food, shelter and medicine. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen and reduce pollution. They also help in climate control and prevent soil erosion. In the story, the cherry tree gave shade to Grandfather, blossoms to bees, and cherries to birds.

III

Name some fruit trees that grow in your region. What type of conditions help these fruit trees to grow?

Answers will depend on the student's region. The chapter gives the following clues:

• Cherries came from the Kashmir Valley. The cherry tree in Rakesh's garden grew in Mussoorie.
• Fruit trees are few in the Himalayan foothills because the soil is stony and the dry cold winds stunt the growth of most plants.
• The cherry tree grew well in soft soil, in a shady and undisturbed corner, with some watering and the monsoon rains.

Let us discuss (Part I)

A goat enters the garden and eats the leaves of the young cherry tree.

I

Arrange the events in order of occurrence in the story. Two have been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

1. Rakesh's parents grew maize, rice, and barley in a village.
2. Rakesh was sent to live with his grandfather in Mussoorie.
3. Rakesh bought a bunch of cherries and ate most of them.
4. Rakesh kept rolling the last cherry seed in his mouth.
5. Rakesh pressed the cherry seed into the soft soil with his thumb.
6. Rakesh discovered that the small, well-rooted twig had grown into a cherry tree.
7. Rakesh sprinkled water on the cherry tree and surrounded it with pebbles.
8. The cherry tree grew quickly after the rains arrived early.
9. A goat entered the garden and ate all the leaves of the young cherry tree.
10. Grandfather told Rakesh that cherry trees were tough.

II

Do you think the cherry tree would survive? Why do you think so?

Yes, I think the cherry tree would survive. Grandfather said that cherry trees are tough and that it would grow again. The tree had already kept growing after the goat ate its leaves, and Rakesh kept caring for it.

Let us discuss (Part II)

A woman cutting grass with a scythe cuts the cherry tree in two.

I

Complete the table given below based on your understanding of Part II of the story. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Cause	Effect
1. A woman cut the cherry tree while cutting grass.	(i) Grandfather scolded the woman.
2. Rakesh went home to his village during the monsoon to help his parents with the planting, ploughing and sowing.	(ii) Rakesh was thinner but stronger when he came back.
3. A hairy caterpillar started eating the leaves of the cherry tree.	(iii) Rakesh removed it quickly and dropped it on a heap of dry leaves.
4. A pale pink blossom appeared at the end of a branch of the tree.	(iv) Rakesh and Grandfather gazed at the tree as though it was a miracle.
5. Rakesh tasted one of the small cherries during summer.	(v) He spat it out and said it was too sour.

The cherry tree in blossom.

Let us think and reflect

I. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Extract 1: "Have a cherry, Grandfather," he said...

1 (i)

Substitute the underlined phrase with a correct word from the extract.
The Kho-kho captain changed her strategy quickly and without delay when a new player came in from the opposing team.

promptly. The sentence becomes: "The Kho-kho captain changed her strategy promptly when a new player came in from the opposing team."

1 (ii)

What does Rakesh's action of rolling the cherry seed in his mouth most likely suggest about his mood at that moment?
A. He is feeling impatient and restless.
B. He is enjoying the taste and the moment.
C. He is bored and has nothing better to do.
D. He is thoughtful and feeling playful.

B. He is enjoying the taste and the moment. He rolled the seed round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone.

1 (iii)

Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to Rakesh and his grandfather.
Rakesh's decision to plant the seed shows that ______________. (he respects and values his grandfather's advice/he has a close bond with his grandfather and a willingness to learn from him)

Rakesh's decision to plant the seed shows that he respects and values his grandfather's advice. Grandfather told him to put the seed to some use by planting it, and Rakesh followed this advice.

1 (iv)

How does the grandfather's advice reflect his view about luck and effort?

Grandfather believes that luck does not come from keeping a thing safely put away. It comes when a person puts it to some use. So he believes that luck needs effort and action.

Extract 2: Winter came early...

2 (i)

Complete the following sentence suitably.
The phrase 'field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage' suggests that _____________.

The phrase 'field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage' suggests that the winter was very cold and harsh, so the mice needed a warm, safe place to stay.

2 (ii)

What can be inferred about the cherry tree's toughness from the line, 'The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow'?
A. The weight of the tree was more than the snow.
B. The tree could withstand harsh weather.
C. The tree was growing close to the ground.
D. The snow gave support to the tree.

B. The tree could withstand harsh weather. It bent under the heavy snow but did not break.

2 (iii)

How did the early winter affect Grandfather's mood and storytelling?

The early winter blocked the road from the valley, so there was no newspaper for several days. This made Grandfather quite grumpy, and his stories began to have unhappy endings.

2 (iv)

Complete the sentence by choosing the correct option.
The comparison of Rakesh's age to the cherry tree's age symbolises _______________. (the tree's growth paralleling Rakesh's own development/the tree standing as a dear one on Rakesh's birthday)

The comparison of Rakesh's age to the cherry tree's age symbolises the tree's growth paralleling Rakesh's own development. Both were growing up together.

Grandfather and Rakesh relax under the grown cherry tree.

II. Answer the following questions.

II. 1

Why did Rakesh's parents send him to Mussoorie?

There were no schools in their village, and Rakesh's parents were keen that he should go to school. So, as soon as he was of school-going age, they sent him to stay with his grandfather in Mussoorie.

II. 2

Why did Rakesh let the praying-mantis remain on the branch of the cherry tree?

Rakesh let the praying-mantis remain on the branch because it was the cherry tree's first visitor.

II. 3

How is life in the Himalayan foothills described in the story?

• There are not many fruit trees. The soil is stony and the dry cold winds stunt the growth of most plants.
• On the more sheltered slopes there are forests of oak and deodar.
• Villagers grow maize, rice and barley in narrow terraced fields on the lower slopes. There are no schools in the village.
• Winters are cold, with snow and a cold wind in the deodar trees. The road from the valley can get blocked.
• The monsoon brings heavy rain, mist, ferns and lilies. In spring, wild ducks fly north.

II. 4

What might Rakesh mean when he says, "Is this what it feels to be God?" at the end of the story?

Rakesh had grown a whole tree from one small seed. He might mean that he feels wonder and pride, as if he had helped to create and nurture life, like God.

II. 5

How does the writer describe the relationship between Rakesh and his grandfather?

The writer shows a warm and loving bond. Grandfather gives Rakesh advice and tells him stories by the charcoal fire, and Rakesh reads the newspaper to him because his eyesight is weak. They plant and care for the cherry tree together. They also share quiet moments, such as sitting beneath the tree until the stars came out.

II. 6

What can you infer about the connection between humans and nature based on the story?

Humans and nature are closely connected. Rakesh's care helped the tree grow, and the tree gave back shade, blossoms and cherries. Bees, birds and insects also depended on it, and it gave Rakesh and Grandfather joy and peace.

II. 7

Imagine Rakesh reflects on his wonderful experience of watching a seed being transformed into a full-grown cherry tree. Write how he must have felt.

Rakesh must have felt amazed, happy and proud. He had pressed one small seed into the soil with his thumb, and it grew into a tree taller than him and his grandfather. Even after the goat and the grass-cutter damaged it, the tree did not die. He must have felt a deep bond with the tree, because he had watered and protected it, and it now gave blossoms, cherries and shade.

Let us learn

I. Each word list has one word that does not match with the other words. Identify the odd word. One example has been done for you.

I. 1

chop, trim, slice, mince

trim. 'Chop', 'slice' and 'mince' are words used for cutting with a knife, whereas 'trim' is to cut a part with a pair of scissors.

I. 2

plodded, galloped, scrambled, trudged

galloped. 'Plodded', 'scrambled' and 'trudged' describe slow or difficult movement on foot, whereas 'galloped' means moving very fast, like a horse.

I. 3

tender, delicate, soft, smooth

smooth. 'Tender', 'delicate' and 'soft' describe something gentle or easily hurt, whereas 'smooth' describes an even surface with no roughness.

I. 4

stared, peered, pecked, gazed

pecked. 'Stared', 'peered' and 'gazed' are ways of looking at something, whereas 'pecked' is what birds do with their beaks.

I. 5

growing, blossoming, progressing, planting

planting. 'Growing', 'blossoming' and 'progressing' show development or improvement, whereas 'planting' is the action of putting a seed or sapling in the soil.

Food items for the taste words exercise: lemon, tamarind, pickle, jaggery and a dish of vegetables.

II

Choose the most suitable taste words given in the box below and write against the food items that follow.
(sweet, sour, tangy, bitter, spicy, salty, bland (tasteless))

1. tamarind: tangy
2. jaggery: sweet
3. neem leaves: bitter
4. paneer (cottage cheese): bland
5. lemon: sour
6. pickle: spicy (it can also be tangy or salty)
7. a dish of vegetables: spicy (it can also be salty)

II (Activity)

Now, use any five taste words and make sentences of your own.

Sample sentences:

1. The cherries were a little sweet and a little sour.
2. Neem leaves taste very bitter.
3. The tamarind chutney was tangy.
4. Paneer tastes bland without spices.
5. Jaggery is sweet.

III

Choose the correct antonyms for the textual words given below from the box. There are two extra words that you will not need.
(growing, ordinary, unprotected, cheerful, hard, wide, fasting, shaky, fussing, coldness)

Word	Antonym	Word	Antonym
1. tender	hard	5. feasting	fasting
2. sturdy	shaky	6. grumpy	cheerful
3. narrow	wide	7. sheltered	unprotected
4. warmth	coldness	8. special	ordinary

The two extra words are growing and fussing.

IV (Part 1)

Read the following lines from the text and underline all the verbs and identify the form of tense.

1. Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries. Simple Past Tense (was, bought).
2. Rakesh was looking for Grandfather without finding him in any of his favourite places around the house. Past Progressive Tense (was looking).
3. Rakesh and Grandfather gazed at the tree as though it had performed a miracle. Simple Past Tense (gazed) and Past Perfect Tense (had performed).

A girl sharing memories with her grandparents in the garden.

IV (Part 2)

Now, fill in the blanks with the correct form of Simple Past, Past Progressive, or Past Perfect Tenses of the verbs given in brackets. One example has been done for you.

(i) I was sitting (sit) with my grandparents in the garden, sharing the wonderful memories from my childhood. As we (ii) were talking (talk), I (iii) realised (realise) how much wisdom they (iv) had imparted (impart) to me over the years. While I (v) was listening (listen) to their stories for hours together, I (vi) remembered (remember) the times we (vii) had spent (spend) together planting flowers and learning about life. By the time I left, the sun (viii) had set (set), and I (ix) felt (feel) a deep sense of gratitude for the bond we (x) had nurtured (nurture) through love, care, and countless memories.

V

Now, punctuate the following paragraph appropriately.
every sunday roshni would visit her grandparents house on their farm / come sit grandpa would say patting the bench on their porch / roshni loved these moments where the world slowed down and stories flowed like magic grandma would bring tea her eyes twinkling with joy / im excited to hear about your younger days the adventures the lessons and the memories roshni said eagerly / grandpa smiled softly his wrinkled hands resting on the cane ah the old days… when everything was simple and happiness was all we had / roshni could feel the warmth of those memories he sat in silence bound not by words but by a timeless bond

Every Sunday, Roshni would visit her grandparents' house on their farm.

"Come, sit," Grandpa would say, patting the bench on their porch.

Roshni loved these moments, where the world slowed down and stories flowed like magic. Grandma would bring tea, her eyes twinkling with joy.

"I'm excited to hear about your younger days: the adventures, the lessons, and the memories," Roshni said eagerly.

Grandpa smiled softly, his wrinkled hands resting on the cane. "Ah, the old days… when everything was simple and happiness was all we had."

Roshni could feel the warmth of those memories; he sat in silence, bound not by words but by a timeless bond.

Let us listen

People protecting a tree, as in the Chipko Movement.

I

You will listen to a conversation between a son and his mother. As you listen, select four true statements from 1–7 given below.
1. The mother encouraged her son to deliver a presentation on the Chipko Movement.
2. The son was surprised to know about the Appiko Movement.
3. The son agreed that the Chipko Movement was about people uniting to make an impact.
4. The mother expressed a desire to share more details about Saalumarada Thimakka.
5. The mother was curious to hear about Saalumarada Thimakka.
6. The mother and son were in disagreement about the work of Jadav Payeng.
7. The son found the information on Jadav Payeng wonderful.

The four true statements are:

• 2. The son was surprised to know about the Appiko Movement. He said "Really?" when his mother told him about it.
• 3. The son agreed that the Chipko Movement was about people uniting to make an impact. He said common people came together to save trees and showed they can make a difference.
• 5. The mother was curious to hear about Saalumarada Thimakka. She said she was interested to know what the teacher had shared.
• 7. The son found the information on Jadav Payeng wonderful. He called it "fascinating" and said it inspired him.

Let us speak

I

Work in pairs. Read aloud the following words from the text. Write the number of syllables in each word. Check your answers with your classmates and teacher.
(mountains, caterpillar, slope, grandfather, Himalayan, newspaper, tender, performed, favourite, disturbed, intention)

Word	Syllables	Word	Syllables
mountains	2 (moun-tains)	performed	2 (per-formed)
caterpillar	4 (ca-ter-pil-lar)	favourite	3 (fa-vour-ite)
slope	1 (slope)	disturbed	2 (dis-turbed)
grandfather	3 (grand-fa-ther)	intention	3 (in-ten-tion)
Himalayan	4 (Him-a-lay-an)	newspaper	3 (news-pa-per)
tender	2 (ten-der)

When you clap out the beats, the number of claps should match the number of syllables.

II

Speak about Van Mahotsav Diwas and its significance. Before you speak in the class or assembly, prepare yourself on the following points: When is it celebrated? Who celebrates it? Why is it celebrated? How is it celebrated? What is the message it conveys?

This chapter does not give the date, the celebrants or the way Van Mahotsav Diwas is celebrated, so these points must be found out separately before speaking. The chapter does give the message that Van Mahotsav stands for, which you can use in your speech:

• Trees are our lifeline. They give us food, shelter and medicine, absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
• Trees reduce pollution, help in climate control and prevent soil erosion.
• Planting a tree and caring for it, as Rakesh did, brings joy and makes it special.
• We must protect and plant more trees to preserve Earth's green lifeline for future generations.

Let us write

A tree, the subject of the article "Trees–Our Lifeline".

Complete the article

Now, complete the article for a magazine on 'Trees–Our Lifeline'. Use the words and phrases given in the box below.
(absorb carbon dioxide, Moreover, our planet, reduces pollution, Additionally, would stop existing, ensures a better future, climate control, Trees–Our Lifeline, To conclude, If trees were not there)

(i) Trees–Our Lifeline -by [Your Name, Class]

Trees are essential for life on Earth. Without them, life as we know (ii) would stop existing. This is the reason why trees are our lifeline. Trees provide us with food, shelter, and even medicine. Trees (iii) absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, helping us breathe. This process also (iv) reduces pollution and keeps the environment clean. (v) Additionally, trees give us fruits, nuts, and other foods. Trees also help in (vi) climate control and prevention of soil erosion. (vii) If trees were not there, the air would be polluted, and we would struggle to breathe. (viii) Moreover, our planet would be barren, lacking food, shelter, and life-giving greenery. (ix) To conclude, trees are true friends. Protecting and planting trees (x) ensures a better future for everyone on Earth. Therefore, we must act now to protect and plant more trees, preserving Earth's green lifeline for future generations.

Let us explore

The banyan tree, the National Tree of India.

Wild ducks flying in a V-shaped formation.

II

Now, find more information about such Indian environmentalists and share with your classmates.

The chapter gives information about these people and movements, which you can share with your classmates:

• Kailash Sankhala, 'The Tiger Man of India', was a biologist and conservationist. He carried out a tiger census in 1971 and became the first director of Project Tiger, an initiative to prevent the extinction of the Indian Tiger. He received the Padma Shri in 1992.
• Saalumarada Thimakka, a Padma Shri awardee, has been planting trees since 1948. She has planted over 8000 trees around her village.
• Jadav Payeng, the Forest Man of India, is a Padma Shri awardee from Assam. He turned about a thousand acres of barren land into a lush forest by planting nearly forty million trees over thirty years. The forest is now a habitat for animals, including migratory birds.
• The Chipko Movement was a movement in which common people hugged trees to prevent them from being cut. Its success led to the Appiko Movement in the Western Ghats, where people also regenerated the forest areas.

Students can look up other Indian environmentalists to add to this list.