Category: CBSE

Without further ado, let’s delve into the captivating world of “The Accidental Tourist Extra Questions and Answers Class 9” and explore the profound life lessons it imparts. As we accompany Macon on his emotional odyssey, we invite you to join us in reflecting on the themes of loss, love, and the transformative power of unexpected encounters. Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

The Accidental Tourist Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Moments

The Accidental Tourist Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Bill Bryson says “I am, in short, easily confused.” What examples has he given to justify this?
Answer:
He gives the example of returning to his hotel desk two or three times a day, asking what his room number was. He also talks about looking for a lavatory and ending up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self¬locking door.

Question 2.
What happens when the zip on his carry-on bag gives way?
Answer:
The side of the bag flew open and everything inside it, like newspaper cuttings, other loose papers, a 14-ounce tin of pipe tobacco, magazines, passport, English money, film, etc, were scattered all over the place. He also injured his finger, which bled profusely.

Question 3.
What causes his finger to bleed? How does his wife react?
Answer:
His finger was cut on the zip when he was trying to open it. His wife looked at him with an expression of wonder and commented that she couldn’t believe that he did that for a living.

Question 4.
How does Bill Bryson end up in a ‘crash position’ in the aeroplane?
Answer:
This happened when he bent down to tie his shoelaces while seated in the plane, and the person in the seat ahead of him threw back his seat back in a full recline. As a result, Bill Bryson found himself doubled over and pinned helplessly in the ‘crash position’.

Question 5.
Why do the writer’s teeth and gums turn navy blue?
Answer:
This happens when the writer was penning down important thoughts in his notebook during a flight. He had been sucking thoughtfully on the end of his pen while doing so. He had not realised that in the process, his teeth and gums had turned navy blue because of the ink.

Question 6.
Bill Bryson ‘ached to be suave’. Is he successful in his mission?
Answer:
No, he is not suave in spite of his best efforts, because he always looks as though he has been through an earthquake when he rises from a dinner table. He can never get inside a car without having at least 14 inches of his coat hanging outside the door. He can never wear light coloured trousers without having chewing gum, ice cream, cough syrup, or motor oil stains on them.

Question 7.
Why do you think Bill Bryson’s wife says to the children, ‘Take the lids off the food for Daddy’?
Answer:
She says this because her husband is so accident-prone that she expects the food to go all over the place or some such accident to happen if he is allowed to open the lid himself. This is because of his earlier accidental incidents that always happen whenever he tries to perform simple actions, especially during flights.

Question 8.
What is the significance of the title?
Answer:
The title suggests that the writer is a tourist, not by choice, but by accident. It is a pun on the word accident, as he has several accidents while travelling. In fact, this effectively captures the various misadventures that he has while travelling with his family. It also suggests that the anecdotes and events described are humorous and should be taken in a lighter vein.

Question 9.
Why does the writer say ‘living in the real world’ is challenging for him?
Answer:
He says this because he has had several experiences of doing something wrong in instances where normal people have no problems. For instance, things like remembering his room number in an hotel, or finding the lavatory at a movie theatre.

Question 10.
Why did the writer feel the need to open his carry-on bag at Logan Airport?
Answer:
He wanted to open the bag to take out his frequent flyer card, which he had kept inside it.

Question 11.
Of all the things that spilled out of his carry-on bag, what was the writer most disturbed about? Why?
Answer:
He was most disturbed about the loss of his tobacco tin, because he was worried it might be very expensive to buy in England.

Question 12.
How did the writer free himself from the crash position?
Answer:
He did so by clawing at the leg of the man sitting next to him.

Question 13.
How did the writer affect the lady sitting next to him during one of his flights?
Answer:
He kept knocking soft drinks into the lady’s lap, even though he tried to be careful after the flight attendant had cleaned her up the first time he had done so.

Question 14.
How did the lady next to the writer on the plane react?
Answer:
She looked at the writer with a stupefied expression of disbelief, and exclaimed an oath that started with ‘oh’ and ended with ‘sake’, and had words in between that he had not heard a nun utter before.

Question 15.
What, according to the writer, was his worst experience on a plane?
Answer:
The worst experience according to him was the time his mouth and teeth turned navy blue. He had been sucking on the end of his pen while writing down his thoughts. He then spoke to an attractive lady sitting next to him, before he realised that his teeth, chin and gums had turned a striking shade of blue.

Question 16.
What does the writer do to curb his accidental tendencies when he is flying alone?
Answer:
He doesn’t eat or drink, or lean over to tie his shoelaces. He also never puts his pen anywhere near his mouth.

Question 17.
Why does the writer not get his frequent flyer miles?
Answer:
He does not get his miles because he couldn’t find his frequent flyer card in time. Also, he forgets to ask for the miles when he checks in, or the airline does not record them, or the check-in clerk informs him that he is . not entitled to them.

Question 18.
Give an example to show that the writer is a frequent flyer?
Answer:
The fact that the writer says that he usually flies 100,000 miles a year in about 23 different airlines, reveals that he is a frequent flyer.

Question 19.
Give an example of when the writer was not given miles because he was not entitled to them.
Answer:
On a flight to Australia, which could have got him a large number of air miles, he was told by the airport clerk that he was not entitled to them.

Question 20.
Why were the miles not credited to the writer?
Answer:
They were not credited to him because the ticket was in the name of B. Bryson, while the card was in the name of W. Bryson. Even though the writer tried to tell her that ‘Bill’ was the short form of ‘William’, she refused to oblige him.

Question 21.
How do we know that the writer is a positive man?
Answer:
We know this from the fact that though he did not get a free passage to Bali due to the insufficient airmiles on his card, he was quite philosophical about it. He remarks that it is probably a good thing, because he could not have remained hungry on the long flight from America to Bali.

Question 22.
What is the meaning of ‘venerable’? What is the writer trying to say by using the phrase ‘close and venerable relationship between Bill and William’?
Answer:
Venerable means honourable or respectful. By using this phrase, the writer is saying that both Bill and William are closely related; they are in fact different forms of the same name.

Question 23.
How was the writer planning to fly to Bali?
Answer:
He was planning to do so by using the air miles that he would collect for flying so frequently. They are the bonus that one is given for flying by a particular airline, where a person is awarded a free ticked to any destination after one collects a certain number of points.

Question 24.
What is the tone of the lesson ‘The Accidental Tourist’?
Answer:
The tone is humorous and self-deprecating. The writer has made fun of his own shortcomings and clumsiness, by listing out all the accidents he has had while flying in an aircraft, as well as the embarrassing situations he has been in because of this.

Question 25.
Do you think the writer’s family members have trouble travelling with him? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
I feel that the writer’s family are quite used to his clumsiness and have reconciled to the fact that he is likely to have several ‘accidents’. This is evident from the fact that his wife asks the children to take the lid off the food for the writer, because she knows even a small thing like opening the lid can have disastrous consequences if he is allowed to do it.

The Accidental Tourist Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
What kind of picture do you get of the writer’s character from the lesson ‘The Accidental Tourist’?
Answer:
He appears to be a positive, funny, and self-deprecating man who does not mind highlighting his shortcomings. In fact, every instance that could have embarrassed other people has been shown in a humorous light. He has found humour in the most disastrous and frustrating situations. Even when he loses the chance to go to Bali when the airline refuses to give him air miles on a technical reason, he does not lose his temper.

He does not take himself too seriously and readily accepts his clumsiness. He doesn’t try to hide any of the embarrassing accidents he has had, but honestly admits to them. His family also appears to have accepted him the way he is, and leamt to handle him along with his ‘accidents’. The writer’s most endearing quality is how comfortable he is with his own self. Even though he talks about wanting to be suave and gentlemanly like other travellers, he is not too worried when he is unable to do so, in spite of his best efforts. He thus comes across as a clumsy, accident-prone, but good natured person.

Question 2.
Mention two disastrous events that the writer experiences while travelling with women travellers and trying to impress them?
Answer:
The first instance mentioned is when he is travelling next to a sweet young nun, and he twicp spilled his drink on her lap, thereby testing her patience greatly. In fact, she became so agitated that she used swear words, which he had not expected a nun to use. The second instance was when he was talking to his lady companion while sucking on the end of a pen. He later realised that the ink from the pen had stained his teeth, gums, and chin a bright navy blue, which had obviously made him appear ridiculous.

Question 3.
Discuss the title of the story. Do you think it is appropriate? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
‘The Accidental Tourist’ is an apt title for this story. The title is a pun on the word ‘accidental’. On one level, the writer is literally accident prone, and has a problem of having the most peculiar accidents while travelling. Some of the accidents include spilling the contents of his bag all over the airport, spilling food and drinks on his fellow travellers. At another level, it refers to him being an accidental or unwilling traveller.

We know this because he mentions that even though he travels a lot every year, he prefers to travel with his family rather than alone. In their absence, he tries to avoid eating or drinking, out of fear of causing mishaps to those travelling with him.

Question 4.
How does the writer’s family behave during the writer’s mishaps and accidents?
Answer:
The family seems to have accepted the fact that they cannot travel with the writer without facing some accident or the other. This is revealed in the part where the writer’s wife reacts with wonder and says taht she cannot believe he does it for a living. She seems neither angry nor exasperated/annoyed with his clumsiness. Instead, when he begins to eat the food served during the flight, his children help him take the lid off the food, and his wife warns the children when he is about to cut the meat.

Question 5.
How could the writer make his journeys advantageous inspite of the accidents? Why is he not able to benefit from them ultimately?
Answer:
The writer is a frequent flyer. Hence, he could benefit from collecting frequent flier miles that the airline offers to those who travel with their airline on a regular basis. These miles add up to a free ticket to any destination of the traveller’s choice. They writer is, however, not able to take advantage of this scheme, because he either can’t find his card on time, or forgets to ask for the miles. Sometimes, the airlines don’t record the miles, and one time, the check-in clerk informed him that he was not entitled to the points. Moreover, he doesn’t stick to a single airline, and mentions having travelled with 23 airlines, thereby losing out on points from any single airline.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

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• The Adventures of Toto Question Answer
• Iswaran the Storyteller Question Answer
• In the Kingdom of Fools Question Answer
• The Happy Prince Question Answer
• Weathering the Storm in Ersama Question Answer
• The Last Leaf Question Answer
• A House is not a Home Question Answer
• The Accidental Tourist Question Answer
• The Beggar Question Answer

In essence, “A Legend of the Northland Extra Questions and Answers Class 9” is a mesmerizing narrative poem that unravels the mythical adventures of Hiawatha and his encounter with the cunning and enigmatic Pearl-Feather. Set in the captivating Northland, the poem weaves a tale of bravery, wit, and the triumph of good over evil. Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

A Legend of the Northland Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive

A Legend of the Northland Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What is a legend? Why is this is called a legend?
Answer:
A legend is a very old story from ancient times, which may not always be true, and one that people tell about a famous event or person. A legend often teaches a lesson. This poem is called a legend because it tells an old story of Northland. This is the story of an old greedy woman who angered St. Peter and was turned into a woodpecker because of her greed, and the poet herself says, ‘I don’t believe it is true’.

Question 2.
Where does this legend belong to and what kind of country is it?
Answer:
The legend belongs to the “Northland”, an area that could refer to any of the extremely cold countries in the Earth’s north polar region, such as Greenland, the northern regions of Russia—Siberia, or the Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. It is a cold place where days are short and the nights are long.

Question 3.
Why does the poet say that the hours of the day are few?
Answer:
In the poem, the poet says the legend is told Northland. The Northland is a cold snow-covered region near the North Pole. Here the days are shorter and the nights are longer. As a result there are very few hours in a day.

Question 4.
Why are the People unable to sleep through the night?
Answer:
The people are unable to sleep through the night because the nights are very long and very cold.

Question 5.
‘And the children look like bear’s cubs.’ What have the children been compared to? Why?
Answer:
Northland is a cold place so the children have to wear funny furry dresses to protect themselves from cold. These dresses make them look like bear cubs.

Question 6.
What does the poet tell us about the story she is about to narrate? Why does she want to tell the tale?
Answer:
The poet says that she is going to tell a strange tale told by the people of Northlands. She admits that thoughthe story may not be true, still she wants to tell the story because it contains an lesson in generosity and philanthropy. She wants the readers to learn a lesson from the poem.

Question 7.
Who came to the woman’s house and what did he ask for?
Answer:
Saint Peter, while preaching round the world, reached the woman’s door. He had been travelling the whole day and was tired and hungry. When Saint Peter saw the woman making cakes, he asked her for one of her large store of cakes.

Question 8.
Why was Saint Peter tired and hungry?
Answer:
Saint Peter was an apostle of Jesus Christ. He travelled around the land, preaching the message of Christ. During the course of his journey, sometimes, he did not get food and water. Besides, he had to observe fasts also. This often left him tired and hungry.

Question 9.
What did Saint Peter ask the woman for? What was the woman’s reaction?
Answer:
Saint Peter asked the old lady for a cake from her store of cakes. The woman, who was very greedy, did not wish to part with her cakes as she felt they were too large to be given away. So she made a small cake for him, but, that too, seemed to her too big to be given away. In the end, she made a very small and thin cake. But she did not give even that cake to St. Peter and she put it away on the shelf.

Question 10.
Why did the woman bake a little cake?
Answer:
The woman in the poem has been shown as being highly stingy, miserly, greedy and mean by nature. Whenever she picked up a cake to give it away, it appeared to be too large to give away. Hence, she baked a ‘ very small cake for Saint Peter that was as thin as a wafer.

Question 11.
What happened to the cakes the woman baked for Saint Peter?
Answer:
The woman was greedy. When Saint Peter, tired and hungry, after his travels arrived at her cottage and asked for a cake from her large store, she had no desire to share anything with him. The woman tried time and again to bake a smaller and smaller cake for Saint Peter. But even when the cake was as thin as water, the woman felt the cake was too big to be given away to Saint Peter and she put it on her shelf.

Question 12.
Explain: ‘And surely such a woman was enough to provoke a saint.’ Who was the lady and how did she provoke the saint?
Answer:
The woman, who was making cakes when the saint visited her was mean and greedy. Though she could see the visitor was tired and hungry, she did not give him anything to eat. She baked caks that were smaller and smaller, till she made one that was as thin as a wafer, but she could not bear to part even with that. The old lady did not help the hungry and tired saint. Saints are known for their patience, but her selfishness angered the saint, who cursed her.

Question 13.
Why did Saint Peter curse the woman? What did he turn her into?
Answer:
Saint Peter cursed the woman because she had been miserly and selfish. He felt she was not fit to live in a human form and enjoy food, shelter and warmth. He turned her into a woodpecker who has to build its nest “as birds do” and gather its scanty food by boring in the “hard, dry wood” all day long.

Question 14.
‘For she was changed to a bird.’ Who was she and why was she changed to a bird?
OR
‘You are too selfish to dwell in a human form.’ Who said this and to whom? Why did he say so?
Answer:
A woman of Northland, who was miserly and selfish was changed to a woodpecker by Saint Peter. She had refused to give even a cake as thin as a wafer to the tired and hungry saint. So, as a punishment, she was turned to a bird who would have to live in a nest and bore into wood for her food.

Question 15.
How is the woman seen by the people of Northland?
Answer:
Boys going to the forest have seen the woman, as a woodpecker in the wood. She lives in a nest in the tree and bores into the hard dry wood for her food.

Question 16.
Do you think that the woman would have been so ungenerous if she had known who Saint Peter really was? What would she have done then?
Answer:
No, she would not have been so greedy and turned Saint Peter away. On the contrary, since she was a greedy woman, she would have wanted a reward from Saint Peter, and would likely have given him a large piece of cake to make him happy.

Question 17.
Describe the theme of the poem ‘A legend of the Northland ‘?
Answer:
Saint Peter once asked a woman baking cakes for something to eat. She was selfish and did not give any cake . to the hungry saint. It made the saint angry. He turned the lady into the bird. The bird keeps on searching for her food the whole day. We should not be greedy and always help the needy person.

Question 18.
What is a ballad? Is this poem a ballad?
Answer:
A ballad is a song narrating a story in short stanzas. Ballads are part of the folk culture and are passed on orally from one generation to another. The poem ‘A Legend of the Northland’ is also a ballad as it contains the story of an old selfish woman and has been passed on from generation to generation, “They tell them a curious story”.

Question 19.
What do you learn about the woman in the poem?
Answer:
The woman in the poem is greedy and selfish. She has a large store of cakes but refuses to give away even one that is as small as a wafer to a tired and hungry traveller.

Question 20.
What do you learn about Saint Peter in the poem?
Answer:
Saint Peter goes about the land preaching the message of God. As he goes on his journey, sometimes, he does not get food and water. Besides, he has to observe fasts also. This often leaves him tired and hungry. Despite being a saint, he is provoked to anger and he curses the woman, and she is turned into a woodpecker. Being a saint, he should have forgiven the woman and shown her some mercy.

A Legend of the Northland Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Describe Northland as done by the poet?
Answer:
The Northland is the area around the North pole, an area that includes any of the extremely cold countries in the Earth’s north polar region, such as Greenland, the northern regions of Russia—Siberia, or the Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. It is a cold, snow-covered place where days are short and the nights are long.

In this region, hours of the day are few and nights are so long and so cold in winter that people are unable to sleep through the whole night. When it snows people harness their reindeers to pull their sledges. Because of extreme cold children look like bear’s cubs in because of funny and furry clothes.

Question 2.
Briefly narrate the legend of the old woman and St Peter?
Answer:
Once Saint Peter stopped by an old lady’s cottage because he was feeling hungry and weak after the day’s fasting. The lady was baking cakes on the hearth. When Saint Peter asked her for one of cakes, she tried to make a tiny cake for him. But as it was baking, she found it too large to be given away.

She tried baking two more times but even the smallest of cakes seemed too large to her. Such greedy behaviour of the lady annoyed the hungry saint.He cursed her saying that she was far too selfish to be a human, to have food, shelter and fire to keep her warm. Thus, she was transformed into a woodpecker.

All her clothes except her scarlet cap were gone as she went up the chimney and flew out of the top. Every country schoolboy is said to have seen her in the forest, boring into the wood for food till date.

Question 3.
What is the message of the poem?
Answer:
This poem teaches us that true happiness lies in sharing things with the persons who are in need. If we are greedy, we cannot have happiness in our life. On the other hand our charitable nature makes us think about pains and sorrows suffered by the other people. The little woman baking cakes was asked for something to eat by a tired and hungry traveller. The woman, who had a large store of cakes, was greedy and selfish.

She made smaller and smaller cakes, but in the end refused to part with any. Her greed and miserliness angered the weary traveller, Saint Peter, who told her that she was too selfish to dwell in human form, where she had food, warmth and shelter. He cursed her to become a bird and live in a nest and search for scanty food by digging all dry and hard wood.

A Legend of the Northland Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

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

Question 1.
Away, away in the Northland,
Where the hours of the day are few,
And the nights are so long in winter
That they cannot sleep them through;

(a) Why is the word ‘away’ repeated twice?
Answer:
The word away has been repeated to create a sense of distance

(b) Which place is discussed in this stanza?
Answer:
Northland, or the cold polar region of the North, including Greenland, northern Europe and Siberia are being discussed here.

(c) What does “hours of the day are few” mean?
Answer:
The days are shorter than the nights

(d) Why can the people not sleep through the night?
Answer:
The winter nights are long and cold.

Question 2.
Where they harness the swift reindeer
To the sledges, when it snows;
And the children look like bear’s cubs
In their funny, furry clothes:

(a) What does ‘Where’ refer to?
Answer:
Where refers to Northland.

(b) Where are the reindeer harnessed? What does ‘swift reindeer’ convey?
Answer:
The reindeer are harnessed to the sledges. The phrase ‘swift reindeer’ conveys that the reindeer are very fast when they pull the sledges on the snow.

(c) Why do children look like bear cubs?
Answer:
Because of the cold, children are made to wear heavy woollen clothes that cover them up fully and make them look like bear cubs.

(d) Mention two characteristics of the place.
Answer:
The place is very cold; the days are shorter than the nights; people cannot sleep through the night.

Question 3.
They tell them a curious story—
I don’t believe ’tis true;
And yet you may learn a lesson
If I tell the tale to you.

(a) What is the ‘curious story’ that the people tell?
Answer:
The curious story is a legend of an old greedy lady who angered St. Peter and he cursed the lady for her greed.

(b) Who does not believe in the story?
Answer:
The poet does not believe the story to be true.

(c) Why does the poet narrate this tale?
Answer:
The poet narrates the story because it has a moral lesson.

(d) What lesson does it give?
Answer:
The tale teaches us a lesson that greed is a vice. One should not be greedy like the old lady who was cursed by St. Peter.

Question 4.
Once, when the good Saint Peter
Lived in the world below,
And walked about it, preaching,
Just as he did, you know

(a) Which line shows that St. Peter is not alive today?
Answer:
‘Once, when the good Saint Peter lived in the world below’ shows that St. Peter is not alive today

(b) Who was St. Peter?
Answer:
St. Peter was an apostle of Jesus Christ. His mission was to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.

(c) What does the line “Lived in the world below,” mean?
Answer:
St Peter lived on earth

(d) What did St Peter do when he ‘Lived in the world below’?
Answer:
He went about the world preaching the message of God.

Question 5.
He came to the door of a cottage,
In travelling round the earth,
Where a little woman was making cakes,
And baking them on the hearth;

(a) Who does “he” refer to in the first line?
Answer:
He refers to Saint Peter.

(b) What was the little woman doing?
Answer:
The woman was baking cakes.

(c) What request did “he” make to the woman? Why?
Answer:
Saint Peter asked the woman for a cake because he was weak with hunger.

(d) Why did Saint Peter curse the woman?
Answer:
Saint Peter cursed the woman because she was highly stingy and mean and could not spare even a small cake from her large store for a weary traveller.

Question 6.
And being faint with fasting,
For the day was almost done,
He asked her, from her store of cakes,
To give him a single one.

(a) Why was St Peter about to faint?
Answer:
Saint Peter was tired and hungry, and so ready to faint.

(b) What had Saint Peter been doing?
Answer:
Saint Peter had been travelling, spreading the message of God.

(c) What time of the day was it?
Answer:
It was evening

(d) What did he ask the woman for?
Answer:
Saint Peter asked the woman for a cake from her large store.

Question 7.
So she made a very little cake,
But as it baking lay,
She looked at it, and thought it seemed
Too large to give away.

(a) Why did she bake a small cake?
Answer:
The woman baked a small cake for giving to the saint

(b) What did she think about it as she saw it being baked?
Answer:
She thought that the cake was too big to be given away in charity.

(c) What aspect of her character does this reveal?
Answer:
She is selfish and miserly.

(d) How was she punished for her greed?
Answer:
Saint Peter turned her into a woodpecker.

Question 8.
Therefore she kneaded another,
And still a smaller one;
But it looked, when she turned it over,
As large as the first had done.

(a) Who does ‘she’ refer to?
Answer:
‘She’ refers to the old little woman in the cottage.

(b) Who had come to her door? Why?
Answer:
Saint Peter had come to her door. He was hungry and wanted something to eat.

(c) Why was she kneading smaller and smaller cakes?
Answer:
She did not want to give away a large one to Saint Peter.

(d) What quality of the woman do her actions reveal?
Answer:
She is miserly and selfish.

Question 9.
Then she took a tiny scrap of dough,
And rolled and rolled it flat;
And baked it thin as a wafer —
But she couldn’t part with that.

(a) Who had asked the woman for a cake? Why?
Answer:
Saint Peter had asked the woman for a cake. He had been fasting the whole ay and was weak with hunger.

(b) Why did the old lady take a tiny scrap of dough?
Answer:
The old lady was a greedy woman. She wanted to give St. Peter, the smallest cake she could make.

(c) Why did she make the thin cake?
Answer:
She wanted to save her dough. She wanted to give him a very small cake. So, she made a cake as thin as a water.

(d) What did Saint Peter do?
Answer:
Saint Peter cursed the woman and turned her into a woodpecker.

Question 10.
For she said, “My cakes that seem too small
When I eat of them myself
Are yet too large to give away. ”
So she put them on the shelf.

(a) Who is the speaker in these lines?
Answer:
The woman is the speaker in these lines.

(b) When do the cakes seem too small?
Answer:
The cakes seemed too small foe eating them herself.

(c) What kind of cakes did the woman make?
Answer:
The woman made cakes that were smaller and smaller, till the last one was as thin as a wafer.

(d) What did the woman do with her cakes? Why?
Answer:
The woman put the cakes away because she felt that they were to big to be given away in charity.

Question 11.
Then good Saint Peter grew angry,
For he was hungry and faint;
And surely such a woman
Was enough to provoke a saint.

(a) Who was Saint Peter?
Answer:
Saint Peter was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ.

(b) Who was Saint Peter angry with? Why?
Answer:
Saint Peter was angry with the woman because of her greed and selfishness.

(c) How had the woman provoked the Saint?
Answer:
The woman had provoked Saint Peter by not giving him any cake from her plentiful store.

(d) What did Saint Peter do?
Answer:
Saint Peter cursed the woman and turned her into a woodpecker who would have to bore for her food.

Question 12.
And he said, “You are far too selfish
To dwell in a human form,
To have both food and shelter,
Andfire to keep you warm.

(a) Who is ‘he’? Who is he speaking to?
Answer:
He refers to Saint Peter. He is talking to the woman in the cottage.

(b) What did the saint say about the woman?
Answer:
He said she was too selfish to live in human form.

(c) Why was he angry with her?
Answer:
She had refused to give him anything to eat from her plentiful store, when he was faint with hunger.

(d) What benefits did he want her to forego?
Answer:
He wanted her to forego the basic benefits of food, shelter and a fire to keep her warm.

Question 13.
Now, you shall build as the birds do,
And shall get your scanty food
By boring, and boring, and boring,
All day in the hard, dry wood. ”

(a) What did St Peter turn the old woman into?
Answer:
Saint Peter turned the woman into a bird, a woodpecker.

(b) Why did he curse her?
Answer:
Saint Peter was angry with her because of her miserliness.

(c) What would she build?
Answer:
She would build a nest in the woods like other birds.

(d) How would she get her food?
Answer:
She would get her food by boring into the hard wood.

Question 14.
Then up she went through the chimney,
Never speaking a word,
And out of the top flew a woodpecker,
For she was changed to a bird.

(a) Who is ‘she’? How did she go up?
Answer:
“She’ refers to the woman. She went up through the chimney.

(b) Who changed her into a bird?
Answer:
Saint Peter had changed her into a bird by cursing her.

(c) Why did she change into a woodpecker?
Answer:
As the woman passed through the chimney and came out through the top, her clothes were burned and had become black but the scarlet cap on her head remained unchanged.

(d) Where did the woman live?
Answer:
She lived in a country in the Earth’s north polar region, such as Greenland, the northern regions of Russia, or the Scandinavian countries.

Question 15.
She had a scarlet cap on her head,
And that was left the same;
But all the rest of her clothes were burned
Black as a coal in the flame.

(a) What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for?
Answer:
Saint Peter asked the old lady for one of her baked cakes to satisfy his hunger.

(b) What was the lady’s reaction?
Answer:
The lady tried to bake a small cake for the Saint, but did not give him even that.

(c) Why did Saint Peter feel the woman should leave her human form?
Answer:
She was too selfish to live in human form and enjoy food, shelter and warmth.

(d) How does the woodpecker get its food?
Answer:
The woodpecker gets its food by boring holes into trees.

Question 16.
And every country schoolboy
Has seen her in the wood,
Where she lives in the trees till this very day,
Boring and boring for food.

(a) Where can the woman be seen now?
Answer:
She can be seen in the forest

(b) What is she doing?
Answer:
She can be seen boring into the trees for food

(c) What lesson do you learn from the poem?
Answer:
We should not be greedy and must always help the needy. ”

(d) Who was Saint Peter?
Answer:
Saint Peter was an apostle of Christ, who went about preaching the message of God.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

• The Road not taken Question Answer
• Wind Question Answer
• Rain on the Roof Question Answer
• The Lake Isle of Innisfree Question Answer
• A Legend of the Northland Question Answer
• No Men are Foreign Question Answer
• The Duck and the Kangaroo Question Answer
• On Killing a Tree Question Answer
• The Snake Trying Question Answer
• A Slumber did my Spirit Seal Question Answer

In brief, “The Road Not Taken Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive” by Robert Frost is a thought-provoking poem that delves into the complexities of decision-making and its consequences. The poet, faced with two divergent paths, contemplates the choice he must make and reflects on how that choice shapes his life. Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

Online Education for The Road Not Taken Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive

The Road Not Taken Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What is the setting of the poem?
Answer:
The setting of the poem is a wood where the poet, Robert Frost, has gone for a walk. He comes to a fork in the woods and does not know which path to take. Both the roads are equally attractive and inviting. While one of the roads is the more frequented and easy, the other is less travelled and full of challenges. The poet decides to take the less frequented road.

Question 2.
What is a wood? What did the narrator see in the wood? Were the paths similar?
Answer:
Wood means a forest. He saw two paths diverging from a fork in the road and disappearing in the undergrowth. The roads were not similar as one was less used and so had more grass and seemed less used than the other.

Question 3.
Which of the two roads did the narrator take? Why?
Answer:
The narrator took the road that not many people had taken. It was a grassy road and so more inviting as not many people had walked on it. Also, the poet was more adventurous and wanted to take a route not many had taken. He wanted the challenge of the unknown.

Question 4.
What did the narrator hope that he would do one day? Was he sure of doing so?
Answer:
The narrator hoped to come back and try the other path someday. No, he did not think he would do so because he knew that one path would lead to another and it would be difficult for him to come back.

Question 5.
Does one road seem to be more appealing than the other? Use examples from the poem to support your answer.
Answer:
When the narrator comes to a fork in the road, he is not able to decide which path to take. One of the roads looks more frequented by people while the second road appears to be less travelled on. Though he is tempted to walk on both, he decides to take the second path with the intention of walking on the other one sometime in the future.

Question 6.
Why did the poet leave the first path?
Answer:
The poet left the first path because it was well-trodden. Many people had walked on that path. He wanted the excitement and adventure of choosing to walk a path that was not frequented by too many people. It would offer him challenges to face.

Question 7.
What does the poet mean when he says, ‘worn them really about the same’?
Answer:
The poet means to relay to the readers that both the roads that diverged in a yellow wood seemed similar and both of them looked as if they people had walked on them, though one was less frequented. However, on that particular autumn morning, they were covered with fallen leaves and appeared as if they were not been used for a while.

Question 8.
If you were the speaker/poet, which road would you choose? Why would you do so?
Answer:
If I were the speaker/ poet I would choose the road that seemed relatively unused because I am an adventurous person and like challenges.
OR
I would choose that one that seemed to be more trodden upon because I prefer safety to adventure. A road used by more people indicates the certainty of it leading somewhere.

Question 9.
Do you think the narrator regrets his decision later? What makes you think so?
OR
Do you think the speaker is happy with his choice or not? Why?
Answer:
The speaker of this poem is not unhappy with his choice, and wonders where the other path, the road he did not take, would have led him. He thinks about a future time when he will look back at his decision with a sigh of regret as he thinks of the opportunities he may have lost by not taking the other road.
OR
The speaker of this poem is happy with his choice, though he knows he will not be able to return to take the more frequented path. He thinks about a future time when he will look back at his decision with a sigh of contentment and he will think of all that he has achieved by taking this road that is not normally taken.

Question 10.
Discuss the imagery in the poem.
Answer:
A very important, element in this poem is its use of natural imagery. The poem is about someone alone in the woods, on an autumn morning. The season is autumn, when the trees are beginning to shed their yellowing leaves, which cover the ground.

Question 11.
What do you think the differences between the two roads in this poem are, if any?
Answer:
One day while walking in a wooded area full of trees with yellow leaves, the poet comes to a fork in the place and he has to decide which road he should take. While both the roads are about the same and equally – inviting with fallen leaves on both look pretty fresh, one of the roads is less frequented and so more grassy.

Question 12.
What does the title of the poem suggest about how the speaker feels about his decision?
Answer:
The speaker makes a choice of taking the path that is less walked on after much deliberation, and leaves the well-trodden path for another day. But he wants to walk down the other road at a later date though he knows that he will never be able to return to take the other path. He knows that sometime in the future he will regret, or at the very least he will wonder, about the opportunities he may have lost by not taking the other road.

Question 13.
How sure do you think the speaker is that he will never come back to try the other road?
Answer:
The speaker chooses one of the paths in the wood which is less travelled and so more grassy, telling himself that he will take the other another day. Yet he knows it is unlikely that he will have the opportunity to do so because of the manner in which one path leads on to the other, taking the traveller far away from the other path.

Question 14.
What season do you think this poem takes place in? Why?
Answer:
The speaker tells us the woods are yellow, so we can infer that it’s autumn. The leaves have freshly fallen covering both paths – the one that is much travelled and worn and the road less taken and grassy.

Question 15.
Bring out the relevance of the poem The Road Not Taken.
Answer:
The Road Not Taken is a poem relevant for all times as it is a poem that deals with facing dilemmas in life.
At times the decisions we have to take may not be easy, at other times we may take a wrong decision. The poet, however, suggest that once we have taken a decision, we must move on and leave all second thoughts and regrets behind.

Question 16.
Why does the last stanza of the poem start with a sigh?
Answer:
The last stanza of the poem begins with a sigh of regret. The title, too, suggests the poem is about the road the poet did not travel on. The poet had left the road more frequented for another day. However, as one path led to another, he was not able to come back and walk on the other road.
OR
The poet’s sigh is one of relief and satisfaction. He is satisfied with all that he has achieved in life. His decision of taking the path not frequented by many has brought to him success and glory not many have known. He breathes a sigh of relief that on that day he took the road less travelled and that has made all the difference to his life.

Question 17.
What is the theme of the poem The Road Not Taken?
Answer:
The poet suggests that we may face dilemmas in life, but one should be ready for challenges. We must take risks and take the more difficult path. Walking on a path not many have taken is more challenging, but it may lead to better results.

Question 18.
Robert Frost did not feel dejected or disappointed in taking the road that was less tavelled. Justify.
Answer:
Robert Frost says he took the road less travelled because to him it appeared more inviting. The poet’s sigh of pride with his decision that has made all the difference to his life and his repition of the pronoun “I” shows his pride in exercising his individualism.

Question 19.
What do you learn about the poet from his decision to take the road he chose?
Answer:
The poet is an individualist. He likes to make his own choices and is not guided by others in doing so. He is adventurous and accepts challenges. He is a risk-taker and takes difficult decisions easily. He wants to stand out in a crowd.

Question 20.
Why did the poet doubt he would ever reach the same intersection again?
Answer:
The poet is pragmatic enough to know he may not be able to retrace his steps as one way leads to another. The path he has chosen will probably take him so far from the trodden path that he may find it difficult to return.

The Road Not Taken Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Discuss the title of the poem “The Road Not Taken”. Is it appropriate for the poem?
Answer:
The poem has an apt title. ‘The road’ is the symbol of the choices made by us in life. Many times, we regret the choice made by us but what is done once cannot be undone. Or, we may be happy for having taken the decisions we did. Even as the speaker makes a choice of taking the path that is less walked on, and leaves the well-trodden path for another day, the speaker knows that he will never be able to return to take the other path.

He knows that sometime in the future he will regret, or at the very least he will wonder, at the other path that is irrevocably lost. He realises that there is no Right Path—just the chosen path and the other path. Ages hence, he will sigh over the decisions taken. Hence, the poet has given his poem the title “The Road Not Taken”.

Question 2.
Why does the poet say he shall tell people “this with a sigh”? Why do you think the final stanza starts with a sigh?
Answer:
The poet comes to a fork in the road and decides to walk on the path that looks less walked on. He is however wishful of walking on the other road on some other day. He is not sure if his choice has been the right one and feels that if someone asks him to justify his choice he would probably answer him with a sigh. The sigh could signify two things. Either it is a sigh of happiness and contentment at having achieved success in life because of the right choices made at the right time or it could be interpreted to mean that the sigh is one of regret and sorrow at having made the wrong choice and lost out on a golden opportunity.

Question 3.
Bring out the symbolism in the poem “The Road Not Taken”.
Answer:
The poem is about something more than the choice of paths in a wood. We can interpret the narrator’s choice of a road as a symbol for any choice in life between alternatives that appear almost equally attractive. It is only after the passage of years, that we can really evaluate the decisions and choices that we make based on the result of these choices. If we find success, the choice is the right one but if the result is failure and pain then the choice has obviously not been the right one.

Question 4.
What do you think the fork in the road could represent in the speaker’s life?
Answer:
The fork could represent a time in the speaker’s life when he has reached a point in his life when he is facing a big dilemma; the road he’s walking on, and the life he’s leading, is forking into two separate roads up ahead. He has to decide on the future course of his life.

The decision he’s up against could be something like changing careers or moving to a different place. However, he knows that the choices he makes at this time would be final. It would probably too late to go back and change his mind after he makes big decisions; he knows that he probably will never have time. Whatever the decision is, it must be major, because he knows that he’ll still be talking about it far in the future, saying that it made a big difference in his life.

Question 5.
Debate the topic ‘The speaker is purposefully ambiguous about whether or not he’s -happy with his choice.’
Answer:
“The Road Not Taken” is a poem about the other road or the choices one makes. When he has to make a choice, the speaker takes the road that many people have avoided, or the road less taken. The other road is the road the speaker did not take. He does want to return to the road at some point, but knows he will not be able to come back to take that road. There is something about his decision of not taking the other road that causes the speaker to sigh in remembrance of not leaving it. The sigh seems to be a sad sigh, simply because he could not take both roads.

The speaker feels his decision has made all the difference. In a sense, the speaker is trying to convince himself that he took the right road. However, the fact that the speaker is still thinking about the other road is an indication that he will forever have a doubt. Truly, this poem is about the other road, the road the speaker did not take. Seeing as how “way leads on to way,” the speaker doubts that he shall ever go back. Therefore, he visits the idea of taking the other road only in his memory.

The Road Not Taken Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

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

Question 1.
‘‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; ”

(a) What does the narrator mean by “a yellow wood”?
Answer:
By “yellow wood” the poet means a forest where the trees have yellowing and falling leaves.

(b) What choice did the narrator have to make?
Answer:
The narrator had to choose between the two roads.

(c) Which road did the narrator take?
Answer:
He took the road that was less travelled upon.

(d) What does the narrator regret?
Answer:
The narrator regrets the fact that he cannot travel on both the paths. He also regrets the fact that he cannot come back to the start once he makes a choice.

Question 2.
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry, I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far I could;
To where it bent in the undergrowth, ”

(a) What did the narrator see in the wood?
Answer:
The narrator saw two paths diverging in the forest.

(b) Why did the narrator stand there for “long”?
Answer:
The narrator stood there for long because he could not make up his mind which path to take.

(c) How were the two roads different?
Answer:
While one of the roads was frequently taken, the second road appeared to be less travelled

(d) The poet here is using “roads” as symbols of:
Answer:
Choices one makes in life.

Question 3.
“Then took the other, as just as fair, ‘
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, ”

(a) What does “other” refer to in the above lines?
Answer:
In the above lines “other” refers to the road that was grassy and less travelled upon.

(b) Which road did the narrator choose?
Answer:
The narrator chose the one that was grassy and less travelled upon.

(c) Explain “grassy and wanted wear”?
Answer:
The road was covered with grass as not many people had walked this road so it was more inviting.

(d) What did the narrator decide about the road he did not take?
Answer:
He decided to walk down that road another day.

Question 4.
‘And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way;
I doubted if I should ever come back. ”

(a) What does “both” refer to?
Answer:
In the given lines “both” refers to the two roads that forked out in different directions.

(b) Explain the line “In leaves no step had trodden back”.
Answer:
The given line means a path not commonly used so the dried leaves that lay on the ground and had not been trampled upon.

(c) Why did the narrator wish to come back?
Answer:
He wanted to walk down the road he had left.

(d) What made the narrator doubt whether he “should ever come back”?
Answer:
The fact that one road generally leads to another made the narrator doubt that he should ever come back.

Question 5.
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference ”

(a) Where was the narrator walking one day?
Answer:
He was walking in the woods

(b) Which road did the narrator leave?
Answer:
The narrator left the road on which most people travelled.

(c) When will the narrator look back on his life?
Answer:
The narrator will look back on his life after a very long time – when he is an old man.

(d) Why do you think the narrator says this “with a sigh”?
Answer:
The narrator is regretful; he could not return and take the road he had left behind to travel on another day. OR He is content as the road he took him led him on to glory and a better life (Choose either)

Question 6.
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference ”

(a) Where is the narrator standing?
Answer:
The narrator is standing at a place where the road forked into two.

(b) Why was the narrator sorry?
Answer:
The narrator was sorry because he could not travel both roads.

(c) Which road did the narrator finally decide to take and why?
Answer:
Encourage the students to think creatively and formulate their own answers.
The narrator finally decided to take the road that not many people had walked on because it seemed more adventurous than the route everyone seemed to take.

(d) Whom will he tell this with a sigh?
Answer:
The narrator will tell this to the people with whom he is sharing the story of his life.

Question 7.
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference. ”

(a) What will the narrator tell “with a sigh”?
Answer:
The narrator will tell about the fork that he had come to in the woods and the choice he had to make; the fact that he had taken the road less frequented by people.

(b) Why does the narrator say, “And that has made all the difference”?
Answer:
The narrator said that later in life he shall be retrospectively telling people how his life has been different due to the choices he had made long ago.

(c) What did the narrator wish to do when he takes the road that he has not been able to do?
Answer:
The narrator wanted to come back and take the other road.

(d) What difference did the road he took make to his life?
Answer:
The road he took him led him on to glory and a better life.

Question 8.
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference “

(a) What is the theme of the poem?
Answer:
The theme of the poem is the various problems we face in life and the choices we make.

(b) Which poetic device defines the roads in the wood?
Answer:
A metaphor has been used to define the two roads in the wood.

(c) What is the tone of the narrator in the last stanza?
Answer:
The narrator adopts a reflective tone in the last stanza.

(d) Where is the narrator when he makes the choice?
Answer:
While out for a walk in the woods, the narrator comes to a fork in the road and has to decide which path to take.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

• The Road not taken Question Answer
• Wind Question Answer
• Rain on the Roof Question Answer
• The Lake Isle of Innisfree Question Answer
• A Legend of the Northland Question Answer
• No Men are Foreign Question Answer
• The Duck and the Kangaroo Question Answer
• On Killing a Tree Question Answer
• The Snake Trying Question Answer
• A Slumber did my Spirit Seal Question Answer

Without further ado, let’s immerse ourselves in the world of “The Beggar Extra Questions and Answers Class 9” and explore the profound meanings it holds. As we journey through the story’s emotional arc, we invite you to join us in contemplating the true essence of compassion and the possibilities of finding humanity in unexpected places. Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

Online Education for The Beggar Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Moments

The Beggar Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
What is the excuse that the beggar gives Sergei for begging when he meets him for the second time?
Answer:
He says he had been a village schoolmaster for eight years but had lost his job due to intrigues at his place of work. He had not eaten for three days and had no money for lodging.

Question 2.
How did Sergei respond to the beggar’s request for money?
Answer:
He looked closely at him and recognised him as the same person who he had seen on Sadovya Street a few days back, when he had introduced himself as a student who had been expelled.

Question 3.
Why was Sergei disgusted with the beggar?
Answer:
He was disgusted at his dishonesty because he had seen him on another street pretending that he had was an expelled student in need of money, and now he claimed to be a village schoolmaster who had lost his job due to intrigues at the school. His lies disgusted Sergei.

Question 4.
What was the beggar’s real identity?
Answer:
He had been part of the Russian choir, but had lost his place there due to drunkenness.

Question 5.
How does the beggar react to Sergei’s offer to chop wood for him in return for money?
Answer:
The beggar accepts the offer readily and follows Sergei home. He says that he can’t refuse because in those days even skilled woodcutters found themselves sitting without food and work.

Question 6.
Who did Sergei hand over the beggar to on reaching home? What were his instructions?
Answer:
He called his cook, Olga, and handed over the beggar to her. He asked her to take him to the wood-shed and get him to chop some wood.

Question 7.
Why has the beggar been described as a scarecrow?
Answer:
He has been described as a scarecrow because he was as thin as a scarecrow and shabbily dressed in ill- fitting, mismatched clothes.

Question 8.
What was the real reason the beggar agreed to work for the writer?
Answer:
The real reason was that he was a proud man and he felt ashamed at having been trapped by his own words in front of Sergei. He wanted to prove that he could do honest work when given the opportunity.

Question 9.
How did the narrator realise that the beggar had not come willingly with him?
Answer:
The narrator realised this from his gait. He shrugged his shoulders as if in perplexity and went irresolutely after the cook. It was also obvious that he was unhealthy and under the influence of liquor. It did not seem as though he had the strength to chop wood.

Question 10.
How did Olga react to the beggar?
Answer:
She glanced at the beggar with anger, shoved him aside with her elbow, unlocked the shed and angrily banged the door. She then flung down an axe at his feet, spat angrily and appeared to be scolding him.

Question 11.
How do we know that the beggar had no previous experience of cutting wood?
Answer:
We know this from the manner in which he pulled a billet of wood towards him and tapped it feebly with his axe. At first, the billet fell and then the beggar tapped it with the axe again cautiously, as if afraid of hurting himself with the axe.

Question 12.
How did Sergei react to the beggar’s efforts at chopping wood?
Answer:
He felt a little sorry and ashamed of himself for having set a spoiled, drunken and sick man to work in the cold weather.

Question 13.
Why did the beggar appear at Sergei’s house a month later?
Answer:
He reappeared on the first of the next month because the narrator had told him he could come back and cut wood for him in return for half a rouble.

Question 14.
What change took place in the beggar’s visits after his second visit?
Answer:
He started appearing more often at the narrator’s house and took on odd jobs like shovelling snow, putting the wood in the woodshed in order, beating the dust out of rugs and mattresses, etc.

Question 15.
How was the beggar rewarded for the odd jobs he did at the narrator’s house?
Answer:
He was given twenty to forty copecks for the jobs he performed, and was once even given a pair of old trousers as a reward and payment.

Question 16.
What did Sergei expect the beggar to do when he called him while moving to another house? Did he behave as expected?
Answer:
When he was moving to another house, Sergei called the beggar and asked him to help with the packing and hauling of the furniture. However, the beggar did not do anything except hang around, sober, yet gloomy and silent.

Question 17.
Why do you think the beggar was so gloomy and silent when Sergei was moving houses?
Answer:
He was probably upset that he would no longer be able to do odd jobs at his house and make the money he had been earning.

Question 18.
What did Sergei offer Lushkoff? Why did he do so?
Answer:
Sergei offered Lushkoff a job with his friend, who needed someone to do some copying work. Since Lushkoff knew how to write, Sergei offered him this job.

Question 19.
When and where did Sergei meet Lushkoff after two years?
Answer:
Two years later, they met at the ticket window of a theatre, where Lushkoff was buying a ticket.

Question 20.
What surprised Sergei about Lushkoff when he met him at the theatre?
Answer:
He was surprised to see how much Lushkoff had changed. He was wearing decent clothes and had got a job as a notary, earning thirty five roubles.

Question 21.
What does Sergei call Lushkoff? Why does he do so?
Answer:
He calls him his godson, because he had scolded him and pushed him away from begging on the streets, encouraging him to take up respectable work. He had started as a copier, and was not working as a notary.

Question 22.
How does Lushkoff pay credit to Sergei?
Answer:
He says that he was indebted to Sergei for his push, because he would never have changed for the better, but would have continued to deceive people and beg. By following Sergei’s instruction, he had dragged himself out of the pit he had created for himself.

Question 23.
What information does Lushkoff share with Sergei about the cook?
Answer:
Lushkoff speaks very highly of the cook, and gives all credit for his transformation to her. He informs Sergei that it was the nobility of the cook that had truly changed him. She had done all the errands for him so that he could earn the money offered by Sergei. She also used to cry for him, worried that he would end up in total ruin.

Question 24.
Mention two main qualities of the cook.
Answer:
She was compassionate and sensitive. Though she appeared to be tough and rude on the outside, she was very kind hearted, and actually helped him earn the money offered by doing all the work for him.

Question 25.
Discuss the title of the story. Is it appropriate?
Answer:
The Beggar is an appropriate title for the story, as it revolves around the transformation that takes place in the life of a beggar. He was a wastrel and did not do any work. It was only due to the compassion shown by the cook at the narrator’s house that was he able to change his outlook.

When he was too drunk and weak to perform any of the odd jobs he was supposed to do, the cook did all the work for him, feeling sorry for him and worrying about his sorry state. This kindness on her part had a tremendous effect on the beggar, who changed his ways, stopped drinking and slowly over the years got a steady job as a notary, earning thirty five roubles as salary.

The Beggar Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice? What reasons does he give Sergei for lying?
Answer:
He has become a beggar both by circumstance and by choice. He had lost his position in the Russian choir due to his drunkenness. As he did not have the motivation to work hard or the skills to find another job, begging was the easiest option. According to him, he has to lie to survive, as no one was willing to help him if he told them the truth.

Question 2.
Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Answer:
No, he is not a willing worker. He is too thin, weak and emaciated to work. He also remains drunk most of the time and is hence too unsteady to focus on any work. However, he agrees to chop wood for Sergei out of shame and pride, because he had been trapped by his own words. Sergei had caught him lying, and this was the only way he could redeem some of his self-respect.

Question 3.
Sergei says ‘I am so happy that my words have taken effect’. Why does he say so? Is he right in saying this?
Answer:
He says this when he sees Lushkoff at the theatre and learns that he had improved his life greatly. He was no longer a drunkard and beggar; instead, he had become a notary, earning thirty five roubles a month. Sergei feels that he is responsible for this change in Lushkoff, and that the beggar changed his ways because of the scolding he had given him for begging and deceiving people.

He is right to some extent, because he had hurt LushkofTs pride, and also offered him actual work chopping wood, and other odd jobs, which allowed him to earn money honestly. However, the real credit for LushkofTs change went to Sergei’s cook, who had actually done all the work that Lushkoff was supposed to do. Her selflessness, empathy and concern for his wellbeing had made such a deep impression on Lushkoff that he had changed his ways.

Question 4.
During their conversation, Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook is responsible for the positive change in him. How did Olga save Lushkoff?
Answer:
Olga, Sergei’s cook, would react to Lushkoffs appearance at the house by shouting at him, but soon she would grow sad looking at his face, and start weeping. She would remind him that since he was a drunkard, he would bum in hell and this thought would make her cry again. Finally, seeing that he did not have the energy and ability to do the task he was supposed to, she herself would chop all the wood for him. Her concern and worry for him changed Lushkoff. He stopped drinking and worked hard to improve his life.

Question 5.
Both Sergei and his cook were kind to the beggar. Compare and contrast their characters and the effect they had on Lushkoff.
Answer:
Sergei was a wealthy advocate with a kind heart. He appears to be a practical man who tries to stop Lushkoff from begging by giving him an alternative method of earning a living. He is also resourceful as he keeps engaging Lushkoff in different tasks, which are helpful for both the beggar and him. In the end he sends him to him friend, who needs someone to do some copying work. This helps the man to get a stable job and make a decent living. At first, he takes the credit for the beggar’s transformation, but later he is humble enough to accept that though he provided the opportunity, it was his cook Olga who deserved the credit for inspiring the beggar to change.

The cook, on the other hand, is the most noble and compassionate character in the story. Initially, she appears to be angry with the arrival of the beggar, and seems to ill-treat and abuse him. In reality, however, she is the one performs all the tasks for the beggar and lets him take the credit and money for them. She is empathetic to the extent that she cries seeing the state the beggar is in, and his fate if he continues to be a wastrel and drunkard.

It is her selflessness and compassion that brings about a change in the beggar’s character. Because of her empathy, he is able to remain sober and starts working hard, becoming a notary earning a stable salary within two years. She is thus able to save the life of the beggar, even though she isn’t actually aware of the profound effect she has on him, and never takes any credit for what she has done.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

• The Lost Child Question Answer
• The Adventures of Toto Question Answer
• Iswaran the Storyteller Question Answer
• In the Kingdom of Fools Question Answer
• The Happy Prince Question Answer
• Weathering the Storm in Ersama Question Answer
• The Last Leaf Question Answer
• A House is not a Home Question Answer
• The Accidental Tourist Question Answer
• The Beggar Question Answer

Welcome to an insightful journey into the world of poetry, specifically focusing on the poem “Wind” from the Class 9 English Beehive textbook. If you find yourself captivated by the beauty of nature and the emotions it evokes, then this article is tailor-made for you! Here, we present a compilation of Wind Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive that will unravel the essence of this evocative poem. Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

Wind Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive

Wind Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
Why does the poet ask wind to blow softly?
Answer:
The poet asks wind to blow softly because he knows that a strong wind will causes a lot of damage to structures that are not very strong. It will break the shutters of windows, throw the books from the shelves, and tear their pages and bring rain.

Question 2.
What damage does wind cause in the poet’s room?
Answer:
Wind breaks the shutters of the windows, it scatters the poet’s papers. It even throws down his books and tears the pages. Then it brings rain and disturbs everything.

Question 3.
What is winnowing? What, according to the poet, does the wind god winnow?
Answer:
Winnowing refers to blowing away or removing the chaff from grain before it can be used as food. It thus implies segregating people or things by judging their quality. The poet says that the wind god separates the weak from the strong like the chaff from grain.

Question 4.
How does wind make fun of weaklings?
Answer:
Wind makes fun of the weaklings by separating them from the strong and then crushing them by its force. Wind who is very strong does not behave in a friendly way with the weak. It destroys the weak things.

Question 5.
What harm does wind do when it blows hard?
Answer:
When a strong wind blows, it destroys everything. It breaks the shutters of the windows, scatters the papers, throws the books off the shelves, and tears the pages of the books.

Question 6.
What kinds of houses should we build to withstand the power of wind?
Answer:
We should make strong houses with doors that have firm joints as wind will not be able to crumble those.

Question 7.
What does ‘crumbling’ suggests in the poem ‘Wind’?
Answer:
The word ‘crumbling’ in the poem ‘Wind’ suggests fragile or frail. He feels that wind separates the frail
or
derelict houses, doors, rafters, wood, and weak bodies, lives, and hearts from those that are strong and crushes them all.

Question 8.
Explain what the poet means by ‘Make the heart steadfast’.
Answer:
The poet advises that while facing difficulties and challenges in life, one should have strong determination and courage. Wind causes weak structures to crumble and puts out a weak fire, but has no effect on a strong structure, in fact, it causes a strong fire to bum more intensely. Similarly, a resolute heart can face all adversities.

Question 9.
What should we do to make friends with the winds?
Answer:
The wind makes fun of weak things. Thus, wind teaches us to be strong and determined, as a time friend should. We should make ourselves physically and mentally strong to overcome the troubles and turmoil we may face in life.

Question 10.
‘He won’t do what you tell him’. Who is ‘he’? Why does he not obey others?
Answer:
In this line, ‘he’ stands for the wind god. The wind god does not obey man because it is so powerful that it cannot be controlled.

Question 11.
Explain the meaning of ‘We praise him every day’.
Answer:
Here ‘him’ stands for the wind god. We praise the wind every day because it provides us strength and life. As long as wind is our friend, it helps us flourish. Therefore, we must sing his praises.

Question 12.
What does the wind symbolise?
Answer:
In the first stanza, wind represents destruction. Wind destroys the weak by throwing books down from the shelves, tearing pages from books and by bringing rain. Wind, especially strong and gusty wind symbolizes the difficulties and turmoils we face in life. Strong people face difficulties bravely while weak people are broken.

Question 13.
How does the poet describe the wind in the poem ‘Wind’?
Answer:
The poet describes wind in two forms. One is fierce and violent wind that destroys everything. It is not friendly with the weak structures or characters. It makes them crumble. The second form of wind is the nurturing one. It brings comfort and happiness to the strong. It makes the strong fire to bum brighter.

Question 14.
What is the central idea of the poem ‘Wind’?
Answer:
In Wind Subramania Bharati advises us to face challenges and obstacles in life with grit and determination. For this we must be strong in mind and body. Only then will wind be our friend. Wind represents the difficulties and challenges we encounter in life. We should encounter them boldly.

Question 15.
What kind of people are disturbed by wind?
Answer:
Wind disturbs only those people who are weak and vulnerable. People who are determined and self-confident are able to overcome the hardships caused by wind. The wind is not able to disturb their equanimity or peace of mind. The wind blows out weak fires and makes strong fires roar and flourish.

Wind Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
What challenges are posed by wind in the life of the poet and the common man?
Answer:
According to the poet, wind disrupts our everyday life. Wind, and accompanying rain, are forces of nature that are perceived as the tempest forces which create impediments in a man’s life. Just as our problems which can arise from nowhere, wind can hit us at any time of our life It mocks the weak and the frail. For frail people, literally and metaphorically, wind creates barriers. Winds do not let a frail body or a frail mind survive but on the other hand If you are strong, you have the power and the will to survive and fight back, wind can never be a threat to your being.

Question 2.
What advice does the poet offer the people? Write your answer in the context of the poem, ‘Wind’.
Answer:
According to the poet, the wind is very powerful. It can break the shutters of the windows, scatter the papers, throw the books down from the shelves and tear their pages. When it blows violently, it brings the clouds. It mocks at the weak and destroys their homes. But the poet is not dismayed. He realises thinks that when the people build strong houses, they can challenge the wind. The poet suggests that we should face the challenges and hardships with courage, grit and firm determination. The wind is a symbol of problems and obstacles which are to be dealt without fear.

Wind Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

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

Question 1.
Wind, come softly.
Don’t break the shutters of the windows.
Don’t scatter the papers.
Don’t throw down the books on the shelf.

(a) Who is the poet addressing in the above lines?
Answer:
The poet is addressing the wind in the above lines.

(b) How does the poet want the wind to blow?
Answer:
The poet wants the wind to blow gently without causing destruction

(c) What has the wind done to the books?
Answer:
Wind has thrown the books down from the shelves/tom their pages.

(d) Name the poetic device used in the above lines.
Answer:
Apostrophe: Wind, come softly.
Anaphora: Don’t break the shutters of the windows.
Don’t scatter the papers.
Don’t throw down the books on the shelf.

Question 2.
There, look what you did – you threw them all down.
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.

(a) What is the poet’s tone in the above lines?
Answer:
The poet remonstrates with the wind. He accuses the wind of making a mess.

(b) What has the wind done?
Answer:
Wind has thrown down his books from the shelves and has tom them.

(c) What has wind brought with it?
Answer:
Wind has brought rain with it.

(d) Name a poetic device used in the lines above.
Answer:
Personification: The poet addresses the wind like a mischief maker.

Question 3.
There, look what you did-you threw them all down
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.
You are very clever at poking fun at weaklings

(a) Whom are these lines addressed to? What is the figure of speech?
Answer:
These lines are addressed to the wind; personification

(b) What kind of destruction does wind cause when it blows hard?
Answer:
When wind blows hard, it destroys everything. It breaks the shutters, scatters the papers, throws the books, and tears the pages of the books.

(c) What word is repeated and why?
Answer:
You is repeated as the poet accuses the wind of wreaking chaos

(d) What does the wind symbolise?
Answer:
Wind symbolises the challenges and hardships we face in life.

Question 4.
You ’re very clever at poking fun at weaklings.
Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters,
Crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives,
Crumbling hearts—
the wind god winnows and crushes them all.

(a) Who is very clever? What is it clever at?
Answer:
The wind is very clever. It makes fun of weaklings.

(b) How does wind make fun of weaklings?
Answer:
Wind makes fun of the weak by making them crumble.

(c) What does the wind god do to the weak?
Answer:
The wind god separates the weak from the strong and crushes them.

(d) What should we do to make friends with the wind?
Answer:
To make friends with wind we need to build strong homes with firm doors. We should also make ourselves physically and mentally strong by building strong, firm bodies and having steadfast hearts.

Question 5.
He won’t do what you tell him.
So, come, let’s build strong homes,
Let’s joint the doors firmly.
Practise to firm the body.
Make the heart steadfast.

(a) Who is referred to as ‘He’ in the above lines?
Answer:
He in the above lines refers to the wind.

(b) What is he being told to do?
Answer:
He is being told to blow softly and not break the shutters of the windows, scatter the papers or throw down the books from the shelves.

(c) What advice does the poet give the reader?
Answer:
The poet asks people to build strong houses and firm doors and keep our bodies and hearts strong unyielding.

(d) What does wind do to the strong?
Answer:
Wind befriends those who are strong.

Question 6.
He won’t do what you tell him.
So, come, let’s build strong homes,
Let’s joint the doors firmly.
Practise to firm the body.
Make the heart steadfast.

(a) Who is the ‘you’ in the above lines?
Answer:
You refers to the listener/reader/mankind in general.

(b) What does the poet imply when he says ‘He won’t do what you tell him’?
Answer:
The poet implies that difficulties and troubles do not listen to entreaties; they have to be faced boldly.

(c) Why should we make the heart steadfast?
Answer:
The poet says that the wind makes fun of the weaklings only. Therefore, it is necessary for us to be strong.

(d) What does the poet mean by ‘make the heart steadfast’?
Answer:
We must be determined and resolute.

Question 7.
He won 7 do what you tell him.
So, come, let’s build strong homes,
Let’s joint the doors firmly.
Practise to firm the body.
Make the heart steadfast.

(a) Who does the poet advise?
Answer:
The poet advises the listener/reader/mankind in general.

(b) What advice does he offer?
Answer:
The poet advises to build strong houses, join doors firmly and to make ourselves firm and strong in body and mind.

(c) What quality of ‘his’ character is revealed in these lines?
Answer:
He, the wind, does not listen to anyone’s pleadings or entreaties. He does what he wants to do.

(d) Write any two destructive actions of the wind?
Answer:
Scatters papers/ throws books down from the shelf/breaks the shutters of the windows/tears pages from books.

Question 8.
Do this, and the wind will be friends with us.
The wind blows out weak fires.
He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
His friendship is good.
We praise him every day.

(a) What does the poet mean when he says ‘do this’?
Answer:
By saying do this the poet says we must build strong houses and have firm doors. We must be strong in mind and body.

(b) How does wind affect fires?
Answer:
Wind blows out weak fires, but it makes strong fires bum more fiercely.

(c) Who is referred to as ‘He’? Why does the poet say ‘his friendship is good’?
Answer:
He refers to wind. The poet says so because its friendship gives us strength and makes us flourish.

(d) What message do we get from the poem?
Answer:
We grow stronger when we face challenges in life with courage and confidence.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

• The Road not taken Question Answer
• Wind Question Answer
• Rain on the Roof Question Answer
• The Lake Isle of Innisfree Question Answer
• A Legend of the Northland Question Answer
• No Men are Foreign Question Answer
• The Duck and the Kangaroo Question Answer
• On Killing a Tree Question Answer
• The Snake Trying Question Answer
• A Slumber did my Spirit Seal Question Answer

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond the surface, “On Killing a Tree Extra Questions and Answers Class 9” holds a treasure trove of meanings and interpretations. By diving into the perspectives of renowned environmentalists and literary experts, we can grasp the true essence of the poem and gain valuable insights into our role as custodians of the planet. So, let’s embark on a journey of discovery, unlocking the profound wisdom hidden within “On Killing a Tree.” Read this also Extra Questions for Class 9 English with Answers.

Online Education for On Killing a Tree Extra Questions and Answers Class 9 English Beehive

On Killing a Tree Extra Questions and Answers Short Answer Type

Question 1.
How does a tree become strong?
Answer:
A tree feeds on the earth’s crust, consuming nutrients from the earth. The tree also absorbs years of sunlight, air and water. This makes it strong.

Question 2.
“So hack and chop/ But this alone won’t do it.” What won’t this do? Why won’t it do it?
Answer:
Hacking and chopping is not enough to kill a tree. The tree endures the pain but continues to live on as it heals over time. The bark which has been chopped will heal itself. Green twigs and small branches will soon emerge from the bleeding bark and in time the tree will regrow to its original size.

Question 3.
What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?
Answer:
Bleeding bark suggests the wound on the tree that is caused by hacking or chopping the tree. When the branches of a tree are chopped off, the tree bleeds as the sap can be seen to flow. It expresses the pain of a tree.

Question 4.
What are miniature boughs? What happens if they are left unchecked?
Answer:
Miniature boughs are new branches which sprout where the tree was hacked or chopped. If they are left unchecked, they expand and become a huge tree. The chopped tree grows back to its former size.

Question 5.
How does the tree heal itself?
Answer:
The tree is equipped with a power to heal itself. When a tree is hacked or chopped, leaves sprout from the wounded bark. From close to the ground curled green twigs rise. Miniature boughs expand again to their former size. The tree, in time, grows back to its former size.

Question 6.
How does the poet describe the growth of the tree in the first stanza of the poem?
Answer:
The poet says that the tree grows slowly getting its nutrients from the earth. Then it absorbs sunlight, water and air for many years. The bark of the tree looks ugly because it is rough and has crooked lines on it. It is very ironical that soft and green leaves come out of the leprous hide. Gradually, it grows into a big tree.

Question 7.
Why does it take so much time to kill a tree?
Answer:
It is not easy to kill a tree simply by hacking or chopping it. The tree has deep roots which give birth to tiny twigs and branches which help the tree attain its old stature. For a tree to be killed, the root has to be uprooted, and it has to be scorched and choked in sun and air. This process takes much time and it requires a lot of effort.

Question 8.
How does the tree grow to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
Answer:
The tree grows to its full size by consuming nutrients from the earth, feeding upon its crust absorbing years of light, air and water. Consuming, rising, feeding and absorbing are the words suggestive of its life and activity.

Question 9.
The poet uses several images of death and violence in the poem. Can you list them?
Answer:
The images of death are “hack, chop, scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting and withering”. The words that show violence are “roped, tied, pulled out and snapped out entirely from the earth’s crust”

Question 10.
Why does the poet use the word ‘kill’ rather than ‘cut’?
Answer:
The poet makes a distinction between cutting a tree and killing it. Cutting a tree, or hacking and chopping, does not destroy the tree completely, and the tree regrows by sending out new shoots and miniature boughs. The poet then gives step-by-step instructions on the total annihilation of a tree. Once the roots of the tree are pulled out, and are exposed to sun and air, the killing of the tree is complete. The tree will have no second life.

Question 11.
How does the poet personify the tree?
Answer:
The poet describes the tree as if it was a human being. Like man, the tree has grown slowly consuming the earth, eating and drinking from it, absorbing and soaking in innumerable years of air, sunlight and water. The bleeding bark is compared to the discoloured skin of a man suffering from leprosy. It too feels pain and pleasure alike the human beings. So he uses the expression ‘killing the tree’ rather than ‘destroying’ or cutting’ it.

Question 12.
The bark of the tree is described the ‘leprous hide’. Bring out the irony in the fact that the leprous hide sprouts leaves?
Answer:
The poet describes the broken, discoloured bark of a tree that has been hacked and which resembles a leper’s skin. Leaves grow from the leprous hide or the bark of the tree. This is ironic because leprosy usually eats away the body. It does not promote growth. But, here, the leprous hide has been depicted as a source of growth.

Question 13.
Explain the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?
Answer:
“Anchoring earth” refers to the earth under which the roots of a tree are held firmly, thereby providing strength and nourishment to it. “Earth cave” refers to the hollow space in the earth where the roots were which have now been pulled out. The poet calls it so, as the roots, which are the most sensitive part of the tree, stay hidden securely under the earth.

Question 14.
How can the tree be killed?
Answer:
The tree is killed when its roots are uprooted and they get scorched and choked in sunlight and air. This process leads to the browning, hardening, twisting and thereby, withering of the roots. This kills the tree

Question 15.
How will the “bleeding bark” heal?
Answer:
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ Give Patel says that if a tree is hacked repeatedly, this alone will not be able to kill a tree. The bleeding bark will heal as ‘curled green twigs’ and miniature boughs of the tree will grow from the bark. These branches and boughs will expand and the tree will regrow to its full size again.”

Question 16.
How does the poet describe the killing of a tree?
Answer:
A tree cannot be killed by jabbing at it with a knife nor hacking at it with an axe. To kill a tree, the root of the tree should be pulled out of the earth. It should, then, be roped, tied and snapped out. So it should be pulled out entirely from the earth cover. It should be exposed to sunlight. This, according to the poet, is the complete process of uprooting a tree.

Question 17.
Where does the strength of the tree lie? Why is it referred to as ‘the source’? Why is the source most sensitive one?
Answer:
The strength of the tree lies in its root. The root is the source of the tree’s life. It is the most sensitive because it has been hidden for years inside the earth and once the root is exposed to sun and air, it shrivels and withers and the tree dies.

Question 18.
How do the roots look like when they are pulled out?
Answer:
The real strength of the tree lies in its roots, which are held underground by the anchoring earth. When the roots are pulled out, they are white and wet.

Question 19.
Why does the poet describe the killing of a tree in such graphic detail?
Answer:
Give Patel treats the tree as a living organism. He feels that the tree should not be denied the right to live. He, therefore, describes the killing of a tree in such graphic detail as to evoke sympathy to trees. According to him, to hurt a tree is akin to hurting a human being.

Question 20.
Bring out the sarcasm in the poem On Killing a Tree.
Answer:
“On Killing a Tree” is a sarcastic poem about man’s indiscriminate destruction of trees. The tree is presented as an enemy to man. The poem begins ironically, describing the crime committed by the tree. For years, it has consumed the earth’s crust. Like a thief, it has absorbed sunlight, air and water. It has grown up like a giant. So the tree must be killed. But it is not an easy task. A simple jab of knife will not do it. From close to the ground it will rise up again. To kill it, the tree should be tied with a rope and pulled out from the anchoring earth, exposing its bleeding white root. Once the root withers and chokes, the tree will die.

Question 21.
Justify the title of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Answer:
In On Killing a Tree Gieve Patel makes a sarcastic comment on man’s systematic destruction of the environment. He gives man step-by-step instructions on how to kill a tree so that it doesn’t grow again. In the first two stanzas the poet talks about Nature’s through the images of a feeding tree and a healing tree. In the following two stanzas he talks of the execution of a tree. Thus, the poem, from its beginning to the end, describes in detail the process and consequences of killing a tree. So the title is appropriate and drives the poet’s point home in a superb way.

On Killing a Tree Extra Questions and Answers Long Answer Type

Question 1.
What is the theme of the poem On Killing a Tree?
Answer:
The main theme of the poem is deforestation. The poet emphasises that killing trees is not a simple task. Merely cutting the branches or the stem of a tree will not serve the purpose. The tree clings on to life with great tenacity, as it fights all odds and grows back again. He highlights the cruelty with which humans try and destroy trees by describing in detail the painstaking process required to destroy or kill a tree, using images of violence, as if it were a cold -blooded murder.

The roots of the tree will have to be pulled out and dried in the sun so that the tree ultimately dies. Thus, the poet seems to be revere Mother Nature and suggest that it will take a lot of effort and planning to destroy an organism rooted in nature than a simple “jab of knife.”

Question 2.
How can a tree be killed?
Answer:
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, Gieve Patel says that it is not an easy task to kill a tree. It can’t be done by a simple jab of knife. A tree grows slowly by consuming the earth’s nutrients. It absorbs sunlight, air and water for years. So, it cannot be killed by hacking and chopping. It causes pain but the tree does not die. Its bleeding bark heals itself. From close to the ground, its trunk produces twigs and small branches.

It they are left unchecked, they will expand to the former size. If a tree is to be killed, the roots of the tree must be pulled out from the earth-cave. After uprooting it is scorched and choked in sun and air. Then, it goes through a process of browning, hardening, twisting and withering. Ultimately, the tree is killed.

Question 3.
Justify the title of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Answer:
The title, ‘On Killing a Tree’ is ironical, and is apt and justified. The tree has been personified by the poet Gieve Patel. He laments the deforestation that is taking place. The poet says that the act of killing a tree is a ceremonial task. The tree grows up consuming nutrients from the soil and absorbing sun, air and water and becomes stronger.

A simple jab with a knife, or hacking and chopping cannot kill a tree, because the tree will regenerate. To kill a tree, the roots have to be pulled out of the anchoring earth, exposed to the sunlight and air for scorching and choking. The act of killing a tree becomes complete when the tree becomes completely withered and dies.

Question 4.
How can a tree be killed in ‘On Killing a Tree’. Or, How does the poet describe the methods of killing a tree in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Answer:
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, the poet Give Patel describes how a tree is tortured by man for its complete annihilation. Killing a tree is a difficult task because a tree grows slowly by consuming the earth and absorbing sunlight and air. It cannot be killed by a simple jab of knife, or even by hacking and chopping. The bleeding bark of the tree will heal itself, sending out shoots and branches that will help it regrow to its former size.

The tree’s roots are firmly fixed in the anchoring earth and, in order to kill a tree, it must be uprooted. It is to be roped, tied and pulled out from the earth-cave. After uprooting, the root is to be exposed to sunlight , and air for scorching and choking. Then, it goes through a process of browning, hardening, twisting and withering. Then only is the tree killed completely.

Question 5.
Give a brief summary of the poem.
Answer:
The poet speaks about the killing of a tree. He says that a lot of work has to be done in order to kill a tree and it cannot be killed by merely attacking it with an axe. The tree has fed upon the earth and grown from its crust by absorbing water from the soil for many years. It has also taken years of sunlight and oxygen to grow. Hacking and chopping is not enough for killing it as the bark heals itself. The part of the trunk which is close to the ground may give rise to new twigs, and the discoloured bark of the tree gives rise to new leaves.

Soon the tree grows to its former size. The poet says that to kill a tree one must attack its roots by pulling it out of the earth where it has been hiding safely all these years. When the root is pulled out of the earth, it is white and wet as it is very sensitive. The root, which is the strength of the tree, is then left exposed to the air and the sun where it starts drying and discolouring. It goes through stages of browning, hardening, twisting and withering before it finally dies.

On Killing a Tree Extra Questions and Answers Reference to Context

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

Question 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.

(a) Why does it take so much time to kill a tree?
Answer:
It takes much time to kill because killing a tree is not a simple or easy task.

(b) What does it consume?
Answer:
The tree consumes nutrients from the soil.

(c) What does a tree absorb?
Answer:
It absorbs sunlight, air and water

(d) Explain “leprous hide”.
Answer:
Leprous hide means the disfigured and irregular bark of the tree which seems as if it is diseased or suffering from leprosy.

Question 2.
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.

(a) What kind of task is it to kill a tree?
Answer:
It is very difficult task to kill a tree and it takes much time

(b) Why can a “simple jab of the knife” not kill a tree?
Answer:
The tree is too strong to be killed by a simple jab of the knife as it is firmly held by the earth for so many years and its roots are safe.

(c) How is the task of cutting a tree represented in the poem?
Answer:
The task of cutting a tree is represented as a killing or murder of a tree.

(d) What happens if the branches of a tree are cut off?
Answer:
The branches that are cut off are replaced by new boughs, which will grow into their former size.

Question 3.
So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.

(a) Why does the poet say ‘killing’ a tree rather than cutting it?
Answer:
The tree has been personified and hence the word ‘killing’ instead of ‘cutting’ has been used.

(b) “But this alone won’t do it..- What does ‘this’ refer to here? What does ‘it’ refer to?
Answer:
The word ‘this’ refers to hacking and chopping of the tree. ‘It’ refers to the killing of a tree

(c) What does the phrase ‘bleeding bark’ mean?
Answer:
“Bleeding bark” refers to the area on the tree trunk where it has been hit with the axe, It bleeds because the wood cutter has wounded the tree by cutting and chopping it. The area is oozing sap.

(d) What are processes suggested to do it?
Answer:
The root of the tree has to be roped, tied and pulled out entirely from the earth-cave till the root of the tree is exposed. It will then shrivel, choke and die.

Question 4.
So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.

(a) Explain “hack and chop”?
Answer:
Hack or chop means to cut off something, usually with a sharp instrument or weapon.

(b) What do you mean by ‘not so much pain will do it’?
Answer:
It means that hacking and chopping of the tree will cause it pain but will not kill it.

(c) Where will the curling green twigs rise from?
Answer:
After hacking and chopping the curling green twigs will rise from the remaining part of tree that is close to the ground.

(d) What finally kills the tree?
Answer:
Uprooting the tree and exposing its roots to heat and scorching and choking them kills the tree.

Question 5.
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,
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.

(a) What does the poet mean by the word “No”?
Answer:
The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza suggesting that a simple jab of knife will not kill a tree. It will grow again.

(b) Why should the root be pulled out?
Answer:
Pulling out its root is the only way of killing a tree.

(c) What is the meaning of “anchoring earth”?
Answer:
Anchoring earth’ implies that the trees are held secure with the help of the roots in the earth. So long as the roots are firmly held by the earth, the tree is safe and cannot be killed by a simple jab of a knife.

(d) What is the condition of the root of the tree?
Answer:
The root of the tree looks wet and white.

Question 6.
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,
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.

(a) Where does the strength of the tree lie?
Answer:
The real strength of a tree lies in its roots.

(b) How does the earth protect the tree?
Answer:
The earth protects the tree by giving it nourishment and allowing its root to spread under the earth.

(c) What role do the sun and air play in killing a tree?
Answer:
The sun and the air play a vital role in killing a tree by scorching and choking the root.

(d) Explain the meaning of “earth cave”?
Answer:
‘Earth-cave’ suggests the space created in the earth by uprooting a tree. When the roots are pulled out of the earth, the large hollow where the roots were hidden, is exposed.

Question 7.
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.

(a) How do the roots look like when they are pulled out?
Answer:
When the roots are pulled out, they are white and wet.

(b) What happens to the tree after it is pulled out?
Answer:
The root gets scorched and choked after it is pulled out. It becomes brown, hardens and withers.

(c) What happens to the tree after withering?
Answer:
It is killed after withering.

(d) “And then it is done” – What is done?
Answer:
The act of killing a tree completely is accomplished; the tree is killed.

Question 8.
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.

(a) “Then the matter..” What does ‘Then’ refer to?
Answer:
‘Then’ here refers to what happens to the root after it is exposed,

(b) What role do the sun and air play in killing a tree?
Answer:
The sun and the air play a vital role in killing a tree by scorching and choking the root after it is pulled out.

(c) “The strength of the tree exposed.” Explain.
Answer:
The root, which is the strength of a tree, must be pulled out of its cave, in order to kill the tree.

(d) What will happen if the miniature boughs are left unchecked?
Answer:
If the miniature boughs are left unchecked, they will expand to their former size.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English

• The Road not taken Question Answer
• Wind Question Answer
• Rain on the Roof Question Answer
• The Lake Isle of Innisfree Question Answer
• A Legend of the Northland Question Answer
• No Men are Foreign Question Answer
• The Duck and the Kangaroo Question Answer
• On Killing a Tree Question Answer
• The Snake Trying Question Answer
• A Slumber did my Spirit Seal Question Answer