Updated on 28/06/2026
*7. On Killing a Tree (Gieve Patel)*
*1. Who is the poet of this poem?*
Ans. Gieve Patel
*2. Can we kill a tree just with a simple jab of the knife?*
Ans. No
*3. How does a tree grow up?*
Ans. By consuming the earth
*4. What does it absorb for years?*
Ans. Sunlight, air and water
*5. How should we kill a tree?*
Ans. It can only be killed by uprooting it completely.
*6. What is the meaning of ‘miniature boughs’?*
Ans. Small branches
*7. What is the source of the strength of a tree?*
Ans. Root
*8. Where does the root remain hidden for years?*
Ans. Under the earth
*9. Name the most sensitive part of the tree?*
Ans. Its root
*10. What finally kills the tree?*
Ans. By pulling out its root
Textual Questions
1. Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? Why not?
Ans. No, a simple jab of a knife does not have the ability to kill the tree.
2. What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’? What makes it bleed?
Ans. It 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.
3. What is the meaning of ‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’?
The earth anchors the roots of the tree that lie inside the earth. “Earth cave” is the surface of the earth on which the foundation of the tree is laid. It holds the roots of the tree and keeps it standing tall.
4. What does he mean by ‘the strength of the tree exposed’?
Ans. The root is the strength of a tree. When the tree is pulled out, its strength is exposed.
5. What finally kills the tree?
Ans. The tree is finally killed by pulling out of the mother earth. When its roots are exposed to sunlight and air, the tree begins to get scorched and choked.