ASSIGNMENTS
I. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of sun and sky;
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
(i)
To whom is the poet asking the question in the first line of the extract?
Mention any two things, according to the extract, that man will do by
planting trees.
Answers
Answer:
Extract – I
What does he plant who plants a tree?
He plants a friend of sun and sky,
He plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He plants a home to heaven anigh;
Question 1 : Who is asking the question and from whom? Does the beginning of the poem create an impact on its readers?
Answer : The poet Henry C Bunner is passing a question to the readers. Putting a question in the beginning is very impressive. It is done to create curiosity and anxiety in the readers to know more about the poem. Yes, this beginning, definitely leaves its mark on its readers.
Question 2 : According to the poet what are the two uses of planting a tree?
Answer : According to the poet, if a man plants a tree, he plants a friend of sun and sky as tree grows in sun and attains height. He plants a flag (tree) through which breeze blows and provides us soothing cool air.
Question 3 : In what ways are the trees friends of sun and sky?
Answer : The poet has depicted trees as friends of sun and sky because the poet feels that trees attain height due to the sun. The process of photosynthesis is carried out in the presence of sun that helps trees to grow. Trees also help in taking impurified air and releasing pure air with oxygen in the sky. So, a tree is a friend of sky also.
Question 4 : What is the phrase ‘The shaft of beauty towering high’ used for?
Answer : With this phrase the poet describes a tree as a shaft or pole that is decorated with leaves and branches. It grows higher and higher like a tower that touches the sky. In this way the tree goes closer to his friend the sky.
Question 5 : Point out the refrain in the poem. What effect does the refrain have on the reader?
Answer : the poem starts with a refrain ‘What does he plant who plants a tree?’ that comes in the beginning of each stanza. The refrain highlights the actual benefits of planting a tree as by planting a single tree, many objectives can be achieved. In every stanza, the readers are reminded by this question, ‘What else is being planted with a tree’ so that their attention can be drawn toward the other benefits of trees.