The detailed Poorvi Class 8 Solutions and Unit 4 Environment Chapter 10 Cherry Tree Question Answer serve as excellent models for writing neat exam answers.
Cherry Tree Class 8 Question Answer
Class 8 English Poorvi Chapter 10 Question Answer
Class 8 English Chapter 10 Cherry Tree Question Answer
Let Us Do These Activities Before We Read (Ncert Page 155)
I. Work in pairs and answer the questions that follow. Share your answers with the classmaters and teacher.
Question 1.
Have you ever used a seed or a sapling to grow a plant?
Answer:
Yes, I planted a mango sapling in my garden last year. It was exciting to see it grow little by little.
Question 2.
What kind of care did the plant need? Who helped you with it?
Answer:
The plant needed regular watering, sunlight and protection from pests. My mother helped me water it and showed me how to care for it.
Question 3.
How did you feel when you saw the plant grow?
Answer:
I felt very happy and proud because I had helped the plant grow. It was a rewarding experience.
II. What kind of trees do people plant in their homes? Why is it important to plant trees?
Answer:
People often plant fruit trees like guava, mango and banana, as well as flowering trees like neem and gulmohar in their homes.
Trees provide shade, clean the air, reduce pollution and support birds and animals. They also make the environment beautiful and healthy.
III. Name some fruit trees that grow in your region. What type of conditions help these fruit trees to grow?
Answer:
The type of conclustions thaese fruit trees need to game includs warm climates, well drained soil and plenty of sunlight.
Let Us Discuss (Ncert Pages 159 & 160)
1. Arrange the events in the correct order of occurrence in the story. Two have been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.
1. Rakesh discovered that the small, well-rooted twig, had grown into a cherry tree.
2. Rakesh was sent to live with his grandfather in Mussoorie.
3. Rakesh pressed the cherry seed into the soft soil with his thumb. (5)
4. The cherry tree grew quickly after the rains arrived early.
5. Rakesh bought a bunch of cherries and ate most of them.
6. A goat entered the garden and ate all the leaves of the young cherry tree.
7. Rakesh’s parents grew maize, rice and barley in a village. (1)
8. Rakesh sprinkled water on the cherry tree and surrounded it with pebbles.
9. Grandfather told Rakesh that cherry trees were tough.
10. Rakesh kept rolling the last cherry seed in his mouth.
Answer:
7 → 2 → 5 → 10 → 3 → 9 → 1 → 8 → 4 → 6
7. Rakesh’s parents grew maize, rice and barley in a village. (1)
2. Rakesh was sent to live with his grandfather in Mussoorie.
5. Rakesh bought a bunch of cherries and ate most of them.
10. Rakesh kept rolling the last cherry seed in his mouth.
3. Rakesh pressed the cherry seed into the soft soil with his thumb. (5)
9. Grandfather told Rakesh that cherry trees were tough.
1. Rakesh discovered that the small, well-rooted twig, had grown into a cherry tree.
8. Rakesh sprinkled water on the cherry tree and surrounded it with pebbles.
4. The cherry tree grew quickly after the rains arrived early.
6. A goat entered the garden and ate all the leaves of the young cherry tree.
II. Do you think the cherry tree would survive? Why do you think so?
Answer:
Yes, I believe the cherry tree would survive. Throughout the story, it faced many challenges-a goat ate its leaves, a woman accidentally cut it down and harsh weather conditions tested its strength.
However, the tree kept growing back each time, sending out new shoots and blossoms. This shows that the cherry tree is strong, persistent and full of life. It also had the care and love of Rakesh and Grandfather, which helped it thrive. Just like people, the tree grew stronger with every setback.
Let Us Discuss (Ncert Page 164)
1. Complete the table given below based on your understanding of Part II of the story. One example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.
Answer:
2. Rakesh helped his parents with planting and ploughing in the village.
(iii) Rakesh removed it and dropped it on a heap of dry leaves.
4. A pink blossom appeared at the end of a branch.
(v) He spat it out and said it was too sour.
Let Us Think And Reflect (Ncert Pages 164-166)
l. Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. “Have a cherry, Grandfather,” he said, as soon as he saw his grandfather in the garden.
Grandfather took one cherry and Rakesh promptly ate the other two. He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it round and round on his tongue until all the tang had gone. Then he placed the seed on the palm of his hand and studied it.
“Are cherry seeds lucky?” asked Rakesh.
“Of course.”
“Then I’ll keep it.”
“Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use.”
(i) Substitute the underlined phrase with a correct word from the extract.
The Kho-kho captain changed her strategy quickly and without delay when a new player came in from the opposing team.
Answer:
promptly
(ii) What does Rakesh’s action of rolling the cherry seed in his mouth most likely suggest about his mood at that moment?
(a) He is feeling impatient and restless.
(b) He is enjoying the taste and the moment.
(c) He is bored and has nothing better do.
(d) He is thoughtful and feeling playful.
Answer:
(b) He is enjoying the taste and the moment.
(iii) Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to Rakesh and his grandfather. Rakesh’s decision to plant the seed shows that ………… (he respects and values his grandfather’s advice/he has a close bond with his grandfather and a willingness to learn from him)
Answer:
he respects and values his grandfather’s advice
(iv) How does the grandfather’s advice reflect his view about luck and effort?
Answer:
Grandfather believes that luck is not something that comes passively. His advice-“Nothing is lucky if you put it away. If you want luck, you must put it to some use”-shows that he values effort, action and purpose.
He teaches Rakesh that true luck or success comes from using what you have and making something meaningful out of it through effort.
Question 2.
Winter came early. The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow. Field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage. The road from the valley was blocked and for several days there was no newspaper and this made Grandfather quite grumpy. His stories began to have unhappy endings.
In February it was Rakesh’s birthday. He was nine-and the tree was four, but almost as tall as Rakesh.
(i) Complete the following sentence suitably.
The phrase ‘field-mice sought shelter in the roof of the cottage’ suggests that ………….
Answer:
the weather was extremely cold and harsh, forcing animals to find warmth and safety indoors.
(ii) What can be inferred about the cherry tree’s toughness from the line, ‘The cherry tree bent low with the weight of snow”?
(a) The weight of the tree was more than the snow.
(b) The tree could withstand harsh weather.
(c) The tree was growing close to the ground.
(d) The snow gave support to the tree.
Answer:
(b) The tree could withstand harsh weather.
(iii) How did the early winter affect Grandfather’s mood and storytelling?
Answer:
The early winter made Grandfather grumpy because the road was blocked and no newspapers arrived for several days. This affected his mood and as a result, his usually cheerful stories began to have unhappy endings.
(iv) Complete the sentence by choosing the correct option.
The comparison of Rakesh’s age to the cherry tree’s age symbolises ………… (the tree’s growth paralleling Rakesh’s own development/the tree standing as a dear one on Rakesh’s birthday)
Answer:
the tree’s growth paralleling Rakesh’s own development
II. Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
Why did Rakesh’s parents send him to Mussoorie?
Answer:
Rakesh’s parents lived in a small village in the Himalayan foothills, where there were no proper schools. They wanted their son to get a good education and have better opportunities in life. So, they sent him to Mussoorie to live with his grandfather, who could take care of him while he attended school there. This decision shows how much importance Rakesh’s family gave to education.
Question 2.
Why did Rakesh let the praying-mantis remain on the branch of the cherry tree?
Answer:
Rakesh noticed a bright green praying-mantis sitting on a branch of the cherry tree, looking at him with bulging eyes. Instead of removing it, he let it stay because he saw it as the tree’s first visitor. This shows that Rakesh had developed a deep bond with the cherry tree.
He respected nature and wanted the tree to feel alive and connected to its surroundings. His reaction also reflects kindness and curiosity.
Question 3.
How is life in the Himalayan foothills described in the story?
Answer:
The story paints a rich picture of life in the Himalayan hills. The area is full of natural beauty-deodar trees, cold winds, heavy snow in winter, monsoon mist, wild ducks flying overhead and unique insects like cicadas and praying-mantises. The people live simply, growing crops like maize, barley and rice and gathering firewood.
The changing seasons play an important role in their daily life. Life is peaceful but tough, shaped by nature and hard work.
Question 4.
What might Rakesh mean when he says, “Is this what it feels to be God?” at the end of the story?
Answer:
When Rakesh says this, he is expressing a deep sense of wonder and joy. He had planted the tiny cherry seed, cared for it through challenges and now he saw it grown into a tall, blooming tree. The experience of creating and nurturing life made him feel powerful and proud. Like a creator, he had watched life unfold from something small into something beautiful. It was a moment of emotional fulfillment and a deeper understanding of growth and responsibility.
Question 5.
How does the writer describe the relationship between Rakesh and his grandfather?
Answer:
The relationship between Rakesh and his grandfather is loving, warm and respectful. Grandfather shares stories filled with imagination-about ghosts, magical beans and animals. Rakesh listens eagerly and, in return, reads the newspaper to his grandfather because his eyesight is weak. They spend peaceful evenings together, often sitting silently or watching nature. Grandfather also gives him gentle advice and supports his efforts with the cherry tree. Their bond is strengthened by time, storytelling and shared experiences.
Question 6.
What can you infer about the connection between humans and nature based on the story?
Answer:
The story beautifully illustrates that humans and nature are deeply connected. When Rakesh planted the seed, he didn’t expect much, but with time, care and patience, it grew into a thriving tree. This suggests that nature responds positively to human kindness and nurturing. The cherry tree becomes a symbol of resilience and quiet companionship.
Through the seasons, Rakesh learns life lessons from the tree-about growth, setbacks, renewal and beauty. It shows that nature can be a teacher and a friend if we take the time to listen and care.
Question 7.
Imagine Rakesh reflects on his wonderful experience of watching a seed being transformed into a full-grown cherry tree. Write how he must have felt.
Answer:
Rakesh must have felt proud and amazed. He had planted a small seed and watched it grow, even after it faced snow, goats and accidents. Now, it was a beautiful cherry tree. Every leaf and blossom felt like a gift for his patience and care. The tree was special to him-it reminded him of his time with Grandfather and all the love and effort he had put in. As he lay under its shade and looked up at the sky through the leaves, he must have felt peaceful, happy and close to nature.
Let Us Learn (Ncert Pages 166-169)
I. Each word list has one word that does not match with the other words. Identify the odd word. One example has been done for you.
Question 1.
chop, trim, slice, mince
Answer:
(chop, slice and mince are words for cutting with a knife; whether trim is to cut a part with a pair of scissors)
Question 2.
plodded, galloped, scrambled, trudged
Answer:
Odd word galloped (galloped is a fast, smooth movement, usually of a horse; others describe slow, laboured movement)
Question 3.
tender, delicate, soft, smooth
Answer:
Odd word smooth (tender, delicate and soft describe feel or touch; smooth describes surface texture)
Question 4.
stared, peered, pecked, gazed
Answer:
Odd word pecked (pecked is a bird action; the others describe ways of looking)
Question 5.
growing, blossoming, progressing, planting
Answer:
Odd word planting (others refer to development or results of growth; planting is the starting action)
II. Choose the most suitable taste words given in the box below and write against food items that follow.
1. tamarind
2. jaggery
3. neem leaves
4. paneer (cottage cheese)
5. lemon
6. pickle
7. a dish of vegetables
Answer:
1. sour
2. sweet
3. bitter
4. bland
5. tangy
6. spicy
7. salty
Now, use any five taste words and make sentence of your own.
Answer:
1. Sour The lemonade was so sour that it made my lips pucker with the first sip.
2. Sweet Her grandmother’s homemade gulab jamuns were warm, soft and perfectly sweet.
3. Bitter The bitter taste of karela stayed in my mouth long after dinner was over.
4. Bland The soup tasted bland because it had no salt or spices.
5. Tangy I love the tangy flavour of tamarind chutney with samosas.
6. Spicy The spicy curry made my eyes water but I couldn’t stop eating it.
7. Salty The popcorn was too salty, so I had to drink a lot of water after the movie.
III. Choose the correct antonyms for the textual words given below from the box. There are two extra words that you will not need.
Answer:
1. hard
2. shaky
3. wide
4. coldness
5. fasting
6. cheerful
7. unprotected
8. ordinary
IV. Read the following lines from the text and underline all the verbs and identify the form of tense.
Question 1.
“Rakesh was on his way home from school when he bought the cherries.”
Answer:
Verbs was, bought
Tense Simple Past Tense
Question 2.
“Rakesh was looking for Grandfather without finding him in any of his favourite places around the house.”
Answer:
Verbs was looking, finding
Tense Past Progressive Tense
Question 3.
“Rakesh and Grandfather gazed at the tree as though it had performed a miracle.”
Answer:
Verbs gazed, had performed
Tense Simple Past Tense (gazed), Past Perfect Tense (had performed)
The forms of tenses in the given statements are Simple Past Tense (1 and 3), Past Progressive Tense (2) and Past Perfect Tense.
Now, fill in the blanks with the correct form of Simple Past, Past Progressive, or Past Perfect Tenses of the verbs given in brackets. One example has been done for you.
(i) I was sitting (sit) with my grandparents in the garden, sharing the wonderful memories from my childhood. As we (ii) ………… (talk), 1 (iii) ………… (realise) how much wisdom they (iv) ………… (impart) to me over the years. While I (v) ………… (listen) to their stories for hours together, I (vi) ………… (remember) the times we (vii) ……….. (spend) together planting flowers and learning about life. By the time I left, the sun (viii) ………… (set) and I (ix) ……….. (feel) a deep sense of gratitude for the bond we (x) ………… (nurture) through love, care and countless memories.
Answer:
(ii) were talking
(iii) realised
(iv) had imparted
(v) listening
(vi) remembering
(vii) had spent
(viii) had set
(ix) felt
(x) had nurtured
V. Study the punctuation marks in the following sentences from the text.
- “Hey, not there,” said Grandfather, “I’ve sown mustard in that bed. Plant it in that shady corner, where it won’t be disturbed.”
- When Grandfather saw what had happened, he went after the woman and scolded her; but the damage could not be repaired.
- She did not try to avoid the tree: one sweep and the cherry tree was cut in two.
Punctuation refers to the symbols used in writing to clarify meaning and separate sentences and their components. Proper punctuation ensures the clarity and flow of a text, guiding readers through its structure.
Here are some of the most common punctuation marks
- Full stop (.)-ends a declarative sentence
For example: She went to the store. - Comma (,)-separates components in a list, clauses, or phrases within sentence.
For example: We bought apples, oranges and bananas. - Question Mark (?)-ends a direct question For example: Where are you going?
- Exclamation Mark (!)-indicates strong emotion or emphasis
For example: Watch out! - Colon (:) -introdues a list, explanation or elaboration For example: He had one goal: win the race.
- Semicolon(;) -(connects closely related independent clauses or separates complex list items
For example: She likes reading; he prefers writing.
- Apostrophe (‘)
- In contractions-He’s (He is), they’ll (they will), I’m (I am)
- To show possession-Jagan’s book, the girls’ toys
- If the noun ends in -s, add only the apostrophe-Manas’ car
- Quotation Marks (“”)-enclose direct speech or quotations
For example: She said, “I’m happy.”
- Dash (- or -adds emphasis or separates related thoughts
For example: He was late-again.
- Capitalisation Rules
- Names of people and places-Priya, India
- Days, months, festivals-Monday, December, Diwali
- Titles with names-Dr. Sneha, Mr. Patel
- Deities and holy books-God, the ‘Quran’, the ‘Bhagawad Gita’
- First person pronoun-1
- Adjectives from proper nouns-Indian, American
- Geographical features, races, religions, languages-the Himalayas, Hindu, French
- Titles of books, poems, or plays-‘Malgudi Days’, ‘The Road Not Taken’, ‘Good Heavens’, etc.
Now, punctuate the following paragraph appropriately. every sunday roshni would visit her grandparents house on their farm come sit grandpa would say patting the bench on their porch roshni loved these moments where the world slowed down and stories flowed like magic grandma would bring tea her eyes twinkling with joy im excited to hear about your younger days the adventures the lessons and the memories roshni said eagerly grandpa smiled softly his wrinkled hands resting on the cane ah the old days… when everything was simple and happiness was all we had roshni could feel the warmth of those memories he sat in silence bound not by words but by a timeless bond
Answer:
Punctuated paragraph
Every Sunday, Roshni would visit her grandparents’ house on their farm.
“Come, sit,” Grandpa would say, patting the bench on their porch.
Roshni loved these moments where the world slowed down and stories flowed like magic. Grandma would bring tea, her eyes twinkling with joy.
“I’m excited to hear about your younger days-the adventures, the lessons and the memories,” Roshni said eagerly.
Grandpa smiled softly, his wrinkled hands resting on the cane.
“Ah, the old days… when everything was simple and happiness was all we had.”
Roshni could feel the warmth of those memories. He sat in silence, bound not by words but by a timeless bond.
Let Us Write (Ncert Pages 171 & 172)
An article is a piece of writing on a specific topic. It showcases independent opinions expressed by a writer. Articles are published in newspapers, newsletters, magazines, journals and online portals.
Let us understand how to draft an article for a school magazine.
Remember to
- write the heading or title at the top,
- write the name of the writer below it as a byline and
- follow the correct layout.
- Paragraph 1: Give brief introduction of the topic or issue. Focus on the main idea of the paragraph.
- Paragraph 2: Elaborate by giving facts and advantages.
- Paragraph 3: Include consequences and disadvantages.
- Paragraph 4: Provide suggestions. End with a word of hope, a word of caution or a call for action.
Now, complete the article for a magazine on ‘Trees-Our Lifeline’. Use the words and phrases given in the box below.
(i) ………… -by ………… (write your name and class) Trees are essential for life on Earth. Without them, life as we know (ii) ………… This is the reason why trees are our lifeline. Trees provide us with food, shelter and even medicine. Trees (iii) ………… and release oxygen, helping us breathe. This process also (iv) ………… and keeps the emvironment clean. (v) ………… trees give us fruits, nuts and other foods. Trees also help in (vi) ………… and prevention of soil erosion. (vii) ………… the air would be polluted and we would struggle to breathe. (viii) ………… would be barren, lacking food, shelter and life-giving greenery. (ix) ………… trees are true friends. Protecting and planting trees (x) ………… for everyone on Earth. Therefore, we must act now to protect and plant more trees, preserving Earth’s green lifeline for future generations.
Answer:
(i) by [Your Name], Class 8
(ii) would stop existing (Note : The given option “would stop existing” is correct; no correction needed.)
(iii) absorb carbon dioxide
(iv) reduces pollution
(v) Moreover (Note : The given option “Moreover, our planet” was not correct in this context. “Moreover” fits appropriately here.)
(vi) climate control
(vii) If trees were not there
(viii) Additionally
(ix) To conclude
(x) ensures a better future