24 Feb 2022

TNPSC Group 2 General English – On Killing  a Tree

TNPSC Group 2 General English Figures of Speech – On Killing  a Tree:

Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission Group 2 or Combined Civil Service Examination II has 3 tier examination for the selection process. For Preliminary Examination is an objective type (Written Examination) with a maximum of 300 marks. TNPSC Group 2 Prelims examination – General English/ General Tamil portion topic has 50% of total marks. Candidates who are preparing for the TNPSC Group 2 General English Part are more important and you can score maximum marks in this part.

The General English portion is of 3 Parts – Part A: Grammar, Part B: Poem, and Part C: Literature. Part B Poem topic study materials PDF are readily available and given below for those who preparing for TNPSC Group 2 Exam.




Group 2 General English –Poem On Killing  a Tree Appreciation and Figure of Speech topic question and answers solutions PDF given below,

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 leperous hide
Sprouting leaves.
So hack and chop
But this alone wont 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.
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.
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.


TNPSC Group 2 – Poetry Appreciation Questions:

Read the following lines and answer the following.

1. It takes much time to kill a tree,
   Not a simple jab of the knife
  Will do it.

a. Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree?
Ans:  No.

b. Why does it take much time to kill a tree?
Ans: It takes much time to kill a tree as it has grown strong all through the years.

2. It has grown
   Slowly consuming the earth,
  Rising out of it, feeding
  Upon its crust, absorbing

a. How has the tree grown?
Ans: The tree has grown Slowly consuming the earth, rising out of it, feeding upon its crust.

b. What does the tree feed from the crust?
Ans: The tree feeds sunlight, air, water from the crust.

3. And out of its leprous hide
   Sprouting leaves.

a. What does the phrase ‘leprous hide’ mean?
Ans: ‘Leprous hide’ means the discolored bark of the tree.

b. What comes out of the leprous hide?
Ans: Sprouting leaves come out of the leprous hide.

4. The bleeding bark will heal
    And from close to the ground
   Will rise curled green twigs,
   Miniature boughs

a. What will happen to the bleeding bark?
Ans: The bleeding bark will heal.

b. What will rise from close to the ground?
Ans: Curled green twigs and miniature boughs will rise from close to the ground.



5. The root is to be pulled out
    One of the anchoring earth;

a. Why should the root be pulled out?
Ans: The root should be pulled out to kill the tree.

b. What does ‘anchoring earth’ mean?
Ans: Anchoring earth means that the roots fixed to the earth strongly like an anchor.

6. “ Which if unchecked will expand again To former size”

a. What does ‘which’ refer to? ,
Ans: Which refers to the bleeding bark.

7. “The root is to be pulled out-One of the anchoring earth”

a. What has to be pulled out?
Ans: The root has to be pulled out.

b. What is anchoring earth?
Ans: The root is anchoring earth.

3. “Or pulled out entirely,
    Out from the earth-cave”

a. From where should the root be pulled out?
Ans: The root should be out of the earth-cave.

b. What is an earth-cave?
Ans: Earth-cave is the surface of the earth where the root is hidden.

4. “The source, white and wet.”

a. What is the source referred to?
Ans: The source is referred as ‘white and wet’.

b. What does ‘white and wet’ indicate?
Ans: White and wet indicates life.

5. “Of scorching and choking In sun and air”

a. How is the source scorched and choked?
Ans: The source is scorched and choked in sun and air.

b. Why is it scorched and choked?
Ans: It is scorched and choked to kill.

6. “And then it is done”

a. Explain ‘it is done’.
Ans: It is done implies that the tree is dead and that there is no chance of regrowth since its root has been completely pulled out.

1. What is the poem about?
Ans: The poem is about the killing of a tree.

2. What are the lessons to be learnt from the poem?
Ans: The poet teaches us about nature and the sturdiness and longevity of the tree. To kill the tree or anything else, the heart of the thing has to be destroyed.

3.What are the life sources needed for a tree to grow?
Ans: The sources needed for a tree to grow are the earth, the sunlight, the air, and water.

4. What does the poet mean by ‘bleeding bark’?
Ans: The cut in the bark oozes sap. The poet compares the fluid to the blood.

5. Why the poet says ‘No’ in the beginning of the third stanza?
Ans: Merehack and chop cannot kill the tree. The root must be pulled out. Thus the poet sa}/ ‘No’ to all the woodcutter.

6. How should the root be pulled out?
Ans: The root must be roped, tied, pulled out, snapped out, and exposed.

7. What is hidden inside the earth for years?
Ans: The roots are hidden inside the earth for years.

8. What finally happens to the tree in this poem?
Ans: The tree is killed.

Important links for TNPSC Group 2 General English Study Materials:




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