SSLC English Adventures In A Banyan Tree Notes

Adventures in a Banyan Tree - Ruskin Bond

 1. Whose domain were the house and grounds of the narrator's home in India? 

Answer :

Grandfather's

2. Why did the boy say that the magnificent old banyan tree was his domain?

Answer :

The boy said so because, though the all surroundings of the house were under the control of his grandfather, he was unable to climb over the banyan tree. He was at the age of 65 and too weak to climb a tree. So, the banyan tree became his domain and got freedom to do whatever he liked.

3. Who was Countess of Desmond?

Answer :

Countess of Desmond was an English woman who lived to the age of 117 years and died by falling from an apple tree.

4. What was special about the Countess of Desmond?

Answer :

She lived to the age of 117 and would have lived longer if she had not fallen while climbing an apple tree.

5. Why did grandmother tease grandfather ?

Answer :

Grandfather was at the age of 65 and could no longer climb the banyan tree. So, grandmother used to tease him by mentioning about his age and weakness.

6. How did grandmother tease grandfather ?

Answer :

Grandmother would speak about a certain Countess of Desmond who lived to the age of 117 and would have lived longer if she had not fallen while climbing an apple tree. This is actually a warning for grandfather not to try climbing over the banyan tree.

7. What gave the boy an endless pleasure?

Answer :

The spreading branches of the banyan tree, which curved to the ground and took root again, forming a maze of arches, gave the boy endless pleasure.

8.  How did the narrator mention the age of the banyan tree?

Answer :

The banyan tree was older than the house, older than Grandfather, as old as the town of Dehra.

9. Where is the town of Dehra situated?

Answer :

The town of Dehra is situated in a valley at the foot of the Himalayas.

10. Pick  out the word from the passage that means " an area under ones control."

Answer :

Domain

11.Pick  out the word from the passage that means " a confusing network of passages ."

Answer :

Maze

12. The spreading branches of the banyan tree, which curved to the ground and took root again, forming a maze of arches, gave the boy endless pleasure.

a) Identify the Noun Phrase (NP) in the Subject position

b) Identify the Head Noun (HN) in the Subject position

c) Identify the Relative Clause from the sentence.

d) Identify the Verb Phrase (VP).

e) Identify the Prepositional Phrase (P. P)

Answer :

a) Noun Phrase : The spreading branches of the banyan tree, which curved to the ground and took root again, forming a maze of arches.

b) Head Noun : branches

c) which curved to the ground and took root again, forming a maze of arches.

d) Verb Phrase : gave the boy endless pleasure.

e) Prepositional Phrases : of the banyan tree,  to the ground, of arches

13. Who was the first friend and familiar one of the boy on the banyan tree?

Answer :

A small grey squirrel

14. How did the squirrel react the boy's invasion to its privacy?

Answer :

By arching his back and sniffing into the air.

15. Why did the squirrel made friendlier with the boy?

Answer :

The squirrel found that the boy didn't try to harm it with a catapult or airgun . More over the boy started offering it pieces of cake and biscuits. Then it grew bolder and took food from his hands. The squirrel even searched for food from the boy’s pockets.

16. Why did the friends and relatives of the squirrel think about him as headstrong and foolish?

Answer:

Because of trusting a human

17. Pick out the word from the passage that means "to search thoroughly and carefully".

Answer :

Delving

18. In which season, the banyan tree was filled with red figs?

Answer :

Spring Season

19. In which season, birds of all kinds would flock into the branches of the banyan tree?

Answer :

Spring Season

20. Why did birds of all kinds flock into the branches of the banyan tree during the spring?

Answer :

Because, during the spring, the banyan tree was filled with red figs. The birds came there to eat the fruits.

21. Pick out the word from the passage that means "A number of birds resting together."

Answer :

Flock

22. Pick out the word from the passage that means "a minor fight or argument ."

Answer :

Squabbling

23. What were the birds flock into the branches of banyan tree during fig season?

Answer :

red-bottomed bulbul, gossiping rosy pastors, parrots and crow

24. How did the banyan tree become the noisiest place on the road?

Answer :

During the spring, birds from all kind would flock to the branches of the banyan tree and squabble each other. This makes the banyan tree the noisiest one.

25. Where did the boy make the platform?

Answer :

Halfway up the banyan tree.

26. Where did the boy spend his afternoons?

Answer :

The boy made a platform halfway up the banyan tree on which he spent all the afternoons.

27. How did the boy spend the afternoon on the banyan tree?

Answer :

By reading different types of books.

28. What were the books which the boy read from the banyan tree?

Answer :

Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn, The Mowgli stories, and the Novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Louisa May Alcott.

29. What did the boy do When he did not feel like reading?

Answer :

He would look down through the banyan leaves at the world below, at Grandmother hanging up or taking down the washing, at the cook quarrelling with a fruit vendor or at Grandfather grumbling at the hardy Indian marigolds which insisted on springing up all over his very English garden.

30. What were the usual sights that the boy would see from the banyan tree?

Answer :

Grandmother hanging up or taking down the washing, the cook quarrelling with a fruit vendor or Grandfather grumbling at the hardy Indian marigolds which insisted on springing up all over his very English garden.

31. What was the exciting sight did the boy see from the banyan tree on April afternoon?

Answer :

He saw a deadly fight between a mongoose and a cobra.

32. Where was the boy while the mongoose and the cobra fighting each other ?

Answer :

He was on the banyan tree.

33. Why did everyone go inside on the April afternoon?

Answer :

It was too hot outside. The hot air of approaching summer had sent everyone including grandfather indoors.

34. Where did the cobra come from?

Answer :

The cobra come from the clump of cactus.

35. Where did the mongoose cime from?

Answer :

The mongoose emerged from the bushes.

36. What were the features of mongoose?

Answer :

The mongoose, three feet long, was a superb fighter, clever and aggressive.

37.What were the features of cobra?

Answer : Cobra was skilful and experienced fighter . It could move swiftly and strike with the speed of light, and the sacs behind its long, sharp fangs were full of deadly venom.

38. What had saved the mongoose from snake bites in the past according to the narrator?

Answer :

Its long and thick hair on the spine.

39. Who were the two spectators came to see the battle other than the boy?

Answer :

A jungle crow and a Myna

40. Why did the boy mention that the crow was not so wise?

Answer :

Because it lost its life by making a foolish mistake. While the fight was going on, the crow flew towards the snake and then the snake struck it hard. Thus it died.

41. Where did the crow and myna settle to watch the outcome of the battle between the mongoose and the cobra ?

Answer: 

They settled on the cactus

42. The cobra was a good fighter. Pick out one of his fighting techniques.

Answer:

The cobra stood on the defensive, swaying slowly from side to side, trying to mesmerize the mongoose into making a false move. His great hood came down so swiftly that the boy thought the mongoose would be killed.

43. The mongoose proved that he was clever. Can you cite any instance of his cleverness?

Answer:

When the cobra struck, the mongoose jumped neatly to one side and darted in swiftly biting the snake on the back. Then he jumped away from the snake, out of his reach.

44. What were the reactions of the spectators when the cobra struck?

Answer:

Both the myna and the crow wanted to participate in the battle. When the cobra struck, both of them hurled themselves at the snake. But they collided in mid air and returned to the cactus making angry noises at each other.

45. How did the crow push itself into trouble?

Answer:

The myna and the crow dived at the cobra, but they missed it. The myna flew back to safety. But the crow couldn't turn back and reach the safer place. At that moment, the cobra struck it with great force and it caused the death of the crow.

46. Why is the myna said to be wise?

Answer:

When the myna saw it missed the cobra when it dived at it, it flew away to the safer place of the cactus. More over, it didn't try to fly towards the snake again as it witnessed the tragic fate of the crow.That is why it is said to be wise.

47. Who won the battle? What made the myna peer into the bushes?

Answer:

The battle was won by the mongoose. The myna peered into the bushes to assure that whether the cobra was dead so that it could congratulate the mongoose.

48. What did the myna do after realising that the snake was killed?

Answer :

The myna dropped cautiously to the ground, hopped about, peered into the bushes from a safe distance, and then, with a shrill cry of congratulation, flew away.

49. What prevented the Grandfather from taming the mongoose?

Answer:

Grandfather knew that a wild mongoose was more useful than a domesticated one. So, he didn't try to tame it.

50. Why would Grandmother forgive the mongoose for stealing the eggs?

Answer:

Because she believed that the mongoose kept the snakes away and it did not harm the chicken.

51. Who was the new friend of the squirrel?

Answer:

The new friend of the squirrel was a white rat that Grandfather had bought from the bazaar for four annas.

52. What was the strange case did the boy mentioned here?

Answer :

The mating of grey squirrel and white rat

53. How did the boy come to know that the squirrel was building a nest?

Answer :

When he went indoors and changed clothes, he discovered straw and grass falling out of his pockets.

54. Where did the boy find his grandmother's knitting? Who took that?

Answer :

He found it from a hole of the banyan tree. 

It was taken by the grey squirrel itself.

55. What was the wonder that nature had kept for them in the nest?

Answer:

The wonder nature had kept for them was the three white baby squirrels in the nest. Grandfather said that rats and squirrels were related each other and it was possible for them to have offsprings.

56. The boy was very much thrilled by his acquaintance with the squirrel. He writes a letter to his friend telling him about his new friend. Help him complete the letter.

Answer :

Ivy Cottage

Landour Cantt

Dehradun - 07

28 April 2023

My dear Sam,

How're you? Hope you're fine. I'm also OK here. How's your vacation ? Hope you are enjoying there.

Dear, I would like to share  some interesting matters with you. I had lots of funs and adventures in our old house. There is a magnificent old banyan tree here. It's my favourite hideout. I had already made a platform halfway up the tree where I used to spend my afternoons by reading a Large variety of books. You know, I also had many friends on the banyan tree. My first friend was a grey squirrel. At first, it didn't accept my friendship. But later it got enough courage to take food even from my hands and pockets.

My grandfather had bought a white rat from the bazaar for four annas. I loved the rat very and often took it to the banyan tree. Soon the rat made a close relationship  with one of the squirrels there! Then they often went for short excursions to the branches of the banyan tree. One day I discovered that squirrel had started to make its nest. At first it tried building the nest in my pockets! when I changed my clothes I would find straw and grass falling out.

Then one day my Grandmother's knitting was missing. Though we searched everywhere, we couldn't find it. Next day I saw something glinting in the hole of the banyan tree. I found that it was the end of Grandmother's steel knitting-needle. On looking further, I discovered there three baby squirrels-all of them white !

We were puzzled for some time, but when I mentioned the white rat's frequent visits to the tree, Grandfather told me that the rat must be the father. Rats and squirrels were related to each other, he said, and so it was quite possible for them to have offspring--in this case, white squirrels!

Dear Sam, hope you enjoyed my letter. Let me conclude my words. Convey my warm regards to all your friends and family. Expecting your favourable reply.

Yours lovingly,

Sd/-

Ruskin Bond

57. ‘And amongst the wool were the three baby squirrels - all of them white!’ The boy couldn’t stop wondering about the white squirrels. If he scribbled down this unforgettable sight in his diary, how would it be?

20 May 2023

Monday

What a memorable day! How can I forget today? I still can't believe my eyes ! It was quite unexpected that I found something shining in the hole of the banyan tree. It was my grandmother's lost knitting! On looking further, I discovered the most beautiful sight...! There were three cute white baby squirrels! I'm sure, it was the most exciting moment that I had ever experienced. I couldn't control my curiosity. When I informed everything to my grandfather, he told that the white rat which he had bought from the bazaar will be the father of the white squirrels. Anyway, I'm very happy to witness for this beautiful gift of nature. 

58. The boy was thrilled at seeing the fight between the cobra and the mongoose. You may also have the same feeling. Narrate the fight scene in your own words.

Answer:

A Deadly Battle of Champions

 

It was an April afternoon. As usual he was sitting on the banyan tree. The warm breezes of approaching summer had sent everyone, including Grandfather, indoors. The boy was feeling drowsy and decided to go to the pond behind the house for a swim. As he began to climb down, he saw a huge black cobra gliding out of a clump of cactus! At the same time a mongoose also emerged from the bushes and went straight for the cobra. They came face to face.

The Cobra knew that the three feet long mongoose is a superb fighter, clever and aggressive. But the cobra was also an experienced fighter. He could move swiftly and strike with the speed of light, and the sacs behind his long, sharp fangs were full of deadly venom. So, it was a battle of champions!

Darting his forked tongue in and out, the cobra began to hiss and raised three of his six feet off the ground, and spread his broad, spectacled hood. The mongoose bushed his tail. Thus both of them ready gor the fight. As the boy was on the banyan tree, the combatants didn't see him. But soon they were aware of another two spectators. They were a myna and a jungle crow. Both of them wanted to watch the outcome of the fight and so they perched on a cactus.

 After a while, the mongoose opened the attack. Moving forward quickly until he was just within the cobra's reach, he made a feint to one side. Immediately the cobra struck. His great hood came down so swiftly that I thought nothing could save the mongoose. But the little fellow jumped neatly to one side, and darted in as swiftly as the cobra, biting the snake on the back and darting away again out of reach. The moment the cobra struck, the crow and the myna hurled hurled themselves at him, only to collide heavily in mid-air. Shrieking at each other, they returned to the cactus plant. The same thing happened twice. But the third time got a  dramatic change. As the mongoose bit the cobra, both the birds flew towards the snake, but they missed it. The myna managed the situation and turned back neatly to the cactus. But unfortunately the crow couldn't turn. At the moment it was struck hard by the cobra. Thus the life of the crow had a tragic end.

The mongoose proved his Excellency in fighting and easily defeated the cobra.  Finally the snake was killed and was dragged into the bushes by the little fellow. The myna dropped cautiously to the ground, hopped about, peered into the bushes from a safe distance, and then, with a shrill cry of congratulation, flew away.