The tree is worshipped as earth’s mother in tribal India.

It provides food, air, occupation,

materials for housing, fodder for animals and fuel. Without the trees there is neither soil nor
water. There is nothing to prevent the soil from being washed away; there is nothing to prevent
the water from evaporating. In the great tribal regions of India, which are home to the Bhils, the
Santhals, the Nagas, the Bishnois, whenever a child is born, a tree is planted in the child’s name.
It forges a relationship between the child and the tree which is closer than the one between child
and family. Naturally so, because that tree is specially the child’s own. The trees are all slow
growing. By the time the child reaches adolescence, his tree has just come to fruit. It starts its life
as a provider to the tribal child and the tribal is the guardian of the tree for life.

Nearly three hundred years ago in 1730, men and women of the Bishnoi tribe died in an attempt
to stop the felling of trees.

In September 1730, a royal party led by Giridhar Bhandari, a minister of the Maharaja of
Marwar, arrived at the village with an intention of felling some Khejri trees, that were sacred to
the villagers. The trees were to be burnt to produce lime for the construction of a new palace. A
local woman, Amrita Devi protested against the tree felling because such acts were prohibited by
the Bishnoi religion. She and her three daughters sacrificed their lives in an attempt to save the
trees. Following the example, many other villagers hugged the trees that were to be cut and got
killed. This event became to be the forebearer of the ‘Chipko Movement’ initiated in the 20th
century.

Bishnoi faith prohibits the cutting of green trees. It demands absolute protection of the Khejri,
the shade and fodder tree of the area. As a result, their lands are fertile, while all around them the
fields have been claimed by the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.

Answer the following questions:

1. Name any two things provided by trees?

2. Without the trees there is neither __________ nor __________ .
3. In 1730, men and women of the __________ tribe died in an attempt to stop the
felling of trees.
4. Name two tribes of India.
5. Bhils, Nagas and Santhals are which regions of India?
1. Civilized
2. Urban
3. Tribal
4. Rural
6. When was ‘Chipko Movement’ initiated in?
1. 18th Century
2. 20th Century
3. 21st Century
4. 19th Century
7. Girdhar Bhandari was a minister of the Maharaja of:
 1. Marwar
2. Jaipur
3. Jodhpur
4. Udaipur
8. A local woman _________ protested against the tree felling:
1. Anita Devi
2. Anjali Devi
3. Amrita Devi
4. Anjana Devi
Answers

1. Food, air, fuel, fodder for animals. (Any two)

2. Soil, water
3. Bishnoi
4. Bhils, Nagas, Bishnois, Santhas. (Any two)
5. Tribal
6. 20th Century
7. Marwar
8. Amrita Devi

Complete the passage given below by choosing the most appropriate options from the ones
that follow.

A few days later, Munshi Prem Chand resigned from (1) ________ job of inspector of schools
after having worked in (2) ________________ department for 10 years. He was one of the (3)
______________ important story writers.

Options:

1. its / her / an / his

2. a / is / their / the
3. much / more / most / more over
Answer

1. his
2. the
3. most
The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line against which a
blank has been given. Write the incorrect word and the correction.

INCORRECT CORRECT

Most trees has a single woody stem called
a trunk who supports a mass of branches
carrying leaves. Trees clean an air
to removing tiny airborne particles. The
leaves of trees give in oxygen.
eg. has have
(1) ____________ ____________
(2) ____________ ____________
(3) ____________ ____________
(4) ____________ ____________
Answer

1. who – which
2. an – the
3. to – by
4. in – out