Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 12 TN Board chapter 2.2 - Our Casuarina Tree [Latest edition]

You visit your school after several years. As you cross the banyan tree at the entrance, cheerful memories fi ll your mind. Fill the bubbles with your memories.

Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.

The casuarina tree is tall and strong, with a creeper winding around it like a (1) ______. The tree stands like a (2) ______with a colourful scarf of flowers. Birds surround the garden and the sweet song of the birds is heard. The poet is delighted to see the casuarina tree through her (3) ______. She sees a grey monkey sitting like a (4) ______on top of the tree, the cows grazing, and the water lilies (5) ______in the pond. The poet feels that the tree is dear to her not for its (6) ______appearance but for the (7) ______memories of her happy childhood that it brings to her. She strongly believes that (8) ______communicates with human beings. The poet could communicate with the tree even when she was in a far-off land as she could hear the tree (9) ______her absence. The poet (10) ______the tree’s memory to her loved ones, who are not alive. She immortalizes the tree through her poem like the poet Wordsworth who (11) ______the yew tree of Borrowdale in verse. She expresses her wish that the tree should be remembered out of love and not just because it cannot be (12) ______.

What is the creeper compared to?

How does the creeper appear on the tree?

Describe the garden during the night.

How does the poet spend her winter?

Name the bird that sings in the poet’s garden.

Why is the casuarina tree dear to poet’s heart?

Does nature communicate with human beings?

What has Wordsworth sanctified in his poem?

To whom does Toru Dutt want to consecrate the tree’s memory?

The casuarina tree will be remembered forever. Why?

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound No other tree could live.

1. Which tree is referred to in the above lines?
2. How does the tree survive the tight hold of the creeper?
3. Why does Toru Dutt use the expression ‘a creeper climbs’?

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung

In crimson clusters all the bough among!

1. Who is the giant here?
2. Why is the scarf colourful?

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

“Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,

And Time the shadow”, and though weak the verse

That would thy beauty fain, oh, fain rehearse,

May Love defend thee from oblivion’s curse.

1. What does the poet mean by the expression ‘May love defend thee from oblivion’s curse?’
2. What does the expression ‘fain’ convey?
3. What does the poet convey through the expression ‘Fear, trembling Hope’?

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

Dear is the Casuarina to my soul;

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

It is the tree’s lament, an eerie speech,…

Explain the following line with reference to the context.

Unto thy honor, Tree, beloved of those

Who now in blessed sleep for aye repose,

Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“ LIKE a huge Python, winding round and round

The rugged trunk indented deep with scars”,

Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“ A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound

No other tree could live. But gallantly

The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung......”

Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“A gray baboon sits statue-like alone’’

Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“The water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed.”

Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“ What is that dirge-like murmur that I hear Like the sea breaking on a shingle -beach?

Describe the reminiscences of the poet, when she sees the casuarina tree.

How does nature communicate with the poet?

The poet immortalizes the tree. Elucidate.

First, read the question given below, then listen to the poem, read aloud by the teacher, or played on an audio player. Then answer the question based on your listening of the poem.

Midnight Wonders
I was tossing in my bed in the midnight hour, struggling to get a wink of sleep, but my eyes lay on the clock tower.

I looked upon the dark sky; it was adorned with sparkling pearls, which giggled at me and put a shine to my curls.

I gazed at the chubby moon, which was white and glistening like milk. Gave me a lovely, motherly smile through her lips as rosy pink.

All these magnificent objects made my mind calm. My eyelids started drooping. I was grateful for their wonderful charm.

Nature had arrived to aid me when I was trying to catch sleep. She, with her caring palms, lulled me to slumber, so deep.

1. The poet was tossing in the bed awake because ______

1. he was worried
2. he was struggling to sleep
3. it was daytime
4. he was tired

2. The ______were ‘sparkling as pearls’.

1. moon
2. sun
3. stars
4. meteoroids

3. The ______gave the poet a motherly smile.

1. sun
2. stars
3. moon
4. sky

4. ______made the poet’s eyelids droop.

1. nature
2. rosy lips
3. songs
4. tiredness

5. ______is the title of the poem.

1. Wonders
2. Midnight Wonders
3. Nature
4. Midnight dreams