CBSE Class 6 English Honeysuckle Chapter 10: The Banyan Tree NCERT Solutions

Solution:

1. The old banyan tree "did not belong" to Grandfather, but only to the boy, because Grandfather, at sixty-five years of age, could no longer climb it. This implies the tree was the boy's personal space as he was still agile enough to enjoy it.
2. The small gray squirrel became friendly when it realized that the boy did not intend to harm it and was not armed with any weapon like a catapult or an air-gun. This showed the squirrel that the boy was not a threat.
3. When the boy started to bring him pieces of cake and biscuit, the squirrel grew quite bold and soon began taking morsels of food directly from the author's hand. This indicates a growing trust and comfort between the boy and the squirrel.
4. In the spring, the banyan tree was full of small red figs and birds of all kinds would come there. This describes the tree as a vibrant and attractive place during the spring season, providing food and a habitat for various birds.
5. The banyan tree served the boy as a library. This metaphor suggests that the tree was a place where the boy found knowledge, stories, and perhaps a quiet space for reading and imagination.
6. The young boy spent his afternoons in the tree when it was not too hot. This specifies the condition under which the boy enjoyed his time in the tree, indicating he sought comfort from the weather.

Solution:

1. The description of the champions' qualities and their readiness for the fight is as follows:

Qualities of the champions:

Mongoose:

1. superb fighter
2. clever
3. aggressive

Cobra:

1. skillful
2. experienced
3. swift

(i) Actions to show readiness for the fight:

The cobra, in a display of its readiness, hissed and darted its tongue in and out. It raised three of its six feet off the ground and spread its broad, spectacled hood. The mongoose, in response, bushed its tail, causing the long hair on its spine to stand up, signaling its own preparedness for the combat.

2. The other two spectators were a jungle crow and a myna. Initially, they settled on a nearby cactus to watch the outcome of the fight, having observed the preparations. However, they did not merely watch; they actively tried to join the fight by hurling themselves at the cobra.

3. Arranging the actions in the proper order:

The provided text seems to have jumbled actions. Based on a typical narrative of such a fight, and inferring from the fragments, a possible ordered sequence of actions would involve:

Mongoose's Actions (Inferred Order):

1. Pretended to attack the cobra on the back (to distract or test its reaction).
2. Darted away and bit the cobra on the back (a swift attack after feinting).
3. Grabbed the snake by the snout (a decisive move).
4. Dragged the snake into the bushes (to finish the fight or consume it).

Cobra's Actions (Inferred Order):

1. Tried to mesmerize the mongoose (using its hood and gaze).
2. Coiled itself around the mongoose (an attempt to constrict).
3. Ceased to struggle (likely after being subdued or bitten).

Note: The fragments like 'struck the crow' seem out of place for the main fight sequence unless it refers to the spectators' intervention, which is mentioned in question 2. The original text's ordering is unclear and fragmented.