CG Board Class 9 English Solution – Unit 1 Reading C: Saalumarada Thimmakka के सभी महत्वपूर्ण प्रश्न-उत्तर यहाँ सरल भाषा में दिए गए हैं। इस पाठ में Saalumarada Thimmakka के जीवन, उनके पर्यावरण संरक्षण के प्रयास और समाज के प्रति उनके योगदान के बारे में बताया गया है।

Reading C – Saalumarada Thimmakka

Comprehension

I. Answer the following questions

1. What details about the following do you get in the passage?

Childhood

• Place of birth: Hulikal
• Work: She worked as a labourer in a quarry near her home.

Marriage and Family Life

• She was married to Chikkaiah, a cattle herder.
• She did not have any child.

Occupation

• She was an active crusader for spreading the message of afforestation.
• She was an environmentalist.

2. Identify the descriptions related to Thimmakka

i. Untiring love

Thimmakka and her husband treated the saplings as their own children. They followed a regular routine to care for them and protected them from grazing cattle by fencing them with thorny shrubs. Their tireless efforts eventually resulted in the saplings growing into large and strong trees.

ii. Ambitious and uncommon mission

The couple planted saplings mostly during the monsoon so that the plants could receive rainwater. They planted more than 300 trees in total. After her husband’s death in 1991, Thimmakka continued her mission alone and undaunted. The Government of Karnataka later took over the management of the trees.

iii. Self and her husband as an ordinary couple

The couple wanted children but were unable to have any even after 25 years of married life. They decided to plant trees to overcome the sadness and emptiness they felt in their lives.

iv. Selfless service

Thimmakka is an active crusader who spreads the message of afforestation. Her simple philosophy is that every person should leave behind some asset for humanity. Despite living in an economic crisis and managing her life with awards and a monthly pension, she continued her passion for doing good work for humankind.

3. Choose the correct answer

i. Why was Kudur selected by Thimmakka for planting trees along the roadside?

Answer: (c) There were no trees on that road.

ii. How were the saplings watered?

Answer: (a) From the wells and ponds nearby.

iii. Why did Thimmakka set up a trust?

Answer: (c) Her main aim is to protect the trees that she has grown.

4. Why did Thimmakka choose banyan saplings to be planted on the roadside?

One reason given is:

The banyans grow into huge shady trees.

Other possible reasons:

1. There were plenty of banyan trees near her village.
2. The roadside did not have a single tree.
3. The absence of trees caused hardship to travellers on dry and hot days.
4. Planting trees made the surroundings more beautiful.

Vocabulary

1. Find the meanings and local language equivalents

Note: The supplied source provides the meaning of Monsoon as Rainy season, but does not provide specific local-language equivalents for all the words.

2. Prefixes and their meanings

3. Adjectives associated with the nouns

Two more examples:

• Tireless efforts
• Selfless work

Grammar

A. Use ‘not only – but also’

1.

Answer: We not only wrapped soil around the saplings, but also kept them moist.

2.

Answer: We not only put thorns around them, but also checked that they were not drying up.

3.

Answer: Yes, I not only know all of them, but they also know me.

4.

Answer: I not only go to the trees every day, but also sit under the shade for many hours, so some of the birds are my friends.

Use ‘Despite’ / ‘In spite of’

1.

Answer: In spite of their poor economic conditions, they worried about storing water for the village.

2.

Answer: Despite knowing that it was not an easy task, she decided to plant shady trees along 4 kilometres.

3.

Answer: Despite her other domestic work, she bought saplings and grafted them.

4.

Answer: In spite of all the awards and honour she received, she is as simple and humble as ever.

Writing

Profile of Saalumarada Thimmakka

Specific details about her mission

• She started grafting saplings from Ficus (banyan) trees as there were plenty of Ficus trees near her village.
• She continued her efforts and increased the number of saplings with each passing year.
• Her tireless efforts resulted in the saplings growing into large and strong trees.
• The couple planted more than 300 trees in total.
• The asset value of these trees was stated in the source to be more than 1.5 million rupees.

Other contributions to society

Thimmakka became involved in various social activities, including the construction of a tank to store rainwater for the annual fair of her village.

Message to humanity

Her message is simple and inspiring:

Every person on this earth must leave behind some asset for humanity.

Lesson Summary

Saalumarada Thimmakka is an inspiring lesson about love for nature, determination and selfless service. Thimmakka and her husband began planting trees when they were unable to have children. They cared for the saplings like their own children and gradually turned them into large, strong trees.

Her work became a lifelong mission of afforestation. Even after her husband’s death, Thimmakka continued her work with determination. Her life teaches us that even an ordinary person can make an extraordinary contribution to society and the environment.

What We Learn from Saalumarada Thimmakka

• We should love and protect trees.
• Small efforts can create a great change.
• Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility.
• We should work selflessly for society.
• We should leave something valuable behind for future generations.