CAN’T CLIMB TREES ANYMORE
Glossary:
1. Verge:
The edge or border of something.
2. Granite:
A hard, coarse-grained igneous rock commonly used in construction.
3. Outhouse:
A small building separate from the main house, often used for storage or as a
bathroom.
4. Jackfruit tree: A tropical tree that produces large, edible
fruit called jackfruit.
5. Blessing:
A beneficial or divine favor or protection.
6. Turnstile:
A gate or barrier with rotating arms, used to control the flow of people.
7. Hollyhocks:
Tall flowering plants with colorful flowers.
8. Disembodied:
Not having a physical body or form.
9. Appraising:
Assessing or evaluating something.
10. Melon:
A large fruit with a juicy flesh and a hard rind, often eaten in slices.
11. Colonel:
A military rank below a brigadier and above a lieutenant colonel.
12. Brigadier:
A military rank above a colonel and below a major general.
13. Prosperous:
Successful or financially well-off.
14. Middle-aged:
In the middle stage of adulthood, typically around 40 to 60 years old.
15. Trapeze:
A horizontal bar suspended by ropes or metal supports, used for acrobatic
performances.
16. Shattering:
Breaking or damaging something into pieces.
17. Fragrance:
A pleasant or sweet smell.
18. Pruning:
Trimming or cutting back plants to promote growth or maintain shape.
19. Blossom:
The flowers that appear on a tree or plant.
20. Crow:
A bird known for its habit of collecting shiny objects.
21. Treasures:
Valuable or cherished items.
22. Iron Cross:
A German military decoration awarded for bravery.
23. British:
Relating to or associated with Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
24. Decoration:
An award or honor given to recognize achievement or service.
25. Grandfather
clock: A tall, freestanding clock, often with a pendulum, typically
housed in a wooden case.
26. Budgerigars:
Small, brightly colored parakeets.
27. Cranking up:
Starting or operating a mechanical device by turning a crank or handle.
28. Hollow:
A cavity or empty space within an object.
29. Valuable:
Having great worth, importance, or usefulness.
30. Rusty:
Covered in rust, a reddish-brown iron oxide that forms on metal.
31. Medal:
A flat, metal disc or decoration awarded for achievement or honor.
32. Veins:
Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.
33. Sprightliness: Liveliness or energy.
34. Lissome:
Agile, supple, or gracefully slender.
Antonyms:
1. Old
- Young
2. Solid
- Hollow
3. Altered
- Unchanged
4. New
- Old
5. Fewer
- More
6. Blessing
- Curse
7. Gone
- Present
8. Embodied
- Physical
9. Silent
- Noisy
10. Valuable
- Worthless
11. Lost
- Found
12. Closed
- Open
13. Heavy
- Light
14. Forget
- Remember
15. Rusty
- Polished
16. Depart
- Arrive
17. Still
- Moving
18. Dull
- Bright
19. Middle-aged
- Young/Old
20. Briskly
- Slowly
Synonyms:
1. Garden:
Yard, backyard
2. Wall:
Barrier, enclosure
3. Altered:
Changed, modified
4. Outhouse:
Outbuilding, shed
5. Glad:
Pleased, delighted
6. Blessing:
Favor, benefit
7. Shadow:
Shade, darkness
8. Turnstile:
Gate, entrance
9. Hollyhocks:
Flowers, blooms
10. Disembodied:
Ghostly, ethereal
11. Appraising:
Assessing, evaluating
12. Melon:
Fruit, watermelon
13. Colonel:
Officer, military commander
14. Prosperous:
Successful, affluent
15. Middle-aged:
Mature, midlife
16. Climbing:
Scaling, ascending
17. Rest:
Relax, recline
18. Blossom:
Flower, bloom
19. Fragrance:
Scent, aroma
20. Treasures:
Valuables, prized possessions
21. Hollow:
Empty, vacant
22. Valuable:
Precious, important
23. Rusty:
Corroded, oxidized
24. Medal:
Award, decoration
25. Heart:
Center, core
26. Veins:
Blood vessels, capillaries
27. Step:
Stride, pace
28. Sprightliness: Energy, liveliness
29. Limbs:
Appendages, extremities
Comprehension Questions and Answers:
1. Where did the man stand and what did he look
at?
Ans: The man stood on the grass verge by the
side of the road and looked over the garden wall at the old house.
2. What had changed in the surroundings of the
old house?
Ans: There was a new outhouse, and there were
fewer trees.
3. What did the man remember his grandmother
saying about the jackfruit tree?
Ans: His grandmother said, "A blessing
rests on the house where the shadow of a tree falls."
4. How did the girl respond when the man asked if
the house was her own?
Ans: The girl said, "It's my
father's."
5. What military rank did the girl's father hold?
Ans: The girl's father was a colonel.
6. How did the man feel about the girl's comment
on her father's rank?
Ans: The man burst out laughing, finding it
amusing.
7. What did the man and the girl do after their
initial conversation?
Ans: They stood on either side of the wall,
appraising each other.
8. Why did the man not want to climb the
jackfruit tree?
Ans: The man said he couldn't climb trees
anymore.
9. What did the girl offer to do when the man
expressed interest in his treasures from the past?
Ans: The girl offered to climb the jackfruit
tree and see if the man's treasures were still there.
10. What did the girl find in the jackfruit tree?
Ans: The girl found an old, rusty Iron Cross
medal.
11. How did the man feel about the Iron Cross?
Ans: The man decided to give the Iron Cross to
the girl, stating that she found it and deserved to keep it.
12. What did the man say he came for, apart from
the Iron Cross?
Ans: The man said, "It wasn't the Cross I
came for. It was my youth."
13. How did the man leave the girl after their
encounter?
Ans: The man walked away, with the girl
watching him from the gate as he waved goodbye.
14. Why do you think the man wanted to revisit the
old house after many years?
Ans: The man wanted to revisit the old house
to reconnect with his past and perhaps relive some nostalgic memories
associated with his childhood and youth.
15. How does the encounter with the girl and the
discovery of the Iron Cross affect the man's perspective on his past?
Ans: The encounter with the girl and the
discovery of the Iron Cross may have reminded the man of the value of his past
experiences and treasures, symbolizing the significance of his youth and the
need to cherish those memories.
16. What message or theme do you think the author
is trying to convey through the symbolism of the jackfruit tree?
Ans: The jackfruit tree, symbolizing the man's
favorite place and the hiding spot for his treasures, could represent the
importance of preserving cherished memories and the passage of time. It may
also highlight the theme of reconnecting with one's past and finding meaning in
nostalgia.
17. How does the girl's eagerness to help and her
understanding of the man's sentimentality contribute to the overall message of
the story?
Ans: The girl's eagerness to help and her
understanding of the man's sentimentality demonstrate the power of human
connection and empathy. It shows that even strangers can play a significant
role in helping someone reconnect with their past and find closure or fulfilment.
18. What does the man mean when he says, "It
wasn't the Cross I came for. It was my youth"?
CAN’T CLIMB TREES ANYMORE
Glossary:
1. Verge:
The edge or border of something.
2. Granite:
A hard, coarse-grained igneous rock commonly used in construction.
3. Outhouse:
A small building separate from the main house, often used for storage or as a
bathroom.
4. Jackfruit tree: A tropical tree that produces large, edible
fruit called jackfruit.
5. Blessing:
A beneficial or divine favor or protection.
6. Turnstile:
A gate or barrier with rotating arms, used to control the flow of people.
7. Hollyhocks:
Tall flowering plants with colorful flowers.
8. Disembodied:
Not having a physical body or form.
9. Appraising:
Assessing or evaluating something.
10. Melon:
A large fruit with a juicy flesh and a hard rind, often eaten in slices.
11. Colonel:
A military rank below a brigadier and above a lieutenant colonel.
12. Brigadier:
A military rank above a colonel and below a major general.
13. Prosperous:
Successful or financially well-off.
14. Middle-aged:
In the middle stage of adulthood, typically around 40 to 60 years old.
15. Trapeze:
A horizontal bar suspended by ropes or metal supports, used for acrobatic
performances.
16. Shattering:
Breaking or damaging something into pieces.
17. Fragrance:
A pleasant or sweet smell.
18. Pruning:
Trimming or cutting back plants to promote growth or maintain shape.
19. Blossom:
The flowers that appear on a tree or plant.
20. Crow:
A bird known for its habit of collecting shiny objects.
21. Treasures:
Valuable or cherished items.
22. Iron Cross:
A German military decoration awarded for bravery.
23. British:
Relating to or associated with Great Britain or the United Kingdom.
24. Decoration:
An award or honor given to recognize achievement or service.
25. Grandfather
clock: A tall, freestanding clock, often with a pendulum, typically
housed in a wooden case.
26. Budgerigars:
Small, brightly colored parakeets.
27. Cranking up:
Starting or operating a mechanical device by turning a crank or handle.
28. Hollow:
A cavity or empty space within an object.
29. Valuable:
Having great worth, importance, or usefulness.
30. Rusty:
Covered in rust, a reddish-brown iron oxide that forms on metal.
31. Medal:
A flat, metal disc or decoration awarded for achievement or honor.
32. Veins:
Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.
33. Sprightliness: Liveliness or energy.
34. Lissome:
Agile, supple, or gracefully slender.
Antonyms:
1. Old
- Young
2. Solid
- Hollow
3. Altered
- Unchanged
4. New
- Old
5. Fewer
- More
6. Blessing
- Curse
7. Gone
- Present
8. Embodied
- Physical
9. Silent
- Noisy
10. Valuable
- Worthless
11. Lost
- Found
12. Closed
- Open
13. Heavy
- Light
14. Forget
- Remember
15. Rusty
- Polished
16. Depart
- Arrive
17. Still
- Moving
18. Dull
- Bright
19. Middle-aged
- Young/Old
20. Briskly
- Slowly
Synonyms:
1. Garden:
Yard, backyard
2. Wall:
Barrier, enclosure
3. Altered:
Changed, modified
4. Outhouse:
Outbuilding, shed
5. Glad:
Pleased, delighted
6. Blessing:
Favor, benefit
7. Shadow:
Shade, darkness
8. Turnstile:
Gate, entrance
9. Hollyhocks:
Flowers, blooms
10. Disembodied:
Ghostly, ethereal
11. Appraising:
Assessing, evaluating
12. Melon:
Fruit, watermelon
13. Colonel:
Officer, military commander
14. Prosperous:
Successful, affluent
15. Middle-aged:
Mature, midlife
16. Climbing:
Scaling, ascending
17. Rest:
Relax, recline
18. Blossom:
Flower, bloom
19. Fragrance:
Scent, aroma
20. Treasures:
Valuables, prized possessions
21. Hollow:
Empty, vacant
22. Valuable:
Precious, important
23. Rusty:
Corroded, oxidized
24. Medal:
Award, decoration
25. Heart:
Center, core
26. Veins:
Blood vessels, capillaries
27. Step:
Stride, pace
28. Sprightliness: Energy, liveliness
29. Limbs:
Appendages, extremities
Comprehension Questions and Answers:
1. Where did the man stand and what did he look
at?
Ans: The man stood on the grass verge by the
side of the road and looked over the garden wall at the old house.
2. What had changed in the surroundings of the
old house?
Ans: There was a new outhouse, and there were
fewer trees.
3. What did the man remember his grandmother
saying about the jackfruit tree?
Ans: His grandmother said, "A blessing
rests on the house where the shadow of a tree falls."
4. How did the girl respond when the man asked if
the house was her own?
Ans: The girl said, "It's my
father's."
5. What military rank did the girl's father hold?
Ans: The girl's father was a colonel.
6. How did the man feel about the girl's comment
on her father's rank?
Ans: The man burst out laughing, finding it
amusing.
7. What did the man and the girl do after their
initial conversation?
Ans: They stood on either side of the wall,
appraising each other.
8. Why did the man not want to climb the
jackfruit tree?
Ans: The man said he couldn't climb trees
anymore.
9. What did the girl offer to do when the man
expressed interest in his treasures from the past?
Ans: The girl offered to climb the jackfruit
tree and see if the man's treasures were still there.
10. What did the girl find in the jackfruit tree?
Ans: The girl found an old, rusty Iron Cross
medal.
11. How did the man feel about the Iron Cross?
Ans: The man decided to give the Iron Cross to
the girl, stating that she found it and deserved to keep it.
12. What did the man say he came for, apart from
the Iron Cross?
Ans: The man said, "It wasn't the Cross I
came for. It was my youth."
13. How did the man leave the girl after their
encounter?
Ans: The man walked away, with the girl
watching him from the gate as he waved goodbye.
14. Why do you think the man wanted to revisit the
old house after many years?
Ans: The man wanted to revisit the old house
to reconnect with his past and perhaps relive some nostalgic memories
associated with his childhood and youth.
15. How does the encounter with the girl and the
discovery of the Iron Cross affect the man's perspective on his past?
Ans: The encounter with the girl and the
discovery of the Iron Cross may have reminded the man of the value of his past
experiences and treasures, symbolizing the significance of his youth and the
need to cherish those memories.
16. What message or theme do you think the author
is trying to convey through the symbolism of the jackfruit tree?
Ans: The jackfruit tree, symbolizing the man's
favorite place and the hiding spot for his treasures, could represent the
importance of preserving cherished memories and the passage of time. It may
also highlight the theme of reconnecting with one's past and finding meaning in
nostalgia.
17. How does the girl's eagerness to help and her
understanding of the man's sentimentality contribute to the overall message of
the story?
Ans: The girl's eagerness to help and her
understanding of the man's sentimentality demonstrate the power of human
connection and empathy. It shows that even strangers can play a significant
role in helping someone reconnect with their past and find closure or fulfilment.
18. What does the man mean when he says, "It
wasn't the Cross I came for. It was my youth"?