The Cherry Tree
NoteWhat This Chapter Covers
Unit 4: Environment opens with a gentle, much-loved story by Ruskin Bond, The Cherry Tree. A young boy named Rakesh, living with his grandfather in the hill town of Mussoorie, plants a single cherry seed and watches over it. Against goats, a careless cut, frost and snow, the little tree refuses to die — sprouting fresh leaves each time until it grows taller than Rakesh himself and blossoms with pink flowers. As the tree grows, so does Rakesh, learning patience, responsibility, and a deep love of nature. You will read the story, explore its message about growth, build vocabulary, and study the grammar of storytelling.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- retell the story of Rakesh and the cherry tree and the hardships the tree survives;
- explain the theme — growth, patience, resilience, and the bond between humans and nature;
- describe the characters of Rakesh and his grandfather;
- use the chapter’s vocabulary correctly;
- use narrative past tenses, time expressions, and similes in your own writing.