Read the following passage carefully and on the basis of your reading answer the questions given below it :
There is a lovely story of a tree and a little boy who used to play in its shade. They had become friends. One day, the boy sat leaning against the trunk of the tree, crying. He was hungry, “Eat my fruit”, said the kind tree bending down one of its branches. The boy ate the fruit and was happy. The boy grew up. One day, he sat under the tree with an anxious look on his face. “What is the matter”? asked the tree. “I am going to marry and I want a house to live in.” said the young man.”Cut down my branches and build your house”; said the tree. The young man built a house with the branches of the tree. The young man became a sailor. One day, he sat under the tree with a worried look. “What is the matter?” asked the tree. “My Captain is a cruel fellow. I want a ship of my own,” said the sailor. “Cut down my trunk and build a ship.” The sailor lost his ship and returned home as a helpless old man. On a cold winter’s day, he stood where the tree once was leaning on his stick, and trembling with cold. “Make a fire of me,” said the stump of the tree, and warm yourself,” The stump of the unselfish tree burnt in the fire, softy humming a tune”.
1. What was the boy doing, leaning against the trunk of the tree?
2. What did the kind tree say to the little boy?
3. Why did the boy sit under the tree, one day, with an anxious look on his face?
4. How were the tree and the little boy related to each other?
5. Explain the italicized words in the passage.
6. Give a suitable title to the above passage.
