Bonsai class 5 icse

    Bonsai

The elements of nature, beautiful as they are, can sometimes be enhanced by human talent and effort. Read about one such art which is very popular throughout the world.

The school had just reopened after the month-long summer vacation. Excited chatter could be heard in the corridors and the classrooms. Most of the children could not wait to share the details of their vacation with their friends.

Rajan had been on a family trip to Japan. As soon as he entered the classroom, his friends came forward to greet him excitedly. The faces of the children were alight with the joy of meeting friends after a long wait.

'I want to hear all about Japan! Which places did you visit? What was the food like? Did you learn any Japanese?' Rajan had to face a volley of questions' from Robbie.

Rajan laughed, 'So many questions at one go! Let me show you all the things I did there instead of telling you about them.' Saying this, Rajan took out the photographs of his trip from his bag and started showing them to his friends. Everyone was mesmerized by the beautiful places they saw in the pictures. Rajan was describing each place in detail as they looked at its picture. 'What a beautiful country it is!' everyone thought admiringly.

The next picture was of many stunted trees laden with fruits and flowers. They looked stunning. The children were awestruck by the sight of the dwarf trees with fruits and flowers hanging on them.

'What are these, Rajan? How can oranges grow on such small trees? Where did you see them? Are they real or artificial? Who grows them?' asked Jasmine, the most inquisitive one in the group.

'These are called "bonsai". I saw them in the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum near Tokyo, Rajan replied. This information was not enough to satiate the curiosity of the children. Unfortunately, Rajan was unable to tell them anything more as it was time for class. However, as soon as their teacher Miss Ramanathan entered the room, the excited children bombarded her with their questions about the fascinating little trees. After being shown Rajan's pictures, she readily told them about the art.

'Bonsai are essentially "trees in trays". Bon means small trays or pots and sai means planting, she explained. 'The Chinese call them "penjing" while "bonsai" is a Japanese term. According to traditional Chinese belief, small objects or the miniature versions of larger objects have magical powers in them. The Chinese people started developing the miniature version of many plants and trees thousands of years ago. Back then it was used mostly as medicine. It reached Japan later in the form of religious souvenirs and was initially cultivated by the Zen Buddhist monks. Later, it became popular among the aristocratic" families who displayed it as an art form.

'Yes!' Rajan said. 'Our tour guide told us an old Japanese folk tale about a discredited¹2 samurai who welcomes a prince, disguised as a wandering monk, into his house. The samurai sells his last cherished bonsai to purchase firewood and keep his guest warm in the cold weather. As a reward, he is restored to his former position by the prince and gifted three flowering trees - apricot, cherry and pine. Even today these trees are bonsai favourites.

'How are these trees so small? Don't they grow bigger like the trees in our backyard?' asked Meenal.

'A bonsai tree is not a specific kind of tree, explained Miss Ramanathan. 'With knowledge, patience and effort, any tree or shrub with a woody trunk can be cultivated as bonsai. Creating a beautiful, flowering bonsai is a work of art and needs experience and training. Bonsai trees are grown for their beauty and the role of the trays or pots used for planting them is also very important. Beautiful ceramic containers are usually

used for this purpose.' 'How are bonsai trees created, Ma'am?' came a voice from the back of the classroom.

'The process begins with a specimen of the source plant. Next is to trim and prune the unwanted branches and parts of the roots so that the tree fits comfortably into its pot and grows into a proper shape. Wiring, clamping" and grafting are the other necessary techniques. Wrapping the branches with wires gives the tree a firm shape. It usually takes a couple of months for the tree to bend into the desired shape. The trunk should also be clamped and the tree moved into a new pot at least once a year for it to grow well. The roots should be trimmed every time the tree is moved. So you see, the growth of these trees is deliberately restricted to make them look pleasing to the eye,' said Miss Ramanathan.

The children sat in rapt" attention. Robbie asked what many children were wondering, 'But isn't it cruel to deform" a tree like this?'

'Perhaps, answered Miss Ramanathan. 'Bonsai trees are known to have a very long life, though. A properly maintained bonsai often outlives a full-size tree of the same species. In fact some bonsai cultivated in the seventeenth century still exist. Today this art has become so popular that bonsai enthusiasts all over the world have formed clubs and associations to share their knowledge and experience gained through years of practice. You can also begin to learn the art by growing a bonsai at home. You have to be patient but it is a very rewarding experience.

The bell rang just then. The class had given everyone a lot of food for thought". A group of enthusiastic young learners had just taken their first steps into the fascinating world of bonsai.

 

Comprehension

A. Write whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.

1. Rajan was meeting his friends after a fortnight.( ·  False. Rajan was meeting his friends after a month-long summer vacation.)

 

2. Rajan had gone to Japan on a school trip.( ·  False. Rajan had gone to Japan on a family trip.

)

3. The word 'bonsai" means trees in gardens.( ·  False. The word "bonsai" means "trees in trays" or "small trays or pots and sai means planting".

)

4. In China, bonsai trees were used for decoration.( ·  False. In China, bonsai trees (or "penjing") were initially used mostly as medicine. Later it reached Japan as religious souvenirs. The text mentions that it became popular as an art form among aristocratic families in Japan.

)

5. Bonsai is usually planted in ceramic containers.

·  True. The text states that "Beautiful ceramic containers are usually used for this purpose."

 

B. Answer the following questions.

1. How did Rajan answer the volley of questions from his friends?

Rajan answered the volley of questions by showing his friends photographs of his trip from his bag. He said, "Let me show you all the things I did there instead of telling you about them."

2. What is bonsai called in China? What was the traditional Chinese belief behind it?

Bonsai is called "penjing" in China. The traditional Chinese belief behind it was that small objects or the miniature versions of larger objects have magical powers in them.  

3. How did bonsai reach Japan?

Bonsai reached Japan in the form of religious souvenirs and was initially cultivated by the Zen Buddhist monks.

4. Which trees can be cultivated as bonsai? What qualities does a bonsai cultivator need to have?

Any tree or shrub with a woody trunk can be cultivated as bonsai. A bonsai cultivator needs to have knowledge, patience, and effort.  

5. What is wiring? Why is it done?

Wiring is the process of wrapping the branches with wires to give the tree a firm shape. It is done to bend the tree into the desired shape.  

6. How did Miss Ramanathan address Robbie's doubt about the deliberate deformation of the tree to create bonsai?

Miss Ramanathan addressed Robbie's doubt by saying, "Perhaps," and then stating that "Bonsai trees are known to have a very long life, though. A properly maintained bonsai often outlives a full-size tree of the same species." She also mentioned that some bonsai cultivated in the seventeenth century still exist.

 

 

 

C. Answer the questions with reference to the context.

1. 'Where did you see them? Are they real or artificial? Who grows them?"

a. Who says these lines? What characteristic does the speaker have?

Jasmine, the most inquisitive one in the group, says these lines.

b. What is 'them? Where had they been seen?

"Them" refers to the dwarf trees laden with fruits and flowers. They had been seen in a picture Rajan showed of his trip to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum near Tokyo.

c. Is the speaker's curiosity satisfied by the answer? Why/Why not?

No, the speaker's curiosity is not satisfied by Rajan's initial answer. Rajan only tells them they are called "bonsai" and that he saw them in the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. This leads to more questions from the children.

d. Who ultimately gives a satisfactory answer to the speaker?

Miss Ramanathan, their teacher, ultimately gives a satisfactory answer to the speaker and the rest of the class.

 

 

2. As a reward, he was restored to his former position by the prince and gifted three flowering trees...

a. Who says these lines? Where has he heard them?

Rajan says these lines. He heard them from their tour guide in Japan.

b. Who was restored to his former position? Why?

A discredited samurai was restored to his former position. He was restored because he sold his last cherished bonsai to purchase firewood and keep a prince, disguised as a wandering monk, warm in the cold weather.

c. Which are the three flowering trees referred to here?

The three flowering trees referred to are apricot, cherry, and pine.

d. What is the importance of these trees today?
Even today, these trees are bonsai favorites.

3. 'It usually takes a couple of months for the tree to bend into the desired shape.

a. What method is used to bend the tree into the desired shape?

The method used to bend the tree into the desired shape is wiring, which involves wrapping the branches with wires.

b. Name any two other techniques that are used for giving the bonsai a proper shape.

Two other techniques used for giving the bonsai a proper shape are clamping and grafting.

c. What should be done to encourage the growth of the bonsai?

To encourage the growth of the bonsai, the tree should be moved into a new pot at least once a year, and the roots should be trimmed every time the tree is moved.

d. What is the purpose of trimming and bending the bonsai?

The purpose of trimming and bending the bonsai is to deliberately restrict the growth of the tree to make them look pleasing to the eye.

 

 

 

D. Reflect and answer.

1. Why do you think the children find bonsai so fascinating? What does this tell you about their nature?

·  The children likely find bonsai fascinating for several reasons:

Novelty: They are seeing miniature versions of full-sized trees, which is unusual and intriguing.

Visual Appeal: The bonsai are described as "stunning" and "beautiful," suggesting they are aesthetically pleasing.

Curiosity: The children are naturally curious about how such small trees can bear fruit and flowers.

This tells us that the children are:

Inquisitive: They ask many questions and want to understand how bonsai are created.

Observant: They notice the details of the trees and are captivated by their appearance.

Open to new experiences: They are excited to learn about a new art form from a different culture.

 

2. Do you think it is justified to restrict the natural growth of trees in order to make them look beautiful? Why/Why not?

Whether it is justified to restrict the natural growth of trees to make them look beautiful is a complex question with differing viewpoints.

Arguments for:

Artistic Expression: Bonsai is presented as an art form, like painting or sculpture. Artists often manipulate natural materials to create something beautiful.

Long Lifespan: The text states that properly maintained bonsai can outlive full-sized trees, suggesting that the practice is not necessarily harmful.

Cultural Significance: Bonsai has a long history and cultural significance in China and Japan.

Arguments against:

Interference with Nature: Some may argue that it is unnatural and cruel to restrict a tree's growth. As Robbie asks, "But isn't it cruel to deform a tree like this?"

The text presents both sides of this argument without explicitly taking a stance. Ultimately, whether it is justified is a matter of personal opinion. The text emphasizes the care, knowledge, and patience required for bonsai cultivation, suggesting it is more than just "deforming" a tree.