The Passage: The Silent Guardian
The Great Banyan tree stood like a sprawling emerald city in the heart of the
botanical gardens. To a casual observer, it was merely a very large tree, but to those
who lingered, it was an architectural marvel of nature. From its thick, central trunk,
hundreds of aerial roots descended like frozen wooden lightning, anchoring
themselves into the earth to become secondary pillars.
Kiran sat in the dappled shade, the sunlight filtering through the canopy in dusty
golden bars. He watched a squirrel dart along a branch that was as wide as a
highway. The air here was different—cooler, damp with the breath of thousands of
leaves, and heavy with the scent of wet earth.
Despite the nearby hum of the city, the banyan created its own silence. It was an
ancient, patient living thing that had witnessed the turn of two centuries. As Kiran
pressed his palm against the bark, he felt a strange sense of permanence. In a world
of rapid changes and glass skyscrapers, the tree was a tether to the past, indifferent
to the ticking of human clocks.
Botanical – related to plants
Anchoring – holding something firmly in place so it does not move
Dappled – covered with small patches of light and shadow
Canopy – the top layer of leaves and branches of trees in a forest
Banyan – a large tropical tree with many hanging roots
Tether – a rope or chain used to tie an animal or object to keep it in one place
Reading Comprehension Questions
Literal Understanding
1. Where exactly is the Great Banyan tree located?
It is in the heart of the botanical gardens.
2. What do the aerial roots look like before they reach the ground, according to
the text?
It looks like a frozen wooden lightning.
3. Mention two specific ways the air under the tree is described as different from
the air outside.
The air was cooler, damp with the breath of thousands of leaves, and heavy
with the scent of wet earth.
Inference and Interpretation
4. "The sunlight filtering through the canopy in dusty golden bars." What
does the word "bars" suggest about the way the light looks?
It looks straight.
It suggests that it looks long, straight and broad.
5. Why does the author describe the branch as being "as wide as a highway"?
It is because the branch is broad and far.
6. How does Kiran feel when he touches the tree? Explain in your own words.
He felt that the time has stopped and he had travelled back to the past.
He feels connected to something that doesn’t change despite the fast world
outside.
7. Why is the tree described as being "indifferent to the ticking of human
clocks"?
It is because it is ancient.
time.
It is because it is unaffected by the passing of
Language and Style
8. Identify a simile used in the first paragraph.
“like a sprawling emerald city”
9. "The banyan created its own silence." What does this suggest about the
atmosphere created by the tree compared to the surrounding environment?
It suggests that the tree created a serene atmosphere while the surrounding
environment is chaotic.
It suggests that the tree created a natural sound barrier that blocked the
sound from the city.
10. Find a word in the third paragraph that means the same as "the quality of
lasting for a long time."
“permanence”
11. The author calls the tree an "architectural marvel." Give one reason from
the text that supports this choice of words.
It is because it stood like a sprawling emerald city.
“anchoring themselves into the earth to become secondary pillars.”
12. Based on the whole passage, what is the main contrast the author is making
between the tree and the city?
The main contrast is that the tree is ancient, but the city is made of glass and
steel which made it modern.
The Situation: The local city council is planning to build a new glass
skyscraper right next to the botanical gardens. This construction may damage
the Great Banyan tree's roots and block the sunlight it needs to survive. Write
a letter to the City Council Chairperson, protesting the new construction.
In your letter, you should:

Describe the unique physical features of the Great Banyan tree.

Explain why the tree is culturally and environmentally important to the
people of the city.

Suggest one alternative to help save the tree (e.g., moving the building site
or creating a larger buffer zone).
Dear Sir,
My name is Ling Jayvier, and I hope that you are in the pink of health. I
heard that you are planning to build a new glass skyscraper right next to the
botanical gardens. The purpose of me writing this letter to you is to persuade
you not to build the building near the gardens.
Firstly, let me share the unique physical features of the Great Banyan tree.
The Great Banyan tree is a humongous tree that stands in the center of the
botanical garden, and its truck is thick with hundreds of roots travelling down
the ground. In addition, its branch is broad and far.
Besides that, the tree is culturally and environmentally important to the
people of the city because the tree is ancient and survived through two
centuries. Next, the tree can freshen the air in the city by absorbing carbon
dioxide which is released from industrial activities and provides more oxygen
for the citizens. This causes the temperature to be lower and cooler.
I suggest you build buildings further away from the Great Banyan tree
such as 100km away. This is because the construction may damage the Great
Banyan tree's roots and block the sunlight it needs to survive. The tree needs
sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis. Furthermore, you can
also create a larger buffer zone.
In conclusion, the Great Banyan tree should be protected because it is
special and ancient. So, the city council should build the skyscraper at a
longer distance away from the tree and create a larger buffer zone. Hope that
you can reply to me as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Jayvier