The Cherry Tree — Class 8 MCQs with Answers
Class 8 CBSE English · Chapter 10
48 practice questions · 16 Easy · 16 Medium · 16 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 8 CBSE English questions from Chapter 10, "The Cherry Tree". You get 6 timed quizzes made from 48 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that top scorers in CBSE Board exams get right.
To score well in "The Cherry Tree", focus on comprehension, grammar and writing skills. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This helps you stay accurate when time is short, just as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on The Cherry Tree, then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 8 English mastery score. 9 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
The Cherry Tree — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 8 English)
9 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation.
- Q1Easy
How old was Rakesh when he bought the cherries at the start of the story?
A.Six✓ CorrectB.NineC.TwelveD.ThreeAnswer: A. Six
Explanation: Rakesh is introduced as a six-year-old boy walking home from the Mussoorie bazaar with a bunch of cherries.
- Q2Easy
In which hill town did Rakesh live with his grandfather?
A.In KashmirB.In Mussoorie✓ CorrectC.In DelhiD.In NainitalAnswer: B. In Mussoorie
Explanation: Rakesh stayed in a cottage on the outskirts of Mussoorie, in the Himalayan foothills, with his grandfather.
- Q3Easy
How much did Rakesh pay for the bunch of cherries?
A.Five rupeesB.Ten paiseC.Fifty paise✓ CorrectD.One rupeeAnswer: C. Fifty paise
Explanation: The text says he paid fifty paise for the bunch of cherries.
- Q4Medium
Why did Rakesh live in Mussoorie with his grandfather rather than with his parents?
A.He disliked his parentsB.His grandfather was seriously illC.His village had no school, so he stayed in Mussoorie to study✓ CorrectD.He wanted to run the gardenAnswer: C. His village had no school, so he stayed in Mussoorie to study
Explanation: There was no school in his parents' distant village, so he was sent to Mussoorie to attend school.
- Q5Medium
After the goat had eaten the young tree, what was left of it?
A.Only the main stem and two thin branches✓ CorrectB.Nothing at allC.The full crown of leavesD.A single ripe cherryAnswer: A. Only the main stem and two thin branches
Explanation: The goat stripped the leaves, and only the main stem and two thin branches remained.
- Q6Medium
By the end of its first monsoon, roughly how tall had the little tree grown?
A.About four inchesB.About two feet✓ CorrectC.Taller than grandfatherD.It had already diedAnswer: B. About two feet
Explanation: Nourished by the monsoon rains, the sapling that had been only inches high grew to about two feet.
- Q7Hard
What does the bond between Rakesh and his grandfather most clearly illustrate?
A.Rivalry and distrust between generationsB.A warm bond in which an elder passes on care and wisdom to the young✓ CorrectC.Complete indifference to each otherD.A purely business partnershipAnswer: B. A warm bond in which an elder passes on care and wisdom to the young
Explanation: Grandfather's guidance and their shared delight in the tree show an affectionate handing-down of wisdom across generations.
- Q8Hard
Why is the Mussoorie hill setting — with its soft earth, monsoon, snow and hill wildlife — important to the story?
A.It adds nothing meaningful to the storyB.It turns the story into a comedyC.It makes the tree's struggle to survive vivid and believable✓ CorrectD.It hides the theme from the readerAnswer: C. It makes the tree's struggle to survive vivid and believable
Explanation: The changing hill seasons and creatures are the real forces the tree must survive, grounding its growth in a believable world.
- Q9Hard
What is the main purpose of the three setbacks — the goat, the scythe and the caterpillar — in the story?
A.They highlight the tree's, and life's, resilience against the odds✓ CorrectB.They prove the tree was too weak to liveC.They are unrelated to the story's messageD.They show that grandfather was carelessAnswer: A. They highlight the tree's, and life's, resilience against the odds
Explanation: Each obstacle the tree overcomes strengthens the theme that living things can survive and recover through resilience.
Key concepts: The Cherry Tree (Class 8 English)
'The Cherry Tree' by Ruskin Bond is a gentle story about a six-year-old boy, Rakesh, who plants a single cherry seed in a corner of his grandfather's garden on the outskirts of Mussoorie. Over several years the little tree survives a goat, a grass-cutter's scythe and a hungry caterpillar, then finally blossoms and bears fruit. Through Rakesh's patient care and his grandfather's quiet guidance, the story celebrates patience, perseverance, the bond between generations, and the wonder of nurturing life.
- Rakesh
- A curious, caring six-year-old who lives with his grandfather in Mussoorie to attend school, since his parents' village fifty miles away has none. He plants and lovingly tends the cherry seed.
- Grandfather
- A wise, encouraging elder who guides Rakesh by gentle advice rather than orders. He tells Rakesh to plant the seed and, at the end, says the tree is special 'because we planted it ourselves.'
- The cherry seed and planting
- The cherries came from the Kashmir valley and cost fifty paise. Instead of hoarding the last seed as 'lucky', Rakesh presses it into soft, yielding soil with his thumb, then forgets about it.
- Setting: Mussoorie hills
- The Himalayan hill town gives the story its soft earth, heavy monsoon, winter snow and hill wildlife — the very forces the small tree must survive as it grows.
- Setbacks the tree survives
- A goat eats its leaves, leaving only the main stem and two thin branches; a woman's scythe cuts it in two; a hairy caterpillar attacks the leaves. Each time the tree sprouts fresh shoots and recovers.
- Growth timeline
- The seedling is about four inches high in spring, roughly two feet after the first monsoon, then grows taller than Rakesh and finally taller than grandfather. A pale pink blossom appears on Rakesh's ninth birthday in February; the first cherries are sour.
- Theme: patience and perseverance
- The tree's slow, difficult journey from seed to fruit shows that steady care and never giving up are rewarded over time — a small everyday miracle of growth.
- 'Is this what it feels like to be God?'
- Rakesh's closing question captures his awe and wonder at having helped create and nurture a living thing, and his deep joy in the shared achievement rather than in the sour fruit.
- Literary flavour
- Bond's tone is gentle, hopeful and reflective. He uses onomatopoeia ('swishing' scythe), a short blunt clause for the shock of the tree being 'cut in two', and personification (the mantis as the tree's 'first visitor').
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Start this chapter free →The Cherry Tree — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 8 English The Cherry Tree?+
'The Cherry Tree' by Ruskin Bond is a gentle story about a six-year-old boy, Rakesh, who plants a single cherry seed in a corner of his grandfather's garden on the outskirts of Mussoorie. Over several years the little tree survives a goat, a grass-cutter's scythe and a hungry caterpillar, then finally blossoms and bears fruit. Through Rakesh's patient care and his grandfather's quiet guidance, the story celebrates patience, perseverance, the bond between generations, and the wonder of nurturing life. Key ideas include Rakesh, Grandfather, The cherry seed and planting, Setting: Mussoorie hills, Setbacks the tree survives, Growth timeline.
What does Class 8 English Chapter 10 (The Cherry Tree) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 48 NCERT-based MCQs on "The Cherry Tree": 16 Easy, 16 Medium and 16 Hard. Together they make 6 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "The Cherry Tree" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "The Cherry Tree" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year. One year from the day you pay. You stay in Class 8 till 31 March; on 1 April your account moves up to Class 9 and the rest of your year carries over. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "The Cherry Tree" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 6 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "The Cherry Tree" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 9 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "The Cherry Tree" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from The Cherry Tree (Class 8 English)?+
The questions that matter most test Rakesh, Grandfather, The cherry seed and planting, Setting: Mussoorie hills, Setbacks the tree survives, Growth timeline. This page shows 9 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations. Sign in to practise all 48 questions on the chapter as timed quizzes.
Is there an online quiz for The Cherry Tree?+
Yes — Class 8 English The Cherry Tree has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.