Neem Baba Questions & Answers | Class 6 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The opening lines clearly state that she sat down in the shade of the neem tree in her courtyard.

(a) — The text says she felt that the tree was whispering to her, which is why she began talking to it.

(c) — Since the tree is very old and wise, 'Baba' is a loving and respectful way for a child to address him.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Neem Baba recognises Amber because she played in his shade when she was a small child. He has watched her grow up in the courtyard.

Yes. The conversation shows that observing nature closely and being curious about it helps us learn how trees help us, just as Amber learns many facts from Neem Baba.

(c) — He says he was born millions of years ago.

(b) — He says he was born millions of years ago somewhere in North India or Myanmar.

(b) — Her question shows surprise and curiosity, since she had thought of the neem as a common local tree.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

The neem was born in North India or Myanmar, and soon his family spread outside India. Today neem is found in many Asian and African countries and even in some parts of America.

People must have found the neem so useful that they carried its seeds and planted it wherever they went, helping it spread from country to country.

(b) — The text tells us Arishta means 'the one who cures diseases'.

(c) — Neem Baba clearly says the name 'Neem' was given by the Iranians.

(b) — The gloss in the text explains thought-provoking as 'interesting'.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

The neem was given the Sanskrit names Arishta (the one who cures diseases), Nimba and Nimbaca.

It shows that ancient Indians already knew the neem had healing power and respected it as a tree that cures diseases.

(b) — He says, "People find us useful and that is why they know us."

(d) — The first three are listed in the text; 'King of fruits' is not mentioned at all.

(b) — All these admiring titles show how much people value the neem's healing and useful qualities.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Neem Baba says, "We become well known for what we do." People know the neem because they find it useful in many ways.

I like 'nature's gift to man' because the neem gives us so freely — shade, medicines, clean air and protection for crops — just like a gift from nature.

(b) — Neem Baba explains that neem leaves destroy germs, give comfort in measles and do not allow germs to breed.

(c) — The extract says her brother had measles, which causes itching all over the body.

(b) — 'Breed' here means to grow or multiply; neem does not allow germs to breed, i.e., to multiply.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

People clean their teeth with neem twigs and protect their clothes with neem leaves.

Yes, I would, but only after consulting my elders or a doctor, because remedies must be used correctly and in the right quantity.

(b) — Amber says her grandmother cured her cough with a medicine made from neem bark.

(c) — The kajal prepared from neem flowers cured her father's eye itching.

(b) — Amber herself describes how neem bark and neem flowers cured her and her father, showing she knows the neem's value from experience.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

He warns that these remedies should be used only by people who are well trained and have a lot of experience.

A wrong remedy or a wrong amount can harm us instead of helping us, so the guidance of trained, experienced people keeps us safe.

(b) — The text states that this spray stops locusts from eating the plants and trees.

(a) — In the standing water of rice fields it stops mosquito breeding and helps increase the crop yield.

(a) — The gloss explains locusts as flying insects that damage crops.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

Neem seed powder stops mosquito breeding in the standing water of rice fields, saves the crop from termites and stops other crop-eating insects from breeding. Protected this way, the crop grows better and the yield increases.

Neem protects their crops from many pests — locusts, termites and other insects — in a natural, inexpensive way, so farmers can grow more food.

(b) — Amber works out that neem seed powder in stagnant water stops mosquitoes from breeding at little cost.

(b) — The text says neem oil is used to make soaps and toothpaste.

(b) — The text states that furniture made from neem wood is not eaten by termites.

Answer not supplied in the source file.

He asks whether she will discover the neem's yet-to-be-discovered qualities when she grows up. It shows that even a much-studied tree still holds secrets for future scientists.

The conversation ends warmly — Amber thanks Neem Baba and promises to discover the tree's hidden qualities, and he blesses her. This shows Amber is grateful, curious and eager to learn.

Amber sat down in the shade of the neem tree in her courtyard. She felt that the tree was whispering to her, so she looked at it and began to speak to it.

Neem Baba is the neem tree in Amber's courtyard that speaks to her like a wise elder. He is millions of years old and tells Amber all about the neem's names and uses.

The neem was born millions of years ago somewhere in North India or Myanmar. Soon his family spread outside India.

The neem can be found in many Asian and African countries and even in some parts of America, besides India and Myanmar.

The Sanskrit names are Arishta, Nimba and Nimbaca. 'Arishta' means 'the one who cures diseases'.

The name 'Neem' was given by the Iranians. In Hindi, his name is Nimb.

Nim, Leemba, Nimori, Nimbamond, Nimbe and Nimo are the other Indian names; Nimb is his Hindi name.

Scientists call the neem 'bitter grace of God', 'nature's gift to man' and 'cleanliness-parting tree'. Some also call it 'magic tree' and 'the tree of the twentieth century'.

Neem Baba says, "We become well known for what we do." People find the neem useful in so many ways that they cannot help knowing and respecting it.

Neem leaves have chemical properties that destroy germs and do not allow them to breed. Since measles causes itching all over the body, the leaves gave the brother comfort and protection from germs.

The leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and even the roots of the neem can be used to make medicines to cure many diseases.

When Amber had a bad cough and could not breathe properly, her grandmother cured her with a medicine made from neem bark.

When Amber's father had itching in the eyes, her grandmother prepared a kajal from neem flowers, which cured him.

He warned that these remedies should be used only by people who are well trained and have a lot of experience.

When the powder of neem seeds is mixed in water and sprayed on plants and trees, locusts do not eat them.

In rice fields, where water remains standing, neem seed powder stops mosquito breeding and helps increase the crop yield. It also saves the crop from termites and other crop-eating insects.

If we put the powder of neem seeds in stagnant water around our homes, mosquitoes will not breed in it. It is a cost-effective method of stopping mosquito breeding.

Neem seed powder saves stored grains from insects; neem oil is used to make soaps and toothpaste; neem-wood furniture is not eaten by termites; and the neem purifies the air.

'Cost-effective' means getting a good outcome using the least amount of resources. Neem seed powder is cheap and easy to use, yet it stops mosquito breeding effectively.

He blesses Amber, saying, "Bless you, my child!" This warm ending shows his affection for the curious little girl who had come to learn from him.

The story of the name is very thought-provoking. The tree was born in India and was given Sanskrit names such as Arishta (the one who cures diseases), Nimba and Nimbaca. The name 'Neem' was given by the Iranians. In Hindi his name is Nimb, and in India he has other names too — Nim, Leemba, Nimori, Nimbamond, Nimbe and Nimo.

Neem Baba says people know him because they find him useful. The neem gives shade, medicines, protection from pests and clean air. That is why scientists have honoured him with titles like 'bitter grace of God', 'nature's gift to man', 'cleanliness-parting tree', 'magic tree' and 'the tree of the twentieth century'. Our usefulness to others, not our age or size, earns us respect.

Neem leaves have chemical properties that destroy germs and stop them from breeding, so doctors advise measles patients to lie on neem leaves for comfort. Medicines made from neem bark can cure a bad cough, and kajal made from neem flowers cures itching in the eyes. In fact, the leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and even roots can be used to make medicines for many diseases.

Spraying water mixed with neem seed powder on plants and trees keeps locusts from eating them. In rice fields with standing water, it stops mosquito breeding and increases the crop yield. It also saves crops from termites, which eat the roots, and stops the breeding of other insects that eat crops.

People clean their teeth with neem twigs and protect clothes with neem leaves. Neem seed powder saves stored grains from insects, and neem oil is used to make soaps and toothpaste. Furniture made from neem wood is not eaten by termites, and the tree also purifies the air around us.

This figure of speech is called personification, and the chapter also opens with Amber feeling the tree 'whispering' to her. Because the neem talks like a wise, affectionate grandparent, the facts about the tree do not read like a dull list. We remember the information easily because it comes as a warm conversation between 'Neem Baba' and a curious child.

Amber is curious — she keeps asking question after question about the neem's age, names and uses. She is polite and respectful, greeting the tree with 'Namaste' and thanking him for his time. She is also responsible and eager to learn, promising to discover the neem's yet-to-be-discovered qualities when she grows up.

Neem Baba says such remedies must be used only by people who are well trained and have a lot of experience. Amber's grandmother had clearly learnt these cures over many years and knew exactly how to prepare them — the bark medicine for cough and the flower kajal for eye itching. Her experience and training made her confident.

Scientists have already given the neem titles like 'magic tree' and 'the tree of the twentieth century', which shows how much they admire it. Yet its chemical properties are so many and so complex that research is still going on. This tells us that nature is deeper than our complete understanding, and every generation can learn something new from it.

The chapter teaches us that trees like the neem are silent givers — they heal our diseases, protect our crops and food, clean our air and ask for nothing in return. It encourages us to be curious about nature like Amber, and to value, protect and explore the trees around us. It also reminds us to use natural remedies wisely, under the guidance of trained and experienced people.

The theme of the chapter is the immense, selfless usefulness of nature, shown through one ordinary-looking tree. The neem, born millions of years ago in North India or Myanmar, gives human beings everything from shade to medicines: doctors use its germ-destroying leaves for measles patients, its bark cures coughs, and kajal from its flowers cures eye itching. Farmers depend on its seed powder to keep away locusts, termites and mosquitoes, and to raise their crop yield. In daily life, it protects stored grains, lends oil for soaps and toothpaste, gives wood that termites cannot eat and even purifies the air we breathe. Small wonder that people call it 'nature's gift to man', 'magic tree' and 'the tree of the twentieth century'. The chapter reminds us that a common roadside tree is quietly serving us every single day.

Neem Baba himself speaks this line when Amber praises him for being so well known. The neem is known across Asia, Africa and parts of America, and carries names in many tongues — Arishta, Nimba, Nimbaca, Nimb, Nim, Leemba, Nimori and more — only because people everywhere have found it useful. Scientists honour it as 'bitter grace of God' and 'cleanliness-parting tree' because of what it does, not how it looks. Its actions — curing diseases, protecting crops, cleaning air — have earned it fame for millions of years. The lesson I draw is that recognition follows service: like the neem, I should focus on being genuinely useful to others, and a good reputation will follow naturally.

First, the chapter teaches curiosity and the desire to learn — Amber does not merely sit in the tree's shade; she asks about its origin, its names, its uses for farmers and its role in daily life. Second, it teaches respect for elders and for nature — Amber begins with 'Namaste', addresses the tree affectionately as 'Neem Baba', thanks him and receives his blessings. Third, it teaches caution and humility — Neem Baba warns that remedies should be used only by well trained and experienced people, showing that knowledge must be handled responsibly. Fourth, it teaches gratitude towards nature's gifts, for the tree gives shade, medicine and protection freely. Finally, it teaches a sense of duty — Amber promises to discover the neem's yet-to-be-discovered qualities when she grows up, taking forward the work of understanding nature.

At home, families can store grains with neem seed powder to keep insects away, use neem-based soaps and toothpaste, and clean their teeth with neem twigs as people have traditionally done. Around the house and school, neem seed powder can be put in stagnant water to stop mosquitoes from breeding — a cost-effective way to fight mosquito-borne disease without spending much money. Farmers and gardeners can spray neem seed powder mixed in water on plants to protect them from locusts, termites and other insects. Schools can plant neem trees in their grounds so that children get shade and cleaner air to breathe, since the neem purifies the air. Above all, any neem remedy should be used only after consulting well trained and experienced people, as Neem Baba himself advises.

I would tell the officials that this tree is a living pharmacy — its leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and even roots are used to make medicines that cure many diseases, from measles discomfort to coughs and eye itching. Its leaves destroy germs and do not allow them to breed, which is why doctors themselves advise patients to lie on neem leaves. The tree is a farmer's friend: neem seed powder keeps locusts, termites and mosquitoes away and increases crop yield. It protects our stored grains, gives oil for soaps and toothpaste, and its wood resists termites. Most importantly, it purifies the very air the people of the locality breathe, and its shade shelters children at play, just as it sheltered Amber in her childhood. Cutting it would take away all these free services that no road-widening can replace; I would request them to build around the tree or transplant it instead.

I would choose the old peepal tree in my courtyard, because like the neem it is also known for its many uses. My first question would be, "How old are you, and who planted you?" — because like Neem Baba, it must have seen generations grow up under it. My second question would be, "Which birds and insects live on you, and how do you help them?" My third would be, "What medicines or useful things can people make from your leaves and bark?" My fourth would be, "How do you feel in different seasons — summer, rain and winter?" My last question would be the same one Neem Baba asked Amber: "Are there qualities of yours that are yet to be discovered, and how can I help discover them when I grow up?" Just as Amber learned surprising facts about the neem's names and powers, I am sure the peepal's answers would teach me to respect the quiet trees around me.

I fully agree that the neem is nature's gift to man. First, it is a healer: its leaves destroy germs and comfort measles patients, its bark cures coughs, kajal from its flowers cures eye itching, and medicines can be made from its leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and roots. Second, it is a farmer's guardian: neem seed powder sprayed on plants keeps locusts away, and in rice fields it stops mosquito breeding, saves roots from termites and increases crop yield. Third, it serves our homes daily — it protects stored grains from insects, provides oil for soaps and toothpaste, and gives wood that termites cannot destroy. Fourth, it serves everyone simply by standing there — it gives cool shade to children like Amber and purifies the air for all of us. A gift asks for nothing in return, and that is exactly how the neem gives; scientists rightly call it 'bitter grace of God' and 'the tree of the twentieth century'. Counts: Section A — 8 extracts × 6 questions = 48; Section B — 20; Section C — 10; Section D — 7.