Chapter 2
The Selfish Giant
Q:1 Describe the Giant’s garden before he returned from his friend’s house. Why was it special to the children?
Ans: The Giant’s garden was lovely with soft green grass, star-like flowers, peach trees with delicate blossoms in spring, and rich fruits in autumn. Birds sat on the trees and sang sweetly. The children loved it because it was a magical, lively place where they could play and enjoy nature.
Q:2 What did the Giant say when he saw the children in his garden after seven years?
Ans: The Giant shouted in his gruff voice, “What are you doing here?” and told the children that his garden was his own and he would allow nobody to play in it. This scared the children.
Q:3 What action did the Giant take to prevent the children from entering his garden?
Ans: The Giant built a high wall around his garden and put up a board that read, “TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED,” so that the children could not enter or play there.
Q:4 How did the children feel after the Giant closed the garden?
Ans: The children were sad because they had nowhere to play. They tried to play on dusty, stony roads but missed the beauty and joy of the Giant’s garden. They wandered near the walls, longing to see the garden again.
Q:5 How did the season of spring behave in the Giant’s garden?
Ans: In the Giant’s garden, it remained winter even when spring came everywhere else. Trees did not blossom, birds did not sing, and Snow and Frost covered the grass and painted the trees silver.
Q:6 Who visited the Giant’s garden after spring was late, and what did they do?
Ans: Snow, Frost, the North Wind, and Hail visited the garden. Snow covered the grass with a white cloak, Frost painted the trees silver, the North Wind roared and blew down chimney pots, and Hail rattled on the roof and ran around the garden.
Q:7 What made the Giant realize something unusual in his garden one morning?
Ans: One morning, the Giant heard a little bird singing the most beautiful music in the world. He saw children peeping through a hole in the wall, sitting on the branches, and playing, which brought blossoms, birds, and flowers back to his garden.
Q:8 Describe the scene when the children returned secretly to the Giant’s garden.
Ans: The scene was lively and joyful. The trees blossomed, birds flew twittering, flowers laughed through the grass, and children were playing on the branches. The garden became colorful and full of life once again.
Q:9 What did the little boy in the farthest corner of the garden experience?
Ans: The little boy could not reach the branches of the trees and wandered sadly. The trees were covered with frost and snow, and the North Wind was still roaring. He wept because he was too small to play among the trees.
Q:10 How did the tree help the little boy in the corner?
Ans: The tree bent its branches and encouraged the little boy to climb. It spoke to him, saying, “Climb up little boy,” but he was too tiny to reach.
Q:11 What change occurred in the Giant’s heart when he saw the little boy?
Ans: The Giant’s heart was filled with pity. He realized how selfish he had been and decided to put the little boy on the tree and knock down the wall so that all the children could come and play freely.
Q:12 How did the children react when the Giant first entered the garden to help?
Ans: When the Giant entered the garden, the other children were frightened and ran away. Only the little boy did not run because he had tears in his eyes and could not see the Giant clearly.
Q:13 What happened when the Giant placed the little boy on the tree?
Ans: As soon as the little boy was placed on the tree, it blossomed, birds sang, and the garden became lively again. The little boy hugged and kissed the Giant in gratitude.
Q:14 How did the other children respond when they saw the Giant was kind?
Ans: When the other children saw that the Giant was not wicked, they came back to play in the garden. With their return, Spring returned to the garden as well.
Q:15 Why did the Giant knock down the wall around his garden?
Ans: The Giant knocked down the wall because he wanted the children to play freely and enjoy the garden, realizing that keeping them out had caused unhappiness.
Q:16 What did the Giant miss as the children played every day?
Ans: The Giant missed his first little friend—the boy he had helped on the tree. Though the other children played with him, he longed to see the boy who had brought Spring back to his garden.
Q:17 How did the Giant feel as he grew old?
Ans: As the Giant grew old and weak, he watched the children playing and felt that they were more beautiful than the flowers in his garden. He felt love and joy in watching them.
Q:18 What wonderful sight did the Giant see one winter morning?
Ans: The Giant saw a tree in the farthest corner covered with white blossoms, with golden and silver fruits hanging from it, and beneath it stood the little boy he had helped years ago.
Q:19 What did the Giant notice about the little boy’s hands and feet?
Ans: The Giant noticed two nail wounds on the boy’s hands and feet. He became furious, thinking someone had harmed him.
Q:20 How did the little boy respond to the Giant’s anger?
Ans: The little boy told the Giant, “These are wounds of love,” showing that the wounds were marks of his sacrifice and kindness, not harm.
Q:21 What promise did the little boy make to the Giant?
Ans: The little boy promised the Giant that because he had let him play in the garden, the Giant would now come to his garden, which is Paradise.
Q:22 Where was the Giant found at the end of the story?
Ans: The Giant was found dead beneath the tree covered with white blossoms, fulfilling the promise of coming to Paradise.
Q:23 What does the word “selfish” mean in the story, and how did the Giant show selfishness?
Ans: “Selfish” means not wanting to share with others. The Giant showed selfishness by building a wall around his garden and forbidding the children to play, keeping the beauty of the garden only for himself.
Q:24 Explain the word “blossoms” and give an example from the story.
Ans: “Blossoms” are flowers. For example, the peach trees in the garden bore delicate pink and pearl blossoms in spring, which made the garden beautiful.
Q:25 What is a “gruff voice” and how did the Giant’s voice affect the children?
Ans: A gruff voice is rough and unpleasant. The Giant’s gruff voice scared the children when he first shouted at them to leave his garden.
Q:26 What does “trespasser” mean, and why were the children considered trespassers?
Ans: A “trespasser” is someone who goes into another’s property without permission. The children were considered trespassers because they played in the Giant’s garden after he forbade them.
Q:27 Define “prosecute” as used in the story.
Ans: “Prosecute” means to take legal action against someone. The Giant’s board warning “TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED” meant he would punish anyone who entered without permission.
Q:28 What does “twittering” mean in the story?
Ans: “Twittering” means making short, high-pitched sounds. In the story, the birds were flying around singing and twittering when the children entered the garden.
Q:29 Explain the term “beneath” and give an example from the story.
Ans: “Beneath” means under. The Giant was found dead beneath the tree covered with white blossoms.
Q:30 What does “kneel” mean, and how did the Giant show it?
Ans: “Kneel” means to get on one’s knees. The Giant knelt before the little boy when he realized the boy’s wounds were of love.
Answer by Mrinmoee
