Gujarat Board GSEB Class 10 English Textbook Solutions First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.
Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying
GSEB Class 10 English Two Stories about Flying Text Book Questions and Answers
Part I: His First Flight
Thinking about the Text
Question 1.
Why was the young seagull afraid to fly ? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others ? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first step?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid to fly because it was its first flight. It is a well-known fact that doing something for the first time is challenging. Therefore, all young birds must be afraid to make their first flights. Similarly, a human baby would also find it a challenge to take its first step.
Question 2.
“The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest ? What compelled the young seagull to fly finally ? (August 20)
Answer:
The young seagull was very hungry. It was this hunger that ultimately compelled it to fly. Its hunger only intensified when it saw its mother tearing at a piece of fish that lay at her feet. It cried to her, begging her to get some food. When its mother came towards it with food in he beak, it screamed with joy and anticipation- However, she stopped midway. It wonderid why she did not come nearer. Not being able to resist or control its hunger any longer, it dived at the food in its mother’s beak. At that moment, his hunger overpowered his fear of the great expanse of sea beneath the cliff. Finally, this plunge was followed by the natural reaction of its body, i.e., to fly.
Question 3.
“They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid to fly. Even when it saw its brothers and sisters flying, and its parents helping and teaching them, it could not gather enough courage to make that first flight. That is why its father and mother were calling to it shrilly and scolding it. They threatened to let it starve on its ledge if it did l not fly. They did so because they wanted it to leave its fear behind and learn to fly.
Question 4.
Have you ever had a similar experience, where your parents encouraged you to do something that you were too scared to try ? Discuss this in pairs or groups.
Answer:
(Suggested Answer) Yes, I had a similar experience while leaning to ride a bicycle in class V. In my initial attempts, I fell down every time and developed a fear of cycling which was .difficult to overcome.
No amount of provoking and cajoling could let me try it again, but my father encouraged me to overcome the fear and helped me as he was adamant on my learning cycling. He took me on a mound near village and made me sit and asked me to put my hands on the s handle and feet on the pedal. It sped down and I enjoyed it without fear which developed’ s my confidence.
Thus, I overcame my fear of cycling and started riding a cycle after a few practice.
Question 5.
In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusion that it should succeed. In the examples you have given in answer to the previous question, was your success guaranteed, or was it important for you to try, regardless of a possibility of failure ?
Answer:
We face some problems in the initial stage while learning new skill. Due to the fear S of failure, we hesitate to perform a task or to do something new. In case of the seagull his parents cajoled him to fly. In the example, I have given in the answer of previous question, I was cajoled by my father to learn cycling. So, at that stage, I was to learn cycling as it was very important for me to overcome my fear.
Yes, my success was guaranteed because if someone is determined to do something then success is assured. Moreover as said, practice, makes a man perfect.
Part II: The Black Aeroplane
Thinking about the Text
Question 1.
“I’ll take the risk”. What is the risk ? Why does the narrator take it ?
Answer:
A huge storm was brewing up and the author was keen to reach his home to spend his holiday with his family. So, he decided to fly through the storm as he did not want to miss the chance to meet his family at breakfast.
Thus he took the risk even when the visibility was almost zero in the storm.
Question 2.
Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm. (March 20)
Answer:
As the pilot (author) entered the storm, his plane started jumping and twisting. He could not see anything outside the plane as it was black. When he looked at compass and other instruments they had stopped to function due to the storm. It was a terrible and fearsome experience for him. The fuel tank was almost empty and he could not fly more than ten minutes. Then he saw another black aeroplane by his side and the pilot of the plane signalled him to follow. It was a surprise for the narrator l as the other black plane was having no lights on its wings. He followed it without any choice and landed safely on the runway.
Question 3.
Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota……………..”?
Answer:
After landing, the narrator was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota because he had a horrific and scary experience flying that plane. He was happy that he had landed the plane safely. That is why he was not sorry to walk away. Instead, he wanted to know where he was and who the other pilot was.
Question 4.
What made the woman in the Control Centre look at the narrator strangely ?
Answer:
The woman in the Control Centre looked at the narrator strangely because the narrator asked him about the black aeroplane and she saw no one except the narrator’s plane in the sky during the storm. Even the radar showed only the narrator’s plane that night in the sky.
Question 5.
Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely ? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
It is very difficult to say about the unknown pilot who helped the narrator. But probably it was the narrator himself that helped him to overcome the fear in the storm as no other plane was seen on the radar except the narrator’s Dakota plane. In that fearsome situation, he might have been hallucinating. He himself was a good pilot and brave enough who helped himself land safely.
Thinking about Language
Question 1.
Study the sentences given below:
(a) They looked like black mountains.
(b) Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black.
(c) In the black clouds near me, I saw another aeroplane.
(d) The strange black aeroplane was there.
The word ‘black’ in sentences (a) and (c) refers to the very darkest colour. But in (b) and (d) (here) it means without light /with no light.
‘Black’ has a variety of meanings in different contexts. For example:
(a) ‘I prefer black tea’ means ‘I prefer tea ‘ without milk.
(b) ‘With increasing pollution the future of the world is black’ means ‘With increasing pollution the future of the world is very depressing/without hope’.
Now, try to guess the meanings of the word ‘black’ in the sentences given below. Check the meanings in the dictionary and find out whether you have guessed right:
(1) Go and have a bath, your hands and face are absolutely black.
(2) The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green.
(3) The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity.
(4) Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy.
(5) Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black.
(6) Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue.
Answer:
(1) The meaning of ‘black’ in this sentence is that the face and hands are dark because of dust and dirt.
(2) Here, ‘black’ refers to an angry look.
(3) Here, ‘blackest’ refers to the darkest and cruellest crime against humanity.
(4) Here, ‘black’ refers to dark and gloomy comedy.
(5) The meaning of ‘black’ in this sentence is that the shopkeepers sell the described
goods ‘at a higher price’.
(6) Here, ‘black’ means that the criminal suffered excessive beating at the hands of the villagers.
Question 2.
Match the phrases given under column ‘A’ with their meanings given under column ‘B’:
| Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ |
| 1. Fly a flag | a. Move quickly / suddenly |
| 2. Fly into rage | b. Be successful |
| 3. Fly along | c. Display a flag on a long pole |
| 4. Fly high | d. Escape from a place |
| 5. Fly the coop | e. Become suddenly very angry |
Answer:
(1 – c), (2 – e), (3 – a), (4 – b), (5 – d).
3. We know that the word ‘fly’ (of birds / insects) means to move through air using wings. Tick the words which have the same or nearly the same meaning.
swoop – flit – paddle – flutter
ascend – float – ride – skin
sink – dart – hover – glide
descend – soar – shoot – spring
stay – fall – sail – flap
Answer:
The words meaning ‘to move through air using wings’ are:
swoop, flit, float, flutter, skim, dart, hover, glide, soar, sail
GSEB Class 10 English Two Stories about Flying Additional Important Questions and Answers
Part I: His First Flight
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then nobody had come near him. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting S them in the art of flight, teaching them how t to skim the waves and how to dive for fish. He had, in fact, seen his older brother catch his first herring and devour it, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle. And all the morning the whole S family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him f with his cowardice.
The sun was now ascending the sky, blazing on his ledge that faced the south. He felt the heat because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall.
1. The young seagull had been alone for the last ……………… day/days.
A. one
B. two
C. three
D. four
Answer:
A. one
2. The brothers and sister of the young seagull were learning from their parents …………………
A. perfection in their art of flight.
B. skill of skimming the waves.
C. skill of diving for fish.
D. All of these three
Answer:
D. All of these three
3. The young seagull’s parents were greatly happy as ………………….
A. his older brother had caught a fish for them to eat.
B. his older brother had caught his first fish.
C. he had caught his first fish to eat.
D. he had already learnt the skill of flying and diving.
Answer:
B. his older brother had caught his first fish.
4. The young seagull was feeling heat because …………………
A. his parents were taunting him for his cowardice.
B. he had been away from a water body for a very long time.
C. he had not eaten since the previous nightfall.
D. None of these three
Answer:
C. he had not eaten since the previous nightfall.
Question 2.
‘Ga, ga, ga,’ he cried begging her to bring him some food. ‘Gaw-col-ah,’ she screamed back derisively. But he kept calling plaintively, and after a minute or so he uttered a joyful scream. His mother had picked up a piece of the fish and was flying across to him with it. He leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer to her as she flew across.
But when she was just opposite to “him, she halted, her wings motionless, the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his beak. He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she did not come nearer, and then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a minute. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards.
1. What does the expression ‘she screamed back derisively’ suggest ?
A. Happiness
B. Pride
C. Unwillingness
D. Wisdom
Answer:
C. Unwillingness
2. In this extract, we can read about the mother’s effort to ………………..
A. enable the young one to fly.
B. make the young one starve.
C. help the young one find food.
D. All of these three
Answer:
A. enable the young one to fly.
3. The young one dared to dive at the fish as ……………..
A. he had to obey the wish of his parents,
B. he had been terribly hungry.
C. he had already learnt the skill of diving.
D. None of these three
Answer:
B. he had been terribly hungry.
4. The words ‘he felt his wings spread outwards’ suggest that ……………….
A. the young one learnt to fly.
B. the young one decided to fly.
C. the young one would never be able to fly.
D. the young one’s mother flew away disappointedly.
Answer:
A. the young one learnt to fly.
Question 3.
Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly, and commended himself to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly.
He was near the sea now, flying straight over it, facing straight out over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges moving over it and he turned his beak sideways and cawed amusedly.
His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green flooring ahead of him. They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. s His legs sank into it. He screamed with fright and attempted to rise again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted by the strange exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no farther. He was floating on it, and around him his family was screaming, praising him and their beaks were offering him scraps of dogfish.
He had made his first flight.
1. One of the following is not the skill that a seagull has to adopt for preying:
A. Diving
B. Soaring
C. Curving
D. Shrieking
Answer:
D. Shrieking
2. The sound word / s used in this extract is/are …………….
A. shrieking
B. cawing
C. screaming
D. All of these three.
Answer:
D. All of these three.
3. The young seagull was greatly frightened when ………………
A. his belly touched the sea water.
B. his legs sank into the sea water.
C. his family started screaming.
D. he started floating on the sea water.
Answer:
B. his legs sank into the sea water.
4. What reward did the young seagull get for his daring effort of first flight ?
A. Praises from his family members
B. Scraps of dog-fish
C. Joy-ride on green sea
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Question 4.
The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. Somehow when he had taken a little run forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings he became afraid. The great expanse of sea stretched down beneath, and it was such a long way down-miles down. He felt certain that his wings Would never support him; so he bent his head and ran’away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night. (March 20)
1. What made the seagull afraid ?
A. To be alone on the ledge.
B. His brothers and his sister teased him.
C. The ledge was too high above the sea.
D. His wings were very weak.
Answer:
D. His wings were very weak.
2. Which of the following is closer in meaning to the term, ‘on the brink of’?
A. ‘at the end of’
B. ‘on the verge of’
C. ‘in front of’
D. ‘over the edge of’
Answer:
B. ‘on the verge of’
3. Give the verb form of ‘little’.
A. ‘belittle’
B.‘bilittle’
C.’alittle’
D.‘unlittle’
Answer:
A. ‘belittle’
4. Which statement shows the seagull’s lack of confidence in flying ?
A. The seagull was alone on the ledge.
B. The seagull’s attempt to flap his wings.
C. The seagull ran forward to the brink of the ledge.
D. The seagull ran away back to the little hole under the ledge.
Answer:
D. The seagull ran away back to the little hole under the ledge.
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Why did the young seagull not go with the rest of his family?
Answer:
The young seagull did not go with the rest of his family because he was afraid to fly.
Question 2.
How did seagull’s parents try to make him fly?
Answer:
Seagull’s parents tried everything to make him fly. They screamed, scolded and threatened to let him starve on the ledge unless he flew away.
Question 3.
What had the young seagull watched his parents doing the day before ?
Answer:
The day before the young seagull had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting in the art of flying and teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.
Question 4.
What was the young seagull’s mother doing before him?
Answer:
The young seagull’s mother was standing on the plateau, her white breast thrust 1 forward. She tore’ a piece of fish that lay at her feet, then she scrapped each side of her beak on the rock.
Question 5.
When did the seagull get over hie fear of flying over the sea ?
Answer:
The seagull was afraid of flying over the sea, because he thought that he would drown. His family decided to teach him a lesson. They left him unattended. The mother tore at a piece of fish that lay at her feet now and then in his front. Since the seagull was hungry too much, he was compelled to attempt his first flight in order to get food. He was successful. This is when he got over his fear flying over the sea.
Question 6.
Describe the young seagull’s expression when he saw his mother with food.
Answer:
The young seagull uttered a joyful scream because he thought that his mother was bringing food for him. He tried to come nearer to her as she flew across.
Question 7.
Why did the young seagull feel very miserable on the ledge ?
Answer:
The young seagull felt very miserable on the ledge as he was alone and his family had already flown away. He was feeling; very hungry and had nothing to eat. His condition was worsening because he could not even ‘dive for fish.
Question 8.
How did the young seagull and his family celebrate his first flight?
Answer:
When the young seagull started flying and got over his fear, his family screamed around him out of joy. They praised him and offered him scraps of dog-fish out of delight as he made a successful attempt.
Question 9.
Describe the first flight of the young seagull.
Answer:
The young seagull dived at the fish due to hunger and fell outwards and downwards into space. He thought of getting drowned but his wings spread outwards automatically. He moved downwards and outwards and landed safely on the sea and floated on it without any fear.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
How did the mother make the young seagull come out of his fear and teach him the art of flying ?
OR
Describe the tricks used by the seagull family to help the young seagull overcome his fear and fly.
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid of flying because he thought that his wings won’t support him and he would drown. When his family left him on the ledge, he felt alone and was very hungry. They tried hard to make him fly but he never showed the courage to try. His mother knowingly tore a piece of fish lying at her feet s and flew across to him with it. She came close to him but did not go nearer. Already mad by hunger, he dived at the fish but fell into space. After sometime his wings spread outwards and he began to fly. His family landed on the sea ahead of him. They beckoned him so he landed on the sea and began to sink into water but when his belly touched the water, he floated without any fear and difficulty.
Question 2.
Do you think that the seagull’s family loved him ? Justify their attitude towards him.
Answer:
The young seagull had two brothers and a sister. His parents flew with them to leave him alone on the ledge as he could not muster up the courage to fly with them. His parents could have fed him. But, they refused to give him any food. They wanted him to fly and dive for his food. They threatened to let him starve. They did so because they loved him.
The parents were right in what they did because they wanted to teach him the importance of confidence and self-reliance. One can’t depend on their parents all his life to be fed. Thus, it was important, for him to learn to flyr dive and search his own food. So, tffe attitude the seagull family showed to him was actually their love, care and concern for him.
Question 3.
How did the young seagull get over his fear of sea-water and what was his family’s reaction on it ?
Answer:
The young seagull had made his maiden flight successfully. He was near the sea and flying straight over it. He observed a vast green sea all around him. He turned his beak sideways and cawed amusedly. His family was very happy and landed ahead of him. They beckoned to him. When he landed ; on the sea, he began to sink but he tried in despair and his belly touched the water and he sank no further. He was floating on water. This way he got over his fear of seawater and his family praised him a lot and offered him the dog-fish as a reward.
Question 4.
Fear and lack of confidence stop one from learning new things. Do you agree ?
How did these two traits of the young seagull – make him coward? How did he overcome these shortcomings ?
Answer:
Yes, It is true that fear and lack of confidence stop one from learning new things. In this story, the young seagull lacked both, courage and confidence, in his character. He was too scared of flying. His family tried hard to s make him fly but he refused to do so because of his fear of sinking in the seawater. They even S’ scolded him for his cowardice. They tried to tempt him with food but he was not willing to learn flying. Once he dived, his fear disappeared l and he enjoyed his first flight. He overcame these shortcomings only after collecting courage and confidence.
Writing
Write a ’ short composition on your initial attempts at learning a skill. You could describe the challenges of learning to ‘ride a bicycle or learning to swim. Make it as humorous as possible.
Answer:
This is how I learnt to ride bicycle
Learning a new skill is quite challenging. I vividly remember the challenges I had to face to learn to ride a bicycle. My father could not afford me children’s bicycle, which has safety wheels on either side of the bicycle to keep you from falling. So I had to learn bicycling on ’ my father’s bicycle. It was far too bigger than me had real difficulty controlling it. Since my height was very short, I could not mount the seat meant for riders, I just hung on it and ran along as it moved. I fell hundreds of times, injuring myself but I never gave up.
Initially my cousins helped me balance it. Thus slowly, gradually I learnt to maintain. balance. Finally I succeeded in riding it. I was greatly thrilled to have ridden it without falling.
Part II: The Black Aeroplane
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
Paris was about 150 kilometres behind me when I saw the clouds. Storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black mountains S standing in front of me across the sky. I knew I could ipt fly up and over them, and I did not have (enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south.
“I ought to go back to Paris,” I thought, but I wanted to get home. I wanted that breakfast.
“I’ll take the risk,” I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the storm.
Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly s black. It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I couldn’t believe my eyes: the compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead, It would not work! The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio.
1. The writer was very much aware of the fact that …………………
A. he would not be able to fly up and over the huge clouds.
B. he did not have enough fuel to fly around the huge clouds to the north or south.
C. he Would not be able to travel further.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
Answer:
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘B’
2. The writer flew straight into the storm as ………………..
A. he wanted to reach home even taking a risk.
B. he was not at all afraid of storm.
C. he had no other option.
D. None of these three
Answer:
A. he wanted to reach home even taking a risk.
3. The compass of the airplane was ……………….
A. pointing to the north.
B. showing wrong direction.
C. out of order.
D. not visible as everything went black.
Answer:
C. out of order.
4. What did the writer do as the last resort ?
A. He tried to put the compass right.
B. He tried other instruments.
C. He tried to take help of radio.
D. None of these three
Answer:
C. He tried to take help of radio.
Question 2.
“Paris Control ? Paris Control ? Can you hear me ?” There was no answer. The radio was dead too. I had no radio, no compass, and I ; could not see where I was. I was lost in the S storm. Then, in the black clouds quite near me, I saw another aeroplane. It had no lights on its wings, but I could see it flying next to me through the storm. I could see the pilot’s face – turned towards me. I was very glad to see another person. He lifted one hand and waved.
“Follow me,”he was saying. “Follow me.”
“He knows that I am lost,” I thought. “He’s trying to help me.” He turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of my Dakotaf so s that it would be easier for me to follow him. I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient child.
1. The writer could not get help from Paris Control because ……………… ?
A. all of his contact means had failed.
B. the radio was dead.
C. the writer was lost in the storm.
D. A11 of these three
Answer:
A. all of his contact means had failed.
2. ‘Dakota’ is ……………..
A. an airport.
B. the writer’s destination.
C. the writer’s aeroplane.
D. The writer’s living place.
Answer:
C. the writer’s aeroplane.
3. The invisibility occurred due to …………………
A. heavy rain.
B. huge black clouds.
C. arrival of another plane.
D. failure of instruments.
Answer:
B. huge black clouds.
4. The writer could come to know that the other plane wanted to help him as ……………. ?
A. the pilot of the other plane lifted one hand and waved to the writer.
B. the pilot of the other plane turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of the writer’s aeroplane.
C. the writer could see the pilot’s face.
D. None of these three
Answer:
B. the pilot of the other plane turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of the writer’s aeroplane.
Question 3.
Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of lights in front of me. It was a runway! An airport ! I was safe! I turned to look for my friend in the black aeroplane, but the sky was empty. There was nothing there. The black aeroplane was gone. I could not see it anywhere.
I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted to say ‘Thank you’.
She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed.
“Another aeroplane ? Up there in this storm ? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.”
1‘. The two long straight lines of lights in front of the writer were ……………..
A. laser rays.
B. the lights of the other aeroplane.
C. the runway of the airport.
D. lightning in the sky.
Answer:
C. the runway of the airport.
2. The writer was trying to look for the black aeroplane as ……………..
A. he wanted to express his gratitude to the pilot of that aeroplane for the help done to him.
B. he wanted to take some help from the pilot of that aeroplane.
C. he had to start a second journey with him.
D. All of these three
Answer:
A. he wanted to express his gratitude to the pilot of that aeroplane for the help done to him.
3. The lady in the control tower laughed at ……………….
A. the writer’s dress.
B. the writer’s inquiry about another aeroplane.
C. the writer’s strange story.
D. None of these three
Answer:
B. the writer’s inquiry about another aeroplane.
4. The lady in the control tower could not see ……………….
A. the writer’s aeroplane on radar.
B. another aeroplane on the radar.
C. the black aeroplane on the radar.
D. A11 of these three
Answer:
B. another aeroplane on the radar.
Answer the following questions In three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Describe author’s feeling while he was flying his aeroplane back to England ?
Answer:
The author was very excited while he was flying his aeroplane back to England because he wanted to spend his holiday with his family at home.
Question 2.
How much fuel was there in the aeroplane when the writer started flying?
Answer:
There was sufficient fuel in the tanks of the aeroplane to reach England safely when the writer started flying.
Question 3.
What risk did the writer take whilS flying ? Why ?
Answer:
The writer decided to risk to fly through the storm clouds because he wanted to enjoy his holiday with his family back in England.
Question 4.
What did the writer feel inside the clouds ?
Answer:
When the writer entered the clouds, it became impossible to see outside the aeroplane. The aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air and all the instruments like compass, etc. stopped working due to the weather conditions.
Question 5.
What did the writer see inside the black clouds ?
Answer:
The writer saw a black aeroplane which had no lights on its wings. The writer could see the face of the pilot in the black clouds who was waving and signalling him to follow to get out of the storm.
Question 6.
Why did the writer follow the pilot of another aeroplane ?
Answer:
The writer followed another aeroplane because he had lost the way in the storm and was unable to see anything. The pilot of another aeroplane was helping him to get out of the storm and land safely.
Question 7.
Why did the woman in control room get shocked when the writer asked about another aeroplane ?
Answer:
The woman in the control room was shocked when the writer asked about another aeroplane because there was no such plane flying in the sky that night as she saw on the radar.
Question 8.
Why did the writer want to meet the pilot of the black aeroplane ?
Answer:
The writer wanted to meet the pilot of the black aeroplane to thank him as he had s saved the life of the writer by helping him come out through the storm.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
How did the writer get out of the storm in the night to land safely ?
Answer:
The writer was flying his old Dakota aeroplane when he saw the black clouds. He was lost in the storm. Suddenly, he saw a black aeroplane by his side, which had no lights on its wings. The pilot instructed the writer to follow l as he had lost the way. He obeyed him like a child. He was very happy to follow him. After some time the pilot of another plane started to go down. The writer followed him blindly through the storm and came out of the clouds. He saw the lights of the runway and landed safely.
Question 2.
Why was the writer happy when he decided to fly in the night ?
Answer:
The writer was very happy when he decided to fly that night because he was going home to his family to enjoy his holiday. When he started, everything seemed to be perfect. The sky was clear, no clouds could be seen and the stars were shining. It all made it an easy task for the writer to fly that night over the sleeping countryside of Paris. His assumption of everything being in place made him happy.
Grammar
Rectify the errors in each of the following lines as shown in the example:
Answer:
He was beside the sea now, to fly straight over it, facing straight out on the ocean. He saw a vast green sea under him, with little ridges moving over it and he turns his beak sideways.
Example:
| Error | Correction |
| beside | near |
| to fly | flying |
| on | over |
| under | beneath |
| turns | turned |
(2)
Answer:
So, whom helped me to arrive their safely without a compass or a radio, and with any more fuel in my tanks ? Who was the pilot over the strange black aeroplane, fly in the storm, without lights?
Example:
| Error | Correction |
| whom | who |
| their | there |
| with | without |
| over | on |
| fly | flying |
Turn the following dialogue into Indirect Speech:
I switched on the radio and said, “Paris control, Dakota DS 088 here. Can you hear me ? I am on my way to England. Over.”
The voice from the radio answered me immediately: “DS 008, I can hear you. You ought to turn twelve degrees west now, DS? 008. Over.”
Answer:
I switched on the radio and reported to Paris control that (my aeroplane) s Dakota DS 088 was there. To confirm my reporting, I asked if they could hear me. Then I added that I was on my way to England. As my reporting was done s successfully, I finished my communication saying ‘Over’. The voice from the radio answered me immediately quoting my aeroplane DS 008 that he/she could shear me. Then he/she directed me that I ought to turn twelve degrees west then. Saying ‘Over’, he/she completed the communication.
Rewrite as directed:
(1) The young seagull was alone on his ledge. (Turn into Negative.)
(2) For the life of him, he could not move. (Use ‘because’.)
(3) He had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister. (Change the Voice.)
(4) He felt the heat because he had not . eaten since -the previous night. (Use ‘for’ in place of ‘since’.)
(5) They took no notice of him. (Turn into Affirmative.)
(6) I was happy to be alone high up above the sleeping countryside. (Turn into Exclamatory.)
( 7) It had no lights on its wings, but I could see it flying next to me through the storm. (Use ‘Though’.)
Answer:
(1 ) Nobody accompanied the young seagull on his ledge.
(2) He could not move because he wanted to live.
(3) His parents had been watched flying about with his brothers and sister.
(4) He felt the heat because he had not eaten for almost twelve hours.
(5) He passed being unnoticed by them.
(6) How happy I was to be alone high up above the sleeping countryside!
(7 ) Though it had no lights on its wings, I could see it flying next to me through the storm.
Writing
Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm Narrate your experience in a paragraph.
Answer:
My Experience of Thunderstorm
There was peculiar stillness in the air; not a leaf stirred, not a whiff of wind blew. It looked like calm before the storm. Unmindful of these foreboding signs, my friend and I set out for a long walk along the beach.
We had done about half an hour’s walk, when we noticed far off in the sky a speck of black cloud which became denser and denser, and soon the sky was overcast, rendering the atmosphere gloomy and dismal. Just as we decided to turnback homewards we were greeted by a cool, soft breeze, which within few minutes turned into a strong gale. It blew restlessly harder and harder so that we could hardly stand against it.
Hurriedly we took shelter in a solitary hut close by. Hardly had we got into the empty abode when down came the rain with all its fury, accompanied by peals of thunder and flashes of lightning. The thunder-claps were so deafeningly loud and the flashes across so terrifically bright that we were almost frightened to death.
For over an hour we were held up, and during that time the storm raged, causing much havoc. Huge waves rolled on the sea and the hapless fishermen who went out to sea to cast nets were caught in the storm. We watched the unfortunate men clinging to their battered boats as they were tossed up and down the high seas. Brave men they were! They successfully weathered the storm after an hour’s terrible ordeal. When the storm abated and finally calm set in, one could see the destruction it had caused.
Trees were uprooted, roofs were blown off, and lashing angry waves caused a deep breach in the wall that protected the fisher folks’ dwellings, inundating the whole locality. Never did we witness a more horrible scene than this. We thanked God for our safety and secretly prayed that another dreadful experience like this should not befall us.
Two Stories about Flying Summary in English
Part I: His First Flight
His First Flight Introduction:
Liam O’Flaherty (28 August, 1896-7 September, 1984) was an Irish novelist and short story writer and a major figure in the Irish literary renaissance. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Ireland.
His First Flight Summary:
‘His First Right’ by Liam O’Flaherty is a true parable about, overcoming fears in life. Every journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. But that single step is the most difficult one to make. Conquer the fear and venture forth; and we realize that we were born with wings.
The young seagull looked down desperately at the vast expanse of sea that stretched down , beneath his ledge. He was hungry. His parents had flown away along with his brothers and his little sister, leaving him alone on the rock without food. They could all fly; and he could not. He had tried several times to run forward to the brink of the ledge and flap his wings but he became afraid. He was certain that his wings would not support him. His parents had tried countless times to make him fly. But for the life of him he would not make an attempt.
He felt that he was going to starve to death on his ledge. Even his mother was -not looking at him. She was tearing a piece of fish with her beak. The sight of food maddened him. He cried at her but she just screamed back mockingly. Suddenly, he felt the joy, seeing his mother approaching him with food. But she halted, keeping Jhe fish just out of his reach. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. But his mother flew upward and he started falling. A monstrous terror seized him, but the next moment he realized that he was flying. He was born to fly and he had made his first flight.
Part II: The Black Aeroplane
The Black Aeroplane Introduction:
Frederick McCarthy Forsyth (born 25 August, 1938) is an English author, journalist for the Daily Express, Spy, and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, “The Cobra and The Kill List.
The Black Aeroplane Summary:
The lesson ‘The Black Aeroplane’ depicts vividly the mystery and suspense. It seems incredible sometimes to the scientific world, on the other hand, we can’t deny the existence of such happenings. A pilot of old Dakota aeroplane was flyiftg in the midnight over the sky of Paris. He wanted to reach England so, that he could join his family at the time of breakfast. But unfortunately he was passing through mountainous black clouds. He dared to it willingly. As he was in the turmoil of black clouds, all his system failed to work. He couldn’t communicate anybody. Suddenly he noticed a black aeroplane in front of him.
The pilot of the plane instructed him to follow. He followed. He followed like a child but in the meantime his fuel tank was getting exhausted. Suddenly he noticed a row of light on the ground. It was the runway. He landed down and straight forward went to the control room. He enquired about the other aeroplane. But he was dumbstruck when he came to know that there was no aeroplane noticed on the radar that night. Many questions remained unanswered, mysterious and unsolved.