English Class 10 Chapter 3 Question Answer First Flight

Two Stories about Flying

Solutions For All Chapters First Flight 10

I. His First Fight

Thinking about the Text (Page 36)

Q1. 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 steps?
Ans. The young seagull was afraid to fly because he felt certain that his wings would never support him, and he feared falling into the vast sea below. All young birds may not be afraid, as some can be more timid than others. A human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps.

Q2. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
Ans. “The sight of the food maddened him” suggests that hunger became stronger than fear. His mother carrying a piece of fish compelled him to dive, and this made him fly for the first time.

Q3. “They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Ans. The seagull’s father and mother threatened and cajoled him to fly because they wanted him to overcome his fear and learn flying, which was necessary for his survival.

Q4. 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.
Ans. Yes, I had a similar experience when my parents encouraged me to try something I was too scared of. (Students may share their own examples in discussion.)

Q5. 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?
Ans. In the case of a bird, flying is natural and success is certain. But in my example, success was not guaranteed; it was important for me to try, even if there was a possibility of failure.

II. The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the Text (Page 40)

Q1. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Ans. The risk was flying the old Dakota straight into the storm clouds. The narrator took it because he wanted to get home in time for breakfast and did not want to turn back to Paris.

Q2. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Ans. As he flew into the storm, everything was suddenly black. He could not see anything outside, the aeroplane twisted and jumped, the compass and other instruments stopped working, and the radio went dead. He was lost in the storm without any direction.

Q3. Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?
Ans. The narrator said this because he had gone through a frightening experience in the storm. He was relieved and thankful to land safely, so he did not mind leaving the old Dakota after the struggle.

Q4. What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Ans. The woman in the control centre looked at him strangely because, according to the radar, no other aeroplane was flying that night. She could see only his aeroplane, whereas the narrator had followed another black aeroplane.

Q5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Ans. It seemed that a mysterious black aeroplane and its pilot helped the narrator to reach safely. Though nobody else saw it, the pilot guided him out of the storm to the runway. Some may think it was his imagination, while others may believe it was a divine or supernatural help.

Thinking about Language (Page 40 – 41)

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____ .
Ans. Here black means dirty or covered with dirt/soot.

2. The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green____.
Ans. Here black look means an angry or furious expression.

3. The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity____.
Ans. Here blackest means very wicked, horrible or shameful.

4. Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy____.
Ans. Here black comedy means comedy that makes fun of serious, dark, or tragic subjects.

5. Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods____.
Ans. Here in black means illegally or in the black market.

6. Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue____.
Ans. Here black and blue means severely beaten, leaving bruises all over the body.

Question 2. Look at these sentences taken from the lesson you have just read:
(a) I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane.
(b) The young seagull had been afraid to fly with them.
In the first sentence the author was controlling an aircraft in the air. In the second sentence the seagull was afraid to move through the air, using its wings.
Match the phrases given under Column A with their meanings given under Column B:

Answer:

III. 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.

Answer:

• swoop
• flit
• flutter
• skim
• glide
• dart
• soar
• hover
• sail
• flap