English Class 10 Chapter 5 Question Answer First Flight

Glimpses of India

Solutions For All Chapters First Flight 10

Part I A Baker from Goa

(Page 64)

Question 1: What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Answer: The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the Portuguese days and their famous loaves of bread.

Question 2: Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Answer: Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa. We know this because the furnaces still exist, the fire has not been extinguished, and the thud and jingle of the baker’s bamboo can still be heard.

Question 3: What is the baker called?
Answer: The baker is called a pader in Goa.

Question 4: When would the baker come every day? Why did the children run to meet him?
Answer: The baker came at least twice every day—once in the morning on his selling round, and again when he returned after selling his loaves. The children ran to meet him because they longed for the bread-bangles and sweet bread he carried in his basket.

Oral Comprehension Check (page 65)

1. Match the following. What is a must

1. as marriage gifts? – cakes and bolinhas
2. for a party or a feast? – sweet bread called bol
3. for a daughter’s engagement? – bread
4. for Christmas? – sandwiches

Answer:

Question 2: What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was young?
Answer: (i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers wore a peculiar dress known as the kabai, a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
(ii) When the author was young, they wore a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Question 3: Who invites the comment — “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?
Answer: Anyone who wears half pants which reach just below the knees invites the comment “he is dressed like a pader” because this dress resembled what bakers wore.

Question 4: Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
Answer: The monthly accounts of the baker were recorded on some wall in pencil.

Question 5: What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?
Answer: A ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ means a plump and fat body, which showed that the baker and his family were prosperous and never starved.

Thinking About the Text (Page 66)

Question 1: Which of these statements are correct?
Answer:
(i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times. – Correct
(ii) Paders still exist in Goan villages. – Correct
(iii) The paders went away with the Portuguese. – Incorrect
(iv) The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock. – Incorrect
(v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days. – Correct
(vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business. – Correct
(vii) Paders and their families starve in the present times. – Incorrect

Question 2: Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Answer: Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. We know this because marriage gifts are incomplete without the sweet bread called bol, sandwiches are needed for engagements, and cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and festivals.

Question 3: Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?
(i) The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places. – nostalgic
(ii) Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. – hopeful
(iii) I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. – nostalgic
(iv) The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. – funny
(v) Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. – matter-of-fact
(vi) The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. – matter-of-fact

Writing

I. In this extract, the author talks about traditional bread-baking during his childhood days. Complete the following table with the help of the clues on the left. Then write a paragraph about the author’s childhood days.

Answer:

Part II Coorg

Thinking About The Text (Page 70 – 71 – 72)

Question 1. Where is Coorg?
Answer. Coorg is midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore, in Karnataka.

Question 2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
Answer. The Kodavu people are believed to be of Greek or Arabic descent. One story says that a part of Alexander’s army settled here when return became impractical, and they married among the locals. Another theory suggests Arab origin, supported by the long black coat with embroidered waist-belt (kuppia) resembling the kuffia worn by Arabs and Kurds.

3. What are some of the things you now know about

(i) the people of Coorg?
Answer: They are fiercely independent, have a tradition of hospitality, and tell numerous tales of valour. They are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.

(ii) the main crop of Coorg?
Answer: Coffee is the main crop, along with spices.

(iii) the sports it offers to tourists?
Answer: River rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, and trekking.

(iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?
Answer: Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs, slender loris, elephants, and wild creatures like kingfishers and mahaseer fish in the river.

(v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there?
Answer: Coorg is about 250–260 km from Bangalore. It can be reached by road via Mysore or Neelamangal–Kunigal–Chanrayanapatna route. The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore, and Hassan. The nearest airports are Mangalore (135 km) and Bangalore (260 km).

4. Find phrases from the text with the same meaning:

(i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg.
→ It pours enough to keep many visitors away.

(ii) Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there.
→ A part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled here.

(iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour.
→ They are more than willing to recount numerous tales of valour.

(iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg.
→ The most laidback individuals become converts to the life of high-energy adventure.

(v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear.
→ The theory of Arab origin draws support from the long, black coat with embroidered waist-belt.

(vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy.
→ Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy.

Thinking About Language

Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’.
For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.
(a) • ‘How old are you?’        (b) • a pleasant person
• ‘How young are you?’     • a pleasant pillow

I. Here are some nouns from the text,
Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.

Questions.
1. culture : unique culture, ancient culture
2. monks : _____________
3. surprise: ___________
4. experience: __________
5. weather: ___________
6. tradition: ___________

Answer:
2. serious monks, unique monks
3. unique surprise, sudden surprise, unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise
4. unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, sudden experience
5. terrible weather, unforgettable weather
6. unique tradition, ancient tradition

2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank?
Missing Alternate word
1. tales of __________ ___________
2. coastal __________ ___________
3. a piece of __________ ___________
4. evergreen __________ ___________
5. plantations __________ ___________
6. bridge __________ ___________
7. wild ___________ ___________

Answer:
Missing Alternate word
valour bravery
town belt, village
heaven cake
rainforests jungle
coffee tea, banana
rope steel, concrete
creatures animals

Part III Tea from Assam

Thinking About Language (Page 74 – 75)

Question 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a preposition (up, down, under, out, in).

Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.
1. A heavy _____ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
2. Rakesh will _____ major surgery tomorrow morning.
3. My brother is responsible for the ____ of our family property.
4. The ____ rate for this accountancy course is very high.
5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _____ interview.

Answer:
1. downpour
2. undergo
3. upkeep
4. dropout
5. walk-in

Question 2.Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.

1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ____ the Government, (throw)
2. Scientists are on the brink of a major _____ in cancer research, (break)
3. The State Government plans to build a ____ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)
4.Gautama’s ____ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow, (look)
5. Rakesh seemed unusually _____ after the game, (cast)

Answers:
1. overthrow
2. breakthrough
3. bypass
4. lookout
5. downcast

III.Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used.

1. Chess is an interesting game.
I am very interested in chess.
2. Going trekking in the Himalayas this summer is an exciting idea.
We are very excited about the trek.
3. Are all your School books this boring?
He was bored as he had no friends there.
The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The – ed /-en adjectives show your mental state or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

Question 1.
1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.
How would you describe
1. a good detective serial on television? ____
2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? ____
3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? ____
4. how you feel when you open a present? ____
5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? ____
6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? ____
7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? _____
8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? _____

Answers:
(Sample answers are given; you may have a different answer.)
1. exciting
2. interesting
3. bored
4. excited
5. interested
6. disappointed
7. thrilled
8. thrilling

Question 2.  Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg.
Answer.
Coorg is an exciting place to visit, filled with an unforgettable culture and traditions. The weather is always refreshing and never boring for the tourists. Adventure lovers feel thrilled with trekking, rafting and mountain biking, while others are interested in the calm beauty of its forests and coffee plantations. Visitors are always excited to meet the hospitable people of Coorg and listen to their fascinating tales of valour. Altogether, Coorg offers a truly amazing and memorable experience to everyone.