Class 10 English Chapter 6 His First Flight

 

His First Flight (Two Stories About flying)

ENGLISH

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Before you read

1. A young seagull is afraid to fly. How does he conquer his fear? 

Ans: The young seagull tried again and again and at last conquered his fear. 

Thinking about the text

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 steps? 

Ans: The young seagull was afraid to fly because of the vast sea beneath. He thought his wings would not be able to cross the long way down. 

Not all young birds are afraid to make their first flight. Yes, some birds are more timid than others. 

It is well known that a human baby also finds it a challenge to make its first steps. 

2. “The sight of the food maddened him”. What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly? 

Ans: This suggests that the sight of food made him forget everything, even the fear of flying. As he was very hungry he was eager to have food. And this eagerness compelled him to finally fly. 

3. “They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly, “Why did the sea gull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly? 

Ans: The seagull’s father and mother threatened him and cajoled him to fly because if he did not do so he would have to starve and die. So he must fly. 

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. 

Ans: In fact, I had an experience when my father made me to learn swimming. I was afraid to go to water. I thought I would drown and die. But my father stood by me, caught me and taught me how to paddle. Confidence came to me and I succeeded. 

5. In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusions 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: No, my success was not guaranteed and it was important for me to try. Father insisted on. 

Speaking

We have just read about the first flight of a young seagull. Your teacher will now divide the class into groups. Each group will work on one of the following topics. Prepare a presentation with your group members and then present it to the entire class. 

* Progression of Models of Airplanes. 

* Progression of models of Motor cars. 

* Birds and their Wing Span. 

* Migratory birds – Tracing Their Flights. 

Ans: Do yourself in the class. 

Comprehension Questions and Answers

Q:- Read the passage carefully and answer the question choosing appropriate options :-

1. 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. Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink, flapped their wings, and flew away, he fails to muster up courage to take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. 

Question :-

1. The young seagull was alone on his ledge because –

a)  He was I’ll.      

b) He was watching the nest.   

c)  He could not fly.

d) He was taking rest. 

Ans: c)  He could not fly.

2. He became afraid when he ran forward-

a)  To the brink of the ledge.

b)  To the top of the ledge.

c)  To his brothers and sisters 

d)  To his parents. 

Ans: a)  To the brink of the ledge.

3. He became afraid thinking that –

a)  His wings were strong.

b)  His wings would not support him. 

c)  He could not fly. 

d)  None of these.

Ans: b)  His wings would not support him. 

4. His brother and sisters flew away by –

a)  Running to the end.  

b) Walking to the end. 

c)  Flapping their wings.  

d) Practising to fly. 

Ans: Flapping their wings. 

2. 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. 

He stepped slowly our to the brink of the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing, he closed one eye, then the other, and pretended to be falling asleep. Still they took no notice of him. He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing with their heads sunk into their necks. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. Only his mother was looking at him. 

Question :-

1. What was it that faced south? 

a) The sun.       

b) The ledge.

c)  The young seagull.    

d) The sky. 

Ans: b) The ledge.

2. He felt heat because –

a) He was hungry.    

b) He was weak. 

c)  He was going the sun.   

d) He was flying. 

Ans: a) He was hungry.

3. He pretended to be –

a) Falling asleep.    

b) Trying to fly. 

c) Walking.          

d) Taking rest. 

Ans: a) Falling asleep.

4. Who was looking at him? 

a) His father.     

b) His brother.

c)  His sister.       

d) His mother. 

Ans: d) His mother. 

3. 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. The wind rushed against his breast feathers, then under his stomach, and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling head long now. He was spring gradually downwards and outwards. He was no longer afraid. 

Questions:-

1. He fell into the space-

a)  With courage.    

b) With a shout.

c)  With a loud scream. 

d) With pleasure. 

Ans: c)  With a loud scream.

2. What was the monstrous terror? 

a) That he would die.   

b) That he could fly.

c) That he could not fly.

d) That the sea is vast. 

Ans: a) That he would die.

3. What did the seagull do then? 

a)  He did nothing. 

b)  He shouted for help. 

c)   He looked for his mother. 

d)  He spread his wings outwards without any effort. 

Ans: d)  He spread his wings outwards without any effort. 

4. When the seagull flew for the first time what did he do? 

a)  Cried fearfully.   

b) Soared gradually. 

c)  Cried joyfully.     

d)  Called his parents. 

Ans: b) Soared gradually. 

Short Answers Type of Questions

1. Why Was The young seagull afraid of flying? 

Ans: The young seagull wanted to fly but he was very much afraid of flying. He saw the sea that stretched to a great expanse and felt that his wings never support him. He failed to muster up courage like his brothers and sisters. He thought that he would fall and die. 

2. What did the young seagull watch the day before? 

Ans: The day before the young seagull watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sisters, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish. 

3. What did the mother do to make the young seagull fly? 

Ans: The mother kept the young seagull hungry. He cried for some food. But he was afraid of flying. His mother screamed back. He kept calling her for food. She picked up a piece of fish and flew across. He leaned out to get nearer her. Almost maddens by hunger he dived at the fish and finally learnt to fly. 

4. How did the young seagull feel when he dived for the piece of fish in his mother’s beak? 

Ans: Maddened by hunger the young seagull dived for the pieces of fish in his mother’s beak. With a loud of scream he fell into space. A monstrous fear seized him. But soon he felt his wings spread outwards and he was not falling. He was no longer afraid but he was flying. 

5. How did the young seagull land on the green sea? 

Ans: The young seagull’s parents and his brothers and sister had landed on the green flooring ahead of him. They called him shrilly. He dropped his legs to stand on the greens sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fright and tried to get up. But he could not do so because he was weak. His belly touched the sea and sank no further. He was floating. 

6. How did the young seagull’s family celebrate his first flight? 

Ans: The young seagull was afraid of flying. But finally it made his first flight. He landed on the green sea and all his family members gathered around him. They praised him and offered him scraps of dog-fish. 

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Describe how the young seagull made his first flight. 

Ans: The young seagull was very much afraid of flying. He thought his wings would not support him. His parents, brothers and sisters left him alone. His mother rebuked him and did not give him food. He was very hungry. He was going to die of hunger. He called his mother for food. His mother took a piece of fish in her beak and flew across him. She came nearer. The young seagull was mad with his hunger. He dived at the fish and fell in to space. A monstrous fear seized him. But soon he found that he was not falling. He flapped his wings and began to fly. He cried in joy. Thus he made his first flight. 

2. Describe how the young seagull landed on the green sea and how he was welcomed. 

Ans: The young seagull was very much afraid of flying. But finally he made his first flight successfully. His father flew over him screaming. His brothers and sisters were flying around him curveting and banking and soaring and diving. He also began to dive and soar and curve shrieking shrilly. His parents and brothers and sisters landed on a green flooring ahead of him. They called him. He landed but his legs sank into it. He screamed in fear and tried to get up. But he could not do so because he was weak. But he did not sink any further, he was floating. Thus he landed on the green sea. All of his family praised him and offered him dog-fish.