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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 1
A Letter to God Class 10
Unit 1 A Letter to God Exercise Answers & Summary

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 5


Q1 :
What did Lencho hope for?

Answer :
Lencho hoped for rains as the only thing that his field of ripe corn needed was a shower.

Q2 :
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like 'new coins'?

Answer :
Lencho's crops were ready for harvest. However, they required a good downpour before
harvesting. After a downpour, he could sell the harvest and get money. That is why he
compared the raindrops to 'new coins'.

Q3 :
How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho's fields?

Answer :
The rain was pouring down. But suddenly, a strong wind began to blow and very large
hailstones began to fall along with the rain. The hail rained on the valley for an hour,
because of which Lencho's fields were destroyed. There was not a single leaf left on the
trees and the flowers were gone from the plants. The corn was completely destroyed.

Q4 :

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What were Lencho's feelings when the hail stopped?

Answer :
When the hail stopped, Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. He looked around at his
fields and said that even a plague of locusts would have left more than what was left
after the hailstorm. He said that they would have no corn that year andthey would go
hungry. He was full of sorrow.

Q5 :
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Answer :
Lencho had faith in God. He had been instructed that God's eyes see everything, even
what is deep in one's conscience. Therefore, he wrote a letter to God expressing his
need for a hundred pesos so that he could sow his field again and live until the crop
grew again.

Q6 :
Who read the letter?

Answer :
When the postman saw that the letter was addressed to God, he laughed and took the
letter to the postmaster, who then read it.

Q7 :
What did the postmaster do then?

Answer :
In order to keep the writer's faith in God alive, the postmaster decided to answer the
letter. When he read that Lencho needed hundred pesos, he asked for money from his
employees. He himself gave a part of his salary. He could not gather the entire amount,
but managed to send Lencho a little more than half the amount. He put the money in an
envelope addressed to Lencho and signed it 'God'.

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Thinking about the textoral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
:7
Q1 :
Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you
this?

Answer :
Lencho had complete faith in God. The sentences in the story that show this are as
follows:
(i) But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley,
there was a single hope: help from God.
(ii) All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose
eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one's
conscience.
(iii) “God,” he wrote, “if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year.”
(iv) He wrote 'To God' on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to
town.
(v) God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had
requested.
(vi) It said: “God: of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send
me the rest, since I need it very much.”

Q2 :
Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?

Answer :
No. Lencho was not at all surprised to see the letter from God with money inside it. His
confidence and faith in God was such that he had expected that reply from God.

Q3 :
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter
'God'?

Answer :

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The postmaster sent money to Lencho in order to keep Lencho's faith in God alive. He
turned serious when he read Lencho's letter and wished he had the same faith in God.
Even after he saw that Lencho had requested for money, he stuck to his resolution of
answering the letter. He gathered as much money as he could and sent it to Lencho. He
signed it 'God' so that Lencho's faith would not get shaken.

Q4 :
What made him angry?

Answer :
He got angry when he counted the money. There were only seventy pesos in the
envelope. He was confident that God could neither make a mistake nor deny him what
he had requested. Therefore, he concluded that the post office employees must have
taken the remaining thirty pesos.

Q5 :
Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?

Answer :
No, Lencho does not try to find out who had sent the money to him. This is because he
never suspected that it could be anybody else other than God who would send him the
money. His faith in God was so strong that he believed that God had sent him the
money.

Q6 :
Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the
situation? [Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it.
An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is
expected.]

Answer :
Lencho thought that the post office employees had taken the rest of the money. The
irony of the situation was that the employees whom he called a “bunch of crooks” and
suspected of taking some of the money were the same people who had contributed and
sent him the money in the first place.

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Thinking about the textthinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 8
Q1 :
There are different names in different parts of the world for storms, depending on
their nature. Can you match the names in the box with their descriptions below,
and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary to help you.
gale, whirlwind, cy

hurricane, tornado, ty
1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle:
__ __ c __ __ __ __
2. An extremely strong wind: __ a __ __
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: __ __ p __ __ __ __
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel:
__ __ __ n __ __ __
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic
ocean: __ __ r __ __ __ __ __ __
6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a
lot of damage: __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ __

Answer :
1. Cyclone
2. Gale
3. Typhoon
4. Tornado
5. Hurricane
6. Whirlwind

Q2 :
Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of 'hope' in Column B.

A B

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Will you get the subjects you want to study in colleg


1 e? a feeling that something good will probably h
-
. appen
I hope so.

2 I hope you don't mind my saying this, but I don't like thinking that this would happen (It may or ma
-
. the way you are arguing. y not have happened).

3 This discovery will give new hope to HIV/AIDS suff stopped believing that this good thing would
-
. erers. happen

4 We were hoping against hope that the judges would wanting something to happen (and thinking it
-
. not notice our mistakes. quite possible)

5 I called early in the hope of speaking to her before sh


-
. e went to school.

Answer :

A B

1 Will you get the subjects you want to study in coll wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite
-
. ege? Ihope so. possible)

2 I hope you don't mind my saying this, but I don't l showing concern that what you say should not offen
-
. ike the way you are arguing. d or disturb the other person: a way of being polite

3 This discovery will give new hope to HIV/AIDS s


- a feeling that something good will probably happen
. ufferers.

4 We were hoping against hope that the judges wou wishing for something to happen, although this is ve
-
. ld not notice our mistakes. ry unlikely

5 I called early in the hope of speaking to her before thinking that this would happen (It may or may not h
-
. she went to school. ave happened.)

6 Just when everybody had given up hope, the fishe


- stopped believing that this good thing would happen
. rman came back, seven days after the cyclone.

Q3 :
Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you
say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the
question.

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Greedy Naïve stupid

selfish comical unquestioning

Answer :
There might be a few people like Lencho in the real world. He is an unquestioning,
naïve kind of a person.

Q4 :
There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and
between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?

Answer :
The conflict between humans and nature is illustrated by the destruction of Lencho's
crops by the hailstorm. Lencho had worked really hard on his fields and the harvest was
really important for him. He required the money to feed his family. However, the nature
turned violent. The rains were accompanied by a hailstorm, which destroyed the
crops. The story also illustrates another conflict, between humans themselves. The
postmaster, along with the help of the other post office employees, sent Lencho the
money that they could manage to collect. They were not related to Lencho in any
manner. It was an act of kindness and selflessness on their part. Even though they did a
good deed, Lencho blamed them for taking away some amount of money. He called
them “a bunch of crooks”. This shows that man does not have faith in his fellow
humans, thereby giving rise to this conflict.

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 9


Q1 :
Relative Clauses
Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which as suggested.
1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has
been excellent. (whose)
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)

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Answer :
1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
2. My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.
3. These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the
President.
4. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.
5. This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.

Q2 :
Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following
ideas emphatically.
1. The trees lost all their leaves.
_______________________________________________________________
2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
_______________________________________________________________
3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.
_______________________________________________________________

Answer :
1. The trees lost all their leaves.
Not a leaf remained on the trees.
2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
It was nothing less than a letter to God.
3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.
Never in his career as a postman had he known that address.

Q3 :
In pairs, find metaphors from the story to complete the table below. Try to say
what qualities are being compared. One has been done for you.

Object Metaphor Quality or Feature Compared

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Huge mountains of cl
Cloud The mass or 'hugeness' of mountains.
ouds

Raindro
ps

Hailston
es

Locusts

An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many p


eople dead.

An ox of a man.

Answer :

Object Metaphor Quality or Feature Compared

Huge mountains of cl
Cloud The mass or 'hugeness' of mountains
ouds

Raindrop
A curtain of rain The draping or covering of an area by a curtain
s

Hailston
The frozen pearls The resemblance in colour and hardness of a pearl
es

Locusts A plague of locusts The consequences (destruction) of plague

An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many


Locusts A plague of locusts
people dead

Man An ox of a man The working of an ox in the fields (hard work)

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 2
Long Walk to Freedom Class 10
Unit 2 Long Walk to Freedom Exercise Answers & Summary

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 18


Q1 :
Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in
India that are made of sandstone?

Answer :
The ceremonies took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union
Buildings in Pretoria.
The Parliament House in New Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the
Supreme Court of India in New Delhi and Madras High Court in Chennai are some
examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone.

Q2 :
Can you say how 10 May is an 'autumn day' in South Africa?

Answer :
10 May is an 'autumn day' in South Africa because on this day there was the largest
gathering of international leaders on South African soil for the installation of South
Africa's first democratic, non-racial government.

Q3 :
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions "an extraordinary human
disaster". What does he mean by this? What is the "glorious … human
achievement" he speaks of at the end?

Answer :

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The 'extraordinary human disaster' that Mandela mentioned at the beginning of his
speech refers to the inhuman practice of apartheid i.e., the racial discrimination suffered
by the blacks at the hands of whites in South Africa. At the end, the 'glorious human
achievement' that he spoke of refers to the establishment of South Africa's first
democratic, non-racial government.

Q4 :
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

Answer :
Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long
ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws. He thus thanked all the international
leaders for having come to witness his investiture as President since this event could be
considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

Q5 :
What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?

Answer :
Mandela had high hopes for the future of South Africa. He pledged to liberate all South
Africans from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and
other discrimination. He also stressed that the beautiful land of South Africa would
never ever experience racial discrimination again.

Q6 :
What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?

Answer :
The highest military generals of the South African defence force and police saluted
Mandela and pledged their loyalty. When the military generals saluted Mandela, he was
not unmindful of the fact that not too many years ago, they would not have saluted him,
but arrested him. This change in attitude was due to the fact that a new, non-racial
government was elected and Mandela was then the President of South Africa.

Q7 :

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Why were two national anthems sung?

Answer :
On the day of the inauguration, two national anthems were sung, one by the whites, and
the other by the blacks. This symbolized the equality of blacks and whites.

Q8 :
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country (i) in the
first decade, and (ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?

Answer :
(i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, the white-skinned people of South Africa
patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-
skinned people of their own land, thus creating the basis of one of the harshest and
most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the last decade of the twentieth century, the previous system had been overturned
forever and replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all peoples,
regardless of the colour of their skin.

Q9 :
What does courage mean to Mandela?

Answer :
On seeing men stand up to attacks and torture without breaking and thus
showing strength and resilience that defied the imagination, Mandela learnt that
courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.

Q10 :
Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?

Answer :
For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

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Thinking about the textthinking about languageoral : Solutions of Questions on Page


Number : 24
Q1 :
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration?
What did it signify the triumph of?

Answer :
BeforeNelson Mandela became the President, South Africa was in the grips of apartheid
and was thus declared an outlaw by other nations. When Mandela became the
President, he abolished apartheid and thus diplomatic relations were rebuilt with many
countries. The inauguration of a new, non-racial government was a historic moment in
South African as well as world history. Thus, several distinguished international leaders
attended this inauguration. It signified the triumph of justice, peace and human dignity.

Q2 :
There are nouns in the text (formation, government) which are formed from the
corresponding verbs (form,govern) by suffixing - (at)ionor ment. There may be
change in the spelling of some verb - noun pairs: such
asrebel, rebellion; constitute, constitution.
1. Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.

Noun Verb

rebellion rebel

constitution constitute

2. Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs in
brackets.
Martin Luther King's __________ (contribute) to our history as an outstanding
leader began when he came to the __________ (assist) of Rosa Parks, a
seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. In
those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second class
citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean
__________ (subjugate) and _______

Answer :

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1.

Noun Verb

Rebellion Rebel

Constitution Constitute

Formation Form

Government Govern

Obligation Oblige

Transformation Transform

Discrimination Discriminate

Deprivation Deprive

Demonstration Demonstrate

Oppression Oppress

Imagination Imagine

2. Martin Luther King's contribution(contribute) to our history as an outstanding leader


began when he came to theassistance(assist) of Rosa Parks, a seamstress who
refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. In those days American
Blacks were confined to positions of second class citizenship by restrictive laws and
customs. To break these laws would mean subjugation(subjugate)
and humiliation(humiliate) by the police and the legal system.
Beatings,imprisonment(imprison) and sometimes death awaited those who defied the
System. Martin Luther King's tactics of protest involved non-violent resistance(resist) to
racial injustice.

Q3 :
What "twin obligations" does Mandela mention?

Answer :
Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations. The first is to his family, parents,
wife and children; the second obligation is to his people, his community and his country.

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Q4 :
What does Mandela mean when he says he is "simply the sum of all those African
patriots" who had gone before him?

Answer :
When Mandela says that he was 'simply the sum of all African patriots,' he means that
he could identify with the unimaginable sacrifices of all those noble and courageous
men who fought for the collective freedom of the African people. He was pained that he
could not thank them and that they could not see what their sacrifices had wrought.

Q5 :
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he
contrast these "transitory freedoms" with "the basic and honourable freedoms"?

Answer :
As a boy, Mandela did not have a hunger to be free as he thought that he was born
free. As long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, he was
free in every way he knew. As a student, he wanted certain “transitory freedoms” only
for himself, such as being able to stay out at night, read what he pleased and go where
he chose. He then talks about certain “basic honourable freedoms” such as achieving
his potential of earning his living and of marrying and having a family. He builds the
contrast between these two freedoms by stating that the transitory freedoms he wanted
were limited to him, whereas the honourable freedoms had to do more with his and his
people's position in the society.

Q6 :
Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character?
How does Mandela illustrate this? Can you add your own examples to this
argument?

Answer :
Yes, I agree that the “depths of oppression” create “heights of character”. Mandela
thought that the decades of brutality and oppression had an unintended effect of
creating many African patriots with unimaginable heights of character. Thus, he felt that
the greatest wealth of South Africa is its people. In similar manner, Bhagat Singh
remained courageous while facing utmost cruelty at the hands of British.

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Q7 :
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not?

Answer :
Mandela does not feel that the oppressor is free because according to him an oppressor
is a prisoner of hatred, who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-
mindedness. He feels that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their
humanity.

Q8 :
How did Mandela's understanding of freedom change with age and experience?

Answer :
As a boy, Mandela did not have a hunger for freedom because he thought that he was
born free. He believed that as long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs
of his tribe, he was free in every possible manner. He had certain needs as a teenager
and certain needs as a young man. Gradually, he realized that he was selfish during his
boyhood. He slowly understands that it is not just his freedom that is being curtailed, but
the freedom of all blacks. It is after attaining this understanding that he develops a
hunger for the freedom of his people.

Q9 :
How did Mandela's 'hunger for freedom' change his life?

Answer :
Mandela realized in his youth that it was not just his freedom that was being curtailed,
but the freedom of all blacks. The hunger for his own freedom became the hunger for
the freedom of his people. This desire of a non-racial society transformed him into a
virtuous and self-sacrificing man. Thus, he joined the African National Congress
and this changed him from a frightened young man into a bold man.

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 25


Q1 :
Here are some more examples of 'the' used with proper names. Try to say what
these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish. Look at the
entry for 'the')

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1. Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to
his parties.
2. Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.
3. History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers,
but of ordinary people as well.

Answer :
1. This means that Mr Singh regularly invites famous personalities such as Amitabh
Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties.
2. This means that Madhuri Dixit is compared to a landmark in acting in the form of
legendary actress Madhubala.
3. This means that history is not only the story of the great fighters and leaders such as
Alexander, Napoleon and Hitler, but also of ordinary people.

Q2 :
Match, the italicised phrases in Column A with the phrase nearest meaning in
Column B. (Hint: First look for the sentence in the text which the phrase in
column A occurs.)

A B

1 had not forgotten: was aware of the fact


I was not unmindful of the fact. (i)
.

(ii) was not careful about the fact

(iii forgot or was not aware of the fact


)

2 When my comrades and I were pushed to our li pushed by the guards to the wall
(i)
. mits

(ii) took more than our share of beatings

(iii felt that we could not endure the suffering any lon
) ger

3 make me go on walking
To reassure me and keep me going (i)
.

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Answer :

A B

1
I was not unmindful of the fact (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact
.

2 When my comrades and I were pushed to our li (iii felt that we could not endure the suffering any l
. mits ) onger

3 help me continue to live in hope in this very dif


To reassure me and keep me going (ii)
. ficult situation

4 The basic and honourable freedoms of … earni


(i) earning enough money to live on
. ng my keep…

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 3
Two Stories About Flying Class 10
Unit 3 Two Stories About Flying Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the text : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 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?

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.

Q2 :
"The sight of the food maddened him." What does this suggest? What compelled
the young seagull to finally fly?

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 her beak, it screamed with joy and anticipation. However, she stopped midway.
It wondered 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.

Q3 :
"They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. "Why did the seagull's father and
mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?

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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 not fly. They did so because they wanted it
to leave its fear behind and learn to fly.

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.

Answer :
This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your analytical skills.
The answer to the question would vary from one person to another. It is suggested that
you read the text carefully and try attempting it on your own.

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?

Answer :
This question requires you to use your own perspective as well as your analytical skills.
The answer to the question would vary from one person to another. It is suggested that
you read the text carefully and try attempting it on your own.

Thinking about the textthinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 40
Q1 :
"I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

Answer :

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The risk was to fly through the black storm clouds. The narrator took the risk because
his home was beckoning him. He was dreaming of his holiday and looking forward to be
with his family. He also wanted to get home in time to enjoy a good English breakfast.

Q2 :
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 with dust
and heat.
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.

Q3 :
Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

Answer :

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As he flew into the storm, everything went black. It was impossible to see anything
outside the plane. It jumped and twisted in the air. When he looked at his compass, he
saw that it was turning round and round. It was dead. Along with it, the other
instruments, including the radio, were also dead. Suddenly, he saw another aeroplane.
Its pilot waved at him, asking him to follow. He was glad to find a helper. He was using
his last fuel tank and there was only enough fuel to fly five or ten minutes. Then, the
other pilot started to go down and he followed. He suddenly came out of the clouds and
saw the runway, on which he then landed his plane safely.

Q4 :
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.

Q5 :
What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?

Answer :
The narrator had asked the woman in the control centre about the identity of the other
pilot. She looked at him strangely as there was no other plane in the storm. She told him
that no other plane was flying that night. His was the only plane she could see on the
radar.

Q6 :
Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among
yourselves and give reasons for your answer.

Answer :
Probably, it was the narrator's own self that helped him through the storm. There was no
other plane in the storm as the woman at the control centre could see only his plane on
the radar. Also, no other plane was flying that night. In his fear, he might have been

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hallucinating. He was a good pilot, and it might have been his own self that came to his
help.

<< Previous Chapter 2 : Long Walk to FreedomNext Chapter 4 : From the Diary of Anne Frank >>
Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 41
Q1 :
Match the phrases given under Column A with their meanings given under
Column B:

A B

1. Fly a flag - Move quickly/suddenly

2. Fly into rage - Be successful

3. Fly along - Display a flag on a long pole

4. Fly high - Escape from a place

5. Fly the coop - Become suddenly very angry

Answer :

A B

1. Fly a flag - Display a flag on a long pole

2. Fly into rage - Become suddenly very angry

3. Fly along - Move quickly/suddenly

4. Fly high - Be successful

5. Fly the coop - Escape from a place

Q2 :
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

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ascend float ride

sink dart hover

descend soar shoot

stay fall sail

Answer :
The words which have the same or nearly the same meaning as 'fly' are as follows:
swoop, flit, float, dart, soar, hover, sail skim, glide, flutter

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 4
From the Diary of Anne Frank Class 10
Unit 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank Exercise Answers & Summary

Activity : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 49


Q1 :

Do you keep a diary? Given below under 'A' are some terms we use to describe a
written record of personal experience. Can you match them with their
descriptions under 'B'? (You may look up the terms in a dictionary if you wish.)

A B

(i) Journa - A book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your thou
l ghts and feelings or what has happened on that day

(ii) Diary - A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written every day.

(iii) Log - A record of a person's own life and experiences (usually, a famous person)

(iv) Mem - A written record of events with times and dates, usually official
oir(s)

Answer :

A B

(i) Journal - A full record of a journey, a period of time, or an event, written everyday

(ii) Diary - A book with a separate space or page for each day, in which you write down your thoughts an
d feelings or what has happened on that day

(iii) Log - A written record of events with times and dates, usually official

(iv) Memo - A record of a person's own life and experiences (usually, a famous person)
ir(s)

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Q2 :

Here are some entries from personal records. Use the definitions above to decide
which of the entries might be from a diary, a journal, a log or a memoir.
(i) I woke up very late today and promptly got a scolding from Mum! I can't help it
- how can I miss the FIFA World Cup matches?
Ans: _____________________________
(ii) 10:30 a.m. Went to the office of the Director
01:00 p.m. Had lunch with Chairman
05:45 p.m. Received Rahul at the airport
09:30 p.m. Dinner at home
Ans: _____________________________
(iii) The ride to Ooty was uneventful. We rested for a while every 50 km or so, and
used the time to capture the magnificent landscape with my Handy Cam. From
Ooty we went on to Bangalore.
What a contrast! The noise and pollution of this once - beautiful city really broke
my heart.
Ans: _____________________________
(iv) This is how Raj Kapoor found me - all wet and ragged outside R. K. Studios.
He was then looking for just someone like this for a small role in Mera Naam
Joker, and he cast me on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history?
Ans: _____________________________

Answer :
(i)
I woke up very late today and promptly got a scolding from Mum! I can't help it - how
can I miss the FIFA World Cup matches?
Ans: Diary
(ii)
10:30 a.m. Went to the office of the Director
01:00 p.m. Had lunch with Chairman
05:45 p.m. Received Rahul at the airport
09:30 p.m. Dinner at home
Ans: Log

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(iii)
The ride to Ooty was uneventful. We rested for a while every 50 km or so, and used the
time to capture the magnificent landscape with my Handy Cam. From Ooty we went on
to Bangalore.
What a contrast! The noise and pollution of this once - beautiful city really broke my
heart.
Ans: Journal
(iv)
This is how Raj Kapoor found me - all wet and ragged outside R. K. Studios. He was
then looking for just someone like this for a small role in Mera Naam Joker, and he cast
me on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history?
Ans: Memoir

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 51


Q1 :

Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?

Answer :
Even though she disliked doing so, Anne providesa brief sketch of her life since no one
would understand a word of her musings if she were to jump right in.

Q2 :

What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?

Answer :
Writing in a diary was a strange experience for Anne Frank not only because she had
never written anything before, but also because it seemed to her that later on, neither
she nor anyone else would be interested in the musings of a thirteen year old schoolgirl.

Q3 :

Why does Anne want to keep a diary?

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Answer :
Anne wanted to keep a diary because she did not have a “real” friend. She thought that
paper had more patience than people. She had loving parents, a sixteen year old sister
and about thirty people whom she could call her friends. However, she did not have that
one true friend. She did not confide in any of her friends. She knew the situation would
never change. That is why she decided to keep a diary.

Q4 :

What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?

Answer :
Anne's grandmother had fallen ill and had to be operated upon. Therefore, Anne's
birthday passed with little celebration. Her grandmother died the next year. Anne wrote
in her diary that no one knew how often she thought of her grandmother and still loved
her.

Q5 :

Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?

Answer :
Anne did not have a true friend. She had many friends, but she only talked to them
about ordinary everyday things. She did not seem to get any closer to them. She felt
that maybe it was her fault that she could not confide in them. Knowing that the situation
would not change and believing a paper to have more patience than people, she
decided to write and confide in a diary.

Thinking about the textoral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 54
Q1 :

Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the
musings of a thirteen-year-old girl?

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Answer :
No, Anne was not right when she said that the world would not be interested in the
musings of a thirteen year old girl. Her diary was published under the name 'The Diary
of a young girl'. It was translated from its original Dutch into many languages and it
became one of the world's most widely read books. There have also been several films,
television and theatrical productions, and even an opera based on the diary. It was
described as the work of a mature and insightful mind. It provides an intimate
examination of life under Nazi occupation. Anne Frank became one of the most
renowned and discussed of the Holocaust victims.

Q2 :

Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?

Answer :
Mr. Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she talked too muchin the class. He
assigned her extra homework, asking her to write an essay on the subject, 'A
Chatterbox'.

Q3 :

There are some examples of diary or journal entries in the 'Before You Read'
section. Compare these with what Anne writes in her diary. What language was
the diary originally written in? In what way is Anne's dairy different?

Answer :
Anne's diary was originally written in Dutch. Her diary is different from the others in
many aspects. She had named her diary 'Kitty'. She thought of it as her only true friend
whom she could confide in. She treated it as another person who was listening to her
daily accounts. She wrote all her stories in it. She started by writing 'Dearest kitty' and
ended the account by writing, 'Yours, Anne'. Her diary was a lot more personal than
other diaries.

Q4 :

How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?

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Answer :
In her essay, Anne wanted to come up with convincing arguments to prove the
necessity of talking. She argued that talking was a student's trait and that she would do
her best to keep it under control. She further wrote that she would never be able to cure
herself of the habit since her mother talked as much as she did. There was not much
that one could do about inherited traits. This was how she justified her being a
chatterbox in the essay.

Q5 :

Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family? Does she treat
'Kitty' as an insider or an outsider?

Answer :
Anne gave a brief sketch of her life since no one would understand a word of her stories
to her diary if she were to plunge right in. She, therefore, wrote a brief sketch of her life,
even though she disliked doing so. She treated Kitty as an insider because she called it
her best friend and was ready to confide in it.

Q6 :

Do you think Mr Keesing was a strict teacher?

Answer :
Mr. Keesing was a strict teacher. However, he was not rigidly strict. He expected
discipline and silence in his class while he was teaching, which is acceptable. He
punished Anne by asking her to write an essay on 'A Chatterbox'. When Anne wrote a
convincing essay on it, he received it with a good laugh. However, when Anne
continued with her talking, he punished her again by asking her to write another essay;
this time the topic was 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'. Even after this when she kept
talking, he asked her to write on the topic 'Quack Quack Quack, said Mistress
Chatterbox”. He was trying to play a joke on her. However, she came up with a brilliant
poem, and he read this poem in the class, acknowledging its content. Therefore, in
regard of these events, Mr. Keesing cannot be entirely labelled as a strict teacher. He
was fun-loving too.

Q7 :

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How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr
Keesing? What do these tell you about her?

Answer :
Anne felt that her father was the most adorable father she had ever seen.
Anne remembered her grandmother even after her death. She wrote in her diary that no
one knew how often she thought of her grandmother and still loved her.
In the sixth form at the Montessori nursery school, her teacher was Mrs Kuperus, who
was also the headmistress. At the end of the year, they were both in tears as they said
a heartbreaking farewell.
Mr Keesing was her Maths teacher. He was annoyed with her because she talked too
much. However, Anne was able to justify her talkative nature every time she was
punished by Mr. Keesing. On each occasion he was impressed by the manner in which
she presented her arguments.
All these incidents show how lovable and smart Anne was. Everybody was attached to
her, and even Mr Keesing could not help but laugh at her essays and acknowledge her
smart mind.

Q8 :

What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?

Answer :
Anne was able to justify her talkative nature every time she was punished by Mr.
Keesing. On three occasions, as punishment, he gave her topics to write essays on.
However, on each occasion he was impressed by the manner in which she presented
her arguments. Finally, Mr. Keesing accepted the fact that Anne would always be that
way. Hence, she was allowed to talk in class.

Q9 :

What does Anne write in her first essay?

Answer :
In her first essay, titled 'A Chatterbox', Anne wanted to come up with convincing
arguments to prove the necessity of talking. She began thinking about the subject. She
wrote three pages and was satisfied. She argued that talking was a student's trait and
that she would do her best to keep it under control. She further wrote that she would

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never be able to cure herself of the habit since her mother talked as much as she did.
There was not much that one could do about inherited traits. Mr Keesing too had a good
laugh reading her arguments.

Q10 :

Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?

Answer :
Anne felt that a quarter of her class was dumb, and should be kept back and not
promoted to the next class. However, she also felt that teachers were the most
unpredictable creatures on earth. Mr Keesing could be termed as unpredictable. The
way Anne always talked while the class was going on, any teacher would lose his
temper. However, after several warnings, all Mr Keesing did was to assign her extra
homework. She had to write an essay on 'A Chatterbox'. In this way, he tried to play a
joke on her. Each time that he asked her to write such essays, she wrote very well. She
kept countering his jokes. One could not have predicted that he would take all the jokes
in the right spirit. Finally, he accepted her talkative nature and actually allowed her to
talk in class. He did not even assign her any more extra homework. That is why it can
be said that Mr Keesing was unpredictable.

Q11 :

What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person?


(i) We don't seem to be able to get any closer, and that's the problem. Maybe it's
my fault that we don't confide in each other.
(ii) I don't want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would, but I
want the diary to be my friend.
(iii) Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when I was
plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
(iv) If you ask me, there are so many dummies that about a quarter of the class
should be kept back, but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on earth.
(v) Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the
trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of taking.

Answer :
(i)These lines show that Anne had no true friend whom she could confide in. She even
put the blame on herself that the fault might be hers.

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(ii)This line shows that Anne really considered her diary as a friend whom she could
trust and narrate all her stories to. She did not want just a diary in which she could write
down the facts like others did. She considered it as her friend and named her Kitty.
(iii)This statement shows that Anne was a fun-loving person. She was witty and knew
how to present things in a funny way. She narrated this incident with a lot of fun. The
use of 'plunked down' shows her sense of humour.
(iv)This statement shows that she had an opinion on everything. She thought that a
quarter of her class was full of dummies, signifying that she herself was intelligent
enough to make it to the next class. She thought of teachers as the most unpredictable
creatures on earth because nobody could say which students they would fail and which
students would be passed on to the next class.
(v)This statement shows that Anne knew a lot about writing. She was given the task of
writing an essay as a punishment. She took it on with full vigour. She did not want to
write it like others who merely left big spaces between the words to make the essay look
voluminous. She knew that the trick was to come up with a convincing argument to
prove the necessity of talking. She was different in her approach from everybody else.

<< Previous Chapter 3 : Two Stories About FlyingNext Chapter 5 : The Hundred Dresses - I >>

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 55


Q1 :

Match the compound words under 'A' with their meanings under 'B'. Use each in
sentence.

A B

1. Heartbreaking - obeying and respecting the law

2. Homesick - think about pleasant things, forgetting about the present

3. Blockhead - something produced by a person, machine or organisation

4. Law-abiding - producing great sadness

5. Overdo - an occasion when vehicles/machines stop working

6. Daydream - an informal word which means a very stupid person

7. Breakdown - missing home and family very much

8. Output - do something to an excessive degree

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Answer :

A B

1. Heartbreaking - producing great sadness

2. Homesick - missing home and family very much

3. Blockhead - an informal word which means a very stupid person

4. Law-abiding - obeying and respecting the law

5. Overdo - do something to an excessive degree

6. Daydream - think about pleasant things, forgetting about the present

7. Breakdown - an occasion when vehicles/machines stop working

8. Output - something produced by a person, machine or organisation

Q2 :

Phrasal Verbs
Find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match
them with their meanings.
(i) plunge in - speak or write without focus

(ii) kept back - stay indoors

(iii) move up - make (them) remain quiet

(iv) ramble on - have a good relationship with

(v) get along with - give an assignment (home work) to a person authority (the teacher)

(vi) calm down - compensate

(vii) stay in - go straight to the topic

(viii) make up for - go to the next grade

(ix) hand in - not pr

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Answer :
(i)plunge in - go straight to the topic
Since no one would understand a word of my stories to Kitty if I were to plungeright in,
I'd better provide a brief sketch of my life, much as I dislike doing so.
(ii)kept back - not promoted
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who'll
move up to the next form and who'll be kept back.
(iii)move up - go to the next grade
The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide
who'll move upto the next form and who'll be kept back.
(iv)ramble on - speak or write without focus
Anyone could ramble onand leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to
come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.
(v)get along with - have a good relationship with
I get alongpretty well withall my teachers.
(vi)calm down - make (them) remain quite
Even G.'s pleading advances and my angry outbursts can't calmthem down.
(vii)stay in - stay indoors
I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and
was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether
to stay in or go out.
(viii)make up for - compensate
This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other.
(ix)hand in - give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
I handed it in, and Mr Keesing had nothing to complain about for two whole lessons.

Q3 :

Idioms
1. Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can
you say what each means? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)

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i. Our entire class is quaking in its boots.


_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ii. Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart.
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iii. Mr Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so
much.____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
iv. Mr Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I'd make
sure the joke was on him.____________________________.
2. Here are a few more idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use
them in sentences of your own.
(i) caught my eye (iii) laugh ourselves silly

(ii) he'd had enough (iv) can't bring myself to

Answer :
1.
(i)Our entire class is quaking in its boots. Shaking with fear and nervousness
(ii) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. Not to lose hope
(iii) Mr. Keeping was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. Since a long
time
(iv) Mr. Keeping was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I'd make
sure the joke was on him. He was outwitted by her
2.
(i) caught my eye
The beautiful diamond necklace placed in the shop caught my eye.
(ii) he'd had enough
He'd had enough of the bullying that he faced everyday.
(iv) laugh ourselves silly
John and I laugh ourselves silly at the new cartoon show.
(v) can't bring myself to
I can't bring myself to eat anything but sweets.

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Q4 :

You have read the expression 'not to lose heart' in this text. Now find out the
meanings of the following expressions using the word 'heart'. Use each of them
in a sentence of your own.
1. break somebody's heart
2.close/dear to heart
3. from the (bottom of your) heart
4.have a heart
5.have a heart of stone
6.your heart goes out to somebody

Answer :
1.break somebody's heart - to upset somebody deeply
It has unfortunately become very easy these days to break somebody's heart.
2.close/dear to heart - something or someone who is near and close to you
The drawing given to me by my little daughter is very close to my heart.
3.from the (bottom of your) heart - genuinely meaning or feeling something
He loved his son from the bottom of his heart.
4.have a heart - to evoke the feeling to help someone in distress
The poor beggar asked the rich man to have a heart and give him something to eat.
5.have a heart of stone - to not feel anything or any sentiment
The cruel landlady has a heart of stone as she beats up her children.
6.your heart goes out to somebody - to sympathise with someone else and understand
his feelings and distress
My heart goes out to the little girl who lost both her parents in a car accident.

Q5 :

Contracted Forms
1. Make a list of the contracted forms in the text. Rewrite them as full forms of two
words.
For example:

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I've = I have
2. We have seen that some contracted forms can stand for two different full
forms:
I'd = I had or I would
Find in the text the contracted forms that stand for two different full forms, and
say what these are.

Answer :
1
(i) I've - I have
(ii) Doesn't - does not
(iii) Won't - would not
(iv) I'm - I am
(v) Don't - do not
(vi) Can't - cannot
(vii) it's - it is
(viii) That's - that is
(ix) I'd - I would
(x) Didn't - did not
(xi) Who'll - who will
(xii) You're - You are
(xiii) We'll - We will
(xiv) There's - there is
(xv) He'd - he had
(xvi) Who's - who is
(xvii) Haven't - have not
2
(i) I'd - I had or I would
(ii) He'd - He had or he would

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 7
Glimpses of India Class 10
Unit 7 Glimpses of India Exercise Answers & Summary

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 86


Q1 :

What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?

Answer :
The elders in Goa were nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese,
and their famous loaves of bread.

Q2 :

Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?

Answer :
Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa. The author says that the mixers, moulders,
and those who bake the loaves were still present in Goa. The age-old, time-tested
furnaces still existed. The 'thud' and 'jingle' of the traditional baker's shampoo, marking
his arrival in the morning, could still be heard in some places. It was a family profession,
which was carried out generation after generation.

Q3 :

What is the baker called?

Answer :
The bakers are known as paderin Goa.

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Q4 :

When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?

Answer :
The baker came twice every day, once when he set out in the morning on his selling
round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The children
ran to meet him not because of their love of the loaf, which was bought by the maid-
servant of the house. They actually longed for the bread-bangles, which they chose
carefully. Sometimes, it was a sweet bread of special make.

Q5 :

Match the following. What is a must


(i) as marriage gifts? - cakes and bolinhas

(ii) for a party or a feast? - sweet bread called bol

(iii) for a daughter's engagement? - bread

(iv) for Christmas? - sandwiches

Answer :
(i) as marriage gifts? - sweet bread called bol

(ii) for a party or a feast? - bread

(iii) for a daughter's engagement? - sandwiches

(iv) for Christmas? - cakes and bolinhas

Q6 :

What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was
young?

Answer :
(i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers had a peculiar dressknown as the kabai. It was a
single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees.

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(ii) When the author was young, he saw the bakers wearing a shirt and trousers, which
were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Q7 :

Who invites the comment - “he is dressed like a pader”? Why?

Answer :
Anyone who wears a half-pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment
that “he is dressed like a pader”. This was so because the bakers were known
as paderand they wore such half pants.

Q8 :

Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?

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

Q9 :

What does a 'jackfruit-like appearance' mean?

Answer :
A 'jackfruit-like appearance' means a plump physique. Such a physique was linked to
the bakers because they never starved. Baking was a profitable profession. The baker,
his family, and his servants always looked happy and prosperous and had a 'jackfruit-
like appearance'.

Thinking about the text : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 88


Q1 :

Which of these statements are correct?


(i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times.

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(ii) Padersstill exist in Goan villages.


(iii) The paderswent away with the Portuguese.
(iv) The paderscontinue to wear a single-piece long frock.
(v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.
(vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.
(vii) Padersand their families starve in the present times.

Answer :
(i)The paderwas an important person in the village in old times.
Answer:Correct
(ii) Padersstill exist in Goan villages.
Answer:Correct
(iii)The paderswent away with the Portuguese.
Answer:Incorrect. The padersstill exist in Goan villages.
(iv)The paderscontinue to wear a single-piece long frock.
Answer:Incorrect. The paderswear shirts, and trousers that are shorter than full-length
ones and longer than half pants.
(v)Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.
Answer:Incorrect. Bread and cakes are still an integral part of Goan life.
(vi)Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.
Answer:Correct
(vii)Padersand their families starve in the present times.
Answer:Incorrect. Baking is still a very profitable business in Goa.

Q2 :

Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?

Answer :
Bread is an important part of Goan life. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the
sweet bread known as the bol. For a party, bread is a must, while for Christmas, cakes
and bolinhas are a must. Sandwiches must be prepared by the lady of the house on her
daughter's engagement. The author says that everybody loves the fragrance of loaves.

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The elders were given loaves and the children were given bread-bangles, which they
longed for. Also, the fact that bakery is a profitable profession shows that the love for
bread is enormous in Goa.

Q3 :

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, hopeful, sad)
(ii) Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession.
(nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
(iii) I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
(iv) The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything
so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
(v) Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. (sad,
hopeful, matter-of-fact)
(vi) The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and
prosperous. (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answer :
(i)
The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker's bamboo canstill be heard in some
places.
Answer:Nostalgic
(ii)
Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession.
Answer:Nostalgic
(iii)
I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves.
Answer:Nostalgic
(iv)
The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so
nicely, after all.
Answer:Funny

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(v)
Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals.
Answer:Matter-of-fact
(vi)
The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous.
Answer:Matter-of-fact

Q4 :

Where is Coorg?

Answer :
Coorg is the smallest district of Karnataka, located midway between Mysore and
Mangalore.

Q5 :

What is the story about the Kodavu people's descent?

Answer :
According to the author, the fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek
or Arabic descent. A part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast. They
settled there whenreturn became impractical. These people married amongst the locals
and their culture is evident in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which
are distinct from the Hindu mainstream.
The Kodavus wear a long, black coat, with an embroidered waist-belt, known as kuppia.
It resembles the kuffiaworn by the Arabs and the Kurds, hence supporting the theory of
their Arab origin.

Q6 :

What are some of the things you now know about


(i) the people of Coorg?
(ii) the main crop of Coorg?

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(iii) the sports it offers to tourists?


(iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg?
(v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there?

Answer :
(i)The people of Coorg are fiercely independent. They are of Greek or Arabic descent.
They have a tradition of hospitality. They enjoy recounting numerous tales of valour
related to their sons and fathers. Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry
firearms without a license. The author has described the people of Coorg as a proud
race of martial men and beautiful women.
(ii)Coffee is the main crop of Coorg. The coffee estates stand tucked under tree
canopies in prime corners.
(iii)The sports that Coorg offers to tourists are river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock
climbing, mountain biking, and trekking.
(iv)The animals that one is likely to see in Coorg are birds, bees, butterflies, macaques,
Malabar squirrels, langurs, loris, and wild elephants.
(v)The distance between Coorg and Bangalore is around 260 km. There are two routes
to Coorg from Bangalore and both are of the same distance. The most frequented route
is the one via Mysore. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal, and
Chanrayanapatna.

Thinking about the textthinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 93
Q1 :

Here are some nouns from the text.


culture monks surprise experience weather t
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.
unique terrible unforgettable serious ancient wide sudden

(i) culture : unique culture, ancient culture

(ii) monks: : ______________________________________________

(iii) surprise: : ______________________________________________

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(iv) experience : ______________________________________________

(v) weather :

Answer :
(i) culture : unique culture, ancient culture

(ii) monks: : serious monks

(iii) surprise: : unique surprise, terrible surprise, unforgettable surprise

(iv) experience : unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience

(v) weather : terrible weather

(vi) tradition : unique tradition, ancient tradition

Q2 :

Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that
have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated)
(i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
(ii) Some people say thatAlexander's army moved south along the coast and
settled there. (para 3)
(iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tellstories of their sons' and fathers'
valour. (para 4)
(iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten bythe high-
energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
(v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported bythe long coat with embroidered
waist-belt they wear. (para 3)
(vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefullyfrom the tree canopy. (para
7)

Answer :
(i)keep many visitors away
(ii)as one story goes
(iii)are more than willing to recount
(iv)the most laidback individuals become converts to

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(v)draws support from


(vi)keep a watchful eye

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 94


Q1 :

Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at
least one other word that would fit into the blank?
(i) tales of _______________
(ii) coastal _______________
(iii) a piece of ______________
(iv) evergreen ______________
(v) _____________ plantations
(vi) _____________bridge
(vii) wild __________________
You may add your own examples to this list.

Answer :
From the text
(i)tales of valour
(ii)coastal town
(iii)a piece of heaven
(iv)evergreen rainforests
(v) coffeeplantations
(vi) ropebridge
(vii)wild elephants
Other than the text
(i)tales of morality
(ii)coastal food
(iii)a piece of cake
(iv)evergreen hero

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(v)cropplantations
(vi)sturdybridge
(vii)wild beasts

Q2 :

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 particle
(up, down, under, out, in).
Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a
dictionary.
(i) A heavy ___________ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of
Bengal.
(ii)Rakesh will ___________major surgery tomorrow morning.
(iii)My brother is responsible for the ______________of our family property.
(iv)The ____________rate for this accountancy course is very high.
(v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a _______________ interview.
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.

over by through out up down

(i)

Answer :
1.
(i)A heavy downpourhas been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
(ii)Rakesh will undergomajor surgery tomorrow morning.
(iii)My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.
(iv)The dropoutrate for this accountancy course is very high.
(v)She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-ininterview.
2.
(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrowthe Government.
(ii)Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthroughin cancer research.

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(iii)The State Government plans to build a by-passfor Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic


on the main highway.
(iv)Gautama's outlookon life changed when he realized that the world is full of sorrow.
(v)Rakesh seemed unusually downcastafter the game.

Q3 :

1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions.


How would you describe
(i) a good detective serial on television? ___________________
(ii) a debate on your favourite topic 'Homework Should Be Banned'?_______
(iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain?_____________
(iv) how you feel when you open a present? __________________
(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television?
_______________
(vi) the look on your mother's face as you waited in a queue?
______________
(vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest?
______________
(viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen?
______________

Answer :
(i)a good detective serial on television? Interesting
(ii)a debate on your favourite topic 'Homework Should Be Banned'? Exciting
(iii)how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? Bored
(iv)how you feel when you open a present? Excited
(v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? Interested
(vi)the look on your mother's face as you waited in a queue? Tired
(vii)how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? Thrilled
(viii)the story you have recently read, or a film you have see? Boring

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 8
Mijbil the Otter Class 10
Unit 8 Mijbil the Otter Exercise Answers & Summary

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 106


Q1 :
What 'experiment' did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Answer :
Maxwell thought that he would keep an otter instead of a dog. Camusfearna, ringed by
water a very short distance from its door, would be an eminently suitable spot for the
experiment.

Q2 :
Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?

Answer :
He went to Basra, to the Consultate-General, to collect and answer his mail from
Europe. There, he found that his friend's mail had arrived, but his had not. He sent a
message to England. When nothing happened even after three days, he tried placing a
call to England. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the second day, the
exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day, there was another
breakdown. He arranged to meet his friend, who had left, in a week's time. His mail
finally arrived five days later.

Q3 :
How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.

Answer :

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When he received his mail, he carried it to his bedroom to read. There, he saw two
Arabs and beside them was a sack that twisted from time to time. They handed him a
note from his friend saying that he had sent him an otter.
Yes,he liked it. We know this because he uses the term 'otter fixation' to refer to his
feeling towards the otter. He felt that this otter fixation or this strong attachment towards
otters was something that was shared by most other people who had ever owned one.

Q4 :
Why was the otter named 'Maxwell's otter'?

Answer :
The otter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length named by
zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell's otter.

Q5 :
Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was
 aloof and indifferent
 friendly
 hostile

Answer :
In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.

Q6 :
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two
days after that?

Answer :
When Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom, it went wild with joy in the water for half an
hour. It was plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub
underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.
Two days after that, it escaped from his bedroom to the bathroom. By the time he got
there, Mijbil was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium taps with its

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paws. In less than a minute, it had turned the tap far enough to produce some water
and after a moment, achieved the full flow.

Q7 :
How was Mij to be transported to England?

Answer :
Maxwell booked a flight to Paris and from there he would go on to London. The airline
insisted that Mij should be packed in a box (not more than eighteen inches square) that
was to be placed on the floor, near his feet.

Q8 :
What did Mij do to the box?

Answer :
Maxwell had put Mij in the box and left for a meal. When he came back, he saw a
horrific spectacle. There was complete silence from the box. However, from its airholes
and chinks around the lid, blood had trickled and dried. He took off the lock and tore
open the lid. Mij, exhausted and covered with blood, whimpered and caught his leg. It
had torn the lining of the box to shreds. He removed the last of it so that there were no
cutting edges left.

Q9 :
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he
did this?

Answer :
By the time Maxwell had removed the last of the lining of the box so that there were no
cutting edges left, it was just ten minutes for the flight to take off. He had to rush to the
airport, which was five miles away, and that is why he put the miserable otter back into
the box. Like the otter, Maxwell would also have felt miserable for putting it back in the
box, particularly so, after seeing that the otter disliked being in the box.

Q10 :
Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was "the very queen of her kind"?

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Answer :
Maxwell said that the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind” because she was
extremely friendly and helpful. He took her into his confidence about the incident with
the box. She suggested that he might prefer to have his pet on his knee. Hearing this,
he developed a profound admiration for her, for she understood the pain of both the
otter and its owner.

Q11 :
Whathappened when the box was opened?

Answer :
When the box was opened, Mij leapt out of it immediately. It disappeared very quickly
down the aircraft. Several passengers shrieked. A woman stood up on her seat
screaming that there was a rat. He saw Mij's tail disappearing beneath the legs of an
Indian passenger. He dived for it, but missed. The airhostess suggested him to be
seated and that she would find the otter. After a while, Mij had returned to him. It
climbed on his knee and began to rub its nose on his face and neck.

Thinking about the textoral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 110
Q1 :
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-
loving animal who needs love?

Answer :
Mij was an intelligent animal. It invented it own game out of the ping-pong balls. It
screwed the tap till water began to flow and then it would play and splash in the water.
Though it was aloof and indifferent in the beginning, it soon became very friendly. It
formed a special attachment with Maxwell. It responded when Maxwell called out his
name. It grew desperate when Maxwell left it in a box and it got hurt while trying to
come out of it. After Maxwell took it out, it clung to his feet. It was a fun-loving animal. It
enjoyed playing all kinds of games. It would play with a selection of toys, ping-pong
balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell. It required love and affection from
Maxwell and it got that readily.

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Q2 :
What game had Mij invented?

Answer :
Mij invented a game with a ping-pong ball, which kept him engrossed for up to half an
hour at a time. Maxwell had a suitcase that had become damaged, such that the lid,
when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if the
ball was placed on the high end, it would run down the length of the suitcase. It would
dash around to the other end to surprise the ball. Then, it would grab it and trot off with
it to the high end once more.

Q3 :
What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?

Answer :
Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by
the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. Maxwell's otter was of a race
previously unknown to science and was at length named by zoologists Lutrogale
perspicillata maxwellior Maxwell's otter. They are found in large numbers in marshes.
They are often tamed by the Arabs. It is characteristic of otters that every drop of water
must be extended and spread about the place; a bowl must at once be overturned, or, if
it would not be overturned, be sat in and splashed in until it overflowed. For them, water
must be kept on the move. Otters love playing various games, especially with a ball.

Q4 :
What are 'compulsive habits'? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits
of
(i) school children
(ii) Mij?

Answer :
Compulsive habits are habits that are impossible to control. According to Maxwell,
children on their way to and from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of
each paving block; they must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to
the outside of every second lamp post. Such were the compulsive habits of children.
Opposite to Maxwell's flat, there was a single-storied primary school. Along its frontage
ran a low wall some two feet high. On its way home, Mij would tug Maxwell to this wall,

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jump onto it, and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, distracting both the pupils and
the staff. Such was the compulsive habit of Mij.

Q5 :
Why is Mij's species now known to the world as Maxwell's otter?

Answer :
Maxwell'sotter was of a race previously unknown to science and was at length named
by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli or Maxwell's otter.

Q6 :
What group of animals do otters belong to?

Answer :
Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines, shared by
the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.

Q7 :
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Answer :
According to Maxwell, the average Londoner does not recognize an otter. The
Londoners who saw Mij made different guesses about who Mij was. They guessed,
among other things, that it was a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a hippo, a beaver, a
bear cub, a leopard and a brontosaur.

Thinking about the textthinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 111
Q1 :
From the table below, make as many correct sentences as you can using would
and/or used to, as appropriate. (Hint: First decide whether the words in italics
show an action, or a state or situation, in the past.) Then add two or three
sentences of your own to it.

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Emperor Akbar be found of musical evenings.

Every evening we take long walks on the beach


would
Fifty years ago, very few people own cars.
used to
Till the 1980s, Shanghai have very dirty streets.

My uncle spend his holidays by the sea.

Answer :
1.Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.
2. Every evening we used to take long walks on the beach.
3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.
4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
5. My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.
6. My uncle used to take long walks on the beach.
7. My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings.

Q2 :
Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. He tells us what the otter feels and
thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does.
Complete the column on the right to say what Maxwell says about what Mij feels
and thinks.

How Mij feels or think


What Mij does
s

Plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splas
-
h

Screws the tap in the wrong way -

Nuzzles Maxwell's face and neck in the aeroplane -

Answer :

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What Mij does How Mij feels or thinks

Plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and s
went wild with joy
plash

Screws the tap in the wrong way irritated and disappointed

distressed chitter of recognition and welc


Nuzzles Maxwell's face and neck in the aeroplane
ome

Q3 :
Read the story and find the sentences where Maxwell describes his pet otter.
Then choose and arrange your sentences to illustrate those statements below
that you think are true.
Maxwell's description
(i) makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.
(ii) shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does.
(iii) shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.
(iv) of Mij's antics is comical.
(v) shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully.
(vi) shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter.
(vii) shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual.

Answer :
(i)He spent most of his time in play.
(iii)I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to
produce a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow.
(v)A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had become damaged on the journey home, so
that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered
that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase.
He would dash around to the other end to ambush its arrival, hide from it, crouching, to
spring up and take it by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the high end once more.
(vii)It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not
recognize an otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be
came as a surprise to me. Mij was anything but an otter.

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Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 112


Q1 :
From the table below, make as many correct sentences as you can using would
and/or used to, as appropriate. (Hint: First decide whether the words in italics
show an action, or a state or situation, in the past.) Then add two or three
sentences of your own to it.

Emperor Akbar be found of musical evenings.

Every evening we take long walks on the beach


would
Fifty years ago, very few people own cars.
used to
Till the 1980s, Shanghai have very dirty streets.

My uncle spend his holidays by the sea.

Answer :
1.Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.
2. Every evening we used to take long walks on the beach.
3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.
4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
5. My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.
6. My uncle used to take long walks on the beach.
7. My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings.

Q2 :
II. Noun Modifiers
1. Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers (in italics)
are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective plus noun.
(i) An otter fixation (iv) The London streets

(ii) The iron railings (v) soft velvet fur

(iii) The Tigris marshes (vi) A four-footed soccer player

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2. Given below are some nouns, and a set of modifiers (in the box). Combine the
nouns and modifiers to make as many appropriate phrases as you can. (Hint: The
nouns and modifiers are all from the texts in this book.)
temple three girls triangle dresses

person thoughts boys roar

gifts scream

Answer :
1.
(i) Noun
(ii) Noun
(iii) Proper noun
(iv) Proper noun
(v) Adjective plus noun
(vi) Adjective plus noun
2.
Temple- white temple, stone temple, first temple
Person- incorrigible person, ridiculous person
Gifts- hundred gifts, ordinary gifts, birthday gifts
Time- college time, rough time, first time
Crossing- railroad crossing, first crossing
Physique- plump physique, ordinary physique
Three girls - first three girls, incorrigible three girls
Thoughts- incorrigible thoughts, uncomfortable thoughts, ridiculous thoughts,
heartbreaking thoughts, first thoughts, ordinary thoughts
Scream- tremendous scream, loud scream
Subject- college subject, ordinary subject
Flight- rough flight, first flight
Coffee- invigorating coffee, ordinary coffee
Triangle- love triangle
Boys- college boys, incorrigible boys, rough boys, hundred boys

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Farewell- college farewell, heartbreaking farewell


Landscape- bare landscape, rough landscape, white landscape
Chatterbox- incorrigible chatterbox
View- tremendous view, panoramic view, ordinary view
Dresses- hundred dresses, ordinary dresses, birthday dresses, marriage dresses
Roar- tremendous roar, loud roar
Expression- bare expression, slang expression, slack expression
Handkerchief- white handkerchief, ordinary handkerchief
Profession- family profession, first profession, ordinary profession
Celebration- tremendous celebration, family celebration, birthday celebration

Q3 :
1. Match the words on the left with a word on the right. Some words on the left can go
with more than one word on the right.

(i) a portion of - blood

(ii) a pool of - cotton

(iii) flakes of - stones

(iv) a huge heap of - gold

(v) a gust of - fried fish

(vi) little drops of - snow

(vii) a piece of - water

(viii) a pot of - wind


2. Use a bit of/a piece of/a bunch of/a cloud of/a lump of with the italicised nouns
in the following sentences. The first has been done for you as an example.

Answer :
1.
(i) a portion of - fried fish

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(ii) a pool of - blood

(iii) flakes of - snow

(iv) a huge heap of - stones

(v) a gust of - wind

(vi) little drops of - water

(vii) a piece of - cotton

(viii) a pot of - gold


2.
(i) My teacher gave me some advice. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.

(ii) Can you give me some clay, please. Can you give me a lump of clay, please.

(iii The information you gave was very useful. The piece of information you gave was very useful
) .

(iv Because of these factories, smoke hangs ov Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs
) er the city. over the city.

(v) Two stones rubbed together can produce sp Two pieces of stones rubbed together can produce
arks of fire. sparks of fire.

(vi He gave me some flowers on my birthday. He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.


)

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 9
Madam Rides the Bus Class 10
Unit 9 Madam Rides the Bus Exercise Answers & Summary

Oral comprehension check : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 119


Q1 :

What was Valli's favourite pastime?

Answer :
Valli's favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house and watch what
was happening in the street outside.

Q2 :

What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her strongest desire?

Answer :
A source of unending joy for Valli was the sight of the bus that travelled between her
village and the nearest town, filled with a new set of passengers each time it passed
through her street. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus.

Q3 :

What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?

Answer :
Valli found out that the town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise
one way. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. On reaching the town, if she
stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same
bus. She found out these details by listening carefully to the conversations between her
neighbours and the people who regularly used the bus. She also gained information by
asking them a few questions.

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Q4 :

What do you think Valli was planning to do?

Answer :
Valli was planning to travel on that bus.

Q5 :

Why does the conductor call Valli 'madam'?

Answer :
When the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus, Valli said
commandingly that she could get on by herself, and that she did not require his help.
She did not act like a child, but as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called
her 'madam'.

Q6 :

Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?

Answer :
Valli stood up on her seat because her view was cut off by a canvas blind that covered
the lower part of her window. She stood up to look over the blind. She saw that the road
was very narrow, on one side of which there was the canal and beyond it were palm
trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue sky. On the other side, there was a
deep ditch and many acres of green fields.

Q7 :

What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?

Answer :
When the elderly man called her a child, Valli told him that there was nobody on the bus
who was a child. She had paid her fare of thirty paise like everyone else.

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Q8 :

Why didn't Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?

Answer :
Valli did not want to make friends with the elderly woman because she found her
absolutely repulsive. She saw that the woman had big holes in her ear lobes and very
ugly earrings in them. She could smell the betel nut the woman was chewing, and could
see the betel juice that was almost about to spill over her lips. That is why she did not
want to be sociable with her.

Q9 :

How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?

Answer :
Valli had carefully saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation
to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like. Finally, she had saved sixty paise.
No, it was not easy for her, especially at the village fair where she was tempted to ride
the merry-go-round as she had the money. However, she suppressed her strong desire
and saved the money for the bus ride.

Q10 :

What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?

Answer :
Valli saw a young cow, whose tail was high in the air, running right in front of the bus in
the middle of the road. The bus slowed and the driver sounded his horn loudly.
However, the more he honked, the more frightened the cow became and it kept running
faster and faster, right in front of the bus. Valli found it so amusing that she had tears in
her eyes. At last, the cow moved off the road.

Q11 :

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Why didn't she get off the bus at the bus station?

Answer :
She did not get off the bus at the bus station because she had to go back on that same
bus. She took out another thirty paise from her pocket and handed the coins to the
conductor. She just wanted to ride on the bus.

Q12 :

Why didn't Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you
about her?

Answer :
Valli did not want to go to the stall and have a drink because she did not have any
money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink free of charge, she
refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of
self will and pride. Possibly, she did not want to take anything for free, particularly from
a stranger.

Exercise : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 125


Q1 :

Why didn't Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you
about her?

Answer :
Valli did not want to go to the stall and have a drink because she did not have any
money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink free of charge, she
refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of
self will and pride. Possibly, she did not want to take anything for free, particularly from
a stranger.

Thinking about the text : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 127


Q1 :

How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did
she save up the fare?

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Answer :
Valli planned that she would take the one o'clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one
forty-five, and be back home by about two forty-five. She found out that the town was
six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way. The trip to the town took
forty-five minutes. On reaching the town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another
thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. She had carefully saved whatever
stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons,
and the like, and finally she had saved sixty paise.

Q2 :

What kind of a person is Valli? To answer this question, pick out the following
sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to
your answer.
(i) "Stop the bus! Stop the bus!" And a tiny hand was raised ________________.
(ii) "Yes, I ____________ go to town," said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
(iii) "There's nobody here ____________," she said haughtily. "I've paid my thirty
paise like everyone else."
(iv) "Never mind," she said, "I can ___________. You don't have to help me. "I'm
not a child, I tell you," she said, _____________.
(v) "You needn't bother about me. I _____________," Valli said, turning her face
toward the window and staring out.
(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, "Well, sir, I hope
______________."

Answer :
(i)“Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
(ii)“Yes, I simply have togo to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
(iii) “There's nobody here who's a child,” she said haughtily. I've paid my thirty paise like
everyone else.”
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don't have to help me. “I'm not
a child, I tell you,” she said,irritably.
(v) “You needn't bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face
toward the window and staring out.
(vi)Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”

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For Valli, the bus journey probably symbolised the adult world. Like anyone else, she
spent her money to buy the ticket. She would have attained a great sense of pride and
satisfaction in doing so. Therefore, though a child, Valli wanted to be treated as a
grown-up on the bus. She had a great sense of self respect which prevented her from
taking anyone's help. She felt she was able to take care of herself very well, and was
easily irritated when anyone treated her as a child.

Q3 :

Why does the conductor refer to Valli as 'madam'?

Answer :
When the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus, Valli said
commandingly that she could get on by herself, and that she did not require his help.
She did not act like a child, but as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called
her 'madam'.When the elderly man called her a child and asked her to sit down on her
seat, she replied that nobody was a child on the bus. She kept stressing on the fact that
she had paid her fare like everybody else and therefore, she should not be treated
differently.

Q4 :

Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.

Answer :
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus:
(i) “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
(ii) “On the one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant
mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres
and acres of green fields - green, green, green, as far as the eye could see. Oh, it was
all so wonderful!”
(iii) “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. Suddenly, Valli
clapped her hands with glee.”
(iv) “Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were
tears in her eyes.”
(v) “Valli wasn't bored to the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement
she'd felt the first time.”

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Q5 :

Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?

Answer :
Valli refused to look out of the window on her way back because she saw a young cow
lying dead by the roadside, just where it had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. It
was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during their trip to the town.
She was overcome with sadness. The memory of the dead cow haunted her and
therefore, she refused to look out of the window.

Q6 :

What does Valli mean when she says, "I was just agreeing with what you said
about things happening without our knowledge."

Answer :
Valli's mother said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of
them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any
harm. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with
what her mother said.

Q7 :

The author describes the things that Valii sees from an eight-year-old's point of
view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?

Answer :
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old's point of
view. She was fascinated by a bus. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people
each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the
bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermints, toys, and balloons, and even
resisting the temptation to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. When the author
describes the bus, the points he stresses on are the colour and look of the bus. It was a
'new bus', painted a 'gleaming white'. The overhead bars 'shone like silver'. The seats
were 'soft and luxurious'. The descriptions that the author gives when Valli looked
outside are also typical for an eight-year-old. The 'blue, blue sky' and the 'acres and
acres of green fields - green, green, green' show the enthusiasm of a kid on looking at

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different colours. Valli clapped her hands in glee on watching a cow run right in front of
the bus. She found it so funny that tears came into her eyes. On the other hand, she
was overcome with sadness on her way back when she saw the same cow lying dead.
It had been a 'lovable, beautiful creature' and later it 'looked so horrible'. The memory of
the dead cow haunted her so much that she refused to look outside the window. These
are the typical reactions of a young child.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 10
The Sermon at Benares Class 10
Unit 10 The Sermon at Benares Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the text : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 135


Q1 :
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask
for? Does she get it? Why not?

Answer :
When Kisa Gotami's son died, she went from house to house, asking if she could get
some medicine that would cure her child.
No, she did not get it because her child was dead and no medicine could have brought
him back to life.

Q2 :
Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Buddha.
What does she ask for, the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?

Answer :
When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get a handful of mustard seeds from a
house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent, or friend. She went from house
to house, but could not get the mustard seeds because there was not a single house
where no one had died in the family.

Q3 :
What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand
the first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?

Answer :

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Kisa Gotami understood the second time that death is common to all and that she was
being selfish in her grief. There was no house where some beloved had not died.
Yes, this was what the Buddha wanted her to understand.

Q4 :
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what
way did the Buddha change her understanding?

Answer :
Kisa Gotami understood that death is common to all and that she was being selfish in
her grief. She understood this only the second time because it was then that she found
that there was not a single house where some beloved had not died.
First time round, she was only thinking about her grief and was therefore asking for a
medicine that would cure her son. When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get a
handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. He did this purposely to
make her realize that there was not a single house where no beloved had died, and that
death is natural. When she went to all the houses the second time, she felt dejected that
she could not gather the mustard seeds. Then, when she sat and thought about it, she
realized that the fate of men is such that they live and die. Death is common to all. This
was what the Buddha had intended her to understand.

Q5 :
How do you usually understand the idea of 'selfishness'? Do you agree with Kisa
Gotami that she was being 'selfish in her grief'?

Answer :
'Selfishness' means being concerned only about one's own interests and showing
complete disregard for others welfare. Yes, it can be said that Kisa Gotami was being
'selfish in her grief'. In the light of her tragedy, she was unable to see that death is
something that strikes all things living. In this sense, she was selfish. However, for every
person, his/her tragedy is something personal and it prevents him/her from looking at
the tragedy from a universal or general point of view. If we take the usual sense of the
word 'selfish', then calling Kisa Gotami selfish would be inappropriate, because every
person becomes selfish in his/her grief.

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 136

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Q1 :
This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than
two millennia old. Look for the following words and phrases in the text, and try to
rephrase them in more current language, based on how you understand them.
 give thee medicine for thy child
 Pray tell me
 Kisa repaired to the Buddha
 there was no house but someone had died in it
 kinsmen
 Mark!

Answer :
1. Give you medicine for your child
2. Please tell me
3. Kisa went to the Buddha
4. There was no house where no one had died
5. Relatives
6. Listen

Q2 :
You know that we can combine sentences using words like and, or, but,
yet and then. But sometimes no such word seems appropriate. In such a case
was can use a semicolon (;) or a dash (-) to combine two clauses.
She has no interest in music; I doubt she will become a singer like her mother.
The second clause here gives the speaker's opinion on the first clause.
Here is a sentence from the text that uses semicolons to combine clauses. Break
up the sentence into three simple sentences. Can you then say which has a better
rhythm when you read it, the single sentence using semicolons, or the three
simple sentences?
For there is not any means by which those who have been born can avoid dying;
after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings.

Answer :
The single sentence using semicolons has a better rhythm. This is because the three
parts of the sentence are connected to each other in their meanings. The second clause

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gives further information on the first clause. The third clause is directly related to both
the first and the second. Their meanings are better conveyed when they are joined by
semicolons.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight


Unit 11
The Proposal Class 10
Unit 11 The Proposal Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about languagethinking about the play : Solutions of Questions on Page Number
: 157
Q1 :

1.This play has been translated into English from the Russian original. Are there
any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you as more Russian than
English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by an older man as my
darling or my treasure in an English play?
Read through the play carefully, and find expressions that you think are not used
in contemporary English, and contrast these with idiomatic modern English
expressions that also occur in the play.
3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to find out their meaning, and
then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may take it that
(ii) He seems to be coming round
(iii) My foot's gone to sleep

Answer :
1. Expressions not used in contemporary English
1. “my darling”, “my beauty”, “my precious”, “my angel”, “my beloved” (here, an older
man is addressing an adult man)
2. “...and so on...” (here, it is used after a sentence in order to complete it)
3. “...and all that sort of thing.” (not explaining what it is, just leaving it as it is)
4. “...and all that.” (again leaving the sentence as it is)
5. “the scarecrow”, “the stuffed sausage”, “the wizen-faced frump” (In this way, they
hurled insults at each other)
6. “And how may you be getting on?” (Here, Lomov is asking Chubukov about his well-
being)

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Modern English expressions


1. “Madam”, “my heart”, “honoured Natalya Stepanovna” (used by Lomov for Natalya)
2. “Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch” (used by Lomov for Chubukov)
3. “I beg your pardon...”
4. “My dear fellow” (Chubukov addressing Lomov)
5. “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, “fool” (Chubukov insulting Lomov)
3. (i)You may take it that I am lying, but in fact it will help you in the long run.
(ii) He seems to be coming round after the trauma of his father's death.
(iii) After the three hour long yoga session, my foot's gone to sleep.

Q2 :

What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere
when he later says “And I've always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own
son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.

Answer :
At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money. He was not
sincere when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he was like his own
son. He had decided that he would not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing from
him. If he truly meant what he had said, then he would not have thought of not giving
him money. He said so only because Lomov had come with the proposal to marry his
daughter.

Q3 :

Chubukov says of Natalya: "... as if she won't consent! She's in love; egad, she's
like a lovesick cat…" Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.

Answer :
Chubukov thought that Lomov was a good marriage prospect for his daughter. He had
been waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed his doubt regarding Natalya's
consent to the proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she was in love with him.
However, this was not true. Natalya did not seem to be in love with Lomov at any point
in the play. It seemed like she was more attached to her land, meadows and dogs than

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to Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into arguments about trivial matters
suggests that neither Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 158


Q1 :

You mush have noticed that when we report someone's exact words, we have to
make some changes in the sentence structure. In the following sentences fill in
the blanks to list the changes that have occurred in the above pairs of sentences.
One has been done for you.
1. To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked(as in Sentence Set 1).
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb __________.
3. The adverb of place here changes to ___________.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported
speech is in the ______________ tense (as in Sentence Set 3).
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in
reported speech changes to ______________tense. For example, ____________
changes to was getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add
the adverb _______________in the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1).
7.The pronouns I, me, ourand mine, which are used in the first person in direct
speech, change to third person pronouns such as____________, ___________,
___________ or __________in reported speech.

Answer :
1.To report a question, we use the reporting verb asked.
2. To report a declaration, we use the reporting verb declared.
3. The adverb of place herechanges to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is
in the pasttense.
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported
speech changes to past continuoustense. For example, am getting changes to was
getting.
6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the
adverb respectfullyin the reporting clause.

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7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech,
change to second person pronouns such as he/she, him/her, their or his/hersin reported
speech.

Q2 :

Here is an excerpt from an article from the Times of India dated 27 August 2006.
Rewrite it, changing the sentences in direct speech into reported speech. Leave
the other sentences unchanged.
“Why do you want to know my age? If people know I am so old,I won't get work!”
laughs 90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema's most famous character
actors. For his age, he is rather energetic. “What's the secret?” we ask. “My
intake of everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined
the industry when people retire. I was in my 40s. So I don't miss being called a
star. I am still respected and given work, when actors of my age are living in
poverty and without work. I don't have any complaints,” he says, adding, “but
yes, I have always been underpaid.” Recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal
never hankered after money or materialistic gains. “No doubt I am content today,
but money is important. I was a fool not to understand the value of money
earlier,” he regrets.

Answer :
90-year-old A.K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema's most famous character actors,
laughingly asked why we wanted to know his age. If people knew he was that old, he
would not get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. We asked him what the secret
was. He replied that his intake of everything was in small quantities and he walked a lot.
He said that he had joined the industry when people retired. He had been in his 40s. So
he did not miss being called a star. He was still respected and given work, when actors
of his age were living in poverty and without work. He said he did not have any
complaints, adding that he had always been underpaid. Recipient of the Padma
Bhushan, Hangal never hankered after money or materialistic gains. He said that no
doubt he was content at present, but money was important. He said regretfully that he
was a fool not to understand the value of money before.
house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?

Answer :
When Kisa Gotami's son died, she went from house to house, asking if she could get
some medicine that would cure her child.
No, she did not get it because her child was dead and no medicine could have brought
him back to life.

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Q2 :
Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Buddha.
What does she ask for, the second time around? Does she get it? Why not?

Answer :
When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get a handful of mustard seeds from a
house where no one had lost a child, husband, parent, or friend. She went from house
to house, but could not get the mustard seeds because there was not a single house
where no one had died in the family.

Q3 :
What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand
the first time? Was this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?

Answer :
Kisa Gotami understood the second time that death is common to all and that she was
being selfish in her grief. There was no house where some beloved had not died.
Yes, this was what the Buddha wanted her to understand.

Q4 :
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what
way did the Buddha change her understanding?

Answer :
Kisa Gotami understood that death is common to all and that she was being selfish in
her grief. She understood this only the second time because it was then that she found
that there was not a single house where some beloved had not died.
First time round, she was only thinking about her grief and was therefore asking for a
medicine that would cure her son. When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get a
handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had died. He did this purposely to
make her realize that there was not a single house where no beloved had died, and that
death is natural. When she went to all the houses the second time, she felt dejected that
she could not gather the mustard seeds. Then, when she sat and thought about it, she
realized that the fate of men is such that they live and die. Death is common to all. This
was what the Buddha had intended her to understand.

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Q5 :
How do you usually understand the idea of 'selfishness'? Do you agree with Kisa
Gotami that she was being 'selfish in her grief'?

Answer :
'Selfishness' means being concerned only about one's own interests and showing
complete disregard for others welfare. Yes, it can be said that Kisa Gotami was being
'selfish in her grief'. In the light of her tragedy, she was unable to see that death is
something that strikes all things living. In this sense, she was selfish. However, for every
person, his/her tragedy is something personal and it prevents him/her from looking at
the tragedy from a universal or general point of view. If we take the usual sense of the
word 'selfish', then calling Kisa Gotami selfish would be inappropriate, because every
person becomes selfish in his/her grief.

Thinking about language : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 136


Q1 :
This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than
two millennia old. Look for the following words and phrases in the text, and try to
rephrase them in more current language, based on how you understand them.
 give thee medicine for thy child
 Pray tell me
 Kisa repaired to the Buddha
 there was no house but someone had died in it
 kinsmen
 Mark!

Answer :
1. Give you medicine for your child
2. Please tell me
3. Kisa went to the Buddha
4. There was no house where no one had died
5. Relatives
6. Listen

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Q2 :
You know that we can combine sentences using words like and, or, but,
yet and then. But sometimes no such word seems appropriate. In such a case
was can use a semicolon (;) or a dash (-) to combine two clauses.
She has no interest in music; I doubt she will become a singer like her mother.
The second clause here gives the speaker's opinion on the first clause.
Here is a sentence from the text that uses semicolons to combine clauses. Break
up the sentence into three simple sentences. Can you then say which has a better
rhythm when you read it, the single sentence using semicolons, or the three
simple sentences?
For there is not any means by which those who have been born can avoid dying;
after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature are living beings.

Answer :
The single sentence using semicolons has a better rhythm. This is because the three
parts of the sentence are connected to each other in their meanings. The second clause
gives further information on the first clause. The third clause is directly related to both
the first and the second. Their meanings are better conveyed when they are joined by
semicolons.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 12
Dust of Snow (Poem) Class 10
Unit 12 Dust of Snow (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 14


Q1 :

What is a "dust of snow"? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How
has the poet's mood changed?

Answer :
A “dust of snow” could mean a freckle of snow or it could also refer to the little white
flowers that can be found on hemlock tree. This “dust of snow” changed the poet's
mood. The poet's mood changed from that of dismay to joy. He was holding the day in
regret when this dust of snow fell on him and this simple little thing brought him some
joy.

Q2 :

How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help
you to think of an answer.
(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is
often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a
crow?
(ii) Again, what is "a hemlock tree"? Why doesn't the poet write about a more
'beautiful' tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
(iii) What do the 'crow' and 'hemlock' represent - joy or sorrow? What does the
dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

Answer :
Frost has presented nature in quite an unconventional manner. While in other nature
poems we come across birds such as nightingales or sparrows, Frost has used a crow
in this poem. A crow can be associated with something dark, black, and foreboding.

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That is why other poets usually mention singing nightingales or beautiful white doves in
their poems.
Also, the poet has written about a hemlock tree, which is a poisonous tree. He has not
written about a more beautiful tree such as a maple, or oak, or pine because these trees
symbolise beauty and happiness. Frost wanted to symbolise the feelings of sadness
and regret, which is why he has used a hemlock tree.
The crow and the hemlock tree represent sorrow. The dust of snow that is shaken off
the hemlock tree by the crow stands for joy that Frost experiences. He has, therefore,
used an unconventional tree and bird in order to contrast them with joy in the form of
snow.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 13
Fire and Ice (Poem) Class 10
Unit 13 Fire and Ice (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 15


Q1 :

For Frost, what do 'fire' and 'ice' stand for? Here are some ideas:
Greed Avarice Cruelty

Conflict Fury Intolerance

Insensitivity Coldness Indifference

Answer :
'Fire' stands for greed, avarice, lust, conflict and fury. 'Ice' stands for cruelty, intolerance,
rigidity, insensitivity, coldness, indifference and hatred.

Q2 :

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the
contrasting ideas in the poem?

Answer :
The rhyme scheme of the poem is as follows:
1ststanza: a b a a
2ndstanza: a b a b a
The contrasting ideas of 'fire' and 'ice' are presented using this rhyme scheme. He
mentions that both fire and ice are probable ends of this world. While he talks about
how fire represents desire and can therefore be a cause of the end of the world, he also
mentions ice in between to symbolise that the coldness and indifference towards one
another will also be enough to end the world. In the second stanza, he says that he
knows of enough hate in the world to be sure that even destruction through ice would be
sufficient to bring about the end of the world.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 14
A Tiger in the Zoo (Poem) Class 10
Unit 14 A Tiger in the Zoo (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 30


Q1 :

Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the
case and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two
columns.
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the
two situations.

Answer :
(i)

In the cage In the wild

Stalks Lurking in shadow

Few steps of his cage Sliding through long grass

Quiet rage Snarling around houses

Locked in a concrete cell Baring his white fangs, his claws

Stalking the length of his cage Terrorising the village

Ignoring visitors

Stares at the brilliant stars

(ii)

Cage Wild

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Few steps of his cage Shadow

Concrete cell Long grass

Locked Water hole

Behind bars Plump deer

Visitors Houses at the jungle's edge

Patrolling cars Village

Q2 :

Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:


(i) On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?

Answer :
This repetition is a poetic device used by the poet in order to enhance the beauty of the
poem. 'Velvet quiet' refers to the quiet velvet pads of the tiger, which cannot run or leap.
They can only walk around the limited space in the cage. The use of 'quiet rage'
symbolises the anger and ferocity that is building up inside the tiger as it wants to run
out into the forest and attack a deer, but the rage is quiet because it cannot come out in
the open as it is in the cage. This double use of 'quiet' has brought immense beauty to
the poem. Similarly, the use of 'brilliant' for the tiger's eyes as well as the stars also
brings out the magnificence of these lines. The tiger has dreams of being free in its
'brilliant' eyes. It sees the stars (that have also been described as brilliant) with the
same eyes. It stares at the brilliant stars with its brilliant eyes thinking about how
beautiful its life could be in the forest. The repetitiveness of these words gives a
wonderful effect to the poem.

Q3 :

Read the following two poems - one about a tiger and the other about a panther.
Then discuss:

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Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of


animals? Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos?
The Tiger
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars.
Then he thinks.
It would be nice not to be behind bars all
The time
Because they spoil my view
I wish I were wild, not on show.
But if I were wild, hunters might shoot me,
But if I were wild, food might poison me,
But if I were wild, water might drown me.
Then he stops thinking
And...
The tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,
The tiger behind the bars of his cage roars. PETER NIBLETT
The Panther
His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.
As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,
the movement of his powerful soft strides
is like a ritual dance around a centre
in which a mighty will stands paralysed.
Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts, quietly. An image enters in,
rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,

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plunges into the heart and is gone. RAINER MARIA RILKE

Answer :
Some species of animals might be safer in a zoo than in a forest. In a forest, they could
be hunted down, poisoned by some wild food, orcould drown in water. However, a zoo
is not the correct substitute for a forest. In a zoo, an animal would feel caged, bound,
and not free to roam about in the wild. It is for this reason that wildlife sanctuaries and
national parks have been instituted in order to conserve several endangered species.
These places provide protection as well as natural surroundings to these species. They
can roam about freely in their habitats and are safe too. The public can visit these parks
and get educated about the animals and their lifestyles. The parks and sanctuaries are
run using a strict set of rules, the most prominent being the ban on hunting. Since the
animals are in the open, visitors would not be able feed them and would not misbehave
or try to play with them as they are under strict guidance. Such incidents have been
recorded in zoos where people irritate and tease the animals. Hence, a wild life
sanctuary is a good alternative for animals to be safe as well as in their natural
surroundings.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 15
How to Tell Wild Animals (Poem) Class 10
Unit 15 How to Tell Wild Animals (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 45


Q1 :

Does 'dying' really rhyme with 'lion'? Can you say it in such a way that it does?

Answer :
No, 'dying' does not rhyme with 'lion'. It is for this reason that the poet has used 'dyin' so
that when we pronounce it, it rhymes with 'lion'.

Q2 :

How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you
do so, according to him?

Answer :
The poet suggests that if a large and tawny beast in the jungle in the east advances
towards us, then it is an Asian lion. We can identify it when it roars at us while we are
dying with fear. When while roaming we come across a wild beast that is yellow in
colour with black stripes, it is a Bengal tiger. We can identify it when it eats us.

Q3 :

Do you think the words 'lept' and 'lep' in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why
does the poet spell them like this?

Answer :
No, the words 'lept' and 'lep' are spelt incorrectly. Their correct spellings are 'leapt' and
'leap' respectively. The poet has spelled them like this in order to maintain the rhythm of

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the poem. When spelled this way, they rhyme with the first part of 'leopard', thus giving
emphasis to 'leopard' in each line.

Q4 :

Look at the line "A novice might nonplus". How would you write this 'correctly'?
Why is the poet's 'incorrect' line better in the poem?

Answer :
The line “A novice might nonplus” can be correctly written as “A novice might be
nonplussed”. The poet's incorrect line is better in the poem as it maintains the rhyme
scheme of the poem. By writing it incorrectly, 'nonplus' rhymes with 'thus'.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 16
The Ball Poem (Poem) Class 10
Unit 16 The Ball Poem (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 47


Q1 :

Why does the poet say, "I would not intrude on him"? Why doesn't he offer him
money to buy another ball?

Answer :
The poet says "I will not intrude on him" because he wants the boy to learn the meaning
of loss on his own. He does not offer him money to buy another ball because according
to him, money or another ball is worthless. The boy was trying to understand his first
responsibility as he had lost something, which could not be brought back.

Q2 :

"… staring down/All his young days into the harbor where/His ball went…"
Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories
of days when he played with it?

Answer :
Yes, it seems like the boy has had the ball for a long time. When it bounced into the
water, all his memories of the days of childhood flashed in front of him. This led to a
realisation that those moments would not come back, just like the ball. He can buy new
balls and can similarly create new moments, but those that are gone would not return.

Q3 :

What does "in the world of possessions" mean?

Answer :

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Here, "in the world of possessions" means the world where everything and every action
is made to possess something, whether it is the possession of land, property, money, or
any other thing. The poet suggests that losing a ball, which is a very small thing, would
make the boy understand what it is like to lose something that one possessed. This
would make the boy realise that this is a world of possessions and where one can
possess more things by buying them, one cannot buy what has been lost.

Q4 :

Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest
the answer.

Answer :
No, it seems that the boy had not lost anything earlier. The words that suggest so are
'senses first responsibility in a world of possessions'.

Q5 :

What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to
explain this in your own words.

Answer :
The poet suggests that from the loss of the ball, the boy is learning how to stand up in a
world of possessions where he will lose things, will buy some more to replace the ones
lost, but would never be able to buy back the thing that he had lost. He is sensing his
first responsibility as he has lost the ball. The poet says that money is something
external and what he really wants the boy to understand is the meaning of loss. The boy
is learning what it means to lose something. The poet says that knowing that every man
has to stand up after such losses, the boy too will learn how to stand up and leave the
losses behind as he would have understood the true meaning and nature of loss.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 17
Amanda! (Poem) Class 10
Unit 17 Amanda! (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 62


Q1 :

How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?

Answer :
Amanda is a school going girl, who must be about 9-10 years old. The things that her
mother scolds her for are all typical instructions given to a 9 or10 year old girl.

Q2 :

Who do you think is speaking to her?

Answer :
Her mother is speaking to her.

Q3 :

Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?

Answer :
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they are the thoughts of the child
in between the instructions that she is being given by her mother, which are given in
stanzas 1, 3 and 5. The scolding by the mother and the child's thoughts are placed in
alternate stanzas by the poet.

Q4 :

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Who is the speaker in stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to
the speaker in stanzas 1, 3, 5 and 7?

Answer :
In stanzas 2, 4 and 6, the speaker is the child. No, she is not listening to her mother
who is the speaker in stanzas 1, 3 and 5. She is lost in her thoughts and she is clearly
not listening to her mother.

Q5 :

What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

Answer :
If Amanda were a mermaid, then she would drift slowly on a languid emerald sea. She
would be the sole inhabitant of the relaxed green sea and would move slowly on it.

Q6 :

Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

Answer :
No, Amanda is not an orphan. She says so because she wants to be alone. She wants
to roam around in the street alone and pattern dust wit her bare feet. She finds silence
'golden' and freedom 'sweet'. It is for this reason that she calls herself an orphan.

Q7 :

Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?

Answer :
She wants to be Rapunzel because she wants to live alone. Rapunzel lived alone in a
tall tower and had long, beautiful hair. She was held captive by her grandmother, who
came up the tower by climbing her long hair. The girl also wants to live alone in a tower
as she would not have to care about anything as life in a tower would be tranquil,
peaceful and rare. However, she also decided that she would never throw down her hair
for anyone to come up as she wanted to live alone always.

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Q8 :

What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?

Answer :
The girl yearns for solitude and peace. In all the things she dreams of, she wants to stay
alone. If she were a mermaid, then she wanted to drift slowly on a calm sea where she
would be the only inhabitant. She even goes on to imagine if she were an orphan. In
that case, she would roam about the street in silence and freedom. She also wishes to
be Rapunzel though she would not let her hair down for anybody to climb up. This
shows that she is fed up of the continuous scolding she receives from her mother. She
wants to go away from her home to some place where she would not be constantly
nagged and would be able to live peacefully.

Q9 :

Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?

Answer :
It does not seem that she is sulking, though she could be moody. She is completely lost
in her thoughts and is not even listening to her mother. Her mother perceives her to be
sulking as she does not react to her instructions at all. As Amanda does not listen to
her, she concludes that she is very moody and continues to nag her.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 18
Animals (Poem) Class 10
Unit 18 Animals (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 84


Q1 :

Notice the use of the word 'turn' in the first line, "I think I could turn and live with
animals..." What is the poet turning from?

Answer :
The poet is turning away from living with other humans as he finds them complicated
and false. He would rather live with animals that are self-contained and non-
complaining.

Q2 :

Mention three things that humans do and animals don't.

Answer :
The poet has drawn three comparisons between humans and animals. Humans sweat
and work to make a living and later whine and sulk about the amount of work they have
to do to survive. Animals, on the other hand, do not whine about their condition.
Humans lie awake at night and cry for the wrongs they have done. Animals do not weep
for anything they do and sleep peacefully. Finally, humans make each other sick by
discussing their duties to God. However, animals do not have any god and they live and
survive without any prayers or fasts.

Q3 :

Do humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago? Discuss
this in groups.

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Answer :
Yes, humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago. They worship
their ancestors and pray by kneeling in front of their portraits. They hold religious
sermons and ceremonies in their memory.

Q4 :

What are the 'tokens' that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and
which the animals have kept for him? Discuss this in class. (Hint: Whitman
belongs to the Romantic tradition that includes Rousseau and Wordsworth,
which holds that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature.
What could be the basic aspects of our nature as living beings that humans
choose to ignore or deny?

Answer :
The token that the poet says he might have dropped long ago, and which the animals
have kept for him, is his true nature as a human. While humans came close to
civilisation, they gradually moved away from their true nature. The natural instincts that
humans had and the innocence with which they lived and helped each other have been
left behind somewhere. As they got near civilisation, they chose to leave behind the
virtues of kindness, sincerity, unselfishness, joy, satisfaction, respectability, and sharing.
They took to vices such as greed, selfishness, desire to capture everything, and other
such inhuman characteristics. Animals have carried forward the real instincts and
characteristics, which the poet looks at and tries to remember where he had negligently
lost his true nature.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 19
The Trees (Poem) Class 10
Unit 19 The Trees (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 100


Q1 :

(i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest.
(ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: "... sun bury its feet in
shadow..."? What could the poet mean by the sun's 'feet'?

Answer :
(i) The three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest are the sitting of a bird on
trees, the hiding of insects and the sun burying its feet in the shadow of the forest.
(ii) The sun radiates heat and the given words create a picture of the hot, radiating sun
cooling its feet in the cool shadow of the forest. The sun's 'feet' refers to its rays that
reach the earth.

Q2 :

(i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves and their
twigs do?
(ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?

Answer :
(i) In the poem, the trees are in the poet's house. Their roots work all night to disengage
themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves make efforts to move
towards the glass, while the small twigs get stiff with exertion.
(ii) The poet compares the 'long-cramped' branches that have been shuffling under the
roof to newly discharged patients who look half-dazed as they move towards the
hospital doors after long illnesses and wait to get out of the hospital. The branches also
have cramped under the roof and want to get out into the open to spread themselves in
fresh air.

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Q3 :

(i) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza,
and (b) at its end? What causes this change?
(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
(iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention "the departure of the forest from
the house" in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important
happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this
again when you answer the next set of questions)

Answer :
(i) In the beginning of the third stanza, the poet says that the whole moon is shining in
the open sky in the fresh night. However, at the end of the stanza, she describes the
moon as broken into many pieces such as a shattered mirror. This change is caused by
the trees that have made their way from her home to outside. Their branches have risen
into the sky, blocking the moon, which is why the moon seems to be broken into many
pieces. These pieces can be seen flashing at the top of the tallest oak tree.
(ii) When the trees move out of the house, the glass gets broken and the smell of the
leaves and lichens still reaches the rooms of the house.

Q4 :

Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem
might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
(i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it
with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for
'interior decoration' in cities while forests are cut down, are 'imprisoned', and
need to 'break out'?
(ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor
for human beings: this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings
emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular
meaning?

Answer :
(i) Yes, the poem presents a conflict between man and nature. While nature is more
free and unbounded, man prefers to live in bounded spaces and also wants to curb
nature. He uses plants for interior decoration of houses, cuts trees to make a house for
himself, kills animals for food or other purposes and cages them in zoos. In all these

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ways, man curbs nature and denies plants and animals the freedom in which they
should live. The poem shows that trees and plants are rebelling against man as they
strive to work their way out into the open. For instance, in the poem A Tiger in the Zoo,
the poet presents the fact that animals feel bounded by cages. They can only take a few
steps inside the cage, whereas they really want to run and leap into the open. This
signifies the fact that plants and animals feel caged by humans and want to break out
from the imprisonment at the hands of humans.
(ii) If trees are symbolic of human beings, then it could be said that humans too want to
break away from the shackles of the busy and selfish lives they lead. They also want to
go out into the nature and be free. They work all day and sometimes all night to try and
achieve something though they do not have the time to enjoy it. They keep striving hard
in their routines as they feel cramped under the roofs of their homes and offices. Even
they want to break free and go out into the peaceful nature.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 20
Fog (Poem) Class 10
Unit 20 Fog (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 115


Q1 :

(i) What does Sandburg think the fog is like?


(ii) How does the fog come?
(iii) What does 'it' in the third line refer to?
(iv) Does the poet actually say that the fog is like a cat? Find three things that tell
us that the fog is like a cat.

Answer :
(i) According to Sandburg, the fog is like a cat.
(ii) The fog comes on little cat feet.
(iii) In the third line 'it' refers to the fog that has covered the city and it seems as if it is
looking over the city like a cat.
(iv) No, the poet does not actually say that the fog is like a cat. However, he has used
cat as a metaphor for describing the fog. He says that the fog comes on its little cat feet,
which implies that the fog is like a cat as it comes slowly. He also says that the fog looks
over the harbour and the city and then moves on, implying that the fog has covered the
city and is sitting and looking at it, thereby again comparing it to a cat. This is reiterated
when he says that the fog looks over the city sitting on 'silent hunches'. This also shows
the reference to a cat as a cat always sits with its knees bent. Hence, he has compared
the fog to a cat without actually saying so.

Q2 :

You know that a metaphor compares two things by transferring a feature of one
thing to the other (See Unit 1).
(i) Find metaphors for the following words and complete the table below.

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Also try to say how they are alike. The first is done for you.

Storm Tiger Pounces over the fields, growls

Train

Fire

School

Home

Answer :
(i)

Storm Tiger Pounces over the fields, growls

Train Gush of wind Very fast movement

Fire Anger Danger that surrounds both on the basis of their intensities

School Gateway Leads to adulthood and a life of responsibility

Home Nest Provides hospitable, loving environment

Q3 :

Does this poem have a rhyme scheme? Poetry that does not have an obvious
rhythm or rhyme is called 'free verse'.

Answer :
No, this poem does not have a rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 21
The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Poem) Class 10
Unit 21 The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 132


Q1 :

Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.

Answer :
The characters in this poem are Belinda, a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little
yellow dog, a little pet dragon and a pirate.

Character Pet name

Kitten Ink

Mouse Blink

Dog Mustard

Dragon Custard

Q2 :

Why did Custard cry for a nice, safe cage? Why is the dragon called a "cowardly
dragon"?

Answer :
Custard cried for a nice, safe cage because it was a coward. It is called a 'cowardly
dragon' because everybody else in the house was brave. Belinda was as brave as a
barrel of bears. Ink and Blink are described as so brave that they could chase lions
down the stairs and Mustard was as brave as a tiger in rage. Compared to them,
Custard cried asking for a nice and safe cage, which is why it is called a coward.

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Q3 :

"Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful..." Why?

Answer :
Belinda tickled the dragon unmercifully because it was very scared and cried for a safe
cage. They all laughed at it as it was a coward.

Q4 :

The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example: "Clashed
his tail like iron in a dungeon" - the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with
your partner, list some more such poetic devices used in the poem?

Answer :
In the entire poem, the poet has made extensive use of similes. Apart from simile,
another poetic device that has been used is repetition. For example, the repetitive use
of the word 'little' in the first stanza to emphasise how everything from the house to
Belinda to her pets were all little. Also, in the seventh stanza, the poet has made use of
incorrect spelling as a poetic device to maintain the rhyme scheme of the poem. He has
chosen to write 'winda' instead of 'window' as 'winda' rhymes with 'Belinda', whereas
'window' does not. He has also used alliteration in the poem. For example, in the tenth
stanza, 'Custard' has 'clashed' his tail with a 'clatter' and a 'clank'. Similarly, in stanza
eleven, the pirate 'gaped' at the dragon and 'gulped' some 'grog'.

Q5 :

Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?

Answer :
The rhyme scheme of each stanza of this poem is aabb.

Q6 :

Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they
mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?

Answer :

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Some such images used in the poem are 'mouth like a fireplace', 'chimney for a nose',
'brave as a barrel full of bears', 'brave as a tiger in a rage', 'went at the pirate like a robin
at a worm', etc.

Q7 :

Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted


poem? Give reasons to support your answer.

Answer :
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It is almost a parody. The
names of the pets of Belinda are all rhyming and funny. Belinda has been compared to
a barrel full of bears. The kitten and mouse, both little, could chase lions down the
stairs. The little yellow dog was as brave as a tiger, while the dragon was a coward and
they all teased him. However, when the pirate came to their little house, all of them were
engulfed in fear and had hid themselves. Ironically, the 'cowardly' dragon came to their
rescue and jumped snorting like an engine. It clashed its tail and charged at the pirate
like a robin at a worm and ate him up. Even as everybody became happy to see the
bravery of the dragon, they again came back to glorifying themselves that they could
have been twice or thrice braver than the dragon. Finally, at the end of the poem, the
situation again came back to the other pets being brave and the dragon being the
coward.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First


Flight Unit 22
For Anne Gregory (Poem) Class 10
Unit 22 For Anne Gregory (Poem) Exercise Answers & Summary

Thinking about the poem : Solutions of Questions on Page Number : 141


Q1 :

What does the young man mean by "great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your


ear?" Why does he say that young men are "thrown into despair" by them?

Answer :
The "great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your ear" refers to the beautiful yellow coloured
hair that falls at the woman's ear and cover it like a wall around a fort. He says that the
young men are "thrown into despair" by them because they look so beautiful on the
woman that her beauty gets thoroughly enhanced. The young men fall in love with her
and feel despair. He says that it is not possible that someone would love her alone and
not her yellow hair.

Q2 :

What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to?
Why would she want to do so?

Answer :
The young woman's hair is of yellow colour. She says that she could get her hair dyed
to brown, black or carrot colour. She would change the colour of her hair so that the
young men in despair would love her only and not her yellow hair. She wanted them to
love her for what she was and not for her appearance such as her hair colour.

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