Two Stories About Flying – CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS 1 . HIS FIRST FLIGHT 2. THE BLACK AEROPLANE

Two Stories About Flying – CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

1 . HIS FIRST FLIGHT

2. THE BLACK AEROPLANE

Part 1: His First Flight (Liam O’Flaherty)

Summary

This story is about a young seagull who is afraid to fly. Even though his siblings have already taken their first flights, he lacks the confidence to jump off the ledge. His parents try to starve him into flying, leaving him alone for twenty-four hours. Finally, driven by intense hunger, he dives at a piece of fish held by his mother. In that moment of terror, his wings spread naturally, and he discovers he can fly. The story symbolizes the importance of courage and self-reliance.

A. Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

ANS: He was certain that his wings would never support him and that he would fall into the vast sea below the ledge.

Q2. How did the seagull’s parents try to make him fly?

ANS: They scolded him, threatened him, and finally left him to starve on his ledge unless he flew away.

Q3. What prompted the young seagull to finally take his first flight?

ANS: It was his hunger. When he saw his mother bringing a piece of fish but stopping just out of reach, he dived at the fish in desperation and began to fly.

Q4. What "strategy" did the mother seagull use to get him off the ledge?

ANS: She used a piece of fish as bait. She flew near him but stayed just out of reach. This drove the hungry seagull into a state of "madness" where he forgot his fear and dived for the food.

Q5. What was the seagull's immediate reaction when he fell into space?

ANS: He was gripped by a "monstrous terror" and his heart stood still. However, this lasted only a minute before he felt his wings spread outward and the wind rushing against his feathers.

Q6. How did the seagull feel when he finally touched the sea?

ANS: Initially, he was scared and tried to rise again, but his legs sank into the water. Once his belly touched the surface, he realized he could float, and his fear completely vanished.

Q7. What lesson does this story teach about courage?

ANS: It teaches that courage isn't the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Often, the "fear of the fall" is much more painful than the fall itself.

Q8. How did the family celebrate his first flight? ANS: They flew around him, soaring and diving, shrieking with joy. They offered him scraps of dogfish as a reward for his bravery.

Q9. Why is the title "His First Flight" appropriate?

ANS: It focuses on the most significant milestone in a bird's life—the transition from dependency and fear to independence and survival.

Q10. What does the "vast expanse of sea" symbolize?

ANS: It symbolizes the challenges of the adult world. To the seagull, it looked intimidating, but once he learned to fly, it became his source of food and freedom.

B. Long Answer Type Question

Q1. "Necessity is the mother of invention." How does this apply to the young seagull?

ANS: The young seagull’s "invention" was his flight. As long as he was comfortable, he refused to move. It was only when the "necessity" of hunger became unbearable that he forgot his fear. His mother’s trick of dangling the fish acted as the final push. This shows that sometimes we need to be pushed into difficult situations to discover our hidden potential.

Q2. Describe the young seagull’s journey from fear to confidence.

ANS: The journey started with observation (watching his siblings), moved to isolation (being left alone), then to desperation (hunger), and finally to action (the dive). The moment he stopped overthinking and allowed his instincts to take over, his fear transformed into the thrill of flight.

Q3. How does Liam O’Flaherty use the seagull to mirror human behavior?

ANS: The seagull represents any young person facing a new challenge. The ledge is our "comfort zone," and the sea is the "unknown." The family’s pressure represents the societal or parental expectations that push us to grow.

Q4. Compare the seagull’s siblings with the seagull himself.

ANS: His siblings had shorter wings but greater "willpower." They took the leap without hesitation. The protagonist, despite having the same physical capability, was hindered by his "mental block." This shows that success is 10% ability and 90% mindset.

Q5. Explain the significance of the seagull’s first landing on the sea.

ANS: This was the final test. Flying was one skill, but landing and floating was another. It showed that he had fully adapted to his environment. It turned his "fear of drowning" into the "comfort of floating."

Part 2: The Black Aeroplane (Frederick Forsyth)

Summary

The narrator is flying his old Dakota airplane from France to England. Suddenly, he is engulfed by a massive storm cloud. His instruments, including the compass and radio, stop working. Out of nowhere, a mysterious black airplane appears. The pilot of that plane signals the narrator to follow him. He leads the narrator safely through the storm to an airport. When the narrator lands and asks the control center about the other pilot, he is shocked to learn that no other planes were in the sky that night.

A. Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Why did the pilot decide to fly through the storm clouds?

ANS: He wanted to reach home in time for breakfast with his family and didn't want to turn back to Paris.

Q2. What happened to the instruments in the Dakota?

ANS: The compass turned round and round, and the radio was dead. All the instruments failed due to the magnetic interference of the storm.

Q3. What was the mystery of the Black Aeroplane?

ANS: The mystery was that the narrator saw a plane without lights and a pilot who guided him, but the radar at the control tower showed no other aircraft besides the narrator's Dakota.

Q4. What happened to the Dakota’s instruments inside the storm?

ANS: Everything went dead. The compass was turning round and round uselessly, and the radio was not working. He was effectively lost in the dark.

Q5. How did the pilot of the "Black Aeroplane" signal the narrator?

ANS: The pilot waved his hand and signaled the narrator to "Follow me," as if he knew the narrator was lost and needed help.

Q6. Why did the narrator follow the black plane "like an obedient child"?

ANS: Because he had no other choice. Without a compass or radio, and with limited fuel, following the mysterious pilot was his only hope for survival.

Q7. What shocked the narrator when he checked his fuel?

ANS: He realized he was on his "last tank" and only had enough fuel to fly for five or ten more minutes, which made him feel very frightened again.

Q8. What did the woman in the control tower tell the narrator?

ANS: She told him that there was no other airplane on the radar that night except for his. This left the narrator in complete disbelief.

Q9. Describe the appearance of the black airplane.

ANS: It was a strange black plane with no lights on its wings. It was able to fly through the storm with ease, guided by a pilot whose face the narrator could almost see.

Q10. What is the central mystery of the story? ANS: The mystery is the identity of the pilot and the plane that saved him. Was it a ghost, a guardian angel, or just his own subconscious mind guiding him?

B. Long Answer Type Question

Q1. Who do you think helped the narrator? Give reasons for your answer.

ANS: There are two ways to look at this. One is the supernatural element—a "ghost" plane guided him. However, a more logical explanation is that it was a "hallucination" or his own "inner instinct." In a state of extreme panic, his subconscious mind took over and guided his hand to fly safely. The "Black Aeroplane" was likely a personification of his own will to survive.

Q2. Describe the narrator’s experience inside the storm clouds.

ANS: It was a nightmare. Everything was suddenly "black." He couldn't see anything outside. The plane "jumped and twisted" in the air. The total failure of his instruments made him feel isolated and helpless until the mysterious plane arrived.

Q3. Was the narrator a responsible pilot? Give reasons.

ANS: Honestly, he was a bit "reckless." A responsible pilot would have turned back to Paris upon seeing the storm. However, his "emotional drive" (the desire for home) outweighed his "professional judgment," which is a very human trait.

Q4. Who do you think helped the pilot? Give your opinion.

ANS: From a logical standpoint, it was likely his "survival instinct." When humans are in extreme danger, the brain can project a "guiding presence" to help focus and stay calm. The "Black Aeroplane" was likely a personification of his own skill and will to live.

Q5. Compare the "Black Aeroplane" with "His First Flight" in terms of courage.

ANS: Both stories deal with overcoming fear in the air. While the seagull had to find courage within himself to jump, the pilot had to find the courage to trust a mysterious guide. Both show that when we are pushed to the brink, we find a way to fly through the darkness.

C. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Q1. Who is the author of "His First Flight"?

A) Liam O’Flaherty B) Frederick Forsyth C) Roald Dahl D) Paulo Coelho

ANS: A) Liam O’Flaherty

Q2. The young seagull had been alone for how many hours?

A) 12 hours B) 24 hours C) 48 hours D) 10 hours

ANS: B) 24 hours

Q3. What food did the seagull’s mother use to tempt him?

A) Mackerel B) Dogfish C) Herring D) Piece of fish

ANS: D) Piece of fish

Q4. What was the narrator’s plane in "The Black Aeroplane"?

A) Boeing 747 B) Old Dakota DS 088 C) Spitfire D) Airbus