“His First Flight”
🌟 Thinking about the Text: Suggested Answers
1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?
Answer: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he feared that his wings wouldn't support him, and he would fall into the vast sea below.
Yes, just like human babies hesitate before their first steps, some birds may be more timid than others. It's natural to feel scared before doing something new for the first time.
2. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled him to fly?
Answer: It shows that the seagull was extremely hungry. His mother used food as a motivation—when she flew close with a piece of fish but stopped short, his hunger pushed him to make the leap and fly.
3. Why did the seagull’s parents threaten and cajole him to fly?
Answer: They knew he had to fly to survive. They scolded and teased him, trying to push him out of his fear, because unless he learned to fly, he would starve. They used both tough love and encouragement.
4. Have you ever had a similar experience where your parents encouraged you to do something you were scared of?
Answer: You could share a real or imaginary story. Example:
“I was scared to ride my bicycle without training wheels. My dad held the seat and told me he wouldn’t let go—but of course he did! I was angry at first but soon realized I was riding on my own!”
5. Was your success guaranteed, or was it important to try anyway?
Answer: Success is never guaranteed, but trying is how we learn. Even if you fall, you learn to get up. Like the seagull, trying was the only way to grow.
🗣️ Speaking: Group Topics Suggestions
Pick one topic and divide points among team members:
1. Progression of Models of Airplanes
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Wright Brothers’ first flight
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Biplanes to jet planes
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Modern fighter jets & drones
2. Progression of Models of Motorcars
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The first car by Karl Benz
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Ford’s Model T
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Electric cars (Tesla, etc.)
3. Birds and Their Wingspan
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Albatross (longest wingspan)
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Eagle, Vulture, Falcon
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How wingspan affects flight
4. Migratory Birds Tracing Their Flights
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Siberian Crane, Arctic Tern
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Why birds migrate
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GPS tagging to track birds
Here's a complete "Thinking about the Text" and "Thinking about Language" section for The Black Aeroplane with answers:
Thinking about the Text – With Answers
1. "I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Answer: The risk was flying straight into the storm clouds, knowing that his compass, radio, and visibility might fail. The narrator took the risk because he wanted to reach home and have a big English breakfast. His strong desire to get home overcame his fear of danger.
2. Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer: Inside the storm, everything was black and he couldn’t see anything. His compass spun wildly and stopped working. The radio also went dead. He was completely lost in the storm. The old Dakota was jumping and twisting in the violent wind, and he felt helpless and scared.
3. Why does the narrator say, "I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota..."?
Answer: The narrator says this because he had just survived a terrifying experience. He was relieved and thankful to be alive after flying through a storm without working instruments or proper navigation.
4. What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Answer: She looked at him strangely because, according to the radar, there was no other aeroplane in the sky during the storm—only the narrator’s Dakota. She was confused when he asked about the other pilot who had guided him to safety.
5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Answer: It’s a mystery. Some believe it was a ghost plane, while others think it could have been a hallucination or a miracle. The narrator was sure someone helped him, but no record or evidence of another plane existed. It adds an element of the supernatural or fate intervening.
Thinking about Language – With Answers
Now guess the meaning of ‘black’ in each sentence below:
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"Go and have a bath: your hands and face are absolutely black."
➡️ Black means very dirty. -
"The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green."
➡️ Black look means an angry or hostile expression. -
"The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity."
➡️ Blackest here means extremely evil or shameful. -
"Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter's black comedy."
➡️ Black comedy refers to humour that deals with dark, serious, or disturbing subjects in a satirical way. -
"Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black."
➡️ In black refers to illegal selling or black market activity. -
"Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue."
➡️ Black and blue means severely bruised.
Here are some important and frequently repeated questions with answers from the Class 10 English – First Flight textbook, especially useful for board exam preparation:
📘 Chapter: Two Stories About Flying (Part I – His First Flight)
Author: Liam O’ Flaherty
🟢 1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?
Answer: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he felt his wings would not support him. He lacked confidence and feared falling. Despite his siblings flying, his fear kept him on the ledge.
🟢 2. What forced the young seagull to fly at last?
Answer: Hunger forced him to fly. When his mother tempted him with a piece of fish and stopped just short of feeding him, he dived for the fish out of desperation and unknowingly took his first flight.
🟢 3. Describe the young seagull’s emotions when he started flying.
Answer: At first, he was terrified and thought he would fall. But soon he felt the wind beneath his wings, and his fear vanished. He became excited and happy, enjoying the thrill of flying.
🟢 4. What lesson does "His First Flight" teach us?
Answer: The story teaches us that fear is natural, but we must overcome it to succeed. Confidence and taking the first step are key to growth and independence.
📘 Chapter: Two Stories About Flying (Part II – The Black Aeroplane)
Author: Frederick Forsyth
🟣 5. What was the narrator’s plan when he started flying the Dakota?
Answer: The narrator was flying his old Dakota aeroplane over France to England. He wanted to reach home in time for breakfast and be with his family.
🟣 6. What happened when the narrator entered the storm clouds?
Answer: Inside the storm, everything went black. The compass and other instruments failed, and the radio went dead. He was completely lost and could not see anything.
🟣 7. Who helped the narrator to land safely?
Answer: A mysterious black aeroplane appeared and guided him through the storm. The narrator followed it safely to an airport. But after landing, he realized no such aeroplane was seen on the radar.
🟣 8. Why was the narrator shocked after landing?
Answer: He was shocked because the control centre said that no other aircraft was flying that night, and his was the only plane on the radar. It left him wondering who the other pilot was.
🟣 9. What message does "The Black Aeroplane" convey?
Answer: The story conveys that sometimes help comes in mysterious ways. It highlights themes of hope, faith, and the presence of unknown forces during times of trouble.
THANK YOU
Author-Rumi deka.
