NCERT Textbook: A Letter to God | English Class 10 PDF Download

 Page 1


BEFORE YOU READ
They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our
faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach
God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to
these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before
you begin to read it.
Activity
1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through
the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this
way?  Here’s what you have to do.  (As you read the instructions,
discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words:
counter , counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil,
record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words
corresponding to these English words in your languages?)
Reprint 2024-25
Page 2


BEFORE YOU READ
They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our
faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach
God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to
these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before
you begin to read it.
Activity
1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through
the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this
way?  Here’s what you have to do.  (As you read the instructions,
discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words:
counter , counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil,
record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words
corresponding to these English words in your languages?)
Reprint 2024-25
2
First Flight
2. Fill out the Money Order form given below using the clues that
follow the form.
Reprint 2024-25
Page 3


BEFORE YOU READ
They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our
faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach
God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to
these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before
you begin to read it.
Activity
1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through
the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this
way?  Here’s what you have to do.  (As you read the instructions,
discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words:
counter , counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil,
record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words
corresponding to these English words in your languages?)
Reprint 2024-25
2
First Flight
2. Fill out the Money Order form given below using the clues that
follow the form.
Reprint 2024-25
A Letter to God
3
THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat
on the crest of a low hill. From this height one
could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted
with the flowers that always promised a good
harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a
downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the
morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately
— had done nothing else but see the sky towards
the north-east.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman who was preparing supper, replied,
“Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in
the field, while the smaller ones were playing near
the house until the woman called to them all, “Come
for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as
crest
top of a hill
• Think about who you will send the money to, and how much.
You might want to send money for a magazine subscription,
or to a relative or a friend.
• Or you may fill out the form with yourself as sender and your
partner as receiver.  Use a part of your pocket money, and
submit the form at the nearest post office to see how it’s done.
See how your partner enjoys getting money by post!
• Notice that the form has three parts — the Money Order form,
the part for official use and the Acknowledgement. What would
you write in the ‘Space for Communication’?
Now complete the following statements.
(i) In addition to the sender , the form has to be signed by the
(ii) The ‘Acknowledgement’ section of the form is sent back by
the post office to the  after the
 signs it.
(iii) The ‘Space for Communication’ section is used for
(iv) The form has six sections. The sender needs to fill
out  sections and the receiver
Reprint 2024-25
Page 4


BEFORE YOU READ
They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our
faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach
God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to
these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before
you begin to read it.
Activity
1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through
the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this
way?  Here’s what you have to do.  (As you read the instructions,
discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words:
counter , counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil,
record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words
corresponding to these English words in your languages?)
Reprint 2024-25
2
First Flight
2. Fill out the Money Order form given below using the clues that
follow the form.
Reprint 2024-25
A Letter to God
3
THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat
on the crest of a low hill. From this height one
could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted
with the flowers that always promised a good
harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a
downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the
morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately
— had done nothing else but see the sky towards
the north-east.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman who was preparing supper, replied,
“Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in
the field, while the smaller ones were playing near
the house until the woman called to them all, “Come
for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as
crest
top of a hill
• Think about who you will send the money to, and how much.
You might want to send money for a magazine subscription,
or to a relative or a friend.
• Or you may fill out the form with yourself as sender and your
partner as receiver.  Use a part of your pocket money, and
submit the form at the nearest post office to see how it’s done.
See how your partner enjoys getting money by post!
• Notice that the form has three parts — the Money Order form,
the part for official use and the Acknowledgement. What would
you write in the ‘Space for Communication’?
Now complete the following statements.
(i) In addition to the sender , the form has to be signed by the
(ii) The ‘Acknowledgement’ section of the form is sent back by
the post office to the  after the
 signs it.
(iii) The ‘Space for Communication’ section is used for
(iv) The form has six sections. The sender needs to fill
out  sections and the receiver
Reprint 2024-25
4
First Flight
Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to
fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds
could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and
sweet. The man went out for no other reason than
to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body,
and when he returned he exclaimed, ‘‘These aren’t
raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins.
The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones
are fives.’’
With a satisfied expression he regarded the field
of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of
rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow
and along with the rain very large hailstones began
to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins.
The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out
to collect the frozen pearls.
‘‘It’s really getting bad now,’’ exclaimed the man.
“I hope it passes quickly.” It did not pass quickly.
For an hour the hail rained on the house, the
garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole
valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was
totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the
plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When
the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the
field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would
draped
covered (with cloth)
locusts
insects which fly in
big swarms (groups)
and destroy crops
Reprint 2024-25
Page 5


BEFORE YOU READ
They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our
faith in? This is the question this story delicately poses.
Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach
God? Does God send him the money? Think what your answers to
these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before
you begin to read it.
Activity
1. One of the cheapest ways to send money to someone is through
the post office. Have you ever sent or received money in this
way?  Here’s what you have to do.  (As you read the instructions,
discuss with your teacher in class the meanings of these words:
counter , counter clerk, appropriate, acknowledgement, counterfoil,
record. Consult a dictionary if necessary. Are there words
corresponding to these English words in your languages?)
Reprint 2024-25
2
First Flight
2. Fill out the Money Order form given below using the clues that
follow the form.
Reprint 2024-25
A Letter to God
3
THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat
on the crest of a low hill. From this height one
could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted
with the flowers that always promised a good
harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a
downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the
morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately
— had done nothing else but see the sky towards
the north-east.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman who was preparing supper, replied,
“Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in
the field, while the smaller ones were playing near
the house until the woman called to them all, “Come
for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as
crest
top of a hill
• Think about who you will send the money to, and how much.
You might want to send money for a magazine subscription,
or to a relative or a friend.
• Or you may fill out the form with yourself as sender and your
partner as receiver.  Use a part of your pocket money, and
submit the form at the nearest post office to see how it’s done.
See how your partner enjoys getting money by post!
• Notice that the form has three parts — the Money Order form,
the part for official use and the Acknowledgement. What would
you write in the ‘Space for Communication’?
Now complete the following statements.
(i) In addition to the sender , the form has to be signed by the
(ii) The ‘Acknowledgement’ section of the form is sent back by
the post office to the  after the
 signs it.
(iii) The ‘Space for Communication’ section is used for
(iv) The form has six sections. The sender needs to fill
out  sections and the receiver
Reprint 2024-25
4
First Flight
Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to
fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds
could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and
sweet. The man went out for no other reason than
to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body,
and when he returned he exclaimed, ‘‘These aren’t
raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins.
The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones
are fives.’’
With a satisfied expression he regarded the field
of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of
rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow
and along with the rain very large hailstones began
to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins.
The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out
to collect the frozen pearls.
‘‘It’s really getting bad now,’’ exclaimed the man.
“I hope it passes quickly.” It did not pass quickly.
For an hour the hail rained on the house, the
garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole
valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was
totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the
plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When
the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the
field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would
draped
covered (with cloth)
locusts
insects which fly in
big swarms (groups)
and destroy crops
Reprint 2024-25
A Letter to God
5
have left more than this. The hail has left nothing.
This year we will have no corn.’’
That night was a sorrowful one.
“All our work, for nothing.”
‘‘There’s no one who can help us.”
“We’ll all go hungry this year.”
Oral Comprehension Check
1. What did Lencho hope for?
2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
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.
“Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like
a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.”
“That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”
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. Lencho was an ox of a
man, working like an animal in the fields, but still
he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at
daybreak, he began to write a letter which he
himself would carry to town and place in the mail.
It was nothing less than a letter to God.
“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family
and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred
pesos in order to sow my field again and to live
until the crop comes, because the hailstorm....”
He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter
inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post
office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped
it into the mailbox.
One of the employees, who was a postman and
also helped at the post office, went to his boss
laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God.
Never in his career as a postman had he known
that address. The postmaster — a fat, amiable
peso
currency of several
Latin American
countries
conscience
an inner sense of
right and wrong
amiable
friendly and
pleasant
Reprint 2024-25