NCERT Solutions: Two Stories about Flying

I. His First Fight 

Thinking about Text (Page 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?

Ans: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he believed his wings would not hold him and he feared falling. Many young birds show hesitation before their first flight, but timidity varies from species to species and from one individual to another. Some learn quickly and seem confident, while others are more cautious. A human baby also usually finds taking the first steps a challenge; it is natural to feel fear or uncertainty before trying a new physical skill.

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

Ans: "Maddened" here suggests an intense, overwhelming urge caused by hunger. The young seagull had been starving for about a day, so seeing food produced a desperate longing to reach it. When he watched his mother fly up with a fish, hunger and the sight of the food together forced him to risk spreading his wings and flying for the first time so that he could eat and survive.

Ans: The parents used a mixture of threats and coaxing because they wanted to teach him to fly, which was essential for his survival. His siblings had already flown away and he was left alone and hungry on the ledge. By threatening to leave him without food and by calling to him insistently, the parents tried to give him a strong reason to overcome his fear 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.

Ans: Yes. I had a similar experience learning to ride a bicycle when I was in Class Four. At first I could not balance and fell often, which made me afraid to try again. My parents encouraged me to keep practising. My father would steady the bicycle from behind; when he let go I lost balance and fell, but I kept practising each day. Gradually my balance improved and I began to ride without help. Regular practice and encouragement helped me overcome my fear, and now I use a bicycle to go to school every day. (This answer can be written from each student's own experience.)

(Note: This answer can be written based on the individual's personal experience.)

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 the possibility of failure?

Ans: When learning a new skill we often face problems at the start and success is not automatically guaranteed. It was important for me to try to learn cycling even though I might fail at first. Determination and practice increase the chance of success, but they do not make success certain from the outset. Trying despite the possibility of failure is what helps someone improve and eventually succeed.

Speaking 

Q1:  We have read about the first flight of a young seagull. Your teacher will now divide the class into groups. Each group will work on one of the following topics. Prepare a presentation with your group members and then present it to the entire class.

A) Progression of models of Airplane
B) Progression of models of Motor cars
C) Birds and their wing span
D) Migratory birds - tracing their flights

Ans:
A) The Wright brothers of the United States achieved the first controlled, powered flight in 1903, marking a major milestone in aviation. Since then, many models of aeroplanes have been developed for different purposes such as transport, cargo, military use and recreation. Each new model improved control, speed, range and safety.

B) The development of motor cars took place over several decades. Karl Benz is often credited with creating the first practical petrol-driven car in 1885-86. Later inventors improved engines, controls and comfort, and Rudolf Diesel developed the diesel engine in the 1890s, which led to further advances in automotive design.

C) Birds have a wide range of wing sizes adapted to their lifestyles. The wingspan is measured from one wingtip to the other. Among living birds, the wandering albatross has one of the largest wingspans, typically about 8 ft to 11 ft, which helps it glide long distances over the ocean.

D) Birds migrate mainly for better food and nesting conditions. They move from areas with scarce food or unsuitable climate to places where resources are abundant. Many migratory species fly at night to avoid predators and take advantage of calmer air, though migration patterns vary by species.

Writing

Q1: Write a short composition on your initial attempt at learning a skill. You could describe the challenges of learning to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. Make it as humorous as possible.

Ans: I remember my first attempts to learn to swim in the Yamuna near my village. I was frightened of deep water, while the other children seemed to enjoy themselves. One day my uncle decided it was time to teach me. He held me carefully in the shallow water and showed me how to move my arms and kick my legs. I sputtered and splashed in a very undignified manner, and a couple of times I swallowed river water that tasted rather like a soup made by a very careless cook. Still, I kept trying. Each day I practised a little more and my confidence grew. After a few days of steady practice, I could float and then swim a short distance without help. The sight of me later paddling about with a great show of confidence made the other children clap - though I suspect they laughed behind my back for a while. Eventually I learned to swim properly and now I enjoy it whenever I can.

II. The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the Text (Page 40)

Q1: "I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

Ans: The risk was flying directly into a violent storm with failing visibility and instruments, which could easily lead to losing control or running out of fuel. The narrator took this risk because he was eager to get home and did not want to miss the chance of enjoying a proper English breakfast with his family. His desire to reach home led him to make the dangerous choice.

Q2: Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

Ans: As the narrator flew into the storm, the aircraft began to jump and twist violently. Visibility fell to almost nothing and instruments such as the compass stopped working. The situation was terrifying and the fuel was running low, leaving only a short time to find a safe landing. Then a second black aeroplane appeared alongside and signalled to him to follow. Although that plane had no visible lights, the narrator followed and was guided safely to the runway. The whole episode was frightening but ended in a fortunate landing.

Q3: Why does the narrator say, "I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota..."?
Ans: The narrator had experienced the flight as extremely dangerous: the storm, faulty instruments and low fuel made the journey terrifying. After being guided to safety and landing on the runway, he was relieved and wanted to leave behind the shaken plane and that frightening experience. He felt gratitude towards his unknown helper but also a strong wish to forget the ordeal, which is why he was not sorry to walk away from the Dakota.

His relief was mixed with gratitude for the mysterious pilot that guided him, but he also felt sad at not being able to thank that person properly for saving his life.

Q4: What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Ans: The woman at the control centre looked surprised because the radar showed that no other planes were in the air during the storm. When the narrator mentioned a black aeroplane that had guided him, she found this puzzling since the radar recorded only his Dakota as flying at that time.

Thinking about the Language

Q1. 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. __________
Ans:
1. Here 'black' means that the face and hands are very dirty or stained with dust.
2. In this sentence, 'black look' means an angry or threatening look from the taxi-driver.
3. 'Blackest' here describes a crime that is extremely cruel and dark in moral character.
4. 'Black' comedy refers to a kind of dark, grim or cynical humour.
5. Here 'sell in black' means to sell goods illegally or at inflated prices, often during a shortage.
6. 'Black and blue' describes someone who has been badly bruised after being beaten.

Page No: 41

Ans:

Q3. We know that the word 'fly' (of birds/insects) means to move through the air using wings. Tick the words which have the same or nearly the same meaning.

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