Previous Year Questions: Two Stories About Flying - Class 10 PDF Download

Ans: The parents are strict and use tough love to encourage independence.
Explanation:

• Parental Approach: Their shrill calls and threats indicate a strict method to push the seagull to fly.
• Motivation Through Pressure: Upbraiding and threatening starvation show their intent to instill courage.
• Focus on Independence: Their actions aim to teach the seagull to overcome fear and become self-reliant.
• Tough Love: The harsh tone reflects their belief in challenging the seagull to act.

Ans: The little seagull slept in a little hole under the ledge.
Explanation:

• Textual Reference: The extract explicitly states the seagull “ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night.”
• Safety Zone: The hole represents a safe, familiar retreat for the fearful seagull.
• Contrast to Action: It underscores his reluctance to leave this secure space for the risky act of flying.
• Symbol of Fear: The hole symbolizes his dependence and fear of venturing out.

Ans: The young seagull’s reluctance to fly stemmed from his fear that his wings would not support him and the plunge seemed desperate, despite his siblings’ success and parental pressure.
Explanation:

• Self-Doubt: He felt certain his wings were inadequate, causing paralyzing fear.
• Perceived Danger: The “desperate” plunge appeared life-threatening, intensifying his hesitation.
• Comparison to Siblings: His siblings’ success with shorter wings highlighted his lack of confidence.
• Parental Pressure: Despite threats and upbraiding, his fear overpowered their encouragement, preventing action.

Ans: (D) gather
Explanation:
Meaning of ‘Muster Up’: It means to collect or summon courage.
Option Analysis:

• (A) “Review” implies re-examination, not gathering courage.
• (B) “Resolve” suggests determination but lacks the sense of collecting.
• (C) “Distribute” is irrelevant to courage.
• (D) “Gather” aligns with summoning or collecting courage, fitting the context.

Textual Fit: “Gather” accurately replaces “muster up” in describing the seagull’s failure to summon courage.

Ans: The mother used temptation by holding a fish close to the seagull, luring him to dive, triggering his flight instinct.
Explanation:

• Temptation with Food: She dangled a fish near him, exploiting his hunger to prompt action.
• Proximity: Positioning herself just out of reach forced him to move toward her.
• Instinct Trigger: The dive for food instinctively led to his wings flapping, initiating flight.
• Effective Motivation: This strategy overcame his fear, unlike earlier threats, by appealing to survival instincts.

Ans: (C) night
Explanation:

• Textual Evidence: The extract states, “I looked at my watch: one thirty in the morning,” indicating nighttime.
• Supporting Imagery: The moon and stars reinforce the night setting.
• Elimination: Dawn, afternoon, and dusk are inconsistent with the time mentioned.
• Context: The serene night sky aligns with the pilot’s calm mood.

Ans: The writer values family and is emotionally connected to them.
Explanation:

• Emotional Connection: The anticipation of being with family suggests strong familial bonds.
• Motivation: His holiday plans indicate family as a source of joy and motivation.
• Personal Context: The statement reflects a personal, relatable desire for reunion.
• Positive Outlook: His dreaming of family highlights an optimistic, hopeful mindset.

Ans: Favourable
Explanation:

• Contextual Meaning: “Clear sky” implies no clouds, suggesting good weather for flying.
• Correct Choice: “Favourable” aligns with safe, ideal flying conditions.
• Incorrect Choice: “Flavourful” relates to taste, not weather, making it irrelevant.
• Impact: The clear sky enhances the pilot’s calm and confident mood.

Ans: The serene atmosphere, with a clear sky and stars, creates a calm, hopeful mood, enhancing the narrator’s anticipation for his holiday and family reunion, making his journey feel peaceful and promising.
Explanation:

• Serene Imagery: The “clear sky” and “stars” evoke tranquility, boosting the pilot’s happiness.
• Positive Mood: The calm atmosphere mirrors his relaxed, optimistic state.
• Anticipation: The serene setting heightens his excitement for reuniting with family.
• Contrast Setup: The peaceful mood foreshadows upcoming challenges, enhancing narrative tension.

Ans: The young seagull’s fear and reluctance highlight his struggle, but his eventual flight symbolizes courage and independence, showing that overcoming fear is essential for growth.
Explanation:

• Fear as Barrier: His belief that his wings won’t support him prevents initial attempts.
• Reluctance: Staying on the ledge reflects dependence on safety and parental support.
• Courageous Act: Diving for food, prompted by hunger, marks his courageous first flight.
• Independence Achieved: Flying signifies his transition to self-reliance, embodying the story’s theme.

Ans: Pride
Explanation:

• Phrase Meaning: “Proud cackle” implies the family’s joyful expression of approval.
• Context: The cackle follows the seagull’s successful flight, indicating celebration.
• Correct Choice: “Pride” reflects the family’s satisfaction in his achievement.
• Incorrect Choice: “Noise” focuses on sound, ignoring the emotional significance.

Ans: The parents use encouragement, pressure, and temptation to teach independence.
Explanation:

• Encouragement: They demonstrate flying, showing it’s achievable.
• Pressure: They scold and threaten starvation to push him.
• Temptation: The mother lures him with food, triggering his flight.
• Outcome: These methods help him overcome fear and fly independently.

Ans: The parents scold the young seagull for his fear but celebrate his siblings’ flights, reflecting their frustration with his reluctance and pride in others’ success.
Explanation:

• Scolding the Young Seagull: They upbraid him for not flying, frustrated by his fear.
• Reason for Scolding: His hesitation delays his independence, requiring tough love.
• Celebrating Siblings: They praise the siblings’ successful flights with “proud cackle.”
• Reason for Celebration: The siblings’ courage aligns with their goal of fostering independence.

Ans: (B) gobbled
Explanation:
Context: “Devour” likely refers to the seagull eating fish after flying.
Meaning: “Gobbled” means eating quickly and eagerly, fitting the context.
Incorrect Options:

• (A) “Scared” is unrelated to eating.
• (C) “Preserved” implies saving, not consuming.
• (D) “Cooled” is irrelevant.

Textual Fit: “Gobbled” captures the seagull’s hungry, instinctive eating.

Ans: Just before soaring, the young seagull felt intense fear, hunger, and desperation, diving instinctively for food, expecting to fall, yet experiencing the thrill of flight.
Explanation:

• Fear: He believed his wings wouldn’t support him, causing panic.
• Hunger: Starvation drove him to dive for the fish his mother held.
• Desperation: The “desperate plunge” reflects his urgent need to survive.
• Emerging Thrill: The dive sparked an instinctive flapping, initiating his flight experience.

Ans: The seagull was afraid to fly due to self-doubt about his wings. He was alone because his siblings flew, leaving him on the ledge, unwilling to attempt flying.
Explanation:

• Fear of Flying: He doubted his wings’ strength, fearing a fatal fall.
• Source of Fear: The “desperate plunge” seemed too risky, paralyzing him.
• Reason for Solitude: His siblings successfully flew, leaving him behind.
• Parental Strategy: His parents left him alone to pressure him into flying.

Ans: The young seagull overcomes fear through his mother’s motivation, diving for food, which triggers his flight, demonstrating how necessity and encouragement drive success.
Explanation:

• Initial Fear: His doubt about his wings prevents him from flying.
• Motivation: His mother’s fish lures him, sparking instinctive action.
• Overcoming Challenge: Hunger-driven diving leads to successful flight, showing courage.
• Success: Soaring reflects how motivation (hunger, maternal strategy) fosters triumph over fear.

Ans: The young seagull in Two Stories About Flying lacks faith in his wings, overcoming fear through his mother’s strategy, while Lencho in A Letter to God has unwavering faith in God, expecting divine help. The seagull’s faith develops through action, leading to independence; Lencho’s blind faith results in disappointment when his expectations aren’t fully met. Both show faith’s role in facing challenges, but the seagull’s is practical, while Lencho’s is spiritual.
Explanation:

• Seagull’s Faith: Initially doubting his wings, he gains faith through flying, driven by hunger.
• Lencho’s Faith: His absolute belief in God leads him to write for money, expecting miracles.
• Outcome of Faith: The seagull achieves independence; Lencho faces partial disappointment.
• Contrast: The seagull’s faith is practical, action-based; Lencho’s is spiritual, unyielding.
• Commonality: Both rely on faith to confront challenges (fear, crop loss).
• Lesson: Faith drives action but needs realism to avoid disillusionment.

Ans: In His First Flight, the seagull’s self-doubt about his wings delays his flight, but hunger overcomes fear, leading to success. In Madam Rides the Bus, Valli’s curiosity about the bus ride drives her to plan and learn, achieving her goal. Fear hinders, while curiosity enables learning and success.
Explanation:

• Seagull’s Self-Doubt: He fears his wings won’t support him, delaying his flight.
• Overcoming Fear: Hunger and his mother’s fish lure help him dive, achieving flight.
• Valli’s Curiosity: Her desire to ride the bus leads to meticulous planning and observation.
• Learning Through Curiosity: Valli’s bus journey teaches her about the world and life’s realities.
• Common Theme: Fear obstructs progress; curiosity fosters growth and achievement.
• Contrast: The seagull’s success is instinctive; Valli’s is deliberate and planned.