Two Stories About Flying Part-I

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1.Who was there on the ledge with the young seagull for the last twenty-four hours?
(A) his two brothers (B) his sister
(C) his parents (D) he was alone
Ans. (D) he was alone
2. How did the young seagull feel about flying?
(A) afraid (B) enjoyed
(C) willing (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) afraid
3. There was a great expanse of stretched down beneath.
(A) land (B) rocks
(C) sky (D) sea
Ans. (D) sea
4. What were the young seagull’s parents doing to him?
(A) calling to him shrilly (B) upbraiding him
(C) threatening him (D) all of the above
Ans. (D) all of the above
5. Nobody had come near the young seagull for the last :
(A) ten hours (B) twelve hours
(C) twenty hours (D) twenty-four hours
Ans. (D) twenty-four hours
6. His parents were perfecting his brothers and sisters in the art of
(A) flying (B) hunting
(C) swimming (D) chirping
Ans. (A) flying
7. Only one family member was looking at the young seagull. It was his :
(A) father (B) mother
(C) brother (D) sister
Ans. (B) mother
8. Whom did the young seagull beg to bring him some food?
(A) his father (B) his mother
(C) his brothers (D) his sister
Ans. (B) his mother
9. The young seagull dived at the fish maddened by
(A) hunger (B) heat
(C) tiredness (D) sleep
Ans. (A) hunger
10. How did the young seagull fall into the air?
(A) upward (B) downward
(C) both (A) and (B) (D) none of the above
Ans. (C) both (A) and (B)
11. What were the young seagull’s brothers and sister doing around him?
(A) curveting (B) banking
(C) soaring (D) all of the above
Ans. (D) all of the above
12.Of what colour vast sea did the young seagull see beneath him?
(A) blue (B) green
 (C) white (D) brown
Ans. (B) green
13. The seagull dived towards his mother because :
(A) a strong wind pushed him (B) he wanted to fly
(C) he wanted the fish in his mother’s beak (D) he wanted to reach his mother.
Ans. (C) he wanted the fish in his mother’s beak
14. He stood at the edge of the ledge on one leg and closed his eyes because :
(A) he was feeling sleepy (B) it was a natural habit of seagulls
(C) he wanted to get the attention of (D) he was afraid of the sea his family
Ans. (C) he wanted to get the attention of his family
15. The young seagull was afraid to fly because :
(A) he had hurt his wings
(B) his wings were not as well developed as those of his brothers and sister
(C) he felt that his wings could not support him
(D) he was not confident
Ans. (C) he felt that his wings could not support him
16. Who is the author of the lesson ‘His First Flight’?
(A) Fredrick Forsyth (B) Cynthia Moss
(C) Liam O’Flaherty (D) Jayanta Mahapatra
Ans. (C) Liam O’Flaherty
17. Was the young seagull successful in making his first fly?
(A) yes (B) no
(C) may be (D) not known
Ans. (A) yes
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:
1. How did the young seagull’s family celebrate his first flight?
Ans. The young seagull was afraid to fly. Even the encouragement and coaxing didn’t work. But when
the seagull had his first flight, he as well as his family was happy, relieved and proud of him to have
completed his first flight.
2. Flying is a natural act in birds. Then why was the young seagull ‘exhausted by the strange exercise’?
Ans. The seagull didn’t have the courage to fly. Hence, he used to make excuses for not flying. He felt
certain that his wings were too weak to support him. He had no courage to flap his wings and failed to
muster up the courage to take the plunge.
3. ‘The sight of the food maddened him.’ Who is ‘he’ in these lines? Why was he angry? What does this
suggest?
Ans. The young seagull is the ‘he’ in these lines. He had not eaten anything for the last 24 hours. He was
very hungry, hence was angry. His mother went near him with a piece of fish but did not feed him.
Maddened by hunger, the young seagull dived to snatch it but the mother flew away. This shows the
weakness of the young seagull.
4. What was the young seagull’s experience during his first flight?
Ans. Falling from the ledge, the seagull was terrified, but soon he started soaring, and then, flying. He
forgot that he didn’t always know how to fly. His fear soon turned into confidence, and then into
amusement. As he was landing, he was again afraid, but, soon became at ease. It was a memorable first
flight.
5. How did the young seagull’s parents treat him initially when he did not fly?
Ans. First, his parents encouraged him, coaxed him then scolded and taunted him for his cowardice.
They even threatened to let him starve if he did not fly. But the young seagull could not muster up the
courage to fly.
6. Young seagull tried to fly but he could not. Why was he afraid to fly?
Or
Why could the young seagull not fly with his brothers and sisters?
Ans. The young seagull felt certain that his wings were too weak to support him. He had no courage to
flap his wings. Even when each one of his brothers and sisters whose wings was much shorter than his,
ran to the brink of the ledge, flapped their wings and flew away, he failed to muster up the courage to
take that plunge.
7. What did the young seagull do to attract the attention of his mother?
Or
While alone on the ledge, how did the little seagull try to draw the attention of his family?
Ans. He came slowly up to the brink of the ledge and stood on one leg. He hid the other leg under his
wing. He closed one eye and then the other and pretended to be falling asleep. Thus he tried to attract
the attention of his mother.
8. When did the seagull’s flight begin? And where did it end?
Ans. The young seagull’s flight started when he dived trying to snatch the piece of fish from his mother’s
beak. He fell down but instinctively his wings spread out, he flapped them and started flying. His flight
ended after half an hour when he landed on the green sea with his family.
9. Did the seagull think the sea was like land? Pick out the words that suggest this.
Ans. Yes, the seagull thought that the sea was like land. He called it the green landing. When he had
learnt how to fly, he flew for some time. Then he came down and stood on the sea surface thinking it to
be like land. But his legs sank into the sea. ‘Dropped his legs to stand on’, ‘sank into’ and ‘screamed with
fright’ are the words that suggest this.
10. When did the seagull’s flight begin?
Ans. The seagull was very hungry. When he saw his mother bringing food in her beak, he dived towards
her. But he fell from the brink of the ledge. He screamed with fear. But his fear lasted only for a
moment. The next moment he felt that his wings spread outwards. He was flying now. Now he
screamed with joy.
11. Where did the seagull’s flight end?
Ans. The seagull was very happy as he had learnt how to fly. He kept flying for some time. His parents,
brothers and sister flew around him. Then they landed on the sea surface. The seagull also came down.
When he tried to land, his legs sank into the sea. He cried with fear again. But then his belly touched the
water. He did not drown. He started floating on the surface of the sea. Thus his first flight ended.
12. When did the seagull get over his fear of the water?
Ans. After flying for some time, the seagull saw that his parents and brothers and sister were sitting on
the surface of the sea. He came down and landed on it. But his legs sank into it. He cried with fear.
However, his belly touched the surface and he did not drown. Now the seagull got over his fear of the
water.
Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each
Q.1. Compare and contrast the young seagull in the beginning and at the end of the lesson. You can use
the words given in the following box.

frightened coward terrified desperate afraid

impatient confident joyous triumphant amused
 Ans. In the beginning, the seagull is a coward. He lacks confidence. The time has come when he should
fly. His parents try to teach him how to fly. But he is too afraid to fly. He refuses to fly. His parents leave
him alone on the ledge. They threaten him that he would starve. His brothers and sister make fun of
him. They call him a coward. Even then the seagull does not fly. However, he falls from the rock when he
tries to get the fish from his mother. The next moment he flaps his wings and starts flying. Now he is full
of confidence. He starts crying with joy. He flies higher and higher. He is no longer afraid. He overcomes
his fear of the water also. He finds that he can float on the surface of the seta. His family members
praise him and give him pieces of fish to eat. In this way, there is a difference in the behaviour of the
seagull at the beginning and end of the story.
Q.2. Describe the methods used by the seagull family to help the young seagull overcome his fear and
fly.
Ans. This story is about a young seagull. The time had come when he should fly like his parents and
brothers and sister. But he was afraid to fly. His parents tried their best to teach him how to fly. But he
refused to fly. They left him alone on his ledge. They threatened him that he would starve. Even then he
was too afraid to fly. His brothers and sister made fun of him. They laughed at his cowardice. At last, his
mother thought of a plan. She took a piece of fish in her beak and flew towards him. She came near him
but did not land on the ledge. The young seagull was very hungry. He came to the brink of the ledge. In
order to get food, he dived at the fish. But he fell from the rock. He became terrified. But it was only for
a moment. The next moment, he flapped his wings and started flying. In this way, his mother was able
to make him fly.
Q.3. What message does the story ‘His First Flight’ convey?
Ans. This is an imaginary story. The story conveys the message that we learn by taking courage and not
by sitting idle. A young seagull is fed lovingly by his parents. But when the time comes for him to fly, he
feels afraid. His parents try many tricks to teach him to fly. But he is so afraid that he refuses to fly. At
last, his mother hits upon a plan. She tempts him with food in her beak. But she only flies near his ledge
and does not land there. In order to get food, the hungry seagull comes to the edge of the rock and falls
from it. At first, he is terrified but then he opens his wings and starts flying. He is happy to note that he
did not fall in the sea. In this way, the young seagull makes the first flight of his life when he takes
courage.
Q.4. When did the seagull’s flight begin and where did it end?
Or
Describe how the young seagull Or made his maiden flight.
Ans. The seagull was very hungry. When he saw his mother bringing food in her beak, he dived towards
her. But he fell from the brink of the ledge. He screamed with fear. But his fear lasted only for a
moment. The next moment, he felt that his wings spread outwards. He was flying now. Now he
screamed with joy. The seagull was very happy as he had learnt how to fly. He kept flying for some time.
His parents, brothers and sister flew around him. Then they landed on the sea surface. The seagull also
came down. When he tried to land, his legs sank into the sea. He cried with fear again. But then his belly
touched the water. He did not drown. He started floating on the surface of the sea. Thus the seagull
made the first flight of his life.

Q.5. What happened after the seagull had learnt how to fly?
Ans. The seagull came to the brink of the ledge in order to get the fish from his mother. But his mother
remained in the air. a little away from the ledge. The seagull dived at the fish. But he fell from the rock
into space. He cried with fear. But this fear lasted only a moment. The next moment, he flapped his
wings. He was surprised to find that he was flying. He screamed with joy. He soared higher and higher.
His parents flew around him. They praised him for learning how to fly. Then his parents, brothers and
sister landed on the sea. They beckoned the young seagull to come to them. The seagull dropped his
legs and came down on the surface of the sea. He had thought that the surface of the sea was green
flooring. But his legs started sinking into the water. He again screamed with fear. However, his belly
touched the water and he did not drown. He started floating on the water. His family members were
also happy. They gave him pieces of a fish to eat.

Two Stories About Flying Part-II Extra Questions and Answers

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. What was coming up in the east behind the pilot?
(A) the moon (B) the sun
(C) the stars (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) the moon
2. Which plane was the author flying?
(A) Dakota (B) Boing-47
(C) Mig-29 (D) none of the above
Ans. (A) Dakota
3. Which country was the pilot flying over?
(A) England (B) France
(C) India (D) Italy
Ans. (B) France
4. Which country did the pilot belong to?
(A) England (B) France
(C) India (D) Italy
Ans. (A) England
5. What happened when the pilot had covered a distance of 150 kilometres from Paris?
(A) he saw another plane (B) a strong wind began to blow
(C) a heavy rain began to fall (D) there were storm clouds all around
Ans. (D) there were storm clouds all around
6. Inside the clouds how was everything?
(A) green (B) fresh
(C) black (D) all of the above
Ans. (C) black
7. What happened as the plane entered the storm clouds?
(A) the aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air
(B) the compass was dead
(C) the other instruments were suddenly dead
(D) all of the above
Ans. (D) all of the above
8. When the author’s plane was caught in the storm who came to help him?
(A) another aeroplane (B) a helicopter
(C) a god (D) all of the above
Ans. (A) another aeroplane
9. How did the author follow the strange aeroplane?
(A) like a disciplined soldier (B) like an obedient boy
(C) like a mischievous boy (D) all of the above
Ans. (B) like an obedient boy
10. What made the pilot frighten again while following the strange aeroplane?
(A) the density of the storm (B) the technical problem in the engine
(C) the shortage of fuel (D) all of the above
Ans. (C) the shortage of fuel
11. What did the pilot notice when he was safe at the airport?
(A) the other plane was still in the sky (B) the sky was empty
(C) the other plane was following him (D) none of the above
Ans. (B) the sky was empty
12. What was the advice of Paris control?
(A) turn to twelve degrees east (B) turn to twelve degrees west
(C) turn to twelve degrees south (D) turn to twelve degrees north
Ans. (B) turn to twelve degrees west
13. How many fuel tanks were there in the plane DS 088?
(A) one (B) two
(C) three (D) four
Ans. (B) two
14. Did Paris Control hear the pilot the second time he called?
(A) yes (B) no
(C) maybe (D) not know
Ans. (B) no
15. Who is the author of the lesson ‘The Black Aeroplane’?
(A) Cynthia Moss (B) Frederick Forsyth
(C) Kofi Annan (D) Liam O’Flaherty
Ans. (B) Frederick Forsyth

Extra Very Short Answer Type Important Questions

VERY SHORT ANSWERS.
Q.1. Why was the pilot happy? Give two reasons.
Ans. He was happy because he was flying up above the sleeping countryside. Secondly, he was going to
be with his family.
Q.2. Why did the pilot call the Paris Control Room the first time?
Ans. He called the Paris Control Room to guide him on his way to England.
Q.3. What was the advice of the Paris Control?
Ans. The Paris Control advised him to turn twelve degrees west.
Q.4. How many fuel tanks were there on the plane? How much fuel was left?
Ans. There were two fuel tanks on the plane. There was fuel for five or ten minutes only.
Q.5. What did the pilot encounter 150 kilometres from Paris?
Ans. He encountered big stormy clouds 150 kilometres from Paris.
Q.6. Why did the pilot fly straight into the storm instead of returning to Paris?
Ans. He did not return to Paris because he wanted to get home.
Q.7. Did Paris control hear the pilot the second time he called? Why?
Ans. The Paris Control did not hear him because his radio had gone dead.
Q.8. Which plane was the narrator flying?
Ans. He was flying the old Dakota plane DS088.
Q.9. Which country was the narrator flying his plane over?
Ans. He was flying his plane over France.
Q.10. What type of story is the ‘Black Aeroplane ?’
Ans. It is a mysterious story.

Short Answer Type Important Questions

Answer the following questions in 30.40 words:
1. What happened when the author turned the aeroplane twelve degrees west towards England?
Ans. The author saw the huge storm clouds that looked like black mountains standing in front of him
across the sky.
2. Explain the statement: ‘I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient child.
Ans. The pilot came across huge storm clouds. He could neither go above them nor go around them due
to lack of fuel. Then, he saw a black plane without lights on wings, flying near his plane. Its pilot waved
and signaled him to follow him. The author did not have much choice but to follow him.
3. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the pilot of the old Dakota take it?
Ans. The risk is that of going through the storm in the narrator’s old Dakota aeroplane. He flew through
as he did not have fuel to fly around them, and couldn’t fly over them. Also, he wanted to get home for
a big English breakfast.
4. Why did the pilot think of going back to Paris?
Ans. The pilot came across huge storm clouds that seemed to him like black mountains. He could neither
go above them nor go around them due to lack of fuel. That was when he thought of returning to Paris.
5. Which two options did the pilot of’ the Dakota plane have when he encountered the storm clouds
on his way? What did he decide to do? Why?
Ans. The two options he had were: either to go back to Paris or to go through the storm clouds. He
decided to go through the storm clouds because he wanted to reach home and spend the holiday with
his family.
6. Why could the woman in the control room not help the pilot of Dakota?
Ans. When the pilot of the Dakota plane asked the woman in the control centre about the black
aeroplane and its pilot, she could not help him because she had seen no other plane flying that night on
the radar.
7. Describe the black clouds from the point of view of the pilot.
Ans. The writer was going from France to England. He was flying his Dakota aeroplane. When he had
gone 150 kilometres from France, he saw storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black
mountains standing in front of him across the sky.
8. Recount the experience of the pilot of the Dakota inside the black clouds.
Ans. The pilot found that everything was black inside the clouds. It was impossible to see anything
outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane rolled and jumped in the air. The compass and other
instruments stopped working. Suddenly his radio also went dead.
9. HOW did the black aeroplane rescue the first pilot?
Ans. The pilot of the black aeroplane waved his hand. He gestured the first pilot to follow him. The
writer followed him. He followed the black plane for half an hour. Suddenly, his plane was out of the
clouds. He could see the lights of the airport and landed his aeroplane. In this way, the black aeroplane
rescued the first pilot.
10. Was the pilot of the Dakota able to meet the pilot of the black?
Ans. No, he was not able to meet the pilot of the black aeroplane. When he was going to land his plane,
he looked behind him. But the black plane was not there. The sky was empty. The woman at the control
centre told him that no other planes were flying on that stormy night.
11. Describe the black clouds from the point of view of the pilot.
 Ans. The writer was going from France to England. He was flying his Dakota aeroplane. When he had
gone 150 kilometres from Paris, he saw storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black mountains
standing in front of him across the sky.
12. Why did the writer feel frightened once again?
Ans. The pilot of the black plane waved to the writer to follow him. The writer flew his plane behind
him for half an hour. He found that there was fuel in his aeroplane for five or ten minutes more. So he
felt frightened once again.
13. Why was the narrator happy and what was he dreaming of?
Ans. It was a clear and cloudless night. The moon had come up in the east. Stars were shining above.
The narrator was happy. He was flying high up above the sleeping countryside. He was dreaming of his
holiday and being with his family.
14. Why and when did he call Paris control-room?
Ans. It was one thirty in the morning. He wanted to call Paris control. He switched on the radio and told
that Dakota DS 088 was on his way to England. The narrator got the necessary instruction that he
needed. He was asked to turn twelve degrees west towards England.
15. What did he find when he checked the map and the compass?
Ans. The narrator checked the map and the compass. He switched over to his second and last fuel tank.
He turned the Dakota twelve degrees west towards England. He thought that he would be in time for
breakfast. Everything was going well and it was an easy flight.

Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each
1. The narrator made every possible endeavour to save himself. He did not lose hope in direct
situations. What values helped him endure the critical situation bravely? Or
The narrator knew that he could not fly up due to storm and lack of fuel but still, he continued. What
kind of person was he? Was it not in his nature to accept defeat? Discuss the values one should
possess to accept failures to be able to move ahead in life.
Ans. The author’s plane did not have enough fuel. He knew that because of the paucity of fuel, he could
not fly up and over the clouds nor he could fly around them to the north or south. But then he decided
to take the risk to enter his plane in the clouds because he wanted to go home and wanted to join his
family at breakfast. This shows that he was a family-loving person. He was courageous as he knew that it
would be risky to enter the clouds, but he did so in order to save his fuel.
2.”Everything was going well. It was an easy flight.” What went wrong suddenly?
Or
Describe the flight of the Dakota aeroplane until it landed safely at the airport.
Ans. The flight of old Dakota started in Paris and headed towards England. It was an easy flight, the sky
was clear and the weather fine. When it reached 150 km away from Paris, it suddenly confronted huge
black storm clouds. He had limited fuel only to take him to England. He could go back to Paris but he
decided to take the risk and go through the storm clouds because he wanted to spend the holiday with
his family.
In the storm clouds, it was pitch day. His compass, radio and some other instruments stopped working.
He could not contact Paris control room to know the direction. Suddenly he saw a black aeroplane. Its
pilot guided and brought him safely out of storm clouds. He saw the runway and landed at the airport.
4. The author asks a question at the end, “Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane?” Try to
answer this question.
Ans. “The Black Aeroplane’ is an interesting story. The writer is a pilot. One day, he was returning from
France in his Dakota aeroplane. He was going to England. Suddenly, he saw huge storm clouds on his
way. He had not much fuel in his plane. So he could not fly around the clouds. He took a risk and
entered the clouds. His compass and other instruments failed. His radio also went out of order. The
writer’s life was in danger. Suddenly, he saw a black aeroplane near him. The pilot of the plane gestured
him to follow him. The writer followed him and landed his plane safely. But when he looked back, he did
not find the black aeroplane anywhere. The woman at the control tower told him that there had been
no other plane that night. Then who saved the writer’s life? Who was the pilot of the black aeroplane?
The writer had no answer to these questions. Thus it is a mysterious story.
5. Describe the flight of the pilot before he encountered dark clouds.
Or
Describe the flight of the Dakota aeroplane until it landed safely at the airport.
Ans. The writer of this story is a pilot. One night he was flying his old Dakota aeroplane over France. It
was a starry night. He was going to England. He hoped to spend his holiday with his family. It was an
easy journey and he was in a joyful mood. He looked at his watch. It was one thirty in the morning.
Through his wireless, he contacted the Paris Control. They told him to turn twelve degrees west. He did
as he was advised to do. He was 150 kilometres from Paris. Suddenly the writer saw huge black clouds
before him. It was not possible to fly up and over the clouds. He had not much fuel with him. So it was
not possible to fly around the big mountains of clouds to the right or left. He decided to take the risk and
flew his aeroplane straight into the clouds.
6. How was the writer rescued?
Ans. The writer flew his aeroplane into the big dark clouds. As he entered the clouds, everything
suddenly went black. He found that his compass had ceased to work. He tried to contact the Paris
Control for directions. But he was shocked to find that his radio had also stopped working. Suddenly, the
writer saw a black aeroplane near him. He could also sec the pilot in it. The pilot waved the writer to
follow him. He followed the black aeroplane like an obedient child. Now it was half an hour since the
writer had been follow-, the black aeroplane. He was worried because the fuel in his plane could last
only five or ten minutes. But just’ then the black aeroplane started to go down and the writer followed
it. Suddenly the writer was out of the doods. He could see the lights of the runway of the airport. The
writer landed his Dakota aeroplane. In this, may, he was rescued.
7. Why and when did the narrator say that ‘everything was going well it was an easy flight’?
Ans. After the old Dakota left Paris 150 kilometres behind, it enjoyed smooth sailing in the air.
Everything was going well. The narrator was enjoying rather an easy flight. The moon was coming up in
the east and stars were shining in the clear sky. The aeroplane was flying up above the sleeping
countryside. It was flying over France back to England. The narrator was dreaming of his holiday and
looking forward to being with his family. He contacted Paris control. He was asked to tum 12 degrees
west. He looked at his watch. It was only thirty in the morning. It was only after he had left Paris 150
kilometres behind when he faced the terrible storm clouds. Before this, it was really an enjoyable and
safe journey.
8. The narrator had two options of avoiding the terrible storm clouds. Why didn’t he use them?
Was his decision of flying straight into storm clouds a sound decision? Give a reasoned answer.
Ans. The narrator could see black mountains of clouds all around him. They were storm clouds. He had
two options and by using them he could avoid the terrible storm clouds. He could go back to Paris. He
had left Paris 150 kilometres behind. He wanted to go back but the temptation of having an early
breakfast at home stopped him. He couldn’t fly up and above the storm clouds either. He didn’t have
enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south.
It seems that flying back to Paris would have been the best option in those circumstances. He couldn’t
fly north and south of the storm as he hadn’t enough fuel in the second tank. His decision of flying
straight into the storm clouds was motivated by his having an early English breakfast with his family. It
was rather a bold but risky decision. He would have been in deep trouble, had the pilot of the strange
black aeroplane not helped him to safety.