CBSE Class 10 English First Flight NCERT Solutions: Two Stories about Flying

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NCERT Solutions PDF Class 10 PDF

This resource provides detailed NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 10 English 'First Flight' textbook, focusing on Chapter 3, 'Two Stories about Flying'. It covers two distinct narratives: the young seagull's struggle with fear and hunger, and a pilot's perilous journey through a storm in 'The Black Aeroplane'. The solutions break down the text, explaining the characters' motivations, the risks taken, and the underlying themes of courage, instinct, and the unknown. These explanations are designed to help students grasp the nuances of the stories, analyze character development, and understand the plot effectively. By offering clear, step-by-step answers and insightful interpretations, these NCERT Solutions serve as an excellent tool for students to revise the chapter, clarify doubts, and strengthen their comprehension for upcoming examinations.

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BoardCBSE
ClassClass 10
SubjectFirst Flight
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
Chapter3. Two Stories about Flying

Chapter summary

This chapter's NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 10 English 'First Flight' delve into 'Two Stories about Flying'. It offers detailed explanations for questions related to the young seagull's initial fear of flying and the instincts that eventually drive him to take flight. It also covers 'The Black Aeroplane', exploring the pilot's risky decision to fly into a storm, his terrifying experience, and the mysterious encounter with another plane. The solutions focus on character analysis, plot comprehension, and thematic understanding of courage and survival.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the young seagull's fear and the role of hunger in overcoming it.
  • Analyze the motivations behind the parents' actions towards the young seagull.
  • Explain the risks taken by the narrator in 'The Black Aeroplane'.
  • Describe the narrator's experience inside the storm.
  • Interpret the significance of the mysterious black aeroplane.
  • Identify themes of courage, fear, and instinct in the stories.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Overcoming fear
  • Instinct and survival
  • Parental encouragement
  • Facing challenges
  • The unknown
  • Courage
  • Piloting
  • Storms
  • Mystery
  • Decision making

Important topics

  • The young seagull's fear and flight
  • The role of hunger and instinct
  • The narrator's decision to fly into the storm
  • Experience within the storm
  • The mystery of the black aeroplane
  • Themes of courage and overcoming fear

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

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?
Solution: The young seagull was afraid to fly primarily because of his fear of the vast, open sea stretching out beneath the cliff and a lack of confidence in his own ability to fly. It is likely that most young birds experience some apprehension before their first flight, as it is a new and potentially dangerous undertaking. However, individual temperaments vary; some birds might be naturally more timid and hesitant, while others could be bolder and more eager to try. Similarly, a human baby's first steps are a significant developmental milestone that often involves a challenge, requiring a balance of developing physical coordination and overcoming the fear of falling.

Question 2

"The sight of the food maddened him." What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
Solution: The phrase "The sight of the food maddened him" suggests that the young seagull's hunger had reached an unbearable intensity, overriding his fear. His longing for food became so powerful that it drove him to a state of desperation. What ultimately compelled the young seagull to fly was this intense hunger. Seeing his mother tear at a piece of fish and bring it closer, his instinct and desire for sustenance became stronger than his fear of the height and the sea. His desperate lunge for the food in his mother's beak initiated his first flight.

Question 3

"They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. "Why did the seagull's father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Solution: The seagull's father and mother threatened and cajoled him to fly because he was paralyzed by fear and refused to make his first attempt, even while watching his siblings learn. They understood that flying was essential for his survival and to find food. Their scolding, taunting, and threats, such as letting him starve on the ledge, were intended to push him beyond his fear and encourage him to use his natural ability to fly. They wanted him to overcome his timidity and join the rest of the family in their natural element.

Question 1

"I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Solution: The risk the narrator refers to is flying his aeroplane directly into a massive, dark storm cloud. This is a dangerous undertaking because storms involve severe turbulence, lightning, heavy rain, and poor visibility, which can easily lead to a crash. The narrator decides to take this significant risk because he is desperate to reach Paris in time to celebrate Christmas with his family. He wants to get home for the holidays and chooses to brave the storm rather than turn back or delay his journey.

Question 2

Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Solution: As the narrator flew his aeroplane into the storm, his experience became terrifying. Everything outside turned black, and the plane began to jump and twist violently in the air due to the severe turbulence. He lost all visual contact with the outside world. When he checked his instruments, he found that the compass was spinning erratically, and the radio and other essential instruments had stopped working, leaving him completely disoriented and unable to navigate. In this critical situation, he suddenly saw another aeroplane, dark and without lights, flying nearby. The pilot of that plane waved, seemingly asking him to follow, which he did, hoping it would lead him to safety.

Question 3

Why does the narrator say, "I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota..."?
Solution: The narrator says he was not sorry to walk away from his old Dakota aeroplane because he was immensely relieved and grateful to have landed safely after such a harrowing experience in the storm. His primary emotion was joy and thankfulness for surviving the dangerous flight. Although he felt a pang of regret that he couldn't thank the pilot of the mysterious black aeroplane who had guided him to safety, this feeling was overshadowed by his relief at being alive and on solid ground, reunited with his family.

Question 4

What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Solution: The woman in the control centre looked at the narrator strangely because of his question about the other aeroplane and its pilot. When the narrator asked her about the mysterious black aeroplane that had guided him through the storm, she informed him that no other aircraft had been visible on their radar during that time. The storm had already begun, and it was unusual for any plane to be flying, let alone for another plane to have been present and guiding him without being detected.

Common mistakes

  • Confusing the seagull's fear with a lack of ability rather than a psychological barrier.
  • Underestimating the role of instinct and hunger in driving action.
  • Misinterpreting the ending of 'The Black Aeroplane' or the pilot's intentions.
  • Not fully appreciating the narrator's desperation to reach his family.

Revision tips

  • Reread both stories, focusing on the emotional states of the main characters.
  • Compare and contrast the challenges faced by the young seagull and the pilot.
  • Discuss the role of external factors (hunger, storm, other planes) in the characters' decisions.
  • Pay attention to descriptive language used to portray fear and danger.
  • Consider the author's message about overcoming fear and facing the unknown.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What was the primary reason the young seagull was afraid to fly?

Q2. What ultimately compelled the young seagull to fly?

Q3. What risk did the narrator in 'The Black Aeroplane' decide to take?

Q4. Why did the narrator want to reach Paris?

Q5. What happened to the narrator's instruments when he entered the storm?

Q6. Who or what does the narrator believe guided him out of the storm?

Q7. How did the woman in the control centre react to the narrator's question about the other plane?

Frequently asked questions

What are the two stories covered in Chapter 3 of CBSE Class 10 First Flight?

Chapter 3 covers two stories: the first is about a young seagull learning to fly, and the second is 'The Black Aeroplane' by Fredrick Forsyth, about a pilot's encounter with a mysterious plane during a storm.

Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

The young seagull was afraid to fly because he was scared of the vast sea below and lacked the confidence to take his first flight, despite his family's encouragement.

What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?

The young seagull's intense hunger, particularly the sight of his mother tearing at a fish, overpowered his fear and compelled him to dive, leading to his first flight.

What risk did the narrator take in 'The Black Aeroplane'?

The narrator took the risk of flying his aeroplane directly into a large, black storm cloud, which was extremely dangerous.

Why did the narrator fly into the storm?

He flew into the storm because he was eager to reach Paris to celebrate Christmas with his family and wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

Who or what helped the narrator navigate through the storm?

The narrator was guided by a mysterious black aeroplane and its pilot, whom he followed until he safely landed.

Why was the woman in the control centre surprised?

She was surprised because the narrator asked about the other aeroplane, but the radar showed no other aircraft in the sky during the storm.

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