NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 4
Chapter Name From the Diary of Anne Frank
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 51)

Question 1.
What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank ?
Answer:
Two reasons make writing in a diary a strange experience. One, she has never written anything before. Second, perhaps no one will be interested in the thoughts of a thirteen- year-old school girl.

Question 2.
Why does Anne want to keep a diary ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
Anne wants to keep a diary because she had hardly any friends to confide in. Secondly, she can’t talk about day-to-day happenings. In keeping a diary she would do so.

Question 3.
Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people ?
Answer:
Anne thought so because she doesn’t have a true friend to confide in. She treats the diary not to use it the way most people use. But she would treat it as her best friend. Then diary would be closer than any friend.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 51)

Question 1.
Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life ?
Answer:
Anne provides a brief sketch of her life. She feels that no one would understand her stories in her diary if she did not write about her life.

Question 2.
What tells you that Annq loved her grandmother ?
Answer:
She loved her grandmother. It was because her parents went to Holland leaving her with her grandmother in Aachen. Her sister Margot also lived with her. Then she lived with her till she was six.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 54)

Question 1.
Why was Mr. Keesing annoyed with Anne ? What did he ask her to do ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
Mr. Keesing taught Mathematics to the author’s class. He was annoyed with Anne. It was because she talked so much. He warned her several times. But she couldn’t stop talking. She continued talking. He even gave her extra homework. But she still talked and talked.

After several warnings he gave her an essay on the subject ‘A Chatterbox’.

Question 2.
How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay ?
Answer:
In her essay she justified so by stating that talking was a student’s trait. She would do her best to cure herself of the habit. Her mother talked as much as she did if not more. Nothing could be done about inherited traits.

Question 3.
Do you think Mr. Keesing was a strict teacher ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
Mr. Keesing was not a strict teacher. In fact, he was a jovial kind of teacher. He was interested more that students should be taught practically.

Question 4.
What made Mr. Keesing allow Anne to talk in class ?
Answer:
Mr. Keesing allowed Anne to talk in the class after the joke Anne had played on him. He took Anne’s joke in right spirit. He read the poem to the class adding his own comments. He read it to several classes as well.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 54)

Question 1.
Was Anne right when she said that the world would not be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old girl ?
Answer:
Yes, Anne was right in saying so. It was because the world usually is interested in reading things of great men. They may be politicians, statesmen or heavyweights in other fields of life.

Question 2.
There are some examples of diary or journal entries in the ‘Before You Read’ section. Compare these with what Anne writes in her diary. What language was the diary originally written in ? In what way is Anne’s diary different ?
Answer:
Anne mixes her diary writing with a few things of journals or memoirs. She uses her own genre of writing her diary. Her diary was written originally in Dutch language. It is different as it doesn’t follow the appropriate format. It is a mix of a journal, memoir, diary and log.

Question 3.
Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch about her family ? Does she treat ‘Kitty’ as an insider or an outsider ?
Answer:
Anne needs to give a brief sketch about her family. Without it no one will be interested in reading a diary of a small girl. She treats ‘Kitty’ as diary as an insider only.

Question 4.
How does Anne feel about her father, her grandmother, Mrs. Kuperus and Mr. Keesing ? What do these tell you about her ?
Answer:
Anne looks at her parents ‘adorable’. She is all love for her grandmother. She feels equally for her headmistress Mrs. Kuperus. She was in tears when Mrs. Kuperus was bidden farewell. She also loves her teacher Mr. Keesing though she calls him ‘old fogey’. These tell that she is an affectionate girl.

Question 5.
What does Anne write in her first essay ?
Answer:
Anne writes in her first essay that talking is a student’s trait. She would do her best to keep talking under control. Her mother also talked much. She had inherited this trait from her mother. Not much can be done about inherited traits.

Question 6.
Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr. Keesing unpredictable ? How ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
Mr. Keesing is unpredictable. He gives and gives homework to Anne as a punishment. She does it as rightly as she can. She hopes that after the last essay, Mr. Keesing would give her homework again. But instead he allows Anne to talk in the class. He also doesn’t give her homework again.

Question 7.
What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person ?

  1. We don’t seem to be able to get any closer, and that’s the problem. Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other.
  2. I don’t want to jot down the facts in this diary the way most people would, but I want the diary to be my friend.
  3. Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in February, when f was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
  4. If you ask me, there are so many dummies that about a quarter of the class should be kept back, but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on earth.
  5. Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking.

Answer:

  1. Anne is reserved
  2. She is self-confident and inventive
  3. She is humorous also.
  4. She is intelligent
  5. She has a sense of propriety and convincingness.

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

I. Look at the following words.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank 1
These words are compound words. They are made up of two or more words. Compound words can be :

  • nouns : headmistress, homework, notebook, outbursts
  • adjectives : long-awaited, stiff-backed
  • verbs : sleep-walk, baby-sit

Match the compound words under ‘A’ with their meanings under ‘B’ Use each in a sentence.

A B
1. Heartbreaking — obeying and respecting the law
2. Homesick — think about pleasant things, forgetting about the present
3. Blockhead — something produced by a person, machine or organisation
4. Law-abiding — producing great sadness
5. Overdo — an occasion when vehicles/machines stop working
6. Daydream — an informal word which means a very stupid person
7. Breakdown — missing home and family very much
8. Output — do something to an excessive degree

Answers:

  • = (iv)
  • = (vii)
  • = (vi)
  • = (t)
  • = (viii)
  • = (ii)
  • = (v)
  • = (iii)

Use in Sentences

  1. The news of her mother’s death is heart-breaking.
  2. The soldiers get homesick on festive occasions.
  3. You can not mend the ways of a blockhead.
  4. Even the protectors of law are not law-abiding.
  5. Don’t overdo the salt in the food.
  6. Daydreaming does not prove fruitful in the long run.
  7. Our car had a breakdown and a mechanic was called.
  8. The manufacturing output has increased recently.

II. Phrasal Verbs

1. The text you’ve just read has a number of phrasal verbs commonly used in English. Look up the following in a dictionary for their meanings (under the entry for the italicised word). (Page 56)

  1. plunge (right) in
  2. kept back
  3. ramble on
  4. get along with

2. Now find the sentences in the lesson that have the phrasal verbs given below. Match them with their meanings. (You have already found out the meanings for some of them.) Are their meanings the same as that of their parts ? (Note that two parts of a phrasal verb may occur separated in the text.)

  1. plunge in (a) speak or write without focus
  2. kept back (b) stay indoors
  3. move up (c) make (them) remain quiet
  4. ramble on (d) have a good relationship with
  5. get along with (e) give an assignment (homework) to a person in authority (the teacher)
  6. calm down (f) compensate
  7. stay in (g) go straight to the topic
  8. make up for (h) go to the next grade
  9. hand in (i) not promoted

Answers:

  1. → (g)
  2. → (i)
  3. → (h)
  4. → (a)
  5. → (d)
  6. → (c)
  7. → (b)
  8. → (f)
  9. → (e)

III. Idioms

Idioms are groups of words with a fixed order, and a particular meaning, different from the meanings of each of their words put together. (Phrasal verbs can also be idioms ; they are said to be ‘idiomatic’ when their meaning is unpredictable.) For example, do you know what it means to ‘meet one’s match’ in English ? It means to meet someone who is as good as oneself, or even better, in some skill or quality. Do you know what it means to ‘let the cat out of the bag’ ? Can you guess ?

1. Here are a few sentences from the text which have idiomatic expressions. Can you say what each means ? (You might want to consult a dictionary first.)

  1. Our entire class is quaking in its boots
  2. Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart
  3. Mr Keesing was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much
  4. Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him

2. Here are a few other idiomatic expressions that occur in the text. Try to use them in sentences of your own.

  1. caught my eye
  2. he’d had enough
  3. laugh ourselves silly
  4. can’t bring myself to

Answers:

‘Let the cat out of the bag’ means ‘let the reality come out’.

1.

  1. Our entire class is talking and talking too much.
  2. Until then, we keep telling each other that we should not feel discouraged.
  3. Mr. Keesing was annoyed with me for a very long period.
  4. Mr. Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure that the joke would be on him only.

2.

  1. The thief had nearly escaped but his mask caught my eye.
  2. We had had enough of Goa ; so we came the next day.
  3. We laughed ourselves silly when our joke recoiled on us.
  4. I can’t bring myself to understand that you stole my purse.

WRITING

Question 1.
Now you know what a diary is and how to keep one. Can you keep a diary for a week recording the events that occur ? You may share your diary with your class, if you wish to. Use the following hints to write your diary.

  • Though your diary is very pnvate, write as if you are writing for someone else.
  • Present your thoughts in a convincing manner.
  • Use words that convey your feelings, and words that ‘paint pictures’ for the reader. Be brief.

‘Diary language’ has some typical features such as subjectless sentences (Got up late in the morning), sentence fragments without subjects or verbs (…too bad, boring, not good), contracted forms (they’re, I’ve, can’t, didn’t, etc.), and everyday expressions which people use in speech. Remember not to use such language in more formal kinds of writing.

Answer:

Yes, I can keep a diary for a week. In fact, I have a diary of my own. I write it whenever I have a liking for it. Yesterday I wrote a page. It goes like this :

Class teacher distributed answer books of Dec. test. Was feeling nervous. Legs were shaking. Heart beat before I’s given my AB. Had expected very good marks. Was second. Checked where I’d got less marks. Went to teacher with AB. Asked he’d given less marks to one question. Made me see that he’d checked the AB with seriousness. Shall work hard and get more marks next time …

Note: Students shall see that the above entry has all that is referred to in the above question.

LISTENING

Your teacher will read out the following extract from The Diary of Samuel Pepys (given on the next page) about the great fire of London ! As you listen complete this summary of the happenings.

Summary

This entry in the diary has been made on (a) ………………. by (b) ………………. The person who told Pepys about the fire was called (c) ………………. She called at (d) ………………. in the morning. Pepys went back to sleep because (e) ………………. Pepys rose again at (f) ………………. in the morning. By then about (g) ………………. houses had been burned down. The fire had spread to (h) ………………. by London Bridge. Pepys then walked to the (i) ………………. along with Sir J. Robinson’s (j) ……………….

Answers

(a) September 2nd (Lord’s Day)
(b) Samuel Pepys
(c) Jane
(d) about three
(e) the fire was on the backside of Marke-Lane at the farthest
(f) seven
(g) 300
(h) all fish market
(i) Tower
(j) little son

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 4 From the Diary of Anne Frank, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 9
Chapter Name Madam Rides the Bus
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 119)

Question 1.
What was Valli’s favourite pastime ?
Answer:
Valli’s favourite pastime was to stand in the front doorway of her house. It was to watch what was happening in the street outside.

Question 2.
What was a source of unending joy for Valli ? What was her strongest desire ?
Answer:
The sight of the bus with new passengers was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest desire was to ride on that bus.

Question 3.
What did Valli find out about the bus journey ? How did she find out these details ?
Or
What details did Valli pick up about the bus journey ? How did she pick up these details ?
Answer:
Valli found out that the town was six miles from the village. The fare was thirty paise one way. She found out these details about the bus etc, after hearing the passengers’ conversation.

Question 4.
What do you think Valli was planning to do ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
Valli planned to ride on the bus. She could take the one-o’clock afternoon bus. She would reach the town at one forty-five. She would be back home by about two forty-five.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 122)

Question 1.
Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’ ? (CBSE 2015)
Answer:
The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she behaved like a very great woman. She was quick in her answers to the conductor’s questions. Also she spoke with great confidence. This made him address her as ‘madam’.

Question 2.
Why does Valli stand up on the seat ? What does she see now ?
Answer:
Valli stands up on the seat. It was because she couldn’t see outside. The bus curtain had covered the lower part of her window. Now, she sees the canal and other things beyond it.

Question 3.
What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child ?
Answer:
Valli told the elderly man that there was nobody there who was a child. She said she had paid her fare of thirty paise like everyone else.

Question 4.
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman ?
Answer:
Valli did not want to make friends with the elderly woman. It was because she looked ‘repulsive’ and smelled foul.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 125)

Question 1.
How did Valli save up money for her first journey ? Was it easy for her ?
Answer:
Valli saved up money for her first journey. She didn’t buy peppermints, toys, balloons etc. It was difficult for her.

Question 2.
What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh ?
Answer:
Valli saw a cow which had come before the bus with her raised tail. The driver sounded the horn. But the more he honked, the more frightened the animal became. It ran faster. It made her laugh.

Question 3.
Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station ?
Answer:
Valli didn’t get off the bus at the bus station in the town. It was because she was going back on the same bus.

Question 4.
Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink ? What does this tell you about her ? (CBSE 2015)
Answer:
Valli did not want to go to the stall and have a drink. It was because she didn’t have the money for that. She also declined the offer of a drink by the conductor. It tells that she was a wise, self-confident and self-respecting girl.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 127)

Question 1.
What was Valli’s deepest desire ? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Answer:
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus. It ran from her village to the nearby town. These words and phrases are : ‘Day after day she watched the bus’, ‘she wanted to ride on that bus, ‘This wish became stronger and stronger,’ ‘until it was an overwhelming desire.’ It crept in her due to the passengers riding it and talking about their journey to and fro the town.

Question 2.
How did Valli plan her bus ride ? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare ?
Answer:
Valli planned her bus ride after knowing all the related facts. These were like the fare, the time it took to reach the town, when it started to and fro.

She found out all these details about the bus from the talks of the passengers. She also asked the people about these things to know about them.

Question 3.
What kind of a person is Valli ? To answer this question, pick out the following sentences from the text and fill in the blanks. The words you fill in are the clues to your answer.

  1. “Stop the bus ! Stop tjie bus !” And a tiny hand was raised ……….
  2. “Yes, I ………. go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.
  3. “There’s nobody here ………. ” she said haughtily, “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
  4. “Never mind,” she said, “I can ………. You don’t have to help me.” “I’m not a child. I tell you,” she said, ……….
  5. ‘You needn’t bother about me. I ………. ” Valli said, turning her face toward the window and staring out.
  6. Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope ………. ”

Answer:

  1. commandingly
  2. simply have to
  3. who’s a child
  4. get on by myself; haughtily/ irritably
  5. can take care of myself
  6. to see you again.

Valli is self-confident. She has a commanding nature. She is determined also. She is self-dependent. She gets irritated if things don’t move her way and others hold a low opinion about her. She has an amiable nature also. She is more wise than her age.

Question 4.
Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’ ?
Answer:
The conductor refers to Valli as ‘madam’. It is because she behaves more like an educated, mature and self-confident woman. She is self-dependent. She knows more about things than other children of her age.

Question 5.
Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
Answer:
These lines are : ‘Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee,’ ‘Somehow this was very funny to Valli,’ ‘She laughed and laughed …,’ ‘Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.’

Question 6.
Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
Valli refuses to look out of the window on her way back. It is because the beautiful creature now looked horrible. The memory of the dead cow haunted her. It dampened her enthusiasm about life.

Question 7.
What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Answer:
Valli means that many things happen in our midst and in the world outside. We do not know about them all. Even if we know we can’t understand the things completely.

Question 8.
The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement ?
Answer:
The following evidence is from the text to support it: ‘The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town,’ ‘Valli devoured everything with her eyes,’ ‘Oh, it was all so wonderful!’ palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky, Valli’s standing to look outside when the bus curtain covers the lower part of her window, ‘Somehow this was very funny to Valli’ (seeing the cow run ahead of the bus), ‘She laughed and laughed ……… ’, ‘Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.’

SPEAKING
This story has a lot of people talking in it. The
Answer:
— For self attempt.

WRITING
Write a page—about three paragraphs—on one of the following topics.

Question 1.
Have you ever planned something entirely on your own, without taking grown-ups into your confidence ? What did you plan, and how ? Did you carry out your plan ?
Answer:
I remember I made a plan to visit Delhi on my own. We lived in a town near to Delhi. I wanted to buy a few books when I was about 12 years old.

I talked to my uncle to buy the books from shops at Nai Sarak. I enquired about the bus or train timing to and fro. Then I planned at what time I would go by bus or train.

When I went there, I was wonderstruck at the crowd. I reached Nai Sarak. I asked different bookshops for my books. I got them and thought of returning. It was my first visit to Delhi. I was amazed to see things around me. These were like buildings, roads, various vehicles, temples, Red Fort etc. It was a strange experience for me who lived in a village. I wondered how people lived such a busy life !

Question 2.
Have you made a journey that was unforgettable in some way ? What made it memorable 1
Answer:
I also remember a journey that became unforgettable. I was travelling from Meerut to my place of residence in Delhi. There was a big crowd in the bus. Passengers stood face to face. Somebody picked my pocket.

The conductor came. I put my hand on my pocket to buy the ticket. But to my horror my purse had gone. I went pale but for a moment. I told the conductor about my plight. He didn’t believe. But when I showed him my cut-out pocket, he believed.

A kind person offered money to buy my fare. I saw him an angel. After reaching home, I sent that person the money by money order. I can’t forget this, though I had only fifty rupees in my purse. But the scene was quite insulting for no fault of my own.

Question 3.
Are you concerned about traffic, and road safety ? What are your concerns ? How would you make road travel safer and more enjoyable ?
Answer:
— For self attempt.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 9 Madam Rides the Bus, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 8
Chapter Name Mijbil the Otter
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 106)

Question 1.
What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for ?
Answer:
Camusfearna would be suitable for keeping an otter. It is because it was ringed by water at a very short distance. Otters live mainly in water.

Question 2.
Why does he go to Basra ? How long does he wait there, and why ?
Answer:
The author went to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer mail from Europe. He waited there for five days. It was because there were various problems in getting the mail.

Question 3.
How does he get the otter ? Does he like it ? Pick out the words that tell you this.
Or
How did Max get an otter ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
He got the otter from the two Arabs. He went to the bedroom with the mail. He saw a sack having the otter. The Arabs told him that otter was his. The author liked it. This is seen in : “The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and remained asleep in the crook of my knees …”, “I made a body-belt for him …”.

Question 4.
Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’ ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
The otter was named ‘Maxwell’s otter’. It was because his race was not previously known to science before this otter (Mij). It was kept by Maxwell himself.

Question 5.
Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was

  • aloof and indifferent
  • friendly
  • hostile

Answer:

  • aloof and indifferent

Question 6.
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom ? What did it do two days after that ? (CBSE 2011)
Or
What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom ? (CBSE 2014)
Answer:
For half an hour the otter went wild with joy in the water. He plunged and rolled in it. He shot up and down the length of the bathtub underwater. He made enough slosh and splash.

After two days he escaped from the author’s bedroom. He entered the bathroom to play in water and the tap.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 108)

Question 1.
How was Mij to be transported to England ?
Answer:
Mij was to be transported to England by air. The British airline didn’t fly animals. So the author booked a flight to Paris on another airline and from there to London.

Question 2.
What did Mij do to the box ?
Answer:
Mij had torn the lining of the box to pieces.

Question 3.
Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box ? How do you think he felt when he did this ?
Answer:
Maxwell put the otter back in the box. It was because the airline would not fly him without the box.

He felt tense. It was because it was just ten minutes until the time of the flight. Secondly, airport was five miles apart.

Question 4.
Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind” ?
Answer:
Maxwell says this because the air hostess showed great kindness to the otter. She cooperated with him about the otter.

Question 5.
What happened when the box was opened ?
Answer:
When the box was opened the otter disappeared at high speed down the aircraft. There were noises all around “A rat ! A rat!”

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 110)

Question 1.
What game had Mij invented ? (CBSE 2011)
Or
What game did Mij invent ? (CBSE 2016)
Answer:
Mij had invented the game of a ball and a suitcase. The suitcase had become out of use. Its lid lay at a certain slope. Mij would place the ball on the high end. He would run down the length of the suitcase. He would run to the other end to ambush the arrival of the ball.

Question 2.
What are ‘compulsive habits’ ? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij ?
Or
What compulsive habits had Mijbil developed ? (CBSE 2015)
Answer:
‘Compulsive habits’ are those habits which are indulged in by the people at any cost. They become the integral part of the people’s lives through constant use.
(i) School children place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving block. They touch every seventh upright of the iron railings. They pass to the outside of every second lamp post.
(ii) Mij would tug the author to the wall of the school near his house. He would jump on to it. He would then gallop the full length of its thirty yards.

Question 3.
What group of animals do otters belong to ?
Answer:
Otters belong to the small group of animals called Mustellines. These are shared by the badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink etc.

Question 4.
What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was ? (CBSE 2015)
Answer:
The Londoners made guesses that Mij was ‘a baby seal’,.‘a squirrel’ or ‘a walrus’. It was also ‘a beaver’, ‘a bear cub’, ‘a leopard’ and ‘a brontosaur’.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 110)

Question 1.
What things does Mij do which tell you that he is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal who needs love ?
Answer:
Mij plunges and rolls in water. He shoots up and down the bathtub underwater. He makes enough slosh and splash. He turns the water tap enough to produce a trickle of water. He screws it up tighter. He plays and juggles small objects between his paws lying on his back. He nuzzles the author’s face and neck. All these things show that Mij is an intelligent, friendly and fun-loving animal.

Question 2.
What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text ?
Answer:
We know many things about otters. These are : their playing with fun, their opening the water taps, their love and friendship with the human beings, their other playful activities etc.

Question 3.
Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter ?
Answer:
Mij’s species is now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter. It is because before Maxwell’s otter not much worth the name was known to science. In fact, Mijbil’s race was not known to anyone before Maxwell had his Mij.

Question 4.
Maxwell in the story speaks for the otter, Mij. He tells us what the otter feels and thinks on different occasions. Given below are some things the otter does. Complete the column on the right to say what Maxwell says about what Mij feels and thinks.

What Mij does How Mij feels or thinks
Plunges, rolls in the water and makes the water splosh and splash (a)………………………………..
Screws the tap in the wrong way (b)……………………………….
Nuzzles Maxwell’s face and neck in the aeroplane (c)……………………………….

Answer:

(a) He thinks it is a hippo and is very happy.
(b) He chitters with irritation and disappointment.
(c) He feels much comfort and content after its distressed chitter.

Question 5.
Read the story and find the sentences where Maxwell describes his pet otter. Then choose and arrange your sentences to illustrate those statements below that you think are true. Maxwell’s description :

  1. makes Mij seem almost human, like a small boy.
  2. shows that he is often irritated with what Mij does.
  3. shows that he is often surprised by what Mij does.
  4. of Mij’s^antics is comical.
  5. shows that he observes the antics of Mij very carefully.
  6. shows that he thinks Mij is a very ordinary otter.
  7. shows that he thinks the otter is very unusual.

Answer:

  1. True
  2. False
  3. True
  4. False
  5. True
  6. False
  7. True

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
(Page 111)

I. Describing a Repeated Action in the Past

From the table below, make as many correct sentences as you can using would and/or used to, as appropriate. (Hint : First decide whether the words in italics show an action, or a state or situation, in the past.) Then add two or three sentences of your own to it.

Emperor Akbar be fond of musical evenings.
Every evening we would take long walks on the beach.
Fifty years ago, very few people own cars.
Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
My uncle spend his holidays by the sea.

Answer:

  1. Emperor Akbar used to be fond of musical evenings.
  2. Every evening we would take long walks on the beach.
  3. Fifty years ago, very few people used to own cars.
  4. Till the 1980s, Shanghai used to have very dirty streets.
  5. My uncle would spend his holidays by the sea.

Sentences from my own side

  1. I used to,go to school on foot during my school days.
  2. At evenings my grandmother would relate stories from The Ramayana.
  3. They would play in the evenings for long hours.

II. Noun Modifiers

Question 1.
Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers (in italics) are nouns, proper nouns, or adjective plus noun :

  1. An otter fixation
  2. The iron railings
  3. The Tigris marshes
  4. The London streets
  5. soft velvet fur
  6. A four-footed soccer player

Answer:

  1. noun
  2. noun
  3. proper noun
  4. proper noun
  5. adjective plus noun
  6. adjective plus noun

Question 2.
Given below are some nouns, and a set of modifiers (in the box). Combine the nouns and modifiers to make as many appropriate phrases as you can. (Hint : The nouns and modifiers are all from the texts in this book.)
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter 1
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter 2
Answer:
a white temple, three college girls, a stone triangle, a love triangle, ordinary dresses, an incorrigible person, invigorating thoughts, hundred boys, a tremendous uproar, family gifts, a birthday handkerchief, an uncomfortable expression, rough time, first time, ridiculous subject, the panoramic landscape, a railroad crossing, a heartbreaking flight, the family profession, plump physique, bare coffee, a panoramic view, a loud farewell, a birthday celebration, a loud screen, a loud chatterbox.

III. Read this sentence :

He shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust.

The author uses a cloud of dust to give a picture of a large quantity of dust. Phrases like this indicate a particular quantity of something that is not usually countable. For example : a bit of land, a drop of blood, a pinch of salt, a piece of paper.

Question 1.
Match the words on the left with a word on the right. Some words on the left can go with more than one word on the right.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter 3
Answer:

  1. a portion of → fried fish
  2. a pool of → water
  3. flakes of → snow
  4. a huge heap of —> stones
  5. a gust of → wind
  6. little drops of → blood/water
  7. a piece of → cotton
  8. a pot of → gold

Question 2.
Use a bit ofta piece ofla bunch ofta cloud ofla lump of with the italicised nouns in the following sentences. The first has been done for you as an example,

(i) My teacher gave me some advice. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
(ii) Can you give me some clay, please ……………………………………………………..
(iii) The information you gave was very useful. ……………………………………………………..
(iv) Because of these factories, smoke hangs over the city. ……………………………………………………..
(v) Two stones rubbed together can produce sparks of fire. ……………………………………………………..
(vi) He gave me some flowers on my birthday. ……………………………………………………..

Answer:

(ii) Can you give me a lump of clay please ?
(iii) The bit of information you gave was very useful.
(iv) Because of these factories a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.
(v) Two pieces of stone rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.
(vi) He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.

SPEAKING
You have seen how Maxwell describes Mij the otter’s
Answer:
Mainly meant for playing at class level.

WRITING
Write a description of a person or an animal (such as a pet) that you know very well and love very much. Questions (4) and (5) in ‘Thinking about the Text’ will have given you some idea about how to do this. Mention some things the person or animal does, what you think the person or animal feels, etc.
Answer:

My Pet Dog Summi

I, like others, also keep a pet dog. His name is Summi. He is of Doberman species. He is black and brown in colour. He is very athletic and smart. He understands things from my face. When I have a frown on my face he bows down. Then he doesn’t look into my eyes. But when I call him joyfully to go for a walk, he bounces with a great pleasure. In fact, he always looks forward to it. When I throw a ball, he rushes out to catch it. When I ask in my language what he would like to eat, he stares at me curiously. From all these I feel that Summi understands everything, though he can’t speak.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Mijbil the Otter, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 3
Chapter Name Two Stories about Flying
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 36)

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 ?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid to fly. When he tried to flap his wings to fly, fear caught him.

I think all birds are afraid to fly for the first time. Secondly, some birds are more timid than others.

I think a human baby also faces difficulties in taking the first steps for anything. This is seen in his shaking legs and weak movements.

Question 2.
“The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest ? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly ?
Answer:
This suggests the sight of food made the seagull risk flying for the first time. The control over flying fear made him finally fly.

Question 3.
“They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly ?
Answer:
The seagull’s father and mother made him to fly. It was because if he did not fly, he would starve to death.

Question 4.
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.
Answer:
Yes, I had had a similar experience when my parents made me ride the bicycle. They seated me on its saddle and slowly moved it. I feared that if they let me alone, I would fall down. I moved this way or that in fear at first. But courage and confidence came to me and I controlled the bicycle. (To be discussed in groups)

Question 5.
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 a possibility of failure ?
Answer:
My success was not guaranteed. What was important was that I must try. Trying to do things matters, not the result—success or failure. If one is afraid of failure and takes no action, one surely fails. But one must not feel let down. It is trying that matters the most.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 40)

Question 1.
“I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk ? Why does the narrator take it ?
Answer:
The ‘risk’ is flying the old Dakota aeroplane straight into the storm. It was because the author wanted to get home to be present at the breakfast table.

Question 2.
Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer:
The narrator found that suddenly there was blackness around him inside the clouds. He could see nothing. The aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. The instruments like the compass couldn’t work. The radio also did not work. He was lost in the storm. Then he saw another aeroplane. It had no light on its wings. But it guided him ahead. Then it disappeared when the author was safe. The black clouds were behind him as he was out of them. He was now safe.

Question 3.
Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…” ?
Answer:
The author was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota. It was because it had saved his life. It along with the mysterious aeroplane had saved his life.

Question 4.
What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely ?
Or
Why did the lady in the control room give the pilot a puzzled look ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
The narrator asked the lady about the mysterious aeroplane that had guided him through the dark clouds to safety. But there was no such aeroplane over there. The lady did not see nor did she come into contact with that aeroplane. So the narrator’s asking question about that aeroplane startled her. She gave him a puzzled look.

Question 5.
Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely ? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
I think that some supernatural power helped the narrator to reach safqly. Otherwise how could he fly safely through those dark clouds ? The things that suggest this are : The appearance of the mysterious aeroplane at that particular time ; how it knew the narrator was in trouble ; how the pilot of the mysterious plane could guide him ; where it disappeared ; why the control tower had no such contact, etc.

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

I. Study the sentences given below :
Now, 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. (Page 40)

Question 1.
Go and have a bath ; your hands and face are absolutely black. _______
Answer:
black refers to black colour—guessed right

Question 2.
The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green. _______
Answer:
black refers to angry look—guessed right

Question 3.
The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity. _______
Answer:
black means here a very horrible crime—guess appropriate

Question 4.
Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy. _______
Answer:
black here means ‘dark’ (dark colour)—guess wrong

Question 5.
Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black. _______
Answer:
black here means charging more—guess right means more money than the actual price

Question 6.
Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue. _______
Answer:
black and blue means black and blue colours—guess wrong

II. Look at these sentences taken from the lesson you have just read :

(a) I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane.
(b) The young seagull had been afraid to fly with them.

In the first sentence the author was controlling an aircraft in the air. Another example is : Children are flying kites. In the second sentence the seagull was afraid to move through the air, using its wings.

Match the phrases given under column A with their meanings given under column B :

A B
1. Fly a flag — Move quickly / suddenly
2. Fly into rage — Be successful
3. Fly along — Display a flag on a long pole
4. Fly high — Escape from a place
5. Fly the coop — Become suddenly very angry

Answer:

A B
1. Fly a flag — Display a flag on a long pole
2. Fly into rage — Become suddenly very angry
3. Fly along — Move quickly / suddenly
4. Fly high — Be successful
5. Fly the coop — Escape from a place

III. We know that the word ‘fly’ (of birds/insects) means to move through air using wings. Tick the words which have the same or nearly the same meaning.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying 1
Answer:
The following words have same or nearly same meaning of ‘move through air using wings’ :
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying 2
WRITING
Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm ? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.
Answer:

When I was Caught in a Thunderstorm

Facing a natural upheaval needs courage and stamina. It tests the will to live. And if one faces such a development with courage and patience, one gets success. Last year I happened to go to Rattangarh from Sikar in Rajasthan. It was the month of June and beginning of July. We were going in a car. Around 2 pm I saw golden sandstorm in the west. Within no time there grew darkness over us. We could see nothing. The sandstorm had braked our movement. The sandstorm changed into thunderstorm. The lightning blazed. We felt scared at this sudden change of weather. We feared for our safety as movement was almost impossible. But after twenty minutes, the lightning ceased. After a strong drizzle the thunderstorm went off. There was light again. We moved ahead in peace.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Two Stories about Flying, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight Poem
Chapter Chapter 8
Chapter Name The Trees
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 100)

Can there be a forest without trees ? Where are the trees in this poem, and where do they go ?
Answer:
There can’t be a forest without trees because trees are actually the forest itself. The trees in the poem are merely decorative plants and bushes. These are grown in the houses for decoration and beautification. They grow in small pots and pans. These are kept in verandas or drawing rooms as decoration pieces only.

Thinking About the Poem

Question 1.

  1. Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest.
  2. What picture do these words create in your mind:”… sun bury its feet in shadow …” ? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’ ?

Answer:

  1. (a) Trees can’t move out into the forest (b) no birds can sit on them (c) no insects can hide in them.
  2. The picture is that of the sun. It is burying itself in the shadow. This is caused by the clouds. By the sun’s ‘feet’ the poet means the edge.

Question 2.

  1. Where are the trees in the poem ? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do ?
  2. What does the poet compare their branches to ?

Answer:

  1. The trees in the poem are in the pots and pans. Their roots spread to free themselves from the cracks in the veranda door. Their leaves go toward the glass. Small twigs stiffen the long-cramped boughs.
  2. The poet compares their branches to the newly discharged patients. Those patients are going towards the clinic doors. They have been discharged.

Question 3.

(i) How does the poet describe the moon : (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end ? What causes this change ?
(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it ? (V. Imp.)
(iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters ?

(Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us ? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.)

Answer:

(i) (i) The whole moon shines in the open sky. ,(ii) In the end it is broken like a mirror. The growth of trees in the pots and pans causes this.
(ii) The house undergoes a change. Its glass is broken. The smell of leaves is felt inside the rdoms. Winds rush inside the house.
(iii) The poet deliberately does not mention this because it is like the unexpected happening. It is common and is known to all.

Question 4.
Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others ?

(i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature ? Compare it with ‘A Tiger in the Zoo.’ Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ‘imprisoned’, and need to ‘break out’ ?

(ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning ?

Answer:

(i) The poem does present a conflict between man and nature. In fact, man has harmed nature much. He has cut forests and killed wild animals. He keeps wild animals in zoos as given in ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’. Yes, the plants and trees are really imprisoned. We must grow them naturally, not inside the houses.

(ii) The new meanings are : men will multiply. They grow like the trees. These are kept in pots in houses. These trees break the house. So the human beings shall disturb the ecological balance of nature. At present this is the situation. Environmental pollution is its effect, Human survival is threatened. Global warming is there. Soon it will threaten human and other life. The danger, therefore, is real.

Question 5.
You may read the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ by Gieve Patel (Beehive—Textbook in English for Class IX, NCERT). Compare and contrast it with the poem you have just read.
Answer:
‘The Trees’ deals with ‘trees’ that are nowhere in a physical sense. They exist only in a picture. ‘On Killing a Tree’ deals with the subject of how to kill a tree. Both the poems narrate a world which is connected with trees. In ‘On Killing a Tree’, the poet satirizes man’s action in killing a tree. He says that man should ‘kill’ a tree ‘totally’. The tree will grow again if it is partially ‘injured’. In ‘The Trees’, the poet satirizes the ‘world’ that is without the trees. It hides the fact that man has ‘killed’ all the trees. So both the poems underline man’s attitude towards trees and nature. They also satirize it.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 8 The Trees drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 7 Animals

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 7 Animals are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 7 Animals.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight Poem
Chapter Chapter 7
Chapter Name Animals
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 7 Animals

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 84)

Thinking About the Poem

Question 1.
Notice the use of the word ‘turn’ in the first line. “I think I could turn and live with animals …”. What is the poet turning from ?
Answer:
The poet is turning from being a human being to being animal. It is because of one fact. It is : animals are more human and simpler than the human beings.

Question 2.
Mention three things that humans do and animals don’t.
Answer:

Humans do

  1. They cry about their condition.
  2. They lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins.
  3. They make the poet sick by discussing their duty to God.

Animals don’t do

  1. Animals, do not do that.
  2. Animals do not do so.
  3. Animals do not do that.

Question 3.
Do humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago ? Discuss this in groups.
Answer:
Yes, human beings do that. They do so to show respect to the elderly. It is a cultural feature of our country.

Question 4.
What are the ‘tokens’ that the poet says he may have dropped long ago, and which the animals have kept for him ? Discuss this in class.

(Hint : Whitman belongs to the Romantic tradition that includes Rousseau and Wordsworth, which holds that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature. What could be the basic aspects of our nature as living beings that humans choose to ignore or deny ?)
Answer:

To be discussed at class level

These ‘tokens’ are of love, affection, kindness, sympathy, fellow-feelings etc, towards one and all. It is sad that these good human virtues have disappeared. The poet feels it very bad. He says that animals do not behave like the human beings. Those human beings cut the others’ throats easily. Animals, for him, do not do so. They are better than the human beings in many ways.

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NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter Name Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 18)

Question 1.
Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone ?
Answer:
The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre. It was formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. These are : the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, North and South Blocks, Parliament House etc.

Question 2.
Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa ?
Or
Why is 10th May 1994 important for South Africa ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
It is because of weather and the dawning of freedom after about 300 years of white rule. It is also important because of the freedom.

Question 3.
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions ‘an extraordinary human disaster’. What does he mean by this ? What is the ‘glorious … human achievement’ he speaks of at the end ?
Answer:
By this he means the white rule in South Africa over the blacks. It lasted very long. It was really a disaster of white men ruling over the black.

‘The glorious…human achievement’ is getting political independence from the white rule by the black natives.

Question 4.
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for ?
Answer:
He thanks the international leaders for coming to take possession with the native people of South Africa. It is a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

Question 5.
What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa ?
Answer:
He sets out the ideals of liberating his people from various bondages. These are of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discriminations.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 21)

Question 1.
What do the military generals do ? How has their attitude changed, and why ?
Answer:
The military generals discharge their duties. They owe allegiance to their country. They do their duties as per the military provisions.

Their attitude has now changed. They care more for personal gains than their true duties as per the defence rules.

Question 2.
Why were two national anthems sung ?
Answer:
Two national anthems were sung as there were two main communities or races. One was of the whites and the other of the blacks. Secondly, the anthem of the whites was the anthem of the old republic.

Question 3.
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century ?
Answer:
(i) In the first decade of the twentieth century the whites of South Africa patched up their differences. They built a system of racial domination against the black people of their own land.
(ii) In the last decade their system had been overturned forever. It was replaced by another. It recognised the rights and freedoms of all people regardless of their skin colour.

Question 4.
What does courage mean to Mandela ?
Answer:
By courage Mandela means not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.

Question 5.
Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate ?
Answer:
He thinks that love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite hate.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 24)

Question 1.
What ‘twin obligations’ does Mandela mention ?
Answer:
He mentions the twin obligations. One, obligations to his family, his parents, his wife and children. Second, obligations to his people, his community and his country.

Question 2.
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student ? How does he contrast these ‘transitory freedoms’ with ‘the basic and honourable freedoms’ ?
Or
What did ‘being free’ mean to Mandela as a boy and as a student ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
As a boy Mandela meant by being free to wander in the fields near his hut. It was to swim, to run through the village. Also it was to roast mealies at night and to ride the bulls.

As a student he meant to be free to stay out at night. It was to read what he pleased to read and to go where he chose. It was also to be as per his potential.

These were the ‘transitory freedoms’. But the “basic and honourable freedoms’ were the freedoms for the people. These were to live with dignity and self-respect.

Question 3.
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free ? Why/Why not ?
Answer:
Mandela thinks that the, oppressor is not free like the oppressed. A person who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred. He is locked in prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 24)

Question 1.
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration ? What did it signify the triumph of ?
Answer:
A large number of international leaders attended the inauguration to pay their respects. It signified the triumph of human freedom and democracy. It also signified the importance of political independence.

Question 2.
What does Mandela mean when he says he is ‘simply the sum of all those African patriots’ who had gone before him ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
The author means that like those patriots he also felt the great need of political independence of the country. Like them he also underwent tortures by the whites in his own country.

Question 3.
Would you agree that the ‘depths of oppression’ create ‘heights of character’ ? How does Mandela illustrate this ? Can you add your own examples to this argument ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
It is a fact that the more one is oppressed, the more one becomes strong in character. Mandela says that the decades of oppression and brutality produced many patriots. They were like Oliver Tambos, Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis, Yusuf Dadoos etc.

More examples from my own side sire here. These are of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal – Nehru, Sdrdar Patel, Lokmanya Tilak, Subhash Chander Bose, Bhagat Singh etc.

Question 4.
How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience ?
Answer:
First Mandela thought of personal freedom like doing what one liked. But as he grew up he started understanding freedom as indivisible. It is also of his own men. He thought of freedom for all his own people more important than anything else.

Question 5.
How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life ? (CBSE 2012)
Answer:
Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ changed him into a great man, a statesman and a visionary. He worked day and night for it. He underwent physical and mental tortures. It was for obtaining freedom for his own people.

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE

I. There are nouns in the text (formation, government) which are formed from the corresponding verbs form, govern) by suffixing—(at) ion or ment. There may be a change in the spelling of some verb-noun pairs : such as rebel, rebellion ; constitute, constitution.

Question 1.
Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text.

Noun Verb
rebellion rebel
constitution constitute

Answer:
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom 1

Question 2.
Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the verbs in brackets.

Martin Luther King’s ………. (contribute) to our history as an outstanding leader began when he came to the ………. (assist) of Rosa Parks, a seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. In those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second class citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean ………. (subjugate) and ………. (humiliate) by the police and the legal system. Beatings, (imprison) and sometimes death awaited those who defied the System. Martin Luther King’s tactics of protest involved non-violent ………. (resist) to racial injustice

Answer:
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom 2

II. Using the Definite Article with Names

Here are some more examples of ‘the’ used with proper names. Try to say what these sentences mean. (You may consult a dictionary if you wish; look at the entry for ‘the’.)

1. Mr Singh regularly invites the Amitabh Bachchans and the Shah Rukh Khans to his parties.

2. Many people think that Madhuri Dixit is the Madhubala of our times.

3. History is not only the story of the Alexanders, the Napoleons and the Hitlers, but of the ordinary people as well. (Page 25)

Answers:

I think, by such a usage, the author gives more importance to such people who were like these great patriots in every way.

1. This means that Mr. Singh regularly invites people like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to his parties. The invitees are not exactly these film stars but other persons. They are similar in many ways to these stars.

2. It means Madhuri Dixit has all the traits of Madhubala though she is not that.

3. History is not only the story of great persons like Alexanders, Napoleons and Hitlers but ordinary people.

III. Idiomatic Expressions

Match the italicised phrases in column A with the phrase nearest in meaning in column B. (Hint: First look for the sentence in the text in which the phrase in column A occurs.)

A B

 1. I was not unmindful of the fact

2. when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits

3. to reassure me and keep me going

4. the basic and honourable free – doms of .….. earning my keep …..

 

 

(i)  had not forgotten, was aware of the fact

(ii) was not careful about the fact

(iii) forgot or was not aware of the fact

(i) pushed by the guards to the wall

(ii) took more than our share of beatings

(iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering any longer

(i) make me go on walking

(ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very difficult situation

(iii) make me remain without complaining

(i) earning enough money to live on

(ii) keeping what I earned

(iii) getting a good salary

Answer:
These are to be matched as given below :
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom 5

SPEAKING

1. In groups, discuss the issues suggested in the box below. Then prepare a speech of about two minutes on the following topic (First make notes for your speech in writing.)

True liberty is freedom from poverty, deprivation and all forms of discrimination.

  • causes of poverty and means of overcoming it
  • discrimination based on gender, religion, class, etc.
  • constitutionally guaranteed human rights

Answers :

For discussion at class level. There are three topics given in the box. One is fully solved for the students. Two other topics carry the notes. Students may write a speech in their own words using these as a good exercise.

  • Causes of poverty and means of overcoming it

Notes

Causes : No employment, no means of livelihood, no landholding, no work available, physical situations difficult to fight against, large family due to illiteracy, ignorance, superstitious beliefs, govt, help not possible.

Means of overcoming it: Hunting for work even if migration is there, access to govt, help in the form of schooling, manual work, awakening towards reasons of poverty like large family, superstitions and other blind beliefs like blind belief in fate etc.

Speech

Respected Principal, teachers and dear students !

Today I stand before you to speak on the ‘Causes of poverty and means of overcoming it’. Well, you’ll see that poverty is a curse. It has many causes. These are: no employment, no means of livelihood, no landholding and no work available. There are physical situations also. These are like existence of zamindari system. In it, one has plenty of land and a majority are landless labourers only. There exist superstitious beliefs due to illiteracy and ignorance. One has a large family due to these. The result ‘ is one is bom in poverty and dies also in it.

There are means of overcoming poverty. One must hunt for work even if one has to migrate to cities. One must get access to various govt, agencies and help available. One must acquire knowledge about the reasons of poverty. These are like a large family, superstitious beliefs and narrow-mindedness. Belief in fate won’t do anything. One must work and fight against the problems of life courageously.

  • Discrimination based on gender, religion, class etc.

Notes

Cultural reasons like male dominance, women always treated inferior or secondary, given low salary for work equal to men, religious beliefs like low-caste people are inferior, not allowed in temples, treated inferior, class or caste reasons like low- caste people shall make things impure even by touch, minds of upper-caste people doctored on these beliefs.

Much dilution of this discrimination due to govt, policies and women’s equalling men in superior jobs, govt, efforts in educating the people, reservation in govt, jobs, provision of equality in the constitution, penalising those advocating this sort of discrimination.

  • Constitutionally guaranteed human rights

Notes

Our Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to the citizens of the country irrespective of caste, creed or religion, right to primary education, to speech, to liberty, to access information, etc, all being equal in the eyes of the law, no discrimination due to colour, creed or religion, provision of many Acts or laws against mental or physical torture of women, child labour or demanding dowry etc, existence of suitable legal provisions together with provisions of law breakers, existence of legal cells or organisations like Human Rights Commission etc.

WRITING

I. Looking at Contrasts

Nelson Mandela’s writing is marked by balance : many sentences have two parts in balance.

Use the following phrases to complete the sentences given below.

(i) they can be taught to love
(ii) I was born free.
(iii) but the triumph over it.
(iv) but he who conqures that fear
(v) to creat such heights of character

  1. It requires such depths of oppression …………………………………..
  2. Courage was not the absence of fear …………………………………..
  3. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid …………………………………..
  4. If people can learn to hate …………………………………..
  5. I was not born with a hunger to be free …………………………………..

Answers:

  1. It requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
  2. Courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it.
  3. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
  4. If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.
  5. I was not bom with a hunger to be free, I was bom free.

II. This text repeatedly contrasts the past with the present or the future. We can use coordinated clauses to contrast two views, for emphasis or effect.

Given below are sentences carrying one part of the contrast. Find in the text the second part of the contrast, and complete each item. Identify the words which signal the contrast. This has been done for you in the first item.

1. For decades the Union Buildings had been the seat of white supremacy, and now ______

2. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South African defence force and police … saluted me and pledged their loyalty. … not so many years before they would not have saluted ______

3. Although that day neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem … they would soon ______

4. My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, ______

5. The Air Show was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but ______

6. It was this desire for the freedom of my people … that transformed ______ into a bold one, that drove ______ to become a criminal, that turned ______ into a man without a home.

Answers

1. ………. it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations ……….

2. ………. they would not have saluted but arrested me.

3. ………. neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised ………. known the chords by heart.

4. ………. I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.

5. ………. a demonstration of the military loyalty to democracy, to a new government ……….

6. ………. a frightened young man ………. a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight
Chapter Chapter 7
Chapter Name Glimpses of India
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India

TEXTUAL EXERCISES

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 86)

Question 1.
What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about ?
Answer:
They are nostalgic about the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread.

Question 2.
Is bread-making still popular in Goa ? How do you know ?
Answer:
The loaves of bread are still popular. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in the morning. It is clear in : The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished …’

Question 3.
What is the baker called ?
Answer:
The baker is called pader in Goa.

Question 4.
When would the baker come everyday ? Why did the children run to meet him ?
Answer:
He would come twice a day. The children ran to meet him not for loaves of bread but ‘bread-bangles’.

ORAL COMPREHENSION CHECK
(Page 87)

Question 1.
Match the following. What is a must

  1. as marriage gifts? — cakes and bolinhas
  2. for a party or a feast? — sweet bread called bol
  3. for a daughter’s engagement? — bread
  4. for Christmas? — sandwiches

Answer:

  1. as marriage gifts — sweet bread called bol
  2. for a party or a feast — bread
  3. for a daughter’s engagement — sandwiches
  4. for Christmas — cakes and bolinhas

Question 2.
What did the bakers wear

  1. in the Portuguese days ?
  2. when the author was young ?

Answer:

  1. They wore the kabai. It was a single-piece long frock that reached down to the knees.
  2. They wore a shirt and trousers. These were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Question 3.
Who invites the comment—‘he is dressed like a pader’ ? Why ?
Answer:
A person who wears a half pant invites this comment. The half pant reaches just below the knee.

Question 4.
Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded ?
Answer:
They recorded them on some wall in pencil.

Question 5.
What does a jackfruit-like appearance’ mean ?
Answer:
It means fat and plumpy like the jackfruit itself.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 88)

Question 1.
Which of these statements are correct ?

  1. The pader was an important person in a village in old times.
  2. Paders still exist in Goan villages.
  3. The paders went away with the Portuguese.
  4. The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock.
  5. Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days.
  6. Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business.
  7. Paders and their families starve in the present times.

Answer:

  1. correct
  2. correct
  3. incorrect
  4. incorrect
  5. correct
  6. incorrect
  7. incorrect.

Question 2.
Is bread an important part of Goan life ? How do you know this ?
Answer:
It is an important part of Goan life. It is clear from marriage gifts, cakes and bolinhas for Christmas etc.

Question 3.
Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following ?

  1. The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
  2. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession, (nostalgic, hopeful, sad)
  3. I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves, (nostalgic, hopeful, naughty)
  4. The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny)
  5. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals, (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact)
  6. The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous, (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad)

Answer:

  1. nostalgic
  2. hopeful
  3. nostalgic
  4. naughty
  5. matter-of-fact
  6. matter-of-fact

WRITING

I. In this extract, the author talks about traditional bread-baking during his childhood days. Complete the following table with the help of the clues on the left. Then write a paragraph about the author’s childhood days.

Clues Author’s childhood days
the way bread was baked ……………………………………..
the way the pader sold bread ……………………………………..
what the pader wore ……………………………………..
when the pader was paid ……………………………………..
how the pader looked ……………………………………..

Answer:

Clues Author’s childhood days
the way bread was baked Age-old time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire still bums in them. The baker arrives with the thud and jingle in some places.

the way the pader sold bread

He made his musical entry with ‘jhang jhang’ sound with his bamboo staff. He wished ‘Good morning’. Breads were sold in minutes.
what the pader wore It was kabai, a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
when the pader was paid He was paid at the end of the month.
how the pader looked He looked fat and plumpy. He wore a shirt and trousers. These were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Author’s Childhood Days

The author remembers well his childhood days. The baker called pader used to come twice a day to sell his bread. He used to make a musical entry with ‘jhang, jhang’ sound with his bamboo staff. He placed his basket on the vertical bamboo. He wished ‘Good morning’ to the lady of the house. He would deliver the bread to the maid. The author as a child would climb a bench or the parapet. He would do so to peep into his basket of loaves of bread. He and other children longed for bread-bangles which were sweet bread of special make.

THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
(Page 92)

Question 1.
Where is Coorg ?
Answer:
Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore.

Question 2.
What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent ? (CBSE 2011)
Answer:
The story is like this : A part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast. It settled there. Their return was not possible. They married the locals and settled here.

Question 3.
What are some of the things you now know about

  1. the people of Coorg ?
  2. the main crop of Coorg ?
  3. the sports it offers to tourist ?
  4. the animals you are likely to see in Coorg ?
  5. its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there ?

Answer:

I now know about all these things given under (i) to (v) here. All this information is clearly given in the text in the following way :

  1. The people of Coorg are greatly independent. They are of Greek or Arabic descent.
  2. The main crop of Coorg is coffee.
  3. It offers adventurous sports. These are like river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking to tourists.
  4. The animals one is likely to see in Coorg are Macaques, Malabar squirrel, Langurs and slender loris.
  5. The distance between Bangalore and Coorg is around 260 km. One can reach Coorg by Air, by Rail and by Road. The route via Mysore is the most frequented one.

Question 4.
Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look at the paragraphs indicated)

  1. During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2)
  2. Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there, (para 3)
  3. The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their son’s and father’s valour. (para 4)
  4. Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6)
  5. The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist- belt they wear, (para 3)
  6. Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy, (para 7)

Answer:

  1. During monsoons it pours enough to keep many visitors away.
  2. As the story goes, Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there.
  3. The Coorg people are more than willing to recount numerous stories of valour related to their sons and fathers.
  4. The most laidback individuals become converts to the high energy adventure sports of Coorg.
  5. The theory of the Arab origin draws support from the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear.
  6. Macaques, Malabar squirrels keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy.

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
Collocations

Certain words ‘go together’. Such “word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’.

For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd ? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase.

(a) “How old are you ?” , “How young are you ?”
(b) a pleasant person , a pleasant pillow

Answer:

(a) a pleasant person
(b) a pleasant pillow

This paired phrase is odd. So it should be struck out.

Question 1.
Here are some nouns from the text.
culture monks surprise experience weather tradition

Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you.
unique          terrible         unforgettable         serious         ancient         wide         sudden

(i) culture : unique culture, ancient culture
(ii) monks : _______________________________
(iii) surprise : _______________________________
(iv) experience : _______________________________
(v) weather : _______________________________
(vi) tradition : _______________________________

Answer:
Students may discuss about the nouns and adjectives collocations at their own levels. The following shall collocate together :

(ii) monks : serious monks, unique monks
(iii) surprise : terrible surprise, sudden surprise
(iv) experience : unique experience, terrible experience, unforgettable experience, wide experience
(v) weather : terrible weather, unique weather
(vi) tradition : unique tradition, ancient tradition.

Question 2.
Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one o^her word that would fit into the blank ?

  1. tales of _________________
  2. coastal _________________
  3. a piece of _________________
  4. evergreen _________________
  5. _________________ plantations
  6. _________________ bridge
  7. wild _________________

You may add your own examples to this list.
Answer:

  1. tales of valour
  2. coastal town
  3. a piece of heaven
  4. evergreen rainforests
  5. coffee plantations
  6. rope bridge
  7. wild elephants

Some other examples from my side

smooth plains hilly areas/terrains
river beds Tibetan settlements
adventure sports

THINKING ABOUT LANGUAGE
(Page 96)

I.
Question 1.
Look at these words : upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in).

Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult a dictionary.

  1. A heavy ________ has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
  2. Rakesh will ________ major surgery tomorrow morning.
  3. My brother is responsible for the ________ of our family property.
  4. The ________ rate for this accountancy course is very high.
  5. She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a ________ interview.

Answer:

  1. downpour
  2. undergo
  3. upkeep
  4. dropout
  5. walk-in

Question 2.
Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate.
over          by         through         out         up         down

  1. The Army attempted unsuccessfully to ________ the Government, (throw)
  2. Scientists are on the brink of a major ________ in cancer research, (break)
  3. The State Government plans to build a ________ for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway, (pass)
  4. Gautama’s ________ on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look)
  5. Rakesh seemed unusually ________ after the game, (cast)

Answer:

  1. overthrow
  2. breakthrough
  3. bypass
  4. outlook
  5. downcast

II. Notice how these—ing and—ed adjectives are used.

(a) Chess is an interesting game. I am very interested in chess.
(b) Going trekking in the Himalayas this We are very excited about the trek, summer is an exciting idea ?
(c) Are all your school books this boring ? He was bored as he had no friends there.

The—ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking, or these books have : they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The —ed /—en adjectives show your mental state, or your physical state : how you feel in response to ideas, events or things.

Question 1.
Think of suitable —ing or —ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above.
How would you describe :

  1. a good detective serial on television ? ________
  2. a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’ ? ________
  3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain ? ________
  4. how you feel when you open a present ? ________
  5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television ? ________
  6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue ? ________
  7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest ? ________
  8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen ? ________

Answer:

  1. a good detective serial on television ? interesting
  2. a debate on your favourite topic “homework should be banned’ ? invigorating/ eye-opening
  3. how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain ? boring
  4. how you feel when you open a present you have got ? excited, thrilled
  5. how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television ? excited
  6. the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue ? worrying
  7. how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest ? worried, excited, thrilled
  8. the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen ? interesting

Question 2.
Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg.
Answer:
The description about Coorg was really interesting. It was an invigorating and eye¬opening account of a beautiful place that our country has. I felt excited and thrilled to read that Kodagus are such a martial race. The wildlife and the panoramic view of the entire misty landscape excited and thrilled me. But it was worrying how alone would I go there ? The idea that I might be lost in case I went all alone made me worried. But the idea that I shall see everything about the place thrilled me. It is so thrilling to see this piece of heaven with evergreen forests and spices and coffee plantations. Today, scientific research across the world has attempted to establish the beneficial qualities of tea—a fact the Japanese and the Chinese knew anyway from ancient times, attributing to it numerous medicinal properties.

SPEAKING AND WRITING

1. Read the following passage about tea :

India and tea are so intertwined together that life without the brew is unimaginable. Tea entered our life only in the mid-nineteenth century when the British started plantations in Assam and Daijeeling ! In the beginning though, Indians shunned the drink as they thought it was a poison that led to umpteen diseases. Ironically, tea colonised Britain where it became a part of their social diary and also led to the establishment of numerous tea houses.

Today, scientific research across the world has attempted to establish the beneficial qualities of tea—a fact the Japanese and the Chinese knew anyway from ancient times, attributing to it numerous medicinal properties.

[Source: ‘History : Tea Anytime’, by Ranjit Biswas from Literary Review The Hindu, 1 October, 2006]

Collect information about tea, e.g., its evolution as a drink, its beneficial qualities. You can consult an encyclopedia or visit Internet websites. Then form groups of five and play the following roles : Imagine a meeting of a tea planter, a sales agent, a tea lover (consumer), a physician and a tea-shop owner. Each person in the group has to put forward his/her views about tea. You may use the following words and phrases.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India 1
2. You are the sales executive of a famous tea company and you have been asked to draft an advertisement for the product. Draft the advertisement using the information you collected for the role play. You can draw pictures or add photographs and make your advertisement colourful.

Answers

1. As desired, students should consult an encyclopaedia. They should visit some Internet sites for getting this information. Then they may form groups and play these roles.

2. The answer to this question is directly connected with the information collected under 1 above. Students may write or draw pictures to draft the suitable advertisement.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 7 Glimpses of India, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English First Flight Poem
Chapter Chapter 5
Chapter Name The Ball Poem
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Page 47)

A boy loses a ball. He is very upset. A ball doesn’t cost much, nor is it difficult to buy another ball. Why then is the boy so upset ? Read the poem to see what the poet thinks has been lost, and what the hoy has to learn from the experience of losing something.
Answer:
The boy is upset because he has lost the ball. Now he has established a sense of belonging to the ball. That’s why, he is upset at this loss. Anyone feels the loss of his belongings.

Thinking About the Poem

In pairs, attempt the following questions.

Question 1.
Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him” ? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball ?
Answer:
The poet says so because the boy is shaken by the loss of his ball. The poet emphasises this loss. This loss can’t be compensated with any money or anything. So he doesn’t give the boy money.

Question 2.
“…….. staring.downl All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went ……” Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time ? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it ?
Answer:
Yes, the boy had it for a long time. It is seen in ‘staring down/All his young days…’ The boy’s staring into the harbour shows one thing. It is that the ball had links to the memories of many days.

Question 3.
What does “in the world of possessions” mean ?
Answer:
It means the world of materialism. In it one’s possessions carry importance. It is also of consumerism.

Question 4.
Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier ? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
Answer:
The boy has lost something earlier also. It is seen in the opening line ‘What is the boy now’.

Question 5.
What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball ? Try to explain this in your own words.
Answer:
The poet says that the boy is learning the nature of the loss. It is in the loss of the ball. Actually, the boy is shaken in the loss. Now he tries to understand its emotional implication.

Question 6.
Have you ever lost something you liked very much ? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether—and how—you got over your loss.
Answer:
Yes, I have lost many things during the past years. I loved my favourite shirt. I loved it very much. It had a very pleasing colour. It had been stitched as if for me only. Its cloth was very smooth and lovely. It looked very nice on my body. I lay worried for many days at this loss. It couldn’t simply be out of my mind. I felt shaken. I tried to forget it. But I could not. Only after many months would I be able to forget it.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem Chapter 5 The Ball Poem drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 10
Subject English Literature
Chapter Chapter 1
Chapter Name Two Gentlemen of Verona
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona

TEXTUAL EXERCISES
(Page 3,8)

Question 1.
What are the qualities of a “gentleman” ? Work with your partner and complete the following web-chart by listing the qualities of a gentleman.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona 1
Answer:
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona 2
A gentleman does have not only consideration for others but willingness to keep them. For a real gentleman, consideration for others is more important than his own interest.

Question 2.
Based on your discussion above, what do you think the story is about ?

  • …………………………………………………………
  • …………………………………………………………

Answer:

  • I think the story is about two gentlemen of Verona who may do good things to and for others than their own.
  • Besides this, the story may be about them in displaying gentlemanly qualities in their deeds. These may have been done by them for others.

Question 3.
Now read the story given below. Your teacher will use a variety of techniques for different parts of the story e.g.

  • Silent reading
  • One student reading aloud to the whole class
  • Students reading in small groups
  • Dramatised reading in small groups

Answer:

  • Activity meant for class level.
  • No questions are asked here.

Question 4.
Based on your reading of the story answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

1. The driver did not approve of the narrator buying fruit from the two boys because

(a) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
(b) the strawberries were not fresh
(c) they were asking for a heavy price
(d) the driver did not approve of small boys who worked

2. The narrator was most impressed by the boys’

(a) desire to earn money
(b) willingness to work
(c) ability to perform many tasks
(d) sense of fun

3. Nicola was not pleased when Jacopo asked the narrator to drive them to Poleta as he

(a) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
(b) preferred going to Poleta by train so that he could enjoy the scenery
(c) did not want to ask anyone for favours
(d) did not want to take help from someone he did not know well

4. The narrator did not go inside Lucia’s room as

(a) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
(b) he thought that the boys would object
(c) Lucia would not welcome a stranger
(d) the boys would feel he was spying on them

5. The boys were the first to join the resistance movement against the Germans because

(a) the Germans had hurt their sister
(b) the Germans ruled the city
(c) the Germans had ruined their family
(d) the Germans had destroyed their home

6. The author did not speak to the boys on their return journey because

(a) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret
(b) he thought the boys were ashamed of their sister’s condition
(c) he thought they wouldn’t tell him the truth
(d) he thought the boys might ask him for money for their sister

Answer:

  1. → (a) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
  2. → (c) ability to perform many tasks
  3. → (a) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
  4. → (a) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
  5. → (c) the Germans had ruined their family
  6. → (a) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret.

Question 5.
What do you understand by the following statements ?
(a) “We do many things, sir,” Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully.
(b) He coloured deeply under his sunburn, then grew pale.
(c) He smiled uncomfortably. “Just plans, sir,” he answered in a low voice.
(d) Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years.

Answer:

(a) By this statement I understand that Nicola doesn’t have any hesitation in doing anything which may serve his own purpose. Besides this, he means that he is ready to do as many things as are humanly possible.

(b) When the narrator asked Nicola what he did with his money, he didn’t find an instant answer. It was perhaps that he couldn’t gather enough courage to tell the truth. Or he might have wanted not to tell anything about his family secrets to a stranger.

(c) From this statement it is clear that Nicola acts really like a mature person. He doesn’t want that strangers should know their secret plans of life.

(d) This statement clearly reveals that both Nicola and Jacopo had grown very mature and considerate in earning money. It was for getting their sister cured of her disease. Doing things for others at the cost of self makes one considerate and mature. Both Nicola and Jacopo had had this effect in what they did for their sister.

Question 6.
Answer the following questions briefly.
(а) Why didn’t Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys ?
(b) Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two boys ? (V. Imp.)
(c) Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys ?
(d) How were the boys useful to the author ? (CBSE 2015)
(e) Why were the boys in the deserted square at night ? What character traits do they exhibit ?
(f) The narrator asks the boys, “Must you work so hard? You both look rather tired.” The boys reply, “We are not complaining, sir. ” What do you learn about the boys from their reply ? (V. Imp.)
(g) When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they are evasive. Why don’t they disclose their problems ? (V. Imp.)

Answer:

(a) Luigi didn’t approve of the two boys for two reasons. First, they were selling wild strawberries. Second, they looked very dirty and shabby. From their appearance they looked like cheats, thieves and what not.

(b) The narrator and his companion were impressed by the two boys because of their mutual love and capacity to work hard. They cared much more for their sister than their own selves. Such human beings are rare.

(c) The author was surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys. It was because the previous day he had seen them selling wild strawberries. This change naturally created a doubt about them in the author’s mind.

(d) The boys were useful to the author because they brought the things that he wanted. They helped him in getting American cigarettes, seats for the opera or knowing the name of a good restaurant. They could be depended upon.

(e) The boys were in the deserted square at night waiting for the bus to sell newspapers. They exhibit their readiness for hard work, determination and devotion as character traits.

(f) I learn about the boys from their reply that both of them have seen much harder days. So they aren’t afraid of anything, even the worst. Secondly, they understand it well that hard work shall end their miseries.

(g) Both the boys are evasive and don’t disclose their plans because they find the author as a stranger. Since they have seen much dark days in their lives, they have lost faith in the people. That’s why, they don’t want to create more troubles in sharing their personal matters with outsiders. They may also think that there may be a lion in a sheep’s clothing.

Question 7.
Discuss the following questions and write the answers in your notebook.
(a) Appearances are deceptive. Discuss with reference to the two boys. (V. Imp.)
(b) Do you think the boys looked after Lucia willingly ? Give reasons for your answer.
(c) How does the story ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’promise hope for society ? (V. Imp.)

Answer:

(a) It is a fact that appearances are deceptive and all that glitters is not gold. Nicola and Jacopo look street urchins, thieves and what not. No one can guess from their appearances that they could have great qualities of gentlemanliness and humanism. In that they had to forget their own interests. What they do for their sister is just superb and unparalleled.

(b) Yes, I think both Nicola and Jacopo looked after Lucia willingly due to their upbringing. Their family had once been comfortable and cultured. Their father was a well-known singer and they led a good life. In such an atmosphere the children couldn’t think of negative values like selfishness and ingratitude. So due to inborn qualities of familial relationships, both the boys looked after Lucia willingly and selflessly. Secondly, she was their only sister and a member of their family.

(c) The ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ promises hope for the society especially in the modern times of broken family relationships. Today, brothers are fighting with brothers ; sons are beating their parents. Old parents are being shunted out by their children. To lead life in such a hell it is desirable that children like Nicola and Jacopo should be born. Such boys can repair the breaking relationships due to selfishness, materialism and greed.

Question 8.
Look at the italic words in the following examples.

(a) We bought their biggest basket, then set off toward town.
(b) One night we came upon them in the windy and deserted square.
(c) He bit his lip, then in a rather put out tone he said, ‘Very well.’
(d) I shook my head and turned away.

Here are a few more. Match the phrases to their meanings.

Phrases Meanings
set up to start on a journey
break down to tolerate a situation or a person
set off to lose control of your feelings and start crying
put up with to enter
put off to be faced with or opposed by
put on to start/establish a company
come in to refuse/reject
come across to postpone
come up against to try to get help/advice/sympathy from someone
turn down to wear
turn in to meet or find by chance
turn to to inform on or deliver up

Answer:

set up to start/establish a company
break down to lose control of your feelings and start crying
set off to start on a journey
put up with to tolerate a situation or a person
put off to postpone
put on to wear
come in to enter
come across to meet or find by chance
come up against to be faced with or opposed by
turn down to refuse/reject
turn in to try to get help/advice sympathy from someone
turn to to inform on or deliver up

Now use the phrases given above to complete the following sentences.

  1. The landlord was suspicious of the two men staying in his flat so he called the police and …………. them ………….
  2. Early in the morning we packed our bags and …………. for a hike over the mountain.
  3. Janvi …………. some photographs of her grandfather in the old trunk.
  4. My father …………. his own business 10 years ago.
  5. The Bank …………. Paul’s request for a loan.
  6. The Corporation’s decision to reduce the leave of the employees …………. a lot of opposition.

Answer:

  1. turned …………. to
  2. set off
  3. came across
  4. set up
  5. turned down
  6. set off

Question 9.
Two Gentlemen of Verona is written in the first person. ……………………
Rewrite any part of the story you like in the third person.
Answer:

  • Students can pick out any part of the story and rewrite the same in the third person (that is, indirect speech.)
  • Here below is given one such example:
  • The narrator suggested to Nicola that he must be saving up to emigrate to America. At this Nicola looked at him sideways and spoke with an effort. He replied that they would greatly like to go to the States. But at present, they had other plans.
  • At this the narrator asked what plans they had.
  • Nicola smiled uncomfortably and politely told him in a low voice that they had just plans.

Question 10.
The narrator realises why Nicola and Jacopo work so hard. Yet he does not go r in to meet their sister nor does he speak to them about what he learns from the nurse. Working in groups, discuss the following aspects of the story and share your views with the class.
(a) The love and devotion, and the family values Nicola and Jacopo display. (Imp)
(b) Their pride in themselves and their family. (Imp)
(c) The trust they place in the narrator.
(d) The reason the narrator does not disclose to them that he knows their secret.

Answer:

(a) The love, devotion and the family values that Nicola and Jacopo display are just unique and rare. These two children should have been in schools studying. But see their childhood ! They are spending it not enjoying anything but for their sister Lucia. Their sole aim is to see their ailing sister stand on her own legs. For that they are doing even the worst job. Secondly, they don’t care for anything, sleep, food, clothes, shelter, etc. But they care for what is good and abiding. For them their family values, love for sister and devotion are more important than anything. And they put these into practicality even if they have to lose their childhood. Due to this the narrator calls them ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’.

(b) Both Nicola and Jacopo have self-pride and self-respect to the maximum. They are precocious. They have learnt many things in a little period of their life. The narrator wants to help them but they refuse excepting going in his car to Poleta. The narrator wants to know about their plans behind earning money. But they tell nothing to him. It may be because they trust no one. Or it may be due to pride and their family values.

(c) But both Nicola and Jacopo start putting some faith in the narrator as they get ready to go to Poleta in his car. But to some extent, leaving this aside, they keep themselves reserved. However, they answer to the narrator’s questions honestly and truthfully. Due to reposing their faith in him they open out to him. They then tell many things relating to their lives.

(d) The reason for this is that he doesn’t want to hurt their self-respect. If he tells them they may feel hurt because they have in their blood things of good family and a respectable life. It is a fact that such persons like Nicola and Jacopo have much sense of self-pride and self-respect.

Question 11.
As the narrator, write an article on the lesson of love, faith and trust that you have learnt from the two young boys of Verona. (V. Imp.)
Answer:
Two little boys’ love, faith and trust
Truly love, affection, faith and trust are invaluable values of human life. One can say that these can be inborn and may be acquired. But it would be convincing that these values are more inborn than acquired. God has, perhaps, bestowed certain people with these traits like Mother Teresa and Florence Nightingale. They sacrificed their selves for the sufferers. They nursed them with these invaluable assets. This fact is also applicable to two boys of Verona.

Nicola, the elder was 13 and Jacopo, his brother was 12. Both the brothers had had a cultured and comfortable life before the war. The war killed their father and just ruined their family. A bomb explosion brought them and their sister Lucia in the streets. But the courage and survival instinct of the boys couldn’t be killed. Lucia contracted TB and this broke the spirit of the boys but not for long. They did various odd jobs. These were selling wild strawberries, hawking newspapers, selling fruits and running errands. They slept on roadsides. They wore dirty clothes and never cared for themselves. They earned money honestly to pay for Lucia’s medical expenses.

It was the power of sheer love, faith and trust that they showed in whatever they did and were successful. Truly, both the brothers were the finest examples of these values.

Question 12.
After her brothers’ visit, Lucia writes a page in her diary about her past life and her present situation. As Lucia write the diary entry in about 150 words.
Answer:
Sunday, 15th September, 20 – 9:30 pm

How glad I was to see my loving brothers Nicola and Jacopo! This time they came with a stranger who brought them in his car. I can’t repay my brothers’ doing things for me. In fact, they have sacrificed their childhood for me. How they spend their time, going hungry and without sleep just for me shakes me much! But I hope such a time shall vanish soon. I have been progressing well due to their care and hope to start dancing for a career. Then we shall live together and earn a lot.

I have not forgotten our comfortable and cultured life. Our father was a well-known singer and we had been leading a pretty comfortable life. I had been training as a singer. But due to war and a bomb explosion everything finished. But all this didn’t discourage my brothers. I don’t know what and how they earn for meeting my expenses. But one thing is there. They won’t do any dubious kind of activity to earn money. We all have had good and virtuous traits of our character. We may suffer much but we won’t compromise with our family values. Nor will Nicola and Jacopo. Our bad days shall soon be over. I pray to God to make me disease-free soon so that I may take a good care of my responsibilities towards my angelic brothers.
Lucia

Question 13.
Listen to an excerpt from the diary of a 13 year old girl Zlata Fillipovic who writes of the horrors of war in Sarajevo in her book Zlata’s Diary.
Based on your listening of the passage, complete the following statements.

  1. The first sign of approaching war was ………….
  2. The family went into the cellar when ………….
  3. The ‘awful cellar’ was the only place that could save their lives because ………….
  4. Zlata’s friend, Nina died when ………….
  5. Zlata and her father were worried about her mother’s safety because ………….

Answer:

  1. on 14 April
  2. the shooting started around noon on 2 May.
  3. it was underground and pounding shells of guns etc, couldn’t reach it.
  4. a shrapnel got lodged in her brain.
  5. one shell exploded in the market when she was nearby it and she hadn’t come home.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Literature Chapter 1 Two Gentlemen of Verona, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto are part of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English. Here we have given NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto.

Board CBSE
Textbook NCERT
Class Class 9
Subject English Moments
Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter Name The Adventures of Toto
Category NCERT Solutions

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto

TEXTUAL EXERCISES
(Page 11)

Think About It

Question 1.
How does Toto come to Grandfather’s private zoo ? (CBSE)
Answer:
Grandfather buys Toto from a tonga-driver for the sum of five rupees. The tonga- driver used to keep the little red monkey. It was tied to a feeding-trough. The monkey looked out of place there. So Grandfather bought him.

Question 2.
“Toto was a pretty monkey”. In what sense is Toto pretty ? (CBSE)
Answer:
Grandfather finds Toto bodily pretty. Toto has bright sparkling eyes. There is mischief beneath his deep-set eyes. He shows his pearly white teeth in a smile. The Anglo- Indian ladies are afraid of his smile. He has quick fingers. His tail serves as a third hand.

Question 3.
Why does Grandfather take Toto to Saharanpur and how ? Why does the ticket collector insist on calling Toto a dog ?
Answer:
Toto does not allow other animals to sleep. So Grandfather took him to Saharanpur. The ticket collector classifies Toto as a dog. He does so because Toto is a four-legged animal.

Question 4.
How does Toto take a bath ? Where has he learnt to do this ? How does Toto almost boil himself alive ?
Answer:
Toto takes a bath like a man. He tests the temperature of the water with his hand. He applies soap and bathes. He has learnt this after seeing human beings bathing. Toto jumps into a kettle. It has water for heating. The water begins to heat up. He tries to come out. He jumps up and down. Grandmother sees him. She saves him from being burnt alive.

Question 5.
Why does the author say, “Toto was not the sort of pet we could keep for long ?’’
Answer:
Toto creates one problem after the other. He doesn’t let other animals in peace. He breaks plates after plates. He tears up clothes, curtains and wallpaper. The family is poor. So it can’t bear this loss. Therefore, Toto is sold back to the tonga-driver for three rupees.

We hope the NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto help you. If you have any query regarding NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Moments Chapter 2 The Adventures of Toto, drop a comment below and we will get back to you at the earliest.