CBSE Class 10 English Two Stories about Flying I His First Flight VBQs

Flying I His First Flight Notes Class 10 English

The young seagull called to fly
The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away. When he wanted to fly, he couldnot do so. He was very much afraid of flying. Therefore, he failed to gather up the courage to fly. He was really very sad. His father and mother came near him. They called him to fly. They even rebuked him. They threatened that if he did not fly, he would die of hunger there. But he could not even move.

The young seagull can’t fly
That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then no one had come near him. He had watched his parents, brothers and sister flying. His parents had been perfecting his brothers and sister how to dive for fish on their own. They called him to fly. But he could not.

Heat increases
The sun was rising in the sky. He felt the heat because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall.

Mother reaches near him with food
The seagull closed his eyes standing on one leg. He had the other leg hidden under his wing. He pretended to sleep. But his parents didn’t look at him. However, his mother was looking at him. He saw her tear at a piece of fish at her feet. He gave out a sound to get it. His mother replied in a sound and looked at him. His mother picked a piece of the fish. She flew across to him with it. He leaned out tapping the rock with his feet. His mother flew across trying to get nearer to him. The sight of food made him mad as he was very hungry. But he could not get at it.

Dives for food
The seagull waited a moment in surprise. He wondered why his mother did not come nearer. He was so mad with hunger that he dived at the fish. He fell outwards with a scream and downwards into space. His mother had swooped upwards. As he passed beneath her he heard the swish of her wings.

Flight begins
Then a great fear caught him. His heart stood still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a moment. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards. He felt the wind rushed against his breast feathers. Then it rushed under his stomach, and against his wings. He was not falling headlong now. He was soaring slowly downwards and upwards. He was no longer afraid. He could fly on his own.

Joy of flight
The seagull gave out a joyous scream. He soared higher calling ‘ga, ga, ga’. His mother gave out ‘gaw-col-ah’. Then his father flew over him screaming. Then he saw his brothers and sister flying around him. They were roaring and diving.

The scene around
Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly. He commended himself to dive and soar. He was near the sea now, flying straight over it. He saw a vast green sea beneath him. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green surface of water ahead of him. They were calling him to do the same thing.

Lands on the surface of the water
He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. But his legs sank into it. He cried with fear. He tried to rise again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger. He could not rise. His feet sank into the green sea. His belly touched it. He sank no further. He was floating on it. Around him was his family, crying and praising him. They were offering him scraps of dog-fish. He had made his first flight successfully.

Choose the correct answer.

Question. The young seagull completely forgot that he had not always been:
(i) able to fly.
(ii) not able to fly.
(iii) unable to fly.
(iv) disabled to fly.
Answer. A

Question. What helped the young seagull to overcome his fear?
(i) His parents
(ii) His efforts
(iii) His courage
(iv) His self decision
Answer. C

Question. The young seagull cried begging his mother to bring him:
(i) some good news.
(ii) some support.
(iii) some leaves.
(iv) some food.
Answer. D

Question. Why did the seagull’s mother halt?
(i) She wanted the seagull to dive for the food.
(ii) She was in pain.
(iii) She saw a hunter.
(iv) She wanted the seagull to move back.
Answer. A

Question. How did the young seagull react to see his mother eating fish?
(i) He felt angry to see her mother eating fish.
(ii) He felt delighted to see her mother eating fish.
(iii) He got mad on seeing her mother eating fish.
(iv) He tried his best to fly and reach her mother.
Answer. C

Extract-Based Questions

Q. 1. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish. He had, in fact, seen his older brother catch his first herring and devour it, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle. And all the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him with his cowardice. 

Question. Which option lists the image nearest to 'skim the waves'?

(a) image (i)
(b) image (ii)
(c) image (iii)
(d) image (iv)
Answer : C

Question. Which of the following feelings did the young gull, NOT feel according to the given context?
"...all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister..."
(i) sad (ii) incompetent (iii) excluded (iv) ungrateful (v) inspired (vi) jealous (vii) anxious
(a) (i), (iii), (vi)
(b) (ii), (v), (vii)
(c) (ii),(iii), (vii)
(d) (iv), (v), (vi)
Answer : D

Question. Based on the given sentence, pick the option that corresponds to what human parents would say, 'while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle.'
(a) Well done!
(b) Oh no!
(c) Ready?!
(d) Really!?
Answer : A

Question. Imagine that the young gull attended a workshop on inspiration and confidence building and received a couple of pieces of advice.
Choose the option that reflects these pieces of advice, most relevant to his situation.

(a) (i) and (ii)
(b) (ii) and (iii)
(c) (ii) and (iv)
(d) (i) and (iv)
Answer : C

Question. Select the most appropriate option for the following:
devour : guzzle :: nibble :
(a) chew
(b) savour
(c) peck
(d) gulp
Answer : C

Q. 2. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then he flapped his wings once and he soared upwards. "Ga, ga, ga, Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-col-ah," his mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another scream. Then his father flew over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him curveting and banking and soaring and diving. Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly, and commended himself to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly. 

Question. How would you describe the screams of the gulls in the given extract?
(a) elation
(b) bewilderment
(c) shock
(d) protection
Answer : A

Question. Pick the most appropriate reason why the young gull felt dizzy.
(a) He hadn't eaten anything for a day.
(b) He was dizzy with excitement.
(c) He was wary of heights.
(d) He was flying for the first time
Answer : D

Question. The extract refers to the many movements of the young gull's brothers and sister. Choose the option that correctly sequences these movements.
(a) The young gull's brothers and sister flew by tilting their wings, rose high, made darting movements and plunged headfirst.
(b) The young gull's brothers and sister flew by plunging headfirst, making darting movements, titled their wings and rose high.
(c) The young gull's brothers and sister flew with darting movements, titled their wings, rose high and plunged headfirst.
(d) The young gull's brothers and sister flew by rising high, plunging headfirst, making darting movements and tilting their wings.
Answer : C

Question. The line "he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly" implies the
(a) great confidence the young gull had in his skills.
(b) naturalness of the act of flying for the young gull.
(c) satisfaction and joy of flying together as a family.
(d) desire of the young gull to leave his fears behind.
Answer : B

Question. Which of the following mirrors the use of the literary device in "shrieking shrilly"?
(a) sparkling saga
(b) singing soft
(c) slippery sloppily
(d) sneeze silently
Answer : D

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question. The Oxford Dictionary defines 'hungry' as 'bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger'.
To what extent can the young seagull's motivation to fly be attributed to being hungry? Support your stance with evidence from the text.
Answer : Yes, hunger was the only motivation which made him fly. He was maddened by the sight of his family eating scrapes of fish.

Question. Describe the young seagull's emotions when he flew over the sea.
Answer : When the young seagull touched the green sea for the first time, he was frightened. So, he tried to flap his wings to fly higher. Since he was too weak to fly, he found himself floating on the sea with his family.

Question. "The young seagull was alone on his ledge." How far do you think this condition was by his choice?
Answer : The young seagull was very afraid about attempting to fly. Because he thought that his wings would not support him. He feared that he would fall into the sea. Hence, this condition was by his choice.

Short Answer Type Questions 

Question. What happened when the young seagull dived at the fish picked up by his mother ?
Answer : When the young sea gull dived at the fish, he fell outwards and downwards with a scream. His monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still. Soon his wings spread outwards and he could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air.

Question. How did the seagull feel when his belly touched the green sea ?
Answer : When the seagull’s belly touched the green sea, he was scared that he would sink. He tried to fly but could not. He was exhausted and weak due to hunger.

Question. The young seagull "failed to muster up courage to take that plunge". In what way can the reference to the 'plunge' here be both literal and metaphorical? Explain.
Answer : The young seagull didn’t have the courage to fly. Hence, he made excuses for not fly not flying. He had no courage to flap his wings and literally failed to muster up courage to take dive. Metaphorically he couldn’t muster up courage to take the risk (plunge) when compare to his siblings. All his brothers and sisters had far shorter wings than his wings but they had already learnt the art of flying.

Question. The young seagull was afraid of flying. Why ?
Answer : The young seagull was afraid of flying as it was a steep fall to the sea, the sea expanse was vast and he thought that his wings would not support him, and he would die. So he avoided to fly and preferred staying back alone on his ledge.

Question. If you were the family member of the young seagull, would you also decide not go near him? Elaborate with reason.
Answer : Yes, even I would have done the same. The seagull’s family members encouraged him to fly. But he was too afraid to fly. Then they kept him hungry. Then they thought that experience would teach him, so they made him fall from the ledge. Ultimately, all their efforts were fruitful.

Question. What did the young seagull do to attract his mother’s attention ?
Answer : In order to attract his mother’s attention, the young seagull stood on one leg and pretended to be falling asleep on the brink of the ledge. He closed his eyes and he hid his other leg under his wing, to attract his mother’s attention.

Question. The 'fight or flight response', that is, to stay and face a situation or run from it- is an automatic reaction to an event perceived as stressful or harmful. How would you evaluate the young gull's response on finding himself off the ledge?
Answer : No doubt the young gull faced the situation with the ‘fight response’ success can’t be taken to be granted. One has to struggle and finally win it. Hunger made the young seagull take his final plunge. This led him to make his first flight and soar into space after satisfying his hunger.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. The young seagull's parents wanted him to fly, like his brothers and sister. How could the young seagull's newly flying siblings (Brother 1, Brother 2 and Sister) have motivated him? Write a brief conversation among them.
Answer : Young seagull : Brother 1, I’m so hungry, kindly give me some food.
Brother 1 : I’m holding the food in my beak for you. But you will have to jump the ledge and take it.
Young seagull : I am scared! The sea below is so deep. I’ll die.
Brother 2 : No, you won’t. We birds learn flying only after jumping. See, how well I’m flying.
Young seagull : Are you sure, I won’t fall into the sea?
Sister : Yes, Brother 2 is right. Would a sister ask her brother to do suicide? I am your sister. I am just speechless at your fear.
Young seagull : OK! I trust you.
(The young seagull jumped off the ledge. He fell for hundred metres. Soon he began flying.)
Sister : See! didn't I tell you; you would fly?
Young seagull : (feeling elated) WOW! Success is just behind the daring. Thanks sister!

Question. What role was played by the family of the seagull to train him in the art of flying ?
Answer : To train the young seagull in the art of flying, the entire family helped out. His sister and brothers encouraged him to muster up courage and try to fly. The parents called out in a shrill voice, along with cajoling and scolding him in turn. Then they threatened to let him starve. When all this proved unsuccessful, his mother tempted him by flying close to his ledge with a piece of fish in her mouth. Maddened by hunger, he dived forward to get that piece and fell into space. To save himself, he spread his wings and found that he was able to fly. Thus, the entire family helped him in making him to learn the art of flying. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on the green surface of water ahead of him. They were calling him to do the same thing. They were flying around him. They were roaring and diving. When he was tired and weak with hunger, he could not rise. Then his family came around him crying and praising him. They offered him scraps of dog-fish because he had made his first flight successfully.

Question. A noted author, Richard Bach wrote - "For most gulls it was not flying that mattered, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight." Evaluate this statement with respect to the young seagull.
Answer : Food is the most essential ingredient that sustains all life on earth. But the young seagull, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. Whenever he tried to flap his wings to fly, he was seized with fear. He felt certainly that his wings would never support him. He had seen his elder brother catch his first Herring and devour it. It compounded his helplessness even more. He uttered a joyful scream when he saw his mother holding a piece of fish in her beak and flying quite near him. Hunger became motivation for the young seagull. Maddened by hunger, he fell outwards and downward into space. Then a monstrous terror seagull him but only for a minute. The next moment, he felt his wings spread outwards. The fear left him. Soon, he was floating on the green sea.

Question. A young seagull is too afraid to fly. His father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly. Don’t you think that such type of strategy is followed by almost all parents to make their children learn ?
Substantiate your answer with examples.
Answer : The young seagull is scared to fly. He is afraid of the vast exposure of the sea beneath him. His parents cajole him to fly but he is too scared to fly. At the same time, he is desperate with hunger. He expects his parents to feed him. But he is left alone without food. They threaten him that he’ll die of hunger if he doesn’t fly. Then the mother persuades him with a fish within his reach, but not closer to him. He ultimately falls to temptation and dives into the sea and finally succeeds. All the parents should follow such type of strategy to make their children learn. They should not pamper their children by spoon feeding. They should make them independent. Parental strictness in making a child learn a skill shouldn’t be taken as a threat. It is in favour of child as without threat, the seagull won’t have learnt to fly; he would be starved to death.

Question. Look at the image of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Abraham Maslow devised a theory of motivation that shows the basic needs at the bottom, and more advanced needs as you move up. It includes the theory that fundamental needs must be met before an individual can be motivated to achieve higher order needs.

Where in this hierarchy of needs, would you locate the young seagull's first flight? Justify your response.
Answer : The young seagull’s first flight can be located in the category of ‘Basic Needs’ in this hierarchy of needs. These needs are most essential for the very survival and maintenance of self. These include food, warmth and shelter. These needs must be met repeatedly within short time period such as hunger.
The seagull was very hungry. He hadn’t eaten anything for last twenty four hours. When he saw his mother bringing food in her beak, he died towards her. But fell from the brink of the ledge. He screamed with fear. But his fear lasted only for a moment. The next moment, he felt that his wings spread outwards instinctively. He was flying now. Thus, hunger motivated him.

Question. Imagine you are the seagull’s mother. You wanted him to fly and your plan worked. Write a page in your diary to describe how he ventured into his flight.
Answer : Monday : 25th June, 20xx
10:30 p.m.
Dear Diary
Today I am feeling very happy. Finally, all my children are able to fly. Coaxing the youngest one was in deed a real ordeal. He just refused to get off the ledge. We tried every method but failed. After nearly 24 hours, I could see that he was feeling really hungry. So I decided to play a trick on him. I took a piece of fish in my mouth and flew close to the ledge. Maddened by hunger, he stepped forward to get the fish, lost his balance and fell outwards. Instinctively, he spread his wings and found that he could fly. Even my husband and other children supported him. When he was near the sea, while flying straight over it, all of us landed on the green surface of water ahead of him. We all started calling him to do the same thing. He dropped his leg to stand on the green sea. But his legs sank into it. He cried with fear. He tried to rise again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger. He could not rise. We all started crying and praising him. At last we offered him scraps of dog-fish. He had at last made his first flight successful with great effort. It was the proud moment of my life. Now I am relaxed. Good night Diary.

Question. Look at the given image of different parenting styles and what they signify.

THE FOUR PARENTING STYLES

Which of the given par
enting styles would you attribute to the young seagull's parents?
Do you think there was a difference between the mother's and father's attitude? Support your answer with reference to the text.
Answer : According to me, the young seagull’s parents were authoritative parents. As in this case, parents have clear standards for their children. While the parents set limits, they also give the children an opportunity to explore and learn. Parent also explain why they punish the child when the punishment is given and give positive encouragement at the right time.
Yes, there was a great difference between the mother’s and father’s attitude. The mother used sensitive and responsive approach. She is actually portrayed as a tough but motivating character. She understood that her child needed a lot of motivation to achieve its fad of flying. Initially, she tried to threaten the young seagull in many way ways but to no avail. She knew very well that fear was the only thing that actually had to be feared. So, she used food to arouse young seagull’s need.

Question. Do you think hunger was a good motivation for the young seagull in his first flight ?
Answer : Even though his parents motivated him to fly, he denied. They warned him that if he did not fly, he would die of hunger. But he could not move.
But whatever parents do, it is for the betterment of their child’s future. So they took a harsh step of starving him for more than 24 hours, which was a good time to teach him lesson to fly and hunt food for himself.
It was a wonderful lesson which parents can teach their children to make their future bright. Yes, in this case, hunger was a great motivation for the young seagull. He was cowardly and full of fear.
All the efforts of his parents had failed to coax him into flight. For 24 hours, no one went near him and he was almost faint with hunger. Finally, the mother flew near him with a scrap of food in her beak.
Unable to resist, he plunged into the air to catch it and fell out. To save himself, he opened his wings, wind rushed to them and he found that he could fly. Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly. Around him was his family, offering him scraps of dog-fish. Hence, hunger proved to be a good motivation for the young sea gull.