Unit - III - education85.com

Two Stories about Flying

“Two Stories About Flying” from your 10th standard English subject consists of two parts:

Part 1: His First Flight

This story follows a young seagull who is terrified to fly, unlike his siblings who take to the skies with ease.
His parents scold and encourage him to overcome his fear, highlighting the importance of taking risks and venturing into the unknown.
They even threaten to leave him on the ledge to starve if he doesn’t fly, emphasizing the need for self-reliance and facing challenges.
The young seagull eventually takes flight due to a combination of hunger and the sight of food, overcoming his fear and experiencing the joy of flying.

Part 2: Black Aeroplane

This is a shorter story told from the perspective of a pilot caught in a storm.
He desperately tries to navigate his plane through thick clouds and loses visibility.
He sees another plane without lights, creating a sense of mystery and danger.
The story ends abruptly, leaving the reader to wonder about the pilot’s fate and the significance of the black aeroplane.

Themes:

Overcoming Fear: Both stories deal with characters facing their fears and taking the leap of faith.
Importance of Self-Reliance: The young seagull learns to rely on himself and his own abilities.
Nature vs. Technology: The contrast between the natural world of the seagulls and the technological world of the aeroplane raises questions about human intervention and potential dangers.

Thinking about the Text

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 step?

Ans : The young seagull feared flying due to the unknown vastness of the sky and a lack of confidence in his abilities. This fear, similar to a baby hesitant about first steps, is likely common among young birds. Observation, encouragement, and natural instincts all play a role in overcoming this apprehension. Just as hunger motivated the seagull, a baby’s desire to explore might push them to walk. In the end, both the young bird and human baby can conquer their fear and experience the freedom that comes with venturing out.

2. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?

Ans : “The sight of the food maddened him” suggests the young seagull’s hunger intensified to a point of desperation. This, along with a possible loss of rational thought due to hunger, made him act impulsively. Ultimately, a combination of factors compelled him to fly: the overpowering urge to reach the food, a developing natural flight instinct, and perhaps even the lingering influence of his parents’ encouragement.

3. They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?

Ans : The seagull’s parents resorted to threats and cajoling because flying is crucial for a seagull’s survival. It’s how they get food, escape danger, and live independently. Their tough love approach aimed to push him past his fear, understand self-reliance, and embrace the natural instinct to fly that he was resisting.

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.

Ans :

Yes, I had a similar experience when learning to ride a bicycle in the sixth grade. During my initial attempts, I fell every time and developed a fear of cycling that was hard to overcome. No amount of coaxing could persuade me to try again, but my father was determined to help me conquer my fear. He took me to a hill near our village, made me sit on the bike, and instructed me to put my hands on the handlebars and my feet on the pedals. As the bike sped downhill, I enjoyed the ride without fear, which boosted my confidence.

With a few more practice sessions, I overcame my fear and started riding a bicycle confidently.

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?

Ans : While flying seems effortless for birds, our human endeavors rarely guarantee success. Yet, trying is crucial. Just like the young seagull, we grow from overcoming challenges. The attempt itself builds confidence and resilience, even if we don’t achieve the exact goal. Sometimes, the journey leads to unexpected opportunities. So, embrace the effort, for it’s in the trying that we truly take flight.

Thinking about the Text

1. “I’ll take the risk”. What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

Ans : The narrator’s bold statement, “I’ll take the risk,” implies a willingness to embrace uncertainty. The nature of the risk itself remains unclear without further context. It could be physical danger, emotional vulnerability, social disapproval, or financial insecurity. Yet, the narrator chooses to step forward. Perhaps the potential reward outweighs the risk, or maybe it’s a necessary step towards a dream. Whatever the reason, this decision signifies a desire for growth, change, or the pursuit of a passion.

2. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

Ans : Dread knotted the pilot’s stomach as he plunged into the storm. Rain lashed the windshield, while lightning cracked across a sky choked with angry clouds. The plane bucked wildly, instruments malfunctioned, and alarms shrieked. Fear gnawed at him, but his focus remained laser-sharp – finding a way out of this aerial maelstrom.

3. Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?

Ans : The narrator’s “not sorry” remark about the Dakota is ambiguous. It likely reflects relief at landing safely after a terrifying experience (the storm). However, the mention of the black aeroplane suggests the narrator might be more interested in that mystery than the plane he just flew.

4. What made the woman in the Control Centre look at the narrator strangely?

Ans : The woman’s strange look stemmed from the narrator mentioning a black aeroplane. Their radar only showed his plane in the storm. This discrepancy could imply the narrator’s stress caused hallucinations, or it could hint at a mysterious presence the radar missed, leaving the nature of the black aeroplane and its role in the story a puzzling unknown.

5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.

Ans : It is challenging to determine the identity of the unknown pilot who assisted the narrator. However, it is likely that the narrator himself overcame his fear during the storm, as no other plane was detected on the radar except his Dakota. In that terrifying situation, he might have been hallucinating. Being a skilled and brave pilot, he managed to land safely on his own.

Thinking about Language

1. Study the sentences given below.

(a) They looked like black mountains.

(b) Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black.

(c) In the black clouds near me, I saw another aeroplane.

(d) The strange black aeroplane was there.

The word ‘black’ in sentences (a) and (c) refers to the very darkest colour. But in (b) and (d) (here) it means without light/with no light.

‘Black’ has a variety of meanings in different contexts. For example:

(a) ‘I prefer black tea’ means ‘I prefer tea without milk’.

(b) ‘With increasing pollution the future of the world is black’ means With increasing pollution the future of the world is very depressing/without hope’.

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.

1. Go and have a bath, your hands and face are absolutely black____ .

2. The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green____.

3. The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity____.

4. Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy____.

5. Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods____.

6. Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue____.

Ans :

Go and have a bath, your hands and face are absolutely black with dirt.
The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green meaning angry or disapproving.
The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity meaning evil or wicked.
Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy meaning dark humor, often involving satire or the absurd.
Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods on the black market, which means illegally.
Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue meaning severely bruised.

2. 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. 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	(a)	Move quickly/suddenly
2.	Fly into rage	(b)	Be successful
3.	Fly along	(c)	Display a flag on a long pole
4.	Fly high	(d)	Escape from a place
5.	Fly the coop	(e)	Become suddenly very angry

Ans :

Column A (Phrases)	Column B (Meanings)
Fly a flag	(c) Display a flag on a long pole
Fly into a rage	(e) Become suddenly very angry
Fly along	(a) Move quickly/suddenly (not the best fit, but closest in meaning)
Fly high	(b) Be successful (figurative meaning)
Fly the coop	(d) Escape from a place (idiomatic meaning)

Writing

Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.

Ans : The old house creaked ominously as the first fat raindrops splattered against the window. I was home alone, my parents having gone out for the evening. Every rumble of thunder sent a shiver down my spine, and the flashes of lightning momentarily illuminated the room, casting dancing shadows that seemed to morph into menacing shapes. The usual comforting sounds of home – the hum of the refrigerator, the tick of the clock – were drowned out by the roar of the storm. Curled up on the sofa with a book, I tried to focus on the words, but my attention kept getting yanked towards the window, drawn to the spectacle of nature’s fury raging outside. Despite the fear, there was a strange sense of awe in witnessing such raw power. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the storm began to subside. The rain softened to a gentle pitter-patter, and the thunder grumbled further and further away. Relief washed over me, and a newfound appreciation for the peace and quiet of a normal evening settled in.

How to Tell Wild Animals

The poem “How to Tell Wild Animals” by Carolyn Wells uses humor to describe how to identify dangerous wild animals from Asia.

Here’s the summary:

The speaker gives funny, not-so-safe advice on how to tell the difference between various wild animals.
If you see a large, tawny animal that roars and scares you half to death, it’s probably a lion.
If you encounter a striped yellow animal that attacks and eats you, that’s most likely a Bengal tiger.
The poem continues in this vein, mentioning a bear that gives a crushing hug and a crocodile with tears in its eyes (a misleading stereotype).
The overall tone is lighthearted, but it also highlights the danger of encountering these wild animals.

Key Points:

Uses humor and exaggeration for identification.
Focuses on Asian wild animals.
Highlights the dangers of these creatures.

Thinking about the Poem

1. Does ‘Dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’ ? Can you say it in such a way that it does?

Ans : “Dying” and “lion” don’t typically rhyme. Dialects with a softer “dying” pronunciation or poetic license with emphasis can create a slant rhyme, but it’s not perfect.

2. How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so according to him?

Ans : The poem offers a silly way to identify lions (being scared to death by a roar) and tigers (getting eaten). The joke? You’d only know in a dangerous (and likely fatal) situation. The message: respect wild animals and stay far away!

3. Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this?

4. Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong hug-such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! Again, hyenas are thought to laugh and crocodiles to weep (‘crocodile tears’) as they swallow their victims. Are there similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in your own language (s)?

Ans : A bearhug occurs when a bear tightly embraces its prey with both paws, crushing it to death. Every language has similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals. For instance, in Hindi, we say, “Magarmach ke aansu aaana” (Crocodile tears), “Haathi ke daant dikhane ke aur, khane ke aur” (An elephant’s tusks are different for show and for eating), “Ab pachtaye hot kya jab chidiya chug gai khet” (It’s useless to regret when the birds have already eaten the field), and “Girgit ke tarah rang badalna” (To change colors like a chameleon).

5.Look at the line ‘A novice might nonplus.” How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s ‘incorrect’ line better in the poem?

Ans : The line “A novice might nonplus” can be correctly written as “A novice might be nonplussed.” However, the poet’s incorrect version is more effective in the poem because it preserves the rhyme scheme, allowing “nonplus” to rhyme with “thus.”

6. Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own language? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language (s)?

Ans : There are many examples in poetry where poets take liberties with language, a practice known as ‘poetic license.’ Poets do this to achieve the desired rhyme and rhythm. For instance, in the following lines, the word ‘prest’ is used instead of ‘pressed’ to rhyme with ‘breast’: “A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast”

7. Much of the humour in the poem arisesfrom the way language is used. Although the ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these lines with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny.

Ans : The poet’s use of language and ideas in the poem is indeed humorous. The lines that stand out as particularly funny are “A noble wild beast greets you.” The notion of a wild beast welcoming you is quite amusing. Additionally, the line “He’ll only lep and lep again” is very humorous. The playful use of ‘lep’ derived from the word ‘leopard’ adds to the comedy.

The Ball Poem

The Ball Poem by John Berryman is a short poem about a boy who loses his favorite ball. Here’s a summary:

The poem describes a young boy playing with his ball in the street.
The ball bounces away from him and falls into a body of water (a river or harbor).
The boy is devastated by the loss and stands helplessly watching the water, unable to retrieve the ball.
The poem suggests the lost ball represents more than just a toy. It could symbolize the boy’s lost innocence or the fleeting nature of childhood happiness.

Key Points:

Uses simple language to convey a deeper meaning about loss.
The reader sympathizes with the boy’s grief.
The poem leaves the interpretation of the lost ball’s significance open-ended.

Thinking About the Poem

In pairs, attempt the following questions

1. Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer him money to buy another ball?

Ans : The poet says, “I would not intrude on him” because he doesn’t want to interfere with the natural process of learning. He wants the boy to understand the meaning of loss on his own. Additionally, he doesn’t offer him money to buy another ball because that would be pointless. He wants the boy to learn the lesson of responsibility.

2. “ …. staring down 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?

Ans : The line “staring down All his young days” suggests the lost ball wasn’t new. It was likely a long-time companion, present throughout “all his young days.” This, along with the phrase “His ball” (emphasizing possession), implies the ball held sentimental value and memories from the boy’s childhood. Losing it feels like losing a part of his past.

3. What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

Ans : “In the world of possessions” describes a society where material things reign supreme. People focus on acquiring and owning things, with these possessions becoming central to their lives and even sources of happiness or security. This emphasis on materialism can be seen as negative, suggesting a distraction from more important aspects of life and a potential for dissatisfaction.

4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the Words that suggest the answer.

Ans :The poem “The Ball Poem” doesn’t explicitly say the boy has lost anything before the ball. However, there aren’t any words suggesting prior losses either.

The focus is on the immense emotional impact of losing “His ball”, implying a strong attachment and the potential loss of memories and joy associated with it. The poem explores the universality of such experiences – the sting of losing something cherished, not necessarily due to repeated losses.

5. What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words.

Ans : The poet observes that the boy is learning to cope with the loss of the ball. He is experiencing grief and learning to grow up in a world full of possessions. The boy realizes that many things in life are lost and cannot be recovered. By losing the ball, he is sensing his first responsibility. He will learn to move on from his losses, understanding the true meaning and nature of loss.