CHAPTER-3
TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING
I. HIS FIRST FLIGHT
LIAM O’ FLAHERTY✍
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| A plane flying into black clouds. |
HIS FIRST FLIGHT SUMMARY
1. Introduction
to the Young Seagull
👉The story is about a
young seagull who is afraid to fly for the first time.
👉All his brothers and sister have already learned to
fly, but he is still hesitant.
👉He lives with his family on a ledge (a narrow piece of
rock high above the sea).
2. Fear of
Flying
👉The young seagull
feels that his wings are too weak to carry him.
👉He is scared that he
will fall into the sea if he tries to fly.
👉Because of this fear,
he hides on the ledge and does not join his family.
3. Family’s
Attempts to Encourage Him
👉His parents,
brothers, and sister encourage him to fly.
👉They scold him and
call him cowardly, but he still refuses.
👉He watches his
brothers and sister flying confidently, diving into the sea, and catching fish.
4. Loneliness
and Hunger
👉The young seagull is
left alone on the ledge for 24 hours without food.
👉His parents do not
give him anything to eat, hoping hunger will force him to try flying.
👉He sees his family
enjoying food on another plateau (a flat rock), which makes him even hungrier.
5. Mother’s
Trick
👉His mother notices
his hunger and thinks of a plan to make him fly.
👉She picks up a piece
of fish in her beak and flies close to him without actually giving it to him.
👉The young seagull,
mad with hunger, leans forward to grab the fish.
6. The Leap into
the Air
👉In his desperation,
he jumps forward to reach the fish.
👉Suddenly, he finds
himself falling into the empty space below.
👉A strange feeling
comes over him — instead of falling, his wings spread out and the wind lifts
him.
7. First
Experience of Flying
👉He flaps his wings
and starts soaring higher.
👉He feels the thrill
and joy of flying for the first time.
He joins his family, who are calling to him with excitement.
8. Confidence in
the Air
👉He flies over the
sea, feeling confident and happy.
👉His family encourages
him with loud cries.
👉He makes a successful
dive and lands safely on the green sea water.
9. Conclusion
👉His family is proud
and happy.
👉They give him scraps
of fish as a reward.
👉The young seagull
realises that he can fly and that his fear was unnecessary.
Moral / Message
👉Fear is often our
biggest obstacle.
👉Courage and confidence come when we take the first
step.
👉Sometimes, we need a push or challenge to discover our
own abilities.
HIS
FIRST FLIGHT SHORT QUESTION
1.
Describe the young seagull’s emotions when he flew over the sea.
Answer: The
young seagull felt very happy and excited when he flew over the sea. He enjoyed
the cool wind and the wide open sky, feeling free and proud of his first
successful flight.
2.
“The young seagull was alone on his ledge.” How far do you think this
condition was by his choice?
Answer: The
young seagull was alone on his ledge by choice. He stayed back while others
flew because he was afraid to fly. His fear kept him apart, even though his
family encouraged him to join them.
3.
If you were the family member of the young seagull, would you also
decide not go near him? Elaborate with reason.
Answer: Yes.
I would stay away for a while, like his family. If we go near and feed him, he
will never learn. By keeping distance and tempting him with food, he would feel
hungry, gain courage, and try flying. I’d still watch to ensure safety.
4.
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: Literally,
the ‘plunge’ means jumping off the ledge into the air for his first flight.
Metaphorically, it means overcoming his fear and taking a big step towards
independence and growth, just like facing any challenge in life with courage.
5.
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘hangry’ 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: The
young seagull’s hunger played a big role in making him fly. At first, fear kept
him on the ledge. But when he saw his mother with a fish, his hunger grew so
strong that he dived towards it, unknowingly starting his first flight.
6.
Validate the given statement with reference to the baby seagull’s
fear.
‘Fear doesn’t exist anywhere else other than one’s mind.’
Answer: The baby seagull’s fear existed only in his mind. He
thought his wings wouldn’t support him, but in reality, they were strong
enough. The moment he tried, he flew perfectly. This shows fear is often
imaginary and disappears once we face it.
7.
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 to
finding himself off the ledge?
Answer: The
young gull’s reaction showed both fight and flight. At first, he panicked and
tried to escape the water (flight). Soon, he controlled his wings, faced his
fear, and flew confidently (fight), turning the stressful moment into a
success.
HIS
FIRST FLIGHT LONG QUESTION
1.
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: Brother 1:
Hey, little brother! Why are you still on that ledge? You should be flying with
us!
Young Seagull: I’m
afraid… What if my wings don’t hold me?
Sister: We all felt that way at first. But once we tried, the fear
disappeared. You’re just as strong as we are.
Brother 2: Flying is the best feeling—freedom, fresh air, and the world
beneath you. You’ll love it.
Brother 1: You’ve been watching us every day. You already know how to
flap and glide.
Young Seagull: But I might fall…
Sister: Falling isn’t failing. We’ve all stumbled, but we kept going
until we succeeded.
Brother 2: We’ll be right beside you. Trust yourself.
Young Seagull: Okay… I’ll try. Thank you for believing in me.
Their encouragement, shared experiences, and constant support gave him the
courage to take the leap.
2.
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: Richard Bach’s statement fits the
young seagull well. Most gulls think first about food, but for this seagull,
the real joy came from flying. At first, hunger pushed him to try, but once he
left the ledge, the thrill of flight became more important than eating. He felt
the wind, the open sky, and the freedom of the air, which gave him a deeper
satisfaction than food could. His focus shifted from survival to passion. This
shows that true fulfillment comes from following what excites and inspires us,
even if it is not the usual priority. The young seagull’s love for flight made
him different from others and turned his first attempt into a moment of pride
and happiness.
3.
Describe the methods used by the seagull’s family to help the young
seagull overcome his fear and fly.
Answer: The
young seagull’s family used different methods to help him overcome his fear of
flying. At first, his parents encouraged him and tried to teach him, but when
he refused, they left him alone on the ledge to make him independent. They even
warned him that he would starve if he did not fly. His brothers and sister
mocked him for his cowardice to push him into action. Finally, his mother made a
clever plan. She flew towards him with a piece of fish but stopped just short
of the ledge. His hunger became so strong that he dived forward to snatch the
fish and fell off the ledge. In that moment of fear, he flapped his wings and
discovered that he could fly. Through patience, teasing, and a smart trick, his
family successfully helped him conquer his fear.
4.
Overcoming fear is the first step to success. How does this saying
stand true in context of the story ‘his first flight’’?
Answer: The saying “Overcoming fear
is the first step to success” is true in the story His First Flight.
The young seagull was afraid to fly, unlike his younger siblings who took the
plunge despite having shorter wings. His fear kept him hungry and alone, as his
parents showed no sympathy. Finally, driven by hunger, he gathered courage,
flapped his wings, and jumped from the ledge. To his surprise, he could fly
perfectly. By facing his fear, he discovered his hidden ability and felt joy
and pride. This shows that success comes only when we defeat our fear and take
the first step.
5. HIS FIRST FLIGHT EXTRACT BASED QUESTION
EXTRACT-1
He felt certain that his wings would
never support him; so he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole
under the ledge where he slept at night. Even when each of his brothers and his
little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink,
flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster up courage to take that
plunge which appeared to him so desperate. His father and mother had come
around calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on
his ledge unless he flew away. But for the life of him he could not move.
i.
State
any one inference about the parents of the baby seagull from the given
statement. 1
“His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, upbraiding
him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away.”
ii.
Where
did the little seagull sleep at night? 1
iii.
Which
factors contributed to the young seagull’s reluctance to fly despite the
encouragement and threats from his parents? Elaborate in about 40 words, with
reference to the extract. 2
iv.
Which
phrase or word would correctly substitute ‘muster up’ in the given
sentence from the extract? 1
He failed to ‘muster up’ courage to take that plunge which appeared
to him so desperate.
(A) review (B) resolve
(C) distribute (D) gather
EXTRACT-2
That was twenty-four hours ago. Since
then nobody had come near him. 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 elder 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 for his cowardice.
i.
Fill
in the blank with the correct word from the bracket: The use of the phrase
'proud cackle' adds to a sense of ________(noise/pride) in the extract. 1
ii.
How
do the parents teach their young to be independent? 1
iii.
Describe
the contrasting reactions of the parents to their children giving reasons. 2
iv.
The
word 'devour' in the above extract most nearly means 1
(A) scared (B) gobbled
(C) preserved (D) cooled
EXTRACT-3
With a loud scream he fell outwards and given
downwards into space. Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood
still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a minute. The next moment he
felt his wings spread outwards. The wind rushed against his breast feathers,
then under his stomach, and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his
wings cutting through the air. He was not falling headlong now. He was soaring
gradually downwards and outwards.
i.
What
effect does the experience, as described in the lines below, have on the baby
seagull?
With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. Then a monstrous
terror seized him and his heart stood still.
Chose the most suitable option. 1
A. exhilarates B. overwhelms
C. energises D. confuses
ii.
How does
the author's use of descriptive language enhance the narrative technique in the
paragraph? 2
iii.
Fill in
the blank with the correct word from the bracket. 1
The use of the word ‘rushed’ adds to a sense of____________(speed / relief), in
the extract.
iv.
How does
the seagull's feelings towards the end of the extract contrast with the initial
feeling of terror?
iv.
ANSWER
EXTRACT-1
i.. The parents were strict and determined
to make the young seagull fly, even using scolding and threats to push him
towards independence.
ii. The little seagull slept at night in a small hole under the ledge.
iii. The young seagull lacked self-confidence and was terrified that his wings
wouldn’t support him. His fear of falling and the plunge seemed too desperate,
which kept him from flying despite his parents’ constant encouragement and
threats.
iv. (D) gather
EXTRACT-2
i.. pride
ii. The parents teach their young to be independent by
giving them flight training, showing them how to skim over waves and dive for
fish.
iii. The parents were proud and encouraging towards
the siblings who had learned to fly, praising their skills, but they mocked and
taunted the young seagull who was still afraid, to push him towards overcoming
his fear.
iv. (B) gobbled
II. THE BLACK AEROPLANE
FREDERICK FORSYTH✍
THE
BLACK AEROPLANE SUMMARY
1. Introduction
of the Pilot
👉The narrator is a
pilot who is flying his Dakota aeroplane from France to England at night.
👉It is a clear night with a full moon, and the weather
is perfect for flying.
👉He is looking forward
to reaching home in time for breakfast with his family.
2. Setting Off
on the Journey
👉He crosses Paris and
feels happy and confident.
👉The fuel tanks of the
plane are almost full — enough to reach England safely.
👉He plans to land at
his home airport for breakfast and thinks about a pleasant time ahead.
3. The
Unexpected Storm Clouds
👉Suddenly, as he is
about 150 kilometres from Paris, he sees huge, dark storm clouds in front of
him.
👉He realises he cannot
fly over them — they are too high — and he cannot fly around them because that
would take too long.
👉Turning back to Paris
would mean missing breakfast, so he decides to take the risk of flying straight
through the storm.
4. Danger in the
Storm
👉As soon as he enters
the storm, everything becomes dark.
👉The aeroplane starts
jumping and twisting in the strong winds.
👉His compass stops
working, the radio goes dead, and he loses contact with the control room.
👉He cannot see
anything outside — no lights, no landmarks, only darkness.
5. The
Mysterious Black Aeroplane
👉Suddenly, he notices
another aeroplane flying near him.
👉It is completely
black, with no lights, and the pilot is visible through the window.
👉The pilot of the
black aeroplane gestures to him to follow.
👉Without any other
option, he decides to follow the mysterious plane.
6. Escape from
the Storm
👉The black aeroplane
leads him through the storm for about half an hour.
👉The narrator is
relieved when he sees a runway ahead.
👉He lands his Dakota
safely on the runway, but when he looks back to thank the other pilot — the
black aeroplane is gone.
7. The Mystery
Deepens
👉After landing, he
goes to the control tower and asks the woman there about the other aeroplane.
👉She tells him that no
other aeroplanes were flying that night in the storm, only his Dakota.
👉This shocks the
narrator — if no one else was in the sky, then who was the mysterious pilot who
saved his life?
8. Conclusion
👉The story ends with
an unanswered question.
👉The black aeroplane
and its pilot remain a mystery — perhaps it was a miracle or a supernatural
guide.
9. Moral /
Message
👉Sometimes, help comes
from unexpected and mysterious sources.
👉Life is full of unexplained events that can’t always
be solved by logic.
👉Courage in the face of danger and trust in guidance
can lead to safety.
THE
BLACK AEROPLANE SHORT QUESTION
1.
How
would you describe the mood of the story, ‘Black Aeroplane’ as it begins?
Answer: The narrator is flying at night, enjoying the
smooth journey and looking forward to being with his family and eating a good
breakfast. There’s a sense of peace and satisfaction in the air, with no sign
of trouble — a quiet, happy atmosphere before the suspense begins.
2.
Describe
the sky when ‘Dakota’ took off from Paris.
Answer: When ‘Dakota’ took off from Paris, the sky was quite clear. The
moon was coming up in the east and the stars were shining. There were no clouds
in the sky.
3.
‘I’ll
take the risk? What is the risk? Why does the pilot of the old Dakota take it?
Answer: In The
Black Aeroplane, the “risk” refers to flying through the dark, stormy
clouds instead of taking the safer route around them or turning back.
The pilot of the old Dakota takes this risk because he
wants to reach home quickly and have breakfast with his family. He is eager to
complete the journey without delay, even though he knows the storm could be
dangerous. His decision is driven more by desire and confidence than by
caution.
4.
Do
you think that after his experience, the narrator would be able to truly enjoy
the English breakfast he had yearned for? Why/ Why not?
Answer: No, the narrator would not truly enjoy his English
breakfast.
Even after reaching safely, he would keep thinking about the strange black
aeroplane and the unknown pilot who helped him.
His mind would be full of questions, not peace.
5.
As
a reader, do you feel betrayed or let down in the way the story ends? Validate
your opinion.
Answer: No, I do
not feel let down by the ending.
The mystery of the black aeroplane makes the story more exciting and leaves
room for imagination.
The unanswered questions keep the reader thinking and make the story memorable.
6.
Based on your reading, would you call the narrator a
family man? Justify your stance.
Answer: Yes, the
narrator seems to be a family man.
He takes the risk of flying through the storm just to reach home quickly and have
breakfast with his family. This shows his strong desire to be with them.
7.
What
difficulties did the narrator face while flying in the storm?
Answer: The narrator could not see anything as the clouds were black and
thick.
His compass and radio stopped working.
He lost contact with the control room and did not know his direction. He was
also running low on fuel.
8.
What made
the woman in the control center look at the narrator strangely?
Answer: The woman in the control center looked at the narrator strangely
because he asked about the black aeroplane and its pilot.
She told him there was no other plane flying that night, which made his story
sound impossible.
THE
BLACK AEROPLANE LONG QUESTION
1.
Imagine that the narrator shared his story with friends and family once
he got home. One of them, a spiritual leader, decided to incorporate the story
as part of his weekly sermon to the congregation. Another friend, a
psychologist, worked the story into his next lecture on survival instinct and
crisis management.
Do you think the two interpretations of the story would be different? If so,
how?
What insights might the narrator get about his mysterious experience, if he
were to attend both the sessions?
Answer: Yes, the two
interpretations of the story would be quite different.
The spiritual leader would likely see the black aeroplane and its mysterious
pilot as a sign of divine help or a guardian angel protecting the narrator in
his time of danger. He might use it to inspire faith, hope, and the belief that
unseen forces guide and protect us.
The psychologist, on the other hand, would focus on
the narrator’s survival instinct and decision-making during the crisis. He
might explain the black aeroplane as a mental creation or illusion formed under
extreme stress, guiding the narrator to safety.
If the narrator attended both sessions, he might gain two insights — one that
his life could have been saved by a higher power, and another that human
instincts and mental strength can lead to survival even in the worst
situations. Both views would deepen his mystery.
2.
The narrator had two options of avoiding the terrible storm clouds.
Why didn’t he use them? Was his decision of flying straight into storm clouds a
sound decision?
Answer: The narrator could see black mountains of clouds
all around him. They were storm clouds. He had two options and by using them he
could avoid the terrible storm clouds. He could go back to Paris. He had left
Paris 150 kilometers behind. He wanted to go back but the temptation of having
an early breakfast at home stopped him. He couldn’t fly up and above the storm
clouds either. He didn’t have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or
south. It seems that flying back to Paris would have been the best option in
those circumstances. He couldn’t fly north or south of the storm as he hadn’t
enough fuel in the second tank. His decision of flying straight into the storm
clouds was motivated by his desire to have an early breakfast with his family.
It was rather a bold but risky decision. He would have been in deep trouble,
had the pilot of the strange black areoplane not helped him to land safely.
3.
A few days after the experience, the narrator sat with his wife and
recalled a long conversation he’d had with his young son the day before. The
narrator’s son had spoken to him about his close friend, Freddie, and the many
ways Freddie helped him. When the narrator suggested inviting Freddie home for
lunch, his wife casually said, “Freddie is like your friend in the black
aeroplane!”
That night the narrator decided to record his thoughts in his diary to clear
his head. As the narrator, write the diary entry.
Answer: Diary Entry
Date: 12 May 19XX
Tonight, I cannot stop thinking about what my wife said. Yesterday, my son
spoke so fondly of his friend Freddie — how he always appears at the right
time, helps him in school, and never asks for anything in return. When I
suggested inviting Freddie over, my wife smiled and said, “Freddie is like
your friend in the black aeroplane!”
Her words have stayed with me. Is that what happened to me that night? Did
someone, like Freddie, come into my life just for a moment, only to help and
then vanish without a trace? I still remember the storm, the fear, the failing
compass, and then the sudden comfort of seeing that black aeroplane ahead of
me. Whoever the pilot was, he guided me to safety and disappeared into the
night.
Some friends we meet. Others… we never even know their names.
THE
BLACK AEROPLANE EXTRACT BASED QUESTION
EXTRACT-1
The moon was coming up in the east,
behind me, and stars were shining in the clear sky above me. There wasn’t a
cloud in the sky. I was happy to be alone high up above the sleeping countryside.
I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England. I was
dreaming of my holiday and looking forward to being with my family. I looked at
my watch: one thirty in the morning.
i.
What
time of the day is the above extract set in? 1
(A) dawn (B)
afternoon
(C) night (D) dusk
ii.
State
any one inference about the writer from the given context. 1
“I was looking forward to being with my family.”
iii.
Fill
in the blank with the correct word from the brackets.
The use of the phrase ‘clear sky’ adds to a sense of ___________
(favourable/flavourful) weather conditions. 1
iv.
How
does the serene atmosphere described by the narrator contribute to the mood and
anticipation of his journey back to England ? Elaborate in about 40 words, with
reference to the extract.
EXTRACT-2
Everything was going well — it was an
easy flight. Paris was about 150 kilometres behind me when I saw the clouds.
Storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black mountains standing in
front of me across the sky. I knew I could not fly up and over them, and I did
not have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south. “I ought to go
back to Paris,” I thought, but I wanted to get home. I wanted that breakfast.
‘I’ll take the risk,’ I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the
storm.
i.
Where
was Paris when the narrator saw the storm clouds? 1
a) 50 kilometres ahead
b) 150 kilometres behind
c) 100 kilometres ahead
d) 200 kilometres behind
ii.
Fill
in the blank: 1
The narrator decided to fly the old Dakota straight into the ______.
iii.
Why
did the narrator choose not to return to Paris? 2
iv.
Give
the meaning of the word fuel. 1
EXTRACT-3
I was safe! I turned to look for my
friend in the black aeroplane, but the sky was empty. There was nothing there.
The black aeroplane was gone. I could not see it anywhere. I landed and was not
sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I went and asked
a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted
to say ‘Thank you’. She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed. “Another
aeroplane? Up there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight.
Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.” So, who helped me…
i.
Select
the option that correctly tracks the progression of emotions experienced by the
narrator in the given extract.
a) excited – surprised – relieved – grateful – perplexed
b) relieved – confused – curious – dejected – panic-stricken
c) optimistic – lonely – calm – elated – appreciative
d) triumphant – reassured– inquisitive – thankful – uncertain
ii.
Why
do you think the woman in the control centre laughed?
a) She found the narrator funny.
b) She thought his question preposterous.
c) She thought he was teasing her.
d) She was relieved the narrator was safe.
iii.
Filled
with questions, the narrator decides to place an advertisement in the local
newspaper to look for his “friend”.
Read the advertisement given below and select the option that includes the most
appropriate solutions for the blanks:
Looking for a pilot of a black aeroplane who (i) _______ an old Dakota out of
storm clouds late last night, but (ii) _______ before the Dakota pilot could express
his gratitude after landing. Though control centre and radar did not (iii)
_______ its presence, the Dakota pilot would really appreciate if his friend
reached out. Please contact the Dakota pilot at 5200100110. In deep gratitude
and eager (iv) ______, XXX
a) (i) guided;(ii) disappeared;(iii) register;(iv) anticipation
b) (i) took;(ii) landed;(iii) acknowledge;(iv) appreciation
c) (i) brought;(ii) went away;(iii) confirm;(iv) expectation
d) (i) helped;(ii) vanish;(iii) make note;(iv) excitement
iv.
The
narrator exclaimed that he was “safe”. Which of the following represented the
most immediate threat to the narrator’s safety?
a) The black mountain-like storm cloud
b) The depletion of fuel in the last fuel tank
c) Being lost due to non-functioning equipment
d) The old rattling Dakota aeroplane
ANSWER
EXTRACT-1
i, (C) night
ii. The writer is a family-oriented person who values spending time with his
loved ones.
iii. favourable
iv. The calm night sky, shining stars, and absence of
clouds create a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. This serene setting enhances
the narrator’s excitement and positive anticipation for his safe and enjoyable
journey back home to be with his family.
EXTRACT-2
i, b, ii-
storm,
iii- The narrator wanted to reach home and enjoy breakfast. Despite knowing the
risks of flying into the storm, he decided to proceed instead of returning to
Paris.
iv- A substance used to produce power or energy, especially for engines.
EXTRACT-3
i. - a), ii - b), iii - a), iv - b)
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