1. A Letter to God (G.L.

Fuentes)

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 5)

Question 1: What did Lencho hope for?
Answer: Lencho hoped for a downpour or at least a shower for his ripe corn fields as it was
needed for a good harvest.
Question 2: Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Answer: Lencho compared the raindrops to ‘new coins’ – the big drops as ten-cent pieces
and the little ones as fives. As his crops were ready for harvest, he hoped that the rains
would bring him prosperity; so he felt the raindrops were like ‘new coins’.
Question 3: How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
Answer: The rain started pouring down. But suddenly a strong wind blew and very large
hailstones, like frozen pearls, began to fall along with the rain. The hailstorm continued for
an hour and destroyed Lencho’s corn fields and washed away the flowers from the plants
too.
Question 4: What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Answer: After the hailstones stopped, Lencho’s soul was filled with grief and dismay. He
realised that everything was ruined by the hailstorm and nothing was left to feed his family
for the entire year. He could visualize the bleak future of his family.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 6)

Question 1: Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Answer: Lencho had a strong faith in God. He believed that God’s eyes see everything, even
what is deep in one’s conscience. Hence, he wrote a letter to God citing that he needed a
hundred pesos to sow his field that was destroyed by the hailstorm.
Question 2: Who read the letter?
Answer: The postmaster read Lencho’s letter addressed to God.
Question 3: What did the postmaster do then?
Answer: Initially, the postmaster broke out into laughter but was soon moved by the
seriousness of Lencho’s faith in God. He didn’t want to shake the writer’s faith in the

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Almighty, so he came up with an idea to collect money from his employees and friends,
gave a part of his salary and sent it to Lencho.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 7)

Question 1: Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Answer: No, Lencho was not at all surprised to receive a letter from God with money in it.
He was very confident and had firm faith in God that his request would definitely be taken
care of by the Almighty.
Question 2: What made him angry?
Answer: When Lencho counted the money, he found only seventy pesos, instead of the
hundred pesos demanded by him from God. He was confident that God could neither make
a mistake in sending him less money, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had
requested. Therefore, he came to the conclusion that the post office employees must have
taken the remaining thirty pesos from the envelope.

Thinking about the Text (Page 7-8)

Question 1: Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell
you this?
Answer: Lencho had complete faith in God as he was instructed that God could see
everything and helped whoever was in deep trouble. Given below are a few sentences
which exhibit his faith in God:

i. But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley,
there was a single hope of help from God.
ii. All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose
eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s
conscience.
iii. “God”, he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year”.
iv. He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and still troubled, went to
town.
v. God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had
requested.
vi. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me
the rest, since I need it very much”.

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Question 2: Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter
‘God’?
Answer: The postmaster was deeply moved by Lencho’s faith in God. Hence, he decided to
send some money to Lencho in order to avoid shaking the latter’s faith in God. So, he
collected some money from his colleagues and friends and signed the letter as ‘God’. The
postmaster felt it was an ideal ploy to convey a message to Lencho that God has sent him
the money and that God himself signed it.
Question 3: Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
Answer: No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent him the money because he was
confident that God had sent it to him. Not for a moment did he suspect that someone else
other than God could have sent the money to him. His faith in the Almighty was so rocksolid
that he knew that nothing escapes God’s eyes. Lencho felt that God was aware of the
unfortunate incident faced by him and requested him to save him from this difficult
situation.
Question 4: Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in
the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An
ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
Answer: Upon counting the money, when Lencho found only seventy pesos in the envelope
instead of the hundred pesos that he had requested from God, he was confident that the
Almighty couldn’t have made such a big mistake. From this situation, he suspected that the
post office employees could have stolen the remaining thirty pesos from the envelope.
Hence, he called them crooks. The element of irony in this situation is that Lencho ends up
suspecting those very people who helped him in his crisis, in order to avoid shaking his faith
in God.
Question 5: Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would
you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
greedy naive stupid ungrateful
Selfish Comical unquestioning

Answer: It is not easy to find people like Lencho in the real world as he has a naïve and
unquestioning nature. From the story, we can conclude that he is not stupid. He is a literate
person who wrote a letter to God without any address requesting for money. Lencho had
deep faith in God and was confident that he would definitely receive some financial help
from the Almighty.

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Question 6: There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and
between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
Answer: The conflicts between humans and nature are shown in the story when Lencho’s
crops are destroyed by the hailstorm. He had expected some good rain for a good harvest.
However, when his crops were damaged by the hailstorm, he lost all hope and became sad
at the sight of his destroyed field. However, the story also depicts conflicts of humans
between themselves. The postmaster collected some money from his colleagues and
friends and gave a part of his salary to help Lencho so that the latter’s faith in God is not
shaken. It was a beautiful act of selflessness and kindness on their part. Despite their noble
act, when Lencho received the money, he blindly believed that God had sent him the
money, and he blamed the post office employees for stealing some money from the
envelope. This implies that man lacks faith in his fellow human beings, which gives rise to
conflicts among themselves.

Thinking about Language (Page 8-11) Question

I Answer:
1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: _c_ _y_ c _l_ _o_ _n_ _e_
2. An extremely strong wind: _g_ a _l_ _e_
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: _t_ _y_ p _h_ _o_ _o_ _n_
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: _t_ _o_ _r_ n _a_ _d_
_o_
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: _h_ _u_
r _r_ _i_ _c_ _a_ _n_ _e_ 6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning
movement and causes a lot of damage: _w_ _h_ _i_ _r_ l _w_ _i_ _n_ _d_ Question II
Answer:

A B
1. Will you get the subjects you want to – wanting something to happen (and
study in college? I hope so. thinking it quite possible)
2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but – showing concern that what you say should
I don’t like the way you are arguing. not offend or disturb the other person: a
way of being polite

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 3. This discovery will give new hope to – a feeling that something good will probably
HIV/AIDS sufferers. happen
4. We were hoping against hope that the – wishing for something to happen,
judges would not notice our mistakes. although this is very unlikely
5. I called early in the hope of speaking to – thinking that this would happen (It may or
her before she went to school. may not have happened.)
6. Just when everybody had given up hope, – stopped believing that this good thing
the fishermen came back, seven days after would happen
the cyclone.
Question III Answer:
1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
2. My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.
3. These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the
President.
4. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.
5. This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.
Question IV Answer:

1. The trees lost all their leaves.

Not a leaf remained on the trees.

2. The letter was addressed to God himself.

It was nothing less than a letter to God.

3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career. Never in his career as a
postman had he seen that address.
Question V Answer:

Object Metaphor Quality or Feature

Compared
Cloud Huge mountains of clouds The mass or ‘hugeness’ of
mountains

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 Raindrops Coins The money that the good
crops will bring when sold
Hailstones Frozen Pearls Resembles the colour,
hardness and brightness of
pearls
Locusts A plague of locusts The destruction caused by
plague and its consequences
Lencho An ox of a man Strong and hardworking
nature resembles the
working of an ox in the fields

Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)

Thinking about the Poem (Page 14)
Question 1: What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood?
How has the poet’s mood changed?
Answer: The ‘dust of snow’ refers to the snowflakes and its fine particles. The poet’s mood
changed due to the sudden shower of snowflakes. He was dismayed earlier, but it changed
to a happy and joyful mood as he felt refreshed and energized to enjoy the rest of the day.
Question 2: How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may
help you to think of an answer.

(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is
often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of
a crow?
(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more
‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does the
dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?
Answer: In the poem, Frost presents nature in a very unconventional manner.

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 i. Generally, poets consider birds and trees to represent beauty and positive qualities.
They write about birds such as parrots, peacocks, cuckoos, etc., and trees with
beautiful flowers and bearing tasty fruits. In this poem, Frost mentions a crow, which
is often not used in poems. Generally, a crow is a black bird with a harsh voice and is
considered a bad omen. Therefore, the word ‘crow’ in the poem brings foreboding
and depressing pictures to our mind.
ii. Frost mentions “a hemlock tree”, which is a poisonous plant having small white
flowers. The poet however, didn’t choose to use a maple, pine or oak tree that
symbolize beauty and joyfulness. Instead, he chose the hemlock tree while leaving
aside all the beautiful trees of nature to represent his sadness and regretful feelings.
iii. The ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ tree represent sorrow and depressing mood and
feelings felt by the poet in this world. The dust of snow symbolized a sense of natural
joy and energy in him. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree
refers to the
sad and depressing moments experienced by the poet initially which were gone as he
enters into a joyful and optimistic feeling.
Question 3: Have there been times when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you
experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?
Answer: Yes, there have been innumerable times when I felt sad, depressed and hopeless
due to some unavoidable circumstances in my life. Sometimes, such moments were caused
due to indifferent behaviour and attitude of other people and sometimes due to my own
conduct. On one occasion, I returned tired and upset from school. Upon reaching home, my
puppy jumped and embraced me. This little joy literally changed my mood and I was
overjoyed by such a nice gesture by the little creature. This uplifted my mood for the rest of
the day. I played with my puppy for a while and caressed him with love and affection.

Fire and Ice (Robert Frost)

Thinking about the Poem (Page 15)
Question 1: There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world
will end someday? Have you ever thought what would happen if the sun got so hot that it
‘burst’, or grew colder and colder?
Answer: There are multiple theories about how the world will ‘end’. Yes, I do believe that
the world will end someday as we all know that every particular thing which begins also has
an end to it. This holds true for the world too, that if the Sun got so hot and it bursts, the

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entire life on Earth would perish immediately as the planet would not be able to tolerate
the intensity of heat. On the contrary, if the Sun grew colder and colder, it is obvious that
life will come to an end without sunlight. We are aware of the fact that sunlight is a rich
source of energy to all the planets in the solar system.
Question 2: For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for? Here are some ideas: greed
avarice cruelty lust conflict fury intolerance rigidity insensitivity coldness indifference
hatred.
Answer: ‘Fire’ stands for greed, avarice, lust, conflict and fury. ‘Ice’ stands for cruelty,
intolerance, rigidity, insensitivity, coldness, indifference and hatred.
Question 3: What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the
contrasting ideas in the poem?
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem is: a, b, a, a, b, c, b, c, b. This rhyme scheme helps
in projecting the contrasting ideas of ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ that are presented in the poem. The
poet Frost mentions both fire and ice as the probable ends of the planet Earth. He talks
about how ‘fire’ represents desire and might be a possible cause of the end of the world.
The poet also mentions ‘ice’ in the poem to symbolize the coldness and indifference that
people might have towards one another, which will be a reason good enough to end the
world. In the second stanza of the poem, the poet says that he knows enough about hate in
this world and is sure that even destruction through hatred (ice) would be sufficient and
adequate to bring about an end to the planet Earth.

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 NCERT Class X English Literature Solution

2. Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 18-19)

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 formed by the Union
Buildings in Pretoria, which were attended by dignitaries and world leaders of several nations.
In India, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and Red Fort are two public buildings that are made of red
sandstone.

Question 2: Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa? Answer:
South Africa is located in the Southern Hemisphere, i.e., below the equator. In the Southern
Hemisphere, the timing of the seasons is different from that of Europe and Asia, which are in
the Northern Hemisphere. In Southern Africa, autumn is from March to April, and winter is
from June to September. That is how May 10 becomes a ‘lovely autumn day’ in South Africa.

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: In Mandela’s speech ‘an extraordinary human disaster’, he wanted to express his
strong feelings against the practice of Apartheid in South Africa. Under Apartheid, there was
racial segregation of people based on colour, and the blacks suffered the most as they were
discriminated against by the rest. They could not enjoy the right to freedom. Mandela was
jailed for 18 years on the infamous ‘Robben Island’ where he was mistreated by the authorities.
He considered it a “great glorious human achievement” that he became the first Black
President of South Africa, where the blacks were deprived of basic needs and suffered different
kinds of discrimination, and were treated badly.

Question 4: What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

Answer: Mandela felt extremely privileged to welcome the dignitaries and international
leaders at the swearing-in ceremony because it was not too long ago when the South Africans
were considered outlaws. He therefore, thanked all of them for having come from far and wide
to witness the historical oath-taking ceremony of the first Black President of South Africa. This
was a wonderful gesture of international recognition to a newly born free democratic nation.
This event could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.
Question 5: What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa? Answer:
Mandela set the ideals of liberating the people of South Africa from the continuing bondage
of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. He wanted the people of
the country to enjoy the right to freedom from all forms of bondage and prejudice.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 21)

Question 1: What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed and why?
Answer: The highest military generals of South African defence forces and police saluted and
pledged their loyalty to Mandela. This was of great significance because, during the Apartheid
era, they would have arrested him and put him behind bars. Their attitude towards Blacks
changed due to the struggles and sacrifices that were put in by many heroes of South Africa.
This struggle for freedom was not just a struggle with Apartheid, it also brought a massive
change in the mindsets of many people. Mandela believed that love is something that could be
taught and human beings are naturally inclined towards love more, rather than hate.

Question 2: Why were two national anthems sung?

Answer: On the auspicious occasion of the inauguration ceremony, two national anthems were
sung – the Whites sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and the Blacks sang ‘Die Stem’ that was the
old anthem of the Republic. Singing of both the anthems symbolized the equality of rights
between Whites and Blacks.

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 white-skinned people of South
Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-
skinned peoples of their own land. This created the basis of one of the harshest, most
inhumane, societies the world has ever seen or known. ii. In the final decade of the twentieth
century, the previous system of government had been overturned forever and replaced by one
that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
Question 4: What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer: According to Mandela, courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. A
brave man is not one who does not feel afraid, but one who conquers that fear.

Question 5: Which does he think is natural, to love or to hate?

Answer: Mandela thought that love comes more naturally to the human heart rather than hate.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 24)

Question 1: What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?

Answer: Mandela mentions two obligations that every man has in life – (i) obligations to his
family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and (ii) he has an obligation 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”?
Answer: Like any other kid, Mandela felt freedom meant being happy, making merry and
enjoying the blissful life in his childhood years. However, when a young fellow becomes an
adult, the antics of childhood look transitory because all the childish activities are worthless
from an adult’s perspective. When a person becomes an adult, he learns to earn a livelihood
and earn his own bread and butter. In such a scenario, he understands the basic and
honourable freedom in his family and the society that he lives in.
Question 3: Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/Why not? Answer:
Mandela does not feel that the oppressor is free because, in his opinion, an oppressor is
like a victim of hatred who is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness.
He feels that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity and peace
of mind.

Thinking about the Text (Page 24)

1. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration?
What did it signify the triumph of?
Being a part of the inauguration ceremony, the international leaders showed solidarity
with the end of Apartheid as a gesture from the international community. This signified
the victory of good over evil and the triumph of a tolerant society without prejudice and
discrimination of caste, colour or creed.

2. What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all those African
patriots” who had gone before him?
 By saying that he is “simply the sum of all those African patriots”, Mandela offers his
tribute to all the people who had sacrificed their lives in favour of the struggle for
freedom. He says that he shall always remain grateful and thankful to those who had gone
before him because those freedom fighters had paved the path of cooperation and unity
for him. Therefore, Mandela felt that when he came to power, he would bring equality
among his people with their support and cooperation.

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?
Yes, I agree with the statement that “depths of oppression” do create ‘heights of
character”. Nelson Mandela illustrates this by citing examples of great heroes of South
Africa such as Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthulis, Yusuf Dadoos, Bram
Fischers, and Robert Sobukwes, among others who inspired others by sacrificing their
lives in the long struggle for freedom. In India’s pre-Independence era, there was a galaxy
of great leaders who didn’t bend their knees to the
oppression of British rule, such as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi,
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Lala Lajpat Rai, Chandra Shekhar Ajad, Bhagat Singh and
many more. Nelson Mandela seems to be absolutely right, if we compare them with the
quality of political leaders that came later. It seems that great leaders are created in the
crucible of oppression and suffering.

4. How did Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience?
With age and rich experience, Mandela understood the essence of freedom in everyone’s life.
As a young boy, he always thought that he was born free and could do anything that he wanted. He
strongly believed that as long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, he was
free in every possible way. However, as he grew older, he started feeling that freedom was required
to raise a family and to earn a livelihood, and this started dominating his thoughts and views. In due
course of time, he realised that he was selfish and was leading an illusionary life during his boyhood.
He slowly understood that it was not his freedom alone that was being curtailed, but the freedom of
all Black people was retrenched. Mandela understood that his people were being deprived and
discriminated and this led him to develop a hunger for the freedom of his people.

5. How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?

During his youth, Mandela realised that it was not just his freedom alone that was being
curtailed, but the freedom of all Black people. The hunger for his own freedom became the
hunger for freedom for all his fellow brothers and sisters. In the process, this changed the
fearful man into a bold rebel. Mandela sacrificed the comforts of a settled family life to fight for
the freedom of his countrymen. He joined the African National Congress, and this transformed
 him from a frightened young man into a fearless person who fought against racial prejudice
and colour discrimination.

Thinking about Language (Page 24-26)

Question I

1. Make a list of such pairs of nouns and verbs in the text. Answer:
Noun Verb
rebellion rebel
constitution constitute
formation form
government govern
obligation oblige
transformation transform
discrimination discriminate
deprivation deprive
demonstration demonstrate
oppression oppress
imagination imagine

2. Read the paragraph below. Fill in the blanks with the noun forms of the
verbs in brackets.
Answer:
Martin Luther King’s contribution to our history as an outstanding leader began when
he came to the assistance 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 subjugation and humiliation by the police and the legal system.
Beatings, imprisonment and sometimes death awaited those who defied the System.
Martin Luther King’s tactics of protest involved non-violent resistance to racial
injustice.

Question II: Using the Definite Article with Names

 Answer: 1. This implies that Mr. Singh regularly invites prominent personalities of
caliber such as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and Mr. Shah Rukh Khan to his parties. 2. This
implies that in the current generation, Madhuri Dixit is compared to the great actress,
Madhubala.
3. This means history is not only the story of great fighers such as Alexander,
Napoleon or Hitler, but also of other ordinary people.

Question III: Idiomatic Expressions Answer:

A B
1. I was not unmindful of the fact (i) had not forgotten; was aware of the fact

2. when my comrades and I were pushed (iii) felt that we could not endure the suffering
to our limits any longer
3. to reassure me and keep me going (ii) help me continue to live in hope in this very
difficult situation
4. the basic and honourable freedoms (i) earning enough money to live on
of…earning my keep,…

A Tiger in the Zoo (Leslie Norris)

Thinking about the Poem (Page 30-31)

Q1: Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
(i)Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and
in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
(ii)Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.
Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two
situations.
Answer:
(i)

(ii)

Q2: Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these:

(i) On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage. (ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
Answer: This repetition is used by the poet to create a poetic effect to increase the
intensity of the tiger’s rage and his silent helplessness from the concrete cell of the
cage. ‘Velvet quiet’ refers to the velvet pads of the tiger which are quiet and unable to
run or leap. The tiger could do nothing but just walk around the limited space of his
cage. The use of ‘quiet rage’ signifies the anger and ferocious nature of the tiger that
is building up inside him as he wants to run out freely into the forest and attack a deer.
The tiger’s rage is quiet as he is locked inside the cage and is helpless. The repetition
of ‘quiet’ has given a lyrical beauty to the poem. Similarly, the use of the term ‘brilliant’
for both the tiger’s eyes and the stars points to the majestic nature of both. The tiger
stares at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes as he dreams about how he could
have led a beautiful, free and pleasing life in the forest. Thus, the repetition creates a
wonderful rhythmic effect and gives a kind of magnificence to the lines.
NCERT Solutions Class X English - Chapter 3
Two Stories About Flying

I. His First Flight

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 because it was his first flight, and he feared that he might fall and hurt
himself. He thought that his wings would not support him while he attempted to make his first flight. Yes,
it’s quite natural and obvious that doing something for the first time can be frightening and a bit
challenging. Certainly, all birds must be afraid to make their first flight.
Likewise, a human baby is also afraid and finds it very challenging when it takes its first steps or when it learns
to crawl or walk on its own without any support.
Question 2:
“The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to fly
finally?
Answer:
The young seagull failed to muster up the courage to make his first flight. His family constantly upbraided him
to take the plunge, but to no avail. They let him stay on the ledge until he was ready to take the plunge. He
was left there for more than twenty-four hours and was very hungry by then. Due to this hunger, he was
ultimately compelled to fly. Furthermore, his hunger intensified when he saw his mother tearing at a piece of
fish that was lying at her feet. He cried desperately, begging her to get some food for him. Seeing this, when
his mother came towards him with food in her beak, the little seagull screamed with joy and anticipation.
However, she stopped midway, and the young seagull wondered why she did not come closer to him.
Maddened by hunger, he dived at the food in his mother’s beak. At that moment, he fell outwards and
downwards into the great expanse of sea beneath the cliff. He was terrified, and his heart stood still. But
soon enough, he felt his wings spread outwards, and he realized that he could fly like others. Therefore, his
hunger overpowered his fear, and he finally made his first flight joyfully.
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 young seagull’s parents were constantly beckoning him and he tried everything to make his
first flight. However, he was very reluctant to take the plunge due to his fear of falling down from the cliff. He
looked at his brothers and sister, who flew away, but he was hesitant to make any effort. Due to this reason,
his whole family had left him alone on his ledge and threatened and persuaded him to fly, but all efforts went
in vain.
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 a similar experience while trying to learn how to ride a bicycle when I was in the fourth standard.
NCERT Solutions Class X English - Chapter 3
Two Stories About Flying

Initially, I found it difficult to balance myself and fell down often, which developed a fear of cycling in me.
Unable to overcome the fear, I gave up cycling, but my parents would always cajole me to try and practise
cycling whenever I get time. My father would hold the bicycle from behind to help me balance myself, but
whenever he took off his hand, I would lose balance and fall down. Gradually as I practised every day, my
cycling skills improved, and I could ride it without my father’s support from behind. This also developed my
confidence to a great extent. Thus, I overcame my fear of cycling and started riding the cycle confidently
when I practised it daily. Now, I use a cycle while going to and coming from school every day. (Note:
Students can write this answer as per their personal experience.)
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:
It is natural for everyone to face some problems initially while trying to learn or pick up a new skill. Many a
time, due to the fear of failure, we are reluctant to perform a particular task or attempt something new. In the
case of the seagull, his parents constantly cajoled him into flying. Similarly, when I was learning to ride a
cycle for the first time, my father always persuaded me to learn to cycle. Hence, at that stage, it was important
for me to overcome my fear and learn cycling for my own good.
Yes, my success was assured because if one is focused and determined to achieve something, then
success is guaranteed. Moreover, we are all aware of the famous adage, “Practice makes a man perfect”.

II. The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the Text (Page 40) Question
Question 1:

“I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Answer:
The pilot of Dakota DS 088 plane was keen to reach home in England to spend a holiday with his family. On
the way, his plane was engulfed in a huge storm of black clouds. So, he decided to fly straight into the storm
as he did not want to miss the opportunity to meet his family for a good English breakfast. Thus, he took the
risk of flying through the storm even when the visibility was almost nil.
Question 2:

Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer:
As the pilot (author) entered the big storm of clouds, his plane started to jump and twirl in the air. He could not
see anything outside the plane as it was engulfed by completely black storm clouds. When he looked at the
compass and other instruments, they had stopped functioning due to the turbulent weather. It was a fearsome
and frightening experience for the pilot. The fuel tank of his plane was also almost empty and he could not fly
more than ten minutes in it. Suddenly out of nowhere, he saw another black aeroplane with no lights on its
wings appear by his side, and the pilot of that plane beckoned him to follow. The narrator obediently followed
the other black plane that had no light. He followed the strange black aeroplane without any choice through
the storm and soon landed on the runway safely.
NCERT Solutions Class X English - Chapter 3
Two Stories About Flying

Question 3:

Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?
Answer:
The pilot was delighted to land safely after being caught in a dense storm of dark clouds and was not sorry to
walk away from the old Dakota. He was filled with gratitude for the pilot in the other black aeroplane and
desperately wanted to thank him for helping him in such a fearsome situation. He felt sorry that he could not
thank his benefactor enough for helping him land on the runway safely.
Question 4:
What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Answer:
The woman in the control centre looked at the narrator strangely when the narrator mentioned the black
aeroplane that helped him land safely on the runway. She gave him a surprised look and told him that nothing
except the narrator’s plane was in the sky during the storm. The radar showed the narrator’s plane as the
only one in the night sky.
Question 5:
Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for
your answer.
Answer:
There is no definite explanation for the appearance of the unknown pilot who helped the narrator. We can
assume that it was probably the narrator himself who overcame his fear in the midst of a storm as no other
plane was visible in the radar except the narrator’s Dakota DS 088. In that frightening situation, the pilot might
have fantasized that someone had come to his help. However, he was a good pilot, brave enough to fly
through a dense and turbulent storm and land on the runway safely.
Thinking about Language (Page 40-41)
Question I:
Answer:
1. Go and have a bath; your hands and face are absolutely black. – The ‘black’ in this sentence denotes
that the face and hands are dark due to dust and dirt.
2. The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green. – The
‘black’ in this sentence refers to an angry or annoyed look.
3. The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity. – The ‘black’ in this
sentence denotes a dark and brutal incident against humanity.
4. Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy. – The ‘black’ in this sentence denotes dark or
distressing comedy.
5. Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black. – The
‘black’ in this sentence refers to the hoarding of goods by shopkeepers to sell those goods at a higher
price later.
6. Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue. – The ‘black’ in this sentence denotes that the criminal
was beaten and badly bruised by the villagers.
 NCERT Solutions Class X English - Chapter 3
Two Stories About Flying

Question II:

Question III:
Answer:

The words which have the same or nearly the same meaning as ‘fly’ are listed below:

• Swoop
• Flit
• Flutter
• Float Skim
• Hover
• Glide
• Soar
• Sail
 How to Tell Wild Animals
Thinking about the Poem (Page 45)
Question 1:

Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does?
Answer:
No, ‘dyin’ does not rhyme with ‘lion’. If we pronounce the word ‘lion’ as ‘lying’, then probably it would rhyme
with the word ‘dyin’.
Question 2:
How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him?
Answer:
The poet suggests that if a large and tawny beast roams in the jungle in the east and roars towards us, then it is
the Asian Lion. On the contrary, if a noble wild beast with black stripes on a yellow coat roams about the jungle
freely, it must be the Bengal Tiger. Besides, the poet also mentions that a lion usually roars loudly when it attacks
its prey, while a tiger attacks its prey silently.
Question 3:
Do you think the words ‘lept‘ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like
this?
Answer: The words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ are spelt incorrectly in the poem. The poet has spelt them in such a way to
maintain the rhythm of the poem. The correct spelling of the words, ‘lept’ is leapt and ‘lep’ is leap. The poet has
deliberately spelt them incorrectly to create an element of humour therefore, emphasizing the word ‘leopard’ in
every line.
Question 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)?
Answer: A ‘bearhug’ refers to a bear’s close and tight embrace with both hands as it attacks its victims. Other
animals also have similar expressions such as a hyena never laughs but its face looks like that, crocodiles never
weep but they burst into tears when they swallow their prey or victims.
Question 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?
Answer: The line “A novice might nonplus” can be correctly written as “A novice might be nonplussed”.
However, the usage of incorrect line is in sync with the poem as it helps in maintaining the rhyme scheme of the
poem. By using the incorrect word ‘nonplus’, it rhymes with ‘thus’.
Question 6:
Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own
language(s)? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language(s)?
Answer:
Yes, there are several instances where poets take liberties with the language to create proper rhyming of the
poem. This is often referred to as ‘poetic license’. For example in the poem ‘Tale of Custard the Dragon’ by
Ogden Nash, the spellings have been changed to create a rhythmic effect – realio, trulio instead of really and
truly. The lines are given below:
Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse, And
a little yellow dog and a little red wagon, And a
realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
Question 7:
Much of the humour in the poem arises from 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 with the class, speaking briefly about
what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny.
Answer:
The poet has kept the language of the poem very simple and humorous. Some of the lines that appear funny in
the poem are “A noble wild beast greets you”. Although the sentence appears that the wild beast might greet you,
but it is quite funny and unlikely that a ferocious animal like a tiger would do that. In another context, the line, “He’ll
only lep and lep again” is also very humorous. The word ‘lep’ is used to maintain the rhyme scheme of the word
‘leopard’ and is used to create humour in the poem.
 The Ball Poem
Thinking about the Poem (Page 47)
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, “I would not intrude on him” because he wants the boy to learn from the experience of
loss. This will teach the boy that loss is also an important part of life. Hence the poet does not intervene in the
boy’s natural process of learning. He also doesn’t offer the boy money to buy another ball because the lesson
of loss learnt from this experience would become worthless and wouldn’t teach the little one to learn the lesson
of responsibility from this situation.
Question 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?
Answer:
Yes, it appears that the boy has had the ball for a long time. When it bounced and fell into the water, all his
childhood memories of wonderful days flashed in front of his eyes. He realised that those moments would never
come back, just as the ball. He felt that he could buy new balls, and those would create new memories or
moments for him, but those that were gone with the ball into the water would never ever return.
Question 3:

What does “in the world of possessions” mean?

Answer:
“In the world of possessions” refers to the world consisting of materialistic things. Different people possess
different things, such as land, property, money, or any other valuable thing. In the poem, the poet indicates that
loss of the ball may be a very small thing, but this would give the boy a realization of the sense of loss and the
experience of losing memories associated with it.
Question 4:
Do you think the boy lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
Answer:
No, it seems that the boy did not lose anything earlier. It is evident from the words ‘He senses first responsibility in
a world of possessions’. This line suggests that the sense of loss gave him an experience of understanding how
several precious moments are lost with the loss of a particular object.
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 tries to convey through his poem that the boy has learnt an important lesson to cope with the loss of
his ball. He is experiencing grief and sadness while he grows up in this world full of possessions. He learns
that there are several important things in life that are lost and cannot be brought back. He also
senses his first sense of responsibility as he loses the ball. The boy learns to stand up and leave the loss
behind as he moves ahead in his life and understands the true meaning and nature of loss.
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 had lost my pet dog in a road accident when he was just five years old. One day I was playing with my
puppy with a ball in my garden. I threw the ball in the air while playing with him, my dog jumped to catch it, but it
bounced back and rolled to the street nearby. As my dog went to fetch the ball, a speeding car ran over my
puppy and I could hear it crying in pain. I rushed to the spot and found my pup covered in blood. I rushed him to
the hospital immediately but it was too late and he was bleeding profusely and succumbed to injuries. I was very
upset and grief-stricken by this incident. In due course of time, I recovered from my loss, but that incident is
fresh in my memories and I still love my dog and miss him dearly.
(Note: Students can write this answer as per their personal experiences.)
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

From the Diary of Anne Frank

Activity (Page 49)
Question 1:
Answer:

Question 2:
Answer:
(i) Diary
(ii) Log
(iii) Journal
(iv) Memoir
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 51)
Question 1: What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?
Answer: Writing in a diary was a strange experience for Anne Frank because she had never written
anything before in a diary as she had received it as a gift on her thirteenth birthday. She considered the
diary to be her best friend, where she could write all her thoughts and feelings. However, she also felt that
no one would be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. Hence she could write freely in
the diary to get all her worries off her chest.
Question 2: Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
Answer: Anne always used to feel lonely and upset as she had no friends. She wanted to get all the
burdens and worries off her chest. Hence she decided to keep a diary where she could confide her secrets
and treat it as a true friend.
Question 3: Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?
Answer:Anne had a strong feeling that paper had more patience than people to listen to her mental state.
It was easier for her to pen down all her thoughts and wishes that she had in her mind in a diary. Hence, to
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

confide her secrets, she felt her personal diary was the best companion, and it was also not meant for
anyone else to read.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 51)
Question 1: Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life?
Answer: Anne provided a brief sketch of her life because she wanted to describe her family, school and
herself. Reading her diary would help the reader develop some sort of connection with her and all the
activities that were happening around her at that time.
Question 2: What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother?
Answer:
Anne lived at Aachen with her grandmother while her parents settled down in Holland. She was extremely
close to her grandmother and wrote about her in her diary. However, when her grandmother died in
January 1942, she said, “No one knows how often I think of her and still love her”. She wanted to convey
through this message how dearly she loved her grandmother. On her thirteenth birthday, she lit up one
candle along with the rest to express her love and gratitude for her beloved grandmother.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 54)
Question 1: Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
Answer: Mr Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she was a very talkative girl. He often punished her
by assigning her extra homework to write essays on topics that were related to her nature to keep her
silent.
Question 2: How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
Answer: Anne justified her being a chatterbox in her essay by clearly pointing out that she had inherited it
from her mother, who was also as talkative as her or even more. She also stated that nobody could do
anything about such inherited traits.
Question 3: Do you think Mr Keesing was a strict teacher?
Answer: No, Mr Keesing was not an overly strict teacher, but he expected his class to maintain silence and
discipline while he was giving his lecture to the class. As a matter of fact, a teacher always thinks about the
welfare of his students. Any teacher will be annoyed if the children keep on talking during the class. Mr
Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she was very talkative. So to punish her, he would give her extra
homework to do and often told her to write essays on her talkative nature. Besides, it should be noted that
had he been strict, then he would not have laughed at Anne’s funny arguments.
Question 4: What made Mr Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Answer: Anne’s last essay, entitled ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’ and written in the
form of a poem, showed Mr Keesing the lighter side of Anne. He was impressed with the way she
presented her arguments in a rhythmic manner. It helped bridge the gap between Mr Keesing and Anne,
and thereafter she was never assigned extra homework by him.
Thinking about the Text (Page 54-55)
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

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: It is a human tendency that kids are often not considered seriously by elders. Being a thirteen-
year-old girl, Anne thought that most people wouldn’t give importance to a child’s perspective towards the
world because they thought children were too immature to talk about worldly matters. However, Anne
Frank’s diary was popular among the masses and was translated into different languages, and she became
one of the most renowned and discussed Holocaust victims.
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’s diary was originally written in Dutch. It was different from other entries in several aspects.
She had named her diary ‘Kitty’. She wrote in an informal tone that exuded a teenager’s carefree nature.
She confided her feelings and secrets in it as she considered her diary to be her best friend. She wrote a lot
of personal events and memories in her diary, which made it different from other diaries.
Question 3: Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch of her family? Does she treat ‘Kitty’ as an insider or
an outsider?
Answer: Anne briefly introduced her family in the ‘diary’ because she felt that it was hard to make others
realise that a teenager like her could write about loneliness and all the events happening around her in a
mature manner. She talked about her adorable father, compassionate mother, beloved grandmother and
loving elder sister in her diary, which she addressed ‘Kitty’. Kitty was gifted to her by her parents on her
thirteenth birthday, and she considered it as her best friend and treated it as an insider as she could
confide all her feelings and emotions by writing on it.
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 had fond memories of her adorable father, her grandmother, Mrs Kuperus, and Mr Keesing,
her Maths teacher, who had left indelible impressions on her mind and had a major impact on her life. The
way she wrote about all of them in her diary revealed that Anne was very attached to each of these people
and was quite good at understanding people. She had developed an everlasting bond and a wonderful
interpersonal relationship with each of them.
Question 5: What does Anne write in her first essay?
Answer: Mr Keesing had asked Anne to write an essay on the topic ‘A Chatterbox’ as a punishment for her
talkative nature. In the essay, she wrote about the effects of being talkative and also argued that she had
inherited it from her mother, who was also very talkative. She justified this by saying that nobody could do
anything about inherited traits. It was, therefore, difficult to give up a habit so easily, and it also formed a
part of a student’s trait. Reading this, Mr Keesing also had a hearty laugh at the argument given by Anne.
Question 6: Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr Keesing unpredictable? How?
Answer: Anne cited the perfect example of Mr Keesing as an unpredictable teacher because she felt that
Mr Keesing was indifferent towards her behaviour and always rebuked her for her talkative nature.
Although he punished her initially by assigning extra homework, after reading her essays, he enjoyed a
good laugh and thereafter never gave her such punishment and allowed Anne to talk in class.
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

Question 7: What do these statements tell you about Anne Frank as a person?
Answer: (i) These lines show that Anne did not have any close friends in whom she could confide her
secrets. Therefore, she blamed herself for her reserved nature.
(ii) This line implies that Anne considered her diary ‘Kitty’ to be her best friend and wrote all her emotions
and secrets on it rather than simply jotting down facts like other people do.
(iii) This statement implies the humorous nature of Anne. She had a witty personality and wrote the line in
a funny tone. The words ‘plunked down’ exhibit her sense of humour.
(iv) This line implies that Anne thought that a quarter of the class were dumbheads, and she was intelligent
enough to make it to the next class. She called the teachers the most unpredictable creatures on earth
because it was quite uncertain who would fail or pass and make it to the next grade.
(v) This statement implies that Anne was talking about writing. She was given extra homework to write
essays by Mr Keesing as a punishment for her talkative nature. Although that was extra work for her, she
wanted to do it with full vigour. She did not want to leave big spaces between the words to make the essay
look voluminous. She wanted to write convincing arguments to prove the essence of talking. That way, her
approach to writing was different from others.
Thinking about Language (Page 55-58)
Question I:
Answer:

Find the words used in the sentences below:

1. Her friend’s departure was heartbreaking news to her.
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

2. Staying in the hostel away from her parents, Riya felt homesick.
3. Rihan is such a blockhead that he is the object of everyone’s ridicule.
4. One of the objectives of education is to nurture law-abiding citizens.
5. If you are trying to please someone, never overdo it; most people wouldn’t like it.
Question II:
Phrasal Verbs Answer:

Question III
Answer:
1. (i) Our entire class is quaking in its boots. – shaking with fear and nervousness
(ii) Until then, we keep telling each other not to lose heart. – not to lose hope or expectation
(iii) Mr Keesing was annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. – for a long time
(iv) Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the
joke was on him. – he was outwitted by her
2. (i) caught my eye: A yellow school bus with balloons all over it caught my eye.
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

(ii) he’d had enough: Harry suffered a lot due to his illness. He’s had enough of mental trauma.
(iii) laugh ourselves silly: My best friend and I had a hearty laugh watching the comedy show and
laughed ourselves silly.
(iv) can’t bring myself to: I was unable to bring myself to have less carbs in my diet.

Amanda!
Thinking about the Poem (Page 62)
Question 1: How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Answer: Amanda is a young girl who is around 9-10 years old. She is being rebuked by her parents with
typical instructions – something quite common for children of her age. Her parents are trying to inculcate
good manners and etiquette in her for her own good, as she is very naive and innocent.
Question 2: Who do you think is speaking to her?
Answer: One of her parents is speaking to her. It is most likely that it’s her mother. Generally speaking, a
mother is the first teacher of a child. She always tries to guide and instruct her child to follow the righteous
path. Hence, the nature of the instructions given to Amanda indicates that the speaker is her mother.
Question 3: Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?
Answer: Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they depict Amanda’s inner thoughts and
reactions as she receives instructions from her mother in stanzas 1, 3 and 5. Each stanza containing
rebukes by Amanda’s mother is followed by her inner reaction to it in parenthesis. Thus, the poet uses the
parenthesis to show that Amanda doesn’t voice her inner protests, giving the poem a humorous tone.
Question 4: Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker
in Stanzas 1, 3, 5, and 7?
Answer: The speaker of stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is the child, Amanda herself. No, she is not listening or paying
heed to her mother’s words in stanzas 1, 3 and 5 as she is lost in her own dream world. Her imagination
lets her escape from reality as she is lost in her own world.
Question 5: What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Answer: If Amanda were a mermaid, she could drift away slowly and carelessly on a languid emerald sea.
She wished she could be the sole inhabitant of the green sea and would slowly move on it. She longs for a
place where she can be all by herself and depend on anybody else for her happiness. Amanda desired to be
a mermaid because a mermaid symbolises liberty and wonder, according to her.
Question 6: Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?
Answer: No, Amanda is not an orphan. She says so because she wants to be on her own. She feels that she
is being constantly nagged by her parents to follow their instructions. Being a little girl, she seeks ‘golden’
silence and ‘sweet’ freedom and wants to break all the norms. She wishes to roam around the streets
 NCERT Class X English Solution Chapter 3 –
From the Diary of Anne Frank

alone and draw dust patterns with her bare feet. She thinks if she were an orphan, she could do all of it
without being nagged or rebuked by anyone and be all by herself.
Question 7: Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
Answer: The story of Rapunzel revolves around her life on a high tower. She was locked in that tower by an
evil witch. Over the course of time, she got used to living there. She was very happy and content with her
life in the tower. She had very long blonde hair, which was used by the witch to climb the tall tower. One
fine day, a prince came to meet her, climbing the tower using her hair. When the witch came to know
about it, she punished both of them by separating them. Finally, after many years the couple united
forever. Similarly, Amanda wishes to live her life like Rapunzel on a high tower on her own, away from
everyone. She yearns for freedom, peace and harmony. Due to this reason, Amanda wants to be like
Rapunzel. However, she also states that since she doesn’t want to be disturbed, she would never let her
bright hair down for anyone to climb up to her. She desires a happy and satisfying life without being
disturbed by others.
Question 8: What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Answer: Amanda is a young girl who yearns for freedom and wants to be on her own. With constant
scolding from her parents, she realises that she is incapable of fulfilling their expectations. Generally,
children of Amanda’s age have similar feelings, irrespective of class, colour or nationality. We all know that
traditional societies always demand well-mannered behaviour from every person and the training of
children by their parents plays a significant role in moulding their personality. However, most parents tend
to ignore the innocence and understanding level of their children, and the young minds face tremendous
pressure from their elders that impacts their imaginative power and thoughts.
Question 9: Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Answer: No, Amanda is neither sulking nor moody. She simply longs for her freedom as she is fed up with
following the instructions given by her parents. She has a strong imaginative power as she visualizes herself
to the likes of Rapunzel’s story, and she wants to lead a carefree life free from all nagging and scolding
from her parents, who are always trying to teach manners and inculcate good habits in her.
 NCERT English Class X Solution
Chapter 5: Glimpses of India
I. A BAKER FROM GOA
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 64)
Question 1: What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Answer: The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days and their love for the famous
bread loaves. The writer also mentions that although the eaters of loaves have vanished, the bread makers
still do exist.
Question 2: Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Answer: Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa. It is evident from the fact that the bread makers still
exist, though the eaters have gone away. The presence of the mixers, moulders, the ones who bake the
loaves and the time-tested furnaces are a proof of their existence.
Question 3: What is the baker called?
Answer: A baker is popularly known as a pader in Goa.
Question 4: When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?
Answer: The baker would come twice everyday—once he would set out early in the morning and the
second time when he returned after emptying his huge basket by selling all his bread. The children would
run to meet him as they loved to eat loaves and longed to have bread-bangles which they chose carefully.
Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 65)
Question 1: Match the following. what is a must
Answer: (i) as marriage gifts? – sweet bread called bol
(ii) for a party or a feast? – bread
(iii) for a daughter’s engagement? – sandwiches
(iv) for Christmas? – cakes and bolinhas
Question 2: What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was young?
Answer: (i) In the Portuguese days, the bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress known as the
kabai. It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. (ii) During the author’s childhood days,
he saw the bakers wearing a shirt and trousers that 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: Any person who wears a half-pant that reaches just below the knees invites this comment— “he is
dressed like a pader”. This is because the bakers, who are popularly known as paders in Goa, used to dress
in a similar fashion.
Question 4: Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded?
Answer: The bakers usually collected their bills at the end of the month and their monthly accounts were
recorded on some wall in the house with a pencil.
 NCERT English Class X Solution
Chapter 5: Glimpses of India
Question 5: What does a ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ mean?
Answer: A ‘jackfruit-like appearance’ means a plump physique. A baker used to have such a physique since
it was believed that he and his family never starved. Baking was a lucrative profession and the baker, his
family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous with their physical appearance.
Thinking about the Text (Page 66)
Question 1: Which of these statements are correct?
Answer:
i. Correct
ii. Correct
iii. Incorrect. The paders still exist in Goan villages.
iv. Incorrect. The bakers wear a shirt and trousers that are shorter than full-length ones and longer
than half pants.
v. Correct
vi. Correct
vii. Incorrect. Baking happens to be a profitable business in Goa
Question 3: Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following?
Answer:
(i) nostalgic
(ii) hopeful
(iii) nostalgic
(iv) funny
(v) matter-of-fact
(vi) matter-of-fact
Writing (Page 66-67)
Question I Answer:
 NCERT English Class X Solution
Chapter 5: Glimpses of India
II. COORG
Thinking about the Text (Page 70-71)
Question 1: Where is Coorg?
Answer: Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka that is located midway between Mysore and
Mangalore.
Question 2: What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
Answer: The fiercely independent people of Coorg are believed to be the descendants of people of Greek
or Arabic origin. As the story goes, a section of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled
there when they could not return to their country. These people married amongst the locals and their
culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu
mainstream. This is the beautiful story about the Kodavu people’s descent.
Question 3: What are some of the things you now know about (i) the people of Coorg? (ii) the main crop of
Coorg? (iii) the sports it offers to tourists? (iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg? (v) its distance
from Bangalore, and how to get there?
Answer: (i) The Coorgi or Kodagu people are fiercely independent people comprising martial men and
beautiful women who are believed to have descended from the Greeks or the Arabs. They have a strong
tradition of hospitality and they are more than willing to recount numerous tales of bravery that are
related to the men of this region. As a matter of fact, the Kodavus are the only people in India who are
permitted to carry firearms without a licence.
(ii) Coffee is the main crop of Coorg. The air smells of invigorating coffee. Coffee estates and colonial
bungalows stand tucked under tree canopies in prime corners of the town.
(iii) Coorg offers a variety of high-energy adventure sports that include river rafting, canoeing, rappelling,
rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking.
(iv) The animals that you are likely to see in Coorg include Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs, slender
lorises, wild elephants, etc. You can also see birds, bees and butterflies giving you company around the
corner.
(v) By road, Coorg is around 250 – 260 kilometres from Bangalore and there are two routes to reach there.
One route is via Mysore, which is the most frequented one. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal
and Chanrayanapatna.
Question 4: Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the
same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated).
Answer: (i) to keep many visitors away
(ii) As one story goes
(iii) are more than willing to recount
(iv) The most laidback individuals become converts to
(v) draws support from
(vi) keep a watchful eye
 NCERT English Class X Solution
Chapter 5: Glimpses of India
Thinking about Language (Page 71)
Question 1 Answer:
(i)culture: unique culture, ancient culture
(ii) monks: unique monks, serious monks
(iii) surprise: unforgettable surprise, terrible surprise, unique surprise
(iv) experience: unique experience, unforgettable experience, terrible experience
(v) weather: terrible weather, unique weather
(vi) tradition: unique tradition, ancient tradition
Question 2 Answer:
1. tales of valour
2. coastal town
3. a piece of heaven
4. evergreen rainforests
5. coffee plantations
6. rope bridge
7. wild creatures

III.TEA FROM ASSAM

Thinking about the Text (Page 96-97)
Question I
(1) Answer:
(i)A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
(ii)Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning.
(iii)My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property.
(iv)The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high.
(v)She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview
(2) Answer:
(i)The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government.
(ii)Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research.
(iii)The State Government plans to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main
highway.
 NCERT English Class X Solution
Chapter 5: Glimpses of India
(iv)Gautama’s outlook on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow.
(v)Rakesh seemed unusually downcast after the game
Question II
(1) Answer:
(i)a good detective serial on television? Interesting
(ii)a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? Exciting
(iii)how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? Bored
(iv)how you feel when you open a present? Excited
(v)how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? Interested
(vi)the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? Fatigued
(vii)how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? Thrilled
(viii)the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? Interesting
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

MIJBIL THE OTTER

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 84)
Question 1: What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Answer: Maxwell had travelled to Southern Iraq in 1956 and he fancied the idea of keeping an otter as a pet
instead of a dog. He thought Camusfearna was surrounded by water that was a stone’s throw from its door. So,
it would be an eminently suitable spot for this ‘experiment’.
Question 2: Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and why?
Answer: Maxwell went to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his mail from Europe. However,
though his friend’s mail had arrived, his had not. So he cabled to England and three days later, he even made a
phone call which had to be booked 24 hours in advance. On the first day, the line was out of order; on the
second day, the exchange was closed for a religious holiday. On the third day, there was another breakdown. His
friend had left, and the writer arranged to meet him in a week’s time. Finally, after five days, his mail arrived.
Hence, Maxwell had to wait for five days for his mail.
Question 3: How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words that tell you this.
Answer: When the writer’s mail arrived, he took it to his bedroom to read. He saw two Arabs squatting on the
floor with a sack that squirmed from time to time. They handed him a note which was from his friend, which
mentioned that he had sent him an otter. Yes, Maxwell liked it. We know this from his words “An otter fixation”
used to describe his feelings towards the otter. He felt the term was used to express his strong attachment
towards otters like any other otter owner would feel.
Question 4: Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?
Answer: An otter was typically called by zoologists as “Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli”, so it was called
Maxwell’s otter in short.
Question 5: Tick the right answer. In the beginning, the otter was
• aloof and indifferent
• friendly
• hostile
Answer: In the beginning, the otter was aloof and indifferent.
Question 6: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after that?
Answer: When Maxwell first took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter first went wild with joy in the water for the
first half an hour. He plunged and rolled in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub and making
enough slosh and splash for a hippo. After two days, the otter suddenly disappeared from Maxwell’s bedroom
and went to the bathroom to play in the water he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the
chromium taps with his paws. The author watched in amazement how the little creature had turned the tap to
produce a trickle of water slowly and, after a moment, achieved the full flow.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 86-87)
Question 1: How was Mij to be transported to England?
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

Answer: Maxwell booked a flight to Paris, and from there, he would fly to England. As British airlines do not
allow pets on board, the airline authorities insisted that Mijbil should be packed into an eighteen-inch square
box to be carried on the floor near Maxwell’s feet. Hence, he got a box made an hour before they started, and he
put Mij into the box so that he would become accustomed to it. He then quickly rushed to get a meal.
Question 2: What did Mij do to the box?
Answer: The box was lined with a metal sheet, but Mij wasn’t feeling comfortable inside the box and tried to
escape from it. In his attempt to escape, Mijbil tore into the metal lining of the box, hurt himself and started
bleeding.
Question 3: Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt when he did this?
Answer: Maxwell knew that there was no other way he could carry Mij to London, so he put the otter back into
the box. He was anxious and felt sorry by looking at the otter’s condition as he hurt himself while trying to
escape from the box.
Question 4: Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of her kind”?
Answer: The air hostess was very friendly and showed sympathy to Maxwell after listening to his story. She
respected his feelings and concern about the incident with the box and gave him permission to take the otter out
of the box and keep his pet on his knee. Hearing this, the author developed a profound admiration for the kind
lady and referred to her as “the very queen of her kind”.
Question 5: What happened when the box was opened?
Answer: As soon as the box was opened, Mij jumped out of it. He disappeared in no time and ran all over the
place, scaring other passengers on the flight. The otter created a lot of chaos in the airplane and the co
passengers got scared looking at the little creature. Out of fear, a woman stood up on her seat as he went
beneath the legs of a portly white-turbaned Indian. Maxwell tried to get hold of Mij, but failed. The air hostess
assured Maxwell that she would find the otter for him. Soon enough, Mijbil returned to the author, clung to his
knee, and began to nuzzle his face and neck.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 88)
Question 1: What game had Mij invented?
Answer: Mij invented a game of playing with the ping-pong ball. One of the author’s suitcases was damaged and
had a slope on the lid. Mij would put the ball on the high end of the sloping lid and run to catch the ball as it slid
down towards the lower end.
Question 2: What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the compulsive habits of (i) school
children (ii) Mij?
Answer: Compulsive habits usually refer to strange behaviour repeated by a person without a clear reason. For
example, a kid may jump over a fence, instead of taking the normal passageway. Usually, children express
compulsive behaviour as they are mischievous by nature. (i) As per the story, Maxwell expresses compulsive
habits such as the rituals of children who, on their way to and from school, must place their feet squarely on the
centre of each paving block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the outside of every
second lamp post. (ii) Similarly, even Mijbil, while on his way home, would jump over the boundary wall railing
and gallop the full length of its thirty yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and staff within.
Question 3: What group of animals do otters belong to?
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

Answer: Otters belong to a relatively small group of animals known as Mustellines. The other animals of this
group are badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others.
Question 4: What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
Answer: According to Maxwell, Londoners do not recognize otters easily as they are not found in England.
Hence, they made the wildest possible guesses about Mijbil. Some people’s guesses ranged from a baby seal, a
squirrel, a walrus, a beaver, a bear cub, a leopard, a hippo to a brontosaurus.

Thinking about the Text (Page 88-89)

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 proved his intelligence when he invented his own game of ping-pong ball on a worn-out suitcase of
Maxwell. Another instance of his intelligence was when he opened the tap in the bathroom and got into the tub,
and played with water. Although initially, he was aloof and indifferent towards Maxwell, he gradually exhibited
his friendly nature towards his owner. This is evident from the fact that he clung to Maxwell’s feet in the flight.
He developed a close bond with the author in due course of time and proved to be a fun-loving animal when he
developed games on his own and exhibited certain compulsive habits on his walks with Maxwell in the streets of
London.
Question 2: What are some of the things we come to know about otters from this text?
Answer: Otters belong to a relatively small group of animals called Mustellines that is shared by badger,
mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink and others. They are mostly found in large numbers in marshy areas. Arabs tame
them as pets. Otters love to play with water and splash in it. Maxwell’s otter was of an unknown race to science
and was at length named by zoologists as Lutrogale Perspicillata Maxwelli, hence, it is also known as Maxwell’s
otter in short. We also came to know that otters are intelligent and fun-loving animals who invent and love to
play their own games and are friendly to human beings.
Question 3: Why is Mij’s species now known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?
Answer: Maxwell’s otter was of an unknown race to science and was at length named by zoologists as Lutrogale
Perspicillata Maxwelli, hence, it is also known as Maxwell’s otter in short.
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.
Answer: What Mij does How Mij feels or thinks
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

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.
Answer: 1. True. The statement – “He spent most of his time in play.”
2. False
3. True. The statement – “I watched, amazed; in less than a minute he had turned the tap far enough to produce
a trickle of water, and after a moment or two achieved the full flow.”
4. True. The statement – “Marbles were Mij’s favourite toys for this pastime: he would lie on his back rolling two
or more of them up and down his wide, flat belly without ever dropping one to the floor.
5. True. The statement – “A suitcase that I had taken to Iraq had become damaged on the journey home, so that
the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mij discovered that if he placed the ball on
the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would dash around to the other end to ambush its
arrival, hide from it, crouching, to spring up and take it by surprise, grab it and trot off with it to the high end
once more.”
6. False
7. True. The statement – “It is not, I suppose, in any way strange that the average Londoner should not recognise
an otter, but the variety of guesses as to what kind of animal this might be came as a surprise to me.”

Thinking about Language:

Question I: Describing a Repeated Action in the Past.
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 used to spend his holidays by the sea.
6. My uncle used to be fond of musical evenings.
7. My uncle would take long walks on the beach.
Question II: Noun Modifiers
1. Look at these examples from the text, and say whether the modifiers (in italics) are nouns, proper nouns, or
adjective plus noun.
Answer: 1. Noun
2. Noun
3. Proper Noun
4. Proper Noun
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

5. Adjective plus noun

6. Adjective plus noun
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.)
Answer:
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

Question III:
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.
Answer:

2. Use a bit of/a piece of/a bunch of/a cloud of/a lump of with the italicised nouns in the following sentences.
The first has been done for you as an example.
Answer:
1. My teacher gave me a bit of advice.
2. Can you give me a lump of clay please?
3. The piece of information you gave was very useful.
4. Because of these factories, a cloud of smoke hangs over the city.
5. Two pieces of stone rubbed together can produce sparks of fire.
6. He gave me a bunch of flowers on my birthday.
 NCERT Solutions Class X English Chapter 6

FOG
Question 1: (i)What does Sandburg think the fog is like? (ii)How does the fog come? (iii)What does ‘it’ in the
third line refer to? (iv)Does the poet actually say that the fog is like a cat? Find three things that tell us that the
fog is like a cat.
Answer: 1. According to Carl Sandburg, the fog appears like a cat.
2. The fog comes silently like a cat on its little feet.
3. In the third line, the term ‘it’ refers to the fog that has covered the city like a thick blanket and it seemed to
look over the city like a cat.
4. No, the poet didn’t wish to convey that the fog looked like a cat. He used the cat as a metaphor to describe
the onset of the fog that covers the city. Here are some lines that describe it: (i)The fog comes silently on its little
cat feet. (ii)It looks over the harbour and city like a cat. (iii)Just like a cat, it sits on silent haunches and watches
over the city.
Question 2: You know that a metaphor compares two things by transferring a feature of one thing to the other
(See Unit 1).
(i) Find metaphors for the following words and complete the table below.
Answer:

Question 3: Does this poem have a rhyme scheme? Poetry that does not have an obvious rhythm or rhyme is
called ‘free verse’.
Answer: No, this poem does not have a rhyme scheme as the sentences do not have rhyming words. It is written
in free verse with no set pattern of rhyming words towards the end of each sentence.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7
Madam Rides the Bus

Madam Rides the Bus

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 97)

Question 1:

What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

Answer:
Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house and watching 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 that travelled between her village and the nearest town, filled with a new set of
passengers each time it passed through the street near her house was a source of unending joy for Valli.
Her strongest desire was to take a ride on the bus someday.
Question 3:
What did Valli find out about the bus journey? How did she find out these details?
Answer:
Valli found out that the bus journey to the town from her village was six miles and took approximately
fortyfive minutes. The fare for a one-way journey cost 30 paise. She listened to the conversations carefully
between her neighbours and the people who regularly took the bus trip and asked a few questions to gain
some information and small details about the bus journey.
Question 4:
What do you think Valli was planning to do?
Answer:
Valli was planning to travel on the bus and go to the town and return home on the same bus. She heard the
onward journey fare was thirty paise that took approximately forty-five minutes to reach the town. In this
way, she planned to stay in her seat and pay another thirty paise for the return trip. This meant that she
could take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at 1.45 p.m. and return home by 2.45 p.m.

Oral Comprehension Check (Page 100)

Question 1:

Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?

Answer: The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she was behaving like a woman in an audacious
and smart manner. She did not accept his help to get on the bus and was very quick in replying to the
conductor’s questions. Amused by her antics and behaviour, the conductor teased her by calling her
‘madam’.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7
Madam Rides the Bus

Question 2:
Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Answer:
Valli was enchanted by the view of the beautiful scenery outside the bus and was trying hard to look outside.
But her view was blocked by the canvas blind that covered the lower part of the window. In order to catch a
better glimpse, she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind. She saw the narrow road as the bus
was going along the bank of a canal, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, green fields and the blue
sky. On the other side, there was a deep ditch, and many acres of green fields stretched far and wide as
much as her eyes could see.
Question 3:
What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
Answer:
When the elderly man on the bus referred to Valli as a child, she instantly replied that there was nobody on
the bus who was a child. She further stated that she had paid her fare of thirty paise like other passengers
on the bus.
Question 4:
Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly woman?
Answer:
Valli was not interested in making friends with the elderly woman because she looked quite repulsive to her.
She had big earlobes with bigger holes and wore ugly earrings. Besides, she was also chewing betel nut,
and her mouth was also filled with betel juice that was likely to spill all over her lips. Seeing all this, Valli
thought that the elderly woman was not sociable enough to be friends with.
Oral Comprehension Check (Page 103)
Question 1:
How did Valli save up money for her first journey? Was it easy for her?
Answer:
Valli had saved every stray coin meticulously that came her way. She resisted every temptation to buy
peppermints, toys, balloons, etc., to save enough money for the bus trip. It had been really difficult for her as
she had to control her urges and resist the temptation to be on the merry-go-round in the village fair. After
making a lot of sacrifices, she was able to save sixty paise for her first bus journey.
Question 2:
What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Answer:
Valli was overjoyed upon seeing a young cow, tail high in the air, running very fast right in the middle of the
road just in front of the bus. The driver sounded his horn loudly repeatedly so that the cow moved away from
the path. But the more he honked, the cow became more frightened and galloped as fast as possible.
Seeing all this, it appeared very funny to Valli, and she laughed out loud until tears rolled down her eyes.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7
Madam Rides the Bus

Question 3:
Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
Answer: Valli’s plan was only to take the bus ride and not roam around the town. She had painstakingly
accumulated sixty paise for her onward and return bus journey. She knew that she had limited money to
travel by bus and would spend thirty paise fare on her onward journey, go to the town and then return by the
same bus before her mother woke up from her afternoon nap. She neither had the money to roam around
the town nor had time to explore it, so she didn’t get off the bus at the bus station.

Question 4:

Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
Answer:
Valli didn’t want to go to the stall as she had saved sixty paise only for the bus journey. She didn’t want to
waste money on anything unnecessary as she had to return by the same bus at any cost. So, when the
conductor suggested she get down and get a drink for herself, she refused. He also offered to get her a
drink in case she didn’t have money, but she still refused. This implies that she was an independent girl who
did not want to rely on anyone for her needs.
Thinking about the Text (Page 105)

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 take a ride on the bus that she saw every day from her house. The words and
phrases in the story that depicts her desire are ‘an overwhelming desire’, ‘source of unending joy’, ‘stare
wistfully’, and ‘kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes’.
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 had been carefully listening for many days to the conversations between her neighbours and the people
who regularly used the bus and asked a few discreet questions. She learnt from them that the town was six
miles away from her village and the bus charged thirty paise as fare for the onward journey, and it took
fortyfive minutes to complete a one-way bus trip. She also made up her mind to stay on the bus and return
on the same bus, which would cost her sixty paise to and fro. She was determined not to get down from the
bus to roam around the town as she didn’t have enough money. Hence, she saved sixty paise meticulously
and resisted all kinds of urges and temptations to buy peppermints, toys, etc. and even a ride on the merry-
goround at the village’s annual fair. It was Valli’s secret adventurous bus trip that she had planned without
her parents’ knowledge.
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.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7
Madam Rides the Bus

Answer:
Valli was a confident eight-year-old girl who believed that her age was not a limiting factor for her to travel
alone in the bus to the town. She considered herself to be a grown up person and also acted like one.
(i) “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly.
(ii) “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus.

(iii) “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.”
(iv) “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me. ”I’m not a child, I tell
you,” she said irritably.
(v) “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face toward
the window and staring out.

(vi) Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, I hope to see you again.”

Question 4:

Why does the conductor refer to Valli as ‘madam’?

Answer:
The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ as she behaved like a grown-up woman and responded irritably to being
referred to as a child. She was an eight-year-old girl and considered herself old enough to travel alone on
the bus. Besides, she also refused his help when he extended his hand to help her get on the bus, she
replied commandingly that she could manage to get on the bus on her own.
Question 5:
Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
Answer:
Valli thoroughly enjoyed her bus ride to the town. The following lines from the text are proof that exhibits her
excitement:

• “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”

• “The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side, there
was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On
the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields — green, green, green, as
far as the eye could see.”
• “Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
• “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter.”
• “Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee. A young cow, tail high in the air, was running very fast,
right in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus.”
• “Somehow, this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”
“Valli wasn’t bored in the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d
felt the first time.”
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7
Madam Rides the Bus

Question 6:
Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
Answer:
Valli refused to look out of the window on her way back to her village because she was upset seeing the
dead body of the cow that was running towards the bus while she was going to town. The poor animal was
hit by some fast-moving vehicle on the road. She was overcome with sadness and extremely frightened to
look outside the bus window as the memory of the cow was haunting her.
Question 7:

What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening
without our knowledge.”
Answer:
When Valli’s mother casually mentioned that there are certain things that happen around them without their
knowledge, Valli instantly agreed with her mother’s words and said, “I was just agreeing with what you said
about things happening without our knowledge.” She was happy about her adventurous bus trip to the town,
which she had taken without the knowledge of her parents.
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:
Yes, the author had described various things from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Some of these include –
‘she was fascinated by the bus’ and ‘watching the bus fill with a new set of people each time was a source of
unending joy for her’. The author described the colour and look of the new bus with ‘its outside painted a
gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver.’
Through this description, the author wanted to express how a child would be attracted towards the colour of
the bus. ‘The seats were soft and luxurious’. This description implies that the author wanted to show the
excitement of a child traveling in the luxury of a bus for the first time. ‘The blue sky’ and ‘acres and acres of
green field’, show the zeal and enthusiasm of a child. Further, when Valli sees the cow running in front of the
bus, this fascinated her too, whereas the sight of a dead cow brings tears to her eyes. The memory of the
cow haunted her, and she refused to look outside the window on her return journey. These were some of the
lines which beautifully described the typical reactions and behaviour of an eight-year-old child in an ideal
manner.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7 Poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon

The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Question 1:
Who are the characters in this poem? List them with their pet names.
Answer:
The characters in this poem are Belinda, a little girl and her pets: a little black kitten, a little grey mouse, a little
yellow dog, a little pet dragon and a pirate.

Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is the dragon called “cowardly dragon”?
Answer:
Custard cried for a nice safe cage because it was a coward and used to get scared easily. It is called a
“cowardly dragon” because everyone in the house is very brave. Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
Ink and Blink could chase lions down the stairs, Mustard was as brave as a raging tiger, but Custard always
cried for a nice safe cage as it feared a lot and wanted to stay safe from any danger.
Question 3:

“Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful…” Why?

Answer:
Belinda tickled Custard, the dragon, unmercifully because it was always very scared and cried for a nice safe
cage. She rubbed her fingers, creating a tingling sensation that would disturb the dragon, and everyone
would laugh at its cowardice.
Question 4:
The poet has employed many poetic devices in the poem. For example: “Clashed his tail like iron in a
dungeon” — the poetic device here is a simile. Can you, with your partner, list some more such poetic devices
used in the poem?
Answer: The poet has extensively used similes throughout the poem. One such simile was “mouth like a
fireplace”. Also, he has repetitively used the word ‘little’ in the first stanza to emphasize that everything in
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7 Poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Belinda’s house, including her pets, was little in size. In the seventh stanza, the poet uses an incorrect
spelling as a poetic device, such as ‘winda’ instead of ‘window’ that rhymes with Belinda’s name in the
previous line.
Furthermore, the poet also usedsalliteration in the tenth stanza in the sentences “Clashed his tail” and “With a
clatter and a clank”. In the eleventh stanza, the poet used the terms, “The pirate gaped” and “gulped some
grog” as some of the poetic devices in the poem.
Question 5:
Read stanza three again to know how the poet describes the appearance of the dragon.
Answer:
The poet describes the appearance of the dragon, Custard as one which had big sharp teeth and spikes on top
of its body and scales underneath. Its mouth was like a fireplace with a chimney-like nose and sharp dagger-
like toes.
Question 6:
Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem?
Answer:

The rhyme scheme of two or three stanzas of the poem is ‘aabb’.

Question 7:
Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some
images used in the poem?
Answer:
Writers often use words and phrases that do not directly convey a meaning but are indicative of their related
meanings. Such words or phrases are basically used to trigger our imagination into thinking and visualizing
them like a painting with a hidden meaning. The poet has used some images in the poem such as: ‘mouth like
a fireplace’, ‘chimney for a nose’, ‘brave as a barrel full of bears’, ‘brave as a tiger in a rage’, ‘went at the
pirate like a robin at a worm’, etc.
Question 8:
Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support
your answer.
Answer:
‘The Tale of Custard the Dragon’ is a very light-hearted and funny poem which was written in such a way that
everyone enjoys it. The poem was composed with a fixed rhyme scheme that makes it interesting and
enjoyable to read. The poet has also used the wrong spelling, ‘winda’ instead of ‘window’, to maintain the
rhyme scheme with ‘Belinda’ in the seventh stanza. The poet also describes the features of Belinda and her
pets in a humorous manner. He compared Belinda’s bravery to a barrel full of bears, her kitten, Ink and
mouse, Blink to be so brave that they could scare a lion down the stairs and her dog, Mustard, was brave like
a raging tiger. On the contrary, her dragon Custard is the only one who has been projected to be a coward
who looks for a cage for itself and was made fun of often by others for its cowardice. However, when the
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English – Chapter 7 Poem
The Tale of Custard the Dragon

pirate attacked the little house, and everyone was scared, it was the same ‘cowardly’ dragon who saved
everyone and jumped snorting like an engine on the pirate. It clashed its tail and charged towards the pirate
like a robin at a worm and ate him. Although everyone made fun of the little dragon, it proved to be the
bravest of all. Hence, the poem is dramatically ironic, which is funny and reflects the fun and humorous side
of the poet.
Question 9:
This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you come across any such modern song or lyric that tells a story?
If you know one, tell it to the class. Collect such songs as a project.
Answer:
Activity to be done by yourself.
 NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8
The Sermon at Benares

The Sermon at Benares

Thinking about the Text (Page 112)

Question 1:
When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why
not?
Answer: Kisa Gotami was overcome with grief and agony when her only son died. She carried her son’s
dead body in her arms and went from one house to another, asking for medicine that could cure her child,
but nobody could help. Since her son was dead, it wasn’t possible for anyone to give her any medicine and
bring the dead person back to life.
Question 2:
Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks with the Buddha. What does she ask for, the
second time around? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer:
Gautama Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had
lost a child, husband, parent or friend. She went from door to door, but couldn’t find a single house where
death had not knocked on their door and taken away their beloved one. She did not find any such house as
death is inevitable, and all mortals who come to this world are bound to die someday.
Question 3:
What does Kisa Gotami understand the second time that she failed to understand the first time? Was this
what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
Answer:
When Kisa Gotami failed to procure a handful of mustard seeds from a house where death never took
away any beloved one, she became weary and helpless and sat down by the roadside. While sitting there,
she observed the flickering and extinguishing of lights, and finally, the darkness of the night reigned
everywhere. This incident made her realise that death is inevitable and she was being selfish in her grief
and agony. She understood that in this valley of desolation, there is always a path that leads man, who has
surrendered all his selfishness, to immortality
Yes, this is what Buddha wanted her to understand that every mortal being who is born in this world is
bound to die one day.
Question 4:
Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time? In what way did the Buddha change
her understanding?
Answer:
In the first instance, Kisa Gotami could only see her grief of losing her young son. But, when she went from
one house to another the second time to procure a handful of mustard seeds to save her dead son, she
understood that everyone was dealing with the loss of a dear one. Not a single house was left untouched
by death, where people had not lost their son, husband, parent or friend. At some point in time, everyone
 NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8
The Sermon at Benares

has experienced the pain of death and losing their loved ones. Feeling dejected, she sat down and realised
that death is inevitable and the fate of mortal beings is to live and die someday. Through this instance,
Gautama Buddha helped her to understand that death is common to all mortal beings and that everyone is
bound to die one day or the other.
Question 5:
How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being
‘selfish in her grief’?
Answer:
A selfish person is one who is extremely preoccupied with himself or herself. In the story, Kisa Gotami was
also being selfish in her grief because she was just thinking about her own pain. So when she lost her
child, she wanted to bring him back to life by any means and finally went to Buddha to ask for help. He
gave her the ultimate lesson of life that humans are mortal beings, and it is natural for everyone to die.
Although we may find it difficult to accept the death of our loved ones, death is inevitable and is bound to
happen sooner or later.
Thinking about Language (Page 136)
Question I:
This text is written in an old-fashioned style, for it reports an incident more than two millennia old. Look for
the following words and phrases in the text, and try to rephrase them in more current language, based on
how you understand them.

Answer:

• Give you medicine for your child

• Please tell me
• Kisa went to the Buddha
• There was not a single house where no one had died
• Relatives
• Listen
Question II:
Answer:
The single sentence using semicolons has a better cadence and rhythm. This implies that the three parts of
the sentence are connected to each other in their meanings. The second clause gives detailed information
about the first clause. The third clause is, therefore, directly related to both the first and the second
clauses. Their meanings are conveyed in a better way when they are joined by semicolons.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8
The Sermon at Benares
 NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8 Poem
For Anne Gregory

For Anne Gregory

Thinking about the Poem (Page 141)

Question 1:

What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured /Ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that
young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
Answer:

The young man in the poem praises the “great honey-coloured hair /Ramparts at Anne’s ear” to refer to her
beautiful yellow coloured hair that gracefully falls behind her ear and covers it like a wall. Her hair is so
attractive that young men hopelessly fall in love with her. They are “thrown into despair” because they are
enchanted by Anne’s beauty as her hair beautifully falls behind her ear. She is so pretty that everyone wants
her, which is not possible. Hence, they are all thrown into despair.
Question 2:
What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do
so?
Answer:
Anne’s hair is yellow in colour, just like honey. She says that she can dye it black, brown or carrot colour,
which means that she can change it to any colour of her choice. She says so to express that outer beauty
can be changed anytime, but that’s not real or permanent. She wants young men to look deep into her soul
and wants them to love and appreciate her for her inner beauty rather than her external superficial
appearance.
Question 3:
Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone,
a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to
sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Answer:
There are various objects having qualities in our lives that make them desirable to others. Here we bring to
you a list of objects that make it desirable to others:

While selling an object, a person should emphasise the different features of the product and also help the buyer
identify how it is better than other products in the market. Students can also add some points on their own to
 NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8 Poem
For Anne Gregory

understand how best an object can be sold to a customer.

Question 4:
What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it
possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this
question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following.
(i) a parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a
cleverchild or a prodigy
(ii) the public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
(iii) your love for a friend, or brother or sister
(iv) your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.
Answer:
Every person has his/her own choices, likes and dislikes. Students are advised to answer the question based
on their interpretation and personal experience. As humans, we all have our personal favourites based on
our perceptions and situation in life. It is, therefore, not wrong to like some people more than others.

1. A parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a
clever child or a prodigy reflects their attentiveness and concern for them.
2. The public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician or a social worker reflects our admiration
and being awestruck by their personality.
3. Your love for a friend or brother, or sister reflects your love, compassion, empathy and a feeling of
togetherness for them.
4. Your love for a pet and the pet’s love for you reflect the unconditional and selfless love towards each
other.

Question 5:
You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than
for themselves. But elsewhere, Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance?
Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so
on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your
relationship also changed? In what way?
Answer:
Students can write this answer as per their personal experiences. It is recommended that they think about
their family and friends and attempt this question based on their interpretation and personal experiences.
Here are some hints that may help you:
 NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English – Chapter 8 Poem
For Anne Gregory

1. Approach a friend or a family member and give it a thought, whether you think of them as an
individual or their physical appearance takes precedence.
2. Every person’s way of thinking changes with age. A person needs to check it himself if his thought
process has remained the same or improved/degraded with time.
3. Every person is unique, and we should accept them as they are rather than criticise them for
anything.
4. It is well understood that our love and feelings for our loved ones undergo a change in due course of
time.
5. We should not judge people superficially for their looks or appearance, but rather appreciate the
person for his/her positive qualities.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English - Chapter 9
The Proposal

The Proposal
Thinking about the Play (Page 135)
Question 1:
What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is he sincere when he later says, “And I’ve
always loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Answer:
Initially, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money from him as he was wearing an
evening dress. Chubukov was not sincere at all when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that
he treated the young man like his own son. He had made up his mind that he would not give a single penny
to Lomov, if he tried to borrow money from him. He also used all kinds of insults to ridicule Lomov during the
argument by calling him ‘pettifogger’, ‘old rat’, ‘Jesuit’, etc. However, when Lomov asked for his daughter’s
hand in marriage, his attitude changed immediately, and he rushed out and called his daughter, Natalya
Stepanovna.
Question 2:
Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…”
Would you agree? Find reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Chubukov believes that Lomov is an ideal marriage prospect for his daughter, Natalya. He was indeed
waiting for this proposal. However, when Lomov expresses his doubt about Natalya’s consent to the
marriage proposal, Chubukov immediately affirms him, saying that his daughter is in love with him. In the
play, we notice that Natalya constantly argues and disagrees with Lomov in every respect. When Lomov
leaves after the argument, Chubukov tells her that he has actually come with a marriage proposal for her.
On hearing this, Natalya started weeping and asked her father to bring back Lomov at once. The statements
that show she was actually in love with him are, “Ah! she said, Bring him back! Back Ah! Bring him here.
Quick, quick! Fetch him!”
Question 3:
(i) Find all the words and expressions in the play that the characters use to speak about each other and the
accusations and insults they hurl at each other. (For example, Lomov, in the end, calls Chubukov an
intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has himself called Lomov a “malicious, doublefaced intriguer.” Again,
Lomov begins by describing Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.”)
(ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.
(iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel about next?
Answer:
(i) The words and expressions that have been used in the play by various characters to describe each other
are listed below:
Chubukov: intriguer, grabber, old rat, Jesuit
Natalya: a lovesick cat, an excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English - Chapter 9
The Proposal

Lomov: a good neighbour, impudent, pettifogger, malicious, double-faced intriguer, rascal, blind hen,
turnipghost, a villain, a scarecrow, the stuffed sausage, a monster, the wizen-faced frump, pup, fool,
milksop, etc.
(ii) & (iii) Activity to be done by yourself.
Thinking about Language (Page 135-137)
Question I:
Answer:
1. The expressions that are not used in contemporary English include:
(i) “my darling”, “my angel”, “my beloved”, “my beauty”, “my treasure” – All these expressions were used for
an adult man by an older man.
(ii) “…and all that sort of thing” – This expression does not explain anything and is used for a comic effect.
(iii) “…and all that” – This expression is also used for comic effect and has no meaning.
(iv) “how may you be getting on?” – In this expression, Lomov is asking Chubukov about his well-being. (v)
“the scarecrow”, “the stuffed sausage”, “the wizen-faced frump” – These expressions were used by
Chubukov to hurl abuses to Lomov.
Some of the modern English expressions used in the play were:

i. Lomov addressing Natalya: “Madam”, “my heart”, “honoured Natalya Stepanovna”.

ii. Lomov addressing Chubukov: “Honoured Stepan Stepanovitch”, “I beg pardon Stepan Honouritch”.
iii. Chubukov addressing Lomov: “My dear fellow”.
iv. Chubukov insulting Lomov: “malicious, double-faced intriguer”, “fool”, “guzzling gambler”.
v. Natalya to Lomov: “shout yourself hoarse”
2. Activity to be done by yourself.

3. (i) You may take it that I’m lying, but I’m actually not feeling well.
(ii) He seems to be coming round after he fell down, hit his head and fainted.

(iii) My foot’s gone to sleep after exercising in the gym for two hours.

Question II:
Answer:
2. To report a statement, we use the reporting verb said/declared.
3. The adverb of place here changes to there.
4. When the verb in direct speech is in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past tense.
5. If the verb in direct speech is in the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to
past continuous tense. For example, am getting changes to was getting.
 NCERT Solutions Class 10 English - Chapter 9
The Proposal

6. When the sentence in direct speech contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in
the reporting clause.
7. The pronouns I, me, our and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech, change according
to the subject or object of the reporting verb such as he/she, him/her, their or his/her’s in reported
speech.
Question III:
Answer:

90-year-old A.K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, asked, laughing, why we
wanted to know his age. He said that if people knew he was that old, he would not get work. For his age, he
is rather energetic. We asked him about the secret. He replied that his intake of everything in small
quantities was the secret and added that he walked a lot. He said that he had joined the industry when
people usually retired. He was in his 40s, so he did not miss being called a star. He was still respected and
given work, when actors of his age were living in poverty and without work. He said he had no complaints
and added that he had always been underpaid. Being the recipient of the Padma Bhushan, Hangal never
hankered after money or materialistic gains. He said that there was no doubt that he was content at present,
but money was an important aspect. He said regretfully that he was a fool not to understand the value of
money before.
Speaking and Writing (Page 137) Question
1:
Anger Management: As adults, one important thing to learn is how to manage our temper. Some of us tend
to get angry quickly, while others remain calm.
Can you think of three ill effects that result from anger? Note them down. Suggest ways to avoid losing your
temper in such situations. Are there any benefits from anger?
Answer:
There are various ill-effects of anger. Three ill-effects that result from anger are listed below:

1. It causes headaches and health problems.

2. It gives rise to anxiety and blood pressure.
3. It ruins relationships with people.

You can avoid losing your temper by trying to stay calm in difficult situations. Take a step back and think
carefully before you speak, and avoid taking things too personally.
Although it is advisable to stay calm and not get angry often. But here are some benefits of anger:

1. It makes us aware of injustice and helps us voice our opinion against it.
2. It motivates us to stay focused and helps in solving disputes and facilitating negotiations among
people.

(Note: Students can write this answer as per their understanding and personal experiences.)