His First Flight (Two Stories about Flying Part 1) Extra Ques ons

Very Short Answer Type Ques ons

Ques on 1. Why did the seagull dive towards his mother?
Answer
The seagull dove towards his mother because he wanted the fish in his mother’s beak.

Ques on 2. Why did the seagull not go with the rest of his family?
Answer
He did not go because he was afraid to fly.

Ques on 3. How did the family show their happiness for the young seagull?
Answer
They offered him scraps of dog fish through their beaks.

Ques on 4. For how long had the seagull been alone?

Answer
He had been alone for the last twenty-four hours.

Ques on 5. Why was he afraid to fly?

Answer
He was afraid to fly because his wings would never support him.

Ques on 6. What were the ways the seagull had thought of to join his family?
Answer
He thought of joining his family by jumping and by walking up to them.

Ques on 7. Where did young seagull live?

Answer
The young seagull lived alone on his ledge.

Ques on 8. Who included the seagull’s family except him?

Answer
There were five members in his family except for him-his father, mother. two brothers and a sister.

Ques on 9. What did he see throughout the day?

Answer
He saw his parents perfec ng his brothers and sister in the art of flying.

Ques on 10. What sight maddened the young seagull?

Answer
The sight of food maddened him.

Ques on 11. Who had already landed on the green flooring?

Answer
His parents, brothers and sister had already landed on the green flooring.

Ques on 12. Where did he sleep that night?

Answer
He slept in a li le hole under the ledge.

Ques on 13. Why was the seagull afraid to fly?

Answer
He was afraid to fly because he felt that his wings could not support him.

Ques on 14. Why was the young seagull alone?

Answer
The young seagull was alone because his two brothers and sister had already flown.

Ques on 15. He stood at the edge of the ledge on one leg and closed his eyes. Why?
Answer
He wanted to get the a en on of his family.

Ques on 16. Why did he not fly with his brothers and sister?
Answer
He did not fly because he was afraid.

Ques on 17. Who took pity on the young seagull?

Answer
His mother pi ed on the young seagull.

Short Answer Type Ques ons

Ques on 1. How does author describe the young seagull’s fear of flying?
Answer
The young seagull was afraid of flying. He wanted it to fly. But he was greatly afraid to flying. When he flapped his wings
he became afraid. He would die if he tried to fly. The sea stretched down beneath. He felt certain that his wings would
never support him. So he bent on his head and ran away back to the li le hole. He could not fly.

Ques on 2. How did the mother ‘trick’ the young seagull into flying?
Answer
The young seagull cried for some food as he was greatly hungry. He felt the fear of flying. His mother screamed back. He
kept calling her. She picked up a piece of fish. She then flew across to him but not to him. He leaned out trying to get
nearer her to get food from her. She halted with the fish in her beak but did not go to him. This way she ‘tricked’ the
seagull into flying.

Ques on 3. Why didn’t the young seagull take the plunge? What stopped him from doing so?
Answer
The young seagull was the only one in the family who couldn’t fly in the air. His brothers and sister had far shorter wings
than his wings but they had already learned the art of flying. He felt certain that his wings would never support him. So
he was hesitant and afraid of flapping his wings and go deep in the air.

Ques on 4. How did the hungry seagull try to pretend to a ract his mother’s a rac on?
Answer
The whole family had flown away. Only the young seagull sat alone on the ledge. He had not eaten anything since the
previous nigh all. He stepped slowly out to the brink of the ledge. He stood on one leg. He closed his eyes pretending to
be falling asleep. But all his tac cs failed. Only his mother took no ce of him. All others ignored him.

Ques on 5. What did the young seagull do when he was maddened by hunger? Did hunger mo vate him to dive at the
fish in the air?
Answer
The young seagull saw his mother flying around him with a piece of fish in her beak. Maddened by hunger, he dived at
the fish. With a loud scream, he fell outwards and downwards into space. Then he was seized with fear and his heart
stood s ll. But the fear lasted only for a minute. The very next moment he felt his wings spread outwards. Truly, hunger
mo vated him to dive at the fish and flap his wings into space.

Ques on 6. How were Seagull’s parents helping his brothers and sister for “perfec ng them in the art of flight”?
Answer
The young seagull was afraid of flying, but his two brothers and a sister had started flying. But his parents were teaching
them to be perfect in the art of flying. They were teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.

Ques on 7. How did his parents, two brothers, and sisters celebrate the first flight of the young seagull?
Answer
The family saw the young seagull making his first flight. When they saw him floa ng on the ocean, they flew and landed
on the water just ahead of him. They were beckoning to him calling shrilly. They were praising and rewarding him by
offering scraps of fish to him.

Ques on 8. How did the seagull express his excitement when he saw his mother bringing food to him?
Answer
The seagull saw his mother bringing food to him. He screamed with joy. He leaned out eagerly. He tapped rock with his
feet and tried to get nearer to her as she flew towards him.

Ques on 9. Where did the seagull’s flight end?

Answer
The seagull was very happy as he had learned how to fly. He kept flying for some me. His parents, brothers and sister
flew around him. Then they landed on the sea surface. The seagull also came down. When he tried to land, his legs sank
into the sea. He cried with fear again. But then his belly touched the water. He did not drown. He started floa ng on the
surface of the sea. Thus his first flight ended.

Ques on 10. When did the seagull’s flight begin? And where did it end?
Answer
The young seagull’s flight started when he dove trying to snatch the piece of fish from his mother’s beak. He fell down
but ins nc vely his wings spread out, he flapped them and started flying. His flight ended a er half an hour when he
landed on the green sea with his family.

Ques on 11. How did the young seagull’s parents treat him ini ally when he did not fly?
Answer
First, his parents encouraged him, coaxed him then scolded and taunted him for his cowardice. They even threatened to
let him starve if he did not fly. But the young seagull could not muster up the courage to fly.

Ques on 12. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

Answer
Whenever the young seagull took a li le run forward to the extreme edge of the ledge and a empted, to flap his wings,
he became afraid. Seeing the vast area of the sea, he thought his wings would never support him.

Ques on 13. Flying is a natural act in birds. Then why was the young seagull ‘exhausted by the strange exercise’?
Answer
The seagull didn’t have the courage to fly. Hence, he used to make excuses for not flying. He felt certain that his wings
were too weak to support him. He had no courage to flap his wings and failed to muster up the courage to take the
plunge.

Ques on 14. How did the young seagull’s family celebrate his first flight?
Answer
The young seagull was afraid to fly. Even the encouragement and coaxing didn’t work. But when the seagull had his first
flight, he as well as his family was happy, relieved and proud of him to have completed his first flight.

Ques on 15. What was the young seagull’s experience during his first flight?
Answer
Falling from the ledge, the seagull was terrified, but soon he started soaring and then flying. He forgot that he didn’t
always know how to fly. His fear soon turned into confidence, and then into amusement. As he was landing, he was again
afraid, but, soon became at ease. It was a memorable first flight.

Ques on 16. Why could the young seagull not reach his parents without flying?
Answer
He could not reach his parents without flying because on each side of him the edge ended in a sheer fall in a ver cle cliff,
with the sea below. Then, between him and his parents there was a deep and wide crack in the land.

Ques on 17. When did the seagull’s flight begin?

Answer
The seagull was very hungry. When he saw his mother bringing food in her beak, he dived towards her. But he fell from
the brink of the ledge. He screamed with fear. But his fear lasted only for a moment. The next moment he felt that his
wings spread outwards. He was flying now. Now he screamed with joy.

Ques on 18. Do you sympathise with the seagull? Give reasons.

Answer
Yes, we sympathise with the seagull. He is a very young bird. He has not yet learned how to fly. His parents want that he
should fly. They encourage him. But he is afraid of falling. His parents starve him for twenty-four hours. In the end,
however, the seagull learns how to fly.
Ques on 19. Where did the young seagull sit alone? What did he watch from there?
Answer
The young seagull was alone on his ledge. In the whole family, he was the only one who didn’t know how to fly. Only the
day before, his two brothers and his sister had flown away with their parents. When he tried to flap his wings, he was
seized with fear. Hence, he sat alone on the ledge watching his family flying over the sea.

Ques on 20. How were his two brothers and sister different from the young seagull?
Answer
His two brothers and his sister had far shorter wings than he had. But s ll, they had flown away only the day before. He
would watch his parents perfec ng them in the art of flying. They were taught how to skim the waves and dive for the
fish. The young seagull had seen his older brother catches his first herring and devour it.

Ques on 21. Why did the young seagull cry “Ga, ga, ga”? Did her mother oblige him?
Answer
When he saw his mother holding a piece of a fish in her beak, the young seagull became almost mad with hunger. He
cried “Ga, ga, ga”. He begged her mother to bring him some food. When he saw his mother flying across to him with a
piece of fish, he u ered a joyful scream. He started tapping the rock with his feet impa ently. He was almost within the
reach of the fish but failed to get at it.

Ques on 22. Describe the seagull’s first flight.

Answer
The young seagull was very hungry. So he dived at the fish that was in his mother’s beak. But he fell into space and
became terribly afraid. His heart stood s ll. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted for a minute. The next moment he
felt his wings spread outwards. He began to fly and was no longer afraid.

Ques on 23. Did the seagull think the sea was like land? Pick out the words that suggest this.
Answer
Yes, the seagull thought that the sea was like land. He called it the green (loo ng. When he had learned how to fly, he
flew for some me. Then he came down and stood on the sea surface thinking it to be like land. But his legs sank into the
sea. ‘Dropped his legs to stand on’, ‘sank into’ and ‘screamed with fright’ are the words that suggest this.

Ques on 24. Do you sympathise with the seagull? Why?

Answer
We sympathise with the seagull because, due to his fear of flying, he had to remain lonely and hungry, a er his family
had le him to suffer. He could not muster courage to fly like his brothers and sister.

Ques on 25. When did the seagull get over his fear of the water?
Answer
A er flying for some me, the seagull saw that his parents and brothers and sister were si ng on the surface of the sea.
He came down and landed on it. But his legs sank into it. He cried with fear. However, his belly touched the surface and
he did not drown. Now the seagull got over his fear of the water.

Ques on 26. How did the young seagull’s parents teach him the art of flying
Answer
The seagull’s parents encouraged him to fly. But he was too afraid to fly. Then they kept him hungry for twenty-four
hours. Even then the seagull did not fly. Then they thought that experience would teach him. So they made him fall from
the ledge. Now when he fell, he felt his wings spread and started flying.

Ques on 27. How did the young seagull’s parents teach their children the art of flying?
Answer
The seagull’s parents had taught their children how to skim the waves and how to dive for the fish. They encouraged
them raising of loud shrill sound when their older son caught his first herring and ate it greedily.

Ques on 28. Did upbraiding and threatening of his parents help him in flying?
Answer
The parents of the young seagull did try to teach his young one the art of flying. He wouldn’t simply move from his ledge.
They would fly around him encouraging and challenging him to follow them. When he wouldn’t budge, his parents would
fly around calling him shrilly. They would upbraid and threaten to let him starve unless he flew away.
Ques on 29. What was the mother doing standing on a li le high hump on the plateau?
Answer
All others ignored the hungry young seagull. Only his mother was looking at him. She was standing on a li le high hump.
Now and again, she tore a piece of fish. The fish lay at her feet. Then she scrapped each side of her beak on the rock. The
sight of the food maddened the young seagull. He loved to tear the food that way.

Ques on 30. What was his family doing on the plateau when seagull failed to draw their a en on?
Answer
The two brothers and the sister of the young seagull were half asleep with their heads sunk into their necks. His father
was preening the feathers with his beak on his white back. Only his mother, standing on a li le mound on the plateau,
was looking at him.

Ques on 31. How did the young seagull overcome his fear and soared gradually towards the sea during his first flight?
Answer
The young seagull had taken the final plunge. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish which his mother was carrying in
her beak. With a loud scream, he fell outwards and downwards. He was seized with fear and his heart stood s ll. But the
fear lasted only for a minute. He overcame it. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards. Now he was soaring
downwards over the blue sea.

Ques on 32. What is the message that Liam O Flaherty wants to give to the readers through the lesson ‘His first
Flight’?
Answer
Success can’t be taken for granted. One has to struggle and finally to win it. The story of the young seagull is the story of
overcoming hesita ons, doubts, and fears that stand between us and our success. Hunger makes him take the final
plunge. This leads him to make his first flight and soar into space.

Ques on 33. How did the young seagull start flying?

Answer
The young seagull was ‘maddened by hunger” when he dived at the piece of fish in his mother’s beak. But he fell
outwards and downwards with a loud scream. When his mother swooped upwards, he followed her and thus he started
flying.

Long Answer Type Ques ons

Ques on 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 mid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first step?
Answer
The young seagull was afraid to fly because it was his first flight and he feared of falling and hur ng himself. He thought
that his wings would not support him while flying. Yes, it is natural that doing something for the first me is a bit
challenging and fearful. All birds must be afraid to make their first flight. Similarly, a human baby is also afraid of taking
the first step and find it challenging when he learns to crawl or stand up without support.’

Ques on 2. What happened a er the seagull had learnt how to fly?

Answer
The seagull came to the brink of the ledge in order to get the fish from his mother. But his mother remained in the air. a
li le away from the ledge. The seagull dived at the fish. But he fell from the rock into space. He cried with fear. But this
fear lasted only a moment. The next moment, he flapped his wings. He was surprised to find that he was flying. He
screamed with joy. He soared higher and higher. His parents flew around him. They praised him for learning how to fly.
Then his parents, brothers and sister landed on the sea. They beckoned the young seagull to come to them. The seagull
dropped his legs and came down on the surface of the sea. He had thought that the surface of the sea was green
flooring. But his legs started sinking into the water. He again screamed with fear. However, his belly touched the water
and he did not drown. He started floa ng on the water. His family members were also happy. They gave him pieces of a
fish to eat.

Ques on 3. Why was the young seagull le alone in the ledge by his family?
Answer
The young seagull was afraid to fly. His father and mother wanted him to go and fly with them. But whenever he had
taken a li le run forward to the extreme edge of the ledge and tried to move his wings he became afraid. He failed to
muster up courage to thrust himself forcibly in the space, and started flying.
His two brothers and his sister had the wings shorter than him but they started flying. But the young seagull somehow
thought that his wings would notsupport him for it. For this, he was scolded by his parents, who gave a threat to him and
he was le alone in the ledge.

Ques on 4. Was the young seagull same at the beginning and at the end of the lesson? Compare and contrast the two
kinds of the same seagull in the lesson.
Answer
No, the young seagull was not the same bird at the beginning and at the end of the lesson. In the beginning, the young
seagull used to be all alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had flown away the day before. He had been
afraid of flying with them. Whenever he tried to flap his wings, he was seized with fear. He felt certain that his wings
would never support him. His father and mother flew around calling him shrilly. They were constantly scolding and
taun ng him. They were threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away.
However, the young seagull was more confident and sure of his success in the end. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the
fish. A er trials and errors, his wings spread outwards. He was soaring gradually downwards forge ng all his hesita ons
and fears. He could float on the ocean now. His success was welcomed by his family. They were praising him now and
their beaks were offering him their scraps of dog-fish.

Ques on 5. Describe the humilia on and taun ng that the young seagull faced from his family when he used to sit
alone on his ledge without mustering his courage to fly in the air.
Answer
The young seagull used to sit on .the ledge all alone. He used to see his two brothers and sister flying around him. They
had learnt flying only the day before. Not that he didn’t try before. He had come to the edge of the ledge and tried to flap
his wings. But he became afraid soon. He felt certain that his wings would never support him. So he bent his head and
ran away to the li le hole under the ledge. His brothers and sister had far shorter wings than his own. But they
succeeded flapping their wings and flew away.
He failed to muster his courage to take the plunge. His father and mother flew around him scolding and taun ng him.
They also threatened to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away. The thing that compounded his agony was that
his elder brother had caught his first herring and devoured it. His parents circled around his brother raising a proud
cackle. On the other hand, the family had walked down the opposite chiff taun ng him with his cowardice.

Ques on 6. How do you find the seagulls in the beginning and at the end of the lesson?
Answer
In the beginning we find the young seagull too frightened and terrified to fly. He had bigger wings as compared to his two
brothers and sister. But s ll he was afraid even to a empt flying. When they flew away, he could gather courage to thrust
himself forcibly in space, which made him scared and desperate.
When he was starving for a day, his mother came across to him with a piece of fish in her beak. When she reached near
him, she stopped and ‘maddened by hunger,’ he dived at the fish. But his mother had swooped upward. He found his
wings spread and was more confident now. In the end we see him flying ll he was red and dropped himself on the
surface of the sea.

Ques on 7. What message does the story ‘His First Flight’ convey?
Answer
This is an imaginary story. The story conveys the message that we learn by taking courage and not by si ng idle. A young
seagull is fed lovingly by his parents. But when the me comes for him to fly, he feels afraid. His parents try many tricks to
teach him to fly. But he is so afraid that he refuses to fly.
At last, his mother hits upon a plan. She tempts him with food in her beak. But she only flies near his ledge and does not
land there. In order to get food, the hungry seagull comes to the edge of the rock and falls from it. At first, he is terrified
but then he opens his wings and starts flying. He is happy to note that he did not fall in the sea. In this way, the young
seagull makes the first flight of his life when he takes courage.

Ques on 8. Do you think hunger was a good mo va on for the young seagull in his first flight? Comment.
Answer
Yes, I do think that hunger played a vital role in the young seagull’s a empt to start flying. He was le
alone on the ledge by his family because he would not try to fly with them. His parents scolded him in a shrill voice and
threatened him of starva on, but he s ll was afraid to fly. Then they le him alone.
He was so hungry that he had to live on whatever he could find there. When he saw his mother with a piece of fish in her
beak, he begged her for food. Then he u ered a joyful scream when he saw his mother flying across to him with a piece
of fish in her beak. But she stopped when she came opposite to him.
When the young seagull realised that she won’t come nearer, and “maddened by hunger,” he dived at the fish. This was
his first a empt to fly. Gradually when his hesita on and fear were removed, he started flying which he enjoyed very
much.

Ques on 9. Describe the methods used by the seagull family to help the young seagull overcome his fear and fly.
Answer
This story is about a young seagull. The me had come when he should fly like his parents and brothers and sister. But he
was afraid to fly. His parents tried their best to teach him how to fly. But he refused to fly. They le him alone on his
ledge. They threatened him that he would starve. Even then he was too afraid to fly. His brothers and sister made fun of
him. They laughed at his cowardice.
At last, his mother thought of a plan. She took a piece of fish in her beak and flew towards him. She came near him but
did not land on the ledge. The young seagull was very hungry. He came to the brink of the ledge. In order to get food, he
dived at the fish. But he fell from the rock. He became terrified. But it was only for a moment. The next moment, he
flapped his wings and started flying. In this way, his mother was able to make him fly.

Black Aeroplane (Two Stories about Flying Part 2) Extra Ques ons
Very Short Answer Type Ques ons
Ques on 1. Did Paris control hear the pilot the second me he called? Why?
Answer
The Paris Control did not hear him because his radio had gone dead.

Ques on 2. What type of story is the ‘Black Aeroplane?’

Answer
It is a mysterious story.

Ques on 3. How many fuel tanks were there on the plane? How much fuel was le ?
Answer
There were two fuel tanks on the plane. There was fuel for five or ten minutes only.

Ques on 4. How did the clouds look?

Answer
The clouds looked like black mountains.

Ques on 5. Why was the pilot happy? Give two reasons

Answer
He was happy because he was flying up above the sleeping countryside. Secondly, he was going to be with his family.

Ques on 6. Where was the speaker going and how?

Answer
The speaker was going to England and he was flying his old Dakota aeroplane.

Ques on 7. Which country was the narrator flying his plane over?
Answer
He was flying his plane over France.

Ques on 8. What was the advice of the Paris Control?

Answer
The Paris Control advised him to turn twelve degrees west.

Ques on 9. Why did the pilot fly straight into the storm instead of returning to Paris?
Answer
He did not return to Paris because he wanted to get home.

Ques on 10. Why did the pilot call the Paris Control Room the first me?
Answer
He called the Paris Control Room to guide him on his way to England.

Ques on 11. What did the pilot encounter 150 kilometres from Paris?
Answer
He encountered big stormy clouds 150 kilometres from Paris.
Ques on 12. What did the speaker see suddenly?
Answer
The speaker saw suddenly an another aeroplane in the black clouds.

Ques on 13. What happened when the author turned the aeroplane twelve degrees west towards England?
Answer: The author saw the huge storm clouds that looked like black mountains standing in front of him across the sky.

Ques on 14. How much fuel was there in the aeroplane when the writer started flying?
Answer
There was sufficient fuel in the tanks of the aeroplane to reach England safely when the writer started flying.

Short Answer Type Ques ons

Ques on 1. Why the black aeroplane is called ‘strange’?
Answer
Because it suddenly appeared before the pilot of Dakota-088 aeroplane in the dark mysterious clouds. It had no lights on
its wings. Then it was flying ahead of the Dakota-088 aeroplane to guide it through the clouds. Then it disappeared and
there was no trace of it anywhere.

Ques on 2. Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?
Answer
A er landing, the narrator was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota because he had a horrific and fearsome
experience flying that plane. He was happy that he had landed the plane safely. That is why he was not sorry to walk
away. Instead, he wanted to know where he was and who the other pilot was.

Ques on 3. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Answer
The risk was to fly through the black storm clouds. The narrator who was a pilot was decided to take the risk as he was
going on holiday to meet his family and spend some good me with them. He also wanted to get home in me to enjoy a
good English breakfast.

Ques on 4. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer
As he flew the aeroplane into the storm, everything went black. The plane began to turn and twist in the air. The en re
instrument panel was dead. The pilot could not find whether which direc on to go. Suddenly, he saw another aeroplane.
Its pilot waved at him, asking him to follow. He was glad to find a helper. Following that strange aeroplane, the pilot came
out of the storm and reached his des na on.

Ques on 5. What did he do when he was inside the clouds?

Answer
The narrator took the risk of entering the black storm clouds. Inside them, everything was suddenly black. Nothing could
be seen outside. The old plane jumped and twisted in the air. He couldn’t believe his eyes when his compass was dead.
His other instruments didn’t work and were dead too. He tried to contact Paris control on the raids but received no
answer.

Ques on 6. What did he find when he checked the map and the compass?
Answer
The narrator checked the map and the compass. He switched over to his second and last fuel tank. He turned the Dakota
twelve degrees west towards England. He thought that he would be in me for breakfast. Everything was going well and
it was an easy flight.

Ques on 7. Why did the writer feel frightened once again?

Answer
The pilot of the black plane waved to the writer to follow him. The writer flew his plane behind him for half an hour. He
found that there was fuel in his aeroplane for five or ten minutes more. So he felt frightened once again.

Ques on 8. Describe the author’s feeling while he was flying his aeroplane back to England?
Answer
The author was very excited while he was flying his aeroplane back to England because he wanted to spend his holiday
with his family at home.

Ques on 9. How did the black aeroplane rescue the first pilot?
Answer
The pilot of the black aeroplane waved his hand. He gestured the first pilot to follow him. The writer followed him. He
followed the black plane for half an hour. Suddenly, his plane was out of the clouds. He could see the lights of the airport
and landed his aeroplane. In this way, the black aeroplane rescued the first pilot

Ques on 10. Why could the woman in the control room not help the pilot of Dakota?
Answer
When the pilot of the Dakota plane asked the woman in the control centre about the black aeroplane and its pilot, she
could not help him because she had seen no other plane flying that night on the radar.

Ques on 11. What did the writer feel inside the clouds?
Answer
When the writer entered the clouds, it became impossible to see outside the aeroplane. The aeroplane jumped and
twisted in the air and all the instruments like compass, etc stopped working due to the weather condi ons.

Ques on 12. How and when did the narrator feel that he was safe now?
Answer
When the pilot of another plane came to the narrator’s help, he was extremely happy. When he said “Follow me,” the
narrator obeyed him like an obedient child. The strange black aeroplane was s ll guiding him. The narrator got worried as
the old Dakota had petrol enough to fly for five or ten minutes. Suddenly when he was going down, he found himself out
of clouds. He saw two long straight lines of lights of the runway. There was an airport where he could land safely.

Ques on 13. What is the message that Frederick want to give to the readers through the lesson ‘The Black Aeroplane’?
Answer
Never say ‘die’ ll the end. Never lose hope in the most hopeless situa on. No one knows who may come to save you.
The narrator was really in such a hopeless situa on when he lost contact with Paris control and all his instruments and
the compass was dead. Then came the mysterious pilot of the black aeroplane to guide the narrator to safety.

Ques on 14. Why did the writer follow the pilot of another aeroplane? ‘
Answer
The writer followed another aeroplane because he had lost the way in the storm and was unable to see
anything. The pilot of another aeroplane was helping him to get out of the storm and land safely.

Ques on 15. Which two op ons did the pilot of’ the Dakota plane have when he encountered the storm clouds on his
way? What did he decide to do? Why?
Answer
The two op ons he had were: either to go back to Paris or to go through the storm clouds. He decided to go through the
storm clouds because he wanted to reach home and spend the holiday with his family.

Ques on 16. Recount the experience of the pilot of the Dakota inside the black clouds.
Answer
The pilot found that everything was black inside the clouds. It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane. The
old aeroplane rolled and jumped in the air. The compass and other instruments stopped working. Suddenly his radio also
went dead.

Ques on 17. Why and when did he call Paris control-room?

Answer
It was one-thirty in the morning. He wanted to call Paris control. He switched on the radio and told that Dakota DS 088
was on his way to England. The narrator got the necessary instruc on that he needed. He was asked to turn twelve
degrees west towards England.

Ques on 18. Why did the woman in control room get shocked when the writer asked about another aeroplane?
Answer
The woman in the control room was shocked when the writer asked about another aeroplane because there was no such
plane flying in the sky that night as she saw on the radar.
Ques on 19. The narrator had two op ons before risking himself entering the storm clouds? Why didn’t he choose
them?
Answer
Definitely, the narrator had two op ons before him if he didn’t want to take the risk of entering the storm cloud. He could
turn back and go to Paris which was about 150 kilometres behind him. Another op on was to fly up and over the dark
clouds. But he didn’t choose any of the op ons. He wanted to be in England to have his breakfast in me. He couldn’t fly
around the clouds to the north or south as he didn’t have enough fuel to fly.

Ques on 20. Who rescued the narrator when he was hopelessly lost in the storm clouds?
Answer
There seemed no hope for the narrator. He was hopelessly lost in the storm clouds. His compass and other instruments
were dead. Even Paris control didn’t respond. In such a hopeless situa on, the narrator saw another aeroplane flying next
to him. It had no light on its winds but he could see the pilot’s face. The pilot came to his help. When he said “Follow
me,” the narrator followed him like an obedient child.

Ques on 21. Why did the narrator want to meet the woman in the control tower? Did he get any informa on about
the mysterious disappearance of the black aeroplane and its pilot?
Answer
The narrator didn’t know how the pilot and the black aeroplane disappeared in the space. He wanted some definite
informa on from the woman in the control room about them. She told him that on that stormy night no plane was in the
sky except his old Dakota. So, the narrator didn’t know anything about the mysterious man who helped him to arrive
safely without a compass or a radio.

Ques on 22. Why did the pilot think of going back to Paris?
Answer
The pilot came across huge storm clouds that seemed to him like black mountains. He could neither go above them nor
go around them due to lack of fuel. That was when he thought of returning to Paris.

Ques on 23. Was the pilot of the Dakota able to meet the pilot of the black?
Answer
No, he was not able to meet the pilot of the black aeroplane. When he was going to land his plane, he looked behind
him. But the black plane was not there. The sky was empty. The woman at the control centre told him that no other
planes were flying on that stormy night.

Ques on 24. Why was the narrator happy and what was he dreaming of?
Answer
It was a clear and cloudless night. The moon had come up in the east. Stars were shining above. The narrator was happy.
He was flying high up above the sleeping countryside. He was dreaming of his holiday and being with his family.

Ques on 25. Why didn’t he return to Paris when he saw the storm clouds?
Answer
Paris was 150 kilometres behind him when he saw the storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black mountains
standing in front of him. He could not fly up and over them as he didn’t have enough fuel. He thought of going back to
Paris but changed his idea. He decided to go to England to be in me for breakfast.

Ques on 26. Did the narrator meet the pilot of the black aeroplane? How did he and his aeroplane disappear in the
sky?
Answer
No, the narrator didn’t meet his rescuer. When he was out of the storm clouds, he looked back. He found no trace of the
aeroplane. Nor did he see the face of the pilot. Only God knows where they disappeared. Even the control room couldn’t
record their presence.

Long Answer Type Ques ons

Ques on 1. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to
finally fly?
Answer
The young seagull was very hungry. It was this hunger that ul mately compelled it to fly. Its hunger only intensified when
it saw its mother tearing at a piece of fish that lay at her feet. It cried to her, begging her to get some food. When its
mother came towards it with food in her beak, it screamed with joy and an cipa on. However, she stopped midway. It
wondered why she did not come nearer. Not being able to resist or control its hunger any longer, it dived at the food in its
mother’s beak. At that moment, his hunger overpowered his fear of the great expanse of sea beneath the cliff. Finally,
this plunge was followed by the natural reac on of its body, i.e., to fly.

Ques on 2. How did the author come out safely from the black clouds?
Answer
The author took the risk of flying through the black clouds. He couldn’t see anything. The aeroplane jumped and twisted
up every now and then. All his instruments had stopped working. Suddenly, he saw another plane with no lights on its
wings. The other pilot gestured him to follow his plane and guided him ll they had landed safely out of the clouds.

Ques on 3. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer
As he flew into the storm, everything went black. It was impossible to see anything outside the plane. It jumped and
twisted in the air. When he looked at his compass, he saw that it was turning round and round. It was dead. Along with it,
the other instruments, including the radio, were also dead. Suddenly, he saw another aeroplane. Its pilot waved at him,
asking him to follow. He was glad to find a helper. He was using his last fuel tank and there was only enough fuel to fly
five or ten minutes. Then, the other pilot started to go down and he followed. He suddenly came out of the clouds and
saw the runway, on which he then landed his plane safely.

Ques on 4. Why and when did the narrator say that ‘everything was going well, it was an easy flight’?
Answer
A er the old Dakota le Paris 150 kilometres behind, it enjoyed smooth sailing in the air. Everything was going well. The
narrator was enjoying rather an easy flight. The moon was coming up in the east and stars were shining in the clear sky.
The aeroplane was flying up above the sleeping countryside. It was flying over France back to England. The narrator was
dreaming of his holiday and looking forward to being with his family. He contacted Paris control. He was asked to turn 12
degrees west. He looked at his watch. It was only thirty in the morning. It was only a er he had le Paris 150 kilometres
behind when he faced the terrible storm clouds. Before this, it was really an enjoyable and safe journey.

Ques on 5. The author asks a ques on at the end, “Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane?” Try to answer
this ques on.
Answer
“The Black Aeroplane’ is an interes ng story. The writer is a pilot. One day, he was returning from France in his Dakota
aeroplane. He was going to England. Suddenly, he saw huge storm clouds on his way. He had not much fuel in his plane.
So he could not fly around the clouds. He took a risk and entered the clouds. His compass and other instruments failed.
His radio also went out of order. The writer’s life was in danger. Suddenly, he saw a black aeroplane near him. The pilot of
the plane gestured him to follow him. The writer followed him and landed his plane safely. But when he looked back, he
did not find the black aeroplane anywhere. The woman at the control tower told him that there had been no other plane
that night. Then who saved the writer’s life? Who was the pilot of the black aeroplane? The writer had no answer to
these ques ons. Thus it is a mysterious story.

Ques on 6. Why was the writer happy when he decided to fly in the night?
Answer
The writer was very happy when he decided to fly that night because he was going home to his family to enjoy his
holiday. When he started, everything seemed to be perfect. The sky was clear, no clouds could be seen. He was flying
back to England in his old Dakota aeroplane over France. He was happy being alone in the sky and was dreaming of his
holiday.

Ques on 7. How was the writer rescued?

Answer
The writer flew his plane into the big dark clouds. As he entered the clouds, everything suddenly went black. He found
that his compass had ceased to work. He tried to contact the Paris Control for direc ons. But he was shocked to find that
his radio had also stopped working. Suddenly, the writer saw a black aeroplane near him. He could also sec the pilot in it.
The pilot waved the writer to follow him. He followed the black aeroplane like an obedient child. Now it was half an hour
since the writer had been follow-, the black aeroplane. He was worried because the fuel in his plane could last only five
or ten minutes. But just’ then the black aeroplane started to go down and the writer followed it. Suddenly the writer was
out of the doods. He could see the lights of the runway of the airport. The writer landed his Dakota aeroplane. In this,
may, he was rescued.
Ques on 8. Describe the appearance of the strange black aeroplane in the most hopeless situa on. How did the pilot
of the black aeroplane help the narrator to come out of the storm clouds and land safely?
Answer
The narrator was really in deep trouble. The huge mountains of black clouds were around him. The old Dakota aeroplane
was jumping and twis ng in the air. His compass was dead. The other instruments were dead too. Nothing worked for
him. Even his efforts to contact Paris control failed. The radio was dead too. In such a hopeless situa on, the sudden
appearance of a mysterious black aeroplane was like God’s sent help for him. There were no lights on the wings of that
black aeroplane. The narrator could see the pilot’s face. He was saying “Follow me”. The narrator was totally lost. He
thought that the pilot was trying to help him. So he followed the black aeroplane like an obedient child. He was
frightened as he had fuel enough to last for five or ten minutes. Suddenly, he came out of the clouds. He saw two long
straight lines of lights in front of him. It was a runway. “An airport!” he cried. He was out of danger and could land safely.
He turned to look for his rescuer in the black aeroplane, but the sky was empty.