Two Stories About Flying

Chapter 3: Two Stories About Flying
I. His First Fight
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 step?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid to fly because it was his first flight and he feared of falling
and hurting himself. He thought that his wings would not support him while flying. Yes, it
is natural that doing something for the first time 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.’
Question 2.
“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 ultimately compelled it to fly.
Its hunger 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 anticipation. However, she stopped midway. It
wondered why she did not come nearer. Not being able to resist or controfits 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 reaction of its body, i.e. to fly.
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:
Seagull’s parents had tried everything but he was reluctant to fly due to fear of falling
down. He looked at his brothers and sister but wouldn’t make any effort. That's why the
whole family had left him alone and threatened and cojoled him to come but every effort
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:
(Suggested Answer) Yes, I had a similar experience while leaning to ride a bicycle in
class VI. In my initial attempts, I fell down everytime and developed a fear of cycling
which was difficult to overcome.
No amount of provoking and cajoling could let me try it again, but my father encouraged
me to overcome the fear and helped me as he was adamant on my learning cycling. He
took me on a mound near the village and made me sit and asked me to put my hands
on the handle and feet on the paddle. It sped down and I enjoyed it without fear which
developed my confidence.
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:
We face some problems in the initial stage while learning new skill. Due to the fear of
failure, we hesitate to perform a task or to do something new. In case of the seagull his
parents cajoled him to fly. In the example I have given in the answer of previous
question, I was cajoled by my father to learn cycling. So, at that stage, I was to learn
cycling as it was very important for me to overcome my fear.
Yes, my success was guaranteed because if someone is determined to do something

then success is assured. Moreover, as said, practice makes a man perfect.
II. The Black Aeroplane
Thinking about the Text

(Page 40)
Question 1.
“I’ll take the risk”. What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Answer:
A huge storm was brewing up and the author was
keen to reach his home to spend his holiday with his family. So, he decided to fly
through the storm as he did not want to miss the chance to meet his family at breakfast.
Thus he took the risk even when the visibility was almost zero in the storm.
Question 2.
Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer:
As the pilot (author) entered the storm, his plane started jumping and twisting. He could
not see anything outside the plane as it was black. When he looked at compass and
other instruments they had stopped to function due to storm. It was a terrible and
fearsome experience for him. The fuel tank was almost empty and he could not fly more
than ten minutes. Then he saw another black aeroplane by his side and the pilot of the
plane signalled him to follow. It was a surprise for the narrator as the other black plane
was having no light. He followed him without any choice and landed safely on the
runway.
Question 3.
Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old
Dakota…”?
Answer:
Seagull’s parents had tried everything but he was reluctant to fly due to fear of falling
down. He looked at his brothers and sister but wouldn’t make any efforts. Thats why the
whole family had left him alone and threatened and cojoled him to come but every effort
went in vain.
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 because the narrator asked him about the black aeroplane and she
saw no one except the narrator’s in the sky during the storm. Even the radar showed
only the narrator’s plane that night in the sky.
Question 5.
Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves
and give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
It is very difficult to say about the unknown pilot who helped the narrator. But probably it
was the narrator himself that helped him to overcome the fear in the storm as no other
plane was seen in the radar except the narrator’s Dakota plane. In that fearsome
situation, he might have been hallucinating. He himself was a good pilot and brave
enough who helped himself land safely.

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Chapter 3: Two Stories About Flying

I. His First Fight

Thinking about the Text

Yes, my success was guaranteed because if someone is determined to do something

II. The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the Text

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