Two Stories about Flying

Easy (15)

1. Why was the young seagull alone on his ledge?
   • His parents had abandoned him.
   • He was afraid to fly with his siblings. (correct)
   • He was practicing flying alone.
   • His siblings had gone fishing.

   Why: The young seagull was alone because he was too afraid to join his brothers and sister who had already flown away.

2. What did the young seagull feel certain about regarding his wings?
   • They were too strong.
   • They would never support him. (correct)
   • They were bigger than his siblings'.
   • They were perfectly suited for flight.

   Why: He felt his wings were inadequate and would not be able to hold him up in the air.

3. What did the young seagull's parents threaten to do if he didn't fly?
   • Leave him alone forever.
   • Scold him severely.
   • Let him starve on his ledge. (correct)
   • Force him off the ledge.

   Why: His parents threatened to let him starve as a way to motivate him to fly.

4. What maddened the young seagull when he saw his mother?
   • Her indifference towards him.
   • The sight of food in her beak. (correct)
   • Her loud calls.
   • Her flying skills.

   Why: The sight of his mother tearing at a piece of fish intensified his hunger.

5. What was the pilot of the Dakota aeroplane dreaming of?
   • A new aeroplane.
   • His holiday and being with his family. (correct)
   • Becoming a famous pilot.
   • Exploring new countries.

   Why: The pilot was looking forward to his holiday and spending time with his family.

6. What did the pilot see in front of him that looked like 'black mountains'?
   • Actual mountains.
   • Storm clouds. (correct)
   • A dark forest.
   • A city at night.

   Why: The pilot encountered huge, dark storm clouds that appeared like mountains.

7. What was the condition of the pilot's compass inside the storm clouds?
   • It was working perfectly.
   • It was turning round and round and was dead. (correct)
   • It was pointing towards Paris.
   • It was showing the wrong direction.

   Why: The compass malfunctioned completely, spinning uncontrollably and becoming useless.

8. What was the only thing the control centre woman could see on her radar during the storm?
   • Multiple aeroplanes.
   • The pilot's Dakota aeroplane. (correct)
   • The black aeroplane.
   • Nothing at all.

   Why: The control centre confirmed that only the narrator's plane was visible on their radar.

9. True or False: The young seagull's wings were shorter than his siblings'.

   Why: The text states his siblings' wings were shorter, not his.

10. True or False: The pilot had enough fuel to fly around the storm clouds.

    Why: The pilot lacked sufficient fuel to bypass the storm clouds.

11. True or False: The black aeroplane had lights on its wings.

    Why: The black aeroplane was described as having no lights.

12. The young seagull's family was ____________ him with his cowardice.

    Why: His family tried to provoke him into flying by mocking his fear.

13. The pilot switched over to his second and last ____________ tank.

    Why: He switched to his final fuel tank, indicating limited resources.

14. Which part of the seagull's body touched the green sea last before he floated?
    • Wings
    • Beak
    • Belly (correct)
    • Feet

    Why: His belly touched the water, and then he floated, as described in the story.

15. Identify the instrument that failed first for the pilot inside the storm.
    • Radio
    • Altimeter
    • Compass (correct)
    • Fuel gauge

    Why: The compass was the first instrument to stop working, spinning wildly.

Medium (15)

1. Why did the young seagull's mother halt just opposite to him with the fish?
   • She wanted to tease him.
   • She wanted him to dive for it, forcing him to fly. (correct)
   • She was tired from flying.
   • She was waiting for his father.

   Why: Her action was a deliberate strategy to compel him to take his first flight by diving for food.

2. What was the pilot's primary motivation for taking the risk of flying into the storm?
   • He was confident in his flying skills.
   • He wanted to get home for breakfast. (correct)
   • He was trying to impress Paris Control.
   • He had no other option.

   Why: His desire for an English breakfast and being home outweighed the danger.

3. How did the young seagull feel immediately after he dived at the fish and fell outwards and downwards?
   • Joyful and triumphant.
   • A monstrous terror seized him. (correct)
   • Relieved and calm.
   • Angry at his mother.

   Why: Initially, he was overwhelmed by fear when he started falling.

4. What was the pilot's emotional state when he saw the black aeroplane for the first time?
   • Confused and suspicious.
   • Relieved and glad. (correct)
   • Terrified and panicking.
   • Indifferent and focused.

   Why: He was very happy to see another person, thinking it would help him.

5. Match the characters with their actions in 'His First Flight'.

   Why: Each character played a distinct role in the young seagull's first flight.

6. Match the terms related to flight with their meanings.

   Why: These terms describe specific actions or conditions related to flying or preparing for it.

7. Match the pilot's actions with the corresponding events.

   Why: These pairings show the cause-and-effect relationship of the pilot's journey.

8. Match the words with their meanings as used in the chapter.

   Why: These definitions clarify specific vocabulary used in the stories.

9. What was the name of the pilot's aeroplane?

   Why: The pilot was flying his old Dakota aeroplane.

10. What did the young seagull's older brother catch and devour?

    Why: His older brother caught a herring, making the young seagull envious.

11. What was the pilot looking forward to having upon reaching England?

    Why: He was anticipating a good English breakfast.

12. Arrange the events of the young seagull's flight in chronological order.

    Why: This sequence shows the progression from his dive to his successful flight and landing.

13. Arrange the pilot's experiences in the storm in chronological order.

    Why: This sequence outlines the critical events of the pilot's journey through the storm.

14. Which of these images best represents the young seagull's initial fear?
    • A seagull soaring high.
    • A seagull standing on one leg, pretending to sleep. (correct)
    • A seagull diving for fish.
    • A seagull floating on water.

    Why: Pretending to sleep was a tactic to avoid flying and gain attention, stemming from his fear.

15. Which image depicts the pilot's final destination?
    • A city skyline at night.
    • A stormy sky with lightning.
    • An airport runway with lights. (correct)
    • A vast open sea.

    Why: The pilot saw runway lights, indicating his safe arrival at an airport.

Hard (10)

1. Assertion (A): The young seagull's mother flew with a piece of fish towards him but halted just out of reach. Reason (R): She wanted to teach him to dive and thus force him to take his first flight.

   Why: The mother's action was a deliberate strategy to make the young seagull fly out of hunger.

2. Assertion (A): The pilot of the Dakota decided to fly into the storm clouds despite knowing the risks. Reason (R): He was overconfident in his old Dakota's capabilities and underestimated the storm's severity.

   Why: The pilot's motivation was his desire to reach home, not overconfidence in his plane.

3. Assertion (A): The control centre woman was surprised when the pilot asked about another aeroplane. Reason (R): Her radar showed no other aircraft flying in the storm that night.

   Why: The radar's emptiness explained her surprise at the pilot's query about another plane.

4. A young bird, similar to the seagull, is facing its first flight. It has been observing its parents catching fish by diving. Which of the following conditions would most likely compel it to take its first flight, mirroring the seagull's experience?
   • Its parents continuously bring food to its nest.
   • It sees a large predator approaching its ledge.
   • Its mother flies past with a piece of food, stopping just out of reach. (correct)
   • It watches its siblings fly effortlessly for several days.

   Why: The mother's strategic withholding of food was the ultimate trigger for the seagull.

5. Consider a pilot flying a small aircraft who encounters sudden, severe weather. His instruments begin to fail, and communication is lost. Which of the following actions, if taken, would most closely resemble the pilot's experience in 'The Black Aeroplane'?
   • He activates an emergency beacon and waits for rescue.
   • He attempts to navigate using only visual cues from the ground.
   • He spots another aircraft with no lights, which he decides to follow. (correct)
   • He tries to contact other planes in the vicinity for help.

   Why: Following the mysterious black aeroplane was the pilot's unique and critical decision.

6. A student is writing an essay about overcoming challenges. They want to use the young seagull's story as an example. Which of the following themes are most relevant to the seagull's experience?
   • The importance of advanced planning and preparation.
   • The role of external pressure and intrinsic motivation in achieving goals. (correct)
   • The benefits of solitary learning and self-discovery.
   • The dangers of relying too much on family support.

   Why: The seagull's flight was triggered by both external pressure (parents) and intrinsic motivation (hunger).

7. Which of the following describes the pilot's experience inside the storm clouds?
   • Clear visibility and smooth flight.
   • Aeroplane jumping and twisting, instruments dead, no visibility. (correct)
   • Bright flashes of lightning, but stable flight.
   • Calm conditions, but a strange silence.

   Why: Inside the storm, the plane was uncontrollable, and all instruments failed, creating a terrifying experience.

8. Which image best represents the moment the young seagull finally conquered his fear and flew?
   • A seagull sitting calmly on a ledge.
   • A seagull with spread wings, soaring above the sea. (correct)
   • A seagull being fed by its mother.
   • A seagull hiding in a hole.

   Why: The image of soaring represents his successful flight and overcoming fear.

9. Which of the following statements are true about the young seagull's first flight?
   • His hunger played a crucial role in forcing him to dive. (correct)
   • He was immediately confident and fearless once he started flying.
   • His family celebrated his flight by offering him scraps of dog-fish. (correct)
   • He felt dizzy and then soared upwards after his wings spread.

   Why: Hunger was the catalyst, and his family's support was evident after his flight.

10. Which of the following statements accurately describe the mysterious black aeroplane and its pilot?
    • It had bright lights on its wings, making it easy to spot.
    • Its pilot waved and signaled the Dakota pilot to follow him. (correct)
    • The control centre could not detect it on their radar. (correct)
    • It flew directly to Paris, where the Dakota pilot was supposed to return.

    Why: The black aeroplane was unlit, its pilot signaled, and it was invisible to radar.