Chapter 3: Two Stories about Flying

Important questions — the ones the board asked most (16)

1. Q1Short answer12 marksAsked: 2025

   8. Answer any four of the following five questions in 40 - 50 words each : (i) What strategy did the mother adopt to teach the young seagull how to fly? (Two Stories about Flying - His First Flight) (ii) Why does the tiger in the zoo ignore the visitors? (A Tiger in the Zoo) (iii) Why is the baker very important to the village folk? (Glimpses of India - A Baker from Goa) (iv) Why did the poet not console the grief-stricken boy when he lost the ball? (The Ball Poem) (v) Saving money for the bus journey was not easy for Valli. Explain. (Madam Rides the Bus)

   

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   Model answer

   1. 1.The young seagull's family left him hungry on the ledge, scolded him and threatened to let him starve unless he flew. Then his mother picked up a piece of fish and flew towards him, hovering just short of the ledge with the fish in her beak. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish, fell, and then spread his wings and flew.3 marks
   2. 2.The tiger ignores the visitors because he is caged and angry at being held captive. He has no interest in the people who stare at him; he only longs for his natural home, the jungle. At night he stares at the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes, dreaming of freedom.3 marks
   3. 3.Bread is needed on every occasion in a Goan village. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread called 'bol', and a party or feast loses its charm without bread. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches for her daughter's engagement, and cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and other festivals. So the baker is very important.3 marks
   4. 4.(iv) The poet does not console the boy because he feels the boy must learn on his own that loss is a part of life. Buying him another ball would be worthless. The boy must understand that money is external and that what is lost cannot be bought back; this lesson will help him grow up. OR (v) Saving money was hard for little Valli. She had to resist many temptations: she did not buy peppermints, toys or balloons, and at the village fair she did not even ride the merry-go-round. In this way she saved sixty paise for her bus fare.3 marks

   Marks split from a structure derived from past papers (checked twice); not CBSE’s official scheme

2. Q2Long answer6 marksAsked: 2026

   10. Answer any one of the following two questions in 100 – 120 words : 6 (a) How does the method of the seagull’s mother to teach her child to be independent contrast with Amanda’s mother’s constant nagging? Examine how this affects the emotional responses of the seagull and Amanda. (‘Two Stories about Flying’ and ‘Amanda!’) OR (b) Both, Rajvir in ‘Tea from Assam’ and Valli in ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ are motivated by a strong desire to experience the world beyond their everyday life. How do their respective journeys reflect their curiosity, enthusiasm for discovering new things and shape their understanding of the world around them?

   

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   Model answer · Parenting styles, character contrast

   1. 1.The seagull's mother teaches her son to be independent and self-reliant through an indirect method. Amanda's mother, by contrast, controls her daughter by constant nagging. The young seagull is too afraid to fly, so his mother does not scold him into it. Instead she deals strategically. She flies towards him with a piece of fish, then halts with her wings motionless, keeping the food almost within reach of his beak. Maddened by hunger, he dives at the fish, his wings spread outwards and he flies. Her encouragement is silent. She is concerned about his survival and future, and she believes in his instincts to fly. She shows her love but deals practically for his growth, and this builds his courage and confidence. Amanda's mother is strict and controlling. She wants Amanda to behave perfectly according to her own ideals. She constantly gives direct instructions and scolds her, and she is concerned about her appearance, social manners and behaviour. Her tone is demanding. These methods lead to opposite emotional responses. The seagull's fear turns into joy and he is no longer afraid. He becomes resilient and gets closer to his family, who scream and praise him as he joins them on the sea. Amanda, however, feels trapped and wants to escape from her situation. Her mother's excessive control creates rebellion in her and makes her want to move away. The seagull's mother fostered autonomy and encouraged his emotional development, whereas Amanda's mother restricted her natural growth.6 marks

   • Write points from all three aspects: the seagull's mother, Amanda's mother, and the contrast in how each child feels.
   • Name each method: the seagull's mother uses an "indirect method" and "silent encouragement", while Amanda's mother "constantly gives direct instructions and scolds her".
   • End with the effect on each child: the seagull "fostered autonomy" and became "resilient", while Amanda shows "rebellion" and feels "trapped".

   Marks split as in the board’s published marking scheme

3. Q3Long answer6 marksAsked: 2026

   Answer any one of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words : (a) Compare the two stories, 'Letter to God' and 'The Black Aeroplane' from 'Stories About Flying'. Examine how both these stories illustrate that help can come in unexpected forms. OR (b) Evaluate the similarities and differences between the tiger in "A Tiger in the Zoo" and the dragon in "The Tale of Custard the Dragon".

4. Q4Long answer6 marksAsked: 2025

   Answer any one of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words : (a) Self-doubt and fear often act as barriers to success. On the other hand, curiosity leads to learning new things. Justify the statement citing instances from 'His First Flight' and 'Madam Rides the Bus'. OR (b) What distinguishes the portrayal of the tiger in the poem 'A Tiger in the Zoo' from the depiction of the tiger in the poem 'How to tell Wild Animals' ?

   How the model answer begins

   1. Fear holds the young seagull back, but curiosity pushes Valli forward. In 'His First Flight', the young seagull was left alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his…

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5. Q5Long answer6 marksAsked: 2023

   10. Answer any one of the following questions in 100-120 words : (a) Motivation plays an important role in taking risks in life and in succeeding. Do you agree? Discuss with reference to the pilot of the old Dakota and the young seagull. (b) Valli was an extra-ordinary girl who had self-confidence and courage to realise her ambition by planning and drawing on her spirit of adventure. Discuss in reference to the chapter 'Madam Rides the Bus'.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) Yes, I agree that motivation drives a person to take risks and succeed. The pilot of the old Dakota and the young seagull both show this. OR (b) Valli was an eight-year-old girl whose greatest desire was to ride the…

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6. Q6Long answer6 marksAsked: 2024

   Answer any one of the following two questions in 100 - 120 words : (a) You have been asked to present an evaluation of the approaches of both, the Baby Seagull and the Pilot who was lost in the clouds, towards achieving their dreams of conquering the skies. Write this presentation draft including your insights, comparing the approaches of both. You may begin this way : One acknowledges that both, the Seagull and the Pilot, wanted to ........................ however, ........................ (Reference : Two Stories About Flying) OR (b) You have been chosen to address the school assembly, to speak on the epistemology of loss and the resilience of the human spirit during times of crisis. Prepare the speech draft, with reference to the commonality of themes in ‘The Ball Poem’ by John Berryman and ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’. You may begin this way : Good morning everyone. Today, I’d like to discuss two pieces of literature that offer a powerful insight into how to deal with loss and the resilience of the human spirit required during times of crisis. You may end this way : To conclude, I’d like to say that ........................ Thank you.

   How the model answer begins

   1. One acknowledges that both, the Seagull and the Pilot, wanted to conquer the skies; however, their approaches were very different. The young seagull was afraid to fly. When he ran to the brink of the ledge, the great…

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7. Q7Short answer5 marksAsked: 2025

   Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (a) or (b) : (a) He felt certain that his wings would never support him; so he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night. Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink, flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster up courage to take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away. But for the life of him he could not move. (Two Stories about Flying – His First Flight) (i) State any one inference about the parents of the baby seagull from the given statement. "His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away." (ii) Where did the little seagull sleep at night ? (iii) Which factors contributed to the young seagull’s reluctance to fly despite the encouragement and threats from his parents ? Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract. (iv) Which phrase or word would correctly substitute ‘muster up’ in the given sentence from the extract ? He failed to ‘muster up’ courage to take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. (A) review (B) resolve (C) distribute (D) gather OR (b) Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat.... He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn’t be long before I heard from Mrs. Pumphrey. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn’t want to go for walks, didn’t want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him. (A Triumph of Surgery) (i) Why had the author made his plans in advance ? (A) Mrs. Pumphrey was worried that Tricki would pine and die without her. (B) The author was aware of the severity of Tricki’s medical condition. (C) The author knew about Mrs. Pumphrey’s financial condition. (D) The author had planned his own vacation. (ii) The author firmly proposed the need to remove Tricki from the house for a specified period. Elaborate the reason for doing so in about 40 words. (iii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the brackets. The word ‘swooned’ in the following sentence indicates almost ________ (tripped/fainted). (iv) “Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught.” What does this suggest about her character ? Mention any one reason.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (a) (i) The parents show tough love. They do care about him, but they are firm with him. They upbraid him (scold him) and threaten to let him starve on his ledge unless he flies away, because they want to force him to…

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8. Q8Case-based5 marksAsked: 2025

   Read the given extracts and answer the questions for any one of the two given : (a) That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then nobody had come near him. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers and sister, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish. He had, in fact, seen his elder brother catch his first herring and devour it, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle and all the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him for his cowardice. (i) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket : The use of the phrase 'proud cackle' adds to a sense of _________ (noise/pride) in the extract. (ii) How do the parents teach their young to be independent ? (iii) Describe the contrasting reactions of the parents to their children giving reasons. (iv) The word 'devour' in the above extract most nearly means (A) scared (B) gobbled (C) preserved (D) cooled OR (b) Lomov : Hear me out, I implore you ! The peasants of your father's grandfather, as I have already had the honour of explaining to you, used to bake bricks for my aunt's grandmother. Now my aunt's grandmother, wishing to make them a present. Natalya : I can't make head or tail of all this about aunts and grandfathers and grandmothers. The Meadows are ours, that's all. Lomov : Mine Natalya : Ours ! You can go proving it for two days on end. (i) What is Lomov pleading for ? (A) to be heard (B) bricks for his aunt's grandmother (C) documents of the Meadows (D) for two days time to prove himself (ii) What effect does the following sentence have on Natalya ? Why ? 'The peasants of your father's grandfather ......... used to bake bricks for my aunt's grandmother.' (iii) Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket : The use of the phrase 'can't make head or tail' adds to a sense of _________ (confusion/realization) to the extract. (iv) What is Lomov trying to prove ?

   How the model answer begins

   1. (i) The use of the phrase 'proud cackle' adds to a sense of pride in the extract.

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9. Q9Case-based5 marksAsked: 2023

   (A) Read the extract given below and attempt the questions that follow : Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black. It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I couldn't believe my eyes the compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead. It would not work. The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio. "Paris Control? Paris Control ? Can you hear me?" There was no answer. The radio was dead too. I had no radio, no compass, and I could not see where I was. I was lost in the storm. (i) As soon as the pilot was inside the cloud............... (a) his ears got blocked. (b) he choked with fear. (c) his vision was obstructed. (d) he was jumping up and down. (ii) The devices in the aeroplane were ............... (a) malfunctioning. (b) broken completely. (c) giving wrong readings. (d) stopped responding completely. (iii) The Paris air control did not reply to the pilot's call because ............... (iv) Select the option that correctly captures the application of the word 'twisted' as used in the extract. (a) Ragini twisted Raghav's wrist. (b) Ragini twisted the story to suit the occasion. (c) Ragini did not appreciate Raghav's twisted bent of mind. (d) Ragini matched the swimmer as he twisted twice in the air before diving into the water. (v) Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only : The narrator's ............... comes through clearly when he sees the compass turning round and round. OR (B) Read the extract given below and attempt the questions that follow : Lomov : But you can see from the documents, honoured Natalya Stepanovna. Oxen Meadows, its true were once the subject of dispute, but now everybody knows they are mine. There's nothing to argue about. You see my aunts grandmother gave the free use of these Meadows in perpetuity to the peasants of your father's grandfather, in return for which they were to make bricks for her. The peasants belonging to your father's grandfather had the free use of Meadows for forty years, and had got into the habit of regarding them as their own, when it happened that............... Natalya : No, it isn't at all like that ! Both grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended to Burnt Marsh - which means Oxen Meadows were ours. I don't see what there is to argue about, its simply silly. (i) The subject of dispute was regarding (a) free use of Meadows. (b) making of bricks. (c) peasants using Meadows. (d) ownership of Meadows. (ii) Find the word from the extract which means 'continuance' : (a) dispute (b) perpetuity (c) belonging (d) reckoned (iii) Lomov's aunt's grandmother gave Oxen Meadows to Natalya's father's grandfather in lieu of ........... (iv) According to Natalya why did Oxen Meadows belong to them ? (v) Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only : The peasants had free use of Meadows for ............... years.

   How the model answer begins

   1. (i) (c) his vision was obstructed. As soon as the pilot was inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black, and it was impossible for him to see anything outside the aeroplane.

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10. Q10Case-based5 marksAsked: 2023

    (A) Read the extract given below and attempt the questions that follow : Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black. It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I couldn't believe my eyes the compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead. It would not work. The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio. "Paris Control? Paris Control ? Can you hear me?" There was no answer. The radio was dead too. I had no radio, no compass, and I could not see where I was. I was lost in the storm. (i) As soon as the pilot was inside the cloud............... (a) his ears got blocked. (b) he choked with fear. (c) his vision was obstructed. (d) he was jumping up and down. (ii) The devices in the aeroplane were ............... (a) malfunctioning. (b) broken completely. (c) giving wrong readings. (d) stopped responding completely. (iii) The Paris air control did not reply to the pilot's call because ............... (iv) Select the option that correctly captures the application of the word 'twisted' as used in the extract. (a) Ragini twisted Raghav's wrist. (b) Ragini twisted the story to suit the occasion. (c) Ragini did not appreciate Raghav's twisted bent of mind. (d) Ragini matched the swimmer as he twisted twice in the air before diving into the water. (v) Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only : The narrator's ............... comes through clearly when he sees the compass turning round and round.

    How the model answer begins

    1. (i) (c) his vision was obstructed. As soon as the pilot flew inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black and it was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane.

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11. Q11Short answer3 marksAsked: 2026

    In ‘Two stories about Flying – Part II (Black Aeroplane)’, what does the narrator’s experience suggest about unexpected help and mystery ?

    How the model answer begins

    1. The narrator's experience suggests that help can arrive unasked in tough times, and that some things stay a mystery. He was lost in the storm in his old Dakota. Inside the black clouds he could see nothing, his compass…

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12. Q12Short answer3 marksAsked: 2026

    In ‘His First Flight’, the reactions of the young seagull’s family serve as both a challenge and a catalyst for his growth. How does this dual role reflect the complexities of support systems in real life ? (Two Stories about Flying)

    How the model answer begins

    1. The young seagull's family both challenges him and pushes him to grow, which shows that real support is not always gentle. As a challenge, they leave him alone on his ledge. His parents keep upbraiding him and threaten…

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13. Q13Short answer3 marksAsked: 2024

    Briefly bring out the contrast between the young seagull’s initial attempts to fly and his first successful flight. (His First Flight)

    How the model answer begins

    1. In his first attempts, the young seagull was afraid to fly. The sea stretched miles down below him, and he felt certain that his wings would never support him, so he ran back to his ledge. During his first successful…

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14. Q14Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk ? Why does the narrator take it ? (The Black Aeroplane)

15. Q15Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    Describe the young seagull's first flight. (Two stories about flying)

    How the model answer begins

    1. The young seagull made his first flight because he was hungry. He had not eaten since the previous nightfall, and the sight of food maddened him. His mother motivated him: she flew across with a piece of fish and…

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16. Q16Short answer3 marksAsked: 2023

    'Family played a vital role in the first flight of the young seagull.' Give examples to substantiate the above statement.

    How the model answer begins

    1. The family motivated the young seagull to fly by tempting him with food. He had not eaten since the previous nightfall, and when he saw his mother tearing at a piece of fish, the sight of the food maddened him. This…

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Questions parents and students ask

How many marks does "Two Stories about Flying" carry in CBSE Class 10 English?

In the CBSE papers of 2023–2026, this chapter carried about 3 marks and about 1 questions a year; by marks it ranks 8 in English.

Which are the most important (VVI) questions of "Two Stories about Flying"?

The 16 questions above are from the board’s real papers, each with the years it was asked; the most-asked come first with their full model answers. All 16 written questions of this chapter, with answers, are in the Ask Medha app.

Do the answers follow the board’s marking scheme?

Yes. CBSE publishes its marking schemes; every model answer here is written point by point to the marks the board’s own scheme gives, and checked by a second, independent model.