His First Flight | Class X | English
Updated: May 3, 2022
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(page 36)
NCERT Solution
Q1. 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 as a challenge to take his first steps?
Ans: The young seagull doubted that his wings could not be able to support him. He became scared to fly as the vast expanse of sea below with a limitless stretch of water frightened him to take his first plunge.
Yes, I think all birds must be hesitating before taking their first flight.
Yes, just like young birds human beings also hesitate while taking their first step.
Q2. ‘The sight of food maddened him’. What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
Ans: On not being able to gather courage to fly, the young seagull’s family left him alone. As a result, he was starving since he could not fly to get his own food. When he saw his mother coming near him with fish, he got excited and dived straight at the fish forgetting for a moment that he was afraid to fly. Thus his hunger propelled by the sight of food that his mother has brought compelled him to take his fist flight.
Q3. ‘They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.’ Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Ans: Unlike his younger siblings, the poor seagull could not gather enough courage to take his fist flight. Thus, his parents threatened him and also made fun of him for being a coward. They even threatened him to let him starve to death if hid did not fly. They did all this because they wanted him to fly.
Extra Question
Q1. When did the seagull get over his fear of the water? Ans : The seagull thought the sea was like a land. When he landed on the sea, his feet sank into it. He was seized with fear. He was too tired to rise again. His belly touched the water and he sank no further. Now, he was floating on the sea. He had got over his fear of the water.
Q2. How did the seagull express his excitement when he saw his mother bringing food for him? Ans : The seagull was very hungry. When he saw his mother bringing food for him, he was greatly excited. He expressed his excitement by uttering a joyful scream. He leaned out eagerly. He tapped the rock with his feet. He tried to get nearer to her as she flew across.
Q3. How did the young seagull’s parents teach him the art of flying? Ans : Birds have a natural instinct to fly. However, some birds, like the young seagull in the story are afraid to fly. His mother had picked up a piece of the fish and was flying across to him with it. She halted with the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his beak. Then maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards.
His mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another scream. Then his father flew over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him curveting and banking and soaring and diving. Thus the entire family was busy perfecting him the art of flying.
Q4. Describe how the young seagull made his first flight?
Ans: The young seagull was too scared to fly. He remained on his ledge all throughout the day. HIs parents scolded him and threatened to starve him out. But the moment he came to the edge and look at the expanse of the sea beneath the high cliff, he would feel scared and run back to the safety of the hole where he slept.
He saw his mother tearing pieces of fish on the opposite cliff. He pleaded for food. Then to his joy she flew towards him with a piece of fish in her beak. But just as she neared him, she stopped and dangled the food in front of him. Maddened with hunger the young seagull dived for the fish and fell off the ledge with a loud scream. Thus the young seagull made his first flight.
Q5. What did the young seagull experience after his first flight?
Ans: When the young seagull jumped off the ledge, he was seized by a monstrous terror and his heart stood still. for a while he could not hear anything. But the next moment, he had spread out his wings, and instead of falling headlong he was soaring downwards and outwards. He felt a little dizzy , but was no longer afraid.
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