Chapter 3 – Two Stories about Flying Solution

Content structure

1. About the Author
- His First Flight – Liam O’ Flaherty
- The Black Aeroplane – Frederick Forsyth
2. Theme of the Two Stories about Flying
- Part I – His First Flight
- Part II – The Black Aeroplane
3. Summary of the Two Stories about Flying
- Part I – His First Flight
- Part II – The Black Aeroplane
4. Word Meanings
- Part I – His First Flight
5. Exercise questions and answers (NCERT)
- 5A. Part I – His First Flight
  - Thinking about the text
  - Writing
- 5B. Part II – The Black Aeroplane
  - Thinking about the text
  - Thinking about the language
  - Writing

1. About the Author

His First Flight – Liam O’ Flaherty

Liam O’Flaherty was an Irish writer known for his powerful short stories and novels. He was born on 28th August 1896, in Inishmore, one of the Aran Islands. He wrote in both English and Irish. His experience as a soldier in World War I was a source of inspiration for many people. He often explored themes like fear, struggle, and human courage. His famous story “His First Flight” tells the tale of a young seagull learning to fly, symbolizing the journey from fear to confidence. His writing was known for its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of life. He died on 7th September 1984.

The Black Aeroplane – Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth was a famous English writer who was born on August 25, 1938. He worked as a reporter and traveled to many places for news stories before becoming a full-time writer. He loved writing adventurous and mysterious stories; most of his works are full of suspense. One of his famous stories is “The Black Aeroplane,” which describes a magical and adventurous experience that takes place in the sky. He wrote in a way that made readers feel like they were part of the story. He passed away on March 20, 2024.

2. Theme of the Two Stories about Flying

Part I – His First Flight

The title of the story “His First Flight” symbolizes courage and confidence in overcoming life’s difficult challenges.
The young seagull’s family didn’t help him directly because they wanted him to learn on his own and become brave.
The story teaches us that to succeed in life we must believe in ourselves and have the courage to face our fears.

The young seagull’s family tried to help him fly but he was always too scared and didn’t believe in himself. This shows that when people don’t feel the need or pressure, they often don’t try but after his family left him alone, he had no choice. He was hungry and desperate so he finally found the courage to fly, just like his brothers and sister. This teaches us that others can support and encourage us but we have to face our fears and take the first step ourselves.

Part II – The Black Aeroplane

The story shows the courage of the pilot during a difficult time in the sky when he faces a strong storm cloud on his way home.
It reminds us that help can come in mysterious or unexpected ways when we lose hope in tough situations.
The story teaches that when we feel lost or scared, having hope and believing that things will improve can help guide us through challenges.

The story teaches us to stay calm and have trust during difficult times as help can come in mysterious ways when we need it most.

3. Summary of the Two Stories about Flying

Part I – His First Flight

“His First Flight” is a short story written by Liam O’Flaherty that shows the journey of a young seagull learning to fly. At the beginning of the story the seagull stands alone on a ledge feeling sad because his two brothers and sister had already flown away the day before but he is still afraid to fly. Although his wings are longer than theirs, he lacks confidence in himself. He runs to the edge and looks down at the vast sea below, trying to overcome his fear. His parents try to make him fly. They scold him and warn that if he doesn’t fly, he will remain hungry and never learn to find food. For the past twenty-four hours, he has been alone, watching his family flying in the sky. He sees his brother catch a fish from the sea, and their parents proudly circle around him. The next morning, the young seagull feels very hungry. He notices his mother sitting on a rock nearby with a piece of fish in her beak. He cries out for food, and she flies toward him. But just as she comes near she stops in midair, holding the fish just out of his reach. Driven by hunger, he jumps forward to grab it and without realizing it, he starts flying. At first, he is terrified as he falls through the air but then he feels the wind under his wings. He discovers that he can fly, and his fear fades as he soars, glides and flaps his wings. He is finally flying, just like his siblings so his family flies around him happily, cheering him on. Later, he flies down toward the sea. He feels afraid again, but he lands safely and floats on the water. His family praises him and gives him food. This story shows that fear is natural but we have to face it in order to grow and succeed. The young seagull’s first flight is a powerful symbol of courage, confidence, and growing up.

Part II – The Black Aeroplane

In this story, the author describes the journey of a pilot flying his old Dakota airplane from France to England at night. The sky was clear, and everything felt peaceful, which made him happy as he thought about spending his holiday morning having breakfast with his family. He suddenly noticed a dark storm cloud ahead while flying. He knew it was dangerous and thought about turning back but his desire to reach home was stronger. Since he didn’t have enough fuel to fly around the storm and could only stay in the air for five to ten more minutes he decided to take the risk and fly straight into it. As he entered the storm, everything started going wrong. The compass kept spinning, the radio stopped working, and worst of all, he couldn’t see anything. He felt scared, helpless and began to lose hope. Just then, he saw another black airplane flying beside him. The unknown pilot waved and began to guide him through the storm. Trusting him completely the Dakota pilot followed every move like a child follows an adult. After landing safely, he went to thank the mysterious pilot but was shocked when the control tower said no other aircraft had been in the sky at that time. He was left wondering who the unknown pilot was. Had someone really helped him, or was it a miracle?

4. Word Meanings

Part I – His First Flight

Word	Meanings
ledge	A small flat edge or shelf
upbraiding	Scolding or telling off
(to) skim	Move lightly across
herring	A small fish
preening	Cleaning feathers or hair
(to) whet	Make sharp or strong
derisively	In a mean or mocking way
dizzy	Spinning feeling
curveting	Jumping or skipping playfully
banking	Turning while tilting
brink	Edge
expanse	Wide open space
muster up	Gather (like courage)
plunge	Jump or fall quickly
shrilly	Loud and high-pitched
plateau	Flat land on a hill
blazing	Very bright or hot
dozing	Lightly sleeping
scrapped	Thrown away
plaintively	Sadly
leaned out	Bent out
maddened	Made very angry
terror seized	Got very scared
headlong	Fast and wild
Swooped	Flew down quickly
amusedly	In a fun or happy way
beckoning	Calling with hand or gesture

5. Exercise questions and answers (NCERT)

5A. Part I – His First Flight

Thinking about the text

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 steps?
Ans: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he thought his wings would not support him and he might fall. Some birds may be more scared than others, just like people.
Yes, a human baby also finds it difficult to take the first steps. Walking is something new for a baby, and it feels scary at first. Like the young seagull, a baby also needs time, support, and courage to be brave and learn to balance without falling.

2. “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?
Ans: The young seagull was very hungry and couldn’t wait any longer. He saw his mother flying toward him with a piece of fish but stopping just out of his reach. This made him anxious and desperate and his hunger was so strong that he forgot his fear and jumped and that’s when he discovered he could fly.

3. “They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
Ans: The seagull’s parents wanted him to learn to fly so he could survive on his own. They called to him and even scolded him to push him out of his fear and help him become brave and independent.

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.
Ans: Yes, I was once scared to ride a bicycle without my parents helping me balance. They kept encouraging me and told me to give it a try. I was nervous at first, but with their support, I finally learned to ride on my own. It was a great experience.

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?
Ans: Birds are naturally able to fly, and in a similar way, humans learn to walk and do many other things. Natural abilities still take time, practice, and courage in the beginning. Success isn’t always certain but trying is what really matters. Every first step takes effort and belief in yourself even when it seems like it should be easy.

Writing

Write a short composition on your initial attempts at learning a skill. You could describe the challenges of learning to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. Make it as humorous as possible.

My First Bicycle Ride

I wanted to learn to ride a bicycle like all my friends who went riding every evening. So I asked my parents to buy me a bicycle. Riding looked so easy and fun but when I tried it myself, the bicycle kept shaking, and I felt like I would fall. I couldn’t balance it and it turned into a funny moment. My father told me, “Keep the pedal straight first,” but I was confused and lost my confidence because the cycle shook too much and I fell many times. Sometimes my parents scolded me and said, “It’s your choice, so you have to do it on your own.” I felt sad but kept trying every day. After many falls one day I finally rode a little on my own. It was the most amazing and beautiful moment of my life. My parents were proud of me too. Now I go riding with all my friends every evening. I found that learning to ride a bicycle was difficult, but I never gave up, and that helped me succeed. I found that learning to ride a bicycle was difficult but I never gave up and that helped me succeed.

5B. Part II – The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the text

1. “I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?
Ans: The risk is flying into a big, dangerous storm even though the fuel is low. The narrator takes the risk because he really wants to go home and have breakfast with his family, so he doesn’t turn back to Paris.

2. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Ans: The narrator flew into the storm, and everything around him turned dark. He couldn’t see anything, and all the instruments stopped working. The compass stopped moving, and the radio wasn’t working. Surrounded by black clouds, he felt scared and completely lost his hope.

3. Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota…”?
Ans: The narrator says this because the flight through the storm was very scary, and he felt helpless when all the instruments stopped working. After landing safely, he was relieved and happy to be out of the storm and away from the dangerous experience.

4. What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?
Ans: The woman looked at the narrator in a strange way because he asked about another plane, but she told him that no other aircraft had been flying that night. His was the only plane on the radar, which surprised him.

5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
Ans: It seemed like a pilot in a black aeroplane helped him, but no one else saw that plane, so maybe it was a guardian angel or something special. The narrator thinks someone was really there to help him even if he doesn’t know who it was and it’s a mystery that can’t be explained.

Thinking about the language

I. Now, try to guess the meanings of the word ‘black’ in the sentences given below. Check the meanings in the dictionary and find out whether you have guessed right.

1. Go and have a bath; your hands and face are absolutely black. Very dirty or covered in dust.
2. The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green. An angry or hateful look.
3. The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity. A very evil, shameful, or terrible act.
4. Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter’s black comedy. Dark or serious comedy that deals with sad or disturbing topics in a funny way.
5. Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black. Sell illegally, without tax or at unfair prices.
6. Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue. Beaten badly, causing bruises on the body.

II. Match the phrases given under Column A with their meanings given under Column B:

A	B
1. Fly a flag	Move quickly/suddenly
2. Fly into rage	Be successful
3. Fly along	Display a flag on a long pole
4. Fly high	Escape from a place
5. Fly the coop	Become suddenly very angry

Ans:

A	B
1. Fly a flag	Display a flag on a long pole
2. Fly into rage	Become suddenly very angry
3. Fly along	Move quickly/suddenly
4. Fly high	Be successful
5. Fly the coop	Escape from a place

III. We know that the word ‘fly’ (of birds/insects) means to move through air using wings. Tick the words which have the same or nearly the same meaning.

swoop	flit	paddle	flutter
ascend	float	ride	skim
sink	dirt	hover	glide
descend	soar	school	spring
stay	fall	sail	flap

Ans:

swoop	flit	sail	flutter
ascend	float	ride	skim
flap	soar	hover	glide

Writing

Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.

My Experience Alone During a Thunderstorm

One evening, I was alone at home when the weather suddenly changed. Dark clouds filled the sky and thunder began to rumble loudly. The lights went out and the room became dark and quiet. I could only hear the sound of strong wind blowing and heavy rain hitting the windows. The loud thunder made me more afraid and I kept jumping at every sound. I stayed near the window hoping my parents would return soon. The room looked so frightening that I felt nervous but I kept telling myself that the rain would stop and the lights would come back. I searched for a candle and started reading a book to distract myself from the scary sounds. Using the candlelight I closed all the windows tightly because rainwater was coming in and making everything wet. After a while the rain stopped and the lights came back. The room no longer looked scary it felt normal again. A little later my parents came home and I told them all about my scary but interesting experience of facing the storm alone.

Chapter 3 – Two Stories about Flying Solution

Content structure

1. About the Author

His First Flight – Liam O’ Flaherty

The Black Aeroplane – Frederick Forsyth

2. Theme of the Two Stories about Flying

Part I – His First Flight

Part II – The Black Aeroplane

3. Summary of the Two Stories about Flying

Part I – His First Flight

Part II – The Black Aeroplane

4. Word Meanings

Part I – His First Flight

5. Exercise questions and answers (NCERT)

5A. Part I – His First Flight

Thinking about the text

Writing

5B. Part II – The Black Aeroplane

Thinking about the text

Thinking about the language

Writing

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