Written as per the syllabus prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education.
 

CBSE
CLASS X
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
TERM I
 

 
First Edition: March 2016
 

 
Salient Features
 
• Extensive coverage of the syllabus for Term I in an effortless and easy to grasp format
  • In alignment with the latest paper pattern of Central Board of Secondary Education

  • Methodical Practice for Reading and Writing Skills

• Solutions for the prescribed Textbook: First Flight and Supplementary Reader: Footprints
 
Without Feet
  • Variety of additional questions important for the Assessment

  • Systematic analysis of the prescribed Novels

• Answers for important Board Questions
 
• Model Question Papers in accordance with the latest paper pattern
 

   
 
Printed at: Repro Knowledgecast Ltd., Mumbai
 
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, C.D. ROM/Audio Video Cassettes or electronic, mechanical
including photocopying; recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher.
 
P.O. No. 13390

10290_10460_JUP
 
 

PREFACE
In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can
get through to you.
“Class X: English Language and Literature” is a complete and thorough guide critically analyzed
and extensively drafted to foster the student’s confidence. The book ensures extensive coverage of the
syllabus for Term I in an effortless and easy to grasp format. The book is divided in five sections to facilitate
easy learning for the student.
The first section – Reading Skills provides ample Factual and Discursive Passages with numerous
Solved and Practice Questions.
The second section – Writing Skills includes copious Practice Exercises to enable thorough
preparation.
The third and fourth section of the book includes solutions for the prescribed Textbook: First Flight
and Supplementary Reader: Footprints without Feet. This section also offers a plethora of Questions
important from assessment perspective. A Glossary explaining difficult or unusual words and expressions
used in the text is incorporated. Summaries of lessons and Paraphrases of poems are provided to communicate
the original meaning of the text in an explicit manner.
The fifth section covers both the Novels which have been systematically analysed. Solved questions
have been provided to enable the student in preparing for the assessment.
Additionally answers for all the important Board Questions have been included in all the sections.
The book also includes two Model Question Papers as per the latest paper pattern of Central Board of
Secondary Education.
The journey to create a complete book is strewn with triumphs, failures and near misses. If you think
we’ve nearly missed something or want to applaud us for our triumphs, we’d love to hear from you.
Please write to us on : mail@targetpublications.org
A book affects eternity; one can never tell where its influence stops.

Best of luck to all the aspirants!

Yours faithfully,
Publisher

Section Wise Weightage In English Language and Literature 
Section Total Weightage 90
A Reading Skills 20
B Writing Skills with Grammar 25
C Literature Textbook and Long Reading Text 25
D Assessment of Speaking and Listening (ASL) 20
Total 90
Note:
 It is a division of marks assigned to all the four skills of language. The distribution of marks for
Formative Assessments carrying 40% weightage may be done by the schools themselves. A variety of
activities to assess all the skills of language may be used for Formative Assessments.
 The Summative Assessments Question Papers, if developed by the schools themselves, may be for
70 marks to which 20 marks may be added for Assessment of Speaking and Listening skills making the
paper of 90 marks. The one third of the 90 marks i.e. 30 should be added each in both Summative
Assessments.
 Assessment of Speaking and Listening skills (ASL) will be done formally at the term end examination
in Summative – II. Schools can conduct ASL for Summative – I themselves as per the guidelines
provided by the CBSE. However assessment of these skills may also be done under the Formative
activities spread over two terms.
There will be one written paper of English at the end of each term carrying 70 marks. The time limit will be
three hours.
 
 

QUESTION PAPER PATTERN 
Section A: Reading 20 Marks 50 Periods
Qs 1-2. This section will have two unseen passages of a total length of 700-750 words. The
arrangement within the reading section is as follows:
Q.1. A Factual passage 300-350 words with eight very short answer type questions. 8 marks
Q.2. A Discursive passage of 350-400 words with four short answer type questions to test
inference, evaluation and analysis and four MCQs to test vocabulary. 12 marks
Section B: Writing and Grammar 25 Marks 60 Periods
Q.3. Letter to the Editor/Article in about 100-120 words will make use of any visual/verbal
stimulus and the question will be thematically based on MCB. 5 marks
Q.4. Writing a short story based on a given outline or cue/s in about 150-200 words. 10 marks
The Grammar syllabus will include the following areas in classes IX and X.
1. Tenses
2. Modals (have to/had to, must, should, need, ought to and their negative forms)
3. Use of passive voice
4. Subject-verb concord
5. Reporting
i. Commands and requests
ii. Statements
iii. Questions
6. Clauses:
i. Noun clauses
ii. Adverb clauses of condition and time
iii. Relative clauses
7. Determiners, and
8. Prepositions
The above items may be tested through test types as given below:
Q.5. Gap filling with one or two words to test Prepositions, Articles, Conjunctions and Tenses. 3 marks
Q.6. Editing or Omission 4 marks
Q.7. Sentence reordering or Sentence Transformation in context. 3 marks

Section C: Literature Textbook and Long Reading Text 25 Marks 60 Periods

Q.8. One out of two extracts from prose/poetry/ play for reference to context. Three very short
answer questions. 3 marks
One mark in each extract will be for vocabulary. One question will be used for testing local
and global comprehension and one question will be on interpretation.
Q.9. Four short answer type questions from First Flight and Footprints without Feet to test local
and global comprehension of theme and ideas (30-40 words each) 2  4 = 8 marks
Q.10. One out of two long answer type questions to assess how the values inherent in the text
have been brought out (First Flight and Footprints without Feet). Creativity, imagination
and extrapolation beyond the text and across the texts will be assessed. (80-100 words).
Q.11. One out of two very long answer question on theme or plot involving interpretation,
inference and character in about 150-200 words based on prescribed novel. 10 marks

Prescribed Books: Published by NCERT, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi

 First Flight – Textbook for Class X
 Footprints without Feet  Supplementary Reader for Class X
Novel (either one)
 The Diary of a Young Girl – 1947 By Anne Frank (unabridged edition)
 The Story of My Life – 1903 By Helen Keller (unabridged edition)
Note: Teachers are advised to:
i. encourage classroom interaction among peers, students and teachers through activities such
as role play, group work etc.
 
 

ii. reduce teacher-talking time and keep it to the minimum,

iii. take up questions for discussion to encourage pupils to participate and to marshal their
ideas and express and defend their views, and
iv. use the performance descriptors, scale for conversation skills to test the students for
continuous assessment.
Besides measuring attainment, texts serve the dual purpose of diagnosing mistakes and areas of
non-learning. To make evaluation a true index of learners’ attainment, each language skill is to be
assessed through a judicious mixture of different types of questions. In addition to the summative
tests, formative assessment is essential to measure the level of attainment in the four language
skills and the learners’ communicative competence. Formative assessment should be done
through ‘in class’ activities throughout the year.
Reading Section: Reading for comprehension, critical evaluation, inference and analysis is a skill
to be tested in Formative as well as Summative Assessments.
Writing Section: All types of short and extended writing tasks will be dealt with in both I and II
Terms in both Formative as well as in Summative Assessments.
Grammar: Grammar items mentioned in the syllabus will be taught and assessed formatively
over a period of time. There will be no division of syllabus for Grammar in the summative
Assessment for the two terms.
Speaking and Listening Skills: 50 Periods
Since the introduction of Assessment of Speaking and Listening Skills (ASL) in classes IX and X,
it has become imperative to carry out speaking and listening activities in regular classroom
teaching. Sufficient practice should be given to students in order to prepare them for ASL.
Performance descriptors should be shared with students from time to time.
English Language and Literature Course
Summative Assessment (2015-16) Class X
Textbooks
Literature Reader
Summative Assessment – I Summative Assessment – II
Prose (First Flight)
1. A Letter to God 1. Glimpses of India
2. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom 2. Mijbil the Otter
3. Two Stories about Flying 3. Madam Rides the Bus
4. From the Diary of Anne Frank 4. The Sermon at Benares
5. The Hundred Dresses - I 5. The Proposal
6. The Hundred Dresses - II
Poetry
1. Dust of Snow 1. Animals
2. Fire and Ice 2. The Trees
3. A Tiger in the Zoo 3. Fog
4. How to Tell Wild Animals 4. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
5. The Ball Poem 5. For Anne Gregory
6. Amanda!
Supplementary Reader (Footprints without Feet)
1. A Triumph of Surgery 1. The Making of a Scientist
2. The Thief’s Story 2. The Necklace
3. The Midnight Visitor 3. The Hack Driver
4. A Question of Trust 4. Bholi
5. Footprints without Feet 5. The Book that Saved the Earth
Long Reading Text-Novels (either one)
The Diary of a Young Girl- 1947 The Diary of a Young Girl-1947
June 12, 1942 to March 14, 1944 March 16, 1944 to August 04, 1944
by Anne Frank (unabridged edition) by Anne Frank (unabridged edition)
The Story of My Life- 1903 Chapters 1-14 The Story of My Life-1903 Chapters 15-23
by Helen Keller (unabridged edition) by Helen Keller (unabridged edition)
 
 

Class X
English Language and Literature 2015-16 (Code No.184)
VLAQ
SAQ LAQ-I LAQ-II
Testing 150-200
VSAQ 30-40 80-100 100-120
Typology competencies/learning words Marks
1 mark words words words
outcomes (HOTS)
2 marks 4 marks 5 marks
10 marks
ReadingConceptual
Skillsunderstanding, decoding,
analyzing, inferring, 12 04 --- --- --- 20
interpreting and
vocabulary
Creative Expressing an opinion,
Writing reasoning, justifying,
Skills and illustrating, appropriacy
Grammar of style and tone, using
appropriate format and 10 --- --- 01 01 25
fluency. Applying
conventions, using
integrated structures with
accuracy and fluency.
Literature Recalling, reasoning,
and appreciating, applying
Textbooks literary conventions,
extrapolating, illustrating
and justifying etc.
Extracting relevant
03 04 01 --- 01 25
information, identifying
the central theme and
sub themes,
understanding the
writer’s message and
writing fluently.
2501 = 25 0802 = 0104 = 01 05 = 0210 = 70
Total
marks 16 marks 04 marks 05 marks 20 marks marks
Assessment Interaction, reasoning, 20 marks
of Speaking diction, articulation,
and clarity, pronunciation
Listening and overall fluency
Skills
Total 90 marks
 
 

Contents
No. Topic Name Page No.
Section A : Reading Skills
1 Factual Passages 2
2 Discursive Passages 12
Section B: Writing Skills
1 Letter Writing 22
2 E-mail Writing 34
3 News Report Writing 39
4 Writing Articles 45
5 Story Writing 52
6 Speech Writing 57
7 Notice Board Writing 61
8 Paragraph Writing 65
9 Debate Writing 68
10 Dialogue Writing 74
Section C: First Flight
Prose:
1 A Letter to God 78
2 Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom 90
3 Two Stories About Flying
I. His First Flight 107
II. Black Aeroplane 115
4 From the Diary of Anne Frank 122
5 The Hundred Dresses-I 136
6 The Hundred Dresses-II 148
Poetry:
1 Dust of Snow 161
2 Fire and Ice 165
3 A Tiger in the Zoo 168
4 How to Tell Wild Animals 173
5 The Ball Poem 177
6 Amanda! 182
Section D: Footprints without Feet
1 A Triumph of Surgery 188
2 The Thief’s Story 193
3 The Midnight Visitor 199
4 A Question of Trust 204
5 Footprints without Feet 208
Section E: Novel/Long Reading Texts
1 The Diary of a Young Girl 213
2 The Story of My Life 227
Model Question Paper
1 Model Question Paper – I 249
2 Model Question Paper – II 252

Note: All the Textual questions are represented by * mark

Section Reading Skills
A

Factual Passages

Discursive Passages

1
01.  Factual Passages 
Class X: English Language and Literature
Solved Passages
Passage 1
With the introduction of the mobile-app based
model in the taxi market, the business is
experiencing a vast difference. The earnings of the
cab drivers are skyrocketing with many of them
earning anywhere between ` 75,000 to
` 1,00,000 per month.
Citing one example of a cab driver, Mr.
Lokesh R. from Bengaluru earns around ` 80,000 per
month and sometimes earns more than
` 1,00,000 per month if he gets more rides. He adds
that prior to this, he was making a meager amount of
` 15,000 to ` 20,000 per month.
Mr. Arvind Singhal, CEO of TaxiforSure said
that with such changes in the taxi business, many
educated professionals have approached him to
become cab drivers. They are looking at it as an
entrepreneurial venture against a 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. IT job.
The online taxi market is driven by mobile-
app technology. Also, the highly competitive rates is
giving a tough competition to the local cab drivers.
The taxi companies blooming in India are Ola, Uber
and TaxiforSure. Ola, which is currently valued at
$ 2.5 billion, started its operations four years ago and
is currently present in over 100 cities.
Uber, being globally successful and valued
above $ 50 billion started business in India in August
2013 and is currently present in 11 cities. Uber
across the world runs only on credit card payment
system, wherein the customer fills in the credit card
details while booking the cab. But, looking at the
cash payment demand in Indian market, the global
giant has made a shift in the payment method to
make a place in the taxi market.
The taxi market is growing leaps and bounds
and currently estimated to be around
` 11,000 crore and is growing in double digits. The
drivers are making hay while the sun shines by
earning more than the regular cab drivers.
In case of Uber, for every trip made, the
drivers are paid 80% of the fare, which is credited to
their bank account. Also, a bonus of ` 150 is paid for
every trip during the peak hours and ` 50 during
non-peak hours. Ola, provides the bonus to drivers if
they do six trips in a day, while TaxiForSure charges
the drivers with only 8-12% of the ride fare.
With such schemes introduced, the drivers are
encouraged to serve the customers. At the same time,
the customers also get a cab when in need. Hence, it
appears to be a win-win situation for both the parties.
Citing one more example, Mr. Basavaraj from
Bengaluru who was under heavy family debts bought
2 2
a taxi under Ola financing scheme. Under this
scheme, Mr. Basavaraj purchased a cab, the
financing for which was done by Ola. Here, the
cab/vehicle for initial few years is attached to the
company. Later, he was able to clear all his debts.
Nevertheless, the job has its associated
pressures. The cab drivers can never keep their
mobiles away, as they can’t ascertain when they will
get their next call. It’s an ongoing process as the
demand keeps coming in.
In certain cases, even the wives of certain cab
drivers have taken a leap into the business, by
tracking the cab movement on GoogleMaps and
co-ordinating with the drivers. The drivers have
become mini-entrepreneurs.
Questions:
1. How has the mobile-app based taxi business
model brought a revolution among the
masses?
Ans: Customer can book a cab on a single click.
Post booking, the cab driver receives the
customer from his doorstep. This makes the
customer’s ride easier as opposed to
arguments with regular cab drivers and this is
how the mobile-app based taxi business model
has brought a revolution among the masses.
2. In what way have the cab drivers benefited
after the shift to mobile-app based taxi
hailing service?
Ans: The cab drivers are not only paid well but also
receive bonus for their efforts put in.
Moreover, they have a systemized process in
order to take the booking from a customer and
to receive payments.
3. Why are professionals now opting to
become cab drivers over their 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. IT job?
Ans: From the app-based taxi model, the cab
drivers can now make anywhere between
` 80,000 to ` 1,00,000 a month. Moreover, it
is not a 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. job.
Professionals see it as an entrepreneurial
venture and hence opt it for both, its flexibility
as well as the good pay.
4. What are the various payment benefits
given to the cab drivers by the companies?
Ans: In case of Uber, the drivers are paid 80% of
the fare for every trip made, which is directly
credited to their bank account. Also, a bonus
of ` 150 is paid for every trip during the peak
hours and ` 50 during non-peak hours. Ola,
provides the bonus to drivers if they do six
trips in a day. TaxiForSure charges the drivers
with only 8-12% of the ride fare.

5. The cab drivers working under mobile-app
based taxi model are benefited. Cite an
example of happy cab drivers from the
passage.
Ans: Mr. Lokesh R. from Bengaluru, working under
the mobile-app based taxi model business
earns anywhere between ` 80,000 to
` 1,00,000 per month. He can be surely called
a Happy cab driver as prior to this change, he
was making a meager amount of ` 15,000 to `
20,000 a month.
6. How are families joining hands with the cab
drivers to support them?
Ans: Work pressure is a part and parcel of the cab
driver’s job. The cab drivers can never keep
their mobiles away, as they can’t ascertain
when they will get their next call. At such
times, wives of cab drivers help them track the
cab movements through Google Maps and co-
ordinate with them.
7. How the companies help the drivers in new
purchase of the cabs?
Ans: There are companies who offer cab purchasing
schemes. Under this scheme, the drivers can
purchase a cab, the financing for which is
done by the companies. Here, the cab/vehicle
for initial few years is attached to the
company.
8. Have the mobile-app based cabs affected
the regular cabs, if yes, explain?
Ans: The mobile-app cabs have affected the regular
cab drivers severely. This is because regular
cab drivers are difficult to track and they have
their choices for a place. Very few regular
cabs are air-conditioned and in a good state.
Passage 2
As a student, when one decides to step out of
the country for studies, it means planning to push
oneself beyond the comfort zone. It also means to
live life in an independent way. At the same time,
learning to manage own finances, accommodation
along with academics.
As per the research conducted by the Guardian
Professional Networks, the Indian students strive for
exposure on a global platform and the best way to do
it is through a quality education. 61% of the students
consider it to be the biggest reason for moving
abroad. The other reasons being the institution, its
reputation, the program, its professors, etc. This in
all, could help build a student’s career. The range of
subjects offered with various streams and the top-
notch facilities provided are a way ahead then that
provided in one’s native country. Popular
options among Indian students at the graduate level
are business and STEM-related (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) fields.
Reading Skills 01: Factual Passages
They learn to socialize with students from a
different background. They meet native students as
well as international students; which facilitates
building up a global network of friends.
At the same time, the student is introduced to
different cultures and languages. It brings about an
overall change and the student adapts to a new culture.
As per the ASSOCHAM (The Associated
Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India)
Report of June 2013, “Although the fall in the rupee
seems to have shaken the aspiration of (Indian)
students willing to study abroad, it has not shattered
their dreams altogether.” It may result in a higher
cost by a few lakh of rupees, but the higher studies
should be seen as a long term investment rather than
an expense. Post securing a reputable job, one can
get the return on investment. If the student needs to
send money home, with the current rupee value,
his/her family would gain abundantly.
Currently, banks have duly introduced top-up
schemes for the educational loans to fill the gap
caused by the exchange rate fluctuation. If a student
has a family member or a relative in his/her
destination country, he can find out how to make
arrangements to acquire a loan from a local bank.
Also, these banks provide loans at a lower rate of
interest. This would probably provide an opportunity
to repay the educational loan in the same foreign
currency as and when he gains employment in the
country.
Not only this, the Universities also help the
students by providing assistance while searching a job.
The help is provided on making resume, interviewing
skills and job search through career fairs. During the
course, the students are groomed with relevant skills
as per the industrial requirement. The universities are
associated with the industry and help students find a
job. The universities also help in getting an internship
during studies for added experience.
Post completion of the studies, students
become available to employers. Students experience
will be an added value as much as their academic
grades and qualification. They can get the desired
job, if they convince the employers that the skills and
knowledge acquired are transferrable into the
working world. The experience once added to their
resume can do wonders to their career path.
Questions:
1. What helps in making the decision to study
abroad?
Ans: Students strive for exposure on a global
platform and the best way to do it is through a
quality education. They look for a quality
education to prosper in their career. This urge to
prosper helps in the decision to study abroad.
3
Class X: English Language and Literature
2. How does the bank help the students, in
case of devaluation of rupee?
Ans: The devaluation of rupee causes a rise in the
fees to be paid. To avoid such a situation, the
banks have introduced top-up schemes for the
educational loans to fill the gap caused due to
the exchange rate fluctuation. This is how the
bank helps the students, in case of devaluation
of rupee.
3. How do courses abroad provide an edge
over while looking for a suitable job?
Ans: The universities help the students by providing
assistance in various ways like making
resume, interviewing skills, job search through
career fairs etc. The students are also groomed
with relevant skills as per the industry
requirement. This is how courses abroad
provide an edge over while looking for a
suitable job.
4. Discuss the benefits of getting a degree from
an offshore university.
Ans: By procuring a degree from an offshore
university, he/she gets an opportunity to learn
and interact with students from various
cultural background. This helps to build a
global network.
5. How does it bring an overall development
in the student?
Ans: The overall development of students occur as
they learn to move out of their comfort zone
and start living life independently. They learn
to manage their finances and accommodation
along with academics. They learn to socialize,
meet and interact with people from different
cultures.
6. Is it a wise decision to make a huge
investment for education abroad?
Ans: The exorbitant amount of fees to be paid can
be viewed as a long term investment. Once the
student successfully completes the course,
he/she can seek a job; through which he earns
a desirable salary and the amount could be
sent to the family. Hence, it is a wise decision
to make a huge investment for education
abroad.
7. The level of some Indian Universities fail to
match with those in abroad. Explain.
Ans: The Indian universities fail to compete with
the universities abroad due to their poor
infrastructure, lack of efficient professors,
outdated content quality, etc. On the other
hand, the universities abroad provide world
class quality content, highly skilled and
experienced faculty, proper infrastructure,
various streams that can be offered to students,
etc.
4 4
8. In the era of globalization, how does higher
education from abroad benefit the students
in their career path?
Ans: After completing the studies, students become
available to employers. They get the desired
job, if they convince the employers that the
skills and knowledge acquired while studying
abroad are transferrable into the working
world. The experience once added to the
resume can do wonders to their career path. In
this way, higher education from abroad
benefits the students in their career path, in the
the era of globalization.
Passage 3
Food delivery is a segment with innumerable
market opportunities and is considered as a
profitable segment to invest at the moment.
Zomato, an online restaurant directory and food
ordering company, has decided to spruce up its
delivery process by seizing the opportunity of the
growing food delivery segment. It has made
strategic investments in Gurgaon-based Pickingo,
and Mumbai-based Grab.
Grab, a food logistics firm, was founded by
Jignesh Patel, Nishant Vora and Pratish Sanghvi in
2012. Oliphans Capital has invested $1 million in the
company along with an independent investor Haresh
Chawla. Pickingo is a B-2-B on-demand hyperlocal
start up. It raised $1.3 million from Orios Venture
partners headed by Rehan Yar Khan.
Both these companies are providers of hyper
local delivery service. Zomato’s investment will
enable restaurants to provide last-mile delivery
including dine-in-only restaurant that don’t otherwise
deliver. Apart from these companies, Zomato has
also partnered with digital commerce focused
logistics venture, Delhivery. The partnership with
Zomato has enabled Delhivery to enter the
hyperlocal delivery segment.
Deepinder Goyal, Founder and CEO of
Zomato, says, “We have unequivocally the largest
restaurant base in India and we will work closely
with Pickingo, Grab, and Delhivery to improve the
last-mile delivery experience for users placing orders
online on Zomato. So far, restaurants have been
delivering on their own, but with this partnership, we
will also be able to target restaurants across the
country that doesn’t otherwise deliver. We are also 
launching our online ordering service in Dubai,
Australia, and South Africa. Along similar lines, we
are also in conversation with hyper local logistics
firms in other countries to ensure that we are able to
provide a seamless and quality experience to our
users there.”

Rahul Gill, Co-founder and CEO of
Pickingo, says “This investment will not just
infuse funds into the company but will also allow
us to scale rapidly with Zomato’s online ordering
business, while also leveraging Zomato’s strong
relationship with restaurants across the country.
We have already started working together to
deliver from selected restaurants in New Delhi,
and we look forward to taking this partnership
further.”
According to Pratish Sanghvi, Co-founder
and Director of Grab, “last-mile logistics is a
challenge for most merchants across India,
especially restaurants, and the company views this
investment as a great opportunity to solve this
problem using technology along with Zomato.
Zomato is making strides to move from being a
search and discovery portal to a platform offering
technology that helps merchants connect more
effectively with customers with the launch
of online ordering, cashless payments, soon to be
launched table reservations, and a point of sale
system.”
Sahil Barua, Founder & CEO of Delhivery,
says “The food-tech space in India is heating up,
and we’re excited about this partnership with
Zomato. Delivery logistics for restaurants have
always been a challenge, and we believe the
technology-first approach will help simplify
operations for them, as well as enrich customer
experiences.”
Over the past years, Zomato has expanded
its reach into global markets. It has acquired nine
more companies with the aim of expanding its
market in the restaurant search space. One such
company is Urbanspoon, which has helped Zomato
to occupy a dominant position in overseas market
in Australia, Canada and the United States.
Questions:
1. Which are the investments made by
Zomato in the food delivery segments?
Ans: Zomato has made strategic investments in
Pickingo, a B-2-B on-demand hyper local
venture and Grab, a food logistics firm. It
has also entered into a partnership with
Delhivery.
2. Give details about the company ‘Grab’.
Ans: Grab is a food logistics firm based in
Mumbai. It was founded by Jignesh Patel,
Nishant Vora and Pratish Sanghvi in 2002.
3. Give details about ‘Pickingo’ venture.
Ans: Pickingo is a Gurgoan based firm. It is a
B-2-B on-demand hyperlocal start up. They
provide hyper local delivery service.
Reading Skills 01: Factual Passages
4. What does Zomato aim to achieve by
making the investments in delivery service?
Ans: By investing in the delivery service
companies, Zomato aims to improve the last-
mile delivery experience for users placing
orders online on Zomato and target restaurants
across the country that don’t deliver.
5. How Pickingo has benefited from Zomato’s
investment in it?
Ans: Zomato’s investment in Pickingo will infuse
funds into the company and also help it to
increase its business rapidly.
6. What problem do most restaurants face
and how can it be solved?
Ans: Most restaurants face the challenge of last
mile logistics; which could be solved with the
help of technology that would connect the
merchants more effectively with customers.
7. How does Zomato plan to expand its reach
in global markets?
Ans: Zomato plans to expand its reach in the global
markets by acquiring more companies such as
Urbanspoon which has helped to occupy a
dominant position in the overseas market in
Australia, Canada and the United States.
8. Do you think Zomato is right in investing in
the food delivery segments?
Ans: Yes, Zomato is right in investing in food
delivery segments as it offers innumerable
market opportunities. The food-tech space in
India is heating up and with the help of
technology; Zomato can offer a big platform
to spruce up food delivery services.
Passage 4
‘Ganges River Dolphins’ are found in the
Ganges-Brahmaputra river system mainly in India
and Bangladesh. They are listed as endangered by
the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of
Nature and Natural Resources) due to a probable
population decline of approximately 50% over the
last five decades and projected a future population
decline too. Many dolphins died in the upper reaches
of rivers, mainly due to irrigation barrages and dry
season habitat. When compared, the level of deaths
is lesser in the Brahmaputra River than the Ganges.
Therefore, the Brahmaputra River is of great
importance for survival of the subspecies.
For ensuring the survival of dolphins, a recent
proposal by Oil India Ltd. was rejected. The proposal
was to find oil reserves by initiating seismic
exploration using explosives and air guns along the
bed of the Brahmaputra River. Moreover, the
behavioral studies on dive time, surfacing interval
and acoustic investigations were carried out in two
dolphin hotspots.
5
Class X: English Language and Literature
Dolphins spent on an average 107.3 seconds
under water and 1.26 seconds above water. Mortality
through fisheries by-catch was observed as one of
the major threats to Ganges dolphins in the
Brahmaputra. On the basis of high abundance,
potential for protection and possibilities for dolphin
eco-tourism, eight river sections were identified as
potential protected areas and community-based
conservation areas.
Questions:
1. Where are ‘Ganges River Dolphins’ found?
Ans: ‘Ganges River Dolphins’ are found in the
Ganges-Brahmaputra river system primarily in
India and Bangladesh.
2. Why are the dolphins listed as endangered
species?
Ans: Dolphins are listed as an endangered species
by the IUCN due to a probable population
decline of 50% (approximately) over the last
five decades and projected future population
decline too.
3. What is the behavioral pattern of dolphins?
Ans: Dolphins spend on an average 107.3 seconds
under water and 1.26 seconds above water.
Behavioral studies on dive time, surfacing
interval and acoustic investigations were
observed in two dolphin hotspots.
4. On what basis have the potential protection
area been identified?
Ans: It is based on high abundance, potential for
protection and possibilities for dolphin eco-
tourism. Moreover, the eight river sections
were identified as potential protected areas
and community-based conservation areas.
5. Why was the oil exploration in
Brahmaputra rejected?
Ans: The proposal by Oil India Ltd. to initiate
seismic exploration using explosives and air
guns along the bed of the Brahmaputra River
to prospect for oil was rejected as it would
have resulted in disastrous implications for
‘Ganges River Dolphins’.
6. How have the upper reaches of rivers been
polluted?
Ans: The upper reaches of the rivers have been
polluted due to irrigation barrages and dry
season habitat.
7. How can the survival of dolphins be
ensured?
Ans: The government to a greater extent can ensure
the survival of dolphins by taking appropriate
measures. Also, by making the upper reaches
of rivers less polluted, the life of said species
can be enhanced.
6 6
8. How has the aqua life been affected due to
the industrial development?
Ans: The industrial developments have forgotten to
take into consideration the nature’s gift i.e.
water. They pollute the water by disposing
wastes into rivers and lakes, etc. This makes
the survival of fishes difficult, thus forcing
them to come towards the shore in search of
fresh water and are often found on shores i.e.
thrown out of the water.
Passage 5
The free style wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt’s story
is a story of passion and determination. The Olympic
bronze medalist’s passion and perseverance helped
him realize his dreams in spite of unfavorable
circumstances. He faced the danger of losing his leg
due to a knee injury. That was a difficult period for
him. The Mittal Champions Trust helped him when
his knee was injured after the Beijing Olympics. He
even had problems with his eyesight due to the
injury.
Yogeshwar hails from Bhainswal Kalan, a
village some 20 km away from Sonepat, in Haryana.
The village has become famous because of him.
Yogeshwar displays all the qualities of a champion.
He is a humble person who always respects others
and is ready to help the needy. These qualities have
made him endearing to all.
Due to the injuries, he could not fulfill his
dream of winning an Olympic Medal in the 2008
Beijing Olympics. However, his intense desire to win
a medal overshadowed his injuries. His sole aim was
to win a medal in the 2012 Olympics and he trained
himself hard for it. God heard his prayers. He aimed
at participating in more competitions. But, he faced
drawbacks when he was injured again in 2009. This
injury robbed his one entire year. He could not
reduce his weight after the injury.
Even when he was injured, he never gave up
his dream of winning an Olympic medal. He got over
his back injury. He also got immense support from
his family and friends who shared his responsibilities
allowing him to focus on wrestling with free mind.
Questions:
1. Where does Yogeshwar Dutt hail from?
Ans: Yogeshwar Dutt hails from Bhainswal Kalan,
a village some 20 km away from Sonepat,
Haryana.
2. What qualities of Yogeshwar made him
endearing to all?
Ans: Yogeshwar was very humble in nature and he
respected everyone. He was always ready to
help the needy. These qualities made him
endearing to all.

3. Who helped Yogeshwar to recover from his
knee injury?
Ans: The Mittals Champion Trust helped
Yogeshwar to recover from his knee injury.
4. What was the sole aim of Yogeshwar Dutt?
Ans: The sole aim of Yogeshwar Dutt was to win
an Olympic medal.
5. What drawbacks Yogeshwar had to face
towards fulfilling his dreams?
Ans: Yogeshwar was injured during 2008 Olympics
and was further injured in 2009. He had to face
these drawbacks towards fulfilling his dreams.
6. What helped Yogeshwar achieve his
dreams?
Ans: Yogeshwar’s passion for the sport along with
his perseverance and determination helped
him achieve his dreams.
7. What stopped Yogeshwar from winning a
medal in the 2008 Olympics?
Ans: A knee injury stopped Yogeshwar from
winning the 2008 Olympics.
8. What lesson can be learnt from the success
story of Yogeshwar?
Ans: We learn the lesson of being passionate and
determined. In this way, we can achieve our
dreams despite of any hardships.
Unsolved Passages
Passage 1:
The concept of Disneyland began when Walt
Disney was visiting Griffith Park in Los Angeles
with his daughters Diane and Sharon. While
watching them ride the merry-go-round, he came up
with the idea of a place where adults and their
children could go and have fun together. He may
have also been influenced by his father’s memories
of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 in
Chicago (his father worked at the Exposition).
The Midway Plaisance included a set of
attractions representing various countries from
around the world and others representing various
periods of man; it also included many rides including
the first Ferris wheel, a “sky” ride, a passenger train
that circled the perimeter, and a Wild West Show.
Another likely influence was Benton Harbor,
Michigan’s nationally famous House of David’s
Eden Springs Park. Disney visited the park and
ultimately bought one of the older miniature trains
originally used there; the colony had the largest
miniature railway setup in the world at the time. The
earliest documented draft of Disney’s plans was sent
as a memo to studio production designer Dick
Kelsey on August 31, 1948, where it was referred to
as a ‘Mickey Mouse Park’. Based on notes, Walt
made during his and Ward Kimball’s trip to Chicago
Reading Skills 01: Factual Passages
Railroad Fair the same month, with a two-day stop
in Henry Ford’s Museum and Greenfield Village, a
place with attractions like a Main Street and
steamboat rides, which he had visited eight years
earlier.
Disneyland Park, originally Disneyland, is the first of
two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort in
Anaheim, California, opened on July 17, 1955. It is
the only theme park designed and built under the
direct supervision of Walt Disney. It was originally
the only attraction on the property; its name was
changed to Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the
expanding complex in the 1990s.
Walt Disney came up with the concept of
Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks
with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He
initially envisioned building a tourist attraction
adjacent to his studios in Burbank to entertain fans
who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that
the proposed site was too small. After hiring a
consultant to help him determine an appropriate site
for his project, Walt bought a 160-acre site near
Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954 and
the park was unveiled during a special televised
press event on the ABC Television Network on July
17, 1955.
Since its opening, Disneyland has undergone a
number of expansions and major renovations, including
the addition of New Orleans Square in 1966, Bear
Country (now Critter Country) in 1972, and Mickey's
Toontown in 1993. Opened in 2001, Disney California
Adventure Park was built on the site of Disneyland’s
original parking lot.
Disneyland has a larger cumulative attendance
than any other theme park in the world, with over
650 million guests since it opened. In 2013, the park
hosted approximately 16.2 million guests, making it
the third most visited park in the world that calendar
year. According to March 2005 Disney Company
Report, 65,700 jobs are supported by the Disneyland
Resort, including about 20,000 direct Disney
employees and 3,800 third-party employees
(independent contractors or their employees).
Questions:
1. How was the idea of Disneyland conceived?
2. How was Mr. Walt influenced about the theme
park?
3. Where and how was the Disneyland built?
4. What expansions took place after the making
of the Disneyland?
5. How and when was the park unveiled?
6. How has the Disneyland been the host of
highest number of guests in 2013?
7. What is the number of employees supported
by the Disney Company?
8. What is the distinguishing factor of
Disneyland?
7
Class X: English Language and Literature
Passage 2
Chihuahua, also known as the pocket dog, is
the world’s smallest dog weighing barely 1 kg or 2
kg as an adult. It is a popular breed amongst the dog
lovers and its popularity has increased over the years.
Even though its roots have been traced back to
China, it is actually named after a Mexican State.
This breed of dogs doesn’t require much
exercise. Just small walks inside the house are
sufficient for them. With a mere glance, one would
imagine them to be dull dogs. However, they
surprise everyone with their sharp and alert nature.
They have strong characteristics and are very curious
in nature. Therefore, they make good guard dogs.
For participating in shows, the maximum
permissible weight for these dogs is 0.9 kg to 1.8 kg.
There are two types of Chihuahuas. First is the long
coated ones who have a flat or slightly wavy coat
and the second is the smooth coated ones who are
soft textured and glossy in appearance.
Chihuahuas vary in color. They have apple
dome-shaped heads. In some dogs, the frontal areas
of the skull do not fuse. They have short nose and
their ears are at an angle of 45 degrees to their head.
Their body is longer than their tails and is compact.
Their tail is carried like a sickle and barely touches
their backs. They have a very graceful appearance.
As compared to other pups, they do not
require much care except the long hair which needs
grooming. They don’t go outside most of the times
and tend to exercise within the confines of the house.
Because of this, they are prone to overgrown nails
which need to be clipped regularly. They are fussy
and choosy eaters.
People do not possess much awareness about
this dog. They are surprised when they know more
about Chihuahuas. These small dogs are intelligent,
energetic and good with children. They make good
watch dogs and hence literally can be called as
burglar alarms. There is just one hurdle in keeping
this pocket dog as a pet and that is a pinch in the
pockets.
Questions:
1. Chihuahua’s roots can be traced to which
place?
2. Describe the physical features of Chihuahuas.
3. What are the different types of Chihuahuas?
4. Why people are surprised to know more about
the Chihuahuas?
5. Why are Chihuahuas prone to overgrown
nails?
6. Why can Chihuahuas be called as burglar
alarms?
7. Why do you think Chihuahuas create an
impression of being dull dogs?
8. Why are Chihuahuas popular as pet dogs?
8 8
Passage 3
It talked about how being caught napping
shouldn’t be seen in the negative way, always. On
the contrary, “Six hours sleep for a man, seven for a
woman and eight for a fool”, advocated Napoleon
Bonaparte, who preferred regular
10-minute naps to relax in bed. Amongst the famed,
Leonardo da Vinci, Margaret Thatcher, Thomas
Edison, are known to having enjoyed 40 winks a day.
Siestas have always been considered as a relaxation
technique since our history of being. It is known to
relax us by encouraging better learning abilities
along with improved alertness, productivity and
mood. Mid-day naps have been a part of many
cultures in the world. However, due to the current
trend of workplaces, there is a decline in day time
naps.
As per a study, a day-time siesta of 60-90
minutes brings in an improvement in the person as
long as the napper experiences both slow-wave sleep
and rapid eye movement. These are sleep stages
associated with deep sleep. Also an afternoon nap
helps in reducing the risk of death due to heart
disease, particularly in young healthy men, as it
reduces the stress levels (as per the Greece
research).
Dr. M. S. Kanwar, a senior consultant,
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi says that,
“Any person who has a good 7-8 hours (depending
upon individuals) of night sleep does not biologically
require an afternoon nap. But, of course, a siesta can
be very refreshing and re-energizing for the people in
active professions. It’s a different matter, however,
that in today’s hectic life and demanding workplaces,
a nap is an absolute luxury. However, for those who
can afford this luxury, say for instance self-
employed, retired or housewives, it can be a great
stress-buster.” He also adds that the benefits cannot
be generalized and the effect of daytime naps varies
from person to person.
According to some, the body clock is set for
two sleeps a day, the main one at night and another
in the afternoon. Researchers also point out that the
body prefers a nap during 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
when the body temperature dips slightly. At the same
time, it is not a compulsion as some people cover
their entire requirement of sleep in a single cycle. It
is generally accepted that digestion process is a
major cause of afternoon nap (Heavier the lunch, the
greater is the sleepiness).
The concept of ‘power napping’ siestas have
brought changes in certain companies. They have
started providing power nap rooms, which has
further led to reduction in people thronging to coffee
and tea breaks. Some of them are: US Architectural
Firm, Gould Evans Goodman Associates, California-
based computer consultancy 42 IS Consulting, etc.

Questions:
1. How important is it to have a siesta?
2. Name the famous people having a routine of
taking an afternoon nap.
3. How does a deep sleep in the afternoon,
proves to be beneficial?
4. How has the power nap, brought a change in
companies?
5. What does Dr. Kanwar have to say about
having an afternoon nap?
6. What is the preferred amount of siesta
recommended for the day?
7. Why is an afternoon nap taken negatively?
8. Who all have the privilege of taking a nap?
Passage 4
Every time you pick up a glass of milk, pause
and think how it made its way to your kitchen. So,
where is the milk coming from? Most states have
village level dairy co-operatives and the National
Dairy Development Board (NDDB) guides and helps
develop them. The NDDB website has an interesting
fact: The dairy co-operative network in India, as on
March 2007, was owned by around 12.96 million
farmer members, of whom 3.4 million were women.
When people become members of an
organization on equal terms and use their resources
towards achieving common goals, it is called a co-
operative. Suppose a person with a cow has surplus
milk, he or she might want to sell it and make some
money. In villages, the local trader or the middleman
would buy this surplus milk at a price which suited
him. Then he would add water and sell it at a higher
price. Thus, the seller made no profit, the end buyer
got diluted milk, but the trader minted money.
This is where a co-operative steps in. The milk
sellers form a co-operative. They organize for the
milk to be collected at village level and transport it to
a plant where it can be pasteurized. Then this milk is
packed in pouches and transported to distributors of
various towns and cities. Here good quality milk is
sold to the end buyer. Co-operatives have a
reputation for selling unadulterated goods and do not
emphasize on maximizing profit. Because every
seller of milk is an equal member of the co-
operative; they run a transparent organization and
work towards its growth. This avoids traders and
money lenders, increases ownership and
accountability, ensures better voice of dairy farmers
in management, gets them timely payments and
provides them access to useful technical guidance
and information.
The reason of the stupendous success of
co-operatives in India can be summed up in one
word - empowerment. The sheer hard work of
ordinary and marginalized dairy farmers, their
unstinting co-operation with one another, an
Reading Skills 01: Factual Passages
indomitable will to achieve a common goal, together
with the visions of people like V. Kurien, the father
of Indian dairy farming, milk co-operatives have
scripted success stories like Amul, Verka and
Operation Flood. Today milk is country’s number
one agricultural commodity. Thus both, milk
producers, mostly marginal, small and landless
farmers and consumers, who get value for their
money and healthy milk, are mutually benefitted.
Questions:
1. What is a co-operative?
2. How does NDDB help villages?
3. Why do most people trust dairy co-operatives?
4. Give a reason why milk co-operatives are
successful.
5. How do co-operatives help the dairy farmers?
6. How has the dairy farming scripted success
stories?
7. How have small farmers and consumers
benefitted mutually?
8. How do the traders earn big profits?
Passage 5
Working women in India face many
challenges both, at workplace and at home. Many
working women do not enjoy the same promotions
and growth opportunities at workplaces as the men.
A majority of them do not even get equal pay, under
the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 and are paid less
as compared to their male counterparts. Such cases
are mainly found in factories and labour-oriented
industries.
Women in India also have to deal with the
orthodox mindset that the society has about working
women. They have stereotyped working women as
someone who cannot balance their domestic
environment because of the professional
responsibilities. Many families do not approve of
women working late in the office. Even if they agree
they are plagued by anxiety about her safety.
Working woman is closely protected and monitored
by her family. Many families do not expect their
daughter-in-laws to work as they don’t want them to
give their domestic responsibilities a backseat. This
view can be supported by a survey conducted by
ASSOCHAM, on 1000 working women. According
to it, around 80% of the households expect
daughters-in-laws to give priority to the household
work over professional commitments. Many women
are abused both physically and psychologically by
their in-laws and husbands but they choose to
maintain silence as they do not want it to effect their
family especially children.
Laws have been passed to provide women the
financial security, in case of separation from
husband. A woman’s legal right to claim
maintenance from her husband is recognized under
9
Class X: English Language and Literature
Sec. 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Sec. 24 of
Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956, which
entitles a woman to claim maintenance extendable to
her minor children, from her estranged husband. The
husband is liable to pay the maintenance even prior
to the divorce; when they are separated.
Earlier it was maintained that a working women
cannot claim for maintenance from her estranged
husband as she is earning an income. However, in a
significant decision in Bhagwan vs. Kamla Devi case,
(1975) 2 SCC 386 any confusion regarding the
maintenance to be paid to a working women was
cleared. The Supreme Court held that a working
woman can claim maintenance from her estranged
husband, if her monthly income is not enough for her
maintenance. The Court further clarified that ‘unable
to maintain herself’ does not mean that she has to be
destitute. She can claim for maintenance as long as
she does not remarry or changes her religion. There
have been instances where the Court has ordered
working women with substantial earnings to give
maintenance to her husband.
However, the legal right of a woman to claim
equal pay still remains unaddressed as majority of
the women are not confident enough to stand up and
complain. Even technological advancement results in
women being displaced as upgrading the skills of
women is not given much thought. Even granting
maternity leave is a problem in many workplaces as
they feel it is much easier to hire someone else.
Trade unions too don’t give importance to address
issues of women as it is not a priority for them.
The major reason for these problems faced by
working women is the widely accepted social
perspective regarding a women’s position.
Traditionally men were seen as the bread-winners of
the family and women were type casted as the house-
keepers and child-bearers. Hence, this perception
creates obstacles for women who decide to go
against it. All these problems cannot be solved unless
there is a change in the attitude of the employers,
colleagues, policy makers, family members, relatives
and the public at large.
Questions:
1. What are the challenges faced by women in
their workplaces?
2. What social mindset does the working women
has to face?
3. What legal framework is there to protect the
right of women to claim their maintenance
from their separated husband?
4. What does a working women need to fight
against?
5. Why the legal right of a woman to claim equal
pay still remains unaddressed?
6. What measures can be taken to ensure equal
rights to women?
10
10 
7. What family pressures do working women
have to deal with?
8. What is the root cause of the problems faced
by working women and how do you think it
can be solved?
Passage 6
Mother Teresa was a humanitarian. This
means she did things to help out other people. Her
entire life was devoted to helping the poor, the sick,
the needy, and the helpless.
Mother Teresa was born in Uskub, Ottoman
Empire on August 26, 1910. This city is now called
Skopje and is the capital of the Republic of
Macedonia. Her birth name was Agnes Gonxha
Bojaxhiu. Her father died when she was eight and
she was raised by her mother. She was raised as a
Roman Catholic and decided at a young age to
devote her life to God. She joined the Sisters of
Loreto at the age of 18 to become a missionary in
India. She first had to learn English. So she went to
Ireland to learn English at the Loreto Abby.
A year later she started her missionary work in
Darjeeling, India. She learned the local language,
Bengali, and taught at the local school. She soon
took her first vows as a nun and took the name,
Teresa. She taught for many years in India,
becoming the headmistress at a school in eastern
Calcutta.
When she was 36 years old, she felt the call
from God to help the poor of India. She received
some basic medical training and then set out to help
the sick and needy. This wasn’t an easy task in 1948
India. She had very little support and, while trying to
feed and help the poorest of the poor, she herself was
constantly hungry and even had to beg for food.
Soon other women joined her and she formed
the Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa described
the purpose of the Missionaries of Charity as an
organization to take care of ‘the hungry, the naked,
the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all
those people who feel unwanted, unloved and
uncared for throughout society’.
It wasn’t an easy task to build such an
organization and to keep the focus on the poorest
people. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the
Nobel Peace Prize for work undertaken in the
struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which
also constitutes a threat to peace. She was beatified
in 2003, the first step on the path to sainthood, within
the Catholic Church. She worked almost up until her
death on September 5, 1997.
Questions:
1. Why was Mother Teresa called a
‘humanitarian’?
2. When and where was Mother Teresa born?
3. Why did she go to Ireland?
 Reading Skills 01: Factual Passages
4. When did Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu change her Questions:
name to ‘Teresa’? 1. Where are the most popcorns grown?
5. When did she decide to help the poor in India? 2. Who discovered popcorn?
6. What hardships did she face while helping the 3. When is National Popcorn Day celebrated?
poor? 4. When did Hernando Cortes first see popcorn?
7. What is the purpose of the Missionaries of 5. With what did colonial housewives serve
Charity according to Mother Teresa? popcorn for breakfast?
6. Who invented first popcorn machine?
8. Why was Mother Teresa honored with the
7. Which is the National Popcorn month?
Nobel Peace Prize?
8. Find a word from the passage which means ‘of
Passage 7 indigenous origin of growth’.

Popcorn, also known as popping corn, is a

special variety of corn. Each kernel contains a tiny
drop of water. When it is heated, the water expands
causing the kernel to explode and flip inside out.
Most US popcorn is grown in Nebraska and Indiana,
and increasingly in Texas.
Native Americans first discovered popcorn
thousands of years ago in Guatemala or Mexico. It
was popped in China during the Song Dynasty (960-
279) as well as in Sumatra and India long before
Columbus reached America.
In 1519, when he invaded Mexico, Spanish
Conquistador Hernando Cortes first saw popcorn
when he met the Aztecs. Popcorn was important to
the Aztecs as food, as decoration for ceremonial
headdresses and necklaces, and as ornaments on
statues of their gods. Around 1612, French explorers
around the Great Lakes met Iroquois who used
heated sand in a pottery vessel to make popcorn.
There is an unproven theory that an Indian named
Quadequina brought a deerskin bag of popped corn
for first Thanksgiving feast on October 15, 162(a). In
1948 and 1950, anthropologist Herbert Dick and
botanist Earle Smith discovered ears of popcorn in
the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico. The ears
measured from smaller than a penny to about 2
inches. They were determined to be about 5,600
years old.
Colonial housewives served popcorn with
sugar and cream for breakfast. Some colonists used a
cylinder of thin sheet-iron that revolved on an axle in
front of the fireplace to make popped corn.
In 1885, Charles Cretors of Chicago, Illinois,
invented the first popcorn machine. Street vendors
were soon pushing steam or gas-powered poppers
through fairs, parks, and public exhibitions.
Today much of the popcorn you buy at movies
and fairs is popped in machines manufactured by the
Cretors family.
Americans eat more than 17 billion quarts of
popcorn a year, an average of 60 quarts per person
per year. As the result of an elementary school
project, popcorn became the official state snack food
of Illinois. January 19 is National Popcorn Day, and
October is National Popcorn Month.
11
Section First Flight
C

Prose

01. A Letter to God

02. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
03. Two Stories About Flying
I. His First Flight
II. Black Aeroplane
04. From the Diary of Anne Frank
05. The Hundred Dresses-I
06. The Hundred Dresses-II

Poetry
01. Dust of Snow
02 Fire and Ice
03. A Tiger in the Zoo
04. How to Tell Wild Animals
05. The Ball Poem
06. Amanda!

77
01.  A Letter to God 
Class X: English Language and Literature
- G.L.Fuentes

Glossary iv. The form has six sections. The sender needs
to fill out first, fourth,
Words Meanings and sixth sections and the receiver third and
Affixed (v) Stick, Attach, Fasten fifth.
Amiable (adj) Having a friendly and pleasant
mannerism Summary
An ox of a man Someone who is as
(phrase) hardworking as an ox This story is about a hardworking farmer
Conscience (n) A person’s moral sense of right named Lencho who has an unshakable faith in God.
and wrong His house is on the crest of a low hill that overlooks
Contentment (n) A state of happiness and a river and a farm filled with ripe corn laden with
satisfaction flowers. Only thing the fertile land needs is rainfall.
Correspondence Communication by exchanging Lencho eagerly waits for the rain that day. He
(n) letters predicts that it would rain and by dinner time his
Crest (n) The top of a mountain or a hill predictions come true. The sky sends a downpour of
big rain drops. He runs outside to enjoy the falling
Crooks (n) A dishonest person
rain. A cluster of thick clouds are seen approaching
Denied (v) Refuse to give
towards the north east. He is overjoyed by the big
Destroyed (v) End of existence rain drops and tells his wife that they are coins of
Downpour (n) Heavy rainfall five and ten cents.
Draped (v) Cover or wrap loosely with But his happiness does not last long as strong
folds of cloth winds begin to blow and large hailstones fall from
Goodwill (n) Friendly, helpful and co- the sky along with the rains. It rains over the entire
operative feelings or attitude valley and the whole field is covered with snow.
Hailstones (n) A small, hard ball of ice that The cornfields are completely destroyed. Lencho’s
falls from sky like rain heart fills with sadness. Lencho fears that he and his
Obliged (v) Do as someone asks or desires family will go hungry that year. His thinks his hard
Pesos (n) Monetary unit of certain Latin work reaped no benefit. The family’s last hope is
American countries God. Lencho believes that only the help from God
Plague of locusts A devastating natural disaster would save his family from hunger. So he decides
(n) where a grasshopper like insect to write a letter to God. On the following Sunday he
infests the crops in the fields. writes a letter to God recounting his misfortune. He
Predicted (v) Say or estimate that (a asks Him for help of a hundred pesos to sow his
specified thing) will happen in field again and sustain his family until the crop
the future or will be a grows.
consequence of something He puts the letter in the envelope and writes
Solitary (adj) Existing alone, Single, Lonely ‘To God’ on it. With all his faith he places a stamp
Sorrowful ( adj) Feeling or showing grief on the envelope and puts it in the mailbox.
Wrinkling (v) Make or cause lines or folds on Upon seeing this unusual address, the
the skin postman laughs and shares the letter with his boss--
-- the postmaster. The postmaster laughs too, but
Pre-Reading Activities almost immediately he regains his composure and
expresses his astonishment on the writer’s
[Note: The first part needs to be done by students only] unfathomable faith. The postmaster decides to help
*1. Complete the following sentences: Lencho so that Lencho’s faith remains intact. He
i. In addition to the sender, the form has to be decides to send some money to Lencho. After
signed by the paying official and the payee or collecting money from his employees, friends and
the receiver. giving a part from his own salary, he puts the
ii. The ‘Acknowledgement’ section of the form is money in an envelope along with a letter containing
sent back by the post office to the sender after only a signature: God.
the payee signs it. The following Sunday Lencho comes to the
iii. The ‘Space for communication’ section is used post office expecting a letter for him. The
for writing postmaster feeling satisfied of having performed a
comments /notes by the sender to the receiver good deed looks with contentment as the postman
or the payee. hands over the letter to Lencho.
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c First Flight 01: A Letter to God
On receiving less than what he had asked for,
Lencho writes another letter to God. His confidence
in God does not allow him to think that God can
make a mistake or deny him what he had asked for.
This time Lencho writes the letter in anger. As
Lencho puts the letter in the mailbox, the post master
opens it and reads it. In the letter Lencho expresses
his disappointment on receiving less money, only
seventy pesos and asks God to send him the
remaining money; but this time through other means
as he feels the post employees are a bunch of cheats.
Textual Exercises
Oral comprehension check
*1. What did Lencho hope for?
Ans: Lencho hoped for a good rainfall for his cornfields.
*2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were
like ‘new coins’? [CBSE 2012]
Ans: Lencho said that the raindrops were like new
coins because they were big and also because a
good rainfall would make his corn grow well.
He would earn god money by selling that corn.
*3. How did the rain change? What happened
to Lencho’s fields?
Ans: Along with the raindrops very large hailstones
began to fall. The fresh and sweet air turned
into a strong wind. The hail covered the entire
valley including Lencho’s field. The field
looked as white as salt. There wasn’t a single
leaf on the trees and the flowers had fallen
from the plants. The hailstorm completely
destroyed Lencho’s cornfield.
*4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail
stopped? [CBSE 2012]
Ans: Lencho was filled with sorrow and sadness.
All his hard work amounted to nothing. He
lost hope as he knew nobody could help him
in this tough time. He feared his family would
go hungry that year as he lost his only source
of earning--- the cornfield.
*5. Who or what did Lencho have faith in?
What did he do?
Ans: Lencho rested his faith in God and decided to
write a letter to Him. In the letter he asked for
one hundred pesos to grow new crop and
sustain his family till the next one.
*6. Who read the letter?
Ans: The postman and the postmaster read the
letter. The postman was amused that the letter
was addressed to God and shared it with the
postmaster.
*7. What did the postmaster do then?
Ans: The postmaster collected money from his
employees and friends who were obliged to
contribute for the sake of charity. He too gave
a part of his salary and put all the money in an
envelope addressing it to Lencho with a letter
that contained nothing except one word: God.
*8. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for
him with money in it?
Ans: Lencho was not surprised to see the letter
because he was confident that God would
reply and would certainly give him the money
he had requested. He was rather disappointed
on reading the letter.
*9. What made him angry?
Ans: Lencho never thought that God would send
him less money. He was angry on receiving
lesser amount than what he had asked for. He
thought that the post officials had robbed the
remaining amount of thirty pesos.
Thinking about the text
*10. Who does Lencho have complete faith in?
Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Ans: Lencho had complete faith in God. The
sentences which tell us about this faith are as
follows:
i. But in the hearts of all who lived in that
solitary house in the middle of the
valley, there was a single hope: help
from God.
ii. All through the night, Lencho thought
only of his one hope: the help of God,
whose eyes, as he had been instructed,
see everything, even what is deep in
one’s conscience.
iii. “God,” he wrote, “If you don’t help me,
my family and I will go hungry this
year.
iv. Lencho showed not the slightest
surprise on seeing the money; such was
his confidence.
v. “God: Of the money that I asked for,
only seventy pesos reached me. Send
me the rest, since I need it very much.
But don’t send it to me through the mail
because the post office employees are a
bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
*11. Why does the postmaster send money to
Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
[CBSE 2012]
Ans: After reading the letter the postmaster sends
money to Lencho because he realizes that
Lencho is in desperate need of money to feed
his family. It was evident that God would not
reply to Lencho’s letter. Therefore, the
postmaster signs the letter ‘God’ so that
Lencho does not lose faith in God and believe
that God has really listened to his request and
helped him.
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Class X: English Language and Literature
*12. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the is a ‘Hailstorm’. You know that a storm is
money to him? Why/Why not? bad weather with strong winds, rain,
Ans: No, Lencho did not try to find out who really thunder and lightning.
sent him the money because he had complete
There are different names in different
faith in God. He truly believed that God sent
names parts of the world for storms,
the money to help him.
depending on their nature. Can you
*13. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of match the names in the box with their
the money? What is the irony in the descriptions below, and fill in the blanks?
situation? (Remember that the irony of a You may use a dictionary to help you.
situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An
ironic situation is strange or amusing because gale whirlwind cyclone
it is the opposite of what is expected.) hurricane tornado typhoon
Ans: Lencho feels that the rest of the money has
been taken by the employees of the post
office. Hence, in his next letter he asked God i. A violent tropical storm in which strong
not to send the balance amount through mail winds move in a circle: _ _c_ _ _ _
as he feels the employees are a bunch of ii. An extremely strong wind: _a_ _
crooks. The irony in the situation is that the iii. A violent tropical storm with very strong
employees of the post office had in fact winds: _ _p _ _ _ _ _ _ _______
contributed the money and sent it to him and iv. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in
not God. the shape of a funnel: _______n_______
However, Lencho believed otherwise. The v. A violent storm with very strong winds,
situation is ironical because the ones who had especially in the western Atlantic Ocean:
helped him were labeled as crooks by Lencho. _______r_______
vi. A very strong wind that moves very fast
*14. Are there people like Lencho in the real in a spinning movement and causes a lot
world? What kind of a person would you of damage: _______i_______
say he is? You may select appropriate word Ans: i. Cyclone ii. Gale
from the box to answer the question. iii. Typhoon iv. Tornado
v. Hurricane vi. Whirlwind
greedy naïve stupid ungrateful
*17. Notice how the word ‘hope’ is used in
selfish comical unquestioning
these sentences from the story:
Ans: There are people in the real world who have an i. I hope it (the hailstorm) passes quickly.
unshakable belief in God but not the kind of ii. There was a single hope: help from God.
unquestionable faith Lencho had. I think Lencho In the first example, ‘hope’ is a verb
was naïve, ungrateful and unquestioning. which means you wish for something to
happen. In the second example it is a
*15. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: noun meaning a chance for something to
between humans and nature and between happen.
humans themselves. How are these conflicts Match the sentences in Column A with
illustrated? the meanings of ‘hope’ in Column B.
Ans: The conflict between humans and nature is
illustrated by the hailstones destroying the A B
entire crop. Nature proved unpredictable and 1. Will you get the a. a feeling that
sent hailstones instead of rain. The conflict subjects you want something good will
between humans themselves is seen in to study in probably happen
Lencho’s mistrust over the post office college?
employees. They helped him with the money I hope so.
but he called them crooks. 2. I hope you don’t b. Thinking that this
mind my saying would happen (It
Thinking about language this, but I don’t may or may not
*16. Look at the following sentence from the story. like the way we have happened.)
Suddenly a strong wind began to blow and are arguing.
along with the rain very large hailstones 3. This discovery will c. Stopped believing
began to fall. give new hope to that this good thing
‘Hailstones’ are small balls of ice that fall HIV/AIDS would happen
like rain. A storm in which hailstones fall sufferers.

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c First Flight 01: A Letter to God
4. We were hoping d. Wanting something 4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into
against hope that to happen (and our minds. (whose)
the judges would thinking it quite 5. This man cheated me. I trusted him.
not notice our possible (whom)
mistakes. Ans: 1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the
5. I called early in the e. Showing concern commercial capital of India.
hope of speaking that what you say 2. My mother, who cooks very well, is
to her before she should not offend or going to host a TV show on cooking.
went to school. disturb the other 3. These sportspersons, whose
person : a way of performance has been excellent, are
being polite going to meet the President.
6. Just when f. Wishing for 4. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see
everybody had something to into our minds.
given up hope, the happen, although 5. This man, whom I trusted cheated me.
fisherman came this is very unlikely
Sometimes the relative pronoun in a
back seven days
relative clause remains ‘hidden’. For
after the cyclone.
example, look at the first sentence of the
Ans: (1 – d), (2 – e), (3 – a), (4 – b), (5 – f), (6 – c) story:
(a) The house — the only one in the entire
*18. Relative Clauses valley — sat on the crest of a low hill.
Look at these sentences We can rewrite this sentence as:
(b) The house, which was the only one in
i. All morning Lencho – who knew his fields the entire valley, sat on the crest of a low
intimately – looked at the sky. hill.
ii. The woman, who was preparing supper, In (a), the relative pronoun which and the
replied, “Yes, God willing.” verb was are not present.
The italicized parts of the sentences give *19. Using Negatives for Emphasis
us more information about Lencho and We know that sentences with words such
the woman. We call them relative clauses. as no, not or nothing show the absence of
Notice that they begin with a relative something, or contradict something. For
pronoun who. Other common relative example:
pronouns are whom, whose, and which.
i. This year we will have no corn. (Corn will
The relative clauses in A and B above are be absent)
called non-defining, because we already ii. The hail has left nothing. (Absence of a
know the identity of the person they crop)
describe. Lencho is a particular person, iii. These aren’t raindrops falling from the
and there is a particular woman he speaks sky, they are new coins. (Contradicts the
to. We don’t need the information in the common idea of what the drops of water
relative clause to pick these people out falling from the sky are)
from a larger set.
But sometimes negative words are used just to
A non-defining relative clause usually has emphasize an idea. Look at these sentences
a comma in front of it and a comma after from the story:
it (some writers use a dash (--) instead as iv. Lencho…had done nothing else but see
in the story). If the relative clause comes the sky towards the north-east. (He had
at the end, we just put a full stop. done only this)
Join the sentences given below using who, v. The man went out for no other reason
whom, whose, which, as suggested. than to have the pleasure of feeling the
rain on his body. (He had only this
1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the reason)
commercial capital of India. (which)
vi. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on on seeing the money. (He showed no
cooking. She cooks very well. (who) surprise at all)
3. These sportspersons are going meet the Now look back at example iii. notice that the
President. Their performance has been contradiction in fact serves to emphasize the
excellent. (whose) value or usefulness of the rain to the farmer.
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Class X: English Language and Literature
Find sentences in the story with negative words, mother had taken ill. I was nervous and
which express the following ideas emphatically. tensed; for I knew if I didn’t score in this
1. The trees lost all their leaves. paper, my combined marks for science subject
2. The letter was addressed to God himself. would come down. In the night, one of my
3. The postman saw this address for the first father’s friends visited our home and my
time in his career. father told him I was encountering problems in
Ans: 1. Not a leaf remained on the trees. the subject and requested him to solve my
2. It was nothing less than a letter to God. queries. Surprisingly, he was a professor in a
3. Never in his career as a postman had he college, who taught science. I was overjoyed
known that address. with this revelation. He answered my doubts
patiently and helped me solve the problems.
*20. Metaphors The next day I took the exam and it went very
The word metaphor comes from a Greek well. I think this was nothing less than a
word meaning ‘transfer’. Metaphors miracle and God came to my rescue in the
compare two things or ideas: a quality or nick of time.
feature of one thing is transferred to another
Listening
thing. Some common metaphors are
• the leg of the table.: The leg supports our *22. Listen to the letter (given under ‘In This
body. So the object that supports a table is Lesson’) read out by your teacher/on the
described as a leg. audio tape. As you listen fill in the table
• the heart of the city: The heart is an given below.
important organ in the centre of our body.
So this word is used to describe the central The writer apologies (says
area of a city. sorry) because
In pairs, find metaphors from the story to The writer has sent this to
complete the table below. Try to say what the reader
qualities are being compared. One has been
done for you. The writer sent it in the
month of
Quality or Feature
Object Metaphor The reason for not writing
compared
earlier
Cloud Huge The mass or
mountains of hugeness of Sarah goes to
cloud mountains Who is writing to whom?
Raindrops Coins Money that will be Where and when were they
earned because of a last together?
good crop
Ans:
Hailstones Frozen Pearls Appearance of pearls
Locusts A plague of An epidemic (a The writer apologies (says He was writing after
locusts disease) that spreads sorry) because a long time
very rapidly and leaves The writer has sent this to A birthday card
many people dead the reader
Lencho An ox of a Hardworking The writer sent it in the September 2005
man month of

Speaking The reason for not writing The writer was busy
earlier shifting home and
*21. Have you ever been in great difficulty, and attending to her
felt that only a miracle could help you? child.
How was your problem solved? Speak
about this in class with your teacher. Sarah goes to A school named
Ans: In the ninth grade I was troubled with a few ‘Little Feet’
problems of physics. The next morning was Who is writing to whom? Jaya to Arti
the exam paper and I couldn’t understand a
Where and when were they Bangalore in
few concepts and problems related to that. My
friends were busy with their studies and my last together? January 2005

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c First Flight 01: A Letter to God
Very Short Answer Type Questions (3 Marks)
1. The house-the only one in the entire valley-
sat on the crest of a low hill. From this
height one could see the river and field of
ripe corn dotted with the flowers that
always promised a good harvest. The only
thing the earth needed was a downpour or
at least a shower. Throughout the morning
Lencho-who knew his fields intimately-had
done nothing else but see the sky towards
the north-east.
“Now we’re going to get some water,
woman.”
i. Which crop grew on the fields?
ii. What was peculiar about Lencho’s house?
iii. Find a word from the passage which means
‘closely’.
Ans: i. Corn crop grew on the fields.
ii. It was a solitary house in the entire
valley situated on top of a low hill.
iii. The word which means ‘closely’ is
intimately.
2. The man went out for no other reason than
to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on
his body and when he returned he
exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling
from the sky, they are new coins.”
i. How did the speaker’s predictions come
true?
ii. Why are the raindrops being referred to as
new coins?
iii. Which word from the passage means cried
out/call out?
Ans: i. The Speaker, Lencho had predicted in
the morning that it would rain that
following day by looking at the sky in
the north-east direction. It did rain that
day and that is how the speaker’s
predictions came true.
ii. The raindrops are being referred to as
new coins metaphorically because good
rainfall would result in a good crop. He
would sell the crop in the market and
earn money.
iii. The word ‘exclaimed’ means cried
out/call out.
3. These truly did resemble new silver coins.
The boys, exposing themselves to the rain,
ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
i. Who is the speaker?
ii. What resembled silver coins?
iii. What is the meaning of the word
‘resemble?’
Ans: i. The narrator/author is the speaker.
ii. The hailstones resembled silver coins.
iii. The meaning of ‘resemble’ is ‘look
like.’
4. “A plague of locusts would have left more
than this. The hail has left nothing. This
year we will have no corn.’’
i. Who is the speaker and who is he/she
speaking to?
ii. What emotions/feelings of the speaker are
depicted in the passage?
iii. What does the phrase ‘plague of locusts’
mean?
Ans: i. Lencho is speaking to his sons.
ii. Feelings of sadness and hopelessness of
the speaker are depicted in the passage
as the entire cornfield has been
destroyed by the hailstones.
iii. The phrase ‘plague of locusts’ means
infestation/invasion of plants or crops
by an insect which looks like a
grasshopper. Locusts are insects that
fly in swarms or groups and destroy
crops.
5. That night was a sorrowful one.
“All our work, for nothing.”
“There’s no one who can help us.”
“We’ll all go hungry this year.”
But in the hearts of all who lived in that
solitary house in the middle of the valley,
there was a single hope: help from God.
“Don’t be so upset, even though this seems
like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of
hunger.”
“That’s what they say: no one dies of
hunger.”
All through the night, Lencho thought only
of his one hope: the help of God, whose
eyes, as he had been instructed, see
everything, even what is deep in one’s
conscience.
i. Why was Lencho’s family full of sorrow?
ii. What has been taught to Lencho?
iii. Find a word from the passage which
means ‘lonely’.
Ans: i. Lencho’s family was full of sorrow
because the hailstones had destroyed
the entire crop.
ii. Lencho has been taught that God sees
everything, even our deepest feelings
and thoughts.
iii. The word which means lonely is
‘solitary’.
83
Class X: English Language and Literature
6. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like
an animal in the fields, but still he knew
how to write.
i. Why is Lencho compared to an ox?
ii. What does it mean when the author says,
‘but he still knew how to write’?
iii. What does the phrase ‘an ox of a man’
means?
Ans: i. Lencho worked untiringly like an ox
in his field. He was as hardworking as
an ox.
ii. Although Lencho worked very hard
in the fields and by profession was a
farmer, he had learned to read and
write.
iii. The phrase ‘an ox of a man’ means a
well built and a hardworking man.
7. He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put
the letter inside and still troubled, went to
town. At the post office, he placed a stamp
on the letter and dropped it into the
mailbox.
i. Who wrote the letter and why?
ii. What does this act convey about the
writer?
iii. Give the antonym of ‘dropped’.
Ans: i. Lencho wrote a letter to God narrating
his misfortunes and asking God to
give him a hundred pesos so that he
could sow his fields again and live on
the money until the next crop came.
ii. Writing a letter to God sounds funny
and naïve but it also conveys that
Lencho had unshakable faith in God.
iii. The antonym of ‘dropped’ is lift.
8. Never in his career as a postman had he
known that address. The postmaster – a
fat, amiable fellow – also broke out
laughing.
i. Why did the postman and the postmaster
laugh?
ii. After a hearty laugh, what was the
postmaster’s comment?
iii. What are the synonyms of ‘amiable’?
Ans: i. The postman and the postmaster
laughed because they had never
seen a letter addressed to God.
ii. After a hearty laugh, the post master
became serious and said that he
wished to have faith in God just as the
writer of the letter.
iii. The synonyms of ‘amiable’ are
pleasant and friendly.
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84 
9. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on
seeing the money; such was his confidence –
but he became angry when he counted the
money. God could not have made a mistake,
nor could he have denied Lencho what he
had requested. Immediately, Lencho went
up to the window to ask for paper and ink.
i. Why did Lencho get angry on counting the
money?
ii. Why did he ask for paper and ink?
iii. What is the antonym of ‘denied’?
Ans: i. Lencho got angry on counting the
money because the money was less than
what he had asked for. The envelope
contained only seventy pesos. He felt
that the employees of the post office had
removed the balance amount from the
envelope.
ii. He asked for paper and ink because he
wanted to write another letter to God
complaining that he had received only
seventy pesos and the remaining amount
had been removed by the post office
employees.
iii. The antonym of ‘denied’ is agreed.
10. On the public writing-table, he started to
write, with much wrinkling of his brow,
caused by the effort he had to make to
express his ideas. When he finished, he went
to the window to buy a stamp which he
licked and then affixed to the envelope with
a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell
into the mailbox the postmaster went to
open it.
i. Which emotion did Lencho experience
while writing the letter? How did he display
his emotion?
ii. Why did the postmaster immediately go to
the mailbox? What did he expect?
iii. Explain the meaning of ‘wrinkling’?
Ans: i. Lencho experienced emotions of anger.
Due to anger he had difficulty in
expressing his ideas, which showed by
the wrinkling of his eyebrow. Also, he
affixed the stamp with a blow of his fist,
and did not use his fingers to paste it.
ii. The postmaster was satisfied that he had
done a good deed by sending money to
Lencho. Therefore, he was waiting
eagerly for Lencho to arrive. He
expected Lencho to be happy on
receiving the money and thought that
Lencho wrote a thank you note in his
second letter.
iii. ‘Wrinkling’ means creasing. In this
context it means creasing of the skin.
c First Flight 01: A Letter to God
Short Answer Type Questions (2 Marks)
1. Why did Lencho keep looking at the sky
throughout the morning?
Ans: Lencho kept looking at the sky hoping for
rainfall which would help his corn grow. His
fields always promised a good harvest as they
were fertile. The only thing required was a
good rainfall or at least a shower.
2. What happened when Lencho and his
family were having their meal?
Ans: It began to rain when Lencho and his family
were having their meal. Big drops of rain
poured from the sky and huge clouds were
seen approaching from the north-east
direction.
3. What did Lencho compare the raindrops to
and why?
Ans: Lencho compared the rain drops to new coins.
He said that the big drops were ten cent pieces
and the little ones were fives. These new coins
were a metaphor for raindrops because the
rainfall would help his corn grow. He would
then be able to sell the ripe corn in the market
and make money of it.
4. “These are not rain drops falling from the
sky, they are new coins. The big drops are
ten cent pieces and the little ones are five.”
Why did Lencho use this statement?
[CBSE 2012]
Ans: Lencho used this statement because he
compared the raindrops to coins as the
raindrops were big in size. These new coins
were a metaphor for raindrops because the
rainfall would help his corn grow. He would
then be able to sell the ripe corn in the market
and fetch money after their sale.
5. Which events illustrate the unpredictable
characteristic of nature? How did it affect
the crop in Lencho’s field?
Ans: The unpredictable characteristic of nature was
evident when it rained. It had started to rain as
expected, but suddenly strong winds began to
blow and hailstones fell from the sky along
with the rain. It destroyed the entire cornfield.
Neither a leaf nor a flower remained in the
field.
6. Why did Lencho say that a plague of locusts
would have been better?
Ans: Lencho said that a plague of locusts, which
means an invasion by insects, is better because
the insects leave behind at least something.
But the hailstones destroyed the field
completely and not a leaf was saved.
7. What was the only hope of the family after
the hailstorm?
Ans: After the hailstorm, the family’s only hope
was the help of God. They believed that God
doesn’t let anybody go hungry. And even
though everything seemed over, they knew
that they will not die of hunger.
8. How did Lencho perceive God?
Ans: Lencho had a firm belief in God. He had
learned in the process of growing up that God
can see everything; what humans cannot. He
can look into a person’s soul and know the
things buried in one’s conscience. Lencho
believed that only God could help him through
his crisis.
9. What did Lencho write to God in his letter?
Ans: Lencho wrote to God that if he did not help
him, he and his family would have to stay
hungry that year. He also requested for a
hundred pesos to sow his field again and to
survive until the next crop.
10. What was the reaction of the employees at
the post office when they saw the letter
addressed to God?
Ans: The postman who found the letter laughed
heartily and shared the letter with his boss, the
post master. The postmaster too broke out
laughing but immediately turned serious and
wished that he had the same trust in God just as
the writer. He then decided to help the writer.
11. How did the postmaster help Lencho?
[CBSE 2012]
Ans: The postmaster donated some amount from his
salary. He also took the effort of collecting
money from his employees and his friends for
an ‘act of charity’. Hundred pesos was a big
amount for him to gather. Nevertheless, he
was able to collect seventy pesos to give
Lencho. After collecting the money he
addressed the envelope to Lencho with the
money in it along with a letter signed as: God.
This is how the postmaster helped Lencho.
12. Why was Lencho not surprised to see the
money in the envelope?
Ans: Lencho was not surprised to see the money in
the envelope because of his firm belief in God.
He was confident that God would help him.
13. Why was Lencho angry after opening the
envelope?
Ans: Lencho was angry after opening the envelope
because there were only seventy pesos instead
of hundred which he had requested from God.
He thought that the remaining money was
taken by the post office employees as he
believed that God could never make a mistake
nor turn down his request.
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Class X: English Language and Literature
14. What did he write in his second letter to
God?
Ans: In his second letter to God, Lencho wrote
that he had received only seventy pesos. He
requested God to send him the rest of the
money as he needed it very much. He also
requested God not to send the money
through mail because he thought that the
post office employees were crooks and had
removed some of the money from the
envelope.
Long Answer Type Questions (4 Marks)
1 Why did Lencho call the post office
employees crooks? Was he right in calling
them so? Give reasons.
3.
Lencho addresses the post office employees
as a bunch of crooks. Why? Give reasons in
support of your answer. [CBSE 2012]
Ans: Character traits of Lencho:
Ans: When Lencho went to the post office
expecting a reply from God, he received an
envelope that had the money but only
seventy pesos instead of hundred. He got
very angry and thought that the employees
had removed the remaining thirty pesos
from the envelope. He believed that God
could neither make a mistake nor could he
have denied a request made to Him. If we
think from Lencho’s point of view, he is not
wrong in calling them crooks because
Lencho’s faith was unwavering and under
no circumstance he was going to doubt God.
The envelope was in the post office, which
meant that only the employees could have
tampered with the envelope. Therefore, in
his next letter, he addressed the post office
employees as a bunch of crooks
2. In the story ‘A Letter to God’, when a
hailstorm destroys the crops, Lencho
decides to write a letter to God asking for
money. What would you do were you in
Lencho’s place? What are the other
available options instead of writing a letter
to God?
Ans: In the story Lencho decides to write a letter
to God. If I were in Lencho’s place I would
certainly not write a letter to God. Instead I
would look at other options which include:
i. I would find some other work in the
village and collect some money to buy
more seeds to sow in the field again.
ii. I would go up to the town’s municipal
office and ask for compensation from
the government.
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iii. I would take loan from friends to sow
seeds and extra money to pull my
family through the drought until the
crops grew again.
iv. I would migrate to a nearby city
leaving my family in the village, to
find some work at construction sites or
factories until I had gathered enough
money to survive.
Instead of writing a letter to God,
Lencho could go to his church and put
a petition in the box so that everyone
would pray from him and his family.
He could also talk to the priest if the
church could offer him some money
from their charity account.
Draw a character sketch of the farmer,
Lencho. Give instances from the stories
that depict those traits. [CBSE 2012]
i. Firm believer of God – After the
destruction of his cornfield by the
hailstorm he rested his hope only on
God. Therefore, he decided to write a
letter to God asking for his help.
Another instance that validates our
understanding of his strong faith is that
he was not at all surprised to see the
money in the envelope because he was
sure that God will help him.
ii. Optimistic – His optimism can be seen
when he wrote a letter to God and did
not sit in the house and sulk. He wrote
a letter to God asking for his help and
went to the post office the following
week to check whether there was any
mail for him. This shows that he was
optimistic that God would reply.
iii. Did not trust anyone/doubting – He
did not really trust anyone with
important tasks. When he wrote the
letter to God, he himself took it to town
to post it. He also did not trust the post
office employees as he thought they
could have removed the money. He
didn’t even reason out that maybe God
sent him less money, but jumped to a
conclusion that the employees were
crooks.
iv. Hardworking man with a good
physical built – In the story it is
mentioned that he was an ox of a man,
which means he had a good physical
built and was very hardworking
because he worked like an animal in
the fields.
c First Flight 01: A Letter to God
v. Determined – After the hailstones
destroyed his field, he was sorrowful
but did not give up. He was determined
to sow the crops again.
vi. Naïve – He is naïve because no matter
how much one believes in God he/she
cannot be stupid enough to write a letter
to God. He will rather pray and look for
other means of earning at the same time.
But Lencho out of his naiveness wrote a
letter to God.
vii. Short-tempered  Lencho loses his
temper upon receiving the envelope,
which contained only seventy pesos. He
immediately sits down to write another
letter asking God to send him the
remaining amount and tells Him to send
the letter through other means. He
doesn’t bother to thank God for the
money received.
4. How did the hailstones affect Lencho’s
fields? What was Lencho’s only hope?
[CBSE 2012]
Ans: As Lencho had predicted, it rained that night.
Huge clouds were seen approaching from the
north-east direction. Lencho was very happy;
just as he went out in the fields to enjoy the
raindrops over his body, strong winds started
to blow. Along with the raindrops, big
hailstones fell from the sky. The hailstones
looked like big silver coins. In an hour’s time
the entire valley was covered with the
hailstones. The field looked as white as salt.
Neither a leaf remained on the trees nor a
flower on the plants. The hailstorm destroyed
the entire corn crop leaving Lencho in a state
of misery and helplessness.
In this situation of crisis, his only hope was
the help from God. He believed in God and
was taught that God can see everything; even
a person’s deepest desires. He was sure that
God would not let him and his family be
hungry.
5. Imagine that there was good rain instead of
a hailstorm in the village. Give a different
ending to the story keeping in mind the
character traits of the farmer, Lencho.
Ans: It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had
predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In
the north-east huge mountains of clouds could
be seen approaching. The air was fresh and
sweet. The man went out to feel the rain on his
body, and on his return he exclaimed, “These
aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are
new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces
and the little ones are fives.”
With a satisfied expression he regarded the
field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a
curtain of rain. Lencho and his family were
very happy to see the rain. They were
rejoicing with happiness and dreams of
leading a good life that year.
The next morning when Lencho woke up, the
first thing he wanted to see was his corn field.
It was the most delightful sight to see his corn
swaying to and fro in the cool breeze. “In a
few weeks the crop would be ready for
harvesting” he thought to himself.
Lencho sold his crop at a good amount and
decided to buy gifts for his family. Lencho
wrote a letter to thank God and asked Him to
continue to bless him and his family with
another year of abundant crop. He then put the
letter in an envelope and wrote ‘To God’ on it.
He went to town the next day and personally
put the letter in the mailbox.
The letter was received by a post man. When
he saw the letter addressed to God, he
immediately took it to the post master and the
postman and postmaster laughed out heartily
reading the letter and decided to write back to
Lencho on behalf of God.
The following week, Lencho went to the post
office. On opening the letter, he was
overwhelmed to receive a letter from God.
The letter said: Bless You. And underneath
was a signature: God.
6. Imagine you are the farmer in the story, ‘A
Letter to God’. Write a diary entry about
your feelings when the hailstorm struck and
destroyed the crops. Also write about your
possible future plans.
Ans: 17th August, 2015.
It all began with the big raindrops pouring
from the sky as I had predicted. They appeared
to me like new coins. I felt that my prayers
were being answered. But, suddenly the
monsoon breeze turned into a deadly storm
with hailstones falling from the sky.
Everything was covered with a white layer and
neither a leaf nor a flower remained. My entire
cornfield was destroyed. I think this year we
may go hungry. But, I cannot let this happen
to my family. I will visit the city for a few
days and see if I can find some work.
I have to think of all the possible ways to earn
money. I should go to factories and ask for
some labor job; I could also attempt to find a
job in big grocery stores or malls in the city. I
am sure I will fit in somewhere. If nothing
works I will take a loan from the bank and use
it to sow seeds for a new crop. I hope God
helps me in this troubled time.
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Class X: English Language and Literature
Value Based Questions
1. The story, ‘A Letter to God’ illustrates
human values in different ways. In the
context of the postmaster helping Lencho,
write a brief paragraph depicting the values
involved in the story in about 150-200
words.
Ans: When the postmaster receives the letter, he
does not know Lencho. Only to retain
Lencho’s faith in God, he decides to write to
him. When he opens the letter he gets to know
that Lencho doesn’t need just kind words, but
also needs money. Nevertheless, the post
master sticks to his decision of writing to
Lencho and also sends him the money. The
human values of generosity, kindness are
depicted here. When the post master narrates
the farmer’s misfortune to his employees and
asks them to contribute in the name of charity,
they honor his request. The values of respect
for authority and concern are depicted here.
The employees respect the postmaster and are
concerned about the farmer’s problems.
Hence, the story teaches us to be kind and
helpful. Sometimes one has to go out of
his/her way to help somebody. It also teaches
us values of integrity, which is illustrated by
the postmaster’s behavior. He could have
very well ignored the mail after knowing that
the writer needed money. But he wants to keep
the resolution made to himself. Therefore,
sends the letter along with the money.
2. From the story, ‘A Letter to God’, how are
the values of love and responsibility been
brought out?
Ans: Lencho lives with his family on top of a hill. It
is the only house in the entire valley. His elder
sons help him in the fields. His wife cooks
meals at home. When the hailstorm strikes, he
is worried about his family. He fears that his
family will go hungry that year. To find a
solution to his problem, he writes a letter to
God and the very next morning goes to post it.
In the letter he requests Him to grant him
some money to feed his family and sow his
field again.
This illustrates human values of love and
responsibility. The sons love their father;
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therefore help him in the fields. The mother
cooks meals because she cares about her
family. She also performs her duties. Lencho
is the bread winner of the family. He loves his
family and feels responsible for them. Hence,
writes to God to help him.
3. What sort of a person was the postmaster?
Which values of the postmaster are
depicted in his behavior?
Ans: The postmaster was a fat amiable fellow. He
broke out laughing upon seeing the envelope
addressed to God. But, immediately calmed
down and admired the writer’s firm faith in
God. As he was a sympathetic person, he
decided to write to Lencho in order to retain
his faith in God.When he got to know that the
writer needed monetary help and not just
goodwill, he decided to help him. He gave a
part of his salary and also collected money
from his employees and friends.
From this behavior it can be understood that
he was generous, sympathetic, kind and a soft-
hearted person. He had an option of ignoring
the letter and putting it in the bin, but he did
not do so.
He had decided to answer the letter upon
receiving the envelope. After realizing that the
writer needed money, he did not change his
stance. He decided to keep his promise and
also give money to the writer. This shows that
the postmaster also possessed the value of
integrity.
Competitive Questions for Practice
1. Give instances from the story that tells you
about Lencho’s firm belief in God.
2. What is your opinion of God? With reference
to the story, explain how God helps us in
different situations.
3. Imagine yourself to be Lencho. Now consider
the situation where you received an envelope
from God with seventy pesos in it instead of
hundred. How would you react to the
situation?
c First Flight 01: A Letter to God

Formative Assessments
Activity 1
Quiz
Scope: Quiz
Aim: Understanding the story and recollecting the details
Skills developed: Teamwork; Knowledge and Understanding of the Text
Method: Group Activity
Divide the class into groups based on the strength of the class. Each group gets 15 seconds to answer a
question. If they answer correctly, they get five marks for it. If not, they get a negative two and the
question passes to another team.
i. Where was the house of the farmer situated?
ii. How was the farmer’s field?
iii. What was the only thing required for the crops now?
iv. What did Lencho do throughout the morning?
v. What were his sons doing?
vi. What did Lencho compare the raindrops to?
vii. Just after it rained for a while, what happened?
viii. After the hailstorm, what did the field look like?
ix. What would have been better than hailstones?
x. What was the only hope for Lencho?
xi. Give the phrase which denotes that Lencho was hardworking man.
xii. What did Lencho do after the crops got destroyed?
xiii. What did the post man do when he saw Lencho’s letter addressed to God?
xiv. What kind of man was the postmaster?
xv. How did he collect the money?
xvi. How much money was collected?
xvii. What was Lencho’s reaction when he received the letter from God?
xviii. Why was Lencho angry on seeing the money?
xix. Why does he call the post office employees as crooks?

Activity 2
Drama
Scope: Drama and conversation
Aim: To understand human reaction when truth is revealed
Skills developed: Communication skills, Analytical Skills and Creative Thinking
Method: Group Activity
Develop a dialogue between Lencho and the postmaster when the postmaster receives the second letter
written by Lencho to God where he calls the post office employees as crooks.

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