Ch 3 Two stories about flying

Part 1 His first flight

KEY POINTS
• A young seagull was afraid of flying.
• His two brothers and sister had flown away but
he could not take his first flight • He was afraid
his wings would not support him and he might
fall into the vast sea His mother and father tried
to persuade him to fly.
They coaxed him, scolded him, and even threatened
to starve him but nothing workel
• They then left him alone.
• The next day he kept watching his brothers and
sisters flying around, learning the art of flying.
• His parents even taunted him.
• He did not get anything to eat throughout the
day.
• He even pretended to fall asleep on the edge of
the ledge just to attract their attention.
• He noticed his mother tearing a flesh of fish, on
the opposite cliff.
• He was hungry and called out to her asking for
food but she ignored him.
• He then saw her coming towards him with a
flesh of fish in her beak.
• He started moving towards her but she stopped
just on the edge of the ledge, with the piece of
flesh.
• Extremely hungry, he dived at the fish and fell
into the vast space.
•For a minute he was terrified but the next moment
his wings automatically spread out and he was
flying on his own.
• His family circled around him cheering and
encouraging him.
• He then landed on the green sea, where his
parents, brothers and sisters were waiting for
him, beckoning to him.
• He landed on the sea.

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
Q.1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly
? Do you think all young birds are afraid
to make their first flight or are some
birds more timid than others ? Do you
think a human baby also finds it a
challenge to take its first step ?
Ans. Yes, the young seagull was afraid to take his
first flight. He thought his wings would not support
him and he would fall into the deep sea. Though
flying is natural for birds, doing anything for the first
time needs courage. However, some birds are more
timid than others and so can take more time but
once they overcome their fear they adapt easily.
Similarly, a human baby also finds it challenging to
take his first step or even stand on his two feet.

Q.2. "The sight of the food maddened him."

What does this suggest? What compelled the young
seagull to finally fly ?
Ans. The sight of food maddened him suggests that
he was extremely hungry as he had not eaten
anything since the previous night. His family had
decided to ignore him because they were fed up
with his reluctance to take his first flight. He was
dependent on his parents for food to eat so in
desperation he moved towards his mother for
getting the flesh of fish in her beak.Therefore, it was
his hunger which made him take his first flight.

Q.3. "They were beckoning to him, calling

shrilly." Why did the seagull's father
and mother threaten him and cajole
him to fly ?
Ans. The seagull's father and mother threatened
and cajoled him to fly because he was afraid to take
his first flight. But his parents knew that it was their
reponsibility to teach him how to fly and become
independent. His two brothers and sister had
already taken their first
flight. So they beckoned to him, threatened and
cajoled him to try. They knew how important it was
for him to learn the art of flying.
Q.4. Have you ever had a similar experience,
where your parents encouraged you to
do something that you were too scared
to try ? Discuss this in pairs and groups.
Ans To be done by students.
Q5. In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural
act, and a foregone conclusion that it should
succeed. In the examples you have given in
answer to the previous question, was your
success guaranteed, or was it important for you to
try, regardless of a possibility of a failure ?
Ans. Flying is a natural act and so is the fear of
trying a new thing. Once fear is overcome success is
guaranteed, especially for something which comes
naturally to us. Thus, the initial hurdle has to be
crossed. The young seagull took no time in learning
the skills of flying, when he overcame his fear. He
realised the ease with which he could adapt to
flying. Similarly, when I had overcome my fear of
water, the only thing important for me was to prove
to myself. The possibility of failure no longer
troubled me, I had to succeed,come what may. This
thought strengthened my determination to be as
good as others, rather even better. Ultimately it was
confidence in myself, which made me practice and
master all the techniques of swimming.
Part 2 The Black Aeroplane
KEY POINTS
The narrator was flying his old Dakota aeroplane
over France.
- He was flying to England from Paris.
.He was looking forward to meet his family.
.When Paris was 150 kılometers behind him, he saw
storm clouds like black mountains in front of him.
.He knew he could not fly above them.
.He had the choice of either turning back or flying
around them to the north or south.
.But he did not have enough fuel to do so.
- He took the risk and flew his plane right into the
dark clouds.
- The compass and other instruments in the
plane went dead.
. The Radio also stopped working.
. He could not see where he was. He was lost.
.Suddenly out of nowhere a black plane, without
any lights on its wings,appeared.
.Strangely, the narrator could see the plane as well
as the pilot.
• The pilot gestured to him to follow him.
• He brought his plane in front of his Dakota so
that it would be easy for the narrator to follow
him.
• After half an hour, the narrator was left with
only as much fuel to last him for another 5 to 10
minutes of flying time.
• He was frightened but then the black plane
started to go down through the storm.
• The narrator came out of the dark clouds.
• He could see the lights of a runway and landed
his Dakota safely.
• But the black plane had disappeared as
mysteriously as it had appeared.
.The lady in the control room told him that there
was no other plane visible on the radar except for
the Dakota, DS088.
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
Q.1. "I'll take the risk." What is the risk ?
Why does the narrator take it ?
Ans. The risk is flying through the dark, storm
clouds. The danger was of an accident and damage
to the plane because of stormy weather. The
narrator takes the risk because he did not have
enough fuel to go around, north and south of the
clouds or over and above the clouds. Moreover, he
was keen to join his family and enjoy a good English
breakfast.
Q.2. Describe the narrator's experience as
he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Ans. The narrator was looking forward to joining his
family in England. He was happy and thinking of the
English breakfast which he would have. So he took
the risk of flying the aeroplane into the storm. But
due to stormy conditions his plane dangerously
twisted and turned, damaging his compass, other
instruments and the radio. He was frightened
because he could not see anything and got lost.
With less fuel in his plane, it could prove
disastrous, But mysteriously, a black plane
appeared out of nowhere. It had no lights on its
wings but still the narrator could see the pilot and
the plane. The narrator was delighted to see
another plane. The ontured to bim to follow him.
The narrator did so obediently. Somehow, his
presence gave him confidence and hope.When the
fuel in his plane, was on the verge of finishing, the
black plane,after guiding him to a
runway,dissapeared mysteriously.

Q.4. What made the woman in the control centre

look at the narrator strangely ?
Ans. The woman in the control centre looked at the
narrator strangely because the narrator had asked
her about the black plane. He wanted to thank the
pilot of the plane for guiding him towards the
runway safely. But other than him, no one had seen
the plane. It was not sighted on the radar too.
Moreover, no pilot would dare to fly his plane in
such a stormy weather. To do so was almost
suicidal.

Q5 Who do you think helped the narrator to reach

safely ?
It is debatable because for some it could be Divine
intervention and for others, with a scientific bent,
the narrator had himself managed to come out of
the stormy conditions. He was most probably
imagining the mystery plane. It was a situation of
mind over body. His mind was finding ways to help
him overcome his despair in order to tide over the
situation. The narrator's determination not to
despair and lose hope even in adverse conditions
probably made him imagine a black plane in the
dark clouds.
The Ball Poem (poem 3)
Question answers
Q1, Why does the poet say, "I would not intrude on
him" ? Why he doesn't offer him money to buy
another ball ?
Ans, The poet says that he does not wish to disturb
him because he wants the boy to experience the
loss himself and learn to cope with it. He does not
offer him money to buy another ball because the
lost ball cannot be replaced and the boy has to
learn this truth of life.
Q.2. ......staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went....."
Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long
time ? Is it linked to the memories of days he has
played with it ?
Ans. Yes, the boy had the ball for a long time. It is
because of this that he feels sad at losing the ball
that had been his companion for so long. He can get
other balls but the memories associated with that
particular ball cannot be replaced.
Q.3. What does in the world of possessions' mean ?
Ans. In a world of possessions' means the material
things which one wants to possess in a materialistic
world. Money is external and can buy only material
things. It cannot buy the memories associated with
the loss. Thus, he has to be responsible towards
what he owns.
Q.4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier ?
Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
Ans. No, I do not think that the boy has lost
anything before. The words 'he senses first
responsibility' suggest it.
Q5. What does the poet mean when he says 'the
boy is learning from his loss of the ball' ?
Ans. The poet says that the boy is first learning how
to be responsible towards the things he owns and
how to cope with his loss. He is learning the truth of
life that no material thing can last forever. That
what is lost cannot be replaced and so he has to
move on.
Q.6. Have you ever lost something you liked very
much ? Write a paragraph describing how you felt
then and saying whether or how you got over it ?
Do on your own.

KEY POINTS
Anne's diary begins with a brief introducion of
herself.
Anne writes that she had a loving family, an
adorable father, a sixteen year old sister. .Her
sister, Margot, was born in Frankfurt, in Germany in
1926. Anne was born in 1929
.Her family had migrated to Holland in 1933.
.She studied in the Montessori Nursery School, in
Amsterdam, till she was six.
In the sixth form, her teacher was Mrs. Kuperus,
who was the Headmistress, also.
.She loved her Grandmother, who fell ill in 1941 and
died in 1942.
.She had nearly 30 friends but other than discussing
ordinary, everyday things, she did not confide in
them.
.Her diary, which she had got as a gift on her
thirteenth birthday, from her father, was her only
true friend.
.She called her diary Kitty.
.On Saturday, 20 June 1942, Anne's diary entry has
described her Maths Teacher, Mr Keesing, the
punishment she got for talking in class and the
nervousness of her classmates on the day of
promotion to the next class.
.She had nine teachers, seven men and two women.
.She wrote that her whole class was nervous
because a meeting, regarding promotion of
students to the next class, was in progress.
.Two boys of her class, C. N. and Jacques kept on
betting as to who would pass and who would fail.
.According to Anne, quarter of her classmates
actually deserved to fail, however, she says teachers
are unpredictable.
.Anne was only afraid of not doing well in Maths.
Mr Keesing, her Maths teacher, was annoyed with
Anne, because she talked too much, in class.
.As a punishment she was made to write an essay
on A Chatterbox, by him.
.She wrote three pages on it and argued that talking
was a student's trait and she
would do her best to control it. But she would not
be able to cure it entirely because her mother also
talked as much as she did. Therefore, it was
inherited and so incurable.
.Mr Keesing had a good laugh at her arguments but
gave her another essay to write on 'An Incorrigible
Chatterbox'.
.She wrote that essay, too, but continued talking in
class.
In the third Maths class, Mr Keesing was so fed up
with her talking, that he asked her to write, yet,
another essay titled 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said
Mistress Chatterbox.
.The class roared with laughter. Anne's friend who
was good in writing poetry offered to help her write
the essay in verse.
.Anne, just to ensure the joke was on Mr Keesing,
wrote the essay in verse form.
.She wrote a poem on a mother duck and a father
swan, with three baby ducklings, who were bitten
to death by the father, because they quacked too
much.
.Mr Keesing had a good sense of humour, he did not
get annoyed, but enjoyed the joke and read her
poem to the whole class and to other classes, too.
.After that, Mr Keesing never scolded Anne for
talking too much in the class.
Q1Was Anne right when she said that the world
would not be interested in the musings of a
thirteen-year-old girl ?
Ans. No, Anne was not right when she said that the
world would not be interested in the musings of a
thirteen-year-old girl because the diary became
world famous. As a matter of fact,it became a
chronicle of the events of the Second World War
and the persecution of the Jews.Not only was it
later translated into various languages but movies
and serial were also made on it.

Q.2. There are some examples of diary or journal

entries in the 'Before you read section'. Compare
these with what Anne writes in her diary. What
language was the diary originally written in ? In
what way is Anne's diary different?
Ans. In the section 'Before you read' it is mentioned
that her diary was a unique record, a chronicle of
daily life in hiding, in the Annexe. In her diary entry,
she mentions that no one would be interested in
the musings of a thirteen-year-old. But contrary to
that, the section, mentions that it became one of
the most widely read books in the world. Not only
that, several television, theatrical productions and
even an opera was based on it. The tone of the
entries is that of a conversation between her and
Kitty. It is more of a memoir than a journal.
Q.3. Why does Anne need to give a brief sketch
about her family ? Does she treat Kitty as an insider
or an outsider?
Ans. Anne needed to give a brief sketch about her
family because, she felt, no one would understand a
word of her stories, without any knowledge of her
background. She treats Kitty as an insider rather
than an outsider that is why she confides everything
in her.
Q.4. How does Anne feel about her father, her
grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing? What
do these tell you about her
?
Ans. Anne adores her father and considers him to
be the most adorable father in the world. She loves
her grandmother and misses her presence dearly.
She is extremely fond of MrsKuperus her teacher
and headmistress. When bidding her farewell, Anne
started weeping. She does not like the subject
Maths so she tends to talk in Mr Keesing's class. He
punishes her but Anne with her ability to play with
words is able to change his attitude towards her.
Rather he is impressed with her logic and sense of
humour. Her relationship with the above shows that
Anne is highly sensitive. She is obedient and
respectful yet has a mind of her own. She is witty
and has a keen sense of humour.

Q.5. What does Anne write in her first essay ?

Ans. Anne argues in her first essay that talking is a
student's trait and she will try to control it.
However, she has inherited it from her mother, who
is as talkative as she, therefore, she may not be able
do much about it.

Q.6. Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is

Mr Keesing also unpredictable?
How?
felt
Ans. Anne seems to be right in her observation
about teachers. Mr Keesing is also unpredictable
because in her third essay she purposely wrote a
poem about the three ducklings who were bitten to
death by their father for quacking too much just to
ensure that the joke was on Mr Keesing but he did
not get angry rather took it lightly and had a hearty
laugh over it.After that he never scolded Anne for
talking in class.
Q.7. What do these statements tell us about Anne
Frank as a person ?
(i)We don't seem to be able to get any closer, and
that is the problem. Maybe it is my fault that we do
not confide in each other.
Ans. The statement reveals that Anne is an honest
critic of her own self. Though she has many friends
she is close to none and admits it to be her fault. I
think that Anne does not trust any of her friends
enough to confide in them. I also think she is afraid
of being judged and so is careful in sharing her
feelings with others.
(ii) I don't want to jot down my thoughts in my
diary as the way most people would, but I want the
diary to be my friend.
Ans. lt reveals that Anne is different from others.
She is innovative. Sne does not have any close
firiend. But she feels the need to get things off her
chest so she wants to treat her diary her friend in
whom she could confide everything.
(iii) Margot went to Holland in December and I
followed in February, when I was plunked down on
the table as a birthday present for Margot.
Ans. This statement reveals her sense of humour.
She has the knack of expressing herself
extraordinarily.

(iv) If you ask me, there are so many dummies that

about a quarter of the class should be kept back,
but teachers are the most unpredictable creatures
on earth.
Ans. It reflects that Anne is observant and
analytical. She is aware that only a very few would
repeat the class, most will be promoted.

(v) Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces

between the words, but the trick was to come up
with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of
talking.
Ans. It proves that she is very intelligent and sharp.
She has a logical way of dealing with problems. She
is intelligent and rational.
Question Answers -Amanda
1. How old is Amanda ? How can you say that ?
Ans. Amanda is a young, school going girl, 10- 13
years old. We can say this because she imagines
herself to be a mermaid and Rapunzel. Both are
characters in fairy tales, At this age, young girls love
reading fairy tales and indulge in fantasising. Q.2.
Who do you think is speaking to her?
Ans. Amanda's mother is speaking to her.
Q.3. Why are stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in
parentheses ?
Ans. Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parentheses
because they describe the world of Amanda's
imagination. It is the undescribed, quiet and blissful
world where she is completely free. Moreover, they
are her thoughts in response to her mother's
instructions, in each preceding stanza of stanza 2, 4
and 6, respectively. The speaker in stanza 2, 4 and 6
is Amanda .I don't think she is listening to the
speaker, who is her mother, in stanzas 1, 3, 5 and 7.
She has blocked herself off from her constant
nagging.
Q4. What would Amanda do if she were a mermaid
?
Ans. Amanda would drift peacefully on the bright
green sea, all alone, away from mother's constant
nagging. There would be no one there to disturb
her. She would be free to do whatever she wants.
Q.5. Is Amanda an orphan ? Why does she say so ?
Ans. Amanda is not an orphan because she has her
mother constantly nagging her. She says so because
she hates being instructed by her mother not to do
or do something or the other, all the time. She
wishes she were an orphan because then she would
not be controlled by her parents. She wants to be
free and roam around, bare feet making patterns in
the sand.
Q.6. Do you know the story of Rapunzel ? Why does
she want to be Rapunzel?
Ans. Yes, I know the story of Rapunzel. She was a
beautiful girl, with long golden hair, locked up in a
tower, by an enchantress. There was no door to
enter the tower.
enchantress could enter the tower with the help of
Rapunzel's hair, which she lets down tor to climb
up. She wants to be Rapunzel so that her mother
would not disturb her up there in the tower.She
also decides not to let her hair down for anyone to
climb up.She wants to enjoy complete peace and
freedom to do whatever she wants.
Q.7. What does the girl yearn for ? What does it tell
you about Amanda :
Ans. Tho girl yearns for freedom. It tells us that
Amanda is a young, school going girl, 10 -13 years
old. She is fed up of her mother's constant nagging
and wishes to be free from her control.She is fed up
of her mother's constant nagging. She doesn't like
to be told to clean her room,shoes, do her
homework or care about her appearance. She loves
eating chocolates. She is an introvert who prefers
her world of fantasy and fairy tales. She is an
imaginative girl who has parents who do not
understand or care to know what she feels.
Q.8. Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is
sulking or moody ?
Ans. Yes, I think, Amanda is sulking because she
does not look at her mother when being instructed
by her. She is lost in her thoughts of being free from
her mother's control shows her irritation at being
nagged.
KEY POINTS
Hundred Dresses I
.Wanda Petronski was a Polish girl who studied in
an American town with other American children.
.She was a poor girl, who kept to herself, and lived
in Boggins Heights.
.Wanda was different. Her name was different and
her American classmates found it funny.
. Wanda did not have many friends.
.No one missed Wanda Petronski in the class.
• The only time they thought about Wanda was
outside of school hours, either in the morning or
during noon time, after school.
. Wanda was a source of amusement for Peggy and
Maddie, who waited for Wanda just to have fun
with her.
.Peggy would ask her how many dresses she had.
Her answer was she had 100 dresses and 60 pairs of
shoes, of all colours and different.
. They made fun of her because she had only one
faded, blue dress which she wore to school
everyday.
. Though Wanda was absent on Monday and
Tuesday but Peggy and Maddie missed her only on
Wednesday because they had been waiting for her
just to have fun which made them late to school.
• Maddie wished Peggy would stop teasing
Wanda.
. She too was poor, though not as poor as Wanda,
and also wore other people's hand-me-down
clothes.
• The only difference was that she did not have a
funny name and she did not live in Boggins Heights.
. She thought of writing a note to Peggy but did not
do so because she did not wish to be her next
target.
• There was a drawing and colouring contest in
the school in which girls had to design dresses and
boys motorboats.
• Maddie was sure Peggy would win the contest
because she was the best in drawing.
• When the students entered the class they saw a
display of 100 designs of beautiful dresses, in all
colours, hanging on the walls.
• Miss Mason announced that all the girls had
submitted one or two designs but Wanda had
submitted a hundred designs and all were different
and beautiful.
. The winner of the medal was Wanda Petronski.
Question answers - Hundred Dresses -1
Q1. Do it yourself
Q2. Where does Wanda live?What kind of place do
you think it is?
Ans. Wanda lived at Boggins Heights, the part of the
town where very poor people lived. It was a slum
area, dirty and muddy. Wanda's feet were,
therefore, caked with mud.

Q3.When and why do Peggy and Maddie notice

Wanda's absence ?
Ans. Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda's absence
on Wednesday. They waited for Wanda just to tease
her and have fun with her but she didn't come and
so they were late in reaching school.
Q4. What do you think "to have fun with her"
means here ?
Ans. Here "to have fun with her" means enjoying
themselves by asking her about the number of
dresses she had to which she always answered a
hundred. They knew she was lying and so had a
hearty laugh at her claiming to have them. It had
become a source of amusement for them. Q.5. In
what way was Wanda different from the other
children ?
Ans. Wanda Petronski was a Polish girl, studying
with American children, in an American school. Her
name was different so her classmates found it
funny. She was extremely poor and lived at Boggins
Heights. She was the only student in the class who
came from that area of the town. Moreover, she did
not have any friends and hardly spoke to anyone.
Her feet were always caked with mud and she wore
the same blue dress, which was faded, everyday, to
school.
Q.6. Did Wanda have a hundred dresses? Why do
you think she said she did?
Ans. No, Wanda did not have a hundred dresses. I
think she said so in order to make her position
among the girls, as she was aware of the fun they
made of her.
Q.7. Why is Maddie embarrassed by the questions
Peggy asks Wanda ? Is she also like Wanda, or is she
different ?
Ans. Maddie is embarrassed by the questions Peggy
asks Wanda because she was also poor, though not
as poor as Wanda, and also wore other people's
hand-me-down clothes. The only difference was
that she did not have a funny name and she did not
live at Boggins Heights. Moreover, Peggy was her
best friend.
Q8.Why didn't Maddie ask Peggy to stop teasing
Wanda ? What was she afraid of ?
Ans. Maddie did not ask Peggy to stop teasing
Wanda because Peggy was her best friend and she
too enjoyed having fun with Wanda. She did not
want to be on the wrong side of Peggy. She was
afraid of becoming Peggy's next target if she
annoyed her.
Q.9. Who did Maddie think would win the drawing
contest? Why ?
Ans. Maddie thought that Peggy would win the
dress designing contest because she drew better
than anyone else in the class.
Q.10. Who won the drawing contest ? What had the
winner drawn ?
Ans. The drawing contest was won by Wanda
Petronski. She had drawn hundred designs of
beautifully coloured dresses. Each design was
exquisite, different and worthy of being the best.
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
Q.1. How was Wanda seen as different by the other
girls ? How did they treat her?
Ans. Wanda lived in Boggins Heights a poor
American town. Her name appeared to be strange
and funny. She dressed shabbily and her feet were
generally covered with dry mud. Theother girls
made fun of her. They asked her about number of
dresses, shoes, etc. she had. Her range answers
made them laugh.
Q2 How does Wanda feel about the dresses game ?
Why does she say she has hundred dresses?
Ans. Wanda feels humiliated about the dresses
game which Peggy and the others play with her.She
realises they are making fun of her poverty and so
to counter them tells them that she has a hundred
dresses hanging in her closet. She is honest in a way
because she has drawn the designs of exactly a
hundred dresses on great sheets of wrapping paper.
.3. Why does Maddie stand by and not do anything
? How is she different from Peggy ? (Was Peggy's
friendship important for Maggie ? Why ? Which
lines in the text tell you this ?)
Ans. Maddie still stands by and does nothing
because Peggy is her best friend. She does not have
the courage to stop her. She is also afraid that
Peggy and the others might start on her next. She is
different from Peggy because she feels embarrassed
at times when Peggy teases Wanda about the
dresses she has. She is also poor, though not as
poor as Wanda, and usually wears others' hands-
todown clothes. Peggy on the other hand comes
from a well to do family. Peggy's friendship is
important for her and the lines which tell us this are
" She was Peggy's best friend, and Peggy was the
best-liked girl in the whole room. Peggy could not
do anything that was really wrong, she thought."
Q.4. What does Miss Mason think of Wanda's
drawings ? What do the children think of them ?
How do you know ?
Ans. Miss Mason is full of appreciation for Wanda's
submission of not one or two but a hundred
drawings. She thinks that her drawings are exquisite
and each one is different and worthy of winning the
prize. When the children entered the class they
gasped when they saw the drawings made on great
sheets of wrapping papers, painted in dazzling
colours and brilliant, lavish designs. Everybody
stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly. The
children burst into applause and even the boys
stamped on the flor and whistled though they were
not interested in dresses. Peggy and Maddie also
could not help but admire Wanda's drawings.
The hundred dresses 2
COMPREHENSION CHECK QUESTIONS
Q1. What did Mr Petronski's letter say?
Ans.Mr Petronski's letter said that he had
withdrawn his kids from school and moved to a
bigger town. He had taken this step so that his kids
would not be teased because of their name which
the kids of this town found funny. In a big town
there would be many kids with such names so they
would not be teased.
2. Is Miss Mason angry with the class, or is she
unhappy and upset ?
Ans. Miss Mason is not angry with the class. She is
unhappy and upset because a talented girl like
Wanda had left school because of the way she was
treated by her students.
Q3. How does Maddie feel after listening to the
note from Wanda's father ?
Ans. Maddie felt very guilty because of her
cowardice. She did not like the way Peggy teased
Wanda but still she remained a silent spectator. She
did nothing to stop Peggy from doing so.Maddie
was very upset and sad.
Q.4. What does Maddie want to do ?
Ans. Maddie wants to visit Wanda and tell her that
she had not meant to hurt her feelings. She also
wanted to tell her that she had won the contest and
they thought she was smart and the hundred
dresses were beautiful.
Q.5. What excuses does Peggy think up for her
behaviour ? Why?
Ans. Peggy justified her behaviour by saying that
asking her about her dresses gave Wanda good
ideas for her drawings. She would not have won the
contest if they had not picked on her. Also that she
didn't call her a foreigner or make fun of her name.
Moreover, she thought she was very dumb and
wouldn't know that they were making fun of her.
She said so because she too was feeling ashamed of
herself but did not want to admit it.
Q.6. What are Maddie's thoughts as they go to
Boggins Heights?
Ans. As they go to Boggins Height Maddie hopes
that they would find Wanda so that they could tell
her how sorry she was to have picked on her, and
how wonderful the whole school could tell thinks
she is. She would also request her not to move
away as everybody would be nice to her.Moreover,
she and Peggy would fight with anyone who is not
nice to her.
Q.7. Why does Wanda's house remind Maddie of
Wanda's blue dress?
Ans Wanda's house is small, sparse and shabby but
clean. Wanda's dress too was shabby and looked as
if it had not been ironed for a long time. Both were
a reflection of poverty, that is why the house
reminds her of Wanda.

Q8. What does Maddie think hard about ?

What important decision does she come to?
Ams. Maddie thinks hard about Wanda, her faded
blue dress, the little house she had lived in. and her
hundred dresses, all lined up in the classroom. She
makes an important decision that she would never
remain a silent spectator of anyone picking on
someone just because they were funny looking or
had strange names. She would always speak up
even if it meant losing her friend Peggy and never
make anybody else unhappy again.
Q.9. What did the girls write to Wanda?
Ans. Peggy and Maddie wrote a friendly letter to
Wanda. They wrote to her about the Contest and
that she was the winner. They told her how pretty
her drawings were. And asked her if she liked where
she was living and if she liked her new teacher. They
signed the letter with lots of love.
Q.1. Why do you think Wanda's family moved to a
different city? Do you think life there would be
different for the family ?
Ans. Wanda's family moved to a different city
because the children in school teased Wanda and
her brother. They were Polish so their cultural
background was different. Their names too were
strange for the kids studying in the American
school. The city where Wanda's family had moved
was a bigger city where acceptance of diverse
cultures was not as difficult as in the small city
where Peggy and Maddie lived. Therefore, life
would definitely be different there, not just for the
kids but also with regards to work opportunities for
Wanda's father.
Q.2. Maddie thought her silence was as bad as
Peggy's teasing. Was she right?
Ans. Yes, Maddie was right because a passive
observer of injustice is equally a party to it.Though
Maddie did not herself tease Wanda but she also
did not stop Peggy from doing so. Moreover, Peggy
was the most popular girl in her class and Maddie
did not want to be at the receiving end by annoying
her, therefore, she played along with her. Thus, it
was sheer cowardice and selfishness on her part to
keep quiet even though she did not like Peggy
teasing Wanda.
Q.3. Peggy says, "I never thought she had the sense
to know we were making fun of her anyway. I
thought she was too dumb. And gee, look how she
can draw!" What led Peggy to believe that Wanda
was dumb ? Did she change her opinion later ?
Ans. Peggy believed Wanda was dumb and so she
did not know that they were teasing her because
Wanda never retaliated. She always responded to
how many dresses she had by saying she had a
hundred dresses all lined up in her closet. She
would then walk away, with all the girls laughing
behind her back. The girls knew she was poor, as
she always wore the same blue, faded, shabby but
clean dress to school everyday. She could not afford
a hundred dresses but the confidence with which
Wanda answered made them laugh. It, therefore,
became a game, with Peggy and the others, who
had fun by teasing her, practically everyday, after
school.
When Wanda won the drawing contest and the
whole class looked with admiration, at the beautiful
hundred dresses sketched by her. displayed in the
classroom, Peggy's opinion of her changed.
Later, when Miss Mason read Mr. Petronsiki's letter
to the class Peggy realized Wanda was not dumb,
she was just a shy girl, from a financially weak
background, suffering from an inferiority complex.
She just did not want to pick up a fight with them as
she was a Polish migrant studying in an American
school.
Q.4. What important decision did Maddie make
? Why did she have to think hard think to do so ?
Ans. Maddie made the decision to always stand
against injustice and never remain a mute
spectator. She decided to speak up if she ever heard
anybody picking on someone because they were
funny looking or had a strange name. She had to
think hard because Wanda's family had left the city
because of the way she had been treated and
humiliated by her classmates,especially Peggy and
herself. Maddie did not get a chance to make
ammends. She felt sorry for the pain they had
caused not only to Wanda but also her family by
their behaviour.
Q.5. Why do you think Wanda gave Maddie and
Peggy the drawings of the dresses? Why are they
surprised ?
Ans Wanda gave Maddie and Peggy the dresses of
the drawings to show them that she did not nurture
any hard feelings against them, anymore. She had
forgiven them. They are surprised because they had
thought Wanda did not like them because they
were responsible for
humiliating her and it was because of them that
Wanda and her family had to leave school as well as
the city.
Q.6. Do you think Wanda really thought that the
girls were teasing her ? Why/Why not ?
Ans. Wanda was aware that the girls were teasing
her by asking her about how many dresses she had.
She was poor and used to wear the same, faded,
shabby but clean blue dress to school everyday. She
was ashamed of her poverty and so always sat at
the back of the class, unobtrusively. Wanda was
not dumb rather she was very talented. She felt
humiliated but did not retaliate because she was a
Polish girl studying with American kids with whom
she wanted to be friends. Moreover, she was too
self respecting to show that she felt humiliated. She
knew they were making fun of her poverty.

ANIMALS -POEM
TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS
Q1. Notice the use of the word 'turn' in the first line,
'I think I could turn and live with
animals..........'.What is the poet turning from?
Ans.The poet is wishing he could turn away from
human beings as he thinks they are false and
complicated. Animals, on the other hand, are
simple,peaceful, uncomplaining and selfsufficient.
2, Mention three things that humans do and
animals do not.
Ans The three things that the humans do and
animals do not are:
Humans are not contended. They keep complaining
about their condition. Animals do not grudge or
complain. They are satisfied and self- sufficient.
Humans commit sins and then feel guilty and spend
sleepless nights repenting. Animals sleep peacefully
because they have nothing to feel guilty about.
Humans make each other sick by preaching about
God. Animals do not preach because they do not
have any God.
Q3. Do humans kneel to other humans who lived
thousands of years ago ?
Ans. Yes, humans do worship their ancestors. They
kneel in front of their pictures, perform ceremonies
and seek their blessings. We can cite the example of
exemplary human beings, who had devoted their
lives for the cause of humanity. They are
worshipped even today by those who believe in
them.
Q4. What are the 'tokens' that the poet says he may
have dropped long ago, and which the animals have
kept for him ? Discuss this in class.
(Hint: Whitman belongs to the Romantic tradition
that includes Rousseau and Wordsworth, which
holds that civilisation has made humans false to
their own true nature. What could be the basic
aspects of our nature as living beings that humans
choose to ignore or deny ?
Ans. The 'tokens' that the poet says he may have
dropped long ago and which the animals have kept
for him are a reminder of his true nature. Virtues of
simplicity, sincerity, honesty and goodness remind
him of what he was and what he has become.
Ancient man was closer to nature and animals and
so he was happier and satisfied. But, man today, has
become hollow and artificial. His tendency to
compare himself with others makes him complain.
In his race to acquire worldly possessions and to
prove he is better and superior than all his other
look alikes has made him complicated and
pretentious. Animals are self-sufficient, peaceful,
simple and their needs are limited. They accept life
as it is so, they do not complain. They have retained
their basic goodness which man too possessed but
negligently, chose to ignore.
Ch Madam rides the Bus
KEY POINTS
.Valliammai, Valli for short, was a curious eight year
old girl who had no playmates.
.Her favourite pastime was standing in front of the
doorway of her house and watching what is
happening on the street, outside.
.She was fascinated by the bus that travelled
between her village and the nearest town.
. It passed through her street, each hour, once while
going to the town and once while returning to the
village.
.She had an overwhelming desire to ride in the bus.
.Valli had picked up small details about the bus
journey through the conversations of those who
had travelled by the bus and by asking some
discreet questions.
.She came to know that the town was six miles from
her village and the fare was thirty paisa, one way.
.This meant that she could take the one o’clock bus,
reached town by one forty five and calculated that
it would return by two forty five.
.Valli’s mother took a short nap daily between one
p.m. and four p.m.
.It was thus an ideal time to embark on her first
journey by bus, without her mother ever coming to
know about it.
.Valli managed to save Sixty paisa for the, to and
fro, bus journey.
.Valli’s confidence and assertiveness made the
conductor address her as Madam.
.When Valli stood up to look out of the window, an
old man addressed her as child and asked her to sit
Asked her to sit down, which made Valli angry. She
haughtily told him that she was not a child.
.An old woman, enquired about her house which
Valli did not like.
On her way to town, the bus started to crawl
because of a young cow running in the middle of
the road. Valli found it funny because the more the
driver honked the horn the faster it galloped right in
front of the bus.
Valli gaped in amazement at the big, bright looking
shops in the market and big crowds, in town.
.Valli did not get down in the town, she bought a
ticket for the return journey by the same bus.
.The conductor offered to get a cold drink for Valli
from a nearby stall which she firmly refused.
.On the return journey, she saw the same cow,
bleeding and lying dead on the road.
.Valli was saddened and her enthusiasm was
dampened. The sight of the dead cow haunted her.
.She reached her village at three thirty but no one
came to know about her trip by bus.
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Q1 What was Valli’s deepest desire?Find the words
and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Ans.Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus
which she saw every day. The sentences in the story
which depict this are as follows:
“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a
tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she
wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This
wish became stronger and stronger, until it was
overwhelming desire”.
2. How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find
out about the bus, and how did she save up the
fare?
Ans.Valli planned that she would take the one
o’clock bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be
back home by two forty-five. She tound out that the
town was six miles away from her village. The fare
was thirty paise one way. The trip to the town took
forty-five minutes. On reaching the town, if she
stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she
could return home on the same bus. She had
carefully saved whatever stray coins
Came her way, resisting every temptation to buy
peppermints, toys, balloons, etc. and finally she had
saved sixty paise.
Q.3. Why does the conductor refer to Valli
as madam?
Ans. The conductor was fond of joking. He refers to
Valli as ‘madam’ just to tease her because of her
haughty, assertive and confident behaviour. Valli
was just an eight year old child but was behaving
like a grown up and a confident young lady. She
declined everyone’s help. She
Was annoyed on being called a child or on receiving
uninvited sympathy from anyone. Moreover, she
had paid for her fare herself and was travelling all
alone. She pretended to be strong and not the least
scared of travelling all by herself. The conductor is
quite amused at her mannerisms.
Q4. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window
on her way back?
Ans. Valli refuses to look out of the window on her
way back because the same young cow which was
alive, and galloping in front of the bus, on the
journey towards town, had been hit by some
vehicle. It lay dead on the road, splattered with
blood. Valli was just an eight year old child and this
incident greatly affected her. It saddened and
dampened her enthusiasm.
Q5. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just
agreeing with what you said about things happening
without our knowledge” ?
Ans. Valli’ s mother, in her conversation with her
aunt, remarked that often one knows about
something but can’t understand it completely. Valli,
while agreeing with her mother, makes an ironical
reference to her bus ride and the dead cow about
which neither of the two had
Any knowledge.
Q.5. The author describes the things
that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s
point of view. Can you find evidence
from the text for this statement?
Ans. Valli has no playmates of her age group in the
village so her favourite pastime is standing at the
doorway of her house and watching what 1s
happening on the street. Her fascination for the bus
is also reflective of an eight year old. Valli thinks
thirty paisa, bus fare to be a big amount of money.
She has to painstakingly, plan for saving the paltry
sum. She saves
Stray coins, which come her way, and also resists
the temptation of buying peppermints,
toys,balloons and taking a ride on the merry-go-
round, in the village fair. Valli would get on with her
excursions in the afternoon from about one to four
as her mother used to take a nap during this period.
It gave Valli ample time and freedom to wander into
the village. She also chose this time
To venture out of the village in the bus. Her child
like spontaneity is reflected in the way she claps
and laughs, when she sees, that the more the driver
honks the horn, the faster the young cow gallops in
front of the bus. She finds it so funny that there are
tears in her eyes. She stands on the seat to peer out
of the window and is dumbstruck with the beautiful
sights she sees.
While returning she is saddened, confused and her
enthusiasm is dampened on seeing the dead
Cow. She no longer wants to look out of the
window.
Poem Tale of Custard:The dragon
Q2Why did Custard cry for a nice safe cage? Why is
the dragon called “cowardly dragon’”?
Ans.The Custard was coward. That is why, he was
called “cowardly dragon”. All other animal in the
poem laughed at him. He did not like that. So he
cried for a nice safe cage.
Q3. Belinda tickled him, she tickled him
unmerciful..” Why?
Ans, Belinda tickled Custard to tease him for his
cowardice.
4, The poet has enmployed many poetic devices in
the poem. For example: “”Clashed his tail like iron
in a dungeon”-the poetic device here is a simile. Can
you, with your partner, list some more such poetic
devices used in the poem?
Ans. Similes used in the poem:
-And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard.
-Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears
-Snorting like an engine.
-He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
5. Read stanza three again to know how the poet
describes the appearance of the dragon.
Ans. In stanza three of the poem, the poet describes
the physical side of the dragon. By stating his ‘big
sharp teeth’, ‘spikes’ and ‘scales’, the poet makes
him fearful.
6. Can you find out the rhyme scheme of two or
three stanzas of the poem?
Ans. The rhyme scheme is:
Second stanza-aa bb
Third stanza-aa bb
7. Writers use words to give us a picture or image
without actually saying what they mean. Can you
trace some images used in the poem?
Ans. Some of the images used in the poem are:
-Mouth like a fireplace
-Chimney for a nose
- Daggers on his toes
- His beard was long, one leg was wood.
8. Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be
a serious or a light-hearted poem ? Give reasons to
support your answer.
Ans. It is a light-hearted poem. The animals have
been treated as human beings. There is irony in the
poem. The animals who boast ot their power, prove
to be cowards. But the dragon whom everyone calls
cowardly, fights bravely and kills the pirate.
9. This poem, in ballad form, tells a story. Have you
come across any such modern song or Iyric that tells
a story? If you know one, tell it to the class. Collect
such songs as a project.
Do it yourself
Ch the sermon at Benares
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT

1. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house

to house, What does she ask for Does she get it?
Why not?

Ans. When Kisa Gotami son dies, she goes from

house to house, asking if she could n some medicine
that would cure her child. No, she does not get it
because her child dead and no medicine could bring
him back to life.

2. Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after

she speaks with the does she ask for the second
time around? Does she get it? Why not?
Ans. When she met the Buddha, he asked her to get
a handful of mustard seeds from ahouse where no
one has lost a child, husband. Patient ör friend. She
went from to house, but couldn’t get the mustard
seeds because there was not a single house wh no
one had died in the family.

3. What does Kisa Gotami understand the second

time that she failed to understandfirst time? Was
this what the Buddha wanted her to understand?
Ans. Kisa Gotami understood the second time that
death is common to all and that being selfish in her
grief. There was no house where some beloved had
not died.Yes, this was what Buddha wanted her to
understand.
4. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this
only the second time? In what way did the
Buddha change her understanding?
Ans. Kisa Gotami understood that death is common
to all and that she was being selfish in her grief. She
understood this only the second time because it
was then that there was not a single house where
some beloved First time round, she was only
thinking about her grief and was therefore, asking
for medicine that would cure her son. When she
met the Buddha, he asked her for a handful of
mustard seeds from a house where no one had
died. He did this purposely to make her realise that
there was not a single house where no beloved had
died, and tha death is natural. When she went to all
the houses for the second time, she felt die that she
could not gather the mustard seeds. Then, when
she sat and thought about itshe realised that the
late of men is such that they live and die. Death is
common to all. This was what the Buddha had
intended her to understand.

5. How do you usually understand the idea of

‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that
she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Ans. Selfishness is preoccupation with I, me, and
myself. Kisa Gotami was not in a position to think
about other people’s grief. It is natural to feel sad
over death of near and dear ones. But most people
carry on to their next responsibility of performing
last rites of the dead. People seldom carry a dead
body in the hope of some miracle happening to
that. The family and the society always come to be
those in hour of grief. But later on, life goes on. But
Kisa Gotami was so engrossed in her sorrow that
she forgot to think about
Other a live members of the family and society.
Ch the proposal
THINKING ABOUT THE PLAY

1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov

has come for? Ls he sincere when he later says
“And I’ve always loved you, my angel, as if you
were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer
from the play.
Ans. At first, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had
come to borrow money. He was not sincere when
he told Lomov he had always loved him and that he
was like his own son. He had decided thar he would
not give Lomov any money if he tried borrowing
from bim.If he truly meant what be said, then he
would not have thought of not giving him money.
He said so only because Lomov had come with the
proposal to marry his daughter

2. Chubukov says of Natalya: “.as if she won’t

consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s likes lovesick
cat… Would you agree? Find reasons for your
answer.

Ans. Chubukov thinks that Lomov was a good

marriage prospect for his daughter.He had been
waiting for this proposal. When Lomov expressed
his doubt regarding Natalya consent to the
proposal, Chubukov immediately told him that she
was in love with him However, this was not true
Natalya did not seem to be in love with Lomov at
any point in the play. It seemed like she was more
attached to her land, meadows, and dog than to
Lomov. In fact, the way they kept getting into
argument albout trivial matters suggest that neither
Lomov nor Natalya was in love with the other.

3. (i) Find all the words and expressions in the play

that the characters use to speak about each
other, and the accusations and insults they hurl at
each other, (for example, Lomov in the end calls
Chubukov an intriguer; but earlier, Chubukov has
himself called Lomov a “malicious, doublefaced
intriguer.” Again, Lomov begins by describing
Natalya as “an excellent housekeeper, not bad-
looking, well educated.”)
(ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival
expressions of your own to describe cach character
in the play.

Ans. (i) Several words and expressions have been

used by the characters to describe cash other. Some
of them are as follows

(1) Chubukov: grabber: intriguer, old rat: Jesuit

Natalya: a lovesick cat an excellent housekeeper,

not bad-looking, well-educated

Lomov: a good neighbour, a friend: an impudent: a

pettifogger a mali double-faced intriguer: rascal:
blind hen; turnip-ghost: a villain: a scarecrow, a
monster the stuffed sausage, the wizen-faced
frump: boy, fool.