DAV SER. SEC.

SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 1 (A LETTER TO GOD – G.L. FUENTES)

WORD MEANINGS :

Crest : top of a mountain/hill

Solitary : existing alone
Conscience : an inner sense
Amiable : friendly and pleasant
Crooks : criminals or dishonest people

Resemble : Having a similar appearance to something

Plague : A large number of insects infesting a place and causing damage
Correspondence : Sending and receiving letters
Theist : One who believes in God
Omniscient : One who knows everything
Philanthropist : One who seeks the welfare of others, especially by
donation
Question 1.
What did Lencho hope for?
Answer:
Lencho hoped for a good rain as it was much needed for a good
harvest.
Question 2.
Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Answer:
Lencho compared the raindrops with new coins because they were
promising him a good harvest resulting in more prosperity.
Question 3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s
field?
Answer:
The rain changed into hailstones as a strong wind began to blow and
huge hailstones began to fall along with the rain. All the crops in
Lencho’s field got destroyed because of the weather conditions.

Question 4.
What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped ?
Answer:
Lencho was filled with grief after the hail stopped as everything was
ruined and there was nothing that he could feed his family with. He
could see a bleak future for him and his family.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 1 (A LETTER TO GOD – G.L. FUENTES)
Question 5.
Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do? Answer:
Lencho had firm faith in God. He believed that God sees everything,
even what is deep in one’s conscience and help everyone in one’s
problems. He wrote a letter to God demanding him a hundred pesos to
sow his field again.

Question 6.
Who read the letter?
Answer:
Postmaster read the letter.

Question 7.
What did the postmaster do after reading a letter?
Answer:
The postmaster laughed when he read Lencho’s letter but soon he
became serious and was moved by the writer’s faith in God. He didn’t
want to shake Lencho’s faith. So, he decided to collect money and send
it to Lencho on behalf of God.

Question 8.
Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Answer:
Lencho was not surprised to find a letter with money from God as he
believed that God will help him.
Question 9.
What made Lencho angry?
Answer:
There were only seventy pesos in the envelope whereas Lencho had
demanded a hundred pesos. The difference in the amount made him
angry.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 1 (A LETTER TO GOD – G.L. FUENTES)
THINKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Question 1.
Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story
tell you this?
Answer:
Lencho has complete faith in God as he is instructed that God knows
everything and helps us in our problems. There are few sentences
which show this
 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.
 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.
 “God”, he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go
hungry this year”.
 He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and still
troubled, went to town.
 God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied
Lencho what he had requested.

Question 2.
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the
letter God?
Answer:
The postmaster sends money to Lencho in order to keep Lencho’s faith
in God alive and firm as he was completely moved by it. When
postmaster reads the letter of Lencho to God, he becomes serious and
does not want to shake his faith and decides to answer the letter. He
gathers money with the help of his post office employees and friends
on behalf of God and signs the letter ‘God’ so that Lencho’s faith does
not get shaken.

Question 3.
Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why or why
not?
Answer:
Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money to him because
he never suspected the presence of God and had complete faith in
God. He could not believe that it could be – anybody else other than
him who would send him the money.
His faith in God was so strong that he believed that he had sent money
to him for his help in his problem.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 1 (A LETTER TO GOD – G.L. FUENTES)

Question 4.
Draw the character sketch of Lencho.
Answer
Lencho is the main character of the story “The Letter to God.” He is a
poor farmer who is the sole bread-earner of the family. He had faith in
God. Lencho lived in a small house which was situated on the crest of a
low hill in the valley. Throughout the morning Lencho sat in his house
and waited for the rain to come. He wished for the rain or the shower
for his field in which he had grown his crops. Lencho wrote the letter to
God as he thought that he would be the only one to help him in his bad
times. He wrote a letter addressing to God to send him 100 pesos so
that he and his family can survive in such a difficult situation.

Question 5.
Draw the character sketch of the postmaster.
Answer
The postman in the story "A Letter to God" was of a very humble and kind
in nature. When he saw that a person had written a letter addressing to the
God he read the letter and decided to help the innocent person. He very
well knew that there is no address of God to which he will deliver Lencho's
letter. Hence he decided to not let Lencho's emotions down and help him by
contributing money. But after seeing Lencho second letter everyone
including the postman felt very sad as he had complained to God about the
people working the post office.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 2 (NELSON MANDELA : A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM)
DICTATION
dignitaries, inauguration, amphitheatre, distinguished, emancipation,
deprivation, discrimination, transitory, resilience, reign
WORD MEANINGS
apartheid policy of racial segregation
jubilant joyful
besieged surrounded
emancipation freedom from restriction
bedecked decorated
inclination natural learning
inevitably unavoidably
transitory yearned temporary desired
curtailed deeply reduced
resilience ability to deal with hardships

Question 1.
Where did the ceremonies take place ? Can you name any public
buildings in India that are made of sandstones?
Answer:
The ceremonies took place in the campus of the Union Building of
Pretoria, which were attended by dignitaries and leaders of many
nations. In India; Rashtrapati Bhavan and Red Fort are buildings made
of red sandstone.
Question 2.
Can you say how 10th May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa? Answer:
As South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, May falls in the
autumn season. Thus 10th May is an ‘autumn day’.
Question 3.
At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary
human disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious
human achievement” he speaks of at the end?
Answer:
By ‘an extraordinary human disaster’ Mandela means to state the
practice of apartheid in South Africa. There was a racial segregation
based on colour and the blacks suffered a lot. They were not allowed to
demand freedom or any right. Mandela himself spent many years on
infamous ‘Robben Island’ as a prisoner where he was beaten
mercilessly. He considered it as great glorious human achievement that
a black person became the President of a country where they were not
even considered human beings.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 2 (NELSON MANDELA : A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM)

Question 4.
What does Mandela thank the international leaders for ?
Answer:
Mandela thanks all of them for having come to witness the historical
ceremony. This was a gesture of international recognition to a newly
born free democratic nation and it could be considered as a common
victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

Question 5.
What ideals does Nelson Mandela set for the future of South Africa?
Answer:
Nelson Mandela set the ideals of liberating people from bondage of
poverty, deprivation and suffering. He also set the ideal for a society
where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial
origins.

Question 6.
What did the military generals do ? How did their attitude change and
why?
Answer:
The highest military generals of South African defense force saluted
Mandela and pledged their loyalty which was of great significance as
during apartheid era they would have arrested him. The change in
their attitude was because of struggle and sacrifices put in by many
heroes of South Africa. This struggle not only ensured the freedom of
a nation struggling with apartheid, bur brought a change in mindsets
of many.

Question 7.
Why were two national anthems sung?
Answer:
On the auspicious occasion of the inauguration two national anthems:
one by the Whites and the other by the Blacks symbolising the equality
of the Blacks and the Whites were sung.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 2 (NELSON MANDELA : A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM)
Question 8.
How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country
(i) in the first decade, and
(ii) in the final decade, of the twentieth century?
Answer:
(i) In the first decade of the century, the whites erected a system of racial
domination against the blacks, thus creating the basis of one of the
harshest and most inhumane societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the final decade of the 20th century, the previous system had been
overturned and replaced by one which recognised rights and freedom
of all people regardless of color of their skin.

Question 9
What does courage mean to Mandela?
Answer:
For Mandela courage does not mean the absence of fear but a victory
over fear. According to him brave men need not be fearless but should
be able to conquer fear.

Question 10.
Which does Mandela think is natural, to love or to hate?
Answer:
For Mandela, love comes more naturally to the human heart than hate.

Question 11.
What “twin obligations” does Mandela mention?
Answer:
Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations. The first is to
his family, parents, wife and children; the second obligation is to his
people, his community and his country.

Question 12.
What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student ? How
does he contrast these “transitory freedoms” with “the basic and
honourable freedoms”?
Answer:
Like any other kid, for Mandela freedom meant to make merry and
enjoy the blissful life. Once one becomes an adult, antics of childhood
looks like transitory because most of the childish activities are
wasteful from an adult’s perspective. Once you are adult, you have
to earn a livelihood to bring the bacon home. Its only then when you
get an honourable existence in the family and in the society.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 2 (NELSON MANDELA : A LONG WALK TO FREEDOM)
Question 13.
Does Mandela think the oppressor is free? Why/why not?
Answer:
Mandela does not think that the oppressor is free because according to
him an oppressor is a victim of hatred who is behind the bars of
prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He realises that both the oppressor
and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity and peace.

Question 14.
Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the
inauguration ? What did it signify the triumph of?
Answer:
To be the part of the inauguration, international leaders showed a
gesture of solidarity from international community to the idea of end of
apartheid. It was the significance of the victory of good over evil and
triumph of a tolerant society without any discrimination.

Question 15.
What does Mandela mean when he says he is “simply the sum of all
those African patriots”, who had gone before him ?
Answer:
By saying that he is simply the sum of all those African patriots,
Mandela wants to pay his tribute to all the people who have sacrificed
their lives for the sake of freedom. He says that he is grateful to those
who had gone before him because those heroes of past had paved the
path of co-operation and unity for him. Therefore, he could try to come
to power to bring equality for his people with their support.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 3 (TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING)
HIS FIRST FLIGHT – LIAM O’FLAHERTY

WORD MEANINGS
brink edge
buster up gather
plunge dive
upbraiding scolding
skim moving lightly over an area
whet sharpening
derisively mockingly
plaintively sorrowfully
ledge a narrow horizontal shelf
starving dying of hunger
devour eating at a great speed
preening smoothing feathers with beak

Question 1.
Why did the young seagull not go with the rest of his family?
Answer:
The young seagull did not go with the rest of his family because he
was afraid to fly.

Question 2.
How did seagull’s parents try to make him fly?
Answer:
Seagull’s parents tried everything to make him fly. They screamed,
scolded and threatened to let him starve on the ledge unless he flew
away.

Question 3.
What had the young seagull watched his parents doing the day before?
Answer:
The day before the young seagull had watched his parents flying about
with his brothers and sister, perfecting in the art of flying and
teaching them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 3 (TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING)
HIS FIRST FLIGHT – LIAM O’FLAHERTY
Question 4.
When did the seagull get over his fear of flying over the sea?
Answer:
The seagull was afraid of flying over the sea because he thought that
he would drown. His family decided to teach him a lesson. They left
him unattended. The mother tore at a piece of fish that lay at her feet
now and then in his front. Since the seagull was hungry too much, he
was . compelled to attempt his first flight in order to get food. He was
successful. This is when he got over his fear flying over the sea.

Question 5.
Describe the young seagull’s expression when he saw his mother with
food.
Answer:
The young seagull uttered a joyful scream because he thought that
his mother was bringing food for him. He tried to come nearer to her
as she flew across.

Question 6.
Why did the young seagull feel very miserable on the ledge?
Answer:
The young seagull felt very miserable on the ledge as he was alone and
his family had already flown away. He was feeling very hungry and
had nothing to eat. His condition was worsening because he could not
even dive for fish.

Question 7.
How did the young seagull and his family celebrate his first flight?
Answer:
When the young seagull started flying and got over his fear, his
family screamed around him out of joy. They praised him and offered
him scraps of dog-fish out of delight as he made a successful attempt.

Question 8.
Describe the first flight of the young seagull.
Answer:
The young seagull dived at the fish due to hunger and fell
outwards and downwards into space. He thought of getting drowned
but his wings spread outwards automatically. He moved downwards
and outwards and landed safely on the sea and floated on it without
any fear.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 3 (TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING)
HIS FIRST FLIGHT – LIAM O’FLAHERTY
Question 9.
How did the mother make the young seagull come out of his fear and
teach him the art of flying?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid of flying because he thought that his
wings won’t support him and he would drown. When his family left
him alone of the ledge, he felt alone and was very hungry. They tried
hard to make him fly but he never showed the courage to try. His
mother knowingly tore a
piece of fish near him and flew across to him with it. She came close to
him but did not go nearer. Already mad by hunger, he dived at the fish
but fell into space. After sometime his wings spread outwards and he
began to fly. His family landed on the sea ahead of him. They
beckoned him so he landed on the sea and began to sink into water but
when his belly touched the water, he floated without any fear and
difficulty.

Question 10.
Fear and lack of confidence stop one from learning new things. Do
you agree? How did these two traits of the young seagull make him
coward? How did he overcome these short comings?
Answer:
Yes, It is true that fear and lack of confidence stop one from learning
new things as in the story, the young seagull lacked the value of
courage and confidence in his character. He was too scared of flying.
His family tried hard to make him fly but he refused to do so because
of his fear of sinking in the seawater. They even scolded him for his
cowardice. They tried to tempt him with food but he was not willing to
learn flying. Once he dived, his fear disappeared and he enjoyed his
first flight.
It is a fact that unless we try for something and overcome our fear, we
can’t learn anything. Confidence and motivation are two most
important traits that make any learning possible.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 3 (TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING)
THE BLACK AEROPLANE – FREDERICK FORSYTH

WORD MEANINGS
countryside rural
twisted side moved sideways
frightened afraid

Question 1.
Describe author’s feeling while he was flying his aeroplane back to
England?
Answer:
The author was very excited while he was flying his aeroplane back to
England because he wanted to spend his holiday with his family at
home.

Question 2.
How much fuel was there in the aeroplane when the writer started
flying?
Answer:
There was sufficient fuel in the tanks of the aeroplane to reach
England safely when the writer started flying.

Question 3.
What risk did the writer take while flying? Why?
Answer:
The writer decided to risk to fly through the storm clouds because he
wanted to enjoy his holiday with his family back in England.

Question 4.
What did the writer feel inside the clouds?
Answer:
When the writer entered the clouds, it became impossible to see
outside the aeroplane. The aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air and
all the instruments like compass etc. stopped working due to the
weather conditions.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 3 (TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING)
THE BLACK AEROPLANE – FREDERICK FORSYTH

Question 5.
Why did the woman in control room get shocked when the writer asked
about another aeroplane?
Answer:
The woman in the control room was shocked when the writer asked
about another aeroplane because there was no such plane flying in the
sky that night as she saw on the radar.

Question 6.
How did the writer get out of the storm in the night to land safely?
Answer:
The writer was flying his old Dakota aeroplane when he saw the black
clouds. He was lost in the storm. Suddenly, he saw a black aeroplane
by his side, which had no lights, on its wings.
The pilot instructed the writer to follow as he had lost the way. He
obeyed him like a child. He was very happy to follow him. After some
time, the pilot of another plane started to land. The writer followed him
blindly through the storm and came out of the clouds. He saw the lights
of the runway and landed safely.

Question 7.
The pilot wanted to thank another pilot after his safe landing. Why?
What values of the writer are reflected from his action?
Answer:
The pilot (writer) of the old Dakota was caught in the storm. He lost
his contact with the control room. In this troubling situation, his fuel
tank was also empty. He lost all his hopes but suddenly a black
strange plane appeared. The pilot of the black place asked writer to
follow him. The writer landed safely. After his safe landing, he
wanted to thank the pilot of the black plane. This shows his
gratitude towards the pilot of the Black Plane.
He was thankful to him for saving his life. It shows that the pilot of
Dakota had a value of gratefulness in his character.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 4 (FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK)

WORD MEANINGS
musings thoughts
prompted encouraged
plunge start
emigrated migrated, relocate
solemn serious
inherited got from family
trait feature
ingenuity skill
incorrigible the one who cannot be improved
ridiculous laughable, comical

Question 1.
What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank ?
Answer:
Two reasons make writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank.
One, she has never written anything before. Second, perhaps no one will be
interested in the thoughts of a thirteen- year-old school girl.

Question 2.
Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
Answer:
Anne wants to keep a diary because she had hardly any friends to confide
in. Secondly, she can’t talk about day-to-day happenings. In keeping a diary
she would do so.

Question 3.
Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people ?
Answer:
Anne thought so because she doesn’t have a true friend to confide in. She
treats the diary not to use it the way most people use. But she would treat it
as her best friend. Then diary would be closer than any friend.

Question 4.
Why does Anne provide a brief sketch of her life ?
Answer:
Anne provided a brief sketch of her life because she wanted to describe her
family, school and herself. By reading her diary, it could help the reader to
develop some sort of connection with her and all the activities that were
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 4 (FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK)

happening around her at that time.

Question 5.
What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother ?
Answer:
Anne was very close to her Grandmother. After her death, she writes in her
diary . “No one knows how often I think of her and still love her”. On her
13th birthday by lightening up one candle for Grandmother she shows her
love for her.

Question 6.
Why was Mr. Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
Answer:
Mr. Keesing was annoyed with Anne because she was very talkative. He
punished her by giving her extra homework to write essays to keep her
silent and the topics always related to her nature.

Question 7.
How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay ?
Answer:
In her essay she justified so by stating that talking was a student’s trait.
She would do her best to cure herself of the habit. Her mother talked as
much as she did if not more. Nothing could be done about inherited traits.

Question 8.
Do you think Mr. Keesing was a strict teacher?
Answer:
No, Mr. Keesing was not a bad or strict teacher because a teacher always
thinks for the welfare of his students. Any teacher would be annoyed if
children keep on talking in the class. Secondly, if he had been strict he
would not have laughed at Anne’s funny arguments.

Question 9:
What made Mr. Keesing allow Anne to talk in class?
Answer:
Anne’s last essay in the form of a poem showed Mr. Keesing the lighter side
of Anne. He was impressed with the way she presented her arguments in a
rhythmic manner.
Furthermore he had to accept that Anne would be this way and no
punishment would change her, thereafter she was never assigned extra
homework by him.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 4 (FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK)

Question 10:
Anne says teachers are most unpredictable. Is Mr. Keesing unpredictable?
How?
Answer:
Anne cited the perfect example of Mr. Keesing as an unpredictable teacher
because she felt that Mr. Keesing was indifferent towards her behaviour
who always rebuked her for her talkative nature. Although initially he
punished her by assigning extra homework, after reading her essays he
enjoyed a good laugh and thereafter never gave her such punishment and
allowed Anne to talk in the class.

Question 11.
‘Paper has more patience than people’. Elucidate.
Answer:
It requires a lot of patience to listen to someone’s private feelings and
problems. It is more important thing to keep another’s secrets to oneself.
People often pass them over to others. Sometimes, one is fed up with the
person and tries to avoid him. But paper never becomes impatient. One can
write on it as much as one desires and for as long as one wants to. As long
as anyone else does not read it, the secret remains a secret.

Question 12.
What do you know about Mr. Keesing? How did he punish Anne?
Answer:
Mr. Keesing was an old-fashioned maths teacher. Anne talked too much
during Mr. Keesing’s class and this annoyed him. He gave her several
warnings but that did not keep Anne away, from talking in the class. So Mr.
Keesing assigned her some extra homework as a punishment. He also has a
sense of humour. When Anne wrote about a mother duck and a father swan
with three baby ducklings who were bitten to death by father because they
quacked too much, Mr. Keesing took the poem in the right way and
understood the joke. After that, he never assigned any extra homework to
Anne for talking in the class. On the contrary, he was always making jokes
in the class.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 4 (FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK)

Question 13.
Write the character sketch of Anne Frank.
Answer:
Anne was a sensible, 13 year old girl. Though she had loving parents and
thirty friends, she was lonely. She could not share her innermost thoughts
and feelings with her friends. She knew that no one would understand her
need to keep a diary. Anne was very caring and loving. She adored her
father. She loved her grandma and often thought of her after her death.
The very fact that she thought so much to write a diary shows that she was
intelligent. Anne was also intelligent enough to realise that no one would
be interested in her writings. Her belief that paper has more patience than
people, also shows her intellectual. She was very talkative and was often
punished by her maths teacher. Yet she was intelligent and had a good
sense of humour. She convinced her teacher with her arguments,
ultimately, he took the joke and did not punish her any more.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT

CHAPTER : 7 (A BAKER FROM GOA – LUCIO RODRIGUES)

 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT

WORD MEANING
Reminiscing nostalgically think fondly of past
extinguished put off
heralding announcing
rebuke scolding
parapet wall on the edge of roof
peculiar strange
testimony statement
Question 1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Answer:
The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days and
their love of bread and loaves. The writer says that the eaters of loaves have
left but the makers still exist.
Question 2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Answer:
Yes, bread making is still popular in Goa. This is very clear from the
narrator’s statement that the eaters have gone away leaving the makers
behind. There are mixers, moulders and the ones who bake the loaves. The
time tested furnaces still exist there.
Question 3. What did the bakers wear :
1. In the Portuguese days.
Answer:
The bakers were usually dressed up in a peculiar dress called kabai. It was a
single piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
2. When the author was young.
Answer:
During his childhood days, the author saw the bakers wearing a shirt and
trousers which were shorter than full length ones and longer than half
pants.
Question 4. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Answer:
Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. It is needed for marriage gifts,
parties and feasts. Bread is also needed by a mother for preparing
sandwiches during her daughter’s engagement. Thus, it is necessary to have
breads for every occasion, because of which the presence of a baker’s
furnace in the age is very important.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 7 (COORG – LOKESH ABROL)

WORD MEANING
drifted separated
commence start
invigorating make one feel strong
main stream most followed tradition
tales of valor story of bravery
abound exist in large numbers
panoramic view view of wide area
ochre a moderate yellow - orange colour
Question 1. Where is Coorg?
Answer:
Coorg or Kodagu is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is situated
midway between Mysore and the cbastal town of Mangalore.
Question 2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent?
Answer:
The fiercely independent people of Coorg are descendents of Greeks or
Arabs. A section of Alexander’s army moved South along the coast and
settled here only when they were unable to return to their country. These
people married among the locals. This is the story about the descent of
Kodavu people.
Question 3. What are some of the things you now know about?
1. The people of Coorg.
Answer:
They are fiercely independent people and have descended from the
Greeks or the Arabs.
2. The main crop of Coorg.
Answer: Coffee is the main crop of Coorg.
3. The sports it offers to a tourists.
Answer:
It mostly offers adventure sports which include river rafting, canoeing,
rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.
4. The animals you are likely to see in Coorg.
Answer: The animals likely to be seen in Coorg are macaques, Malabar
squirrel, langurs, slender loris, elephants etc.
5. Its distance from Bangalore and how to get there.
Answer: By road, it is around 250 – 260 kilometres from Bangalore.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER : 7 (TEA FROM ASSAM – ARUP KUMAR DUTTA)

WORD MEANING
steaming hot
ardent keen/ very interesting
densely thickly
ascetic self disciplined
dwarfing making something look small
sturdy strongly built
billowing a moving cloud or mass of
smoke

1. How and where are tea leaves collected in Assam?

Answer:
Assam has the largest number of tea estates in India. Acre upon acre of tea
bushes is stretching as far as the eyes can go. All the bushes are pruned to
the same height. Groups of tea pluckers carry bamboo basket on their
backs to collect tea-leaves. They wear plastic aprons. They pluck the
newly-sprouted tea leaves from the bushes. Then the leaves are dried and
processed in factories.

2. What are the legends related to the discovery of tea?

Answer:
There are many popular legends about the discovery of tea. Two of them
are as follows —
A Chinse emperor was used to drinking boiled water. One day a twig from
the fire fell into the pot in which water was being boiled. It gave a
delicious flavour to the drink. It is said that those were tea leaves. An
Indian legend goes like this. Once there was a Buddhist ascetic who used
to feel sleepy during meditations. So he cut off his eyelids. Ten tea plants
grew out of the eyelids. When the leaves from these plants were put in hot
water and drunk they banished sleep.

4. Why was Rajvir so excited?

Answer:
Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before. He was looking at the
beautiful scenery. The soft green paddy fields gave way to tea bushes.
Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills, a sea of tea bushes
stretched as far as the eyes could see. The orderly rows of bushes were
pruned to the same height. Rajvir was really excited to see the magnificent
view.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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5. Why didn’t Pranjol share Rajvir’s excitement?

Answer:
Pranjol had been born and brought up on a tea plantation. He was familiar
with tea gardens. On the other hand, Rajvir had never visited any tea
plantation ever before. A sea of bushes stretching as far as the eyes could
see fascinated him. The magnificent view, orderly rows of tea bushes
really excited him. But Pranjol was used to such sights.

6. Where and when did the drinking of tea start and how did it come to
Europe?
Answer:
The drinking of tea first started in China. Tea was drunk in China as far as
2700 B.C. Words like tea, `char and ‘chin? are from Chinese. Tea came to
Europe in the 16th century. In Europe, tea was dining as medicine than a
beverage in the early period.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER – 8 (MIJBIL THE OTTER – GARVIN MAXWELL)

WORD MEANING
eminently highly
emerge appear
squirmed twist, wriggle
thralldom in stage of bondage or control
symmetrical harmonious or proportionate
fumbling to try to find or hold something clumsily
christened named
Question 1: What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be
suitable for?
Answer:
Camusfearna was surrounded by water that was a stone’s throw from its
door, so he thought it would be an eminently suitable spot for keeping an
otter as a pet.
Question 2: Why does he go to Basra? How long does he wait there, and
why?
Answer:
Maxwell went to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer his
mail from Europe. However, though his friend’s mail had arrived, his had
not. So he cabled to England and three days later, he even made a phone
call which had to be booked 24 hours in advance. On the first day, the line
was out of order; on the second day, the exchange was closed for a
religious holiday. On the third day, there was another breakdown. His
friend had left and the writer arranged to meet him in a week’s time.
Finally after five days, his mail arrived. Hence, Maxwell had to wait for
five days for arrival of his mail.
Question 3: How does he get the otter? Does he like it? Pick out the words
that tell you this.
Answer:
Two Arabs with a sack handed him a note which was from his friend,
which mentioned that he had sent him an otter. Yes, Maxwell liked it. We
know this from his words “An otter fixation” used to describe his feelings
towards the otter. He felt the term was used to express his strong
attachment towards otters like any other otter owner would feel.

Question 4: Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter’?

Answer:
The otter belonged to a race that was unknown to science. It was named by
zoologists as Lutrogale perspicillata Maxwell or Maxwell’s otter.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER – 8 (MIJBIL THE OTTER – GARVIN MAXWELL)

Question 5: What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom?

What did it do two days after that?
Answer:
When Maxwell first took Mijbil to the bathroom, the otter first went wild
with joy in the water for the first half an hour. He plunged and rolled in it,
shooting up and down the length of the bathtub and making enough slosh
and splash for a hippo. After two days, the otter suddenly disappeared
from Maxwell’s bedroom and went to the bathroom to play in the water
and he was up on the end of the bathtub and fumbling at the chromium
taps with his paws. The author watched in amazement how the little
creature had turned the tap to produce a trickle of water slowly and after
a moment achieved the full flow.
Question 6: How was Mij to be transported to England?
Answer:
Mijbil was packed in an 18 inches square box as the airlines had directed
the author. As British airlines did not allow pets on board the author had
to book a ticket on a different airline from Iraq to Paris and then Paris to
London.
Question 7: What did Mij do to the box?
Answer:
Mij wasn’t feeling comfortable inside the box and tried to escape from it.
In his attempt to escape, Mijbil tore into the metal lining of the box, hurt
himself and started bleeding.
Question 8: Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you
think he felt when he did this?
Answer:
There was no other way he could carry Mij to London, so he put the otter
back into the box. He was anxious and felt sorry by looking at the otter’s
condition as he hurt himself while trying to escape from the box.

Question 9: Why does Maxwell say the airhostess was “the very queen of
her kind”?
Answer:
The airhostess was very friendly and showed sympathy to Maxwell after
listening to his story. She respected his feelings and concern about the
incident with the box and gave him the permission to take the otter out of
the box and keep his pet on his knee. Hearing this, the author developed a
profound admiration for the kind lady and referred her as “the very queen
of her kind”.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 8 (MIJBIL THE OTTER – GARVIN MAXWELL)

Question 10: What happened when the box was opened?

Answer:
As soon as the box was opened, Mij jumped out of it. He disappeared in no
time and ran all over the place scaring other passengers in the flight. The
otter created a lot of chaos in the airplane and the co-passengers got
scared looking at the little creature. Out of fear, a woman stood up on her
seat as he went beneath the legs of a portly white-turbaned Indian.
Maxwell tried to get hold of Mij, but failed. The airhostess assured
Maxwell that she would find the otter for him. Soon enough, Mijbil
returned to the author and bounded on to his knee and began to nuzzle his
face and his neck.
Question 11: What game had Mij invented?
Answer:
Mij invented a game of playing with the ping-pong ball. One of the
author’s suitcases was damaged and had a slope on the lid. Mij would put
the ball on the high end of the sloping lid and run to catch the ball as it
slid down towards the lower end.
Question 12: What are ‘compulsive habits’? What does Maxwell say are the
compulsive habits of (i) school children (ii) Mij?
Answer:
Compulsive habits usually refers to strange behavioural acts done by a
person without clear reason. (i) As per the story, Maxwell expresses
compulsive habits such the rituals of children who on their way to and
from school must place their feet squarely on the centre of each paving
block; must touch every seventh upright of the iron railings, or pass to the
outside of every second lamp post. (ii) Similarly, even Mijbil while on his
way home would jump over the boundary wall railing and gallop the full
length of its thirty yards, to the hopeless distraction both of pupils and of
staff within.
Question 13: What group of animals do otters belong to?
Answer:
Otters belong to a relatively small group of animals known as Mustellines.
The other animals of this group are badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink
and others.
Question 14: What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?
Answer:
Londoners made the wildest possible guesses about Mijbil. Some people
guesses ranged from a baby seal, a squirrel, a walrus, a beaver, a bear cub,
a leopard, a hippo to a brontosaurus.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER – 8 (MIJBIL THE OTTER – GARVIN MAXWELL)

WORD MEANING
Elaborate complicated
Fascinating attractive
Wistfully yearningly, longing
Haughtily proudly
Curtly rudely
Drivel nonsense talk
Thriftily saved carefully like a miser
Stifled crushed
Hamlet a small village
Gobble to swallow
Galloped ran fast,

Question 1: What was Valli’s favourite pastime?

Answer:
Valli’s favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house
and watching what was happening in the street outside.
Question 2: What was a source of unending joy for Valli? What was her
strongest desire?
Answer:
The sight of the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest
town, filled with a new set of passengers each time it passed through the
street near her house was a source of unending joy for Valli. Her strongest
desire was to take a ride on the bus someday.
Question 3. How was the interior and exterior of the bus?
Answer:
It was a new bus. Its outside was painted a gleaming white with some
green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver.
There was a beautiful clock above the windshield and its seats were soft
and luxurious.
Question 4: Why does the conductor call Valli ‘madam’?
Answer:
The conductor called Valli ‘madam’ because she was behaving like a
woman in an audacious and smart manner. She did not accept his help to
get into the bus and was very quick in replying to the conductor’s
questions. Amused by her antics and behaviour, the conductor teased her
by calling her ‘madam’.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 9 (MADAM RIDES THE BUS – VALLIKKANNAN)
Question 5: Why does Valli stand up on the seat? What does she see now?
Answer:
Valli was enchanted by the view of the beautiful scenery outside the bus
and was trying hard to look outside. But her view was blocked by the
canvas blind that covered the lower part of the window. In order to catch a
better glimpse, she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind. She
saw the narrow road as the bus was going along the bank of a canal, palm
trees, grassland, distant mountains, green fields and the blue sky. On the
other side, there was a deep ditch and many acres of green fields stretched
far and wide as much as her eyes could see.

Question 6: What does Valli tell the elderly man when he calls her a child?
Answer:
When the elderly man in the bus referred to Valli as a child, she instantly
replied that there was nobody in the bus who was a child. She further
stated that she had paid her fare of thirty paise like other passengers in
the bus.

Question 7: Why didn’t Valli want to make friends with the elderly
woman?
Answer:
Valli was not interested to make friends with the elderly woman because
she looked quite repulsive to her. She had big earlobes with bigger holes
and wore ugly earrings. Besides, she was also chewing betel nut and her
mouth was also filled with betel juice that was likely to spill all over her
lips. Seeing all this, Valli thought that the elderly woman was not sociable
enough to be friends with.

Question 8: What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
Answer:
Valli was overjoyed upon seeing a young cow, tail high in the air running
very fast right in the middle of the road just in front of the bus. The driver
sounded his horn loudly again and again so that the cow moves away from
the path. But the more he honked, the cow became more frightened and
galloped as fast as possible. Seeing all this, it appeared very funny to Valli
and she laughed out loud until tears rolled down her eyes.

Question 9: Why didn’t she get off the bus at the bus station?
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 9 (MADAM RIDES THE BUS – VALLIKKANNAN)
Answer:
Valli’s plan was only to take the bus ride and not roam around the town.
She knew that she had limited money to travel by bus and would spend
thirty paise fare on her onward journey, go to the town and then return by
the same bus before her mother woke up from her afternoon nap. She
neither had the money to roam around the town, nor had she time to
explore it, so she didn’t get off the bus at the bus station.

Question 10: Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink?
What does this tell you about her?
Answer:
Valli didn’t want to go to the stall as she had saved sixty paise only for the
bus journey. She didn’t want to waste money on anything unnecessary.
When the conductor offered to get her a drink in case she doesn’t have
money, but she still refused. This implies that she was an independent girl
who did not want to rely on anyone for her needs.

Question 11: What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases
in the story that tell you this.
Answer:
Valli’s deepest desire was to take a ride on the bus that she saw everyday
from her house. The words and phrases in the story that depict her desire
are ‘an overwhelming desire’, ‘source of unending joy’, ‘stare wistfully’,
and ‘kindle in her longings, dreams and hopes’.

Question 12: How did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about
the bus, and how did she save up the fare?
Answer:
Valli had been carefully listening since many days to the conversations
between her neighbours and the people who regularly used the bus and
asked a few discreet questions. She learnt from them that the town was
six miles away from her village and the bus charged thirty paise as fare
for the onward journey and it took forty-five minutes to complete one-way
bus trip. She also made up her mind to stay in the bus and return in the
same bus that would cost her sixty paise to and fro. She was determined
not to get down from the bus to roam around the town as she didn’t have
enough money. Hence, she saved sixty paise meticulously and resisted all
kinds of urges and temptation to buy peppermints, toys, etc. and even a
ride on the merry-go-round at the village annual fair. It was Valli’s secret
adventurous bus trip that she had planned without her parents’
knowledge.
Question 13: What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER – 9 (MADAM RIDES THE BUS – VALLIKKANNAN)
with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.”
Answer:
When Valli’s mother casually mentioned that there are certain things that
happen around them without their knowledge, Valli instantly agreed to
her mother’s words and said, “I was just agreeing with what you said
about things happening without our knowledge.” She was happy about her
adventurous bus trip to the town which she had taken without the
knowledge of her parents.

Question 14. Why did Valli not enjoy her bus ride back home?
Answer:
On Valli’s journey to the city, she saw a cow running very fast in the
middle of the road, right in front of the bus. Valli enjoyed the scene. She
kept on laughing initially and her eyes were filled with tears. Valli
enjoyed the scene. On her way back home she saw a dead cow lying on the
road. It was hit by some speeding vehicle. She recognised it. It was the
same cow that filled her life with fun and joy only a few minutes before.
She was overcome with the feelings of sadness. She realised how death can
change the things. “What had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a
little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life and looked so
horrible, so frightening.” The memory of the dead cow haunted Valli and
she did not enjoy her remaining journey.

Question 15. What kind of person is Valli?

Answer:
Valli was a detetmined, confident and brave girl. She was also a good
planner and executioner. She sacrificed a lot of things to achieve her
dream. For example, she curbed the temptation to buy sweets and riding
on the merry-go-round in the fair so that she could save money for the bus
ride. Sacrificing all these things at such a tender age is very difficult for a
child. She also behaved confidently in the bus and did not get bobbed down
in the presence of elders. When the bus reached the town, Valli did not
succumb to the temptation of going out to explore the town or having a
drink. She did this as she had a limited amount of money which she
wanted to ‘ save for her return journey. So, Valli used her money wisely.
When the conductor offered her a drink, she showed good manners in
refusing to have it.

WORD MEANING
Sculptures Religious books
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASSX
FIRSTFLIGHT
CHAPTER – 10 (SERMON AT BANARAS – BETTY RENSHAW)

Enlightenment Spiritual knowledge

Inscrutable Mysterious
Desolation Deep sorrow
Lamenting Grieving
Kinsmen Relatives
Decay rotting

Question 1. How did Gautama came to be known as the Buddha?

Answer:
Siddhartha Gautama wandered for seven years and finally sat down under
a Peepal tree till he got enlightenment. After seven days of enlightenment,
he renamed the ‘Bodhi Tree’ and began to teach and to share his new
understanding and came to be known as the Buddha.
Question 2. Why did the Buddha choose Benares to preach his first
sermon?
Answer:
The Buddha preached his first sermon at the city of Benares. This city is
regarded as the most holy of the dipping places of the River Ganga. That
sermon has been preserved. It reflects the Buddha’s wisdom about one
kind of suffering which cannot be understood.
Question 3. What is the nature of the life of the human beings according to
the Buddha?
Answer:
The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief. It is combined with
pain. Nobody can avoid dying. After reaching old age, there is death. Such
is the nature of human beings. Just as ripe fruits are in danger of falling;
so mortals are in danger of death. As all earthen vessels after a certain
period of time break, so is the life of mortals. All have to die. Only he can
get peace of mind who does not lament, complain and grieve. He who has
overcome sorrow will be free from sorrow, and be blessed.
Question 4: When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house.
What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
Answer:
Kisa Gotami was overcome with grief and agony when her only son died.
She carried her son’s dead body in her arms and went from one house to
another asking for medicine that could cure her child, but nobody could
help. Since her son was dead, it wasn’t possible for anyone to give her any
medicine and bring the dead person back to life.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 10 (SERMON AT BANARAS – BETTY RENSHAW)

Question 5: Kisa Gotami again goes from house to house after she speaks
with the Buddha. What does she ask for, the second time around? Does she
get it? Why not?
Answer: Gautama Buddha asked Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of
mustard seeds from a house where no one had lost a child, husband,
parent or friend. She went from door to door, but couldn’t find a single
house where death had not knocked their door and taken away their
beloved one as it is inevitable and all mortals who come to this world are
bound to die someday.

Question 6: Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the
second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?
Answer: In the first instance, Kisa Gotami could only see her grief of
losing her young son. But, when she went from one house to another the
second time to procure a handful of mustard seeds to save her dead son,
she understood that everyone was dealing with the loss of a dear one. Not
a single house was left untouched by death, where people had not lost
their son, husband, parent or friend. At some point of time, everyone had
experienced the pain of death and losing their loved ones. Feeling
dejected, she sat down and realised that death is inevitable and the fate of
mortal beings is to live and die someday. Through this instance, Gautama
Buddha helped her to understand that death is common to all mortal
beings and everyone is bound to die one day or the other.

Question 7: How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do

you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Answer: A selfish person is one who is extremely preoccupied about
himself or herself. In the story, Kisa Gotami was also being selfish in her
grief because she was just thinking about her own pain. So when she lost
her child, she wanted to bring him back to life by any means and finally
went to Buddha to ask for help. He gave her the ultimate lesson of life that
humans are mortal beings and it is natural for everyone to die. Although
we may find it difficult to accept the death of our loved ones, death is
inevitable and is bound to happen sooner or later.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
CLASS X
FIRST FLIGHT
CHAPTER – 11 (THE PROPOSAL – ANTON CHEKOV)

WORD MEANING
palpitation Beating of heart
lunatic Mad
negligee Gown
wedged Lying in between
perpetuity In continuation
mowers Crop cutters
agitating Exciting
pettifogger A clever person
embezzlement Financial misappropriation
impudence Arrogance
hysterics Mad cries

Question 1. Why does Lomov wish to propose to Natalaya?

Answer:
Lomov wishes to propose to Natalaya because he feels she is an excellent
housekeeper, not bad looking, and is also well-educated. Moreover he feels
that he is already thirty-five, which is a critical age and he ought to lead a
regular and settled life.

Question 2. Who is Lomov? Why does he visit Chubukov?

Answer:
Lomov was a young wealthy landowner and an unmarried man of thirty-
five. He was anxious to get married as he had already reached a critical
age. So he decided to propose Natalaya, a girl of twenty-five years old. He
visited Chubukov to ask for his daughter Natalaya’s hand in marriage.

Question 3. How does Natalaya react when she comes to know that Lomov
had come to propose for her hand?
Answer:
When she knows that Lomov came to propose to her, she starts weeping.
She calls her father to bring him back at once. He has gone out after the
quarrel. She also accuses Chubukov that he drove Lomov out. She becomes
hysterical.

Question 4: What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has come for? Is
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 11 (THE PROPOSAL – ANTON CHEKOV)

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.
Answer:
Initially, Chubukov suspected that Lomov had come to borrow money from
him as he was wearing an evening dress. Chubukov was not sincere at all
when he told Lomov that he had always loved him and that he treated the
young man like his own son. He had made up his mind that he would not give
a single penny to Lomov, if he tried to borrow money from him. He also used
all kinds of insults to ridicule Lomov during the argument by calling him
‘pettifogger’, ‘old rat’, ‘Jesuit’, etc. However, when Lomov asked for his
daughter’s hand in marriage, his attitude changed immediately and he rushed
out and called his daughter, Natalya Stepanovna.

Question 5: Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t consent! She’s in

love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Would you agree? Find reasons for
your answer.
Answer:
Chubukov believed that Lomov was an ideal marriage prospect for his
daughter, Natalya. He was indeed waiting for this proposal. However, when
Lomov expressed his doubt about Natalya’s consent to the marriage proposal,
Chubukov immediately affirmed him saying that even his daughter was in
love with him. In the play, we have noticed that Natalya constantly argued
and disagreed with Lomov in every respect. When Lomov left after the
argument, Chubukov told her that he had actually come with a marriage
proposal for her. On hearing this, Natalya started weeping and asked her
father to bring back Lomov at once.

Question 6. Draw the character sketch of Lomov.

Answer.
Lomov is one of the major characters in Anton Chekhov's one act play "The
Proposal". Lomov is a close neighbour of Chubukov. He is a landowner. He is
almost beyond the age of marriage. He is thirty five years old. He is
hypochondriac in nature. Lomov suffers from palpitation, excitement and
nervous breakdown. He has lack of confidence. He is not direct in his speech
or approach. He chooses Natalya as his wife not for love but for necessity. In
order to maintain a quiet and regular life, he needs to marry. He shows the
character of a possessive landowner when the dispute over the Oxen
Meadows begins. In spite of much insult and abusive remarks Lomov's return
to Chubukov's house shows how much desperate he is to marry. With all the
absurd features of his character, Lomov is really a humorous and interesting
character.
 DAV SER. SEC. SCHOOL
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CHAPTER – 11 (THE PROPOSAL – ANTON CHEKOV)

Question 7. Draw the character sketch of Natalya.

Answer.
Natalya is one of the major characters in "The Proposal". She is the twenty
five years old daughter of a rich and affluent landlord, Chubukov. She is
good looking, well educated and an efficient manager of her father's
household. She has enough knowledge of agricultural works. Natalya
proves herself as an obstinate young lady having sound knowledge of her
family's property. She never allows Lomov to overpower her when the
arguments continue regarding the possession of Oxen Meadows and the
superiority of -dogs. She is again very keen to marry as she has reached
her nuptial age already. When she comes to know about the marriage
proposal, she turns frantic and restless to bring Lomov back. She
somehow wants to manage the situation to get the proposal from Lomov.

Question 8. Draw the character sketch of Chubukov.

Answer.
Stepan Stepanovitch Chubukov is one of the major characters in ‘The
Proposal'. He is seventy years old. He is the father of Natalya who is on
the verge of crossing the nuptial age. Chubukov is an astute bussinessman
who keeps at heart the interest of his property and his daughter. He wants
Natalya to get married at any cost and thinks her to be a liability. He is in
search of a worthy suitor for her. When Lomov unfolds his mind and puts
forward the marriage proposal, he readily accepts it with much delight.
Again when the dispute over the land starts between Lomov and Natalya,
he takes his daughter's stand and proves himself as a stubborn and
possessive landlord. As a sensible person, later on, he also tries his best to
appease the situation. When Lomov is driven out of the house and Natalya
goes hysteric to bring Lomov back, he has to abide by his daughter's
whims. Though utterly reluctant, he calls Lomov back. The heavy task of
humiliation actualised as he must get rid of Natalya, the 'love-sick cat.
Thus he is a sensible father and interesting character. This character
represents class attitudes rather than full-grown personalities.