DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, BN

GRADE X ENGLISH REVISION WORKSHEET

ANSWER KEY
DAY 4
TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING
I. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. Everything was going well — it was an easy flight. Paris was about 150 kilometres behind
me when I saw the clouds. Storm clouds. They were huge. They looked like black
mountains standing in front of me across the sky. I knew I could not fly up and over them,
and I did not have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south. “I ought to go
back to Paris,” I thought, but I wanted to get home. I wanted that breakfast. ‘I’ll take the
risk,’ I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the storm.

i How would you describe the “risk” the narrator took?

a) calculated
b) impetuous
c) unavoidable
d) navigable
ii In what way might the reference to the Dakota as “old” be relevant?
a) Its antique value made it expensive and precious to the narrator.
b) It is employed by the narrator as a term of endearment.
c) It did not have enough fuel to fly around the storm clouds.
d) Its ability to negotiate the storm clouds might have been suspect.
iii Select the correct option to fill in the blanks below:
risk: risky :: ______ : _______
a) danger: dangerously
b) hazard : hazardous
c) peril : imperilled
d) caution : precaution
iv Why did the author call the flight ‘easy’?
-weather was good, all his instruments were working perfectly, he could contact the radio control
v. What was the author yearning for?
-To be with his family- have a good English breakfast

2. The day before, all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers
and sister, perfecting them in the art of flight, teaching them how to skim the waves and
how to dive for fish. He had, in fact, seen his older brother catch his first herring
and devour it, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around raising a proud cackle.
And all the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the
opposite cliff taunting him with his cowardice.
i Imagine that the young gull attended a workshop on inspiration and confidence building and
received a couple of pieces of advice.
Choose the option that reflects these pieces of advice, most relevant to his situation.
a) (i) and (ii)
b) (ii) and (iii)
c) (iii) and (iv)
d) (i) and (iv)
ii Which of the following feelings did the young gull, NOT feel according to
the given context?
“…all day long, he had watched his parents flying about with his brothers
and sister…”
(i) sad (ii) incompetent (iii) excluded (iv) ungrateful
(v) inspired (vi) jealous (vii) anxious
a) i, iii, vi
b) ii, v, vii
c) ii, iii, vii
d) iv, v, vi
iii Select the most appropriate option for the following:
devour : guzzle: : nibble : _______
a) chew
b) savour
c) peck
d) gulp
iv. Why did the young seagull’s family taunt him?
He could not muster the courage to fly, he thought his wings would not support him. /His
family wanted him to develop will power and confidence
v. Find a word from the extract which means the same as ‘polishing’. PERFECTING
II. Answer the following in 40-50 words
1. The young seagull “failed to muster up courage to take that plunge”. In
what way can the reference to the ‘plunge’ here be both literal and metaphorical?
- Literal- to dive down off the ledge
- Metaphorical- beginning of a new chapter, attempt to overcome fear, learn to
move out of comfortable zone

2. The ‘fight or flight response’, that is, to stay and face a situation or run from it- is an
automatic reaction to an event perceived as stressful or harmful. How would you evaluate
the young gull’s response on finding himself off the ledge?
-chose to ‘fight’
 -response was natural and praiseworthy, seized by monstrous terror as soon as he
jumped
-the fear lasted briefly, explored his ability to fly
- the fear vanished and he soared and curved, shrieking shrilly

3. The pilot of Dakota DS 088 is truly a family man. Do you agree? Give reasons in support
of your view.
-yes, the pilot is a family man.
-beginning: looking forward to be with his family in England, enjoy holiday
-so keen that he took the risk of entering the black storm

4. What did the pilot ask the woman at the control center and why? How did this woman
react?
-about the other pilot who had guided him to land safely
-wanted to thank him for the timely help
The woman- looked strangely, she had not noticed any other plane on the radar
-she laughed as she presumed that the pilot was in a state of panic.

III. Answer the following in 100-120 words.

1. What is the message that Liam O′ Flaherty wants to give to the readers through the lesson
‘His first Flight’?

His first Flight- Liam O’ Flaherty

-Success can’t be taken for granted. One has to struggle to win it. The story of the young
seagull is the story of overcoming hesitations, doubts, and fears that stand between us and
our success. Hunger makes him take the final plunge. This leads him to make his first flight
and soar into space.
-taking the first step is always difficult
-hesitant initially- thought his wings would not support his weight-mother made a plan-
maddened by hunger, dived at the fish- discovered his potential

2. The narrator knew that he could not fly up due to storm and lack of fuel but still, he continued.
What kind of person was he? Was it not in his nature to accept defeat? Discuss the values one
should possess to accept failures to be able to move ahead in life in 100-120 words.
Answer: The Black Aeroplane- Frederick Forsyth
The author’s plane did not have enough fuel. He knew that because of the paucity of fuel,
he could not fly up and over the clouds nor he could fly around them to the north or south.
But then he decided to take the risk to enter his plane in the clouds because he wanted to go
home and wanted to join his family at breakfast. This shows that he was a family-loving
person. He was courageous as he knew that it would be risky to enter the clouds, but he did
so in order to save his fuel.
 1. HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS
2. THE BALL POEM
I. Read the extracts and answer the following questions:
A. Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles

a) Who is a novice? What can make a novice ‘nonplussed’?

Ans. A novice is a beginner who has not yet got much knowledge or experience. A
novice's lack of knowledge or his/her inability to differentiate between a hyena and a
crocodile might leave him/her confused or nonplussed.
b) How does a crocodile stand in sharp contrast to a hyena?
Ans. A crocodile stands in sharp contrast to a hyena in that a hyena's face seems to
wear merry smiles all the time, whereas a crocodile is always shedding tears.

c) Choose the option that DOES NOT describe a ‘novice’

(i) Lakshman has played cricket for the first time today.
(ii) Samiksha has been teaching for last ten years.
(iii) Srishti went for her first French class yesterday.
(iv) Gautam baked a second cake to improve his skills.

d) What, according to the extract, would cause bewilderment?

(i) Discovering the similarity between different preys of beasts.
(ii) Analysing habits of beasts that prey on hyenas.
(iii) Knowing the difference between several beasts of prey.
(iv) Drawing the similarities between crocodiles and hyenas.

B. Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then

Merrily over — there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility

(a) The poet uses the ball as a symbol of the boy's

(i) sense of adventure
 (ii) carefree childhood days
(iii) ability to bounce back
(iv) extended family

(b) The poet feels that there is no point consoling the boy as
(i) it would give him false hope
(ii) he might demand for a new ball
(iii) it might distress him further
(iv) whatever he has lost is irretrievable

(c) The word 'harbour' DOES NOT have a meaning similar to

(i) port
(iii) dock
(ii) pier
(iv) cargo

(d) 'Merrily over-there it is in the water!' The dash here is meant to convey
(i) some familiar experience
(ii) a feeling of excitement
(iii) a sense of unexpected interruption
(iv) some thoughtful moments

(e) Why does the poet think it will be useless to offer the boy another ball?
Ans. The poet thinks it will be useless to offer the boy another ball because the new
ball will not be the original lost one, it will only replace it. Moreover, the poet wants
the boy to face the loss himself without any compensation, so that he may develop a
sense of responsibility.

II. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words:

i. How does the poet describe the behaviour of a bear?
Ans. The distinctive feature in the behaviour of a bear, according to the poet, is its habit of
grasping its victim very tightly in order to scare or choke him/her to death. The bear
continues to thus 'hug' the victim again and again until the threat is neutralized. Its
manner of hugging its victim is awkward and crude and has given us the expression 'bear-
hug'.
ii. How does the poem “How to Tell Wild Animals” shows insight of the poet into the wild life?
Ans. The poet, Carolyn Wells evidently has an in-depth knowledge of wild life. It is because
of her knowledge that she presents vivid images of different wild animals and reptiles. She
gives picturesque descriptions of their appearance and also indirectly shows their natural
ferocity. The Asian Lion, the Bengal Tiger, a leopard and a bear are shown to be charging
at their victims in a potentially fatal manner. The factual pictures of crocodiles and hyenas
are given showing one as shedding tears and the other having a face seeming to be smiling
while gorging on their preys. The picture of a chameleon too is factually correct and
interesting.
iii. What epistemology of loss does the poem contain?
Ans. The poem contains the epistemology of loss as it brings forth the fact that loss is an
essential part of life in this materialistic world. People suffer losses quite often and feel
dejected at these losses. But it is advisable to face the losses bravely and move on without
letting grief get over one's mind.
iv. How did the poet feel on seeing the ball rolling into water?
Ans. The poet viewed the loss of the ball very objectively till he saw the boy's reaction. He
didn't bother much about it as he thought it to be something inexpensive and insignificant.
But the sadness of the boy made him feel that this first loss of the boy has given him a
shocking setback. He realizes that the loss will make him learn the reality of life that things
are often lost and losses have to be accepted.
III. Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:
i. The poem shows how wild beasts could cause danger to the lives of those who go near them.
Will you recommend that animals should be kept in zoos? Why/Why not?
Ans. The poem does present the fierce, violent nature of wild beasts who prey upon other
animals and even human beings who go near them. But I would never recommend that
they should be separated from their natural habitats and kept in zoos. If they are deprived
of their freedom and their movements are curtailed, they will develop certain psychological
problems. They will lose their natural behaviour. If we do not allow animals to lead a
natural life in their natural habitats, we will be interfering with the ways of nature, which
will adversely impact the ecological balance. Nature has made the world beautiful and its
rich bio-diversity must be maintained. Forests are meant to be the habitats of wild animals
and they must remain so.
ii. “Sometimes seemingly insignificant events have a deep and far-reaching significance.”
Discuss in relation to the poem “Dust of Snow” and “The Ball Poem”
Ans. The poems "Dust of Snow" by Robert Frost and "The Ball Poem" by John Berryman
bring forth a common philosophical idea that sometimes the events that seem to be trivial
and insignificant leave deep impressions on our minds and teach us significant lessons of
life.
In "Dust of Snow," the poet, who is in a depressed and dejected state of mind, happens to
pass from near a snow-covered hemlock tree on which a crow is perched. But as he walks
past the hemlock tree, a sudden fall of the dust of snow on him brings about a profound
and positive change in his mental state. It dispels away all his gloom and dejection, and sets
in delight and satisfaction. The incident seems to be petty and insignificant but conveys an
important message that nature always imparts pleasure, and pacifies the frustrated,
downcast and dejected minds of people.
Similarly, in "The Ball Poem", the poet seems to be narrating a commonplace incident. A
young boy, while playing with a ball on the banks of a harbour, loses his ball as it rolls away
to fall irretrievably into the deep waters of the harbour. This incident seems to be trivial, as
the ball is not very expensive, and the boy could be consoled with some other ball, yet the
loss of the ball contains in itself a significant lesson for the boy - how to cope up with losses
in life and muster strength

Amanda!
I. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
Don't bite your nails, Amanda!
Don't hunch your shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and sit up straight, Amanda!
(There is a languid, emerald sea, where the sole inhabitant is me-
a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)

i. Complete the sentence appropriately.

It is clear that Metaphor is the poetic device used for 'where the sole inhabitant is me-a
mermaid, drifting blissfully...' because (Clue: explain how Metaphor applies here)
Ans. It is primarily descriptive, as the depiction of Amanda as "a mermaid" and enhances
the meaning behind the "languid emerald sea".

ii. What does the repetition of "Amanda!" at the end of each line reflect?
a) It describes who the speaker is talking to.
b) It represents the absent-mindedness of the listener.
c) It shows the frustration of the speaker.
d) It helps create a rhyme scheme.

iii. Alliteration is a literary device used in the extract. Which of the following options DOES
NOT include examples of this literary device?
a) The moon and the shimmering stars watched over us
b) With that charming chat, Catherine chose comfort
c) Away ran the pathetic pooch pouting like a princess
 d) Dee Dee was driving down day after day

iv. This is Calvin, a character from a comic strip created by Bill Watterson. Do you think this
might be something Amanda would say? Why/ why not? Give reasons.

Ans. . Yes, Amanda can say this because the last part of all the stanzas show up that she is
selective about her life. She is not denying things but she wants to choose things as per her
wish . Like most teenagers, she does not want to receive instructions for her routine work.

II. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words :

1.Would you call Amanda a disrespectful child? Provide two reasons to justify your
opinion.
Yes, we can call Amanda a disrespectful child because she does not respond to her
mother’s repeated instructions. She escapes into the world of imagination and does
not even look towards her mother when she is yelling at her. She is disobedient
daughter who does not care at all for the instructions given by her mother. It is
unfortunate for a parent to have a daughter who wishes to be left to herself so much so
that she would not mind being an orphan. Her apathy towards her mother makes the
reader sympathize with her mother.

Another answer – No, I wouldn’t call Amanda a disrespectful child

because she didn’t answer back to her mother even after being
fed up of her constant nagging. Amanda found a way to escape
the reality rather than arguing with her mother.

2. How would you characterise the speaker in the poem Amanda!’? List
any two qualities, supporting the reason of your choice, with evidence
from the poem.

The speaker seems to be mother of Amanda. I would consider her as caring but
over protective so much so that she appears as if she is a nag and lacks
understanding on her part of being a mother. Evidences are ample; it is clear from
the poem that she constantly keeps on nagging Amanda for biting her nails, sitting
in a slouching posture, eating chocolates, etc.
At the same time, she is afraid how society would react to know that the mother is
constantly nagging her child . In the last stanza , Amanda’s mother calls her someone
who always sulks and is moody. She further adds that Amanda should stop sulking and
behaving so moody because that would make others think that she keeps nagging her.

III. Answer the following question in 100-120 words:

1. Amanda feels unhappy with her mother's nagging. She wants to leave everything and go to her
own world. Imagine one day she meets Anne Frank and the latter tries to tell her how parents are
always worried about their children's behaviour. Prepare a set of dialogues between Amanda and
Anne based on the poem, 'Amanda' and the lesson, 'From the Diary of Anne Frank'. You may
begin like this:
Amanda: I hate everyone at home. How can they pester a child so much?
Anne: Amanda, how can you even think like that..

Ans-The set of dialogue must include

Amanda- feels her mother is nagging and controlling- she wants to mould Amanda in her
way- the child retreats in her world of imagination- wants freedom and silence.
Anne- Anne has a better relation with her father- cannot connect much with her peers -
feels a need for a friend to open up and discuss her problems- can advice Amanda to
maintain a diary

From the Diary of Anne Frank

I. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
I finished my poem, and it was beautiful! It was about a mother duck and a father swan with
three baby ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much.
Luckily, Mr Keesing took the joke the right way. He read the poem to the class, adding his own
comments, and to several other classes as well. Since then I've been allowed to talk and haven't
been assigned any extra homework. On the contrary , Mr. Keesing always making jokes these
days.
1.The poem penned by the narrator had a story line. Such a poem is called a/an
a) sonnet
b) lyric
c) narrative poem
d) limerick

2. Which of the following DID NOT HAPPEN as a consequence of the narrator's poem?
(a) The narrator was able to justify her habit of talking in the class.
 (b) Mr. Keesing understood the joke and did not mind it.
(c) Mr. Keesing began to joke in his classes.
(d) The narrator stopped talking and started getting more homework.
3. Mention two qualities of Mr. Keesing as evident from the extract
Fun – loving, Creative
4. ‘The baby ducklings’ in the narrator’s poem represent children who_________________.
Ans- talk a lot
5. What did Anne Frank intend to convey to Mr. Keesing through her poem? What values do you
learn from Anne’s character through this?
Ans- Anne wanted to present convincing arguments to demonstrate the necessity of talking,
which she considered an essential trait for a student. This illustrates the power of the pen to
express her feelings and address the sense of injustice she felt, without causing annoyance
to others.

II. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words :

1.‘ Anne was an exemplary writer and wrote essays convincingly when punished.’ Elaborate
We can easily say that Anne Frank was talented and argumentative writer. It is clearly
visible form the very first extra work given to her. Mr Keesing had given her some extra
work to write an essay on "A Chatter Box". She wrote in her essay, "Talking is a student's
trait and an inherited trait from her motherthat cannot be done".
In reply to the essay on 'An Incorrigible Chatter Box'. Anne very subtly but impressively
put her points in a story in verse. Through her of father swan and the ducklings, she was
able to impress her teacher and made him realize his mistake. It also reflects her frankness
and critical thinking, coupled with her creativity and sense of humour.
2. Anne says " teachers are the most unpredictable " why?
Ans. Anne Frank felt that nothing could be predicted about the mood of the teachers. They
were the most unpredictable creatures on earth.. It depended on their choice who would go
up in the next class. As per Anne, one fourth of the class should fail but as teachers were
unpredictable, she knew all would move to the next grade.

III. Answer the following question in 100-120 words:

1. How does Mr. Keesing's ability to turn Anne's weakness into a strength illustrate the vital
role teachers play in transforming students' challenges into opportunities for growth?
Ans. Mr. Keesing indeed turned Anne Frank's weakness into her strength by assigning her
extra homework to address her talkativeness in class. Instead of viewing this as a mere
punishment, Anne saw it as an opportunity to showcase her intelligence and creativity. By
excelling in the additional assignments and injecting her unique style and humour into her
work, Anne transformed a situation that could have been negative into a platform to shine.
Mr. Keesing inadvertently provided Anne with a chance to demonstrate her academic
abilities and resilience, ultimately turning her weakness of talkativeness into a strength of
academic excellence and self-expression. It was a clever way for Anne to leverage her
natural talents and turn the tables