Tamilnadu State Board Class 10 English Solutions Prose Chapter 1 His First Flight
His First Flight In Text Questions
a. Why did the seagull fail to fly?
Answer:
The seagull failed to fly because he did not have confidence on his wings and he had fear to fly.
b. What did the parents do, when the young seagull failed to fly?
Answer:
His parents tried to make him fly by scolding him and threatening him to starve on his ledge.
c. What was the first catch of the young seagull’s older brother?
Answer:
The first catch of the young sea gull’s older brother was a herring.
d. What did the young seagull manage to find in his search for food on the ledge?
Answer:
The young seagull managed to find dried pieces of eggshell in his search for food on the ledge.
e. What did the young bird do to seek the attention of his parents?
Answer:
He stood on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing. He closed one eye, then the other and
pretended to be falling asleep. This was done by the bird to seek the attention of his parents.
f. What made the young seagull go mad?
Answer:
His mother was standing on a little high hump on the plateau. She was tearing a piece of fish that lay at her feet. She scraped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him.
g. Why did the young bird utter a joyful scream?
Answer:
The young bird saw his mother picking up a piece of fish and flying across to him. Seeing this, the bird uttered a joyful scream.
h. Did the mother bird offer any food to the young bird?
Answer:
No, the mother bird did not offer any food to the young bird.
i. How did the bird feel when it started flying for the first time?
Answer:
He felt his wings spread outwards. The wind rushed against his breast feathers, stomach and wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air.
j. What did the young bird’s family do when he started flying?
Answer:
They were flying around him, praising, soaring and diving together with him.
His First Flight Textual Questions
A. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.
Question 1.
How was the young seagull’s first attempt to fly?
Answer:
The young seagull tried to fly. But he was scared to do so. His parents, brothers and sister persuaded him to fly. They also motivated him. But the young seagull felt that his wings would not support him.
Question 2.
How did the parents support and encourage the young seagull’s brothers and sister?
Answer:
His parents were flying about with his brothers and sister. They were perfecting them in the art of flight. They also taught them how to skim the waves and how to dive for fish.
Question 3.
Give an instance that shows the pathetic condition of the young bird.
Answer:
The young seagull had not eaten since the previous nightfall. There was not a single scrap of food left. He searched for food every inch of the straw nest. He even chewed at the dried pieces of eggshell.
Question 4.
How did the bird try to reach its parents without having to fly?
Answer:
The young seagull ran back and forth from one end of the ledge to the other end. His long grey legs stepped daintily, trying to find some means of reaching his parents without flying.
Question 5.
Do you think that the young seagulls parents were harsh to him? Why?
Answer:
Yes, they were harsh towards the seagull because they wanted him to learn the art of flying without any one’s help.
Question 6.
What prompted the young seagull to fly finally?
Answer:
His mother picked up a piece of fish and flew across to him with it. But then she halted, just opposite to him. She was almost within reach of his beak. Maddened by hunger, the young seagull dived at the fish. This act of his mother prompted the young seagull to fly finally.
Question 7.
What happened to the young seagull when it landed on the green sea?
Answer:
When the young seagull landed on the green sea, his legs sank into it. He screamed with fright and attempted to rise again. He was exhausted. His feet sank into the sea. His belly touched it. He sank no further. He was floating on it.
Short Questions & Answers – Additional
Question 1.
How many brothers and sisters did the young seagull have? When did they fly away from the ledge?
Answer:
The young seagull had two brothers and one sister. They flew away the previous day from the ledge.
Question 2.
Where did the seagull run back, when he was frightened to fly? Why was he afraid?
Answer:
The young seagull ran back to the little hole under the ledge, where he slept at night. He was afraid to see the vast expanse of the sea beneath him.
Question 3.
What appeared so desperate to the seagull?
Answer:
The seagull failed to gather the courage to take a plunge into the sea. This appeared so desperate to him.
Question 4.
How long was the seagull alone without anyone near him? Why did he feel the heat?
Answer:
He was alone for twenty four hours without anyone near him. He felt the heat because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall.
Question 5.
Where did he search for food?
Answer:
He searched every inch, rooting among the rough, dirt-caked straw nest, where he and his brothers and sister had been hatched.
B. Answer each of the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words.
Question 1.
Describe the struggles underwent by the young seagull to overcome its fear of flying.
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid of flying. His parents strove their level best to teach the young seagull to fly but in vain. The parents, brothers and sister thought a plan to teach him to fly. They flew away to another rock and left him alone. They did not give him anything to eat. He stood there on one leg and closed his eyes. He was very hungry. He searched for food everywhere. He even chewed the dried pieces of the eggshells. He saw his mother tearing a piece of fish. He begged his mother to give him food. So the mother flew with the piece of fish to the young seagull. When she reached over him, she became motionless in the air. She did not get down on the rock. She wanted to give the young seagull an incentive to fly. The seagull bent forward and jumped at the fish. He was much frightened. But he began to flap his wings to save himself.
Question 2.
Your parents sometimes behave like the young bird’s parents. They may seem cruel and unrelenting. Does it mean that they do not care for you? Explain your views about it with reference from the story.
Answer:
Parents really care for about their children. They may be seen as cruel, but they are not so. The mother seagull turned to be cruel but her intention was kind. She wanted to give the young seagull an incentive to fly. Likewise, our parents may be sometimes harsh and strict. We would feel that they don’t understand our feelings and are cruel to us. But we realize later that they are like this, only to give us encouragement and to avoid our fear and doubts. They guide us to overcome our fears in life. We have to conquer our fear and venture forth. Only then we will realize that we are born with wings.
Paragraph Question & Answer Additional
Question 1.
What is the message of the lesson ‘His first flight’?
Answer:
‘His first flight’ is a parable. The seagulls convey the message of self-confidence, motivation and self-reliance. The mother seagull motivates the young one enough to get him to learn flying. The young seagull realises the importance of belief and faith. He flaps his wings to learn . flying and gain the confidence to be independent. The story conveys “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. The parable also stresses the importance of family ties and devoted support. It tells about the painful process of learning an important lesson in life.
Vocabulary
C. Change the parts of speech of the given words in the chart.
| Noun | Verb | Adjective | Adverb |
| exhaustion | exhaust | exhaustible | exhaustively |
| wideness | widen | wide | widely |
| madness | madden | mad | madly |
| perfection | perfect | perfect | perfectly |
D. Read the following sentences and change the form of the underlined words as directed.
Question 1.
His family was screaming and offering him food. (to adjective)
Answer:
His screaming family was offering him food.
Question 2.
The young seagull gave out a loud call. (to adverb)
Answer:
The young seagull gave out a call loudly.
Question 3.
The bird cackled amusedly while flying. (to noun)
Answer:
The bird cackled in amusement while flying.
Question 4.
The depth of the sea from the ledge scared the seagull. (to adjective)
Answer:
The deep sea scared the seagull.
Question 5.
The successful flight of the bird was a proud moment for the seagull’s family. (to verb)
Answer:
The bird successfully flighted and it was a proud moment for the seagull’s family.
E. Use the following words to construct meaningful sentences on your own.
- coward – They called him a coward.
- gradual – We noticed a gradual increase in temperature.
- praise – She received a lot of praise.
- courageous – She is a very courageous girl.
- starvation – Many children die of starvation in Somalia.
Listening
F. *Here is a travelogue by the students of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Pattukkottai after their trip to Darjeeling. Listen to the travelogue and answer the following questions.
(i) Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
- The students visited …………. city.
- ………….. is the third highest mountain in the world.
- …………… hill is 13 km away from Darjeeling.
- The drinking water is supplied by ……….. lake to the city.
- After Senchal lake, they visited ………………… .
Answers:
- Darjeeling
- Kanchenjunga
- Tiger
- Senchal
- Batasia Loop, a spiral railway near Ghum
(ii) Do you think they had a memorable and enjoyable school trip?
Answer:
Yes. They had a memorable and enjoyable school trip.
(iii) Name a few places that you wish to visit with your classmates as a school trip.
Answer:
Ooty, Kodaikanal, Thanjavur, Hogenakkal, Kanyakumari.
(iv) State whether the following statements are True or False.
- As the sky was cloudy, they could get the glimpse of the Mount Everest.
- The toy train covers 14 km in three hours.
- Tiger hill has earned international fame for the best sunset view.
Answers:
- False (The sky was not cloudy.)
- True
- False (Best sunrise view.)
Speaking
Dialogue
G. Here is a dialogue between a father and his daughter. Continue the dialogue with at least five utterances and use all the clues given above.
Father : Hi Mary, it has been a very long time since we went on a trip. Let’s plan one.
Mary : Yes, dad. I am also longing to go. Why don’t we plan one for this weekend?
Father : Sure. Tell me, where shall we go?
Mary : Some place nearby but for at least two days.
Father : Hmm… I think we should go to the reserved forest nearby.
Mary : Yeah. I’ve never been to a forest. I have seen a forest only on the TV and movies. The forest is a good choice!
Father : OK. If we are going to the forest, we must list out what we should carry with us for two days.
Mary : I think we should carry suitable clothes like long-sleeved shirts and jean pants.
Father : What about the food? Do you have any idea, Mary?
Mary : Yeah. For food, I suggest taking bread, jam and biscuit packets.
Father : Anyway, we will stay in the Government guest house inside the jungle.
Mary : Will they provide breakfast or lunch?
Father : I think they will. I will inquire about food whole booking accommodation.
Mary : “Will the forest animals hurt the inmates of the guest house?
Father : No. Our stay will be safe.
Mary : Is it possible to see all the places in the forest just by walking?
Father : No. Nature watch and wildlife viewing are possible in an open four wheeler Jeep or on elephant back.
Reading
H. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
What is Bungee Jumping?
Answer:
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a long elastic cord.
Question 2.
Can Bungee be performed from a movable object? How?
Answer:
Yes. Bungee can be performed from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that can hover above the ground.
Question 3.
When do you think Bungee becomes thrilling?
Answer:
The thrill comes from the free-falling and the rebound.
Question 4.
What is the experience when one falls off the platform?
Answer:
When the person jumps, the cord stretches and the jumper flies upwards again as the cord recoils and continues to oscillate up and down until all the kinetic energy is dissipated. It is an experience of breathtaking quality.
Question 5.
Where is the Bungee jumping point located in India?
Answer:
The Bungee jumping point is located in Mohan Chatti village, in Rishikesh.
Question 6.
What is the minimum age to Bungee jump?
Answer:
The minimum age to Bungee jump is 12 years.
Writing
I. Prepare attractive advertisements using the hints given below.
Question 1.
Home appliances – Aadi Sale – 20-50% – Special Combo Offers – Muthusamy & Co., Raja Street, Gingee.
Answer:
Question 2.
Mobile Galaxy – Smartphones – accessories – SIM cards – Recharge – Free Power banks on Mobile purchase – No.1, Tollgate, Trichy
Answer:
Writing
J. Write a report of the following events in about 100-120 words.
Question 1.
‘Educational Development Day’ was organized in your school on 15th July. The District Collector was the Chief Guest of the event. As part of the event, many competitions were held and the prizes were distributed to the winners and participants. It was a grand and successful event. Now, as the member of the organizing committee, write a report on the event in about 120 words.
Answer:
Educational Development Day
by Ravi Tej
Ratna Matriculation Higher Secondary organized the Educational Development Day on 15th July 2018. The event was to inculcate the skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking in the students. Approximately 500 students participated in this Programme. The programme began with a prayer song sung by the school choir. After this, the Headmaster delivered the welcome speech. This programme was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Mrs. Malini Ramesh, the District Collector.
Many competitions were held for the students in three levels – Sub. Junior, Junior and Senior levels. In each level, there were various competitions like recitation, elocution, slogan reading and some listening activities. Many students took part in all these competitions with enthusiasm and a winning spirit. At the end of the programme, prizes were distributed to the winners and participants. They were given valuable books and certificates. The Chief Guest praised all the winners and participants for their wonderful performance. The event ended with the National Anthem. It was a grand and successful event.
Question 2.
You are the School Pupil Leader. You have been asked to write a report on the Inaugural Ceremony of English Literary Association of your school which was held recently. Write a report on the same in not more than 120 words.
Answer:
Inaugural Ceremony of English Literary Association
by Karen Raj (School Pupil Leader)
Christ Matriculation School organized the inaugural ceremony of English Literary Association on 22nd February 2019. The event was to create a better learning atmosphere in our school and to make the students overcome their fear, when they perform in front of the audience. The Chief Guest was our Headmaster Mr. Rahul Pandey. The programme began with an invocation (prayer) by our school choir. Our English teacher, Mrs. Premalatha welcomed the gathering. Our Headmaster addressed the gathering with an inspirational speech and guidance. After his speech, he inaugurated the English Literary Association. A skit was enacted by the students of X Std and elocution on the, Importance of Education, was given by R. Ranjini of X Std A? The programme ended with the vote of thanks by the Asst. School Pupil Leader, R. Bharath, of XII Std.
Question 3.
You are the Coordinator of the Science Forum of your school. An event had been organized on account of National Science Day for the members of the forum. Now, write a report based on your observation of “National Science Day” at your school.
Answer:
National Science Day
by Suhasini (Coordinator of Science Forum)
St. John’s School of Pallavaram organized a Science Exhibition in the event of National Science Day for the members of the forum on 28th February 2019. The purpose of this event was to commemorate and honour Sir C. V. Raman for his legacy. He had discovered Raman Effect on the 28th February 1928. All the members of this forum and the students from nearby schools were invited to have a glance at the science exhibition. The Chief Guest for this event was Mr. Natesan, Professor of S.G. Arts & Science College, Vellore. He gave some motivational tips and guidelines to promote our Forum and Science department. The event came to an end with the National Anthem.
Grammar
A. Complete these sentences using appropriate modals. The clues in the brackets will help you.
1. When I was a child, I ………. climb trees easily but now I can’t. (ability in the past)
2. I ………… win this singing contest. (determination)
3. You …………. buy this book. It is worth buying. (advice or suggestion)
4. Poongothai ………….. speak several languages. (ability in the present)
5. I swear I …………. tell lies again. (promise)
6. My father ………… play badminton in the evenings when he was at college. (past habit)
7. You ……………. do as I say! (command)
8. ………… I have another glass of water? (request)
9. Sibi has not practised hard but he ……………. win the race. (possibility)
10. We …………… preserve our natural resources. (duty)
Answers:
- could
- can
- should
- can
- shall not
- used to
- should
- May
- can
- ought to
B. Rewrite the following sentences by rectifying the errors in the use of models.
Question 1.
Would I have your autograph?
Answer:
May l have your autograph?
Question 2.
I can be fifteen next April.
Answer:
I shall be fifteen next April.
Question 3.
Take an umbrella. It should rain later.
Answer:
Take an umbrella. It may rain later.
Question 4.
The magistrate ordered that he might pay the fine.
Answer:
The magistrate ordered that he must pay the fine.
Question 5.
Make me a cup of tea, shall you?
Answer:
Make me a cup of tea, will you?
Question 6.
You may speak politely to the elders.
Answer:
You must / ought to speak politely to the elders.
Question 7.
You will get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.
Answer:
You should get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.
Question 8.
We could grow vegetables in our kitchen garden but we don’t do it now.
Answer:
We used to grow vegetables in our kitchen garden but we don’t do it now.
Question 9.
Must I get your jacket? The weather is cold.
Answer:
Shall I get your jacket? The weather is cold.
Question 10.
Could the train be on time?
Answer:
Will the train be on time?
C. Read the dialogue and fill in the blanks with suitable modals.
Dad : Shall we go out for dinner tonight?
Charan : Yes, Dad. We shall go to a restaurant where I can have some ice cream.
Dad : OK. Then, I shall be home by 7 p.m. Mom and you must be ready by then.
Charan : Sure. We shall. My friend told me that there is a magic show nearby. Will you please take us there?
Dad : We may not have time to go for the magic show, I suppose. If we have enough time left, we shall plan.
Charan : By the way, must we inform our gate keeper about our outing?
Dad : Yes, we must so that he will be aware we aren’t at home.
Charan : Shall I call up Mom and tell her about our plan today?
Dad : You have to. Otherwise, we might be in trouble when she returns home.
Charan : Hmm… by the time you come home in the evening, we will be waiting for you. Hope you won’t be late. Bye.
D. Read the following dialogues and supply appropriate modals.
Student : Can we leave our bags in the class during the break?
Teacher : Yes, you may but arrange them neatly.
Passenger : My child is 6 years old. Do I have to buy him a ticket?
Conductor : Yes, you must. It costs half of the price of an adult ticket.
Vani : Can we go for coffee after the meeting?
Yoga : No, I shan’t. I have to go home.
Salesman : When will I receive my order?
Customer : I shall assure you sir, the order will be delivered tomorrow.
Neela : Do you think I should write about my education background in the resume?
Preethi : Yes, you must. You may get a better job.
E. Here are a few sentences already done for you. The clues given would be helpful to \ make more sentences on your own.
- I would suggest that you take the Uzhavan Express to Thanjavur from Chennai.
- You will be more comfortable if you could book 3 tier A/C.
- You could enjoy the trip.
- You should visit the temples,
- You mustn’t miss visiting the Big Temple.
- You can buy many artistic things.
- You must see the Saraswathi Mahal and its library.
- A big palace can be seen in Thanjavur.
- We shall buy Dancing Dolls.
- Thiruvaiyaru, Kallanai Dam and Poondi Church can be visited from Thanjavur.
F. Active and Passive Change the following sentences to the other voice.
Question 1.
The manager appointed many office assistants.
Answer:
Many office assistants were appointed by the manager.
Question 2.
You are making a cake now.
Answer:
A cake is being made by you.
Question 3.
That portrait was painted by my grandmother.
Answer:
My grandmother painted that portrait.
Question 4.
Malini had bought a colourful hat for her daughter.
Answer:
A colourful hat had been bought by Malini for her daughter.
Question 5.
They have asked me to pay the fine.
Answer:
I was asked to pay the fine by them.
Question 6.
The militants were being taken to prison by the police.
Answer:
The police were taking the militants to prison.
Question 7.
His behaviour vexes me.
Answer:
I am vexed by his behaviour.
Question 8.
Rosy will solve the problem.
Answer:
The problem will be solved by Rosy.
Question 9.
Our army has defeated the enemy.
Answer:
The enemy has been defeated by our army.
Question 10.
The salesman answered all the questions patiently.
Answer:
All the questions were answered patiently by the salesman.
G. Change the following into Passive voice.
Question 1.
Please call him at once.
Answer:
You are requested to call him at once.
Question 2.
How did you cross the river?
Answer:
How was the river crossed by you?
Question 3.
No one is borrowing the novels from the library.
Answer:
The novels are not being borrowed from the library.
Question 4.
Will you help me?
Answer:
Will I be helped by you?
Question 5.
Go for a jog early in the morning.
Answer:
You are advised to go for a jog early in the morning.
Question 6.
Why have you left your brother at home?
Answer:
Why has your brother been left at home by you?
Question 7.
Nobody should violate the rules.
Answer:
The rules should not be violated.
Question 8.
Someone has to initiate it immediately.
Answer:
It has to be initiated immediately.
Question 9.
Have you invited Raman to the party?
Answer:
Has Raman been invited to the party by you?
Question 10.
Please do not walk on the grass.
Answer:
You are requested not to walk on the grass.
Question 11.
Cross the busy roads carefully.
Answer:
You are advised to cross the busy roads carefully. / Let the busy roads be crossed carefully.
Question 12.
When will you book the tickets to Bengaluru?
Answer:
When will the tickets be booked to Bengaluru by you?
H. In the following sentences the verbs have two objects namely Direct and Indirect objects. Change each of the following sentences into two passives using direct object as the subject in one and indirect in the other.
Question 1.
John gave a bar of chocolate to Jill.
Answer:
(a) Jill was given a bar of chocolate by John.
(b) A bar of chocolate was given to Jill by John.
Question 2.
Pragathi lent a pencil to Keerthana.
Answer:
(a) Keerthana was lent a pencil by Pragathi.
(b) A pencil was lent to Keerthana by Pragathi.
Question 3.
Sudha told the truth to her friend.
Answer:
(a) The truth was told to her friend by Sudha.
(b) Her friend was told the truth by Sudha.
Question 4.
They offered the job to Venkat.
Answer:
(a) Venkat was offered a job by them.
(b) A job was offered to Venkat by them.
Question 5.
The boss showed the new computer to Kaviya.
Answer:
(a) Kaviya was shown the new computer by the boss.
(b) The new computer was shown to Kaviya by the boss.
I. Rewrite the following passage in Passive Voice.
A few days ago, someone stole Ambrose’s motorbike. Ambrose had left it outside his house. He reported the theft to the police. The police told him that they would try to find his motorbike. This morning, they found his motorbike. The police called Ambrose to the police station. The thieves had painted it and then sold it to someone else. The new owner had parked the motorbike outside a mall when the police found it. After an enquiry, the police arrested the thieves.
Answer:
A few days ago, Ambrose’s motorbike was stolen by someone. It had been left outside his house by Ambrose. The theft was reported to the police by him. He was told by the police that they would try to find his motorbike. This morning, his motorbike was found by them. Ambrose was called to the police station by the police. It had been painted and then sold to someone else by the thieves. The motorbike had been parked outside a mall by the new owner, when it was found by the police. After an enquiry, the thieves were arrested by the police.
J. Write a recipe of your favorite dish in passive voice. Remember to list out the ingredients of the dish you have chosen and their quantity. Use Simple Present tense to write your recipe.
Answer:
Recipe of my favorite dish:
Pulka Chapathi Roti
Ingredients :
- 500 gms wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 400 ml water
500 gm of wheat flour should be taken in a bowl. A teaspoon of salt should be added to it. One tablespoon of vegetable oil should be added to it. Water should be poured little by little and kneaded well. It should not be kneaded too hard. After kneading it, it should be covered with wet cloth for twenty minutes. Little rolls should be taken to be rolled to a circle. Then it should be heated on a low flame on both sides in a tava. Then it can be eaten hot with potato kurma.
K. Write a report of an event held at your school using Passive voice. Use Simple Past Tense to narrate the event.
Answer:
Report of an event :
Farewell Party
A farewell party was organized for our XII Std students on 28th February 2019. The students of X were invited by the students of XII Std. Teachers handling XII and XI Std were present for the party. Two or three events were arranged by the students of XI Std. Then the XII Std students were given some snacks and a memento each as a token of remembrance by the students of XI. The party was enjoyed by each and every student and it ended at 6.00 p.m with a farewell speech by an XI Std student.
His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty
Liam O’Flaherty (1896 – 1984) is an Irish novelist and short-story . Lwriter. He is a major figure of the Irish Renaissance. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Ireland. Some of his best short stories were written in Irish. His autobiography, Shame the Devil, was published in 1934. His novel The Informer was made into a film. His First Flight and The Sniper are regarded as some of his best short stories. Collections of his short stories and letters were republished after his death. He is regarded as a strong voice for Irish nature and its culture.
His First Flight Key Points
- “His first flight” is an interesting story of a young seagull who was afraid of flying.
- He did not have confidence. He was full of pessimism.
- His parents, brothers and sister encouraged, scolded, tempted and taunted him to make his first flight.
- But he did not have enough courage to fly.
- He was left alone for twenty four hours, and he ate nothing. He was extremely hungry.
- He begged his mother for food.
- She picked up a piece of fish and flew across him. The sight of food maddened him. He dived.
- He cried and screamed. His wings opened up automatically. He flapped his wings.
- His family joined him in his first flight and praised him for his efforts.
- They offered him scraps of dogfish.
His First Flight Summary
‘His first flight by Liam O’Flaherty is a true parable about overcoming fears in life. Every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. But that single step is the most difficult one to make. When we conquer the fear and venture forth, we will realize that we are born with wings.
A young seagull looked desperately at the vast expanse of water that stretched before him. His parents, brothers and little sister had flown away. They left him along on the rock. There was no food and he was hungry. He could not fly. Many times, he had tried to run forward to the brink of the ledge and flap his wings. But he was afraid that his wings would not support him. His parents made countless efforts to make him fly. Yet they could not persuade him, to make an attempt to fly. He was starving and felt that he would die, if he did not get any food. He saw his mother tearing a piece of fish with her beak.
When he cried out to her, she just screamed back. Then he saw his mother approaching him with food and was very happy. But she stopped at a distance. He was very hungry. So he dived at the fish. His mother flew upward and he started falling. He was terrified for a moment, but then he realized that he was flying. In this way, he made his ‘first flight. His parents and sister praised him. He was offered scraps of dogfish..
His First Flight Glossary
beckoning (v) – making a gesture with the hand or head to encourage someone to approach or follow
cackle (n) – a sharp, broken noise or cry of a hen, goose or seagull
devour (v) – to eat something eagerly and in large amounts, so that nothing is left
gnaw (v) – to bite or chew something repeatedly
herring (n) – a long silver fish that swims in large groups in the sea
ledge (n) – a narrow shelf that juts out from a vertical surface
mackerel (n) – a sea fish with a strong taste, often used as food
plaintively (adv.) – sadly, calling in a sad way
precipice (n) – a very steep side of a cliff or a mountain
preening (v) – cleaning feathers with beak
shrilly (adv.) – producing a high-pitched and piercing voice or sound
soared (v) – rose quickly to a high level
swoop (v) – to move very quickly and easily through the air
trot (v) – to run at a moderate pace with short steps
whet (v) – to sharpen
Words given in bold in this Glossary are taken from Textbook Glossary.
