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Practice Class 10 English Chapter 3 Two Stories About Flying with original NCERT-based MCQs, detailed explanations, vocabulary, grammar, exam tips and revision notes.
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Chapter Information
| Category | Details |
| Class | 10 |
| Subject | English |
| Book | NCERT First Flight |
| Chapter | Chapter 3 – Two Stories About Flying |
| Practice Set | Set 1 of 10 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate |
| Question Type | MCQ with Answer Explanation |
| Academic Session | 2026–27 |
Introduction
Welcome to Class 10 English Chapter 3 – Two Stories About Flying, Practice Set 1.
This chapter contains two interesting stories that explore flying, fear, courage, confidence and unexpected experiences.
The first story, His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty, describes a young seagull who is afraid to fly. His fear prevents him from joining his family until hunger and his mother’s encouragement lead him to attempt his first flight.
The second story, The Black Aeroplane by Frederick Forsyth, follows a pilot who faces a dangerous storm while flying towards England. When his aircraft instruments stop working, a mysterious aeroplane appears and guides him towards safety.
This practice set is designed to help students understand both stories through concept-based questions, vocabulary, grammar and examination-oriented activities.
All questions and explanations in this practice set are originally written for MySchoolStudy and are based on the concepts and learning objectives of the NCERT textbook.
What You Will Learn
This practice set will help you revise:
- The young seagull’s fear of flying
- The importance of confidence and courage
- The role of the seagull’s mother
- The young bird’s first flying experience
- The pilot’s journey from France towards England
- The difficulties faced during the storm
- The mysterious black aeroplane
- Important vocabulary from both stories
- Understanding of events and characters
- Inference-based examination questions
- Basic English grammar
Why This Chapter Is Important
Two Stories About Flying teaches students important lessons through two different situations.
In His First Flight, the young seagull gradually discovers his ability to fly. His experience highlights how confidence and encouragement can help someone overcome fear.
In The Black Aeroplane, the narrator faces an unexpected problem during his journey. The mysterious aircraft creates suspense and encourages readers to think about the unexplained events in the story.
Both stories develop important ideas about courage, determination, confidence, hope and dealing with unexpected situations.
Key Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
| Seagull | A bird commonly found near the sea |
| Ledge | A narrow flat surface projecting from a wall or cliff |
| Brink | The edge of a high or steep place |
| Muster | To gather courage or strength |
| Plunge | To jump or fall suddenly |
| Beckoning | Making a gesture to invite someone to come closer |
| Curveting | Moving or jumping with curved movements |
| Dakota | The name of the aircraft flown by the narrator |
| Compass | An instrument used to find directions |
| Storm | A period of severe weather |
| Runway | A prepared surface used by aircraft for take-off and landing |
| Radar | A system used to detect and track objects |
| Mysterious | Difficult to explain or understand |
| Exhausted | Extremely tired |
| Suspense | A feeling of excitement or uncertainty about what may happen |
5 MCQs with Detailed Answer Explanations
Q1. Why was the young seagull afraid to make his first flight?
A. He did not want to leave his family.
B. He believed that his wings would not support him.
C. He wanted to remain inside the nest forever.
D. He was afraid of meeting other birds.
Answer: He believed that his wings would not support him
Answer Explanation
The young seagull was afraid because he doubted his ability to fly. When he looked down towards the sea, the great distance made him nervous. He believed that his wings were not strong enough to carry him through the air. This fear prevented him from attempting to fly even after his brothers and sister had successfully flown away.
Q2. What finally encouraged the young seagull to jump towards his first flight?
A. His father carried him into the air.
B. His brothers pushed him from the ledge.
C. His hunger and his mother’s attempt to attract him with food.
D. A sudden change in the weather.
Answer: His hunger and his mother’s attempt to attract him with food
Answer Explanation
The young seagull had become extremely hungry and wanted to eat the fish his mother was carrying. His mother moved towards him with the food but stopped just beyond his reach. In an attempt to get the fish, he jumped forward and discovered that he could fly. His hunger became the immediate reason that helped him overcome his fear.
Q3. Why did the narrator of The Black Aeroplane decide to fly into the storm clouds?
A. He wanted to explore the storm.
B. He wanted to reach England and get home without delay.
C. Paris Control ordered him to enter the storm.
D. He wanted to follow another aircraft.
Answer: He wanted to reach England and get home without delay
Answer Explanation
The narrator was flying his Dakota aeroplane from France towards England. He wanted to reach home and was looking forward to spending time with his family. When he noticed the large storm clouds ahead, he considered returning to Paris. However, his desire to reach home made him take the risk of flying into the storm.
Q4. What happened to the narrator’s instruments after his Dakota entered the storm clouds?
A. They started showing incorrect directions only.
B. They continued working normally.
C. The compass, other instruments and radio stopped working.
D. They automatically guided the aircraft towards England.
Answer: The compass, other instruments and radio stopped working
Answer Explanation
Inside the storm, the narrator could no longer see clearly. His compass began behaving abnormally, and the other instruments also stopped functioning. His radio became useless as well. Without these important facilities, he lost his sense of direction and found himself in a difficult situation.
Q5. What makes the ending of The Black Aeroplane mysterious?
A. The narrator forgets his destination.
B. The airport refuses to allow him to land.
C. The control centre reports that no other aircraft was visible on its radar.
D. The narrator discovers that his aircraft has no fuel.
Answer: The control centre reports that no other aircraft was visible on its radar
Answer Explanation
After landing safely, the narrator asks the woman in the control centre about the other pilot who guided him through the storm. However, she tells him that no other aircraft was visible on the radar that night. This unexpected information creates the mystery of the story because the narrator had clearly seen another aeroplane and followed it towards safety.
Grammar Focus
Simple Past Tense – Quick Revision
The Simple Past Tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past.
Structure:
Subject + Second Form of Verb + Object
Examples:
- The young seagull attempted his first flight.
- The pilot entered the storm clouds.
- The narrator followed the mysterious aeroplane.
Important Points
- Use the second form of the verb in affirmative sentences.
- Use did not + first form of the verb in negative sentences.
- Use Did + subject + first form of the verb in questions.
Quick Practice
Choose the correct verb form:
The young seagull ______ towards the fish.
A. jump
B. jumped
C. jumping
D. jumps
Answer: jumped
Explanation
The sentence describes an action completed in the past. Therefore, the second form of the verb jump, which is jumped, is correct.
Practice Activities
- Write five sentences describing why the young seagull was afraid of flying.
- Explain how the seagull’s mother encouraged him to make his first flight.
- Write a short paragraph about the importance of confidence in achieving a goal.
- Describe the problems faced by the narrator when he entered the storm clouds.
- Explain why the ending of The Black Aeroplane is mysterious.
- Write five sentences using vocabulary from this chapter.
Quick English Challenge
Choose the grammatically correct sentence:
A. The pilot fly into the storm yesterday.
B. The pilot flew into the storm yesterday.
C. The pilot flying into the storm yesterday.
D. The pilot flown into the storm yesterday.
Answer: The pilot flew into the storm yesterday.
Explanation
The word yesterday indicates a completed action in the past. The past form of fly is flew, so option B is grammatically correct.
Exam Tips
- Understand why the young seagull was afraid of flying.
- Remember the role played by the mother seagull.
- Revise the events leading to the young bird’s first flight.
- Understand why the pilot decided to enter the storm.
- Remember the problems caused by the failure of the aircraft instruments.
- Pay attention to the mysterious ending of The Black Aeroplane.
- Practise character-based and inference-based questions.
- Learn the meanings of important vocabulary in context.
- Read every MCQ carefully before selecting an answer.
- Use your own words when writing descriptive answers.
Quick Revision Notes
- Chapter 3 contains two stories about flying.
- His First Flight is written by Liam O’Flaherty.
- The main character in the first story is a young seagull.
- The young seagull initially lacks confidence in his ability to fly.
- His hunger and his mother’s encouragement help him attempt flying.
- His family celebrates his successful first flight.
- The Black Aeroplane is written by Frederick Forsyth.
- The narrator is flying a Dakota aeroplane from France towards England.
- The narrator encounters large storm clouds.
- His compass, other instruments and radio stop working.
- A mysterious aeroplane appears and guides him.
- The narrator reaches an airport safely.
- The woman in the control centre says that no other aircraft was visible on the radar.
- The identity of the mysterious pilot remains unexplained.
Common English Mistakes
- Confusing the young seagull’s fear with a lack of physical ability.
- Forgetting the importance of the mother’s role in the first story.
- Confusing the narrator’s destination with his starting location.
- Assuming that the pilot’s instruments continued working inside the storm.
- Ignoring the mysterious nature of the second story’s ending.
- Confusing the past forms of irregular verbs.
- Using the present tense when describing completed past events.
- Memorising events without understanding their importance.
- Selecting an MCQ option without reading the complete question.
Key Takeaways
- Confidence plays an important role in overcoming fear.
- Encouragement can help someone attempt something difficult.
- The young seagull discovers his ability through his first flying experience.
- Hunger becomes the immediate motivation for the seagull’s first flight.
- Unexpected problems can create difficult situations.
- The pilot faces uncertainty after entering the storm clouds.
- The mysterious aeroplane adds suspense to the second story.
- Both stories encourage readers to think about courage, determination and confidence.
FAQs
Q1. What is the name of Chapter 3 in Class 10 English First Flight?
The name of Chapter 3 is Two Stories About Flying.
Q2. Who wrote His First Flight?
His First Flight was written by Liam O’Flaherty.
Q3. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?
He believed that his wings would not support him and was frightened by the great distance below the ledge.
Q4. How did the young seagull make his first flight?
He jumped towards the fish his mother was carrying and discovered that he could fly.
Q5. Who wrote The Black Aeroplane?
The Black Aeroplane was written by Frederick Forsyth.
Q6. Which aircraft was the narrator flying?
The narrator was flying a Dakota aeroplane.
Q7. Why did the narrator enter the storm clouds?
He wanted to reach England and return home without delay.
Q8. What makes the black aeroplane mysterious?
The narrator was guided by another aircraft, but the woman in the control centre reported that no other aircraft appeared on the radar.
Conclusion
covers the important concepts of Class 10 English Chapter 3 – Two Stories About Flying. It includes questions from both stories, vocabulary, grammar, revision notes and examination tips.
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