ABK –SSJ Class X

Long Answer Type Questions

CLASS X :ENGLISH LITERATURE :FIRST FLIGHT(Prose )
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ABK -SSJ
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Ch-1 A letter to god
1. Why did Lencho seek help from God? Who received the letter? What did he do? (CBSE 2001)
Or,
'Faith can move mountains.' What did the postmaster do in order not to break Lencho's faith in God.
Explain. (CBSE 2008)
Or,
What was the letter to God about? How much did it serve Lencho's purpose? (CBSE 2002)
Ans. When Lencho's crop was totally destroyed by the hail, he being a simple-hearted person who had abundant
faith in God, started a correspondence with Him. In a letter he asked God to send him a hundred pesos to enable him
to sow his field again and live until the new crop came. This envelope which was addressed "To God" greatly
intrigued a postman and so he took the envelope containing the letter to the postmaster. After reading the letter the
postmaster was highly impressed and touched by Lencho's faith in God. So, in order to cement Lencho's
faith in God, the postmaster decided to collect money and send it to Lencho. He was able to collect only seventy
pesos. He put this money in an envelope along with a letter containing the sender's signature 'God', and sent it to
Lencho.
2. How did the post office employees help Lencho? How did Lencho react to their help? (CBSE 2006)
Ans. The post office employees received an unusual letter addressed to God. In order not to shake the faith of the
writer of the letter, they collected 70 pesos and sent it to Lencho. Lencho was not at all surprised when he got the
money. On receiving 70 pesos, he became angry and blamed the post office employees for the shortfall of 30 pesos.
He was sure that God had sent the 100 pesos he had asked for, and thought the post office employees to be a bunch
of crooks.
3. In the lesson 'A Letter to God', what moral values does the postmaster display in his behaviour? (CBSE
2018)
Ans. The postmaster was very impressed and touched by Lencho's sincere faith in God. In order to reconfirm and
not to shake Lencho's faith he decided to answer the letter. He is amazed to read Lencho's letter and even more
amazed at Lencho's abundant faith in God. The postmaster is thus a very genuine, empathetic and soft hearted man.
The postmaster is also a man who sticks to his resolutions so he is able to collect money for Lencho's help. Since he
commands the respect of his juniors and friends they too feel obliged to give him money for an act of charity. He is a
generous person and tries to perceive others in a more positive light.
4. Describe the character of Lencho in the light of his faith and attitude towards God and man. (CBSE 2004)
Or,
"I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter." Describe Lencho's character in the light of this
statement. Is such devout faith in God possible in today's practical life? (CBSE 2008,2013)

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Ans. Lencho being a very simple person started a correspondence with God so that he would help him and make
sure that he and his family would not starve. He had an abundant faith in God and therefore with great confidence
he directly appealed to God for help. As for his opinion regarding men, Lencho considers them dishonest and
deceitful. He does not hesitate to write about his contemptuous attitude towards men in his letter to God and he
calls the men at the post-office a bunch of crooks. He knew that God helps innocent people in distress and therefore
does not hesitate in approaching him directly for help and neither is he bewildered when he does receive a letter
signed by God.
Ch -2 : Nelson Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom
5. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his country- (CBSE 2000)
(i) in the first decade and
(ii) in the final decade of the twentieth century?
Ans. (i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, which was a few years after the Anglo-Boer War and before
Mandela's own birth, the white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of
racial domination against the dark-skinned people of their own land. The structure they thus created formed the
basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world had ever known.
(ii) In the last decade of the 20th century when Mandela was himself 80 years old, that system had been replaced by
one that recognized the rights and freedoms of all people, regardless of the colour of their skin.
6. What does courage mean to Mandela? How did he learn the meaning of courage? (CBSE 2009)
Ans. Mandela has learnt the true meaning of courage from the struggle of the people of his country. Time and again
he has seen men and women at risk and give their lives for an idea. He has seen men stand up to attack and torture
without breaking, showing a strength and the ability to deal with any kind of hardship that defies imagination. He
also learnt that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave is not he who does not feel
afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
7. Which two obligations, according to Nelson Mandela, does every man have in life? How could a man not
fulfill obligations in a country like South Africa? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. According to Nelson Mandela, every man has twin obligations in life-obligations to his family, to his parents,
wife and children; and he has an obligation to his people, his community and his country. These obligations could
not be fulfilled by a man in a country like South Africa because a man of dark colour who attempted to just live as a
human being was punished and isolated in that country. A who man tried to fulfill his duty to his people was
inevitably ripped from his family and his home and forced to live a life apart from them all.
8. How did Nelson Mandela's understanding of freedom change with age and experience? (CBSE 2008)
Ans. Mandela was not born with a hunger to be free. He was born free in every way that he knew. As long as he
obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, no laws troubled him. Gradually he began to realize that his
boyhood freedom was a mere illusion. Then when he discovered as a young man, that his freedom had already been
taken from him, he actually began hungering for it. As a student he had wanted transitory freedom but then as a
young man he yearned for basic and honourable freedom for the people of his race, freedom for his brothers and
sisters to live with dignity and respect.
9. No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion'.
Do you agree? Elaborate on the basis of the chapter "Nelson Mandela-Long walk to freedom". (CBSE 2023)

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Ans. This statement of Nelson Mandela is a powerful insistence that reiterates the idea that prejudice and hatred are
acquired behaviours and not inborn traits. Born in a country, that was divided by segregation and racial
discrimination, Mandela experienced first hand inequality and injustices as a black man. But he was not born with
the prejudices that characterized the society in which he lived. He saw the stigmas in the social and political system
prevalent during that time. Throughout his life, Mandela fought against the system and worked relentlessly to end
the discrimination that existed in South Africa.
Ch -3 Two stories about Flying
HIS FIRST FLIGHT
10. Why was the young seagull afraid of flying? What compelled the seagull to finally fly? (CBSE 2009)
Or "
The sight of the food maddened him". What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally
fly?
Or
Why was the young seagull afraid of flying with his brothers and sister?
Ans. The young seagull was afraid of flying because he felt certain that his wings would not support him above the
vast sea. The young seagull had not eaten anything since the previous night and the sight of his mother tearing at a
piece of fish that lay at her feet was maddening him, making him almost crazy. He loved to tear food that way and
uttered a cackling sound as if begging his mother to bring him some food but she was ignoring him. Maddened by
hunger, he dived at the fish his mother baited at him and flew outward and downward into space. He scared again
and then flew downwards gradually. He dropped his legs to stand on the sea. Finally his feet sank into the green sea
and as his belly touched it he sank no further. He was floating on it and around him his family was praising him.
11. How did the black aeroplane rescue the first pilot? (CBSE 2004)
Or
How did the pilot of the black aeroplane help the pilot of the old Dakota to land safely at the airport?
(CBSE 2008)
Or
The pilot is lost in storm clouds? How does he reach safely? (CBSE 2009)
Or
Who rescued the first pilot of Dakota and how? (CBSE 2015)
Ans. He first pilot was stuck in the thick black clouds. The compass, radio and other instruments in his plane were
dead. Then in the black clouds quite near to him, suddenly he spotted another aeroplane. Though he could not see
the pilot's face, he understood the pilot was signalling with his hand that he (the first pilot) should follow him. He
turned his aeroplane slowly towards the black aeroplane and went behind it like an obedient child. After about half
an hour he started going down and suddenly they came out of the clouds and the first pilot saw the runway in front
of him but the aeroplane that he had followed just disappeared.
12. Describe the flight of the Dakota aeroplane till it landed safely at the airport. (CBSE 2005,2017)
Ans. The Dakota aeroplane took off in a clear sky from France for its journey to England. After flying about 150
kilometres it was suddenly inside thick black clouds and everything was black. The compass, radio and all other
instruments of the plane were dead. The aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. Then in the black clouds the pilot
saw a black aeroplane. Though he could not see the other pilot's face he understood that the pilot was signalling
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with his hand to follow him. The pilot followed the other plane like an obedient child. After half an hour the Dakota
aeroplane came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of light of the runway in front. But there was no
sign of the black aeroplane.
13. The author asked a question at the end of the lesson The Black Aeroplane', "Who was the pilot in the
strange black aeroplane?" Answer this question. (CBSE 2006)
Ans. It is indeed a mystery as to who the pilot of the strange black aeroplane was. It is quite probable that the pilot
was actually a ghost whose plane might have crashed in a storm so he felt it was his moral duty to avert another
such disaster. That is the reason the ghost seems to appear out of nowhere just to guide the pilot safely to the
airport and once this job is done he just vanishes into thin air and is not seen again. Another probability is that the
pilot of the old Dakota had imagined it all in his distress. No definite explanation can be given for this mystery as
the story has a supernatural element attached to it which is inexplicable.
14. Motivation plays an important role in taking risks in life and in succeeding. Do you agree? Discuss with
reference to the pilot of the old Dakota and the young seagull. (CBSE 2023)
Ans. Motivation enables one not only to take risks in life but also to succeed. The pilot of the old Dakota plane was
eager to get home to England and was looking forward to be with his family. So despite seeing the storm clouds
across the sky, he took the risk and did not fly back to Paris. Similarly, the young Seagull was able to make his first
flight only because of his family's constant encouragement and motivation. The seagull's family continued to beckon
him, leaving with no choice except to dive in the air and soar. The pilot and the young Seagull were motivated to
take risks and eventually succeeded.
Ch -4 The Diary of Anne Frank
15. Give a character sketch of Anne. (CBSE 2001)
Or,
Write a brief sketch of Anne's character. (CBSE 2001)
Ans. Though Anne was just thirteen years old, she was pretty mature for her age. She was intelligent, witty and
humorous. She understood that no one would be interested in the musings of a young school girl so she decided to
maintain a diary, knowing well that paper had more patience than people. When Mr. Keesing gave her various
assignments as a punishment for being talkative in class, she wrote these with witty intelligence and finally
befriended even Mr. Keesing because of her sensibility.
16. How did Mr. Keesing punish Anne? What was the punishment? (CBSE 2003)
Ans. Mr. Keesing was rather an old teacher who taught Maths and had been annoyed with Anne for a long time
because she talked too much in the classroom. After several warnings he assigned her extra homework to write an
essay on the subject 'A Chatterbox. In her essay Anne argued that talking was a student's trait and she would do her
best to keep it under control but that she could not cure herself of the habit of talking. Then Mr. Keesing assigned
her a second essay on 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'. When Anne proceeded to talk relentlessly even after submitting
her second essay, Mr. Keesing said he had finally had enough of her and punished her yet again by telling her to
write yet another essay entitled, 'Quack, Quack, Quack', said Mistress Chatterbox."
Ch-5 Glimpses of India
A BAKER FROM GOA
17. Baking was considered an essential and a profitable profession in a traditional Goan village. What
reasons does the writer give to support his point? (CBSE 2009,2013)

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Or
What do we learn about the financial condition of the bakers of Goa?
Or
Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this?
Or
The author says: "The baker and his family never starved'. Why does he say so? Give reasons.
Ans. Baking was considered an essential profession because marriage gifts were meaningless without a sweet bread
known as the bol. The lady of the house had to prepare sandwiches on her daughter's engagement. Cakes and
bolinhas were a must for Christmas and other festivals. Baking was also a profitable profession in the traditional
Goan village. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family, his servants always looked happy and
prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this.
COORG
18. What is the story about the Kodagu people's Arab descent?
Or,
What do you know about the descent of the people of the Coorg? What makes such accounts an interesting
reading and what do we learn from them? (CBSE 2015)
Ans. The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. As one story goes, a part of
Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled here when return became impractical. These people
married amongst the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which
are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The theory of the Kodavu people's Arab origin draws support from the long
black coat called 'Kuppia' with an embroidered waist belt that they wear. This resembles the 'Kuffia'
worn by the Arabs
TEA FROM ASSAM
19. What are the legends associated with the discovery of tea? (CBSE 2010)
Ans. Ravir had read about many legends about the discovery of tea. One legend was about a Chinese emperor, who
always boiled water before drinking it. Once a few leaves of the twigs burning under the water pot fell into the
water. These leaves gave it a delicious taste and were believed to be tea-leaves. There is an Indian legend too.
According to this legend, Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditation.
Ten tea-plants grew out of these eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished
sleep.Rajvir also said that tea was first drunk in China way back in 2700 B.C. and words like 'chini' and 'chai' are
from Chinese.
Ch -7 Madam Rides the bus
20. What sights did Valli experience during her first journey by bus? (CBSE 2016)

Or
What all did Valli see on her first bus journey?
Ans. Valli saw a young cow right in the middle of the road in front of the bus. The bus slowed and the driver blew
the horn loudly again and again to get the cow to move out of its way. But the more he honked the cow got
frightened and galloped faster right in front of the bus. This sight seemed very funny to Valli and made her
laugh.Valli had a great time as she got to see many things on her first journey. As the bus came to a rail road

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crossing, Valli saw a speck of a train at a distance. She then saw it growing bigger as it drew near. Then it rushed
past creating a tremendous rattle shaking the bus. From there the bus took her to a well-laid-out shopping street.
Here she saw big and bright looking shops that had a glittering display of clothes and other merchandise. She was
dumbfounded with wonder and just gaped at everything.
21.On the basis of the reading of the story 'Madam Rides the Bus', write a character-sketch of Valli? (CBSE
2009)
Or
What kind of person is Valli? Illustrate your answer giving examples from the text?
Ans. Valli was a young, enthusiastic child who had a little wish that of taking a bus ride once. She had a curious and
inquisitive nature. She was a meticulous planner and took great pains in planning her bus ride. By asking a few
discreet questions from her neighbours and friends who had taken the bus ride she picked up various small details
about the bus journey. Valli was a self confident and independent young girl who did not like the idea of being
treated like a child and wanted the conductor of the bus to know that she was quite capable of taking care of herself.
She was a very sensitive girl who was so overcome by sadness by the sight of the dead cow that the entire bus
journey she was enjoying so enthusiastically suddenly lost its entire charm for her when she saw the blood-covered
lifeless cow's dead body.
22. "Never mind," she said, "I can get on by myself," You don't have to help me," said Valli to the
conductor. She shows extraordinary courage in making the bus journey all alone. Taking inspiration from
Valli's character, write how ability and courage to take risk are essential to fulfill one's dream. (CBSE 2015)
Ans. Valli's earnest wish was to ride on the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. She was
only eight years old, but that did not stop her from working towards fulfilling her desire to go on a bus ride. Her
meticulous planning and strong willpower made her plan and execute the journey successfully. She gathered the
required information, saved sixty paise and waited patiently for the right time to go on her journey. Her courage,
confidence and dignity on the journey made the conductor call her 'Madam'. The journey taught her to be
independent and to get to know about the outside world. It also taught her to interact with different kinds of people.
Valli teaches us an important lesson in life, that is never to give up and make all efforts and take risks to chase our
dreams.
23. Once we decide to achieve something, so many difficulties come in our way. With focused attention we
can make that achievement. How did Valli succeed in fulfilling her desire of riding a bus? (CBSE 2017)
Or
What was Valli's earnest wish? Which of Valli's characteristics made her take the bus journey successfully?
What do you think she learnt from this bus journey?
Ans. Valli's deepest desire was to ride on the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. Valli
planned her bus ride by learning various small details about the bus journey by listening to conversations of her
neighbours who were regular users of the bus. She found about the bus fare, the time it took to reach the town and
back and the time of the bus. Valli saved up money for the bus journey by collecting coins and by not spending on
peppermints, toys, balloons etc. Her meticulous planning and strong willpower made her plan and execute the
journey successfully. She saved money, gathered the required information and waited patiently for the right time to
go on her journey. Her courage, confidence and dignity on the journey made the conductor call her 'madam'. The
journey taught her to be independent and to get to know about the outside world. It also taught her how to interact

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with different kinds of people. I feel that Valli was a highly sensitive girl. The sight of the dead cow touched her and
left her feeling very sad. She learnt how life and death are interwoven together and that death was the ultimate truth
of life.
Ch -8 The Sermon at Benares
24. Life is full of trials and tribulations. Kisa Gotami also passes through a period of grief in her life.How
does she behave in those circumstances? What lesson does a reader learn from the story of her life? (CBSE
2013)
Ans. Kisa Gotami had gone to Buddha to get medicine that would cure her dead son. Buddha told her to get a
handful of mustard-seeds from a house where no one had lost their loved one. So she went from house to house to
procure such a seed but she was unable to do so as every house had lost a loved one. Kisa Gotami is totally grieved
and distraught when she lost her only son. She is unable to reconcile with the idea that her son is actually dead. She
does lose her senses in her grief, though she is not really being selfish. Her deep pain and grief make her ignorant of
the fact that death is common to all and it is only after one dies he is led to the path of immortality.
Buddha wanted Gotami to realise that the life of mortals is brief and combined with pain. Those who are born have
to die and no one can save his dear ones from dying. While relatives look on and lament deeply, one by one mortals
are carried off. One must learn that one cannot obtain peace of mind from weeping or grieving. On the contrary, his
pain will be greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale.
25. What was it that Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to understand?
Or,
What lesson did Buddha want to teach Kisa Gotami? (CBSE 2015)
Ans. Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to understand that the life of mortals in this world is troubled, brief and combined
with pain. There is no way in which those who have been born could avoid dying. After reaching old age there is
death. Both young and old, fools and wise all are subject to death. The world is afflicted with death and decay, so the
wise people do not grieve knowing the terms of the world. If one does grieve, his pain would be greater and his body
would suffer. Those who are born have to die and no one can save his dear ones from dying. While relatives look on
and lament deeply, one by one mortals are carried off. No one can obtain peace of mind by weeping or grieving. On
the contrary, his pain will be greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale.
times and all ages. The old and the young, the rich and the poor are all stopped short by the power of death.

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