Two Stories About Flying

So students, welcome to today's English lesson. I'm so happy to see you all here, ready to learn something new and wonderful. Today, we are going to study Chapter 3 from your NCERT English textbook First Flight, and this chapter is called "Two Stories about Flying." Now, before we begin, let me tell you something interesting. Since the earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the skies. We looked at birds flying freely in the air and wished we could do the same. And in this chapter, we have two beautiful stories about flying — one is about a young bird learning to fly, and the other is about a pilot flying an aeroplane. Both stories are very different, but both are equally exciting and teach us important lessons about courage, fear, and trust. So let's begin with the first story, shall we?

The first story is titled "His First Flight" and it is written by Liam O'Flaherty. Now, students, this is a story about a young seagull who is afraid to fly for the first time. Now, think about this. When baby birds are born, they don't automatically know how to fly, do they? They have to learn just like we have to learn so many things when we are young. And this story shows us exactly that — the struggle, the fear, and finally the triumph of a young seagull learning to fly.

Let me read the story to you carefully, and as I read, try to imagine the scenes in your mind. The young seagull was alone on his ledge. Now, what is a ledge? A ledge is a narrow horizontal shelf projecting from a wall or, in this case, a cliff. So the little seagull was standing alone on a narrow ledge on a cliff. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. Just imagine, all his siblings had learned to fly and had left him behind. That must have been very scary for him.

The story tells us that when he had tried to run forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings, he became afraid. He looked down and saw the great expanse of sea stretching down beneath, and it was such a long way down — miles down. He felt certain that his wings would never support him. Now, students, can you imagine how terrifying that must be? You are standing on a high cliff, and below you is the vast ocean, miles and miles below. And you are supposed to jump off and trust that your wings will hold you. That takes a lot of courage, doesn't it? So he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night. He was too scared to even try.

Even when each of his brothers and his little sister, whose wings were far shorter than his own, ran to the brink, flapped their wings, and flew away, he failed to muster up courage to take that plunge which appeared to him so desperate. His father and mother had come around calling to him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away. Now, what does "upbraiding" mean? It means scolding. His parents were scolding him, calling to him in sharp, high-pitched voices, telling him that he must fly or they would let him starve. But for the life of him, he could not move. He was just too afraid.

That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then nobody had come near him. 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. Now, "to skim" means to move lightly just above a surface. So the birds were flying just above the surface of the sea. 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. A herring is a soft-finned sea fish, and "devour" means to eat hungrily. And all the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him with his cowardice. They were teasing him, making fun of him because he was too scared to fly.

The sun was now ascending the sky, blazing on his ledge that faced the south. He felt the heat because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall. He was hungry, very hungry. He stepped slowly out to the brink of the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing, he closed one eye, then the other, and pretended to be falling asleep. Still they took no notice of him. He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau dozing with their heads sunk into their necks. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. "Preening" means making an effort to maintain feathers, cleaning them and arranging them properly. Only his mother was looking at him. She was standing on a little high hump on the plateau, her white breast thrust forward. Now and again, she tore at a piece of fish that lay at her feet and then scrapped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of the food maddened him. How he loved to tear food that way, scrapping his beak now and again to whet it. "To whet" means to sharpen. So his mother was eating fish right in front of him, and he was starving.

"Ga, ga, ga," he cried begging her to bring him some food. "Gaw-col-ah," she screamed back derisively. Now, "derisively" means in a manner showing someone that she or he is stupid. His mother was laughing at him, mocking him, calling him names. But he kept calling plaintively, and after a minute or so he uttered a joyful scream. His mother had picked up a piece of the fish and was flying across to him with it. He leaned out eagerly, tapping the rock with his feet, trying to get nearer to her as she flew across. But when she was just opposite to him, she halted, her wings motionless, the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his beak. She stopped just short of him, almost within his reach but not quite. He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she did not come nearer, and then, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space.

Now, students, this is the crucial moment. He finally jumps. He dives at the fish, and in doing so, he falls off the ledge. And then what happens? Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still. He could hear nothing. But it only lasted a minute. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards. The wind rushed against his breast feathers, then under his stomach, and against his wings. He could feel the tips of his wings cutting through the air. He was not falling headlong now. He was soaring gradually downwards and outwards. He was no longer afraid. He just felt a bit dizzy. Now, "dizzy" means an uncomfortable feeling of spinning around and losing one's balance. Then he flapped his wings once and he soared upwards. "Ga, ga, ga, Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-col-ah," his mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another scream. Then his father flew over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him curveting and banking and soaring and diving. Now, "curvetting" means leaping like a horse, and "banking" means flying with one wing higher than the other. These are all flying maneuvers.

Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly, and commended himself to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly. He was near the sea now, flying straight over it, facing straight out over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges moving over it and he turned his beak sideways and cawed amusedly. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green flooring ahead of him. They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fright and attempted to rise again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted by the strange exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no farther. He was floating on it, and around him his family was screaming, praising him and their beaks were offering him scraps of dog-fish. He had made his first flight.

Now, students, let's think about this story and answer some questions. The first question is: Why was the young seagull afraid to fly? Do you think all young birds are afraid to make their first flight, or are some birds more timid than others? Do you think a human baby also finds it a challenge to take its first steps?

So, why was the seagull afraid? He was afraid because he looked down and saw how high up he was. The sea was miles below, and he thought his wings would never support him. He was paralyzed by fear. This is very similar to how human babies feel when they try to walk for the first time. They are afraid of falling, aren't they? They have been crawling for so long, and suddenly they have to stand up and balance on two legs. It's scary! And just like some birds might be more timid than others, some babies are more cautious than others. Some babies take their first steps easily, while others are more hesitant. It's completely natural.

Now, the second question: "The sight of the food maddened him." What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly? The sight of the food maddened him means that he became almost crazy with hunger. He wanted that fish so badly that he was willing to do anything to get it. His mother was clever, wasn't she? She knew that she had to create a situation where he would have to fly to get the food. She held the fish just out of his reach, and when he dived at it, he had no choice but to fly. So what compelled him was hunger, pure and simple. Sometimes, we need that extra push, that desperate need, to overcome our fears.

The third question: "They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly." Why did the seagull's father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly? They wanted him to learn to fly because that is what birds do. If he didn't learn to fly, he would never be able to survive on his own. They were pushing him because they loved him and wanted him to be independent. They knew that he had to learn this skill, no matter how scared he was. This is just like our parents, isn't it? They push us to do things that are difficult, like studying for exams or learning to ride a bicycle, because they want us to become strong and capable individuals.

The fourth question: Have you ever had a similar experience, where your parents encouraged you to do something that you were too scared to try? Discuss this in pairs or groups. Now, students, I want you to think about this. Maybe you were afraid of swimming, and your parents encouraged you to join a swimming class. Or maybe you were nervous about speaking in front of the class, and your teacher encouraged you to give a presentation. Or maybe you were scared to ride a bicycle, and your father or mother held the seat and ran behind you until you got the hang of it. These are all experiences similar to what the young seagull went through. Talk about this with your classmates and share your experiences.

The fifth question: In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusion that it should succeed. In the examples you have given in answer to the previous question, was your success guaranteed, or was it important for you to try, regardless of a possibility of failure? This is a very important question. When we watch birds fly, it looks so easy, so natural, that we assume they just know how to do it. But as we learned from the story, even birds have to learn. And in our own lives, when we try something new, success is never guaranteed. But what matters is that we try. We learn and grow through our attempts, whether we succeed or fail. So the important thing is not the guarantee of success, but the courage to try.

Now, students, let's move on to the Speaking activity. We have just read about the first flight of a young seagull. Your teacher will now divide the class into groups. Each group will work on one of the following topics. Prepare a presentation with your group members and then present it to the entire class.

The topics are: Progression of Models of Airplanes, Progression of Models of Motorcars, Birds and Their Wing Span, and Migratory Birds — Tracing Their Flights. Now, these are all interesting topics. For example, if you are working on the progression of models of airplanes, you can talk about how airplanes have evolved from the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903 to the modern jets we have today. If you are working on birds and their wing span, you can talk about different birds and how their wings are adapted for different types of flying. The albatross, for instance, has a very large wingspan that allows it to glide for hours without flapping its wings. And for migratory birds, you can talk about how birds like the Arctic tern travel thousands of miles every year from one pole to the other. These are all fascinating topics, and I encourage you to research them well and prepare wonderful presentations.

Now, for the Writing task: Write a short composition on your initial attempts at learning a skill. You could describe the challenges of learning to ride a bicycle or learning to swim. Make it as humorous as possible. Now, students, I want you to think about the first time you tried to ride a bicycle. Maybe you fell down many times. Maybe you scraped your knees. Maybe you were so scared that you held onto your father's shirt very tightly. Or maybe when you were learning to swim, you swallowed a lot of water, or you were afraid to put your face in the water. These experiences can be very funny when you look back at them. So write about them in a humorous way. Describe the fear, the struggles, and the eventual success. Make your classmates laugh!

Now, let's move on to the second story, students. This story is called "The Black Aeroplane" and it is written by Frederick Forsyth. This is a completely different kind of story. It's about a pilot flying an aeroplane, and it's full of suspense and mystery. So let's begin.

The moon was coming up in the east, behind me, and stars were shining in the clear sky above me. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. I was happy to be alone high up above the sleeping countryside. I was flying my old Dakota aeroplane over France back to England. I was dreaming of my holiday and looking forward to being with my family. I looked at my watch: one thirty in the morning. So the narrator is flying alone at night, in a small airplane called a Dakota, over France. He's on his way back to England after a holiday. It's one thirty in the morning, and he's happy, thinking about his family and his holiday.

'I should call Paris Control soon,' I thought. As I looked down past the nose of the aeroplane, I saw the lights of a big city in front of me. I switched on the radio and said, "Paris Control, Dakota DS 088 here. Can you hear me? I'm on my way to England. Over."

The voice from the radio answered me immediately: "DS 088, I can hear you. You ought to turn twelve degrees west now, DS 088. Over."

I checked the map and the compass, switched over to my second and last fuel tank, and turned the Dakota twelve degrees west towards England.

'I'll be in time for breakfast,' I thought. A good big English breakfast! Everything was going well — it was an easy flight.

Now, students, this is important. The pilot is following the instructions from Paris Control. He's turning twelve degrees west as directed. He's using his compass to navigate. And he's flying on his second and last fuel tank, which means he doesn't have much fuel left. But he's not worried because he thinks he'll reach England in time for breakfast.

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.

Now, students, this is the crucial decision. He sees these huge storm clouds, like black mountains, blocking his path. He knows he can't fly over them because they are too high. And he doesn't have enough fuel to fly around them to the north or south. So he has two choices: go back to Paris or try to fly through the storm. He decides to take the risk. He wants to get home, he wants that breakfast, so he flies straight into the storm.

Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black. It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I couldn't believe my eyes: the compass was turning round and round and round. It was dead. It would not work! The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio.

"Paris Control? Paris Control? Can you hear me?"

There was no answer. The radio was dead too. I had no radio, no compass, and I could not see where I was. I was lost in the storm. Then, in the black clouds quite near me, I saw another aeroplane. It had no lights on its wings, but I could see it flying next to me through the storm. I could see the pilot's face — turned towards me. I was very glad to see another person. He lifted one hand and waved.

"Follow me," he was saying. "Follow me."

'He knows that I am lost,' I thought. 'He's trying to help me.'

He turned his aeroplane slowly to the north, in front of my Dakota, so that it would be easier for me to follow him. I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient child.

After half an hour the strange black aeroplane was still there in front of me in the clouds. Now there was only enough fuel in the old Dakota's last tank to fly for five or ten minutes more. I was starting to feel frightened again. But then he started to go down and I followed through the storm.

Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of lights in front of me. It was a runway! An airport! I was safe! I turned to look for my friend in the black aeroplane, but the sky was empty. There was nothing there. The black aeroplane was gone. I could not see it anywhere.

I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot was. I wanted to say 'Thank you'.

She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed.

"Another aeroplane? Up there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar."

So who helped me to arrive there safely without a compass or a radio, and without any more fuel in my tanks? Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane, flying in the storm, without lights?

Now, students, this is a mystery story, isn't it? The pilot sees another airplane in the storm, a black aeroplane with no lights. The pilot of this mysterious plane helps him by leading him out of the storm. But when the pilot lands and looks for the plane, it's gone. And when he asks the woman in the control centre about other planes, she says there were no other planes flying that night. So what happened? Was the black aeroplane real, or was it a hallucination? Was it an angel? Was it a ghost? Was it his imagination? Or was it some kind of divine intervention? This is for you to think about and discuss.

Now, let's answer the comprehension questions for this story.

The first question: "I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it? The risk is flying into the storm. The narrator knows that the storm is dangerous. He can't see anything, his instruments might fail, he might get lost. But he takes the risk because he wants to get home. He's thinking about that English breakfast, and he doesn't want to go back to Paris. He's confident that he can make it through the storm. So he takes the risk, and fortunately, he makes it safely.

The second question: Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm. Inside the clouds, everything became black. He couldn't see anything outside. The plane jumped and twisted in the air. The compass started spinning round and round and stopped working. All the other instruments went dead. The radio stopped working too. He was completely lost with no way to navigate. Then he saw the black aeroplane next to him, and the pilot waved at him to follow. He followed the black aeroplane for half an hour until they came out of the storm and saw the runway.

The third question: Why does the narrator say, "I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota..."? He says this because he was very relieved to be alive. The plane had no fuel left, the instruments were dead, he had been lost in a storm, and he had no idea if he would make it. But he did make it. So when he landed, he was just happy to be on the ground, safe and sound. He was more than ready to leave the old Dakota behind.

The fourth question: What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely? She looked at him strangely because she was confused. The narrator was asking about another aeroplane, but according to the radar, there was only one plane in the sky that night — his Dakota. There were no other planes flying in that storm. So she thought he was either joking or imagining things. That's why she laughed and looked at him strangely.

The fifth question: Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer. Now, students, this is an open-ended question, and there can be many answers. Some people might think that the black aeroplane was real, maybe another pilot who knew the way and decided to help. Some people might think it was an angel, or some kind of supernatural being. Some people might think it was a hallucination, that the narrator was so desperate and scared that he imagined seeing another plane. And some people might think it was his own subconscious, guiding him to safety. What do you think? Discuss this with your classmates and see what different opinions you have.

Now, let's move on to the Thinking about Language section. This is very important because it helps us understand how words can have different meanings in different contexts.

First, let's look at the word "black." The word 'black' in sentences (a) and (c) refers to the very darkest colour. But in (b) and (d) it means without light/with no light. 'Black' has a variety of meanings in different contexts. For example, 'I prefer black tea' means 'I prefer tea without milk'. 'With increasing pollution the future of the world is black' means 'With increasing pollution the future of the world is very depressing/without hope'.

Now, try to guess the meanings of the word 'black' in the sentences given below. Check the meanings in the dictionary and find out whether you have guessed right.

Number 1: Go and have a bath; your hands and face are absolutely black. This means your hands and face are very dirty, covered in dirt or soot.

Number 2: The taxi-driver gave Ratan a black look as he crossed the road when the traffic light was green. A "black look" means an angry, hostile, or disapproving look.

Number 3: The bombardment of Hiroshima is one of the blackest crimes against humanity. Here, "blackest" means most terrible, most evil, most horrifying.

Number 4: Very few people enjoy Harold Pinter's black comedy. "Black comedy" refers to comedy that deals with very serious, dark, or tragic topics in a humorous way. It's a type of humor that makes fun of serious subjects like death, war, or disaster.

Number 5: Sometimes shopkeepers store essential goods to create false scarcity and then sell these in black. "Sell in black" means to sell goods at higher than normal prices, often illegally or on the black market.

Number 6: Villagers had beaten the criminal black and blue. "Black and blue" means badly bruised, with bruises of dark blue and purple color all over the body.

Now, let's look at the second part of the Thinking about Language section. We know that the word 'fly' (of birds/insects) means to move through air using wings. But the word "fly" can be used in many different ways. Let's match the phrases given under Column A with their meanings given under Column B.

Number 1: Fly a flag — Display a flag on a long pole. When we fly a flag, we raise it on a pole so that it waves in the wind.

Number 2: Fly into rage — Become suddenly very angry. When someone flies into a rage, they suddenly become very angry.

Number 3: Fly along — Move quickly/suddenly. This is similar to moving along rapidly.

Number 4: Fly high — Be successful. When someone is flying high, they are very successful, feeling great, doing very well.

Number 5: Fly the coop — Escape from a place. This is an informal expression meaning to leave suddenly, to run away, often used for escaping from home or a place where someone was trapped.

Now, the third part: We know that the word 'fly' (of birds/insects) means to move through air using wings. Tick the words which have the same or nearly the same meaning.

So, students, look at the list and tick the words that are similar to "fly" in meaning, that is, words that describe moving through the air.

Let's go through them one by one:

Swoop — yes, this means to move down through the air quickly, like a bird diving. Flit — yes, this means to move quickly and lightly, like a bird or insect moving from place to place. Paddle — no, this is not related to flying. Paddle means to move through water using a paddle. Flutter — yes, this means to move wings quickly and lightly, making a flapping motion. Ascend — yes, this means to go up, which is part of flying. Float — yes, this means to rest or move slowly in the air or on water. Ride — yes, this can mean to be carried or supported by something moving through the air or on water. Skim — yes, this means to move lightly just above a surface. Sink — no, this is the opposite of flying. Sink means to go down into water or other liquid. Dart — yes, this means to move suddenly and quickly, which birds can do. Hover — yes, this means to stay in one place in the air, like a helicopter or a hummingbird. Glide — yes, this means to move smoothly and continuously through the air without much effort. Descend — yes, this means to go down, which is part of flying. Soar — yes, this means to fly or rise high in the air. Shoot — yes, this can mean to move rapidly, like shooting through the air. Spring — no, this is not specifically about flying. Spring means to jump or to move suddenly. Stay — no, this is the opposite of flying. Stay means to remain in one place. Fall — no, falling is not the same as flying. Falling means to go down due to gravity without control. Sail — yes, this can mean to move smoothly through the air or water. Flap — yes, this means to move wings up and down to fly.

So the words that are similar to "fly" are: swoop, flit, flutter, ascend, float, ride, skim, dart, hover, glide, descend, soar, shoot, sail, and flap.

Now, for the Writing task: Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm? Narrate your experience in a paragraph. Now, students, think about a time when you were alone during a thunderstorm. Maybe you were at your grandmother's house, or maybe your parents were away and you were home alone. Describe what happened, how you felt, what sounds you heard, what you saw. Was it scary? Was it exciting? Write a paragraph describing your experience.

Now, let's move on to the additional poems in this chapter. First, we have "How to Tell Wild Animals" by Carolyn Wells. This is a humorous poem that suggests some dangerous ways to identify or "tell" wild animals. Now, "tell" here means to identify or recognize. So the poet is giving us funny instructions on how to identify different wild animals. Let's read the poem aloud, keeping a strong and regular rhythm.

The first stanza talks about the Asian Lion. If ever you should go by chance to jungles in the east; And if there should to you advance a large and tawny beast, If he roars at you as you're dyin' You'll know it is the Asian Lion. Now, students, does "dyin'" really rhyme with "lion"? Well, in standard English pronunciation, "dyin'" is pronounced like "dy-in" and "lion" is pronounced like "li-on". They don't really rhyme. But in poetry, especially humorous poetry, poets often play with pronunciation and spelling to create humor. So the poet is deliberately spelling "dying" as "dyin'" to make it sound like it rhymes with "lion." If you say it quickly and with the right accent, you can make it rhyme.

The second stanza is about the Bengal Tiger. Or if some time when roaming round, a noble wild beast greets you, With black stripes on a yellow ground, Just notice if he eats you. This simple rule may help you learn The Bengal Tiger to discern. So if you see a beast with black stripes on a yellow background, and if he eats you, well, then you know it's a tiger! That's the humorous way the poet puts it.

The third stanza is about the Leopard. If strolling forth, a beast you view, Whose hide with spots is peppered, As soon as he has lept on you, You'll know it is the Leopard. 'Twill do no good to roar with pain, He'll only lep and lep again. Now, students, do you think the words "lept" and "lep" are spelt correctly? No, they are not. The correct spelling is "leap," "leaped," and "leaping." But the poet deliberately spells them as "lep" to create humor and to make them rhyme with each other and with the word "Leopard." This is another example of poetic license, where poets change spelling or grammar for artistic effect.

The fourth stanza is about the Bear. If when you're walking round your yard You meet a creature there, Who hugs you very, very hard, Be sure it is a Bear. If you have any doubts, I guess He'll give you just one more caress. Now, what is a "bearhug"? It's a friendly and strong hug — such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! The poet is being humorous here. Bears are known to hug their prey tightly before attacking, so a "bearhug" is both a term for a strong, friendly hug and a reference to how bears attack.

The fifth stanza is about the Crocodile and the Hyena. 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. Now, what does "nonplus" mean? It means to be confused or puzzled. And "novice" means someone new to a job or activity. So a beginner might be confused about how to tell these animals apart. But here's the trick: hyenas are thought to laugh, while crocodiles are known for their "crocodile tears" — they are said to weep while eating their prey. So if the animal is smiling happily, it's a hyena. If it's weeping, it's a crocodile. This is based on popular beliefs and expressions.

The sixth stanza is about the Chameleon. The true Chameleon is small, A lizard sort of thing; He hasn't any ears at all, And not a single wing. If there is nothing on the tree, 'Tis the chameleon you see. So the chameleon is a small lizard-like creature with no ears and no wings. And if you see something on a tree that looks like nothing — well, that's the chameleon, because they are very good at camouflaging themselves.

Now, let's answer the questions about the poem.

First question: Does 'dyin' really rhyme with 'lion'? Can you say it in such a way that it does? As we discussed, in standard pronunciation, they don't rhyme. But if you pronounce "dyin'" with a long "i" sound and "lion" with the emphasis on the first syllable, you can make them sound somewhat similar. It's a poetic device to create humor.

Second question: How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him? For the lion, he says if a large tawny beast roars at you as you're dying, it's an Asian lion. For the tiger, he says if you see a beast with black stripes on a yellow ground, and if he eats you, it's a Bengal tiger. Of course, this is all humorous. The poet is making fun of the idea that you can only identify these animals when it's too late!

Third question: Do you think the words 'lept' and 'lep' in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this? No, they are not spelt correctly. The correct spellings are "leaped" and "leaping." But the poet spells them this way to create humor and to make them rhyme with "Leopard" and with each other.

Fourth question: Do you know what a 'bearhug' is? It's a friendly and strong hug — such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! Again, hyenas are thought to laugh, and crocodiles to weep ('crocodile tears') as they swallow their victims. Are there similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in your own language(s)? Now, students, think about popular sayings and expressions about animals in your own language. In Hindi, for example, we have expressions like "Sher ka sir khana" which means to be very powerful, or "Bhed ke aate hain, sher ke jaate hain" which means to behave like sheep. In many languages, there are idioms and expressions related to animals that convey certain meanings.

Fifth question: Look at the line "A novice might nonplus". How would you write this 'correctly'? Why is the poet's 'incorrect' line better in the poem? The correct way would be "A novice might be nonplussed" or "A novice might be puzzled." But the poet writes "A novice might nonplus" which is grammatically incorrect. However, this incorrectness works in the poem because it creates a rhyme with "Crocodile" and "Hyena" in the next lines. Also, it adds to the humorous tone of the poem.

Sixth question: Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own language(s)? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language(s)? Now, students, think about this. In English, many poets use creative spelling, grammar, and punctuation for effect. In your own language, whether it's Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, or any other language, there are probably similar examples. Think of humorous poems or songs that play with language in interesting ways.

Seventh question: Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny. Now, students, think about which lines you find most funny. Is it "If he roars at you as you're dyin'" or "He'll only lep and lep again" or "Hyenas come with merry smiles; But if they weep they're Crocodiles"? Share your favorites with the class.

Now, there's a little side note in the textbook: "English is funny, because... We have noses that run and feet that smell." Now, students, this is a joke. Our noses run when we have a cold, meaning they produce mucus. And our feet can smell bad, meaning they produce an odor. But the joke is that normally, things that run are things that move or flow, like water running in a river. And things that smell are things that have an odor. So it's funny that our noses "run" and our feet "smell" because these words have different meanings in different contexts.

Now, let's move on to the last poem in this chapter, "The Ball Poem" by John Berryman. This is a beautiful and emotional poem about a boy who loses his ball and learns an important lesson about loss.

What is the boy now, who has lost his ball, What, what is he to do? I saw it go 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 In a world of possessions. People will take Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy. And no one buys a ball back. Money is external. He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes, The epistemology of loss, how to stand up Knowing what every man must one day know And most know many days, how to stand up.

Now, let's understand this poem. The poet is watching a boy who has lost his ball. The ball bounced down the street and fell into the water. The boy is devastated. Someone might say to him, "O there are other balls," meaning he can easily get another ball. But the boy is not comforted by this. He feels a deep, shaking grief. He stands rigid, trembling, staring at the water where his ball went. He is staring at all his young days, his childhood memories, going into that water with the ball.

The poet says he would not intrude on the boy. He would not offer him money to buy another ball because money is external — it can't replace what has been lost. The boy is learning about responsibility in a world of possessions. He is learning that things can be taken away from us, that we can lose the things we love. This is the "epistemology of loss" — the study or understanding of what it means to lose something. The boy is learning how to stand up, knowing that one day every person must face loss, and most people face it many times in their lives.

Now, let's answer the questions about the poem.

First question: Why does the poet say, "I would not intrude on him"? Why doesn't he offer him money to buy another ball? The poet says he would not intrude on the boy because the boy's grief is very personal and deep. Offering money would be an intrusion because it suggests that the loss can be easily fixed, which is not true. The boy's emotional pain is real and cannot be solved by simply buying another ball. Money is external — it can't buy back the memories and emotional attachment the boy had to his specific ball.

Second question: "... staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went ..." Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it? Yes, it seems the boy has had the ball for a long time. It was his ball, his companion in play. When he stares at the water, he is staring at all the memories of his childhood that were connected to that ball. The ball represents his childhood, his innocence, and his happy days of playing. Losing the ball is like losing a part of his childhood.

Third question: What does "in the world of possessions" mean? It means a world where things can be owned, possessed, and also lost. We live in a world where we have possessions — toys, clothes, books, etc. — and these possessions can be taken away, lost, or broken. The boy is learning this for the first time. He is learning that he cannot keep everything forever, and that loss is a part of life.

Fourth question: Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer. The poem doesn't explicitly say that the boy has lost anything before. But the line "And most know many days, how to stand up" suggests that most people experience loss many times in their lives. So while this might be the boy's first significant loss, it is something that will happen again and again throughout his life.

Fifth question: What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words. The poet says the boy is learning about loss itself. He is learning what it means to lose something that was precious to him. He is learning that money cannot replace everything, and that he must face the pain of loss. Most importantly, he is learning how to stand up again after losing something — how to cope with grief and move forward. This is a lesson that every person must learn at some point in their lives.

Sixth question: Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether — and how — you got over your loss. Now, students, think about a time when you lost something you really loved. Maybe it was a favorite toy, or a book, or a gift from someone special. Describe how you felt. Were you sad? Were you angry? Did you cry? And how did you get over it? Did you get a replacement? Did you learn to live without it? Did time heal your sadness? Write a paragraph about this experience.

Now, students, we have covered the entire chapter. Let me give you a summary of everything we have learned today.

In this chapter, we read two stories about flying. The first story, "His First Flight" by Liam O'Flaherty, is about a young seagull who is afraid to fly. His parents and siblings encourage him, and finally, when his mother tempts him with food, he jumps off the ledge and discovers that he can fly. This story teaches us about overcoming fear and learning new skills.

The second story, "Black Aeroplane" by Frederick Forsyth, is about a pilot who gets lost in a storm. He sees a mysterious black aeroplane that guides him to safety, but when he lands, there is no other plane. This story is a mystery that makes us think about whether the pilot was helped by someone or something supernatural, or whether it was all in his imagination.

We also learned about different meanings of the word "black" in English, and we practiced using the word "fly" in different contexts. We learned about compound words and idioms.

Then we read the poem "How to Tell Wild Animals" by Carolyn Wells, which is a humorous poem that gives funny instructions on how to identify different wild animals. We learned about poetic devices like playing with spelling and rhyme for humor.

Finally, we read "The Ball Poem" by John Berryman, which is a touching poem about a boy learning about loss and responsibility. We discussed how losing something precious can teach us important lessons about life.

So, students, that's everything in this chapter. I hope you have understood all the stories, poems, and language exercises. Remember, the theme of this chapter is about flying — both literally and metaphorically. Just like the seagull had to overcome his fear to fly, and just like the pilot had to trust someone to guide him through the storm, we too must have the courage to face our challenges and the trust to seek help when we need it. And from the Ball Poem, we learn that loss is a part of life, and we must learn how to stand up after we lose something we love.

Thank you for listening, students. Keep reading, keep learning, and never stop exploring the wonderful world of literature. See you next time!