Some such images used in the poem are ‘mouth like a fireplace’, ‘chimney for a nose’, ‘brave as a barrel full of bears’, ‘brave as a tiger in a rage’, ‘went at the pirate like a robin at a worm’, etc. For more answers visit to website: https://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/fRead more
Some such images used in the poem are ‘mouth like a fireplace’, ‘chimney for a nose’, ‘brave as a barrel full of bears’, ‘brave as a tiger in a rage’, ‘went at the pirate like a robin at a worm’, etc.
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It is almost a parody. The names of the pets of Belinda are all rhyming and humorous. Belinda has been compared to a drum full of bears. The kitten and mouse, both small, could trail lions down the stairs. The little yellow dog was as brave asRead more
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It is almost a parody. The names of the pets of Belinda are all rhyming and humorous. Belinda has been compared to a drum full of bears. The kitten and mouse, both small, could trail lions down the stairs. The little yellow dog was as brave as a tiger, while the dragon was a coward and they all made fun of him. However, when the pirate came to their small house, all of them were engulfed in fear and had hid themselves.
Ironically, the ‘cowardly’ dragon came to their release and jumped snorting like an engine. It clashed its tail and charged at the pirate like a Robin at a worm and ate him up. Everybody was glad to see the bravery of the dragon, they again came back to adore themselves that they could have been braver than the dragon. But at the end of the poem, the situation again was the same where the other pets were brave and the dragon was the coward.
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old’s point of view. She was fascinated by a bus. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermintsRead more
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old’s point of view. She was fascinated by a bus. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermints, toys, and balloons, and even resisting the temptation to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. When the author describes the bus, the points he stresses on are the colour and look of the bus. It was a ‘new bus’, painted a ‘gleaming white’. The overhead bars ‘shone like silver’. The seats were ‘soft and luxurious’.
The descriptions that the author gives when Valli looked outside are also typical for an eight-year-old. The ‘blue, blue sky’ and the ‘acres and acres of green fields − green, green, green’ show the enthusiasm of a kid on looking at different colours. Valli clapped her hands in glee on watching a cow run right in front of the bus. She found it so funny that tears came into her eyes. On the other hand, she was overcome with sadness on her way back when she saw the same cow lying dead. It had been a ‘lovable, beautiful creature’ and later it ‘looked so horrible’. The memory of the dead cow haunted her so much that she refused to look outside the window. These are the typical reactions of a young child.
Valli’s mother said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any harm. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with what her mother said. For more answers visit toRead more
Valli’s mother said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any harm. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with what her mother said.
Valli was every enthusiastic and excited throughout her journey. But on her way back home she refused to look out of the window because she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. It was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during tRead more
Valli was every enthusiastic and excited throughout her journey. But on her way back home she refused to look out of the window because she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. It was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during their trip to the town. She was overcome with sadness. The memory of the dead cow haunted her and therefore, she refused to look out of the window.
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus: • “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.” • “On the one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres anRead more
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus:
• “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
• “On the one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields − green, green, green, as far as the eye could see. Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
• “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee.”
• “Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”
• “Valli wasn’t bored to the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d felt the first time.”
Valli was about to board the bus and the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus. Valli said commandingly that she does not require any help and could get on by herself. She behaved like as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called her ‘madam’ in an effort to tease her.Read more
Valli was about to board the bus and the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus. Valli said commandingly that she does not require any help and could get on by herself. She behaved like as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called her ‘madam’ in an effort to tease her. When the elderly man called her a child and asked her to sit down on her seat out of concern, she replied that nobody was a child on the bus. She kept stressing on the fact that she had paid her fare like everybody else and therefore, she should not be treated differently.
After Valli had saved her money she had to slip out of her house without her mother’s knowledge. Her mother usually took a nap from one to four. That was her best opportunity. She planned that she would take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about tRead more
After Valli had saved her money she had to slip out of her house without her mother’s knowledge. Her mother usually took a nap from one to four. That was her best opportunity. She planned that she would take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about two forty-five. She knew that the town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. On reaching the town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. She had carefully saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally she had saved sixty paise.
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus she saw everyday standing on her front door. The sentences in the story which depict this are as follows: “Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once.Read more
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus she saw everyday standing on her front door. The sentences in the story which depict this are as follows:
“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire.”
The conductor insisted Valli to go and have a drink at the stall but she did not want to go because she did not have any money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink as a treat, she refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of self wRead more
The conductor insisted Valli to go and have a drink at the stall but she did not want to go because she did not have any money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink as a treat, she refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of self will and pride. Possibly, she did not want to take anything for free, particularly from a stranger.
Writers use words to give us a picture or image without actually saying what they mean. Can you trace some images used in the poem?
Some such images used in the poem are ‘mouth like a fireplace’, ‘chimney for a nose’, ‘brave as a barrel full of bears’, ‘brave as a tiger in a rage’, ‘went at the pirate like a robin at a worm’, etc. For more answers visit to website: https://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/fRead more
Some such images used in the poem are ‘mouth like a fireplace’, ‘chimney for a nose’, ‘brave as a barrel full of bears’, ‘brave as a tiger in a rage’, ‘went at the pirate like a robin at a worm’, etc.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
Do you find The Tale of Custard the Dragon to be a serious or a light-hearted poem? Give reasons to support your answer.
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It is almost a parody. The names of the pets of Belinda are all rhyming and humorous. Belinda has been compared to a drum full of bears. The kitten and mouse, both small, could trail lions down the stairs. The little yellow dog was as brave asRead more
The Tale of Custard the Dragon is a light-hearted poem. It is almost a parody. The names of the pets of Belinda are all rhyming and humorous. Belinda has been compared to a drum full of bears. The kitten and mouse, both small, could trail lions down the stairs. The little yellow dog was as brave as a tiger, while the dragon was a coward and they all made fun of him. However, when the pirate came to their small house, all of them were engulfed in fear and had hid themselves.
Ironically, the ‘cowardly’ dragon came to their release and jumped snorting like an engine. It clashed its tail and charged at the pirate like a Robin at a worm and ate him up. Everybody was glad to see the bravery of the dragon, they again came back to adore themselves that they could have been braver than the dragon. But at the end of the poem, the situation again was the same where the other pets were brave and the dragon was the coward.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
The author describes the things that Valli sees from an eight-year-old’s point of view. Can you find evidence from the text for this statement?
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old’s point of view. She was fascinated by a bus. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermintsRead more
The author has described the things that Valli saw from an eight-year-old’s point of view. She was fascinated by a bus. Watching the bus filled with a new set of people each time was a source of unending joy for her. Her strongest desire was to ride the bus. She saved money by cutting on peppermints, toys, and balloons, and even resisting the temptation to ride the merry-go-round at the fair. When the author describes the bus, the points he stresses on are the colour and look of the bus. It was a ‘new bus’, painted a ‘gleaming white’. The overhead bars ‘shone like silver’. The seats were ‘soft and luxurious’.
The descriptions that the author gives when Valli looked outside are also typical for an eight-year-old. The ‘blue, blue sky’ and the ‘acres and acres of green fields − green, green, green’ show the enthusiasm of a kid on looking at different colours. Valli clapped her hands in glee on watching a cow run right in front of the bus. She found it so funny that tears came into her eyes. On the other hand, she was overcome with sadness on her way back when she saw the same cow lying dead. It had been a ‘lovable, beautiful creature’ and later it ‘looked so horrible’. The memory of the dead cow haunted her so much that she refused to look outside the window. These are the typical reactions of a young child.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
What does Valli mean when she says, ‘I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.’
Valli’s mother said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any harm. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with what her mother said. For more answers visit toRead more
Valli’s mother said that many things happen around us, but we are usually unaware of them. Valli had gone on a bus ride to town, all alone, and had come back without any harm. She did all this without the knowledge of her mother. Hence, she agreed with what her mother said.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her way back?
Valli was every enthusiastic and excited throughout her journey. But on her way back home she refused to look out of the window because she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. It was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during tRead more
Valli was every enthusiastic and excited throughout her journey. But on her way back home she refused to look out of the window because she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. It was the same cow that was running in front of their bus, during their trip to the town. She was overcome with sadness. The memory of the dead cow haunted her and therefore, she refused to look out of the window.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
Find the lines in the text which tell you that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus.
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus: • “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.” • “On the one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres anRead more
The following lines in the text show that Valli was enjoying her ride on the bus:
See less• “Valli devoured everything with her eyes.”
• “On the one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields − green, green, green, as far as the eye could see. Oh, it was all so wonderful!”
• “Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee.”
• “Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.”
• “Valli wasn’t bored to the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d felt the first time.”
Why does the conductor call Valli “madam”?
Valli was about to board the bus and the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus. Valli said commandingly that she does not require any help and could get on by herself. She behaved like as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called her ‘madam’ in an effort to tease her.Read more
Valli was about to board the bus and the conductor stretched out his hand to help her get on the bus. Valli said commandingly that she does not require any help and could get on by herself. She behaved like as a grown-up girl and therefore, the conductor called her ‘madam’ in an effort to tease her. When the elderly man called her a child and asked her to sit down on her seat out of concern, she replied that nobody was a child on the bus. She kept stressing on the fact that she had paid her fare like everybody else and therefore, she should not be treated differently.
See lessHow did Valli plan her bus ride? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she save up the fare?
After Valli had saved her money she had to slip out of her house without her mother’s knowledge. Her mother usually took a nap from one to four. That was her best opportunity. She planned that she would take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about tRead more
After Valli had saved her money she had to slip out of her house without her mother’s knowledge. Her mother usually took a nap from one to four. That was her best opportunity. She planned that she would take the one o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about two forty-five. She knew that the town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. On reaching the town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. She had carefully saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally she had saved sixty paise.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
What was Valli’s deepest desire? Find the words and phrases in the story that tell you this.
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus she saw everyday standing on her front door. The sentences in the story which depict this are as follows: “Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once.Read more
Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the bus she saw everyday standing on her front door. The sentences in the story which depict this are as follows:
“Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire.”
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/
Why didn’t Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does this tell you about her?
The conductor insisted Valli to go and have a drink at the stall but she did not want to go because she did not have any money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink as a treat, she refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of self wRead more
The conductor insisted Valli to go and have a drink at the stall but she did not want to go because she did not have any money for that. Even when the conductor offered her a cold drink as a treat, she refused firmly and said that she only wanted her ticket. This shows that Valli had a lot of self will and pride. Possibly, she did not want to take anything for free, particularly from a stranger.
For more answers visit to website:
See lesshttps://www.tiwariacademy.com/ncert-solutions/class-10/english/first-flight-chapter-9/