Q. 1. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Ans : Lencho was a hard working farmer living with his family in a lonely house on the top of the low hill. That year his crop was very good and needed a shower. It rained but the rain brought hailstones and destroyed the whole crop. Not even a single leaf was left on the plants. He had no hope of help except help from God. He had firm faith in God and he decided to write a letter to God requesting to send hundred pesos to sow seeds again and to live until the crop grew up. The letter reached to the postmaster. The postmaster was also a man of faith, who did not want to shake the faith of Lencho. He collected seventy pesos from his employees and sent it to Lencho. On opening the envelop Lencho got angry as he received only seventy pesos instead of hundred pesos. Once again he wrote a letter to God to send him the remaining money with a request not to send through the post office employees as they were a bunch of crooks.
Q. 2. Summarise the chapter ‘Nelson Mandela -Long walk to Freedom.
Ans : The chapter was taken from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography ‘Long Walk to Freedom. Nelson Mandela spoke about a historic occasion, ‘the inauguration’ after becoming the first Black President of South Africa. The inauguration ceremony took place in the Union Buildings amphitheatre in Pretoria today. It was attended by politician and dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world. After along period of White domination, South Africa had become a democratic republic. Mandela called it a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. He also called it a glorious human achievement. He pledged to liberate all his people from the continuing bondage of poverty, derivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination. He fought for the freedom of his people. The British rulers of South Africa followed the policy of apartheid, which discriminated the Black from the White people. Mandela called it an extra ordinary human disaster. He believed, the deeper the oppression, the higher the character. From his comrades he learned that courage meant not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. According to him every man had twin obligations- obligations to his family and obligation to his people, his country. He found no difference between the oppressor and the oppressed. He called both of them prisoners. One was imprisoned behind the bars; the other was imprisoned behind bars of hatred. He was an enthusiastic young boy who wanted to enjoy freedom. He wished the sun of freedom to shine on his country and countrymen forever.
Q. 3. How did the young seagull make his first flight?
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Describe the methods used by the seagull family to help the young seagull overcome his fear and fly?
Ans : The young seagull was afraid to fly. He thought his wings were too weak to support him. His family tried to help him. They encouraged him to fly but he could not. His family members scolded and even threatened to leave film alone on the ledge to starve. Nearly twenty-four hours he remained alone and hungry. His mother decided to motivate him by showing a piece of fish but did not feed him. Maddened by hunger, he tried to snatch it by diving. She flew away. He fell down and cried in terror. Then instinctively, his wings spread out, he flapped them and started flying. In this way he made his first flight. His family members praised him and encouraged him by cracking joyfully around him.
Q. 4. Do you agree that the story ‘The Black Aeroplane’ is a mystery? Justify.
Ans : A pilot was flying in his Old Dakota plane. It was very clear sky and the flight was easy. He was dreaming of holiday with his family. Suddenly he saw black storm clouds in the sky. He had limited fuel so he could neither fly over the clouds nor go back to Paris. He flew straight into the storm clouds. Everything was black there. Instruments of the aeroplane stopped working. Suddenly he could see another black aeroplane. The pilot of the aeroplane guided him through the black clouds. He came out of the clouds and could see the light of the runway. The pilot of the Dakota wanted to thank the pilot of the black aeroplane and went to the control room. But nobody had seen that black aeroplane. It was really a mystery.
