๐ Class 10 English NCERT Solutions
First Flight + Footprints Without Feet | Latest Syllabus 2025-26 / 2026-27
๐ First Flight (Main Textbook)
1
A Letter to God + Dust of Snow + Fire and Ice
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๐ A Letter to God – Oral Comprehension Check (Page 5)
Q1. What did Lencho hope for?
Lencho hoped for rain because his field of ripe corn needed a shower for a good harvest.
Q2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins because the rain was essential for a good crop, which meant good money (prosperity) for him. Big drops were like ten-cent coins and smaller ones like five-cent coins.
Q3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
The rain changed into a hailstorm with strong wind. Large hailstones destroyed Lencho’s entire field of corn. The field looked as if it were covered with salt.
Q4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Lencho was filled with sadness. He felt that a plague of locusts would have left more than the hail had. He was worried about the hunger his family would face that year.
๐ Oral Comprehension Check (Page 6)
Q1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Lencho had complete faith in God. He wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to sow his field again and support his family until the next harvest.
Q2. Who read the letter?
A postman and then the postmaster read the letter.
Q3. What did the postmaster do then?
The postmaster was deeply moved by Lencho’s faith. He decided to answer the letter. He collected money from his employees, contributed part of his own salary, and sent about 70 pesos to Lencho, signing the letter as “God”.
๐ Thinking about the Text
Q1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Lencho has complete faith in God. Sentences: “But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house… there was a single hope: help from God.” and “All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God…”
Q2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
The postmaster sends money to keep Lencho’s faith in God alive. He signs it ‘God’ so that Lencho continues to believe that God has helped him.
Q3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
No. Lencho was not at all surprised. His faith was so strong that he expected help from God and did not bother to find out the real sender.
Q4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?
Lencho thinks the post office employees have stolen the remaining money. The irony is that the very people who helped him out of kindness are suspected of theft by him.
๐ Thinking about Language
Q1. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
Conflict with nature: The hailstorm destroys Lencho’s crops. Conflict among humans: Lencho suspects the post office employees of stealing the money they actually collected to help him.
๐ Poem: Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)
Q1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
“Dust of snow” means tiny particles of snow. The falling of snow from the hemlock tree on the poet changed his mood from sad/regretful to happy. A simple natural incident saved the rest of his day from being wasted in regret.
Q2. How does Frost present nature in this poem?
Frost presents nature as a positive force. Even a crow (usually associated with bad omen) and a hemlock tree (poisonous) bring joy and change the poet’s mood for the better.
๐ Poem: Fire and Ice (Robert Frost)
Q1. What do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for in the poem?
‘Fire’ stands for desire, greed, lust and passion. ‘Ice’ stands for hatred, coldness, indifference and rigidity.
Q2. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
The rhyme scheme is aba abc bcb.
Q3. Some say the world will end in fire / Some say in ice… – What does the poet mean?
The poet means that the world can end either due to uncontrolled desire (fire) or due to hatred (ice). Both are equally destructive.
2
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom + A Tiger in the Zoo
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๐ Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?
The ceremonies took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. In India, the Red Fort and Rashtrapati Bhavan are made of sandstone.
Q2. Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?
In South Africa, May falls in the autumn season (southern hemisphere). So 10 May is an autumn day there.
Q3. What does Mandela mean when he says he was simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before him?
Mandela means that his achievement was the result of the sacrifices and struggles of countless African freedom fighters who came before him. He was only carrying forward their legacy.
Q4. What twin obligations does Mandela mention?
According to Mandela, every man has twin obligations: (i) obligations to his family, parents, wife and children; and (ii) obligations to his people, community and country.
Q5. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and as a student? How does he contrast these with the meaning of freedom as a young man?
As a boy, freedom meant being free to run in the fields, swim, and roast mealies. As a student, it meant being free to stay out at night, read what he pleased. As a young man, he realised that freedom was not individual but meant freedom for his people from oppression, poverty and discrimination.
๐ Thinking about the Text
Q1. What does courage mean to Mandela?
Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. A brave man is not one who does not feel afraid, but one who conquers that fear.
Q2. What is apartheid?
Apartheid was the official policy of racial segregation and discrimination against non-whites in South Africa.
Q3. Why did such a large number of international leaders attend the inauguration?
It was the largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil. It signified the victory of justice, peace and human dignity over the system of apartheid, and the birth of a new, democratic South Africa.
๐ Poem: A Tiger in the Zoo (Leslie Norris)
Q1. How does the tiger walk in the cage? What does he do at night?
The tiger walks in quiet rage inside the cage, ignoring visitors. At night he hears the last voice of the patrolling cars and stares at the brilliant stars with his bright eyes.
Q2. What is the contrast between the tiger in the zoo and the tiger in the wild?
In the zoo the tiger is confined, helpless and frustrated. In the wild he would be free – lurking in shadow, sliding through long grass, terrorising the village, and displaying his strength and power.
3
Two Stories about Flying + How to Tell Wild Animals + The Ball Poem
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๐ I. His First Flight – Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?
He was afraid that his wings would not support him. He felt certain that if he tried to fly he would fall into the sea.
Q2. What did the family do to encourage him?
His parents, brothers and sister constantly taunted him, scolded him and even threatened to leave him alone and starving on the ledge if he did not fly.
Q3. How did the young seagull finally overcome his fear?
His mother flew towards him with a piece of fish but stopped just short of the ledge. Maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish and found himself flying. His fear vanished and he soared with joy.
๐ II. The Black Aeroplane – Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Why did the pilot decide to fly to Paris?
He wanted to be with his family and have a good breakfast (English breakfast) at home in England the next morning. Paris was on the way.
Q2. What happened inside the clouds?
Everything went black. The compass and other instruments stopped working. He could not contact Paris Control. He was completely lost.
Q3. Who helped the pilot? What happened afterwards?
A mysterious black aeroplane appeared and guided him out of the storm to safety. When he landed and asked about the other pilot, the woman in the control centre said there was no other plane in the sky that night.
๐ Poem: How to Tell Wild Animals (Carolyn Wells)
Q1. How can you identify an Asian lion and a Bengal tiger?
An Asian lion is a large tawny beast that roars when it attacks you. A Bengal tiger has black stripes on a yellow ground and eats you if you meet him.
Q2. What is the poet’s humorous tone in the poem?
The poet describes dangerous animals in a light, humorous way, suggesting that you will know them only when they attack or eat you – which is the only “sure” way to identify them.
๐ Poem: The Ball Poem (John Berryman)
Q1. What does the boy’s ball symbolise?
The ball symbolises the boy’s childhood, innocence and the things he values. Its loss teaches him the harsh reality of loss and responsibility in life.
Q2. Why does the poet say “I would not intrude on him”?
The poet does not want to offer money or another ball because the boy must learn the epistemology of loss – that loss is a part of life and cannot always be compensated.
4
From the Diary of Anne Frank + Amanda!
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๐ Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. What makes writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne Frank?
She had never written anything before and felt that paper had more patience than people. Also, no one would be interested in the musings of a 13-year-old schoolgirl.
Q2. Why does Anne want to keep a diary?
She feels she has no real friend with whom she can share her deepest thoughts and feelings. A diary would be her true friend.
Q3. Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?
Because she felt that paper has more patience than people. She could pour out her heart without fear of being judged or interrupted.
Q4. Why was Mr Keesing annoyed with Anne? What did he ask her to do?
Mr Keesing was annoyed because Anne talked too much in class. He assigned her extra homework – an essay on “A Chatterbox”.
Q5. How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
She argued that talking is a student’s trait and that she inherited it from her mother who also talked a lot. She could do nothing about the inherited trait.
๐ Poem: Amanda! (Robin Klein)
Q1. What does Amanda imagine herself to be?
She imagines herself as a mermaid drifting in the green sea, as an orphan roaming the street, and as Rapunzel living alone in a tower.
Q2. Why is Amanda getting instructions from her parents?
Her parents constantly instruct her not to bite nails, sit up straight, clean her shoes, finish homework, etc. She feels nagged and seeks escape in her imagination.
5
Glimpses of India (A Baker from Goa, Coorg, Tea from Assam) + The Trees
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๐ I. A Baker from Goa
Q1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
The elders are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread.
Q2. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How?
Yes. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread ‘bol’. Sandwiches are prepared for a daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and other festivals. The baker’s presence is essential.
Q3. What does the baker’s dress look like?
The baker wears a half-pant that reaches just below the knees and a shirt / kabai (a single-piece long frock).
๐ II. Coorg
Q1. Where is Coorg? What is it famous for?
Coorg (Kodagu) is the smallest district of Karnataka, midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. It is famous for its coffee plantations, evergreen rainforests, spices and brave people (Kodavus).
Q2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s origin?
One theory is that they are of Greek or Arabic descent. A part of Alexander’s army settled here and married local women. Their martial traditions, marriage and religious rites differ from mainstream Hinduism.
๐ III. Tea from Assam
Q1. What legends are associated with the discovery of tea?
Chinese legend: A Chinese emperor accidentally discovered tea when leaves from a bush fell into boiling water. Indian legend: Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids to stay awake; tea plants grew from them and helped him stay awake during meditations.
Q2. What is the Chinese word for tea? What are its variations?
The Chinese word is ‘Chai’ (or ‘Cha’). Variations: ‘Chai’ in India, ‘Chaya’ in Russia, ‘Chai’ in Arabia, ‘Cha’ in Japan, ‘Tay’ / ‘Tee’ in some European languages.
๐ Poem: The Trees (Adrienne Rich)
Q1. What are the trees trying to do?
The trees inside the house are trying to move out into the forest. Their roots, leaves and branches are straining to break free from the confines of the house.
Q2. What does the poetess compare the trees to?
She compares the effort of the trees to patients slowly moving out of a clinic, half-dazed, into the night.
6
Mijbil the Otter + Fog
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๐ Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. What ‘experiment’ did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?
Maxwell thought of keeping an otter instead of a dog. Camusfearna, surrounded by water, would be a suitable place for this experiment.
Q2. Why does Maxwell say the otter was of a race previously unknown to science?
The otter was a new species discovered by Maxwell. It was later named after him – Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli (Maxwell’s otter).
Q3. How was Mij to be transported to England?
Mij was packed into a box and taken by air. Maxwell had to book a flight and keep the box with him.
Q4. What happened when the box was opened?
Mij had torn the lining of the box to shreds. There was complete chaos – blood, foam and torn material everywhere. Mij was exhausted and covered in blood.
Q5. Why did Maxwell put the otter back in the box? How do you think he felt?
He put Mij back because the flight was about to leave. He must have felt anxious, helpless and guilty seeing Mij’s condition.
๐ Poem: Fog (Carl Sandburg)
Q1. What does the poet compare the fog to?
The poet compares the fog to a cat. It comes on little cat feet, sits looking over harbour and city, and then moves on.
Q2. How does the fog come?
It comes silently and slowly, like a cat on little feet, and sits looking over the harbour and city on silent haunches.
7
Madam Rides the Bus + The Tale of Custard the Dragon
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๐ Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. What was Valli’s strongest desire?
Valli’s strongest desire was to ride the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town.
Q2. What did Valli find out about the bus journey?
She found out that the town was six miles away, the fare was thirty paise one way, and the journey took forty-five minutes.
Q3. How did Valli save money for the bus journey?
She resisted every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons and other things. She carefully saved every stray coin that came her way.
Q4. What did Valli see on her way that made her laugh?
She saw a young cow running in the middle of the road in front of the bus, with its tail high in the air. The more the driver honked, the faster the cow ran. This amused Valli very much.
Q5. Why didn’t Valli want to get off the bus at the town?
She was afraid of getting lost. She had carefully planned only the bus ride and did not want to take any risk by exploring the town alone.
Q6. Why does Valli refuse to look out of the window on her return journey?
She saw the same young cow lying dead by the roadside. The sight filled her with sadness and she did not want to look at the scenery anymore.
๐ Poem: The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Ogden Nash)
Q1. Who are the characters in the poem? What are their special qualities?
Belinda (brave), Ink (black kitten – brave), Blink (little grey mouse – brave), Mustard (yellow dog – brave), and Custard (dragon – coward, always cried for a nice safe cage).
Q2. How did Custard prove that he was not a coward?
When a pirate entered the house with a pistol, Custard attacked him, gobbled him up, and saved everyone. The others who claimed to be brave hid themselves.
8
The Sermon at Benares + For Anne Gregory
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๐ Thinking about the Text
Q1. When her son dies, Kisa Gotami goes from house to house. What does she ask for? Does she get it? Why not?
She asks for a medicine that can bring her dead son back to life. She does not get it because no such medicine exists. Death is inevitable.
Q2. What does Kisa Gotami understand after she has gone from house to house?
She realises that death is common to all. No house is free from the suffering of death. She understands the universality of death and the futility of grieving excessively.
Q3. Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood this only the second time?
The first time she was blinded by grief. The second time, after seeing that every house had experienced death, the truth of Buddha’s teaching became clear to her.
Q4. How do you usually understand the idea of ‘selfishness’? Do you agree with Kisa Gotami that she was being ‘selfish in her grief’?
Selfishness usually means thinking only of one’s own interest. Yes, in a way she was being selfish because she wanted her son back while ignoring the fact that everyone suffers the same loss.
๐ Poem: For Anne Gregory (W.B. Yeats)
Q1. What does the young man mean by “only God, my dear, / Could love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair”?
He means that ordinary human beings are attracted by physical beauty (yellow hair). Only God can love a person for their true inner self, not for external appearance.
Q2. What is the central idea of the poem?
True love is not based on physical appearance. Human love is often superficial, while only divine love is pure and unconditional.
9
The Proposal (Play)
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๐ Thinking about the Play
Q1. What does Chubukov at first suspect Lomov of?
Chubukov first suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money.
Q2. What is Lomov’s reason for coming to Chubukov’s house?
Lomov has come to propose marriage to Natalya, Chubukov’s daughter.
Q3. Why does Natalya quarrel with Lomov?
They quarrel first over the ownership of Oxen Meadows and later over whose dog (Guess or Squeezer) is better. Both are extremely short-tempered and argumentative.
Q4. How does the play end?
After much shouting and argument, Chubukov forces them to get engaged. Even after the engagement they continue to quarrel about the dogs.
Q5. What is the theme of the play?
The play satirises the trivial nature of the Russian landed gentry – their pettiness, hypocrisy, and the way they turn even a marriage proposal into a quarrel over property and dogs.
๐ Footprints Without Feet (Supplementary Reader)
1
A Triumph of Surgery
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Tricki has become extremely fat, listless and has bouts of vomiting. Mrs Pumphrey thinks he is seriously ill.
Q2. What does Mr Herriot suggest? Does Mrs Pumphrey agree?
Mr Herriot suggests hospitalisation for a fortnight. Mrs Pumphrey is reluctant at first but finally agrees when Tricki’s condition worsens.
Q3. How does Tricki recover?
At the surgery Tricki is given no food for the first two days, only water. Then he is gradually given more food and allowed to play with other dogs. Exercise and controlled diet make him healthy and active again.
Q4. Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dogs’ recovery is a ‘triumph of surgery’?
She believes that Mr Herriot has performed some complicated surgical operation to cure Tricki. In reality, it was only proper diet and exercise – no surgery was done.
2
The Thief’s Story
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Who is Hari Singh? Why does he choose Anil?
Hari Singh is a 15-year-old experienced thief. He chooses Anil because Anil looks easy-going, simple and kind – an easy target who can be robbed.
Q2. What does Anil teach Hari?
Anil teaches Hari how to cook, and later how to write his name and read. He also gives him the chance to earn an honest living.
Q3. Why does Hari decide to return the money?
Hari realises that Anil’s trust and the education he is receiving are more valuable than the stolen money. He does not want to lose the chance of becoming a respectable, literate person.
Q4. Does Anil realise that Hari has stolen the money? How do you know?
Yes. The next morning Anil gives Hari a fifty-rupee note and says he will pay him regularly. The note is still wet, showing that Anil knows everything but chooses to forgive and continue trusting Hari.
3
The Midnight Visitor
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Ausable is fat, sloppy and lives in a small room on the top floor. He does not fit the conventional image of a smart, mysterious secret agent.
Q2. Who is Max? Why does he come to Ausable’s room?
Max is another secret agent. He comes with a pistol to take the important report on missiles that Ausable is expecting.
Q3. How does Ausable get rid of Max?
Ausable invents a story about a balcony outside the window and the police coming to check. When someone knocks, Max panics, jumps out of the window (thinking it is the balcony) and falls to his death. There was no balcony.
Q4. What is the theme of the story?
Presence of mind and intelligence are more powerful than physical strength or weapons. Ausable’s quick thinking saves him.
4
A Question of Trust
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Who is Horace Danby? What is his profession?
Horace Danby is a 50-year-old locksmith who is considered an honest and respectable citizen. Secretly he is a thief who steals only once a year to buy rare books.
Q2. How does the young lady trick Horace?
She pretends to be the owner’s wife who has forgotten the combination of the safe. Horace opens the safe for her. Later he realises she was also a thief and he is arrested while she escapes with the jewels.
Q3. What is the irony in the story?
Horace, a professional thief, is himself robbed by another thief. The one who believed in “honour among thieves” is deceived by a fellow thief.
5
Footprints without Feet
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. How does Griffin become invisible?
Griffin is a scientist who discovers a rare drug that makes the human body transparent (invisible) by absorbing light instead of reflecting it.
Q2. Why does Griffin set fire to the landlord’s house?
The landlord tries to eject him. In revenge, Griffin sets the house on fire and escapes by becoming invisible.
Q3. How does Griffin misuse his invisibility?
He steals clothes, food and money. He hits a shopkeeper, steals from a theatrical company, and later terrorises the village of Iping. He uses his power for crime rather than for good.
Q4. What happens at the end?
Griffin is finally caught by the villagers of Iping after a struggle. Though invisible, he is overpowered and his invisibility becomes a curse rather than a blessing.
6
The Making of a Scientist
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. How did Ebright’s mother help him?
She encouraged his interest in learning, bought him a telescope, microscope, cameras and other equipment, and took him on trips. She also got him a children’s book called “The Travels of Monarch X” which opened the world of science to him.
Q2. What was the purpose of the project that Ebright submitted for the county science fair?
His first project was simply a slide presentation of frog tissues. He lost. Later he started real experiments – tagging butterflies, studying their migration, and eventually working on the theory of how cells read DNA.
Q3. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
Curiosity, a sharp mind, will to win for the right reasons, and the habit of hard work. Ebright possessed all these qualities.
7
The Necklace
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Why was Matilda always unhappy?
Matilda was born into a family of clerks and married a petty clerk. She felt she was born for a life of luxury and was constantly dissatisfied with her modest life.
Q2. What was the cause of Matilda’s ruin?
She borrowed a diamond necklace from Mme Forestier for a party, lost it, and spent ten years of hard labour and poverty to repay the cost of a replacement. The necklace turned out to be fake (worth only 500 francs).
Q3. What is the irony in the story?
Matilda suffered for ten years to replace a necklace that was not real diamonds. Her desire for a luxurious appearance destroyed her real life.
8
Bholi
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Bholi is not beautiful (pock-marked face) and stammers. Her father worries that no one will marry her.
Q2. How does the teacher change Bholi’s life?
The teacher’s kindness and encouragement give Bholi confidence. She learns to read, write and speak properly. Education transforms her from a timid girl into a confident young woman.
Q3. Why does Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber?
Bishamber demands a dowry of five thousand rupees after seeing her pock-marked face. Bholi refuses to marry a greedy, mean-minded man and decides to remain unmarried and serve her parents and teach in the same school.
9
The Book That Saved the Earth
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๐ Read and Find Out / Think about It
Q1. Who are the Martians in the play? Why do they invade Earth?
The Martians are Think-Tank (the ruler), Noodle, and other crew members. They invade Earth because they believe Earth is a primitive planet and they can easily conquer it.
Q2. What book confuses the Martians?
A book of nursery rhymes (Mother Goose). They misinterpret the rhymes as codes about Earth’s military secrets and advanced technology.
Q3. How does the book save the Earth?
Think-Tank becomes terrified after misreading the rhymes (e.g., “Humpty Dumpty”, “Mistress Mary”). He orders his crew to leave Earth immediately and cancels the invasion. Thus a simple children’s book saves Earth from Martian attack.
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