Two Stories about Flying Class 10 Questions and Answers
I. His first Flight
Textbook Questions :
Thinking about the Text :
Question 1.
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?
छोटा समुद्री चिड़ा उड़ने से क्यों डरता था? क्या आपके विचार में सभी छोटे पक्षी पहली उड़ान से डरते हैं? अथवा कुछ ज्यादा ही डरपोक होते हैं ? क्या मानव का बच्चा भी पहले कदम को एक ललकार समझता है?
Answer:
The young seagull thought that his wings were too weak to support him so he was afraid to fly. Also he was timid and could not muster up courage to fly. I think most of the young birds are afraid to make their first flight.
I have seen young birds fluttering their wings to fly while they are in their nests. Sometimes they come upto the edge of the nest, hold it tightly with their claws but don’t dare to leave it. Some more courageous fly upto the nearest branch.
Of course, some birds are more timid than other as the young seagull in the story was. A human baby also behaves in the same manner. It also finds it a challenge to take its first steps. It stands on its unsteady legs, faulters, falls, again stands up, tries again, this time with support gradually leaves the support, coaxed by parents, it takes a few steps then falls happily in the arms of its parents, a sense of achievement brightens its face.
Question 2.
“The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest ? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly ?
“खाने की झलक ने उसे पागल बना दिया” – यह क्या सुझाता है? छोटे समुद्री चिड़े को अन्त में उड़ने के लिए किसने बाध्य किया?
Answer:
The sight of food maddened the young seagull because he was very hungry. He had not eaten anything since the last twenty-four hours when his parents, brothers and sister left him alone on the ledge. It was his punishment for not trying to fly.
The young seagull’s parents had encouraged, coaxed scolded and threatened to make him fly but he did not. Then they left him on the ledge all alone without food, thinking that hunger might compel him to fly. This last plan worked. The mother started eating fish within his sight.
The young seagull implored the mother to give him some. The mother waited for sometime till he became too eager to get the food. Then she flew to him with the fish. She came very near him but did not give him any fish. Too anxious to get the food, he dived to get it, the mother flew away.
He screamed and fell down but opened his wings impulsively and flapped them. He did not fall any longer but was flying. He was overjoyed at his achievement. His family hovered around him encouraging him and congratulating him at his achievement. He thus finally shattered his fear and started flying
Question 3.
“They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly.” Why did the seagull’s father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?
“वे उसे तीखी आवाज़ में बुला और पुकार रहे थेसमुद्री चिड़े के माता-पिता ने उसे क्यों धमकी दी और उड़ने के लिए पुचकारा?
Answer:
The young seagull was too afraid to fly. The rest of his brothers and sister had learnt to fly but he did not. His parents tried various means and ways – They coaxed, encouraged, threatened and cajoled him to learn to fly but he could not muster up courage. He was too timid and thought his weak wings would not support him.
All parents teach their young ones to develop their natural traits. For this they apply various means and tactics. The parents of the young seagull were doing the same. They wanted their youngone to learn to fly by any meAnswer:
Question 4.
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.
क्या आपके साथ भी ऐसा अनुभव हुआ है जब आपके मातापिता ने आपको वह करने को प्रोत्साहित किया जो करने से आप बहुत डरते हैं ? जोडों अथवा समूहों में इसकी चर्चा करो।
Answer:
My father is a good swimmer. He was a swimming champion during his college days. I also wanted to be like him but was scared of water. No amount of my father’s coaxing and encouragement made me enter the water. He bought a beautiful swimming costume for me but I was not motivated.
One day he took me to the swimming pool of his club. He had brought my swimming costume and asked me at least to try it. I had to change to please him. Then he started swimming. He invited me to sit at the edge and watch him. I liked and appreciated the way he was swimming. I wanted to swim like that but could not muster up courage. I thought my limbs were too weak for the purpose.
I smiled when my father looked at me. He came near. All of a sudden, he pulled me in water. I shouted and felt like drowning. My father asked me to keep my head above water and use my limbs as he was using while swimming. He held my hand to support me. I tried to copy him. After a few strokes, he left my hand gradually as I started swimming.
I was no more afraid of water. I liked swimming. I swam for half an hour, felt my body lighter. When I came out, my father patted me. I was happy at my achievement.
Question 5.
In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusion that it should succeed. In the example, 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?
पक्षी के उड़ने के केस में यह एक प्राकृतिक कार्य था और परिणाम निश्चित था कि सफलता मिलेगी। जो इससे पहले प्रश्न के उत्तर में आपने उदाहरण दिया क्या सफलता की गारन्टी थी अथवा आपका कोशिश करना महत्त्वपूर्ण था, असफलता की सम्भावना की परवाह न करते हुए?
Answer:
In the example I have given, I said that I wanted to learn swimming but was afraid of water and not confident of my strength. Once my father shattered my fear, the success was certain and I succeeded in learning to swim.
In my opinion, it is the lack of confidence that leads to failure. Deep desire and determination lead to success. Trying, of course is important.
Additional questions extract based questions
Answer the questions that follow the extracts in 30-40 words :
1. He felt certain that his wings would never support him, so he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night.
Question i.
Who is described in these lines? What was he trying to do?
Answer:
The little baby seagull is described in these lines. He was trying to take his first flight after his brother and sister had flown away.
Question ii.
Why did not the seagull make his first flight?
Answer:
The seagull had the fear that his wings would not support him in flying. The large expanse of the sea in front of him added to his fear.
2. His father and mother had come around calling him shrilly, upbraiding him, threatening to let him starve on his ledge unless he flew away. But for the life of him he could not move.
Question i.
What efforts were made by the seagull’s parents to make him fly?
Answer:
The seagull’s parents called out to him with a shrill voice and scolded him. Then they threatened him that he would starve on his ledge if he did not fly towards them.
Question ii.
Why did not the seagull try to fly?
Answer:
The seagull felt sure that his little wings would not help in flying. Also, the vast expanse of the sea under him frightened him.
3. The day before, all day 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. 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.
Question i.
What did the seagull see the previous day?
Answer:
The seagull saw his siblings fly about with their parents. They were perfected in the art of flight and taught how to skim the waves, take a dive for a fish and the like.
Question ii.
Why was it important for the seagull to take his first flight?
Answer:
It was important for the baby seagull to take his first flight because, his brother and sister had already reached the opposite cliff. Only if this little seagull took his first flight would he learn how to swim in the wave and dive for a fish for his food.
4. 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 night fall. 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.
Question i.
How long had the seagull been on his ledge? Why?
Answer:
The baby seagull had been on the ledge since the previous day. While his brother and sister had already reached the opposite cliff and had learned to catch fish, this seagull could not overcome his fear of taking his first flight.
Question ii.
Why was the seagull desperate to draw the attention of his parents?
Answer:
The seagull did not have its food from the previous night, for he did not want to fly to the opposite cliff to his parents. He felt his wings would not support him in flying. He therefore wanted his parents to take pity on him and bring him food.
5. His father was preening the feathers on his white back. 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 a 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.
Question i.
Whose mother is being described here? Why?
Answer:
The mother seagull is being described here. She had been trying to make the baby seagull take his first flight. But the little bird had the fear that his wings would not support him in flying. The mother seagull was making all efforts to draw his attention and make him fly.
Question ii.
What was the mother seagull doing in front of her baby? Did she succeed in that?
Answer:
The mother seagull was trying to draw the attention of her baby by tearing a piece of the fish held by her feet. Though the baby seagull got tempted by the sight of his favourite fish, he dared not fly. Thus the mother failed in her attempt to make the baby fly towards her.
6. 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. Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still he could hear nothing.
Question i.
What was ‘he’ waiting for? Why did not ‘she’ come near him?
Answer:
The baby seagull was waiting for his mother to bring his favourite fish that she was tearing to pieces. But she did not come towards him because she wanted him to fly to her to get it.
Question ii.
How did the baby seagull succeed in flying?
Answer:
When the baby seagull found that his mother was not bringing him his favourite food, he at once spread his wings and dived towards her. Thus, without his knowledge, his love for his favourite fish helped him take his first flight.
7. He had then trotted back and forth from the end of the ledge to the other, his grey body the colour of the cliff, his long grey legs stepping daintily, trying to find some means of reaching his parents without having to fly. But on each side of him, the ledge ended in a sheer fall in precipice, with the sea beneath, and between him and his parents there was deep wide charm.
Surely he could reach them without flying if he could only move northwards along the cliff face. But then on what could he walk ? There was no ledge, and he could not fly. And above him he could see nothing. Top of the precipice was perhaps farther away than the sea beneath him.
Question i.
What was the baby seagull trying to do? Why?
Answer:
The baby seagull was desperately trying to go to his parents who were on the cliff opposite to him. His parents, his brother and sister, had all flown there the previous day. Just because the little seagull was frightened of flying, he stayed back.
Question ii.
Why could not the seagull fly?
Answer:
The seagull was a baby who was yet to take his first flight. While his brother, sister and parents had flown away to the opposite cliff, he hesitated to fly. That was because he felt that his wings would not support him, and he could not cross the vast expanse of the sea in front of him.
8. With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. 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.
Question i.
What is being described here? How did the seagull manage it?
Answer:
The baby seagull’s successful first flight is being described here. He had been fearing that his wings would not support him in flying. But his mother, standing on the cliff opposite tempted him with his favourite fish. The sight of the food maddened him and the seagull flew towards it successfully.
Question ii.
What was the experience of the seagullon his first flight?
Answer:
Maddened at the sight of his favourite fish held by his mother, the seagull flew towards it. Without his conscience, he took his first flight. Though terrified initially, he realized that he did not fall down, and that he was able to cut through the air and soar up and down with ease.
Short answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.
Question 1.
What did the young seagull do to attract the attention of his mother ?
Answer:
He came slowly up to the brink of the ledge and stood on one leg. He hid the other leg under his wing. He closed one eye and then the other and pretended to be falling asleep. Thus he tried to attract the attention of his mother.
Question 2.
When did the seagull’s flight begin? And where did it end?
Answer:
The young seagull’s flight started when he dived trying to snatch the piece of fish from his mother’s beak. He fell down but instinctively his wings spread out, he flapped them and started flying. His flight ended after half an hour when he landed on the green sea with his family.
Question 3.
How did the young seagull’s parents treat him initially when he did not fly?
Answer:
First his parents encouraged him, coaxed him then scolded and taunted him for his cowardice. They even threatened to let him starve if he did not fly. But the young seagull could not muster up courage to fly.
Question 4.
What happened when he landed on sea?
Or
When did the seagull get over his fear of water?
Answer:
The young seagull took green sea for green flooring. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs sank into it. He screamed with fear and tried to rise again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger and could not rise. His feet sank into water and then his belly touched it and he sank no further. He got over the fear of water as he floated on it.
Question 5.
Young seagull tried to fly but he could not. Why was he afraid to fly ?
Or
Why could the young seagull not fly with his brothers and sisters ?
Answer:
The young seagull felt certain that his wings were too weak to support him. He had no courage to, flap his wings. Even when each one of his brothers and sister whose wings were much shorter than his, ran to the brink of the ledge, flapped their wings and flew away, he failed to muster up courage to take that plunge.
Question 6.
What was the young seagull’s experience during his first flight?
Answer:
Falling from the ledge, the seagull was terrified, but soon he started soaring, and then, flying. He forgot that he didn’t always know how to fly. His fear soon turned into confidence, and then into amusement. As he was landing, he was again afraid, but, soon became at ease. It was a memorable first flight.
Question 7.
Flying is a natural act in birds. Then why was the young seagull ‘exhausted by the strange exercise’?
Answer:
The seagull didn’t have the courage to fly. Hence, he used to make excuses for not flying. He felt certain that his wings were too weak to support him. He had no courage to flap his wings and failed to muster up courage to take the plunge.
Question 8.
How did the young seagull’s family celebrate his first flight?
Answer:
The young seagull was afraid to fly. Even the encouragement and coaxing didn’t work. But when the seagull had his first flight, he as well as his family was happy, relieved and proud at him to have completed his first flight.
Question 9.
The sight of the food maddened him.’ Who is ‘he’ in these lines? Why was he angry? What does this suggest ?
Answer:
- The young seagull is the ‘he’ in these lines.
- He had not eaten anything for the last 24 hours. He was very hungry, hence was angry.
- His mother went near him with a piece of fish but did not feed him. Maddened by hunger, the young seagull dived to snatch it but the mother flew away. This shows the weakness of the young seagull.
Long answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words :
Question 1.
The young seagull found it difficult to fly for the first time. He felt that his wings would never support him. Was it not in his attitude to accept the challenges ? Did he lack courage ? Discuss the values that can help people accept challenges in life.
Answer:
The young seagull’s brothers and sisters had started flying the previous day. But, he was unable to muster the courage to fly. He lacked confidence and felt that his wings wouldn’t support him. However, I do not think that facing challenges was a problem for him.
Still, he did lack courage. To accept and successfully face challenges, one must be fearless, determined and have clarity of thought and action. Also, the support of those around us can play a big role, as in the seagull’s case.
Question 2.
‘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.’
The mother of young seagull picked up a piece of fish but still did not come nearer to give him. Why did she do so ? Did she lack love for her son or she wanted to make him courageous ? What values does the mother depict through her act ? Write in 100-150 words.
Answer:
The young seagull was terribly afraid to fly. His parents encouraged him to make his first flight. But he could not do so. Then, the mother picked up a piece of fish but did not go near to give him. The seagull was extremely hungry.
He started crying so that his mother would give him some food. Coming towards him, the mother stopped opposite to him almost within his reach. When the seagull dived to get the piece, she swooped upwards.
Maddened by hunger, the young seagull spread his wings upwards and started flying. This shows that the mother wanted her son to become courageous. This shows that sometimes parents take such harsh steps for their kids which may appear wrong at that time but later prove to be beneficial for their kids.
Complete text with hindi translation :
Text (Page 32): The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two ‘brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. Some how when he had taken a little run forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings he became afraid.
Vocabulary:
- Alone (अलोन) – lonely अकेला
- Brink (ब्रिक) – edge किनारा
- Attempted (अटैम्पटिड) – tried प्रयत्न किया
- Flap (फ्लैप) – move up and down फड़फड़ाना
अनुवाद : नन्हा सीगल शिला-फलक पर अकेला था। उसके दो भाई और बहन पहले ही दिन उड़ गए थे। वह उनके साथ उड़ने को डर गया था। जैसे-तैसे जब वह भागकर शिला-फलक के किनारे तक आया और अपने पंख फड़फड़ाए तो वह डर गया।
Text (Page 32) : The great expanse of sea stretched down beneath, and it was such a long way down miles down. He felt certain that his wings will never support him, so he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night.
Vocabulary:
- Expanse (एकसपैंस) – extend फैलाव
- Beneath (बिनीथ) – under नीचे;
- Support (सपोर्ट) – give strength सहारा देना
अनुवाद : नीचे समुद्र का मीलों लम्बा विस्तार था। उसे पक्का विश्वास हो गया कि उसके पंख उसे कभी सहारा न देंगे। अत: वह सिर झकाकर वापस उसी छेद में चला गया जहाँ वह रात को सोता था।
Text (Pages 32-33) : Even when each of his brothers and 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. But for the life of him he could not move.
Vocabulary :
- Muster (मस्टर) – to gather इकट्ठा करना
- Courage (करेज) – boldness साहस
- Plunge (प्लंज) – to dive डुबकी लगाना
- Desperate (डेस्पीरेट) – without hope हताश
- Shrilly (श्रिली) – in a sharp tone तीखी पतली आवाज में
- Upbraiding (अपब्रेडिंग) – chiding, scolding डाँटते हुए
- Threatening (धैटनिंग) – धमकी देते हुए
- Starve (स्टार्व) – to die due to hunger भूख से मरना
अनुवाद : तब भी जब उसके भाइयों में से प्रत्येक और उसकी बहन जिसके पंख उसके पंखों से भी छोटे थे, भाग कर किनारे गई, पंख फड़फड़ाए और उड़ गई। पर वह गोता लगाने के लिए साहस न जुटा पाया जो कि उसे इतना निराशाजनक प्रतीत हो रहा था। उसके मातापिता, तेज आवाज में बुलाते और डांटते हुए आए थे, धमकी देते हुए कि जब तक वह उड़ेगा नहीं, यों ही शिला-फलक पर पड़ा भूखा मरेगा। अपनी जान की खातिर भी वह वहाँ से न हिला।
Text (Page 33): 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.
Vocabulary :
- Perfecting (R R) – making perfect/expert निपुण करते हुए
- Skim (स्किम) – moving lightly over a surface area सतह को छूते हुए निकल जाना
- Dive (डाईव) – to plunge into डुबकी लगाना
अनुवाद : यह 24 घंटे पहले की बात थी। तब से अब तक उसके पास कोई नहीं आया था। एक दिन पहले, पूरा दिन उसने अपने मातापिता को अपने भाई बहनों के साथ उन्हें उड़ने की कला में निपुण बनाते हुए, लहरों पर मंडराना, उनको छूकर निकल जाना और मछली पकड़ने के लिए डुबकी लगाना सिखाते देखता रहा था।
Text (Page 33) : 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 cackle. And all the morning the whole family had walked about on the big plateau midway down the opposite cliff taunting him with his cowardice. 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 night fall.
Vocabulary :
- Herring (हैरिंग) – a kind of small sea fish एक प्रकार की छोटी समुद्री मछली
- Devour (डिवाउर) – to eat greedily लगभग निगलना
- Cackle (केकल) – noise made by a hen after laying an egg
- Plateau (प्लैटो) – level land above sea-level पठार
- Cliff (क्लिफ) – a steep rock ढलान वाली चट्टान
- Taunting (टॉन्टिंग) – sarcasting remarks, making fun of ताना मारना, खिल्ली उड़ाना
- Cowardice (कावॉईस) – timidity कायरता
अनुवाद : दरअसल उसने अपने बड़े भाई को अपनी पहली हैरिंग मछली पकड़कर चट्टान पर खड़े होकर खाते हुए देखा था जब कि उसके माता-पिता गर्व से उसके चारों ओर चक्कर लगा रहे थे। पूरी प्रातः पूरा परिवार कायरता के लिए उसकी हंसी उड़ाते हुए सामने वाली चट्टान के बीच में नीचे विशाल पठार पर टहलता रहा था।
आसमान में सूर्य ऊपर चढ़ रहा था उसके शिलाफलक को जिसका मुख दक्षिण की ओर था देदीप्यमान करता हुआ। उसे गर्मी महसूस हो रही थी क्योंकि उसने पिछली रात से कुछ नहीं खाया था।
Text (Pages 33-34): He stepped slowly out to the brink on the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing, he closed one eye and 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.
Vocabulary :
- Brink (बिंक) – edge किनारा
- Pretended (प्रिटैन्टिड) – showed falsely बहाना किया
- Dozing (डोजिंग) – feeling asleep ऊँघते हुए
- Preening the feathers (प्रीनिंग द फेदर्स) – smoothing feathers with beak चोंच से पंख संवारना
अनुवाद : वह धीरे से चट्टान के किनारे गया तथा एक टांग को पंख के नीचे छिपा कर दूसरी टांग पर खड़ा होकर उसने एक आँख बंद की, फिर दूसरी तथा सोने का बहाना किया। फिर भी उन्होंने उसकी ओर ध्यान नहीं दिया। उसने अपने दो भाइयों और बहन को अपनी गर्दनों में सिर छुपा कर पठार पर लेटे देखा था। उसका पिता अपनी सफेद पीठ पर अपने पंखों को चोंच से संवार रहा था।
Text (Page 34): 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 a piece of fish that lay at her feet and then scrapped each side of her beak on the rock. The sight of food maddened him. How he loved to tear food that way, scraping his beak now and again to whet it.
Vocabulary :
- Hump (हम्प) – the protuber-ance on the back of animal कूबड़
- Scrapping (स्क्रैपिंग) – cleaning/smoothing रगड़कर साफ करना
- Whet (वैट) – sharpening by rubbing रगड़ कर तेज करना।
अनुवाद : केवल उसकी माता उसकी ओर देख रही थी। वह पठार पर एक ऊंचे कूबड़ के स्थान पर खड़ी थी। उसकी सफेद छाती आगे की ओर निकली हुई थी। कभी-कभी वह अपने पैरों के पास पड़े मछली के टुकड़े को फाड़ लेती थी फिर अपनी चोंच के दोनों ओर चट्टान पर रगड़ कर साफ और तेज कर लेती थी। भोजन के दृश्य ने उसे पागल बना दिया। उसे इस तरह खाने को फाड़ना, यदा-कदा अपनी चोंच को रगड़कर साफ तथा तेज करना अच्छा लगता था।
Text (Pages 34-35) : “Ga, ga, ga,” he cried begging her to bring him some food. “Gaw-col-ah,” she screamed back derisively. But he kept calling plaintively, and after a minute or so he uttered a joyful scream. His mother had picked up a piece of 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.
Vocabulary :
- Screamed (स्क्रीम्ड) – uttered a sharp cry चिल्लाया
- Derisively (डिराईसिवली) – mockingly हंसी उड़ाते हुए
- Plaintively-(प्लेनटिवली) – in a sorrow full manner करुणा/दीनता से
अनुवाद : “गा, गा, गा”, वह कुछ भोजन लाने के लिए प्रार्थना करता हुआ चिल्लाया। “गा, कोल, आह” वह व्यंग करते हुए उत्तर में चिल्लाई। पर वह दीनता से पुकारता रहा। एक व दो मिनट के बाद वह खुशी से चीखा। उसकी मां ने मछली का एक टुकड़ा उठा लिया था और उसकी ओर उड़कर आ रही थी। वह उत्सुकता से आगे झुका, अपने पैरों से चट्टानों को बजाया और अपनी माँ की ओर अधिक पास जाने का प्रयत्न किया।
Text (Page 35): But when she was just opposite to him, abreast of his ledge, she halted, her legs hanging limp, her wings motionless, the piece of fish in her beak almost within reach of his beak. He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she did not come nearer, and then maddened by hunger he, dived at the fish.
Vocabulary :
- Abreast (ऍब्रेस्ट) – at the same level, side by side एक ही पंक्ति में
- Limp (लिम्प) – lacking strength, बेजान
- Dived at (डाईवड ऐट) – डुबकी लगाई।
अनुवाद : परंतु जब माँ उसके बिल्कुल सामने एक ही सतह पर आई तो वह रुक गई, उसकी टाँगें निढाल सी लटकती हुई, पंख बिना किसी हरकत के, अपनी चोंच में मछली का टुकड़ा, दबाए थी जो लगभग बच्चे की पहुँच में था। आश्चर्यचकित होकर उसने एक क्षण प्रतीक्षा की कि वह और समीप क्यों नहीं आ रही थी। फिर भूख से पागल होकर उसने मछली की ओर डुबकी लगाई।
Text (Page 35) : With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards into space. His mother had swooped upwards. As he passed beneath her he heard the swish of her wings. 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 no longer afraid.
Vocabulary :
- Swooped (स्वूप्ड) – came down with a rush झपटी/झटके से ऊपर उड़ान भरना
- Swish (स्विश) – mild sound सरसराहट
- Headlong (हैडलाँग) – with head down सिर के बल (गिरना)
अनुवाद : ऊंची चीख मारकर वह आगे होकर अंतरिक्ष में नीचे की ओर गिरा। उसकी माता झटके से ऊपर की ओर उड़ान भर चुकी थी। जब वह माँ के नीचे से गुजरा उसे उसके पंखों की सरसराहट सुनाई दी। तब एक राक्षस रूपी भय ने उसे पकड़ा तथा उसके हृदय की धड़कन रुक सी गई। उसे कुछ सुनाई न दिया। परंतु यह केवल एक ही मिनट रहा।
अगले ही क्षण उसने अपने पंखों को बाहर की ओर खुलते अनुभव किया। छाती के पंखों पर तेज हवा लगी, फिर उसके पेट और पंखों से टकराई। वह महसूस कर रहा था अपने पंखों के कोनों को हवा चीरते हुए। अब वह सिर के बल नहीं गिर रहा था। वह धीरे-धीरे नीचे तथा ऊपर उड़ रहा था। अब उसे डर नहीं लग रहा था।
Text (Page 35): He just felt a bit dizzy. Then he flapped his wings once and then soared upwards. He uttered joyous scream and flapped them again. He soared higher. He raised his breast and banked against the wind.
“Ga, ga, ga. Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-colah,” his mother swooped past him, her wings making a loud noise. He answered her with another scream. Then his father few over him screaming. He saw his two brothers and his sister flying around him curveting and banking and soaring and diving.
Vocabulary :
- Dizzy (डिजी) – feeling giddy चक्कर आना
- Soared (सोड) – flew up उड़ा
- Banked (बैंक्ड) – flew with one side higher than the other तिरछा उड़ा
- Curveting (कर्वेटिंग) – moving with an action resembling a horse’s leap घोड़े की तरह छलांग लगा कर उड़ना/दाड़ना।
अनुवाद : उसका थोड़ा-सा सिर चकराने लगा था। फिर उसने एक बार पंख फड़फड़ाए तथा वह ऊपर की ओर चढ़ गया। वह खुशी से चीखा और फिर पंख फड़फड़ाए। वह और ऊपर चढ़ गया। उसने अपनी छाती को ऊपर उठाया तथा हवा के विरुद्ध शरीर के एक पंख को दूसरे से ऊपर उठाया।”गा, गा, गा, गा, गा, गा”, “गवा-कोल-आह”, उसकी माँ उसके पास से पंखों का तेज शोर करती हुई निकली। उसने माँ को फिर चीखकर उत्तर दिया। फिर उसका पिता चीखते हुए उड़ा। फिर उसने अपने दो भाइयों और बहन को चारों ओर घोड़े की भांति उछाले मारते हुए, तिरछा ऊपर उड़ते हुए और डुबकी लगाते देखा।
Text (Page 35) : Then he completely forgot. that he had not always been able to fly, and commended himself to dive and soar and curvet shrieking shrilly.
Vocabulary :
- Commended (कमेन्डिड)- praised प्रशंसा की;
- Shrieking (शरीकिंग) – uttering a shril cry जोर से तीखी आवाज में चिल्लाते हुए
- Shrilly (श्रिली) – in a shrill manner कर्कश स्वर में।
अनुवाद : अब वह पूर्णतया भूल गया कि कभी वह उड़ नहीं सकता था। वह तेज चीखता हुआ आगे की तरफ उछाले भरने और डुबकी लगाने लगा।
Text (Page 35): He was near the sea now, flying straight over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath him, with little ridges moving over too and he turned his beak sideways and cawed amusedly.
Vocabulary :
- Ridge (रिज) – a mountain range पर्वत, पृष्ठ, टीलाई इलाका
- Cawed (कॉड) – produced loud rough sound ऊँचा कर्कश स्वर
- Amusedly (एम्यूसिडली) – happily प्रसन्नता से, खुश होकर
अनुवाद : अब वह समुद्र के पास था, समुद्र के बिल्कुल ऊपर उड़ रहा था। उसके नीचे विशाल हरा समुद्र था जिस पर छोटे टीले तैर रहे थे। जिस पर टीलों के समान लहरें तैर रही थीं। उसने अपनी चोंच को दोनों ओर घुमाया और प्रसन्न होकर काँव-काँव करने लगा।
Text (Pages 35-36): His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green flooring ahead 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 beak, were offering him scraps of dog fish. He had made his first flight.
Vocabulary:
- Beckoning (बैकनिंग) – calling बुला रहे थे
- Fright (फ्राइट) – sudden fear भय, शंका
- Belly (बैली) – abdomen पेट
- Floating (फ्लोटिग) – drifting बिना हाथ पैर हिलाए तैरना/बहना
- Dog fish (डॉगफिश) – a kind of sea fish एक समुद्री मछली।
अनुवाद : उसके माता-पिता और भाई-बहन पहले ही इस हरी सतह पर उतर चुके थे। वे लोग उसको चिल्ला-चिल्ला कर बुला रहे थे। उसने हरे समुद्र पर खड़े होने के लिए अपनी टांगें गिरा दी। उसकी टांगें उसमें डूब गईं। वह डर के मारे चीखा। पंख फड़फड़ा कर उठने की कोशिश की पर वह बहुत थका हुआ था, भूख से कमजोर था और उठ न सका।
वह इस विचित्र व्यायाम से इतना थककर चूर हो गया था कि उठ न सका। उसके पांव हरे समुद्र में डूब गए थे। फिर जब उसके पेट ने पानी छुआ तो वह और अधिक न ड्रबा। वह पानी के ऊपर तैर रहा था और उसके माता-पिता तथा भाई-बहन उसकी प्रशंसा करते हुए, खुशी से चिल्लाते हुए, अपनी चोंचों में डॉग मछली के टुकड़े भेंट कर रहे थे। उसने अपनी पहली उड़ान भर ली थी।
Before you read :
Since earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the skies. Here are two stories about flying. A young seagull is afraid to fly. How does he conquer his fear ? A pilot is lost in storm clouds. Does he arrive safe? Who helps him?
बहुत समय पहले मानव ने आकाश पर विजय प्राप्त करने का सपना देखा है। यहाँ उड़ान से संबंधित दो कहानियाँ हैं। एक छोटा-सा समुद्री चिडा उड़ने से डरता है। वह अपने डर पर कैसे विजय प्राप्त करता है? एक पॉयलट तूफानी बादलों में गुम हो जाता है। क्या वह सुरक्षित पहुँच पाता है ? उसकी कौन सहायता करता है?
II. The black aeroplane
Textbook Questions
Thinking about the Text :
Question 1.
“I’ll take the risk.” What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it ?
“मैं खतरा लूँगा।” खतरा क्या है? वक्ता यह खतरा क्यों लेता
Answer:
The narrator who is the pilot of Dakota plane was flying from Paris to London. When he came 150 kilometres from Paris, he suddenly encountered huge black clouds that looked like mountains. He had limited fuel just enough to reach England. He could neither fly above the clouds nor go round them to avoid them.
He could either go back to Paris or take the risk of going through the dark clouds. The risk was getting lost in the storm clouds. The narrator decided to take the risk as he wanted to spend the week end with his family.
Question 2.
Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
वक्ता के अनुभव का वर्णन करो जब उसने आँधी में अपना हवाई जहाज उड़ाया?
Answer:
As the narrator entered the storm clouds, his aeroplane started jumping and twisting. He became nervous when he found his radio, compass and other instruments gone dead. It was pitch dark all around. He did not know which direction to go. He could not contact the Paris control. He was lost in the storm.
Just then he saw a black aeroplane without lights. Its pilot signalled him to follow him. He followed him like an obedient child and came safely out of the storm clouds.
Question 3.
Why does the narrator say, “I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota?
वक्ता क्यों कहता है “मैं धरती पर उतरा और मुझे पुराने डकोटा से दूर जाते हुए अफसोस न था?”
Answer:
The old Dakota had given the narrator jitters. It shoot horribly, jumped and twisted in the storm. Moreover, its compass, radio and other such instruments had stopped working. It was no longer safe to fly it. So, the narrator was not sorry to walk away from it after landing safely
Question 4.
What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely ?
किस बात के कारण कन्ट्रोल सेन्टर में बैठी स्त्री ने वक्ता की ओर अजीब नजरों से देखा?
Answer:
The question that the narrator asked her, “Who was the other pilot? He wanted to thank him,” – made her look strangely at him as no sensible pilot would fly the plane in the storm. Moreover, no other plane was seen on the radar. His question perhaps, seemed absurd and silly to her.
Question 5.
Who do you think helps the narrator reach safely ? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.
आपके विचार में वक्ता को सुरक्षित पहुंचने में किसने सहायता की? आपस में चर्चा करो और अपने उत्तर के कारण बताओ।
Answer:
When the narrator was lost in the storm clouds, the pilot of a mysterious black aeroplane without lights guided him to come out of the storm cloud and land safely.
As soon as the narrator landed, he looked for the black aeroplane, he wanted to thank its pilot but it was no where to be seen. Moreover, the lady in the control room confirmed that there was no other plane seen on the radar. Then who was the pilot who helped him?
There are three possibilities. It could be a ghost whose aeroplane must have crashed in a storm like that or it could be the result of the narrator’s wild imagination. In distress, sometimes we start imagining things or pray to God. Our faith in God makes us think that God is helping us. In this case and sent a mysterious pilot to help the narrator land safely.
Additional questions extract based questions
Answer the questions that follow the extracts in 30-40 words:
1. 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 areoplane 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.
Question i.
Under what circumstance was the narrator flying his Dakota?
Answer:
The narrator was happily flying to England to his home from Paris to be with his family. It was past midnight and the sky was clear. The narrator was all alone flying his aeroplane.
Question ii.
What misfortune befell the author while he was flying to England?
Answer:
While he was flying his Dakota, suddenly he came across thick, black storm clouds. He could neither fly through the clouds, nor go back to Paris. Not even could he fly up or over the clouds as he did not have enough fuel to fly around.
2. I knew I could not fly up and over them, and I didn’t 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.
Question i.
What made the narrator think of going back to Paris?
Answer:
As he was flying away from Paris towards his home in England, suddenly the narrator came across thick storm clouds. He did not enough fuel to fly up, down or around the clouds. This made him think of going back to Paris.
Question ii.
Why did the narrator want to get home?
Answer:
The narrator was flying back from France to his home in England where his family lived. Also he was tempted to have his English breakfast. Thus he wanted to get home.
3. 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.
Question i.
What is being described in the passage?
Answer:
The passage here describes the narrator’s experience as he decided to fly through the storm cloud. Not only was it dark around, but also his communication instruments fell dead, leaving him baffled.
Question ii.
How did the narrator overcome the misfortune that befell him during his flight to England?
Answer:
After flying inside the story cloud, the narrator’s communication instruments failed one after another. Suddenly, a black aeroplane flew nearby. The pilot of that flight told the narrator to follow him. After nearly an hour, the narrator spotted the airport. Thus he safely reached his destination.
4. I looked at the compass. I couldn’t believe my eyes : the compass was turning 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 wing, but I could see it flying next to me through the storm.
Question i.
Which incidence is being described here?
Answer:
The passage describes the narrator’s experience after he flew his Dakota into the thick storm cloud when he tried to fly to England. Inside it was dark and suddenly all his communication instruments went dead, leaving him helpless
Question ii.
What was the miracle that happened after the narrator flew into the storm cloud?
Answer:
After he flew into the storm cloud, his communication instruments went dead. However, a black plane flew nearby. The pilot of that plane told the narrator to follow him. After nearly an hour, the narrator reached his destination safely. But when he turned back to thank the pilot, neither the black plane nor its pilot were there!
5. “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.
Question i.
Who tried to help the narrator? Why?
Answer:
When the narrator flew into the storm cloud, everything went dark. All his communication instruments went dead, leaving him helpless. Suddenly, a black aeroplane flew nearby. The pilot of that plane told the narrator to follow him.
Question ii.
How did the pilot of the other plane save the narrator?
Answer:
The pilot of the other plane told the narrator to follow him. He turned to the north, followed by the narrator. After a few minutes, they both descended. They both came out of the clouds and the narrator could soon see the airport in front of him.
6. 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.
Question i.
When was the narrator feeling frightened for the second time?
Answer:
The narrator was feeling frightened when he was told to follow the other plane by its pilot. After half an hour or so, the pilot of the other plane was still inside the clouds. The narrator did not have enough fuel to fly for long. This made him feel frightened for the second time.
Question ii.
When did the narrator feel frightened for the first time?
Answer:
When the narrator saw thick storm clouds in front of him, he thought of the possibilities of going up or down or around them. But since he could not do any of these because he did not have enough fuel, he got frightened.
7. She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed. “Another aeroplane? Up there in the storm ? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.”
Question i.
Who is the lady being described here? Why did she look at the narrator strangely?
Answer:
The lady described here is the one who the narrator found in the air traffic center. She looked strangely at the narrator because he was asking her the whereabouts of the black plane and its pilot who helped him reach England safely.
Question ii.
What was the miracle that the narrator experience on his way back to England?
Answer:
After his plane got caught in the storm cloud, his communication instruments went dead. At that helpless situation, a black aeroplane flew nearby. The pilot of the plane told the narrator to follow him, which he did. After nearly an hour, the narrator reached England. But he came to know that there was no other plane flying that night. Nor could he find the plane or the pilot after reaching the airport.
Short answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.
Question 1.
‘I’ll take the risk’. What risk did the pilot of the old Dakota aeroplane take and why?
Answer:
When the pilot of Dakota plane was about 150 kms from Paris he was suddenly confronted by the storm clouds. He had limited fuel. He could neither fly over the clouds nor go round them in North or South. He wanted to enjoy the holiday with his family and also to have the big English breakfast. So, he took the risk of going through the storm clouds.
Question 2.
Which two options did the pilot of the Dakota plane have when he encountered the storm clouds on his way? What did he decide to do? Why?
Answer:
The two options he had were : either to go back to Paris or to go through the storm clouds. He decided to go through the storm clouds because he wanted to reach home and spend the holiday with his family.
Question 3.
Why could he not take his plane around or over the storm clouds ?
Answer:
He could not fly his plane around or over the storm clouds because he had limited fuel which could take him straight to England, no extra fuel for extra mileage.
Question 4.
What kind of strange experience did the captain have during his flight ? Narrate.
Answer:
The captain had a strange experience during his flight. When he was lost in the storm cloud, the pilot of a black aeroplane asked him to follow him. He brought him safely out of the storm clouds but then disappeared. When the captain enquired about that plane from the control centre, he was told that no other plane flew in the sky that night. Then who rescued him, he was puzzled.
Question 5.
How did the pilot of Dakota land safely through the storm ?
Answer:
The pilot of Dakota aeroplane was lost in the storm clouds. He saw a black aeroplane without light on its wings. Its pilot waved him to follow him. He brought his aeroplane in front of the Dakota plane to make it easier for it to follow him. He brought the Dakota plane out of the storm clouds safely and rescued it.
Question 6.
Why did the pilot of Dakota need help of the other pilot ?
Answer:
Inside the storm clouds, there was pitch dark. Nothing was visible. The aeroplane jumped and twisted. He found that his compass, radio and some other instruments stopped working. He could not establish contact with the Paris control room. He was lost in the storm clouds and needed another pilot to take him out of the storm clouds safely.
Question 7.
How was he lost in the storm clouds ?
Or
What problems did the pilot of Dakota face in the clouds ?
Answer:
Inside the storm clouds, there was pitch dark. Nothing was visible. The aeroplane jumped and twisted. He found that his compass, radio and some other instruments stopped working. He could not establish contact with the Paris control room. He was lost in the storm clouds and needed another pilot to take him out of the storm clouds safely.
Question 8.
Why could the woman in the control room not help the pilot of Dakota ?
Answer:
When the pilot of the Dakota plane asked the woman in the control centre about the black aeroplane and its pilot, she could not help him because she had seen no other plane flying that night on the radar.
Question 9.
How did the black plane rescue the first pilot?
Answer:
The pilot of Dakota aeroplane was lost in the storm clouds. He saw a black aeroplane without light on its wings. Its pilot waved him to follow him. He brought his aeroplane in front of the Dakota plane to make it easier for it to follow him. He brought the Dakota plane out of the storm clouds safely and rescued it.
Question 10.
What puzzled the narrator at the end of the story?
Answer:
When the lady in the control room told him that no other plane was seen on the radar, he got puzzled. Who helped him arrive safely out of the storm clouds then and who was the pilot who was flying the plane without lights in the storm ?
Question 11.
What happened when the author turned the aeroplane twelve degrees west towards England?
Answer:
The author saw the huge storm clouds that looked like black mountains standing in front of him across the sky.
Question 12.
Do you think there was an actual pilot or a ghost or his wild imagination that guided him through the storm clouds ?
Answer:
don’t believe in ghosts, neither it could be an actual pilot as no pilot or his plane could be seen anywhere as he came out of the clouds. So, it must be his wild imagination or intuition that guided him through the storm clouds.
Question 13.
Where was the pilot of Dakota plane flying to? What made him happy?
Answer:
The pilot of the Dakota plane was flying from Paris to England. The thought of meeting and spending the holiday with them and having an elaborated English breakfast made him happy.
Question 14.
Why did the pilot think of going back to Paris ?
Answer:
The pilot came across huge storm clouds that seemed to him like black mountains. He could neither go above them, nor go around them due to lack of fuel. That was when he thought of returning to Paris.
Long answer type questions
Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words:
Question 1.
“The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio. “Paris Control? Paris Contro? Can you hear me!” There was no answer. The radio was dead too.’
The narrator made every possible endeavour to save himself. He did not lose hope in the dark situations. What values helped him endure the critical situation bravely ? Discuss in 100-150 words.
Or
The narrator knew that he could not fly up due to storm and lack of fuel but still he continued. What kind of person was he? Was it not in his nature to accept defeat? Discuss the values one should possess to accept failures to be able to move ahead in life in 100-150 words.
Answer:
The author’s plane did not have enough fuel. He knew that because of the paucity of fuel, he could not fly up and over the clouds nor he could fly around them to the north or south. But then, he decided to take the risk to enter his plane in the clouds because he wanted to go home and wanted to join his family at breakfast. This shows that he was a family-loving person. He was courageous as he knew that it would be risky to enter the clouds, but he did so in order to save his fuel.
Question 2.
Your friend was the pilot who was flying from Paris to England when he was lost in the storm clouds. Narrate his experience to your family and tell them how he was rescued by a strange black plane and its pilot.
Answer:
Last week, my friend, who is a pilot had a mysterious experience. During his flight from Paris to England, he was lost in the storm clouds. His compass, radio and other instruments had gone dead. He did not know which direction to go. He was lost and panicked.
Then, he saw a strange black aeroplane without lights on wings, flying near his plane. Its pilot lifted one hand, waved and signalled my friend to follow him. He guided my friend through the storm clouds and helped him land safely. When my friend looked back to thank the pilot of the black aeroplane, he found neither the pilot nor the aeroplane.
When he asked the control about the strange black plane and its pilot, the reply was, no other plane was seen on the radar except his Dakota. Then who rescued him ? There was no answer. It was a mystery.
Question 3.
“Everything was going well. It was an easy flight.” What went wrong suddenly ?
Or
Describe the flight of the Dakota aeroplane till it landed safely at the airport.
Answer:
The flight of old Dakota started from Paris and headed towards England. It was an easy flight, the sky was clear and the weather was fine. When it reached 150 kms away from Paris, it suddenly confronted huge black storm clouds.
He had limited fuel only to take him to England. He could go back to Paris but he decided to take the risk and go through the storm clouds because he wanted to spend the holiday with his family.
In the storm clouds, it was pitch dark. His compass, radio and some other instruments stopped working. He could not contact Paris control room to know the direction. Suddenly he saw a black aeroplane. Its pilot guided and brought him safely out of storm clouds. He saw the runway and landed at the airport.
Complete text with hindi translation :
Text (Page 37): The moon was coming up in the east, behind me. and the stars were shining in the clear sky. 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.
Vocabulary :
- Countryside (कन्ट्रीसाइड) – rural area देहात, ग्रामीण क्षेत्र;
- Looking forward (लुकिंग फॉर्वर्ड) – eagerly waiting उत्सुकता से प्रतीक्षा करना।
अनुवाद : मेरे पीछे पूर्व में चन्द्रमा ऊपर आ रहा था तथा मेरे ऊपर साफ आकाश में सितारे चमक रहे थे. आकाश में एक भी बादल नहीं था. सोते हुए देहात के ऊपर ऊँचाई पर मैं अकेला होकर भी प्रसन्न था। मैं अपना डकोटा वायुयान फ्रांस के ऊपर से वापस इंग्लैंड की ओर उडा रहा था। मैं अपनी छुट्टी का स्वप्न ले रहा था तथा अपने परिवार के साथ होने के लिए उत्सुक था। मैंने अपनी घड़ी देखी, समय था प्रातः डेढ़ बजे का।
Text (Page 37): ‘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.”
Vocabulary :
- Control (कन्ट्रोल) – regulating office नियंत्रण केन्द्र
- switched on (स्विच्ड ऑन) – turn on चालू किया
अनुवाद : मैंने सोचा मुझे शीघ्र ही पैरिस नियन्त्रण कक्ष से बात करनी चाहिए, जैसे ही मैंने वायुयान के अगले भाग से आगे देखा, मैंने
अपने सामने बड़े शहर का प्रकाश देखा। मैंने रेडियो चलाया तथा कहा : ‘पेरिस नियन्त्रण कक्ष डाकोटा डी.एस. 088 है, क्या, आप मुझे सुन सकते हैं? मैं इंग्लैंड जा रहा हूँ। समाप्त।’
Text (Page 37): The voice on the radio answered me immediately : ‘DS 088, I can hear you. You ought to turn twelve degrees west now, DS 088. Over.”
अनुवाद : रेडियो पर आवाज ने उत्तर दिया : ”डी.एस. 088 मैं तुम्हें सुन सकता हूँ। अब तुम्हें बारह डिग्री पश्चिम को मुड़ जाना चाहिए, डी.एस. 088 समाप्त ।’
Text (Page 37) : I checked the map and the compass, switched over to my second and last fuel tank, and tured 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.
Vocabulary :
- Fuel (फ्यूल) – oil ईंधन;
- Compass (कम्पास) – an instrument to tell direction दिशासूचक यन्त्र।
अनुवाद : मैंने मानचित्र तथा दिशा सूचक यन्त्र को देखा, दूसरा तथा अन्तिम ईंधन का टैंक चालू किया तथा डकोटा को बारह डिग्री पश्चिम इंग्लैंड की ओर मोड़ा। ‘मैं नाश्ते के ठीक समय पहुँच जाऊंगा’, मैंने सोचा, एक अच्छा बड़ा अंग्रेजी नाश्ता। सभी कुछ ठीक था यह एक सरल उड़ान थी।
Text (Page 37) : 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.
अनुवाद : जब मैंने बादल देखे पेरिस 150 किमी. मेरे पीछे था, आँधी वाले बादल । वे बहुत बड़े थे। वे मेरे सामने आकाश में खड़े हुए काले पर्वत प्रतीत हो रहे थे। मैं जानता था कि मैं उनके ऊपर से नहीं उड़ सकता था तथा उत्तर व दक्षिण की ओर बादलों का चक्कर लगाने का पर्याप्त इंधन मेरे पास नहीं था।
Text (Page 37) : “I ought to go back to Paris,”I thought but I wanted to get back home, I wanted that breakfast. “I’ll take the risk’, I thought, and flew that old Dakota straight into the storm.
Vocabulary :
- Risk (रिस्क) – danger खतरा।
अनुवाद : ‘मुझे पेरिस लौटना चाहिए’, मैंने सोचा, पर मैं घर जाना चाहता था। मुझे वह नाश्ता चाहिए था। “मैं जोखिम उठाऊँगा”, मैंने सोचा, तथा उस पुराने डकोटा को सीधे आँधी में उड़ाया।
Text (Pages 37-38) : 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. It was dead. It would not work! The other instruments were suddenly dead, too. I tried the radio.
Vocabulary :
- Twisted (ट्विस्टिड) – take a curved turn मुड़ा।
अनुवाद : बादलों के बीच अचानक सभी कुछ काला था। वायुयान के बाहर कुछ भी देखना असम्भव था। पुराना वायुयान हवा में उछला तथा मुड़ा। मैंने दिशा सूचक यन्त्र देखा। मुझे अपनी आँखों पर विश्वास्त्र नहीं हुआ। दिशा सूचक यन्त्र गोल-गोल घूम रहा था। वह अचानक खराब हो गया था। दूसरे यन्त्र भी अचानक खराब हो गए थे। मैंने रेडियो चलाने का प्रयत्न किया।
Text (Page 38) : “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 in the storm.
अनुवाद : ‘पेरिस नियन्त्रण कक्ष? पेरिस नियन्त्रण कक्ष? क्या आप मुझे सुन सकते हैं?’ कोई उत्तर नहीं मिला रेडियो भी खराब था। मेरे पास न रेडियो था, न दिशा यन्त्र, तथा मैं देख भी नहीं सकता था कि मैं कहाँ हूँ। मैं आँधी में खो गया था।
Text (Page 38): Then, in the black clouds quite near me, I saw another aeroplane. It had no light 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.
Vocabulary:
- Waved (वेव्ड) – moved hand हाथ हिलाया।
अनुवाद : तब अपने काफी समीप काले बादलों में मैंने एक दूसरा वायुयान देखा। उसके परों पर प्रकाश नहीं था पर मैं उसे अपने आगे आँधी में उड़ता देख सकता था। मैं चालक का चेहरा अपनी ओर मुड़ा हुआ देख सकता था। दूसरे व्यक्ति को देखकर मैं प्रसन्न था। उसने एक हाथ उठाया तथा हिलाया।
Text (Page 38) : “Follow me”, he was saying, “follow me”. ‘He knows that I am lost’, I thought, ‘He’s trying to help me’.
अनुवाद : ‘मेरे पीछे आओ’ वह कह रहा था। मेरे पीछे आओ’। ‘वह जानता था कि मैं खो गया हूँ’, मैंने सोचा। वह मेरी सहायता करने का प्रयत्न कर रहा है।’
Text (Page 38): 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.
अनुवाद : उसने धीरे-धीरे अपना वायुयान उत्तर की ओर मेरे डकोटा के आगे मोड़ा ताकि मेरे लिए उसके पीछे जाना अधिक सरल हो।
Text (Pages 38-39) : After half an hour the strange aeroplane was still there in front of me in the clouds. How 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.
Vocabulary :
- Frightened (फ्राईटैन्ड) – fearful, afraid डर गया।
अनुवाद : आधे घंटे बाद भी वह अजनबी काला वायुयान मेरे आगे था। अब केवल पांच व दस मिनट और उड़ने का पेट्रोल डकोटा में बचा था। मुझे फिर डर लगने लगा था। परंतु तब उसने नीचे जाना आरम्भ किया और मैं आँधी में उसके पीछे गया।
Text (Page 39) : Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of lights in front of me. It was a runway! I was safe! I turned to look for 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.
Vocabulary:
- Runway (रनवेय) – space for taking off and landing aeroplanes हवाई पट्टी।
अनुवाद : अचानक मैं बादलों से बाहर आया तथा मैंने अपने आगे प्रकाश की दो लम्बी कतारें देखीं। यह हवाई पट्टी थी। एक हवाई अड्डा। मैं सुरक्षित था। मैं काले वायुयान में अपने मित्र को ढूंढने के लिए मुड़ा, पर आकाश खाली था, वहाँ कुछ भी नहीं था। काला हवाई जहाज जा चुका था। मुझे वह कहीं दिखाई न दिया।
Text (Page 39): 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 Thank you’.
अनुवाद : मैं नीचे उतरा तथा नियन्त्रण कक्ष के पास पुराने डकोटा से बाहर चलने का मुझे अफसोस न था। मैं नियन्त्रण केन्द्र गया और मैंने एक स्त्री से पूछा कि मैं कहाँ था तथा दूसरा यान चालक कौन था। मैं उसे धन्यवाद करना चाहता था।
Text (Page 39): She looked at me very strangery, 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.”
Vocabulary:
- Strangely (स्टरेंजली) – in an unusual way आश्चर्य जनक ढंग से
- Radar (रडार) – an apparatus used to know the position of a flying aircraft argurat स्थिति जानने का यन्त्र
अनुवाद : उसने विचित्र निगाहों से मेरी ओर देखा और फिर हँस दी। ‘दूसरा वायुयान? इस आँधी में ऊपर आसमान में? आज रात कोई दूसरा वायुयान नहीं उड़ रहा था। केवल आपका वायुयान ही मुझे रडार पर दिखाई दिया।’
Text (Page 39) : 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 blackaeroplane, flying in the storm, without lights?”
अनुवाद : तो किसने मुझे वहाँ बिना दिशासूचक यन्त्र व रेडियो या और टैंक में और अधिक ईंधन न होते हुए भी सुरक्षित पहुँचने में सहायता की थी? उस काले अजनबी वायुयान में बिना प्रकाश के उड़ने वाला चालक कौन था?