CBSE Class 10 English HOTs Two Stories about Flying II Black Aeroplane

Choose the correct answer.

Question. Why do you think the woman in the control centre laughed?
(i) She found the narrator funny.
(ii) She thought his question preposterous.
(iii) She thought he was teasing her.
(iv) She was relieved the narrator was safe.
Answer. B

Question. Why was the aeroplane twisting in the air?
(i) As it was dark night.
(ii) As it was a stormy night.
(iii) Due to lightning.
(iv) None of these
Answer. B

Question. What was the purpose behind calling Paris Control?
(i) To know about air traffic.
(ii) To know the direction of the route.
(iii) To know the details about landing.
(iv) None of these
Answer. B

Question. Why didn’t the pilot turn the aeroplane back towards Paris?
(i) He wanted to meet his family.
(ii) He wanted to go on a holiday.
(iii) He did not want to miss the breakfast.
(iv) He did not like Paris.
Answer. C

Question. What risk did the pilot take?
(i) Flying back to Paris.
(ii) Missing the breakfast he desired.
(iii) He took no risk.
(iv) Flying his old Dakota straight into the storm.
Answer. D

Read the extracts below and answer the questions that follow.

1. 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.
Questions:

Question. “... the compass was turning round and round and round.” The literary device applied here is:
(i) alliteration
(ii) simile
(iii) repetition
(iv) hyperbole
Answer. C

Question. Based on the given extract, what is the narrator NOT likely to think at this moment?
(1) Oh! What is going on with my Dakota?
(2) Alas! It appears I will not have breakfast with my family.
(4) Alas! The compass of my aeroplane is dead.
(3) Wow! Everything is going on right now.
(i) Option 1
(ii) Option 2
(iii) Option 3
(iv) Option 4
Answer. C

Question. What surprised the narrator?
(i) The high speed of the compass
(ii) The slow speed of the compass
(iii) The dead compass
(iv) Heavy clouds
Answer. C

Question. Why did he try the radio?
(i) The other instruments were working.
(ii) The other instruments weren’t functioning.
(iii) The compass was dead.
(iv) He was high up in the sky.
Answer. B

Question. Give the noun form of ‘believe’.
(i) Believed
(ii) Believing
(iii) Belief
(iv) Believes
Answer. C

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. “I’ll take the risk” What is the risk ? Why does the pilot of the old Dakota take it ? 
Answer : The risk was of flying the old Dakota aeroplane into the storm. The pilot took it as he wished to reach home as soon as possible and to be present at the breakfast table with his family in the morning.

Question. What difficulties did the narrator face while flying in the storm ?
Answer : The difficulties that the narrator faced were that all the instruments of his aeroplane stopped working. He could not see any thing as there were dark clouds all around. The radio became dead and the compass was turning round and round.

Question. What shocked the narrator after landing safely ?
Answer : The narrator was shocked to land safely after struggling against the black storm. Besides, he wanted to thank the other pilot who showed him the way, but he too nowhere to be seen. It was a sort of secret help, of which no one was aware.

Question. Describe the sky when ‘Dakota’ took off from Paris. 
Answer : When ‘Dakota’ took off from Paris, the sky was quite clear. The moon was coming up in the east and the stars were shining. There were no clouds in the sky. The climatic condition was ideal.

Question. A pilot is lost in the storm clouds. Does he arrive safe ? Who helps him ?
Answer : Yes, the pilot arrives safe on the runway. He is helped by another pilot of a mysterious plane. He vanishes soon after the narrator landed on the airport. The pilot of the other plane guided him to a safe landing.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Describe the narrator’s experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.
Answer : The narrator was in a hurry to reach England although he had little fuel. He felt home sick and missed his home. So, he took the risk to fly on low fuel. Suddenly, he lost contact with Paris due to cloudy storm. Inside the clouds, every thing was suddenly black. It was impossible for him to see anything outside the aeroplane. His plane jumped and twisted in the air. He looked at the compass and to his surprise, it was moving round and round. It was dead. All the other instruments were dead. He tried the radio but in vain. He was lost in the storm. Just then a black aeroplane appeared. He was helped by the mysterious pilot and was able to land safely. The other aeroplane had no lights on its wings, but the narrator could see it flying next to him. He could see other pilot’s face. He lifted one hand and waved at the narrator and asked him to follow him. Narrator’s fuel was getting over. But the other pilot guided him down and made his safe landing. After that, the pilot and the aeroplane, both disappeared.

Question. From the beginning to the end of the lesson the black aeroplane is a mystery. How ?
Answer : The narrator started his journey with old Dakota – 088. At that time, the sky was clear. But suddenly, he found himself in the midst of black clouds. There was zero visibility, everything was black. He couldn’t find any way to escape. To his shock, the compass and the radio were dead. He was lost in the storm.
All of a sudden, the narrator saw a black aeroplane and was helped by the other pilot. For half an hour he was flying behind that plane like an obedient child. There was only enough fuel in the tank to fly for five or ten minutes when suddenly he saw two rows of lights. It was a runway in front of him. He safely
landed at the airport. He went to the control centre to ask who the other pilot was. To his horror, his was the only flight that could be seen on the radar. Who was the other pilot on the strange black aeroplane flying in the storm, without lights, remained a mystery till the end.

Question. How did the author come out safely from the black clouds ?
Answer : The author took the risk of flying through the black clouds. He couldn’t see anything. The aeroplane jumped and twisted up every now and then. All his instruments had stopped working. The radio and compass were both dead. Suddenly, he saw another plane with no lights on its wings. The other pilot gestured him to follow his plane and turned his aeroplane slowly to the north in front of the author’s Dakota, so that it would be easier for him to follow. The author was glad to follow him like an obedient child. After half an hour, the strange black plane was still guiding the author in the clouds. Suddenly, he saw two long straight lines of lights in front of him. It was a runaway. He was safe and landed safely out of the clouds. After landing, he went to the control room to find who was the other pilot who saved him. He wanted to thank the pilot but the pilot and his aeroplane both had disappeared. It was a mystery.