Chapter 3: Two Stories about Flying

Textbook Questions and Answers

I. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 34 - Part I)

1. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

   The young seagull was afraid to fly because it was his first flight, and he feared that his wings would not support him. He felt the great expanse of sea beneath him and was terrified of falling.

2. "The sight of the food maddened him." What does this suggest? What compelled the young seagull to finally fly?

   This suggests that the young seagull was extremely hungry and the sight of food made him desperate. What compelled him to finally fly was his mother's clever tactic: she flew towards him with a piece of fish but stopped just short, maddening him with hunger until he plunged at the food, thus making his first flight.

3. "They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly." Why did the seagull's father and mother threaten him and cajole him to fly?

   The seagull's father and mother threatened and cajoled him to fly because they wanted him to overcome his fear and become independent. They knew he wouldn't learn to fly unless he was pushed to do so, and they wanted him to be able to find his own food and survive.

II. Oral Comprehension Check (Page 38 - Part II)

1. "I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

   The risk is flying the old Dakota aeroplane straight into the massive, black storm clouds. The narrator takes it because he wants to get home to England for breakfast with his family and doesn't have enough fuel to fly around the storm.

2. Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

   As he flew into the storm, the narrator's plane began to jump and twist. It became completely black outside, and he could see nothing. His compass stopped working, then the radio, leaving him lost and without contact. He felt utterly helpless and terrified.

3. Why did the narrator suddenly see a black aeroplane near him in the storm? What was its purpose?

   The narrator suddenly saw a black aeroplane near him because he was lost and in a life-threatening situation. Its purpose was to guide him out of the storm and to safety when all his instruments had failed. Its appearance was mysterious and unexplained.

4. What do you think happened next? Did the narrator reach home safely? Discuss this with your partner.

   Yes, the narrator reached home safely. The mysterious black aeroplane guided him through the storm, and he saw the runway lights, allowing him to land. His safe landing was a miraculous escape from a very dangerous situation.

III. Thinking about the Text (Page 39)

1. "I'll take the risk." What is the risk? Why does the narrator take it?

   This question is repeated from Oral Comprehension Check, demonstrating its importance. The risk is flying the old Dakota into the huge storm clouds despite knowing it's dangerous and he might get lost. He takes it because he is eager to get home and have a "good big English breakfast," and he doesn't want to turn back to Paris.

2. Describe the narrator's experience as he flew the aeroplane into the storm.

   This question is repeated from Oral Comprehension Check. As the narrator entered the storm, his plane started to jump and twist violently. It was completely dark, and he lost all visibility. His compass spun and became dead, and his radio also went dead. He was lost in the storm with very little fuel left, feeling immense fear and helplessness.

3. Why do you think the narrator's mother (in Part I) and the pilot's mysterious guide (in Part II) were both essential for the young seagull and the pilot, respectively, to overcome their fear/trouble?

   Both the mother seagull and the mysterious pilot served as crucial external catalysts. The mother seagull's presence and the strategic use of food provided the necessary push for the young seagull to overcome his innate fear and take the plunge. For the pilot, the mysterious guide appeared when he was completely helpless and lost, providing a beacon of hope and a path to safety when all his instruments failed. In both cases, the external help enabled the protagonists to find their inner strength and overcome their critical situations.

4. Have you ever been alone or away from home during a thunderstorm? Narrate your experience in a paragraph.

   [This is an open-ended question for students to answer based on their personal experience. A sample answer could be: "Yes, I was once caught in a sudden thunderstorm while walking back from tuition. The sky turned dark, strong winds started blowing, and then heavy rain and lightning followed. I was quite scared, especially when the streetlights flickered. I quickly found shelter under a bus stop shed and waited there, shivering, until the rain subsided and my parents came to pick me up. It felt like an eternity, and I was relieved to finally be safe at home."]