BEFORE YOU READ

Question: A young seagull is afraid to fly. How does he conquer his fear?

Answer: The young seagull conquers his fear through the sheer force of hunger and his mother’s clever motivation. Initially, he was terrified because he believed his wings would never support him as he looked down at the vast sea miles below. While his family tried to encourage and even scold him, he remained paralyzed on his ledge for twenty-four hours without food.

The turning point occurs when his mother picks up a piece of fish and flies near him but halts just out of reach. Maddened by hunger, the seagull dives at the fish and falls into space. In that moment of life-or-death, his natural instincts take over: his wings spread out, the wind rushes against his feathers, and he finds himself soaring. By being forced into a situation where he had to fly to survive, he finally overcomes his fear and completes his first flight.

Question: A pilot is lost in storm clouds. Does he arrive safe? Who helps him?

Answer: Yes, the pilot arrives safely. While flying his old Dakota aeroplane from France to England, he encounters massive storm clouds that look like "black mountains". Despite having a dead compass, a broken radio, and very little fuel, he manages to land on a runway.

He is helped by a mysterious pilot in a strange black aeroplane that has no lights on its wings. This unknown pilot appears next to him in the storm and waves for him to follow. The narrator follows the black aeroplane like an "obedient child" through the clouds until he sees the lights of the airport.

Interestingly, the story ends on a supernatural note: when the narrator asks the woman in the control centre about the other pilot, she reveals that no other planes were in the sky that night and his was the only one visible on the radar. This leaves the identity of his helper—whether it was a ghost, a miracle, or a figment of his own survival instinct—as an unsolved mystery.

Thinking about the Text

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?

Answer: The young seagull was afraid to fly because he lacked confidence in his own wings. When he looked at the vast expanse of the sea far below him, he felt certain that his wings would never support his weight.

​While flight is a natural instinct, it is likely that many young birds feel a sense of hesitation during their first attempt. However, just like humans, some birds may be more timid or cautious than others, as seen with the seagull's siblings who had shorter wings but more courage.

​Similarly, a human baby certainly finds it a challenge to take its first steps. It requires overcoming the fear of falling and developing the necessary physical coordination and confidence.

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

Answer: This phrase suggests that the seagull was experiencing extreme hunger, having not eaten since the previous nightfall. The hunger became so intense that it overpowered his fear of the great sea below.

​The seagull was finally compelled to fly when his mother, using a piece of fish as bait, flew near his ledge but stopped just out of reach. In a moment of desperation and hunger-induced madness, he dived at the fish and fell into space, which forced his wings to spread and function for the first time.

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

Answer: The parents threatened and cajoled (persuaded) him because they knew that flying was essential for his survival.

​Without the ability to fly, he would be unable to catch fish or find a plateau to live on, leading to starvation. Their "harsh" behavior—scolding and threatening to let him starve—was actually a form of tough love intended to push him out of his comfort zone and help him gain independence.

4. Have you ever had a similar experience, where your parents encouraged you to do something that you were too scared to try?

Answer (Personal Response Guide): As this is a discussion question, you can share a personal story. For example: "Yes, I had a similar experience when I was learning to ride a bicycle. I was terrified of falling and getting hurt. My parents encouraged me by holding the seat while I pedaled. Even when I begged them not to let go, they eventually did. That initial fear was scary, but once I realized I was moving on my own, the fear turned into a sense of freedom."

5. In the case of a bird flying, it seems a natural act, and a foregone conclusion that it should succeed. In the examples 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?

Answer: Unlike the bird, where flight is a biological necessity and a "foregone conclusion," human success in learning new skills (like swimming or cycling) is rarely guaranteed.

​However, the importance lies in the attempt. Trying regardless of the possibility of failure is what builds character, resilience, and eventually leads to success. Just as the seagull had to take a "desperate" plunge to discover his potential, humans must face the risk of falling to learn how to stand.

Thinking about the Text: The Black Aeroplane

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

Answer:

The Risk: The risk is flying the old Dakota aeroplane straight into the massive storm clouds instead of returning to Paris. The narrator has no visibility inside the clouds and insufficient fuel to fly around the storm to the north or south.

Why he takes it: He takes the risk because he is homesick and eager to spend his holiday with his family. He specifically mentions wanting to enjoy a "good big English breakfast".

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

Answer:Visibility: As soon as he enters the clouds, everything becomes suddenly black, making it impossible to see anything outside the plane.

Mechanical Failure: The old aeroplane jumps and twists violently in the air.

Instrument Failure: His compass stops working and begins turning "round and round and round". His radio and other instruments also go "dead," leaving him with no way to navigate or communicate with Paris Control.

Fear and Hope: He feels lost and frightened until he sees a mysterious black aeroplane without lights flying next to him, whose pilot waves at him to follow.

3. Why does the narrator say, "I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota..."?

Answer:The narrator says this because the "old Dakota" had become a symbol of his near-death experience and his terrifying ordeal in the storm.

​After his instruments failed and he ran out of fuel, the plane was no longer a source of pride but a vessel he was relieved to leave behind once he reached the safety of the runway. He was more focused on finding the mysterious pilot who saved him than on the aircraft itself.

4. What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely?

Answer:

• The woman looked at him strangely because he asked about the location and identity of another pilot who had been flying near him in the storm.
• She knew, based on the radar, that no other aeroplanes were flying that night due to the severe weather.
• From her perspective, the narrator's claim was impossible because his was the only plane visible on her screen.

5. Who do you think helped the narrator to reach safely? Discuss this among yourselves and give reasons for your answer.

Answer: The Supernatural Perspective: Some may believe it was a ghost or a "phantom plane," as the pilot saw a plane with no lights and a pilot's face clearly visible in the dark storm, yet it never appeared on radar.

The Psychological Perspective: Others might argue that the narrator, facing extreme stress and hypoxia (lack of oxygen), imagined the black aeroplane. His own subconscious "pilot" took over, and his survival instincts guided him to safety when his logic and instruments failed.

Reasoning: Since the woman in the control tower confirmed no other planes were in the sky, the "Black Aeroplane" remains a mystery—either a miracle or a figment of a desperate mind.

1-Mark Questions :

1.Who is the author of the story "His First Flight"?

Answer: The author is Liam O’ Flaherty.

2. Why was the young seagull alone on his ledge?

Answer: He was alone because he had been too afraid to fly away with his brothers and sister the day before.

3. What was the first fish the seagull’s older brother caught?

Answer: He caught his first herring.

4. How long had the young seagull been alone without anyone coming near him?

Answer: He had been alone for twenty-four hours.

5. What was the pilot’s destination in "The Black Aeroplane"?

Answer: He was flying from France back to England.

6. What was the name of the aeroplane the narrator was flying?

Answer: He was flying an old Dakota aeroplane, specifically DS 088.

7. What "risk" did the pilot take in the second story?

Answer: He took the risk of flying his Dakota straight into the massive storm clouds.

8. What happened to the compass and radio inside the storm?

Answer: They both went "dead" and stopped working.

9. What did the woman in the control centre see on the radar?

Answer: She saw only the narrator’s aeroplane; no other planes were flying that night.

10. What does the word "preening" mean in the context of the story?

Answer: It means tidying or maintaining feathers with the beak.

2-Mark Questions :

1.Why did the young seagull feel that his wings would never support him?

Answer: Looking at the "great expanse of sea" miles below the ledge, the young seagull was seized by fear and felt certain his wings were not strong enough to hold his weight.

2. How did the seagull’s parents try to encourage him to fly?

Answer: They flew around him calling shrilly, upbraiding (scolding) him, and even threatening to let him starve on the ledge unless he flew away.

3. What finally compelled the young seagull to take his first flight?

Answer: Maddened by hunger and the sight of his mother tearing at a piece of fish, he dived at the food in her beak and fell outwards into space, forced to spread his wings.

4. Describe the seagull’s physical feelings as he started flying.

Answer: Initially, a "monstrous terror" seized him, but soon he felt his wings spread, the wind rushing against his feathers, and he realized he was no longer falling but soaring.

5. What does "the green flooring" refer to in the first story?

Answer: It refers to the surface of the sea where the seagull's family had landed and were beckoning him to join them.

6. Why did the pilot decide to fly through the storm instead of going back to Paris?

Answer: He was 150 kilometers past Paris and was so eager to get home for a "good big English breakfast" with his family that he decided to take the risk.

7. Describe the appearance of the storm clouds as seen by the pilot.

Answer: The clouds were huge and looked like "black mountains standing in front" of him across the sky.

8. How did the "black aeroplane" help the narrator?

Answer: The pilot of the black aeroplane waved and signaled the narrator to follow him, leading the Dakota through the storm and down to a safe runway.

9. Why was the narrator shocked after talking to the woman in the control centre?

Answer: He was shocked because she told him there were no other planes in the sky and his was the only one on the radar, leaving the identity of his "helper" a mystery.

10. In "His First Flight," how did the seagull’s family celebrate his success?

Answer: Once he landed on the sea, his family screamed with praise and offered him scraps of dog-fish from their beaks to celebrate his first flight.