Past board exam questions
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
In ‘Two stories about Flying – Part II (Black Aeroplane)’, what does the narrator’s experience suggest about unexpected help and mystery ?
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least one point on each aspect; Expression 1)
Lost in a storm with his compass and radio dead and little fuel left, the pilot was guided to safety by a black aeroplane that appeared from nowhere – help can come unasked in difficult times. Yet the control tower said no other plane was flying that night, so his rescuer remains a mystery, evoking wonder and faith in the unknown.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
In ‘Two Stories About Flying – Part I’, how does the young seagull’s hesitation reflect a universal human fear ? How is it eventually overcome ?
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least one point on each aspect; Expression 1)
The young seagull was afraid his wings would not support him, so he could not take the first leap though his brothers and sister had flown. This mirrors the universal human fear of failure and of trying something new. Hunger overcame his fear: when his mother held out a piece of fish just beyond his reach, he dived at it, fell, and his wings spread out instinctively – and he began to fly.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Describe the young seagull’s first flight ?
(Two Stories about Flying)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
Left alone on the ledge, the young seagull was afraid to fly. Mad with hunger, he dived at the piece of fish in his mother’s beak, lunged forward and began to fall. Then his wings spread outwards and he started to fly. He soared with his family, glad to have conquered his fear.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Why did the narrator go to the control room ?
(Stories about Flying)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
After landing safely at the airport, the narrator was grateful and wanted to thank the pilot of the black aeroplane who had guided him out of the storm and saved his life. So he went to the control centre to find out who that pilot was. The woman there told him that no other aeroplane had been flying that night.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 6 marks
How does the method of the seagull’s mother to teach her child to be independent contrast with Amanda’s mother’s constant nagging ? Examine how this affects the emotional responses of the seagull and Amanda.
(‘Two Stories about Flying’ and ‘Amanda!’)
(Answer in about 100-120 words.)
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(Content 3 – any three points supported by textual evidence; Expression 2; Accuracy 1)
The young seagull’s mother wanted to make him independent and self-reliant. Instead of scolding him, she used an indirect method: she flew near the ledge with a piece of fish, holding it just out of his reach, until hunger drove him to dive at it and he discovered he could fly. Her silent, practical encouragement showed love, built his courage and confidence and trusted his instincts. Amanda’s mother, in contrast, constantly nags her with direct instructions about her homework, posture, shoes and manners; she is strict, controlling and concerned about appearance and behaviour. The effects differ sharply: …
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
In ‘His First Flight’, the reactions of the young seagull’s family serve as both a challenge and a catalyst for his growth. How does this dual role reflect the complexities of support systems in real life ?
(Two Stories about Flying)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least one point on each aspect; Expression 1)
The family scolded and taunted the young seagull, threatened to let him starve and left him alone on the ledge – a hard challenge. Yet this pushed him out of his comfort zone; when his mother tempted him with a piece of fish, hunger made him dive, and he flew. Real support, too, is sometimes tough love that fosters independence rather than comfort.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
What did the young seagull’s parents hope to achieve when they scolded and threatened the young seagull ?
(Two Stories about Flying)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – at least two value points; Expression 1)
By scolding him and threatening to let him starve on the ledge, the young seagull’s parents hoped to help him overcome his fear of flying. They wanted to push him out of his comfort zone and motivate him to take his first flight, so that he would become independent and able to fly and find food like his brothers and sister.
CBSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks
Bring out the literal and metaphorical meaning of the word “plunge” with reference to the young seagull who failed to muster up the courage to the plunge.
(Stories About Flying)
(Answer in about 40-50 words.)
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(Content 2 – one point from each aspect; Expression 1)
Literally, the ‘plunge’ is the young seagull’s first flight – the physical act of leaping off the ledge and diving towards the sea. Metaphorically, it means taking a bold step despite fear, overcoming hesitation and self-doubt and entering the unknown with courage – a leap of faith marking the transition from dependence on his family to independence and maturity.
