Class 10th. Subject: English - A native of Assam, classmate of Rajvir.
Short notes of Charcters - Traits: Knowledgeable about tea, proud of his
heritage.
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- Significance: Introduces Rajvir to Assam’s tea
FIRST FLIGHT (Prose) culture.
1. Lencho (A Letter to God)
- A diligent farmer with unwavering faith in God. 6. Rajvir (Tea from Assam)
- Traits: Naive, hopeful, deeply religious. - A curious boy visiting Assam.
- Significance: His story underscores faith and - Traits: Inquisitive, observant, eager to learn.
innocence. - Significance: Represents youthful curiosity.
2. Nelson Mandela (Long Walk to Freedom) 7. Valli (Madam Rides the Bus)
- First Black president of South Africa, fought - An eight-year-old girl eager to explore the world.
apartheid.
- Traits: Curious, independent, determined.
- Traits: Courageous, resilient, visionary.
- Significance: Embodies childhood innocence
- Significance: Symbolizes the struggle for and adventure.
equality.
8. Gautama Buddha (The Sermon at Benares)
3. The Young Seagull (His First Flight)
- Founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment.
- A young bird afraid to fly but overcomes fear.
- Traits: Wise, compassionate, enlightened.
- Traits: Timid, anxious, eventually courageous.
- Significance: Teaches about suffering and
- Significance: Represents overcoming fear. liberation.
4. Anne Frank (From the Diary of Anne Frank) 9. Natalya Stepanovna (The Proposal)
- A Jewish teenager who documented her life - A 25-year-old eager to marry.
during World War Two.
- Traits: Assertive, argumentative, yet traditional.
- Traits: Insightful, introspective, optimistic.
- Significance: Highlights societal expectations in
- Significance: Highlights the horrors of war and marriage.
human resilience.
10. Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov (The Proposal)
- A nervous landowner proposing to Natalya.
5. Pranjol (Tea from Assam)
- Traits: Hypochondriac, indecisive, earnest. In this poem, trees symbolize freedom, growth,
and the struggles of nature against human
- Significance: Exemplifies the comedy of
confinement. The poet describes how the trees,
courtship.
initially trapped inside a house, are now trying to
break free and return to their natural environment.
The trees are personified as struggling beings,
FIRST FLIGHT (Poems) yearning for liberation. They represent resilience,
patience, and the unstoppable force of nature.
1. The Wind (Wind) Their escape signifies a larger theme of
- Personified as a powerful force of nature. environmental awareness and the importance of
coexisting with nature rather than restricting it.
- Traits: Strong, destructive, yet purifying.
- Significance: Symbolizes life’s challenges and
resilience. Supplimentary Reader ( Stories)
1. "A Triumph of Surgery" – James Herriot
2. The Rain (Rain on the Roof) Tricki: A fat and pampered pet dog who falls sick
due to overfeeding and lack of exercise. He is
- Depicted as a soothing presence evoking lovable but spoiled.
memories.
Mrs. Pumphrey: A wealthy and emotional lady
- Traits: Calming, nostalgic, tender. who treats Tricki like a child. She is overindulgent
- Significance: Connects to cherished past but genuinely cares for her pet.
memories. Dr. Herriot: A wise and experienced veterinarian
who understands Tricki’s health issues and helps
him recover with proper care.
3. The Tiger (A Tiger in the Zoo)
- A creature confined in a zoo.
2. "The Thief’s Story" – Ruskin Bond
- Traits: Powerful, gmajesticraceful, yet subdued.
Hari Singh: A young, cunning thief who changes
- Significance: Highlights the contrast between after experiencing kindness from Anil. He is
captivity and freedom. intelligent and quick to learn.
Anil: A kind, simple, and trusting man who
employs Hari Singh and teaches him the value of
4. The Child (The Ball Poem)
honesty and education.
- A young boy who loses his ball.
- Traits: Innocent, contemplative, maturing.
3. "The Midnight Visitor" – Robert Arthur
- Significance: Represents the loss of innocence
Ausable: A secret agent, physically unremarkable
and growth.
but highly intelligent and witty. He outsmarts his
5. "The Trees" enemy without violence.
Max: A rival spy who is aggressive and
overconfident. He is ultimately fooled by Ausable
8. "The Hack Driver" – Sinclair Lewis
and meets his downfall.
The Narrator (Lawyer): A young lawyer who is
Fowler: A young writer expecting thrilling
naïve and gets tricked by Lutkins.
adventures but is surprised by Ausable’s
cleverness in handling danger. Oliver Lutkins: A clever and humorous villager
who deceives the lawyer by pretending to help
him.
4. "A Question of Trust" – Victor Canning
Horace Danby: A skilled but kind-hearted thief
9. "Bholi" – K.A. Abbas
who loves books. He gets tricked by a clever
woman and is caught. Bholi (Sulekha): A shy and underconfident girl
who overcomes her insecurities through
The Young Lady (Fake Lady of the House): A
education and self-respect.
smart and manipulative woman who deceives
Horace into helping her steal. Ramlal: Bholi’s father, who initially considers her a
burden but later supports her education.
Bholi’s Mother: A traditional woman who believes
5. "Footprints Without Feet" – H.G. Wells
girls should only marry and not study.
Griffin: A brilliant but evil scientist who discovers
The School Teacher: A kind and encouraging
invisibility but uses it for crime and mischief.
figure who helps Bholi gain confidence.
Bishamber Nath: A greedy old man who wants to
6. "The Making of a Scientist" – Robert W. marry Bholi for money but is rejected by her.
Peterson
Richard Ebright: A curious, intelligent, and
10. "The Book That Saved the Earth" – Claire
hardworking young boy who grows up to become
Boiko
a famous scientist.
Think-Tank: The arrogant and foolish ruler of
Mars who misunderstands Earth’s books.
7. "The Necklace" – Guy de Maupassant
Noodle: A smart and sensible Martian who
Matilda Loisel: A vain and materialistic woman advises Think-Tank but is often ignored.
who learns a hard lesson after losing a borrowed
Omega, Iota, and Oop: Martian crew members
necklace.
sent to Earth who misinterpret Earth’s culture.
Monsieur Loisel: A kind, hardworking, and
supportive husband who sacrifices a lot for
Matilda’s happiness.
Madame Forestier: A wealthy and generous friend Prepared By Vikram Sir
who lends Matilda the necklace, which turns out
to be fake.