NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight
The Proposal
Updated For 2024-2025
Exams
Thinking About the Play
Q.1. What does Chubukov at first suspect that Lomov has
come for? Is he sincere when he later says, “And I’ve always loved you, my
angel, as if you were my own son”? Find reasons for your answer from the play.
Answer:
At first, Chubukov suspects that Lomov has come to borrow money from him. This
is evident from his aside, “He’s come to borrow money. Shan’t give him any!”
However, when Lomov reveals that he has come to propose to Natalya, Chubukov
immediately becomes joyful and says that he has always loved Lomov like a son.
His reaction seems insincere because he changes his attitude quickly based on
Lomov’s proposal, showing that his enthusiasm is more about securing the
marriage than genuine affection for Lomov.
Q.2. Chubukov says of Natalya: “… as if she won’t
consent! She’s in love; egad, she’s like a lovesick cat…” Would you agree? Find
reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Yes, Chubukov’s statement about Natalya being “like a lovesick cat” seems
accurate. After Lomov leaves in anger, Natalya becomes extremely upset upon
learning that he had come to propose to her. She immediately demands that her
father bring Lomov back, showing that she has romantic feelings for him despite
their quarrels. Her sudden change of heart suggests that she is indeed
emotionally attached to Lomov.
Q.3. (i) Find all the words and expressions in the play
that the characters use to speak about each other, and the accusations and
insults they hurl at each other.
Answer:
Here are some of the words and expressions used by the characters:
- Lomov describes Natalya as an
“excellent housekeeper, not bad-looking, well-educated.” - Chubukov calls Lomov a “malicious,
double-faced intriguer.” - Lomov calls Chubukov a
“land-grabber.” - Chubukov calls Lomov a
“pettifogger.” - Chubukov insults Lomov by calling
him a “Jesuit” and “old rat.” - Lomov responds by saying that
Chubukov’s late wife used to beat him.
(ii) Then think of five adjectives or adjectival
expressions of your own to describe each character in the play.
Answer:
- Lomov: Nervous, quarrelsome, insecure,
emotional, traditional. - Natalya: Stubborn, passionate, emotional,
argumentative, practical. - Chubukov: Opportunistic, hypocritical,
jovial, controlling, temperamental.
(iii) Can you now imagine what these characters will quarrel
about next?
Answer:
Given their quarrelsome nature, Lomov, Natalya, and Chubukov are likely to
argue about other trivial matters in the future, such as the care of their
property, household management, or even the behavior of their pets (like their
argument over the dogs). Their tendency to turn small disagreements into large
disputes suggests that they will continue to find reasons to quarrel.
Thinking About Language
Q.1. This play has been translated into English from the
Russian original. Are there any expressions or ways of speaking that strike you
as more Russian than English? For example, would an adult man be addressed by
an older man as “my darling” or “my treasure” in an English play?
Answer:
Yes, there are several expressions in the play that seem more Russian than
English. For example, Chubukov addresses Lomov as “my darling,” “my treasure,”
and “my angel,” which are not commonly used by adult men to address each other
in English. In modern English, these phrases might be replaced with more
neutral expressions like “my dear friend” or “my good man.”
Q.2. Look up the following words in a dictionary and find
out how to pronounce them. Pay attention to how many syllables there are in
each word, and find out which syllable is stressed, or said more forcefully.
Words:
- Palpitations (4 syllables, stress on the third
syllable: pa-lpi-TA-tions) - Interfere (3 syllables, stress on the third
syllable: in-ter-FERE) - Implore (2 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: im-PLORE) - Thoroughbred (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: THO-rough-bred) - Pedigree (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: PE-di-gree) - Principle (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: PRIN-ci-ple) - Evidence (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: EV-i-dence) - Misfortune (3 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: mis-FOR-tune) - Malicious (3 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: ma-LI-cious) - Embezzlement (4 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: em-BEZ-zle-ment) - Architect (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: AR-chi-tect) - Neighbours (2 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: NEIGH-bours) - Accustomed (3 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: ac-CUS-tomed) - Temporary (4 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: TEM-po-ra-ry) - Behaviour (3 syllables, stress on the
second syllable: be-HAV-iour) - Documents (3 syllables, stress on the first
syllable: DOC-u-ments)
Q.3. Look up the following phrases in a dictionary to
find out their meaning, and then use each in a sentence of your own.
(i) You may
take it that
Meaning: You can assume or be sure that.
Sentence: You may take it that she will attend the meeting tomorrow, as
she confirmed her presence earlier.
(ii) He
seems to be coming round
Meaning: He seems to be regaining consciousness or changing his opinion.
Sentence: After fainting, he seems to be coming round now and will be
able to speak in a few minutes.
(iii) My
foot’s gone to sleep
Meaning: The foot has become numb due to lack of movement or
circulation.
Sentence: I’ve been sitting in the same position for so long that my
foot’s gone to sleep.
Reported Speech
Q.4. You must have noticed that when we report someone’s
exact words, we have to make some changes in the sentence structure. In the
following sentences fill in the blanks to list the changes that have occurred
in the above pairs of sentences. One has been done for you.
- To report a question, we use the
reporting verb asked (as in Sentence Set 1). - To report a statement, we use the
reporting verb said. - The adverb of place here
changes to there. - When the verb in direct speech is
in the present tense, the verb in reported speech is in the past
tense (as in Sentence Set 3). - If the verb in direct speech is in
the present continuous tense, the verb in reported speech changes to past
continuous tense. For example, is getting changes to was
getting. - When the sentence in direct speech
contains a word denoting respect, we add the adverb respectfully in
the reporting clause (as in Sentence Set 1). - The pronouns I, me, our,
and mine, which are used in the first person in direct speech,
change according to the subject or object of the reporting verb such as he,
him, their, or theirs in reported speech.
Q.5. Rewrite the following excerpt from The Times of
India dated 27 August 2006, changing the sentences in direct speech into
reported speech. Leave the other sentences unchanged.
Original
(Direct Speech): “Why do you
want to know my age? If people know I am so old, I won’t get work!” laughs
90-year-old A. K. Hangal, one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors.
For his age, he is rather energetic. “What’s the secret?” we ask. “My intake of
everything is in small quantities. And I walk a lot,” he replies. “I joined the
industry when people retire. I was in my 40s. So I don’t miss being called a
star. I am still respected and given work, when actors of my age are living in
poverty and without work. I don’t have any complaints,” he says, adding, “but
yes, I have always been underpaid.”
Reported
Speech: A. K. Hangal,
one of Hindi cinema’s most famous character actors, laughed and asked why
people wanted to know his age, saying that if people knew he was so old, he
wouldn’t get work. For his age, he is rather energetic. When asked about the
secret, he replied that his intake of everything was in small quantities and
that he walked a lot. He added that he had joined the industry when people
usually retired, in his 40s, and thus did not miss being called a star. He also
mentioned that he was still respected and given work, while actors of his age
were living in poverty and without work. He further said that he had no
complaints but admitted that he had always been underpaid.