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EnglishClass 10Since the earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the

Since the earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the | Class 10 English Notes

By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 5 min read

Since the earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Since the earliest times, humans have dreamt of conquering the from Class 10 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.

I His First Flight

This section narrates the story of a young seagull who is afraid to take his first flight. The seagull is alone on his ledge while his siblings have already flown away. Despite having wings larger than his siblings, he is gripped by fear of the vast sea below, convinced his wings will not support him. His parents scold and threaten him, but he remains frozen by fear. The story describes his observations of his family flying and catching fish, which increases his hunger and frustration. Eventually, his mother teases him with a piece of fish, prompting him to dive after it. This act forces him to fly as he falls, and he discovers his wings can support him. He experiences dizziness but soon soars and flies with his family, finally landing on the sea and realizing he has made his first flight. The story is a powerful metaphor for overcoming fear and taking risks to achieve growth and independence.

📊 Diagram: The NCERT textbook includes illustrations showing the young seagull on the ledge, his family flying, and the moment he dives and flies for the first time. These visuals depict the cliff ledge, the vast sea below, and the seagull's flight path.

🧪 Activity: Students are asked to think about why the seagull was afraid, relate it to human experiences of first steps, and discuss personal experiences of overcoming fear.

🔗 Connection: Prepares the reader for the next story about human flight, contrasting natural bird flight with mechanical aviation.

Frequently asked questions

1. Does ‘dyin’ really rhyme with ‘lion’? Can you say it in such a way that it does? 2. How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you do so, according to him? 3. Do you think the words ‘lept’ and ‘lep’ in the third stanza are spelt correctly? Why does the poet spell them like this? 4. Do you know what a ‘bearhug’ is? It’s a friendly and strong hug — such as bears are thought to give, as they attack you! Again, hyenas are thought to laugh, and crocodiles to weep (‘crocodile tears’) as they swallow their victims. Are there similar expressions and popular ideas about wild animals in your own language(s)? 5. Look at the line “A novice might nonplus”. How would you write this ‘correctly’? Why is the poet’s ‘incorrect’ line better in the poem? 6. Can you find other examples of poets taking liberties with language, either in English or in your own language(s)? Can you find examples of humorous poems in your own language(s)? 7. Much of the humour in the poem arises from the way language is used, although the ideas are funny as well. If there are particular lines in the poem that you especially like, share these with the class, speaking briefly about what it is about the ideas or the language that you like or find funny.

1. ‘Dyin’ does not traditionally rhyme with ‘lion’ as they have different ending sounds. However, by pronouncing ‘dyin’ as 'die-in' with a slight emphasis on the second syllable, one can make it rhyme with ‘lion’. This is a poetic liberty taken by the poet to maintain rhythm and rhyme.

2. The poet suggests identifying the lion by its roar when it is dying, and the tiger by its black stripes on a yellow ground and whether it eats you. According to him, you can identify the lion when it roars at

1. Why does the poet say, "I would not intrude on him"? Why doesn't he offer him money to buy another ball? 2. "... staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went ..." Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it? 3. What does "in the world of possessions" mean? 4. Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer. 5. What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in your own words. 6. Have you ever lost something you liked very much? Write a paragraph describing how you felt then, and saying whether — and how — you got over your loss.

1. The poet says, "I would not intrude on him" because he respects the boy's grief and does not want to disturb his moment of sorrow. Offering money to buy another ball would be insensitive as it would ignore the emotional loss the boy is experiencing.

2. The phrase "staring down all his young days into the harbour where his ball went" suggests that the boy has had the ball for a long time and it holds many memories of his childhood and playtime.

3. "In the world of possessions" means the mate

Why was the young seagull afraid to fly from the ledge despite having wings larger than his siblings?

The young seagull was afraid to fly because he was scared of the great expanse of sea beneath him, which seemed miles down. He felt certain that his wings would never support him, making him too fearful to take the plunge.

What finally compelled the young seagull to make his first flight?

The sight of food maddened the young seagull. His mother teased him by holding a piece of fish just out of reach, which made him dive after it. This forced him to fly as he fell, helping him overcome his fear.

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