Maharashtra Board Class 10 Solutions for English Reader – The Kingfisher

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Maharashtra Board Class 10 Solutions for English Reader – The Kingfisher

Pre-reading Activities

Question 1:
Bird Watching
Look at the photographs of the different birds in your textbook. Observe them and complete the table.

Observation	Emu	Hariyal	Peacock	Maldhok	Hornbill
Size
Beak
Colour/s
Legs / paws

Answer:

Observation	Emu	Hariyal	Peacock	Maldhok	Hornbill
Size	Large, upto 1.8 m in height	Small, 29 to 33 cm	Large, upto 195 to 225 cm in height	Large, about 1 metre in height	Variation in size – 16 inches to 63 inches
Beak	Beak in medium in size, curved and pointed	Curved, sharp	Hard, pointed, sharp	Thin, sharp	Large, down- curved brightly coloured
Colour/s	Brown	Green	Bluish green, eye-spots on fan tail	Brownish with a black patch with white spot	Black, grey
Legs / paws	Legs – long, thin and strong, clawed feet	Yellow-footed, small claws	Short legs, sharp claws	Long legs, sharp claws	Small legs, large claws

Question 2:
Feathers
Observe the feathers of some birds carefully, given in your textbook and match them with the bird. Tell your partner about their special features. Collect the feathers that you find in the vicinity.
Birds:
i. Peacock
ii. Crow
iii. Parrot
iv. Pigeon
v. Cuckoo
Answer:
i. Crow
ii. Peacock
iii. Pigeon
iv. Cuckoo
v. Parrot
[Note: Students are expected to collect the feathers on their own.]

Question 3:
Know about the birds
Discuss with your partner the following points relating to various birds and their life.

Answer:
Reasons for their Colours:
Many birds are brown, green or grey. The colours camouflage the birds and provide them protection from wild animals in their natural habitats. Many birds are not camouflaged, but they stand out because of their vivid colours. They are usually male birds. These colours help them to attract female birds of their species.
Reasons for Migration:
Migration is a form of adaptation. Birds migrate to survive and to escape harsh weather conditions that may harm their lives. In short, birds migrate to seek food and nesting locations.
Their Habitat:
Birds need habitat to survive. The type of habitat depends on their requirements. Their natural habitat mostly includes trees and forests.
Popularity:
Different birds become popular among humans for their colours and sounds.
Food Habits:
Carnivorous birds like eagles, crows, kites etc. eat meat, rodents, mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles. Other birds feed on fruits, berries, grains, seeds, insects, worms, etc.
Nesting:
A bird’s nest is a place where a female bird lays eggs, hatches them and raises its young ones. Usually, nests are made out of natural materials like cotton, twigs, dried grass, etc. Most birds build a new nest every year. They are built on trees or the crevices of buildings.

Question 4:
Listen and find out
Close your eyes and get ready just to listen and find out what is the sound that you have heard. Listen to the different sounds and recognize what each sound is. The teacher will call some of you for the mimicry of different sounds or make use of a CD for the sound clippings. You may also use different instruments if you wish.

[Students are expected to attempt the above activity on their own.]

Extract 1
A1. Factual Reading

Question 1:
Read the extract and complete the following lines.
i.The rainbow gave all the lovely ______ to the kingfisher.
ii.The kingfisher lives on _______ .
iii.Lawns are smooth as ________ .
iv.The kingfisher _______ its wings.
v.The kingfisher is neither proud nor ________ .
vi.The kingfisher loves ________ place.
Answer:
i. hues
ii. trees that weep
iii. shining glass
iv. claps
v. ambitious
vi. a quiet, green and lonely

Question 2:
Glance through the extract quickly and find out.
i.Kingfisher stays near_______ .
ii.Lawns are compared to _______.
iii.Flapping of wings is compared to _______.
iv.Common points between the poet and the kingfisher _______.
v.Name of the colour mentioned _______.
vi.The place that the poet loves is ________.
Answer:
i. lonely pools that have trees that weep
ii. shining glass
iii. clapping
iv. both like to live in lonely, peaceful and natural surroundings
v. green
vi. a peaceful place away from mankind and amidst natural surroundings

Question 3:
Match the incomplete sentences in column A with appropriate words in column B.

	Column ‘A’		Column ‘B’
i.	The Rainbow gave birth to	a.	Peacocks
ii.	Her mother’s name	b.	The bird (thee)
iii.	The bird keeps company with	c.	Tears
iv.	The poet suggests her to live with	d.	Trees

Answer:
(i – b), (ii – c), (iii – d), (iv – a)

Question 4:
State whether the following statements are True or False.
1. The poet says that the Kingfisher’s mother was called ‘Rains’.
ii. The poet wants the Kingfisher to live with the peacock in the green fields.
Ans: i. False ii. True
Read the extract from line (1 to 18) on page (26) of your textbook and answer the following questions.
[It was the Rainbow………………..
………….with her bosom over me.]

A2. Understanding the Extract

Question 1:
Why does the poet say that the rainbow gave birth to the kingfisher?
Answer:
The kingfisher is gifted with lovely hues (colours). The rainbow is also colourful. So,the poet says that the rainbow gave birth to the kingfisher.

Question 2:
Who gave the colour to the bird? What does she haunt for?
Answer:
The rainbow gave colour to the bird. The name of the bird’s mother is ‘tears’ and she haunts the lonely pools along with the trees that weenooking for her mother.

Question 3:
Why did the kingfisher keep company with weeping trees?
Answer:
The kingfisher kept company with weeping trees because his mother’s name was ‘Tears’.

Question 4:
Where does the kingfisher stay?
Answer:
The kingfisher stays by the lonely pools and keeps in company with trees that weep. Sometimes, it also visits green parks and smooth shining lawns.

Question 5:
How does the poet compare and contrast the kingfisher and the peacock?
Answer:
The poet says that both, kingfisher and peacock, have lovely hues. But, the kingfisher is not proud like a peacock. It is very humble and lacks ambition. It lives in lonely and quiet places.

Question 6:
What are the smooth lawns compared with?
Answer:
The smooth lawns are compared with shining glass.

Question 7:
Where does the poet wish the kingfisher to perch on?
Answer:
The poet wishes the Kingfisher to perch on the boughs before the windows of proud kings.

Question 8:
Why does the poet say, ‘You are not vain’ to the kingfisher?
Answer:
The kingfisher is a colourful bird. It could easily choose to live on the boughs before the windows of proud kings and be appreciated. But, it chooses to live in lonely and quiet places. Hence, the poet says ‘You are not vain’ to the kingfisher. –

Question 9:
Which qualities of the Kingfisher does the poet appreciate?
Answer:
The poet appreciates the qualities of having no pride and lack of ambition in the kingfisher.

Question 10:
What kind of life does the poet want to live?
Answer:
The poet wants to live in the natural surroundings. He wants to live a lonely life by the lonely pools and sighing trees, away from all mankind.

Question 11:
Why do you think the poet wishes to live a lonely life?
Answer:
The poet loves nature. So, he wishes to live in lonely and quiet places. He prefers to live in natural surroundings by the lonely pools and sighing trees. He wishes to be away from all mankind.

Question 12:
Describe the kingfisher.
Answer:
The kingfisher has glorious hues. He is not proud and vain. He doesn’t have an ambitious mind and loves to live in a quiet place in the natural surroundings, away from the crowd.

A3. Vocabulary

Question 1:
Match the adjectives in Column A with the similar meaning words in Column B.

	Column ‘A’		Column ‘B’
i.	lovely	a.	strongly desire
ii.	lonely	b.	splendid
iii.	glorious	c.	beautiful
iv.	ambitious	d.	solitary/isolated
V.	quiet	e.	stillness/calm

Answer:
(i – c), (ii – d), (iii – b), (iv – a), (v – e)

Question 2:
Glance through the extract again and match the following.

	Column ‘A’		Column ‘B’
i.	thee	a.	have
ii.	hast	b.	your
iii.	art	c.	you
iv.	thy	d.	are

Answer:
(i – c), (ii – a), (iii – d), (iv – b)

Question 3:
Read the extract quickly. Pick out the rhyming pairs of words. Add two more rhyming words of your own for each pair.

Question 4:
Write from the extract the synonyms of the following words.
i. colour
ii. branch
iii. you
iv. heart
Answer:
i. hue
ii. bough
iii. thou
iv. bosom

Question 5:
Choose the correct describing words from the poem for the following. [Mar 15]
i. peacock ii. park
Answer:
i. proud ii. green

Additional Questions for Practice
Question 1:
Draw
Draw a kingfisher as described in the poem.
i. Colour the bird.
ii. Exhibit the drawing.
[Students are expected to perform the above activity on their own.’]

Question 2:
Observing a poem
Read the poem quickly and discuss with your partner the following points. Later share your points with the class.
i. Stanzas in the poem.
Answer:
There are three stanzas in the poem.
ii. Number of lines in each stanza.
Answer:
There are six lines in each stanza.
iii. Lines having many words.
Answer:
Line no. 4 and 11 have many words.
iv. Lines having minimum words
Answer:
Line no. 6, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 18 have minimum words.
v. Punctuation marks used after each line.
Answer:
Commas and semi-colons are used. Full stops are used at the end of the stanzas. Colon is used in line no. 4 of the last stanza.

Question 3:
Pleading for Kinghood
i. Look at the two photographs of birds in your textbook. They have many similar features. List them.

Kingfisher	Peacock
Small to medium sized bird	Medium sized bird
Colourful	Have variety of hues
Known for        their              brightly                         coloured feathers	Have             brightly coloured elaborate tail feathers
Found in forests	Live in forests
Feeds on fishes, insects,                               frogs, reptiles, birds and even small mammals	Feeds on insects, seeds, plants and flower heads

ii. Imagine both a kingfisher and a peacock are claiming for the kinghood in the world of birds. Both the birds are proud of themselves and pleading for their right to be the king. Make use of the points that you have enlisted and develop a dialogue.
Kingfisher : I am so colourful. I have every right to become the King of birds.
Peacock : Oh, you small birdie, look at my hues, I am the king of birds.
_____________
_____________
Answer:
Kingfisher : I am so colourful. I have every right to become the King of birds.
Peacock :Oh, you small birdie, look at my hues, I am the king of birds.
Kingfisher : Have you ever seen the size of your head? The crown of a king would not suit you at all.
Peacock :Why would it not? Crowns can be made to suit every size. What about my bright and colourful enormous tail feathers? Do you boast to have one? Look at your stubby tail!
Kingfisher : Don’t forget about your bill. It is so small. Look at mine. It is long, sharp and pointed.
Peacock : I can easily live in dry and desert areas. You would find it difficult to adjust to a warm climate.
Kingfisher : I can live in wetland as well as woodland. Don’t you think a King should have this quality of ådaptability?
Peacock : So, what? I am comfortable in areas with warmer climate. Don’t forget that people flock to see me dance.
Kingfisher : Oh! You just entertain people. Look at me! I have all the qualities of a king. I live like a king and also eat like a king. I don’t munch on small insects, mammals and reptiles, like you.
Peacock : No matter what you have to say, people have already chosen me as the king of birds.

Question 4:
Describing words
The poet has used descriptive words to give you a picture. Look at the following words and find out the describing words used. Add one word of your own choice which is fitting to describe it. One is done for you.

	Word	Describing word	Example
i.	hues	lovely	a lovely photograph
ii.	pools
iii.	hues
iv.	peacocks
V.	parks
vi.	glass
vii.	kings
viii.	bird
ix.	mind
X.	place
xi.	pool

Answer:

	Word	Describing word	Example
i.	hues	lovely	a lovely photograph
ii.	pools	lonely	a lonely person
iii.	hues	glorious	a glorious career
iv.	peacocks	Proud	a proud businessman
V.	parks	green	-a green forest
vi.	glass	shining	shining stars
vii.	kings	proud	a proud mother
viii.	bird	lovely	a lovely dress
ix.	mind	ambitious	an ambitious child
X.	place	quiet	a quiet movement
xi.	pool	lonely	a lonely tree

Question 5:
Project
i. Name of a bird/s
ii. Speciality of a bird that has impressed the poet
iii. Description of the bird
Answer:
The Blossom
Merry, Merry Sparrow!
Under leaves so green
A happy Blossom
Sees you swift as arrow
Seek your cradle narrow
Near my Bosom.
Pretty, Pretty Robin!
Under leaves so green
A happy Blossom
Hears you sobbing, sobbing,
Pretty, Pretty Robin,
Near my Bosom.
– William Blake
Sparrows
Sparrows are small sized birds that are found in woodlands and across farmlands all around the world. They can be easily identified by their smoothly rounded heads. Sparrows are omnivorous birds that mainly eat seeds, berries, fruits and small insects. Due to their small size, sparrows fall prey to numerous predators like cats, dogs, snakes, foxes and other predator birds. They make their nests in trees. Today, there is a growing concern over their decreasing population.
Robin
Robin is a small bird, originally found in Europe and Asia. It is brown in colour and is an omnivorous bird feeding on both plants and animals. It eats insects, worms, fruits, seeds and berries. It builds its nest in trees or dense hedgerows. It is not uncommon, however, to find a robin resting ip slightly strange places such as holes in stone walls or even in letter boxes.

Question 6:
Comparison
Working in pairs, find out appropriate words to complete the comparison.
For example : as smooth as shining glass.
i. as colourful as _____________
ii. as red as ____________
iii. as green as _____________
iv. as quiet as _____________
v. as glorious as _____________
vi. as proud as ____________
vii. ______________
viii. ______________
Answer:
i. a rainbow
ii. blood
iii. leaves
iv. a mouse
v. the palace
vi. a peacock
vii. as slow as a snail
viii. as hard as a rock

Question 7:
Synonyms
Match the adjectives in Column A with the similar meaning words in Column B.

	Column ‘A’		Column ‘B’
*i.	unfriendly fA15, pg. 281	a.	doubtful
ii.	dubious	b.	naughty
iii.	mischievous	c.	haughty

Answer:
(i – c), (ii – a), (iii – b)

Question 8:
Reading a poem
Turn by turn read the poem aloud. Pay attention to.
i. pronunciation
ii. stress
iii. speed
iv. rhyming words
v. pauses
vi. meaning of words
Check who reads better and why.
[Students are expected to perform this activity on their own.]

Question 9:
Websites 
Here is a list of some websites from where you can get more information about birds and bird watching.
www.birdwebsite.com
www.birdlist.org/india.com
www.birdwatching.html
www.bnhs.org
www.kolkatabird.com
[Students can visit the websites and gather more information and if they know about any such website, they can share d with their class. ]

Maharashtra Board SSC Class 10 Solutions for English