Std 10 English chapters › Unit 1
In short: As a boy, the writer saves a baby langur from a big male langur and some stray dogs, and returns it to its grateful mother.
(लहानपणी लेखक एका लंगुराच्या पिल्लाला मोठ्या नर लंगुरापासून आणि भटक्या कुत्र्यांपासून वाचवतो आणि त्याच्या कृतज्ञ आईकडे परत देतो.)
- Type: Prose (a true childhood memory told in the first person)
- Main characters: The narrator as a boy, his father, a baby langur, its mother, a big male langur and some stray dogs
- Unit: 1
1.2 An Encounter of a Special Kind: English Workshop Question Answers
Answers to every activity in the Std 10 English Kumarbharati textbook (Maharashtra Board), written by a practising English teacher. Read the lesson in your textbook first, then try each activity here before you check the answer.
Short questions from the lesson (margin questions)
- What was the profession of the writer’s father?
He was a medical professional working in a private company. - Describe the campus where the writer’s family lived.
The family lived in a company bungalow at the corner of a large campus at Raniganj, West Bengal. The campus was green, full of flowers and tall trees, and birds, squirrels and langurs were a part of daily life there. - How did the family relax after lunch?
The elders took an afternoon nap, while the writer spent his holiday afternoons reading magazines and storybooks. - What wicked custom is practised by animals who live in groups?
In a langur clan, the dominant male does not allow another male, even a baby, to survive in its group. It tries to kill it. - What attempts helped the baby langur to revive?
The writer’s father cleaned its wounds and stopped the bleeding. Cold water was splashed on it, and after a few shaky attempts the baby sat up. Then it ate a peeled banana. - When did the baby langur finally find comfort?
Only when its mother came into the coop and held it close to her bosom. - What truth about animal-human relationships did the incident reveal?
Animals also have feelings. Trust, compassion and understanding can build a bond between humans and animals. - What did the mother langur seem to convey to the narrator?
Through the look in her eyes she seemed to convey silent gratitude, a thank-you for saving her baby.
Guess the meaning
| Word | Meaning | मराठी |
|---|---|---|
| shaky | unsteady, trembling | थरथरणारा, डळमळीत |
| uncanny | strange, mysterious | विलक्षण, गूढ |
| bosom | chest (a mother’s lap and arms, a place of love and safety) | छाती, कुशी |
| welled up | filled up (with tears or emotion) | (डोळे) भरून आले |
Q1. Agree or disagree with the statements. Justify your answer.
👉 Tap Agree or Disagree. The reason appears after you answer. (सहमत / असहमत निवडा.)
The compound where the writer was living was rich in nature's bounty.
Answer: Agree. The campus was green, full of flowers and tall trees, with birds, squirrels and langurs all around.
Holidays provide us an opportunity to read various magazines and storybooks.
Answer: Agree. During the Puja vacation the writer spent his afternoons reading magazines and storybooks.
The narrator made a mistake by saving the baby langur.
Answer: Disagree. He saved a helpless life. The baby recovered and was returned safely to its grateful mother.
Animals cannot convey emotions.
Answer: Disagree. The mother langur clearly conveyed her gratitude through the look in her eyes.
The narrator was fifty-five years old when this incident occurred.
Answer: Disagree. Fifty-five years have passed since the incident. He was about fifteen years old then.
Q2. Match the phrases in Group A with their meanings in Group B
👉 Choose the meaning for each phrase, then tap Check my answers.
Answer key
| Group A | Group B | Pair |
|---|---|---|
| to be a part and parcel of | to be an essential or integral part | (a) – (vi) |
| to be engrossed in | to be completely occupied in | (b) – (v) |
| to take notice of | to observe and give attention | (c) – (i) |
| to figure out | to be able to solve a problem | (d) – (ii) |
| to ponder over | to think about seriously | (e) – (iv) |
| to be overwhelmed by | to be affected emotionally in a powerful way | (f) – (vii) |
| in a flash | very quickly | (g) – (viii) |
| to find a solace | to find comfort and peace | (h) – (iii) |
Q3. Write in your own words. Give two reasons for each.
(a) Why did the narrator ignore the barking of dogs?
(i) He thought the dogs had only cornered an unfortunate pig, which was common in the area.
(ii) He was deeply absorbed in his storybook and did not want to be disturbed.
(b) Why did the mother langur make no effort to grab her baby from the coop?
(i) She seemed to understand that the narrator meant no harm and was actually helping her baby.
(ii) She was cautious and waited until the narrator stepped back from the coop door before going near her baby.
Q4. Arrange the events in the order in which they occurred
Arrange these 13 events from the lesson:
- I was engrossed in various magazines and storybooks.
- I became deeply absorbed in the book.
- I heard the disturbance approaching closer.
- I saw something horrible.
- I recalled the terrible custom in the animal clan.
- I gathered a stout stick and then started throwing stones.
- I managed to catch hold of the baby langur's tail.
- I took the baby langur to the backyard.
- I offered him a peeled banana.
- I allowed the mother access to her baby.
- I was shown that food was not the only means of communication.
- I cannot forget that look in her eyes.
- I still fondly remember that encounter.
Answer key: correct order
- I was engrossed in various magazines and storybooks.
- I became deeply absorbed in the book.
- I heard the disturbance approaching closer.
- I saw something horrible.
- I recalled the terrible custom in the animal clan.
- I gathered a stout stick and then started throwing stones.
- I managed to catch hold of the baby langur's tail.
- I took the baby langur to the backyard.
- I offered him a peeled banana.
- I allowed the mother access to her baby.
- I was shown that food was not the only means of communication.
- I cannot forget that look in her eyes.
- I still fondly remember that encounter.
Q5. Discuss and write in your own words (5–6 lines each)
✍️ Write your own 5–6 lines for each question first.
Show model answers
(a) What would you do if you found an injured bird while returning from school?
I would first make sure the bird is safe from cats, dogs and traffic. I would gently pick it up using a cloth and keep it in a small box with air holes. I would give it a little water, but not force it to eat. Then I would ask my parents or teacher to help me contact a veterinary doctor or an animal rescue group. Once the bird recovers, I would set it free in an open, safe place.
(b) What opinion do you form about the narrator from the story?
The narrator is brave, kind and quick to act. Although he was only a boy of about fifteen, he faced a big male langur and stray dogs to save a helpless baby. He is sensitive, because he understood the feelings of the mother langur and stepped back to let her reach her baby. He respects animals and nature. Even after fifty-five years he remembers the encounter fondly, which shows his gentle and grateful nature.
Q6. Complete the web diagrams and write a paragraph on each
✍️ Add at least 4 points to each web first.
Show sample points and paragraphs
| Web | Sample points |
|---|---|
| Mother-Child Relationship | love and affection, care, protection, sacrifice, trust, guidance, patience |
| Injured Animal: How will you help? | provide water/food, keep it safe from other animals, clean the wound gently, call a vet or animal rescue, do not crowd around it |
Mother-child relationship: The bond between a mother and her child is the purest bond in the world. A mother loves, protects and guides her child without expecting anything in return. She makes many sacrifices for her child’s happiness. In the lesson, the mother langur risked coming near humans only to hold her injured baby. This shows that this bond is just as strong among animals as among humans.
Helping an injured animal: If we see an injured animal, we should first move it to a safe place, away from traffic and other animals. We can give it some water and food. We should clean a small wound gently, but call a veterinary doctor or an animal rescue group for serious injuries. We must not crowd around the animal or frighten it. A little kindness can save a life.
Q7. Make words using the letters of “ENCOUNTER”
✍️ Make as many words as you can in 3 minutes, then compare.
Show sample words
| Three-letter words | Four-letter words | Five/Six-letter words |
|---|---|---|
| net, ten, cot, cut, nut, toe, one, run, ton, not, out, our, cue | tone, note, cone, once, rent, cent, tune, cute, core, cure, tour, torn, turn, tree, teen | enter, count, court, outer, route, recent, centre, tenure, encore (bonus 7 letters: counter) |
Q8. Translate the proverbs into English
✍️ Try your own translation first.
Show translations
- जनसेवा हीच खरी ईश्वरसेवा. → Service to mankind is service to God.
- पेरावे तसे उगवते. → As you sow, so shall you reap.
Q9. Write a paragraph with a suitable title using the given points
Points (from the web in your textbook): love and affection, loneliness avoided, loyal, our best friends, serve us, protection and security, kindness, honesty, compassion, do not hurt or destroy them.
✍️ Write your paragraph with a title first, then compare.
Show model paragraph
Birds and Animals: Our Best Friends
Birds and animals are our best friends. They give us love and affection without any conditions, and pets help many people avoid loneliness. A dog is the most loyal friend a person can have. Animals serve us in many ways: cows give us milk, bullocks help farmers, and dogs give us protection and security. Birds spread seeds and keep our surroundings beautiful with their songs. In return, we must treat them with kindness, honesty and compassion. We should never hurt or destroy them or their homes. If we care for birds and animals, the earth will remain a happy home for all living beings.
Q10 (A). Types of news
✍️ Fill in as many types of news as you can.
Show types of news and the news-report format
Types of news: Sports, Business, Politics, Education, Entertainment, Health, Science and Technology, Weather, Crime, Environment, Local news, International news.
Sample headlines: “Achievers narrate their success stories at career counselling events” and “India’s first ever tourism university to be established by IIHM” are both Education news.
Format of a news report: (a) Headline (b) Dateline: place, date, source (c) Intro / lead: answers the main WH-questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) (d) Body: short paragraphs with details.
Q10 (B). Write a news report: “Tiger attacks 8 year old at Rajiv Gandhi National Park”
Rule from the textbook: use only third-person pronouns, and use the passive voice in the body.
✍️ Write your own report first: dateline, lead and body.
Show model news report
Tiger attacks 8 year old at Rajiv Gandhi National Park
Mysuru, 18 October (Our Correspondent):
An eight-year-old boy was attacked by a tiger near the buffer zone of Rajiv Gandhi National Park yesterday evening, when he was returning home with his family after a picnic.
The boy was dragged a few metres by the animal before it was scared away by forest guards who rushed to the spot. He was rushed to the district hospital, where he was treated for injuries to his shoulder and leg. His condition is reported to be stable. The area has been sealed off by the forest department, and visitors have been warned not to leave their vehicles in the forest zone. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
Q10 (C). Write news reports for the given headlines
For each headline in your textbook, follow the same steps as the model report above: a dateline, an intro that answers who, what, when and where, and one short continuing paragraph with details.
Language Study: Question Answers
1. Classify the “-ing” forms: adjective or verb (continuous tense)
👉 Choose the correct use for each “-ing” form, then tap Check my answers.
Answer key
| -ing form | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| sloping roof | Adjective (describes a noun) | "sloping" describes the noun "roof". |
| twinkling eyes | Adjective (describes a noun) | "twinkling" describes the noun "eyes". |
| was oozing | Verb (continuous tense) | past continuous tense: was + -ing |
| was pondering | Verb (continuous tense) | past continuous tense: was + -ing |
| were witnessing | Verb (continuous tense) | past continuous tense: were + -ing |
मराठी टीप: -ing रूप नामाच्या आधी येऊन त्याचे वर्णन करत असेल तर ते विशेषण (Adjective). is/am/are/was/were सोबत आले तर ते क्रियापद (Continuous tense).
2. Spot the errors and correct them
👉 Tap the correct word for each sentence.
My grandparents ___ down for an afternoon nap.
Answer: lay. “Lie down” in the past is “lay down”. “Laid” is the past of “lay” (to put something down).
A stranger ___ knocking at our door.
Answer: was. “A stranger” is singular, so we use “was”.
My sister and I ___ a study room.
Answer: share. Two subjects joined by “and” take a plural verb.
One of my ___ is leaving school.
Answer: friends. “One of” is always followed by a plural noun. Also remove the comma before “is”.
A flock of birds ___ flying overhead.
Answer: was. “A flock” is a collective noun treated as one group, so we use “was”.
3. Rewrite the sentences in the tense given in the brackets
- I took the baby langur to our backyard. (Past Perfect) → I had taken the baby langur to our backyard.
- She simply sat there quietly. (Present Continuous) → She is simply sitting there quietly.
- The mother langur looked straight into my eyes. (Simple Present) → The mother langur looks straight into my eyes.
- She surveyed the area for the vicious male langur. (Simple Future) → She will survey the area for the vicious male langur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote 'An Encounter of a Special Kind'?
The lesson 'An Encounter of a Special Kind' in the Std 10 English Kumarbharati textbook is written by Tapan Mukherji. It is a true childhood memory told in the first person.
Why was the male langur attacking the baby langur?
In a langur clan, the dominant male does not allow another male, even a baby, to survive in its group, so it was trying to kill the baby.
How old was the narrator when the incident happened?
He was about fifteen years old. Fifty-five years have passed since the incident, and he is now seventy.
How did the mother langur thank the narrator?
She looked straight into his eyes with silent gratitude before leaving with her baby.
What is the message of 'An Encounter of a Special Kind'?
Animals have feelings too. Trust, compassion and understanding can build a strong bond between humans and animals.
Summary in English
The writer remembers an afternoon from his childhood, during the school holidays. He hears stray dogs barking wildly. When he goes out to look, he sees a big male langur attacking a baby langur on a roof, as if it wants to kill it.
The boy throws stones and a stick at the male langur, which finally drops the baby. The boy rescues the baby before the dogs can reach it. It looks lifeless, but his father gives it first aid and it slowly recovers.
All this time, the mother langur watches from a roof. She stays calm, as if she understands that the boy is helping. In the end the baby is back with its mother, who holds it close and checks it carefully before leaving with it. The look she gives the boy stays in his memory for the rest of his life.
मराठीत सारांश (Summary in Marathi)
लेखक आपल्या लहानपणीची, शाळेच्या सुट्टीतील एक दुपार आठवतो. भटकी कुत्री जोरजोरात भुंकत असल्याचे त्याला ऐकू येते. बाहेर जाऊन पाहतो तर एका छतावर मोठा नर लंगूर एका लहान पिल्लावर जीवघेणा हल्ला करत असतो.
मुलगा त्या नर लंगुरावर दगड आणि काठी फेकतो; शेवटी लंगूर पिल्लाला सोडून देतो. कुत्री पोहोचण्याआधीच मुलगा पिल्लाला वाचवतो. पिल्लू निर्जीव दिसत असते, पण वडील त्याच्यावर प्रथमोपचार करतात आणि ते हळूहळू शुद्धीवर येते.
हा सगळा वेळ आई लंगूर छतावरून शांतपणे पाहत असते, जणू मुलगा मदत करत आहे हे तिला समजले आहे. शेवटी पिल्लू आईकडे परत जाते; ती त्याला छातीशी धरते, नीट तपासते आणि घेऊन निघून जाते. तिची ती कृतज्ञ नजर लेखक आयुष्यभर विसरत नाही.
Theme and Message (मध्यवर्ती कल्पना)
Kindness can be understood without words. A mother’s love is the same in humans and animals, and helping a creature in danger creates a bond of trust.
दयाळूपणा शब्दांशिवायही समजतो. आईचे प्रेम माणसांत आणि प्राण्यांत सारखेच असते, आणि संकटात सापडलेल्या जीवाला मदत केल्याने विश्वासाचे नाते तयार होते.
Useful Words (शब्दार्थ)
| Word | मराठी अर्थ | Use it in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| marauding | हल्लेखोर, लुटारू | A marauding monkey stole fruit from the market. |
| assault | हल्ला | The dogs made an assault on the cat. |
| listless | निस्तेज, सुस्त | After the fever, the child looked listless. |
| trauma | मानसिक धक्का | The accident left him with deep trauma. |
| uncanny | विलक्षण, अनाकलनीय | She had an uncanny ability to guess my thoughts. |
| descended | खाली उतरला | The bird descended slowly to the ground. |
For the Exam (परीक्षेसाठी)
- Be ready to put the events in the correct order and to write about the narrator’s qualities (brave, kind, quick-thinking).
- The activities on this chapter practise continuous tenses, the passive voice and question tags. Revise them with Lesson 9: Passive Voice and practise tenses and question tags in the Command Centre.
Think and Write (विचार करा, लिहा)
- Have you ever helped an animal or bird in trouble? Describe what happened.
- Why do you think the mother langur did not attack the boy?
- Write three sentences about how we should treat stray animals.
🎮 Practice Games: An Encounter of a Special Kind
Extra practice for revision, beyond the textbook activities. Play every game, then check your total score and stars! (उजळणीसाठी खेळ.)
🔤 Word meanings
🎯 Tap the English word and its Marathi meaning.
English ↔ मराठी
⚡ Quick quiz
👉 Tap the correct answer.
What first drew the boy outside?
Answer: The barking made him go out to look.
Who was attacking the baby langur?
Answer: It seemed to want to kill the baby.
How did the mother langur behave while the boy helped?
Answer: Her calmness surprised the writer.
Who gave the baby first aid?
Answer: The baby slowly recovered.
🎯 Who did it?
🧩 Match each action with who did it.
Action → who
✏️ Grammar: ‘-ing’ adjective or verb?
🗂️ Is the -ing word an adjective or part of a continuous verb?
Classify the -ing form
Online test · 15 questions
1.2 An Encounter of a Special Kind: Lesson Test
Multiple choice · instant score with answers · certificate for 80% and above · free, no login
शिक्षकांसाठी: धडा शिकवून झाल्यावर ही test वर्गाला पाठवा. प्रत्येक विद्यार्थ्याचे गुण तुम्हाला आपोआप मिळतील.
These are original study notes and answers by englishresources.in to help you revise. Read the chapter in your Balbharati textbook first: these notes do not replace it. Only short phrases from the lesson and the activities are quoted, for reference.