CBSE Class 10 Chapters: First Flight and Footprints Without Feet
Class 10 English at CBSE runs on First Flight and the supplementary reader Footprints Without Feet. Every prose chapter and play from both is covered here in book order. The Necklace and The Hack Driver are out of copyright and are explained in full with the ending and quotations. The rest is modern writing still in copyright, so each of those chapters is summarised and analysed without quotation, with the themes, characters and question patterns the board paper rewards.
The Hack Driver was part of Footprints Without Feet for years and was dropped in the rationalised 2023 edition. It stays here because students on older editions still meet it, and because it is a fine lesson in the twist ending.
- A Letter to God by G.L. Fuentes (First Flight, Chapter 1): A Letter to God by G.L. Fuentes, Class 10 First Flight: full summary with the ending, Lencho and the postmaster, the irony explained, themes of faith, and exam answers.
- Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Class 10 excerpt) (First Flight, Chapter 2, prose): Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Class 10 First Flight: summary of the inauguration excerpt, 10 May 1994, twin obligations, courage, and exam answers.
- His First Flight by Liam O'Flaherty (First Flight, Chapter 3, Two Stories about Flying): His First Flight by Liam O'Flaherty, Class 10 First Flight: summary with the ending, the young seagull's fear and hunger, themes of courage, craft notes and exam answers.
- Black Aeroplane by Frederick Forsyth (First Flight, Chapter 3, Two Stories about Flying): Black Aeroplane by Frederick Forsyth, Class 10 First Flight: summary with the ending, the storm over France, the mystery pilot, the unresolved question, and exam answers.
- From the Diary of Anne Frank (Class 10 First Flight) (First Flight, Chapter 4, prose): From the Diary of Anne Frank, Class 10 First Flight: summary of the excerpt, Kitty, Mr Keesing and the chatterbox essays, themes of loneliness and writing, exam answers.
- Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell (First Flight): Mijbil the Otter by Gavin Maxwell, Class 10 First Flight: summary with the ending, Mij in Basra and London, the flight, the marbles game, themes and exam answers.
- Madam Rides the Bus by Vallikkannan (First Flight): Madam Rides the Bus by Vallikkannan, Class 10 First Flight: summary with the ending, Valli's secret bus ride, the dead cow, themes of growing up, and exam answers.
- The Sermon at Benares (Class 10 First Flight) (First Flight, prose): The Sermon at Benares, Class 10 First Flight: summary of the Buddha chapter, Kisa Gotami and the mustard seed, the teaching on grief, themes and exam answers.
- The Proposal by Anton Chekhov (First Flight, the closing play): The Proposal by Anton Chekhov, Class 10 First Flight: summary of the one-act farce with the ending, Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov, Oxen Meadows, the dogs, and exam answers.
- A Triumph of Surgery by James Herriot (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 1): A Triumph of Surgery by James Herriot, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary with the ending, Tricki Woo and Mrs Pumphrey, the irony of the title, themes and exam answers.
- The Thief's Story by Ruskin Bond (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 2): The Thief's Story by Ruskin Bond, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary with the ending, Hari Singh and Anil, the wet notes, themes of trust and change, exam answers.
- The Midnight Visitor by Robert Arthur (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 3): The Midnight Visitor by Robert Arthur, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary with the ending, Ausable, Fowler and Max, the invented balcony, and exam answers.
- A Question of Trust by Victor Canning (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 4): A Question of Trust by Victor Canning, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary with the ending, Horace Danby and the woman in red, the twist, themes and exam answers.
- Footprints Without Feet by H.G. Wells (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 5): Footprints Without Feet by H.G. Wells, Class 10 Footprints: summary with the ending, Griffin in London and Iping, Mrs Hall and Jaffers, science without conscience, exam notes.
- The Making of a Scientist by Robert W. Peterson (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 6): The Making of a Scientist by Robert W. Peterson, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary of Richard Ebright's story, butterflies, science fairs, curiosity and exam answers.
- The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant (Footprints Without Feet, Chapter 7): The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant: full summary with the famous ending, Mathilde Loisel's character, themes of pride and appearance, and how the twist works.
- The Hack Driver by Sinclair Lewis (Footprints Without Feet, editions up to 2022): The Hack Driver by Sinclair Lewis: full summary with the twist ending, characters, themes of appearance versus reality, and how Lewis builds the con.
- Bholi by K.A. Abbas (Footprints Without Feet): Bholi by K.A. Abbas, Class 10 Footprints Without Feet: summary with the ending, Sulekha and her teacher, Bishamber's dowry demand, education and dignity, exam answers.
- The Book That Saved the Earth by Claire Boiko (Footprints Without Feet, the closing play): The Book That Saved the Earth by Claire Boiko, Class 10 Footprints: summary of the play with the ending, Think-Tank, Noodle and Mother Goose, themes and exam answers.
By the Writory editorial team, reviewed by working writers. Updated September 2026.
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