CG Board Class 10 English Solutions Lesson 13: Unit 5 Reading A: Swiss Family Robinson (2026-27)

When the storm strikes the ship against rocks near land, the ship’s crew abandons the ship in lifeboats, leaving the Robinson family behind. Instead of panicking, Mr. Robinson keeps his family calm and hopeful. As the sea becomes smooth, they construct a makeshift floating boat using four large wooden barrels/tubs sawed in half and joined together with long wooden boards. The next morning, they load essential tools, supplies, food, and chickens onto their tub-boat, release the ducks, geese, and pigeons, and navigate safely into a small bay.

Upon landing, their first act is to offer prayers of gratitude to God. They build a canvas tent for shelter, cook soup, and use clam shells as makeshift spoons. Later, Mr. Robinson and his son Fritz explore the island with one of their dogs. During their trek, they discover fresh sugarcane, trick a troop of monkeys into throwing down fresh coconuts by throwing stones at them, and bring home a orphaned monkey and game. At night, their two brave dogs fight off a pack of twelve jackals attacking their camp. The story highlights the family’s teamwork, resourcefulness, courage, and deep faith in God while overcoming dangerous survival challenges.

• English Note: Johann David Wyss was born in 1743 in Berne, Switzerland. Like Mr. Robinson in the story, Wyss also had four sons. He wrote this story originally in German to educate and entertain his children. One of his sons edited the book, and another illustrated it later. It became a world-famous classic translated into numerous languages.

1. Saw – To cut wood or hard material using a saw /
2. Bay – A part of the coast where land curves in so that sea is surrounded by land on three sides /
3. Rowed away – Moved a boat through water using oars /
4. Escape – An act of saving life from danger / ,
5. Wreck – Remains of a destroyed ship /
6. Clamshell – A shell formed of two parts, found in sea /
7. Raft – Logs tied together, used as a means of water transport / ,
8. Reeds – Wild tall grass growing near water / ,
9. Worn out – Extremely tired /
10. Deck – The open floor of a ship / /
11. Tub – A wide open container or cut barrel / ,

The picture suggests a group of adventurers exploring a dense forest and discovering a hidden, mysterious cave in the rocks.

The activities that are examples of ‘adventure’ are

1. Racing a car or bike
2. Going deep inside a forest
3. Visiting a lonely place
4. Meeting an alien
5. Climbing a mountain

There were four children in the Robinson family (all sons: Fritz, Ernest, Jack, and Franz).

No, the Robinson family did not meet any other family on the island as it was uninhabited.

The Robinson family had to leave the ship because it was caught in a terrible storm, struck against rocks near land, and was damaged and deserted by the crew.

Two difficulties faced by the Robinson family were

1. Their ship was stranded and they were abandoned by the sailors with no lifeboats left.
2. They had to build their own tub-boat from barrels and navigate through rough sea waves with heavy supplies.

The Robinsons found their way to the land by following the freed ducks and geese through a small opening in the rocks where a stream flowed into a calm bay.

Mr. Robinson managed to get fresh coconuts by throwing stones at a troop of monkeys in palm trees; the monkeys imitated him and threw coconuts back at them.

No, I completely disagree with the idea that women are fit only for household work and men only for exploration. Both men and women possess equal intelligence, bravery, and capability. In the story, Mrs. Robinson shows immense courage, practical wisdom, and emotional strength during the shipwreck.

• Supporting sentences from the lesson:

1. “Tomorrow, if the wind and waves die down, we should be able to reach shore. We must find some food and have a good supper.” (Shows Mrs. Robinson’s practical leadership and decision-making).
2. “Perhaps clam shells would do?” (Shows Mrs. Robinson’s quick, innovative problem-solving when no spoons were available).

1. sail, float, sink, row

• Odd One Out: sink
• Reason: Sail, float, and row mean moving/staying on top of water, whereas ‘sink’ means going down under water.

1. sugarcane, dinner, supper, meal

• Odd One Out: sugarcane
• Reason: Dinner, supper, and meal refer to times/types of dining, whereas sugarcane is a specific plant/crop.

1. stream, tent, small bay, shore

• Odd One Out: tent
• Reason: Stream, small bay, and shore are natural geographic water/land features, whereas ‘tent’ is a man-made shelter.

1. boat, ship, barrel, raft

• Odd One Out: barrel
• Reason: Boat, ship, and raft are water transport vessels, whereas ‘barrel’ is a storage container.

1. ducks, crows, pigeons, geese

• Odd One Out: crows
• Reason: Ducks, pigeons, and geese are domestic/water birds brought/freed in the story, whereas ‘crows’ are wild scavenger birds not mentioned.

(Box words: early, then, often, yet, still, frequently, when, yesterday, always, while, already)

Completed Passage:

We had already thought of going on a picnic but my mother denied because my brother was too young. She always felt that it would be difficult to move along with such a small baby. But finally we decided to go on a small trip to a nearby dam.

When I got up early in the morning, I found my mother still in the kitchen busy preparing snacks, while my little brother slept because he starts crying when he wakes up. My father had washed the van and checked the wheels yesterday evening. He was standing outside the gate because uncle Verma hadn’t come yet. Uncle Verma is a family friend of ours and visits us frequently / often. Soon, mother had packed the tiffin boxes and then she got my brother ready. I was very happy when the van drove away but still could not believe that we were really going on a picnic.

One day, a little mouse was looking for something to eat. He found a pencil. The mouse ran off to his hole with the pencil. “Do let me go!” begged the pencil. “What use am I to you? I’m only a piece of wood. I’m not good to eat.” “I’m going to gnaw you!” said the mouse. “I have to gnaw something all the time to keep my teeth sharp. Here I go!” And he bit the pencil hard. “You’re hurting me,” said the pencil. “Let me draw you one last picture, and then you can do what you like.” “Very well,” agreed the mouse. “You draw something. I shall gnaw you into tiny pieces afterwards.” The pencil sighed heavily and drew a big circle. “Is that a cheese?” asked the mouse. “We’ll call it a cheese,” said the pencil, and it drew three little circles inside the big one. “Let’s call them holes in the cheese,” agreed the pencil, and it drew another circle under the first one. “I can see it’s cheese now,” said the mouse. “Look at those holes in it!” “That’s an apple,” squeaked the mouse. “Let’s call it an apple,” said the pencil, and it began drawing some funny curved things near the second circle.

Narrative:

After landing on a lonely island, the Robinsons needed to make the place livable. So, they…

1. Picture 1 (Making a Bridge):

The Robinsons made a strong wooden bridge across the river. They joined long wooden planks brought from the ship so that they could transport heavy supplies safely across the water.

1. Picture 2 (Selecting a Tree for Tree House):

They found a strong, big banyan-like tree on which they could make a safe tree house. To protect themselves from wild animals, they worked together to make a hanging rope ladder, though it was a difficult and time-taking task.

1. Picture 3 (Building the Platform):

Mr. Robinson and Fritz pulled up big planks of wood using ropes. They worked all afternoon to join the pieces of wood firmly onto the branches, constructing a strong platform for their new home.

1. Picture 4 (Enjoying Meals Under Canvas Shade):

Mrs. Robinson had already finished cooking a delicious, hearty meal. They set up long poles and covered them with a big canvas to create shade, where the hungry family sat together on barrels to enjoy their dinner.

Task: Number the steps in the correct order (1 to 6):

• Step 1: Stay calm and get hold of the marine radio/transmitter.
• Step 2: Tune in to the emergency channel. Press the call button and make the call.
• Step 3: Tell the nature of problem and the help you need.
• Step 4: Say: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY! Then tell your ship name, location and direction.
• Step 5: When your message is complete, say: OVER!
• Step 6: Wait for a response. If you don’t get an answer in 15 seconds, make the call again.

• FOR THE PROPOSITION:
• Argument: Real adventure comes from spontaneity, surprise, and facing the unknown. When an adventure is strictly planned, it loses its thrill, curiosity, and excitement. Unplanned journeys teach us instant problem-solving, resilience, and adaptability in unexpected situations.
• AGAINST THE PROPOSITION:
• Argument: Unplanned adventures can be extremely dangerous and life-threatening. Proper planning ensures safety, adequate medical equipment, navigation tools, and essential food supplies, just as Mr. Robinson used careful planning and tools to save his family on the island.

Completed Notes Structure:

BHIMBETKA ROCK ART

1. Origin & History:

• i. 15,000 years old prehistoric treasure.
• ii. Houses rock paintings created by early man.

1. Ancient Scenes:

• i. Belong to Mesolithic Age.
• ii. Are magnificent and panoramic.
• iii. Have been made even on ceilings of the caves.

1. Cave Paintings Depict:

• i. Social life.
• ii. Animals (bison, tiger, rhinoceros, wild boar, elephants, peacocks).
• iii. Popular religious and ritual symbols.

1. Colours of Cave Paintings Made From:

• i. Rock material.
• ii. Combination of manganese, hematite, and soft red stone.
• iii. Wooden charcoal, animal fat, and leaf extracts.

1. Colours Executed:

• i. Mainly red and white.
• ii. Natural earth tones and dark shades.

Short Biography:

Resham Fatma, a 16-year-old girl, displayed exceptional courage when she was abducted by her uncle who threw acid on her face for refusing his proposal. Despite severe pain and burns, Resham did not lose her composure. She pushed her abductor away, jumped out of the moving auto-rickshaw, reached a nearby police station, and got the culprit arrested. Her heroic courage earned her the prestigious National Bravery Award.

1. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
2. Treasure Island by R.L. Stevenson
3. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
4. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
5. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
6. Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
7. Everest – My Journey to the Top by Bachendri Pal