CG Board Class 10 English Solutions Lesson 14: Unit 5 Reading B: Sumba’s Adventure (2026-27)

“Sumba’s Adventure” is a whimsical and imaginative poem written by an anonymous poet. The poem captures the inner thoughts of a child named Sumba, who lies in bed daydreaming about turning a ordinary day into a thrilling adventure. Sumba imagines waking up, taking a right turn instead of the usual left, and wandering down unknown roads until nightfall. Sumba dreams of leaping over fences, gates, and walls, greeting friendly strangers, roaming through luscious fruit-filled forests, walking past tall golden hills, strolling beside mighty streams, and bathing under waterfalls. Sumba even imagines reaching crimson sky-touching mountain peaks and exploring deep, eerie caves where sleeping dragons lie.

However, as Sumba’s imagination runs deeper into the fantasy, the dream turns scary. Sumba starts thinking about the real dangers of adventuring: terrifying dragons, hungry wolves and bears ready to feast on him/her, lurking spiders with sticky webs, and cruel goblin folk that burn green grass into dust. Realizing that real adventures involve fear and danger, Sumba decides that it is much safer and more comfortable to stay tucked in bed, snoozing peacefully and dreaming about adventures rather than actually going out to experience them.

1. Luscious forests – Forests full of rich and tasty fruits /
2. Crimson sky – Deep red sky at sunrise or sunset /
3. Eerie – Strange, mysterious, and frightening / , ,
4. Lurking – Waiting secretly in hiding to attack / ,
5. Whilst – Old usage of ‘while’ / ,
6. Goblin folk – Ugly, short, mischievous creatures in folktales / ,
7. Thrust – To push or drive quickly and forcefully /
8. Dragon – An imaginary large reptile with sharp claws and wings / ,
9. Stroll – To walk in a slow, relaxed manner for pleasure / ,
10. Hurdle – To jump over an obstacle or overcome a challenge /
11. Bound – A high or long leap/jump / ,

Stanza Text:

“If any fences, gates or walls

Should rise in front of me

I’ll hurdle them with such a bound

And see what I can see!”

1. ‘fences, gates and walls’ in these lines refer to ________.

• a. opportunities
• b. challenges
• c. bad luck
• Correct Answer: b. challenges

“The Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express (15906), runs for 81 hours and 40 minutes. It traverses through seven states & is the longest train journey in India. It’s a route that takes you from the eastern-most rail-inhabited part of India to its southernmost tip. If there’s any particular segment that had me with my nose pinned against the window, it would be Furkating Junction to Lumding (Assam). Trees with girth so wide that it would take 10 people to hold hands around it; the jungles are untouched and unmanicured. But that gradually changes once the train crosses Guwahati…”

Topic: “Dreaming about adventure is better than experiencing real adventure.”

• FOR THE MOTION:
• Argument: Dreaming about adventure is safe, cost-free, and allows complete freedom of imagination without any physical harm or danger, just as Sumba realized that staying in bed avoids hungry wolves and dragons.
• AGAINST THE MOTION:
• Argument: Mere dreaming leads to inaction. Real adventures build physical endurance, practical courage, problem-solving abilities, and give us genuine confidence to overcome life’s obstacles.

Task: Write a short poem or paragraph about your imaginary adventure journey.

Sample Paragraph:

My Imaginary Adventure:

One morning, I decided to walk down the forest path near my village. In my mind, the green trees turned into an enchanted jungle filled with roaring waterfalls and golden hills. I imagined crossing a narrow wooden bridge over a rushing river where hidden treasures lay under water. Suddenly, I heard a loud roar behind the bushes and imagined a tiger approaching. My heart raced with excitement! Though it was just my imagination triggered by a rustling wind, the journey filled my day with thrill, wonder, and joy.

• Activity: Trace a long-distance railway or road route on a map of India (e.g., Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh) and note down major rivers, hill ranges, and state capitals along the route.

• Task: Create a personal “Adventure Logbook” listing 5 natural places in Chhattisgarh (e.g., Mainpat, Chitrakote Waterfalls, Kanger Valley National Park, Tirathgarh, Jatmai-Ghatarani) that you would like to explore, mentioning required safety equipment (water bottle, compass, trekking shoes, first-aid kit).