NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 4 Travel and Adventure (PDF) – 2027

I would choose (i) Trying new activities. On Sundays I like to cycle to a part of my town I have never seen. Last month I found an old stepwell behind the bus stand that even my father did not know about.

(There is no single right option. Tick the one that is true for you and give a reason.)

I would prefer (i) dense forests and clear streams, because I want to see birds and animals in the wild and not only in pictures. Like Suraj in the story, I would enjoy sitting quietly in a jungle and waiting to see what comes out of the trees.

I would choose (iii) Solving puzzles or guessing riddles with friends. I enjoy a challenge that I can crack by thinking, and it is twice as much fun when four of us argue over the answer.

I would choose (ii) I enjoy working with others. In our science project I was not the leader, but I collected everybody’s material and kept the model from falling apart. I like a group where each person does one job well.

Three of my four answers were option (i), so I am mostly a Bold Explorer. But my teamwork answer was (ii), so I am a Bold Explorer who likes company. I would add my own label: Curious Companion.

The phrases are:

• “snorting and puffing like some green, black, and gold dragon”
• “some beautiful monster out of Suraj’s dreams”
• “Showering sparks left and right”
• “it roared a challenge to the jungle”

Suraj knew that the train was close by because a sound like distant thunder issued from the tunnel.

Suraj saw almost nothing, because about twenty yards in the tunnel became pitch dark. The other opening looked like “just a small round circle of light”. He noticed that the tunnel was full of smoke, the walls were damp and sticky, a bat flew past and a lizard scuttled between the lines.

He says that he has lent it to the Government. He means, jokingly, that the tunnel is really his, because no one else will have anything to do with it.

Sunder Singh knew that the leopard was in the tunnel because he heard a rhythmic sawing sound, “as if someone cutting through the branch of a tree”. Earlier, inside the tunnel, he had also heard a padded footfall and a rustle of dry leaves.

(i) He was afraid of the leopard. The story says, “He found he was unable to do any shouting. His throat was quite dry.” A dry throat is a sign of fear.

Suraj and Sunder Singh shouted together. Their voices rang through the tunnel, and the leopard, “uncertain as to how many terrifying humans were there in the tunnel with him”, turned swiftly and disappeared into the darkness. Sunder Singh’s raised lamp also lit it up.

Suraj knew because he saw the lamp. From the window of the night mail, he could not see Sunder Singh, “but he saw the lamp, and he knew that his friend was out there”. The lamp told him that his friend was on duty at the tunnel.

Suraj’s father was going to Delhi on a business trip. He took the boy along because he felt it was time Suraj learnt something about his business. He complained, “I don’t know where he gets to, most of the time.”

False. Suraj looked back “to reassure himself that there was still daylight outside”, that is, to comfort himself in the pitch darkness. No train was due for several hours.

A. there was nothing to see in the tunnel

The extract says, “Suraj didn’t stop, because there was nothing to do in the tunnel and nothing to see.”

It means that for the several hours between two trains, there is no engine, smoke or noise in the cutting, so the jungle takes it back. Birds, bats, lizards and even the leopard move about there as if the railway were not there.

Curiosity. Suraj walks through the tunnel only “so that he would know what the inside of a tunnel was really like”. There was nothing to see or do, but he wanted to find out for himself. It also shows his adventurous nature.

The watchman’s concern was for the leopard’s life. The night mail was due soon, and if the leopard stayed in the tunnel, “it will be run over and killed”. He says, “I can’t let that happen.”

Sunder Singh was sure that the leopard would not attack him and Suraj because it knew him well. They had seen each other many times, and though it had a weakness for goats and stray dogs, it would not harm them.

The true sentences are B, C and D.

• B. Suraj asks, “But won’t it attack us?”
• C. “It has a weakness for goats and stray dogs.”
• D. Sunder Singh tells Suraj, “You stay here.”

B. cautious

He is sure the leopard will not harm them, but he says, “Even so, I’ll take my axe with me.” He is taking a sensible precaution.

It is a joke, but it shows real feeling. He means that the tunnel is truly his, “since no one else will have anything to do with it”. He alone looks after it, so he feels he owns it and the Government only borrows it. It shows his pride in his job, his humour and his sense of belonging.

Example: “Nothing happens to me out here. But last month, when I went into town, I was almost run over by a bus.”

What it tells us: He is completely at home in the jungle and is not afraid of wild animals. He finds the busy town, with its traffic, more dangerous than the forest, and he is happy with his quiet life.

Sunder Singh has become part of the jungle life because:

• The night sounds of the forest “were familiar to him and he did not give them much thought”, while Suraj could not recognise them.
• He recognised the leopard from a sawing sound in the dark. He calls it “my leopard” and knows it comes to this range for a few days every month.
• He feels safer in the jungle than in the town.

A lonely watchman and a town boy seem to have nothing in common, but they are drawn together by:

• A love of trains and the jungle. Suraj cycles out just to watch the engine; Sunder Singh’s life is built around the trains.
• Curiosity and loneliness. Suraj wants to know things; Sunder Singh says, “I don’t often have visitors.”
• A shared adventure. Driving the leopard out of the tunnel together makes them real friends.

Sunder Singh is called a firefly because, like a firefly, he is a small light in the darkness. From a speeding train, passengers see only his tiny lamp in the black forest. Alone and unnoticed, he “lit up the darkness for steam engines and leopards”, keeping the tunnel safe for “those travelling thousands”.

Yes, Suraj is an adventure-loving boy.

• He cycles alone out of town and walks over a hill just to watch a train come out of a tunnel.
• He walks the whole length of a pitch-dark tunnel just to know what it is like inside.
• He comes back the next evening and, instead of staying at the hut, follows Sunder Singh into a tunnel with a leopard in it.

1. We could hear the approaching engine of the train long before it came into view at the station.
2. The street was completely dark but the little boy walked to his house guided by the flickering lights from the houses.
3. The sawing sound from the carpenter’s workshop grew louder every hour.
4. From the balcony, she watched the drifting smoke from her neighbour’s chimney float across the backyard.

1 → (ii), 2 → (iii), 3 → (i), 4 → (v), 5 → (iv)

• creaking: a long low sound when a door or wooden object moves
• chatter: repeated short high sounds made by birds or monkeys
• hissing: a noise like a long ‘s’ sound
• rustle: a soft, dry sound of leaves or paper moving
• puffing: blowing with short, quick blasts

1. The steam engine reached the station puffing black smoke into the sky.
2. Suddenly the snake raised its hood and made a hissing noise.
3. When the wind blew, I heard the creaking of the wooden roof.
4. He heard a rustle of leaves behind him when he was walking in the woods.
5. I get disturbed by the continuous chatter of the monkeys in the neighbourhood.

(iii) to talk about a habit in the past.

The phrase “Every day” shows that the paragraph describes what Sunder Singh did again and again, not on one day. Would + verb is used for such repeated actions in the past.

When I was a child we used to live in a village near a forest. Back then, we (i) used to grow vegetables in our back garden. Every day we (ii) would get up early and go for a walk. The weather in summer (iii) used to be really nice. There was a lake near the house and we (iv) would go there every Sunday for a picnic. Winters (v) used to be rather cold. In the evenings, my father (vi) would tell us incredible stories and we (vii) would listen with admiration.

We explored the busy by-lanes of Charminar, the heart of Hyderabad; it was an exciting day. We wanted to do a few things: buy bangles, taste biryani, and purchase pearl earrings, which are special to this area. As we walked through the lanes, we saw stalls selling spices, clothes, and jewellery; the market was full of colours. We visited some famous spots: Charminar, Golconda Fort, Salar Jung Museum, and Chowmahalla Palace; each place was beautiful.

Sample predictions: 1. library (a small room beside the entrance) · 2. art gallery (the big room straight ahead, with doors leading out) · 3. weapon room · 4. musical instruments hall (the long room along the bottom) · 5. auditorium (the large oval room at the far end).

1. library   2. art gallery   3. weapon room   4. musical instruments hall   5. auditorium

Route: Entrance Hall → straight into the Art Gallery → third door on the right into the Weapons Room → turn left into the Musical Instruments Hall → second room on the left, the Auditorium, where the treasure is hidden.

Sample conversation:

Anju: Good morning, sir. We have reached the railway station. How do we get to the trekking site?
Manager: Start from the station and take the short road in front of it. At the end, turn left and keep going straight till the road turns right.
Anju: All right. What comes next?
Manager: Follow the road past the Lassi Corner and the school next to it. At the next crossing, turn left and go up to the roundabout.
Anju: And at the roundabout?
Manager: Take the roundabout and leave by the road on the right, towards the hills. The Lake and Bird Sanctuary will be on your left. The trekking site is at the end of that road.
Anju: Thank you, sir!

Last summer my grandmother and I boarded the Amritsar Express and found our window seats. With a long whistle the train moved off, and the wheels began their steady clatter, ta-tak, ta-tak. The coach was full of sounds: the chatter of a family going to a wedding, the rustle of newspapers and a vendor calling, “Chai, garam chai!” Outside, the city gave way to bright yellow mustard fields, a canal and a long grey bridge. Once we shot into a tunnel and everything went dark; an old man opposite laughed at my startled face and offered me an orange. By evening, village lights were flickering past. I was tired but completely happy, and I did not want the journey to end.

Key facts: The Atal Tunnel is 9.02 km long and runs under the Rohtang Pass on the Manali–Leh Highway. It was built in freezing temperatures and very difficult terrain. The World Book of Records has certified it as the World’s Longest Highway Tunnel above 10,000 Feet.

Key facts: The first passenger train in India ran on 16 April 1853 from Bori Bunder (Mumbai) to Thane, covering 34 km. It had three locomotives, Sahib, Sultan and Sindh, and thirteen carriages. In 1864 the North got its first station, Delhi Junction, near Chandni Chowk.

• Modes of Transport: bus, train, aeroplane, ship, metro, auto-rickshaw, bicycle
• Reasons for Travel: work, study, holiday, pilgrimage, a wedding, meeting relatives
• Feelings: joy, excitement, curiosity, wonder, nervousness, tiredness
• Adventure Activities: exploring, trekking, river rafting, camping, rock climbing
• Destinations: riverside, hill station, seashore, desert, forest, island
• Challenges: bad weather, delayed trains, heavy luggage, crowds, blocked roads

We will travel by overnight train to Dehradun and then by a hired bus to the camp at Kanatal. The train is cheaper and more comfortable for forty students, and a smaller bus can manage the narrow, winding hill road.

I will take quick-drying clothes, a warm jacket, a cap, a raincoat and sturdy shoes; a torch, a small first-aid box and sunscreen; a water bottle and dry snacks; my school identity card and the signed permission slip; and a notebook and pen.

I would like to go because I have never spent a night away from the city. I want to find out whether I can put up a tent, cook a simple meal and sleep in the open without being frightened. I also want to see the stars properly.

I would like to go on a short trek at sunrise, try rappelling down the practice rock, take part in the river crossing on a rope, and help build the campfire in the evening. At night we could play antakshari and spot stars with the camp instructor.

The whole trip will take about 5 days and 4 nights: about 12 hours to reach the camp (train and bus), 3 days and 2 nights at the camp, and about 12 hours to come back.

People enjoy train journeys because:

• they can move about, stand at the door and stretch their legs;
• the scenery of fields, rivers, bridges and tunnels keeps changing;
• they meet people and share food and stories;
• they enjoy the food sold by vendors and at stations;
• trains are affordable and reach small towns.

1. Stanza 2   2. Stanza 3   3. Stanza 1

• Stanza 2: “But I see its cinders red on the sky, / And hear its engine steaming.”
• Stanza 3: “Yet there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, / No matter where it’s going.”
• Stanza 1: “Yet there isn’t a train goes by all day / But I hear its whistle shrieking.”

1. Stanza (i): away – day; speaking – shrieking
2. Stanza (ii): by – sky; dreaming – steaming
3. Stanza (iii): make – take; knowing – going

3. ABAB

In each stanza, lines 1 and 3 rhyme (away – day) and lines 2 and 4 rhyme (speaking – shrieking).

“shrieking”: “But I hear its whistle shrieking.” To shriek is to give a loud, sharp cry, as a person does. So the whistle is given a human voice.

Excited and enthusiastic (and also thoughtful).

The speaker is eager to board any train: “there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, / No matter where it’s going.” She is also thoughtful, because she thinks about her warm friendships before saying this.

2. adventure and 4. opportunities

The train stands for the excitement of setting out into the unknown, and for the many chances and places that lie beyond her reach: “there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take”.

… highlight the speaker’s fascination with the train. Every train, by day or by night, catches her attention, so the thought keeps coming back, just like the line.

The common factor is the train and the speaker’s constant awareness of it. By day, above the loud voices, she hears its whistle shrieking. At night, in the stillness, she sees its red cinders and hears its engine steaming.

Examples of imagery:

• “the day is loud with voices speaking” (sound; the given example)
• “I hear its whistle shrieking” (sound)
• “the night is still for sleep and dreaming” (sound, silence)
• “I see its cinders red on the sky” (sight, colour)
• “hear its engine steaming” (sound)
• “My heart is warm” (touch, warmth)

B. full of love

A warm heart is a loving heart. The next line, “better friends I’ll not be knowing”, shows her affection for her friends.

She says that her friends make her heart warm and that they are the best friends she will ever have: “better friends I’ll not be knowing”.

It suggests that she is deeply satisfied with and grateful for her present friends. She values them so much that she cannot imagine better ones.

content

“Better friends I’ll not be knowing” shows that she feels what she has is enough, and that is contentment.

It tells us that the train is a steam train that burns coal. At night its engine throws up glowing red cinders (bits of half-burnt coal) that can be seen against the dark sky, even when the train itself cannot be seen.

The whistle is the train’s voice calling to her. The repeated references show that she cannot ignore it. Even through a noisy day and from miles away, it reaches her, so the train is always on her mind. The whistle stands for the call of travel and the unknown.

It shows that for her the destination does not matter. She loves the act of travelling itself. She is adventurous and restless, and would happily take any train, anywhere.

Probably not; most of it happens in her imagination. The track is “miles away”, and the day is “loud with voices speaking”, so she could hardly hear a whistle. She claims to hear or see every train, day and night. The train is always on her mind, so she imagines it.

1 → (v), 2 → (iv), 3 → (i), 4 → (iii), 5 → (ii)

• miles away: the distance of the train from the speaker
• cinders red: the glow of the train’s sparks in the night sky
• heart is warm: the speaker’s affection for her friends
• day is loud: the busy, noisy day
• engine steaming: the fast and powerful movement of the train

1. After meeting her old friend, her heart is warm with the joy of rekindled memories.
2. As I arrived at the railway station I could hear the engine steaming.
3. The marketplace is bustling, and the day is loud with the chatter of shoppers and vendors.
4. The bonfire glowed brightly, throwing cinders red into the dark night sky.
5. The sound of a train could still be heard miles away as the evening grew quiet.

1 → (iv) yelling   2 → (vii) screaming   3 → (i) wailing   4 → (iii) screeching   5 → (ii) hollering   6 → (v) whimpering   7 → (vi) bawling

The street was filled with a variety of sounds. A shopkeeper was 1. hollering to attract customers, while a child nearby was 2. yelling at his friend to wait for him. From the other side of the road, a toddler was 3. bawling uncontrollably after dropping his ice cream, and his mother tried to calm him as he began 4. whimpering softly. In the background, someone’s loud 5. screeching voice added to the bustling noise of the busy evening.

Words to circle: 1. 15 September · 2. 5.00 in the evening · 3. will not be provided · 4. a phone · 5. the class teacher · 7. Adventure Club in-charge. Statement 6 is correct.

1. The trip to the National Science Centre is organised on 16 September.
2. Students will start from school at 8.00 in the morning and return by 5.30 in the evening.
3. Light refreshments will be provided during the trip.
4. Students are not permitted to carry a phone; they may carry a notebook and a pen.
5. The permission slip is to be signed by the parent.
6. The permission slip is to be submitted to your class teacher by 10 September. (Already correct.)
7. Mr. Mukherjee is the excursion in-charge.

Soft ‘c’ /s/: cell, race, decide, receive

Hard ‘c’ /k/: cable, cake, echo, uncle

Both sounds: concert (/k/ then /s/: kon-sert), circle (/s/ then /k/: sur-kl), bicycle (/s/ then /k/: bai-si-kl)

On a trip to Shimla I met Nathu chacha, who sold tea on the Kalka platform. He was a small, wiry man with a white stubble and a red woollen cap. He carried a steel kettle and eight glasses, and poured tea from a height without spilling a drop. When my little sister dropped her glass and began to cry, he filled another one and refused to take any money. “Beta, the train is long and the hills are cold,” he said. He was skilful, kind and cheerful. He reminded me of Sunder Singh in The Tunnel, a man doing a small job with complete pride.

Sample plan: Each member takes one railway: the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (West Bengal), the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Tamil Nadu) and the Kalka–Shimla Railway (Himachal Pradesh). The fourth member presents the two railways on the tentative list, Matheran (Maharashtra) and Kangra Valley (Himachal Pradesh), and makes a map.

Key facts: The Vande Bharat Express is India’s first indigenous (made in India) semi-high-speed train. The first one was flagged off on 15 February 2019 on the New Delhi–Kanpur–Allahabad–Varanasi route, running at 160 km per hour.

Key facts: Famous underwater rail tunnels are the Thames Tunnel (London), the Seikan Tunnel (Japan) and the Channel Tunnel (England–France). India’s first underwater metro route opened in Kolkata in March 2024; part of it runs beneath the Hooghly River.

I think the Kalka–Shimla Railway would be the most adventurous. It passes through more than a hundred tunnels and hundreds of bridges, so the journey keeps surprising you. After reading The Tunnel, I would also watch for a watchman’s hut beside the line.

1. Hang gliding
2. Mountain biking (off-road cycling)
3. Rock climbing
4. River rafting (white-water rafting)

People undertake these activities for the thrill and excitement, to test themselves and overcome fear, to enjoy the outdoors, and to stay fit. Some, like rafting, also build teamwork, and succeeding at something hard gives people confidence.

They would build up fitness for months, take a proper course under trained instructors, check their equipment (helmets, ropes, harnesses, life jackets), learn about the weather and the route, practise safety drills and first aid, and prepare their minds to stay calm.

I find river rafting the most exciting. In a raft, everyone must paddle together or the boat spins, so you cannot succeed alone. I like a sport where the whole team faces the rushing river together.

courage · determination · physical fitness and endurance · patience and discipline · presence of mind · teamwork

A beacon is a light that guides people, and resilience is the ability to recover quickly from a difficulty. Arunima lost a leg in a train accident in 2011, yet two years later she climbed Mount Everest. Her story gives hope to others and shows how a person can rise again after a great loss.

Most people in her place would only have hoped to walk again. But while she was still in hospital with one leg amputated, Arunima made a vow to climb Mount Everest, a goal “many would deem impossible”. She did not let her loss stop her; she chose the hardest goal instead.

Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to summit Everest, knew what the mountain demands. Arunima went to her for guidance, and she “instilled confidence” in her by saying, “you have conquered the Everest within you.” Her guidance and belief helped Arunima reach the summit.

Climbing Everest with a prosthetic leg needed great physical strength, but the text says her story is also about “mental fortitude and the power of a positive mind set”. Her courage, her refusal to give up and her message to others show that her success came from a strong mind as well as a strong body.

Her autobiography, Born Again on the Mountain, tells the true story of her journey from a terrible accident to the top of the world. It is “a story of triumph over adversity”. It inspires readers because it shows that anyone can rise above hard times by never giving up and working hard towards a goal.

Bachendri Pal said that Arunima had conquered the Everest within her because she had already overcome her fear, pain and self-doubt by deciding to climb Everest with a prosthetic leg.

Arunima would have felt encouraged, confident and grateful. Someone who had climbed Everest herself believed in her, so she would have felt more determined than ever to reach the summit.

“after 52 exhausting days”

“Exhausting” means extremely tiring, and 52 days shows how long the effort lasted.

(iv) I finally realised my dream

“Achievement” means something already done. She had reached the summit, so she would talk about a dream that has come true.

To fulfil her ambition, Arunima:

1. recovered with a prosthetic leg and physiotherapy and resolved to climb Everest;
2. completed a basic mountaineering course at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi;
3. went through eighteen months of rigorous training;
4. approached Bachendri Pal to guide her;
5. climbed for 52 exhausting days and reached the summit on 21 May 2013.

Arunima is a beacon of hope and resilience because:

• she survived a train accident in 2011, “displaying an extraordinary will to live”;
• with one leg amputated, she vowed to climb Everest, and in 2013 became the first Indian female amputee to do so;
• she went on to climb the Seven Summits, finishing with Mount Vinson in 2019;
• her message, “Never give up and work hard”, inspires others.

The title is appropriate because in 2011 she lost everything: a leg, her sports career and her plans. But on Mount Everest she found a new life as a mountaineer, as if she was born again. There she found back her confidence and purpose, and much more, including the Seven Summits and many honours.

The statement would make readers less afraid of failing and encourage them to set big, worthwhile goals. Falling short is not failure; not having a worthy goal is. So readers would aim high, keep trying after setbacks and work hard for what they really want.

(i) → 3   (ii) → 1   (iii) → 4   (iv) → 2   (v) → 5

• exhausting days: periods of time filled with tiring and demanding activities
• heartfelt attempts: genuine, sincere efforts
• life-altering: an experience that significantly changes a person’s life
• mental fortitude: strength of mind
• beacon of hope: a source of inspiration or encouragement

We planned (i) an adventurous trip to (ii) a remote island. (iii) The island was known for its beautiful landscapes and (iv) x diverse wildlife. On (v) the first day, we set out to explore (vi) the island’s dense jungle. (vii) The guide led us through (viii) the thick foliage and showed us (ix) a hidden waterfall. In (x) the evening, we gathered around (xi) the campfire to share stories and enjoy (xii) the meal we cooked. (xiii) The experience was truly unforgettable, and we felt (xiv) a connection with (xv) x nature.

1. We waited for an hour before the bus finally arrived. (The h in hour is silent.)
2. The guide insisted on a uniform jacket for the group’s safety during the trek. (Uniform begins with a “yoo” sound.)
3. Mount K2 is the second highest peak in the world.
4. The Ganga is a sacred river in India, known for its cultural importance.
5. Challenges are faced with courage and determination by the brave.
6. The North Star has guided travellers for centuries.

Statements 3, 5 and 6 are the extra ones.

Sample answer (School Student): In my opinion, Physical Education should be part of every school day. One reason for this is that we sit in class for hours, and time on the field helps us concentrate afterwards. PE also builds confidence: I was scared of the high jump, but PE helped me overcome that fear. I agree with the idea that safety matters, so we should take proper precautions.

• Sender’s Address: sender’s address
• Date: date
• Receiver’s Address … School: receiver’s address
• Subject: Request to join Adventure Club: subject
• Madam/Sir,: salutation
• “I am Sreelakshmi … natural beauty.”: introduction
• “I would love to be a part … organised.”: expression of interest
• “I request you to grant me permission to join the club.”: statement of request
• Yours sincerely,: complimentary close
• Sreelakshmi: signature line

Aarav Sharma
Class 7-B, ABC Public School
New Delhi

24 August 2026

The Principal
ABC Public School
New Delhi

Subject: Request to organise an excursion to a hill station for Grade 7

Madam,

I am Aarav Sharma, the class representative of Grade 7-B, writing on behalf of all Grade 7 students.

After reading the unit Travel and Adventure, we are eager to visit the hills. A trip to Nainital or Kasauli would let us go on a short guided trek, see a lake and study plants and birds.

I request you to kindly organise a two-day excursion for Grade 7 during the winter break. Our class teachers could accompany us, and we will bring written permission from our parents and follow every instruction.

Yours sincerely,
Aarav Sharma

Five mountaineers for the booklet: Tenzing Norgay (first to climb Everest, with Edmund Hillary, 1953) · Bachendri Pal (first Indian woman on Everest, 1984) · Arunima Sinha (first Indian female amputee on Everest, 2013) · Santosh Yadav (first woman to climb Everest twice, 1992 and 1993) · Premlata Agarwal (first Indian woman to climb the Seven Summits).