Read: The Kites

Class 6 English · Chapter 14: The Kites · NCERT Poorvi section pp. 140–142

Learn

Before you read: have you ever flown a kite or watched kites in the sky? What colours and shapes did you see? How did the kite move: did it dance, dive or float? Share in pairs.

What the poem says (in our words): in this poem by Daphne Lister, a child watches kites flying high in a windy sky, looking like coloured birds. The child wishes to be small and light as air, so they could climb onto a kite and sail up, drifting about and hearing the songs of the wind.

The child's dream: from up there, the child would look right down on the park and the rooftops of the town. People below would stand and stare, wishing they were up there too, high, high in the sky. The poem captures the joy of flying and the freedom children imagine.

Explore: what happens in the poem?

1. Sort each idea.

Remember

• The child sees kites like coloured birds in a windy sky.
• The child dreams of riding a kite high above the town.

Quick check

What does the child wish to be in the poem?

1. Small and light as air
2. Tall and strong
3. A bird catcher
4. A kite seller

Think about it

If you could ride a kite, what would you like to look down on?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.