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Class 10 · Tamil Nadu State Board

Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Unit 6 Exercise Solutions | KalviGavani

Tamil Nadu Class 10 English Unit 6 exercise solutions covering The Castaway prose, No Men Are Foreign poem, The Little Hero of Holland supplementary, grammar, vocabulary, and detailed answer writing.

Updated 15 June 202619 min read

How to Use This Page

This page provides complete exercise solutions for Tamil Nadu State Board Class 10 English Unit 6. Follow this sequence for best results:

1. Key Concepts — review themes and literary devices before writing answers. 2. Prose / Poem / Supplementary — read the model solutions, then write in your own words. 3. Grammar and Vocabulary — practise the worked examples until the patterns are internalised. 4. Common Mistakes — avoid the most frequent errors students make in board exams. 5. Exam Checklist — use this as your final revision tool before the exam.

Understanding the reasoning behind each answer matters more than memorising the wording.

Key Concepts (Quick Recap)

Themes Across Unit 6

SectionCore ThemeSecondary Theme
Prose: The CastawaySurvival and resilienceLoneliness and human endurance
Poem: No Men Are ForeignUniversal brotherhoodFutility of war and hatred
Supplementary: The Little Hero of HollandCourage and self-sacrificeDuty beyond age

Literary Devices to Spot

  • Imagery — vivid descriptions of the island, sea, and the cold night in the dike story.
  • Repetition — "Remember" in the poem reinforces the message of unity.
  • Metaphor — "No men are foreign" treats national boundaries as meaningless constructs.
  • Personification — The sea and nature are described as living forces in The Castaway.
  • Irony — A small child does what adults fail to do in The Little Hero of Holland.

Key Vocabulary

WordMeaningExample Sentence
castawaya person shipwrecked and strandedThe castaway survived on the island for months.
resilienceability to recover from difficultiesHer resilience helped her overcome every setback.
fraternitybrotherhood, unity among peopleThe poem calls for global fraternity.
dikea wall or embankment to prevent floodingThe boy plugged the hole in the dike with his finger.
perilserious dangerHe faced great peril but did not retreat.
brethrenbrothers, fellow humansAll men are brethren beneath their different uniforms.

Prose: The Castaway

Short Answers

1. What is the story The Castaway about?
AnswerThe story is about a person who is stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck. Cut off from civilisation, the castaway must use intelligence, physical effort, and willpower to survive until rescue or escape becomes possible.
2. How does the castaway survive on the island?
AnswerThe castaway survives by finding fresh water, building shelter, learning to catch fish and gather edible plants, and creating tools from available materials. Every day is a struggle, but careful planning and observation make survival possible.
3. What is the greatest challenge the castaway faces?
AnswerThe greatest challenge is loneliness. While hunger, weather, and physical danger are serious, the absence of human companionship and the uncertainty of rescue test the castaway's mental strength more than anything else.
4. What does the castaway learn from the experience?
AnswerThe castaway learns that human beings are more resourceful than they realise. In normal life, we depend on others for almost everything. In isolation, the castaway discovers hidden strengths and a deeper appreciation for human connection.
5. Why is the title "The Castaway" significant?
Answer"Castaway" literally means thrown away or stranded. The title reflects not just the physical state of being shipwrecked but also the emotional experience of feeling abandoned. The word carries both physical and psychological meaning.
6. How does nature play a role in the story?
AnswerNature is both enemy and provider. The sea causes the shipwreck and blocks escape, but the island also provides food, water, and shelter. The castaway must learn to read nature's signs — weather patterns, tides, and seasonal changes — to survive.
7. What qualities help the castaway survive?
AnswerPatience, observation, adaptability, courage, and hope. The castaway does not panic or give up. Each problem is met with a practical solution born from careful thinking.
8. What is the message of the lesson?
AnswerThe message is that human endurance and willpower can overcome extreme adversity. Isolation teaches us the value of what we take for granted — companionship, community, and the comfort of home.

Paragraph Answers

1. Describe the castaway's life on the island.
Answer

Life on the island is a daily battle against nature and despair. The castaway begins with nothing — no tools, no food stored, no knowledge of the terrain. The first priority is water, found after searching the island. Shelter comes next, built from branches and leaves. Food is the hardest challenge; the castaway learns which plants are safe, fashions a fishing line from vines, and hunts small animals. Days follow a strict routine: check traps, gather food, maintain the shelter, scan the horizon for ships. Nights are the loneliest, filled with doubt about whether rescue will ever come. Yet over time, the castaway grows more confident, and the island that was once a prison becomes a place of learning and self-discovery.

2. Loneliness is the castaway's greatest enemy. Discuss.
Answer

Physical hardships can be tackled with skill and effort. Loneliness is different — it attacks the mind. The castaway has no one to talk to, no one to share fears with, and no one to confirm that survival is worthwhile. The silence of the island is more oppressive than the heat or the storms. The castaway fights this by maintaining routines, keeping a journal, talking aloud, and creating a sense of purpose. Without these psychological strategies, physical survival would mean little because the will to live would fade. The story shows that humans are social beings; we need connection as much as we need food and water.

Character Sketch

The Castaway

The castaway is an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Before the shipwreck, they likely led a normal life with no special training for survival. What emerges under pressure is remarkable — patience in the face of boredom, courage in the face of danger, and creativity in the face of scarcity. The castaway is not fearless; fear is present every day. The distinguishing trait is the refusal to surrender to fear. Mistakes are made and learned from. Setbacks are met with new plans rather than despair. By the end, the castaway is changed — stronger, more grateful, and deeply aware of how much every human being depends on community.

Theme Analysis

The central theme is human resilience. The story demonstrates that people are capable of far more than they believe when circumstances demand it. Secondary themes include the duality of nature (destroyer and provider), the psychological toll of isolation, and the fundamental human need for connection.

Poem: No Men Are Foreign

Central Idea

James Kirkup's poem "No Men Are Foreign" delivers a powerful message of universal brotherhood. It declares that all human beings, regardless of nationality, race, or religion, share the same fundamental nature. Divisions created by borders, uniforms, and languages are artificial. War and hatred between nations are therefore self-destructive because we harm our own kind.

Line-by-Line Explanation

"Remember, no men are foreign..."

The poem opens with a direct command to the reader. "Foreign" means strange or alien. The poet asserts that no human being is truly alien to another. This is the poem's central claim.

"No countries strange..."

Just as no people are foreign, no land is truly strange. The earth is one; national boundaries are human inventions. This line challenges the very idea of "enemy territory."

"Beneath all uniforms..."

Uniforms represent military identity — they divide soldiers into "us" and "them." But beneath every uniform is the same human body that breathes, bleeds, and feels pain. The uniform hides our common humanity.

"A single body breathes..."

All humans share the same biology. We all breathe the same air, walk on the same earth, and will one day return to the same dust. Biology does not recognise borders.

"They, too, aware of sun and air and water..."

People in every land need the same things — sunlight, air, and water. These are gifts of nature that belong to no nation. The poet reminds us that our basic needs are identical.

"Are fed by peaceful harvests..."

Everyone desires peace and the fruits of honest labour. No one wants war or starvation. The "harvests" symbolise the peaceful life that all people prefer.

"Remember they have eyes like ours..."

Enemies have the same capacity to see, to love, and to dream. Their eyes are not different from ours. This line strips away the dehumanisation that makes war possible.

"In every land is life lived..."

Every country has the same human experiences — birth, love, work, suffering, and death. No culture or nation has a monopoly on any of these.

"Let us remember..."

The repeated imperative drives the message home. It is a moral instruction, not just a statement of fact.

"Who shall return to dust..."

Death is the ultimate equaliser. Every human body, regardless of nationality, returns to the same earth. This image makes the idea of "enemy" absurd — we all share the same beginning and the same end.

"War is organised hate..."

The poet's sharpest statement. War is not natural conflict but organised, deliberate hatred. If we remember our shared humanity, this organised hate becomes impossible to sustain.

Literary Devices

DeviceExampleEffect
Repetition"Remember"Commands attention, reinforces the moral message
Metaphor"Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes"Uniforms represent division; the body represents unity
Imagery"Sun and air and water," "peaceful harvests"Universal images that transcend nationality
Alliteration"single body breathes"Links the words to emphasise oneness
IronyUniforms meant to distinguish actually conceal our samenessChallenges the reader to look deeper

Important Quotes

1. "Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange" — The poem's thesis in one line. 2. "Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes" — The most quoted line; it reveals unity beneath surface divisions. 3. "They, too, aware of sun and air and water, are fed by peaceful harvests" — Shows that fundamental human needs and desires are universal. 4. "War is organised hate" — The poem's warning; hatred is not natural but constructed and must be unlearned.

Textbook Exercise Answers

1. What does the title "No Men Are Foreign" mean?
AnswerThe title means that no human being is truly alien or foreign to another. All people share the same nature, needs, and destiny. Nationality does not change our fundamental humanity.
2. Why does the poet ask us to "remember" repeatedly?
AnswerThe repetition of "remember" emphasises that the message is easy to forget. In times of conflict, people are quick to see others as enemies. The poet insists we must consciously remember our shared humanity.
3. What is the poet's view on war?
AnswerThe poet condemns war as "organised hate." War is not a natural or necessary activity; it is a deliberate act of hatred that harms both sides because all humans are the same beneath their uniforms.
4. How does the poet show that all people are the same?
AnswerThe poet shows this by listing what all people share: the same body that breathes, the same needs for sun, air, and water, the same desire for peaceful harvests, the same eyes that see and dream, and the same fate of returning to dust.
5. Explain: "Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes."
AnswerUniforms create the illusion that soldiers from different nations are different kinds of beings. The poet reveals that beneath every uniform — whether it belongs to one country or another — there is the same human body with the same needs and feelings.

Supplementary: The Little Hero of Holland

Story Summary

This story is based on the famous Dutch legend about a young boy who saves his village from flooding. Holland (the Netherlands) is a country much of which lies below sea level. Dikes — strong walls of earth and stone — keep the sea out. One evening, a boy walking home notices that a small stream of water is leaking through a hole in the dike. He knows that even a small leak can grow and flood the entire village. Unable to find help, he pushes his finger into the hole and holds it there all through the cold, dark night. By morning, adults find him frozen and exhausted, but the village is safe.

Character Analysis

The Little Hero

The boy is young, which makes his act extraordinary. He has no special training, no authority, and no one to guide him. What he has is awareness — he notices the leak when others might have walked past — and resolve — he acts immediately without waiting for permission or help. His physical suffering through the cold night shows that courage is not about feeling no pain; it is about enduring pain for a cause bigger than yourself. The boy does not think of himself as a hero. He simply does what needs to be done.

Short Answers

1. Why are dikes important in Holland?
AnswerMuch of Holland lies below sea level. Dikes are walls that hold back the sea. Without dikes, the sea would flood the land, destroying homes, farms, and lives.
2. What did the boy notice while walking home?
AnswerThe boy noticed a small stream of water flowing through a hole in the dike. He recognised that this leak could grow larger and flood the village.
3. Why did the boy put his finger in the hole?
AnswerHe could not find anyone to help, and he knew that waiting would make the leak worse. Plugging the hole with his finger was the only immediate way to stop the water from flowing in.
4. How long did the boy stay at the dike?
AnswerThe boy stayed at the dike through the entire night, enduring cold, darkness, and pain, until adults found him the next morning.
5. What happened when the adults found the boy?
AnswerThe adults found the boy cold, tired, and in pain, but alive. They repaired the dike properly and praised the boy for his bravery. The village was saved because of his action.
6. Why is the boy called a hero?
AnswerThe boy is called a hero because he risked his own safety and comfort to save others. He did not wait for someone else to act; he took responsibility himself despite being very young.

Paragraph Answers

1. Describe the boy's night at the dike.
Answer

The boy's night was long, cold, and painful. As the sun set, the temperature dropped and the wind from the sea cut through his thin clothes. His finger, pressed into the hole, grew numb and then painful from the cold water. In the darkness, he could hear the sea pounding against the other side of the dike, and every sound must have made him wonder whether the wall would hold. He called out for help several times, but no one heard. The hours passed slowly. He wanted to leave, to go home to warmth, but he knew that removing his finger would let the water rush in. So he stayed. By morning, he was shivering and barely able to speak, but the leak had not grown. His single act of stubborn courage had held back the sea.

2. What does the story teach about responsibility?
Answer

The story teaches that responsibility does not depend on age or authority. The boy was the youngest and least powerful person in the village, yet he took responsibility when no one else was present. He did not say "this is not my job" or "someone else will handle it." He saw a problem and acted. The story challenges the common belief that only adults or leaders can make a difference. It also shows that responsibility often begins with simple awareness — noticing what others overlook — and follows through with action, even when the action is small or uncomfortable.

Grammar and Vocabulary

Sentence Transformation

Simple, Compound, and Complex Sentences

TypeStructureExample
SimpleOne main clauseThe castaway built a shelter.
CompoundTwo main clauses joined by and/but/soThe castaway built a shelter, and he gathered food.
ComplexMain clause + subordinate clauseAlthough the castaway built a shelter, he feared the storms.

Exercise: Transform as directed.

1. Simple to Compound: "Despite being tired, the boy held on." → The boy was tired, but he held on.

2. Compound to Complex: "He saw the leak, so he plugged it." → When he saw the leak, he plugged it.

3. Complex to Simple: "Because he was brave, he survived." → Being brave, he survived.

Exclamatory and Assertive Interchange

Exercise:

1. Exclamatory to Assertive: "What a brave boy he is!" → He is a very brave boy.

2. Assertive to Exclamatory: "The night was very long." → What a long night it was!

3. Exclamatory to Assertive: "How cold the water was!" → The water was very cold.

"Too...to" and "So...that" Transformation

Exercise:

1. The boy was too small to be heard. → The boy was so small that he could not be heard.

2. The storm was too fierce to sail through. → The storm was so fierce that no one could sail through it.

3. He was too weak to stand. → He was so weak that he could not stand.

Negative to Affirmative and Vice Versa

1. Negative to Affirmative: "No one can deny his bravery." → Everyone must admit his bravery.

2. Affirmative to Negative: "Only the brave survive." → None but the brave survive.

3. Negative to Affirmative: "He did not fail to notice the leak." → He certainly noticed the leak.

Vocabulary: Antonyms and Synonyms

WordSynonymAntonym
castawayshipwrecked, maroonedrescued, settled
resiliencetoughness, endurancefragility, weakness
foreignalien, unfamiliarnative, familiar
fraternitybrotherhood, solidaritydivision, hostility
perildanger, risksafety, security
endurebear, withstandsurrender, give up
harvestcrop, yieldfamine, scarcity

Comprehension Passage (Practice)

Read the passage and answer the questions:

The boy had no thought of leaving his post. Though his hand ached and his body shivered, he knew that even a minute's absence could spell disaster. The sea was relentless, pushing always against the dike. But so was the boy — small, cold, and unmovable. By dawn, his finger had swollen and his lips were blue, but the water had not passed.

1. Why did the boy not leave his post? The boy did not leave because he knew that removing his finger would allow water to rush in and flood the village.

2. What does "the sea was relentless" mean? It means the sea was constantly pushing and never giving up, just as the boy was constantly holding and never giving up.

3. What physical condition was the boy in by dawn? By dawn, the boy's finger was swollen and his lips were blue from the cold, showing extreme physical suffering.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Writing a summary instead of an analysis. When asked for a theme or character sketch, do not retell the story. State the trait or theme and support it with specific evidence.

2. Ignoring the word "Remember" in the poem. The repetition is not accidental — it is a literary device. Mention it in your analysis.

3. Confusing "castaway" with "cast out." A castaway is someone stranded by circumstance (shipwreck), not someone expelled by choice.

4. Over-simplifying the poem. Saying "the poem says we should not fight" is too vague. Say "the poem argues that war is organised hate because all humans share the same nature, needs, and destiny."

5. Forgetting the context of the dike story. Holland's geography is essential. Without mentioning that much of the land is below sea level, the reader cannot understand why the dike matters so much.

6. Wrong sentence transformation patterns. "No sooner had the bell rung than the students left" — remember: "No sooner" takes past perfect and "than" (not "when").

7. Writing "too...to" transformations without adjusting the subject. "He is too weak to walk" becomes "He is so weak that he cannot walk" — the negative "cannot" is essential.

8. Using "more + comparative form." "More braver" is wrong. Use either "braver" or "more courageous," never both together.

Exam Checklist

  • [ ] Can I describe the castaway's survival strategies with specific examples?
  • [ ] Can I explain why loneliness is the castaway's greatest enemy?
  • [ ] Can I quote at least two lines from "No Men Are Foreign" and explain them?
  • [ ] Can I explain the significance of "Remember" in the poem?
  • [ ] Can I narrate the key events of The Little Hero of Holland in sequence?
  • [ ] Can I explain why the boy's act was heroic despite being physically small?
  • [ ] Have I practised sentence transformation (simple/compound/complex)?
  • [ ] Can I convert "too...to" to "so...that" and vice versa?
  • [ ] Can I change exclamatory sentences to assertive and back?
  • [ ] Do I know the meanings of: castaway, resilience, fraternity, peril, dike, brethren?
  • [ ] Have I written at least two full paragraph answers (5-8 sentences)?
  • [ ] Can I distinguish between a character sketch and a story summary?

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Chapter Notes

Tamil Nadu Class 10 English Unit 6 Poem - No Men Are Foreign

Chapter Notes

Tamil Nadu Class 10 English Unit 6 Prose - The Last Lesson

Chapter Notes

Tamil Nadu Class 10 English Unit 6 Supplementary - The Little Hero of Holland