The Tunnel – Class 7 English Poorvi Question Answer (NCERT 2026–27)
Complete NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Poorvi Unit 4 (Travel and Adventure) – “The Tunnel” by Ruskin Bond: summary, theme, about the author, word meanings and every textbook exercise (Let us discuss Parts I & II, Let us think and reflect, Let us learn) answered in full. The questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT book, and every table, fill-in, flow chart and matching task is written out as readable text.
Class: 7Subject: EnglishBook: PoorviUnit: 4 – Travel and AdventureType: Story (Ruskin Bond)Session: 2026–27
“The Tunnel” is a warm adventure story from Unit 4, ‘Travel and Adventure’, set in a still, sunlit jungle where a railway line cuts through a hillside tunnel. A curious town boy, Suraj, cycles out to watch the steam engine roar out of the tunnel and walks through the dark tunnel himself. There he befriends Sunder Singh, the lonely watchman, and together they brave a leopard one night to save it from being run over by the night mail. The story celebrates curiosity, courage, kindness towards animals and the quiet beauty of life close to nature.
About the author
Ruskin Bond (born 1934 in Kasauli) is one of India’s best-loved English writers, famous for his warm, simple stories about life in the hills around Mussoorie and Dehradun. He began writing as a teenager and won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for his first novel, The Room on the Roof. His stories are filled with affection for nature, animals, children, railways and the changing seasons of the Himalayas. He has received the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan. “The Tunnel” reflects his lifelong love of trains, the jungle and gentle, courageous characters who feel at home in the wild.
Summary
It was almost noon, and the jungle was very still as Suraj stood near the cutting to watch the midday train. He had cycled out of town and walked over a scrub-covered hill to the tunnel exit. Soon the steam engine shot out of the tunnel like a green, black and gold dragon, showering sparks, before the silence returned. Curious to know what the inside of a tunnel was really like, Suraj walked right through the dark, damp tunnel, where a bat flew past and a lizard scuttled across the lines. As he came out into the glare, he glimpsed a flash of orange and gold – a leopard moving between the trees.
Near the entrance stood the watchman’s hut. The watchman, Sunder Singh, welcomed Suraj and explained his duty: every day and night he walked the length of the tunnel and, if there was danger, waved a red flag or lamp to warn the engine driver. He told Suraj the leopard was “his” – a harmless one that minded its own business. He invited the boy to come back and watch the night mail at nine o’clock.
The next evening Suraj returned. They drank tea, and as the night mail drew near they heard a rhythmic sawing sound – the leopard was in the tunnel. To save it from being run over, Sunder Singh took his axe and, with Suraj close behind, entered the tunnel shouting. Their voices echoed, and the leopard turned and disappeared into the darkness. The night mail then thundered safely through. A week later Suraj travelled in that very train with his father; he could not see Sunder Singh, but he saw the lamp, and knew his friend was out there – a firefly lighting up the darkness for steam engines and leopards.
Theme & message
The central theme is curiosity, courage and harmony with nature. Suraj’s adventurous wish to explore the tunnel leads him to a true friendship with the watchman and a brave night-time rescue of a leopard. The story shows that the jungle, though wild, can be safer and gentler than the noisy town, and that real courage means acting kindly even when afraid. Its message is that we should respect and protect wildlife, value simple lonely lives lived close to nature, and let curiosity open the door to friendship and adventure.
Word meanings
Word
English meaning
Hindi meaning
shimmered
shined with a light that appears to move
झिलमिलाया / टिमटिमाया
embankment
a raised wall built to carry the railway over low ground
रेल का चबूतरा / बांध
cutting
a narrow valley cut through a hill for a railway line
पहाड़ी को काटकर बनाया मार्ग
scrub-covered
covered with short trees and bushes
झाड़ियों से ୪का हुआ
instinctively
without thought or plan
सहज स्वभाव से
flinch
make a quick movement (from fear or pain)
सहम उठना / सिहरना
plume of smoke
a long, thin cloud of smoke
धुएं की लंबी लट
contemplation
deep thought
गहरा चिंतन / मनन
reassure
to comfort or calm
आश्वस्त करना
scuttled
ran hurriedly
सरपट कर भागा
dazzled
blinded by bright light
चौंधिया हुआ / आंखें चुंधिया
obstacles
things that block the way
बाधाएँ / रुकावटें
porcupine
a large rodent with sharp spikes on its back
साही (जानवर)
swooped
moved quickly through the air, downwards
झपट्टा नीचे आया
quaint
unusual (in an interesting way)
अनोखा / विचित्र
lithe
thin and graceful
लचीला और फुर्तीला
sinewy
lean and muscular
गठीला और मझबूत
snarling
growling (showing teeth)
गुर्राना / गरजना
defying
opposing or challenging
चुनौती देना / विरोध करना
Let us discuss (Part I)
1. Suraj compares the train to a magical creature. Pick the phrases that convey the meaning.
ANSWERThe phrases that compare the train to a magical creature are: “two straight black serpents” (for the rail lines), “snorting and puffing like some green, black, and gold dragon”, “some beautiful monster out of Suraj’s dreams” and “it roared a challenge to the jungle”. Later the train is again called “the beautiful dragon of his dreams”.
2. Suraj knew that the train was close by because ____________________.
ANSWERSuraj knew the train was close by because he heard the shrill whistle of the engine in the distance, and then a sound like distant thunder issued from the tunnel – even though he could not yet see it, as the train was approaching from the other side of the hill.
3. What did Suraj see inside the tunnel?
ANSWERInside the tunnel Suraj saw almost nothing because it became pitch dark; the other opening looked like a small round circle of light. The walls were damp and sticky, a bat flew past, and a lizard scuttled between the lines.
4. Select the correct option. What does Sunder Singh convey about the tunnel? He says that ____________________ (it is damp and sticky inside / he has lent it to the Government).
ANSWERHe says that he has lent it to the Government. Sunder Singh playfully claims the tunnel is truly his, since no one else wants anything to do with it, and that he has only lent it to the Government.
5. The watchman has created a system through which he informs the locomotive driver about any danger in the tunnel. The following flow chart shows this system. Refer to the text and complete the flow chart.
ANSWER – completed flow chart(i)Walks the length of the tunnel (every day, before the train comes through).(ii)No danger found → goes back to his hut and goes to take a nap.(iii)Danger found (during the day) → walks back up the line and waves a red flag, so the engine driver slows down.(iv) At night, he lights an oil lamp and makes a similar inspection of the tunnel.(v) If danger is found at night, he waves his lamp to warn the locomotive driver; if all is well, he hangs his lamp at the door of his hut and goes to sleep.
Let us discuss (Part II)
1. Sunder Singh knew that the leopard was in the tunnel because ____________.
ANSWERSunder Singh knew the leopard was in the tunnel because they heard a rhythmic sawing sound, as if someone were cutting through the branch of a tree – a sound he recognised at once as the call of the leopard.
2. Why do you think Suraj was unable to do any shouting in the tunnel in the beginning?
(i) He was afraid of the leopard. (ii) He didn’t want to disturb the leopard. (iii) He was trying to listen for the leopard. (iv) He didn’t really believe Sunder Singh.
ANSWER(i) He was afraid of the leopard. The text says Suraj followed close behind but found he was unable to shout because his throat was quite dry – a clear sign of fear.
3. What made the leopard disappear into the darkness?
ANSWERWhen the light from the lamp fell on the leopard, Suraj and Sunder Singh both shouted together and their voices rang through the tunnel. The leopard, uncertain how many terrifying humans were there with it, turned swiftly and disappeared into the darkness.
4. How did Suraj know Sunder Singh was at the tunnel?
ANSWERA week later, while travelling in the night mail with his father, Suraj could not see Sunder Singh in the dark, but as the engine whistled he saw the watchman’s lamp near the cutting. By the glowing lamp he knew that his friend was out there, keeping watch as always.
5. Why did Suraj’s father take him along to Delhi?
ANSWERSuraj’s father was going to Delhi on a business trip. He did not know where Suraj got to most of the time, so he decided it was time the boy learnt something about his business and took him along.
Let us think and reflect
I. Read the lines and answer the questions that follow.
1. “Suraj had to turn and look back at the opening to reassure himself that there was still daylight outside… The tunnel was still full of smoke from the train… Suraj didn’t stop, because there was nothing to do in the tunnel and nothing to see.”
ANSWER(i) “Suraj looked back at the opening of the tunnel to check if the train was coming.” → False. He looked back only to reassure himself that there was still daylight outside, not to check for a train.(ii) Suraj did not stop anywhere in the tunnel because A. there was nothing to see in the tunnel.(iii) The sentence ‘Till then, the cutting belonged to the jungle again’ means that after the train had passed, no human or machine was around for several hours, so the quiet cutting once more became a peaceful part of the wild jungle, ruled only by its birds and animals.(iv) Suraj wanted to know what the inside of the tunnel was really like. This highlights his curiosity and adventurous, fearless nature.
2. “‘The train will soon be here,’ said Suraj… ‘Not this leopard. It knows me well… It has a weakness for goats and stray dogs, but it will not harm us. Even so, I’ll take my axe with me. You stay here, Suraj.’”
ANSWER(i) The watchman’s concern was that if they did not drive the leopard out of the tunnel, it would be run over and killed by the approaching night mail – and he could not let that happen.(ii) Sunder Singh was sure the leopard would not attack him and Suraj because it knew him well, they had seen each other many times, and it preyed only on goats and stray dogs, not on humans.(iii) The true sentences are: B. Suraj is concerned about Sunder Singh’s safety; C. The leopard in the tunnel attacks goats and stray dogs; D. Sunder Singh wants to protect Suraj; E. Sunder Singh knows all about the animals in the jungle. (Statement A is false – Suraj does not want to see leopards; he is anxious about the danger.)(iv) Sunder Singh decides to take his axe with him. This tells us that he was B. cautious.
II. Answer the following questions.
ANSWER1. What does Sunder Singh convey by saying that he has lent his tunnel to the Government? He conveys, with gentle humour, that he feels a deep sense of ownership and belonging towards the tunnel. Since no one else cares for it, he treats it as truly his own and imagines that he has merely lent it to the Government for the trains to pass through. It shows his pride, attachment and loneliness.2. According to Sunder Singh, “It is safer in the forest than in the town.” What example does Sunder Singh give to support his opinion? What does this tell us about him? He gives the example that nothing ever happens to him out in the jungle, but the last time he went into town he was almost run over by a bus. This tells us that he is completely at home in the forest, unafraid of its animals, and finds the wild more peaceful and less dangerous than human towns.3. Sunder Singh has become part of the jungle life. Support the view with a suitable reason. Sunder Singh knows the jungle intimately – he recognises every night sound, knows the leopard personally and even calls it “my leopard”, waters his little garden, and lives alone by the tunnel for many years. The birds, the leopard and the trees are his companions, so he has truly blended into and become a natural part of jungle life.4. Sunder Singh and Suraj form an unlikely friendship. What draws them together? Though one is an old lonely watchman and the other a young curious town boy, they are drawn together by a shared love of the jungle, the trains and adventure. Suraj’s curiosity and Sunder Singh’s warmth and hospitality bond them, and their joint courage in driving the leopard out of the tunnel deepens their friendship.5. Why is Sunder Singh referred to as a ‘firefly’? As the night mail rushes through the dark jungle, the only sign of Sunder Singh is his small glowing lamp by the cutting. Like a tiny firefly that lights up the darkness, he silently lights the way and keeps watch for steam engines and leopards, becoming a small but constant point of light for the thousands of travellers passing by.6. Do you think Suraj is an adventure-loving boy? Give reasons. Yes, Suraj is clearly adventure-loving. He cycles out of town alone to watch the steam engine, walks right through a dark, damp tunnel just to know what it feels like, returns at night to see the night mail, and bravely follows Sunder Singh into the tunnel to drive out a leopard. His curiosity, courage and love of the wild all mark him as an adventurous boy.
Let us learn
I. Complete the sentences using the suitable phrases from the text.
ANSWER1. 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.
II. Match the ‘sound words’ with their meanings, then fill in the blanks.
ANSWER – matching1. creaking → (ii) making a long low sound when a door or wooden object moves or is moved.2. chatter → (iii) repeated series of short high sounds made by birds or monkeys.3. hissing → (i) making a noise like a long ‘s’ sound.4. rustle → (v) a soft low, dry sound made by the movement of things such as leaves, paper, etc.5. puffing → (iv) blowing with short, quick blasts, as the wind.
ANSWER – fill in the blanks1. 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 (rustling) of leaves behind him when he was walking in the woods.5. I get disturbed by the continuous chatter (chattering) of the monkeys in the neighbourhood.
III. The use of ‘would’ and ‘used to’.
ANSWER1. ‘Would’ is used here (iii) to talk about a habit in the past – that is, to describe repeated or routine actions that the watchman did regularly over a period of time in the past.2. Completing the paragraph with ‘used to’ or ‘would’:When I was a child we used to live in a village near a forest. Back then, we (i) would 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.Note: with the verb ‘be’ (a state, not an action) we use ‘used to’, so (iii) and (v) take ‘used to be’; the repeated actions take ‘would’.
IV. Use semicolons and colons to punctuate the paragraph.
ANSWER (punctuated)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.
Note: The Let us listen (a treasure-hunt audio map of a museum – the rooms in order are: (i) Library, (ii) Art Gallery, (iii) Weapons Room, (iv) Musical Instruments Section, (v) Auditorium, where the treasure is hidden), Let us speak (a pair role-play giving directions to a trekking site), Let us write (a descriptive paragraph about a train journey) and Let us explore (research on the Atal Tunnel and the history of Indian Railways) are listening, speaking, writing and project tasks to be done in class with your teacher.
Extra questions
Short answer (30–40 words)
1. Why did Suraj come to the cutting near the tunnel?
ANSWERSuraj came to the cutting to watch the midday steam engine come roaring out of the tunnel. He had cycled out of town, left his cycle at a small village, and walked over a scrub-covered hill down to the tunnel exit.
2. How does the watchman describe his leopard?
ANSWERSunder Singh calls it “my leopard” and says it is not dangerous – a leopard that minds its own business. It visits the range for a few days every month and has a weakness for goats and stray dogs, but never harms humans.
3. What did Suraj and Sunder Singh do on the second evening before the night mail came?
ANSWERThey drank hot tea together while listening to the tailorbird and the seven sisters. As twilight faded, Sunder Singh lit his oil lamp and went to inspect the tunnel, while Suraj sat on the cot sipping his tea in the dark.
4. Why did they enter the tunnel that night, and how did they drive the leopard out?
ANSWERThey entered to save the leopard from being run over by the night mail. Raising the lamp and taking an axe, Sunder Singh advanced shouting; when both shouted together, their echoing voices frightened the leopard, which turned and vanished into the darkness.
5. What sights and sounds of the jungle night does the story describe?
ANSWERThe night brought the scent of mango blossoms, flying foxes swooping from the trees, the call of a barking deer, the cry of a fox, the tonk-tonk of a nightjar, and creakings and whisperings from the trees, as though they were coming to life in the dark.
Long answer (100–120 words)
6. Describe Suraj’s first visit to the tunnel and his meeting with Sunder Singh.
ANSWEROn a still, hot noon, Suraj cycled out of town and walked over a scrub-covered hill to the tunnel exit to watch the midday train. The steam engine shot out like a green, black and gold dragon, showering sparks, then the jungle fell silent again. Curious, Suraj walked through the dark, damp tunnel, where a bat flew past and a lizard scuttled by, and glimpsed a leopard on the hillside as he came out. Near the entrance he met Sunder Singh, the watchman, who welcomed him warmly, joked that the tunnel was his own “lent to the Government”, explained his signalling duties, spoke of his harmless leopard, and invited the boy to return that evening to watch the night mail.
7. How does ‘The Tunnel’ show the bond between humans and nature, and the value of courage and kindness?
ANSWERThe story shows a deep, gentle harmony between humans and the wild. Sunder Singh lives alone in the jungle, knows every night sound, befriends a leopard, and finds the forest safer and kinder than the town. When the leopard wanders into the tunnel, he risks the dark and his own safety to save it from the night mail – true courage shown not in violence but in compassion. Young Suraj, though his throat is dry with fear, stands beside his friend and shouts the animal to safety. Their kindness towards the leopard and their respect for the jungle teach us that real bravery means protecting the helpless and living in harmony with nature.
MCQs & Assertion–Reason
1. Why did Suraj come to the cutting near the tunnel?
(a) to catch a train (b) to watch the steam engine come out of the tunnel (c) to meet the watchman (d) to hunt a leopard
ANSWER(b) to watch the steam engine come out of the tunnel.
2. What did the railway lines look like to Suraj?
(a) two ropes (b) two rivers (c) two straight black serpents (d) two silver ribbons
ANSWER(c) two straight black serpents.
3. What did Suraj see between the trees when he came out of the tunnel?
(a) a deer (b) a flash of orange and gold (a leopard) (c) a bear (d) a porcupine
Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.
1. Assertion (A): Suraj walked through the dark tunnel even though there was nothing to see in it.
Reason (R): He simply wanted to know what the inside of a tunnel was really like.
ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
2. Assertion (A): Sunder Singh and Suraj entered the tunnel to drive the leopard out.
Reason (R): If the leopard stayed in the tunnel, the night mail would run it over and kill it.
ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
3. Assertion (A): Suraj was unable to shout when he first entered the tunnel with the watchman.
Reason (R): His throat was quite dry because he was afraid of the leopard.
ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
4. Assertion (A): Sunder Singh believed the jungle was more dangerous than the town.
Reason (R): He was almost run over by a bus the last time he went into town.
ANSWER(d) A is false – Sunder Singh believed the jungle was safer than the town – while R is true and is the very example he gave.
5. Assertion (A): Suraj thought of Sunder Singh as a firefly in the darkness.
Reason (R): His glowing lamp was the only light Suraj could see by the cutting as the night mail passed.
ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.
Exam tips & common mistakes
Exam tips
• Remember the sequence: midday train → Suraj walks through the tunnel → meets Sunder Singh → returns at night → drives the leopard out → sees the lamp from the train.
• Always name the author (Ruskin Bond) and the two main characters (Suraj and the watchman Sunder Singh) in long answers.
• For the ‘firefly’ question, link the glowing lamp in the darkness to the image of a firefly.
• Use the dragon/serpent imagery to answer questions on how the train is described.
Common mistakes
• Do not write that they entered the tunnel to hunt the leopard – they went to save it from the train.
• Sunder Singh thought the jungle was safer than the town, not more dangerous.
• The leopard was frightened away by their shouting, not by the axe.
• The danger signal by day is a red flag; by night it is the lamp – do not mix them up.
FAQs
Who wrote ‘The Tunnel’ and where is it set?
It was written by Ruskin Bond and is set in a quiet jungle where a railway line passes through a tunnel in a hillside, near a small village in the hills.
What is the main message of ‘The Tunnel’?
The story celebrates curiosity, courage and harmony with nature, and shows that true bravery means protecting wildlife and helping others, even when one is afraid.
Why is Sunder Singh called a ‘firefly’?
As the night mail passes, his small glowing lamp is the only light in the dark jungle, so he seems like a firefly lighting up the darkness for the trains and the leopard.
Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Poorvi textbook; the summary, author note and all answers are written originally by ClearStudy.
