Complete Summary and Solutions for The Tunnel – Class 7 English Chapter 4 | Explanation, Questions & Answers
Detailed summary, explanation, and complete NCERT solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 4 “The Tunnel” from the Poorvi textbook, including characters, theme, textbook Q&A, exercises, grammar, and comprehension for 2025 exams.
Updated: 6 months ago
The Tunnel
Class 7 English NCERT • Unit: Travel & Adventure — Ruskin Bond (adapted)
Summary of “The Tunnel”
Suraj, a curious boy, often goes to the cutting in the jungle to watch trains emerge from a tunnel. One day he meets Sunder Singh, the watchman who tends the tunnel. Sunder Singh is a calm, resourceful man who has effectively 'lent' his tunnel to the Government and knows the jungle well. He invites Suraj to sit with him and tells him about his job and the night routine of inspecting the tunnel.
At dusk they hear strange night sounds. Sunder Singh explains he will inspect the tunnel for dangers before the night mail comes. As they walk in, they find a leopard crouched between the tracks. Sunder Singh and Suraj shout together and the leopard slips away into the darkness. They walk the length of the tunnel to make sure it has gone. Soon the train rushes through with thunder and steam. Later, when Suraj travels by train with his father, he watches for Sunder Singh’s lamp, thinking of the watchman who lights the darkness like a firefly. (Adapted from the uploaded PDF.) :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Key Themes
- Man and nature – coexistence and respect.
- Courage and calmness in the face of danger (Sunder Singh).
- Curiosity and the spirit of adventure (Suraj).
- Sound imagery and atmosphere (train, jungle sounds).
Main Characters
Suraj
A young, adventurous boy who loves watching trains and exploring the cutting near the tunnel. He is curious and brave enough to follow Sunder Singh into the tunnel. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Sunder Singh (Watchman)
The watchman who cares for the tunnel. He is familiar with the jungle, calm, practical and protective—he inspects the tunnel and signals the locomotive if there is danger. He is called a 'firefly' because his lamp lights the darkness for trains. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
The Leopard
A wild animal that sometimes visits the cutting. It is described as lithe and sinewy; the leopard is more afraid of people than likely to attack them in this episode. Sunder Singh knows it well. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Textbook Questions & Answers
1. What did Sunder Singh mean when he said he had 'lent' his tunnel to the Government?
He meant that although the tunnel belongs to the Government, no one else looks after it; he performs the duty of a watchman and cares for it as if it were his own. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
2. Why did Sunder Singh take his axe with him into the tunnel?
He took the axe as a precautionary measure — he was cautious and ready to protect himself and Suraj if needed while trying to drive the leopard out so the train wouldn't run it over. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
3. How did Suraj know Sunder Singh was at the tunnel when the train passed by later?
Suraj saw the watchman’s lamp and recognized that Sunder Singh was there to inspect the tunnel; the lamp served as a signal. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
4. What made the leopard disappear into the darkness?
The shout of Suraj and Sunder Singh together frightened the leopard, which then slipped away into the dark end of the tunnel. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Comprehension (Passage-based)
Passage: “The tunnel was still full of smoke from the train, but it would be several hours before another train came through.”
(i) What does the sentence imply? — That until the next train comes, the cutting and the tunnel belong to the jungle and its life, and human activity is minimal. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
(ii) What image does the train create for Suraj? — Suraj imagines the train as a powerful creature, like a dragon that charges through the tunnel. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Passage: “It was crouching between the tracks, only five metres away from them.”
Q: What was the position and behaviour of the leopard?
A: The leopard was crouching low between the railway tracks, baring its teeth and snarling — ready to spring, but not very large; lithe and sinewy. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
Grammar & Vocabulary
Important Words & Meanings
- shimmered — shined with a moving light. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
- cutting — a narrow valley cut through a hill for the railway line. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
- plume of smoke — a long thin cloud of smoke. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
- dazzled — blinded by bright light. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
- lithe — thin and graceful; sinewy — lean and muscular. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
Grammar Focus
- 'Would' to express past habits: The watchman's routine (e.g., "he would walk the length of the tunnel") — used to describe repeated past actions. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
- Onomatopoeia / Sound words: Words like clanging, hissing, puffing, rustle create atmosphere and imitate sounds from the text. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
- Direct & Indirect Speech: Practice converting dialogues between Suraj and Sunder Singh.
Activities & Projects
- Draw a labelled map/diagram of the cutting and the tunnel showing the watchman's hut and the tracks. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
- Write a descriptive paragraph about a train journey, using vivid sensory details (sound words from the chapter). :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
- Collect sound words (onomatopoeia) from the chapter and create a short sound-poem. :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
- Role-play: Sunder Singh explains his routine to Suraj — practice using 'would' to describe past habits.
Interactive Quiz – Test Yourself!
Click on any option — you will get instant feedback and an explanation.
Quick Revision
Suraj (curious boy) → meets Sunder Singh (watchman) → they inspect tunnel → find a leopard → shout it away → train rushes through → Suraj later sees Sunder Singh’s lamp from the train: the watchman is the 'firefly' guiding trains. Themes: friendship, courage, nature, sound imagery. :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
As an Amazon Associate, ProSyllabus earns from qualifying purchases. Prices shown are subject to change.
Test your CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment prep
Quizzes
10 questions · ~10 minutes · instant rank & AI diagnosis
Integers and Rational Numbers Fundamentals | CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment
Class 7 Social Science — Banks and the Magic of Finance (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Infrastructure: Engine of India's Development (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The State, the Government, and You (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — India, a Home to Many (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Turning Tides: 11th and 12th Centuries (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — India and Her Neighbours (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The Story of Indian Farming (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Understanding Markets (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — From Barter to Money (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The Constitution of India — An Introduction (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — How the Land Becomes Sacred (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The Age of Reorganisation (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — The Rise of Empires (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — New Beginnings: Cities and States (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Climates of India (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Understanding the Weather (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Social Science — Geographical Diversity of India (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — परिशिष्टम् २ — धातुरूपाणि एवं सन्धि-परिचयः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — परिशिष्टम् १ — शब्दरूपाणि (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — वर्णमात्रा-परिचयः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — वीराङ्गना पन्नाधाया (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — द्वीपेषु रम्यः द्वीपोऽण्डमानः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — दशमः कः? (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — अन्नाद् भवन्ति भूतानि (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — हितं मनोहारि च दुर्लभं वचः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — ईशावास्यम् इदं सर्वम् (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — क्रीडाम वयं श्लोकान्त्याक्षरीम् (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — सेवा हि परमो धर्मः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — न लभ्यते चेत् आम्लं द्राक्षाफलम् (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — मित्राय नमः (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — नित्यं पिबामः सुभाषितरसम् (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Sanskrit — वन्दे भारतमातरम् (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — मीरा के पद (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — चिड़िया (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — बिरजू महाराज से साक्षात्कार (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — वर्षा-बहार (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — गिरिधर कविराय की कुंडलियाँ (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — नहीं होना बीमार (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — पानी रे पानी (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — फूल और काँटा (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — तीन बुद्धिमान (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Hindi — माँ, कह एक कहानी (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 English — Bravehearts (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 English — Travel and Adventure (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 English — Dreams and Discoveries (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 English — Wit and Humour (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 English — Learning Together (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Finding the Unknown (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Constructions and Tilings (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Connecting the Dots… (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Another Peek Beyond the Point (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Finding Common Ground (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Operations with Integers (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Geometric Twins (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Working with Fractions (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — A Tale of Three Intersecting Lines (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Number Play (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Parallel and Intersecting Lines (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Expressions Using Letter-Numbers (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — A Peek Beyond the Point (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Arithmetic Expressions (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Maths — Large Numbers Around Us (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Earth, Moon, and the Sun (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Light: Shadows and Reflections (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Life Processes in Plants (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Life Processes in Animals (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Measurement of Time and Motion (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Heat Transfer in Nature (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Adolescence: A Stage of Growth and Change (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Changes Around Us: Physical and Chemical (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — The World of Metals and Non-metals (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Electricity: Circuits and their Components (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — Exploring Substances: Acidic, Basic, and Neutral (Practice Quiz)
Class 7 Science — The Ever-Evolving World of Science (Practice Quiz)
Simple Equations and Applications Practice Quiz | CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment
Visualising Solid Shapes Advanced Challenge | CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment
Tracing Changes Through Time Fundamentals | CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment
Nutrition in Plants Fundamentals | CBSE Class 7 Annual Assessment
Group Discussions
No forum posts available.
