Students can access the CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English with Solutions and marking scheme Set 3 will help students in understanding the difficulty level of the exam.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Set 3 with Solutions
Time: 3 Hours
Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions:
1. This paper is divided into two parts: A and B. All questions are compulsory.
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
Part-A
Multiple Choice Questions (40 Marks)
Reading (20 Marks)
Question 1.
Read the passage given below. (10 Marks)
1. Caged behind thick glass, the most famous dancer in the world can easily be missed in the National Museum, Delhi. The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro is that rare artefact that even school children are familiar with. Our school textbooks also communicate the wealth of our 5000 year heritage of art. You have to be alert to her existence there, amid terracotta animals to rediscover this bronze image.
2. Most of us have seen her only in photographs or sketches, therefore, the impact of actually holding her is magnified a million times over. One discovers that the dancing girls has no feet. She is small, a little over 10 cm tall – the length of a human palm – but she surprises us with the power of great art – the ability to communicate across centuries.
3. A series of bangles – of shell or ivory or thin metal – clothe her left upper arm all the way down to her fingers. A necklace with three pendants bunched together and a few bangles above the elbow and wrist on the right hand display an almost modem art.
4. She speaks of the undaunted, ever hopeful human spirit. She reminds us that it is important to visit museums in our country to experience the impact that a work of art leaves on our senses, to find among all the riches one particular vision of beauty that speaks to us along.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten questions from the twelve that follow. (10 × 1 = 10)
(i) Why dancing girl can easily be missed in the National Museum?
(a) There are various statues in the museum
(b) It is very small
(c) It does not impress
(d) It is placed among old sketches
Answer:
(b) It is very small
(ii) Which information is not given in the passage?
(a) The girl is caged behind glass
(b) She is a rare artefact
(c) School books communicate the wealth of our heritage
(d) She cannot be rediscovered as she’s bronze
Answer:
(d) She cannot be rediscovered as she’s bronze
(iii) ‘Great Art’ has power because:
(a) it appeals to us despite a passage of time
(b) it is small and can be understood
(c) it’s seen in pictures and sketches
(d) it’s magnified a million times
Answer:
(a) it appeals to us despite a passage of time
(iv) Why is the Dancing Girl a surprising image?
(a) She has long feet
(b) She has small hands
(c) She has no feet
(d) She is made of iron
Answer:
(c) She has no feet
(v) During the Mohenjo-daro period, women liked:
(a) dancing
(b) travelling
(c) jewellery
(d) knitting
Answer:
(c) jewellery
(vi) According to the given passage, the art ………………..
(a) leaves impression on one’s senses
(b) gives us hope
(c) does not communicate
(d) speaks about textbooks
Answer:
(a) leaves impression on one’s senses
(vii) The passage attempts to ………………… the readers.
(a) provoke
(b) evoke
(c) rebuke
(d) warm
Answer:
(b) evoke
(viii) What are the two correct meanings of the word ‘existence’ used in the passage.
1. The state of being present
2. The state of being alive
3. The way of living
4. The way of creating
5. The way of experiencing
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 4
(c) 3 and 5
(d) 1 and 3
Answer:
(d) 1 and 3
(ix) What does ‘the ability to communicate across centuries’ mean?
(a) The art speaks across ages.
(b) The art is timeless.
(c) The art leaves impact on senses.
(d) The art has great power.
(b) The art is timeless.
(x) Select the option that makes the correct use of “impact”, as used in the passage, to fill in the blank space.
(a) His speech made a profound …………………… on the audience.
(b) The distressed people leave ……………………
(c) ………………. of press in democracy is very important.
(d) The press functions as the custodian of ……………………..
Answer:
(a) His speech made a profound …………………… on the audience.
(xi) The passage focuses on the ………………..
(a) series of bangles
(b) communicative art
(c) modem, life
(d) National Museum
Answer:
(b) communicative art
(xii) What is the apt heading for the last paragraph of the passage?
(a) The Dancing Girl
(b) The Art is Beautiful
(c) Visit Museums
(d) Human Spirit
Answer:
(b) The Art is Beautiful
Question 2.
Read the passage given below: (10 Marks)
More than 87,000 healthcare workers have been infected with Covid-19, with just six states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, West Bengal and Gujarat – accounting for three-fourths (around 74%) of the case burden and over 86% of the 573 deaths due to the infection, official data showed.
Maharashtra alone, with the highest number of over 7.3 lakh confirmed Covid cases so far, accounts for around 28% of the infected healthcare workers and over 50% of the total deaths, according to the data.
While Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had tested over one lakh healthcare workers each till August 28, Karnataka reported only 12,260 infected healthcare workers – almost half the burden in Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu reported 11,169 cases that included doctors, nurses and Asha workers. The three states together accounted for 55% of the total cases among health workers.
Risk to frontline workers can jeopardise India’s Covid fight – The three states also reported
the highest number of deaths in healthcare professionals, though with a wide gap between Maharashtra and the other two. While Maharashtra reported 292 deaths among healthcare workers, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had 46 and 49 deaths, respectively.
A large number of infections and even deaths of healthcare workers in particular states is being viewed with concern by officials and public health experts, who say risks to frontline workers can jeopardise India’s fight against the pandemic.
The issue, discussed in a review meeting headed by the cabinet secretary on Thursday, saw the Centre cautioning states about the need to protect a crucial resource. The possible factors responsible for high infections, officials said, were lax infection control in hospitals and the need for stringent containment measures in areas where health professionals reside to safeguard them. Despite the high number of cases, the government has received only 143 claims since April under the ₹ 50 lakh Covid-19 insurance scheme for healthcare workers engaged in Covid mitigation activities.
Official sources said the wide gap between the number of deaths and claims could be because all the casualties may not be eligible under the scheme. Besides, the claims are a bit slow in coming as families of the dead take time to apply and do the required paperwork.
‘Solidarity with health workers cannot be met with mere words of encouragement but by concerted efforts to strengthen the health workforce. Safety net for their families should be provided including a term insurance cover of over ₹ 2 crore, with the government as sole guarantee,’ said Giridhar Babu, epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India.
‘Protecting healthcare workers is of paramount importance to make sure we have a large enough force to take care of patients who need their services.’ said Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, who said such workers may be at risk because of a large number of asymptomatic patients and lack of proper use of PPEs.
(Source: The Times of India/Health Ministry)
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten questions from the twelve that follow. (10 × 1 = 10)
(i) In the line “………….. risks to frontline workers”, the term ‘frontline workers’ does not refer to:
(a) healthcare workers
(b) police
(c) cleanliness workers
(d) teachers
Answer:
(d) teachers
(ii) How many health workers have been infected with COVID-19 in Maharashtra as per the graph?
(a) 11,169
(b) 12,260
(c) 8,363
(d) 24,484
Answer:
(d) 24,484
(iii) How many healthcare workers have died in Rajasthan due to COVID-19 infection?
(a) 292
(b) 21
(c) 11
(d) 17
Answer:
(c) 11
(iv) Which state of India is on the top in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases?
(a) Karnataka
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Delhi
(d) Maharashtra
Answer:
(d) Maharashtra
(v) Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the factors responsible for high infection in healthcare professionals.
1. Careless infection control in hospital
2. Due to negligency by health care professionals
3. Lack of stringest containment measure
4. Due to the lack of healthcare professionals
(a) 1 & 2
(b) 2 & 3
(c) 1 & 3
(d) 2 & 4
Answer:
(c) 1 & 3
(vi) What percentage of total healthcare workers confirmed COVID-19 cases of India does Maharashtra have healthcare workers infected with COVID-19?
(a) About 20%
(b) About 35%
(c) About 40%
(d) About 28%
Answer:
(d) About 28%
(vii) Healthcare workers’ refers to:
(a) doctors
(b) nurses
(c) Asha workers
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these
(viii) On how many healthcare workers COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Punjab?
(a) 1,127
(b) 994
(c) 13,141
(d) 2,029
Answer:
(c) 13,141
(ix) How many healthcare workers infected with COVID-19 are there in Karnataka till August 2020?
(a) 11,169
(b) 12,260
(c) 1,07,100
(d) 15,213
Answer:
(b) 12,260
(x) How many claims has the government received since April 2020 under the ₹ 50 lakh COVID-19 insurance scheme for healthcare workers engaged in COVID-19 alleviation activities?
(a) 49 claims
(b) 51 claims
(c) 46 claims
(d) 143 claims
Answer:
(d) 143 claims
(xi) How many healthcare workers died in Karnataka due to COVID-19 infection?
(a) 46
(b) 49
(c) 35
(d) 14
Answer:
(a) 46
(xii) Choose the option that lists statement that is NOT TRUE.
(a) Maharashtra is the worst suffer of Covid-19.
(b) Karnataka has less number of Covid-19 cases as compared to Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
(c) The deaths of healthcare workers are disregarded by officials.
(d) Most of the families of deceased healthcare workers received ? 50 lakh under Covid-19 insurance scheme.
Answer:
(c) The deaths of healthcare workers are disregarded by officials.
Literature (10 Marks)
Question 3.
Read the extracts given below and attempt any one by answering the questions that follow. (5 × 1 = 5)
A. “Now were really gong to get some water, woman.” The woman who was preparing supper, “Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner.” It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicated, big drops of rain began to fall. In the North-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body and when he returned he exclaimed: “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”
(i) How did Lencho feel when he told his wife that they were going to have a rain shower?
(a) Nervous
(b) Confident
(c) Annoyed
(d) Doubtful
Answer:
(b) Confident
(ii) Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given extract.
1. Lencho had unwavering faith in God.
2. He required rain water for irrigation of his field.
3. He had some other source of irrigation also.
4. His wife did not agree with his statement.
5. Rain did not fall at all.
6. He referred to drizzles as coins.
(a) 1, 3 and 5
(b) 2, 4 and 6
(c) 3,4 and 5
(d) 4, 5 and 6
Answer:
(c) 3,4 and 5
(iii) Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s (F) and opinion/s (O) of the students below.
(a) F – 1, 2 and O- 3, 4
(b) F – 1, 3 and O – 2, 4
(c) F – 2,3andO – 1,4
(d) F – 3,4andO – 1,2
Answer:
(b) F – 1, 3 and O – 2, 4
(iv) Which word does ‘exclaimed’ NOT correspond to?
(a) Cried out
(b) Spoke with strong emotion
(c) Sudden statement
(d) Spoke calmly
Answer:
(d) Spoke calmly
(v) Lencho went out to take pleasure in:
(a) looking at beautiful scene of rainfall
(b) looking at the cloudy weather
(c) feeling droplets on his body
(d) looking at his children play
Answer:
(c) feeling droplets on his body
B. The next day Tuesday, Wanda was not in school, either. And nobody noticed her absence again. But on Wednesday, Peggie and Maddie, who sat down front with other children who got good marks and who didn’t track in a whole lot or mud, did notice that Wanda wasn’t there. Peggy was the most popular girl in school. She was pretty, she had many pretty clothes and her hair was curly. Maddie was her closest friend. The reason Peggy and Maddie noticed Wanda’s absence was because Wanda had made them late to school. They had waited and waited for Wanda, to have some fun with her, and she just hadn’t come. They often waited for Wanda Petronski – to have fun with her.
(i) Choose the answer that lists the correct option about Wanda.
1. Wanda claimed that she had more than one hundred dresses.
2. Peggy and Maddie loved Wanda very much.
3. Peggy and Maddie often teased Wanda.
4. Peggy and Maddie did not notice Wanda’s absence on Wednesday.
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
Answer:
(c) Option (3)
(ii) Peggie and Maddie waited for Wanda to:
(a) take some help from her
(b) appreciate Wanda’s skills in drawing
(c) ask where she was the previous day
(d) to make fun of her
Answer:
(d) to make fun of her
(iii) The statement that is NOT TRUE about Wanda is:
(a) Her name was indeed strange
(b) She was poor
(c) She indeed had one hundred dresses
(d) She used to wear a faded blue dress
Answer:
(c) She indeed had one hundred dresses
(iv) Which one of these statements is NOT TRUE about Peggy?
(a) She was a famous girl in the school
(b) She wore good and tidy clothes
(c) She sat with the weak students
(d) She was a good friend of Maddie
Answer:
(c) She sat with the weak students
(v) Which of the following expressions is incorrect with respect to the word ‘popular’?
(a) Option (1)
(b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3)
(d) Option (4)
Answer:
(d) Option (4)
Question 4.
Read the extracts given below and attempt any one by answering the questions that follow. (5 x 1 = 5)
A. The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
(i) At this moment, the poet is in a:
(a) jolly mood
(b) sad mood
(c) irritated mood
(d) excited mood
Answer:
(b) sad mood
(ii) The poet is walking by a:
(a) cottage
(b) river
(c) hill
(d) tree
Answer:
(d) tree
(iii) Hemlock tree is regarded as a/an:
(a) lucky tree
(b) auspicious tree
(c) poisonous tree
(d) sweet tree
Answer:
(c) poisonous tree
(iv) What is the rhyme scheme of the given stanzas?
(a) abcb; abab
(b) abbc; acbc
(c) abab; cdcd
(d) aaab; cccd
Answer:
(c) abab; cdcd
(v) The falling of dust of snow on the poet:
(a) upset his mood
(b) lifted his mood
(c) irritated him
(d) non of these
Answer:
(b) lifted his mood
B. Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great.
And would suffice.
(i) The poet expresses the profound idea that the world would end by:
(a) ice
(b) fire
(c) either ice or fire
(d) neither ice nor fire
Answer:
(c) either ice or fire
(ii) The poet stands with those who say that the world would end by:
(a) desire
(b) fire
(c) heat
(d) cold
Answer:
(b) fire
(iii) According to the poet, what would be as competent as fire in ending the world?
(a) Hatred
(b) Cold
(c) Heat
(d) Ice
Answer:
(d) Ice
(iv) The world ‘perish’ DOES NOT have a meaning similar to:
(a) die
(b) come to an end
(c) sustain
(d) vanish
Answer:
(c) sustain
(v) The word that DOES NOT cause the destruction of the world is:
(a) fire
(b) ice
(c) human desire
(d) suffice
Answer:
(d) suffice
Grammar (10 Marks)
Question 5.
Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the note about tourism. (3 × 1=3)
Tourism of today (i) ……………. what it was fifty years back. A crucial role (ii) …………………
motivation in this process of change. In fact, motivation considerably affects its various
components. Motivations not only (iii) …………… but critically analyse the future needs of
tourism also.
(i) (a) was no longer
(b) will be longer
(c) is no longer
(d) shall be no longer
Answer:
(c) is no longer
(ii) (a) was played
(b) was played with
(c) will by played by
(d) is played by
Answer:
(d) is played by
(iii) (a) determine tourists behaviour
(b) determines tourists behaviour
(c) is determined tourists behaviour
(d) will determine tourists
Answer:
(a) determine tourists behaviour
Question 6.
Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete Riya’s narration. (3 x 1 = 3)
I saw Rohit deeply thinking in the room. When I (i) ……………………. busy at, he (ii) ………………….. he was trying some new ideas. I became hopeless and enquired how playing with toys would make him a scientist. He surprised me by saying that he (iii) …………………….. scientists now had been deep thinkers in the beginning.
(i) (a) tell him what was
(b) replied him what is
(c) asked him what he was
(d) said to him about what
Answer:
(c) asked him what he was
(ii) (a) replied that
(b) obeyed that
(c) enquired that
(d) refused that
Answer:
(a) replied that
(iii) (a) knew that those who is
(b) had knew that those who were
(c) knows that those who are
(d) knew that those who are
Answer:
(d) knew that those who are
Question 7.
Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct options for any four of the six sentences given below. (4 x 1 = 4)
(i) The principal ……………… grant you concession in fee.
(a) will
(b) can
(c) could
(d) used to
Answer:
(b) can
(ii) Neither Mukesh nor his brother ……………….. the school regularly.
(a) attends
(b) attend
(c) attending
(d) have attend
Answer:
(a) attends
(iii) As I was intelligent, I had ……………… trouble.
(a) few
(b) little
(c) much
(d) less
Answer:
(d) less
(iv) At this time tomorrow we ……………… in an aeroplane.
(a) shall be flying
(b) shall fly
(c) will fly
(d) may flying
Answer:
(a) shall be flying
(v) After the release of Covid-19 vaccine, our economy ………………… get a boom.
(a) should
(b) will
(c) may
(d) shall
Answer:
(c) may
(vi) I drank …………….. milk kept in the glass and went out for play.
(a) a little
(b) the little
(c) little
(d) few
Answer:
(b) the little
Part-B – Subjective Questions (40 Marks)
Writing (10 Marks)
Question 8.
Attempt any one of the following in 100-120 words. (5 Marks)
A. You are Ram Mehar of 32, Beedan Pura, Karol Bagh, Delhi. Last week, you bought a mobile phone from ‘The Mobile Junction’, 20L, Nehru Place, New Delhi. The mobile phone developed a problem within a few days of its purchase. Write a complaint letter to the dealer giving details of the nature of the problem and asking him/her to rectify the defect or replace the phone.
Answer:
32, Beedan Pura
Karol Bagh, New Delhi
26 March 20xx
The Mobile Junction
20L, Nehru Place, New Delhi
Sub: Defective Mobile Phone
Sir
I am a resident of Beedan Pura, Karol Bagh, New Delhi. I purchased a Samsung mobile phone from The Mobile Junction on 19th March, 20xx, vide cash memo No. 190319/18.1 am sorry to say that the mobile phone developed a problem within a few days of its purchase. The sound system is quite irritating and jarring. The camera doesn’t give a clear and deep impression. I feel cheated to have such a defective mobile phone after spending more than fifteen thousand rupees. It is quite unfortunate that even after sending two reminders, you have shown no urgency to rectify the defects or replace the defective mobile set at the earliest. I hope you will do the needful within a week. I am sure you will not compel me to knock the doors of the Consumer Court for the redress of the wrong.
Yours sincerely
Ram Mehar
B. You are Maya/Mohan, 48, Court Road, Saket, New Delhi. You had been to a tourist spot and were disappointed at the way the place was being maintained. Write a letter to the Minister, Department of Tourism, Delhi on how places of tourist interest should be made tourist friendly. Take ideas from the notes given below:
Notes:
- utter neglect
- preserve the national heritage
- encroachment and vandalism
- poor maintenance
- no security and safety
- make it tourist friendly
Answer:
48, Court Road
Saket
New Delhi
20 April 20xx
The Minister Department of Tourism
Government of Delhi
New Delhi
Sub: Poor maintenance of tourist spots Sir/Madam
I want to highlight the utter neglect and the poor maintenance of our tourist spots in Delhi. The Archaeological Department of India and the concerned authorities must take immediate steps to preserve our national heritage from degradation, encroachments and vandalism.
Last Sunday, the visit to the Tughlaqabad Fort in South Delhi disappointed me beyond words. No doubt, the exterior, the outerwalls of the fort have been given a face-lift. The situation inside speaks of utter neglect and poor maintenance. The ruins are now shelter for druggists, gamblers and all kinds of anti-social elements. There is no security and safety for a few tourists who venture to visit the place. Most parts of the fort have been encroached by the greedy property dealers and musclemen of the area. The Tughlaqabad Fort is a very important heritage site of historical value. The complex has the grave of Ghasuddin Tughlaq and many other buildings raised during the time of Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq.
This place of immense historical value and a great tourist spot, needs immediate attention and protective steps. The place must be cleared off the illegal encroachments without any further delay. Even pathways, lawns and lights need immediate attention. Security of tourists, especially of women and foreign tourists must be ensured to attract tourists in large numbers. The place must be made tourist friendly. I hope the necessary steps will be taken immediately by the concerned authorities in this regard.
Yours faithfully
Maya /Mohan
Question 9.
Attempt any one of the following in 100-120 words. (5 Marks)
A. The sales of English Novels by Sagar Bookseller is represented in the bar graph given below. Study the bar graph and express your views in a paragraph of 100-120 words analysing the sales achieved during the period 2016-19.
Answer:
The bar graph given above shows the sales of English novels by Sagar Bookseller during the period 2016-19. In 2016, the bookseller sold about eight thousand copies of English novels. In 2017, about 10 thousand copies of English novels were sold by the seller. So the seller sold about two thousand additional copies of the novels as compared to the previous year.
In 2018, we can see a big jump in the sales of the novels as compared to the previous year – around five thousand. The bookseller sold about 20 thousand copies of the novels in 2019.
To sum up, we can say that the number of people purchasing and reading English novel as their hobby has been increasing every year.
B. The line-graph chart given below breaks down the sales history of the famous Lifebuoy brand in soap in the first six months of the year, from January to June. Write an analytic paragraph after selecting and reporting the main features. Make comparisons where necessary.
Answer:
The line-graph chart given above illustrates the sales history of one of the most popular and prestigious Lifebuoy brands of soap in the first six months of the year. The general trend that emerges out is quite simple. The first three months of winter exhibit rather a subdued sale. On the other hand, the months of summer show quite a brisk sale. The month of January is the coldest month of the year in India.
So, the number of bathers is significantly reduced. With the reduced number of bathers, the use of soap is also reduced proportionally. Hence, the sale of ‘Lifebuoy’ brand of soap is at its lowest, only 10 lac pieces in January. Things improve and the numbers show a considerable rise of 50 per cent in February.
Then again a slump is seen and the sales in March slip back to the numbers in January. The severity of winter is almost over in April. Frequent bathing leads to a dramatic rise in the sale of ‘Lifebuoy This demand goes on rising. 40 lac pieces of Lifebuoy were sold in April. The number rose steadily to 60 lac in May and the sales reached at its peak in the hottest month of the year, June.
The sales in June touched the unprecedented figure of 70 lacs. It will not be out of place to conclude that sales of soap depends up to a considerable extent on the weather. The summer months exhibit greater demand and brisker sales numbers.
Literature (30 Marks)
Question 10.
Answer any two questions in 20-30 words each, from (A) and (B) respectively. (4 x 2 = 8)
A. (any two) (2 x 2 = 4)
(i) “The sight of the food maddened him.” What does this suggest? (His First Flight)
Answer:
The seagull was quite hungry and yearned for food. When he saw a piece of fish in the beak of his mother, the sight was quite tempting for him. He was maddened at the sight of the food and suddenly dived at the fish forgetting that he didn’t know how to fly. It
compelled the young seagull to finally fly into space.
(ii) Why does the poet not offer the boy money to buy another ball?
Answer:
The poet wants the boy to understand the nature of loss. He has to understand what it means to lose something. Gain and loss are the two sides of the same coin. The boy has to learn how to move forward forgetting everything about the losses he has suffered in the past.
(iii) Describe the possible descent of the people of Coorg.
Answer:
The people of Coorg, their rituals and traditions are quite different from the Hindu mainstream. According to one story, a part of the Alexander’s army travelling the coast, settled here as their return became impractical. So, they are believed to be of Greek origin. The Coorgi dress, a long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt resembles the Kuffia worn by the Arabs. So, some think that they are of Arabic origin.
B. (any two) (2 x 2 = 4)
(i) Do you think it a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this
explain his behaviour in any way?
Answer:
Anil doesn’t have a regular income. He is a struggling writer who writes for magazines. Anil can’t afford to pay Hari Singh regularly. But he allows Hari Singh to stay with him and promises to teach him to write complete sentences. When he receives a substantial amount of money, he gives him a fifty-rupee note and promises to pay him regularly.
(ii) Why didn’t Matilda like to visit her rich friend?
Answer:
Matilda or Mrs Loisel always dreamt of things that were beyond her means. She dreamt of a grand house, costly dishes, good dresses and jewels. She was disillusioned that she couldn’t get them. When she visited her rich friend, she really suffered because she became intensely conscious of her poverty in the presence of her fortunate and rich friend. She suffered so much when she returned to her modest and miserable surroundings.
(iii) Was Ramlal happy to send Bholi to school? If not, why did he send her there?
Answer:
No girl in the family had ever gone to school. Bholi’s mother believed if they sent their daughters to school, then no one would marry them. But an unexpected thing happened. The Tehsildar who inaugurated the first girl school in the village asked Ramlal to set an example before the villagers. He must send his daughters to school. Ramlal couldn’t afford to disobey the Tehsildar. So, Bholi was sent to school.
Question 11.
Answer any two questions in 40-50 words each, from (A) and (B) respectively. (4 x 3 = 12)
A. (any two) (2 x 3 = 6)
(i) Why did Lencho compare the rain drops with new coins? Explain briefly.
Answer:
Lencho had been impatiently waiting for the rain. The earth needed a downpour immediately. At least, a shower was necessary to save the crops. Fortunately for Lencho, in the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. Big drops of rain began to fall. Every drop was precious for the fields and the crops. The bigger drops were worth ten cent pieces and the little ones were fives.
(ii) Why is the poet so much impressed with animals?
Answer:
Animals possess all the noble virtues that are necessary for an ideal living. They are contented and never complain about their fate. They are independent and don’t show unnecessary respect for their ancestors or to their fellow beings. They are not selfish and don’t suffer from the mania of possessing and owning things. So, the poet is highly impressed with animals.
(iii) What did Kisa Gotami realise about the fate of mankind?
Answer:
Kisa found no house where some beloved had not died. She understood that death is common to all. So she was being selfish in her grief. She thought only of her grief. Life and death is a normal process. Death is certain. No one can escape it.
B. (any two) (2 x 3 = 6)
(i) Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “A triumph of surgery”?
Answer:
Tricki is in a miserable condition. He has become hugely fat, loses his appetite, vomits
quite often and lays motionless panting on the carpet. Saving such a dog is nothing less than a miracle for the mistress of Tricki. Naturally, she gratefully thanks the doctor and calls his feat “A triumph of Surgery!”
(ii) How did the narrator’s boss react to his failure in tracing Oliver Lutkins?
Answer:
The narrator couldn’t trace Oliver Lutkins in New Mullion. The people in the company were upset. The case was coming up in the court. The narrator felt himself a ‘shameful, useless fool.’ He felt his promising legal career coming to an end before it had begun. The chief almost ‘murdered’ him. He hinted that he might do well at digging trenches. He was ordered back to New Mullion with a man who had worked with Oliver Lutkins.
(iii) Describe two accidents that had disfigured Bholi and made her a backward child.
Answer:
At birth, Bholi was very fair and pretty. When she was two years old, she had an attack of small pox. Her entire body was permanently disfigured with deep pock-marks. When she was just ten months old, she fell off her cot. Perhaps a part of her brain was damaged. It made her a backward child. She learnt speaking at the age of five and stammered while speaking.
Question 12.
Answer any one of the following in 100-120 words. (5 Marks)
A. Do you think Valli enjoyed her first bus ride? Give examples from the lesson to support your answer.
Answer:
It was Valli’s first bus ride. Naturally, she was full of excitement and enthusiasm. She devoured everything with her eyes. She stood up on the seat to have a full view of things outside. The bus was going along the bank of a canal. Beyond it, there were palms, grasslands and distant mountains. On the other side, there was a deep ditch. And then acres upon acres of green field stretched out as far as the eye could see.
The bus went past the railway station, the bright looking shops. Suddenly, Valli clapped her hands with glee. She saw a young cow with her raised tail in the air running very fast just in the middle of the road. The driver sounded his horn loudly again and again. But the more he honked, more frightened the cow became. Faster it galloped—always right in front of the bus. This was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes.
B. What do you think about Anne’s talent for writing essays which she wrote convincingly, when punished by the teacher?
Answer:
In my opinion, Anne was very talented in writing essays. She won over her maths teacher, Mr Keesing, who was angry with her as she was very talkative. He assigned her extra homework, an essay on the topic ‘AChatterbox’. She wrote on the topic convincingly to prove the necessity of talking.
She wrote that talking is a student’s trait. She also wrote that she would try her level best to keep it under control but could not guarantee success. This made Mr Keesing laugh instead of being angry and he assigned her a second essay on ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’. Anne finished that essay also with a sense of humour.
Mr Keesing then assigned Anne a third essay entitled ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, said Mistress Chatterbox’. Anne convincingly wrote as a poem of a mother duck and a father swan with three baby ducklings, who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much. This completely convinced Mr Keesing.
Question 13.
Answer any one of the following in 100-120 words. (5 Marks)
A. ‘He was the most trusting person I had ever met.’ Justify this statement of Hari Singh about his benefactor, Anil. Did he breach Anil’s trust?
Answer:
After his first introduction, Hari Singh understood Anil’s nature and his character rather well. He lied that he knew how to cook. Still, Anil allowed Hari to work for him. Even at the age of 15, Hari Singh was an experienced and successful hand. He knew all the tricks of his trade.
He made one rupee every day from buying the day’s supplies. Anil knew it but didn’t mind. Anil was really a trusting person. He had given Hari a key to the door and he could come and go as he pleased. But it was ‘so difficult to rob him’. It is easy to rob a greedy man. It was difficult to rob a careless and trusting man like Anil. Sometimes, he didn’t even notice that he had been robbed. That took all the pleasure out of Hari Singh’s work.
Anil was no fool. He knew all about the theft, when and how it was committed. Neither his lips nor eyes showed that he saw Hari placing the money back under the mattress. Trust begets trust. Ultimately, the boy-thief realised that the only person who could help him was the man whom he had robbed a few hours ago. Naturally, Anil was the most trusting man Hari Singh had ever met in his life. Anil forgot the breach of his trust but rewarded Hari by giving a fifty-rupee-note and promising to pay him regularly.
B. “Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.
Answer:
Griffin was, no doubt, a brilliant scientist. He did wonderful experiments and achieved success in making the human body invisible. It was absolutely a great discovery. However, Griffin misused the discovery. He didn’t use it for the welfare of the people or humanity in general. Rather he used it for his petty benefits attained through illegal activities.
He openly challenged the established laws and tried to create chaos, confusion and lawlessness through his activities. Invisibility gave him an excuse to become lawless and an anarchist.
When his landlord wanted to eject him, he became so revengeful that he set his house on fire. He forcefully robbed a shopkeeper and ran away with all the money he found with him. He became a homeless wanderer making illegal entries in a London store and a shop in Drury Lane. He decamped with articles he needed for his use without paying for them. Griffin’s burglary at the clergyman’s house is a shameful act of lawlessness on the part of an eccentric scientist. He used his invisibility only to trouble, frighten, beat and rob innocent persons.