Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English with Solutions Set 4 are designed as per the revised syllabus.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Set 4 with Solutions
Time:3 Hours
Max. Marks: 80
General Instructions:
- The Question Paper contains THREE sections – READING, GRAMMAR & WRITING and LITERATURE.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section A: Reading Skills
(Reading Comprehension Through Unseen Passages)
I. Read the following text:
1. Power foods are foods that provide rich levels of nutrients like fiber, potassium, and minerals. With people becoming increasingly health-conscious today, a lot of fitness trainers encourage their clients to include these foods in their daily diet to increase muscle development. There are various ways of incorporating power foods in your daily diet. Of course, the key to enjoying power foods is proper preparation of these foods, the use of season-fresh foods, and in identifying your choice of flavor among power foods.
2. Some of the recommended power food combinations are those that are prepared in our kitchens on a regular basis. Take, for instance, the combination of chickpeas and onions. This combination is a powerful source of iron which is required by the body to transport oxygen to its various parts.
Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, brain fog, and tiredness. A study by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry says that sulphur compounds in onion and garlic help in the absorption of iron and zinc from chickpeas. The combination is a hit with teenagers who need to be diligent about getting iron in their diet. A quick way to prepare this power food is to make a
chickpea salad with chopped onions, chaat masala, and cilantro.
3. Another favourite combination with power food takers is yoghurt and bananas. This makes for a perfect snack after a rough game of football. Exercising burns glucose and thus lowers blood sugar. Yoghurt is packed with proteins that help preserve muscle mass, and bananas are packed with carbohydrates that help in refueling energy and preventing muscle soreness. A quick and easy recipe with bananas is a banana smoothie topped with cool yoghurt.
4. Among beverages, green tea is the best source of catechins that are effective in halting oxidative damage to cells. According to researchers at Purdue University, adding a dash of lemon juice to green tea makes the catechins even more easily absorbable by the body.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
(i) How are onions and garlic beneficial to our diet?
A. They absorb medicine.
B. They absorb vegetables.
C. They absorb food.
D. They absorb iron and zinc.
Answer:
D They absorb iron and zinc.
(ii) What is the impression that the writer wants to create in paragraph (2)? Give a plausible response to it in about 40 words.
Answer:
We know that iron deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, brain fog, and tiredness. For this, a combination of chickpeas and onions along with chaat masala and cilantro makes a delicious yet very powerful source of iron. A Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry says that sulphur compounds in onions and garlic help in the absorption of iron and zinc from chickpeas. Iron is required by the body to transport oxygen to its various parts.
(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately. The author mentions green tea effective in halting oxidative damage to cells because
Answer:
it is the best source of catechins.
(iv) The passage includes some words that carry an opposite/same sense in their usage. From the sets (a) to (e), identify the synonymous words:
(a) incorporating
(b) recommended
(c) favorite
(d) include
(e) adding
Answer:
Same sense carrying words:
(a) incorporating,
(d) include and
(e) adding
(b) recommended and
(c) favorite
(v) Complete the sentence appropriately.
We can make that the author move from generalised observations to specifics while discussing ‘Power foods’ because ………………… .
Answer:
from a general mention of ‘Power food’ providing rich levels of nutrients like fibre, potassium, and funerals, the author goes on to mention specifically the recommended common kitchen recipes, to yoghurt combined in banana smoothies to green tea as a ‘Power beverage’.
(vi) Supply I point to justify the statement given below in about 40 words.
Yoghurt and bananas are enriching power foods.
Answer:
Yoghurt is packed with proteins that help preserve muscle mass, and bananas are packed with carbohydrates that help in refueling energy and preventing muscle soreness.
(vii) What inference can be made from Samarth’s daily routine for the whole day, when he declares to his friends, “I take a combination of chickpea salad with chopped onions and cilantro, later at midday I take ‘banana smoothies topped with yoghurt and ‘green tea’ happens to be one of my favourite tea” This would mean that:
A. Samarth has a sedentary job
B. He is a fitness freak
C. He gets proper nutrition
D. Both (B) and (C)
Answer:
D. Both (B) and (C)
(viii) State what can be the possible phrase in the blank given quiz below:
Why? What should if include?
Chickpeas? Onions? Cilantro?
Even bananas and yoghurt?
A combination ion for all fo know?
Even ‘green tea’ can be their first
What’s if do you really know?
When and what should we include?
I know, I know, ¡ really know!!
It is all about ………………. !!
Answer:
Power food.
II. Read the following text:
1. Sniffer dog. Tucker uses his nose to help researchers find out why a killer whale population off the northwest coast of the United States is on the decline. He searches for whale feces floating on the surface of the water, which are then collected for examination. He is one of the elite team of detection dogs used by scientists studying several species including right whales and killer whales.
2. Conservation canines are fast becoming indispensable tools for biologists according to Aimee Hurt, associate director and co-founder of Working Dogs for Conservation, based in Three Forks, Montana.
3. Over the last few years, though, so many new conservation dog projects have sprung up that Hurt can no longer keep track of them all. Her organization’s dogs and their handlers are fully booked to assist field researchers into 2012.
4. “Dogs have such a phenomenal sense of smell”, explained Sam Wasser, director of the Centre for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington in Seattle. He has worked with scat-detection dogs since 1997. Scientists have been using Conservation Canines in their research since 1997.
These dogs have enabled them to non-invasively access a vast amount of genetic and physiological information which is used to tackle conservation problems around the world. Such information has proved vital for determining the causes and consequences of human disturbances on wildlife as well as the actions needed to mitigate such impacts.
5. The ideal detection dog is extremely energetic with an excessive play drive. These dogs will happily work all day long, motivated by the expectation of a ball game as a reward for sample detection. The obsessive, high-energy personalities of detection dogs also make them difficult to maintain as pets. As a result, they frequently find themselves abandoned in animal shelters. The programme rescues these dogs and offers them a satisfying career in conservation research.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above:
(i) Complete the following analogy appropriately, based on your understanding of paragraphs 1,2 & 5.
We can say that conservation canines are becoming indispensable tools for biologists despite e the difficulty to maintain them as pets due to their obsessive, high-energy personality leading their abandonment, because …………………. .
Answer:
they can use flair zones to help researchers to find out why the fit killer whale population off the Northwest coast of United States is on the decline by searching for whale feces floating on the surface of water.
(ii) Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in the brackets, based on your understanding of paragraphs 3 & 4.
The statement that main new conservation dog projects have sprung up that Aimee Hurt cannot keep a track of them is ………………………. (a consequence/ a causing factor) due to a rise in increasing demand for these indispensable tools for the biologists which ………………………. (provides the extremely energetic dogs a satisfying career! is in ever decreasing supply).
Answer:
(a consequence) and (provides the extremely energetic dogs a satisfying career).
(iii) Justify the following in about 40 words.
In the fourth paragraph it given that ‘Dogs have such a phenomenal sense of smell”, has a wide range of implications for biologists using them as indispensable tools for their work. Explain.
Answer:
The Scat detection dogs have enabled the scientists to non-invasively access a vast amount of genetic and physiological information to tackle conservation problems around the world. This type of non-invasive information gathering has proved vital for determining the causes and consequences of human disturbances on wildlife as well as the actions needed to mitigate such impacts.
(iv) Infer one reason for the following, based on information in Paragraph 1: Sniffer dog Tucker is one of the elite teams of detection dogs used by scientists studying several species.
Answer:
Sniffer dog Tucker uses his nose to help researchers find out why a killer whale population off the northwest coast of the United States is on the decline.
(v) In the table there is a statement given ‘Percent Increase in Types of Assistance Dogs in California’ and shows a phenomenal rise of dog’s assistance in Psychiatric/Emotional category. State one inference that can be drawn from this.
Answer:
This means there is an increasing number of Americans who are getting afflicted with psychiatric or emotional disturbances.
(vi) Select the option that titles the detection dogs under Paragraph 5 appropriately, with reference to information in the text.
A.
1. The ideal detection dog is extremely energetic.
2. Excessive play drive
3. Abandoned to animal shelters
B. 1. Indispensable tools for biologists
2. Excessive play drive
3. Human disturbances on wildlife
C.
1. Searches for whale faeces
2. Abandoned to animal shelters
3. Conservation Canines
D.
1. Field Researchers
2. Human disturbances on wildlife
3. Conservation Canines
Answer:
A. 1. The ideal detection dog is extremely energetic.
2. Excessive play drive
3. Abandoned to animal shelters
(vii) List two types of information that detection dogs can give to tackle conservation problems around the World
Answer:
1. genetic information
2. physiological information.
(viii) Which of the following is the main takeaway from the study mentioned in the passage?
A. There has been a phenomenal rise in the new dog conservation projects.
B. Canines have become indispensable tools for biologists
C. Extremely energetic with excessive play drive dogs are difficult to be maintained as pets, so they are abandoned to animal shelters, facing euthanasia.
D. All of the above.
Answer:
D. All of the above.
Section B: Writing Skills & Grammar
GRAMMAR
III. Complete ANY TEN of twelve of the following tasks, as directed:
(i) Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given portion of a letter Subject: Request for leave to attend cousin’s marriage
Respected Sir/Madam
I am a student in your prestigious institution. I respectfully beg that you …………………….. (grant) me a five-day leave of absence to attend my cousin’s wedding.
Answer:
grant
(ii) Identify the error in the given sentence from a school magazine report and supply the correction. It was the amazing sight to see.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
the amazing | an amazing |
(iii) Sunil shared some information with Tariq about a holiday at sea. Report Tariq’s question. Did you enjoy traveling by sea?
Answer:
Tariq asked Sunil whether he had enjoyed traveling by sea.
(iv) Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between Sunita and Neetu.
Sun ita: Tomorrow is your birthday, what do you want as a gift?
Neetu: That is a lovely thought but I don’t want anything.
Sunita asked Neetu what gift she wanted for her birthday the next day. Neetu replied ……………………. .
A. I don’t want anything.
B. it is a lovely thought but she didn’t want anything.
C. that it was a lovely thought but she did not want anything for her birthday.
D. that it was a lovely thought but she did not wanted anything for her birthday.
Answer:
C. that it was a lovely thought but she did not want anything for her birthday.
(v) Select the option to fill in the blank for the given line.
He is our colleague. We …………………. invite him.
A. can
B. must
C. dare to
D. will
Answer:
(b) must
(vi) Identify the error on a shop’s hoarding and supply the correction, for the following sales offer:
Motilal and Sons Jewellers Vacancy in the post of manager in the new shop branch.
Use the given format for your response.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
in | for |
(vii) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line, from a news report:
The State police has launched a special drive against tractors and trolleys which created chaos in residential areas these days.
Option No. | Error | Correction |
A. | Against | For |
B. | Has | Have |
C. | Tractors | Tractor |
D. | These | This |
Answer:
Option No. | Error | Correction |
B. | Has | Have |
(viii) Complete the given narrative by filling in the blank with the correct option.
I ……………………… this book since morning.
A. have been reading
B. has been reading
C. have had read
D. shall be reading
Answer:
A. have been reading
(ix) Report the dialogue between a vendor and his customer by completing the sentence:
Ross: It was a wonderful movie.
Rachel: Yes, I enjoyed it a lot. But I have to head home now because I have work tomorrow.
Answer:
Ross told Rachel that the movie was wonderful. To this, Rachel answered in the affirmative and said that she had enjoyed it a lot but she had to head home then because she had work the next day.
(x) Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option to complete the narrative.
As I was standing on the dock, looking out at the lake for the last time, a feeling of emptiness
over me like darkness.
A. will wash
B. had washed
C. will have washed
D. washed
Answer:
D. washed
(xi) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the online update.
By the next month, we shall ……………………… the project.
A. has completed
B. completing
C. completed
D. have completed
Answer:
D. have completed
(xii) Identify the error in the statement given below and supply the correction:
Use the given format for your response.
The evil of begging is very common into our country.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
into | in |
Section C: Writing
IV. 1. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below.
A. You are Shivam/Shivani of C-12, Janakpuri, Indore. You wish to make a pilgrimage to Badrinath, Kedamath, and Ifaridwar with your family of six. Write a letter to R.K. Travels, enquiring about the schedule of their conducted tour by Deluxe buses to these places. Ask about the charges, boarding and lodging arrangements, and the total time needed for the tour. (Word limit about 120 words)
Answer:
21, Janakpuri
Indore
27th February, 20XX
The Manager
R K Travels
Indore
Subject: Enquiry about travel package for pilgrimage
Sir/Madam,
I am writing to enquire about the tour conducted by your travel agency by Deluxe buses to Badrinath, Kedamath, and Haridwar. I have a family of six and I am keen on making a pilgrimage to these places. I would therefore like to know the schedule of your tour.
I would request you to please provide us with the necessary details such as the charges for the tour, boarding and lodging arrangements, and the total time needed for the tour. Additionally, we would also like to know if there are any special arrangements for senior citizens and children.
As we are planning to embark on this journey soon, we would appreciate it if you could revert with the required information at the earliest. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanking you,
Yours truly,
Shivam/Shjvani
OR
B. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily in about 120 words, regarding the open manholes in the streets of your locality.
Answer:
112, Lajpatrai Colony,
Delhi
12th June, 2OXX
The Editor,
The Times of India,
Delhi
Subject: Risk posed by open manholes in Lajpatrai colony
Sir,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily. I would like to bring to notice of the concerned authorities that for the past few weeks, the manholes in the streets of my locality are all lying uncovered. It is causing a serious risk to the residents of the locality. Last week, a toddler escaped by just a few steps else he would have fallen into the manhole.
It is a serious concern and all the residents of my locality are worried about the risks involved because of these open manholes. During the day time, still, everyone can see and walk carefully, but at night, it becomes extremely hazardous.
I would be grateful of you publish my letter in the column of your esteemed daily so that I can reach out to the concerned authority and they can take immediate measures and do the needful as early as possible. All the residents will be highly obliged if necessary steps are taken at the earliest in this regard.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Ravi Singh
2. Aftempt ANY ONE from A and B given below.
A. The given bar graph shows the preferences of children in a school in playing different games over the span of six years. Write an analytical paragraph about the given information in about 120 words:
Answer:
The given bar graph represents the preferences of children in a school for playing volleyball and basketball over six years, from 2014 to 2019. According to the graph, the number of students interested in volleyball started at 200 in 2014 and increased to 450 in 2016, then again decreased to 150 in 2019. On the other hand, the number of students interested in basketball started at 350 in 2014, decreased to 250 in 2015, increased to 400 in 2016, and remained consistent from 2017 to 2018 at 350. Therefore, it can be concluded that in the given period, the interest of students in volleyball fluctuated while the interest in basketball remained relatively stable. This information can be useful for the school administration to decide which games to encourage and promote among the students.
OR
B. Write an analytical paragraph based on the double bar graph showing the percentage growth in different sectors in a developing country from the year 2012 to 2022.
Answer:
The bar graph displays the growth percentage in six sectors, namely Education, Private Sector, Government Sector, Medical, Transportation, and Agriculture in a developing country from 2012 to 2022. The data shows a concerning decline of nearly 25% in the Education sector from 2012 to 2022. In contrast, the Private Sector has seen a slight increase from less than 20% to 22% in 2022. The Government Sector, however, ‘has remained stable at 18% in both years.
The Medical and Transportation sectors have demonstrated considerable growth in 2022. Of these two sectors, the Transportation sector has improved more than the Medical sector, which has just doubled from 2012. The Agriculture sector has also shown a marginal decline from 12% in 2012 to 10% in 2022. Overall, while the Government, Medical, and Transportation sectors have displayed improvements, much more work needs to be done in the Education, Private, and Agriculture sectors.
Section D: Literature
V. Reference to context.
1. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given.
A. Before we left for London, I promised my husband to take my jewels to our bank; but I left them here in the safe. I want fo to wear them to a party tonight, so I came down to get them, but…”
Horace smiled. “You ‘ve forgotten the numbers to open the safe, haven’t you?” (A Question of Trust)
(i) State any one inference about the lady from the given context “I want to wear them to a party tonight.”
Answer:
It can be inferred that the lady is a thorough conman as she has mastered the art of pretense to fool another thief, ironically with the same agenda.
(ii) State TRUE or FALSE.
None of the terms (a) -(d) below, can be applied to the question – “You’ve forgotten the numbers to open the safe, haven’t you?”
(a) A hypothesis – a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption – something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true without proof
(c) A premise – a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
(d) A theory – a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon
Answer:
False. It is an assumption since Horace believes the lie that the other thief is the owner of the house.
(iii) How does the lady fool the other thief?
Answer:
The lady fools Horace, the other thief by pretending to be the owner of the house. She makes an agreement that if he helps her to open the safe whose password she had forgotten, she would set him free as the jewellery had to be deposited in the locker.
(iv) Which phrase from the extract would correctly substitute the phrase “Forgot password?”
Answer:
The phrase from the extract which correctly describes the given phrase is “You’ve forgotten the numbers”.
OR
B. The conductor punched a ticket and handed it to her. “Just sit back and make yourself comfortable. Why should you stand when you’ve paid for a seat?” “Because I want to,” she answered, standing up again. “But if you stand on the seat, you may fall and hurt yourself when the bus makes a sharp turn or hits a bump. That’s why we want you to sit down, child.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said irritably. “i’m eight years old.” “Of course, of course. How stupid of me! Eight years – my!” The bus stopped, some new passengers got on, and the conductor got busy for a time. (Madam Rides the Bus)
(i) “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said irritably. What made Valu say this?
A. Her first ride alone on a bus was making her nervous
B. She did not want any interruptions in her joy ride
C. She did not wish to bring anyone’s attention to the fact that she was travelling alone
D. She was travelling alone so she did not consider herself a child anymore
Answer:
D. She was travelling alone so she did not consider herself a child anymore
(ii) The conductor punched a ticket and handed it to her. Who is being referred to as “Her” and where was she travelling?
Answer:
“Her” refers to Valliammai, an eight-year-old girl. Her overwhelming desire to experience a bus ride had come to fruition. She planned her bus ride meticulously and saved money for it. She planned to travel to the town and return back to her village by the same bus.
(iii) Which of the following is NOT the correct reason why the conductor asked Valu to sit on her seat?
A. The conductor reasoned that if she had paid for the seat, she should ideally not stand
B. The conductor was concerned that she might fall and hurt herself when the bus made a sharp turn or hit a bump
C. She was making too much noise
D. Both (a) and (b)
Answer:
C. She was making too much noise.
(iv) If an actor were to enact this extract, what would he be required to focus on, while modulating his voice?
Answer:
The actor would be required to focus on the conversation between the conductor and Valu wherein the conductor’s tone would be represented by the actor as one of empathy and affection for the child who was having a bouquet of emotions finely blended into excitement, nervousness, and irritability.
2.
A. He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terro rising the village! (A Tiger in the Zoo,’
(i) Fill the blank with one word.
When the speaker says that he should be snarling around the houses, he refers to the tiger being in its ………………… habitat.
Answer:
natural
(ii) What does the speaker’s idea of terrorising the village suggest?
Answer:
The poet wishes the tiger kept caged in a zoo be set free, as it was intended by nature. It should be set free and let be because terrorising the village is its natural behaviour and it should be allowed to terrorize because it’s a majestic beast, not meant to be caged and be an object for public entertainment.
(iii) Which of the following best describes the speaker’s attitude towards the encaged tiger?
A. Pitiful
B. Relieved
C. Blissful
D. Indifferent
Answer:
A. Pitiful
(iv) Comment on the poet’s use of language in these lines.
Answer:
The poet uses words that invoke a sense of urgency and worry on his part. He isn’t happy with the state that the tiger is in and speaks about it with utmost clarity that this isn’t what he wants for the majestic beast. The poet wants the readers as well to feel the inferior treatment meted out to the royal beast of prey.
OR
B. I am an orphan, roaming the street.
I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare fret.
The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet. (Amanda!)
(i) In what way does the language used m this poem convey the idea of internal dialogue?
Answer:
The poem has alternate stanzas, one where Amanda’s parent is chiding her for not being prim and proper, and the next stanza has Amanda’s internal dialogue, where she expresses her desire to escape all of this and be left alone. Her inner desires have been given in parenthesis.
(ii) What is the significance of the use of the word “freedom” to describe the desire of Amanda in the poem and how does this word choice contribute to the overall mood and tone of the poem? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer:
Amanda wishes to be left all alone as the constant bickering by her parents now seems to be reductive and constraining to her. She cannot handle such micromanagement by her parents and desires to be left alone, all by herself so she can enjoy her freedom.
(iii) Complete the sentence with the appropriate option.
The lines from the poem tell us that Amanda is ……………….. .
A. despondent
B. stress-free
C. ecstatic
D. immature
Answer:
A. despondent
(iv) What does Amanda wish to be in these lines? Why?
Answer:
Amanda is so bothered by her parents that she wishes them to be there no more. She imagines herself as an orphan, who has to answer no one and is free to do as their heart desires.
VI. Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words each.
(i) ‘Necessity is the mother of all inventions’. How would you interpret this adage with reference to the young seagull taking his first flight? (Two Stories about Plying: His First Flight)
Answer:
When all attempts failed, the mother seagull came up with a strategy to instigate the seagull’s first flight with the help of a fish. She knew her son was extremely hungry, so she dropped food very close to him. The pangs of hunger made the seagull plunge ………….. his first flight.
(ii) Validate the given statement with reference to the dust of snow from a hemlock tree. ‘‘Pleasant surprises can emanate from least expected sources”. (Dust of Snow)
Answer:
The poet emphasizes that he never expected that the fall of Some Dust of Snow from a poisonous hemlock tree could ever change his day. Both the crow and the hemlock tree, associated with ill omen, have turned out lucky for him. Life is unpredictable and cannot be fixed with certain beliefs.
(iii) Draw a brief character sketch of Natalya. (The Proposal)
Answer:
Natalya Stepanovna is a strong-willed, educated, and good-looking girl of twenty-five who is also a good housekeeper and more effective than Lomov in speaking clearly and getting to the point. She is the leading female character of the play and the daughter of Chubukov. She is short-tempered and quarrelsome. Her will is focused on maintaining a superior manifestation and she insists that Oxen Meadows belongs to her family and not to Lomov. She is love-sick and fights and argues with Lomov till she learns that he wants to marry her. Natalya is a complex and multi-faceted character. Her snobbishness, impulsiveness, materialism, quick temper, and manipulative nature create a memorable and entertaining character who plays a crucial role in the comic plot of the play.
(iv) Validate the given statement with reference to military traditions usually followed by families from Coorg.
“The British while raising the British Indian Army focused on separate regiments for different Indian martial races”. (Glimpses of India: Coorg)
Answer:
People from Coorg usually have a history of following martial traditions since centuries, so it was quite natural for several men from the region to join the army enabling the British to raise a separate Coorg regiment. Even today, the Coorg regiment is the most decorated regiment in the Indian Army.
(v) What impression of Amanda do you get from the poem ‘Amanda’?
Answer:
Amanda is a little school-going girl. She is constantly nagged by her parent. It is probably the mother. Her mother’s constant instructions and expectations makes the little girl long for freedom. She feels overwhelmed by her mother’s constant reminders to perfect her behaviour and therefore remains lost in her own daydreams.
VII. Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions in about 40-50 words each.
(i) Validate the consequences of having half-fed knowledge in the context of the story The Book That Saved the Earth.
Answer:
The Martians had come to invade the Earth in 2040. They came across a library and had no idea what purpose the books served. They mistook the books to be sandwiches at first and picked up a children’s nursery rhymes book. Misinterpreting the words written on it and taking everything for its literal meaning, they got frightened thinking that the Earthlings were more powerful than them and that they were planning to attack them. So they decided to leave the Earth.
(ii) The various elements of H.G.Well’s writing style work together to create both a sense of comedy as well as an emotional appeal for science fiction lovers in the story, Footprints Without Feet. Comment with reference to any one of the elements. (40 – 50 words)
Answer:
‘Footprints Without Feet’ is a story borne out of the vivid imagination that H.G. Wells was capable of. The ability to move about remaining invisible has both its expected and unexpected consequences. And the unexpected ones result in very comic situations that probably make more of an impression in the mind of the reader. The story’s emotional appeal lies mostly with the landlady who believed her departed mother still hovered in their house when she found that the chair she sat on was being thrown in the air.
(iii) In the context of the protagonist of the story Bholi, validates the importance of education, when it comes to self-worth and social standing.
Answer:
Bholi was named the ‘simpleton’ by her family. She was a slow learner, spoke with a stammer, had a pock-marked face, and was malnourished. All these made her the subject of ridicule by her family and her bullies. But once she started going to school, her education gave her the self-confidence of believing in her worth and standing up against social injustice.
Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 100-120 words.
(i) You have been asked to present a study on the significance of bondage and strength in Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and A Tiger in the Zoo. Write this presentation draft including your insights, in about 120 words, comparing the approaches of both.
Answer:
Bondage and strength are explored in different ways in ‘Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom’ and ‘A Tiger in the Zoo.’ In Mandela’s case, his struggle against apartheid strengthened his resolve to fight for freedom and justice. However, in ‘A Tiger in the Zoo,’ the tiger’s captivity weakened its natural strength and power.
Both the works demonstrate that bondage can either break or build one’s strength. Mandela’s personal and political struggles served as a catalyst for his strength and determination, while the tiger’s confinement left it powerless and devoid of purpose.
Overall, ‘Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom’ and ‘A Tiger in the Zoo highlight how different circumstances can affect one’s strength and resilience. While oppression can give rise to great leaders like Mandela, it can also break the spirit of others. Similarly, captivity can subdue even the mightiest of beasts, as seen in the case of the tiger.
OR
(ii) You have been chosen to speak in an extempore on the feelings and emotional challenges of young women. Prepare the speech draft in not more than 120 words, with reference to ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’ and ‘For Anne Gregory’.
Answer:
Good morning, everyone. We know that the emotional challenges faced by young women are complex and can be difficult to navigate. However, by expressing ourselves honestly and seeking out genuine connections with others, we can overcome these challenges and lead fulfilling lives. Let us learn from the experiences of Anne Frank and Anne Gregory, and strive to be true to ourselves while embracing our unique qualities and strengths.
Adolescence brings a rush of biological and mental changes and this triggers various emotions, especially among young girls. We see in, ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’, Anne experiencing a gust of feelings, which are often conflicting in nature, like most of us. She finds herself lonely even in the midst of people and thus, only by writing in her diary she can fully express herself because “paper has more patience than people.”
Similarly in the poem, ‘For Anne Gregory’, we can understand the emotions of a young lady through a slightly different setup. She wishes to seek a lover whose love for her will be based on who she really is as a human being, and not based on her skin or hair colour. So, she doesn’t agree with the prevalent societal custom.
In conclusion, I would like to add that let us support each other and lift each other up so that we can all reach our full potential as strong and confident young women.
Thank you.
IX. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 100-120 words.
(i) Imagine that Think Tank, from The Book That Saved The Earth by Claire Boiko, writes a diary entry, exploring Earth’s progressive technology badly misinterpreted by Mars Space Control, in the context of his own experience. Write the diary entry in 120 words.
Answer:
12th March, 20XX
Sunday
11:30 p.m.
My intelligence has never failed me. But till today I could not understand these earthlings. Their sandwiches had peculiar taste. So my suggestion was to do a bit of research before plunging on the attack. Sandwiches, we found out were actually for eye communication. All our crew members started reading them. Vitamin pills were used to increase our intelligence. Oop was assigned to do the reading job and provide us with the actual acumen of earthlings.
Oh my God, the earthlings already know me! That ‘Humpty Dumpty’ was me and the earthlings had already planned the attack on us! So the wisest decision J took then was to fly back to our planet immediately. Oh! I Saved my crew members. I am a true Leader.
OR
(ii) A character arc is the transformation of development of a character throughout a story and refers to the changes a character undergoes as a result of their experiences, challenges, and interactions with other characters. In the light of the above information, trace the character arc of Mrs. Pumphrey in James Herriot’s ‘Triumph of Surgery’, in about 120 words. (A Triumph of Surgery)
Answer:
In James Herriot’s ‘Triumph of Surgery’, Mrs. Pumphrey sublimely undergoes a personality transformation. She initially comes across as an indulgent and doting pet owner. Her character is a typical example of a person blinded by love and by the perceived definition of care through her microscopic mental conditioning. But when her dog Tricki recovers, she is full of gratitude for the doctor, and seeing Tricky hale and hearty, she reassesses her priority to adopt a more responsible approach towards her pet care.