ii. A paradoxical statement has been used by the poet describing the distinctive features of a chameleon.

Elucidate the statement with reference to the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’. 3
iii. Black often symbolises misfortune. However, in the story, ‘The Black Aeroplane’, it depicts hope, faith and
gratitude. Discuss. 3
iv. Keeping a pet is not all fun but a responsibility too. Comment on the basis of the story ‘Mijbil the Otter’.
3
v. Validate the given statement with reference to the boy’s loss. ‘Sometimes we have to lose something
precious in order to gain something priceless’. (The Ball Poem) 3

VII. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. (2×3=6)
i. Presence of mind and intelligence is more powerful than a gun. How far is it true in the case of Ausable,
the secret agent? 3
ii. Money can’t make a man as much as education. Elucidate the statement with reference to the lesson ‘The
Thief’s Story’. 3
iii. Sending Bholi to school was a ‘blessing in disguise’. Discuss. 3

VIII. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words. (6×1=6)
i. Both Anne and Amanda were teenagers and sensitive girls. Analyze the common character traits of Anne
and Amanda with reference to the texts ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’ and ‘Amanda’ respectively.
6
ii. Valli was so overcome with sadness to see the dead cow that she lost all enthusiasm. Compare and
contrast the plight of the Tiger captivated in the zoo, in the poem ‘A Tiger In The Zoo’ and the dead cow
roaming freely on the road 6

IX. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words. (6×1=6)
i. Horace was a successful thief because he carefully planned his robberies. Should we call him a successful
thief and still appreciate his work? Why or why not? 6

ii. “Confession is good for the soul.” A little confession would have changed the life of Loisel. Examine the
above given statement. 6

Sample Question Paper - 5

Class X Exam (2022-23)
English-Language and Literature (184)
Time allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80

Section A: READING SKILLS

I. Read the passage given below:
(1) Happiness lies within the mind of an individual. No amount of external wealth may be helpful in making
him happy. Our forefathers had lifestyles based mainly on the concept of “simple living & high thinking”.
Excessive material wealth did not mean much to them.
(2) The structural framework of our forefather’s families was different from those of ours. The bond of
love which they shared cannot be easily found today. The family provided an emotional cushioning effect
against tension and stress. However, in today’s nuclear family, we are detached from feelings towards our
kith and kin. This may finally destroy the family psyche.
(3) The joint family system provided a proper environment for the child to grow up. The values of respect,
tolerance, responsibility, and integrity were internalized in the child. In the long run, they became better
human beings, compared to those in the present generation. Our forefathers felt happiest, if their children
became honest human beings. But today, we are happy only if we attain our coveted material ends and are
ready to resort to any means to attain that end.
(4) Our forefathers had a vision to make India the best. To attain their ambitions, they were ready to make
all sorts of personal sacrifices. On the other hand, today people are ready to migrate to the west, to enjoy a
comfortable life. Often, they become successful in foreign lands. But, in the process, they become alienated
from their motherland. Also, distance from their ailing parents is a worrying factor and keeps them perturbed.
It is not easy for them to return, as their children will not be able to adjust to the Indian environment and way
of life. Thus, this is a crisis and a frame of mind worse than their forefathers.

188
(5) In our generation, tradition and modernity have intermingled to form a special system. We are happier
than our forefathers in being able to lessen evils like the rigid caste system, untouchability, and child marriage,
but we have failed to totally eradicate them. I fact, electoral politics has made use of the caste system, through
the issuance of party tickets on the basis of caste, community, and religion.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer questions that follow: 1 × 10 = 10
(a) How are our forefathers different from us?
(i) They had lifestyles based mainly on the concept of “simple living and high thinking”
(ii) They had different structural framework of families.
(iii) They made all sorts of personal sacrifices to attain their ambitions
(ivi) All of these
(b) What impact does a joint family system has on a child?
(i) It helps a child to become a better human being.
(ii) It internalizes the values of respect, tolerance, responsibility and integrity in a child
(iii) Both (i) & (ii)
(ivi) Neither (i) nor (ii)
(c) In our generation, ---------------- and ------------ have intermingled to form a special system.
(i) Untouchability, Intolerance
(ii) Tradition: modernity
(iii) Religion: caste
(iv) Politics; corruption
(d) based on your reading of the passage, choose the incorrect statement from the following.
(i) Our youngsters had a vision to make India the best
(ii) Happiness lies within the mind of an individual.
(iii) The family provided an emotional cushioning effect against tension and stress.
(iv) Our forefathers had lifestyles based mainly on the concept of simple living and high thinking.
(e) Choose the option that correctly states the two meanings of ‘cushioning’, as used in the passage
(A) Sharpening (B) Shielding (C) Intensifying (D) Softening (E) Irritating
(ii) A, E (ii) B, D (iii) C, E (iv) A, C
(f) The ------------ provided a proper environment for the child to grow up.
(i) Neighbourhood (ii) joint family system (iii) nuclear family system (iv) friends & relatives
(g) “In our generation, tradition and modernity have intermingled to form a special system.” Substitute the
underlined word with the most appropriate option from the following:
(i) Divided (ii) Blended (iii) Scattered (iv) Detached
(h) We are happier than our forefathers in being able to lessen:
(i) child marriage (ii) unemployment (iii) religious values (iv)none of these
(i) Select the option that makes the correct use of “sorts”, as used in the passage, to fill in the blank space.
(i) Policemen have to know all ----------- of different things.
(ii) The machine ------- it all out.
(iii) The computer -------- the words into alphabetical order.
(iv)He always ---------- the books according to the author’s name.
(j) What are the values internalized in the child?
(i) Respect (ii) Tolerance (iii) Responsibility (iv) All of these

II. Read the passage given below: (10 marks)

Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a Professor of Physics. At an early age,
she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning prompted her to
continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the
University of Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left
Poland and in 1891, entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she earned her master’s degree and
a doctorate in physics.

EVENT YEAR

189
 Marie was born on the 7th of November 1867

Her sisters Bronya and Zosia became ill and Zosia passed away. 1876

Curie’s mother died from grief. 1878

She graduates high school. 1883

Leaves Warsaw for a governess position 1884

Her sister Bronya graduated medical school. 1891

Marie graduated with a master’s degree in Mathematics and first in her class for
Physics. 1893

She married Pierre Curie. 1895

Marie Curie was

a. The first woman with a degree in Physics.
b. The first woman to graduate in France.
c. The first woman to obtain a Nobel Prize.
d. The first woman to obtain a chair at the Sorbonne.
e. The first scientist to obtain two Nobel Prizes.

(2) Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her days, one
of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive years working
together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-
drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heart-breaking anguish.
Despondently she recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The
fact that she had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress.
(3) Curie’s feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a
physics professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the world-famous
university. In 1911, she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie
eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about
her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the
mysteries of the physical world.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten questions from the twelve that follow: 1
× 10 = 10
Q1. In the line “…… she defiantly left Poland,” the word “defiantly” DOES NOT refer to
(a) Coldly (b) Challenging (c) Resistant (d) Openly
Q2. The events in the life of Marie Curie could reveal the following point:
(a) She was determined to receive higher education.

190
(b) She was eager for women empowerment.
(c) She had a brilliant mind set and rude behavior.
(d) She never liked her personal and professional life with Pierre Curie.
Q3. Marie …………………… by leaving Poland and travelling to France to enter the Sorbonne.
(a)challenged authority (b) showed intelligence (c) got happy (d) was distressed
Q4. Choose the option that lists the correct answers for the following:
(a) Ashwini, a physicist was working hard on her research on the black hole. She worked really very hard to
make her research a unique one. She did a lot of experimental work to come up with better inferences. What
kind of researcher is she?
(b) Lata was a lady of firm determination. She lost her husband after three years of marriage. She had two
daughters whom she raised all her own. She felt the void in her life but was never disappointed or
disheartened by that. What kind of lady is she?
(a) (1) disappointed and (2) experimental (b) (1) determined (2) independent
(c) (1) independent (2) determined (d) (1) diligent and (2) resolute
Q5. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the qualities of the professor.
(1) Scholar (2) Distressed (3) Exuberant (4) Lethargic (5) A bad student (6) Thoughtful
(a) (2) and (4) (b) (5) and (6) (c) (1) and (3) (d) (3) and (6)
Q6. Even though she became fatally ill by working with radium, Marie Curie was never…
(a) cheerful (b) enthusiastic (c) staunch (d) disillusioned
Q7. Marie became ‘aggrieved’ when she found that
(a) Her husband was dead. (b) The University of Warsaw was closed for women.
(c) She was ill. (d) She will have to leave her birthplace.
Q8. According to the passage, how long did the married life of Marie & Pierre Curie survive?
(a) 12 years (b) 10 years (c) 11 years (d) 15 years
Q9. Marie’s mother was …………………… and died after the death of …………………….
(a) heartbroken, her friends (b) depressed, two of her daughters
(c) heartbroken, one of her daughters (d) heartbroken, her cousin
Q10. Choose the option that lists statements that are NOT TRUE.
(a) Marie was brilliant in her studies.
(b) Marie was the first scientist to obtain two Nobel Prizes.
(c) Marie succeeded her husband Pierre at Sorbonne University.
(d) Marie didn’t reveal many facts and mysteries of the physical world.
SECTION -B
III Grammar (10 Marks)
i) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line.
Sachin Tendulkar is a best cricketer in India.

Error Correction

ii) Read the conversation given below and complete the line that follows. (01 M)
Sujon: I want to be a doctor. What about you?
Rajib: I want to be an English teacher.
Sujon said that he wanted to be a doctor and, in turn, asked what about him. To this, Rajib replied saying
that ----------.
iii) Put the verb in bracket into correct form.
I___________ (not see) him since yesterday.
iv) Fill in the blank with suitable form of verb from the bracket.
He was tired and …….. asleep immediately (fell, fall)
v) Fill the blank with appropriate conjunction.
Not only he ……… his father was also present.
b) Is b) but c) can d) also
vi) Communication …… become more effective due to smart phones.
b) Is b) have c) has d) had
191
vii) The police ……. four thieves last night.
b) Catch b) caught c) is catching d) will catch
viii) My mother often says to me,‘Honesty is the best policy’.
My mother often says to me that ……………………….
ix) Rajiv …….. Karate class every day.
b) attends b) attending c) attended d) will attend
x) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line.
Children are fond of coconuts.

Error Correction

IV. Creative Writing Skills (10 Marks)

(iii) You are Siddhartha Sinha, the principal of Vaidya Kanya Public school, Faridabad, Haryana, place
an order for school furniture in the form of a letter to Jasmeet Traders & Co. Sharma Market, Haryana (100-
120 words) (05 Marks)
(iv) The pie chart shows the proportion of people from different households living in poverty in the UK in
2002. Write an analytical paragraph to describe the information in 100-120 words.
(05 Marks)

SECTION - C LITERATURE (40 Marks)

V. Reference to the Context (5+5=10)
A. Read the extract given below and attempt it by answering the questions that follow. (5x1 = 5)
Well, it’s time I did some real work, I told myself; I ‘m out of practice. And if I don’t take the money, he’ll only
waste it on his friends. After all, he doesn’t even pay me.
(a) What is referred to as ‘real work’?
(ii) Writing articles (ii) cooking (iii) cleaning (iv) stealing
(b) What will he waste on his friend?
(i) Time (ii) Money (iii) Food (iv) All of these
(c) Hari wants to steal Anil’s money because
(i) He has to pay his debt
(ii) He has not stolen anything for a long time
(iiii) The money belongs to him
vi) none of these
(d) Anil is a --------- man.
(ii) Careful (ii) alcoholic (iii) careless (iv) hardworking
(e) Which word from the following is the antonym of “useful”
(ii) Waste (ii) pay (iii) take (iv) practice
[Link] the extract given below and attempt it by answering the questions that follow. (5x1 = 5)
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days in the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
i. The poet uses the word ‘ultimate’ to describe the boy’s reaction. Pick the meaning that DOES NOT display
what ‘ultimate’ means in the context given.
a) Consequent b) final c) conclusive d) fateful
[Link] boy is very young in this poem. As a mature, balanced grown-up, he might look back and think that his
reaction of ‘ultimate shaking grief’ was
1) disproportionate to the loss.
2) pretension to procure a new toy.
3) according to his exposure and experience then.
4) a reaction to the failure of retrieving the toy.
5) justified and similar to what it would be currently.
192
a) 5 & 2 b) 1 & 3 c) 2 & 4 d) 3 & 5
iii. Pick the option that lists the boy’s thoughts, matching with the line-As he stands rigid, trembling, and
staring down.

a) Option 1 b) Option 2 c) Option 3 d) Option 4

iv. Why does the speaker choose not to intrude? This is so because the poet…
a) knows that it would embarrass the boy in his moment of grief.
b) feels that it’s important that the boy learn an important life lesson, undisturbed.
c) realises that he doesn’t have sufficient funds to purchase a new ball for the boy.
d) Experiences a sense of distress himself, by looking at the boy’s condition.

v. Choose the option that lists the meaning of “harbour’ as used in the extract.
Noun- (1) A place on the coast where ships may moor in shelter.
(2) A place of refuge
Verb- (3) keep (a thought or feeling, typically a negative one) in one’s mind, especially secretly.
(4) Shelter or hide (a criminal or wanted person)
(i) Option (1) (ii) Option (2) (iii) Option (3) (iv) Option (4)
VI. Short & very long Answer Questions. (30 Marks)
Answer ANY FOUR questions in 40-50 words each. (4x3=12)
a) Why was the young seagull alone at the ledge?
b) What does courage mean to Mandela?
c) How did Anne justify her being a chatterbox in her essay?
d) How did rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
e) Describe the movement of the Tiger in the cage and in the wild.
f) Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?
(vi) Answer ANY TWO questions in 40-50 words each. (2x3=06)
a) How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
b) Why is Mrs. Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
c) Why does Horace Danby steal every year?
d) Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
(vii) Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words. (6 Marks)
(a) It is truethat without the help of the members of family, the young seagull could not fly. Elaborate.
OR
(b) Our attitudetowards a situation evokes both negative and positive responses. Analyse this with
reference to the poem, “Dust of Snow” to bring out the inherent valuable lessons.

(viii) Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words. (6 Marks)

(a) In the story ‘A Questions of Trust’, Horace Danby carefully planned his theft, but was outwitted by
another thief ‘The lady in red’. Would you agree that over confidence may prove fatal one day? Discuss.

OR
(b) How did Herriot save Tricki’s life?

Marking Scheme SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER -1

Class X Exam (2022-23)
English-Language and Literature (184)
Time Allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80

Section A: Reading Skills (Marks-20)

I. Read the passage given below (10 Marks)
I. Why does the writer say that mountains inspire ‘awe’ in humans? (Paragraph 1)
193