Term II
Sample Question Paper (2021-22)
English – Language and Literature (184)
Class X
Time allowed: 2 Hrs Maximum Marks: 40
General Instructions:
- Question Paper contains 3 sections – Reading, Writing & Grammar and Literature.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section A
1. Read the following passage carefully:
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any FIVE questions from the six given below:
(i) Why was ‘living on the edge’ become popular?
Living on the edge has become popular due to the constant need for something new or different. One thinks that it is exciting to live life on the edge.
(ii) What things are important for a disciplined life?
Exercising self-control, self-discipline and establishing boundaries and borders in our lives are important for a safe and disciplined life.
(iii) Explain the phrase ‘potentially harmful circumstances’.
The phrase ‘potential harmful circumstances’ refers to circumstances that can be possibly dangerous. Such circumstances occur when we avoid little choices such as wearing a seat belt.
(iv) What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage?
The message conveyed in the last paragraph is that of ‘Be yourself’. Each one of us needs to be exactly the way we are and we don’t have to apologize for it.
(v) Find the word from the passage which means the same as ‘temporary’?
Unsustainable
(vi) Find two colloquial words used in the passage.
The two colloquial words used in the passage are ‘yeah’ and ‘Woo-hoo’.
2. Read the following excerpt from a case study titled ‘Sustainable Tourism’.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any Five questions from the six given below.
(i) What did the World Tourism Organisation of the UN, in an observation, share?
The World Tourism Organisation of the UN, in an observation, shared that countries with upcoming economies shall see maximum tourist footfall from all over the world in the next decade.
(ii) List any one of the elements that is important to eco-tourists on trip?
One of the elements that is important to eco-tourists on trip is wild and untouched surroundings.
(iii) List the inherent qualities of geo tourism.
The inherent qualities of geo tourism are to promote landscape appreciations and include being environmentally responsible.
(iv) What did the market profile of the eco-tourist reveal about the education aspect?
The market profile of the eco-tourist revealed was no more limited to the small group of highly educated travellers.
(v) What did the survey clearly depict about the age range of eco-tourists?
It clearly showed that the age range of eco-tourists changed with the monetary requirements for the trips.
(vi) Who isn’t an experienced eco-tourist?
A person who is yet to travel even once as an eco-tourist isn’t an experiment eco-tourist.
Section B – Writing and Grammar
3. Attempt any one from (i) and (ii)
(i) As a health conscious person, you have noticed an advertisement in a newspaper on yoga classes in your neighbourhood. Write a letter in 100-120 words to the Organiser, Yoga for Public, R.K. Puram, New Delhi requesting him/her to send you information about the duration of the course and other relevant details. You are Shweta/Srikar of 15, R.K. Puram, New Delhi.
15, R.K Puram
New Delhi
03-02-20XX
The Organiser
Yoga for Public
R.K. Puram
New Delhi
Subject: Enquiry about the Courses
Respected Sir,
With reference to your advertisement in ‘The Times of India’ dated 1st February 20xx. I would like to tell you that I wish to join the yoga classes organised by you. Kindly furnish the following details:
- Duration of the course
- Timings of the classes
- No of persons in each batch
- Any special class for girls
- Fee structure
I am waiting an early reply from your end so that I may join as early as possible.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Shweta
(ii) The chart below displays data about the number of digital devices purchased in Rishu Nagar across the years 2016-2020. Write a paragraph analysing the given data.
Purchase of Digital Devices.
According to the given data, a large number of digital devices was purchased in Rishu Nagar across the years 2016-2020. The data indicates that more smart phones were purchased in 2016 as compared to the computers which numbered approx. – 35,000 in 2016. There was a gradual rise in the purchase in 2017 when the number of smart phones rose to 60,000 and computers to 59,000 The trend suddenly changed and a sharp rise was seen. The purchase of computers in 2018 which again dropped to approx. 45,000 in 2019. The year showed a decline in the purchase of smartphones as well. But the year 2020 brought hope and cheer for the sellers when there was again an upward trend in both smartphones and computers. To sum up it can be said that the purchase of digital devices across these five years showed the incline of people towards the hi-tech devices.
4. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Identify the error and write its correction against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the correction.
Error Correction
A saint walks the streets of Kolkata (a) _________ _________
It can happen only at India. It (b) _________ _________
Is time that us realise our strength (c) _________ _________
- walks walked
- at in
- us we
5. Read the given conversation below and complete the passage that follows:
Neha asked Naina …..(a)….. London. Naina replied that she had enjoyed herself only in parts as …..(b)….. there.
- if she had enjoyed her holidays in
- it had been really very cold
Section C – Literature
6. Answer any Six questions in 30-40 words each.
(i) Why did Mr. Barua feel surprised?
Mr. Barua was surprised that Rajvir knew so much about tea plantations, despite the fact that it was his first visit to Assam. He appreciated the fact that Rajvir had collected a considerable amount of information before coming.
(ii) Would you call Amanda a disrespectful child? Provide one reason to justify your opinion.
Amanda was not listening to the speaker. Rather, she was engulfed in her own imagination. Hence, she is regarded as a disrespectful child.
(iii) Suggest two ways by which you feel scientific temperament can be developed in a child.
Scientific temperament in a child is already there. There is only the need to cultivate scientific attitude in child right from his childhood. His curiousity to know about strange things and will to learn new things should always be encouraged.
(iv) Ramlal was worried about Bholi as she didn’t have good looks. Counter the belief that it is important for a girl to be good looking and give a reason for the same.
Bholi’s father was always worried about her because she not only looked ugly due to pock marks, but also stammered while talking. But in today’s time it is not that important. Bholi very aptly proved this wrong. Despite her ugly looks, she turned out to be a masterpiece who fought against the evils of the society by refusing to marry Bishamber Nath.
(v) Whitman’s ode to animals is merely a yearning for a simple life. Do you agree? Justify your answer.
There was a time when both humans and animals possessed noble virtues of live, peace, contentment and simplicity. With passage of time, humans gave up all such token of virtues. The road of noble virtues is still followed by animals. They remind the poet of those qualities and he yearns of a simpler life.
(vi) Do you think Chubukov is a good father? Justify your opinion based on your reading of the test.
Stephen Stepanotitch Chubukov loves his daughter and plays the role of a good fathers. He is in search of a good match for his daughter. He calls Lomov – my angel, treasure etc., when he comes to know about his proposal. When Chubukov finds Lomov fighting with Natalya, he immediately changes and starts to support his daughter.
(vii) Inspired by the diversity in the chapter, ‘Glimpses of India’, you wrote an article for your school magazine on the topic. ‘Diversity the uniqueness of India’. Write a paragraph, sharing two key opinions from the article.
Diversity makes India unique. India, is unique country in every possible way and it colourful. Festivals and dressing is one of them. Every culture, religion and custom has its own unique colour, which shows the diversity in one. In India, different people have different culture, speak different languages customs, caste, history, religions, which make India unique.
7. Answer any TWO of the following in about 120 words each.
(i) Though the play revolves around three people, Russian society emerges as an important character through the on goings of the play and the thoughts and interactions of its characters. Imagine yourself to be a historian who has been invited to speak about nineteenth century upper class Russian society.
Based on your reading of the play, “The Proposal’ how might you describe it? Support your evaluation with instances from the text.
Honourable Ladies and Gentleman
I have been invited here to share with you my views about the nineteenth century upper class Russian society.
Noble titles and land ownership were the main determinants of precise league in 19th century upper class Russian society. Protective of their wealth and precise league, Russian’s landed aristocracy was arguably the most conservative force.
I read a story ‘the proposal’, which belongs to the Russian characters so through the dialogues of the characters, we come to know a lot about Russian man. According to the story the Russians are very particular about their dress and have particular dresses for a special occasion. Secondly, they are hypocrites. They show off to be sweet but the very next moment, they start fighting. As in the story, Chubukov call Lomov ‘my angel’ but later fought with him. They pretend to be good neighbours but within their heart, they have so many grades. They love to have dogs as a pet and consider but within their heart, they have so many grades. They love to have dogs as a pet and consider their pets better than the other one. All of them are stubborn, short-tempered, quarrelsome and rigid. Such behaviour and thought is clearly visible through the interactions of its characters in the story.
Thank you
(ii) In the chapter, ‘A Baker from Goa’ the narrator talks about his childhood in Goa and his fond memories. Compare the childhood of Bholi with that of the narrator.
The narrator had pleasant memories of his childhood but Bholi had a very disturbed and depressing formative years. A person’s childhood is the most beautiful time of their life, but this was not true with Bholi. Since she as the fourth daughter, her father did not welcome her happily at the time of her birth. Because of her disability, she was despised by all of her family members. Bholi had an unpleasant childhood.
When she was just ten months old, her brain was affected by a fall. She contracted smallpox when she was just two years old, and the disease left her with permanent pockmarks on her body. When chatting, she stammered. As a result, she was a neglected child in her household. Nobody had any high hopes for her. Her parents referred to her as a ‘dumb cow’ and treated her badly. The old dresses of her sister were passed on to her. No one cared to med or wash her clothes. New clothes had never been made for Bholi. No one oiled her hair or tried to teach her anything. It was miraculously, that she reached the school which transformed her entirely and she truly proved worthy of her name, ‘Sulekha’.
On the contrary, during the narrator’s childhood in Goa, the Baker used to be his friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least twice a day. The author can still recall the typical fragrance or the leaves. Then he and his friends didn’t even care to brush their teeth.
Thus, the narrator had carefree and enjoyable childhood which was full of childish activities whereas Bholi’s testing time later paved way for her bright future through education
(iii) “You seem to have done your homework before coming.” Answer the given questions in the light of this statement.
Rajvir seemed to have a lot of information about tea. What all did he tell? What character trait of his is revealed? Is it essential for children?
Rajvir had been invited to spend his vacations with his classmate Pranjol whose father was the manager of a tea estate in Assam. He was quite excited about the trip and had gathered considerable amount of relevant information i.e., where tea originated and how it became such a popular beverage. He informed that about 80 crore cups of tea are consumed daily and that the name ‘tea’ itself has been originated from Chinese language. He narrated two popular legends about the origin of tea.
Rajvir exhibits an important value trait, that the pre-requisite to gain knowledge-curiosity and eagerness to know. Moreover, he is not a passive learner but is proactive in collecting prior information to any real experience. He likes to do his homework thoroughly before going to a place. This is something very appreciable and children should develop this habit of finding out about the place they are going to visit. These are extremely desirable traits for all learners.