SAMPLE QUESTIONS

ENGLISH (COMMUNICATIVE) (101)

CLASS X (2012-13)

SECTION: A 20 - Marks

Q Read the passage given below carefully. 10 marks

“DAIJA”

It was Monday morning when the phone rang. It was my mother. After talking for a minute, she said “I am giving the phone to someone. Talk to her." "Hello," came a familiar voice and I immediately knew who was at the other end. I was very happy to hear that voice. It had been too long. "Daija! How are you? When did you come there?" "Just yesterday. I am fine. How are you?" said Daija Daija was my grandparents' helping hand for many years. She came to work for them almost 51 years ago. My mother was just seven years old then. Daija came unannounced. She had heard that my grandparents were looking for a maid and she travelled for two days to apply for the job. She was around 20 years old then. Daija was puny. She frequently laughed out loud. Her husband had left her for another woman but this had not embittered her about life. Slowly, she became part of the family. Her real name was Kamlaben but my mother would call her “Daija" affectionately and it stuck to her for the rest of her life. Her personality was such that she became the life of every festival and get-together. She was a good dancer and though she did not have a good voice she enjoyed singing too. When my mother was married and moved to another town, Daija cried more than my grandmother. When my mother was pregnant she came to live with her. Every winter, we used to go to our grandparents’ place for holidays and she became our playmate. She would hide some special food from my grandmother to give us later. My grandmother could not do without her. When my grandfather died 10 years ago, she became my grandmother's sole companion. They had disagreements but that didn't bother either of them.

But once grandfather was gone, Daija started feeling insecure. My grandmother, who was six years older than Daija, was also not keeping well. Daija would take care of her but who would take care of Daija? She was already 72. One day, she came to my mother and took out about Rs. 6,000, which she had saved. She said "Kamala, please secure a place for me in an old age home. I may not be staying here for a long time." My mother dismissed her but that act remained in her mind. Sometimes, she would discuss Daija’s future with my father.

Daija, too old by now to do everything herself, had other maids helping her. She was now the task manager. At times, we could not differentiate her from our grandmother. She was as influential. Then, one day after 45 years, without warning, her husband came to visit her. She had no feelings. She had not seen him for all these years. The other woman had passed away leaving her grown-up son, who was earning decent lives for themselves. The husband himself had made a name in palmistry. Now he was expecting her to come back. She was not sure. He left without an answer. It took her a long time to decide. She finally decided to go .The day she left, a vacuum was created in our lives. There was no one to take her place. Today, we miss her laughs, her unconditional love and her spontaneity. She still visits my grandmother on every festival. These days, Daija has been travelling around with her husband, and his son takes care of her. Some people like Daija leave a void in lives, and are always remembered.

Q On the basis of your reading of the above passage, complete the following statement briefly.

1 x 6 = 6 marks

1. Daija came to their house _____________________________________. 2. Daija’s personality was ________________________________________.

3. Her husband had _____________________________________________.

4. The narrator could not differentiate between Daija and her grandmother because_____________________.

5. Daija wanted to go to an old age home because_________________________.

6. She eventually decided to _____________________________.

Q Answer the following questions briefly. 1 mark

a) What was Daija‟s husband doing?

Q Find words from the passage which mean the same as the words given below: 1 x 3 = 3 marks

a) space

b) avoided

c) readiness

Q Read the following passage carefully: 5 marks

Have you heard people saying that the 'rupiah makes the world go round? Do you know the story of the rupee?

The word rupee comes from the Sanskrit term ‘ Rupya’ or ‘ Rupa’ which means silver. The very early coins before the second century BC, were all made of silver but the coins were neither of any standard weight nor had any face or value printed on them. It was Sher Shah Suri who first gave the name “rupia” to the

silver coins. The last silver coins were minted in 1940 with the face of King George VI on them. In 1942 the silver coin was replaced by a cupro-nickel coin for the first time.

Money was invented by man to get power but now money has become more powerful than man. All over the world, money and power go together. The more money a person has, the more successful he is judged to be. A rich man is accepted by society even if he is corrupt or evil.

Man works hard to earn more and more money and saves a lot of it. He thinks that money will give him more freedom to enjoy himself and to have lots of fun. He thinks he will not be anyone's slave but be his own master. But soon he becomes the slave of money. The more he has, the more he wants. He is never satisfied with what he has got but always wants something more even though he knows that in the end, he cannot carry anything with him. Money can buy everything but it cannot buy peace or happiness or a ticket to heaven.

Read the following questions and write the option you consider the most appropriate in your answer sheet:

(a) The early coins were made of............................

(i) copper (ii) gold

(iii) silver (iv) lead

(b) The cupro-nickel coins came into existence in the year.................................

(i) 1924 (ii) 1942

(iii) 1429 (iv) 1294

(c)Today money is..........................

(i) less powerful than man (ii) equal to man

(iii) more powerful than man (iv) none of the above

(d) Society willingly accepts........................... from a rich man.

(i) honesty (ii) corruption

(iii) bribery (iv) none of the above

(e) The word satisfied can be replaced by...........................

(i) contended (ii) happy

(iii) fulfilled (iv) overjoyed

SECTION B

25 Marks

Notice: Your school has planned an inter class debate competition. Write a notice for the school notice- board informing students of the competition giving details like date, time venue, contact person etc in 50- 60 words. 3 marks

You have to rush for your tuition class, and nobody is at home. Leave a message for your mother informing her about the same. 3 marks

Your mother promised you to buy a new I-Pad or any gadget, on achieving a good result. You are awaiting the good result, as well as the I-Pad. Explain your anticipation in a diary – entry.

Q Recently your colony has witnessed and suffered acute water shortage. As the Secretary of your RWA, write a letter to the Chairman DJB highlighting the problem and suggesting ways to solve the issue.

Write a letter to your younger brother, who has got admission in a hostel, emphasizing the importance of a good breakfast. 5 marks

• HINTS :energy in the morning to perform

• Important meal

• nutrition and healthy

• Never skip

• Will lead to fatigue

Q It was a dark night. There was no one at home suddenly it started raining. I could hear the distant howling of the wild cats and suddenly ....... 5 marks

Q The students of today are becoming ‘Couch Potatoes’ due to their excess T.V. viewing habit. This has a negative effect not only and their health, but overall personality. Write an article, expressing your views on the same. 5 marks

Q Write a speech, to be given in the morning assembly, talking about the importance of education in one’s life. 5 marks

HINTS: education helps in making one......

*independent *confident *aware *access to information *wise *lead a better quality of life

Section - C: Grammar

20 Marks

Q Read the paragraph given below and fills in the blanks with the help of options that follow.

4 marks

Humans have always thought of the moon as living. In earlier times, it was seen that it had always been changing. Since

it was the brightest star in the dark sky, humans watched and wondered why it (i) Humans (ii) always

afraid of the dark, so the bright light (iii) both welcome and mysterious. Today, we still feel fear or mystery when

we (iv) ...................... at the moon. It is these feelings which keep the old superstitions about the moon alive.

(i) (a) change (b) is changing (c) changed (d) was changing (ii) (a) had (b) have been (c) were (d) got (iii) (a) were (b) was (c) had (d) has (iv) (a) looks (b) looking (c) look (d) looked

Q Complete the following passage by filling up the blanks. Write the correction in your answer sheet.

4 marks

Pollution (a)................ the destroying of environment. It (b)......................... to the degeneration of soil, air water. Soil, air and water (c)........................been degraded by waste, smoke and chemicals. In metro cities problem (d).........................become very serious. Smoke from chimneys and automobiles (e)........................... polluting the air. The acid rain (f)............................ to degeneration of buildings. Government should take strict measures if it (g)........................... to protect the earth. Man's greed and selfishness (h)...............................the major causes of pollution.

Q Rearrange the following jumbled words to make meaningful sentences and write the same in the answer sheet. 1 x 4 = 4 marks

(a) in/other animals/elephant/an/excels/ intelligence

(b) displays/ he/ his intelligence/little actions/in his

(d)one/the/of/loved/most/animals/world/in/the

Q The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Identify the error in each line, and write it along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after in your answer sheet. The first one has been done as an example. 4 marks

Example: On reaching his room he entire broke he entirely broke

down, and became a prey for the most i. ________

violent agitation. The vulgarity of those twins, and ii. ________

the gross materialism of Mrs. Otis, was naturally iii. ________

extremely annoying, but what really distress him iv. ________

most was that he had been unable to wear the suit of mail.

Q Read the following conversation between two friends, Ginnie and Dimpi and complete the paragraph that follows. 4 marks

Ginnie: Why have you not brought my dress?

Dimpi: I haven’t brought it because I had gone to my cousin's house with my mother, so I forgot to keep it.

Ginnie: Don't give me lame excuses. I want to know the truth.

Dimpi: I am sorry Ginnie. I was playing with my friends till late. I forgot that you needed it today.

Ginnie asked Dimpi (a) ....................... .Dimpi said that she (b) ............................... .Ginnie (c) ................................. and further added that (d)........................ Dimpi said that he was sorry and further added that she was playing with her friends and she had forgotten that she needed it that day.

SECTION – D: LITERATURE

25 Marks

Q Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow by writing the correct option in the answer sheet. 1 x 3 = 3 marks

Gainst death and all oblivious enmity

shall you pace forth, your paradise shall still find room.

Even in the eyes of all posterity,

That wear this world out to the ending doom.

a) Why would the young man be remembered by the future generations?

i) Because he is very brave

ii) Because he is very philanthropic

iii) Because he has written immortal verses

iv) Because he is very religions

b) What does the poet mean by ending doom?

i) The day when war would come to an end.

ii) The day when the whole mankind will die

iii) The day when the whole earth will be destroyed

iv) The day on which God will decide the fate of all mortal beings.

c) What is the tone of these lines?

i) Pessimistic

ii) Sad

iii) Confident

iv) optimistic

Q Read the following extract carefully and answers the questions that follow by choosing the most appropriate alternative from those given below:

“I’ve seen a weekend cottage near Darking that I should rather like to buy,” said Miss Mebbin with seeming irrelevance. “Six hundred and eighty, freehold. Quite a bargain, only I don’t happen to have the money.” 1 x 3 = 3 marks

a) Who is Miss Mebbin talking to?

b) Why is Miss Mebbin talking about the cottage when she can’t afford to buy it?

c) What does the phrase ‘seeming irrelevance’ here means?

Q Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: 1 x 3 = 3 marks

“What are they coming for? They haven’t been here for ages.”

(a) Who is coming? (b) Why are they coming? (c) Why haven’t they been here for ages?

Q Answer the following in about 50-60 words each. 2 x 3 = 6 marks

a.) “We do many things, sir‟. Explain this statement with reference to the context. b.) Why had the tiger turned to eating of small animals? c.) Why did the postmaster call Ali a pest?

Q Answer any one of the following in about 125 words. 5 marks

‘Tough day’s never last but tough people do’. Explain this statement with reference to the two boys.

Do you admire the frog for his intelligence or criticize him for his cruelty? Explain, with suitable examples.

VALUE BASED QUESTION

ENGLISH (COMMUNICATIVE) (101)

CLASS X (2012-13)

5 marks

Patol Babu, Film Star

..’ They just got hold of some people, got them to go through certain motions, paid them for their labours and forgot all about it. Paid them, yes, but how much? Ten, fifteen, twenty rupees? It is true that he needed money very badly, but what was twenty rupees when measured against the intense satisfaction of a small job done with perfection and dedication.’

At the end it was not money which would have given so much happiness as he got from playing his role well.

Motivated by his story, you decide to write an e mail to your friend telling him about the value of putting in ones best in everything one does be it at work, home or play because the quality of one’s work is a measure of the quality of the person himself.

Marking scheme:

Content –3 +2 marks

Expression—1 mark

Value points: Award one mark each for any three points covered from the list below. Accept any other relevant point brought out by the candidate.

• Accomplishing tasks to perfection gives one a sense of pride and self esteem

• Job well done gives happiness and contentment

• Perfection leads to excellence

• One learns to respect the job be it small or big

• Perfection should be made a habit

• Working towards perfection is a healthy attitude