Class 10 English Sample Paper Term 1 Set D

Please refer to Class 10 English Sample Paper Term 1 Set D with solutions below. The following CBSE Sample Paper for Class 10 English has been prepared as per the latest pattern and examination guidelines issued by CBSE. By practicing the English Sample Paper for Class 10 students will be able to improve their understanding of the subject and get more marks.

CBSE Class 10 English Sample Paper for Term 1

Section A Reading

I. Read the passage given below.

Just a decade ago, Nepal was a Himalayan kingdom where Buddhists and Hindus from surrounding countries travelled on pilgrimage to see the temples of Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhinath, Buddha Neelkantha and Guhyeshwari among scores of others. They also thronged this tiny strip of an incredible Himalayan landscape to see the great heritage cities of Kathmandu, Patan-Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. Ten years down the line, this tiny Himalayan kingdom has undergone a dramatic change. Millions of people still travel to this country for pilgrimages and nature treks. It has some of Asia’s best luxury resorts, deluxe hotels and conference centres, supermarkets and, of course, restaurants offering not only the exotic Nepalese cuisine, but also the best food from all over the world. Suddenly, Nepal has become the country for marriages, parties, holidays, business deals, adventure holidays and for old world sightseeing. The Tribhuvan International Airport is as full of backpackers as it is of business tycoons, who come to Kathmandu to conduct important meetings with international groups.

Apart from Kathmandu, most nature lovers visit Pokhara, where the highest peaks of the sprawling Annapurna range of the Himalayas and the Machchepuchra peak stand brooding over several resorts.

The town’s crowning glory is Fulbari, a 167- room resort which offers every kind of luxury one can dream of. The lakeside bazaar is really a shopper’s delight. A number of Kashmiri migrants have settled around the Pokhara lake, where boating is available, and have opened shops selling leather and metal goods, semi-precious stones, Tibetan and Nepalese handicrafts of the Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist variety. The ride to see Mount Everest, which is also available from Kathmandu, is the most popular. Apart from Kathmandu and Pokhara, the cities which attract hordes of culture visitors are Patan-Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhulikhel and Nagarkot. The last two are towns from where the sunset and the beauty of the snow-clad mountain ranges are unforgettable. Nagarkot and Dhulikhel – both have luxury resorts where one can go lotus-eating to one’s heart content and meditate upon the setting sun and its magnificent beauty each evening. The earlier mentioned towns, namely Patan-Lalitpur and Bhaktapur are a different kettle of fish. Here are Durbar Squares of majestic beauty, buildings built by the great rulers of Nepal’s past royal families and the best work of architects, and Nepal can be seen. Most of all, Nepal is a wonderful destination for all those who want to gaze at the eternal Himalayas and store a treasure of peace in their souls to last for a lifetime.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions by choosing the correct answer.

Question 1. The given passage can be used as
(a) Marketing propaganda for Nepal
(b) Description of the beauty of Nepal
(c) Data in a report regarding tourism in Nepal
(d) All of the above

Question 2. The narrator states that in some towns of Nepal, one can go lotus-eating to one’s heart content. Here, lotus eating means
(a) gaining pleasure
(b) enjoying the delicacies made with lotus
(c) enjoying the view
(d) relaxing and meditating

Question 3. Select the option that suitably completes the given dialogue.
Writer: Nepal is soon going to become a popular wedding destination for people of India.
X: Yes, of course. It has …………………………. .
Writer: It fulfills the needs of grandeur in midst of serenity.
(a) a lot to offer to the families of the bride and the groom
(b) some of the most luxurious and beautiful resorts of Asia
(c) an aesthetic look that is trending around the world
(d) many ancient monuments turned resorts

Question 4. Which of the signboard can be used by the Nepal Tourism to attract tourists?

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

Question 5. Select the option that contains the correct pair.
(a) Pokhara- Annapurna range
(b) Fulbari- Ancient forts
(c) Bakhtapur- Snow clad mountain
(d) Nagarkhot- Mount everest

Question 6. What is the relationship between (1) and (2)?
(1) … tiny Himalayan kingdom has undergone a dramatic change.
(2) … Nepal has become the country for marriages, parties, holidays, business deals, adventure holidays and for old world sightseeing.
(a) (2) is the cause for (1).
(b) (1) repeats the situation described in (2).
(c) (2) elaborates on (1).
(d) (1) sets the stage for (2).

Question 7. Bhaktapur is different from Dhulikhel because
(a) it is more of a pilgrim destination
(b) it is untouched by humans
(c) it is full of ancient architecture
(d) it is famous for its world cuisines

Question 8. Which of the following statements is TRUE in the context of the passage?
(a) Nepal is not just a tourist destination but is also an emerging business hub.
(b) People still prefer to visit Nepal for its number of pilgrim destinations.
(c) Nepal’s natural beauty along with its ancient architecture is a treat for bagpackers.
(d) Both (a) and (c)

Question 9. Kashmiri migrants earn their livelihood in Nepal by ………………………….. .
(a) giving boating facilities
(b) opening restaurants
(c) selling various goods
(d) All of these

Question 10. Pick the option that lists the resort towns of Nepal.
1. Kathmandu           2. Fulbari
3. Patan (Lalitpur)   4. Bhaktapur
5. Dhulikhel              6. Nagarkot
(a) 1, 2 ,3
(b) 4, 5, 6
(c) 2, 5, 6
(d) 2, 3, 4

II. Read the passage given below.

Call it a blessing or a curse of Mother Nature, we have to breathe in over 10,000 litres of air in a day to remain alive. Everyone can see the food that is not clean and perhaps refrain from eating it, but one cannot stop breathing even if one can feel the air to be polluted. Several harmful substances can contaminate the air we breathe. Generally, much is said about outdoor air pollution, most of which is due to vehicular and industrial exhausts.
Given the fact that most of us spend over 90% of our time indoors, it is most important to recognise that the air we breathe in at home or in offices can be polluted. Air pollutants in very low concentrations can assume significance in closed ill-ventilated places.

The indoor air pollution can lead to allergic reactions and cause irritation to the skin, the eyes and the nose. It can also lead to the development of fresh breathing problems, or it can worsen the existing respiratory illnesses like asthma and bronchitis. There can be several sources of indoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke is one of the most common air pollutants in closed places. Passive smoking or Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) pollution can lead to all the harmful effects seen in the smokers in their non-smoking companions. The exposure of young children to ETS leads to increased respiratory problems and hospital admissions. Several studies, have shown an increased risk of lung cancer among women exposed to passive smoking.
The next most common source of indoor air pollution is the allergens. House Dust Mites (HDM) are very small insects not visible to the naked eye and are the commonest source of allergy. They thrive in a warm and moist atmosphere. They breed very fast and are very difficult to eradicate. Modem houses present ample breeding spaces for them in the form of carpets, curtains, mattresses, pillows, etc. Exposure to HDM can be prevented by the frequent washing of linen and by encasing the mattresses and pillows in a non-permeable cover. Pets can add plenty of allergens to our indoor atmosphere. Particles from feline fur can remain stuck to the upholstery for a long time leading to the worsening of asthma and skin allergies.
Moulds, fungi and several other microorganisms thrive in damp conditions and can lead to allergies as well as infections. Humidifiers in the air-conditioning plants provide an ideal environment for certain types of bacteria and have led to major outbreaks of pneumonia. It is important to clean the coolers, air-conditioners and damp areas of the house regularly to minimise this risk.
The poor quality of stoves and other appliances that cause incomplete combustion of LPG can also lead to the emission of CO or nitrogen dioxide. Formaldehyde can be released from adhesives that are used for fixing carpets, upholstery and also in making plywood and particleboard. Even low concentrations of these toxic gases can cause irritation to the skin or the eyes, rashes, headache, dizziness and nausea. Hence, it is important to realise that the air we breathe at home may not be clean always and we must try to eliminate the source of pollution.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by choosing the correct option.

Question 11. Select the correct inference with reference to the following.
Everyone can see the food that is not clean and perhaps refrain from eating it, but one cannot stop breathing even if one can feel the air to be polluted.
(a) Air is essential for life and that Breathing air is natural to us.
(b) Air cannot be controlled from being polluted.
(c) Polluted air cannot be stopped from being spread.
(d) Air needs to be cleaned before we breathe it.

Question 12. Choose the option that lists the statements that are not true with respect to the passage.
1. Mould, fungi and several other microorganisms thrive in dry conditions.
2. Air pollutants that are generally present in low concentrations can assume significance in closed ill-ventilated spaces.
3. Fine particles from feline fur can remain stuck to the upholstery and carpets for a long time.
4. Tobacco smoke is one of the most devastating air pollutants found in open areas.
(a) 1 and 4
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 1 and 3

Question 13. Based on the graphical representation of the data given in the passage, choose the option that lists the statements that are true with respect to household air pollution deaths from 1990 to 2017.
1. One million deaths took place in Sub-Saharan African Countries.
2. More than 500,000 people die in South Asia.
3. Latin American countries account for less than 500,000 deaths.
4. North America tops the list of deaths due to household air pollution.
(a) 2 and 3
(b) 1 and 4
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 1 and 3

Question 14. Based on the passage, select the appropriate counterargument to the given argument.
Argument: It does not matter if I am in the same room with a tobacco smoker.
(a) Air ventilation would not work to stop one from being prone to respiratory disorders.
(b) Passive smoking in poorly ventilated areas can be harmful to an individual.
(c) Passive smoking in even well ventilated areas can lead to serious health conditions.
(d) The smoke of the tobacco will still enter your body.

Question 15. Select the option that displays the incorrect cause-effect pair.

Question 16. Which countries have the least rates of deaths in the year 1990 as per the data?
(a) East Asian
(b) North American
(c) African
(d) South Asian

Question 17. Arrange the given sources of indoor air pollution in the order in which they cause harm from higher to lower risk.
1. Allergens through dust mites   2. Tobacco smoke
3. Pets                                            4. Mold and fungi
(a) 3, 1, 2, 4
(b) 1, 3, 4, 2
(c) 2, 1, 4, 3
(d) 3, 4, 1, 2

Question 18. Read the two statements given below and select the option that suitably explains them.
(1) By making it essential for life, God has wished that we try to keep the air we breathe clean.
(2) It is important to realise that the air we breathe at home may not be clean always and we must try to eliminate the source of pollution.
(a) (1) is the problem and (2) is the solution for (1).
(b) (1) is false but (2) correctly explains (1).
(c) (1) reiterates (2).
(d) (1) is true and (2) is the reason for (1).

Section B Writing Skills

III. Answer any four out of the five questions given, with reference to the context below.

As President of the Students’ Council of St. Francis Sr. Secondary School, Bangalore,you have invited a visiting Russian Ballet troupe to give a performance in your school.Write a notice informing the students about this event.

Question 19. Select the appropriate title for the notice.
(a) Ballet Performance
(b) Russian Ballet Visit
(c) An Extraordinary Show
(d) Attention Please

Question 20. Select the option that lists the most accurate opening for this notice.
(a) On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the school, a visiting Russian Ballet Troupe, will give its performance …..
(b) This is to inform you all that a visiting Russian Ballet Troupe, will give its performance….
(c) Greetings and attention please, to one and all. A Visiting Russian Ballet Troupe, will give its performance….
(d) I wish to share this with delight to all the students that a visiting Russian Ballet Troupe,will give its performance….

Question 21. Select the option with the information points to be included in the body of the notice.
1. Opinion about the performance
2. Venue of the performance
3. Reason for the performance
4. Timings of the performance
5. Date of the performance
(a) 1 and 4
(b) 2, 3 and 5
(c) 2 and 6
(d) 2, 3, 4, and 5

Question 22. Would this notice reflect the name of the Russian Ballet Troupe?
(a) Yes, in the body of the notice
(b) No, it is not essential to be given
(c) Yes, at the top
(d) No, it will ruin the excitement

Question 23. Select the appropriate conclusion for this notice.
(a) Stay informed
(b) Stay prepared
(c) Collect invites
(d) Presence awaited

IV. Answer any six of the seven questions given, with reference to the context below.

In the light of the present condition and the fear of the third wave of the Corona Virus,Write a letter to the editor about spreading COVID awareness.

Question 24. Select the option that lists an appropriate title for the letter.
(a) Evoking Awareness About COVID-19
(b) COVID-19 Awareness
(c) Adapting COVID-19 Awareness Rules into Life
(d) All of the above

Question 25. Which option (1-4) would help the writer to elaborate upon the topic?

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

Question 26. Which of the following will be used to organise the ideas in the letter?
(a) Severity of the corona virus – What is corona virus – Prevention of corona virus – Need for people to be safe
(b)What is corona virus – Needs for people to be safe – Symptoms of corona virus – Severity of corona virus – Prevention of Corona virus
(c) What is corona virus – Severity of corona virus – Symptoms of Corona virus – Prevention measures – Need to be safe
(d) Severity of corona virus – Need for people to be safe – Symptoms of corona virus – Prevention of corona virus

Question 27. Select the option that can be appropriately used as a conclusion of the letter.
(a) I hope that the people of the nation understand and follow these simple measures.
(b) The need of the hour is awareness as only it can save the nation and its people from a medical disaster.
(c) I would now like to end this letter with the desire that people soon follow these preventive measures.
(d) I hope that the general masses follow these simple steps and move ahead to enjoy pre-Corona life.

Question 28. Read a sentence from the letter draft and complete it by selecting the most appropriate option.

We all agree __________________________ and we must know how. We can stay safe by adapting to simple changes in our lifestyle like eating a healthy and balanced diet and practicing yoga.
(a) we must always be careful
(b) prevention is better than cure
(c) social distancing is the key
(d) self-safety is the first priority

Question 29. What is the motive of writing a letter to the Editor?
(a) To ask him to take action
(b) To request him to give some space to you views in his column that can help in sorting out the problem
(c) To request him to cover the whole newspaper about the problem mentioned in the letter
(d) To request him to take personal action against the problem mentioned in the letter

Question 30. Which of the following is highlighted by writing a letter to the editor?
(a) Personal problem
(b) Professional conflicts
(c) Societal issues
(d) Grudges with family members

Section C Literature

V. Read the given extract to attempt questions that follow :

I went down, down, endlessly. I opened my eyes. Nothing but water with a yellow glow — dark water that one could not see through.
And then sheer, stark terror seized me, terror that knows no understanding, terror that knows no control, terror that no one can understand who has not experienced it. I was shrieking under water. I was paralysed under water — stiff, rigid with fear. Even the screams in my throat were frozen. Only my heart, and the pounding in my head, said that I was still alive.

Question 31. Select the option that can inferred from the given extract.
(a) Douglas did not know how to swim.
(b) Douglas was drowning in the pool.
(c) Douglas wished the terror would be over.
(d) Douglas wanted to scream in frustration.

Question 32. In the given extract, various words have been repeated. What is the purpose of such a repetition?
(a) To bring out a dramatic effect
(b) To show the intensity of Douglas’s fear
(c) To give a description of how Douglas reacted
(d) To make a reference to Douglas’s aversion

Question 33. The given incident takes place at
(a) the California beach
(b) the Yakima river
(c) the Cascades
(d) the YMCA pool

Question 34. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
(1) The YMCA incident filled Douglas with a dread which intensified his fear of water.
(2) Douglas felt that he almost drowned and died in the YMCA pool.
(a) Statement (1) is true, but statement (2) is false
(b) Statement (1) is false, but statement (2) is true
(c) Both statement (1) and statement (2) can be inferred
(d) Both statement (1) and statement (2) cannot be inferred

Question 35. Select the feelings that can be associated with the ‘terror’ faced by Douglas.
1. Despair   2. Hope
3. Peace     4. Anxiety
5. Panic      6. Disdain
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 3 and 4
(c) 4 and 5
(d) 5 and 6

VI. Read the given extract to attempt questions that follow :

“And when I wanted to go fishing, did I not just give you a holiday?” Then, from one thing to another, M. Hamel went on to talk of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in the world — the clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it among us and never forget it, because when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison. Then he opened a grammar and read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it.

Question 36. Why does M. Hamel blame himself?
(a) For not taking French lessons
(b) For not enlightening the children about education
(c) For not being able to teach French properly
(d) For not being able to control his emotions

Question 37. Select the option that lists the correct inference based on the information in the extract.
(a) Language is synonymous with freedom.
(b) Language is an essential part of one’s identity.
(c) Language should be clear and logical.
(d) Language cannot define one’s national identity.

Question 38. M. Hamel’s declaration about the French language shows his ……………………..
(a) expertise
(b) pride
(c) factual accuracy
(d) patriotism

Question 39. Franz was able to understand the grammar lesson easily because he was
(a) receptive
(b) appreciative
(c) introspective
(d) competitive

Question 40. Holding fast to their language means ……………………..
(a) learning the language
(b) remembering the language
(c) using the language
(d) losing the language

VII. Read the given extract to attempt questions that follow :

Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs,
Break O break open till they break the town
And show the children to green fields, and make their world
Run azure on gold sands, and let their tongues
Run naked into books the white and green leaves open
History theirs whose language is the sun.

Question 41. The reference to the word ‘catacombs’ does not indicate
(a) enclosure in dirty and dingy placed.
(b) lack of means to move into a better place.
(c) the rich do not allow the poor to grow.
(d) the condition like of the dead people.

Question 42. Select the correct option to fill in the blank.
Stephen Spender gives a call for …………………….. for the children of the slum.
(a) freedom
(b) equality
(c) justice
(d) opportunities

Question 43. In the given lines, the poet had used certain senses of movements as symbols for literacy, freedom and joy. Which of the following senses does the imagery use?
(a) Sound
(b) Colors
(c) Nature
(d) Break

Question 44. On the basis of the extract, pick the opinion that is closest to that of the poet.
(a) The children must have free time to play to develop their creativity.
(b) The children must be able to enjoy the bounties of nature.
(c) The children must be motivated by the beautiful world outside the window.
(d) The children must become morally and socially responsible.

Question 45. Why does the poet refer to the ‘Governor, inspector, visitor’?
(a) As they are influential people
(b) As they are popular people
(c) As they are authoritative people
(d) As they are public servants

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt questions that follow :

Have you ever been there? It’s a wonderful town still, with big old frame houses, huge lawns, and tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets. And in 1894, summer evenings were twice as long and people sat out on their lawns, the men smoking cigars and talking quietly, the women waving palm-leaf fans, with the fire-flies all around, in a peaceful world. To be back there with the First World War still twenty years off and World War II over forty years in the future… I wanted two tickets for that.

Question 46. What does the author want the reader to do in the given extract?
(a) Imagine the place as he describes it
(b) Pay attention to how wars have destroyed peaceful places
(c) Think of how happy life was before world wars
(d) Listen to him and build such a place in the modern world.

Question 47. According to the author, Galesburg provides a …………………….. experience.
(a) Exciting
(b) Exotic
(c) Leisurely
(d) Lustrous

Question 48. Select the option that lists the feelings of the narrator in the extract.
1. Wonder      2. Biased
3. Anxious      4. Unsure
5. Emotional   6. Laudatory
(a) 1 and 6
(b) 2 and 5
(c) 3 and 4
(d) 1 and 5

Question 49. Select the option that shows the condition of man in pre-war times and post war times.

Question 50. Which literary device is used in “tremendous trees whose branches meet overhead and roof the streets”?
(a) Simile
(b) Alliteration
(c) Symbolism
(d) Metaphor

IX. Attempt the following.

Question 51. In the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ “Without rush, without engines” refers to
(a) no traveling
(b) no activity
(c) no hurry
(d) no noise

Question 52. Why does Sadao wait for his father’s approval before marrying Hana?
(a) His father was the most important person in his life.
(b) He did not want to upset his father.
(c) His father would not have approved of her if he had not made sure himself that she was Japanese.
(d) All of the above

Question 53. Choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
(1) Franz had not expected the Germans to ban French learning in Alsace.
(2) Franz feels bad for himself as he realises he won’t be learning anything about French anymore.
(a) Statement (1) is true, but Statement (2) is false.
(b) Statement (1) is false, but Statement (2) is true.
(c) Both Statement (1) and Statement (2) can be inferred.
(d) Both Statement (1) and Statement (2) cannot be inferred.

Question 54. ‘Grand Central is growing like a tree, pushing out new corridors and staircases like roots.’ is NOT an example of
(i) Imagery (ii) Metaphor
(iii) Simile (iv) Anachronism
(a) Options (i) and (ii)
(b) Options (i) and (iii)
(c) Options (ii) and (iii)
(d) Options (ii) and (iv)

Question 55. Choose the statement that is NOT TRUE with reference to My Mother At Sixty-Six.
(a) Kamala Das does not want to worry her mother with her fears.
(b) Kamala Das’ attempts to get over her fear are futile.
(c) Kamala Das looks at her mother with an expression of sorrow.
(d) Kamala Das gives a forceful smile to her mother at the airport.

Question 56. What specific difference did Charley notice at the Third level of the Grand Central Station?
(a) Everything was weird.
(b) Everything was old styled and bigger in size.
(c) Everything was somber and peaceful.
(d) Everything was outdated.

Question 57. Classify (1) to (4) as fact (F) or opinion (O), based on your reading of ‘Lost Spring’.
1. The children of Seemapuri and Firozabad are suffering because the authorities do not pay any attention to them.
2. Saheb’s condition can be made better by people like the author who can get him educated.
3. Even Mukesh can gain the skills required to become a motor mechanic if he is determined to get educated.
4. Both Seemapuri and Firozabad reflect upon the loss of innocence and joy in the face of complexities of life.
(a) F – 3, 4 ; O – 1, 2
(b) F – 2, 4 ; O – 1, 3
(c) F – 2, 3 ; O – 1, 4
(d) F – 1, 2 ; O – 3, 4

Question 58. Pick the option that is CORRECT regarding the poem ‘Keeping Quiet.’
(a) ‘Keeping Quiet’ is a kind of pamphlet against violence.
(b) ‘Keeping Quiet’ is a kind of speech on how to make the world a better place.
(c) ‘Keeping Quiet’ is about the immorality of man and his actions.
(d) ‘Keeping Quiet’ is a propaganda against man’s destructive actions.

Question 59. Saheb working at the tea stall is different. Why?
(a) He had lost his freedom and joy.
(b) He has to pick up a heavy canister.
(c) He cannot talk to the narrator.
(d) He has lost his identity as a rag picker.

Question 60. The image produced with the line ‘A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky’ is of……………………..
(a) Pollution and congestion
(b) Industrialisation and commercialisation
(c) Dinginess and exploitation
(d) Congestion and industrialisation