Please refer to Class 10 English Sample Paper Term 2 Set B 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 2
SECTION – A (READING)
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
(1) Anything printed and bound in book size can be called a book, but the quality or mind distinguishes the value of it.
(2) What is a book? This is how Anatole France describes it: “A series of little printed signs-essentially only that. It is for the reader to supply himself the forms and colors and sentiments to which these signs correspond. It will depend on him whether the book be dull or brilliant, hot with passion or cold as ice. Or if you prefer to put it otherwise, each word in a book is a magic finger that sets a fibre of our brain vibrating like a harp string and so evokes a note from the sounding board of our soul. No matter how skillful, how inspired the artist’s hand, the sound it makes depends on the quality of the strings within ourselves.” Until recently books were the preserve of a small section-the urban upper classes. Some, even today, make it a point to call themselves intellectuals. It would be a pity if books were meant only for intellectuals and not for housewives, farmers, factory workers, artisans and so on. In India there are first-generation learners, whose parents might have been illiterate. This poses special challenges to our authors and to those who are entrusted with the task of disseminating knowledge. We need much more research in the use of language and the development of techniques by which knowledge can be transferred to these people without transmission loss.
(3) Publishers should initiate campaigns to persuade people that a good book makes a beautiful present and that reading a good book can be the most relaxing as well as absorbing of pastimes. We should aim at books of quality no less than at quantitative expansion in production and sale. Unless one is constantly exposed to the best, one cannot develop a taste for the good.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY FIVE questions from the six given below:
(i) How does Anatole France describe “books”?
Answer : Anatole France describes books as “a series of little printed signs.”
(ii) What makes a book magical?
Answer : The words in the book make a book magical.
(iii) What do you think the term “first-generation learners” mean?
Answer : “First-generation learners” refer to the educated generation whose parents are either illiterate or did not go to school at all.
(iv) What, according to the author, must publishers do to increase book reading?
Answer : The author believes that publishers should initiate campaigns that will help persuade people to get interested in reading.
(v) Who does the author believe access to good books be given to?
Answer : Access to good books should be given to everyone, despite one’s social standing.
(vi) The synonym of the word “coax” (as in paragraph 3) is ____.
Answer : The synonym of the word “coax” as in paragraph 3 is “persuade”.
2. Read the following passage carefully.
(1) Swimming pools were once considered a luxury limited only to the rich. Today, thanks to plastics and plenty, they number in the millions. Few, of course are of Olympic size where a swimmer can quickly do his laps and stay in shape. Most are above-ground, round mini-pools, line for a cool-off and frolic. But, health experts have come to realise that exercises created specially for such swimming pools can tone the muscles, strengthen the heart and pacify the spirit of people of all ages and conditions. These exercises aren’t restricted to small pools alone. Any type of pool, including a crowded municipal one, will do.
(2) Designer of the principal popular exercises is C. Carson Conrad, executive director of the California Bureau of Health. Physicians approve of Conrad’s exercises for three reasons. First, since water pressure, even on a non-moving body, stimulates the heart to pump blood throughout the body, exercise in the water promotes thorough circulation still more effectively. Second, water exercise is rhythmic. And continuous, rhythmic exercises, authorities agree, are one of the best defenses against circulatory ailments which might cause atherosclerosis, often the precursor of coronary attacks and strokes.
(3) Third, water exercise can be enjoyed with benefit by both young and old, healthy and infirm, swimmers, and in shallow water, non swimmers. Dr. Ira H. Wilson and Fred W. Kasch, a physician-and-physiologist team, assert that even persons with paraplegia, rheumatic heart, asthma, emphysema, victims of polio or strokes, or amputation can exercise in water and enjoy weightless movement. Arthritics move easily under water. Some physicians use hydrocalisthenics for their cardiac patients.
(4) At the University of Illinois Prof. Richard H. Pohndori studied the effect of water exercise on a “typical” couple. He chose as subjects a man-and-wife team of physicians, 43 and 41 years old respectively, who had been sedentary for years. His program was simple: “Swim from one end of the pool to the other until you can swim 1000 yards a day. Swim every day for ten weeks.” Before they started, the couple took 151 physical tests. At the end of ten weeks, they were tested again: their pulse rate had dropped, their rate of breathing had dropped, their blood pressure had come down to normal, the cholesterol level in their blood had dropped 20 percent. Further, more than half of the broken blood vessels disfiguring the woman’s thighs had vanished, her husband had improved in all his physical-fitness tests; he reduced the size of his heart, making it more efficient. Both felt younger, more vigorous.
On the basis of your reading of the passage answer ANY FIVE of the given questions.
(i) How does water exercise promote thorough circulation in the human body?
Answer : Water exercise helps promote thorough circulation by stimulating the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
(ii) How is water exercise advantageous for all age groups?
Answer : Water exercise is advantageous for all age groups because of its ability to tone the muscles, strengthen the heart and pacify the spirit of anyone.
(iii) What do you mean by the term “typical” as used in paragraph 4?
Answer : As used in paragraph 4, the term “typical” means the average, normal or representing a particular group or idea.
(iv) What was Prof. Richard H. Pohndori’s program?
Answer : Prof. Richard H. Pohndori’s program was to “Swim from one end of the pool to the other until you can swim 1000 yards a day. Swim every day for ten weeks.”
(v) What progress was seen in the test couple?
Answer : The test couple improved greatly in their performance, pulse rate, blood pressure, and even a reduction in their cholesterol levels.
(vi) What is the best defense against atherosclerosis?
Answer : Continuous rhythmic exercises are one of the best defenses for atherosclerosis.
SECTION – B (WRITING AND GRAMMAR)
3. Attempt any one of the following in 100-120 words.
Given is a bar graph showing the subject choices of boys and girls at the time of admission in a big university of Delhi. Write an analytical paragraph based on the statistics of the graph.
OR
You are the Librarian of T.H.S.S. School, Kolar. Write a letter to Messrs Vikas Publishers, Chennai placing an order for some books for your school library. Mention the details of the books (at least four) and ask for the discount available on the purchase.
Answer : The graph shows a comparison in the preferences of subjects shown by boy and girls for college courses at the time of admission the year 2020, in a big university in Delhi.
The graph illustrates the changing choice of general preference of students according to their gender. Here commerce subject shows an almost equal interest from both genders while humanities seem to be highly picked by girls. With humanities touching as high as 900 girls applicants choosing it over a mere 400 boys. Science is slightly better in terms of choice disparity with around 600 boys choosing it followed closely by 450 girls.
But when it comes to technical subjects, the boys heavily outnumber the girls with a whooping 800 choosing it over a mere 200 girls. To look at the bigger picture technical subjects seem to be the rage amongst boys while the girls’ choices are somewhat evenly more scattered between commerce and humanities subjects. This means inclination wise boys prefer logic based line of study while girls are more inclined towards intellectual based line of study. Of course subject choices aren’t always a full story of what really makes boys and girls different in terms of acquiring knowledge.
This graph in conclusion provides us a snippet of how society or other influences around these young minds make them choose certain line of subject over the idea and how gender also plays a role in this decision. It shows us the preference as well as the going trend amongst boys and girls over the subjects they think will benefit them the most.
OR
T.H.S.S.School
Kolar
21 March, 20XX
M/s Vikas Publishers
Chennai
Subject : Order for Books
Sir/Madam,
Kindly supply the following books at the earliest for the school library.
1. Harry Potter J.K. Rowling 1 each
(Whole series)
2. The Book Thief Markus Zusak 5 nos.
3. Complete work William 5 nos.
William Shakespeare Shakespeare
(Abridged Version)
4. Time Machine H.G. Wells 5 nos.
5. Journey to the Jules Verne 5 nos.
Centre of the Earth
You are requested to deliver the books latest by 10 April, 20XX. Please ensure that the books sent are in the best of condition and packed properly to avoid any damage. Payment shall be made by cheque soon after the consignment is received and checked for quality.
Damaged books or books of inferior quality will not be accepted nor payment for the same will be made. Please send the bill after allowing bulk discount permissible for schools.
Thank you
Yours faithfully
XYZ
Librarian
4. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Identify the error and write its correction against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the correction. The first has been done for you.
Answer :
Error Correction
(a) in out
(b) when where
(c) with for
5. Read the conversation between Riya and her friend and complete the passage that follows :
| Riya : Please help me. Friend : What’s the problem? Riya : I need help financially. Friend : Okay, I will help you. |
Riya requested her friend to help her. She asked what (a) ____________________________. Riya told her that she needed help financially to which her friend replied that she (b) __________________________.
Answer : (a) what the problem was
(b) would help her.
SECTION – C (LITERATURE)
6. Answer ANY SIX of the following in about 30-40 words.
(i) What did Buddha want to explain to Kisa Gotami?
Answer : Buddha wanted to explain to Kisa Gotami that man cannot get peace of mind by grieving. On the contrary, his pain will be greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale. A man who overcomes all sorrows will be free from sorrow and will be blessed.
(ii) Did the lawyer and the hack driver find Lutkins at Gustaff barber shop? What did Gustaff say about Lutkins?
Answer : No, they did not find Lutkins at Gustaff barber shop. Gustaff told the hack driver that he had neither seen Lutkins nor he cared to see him. He asked him that if he finds Lutkins, he might collect the thirty five dollars which Lutkins owes to him.
(iii) Why was Mme Forestier shocked to hear Matilda’s story?
Answer : One Sunday, while walking, Matilda happened to see Mme Forestier. Matilda called her, but she could not recognise Matilda because she looked much older than her age. Mme Forestier was shocked to know that Matilda had suffered so much worrying about losing her necklace of real diamonds, whereas it was fake.
(iv) For what unusual reason was Bholi sent to school?
Answer : Tehsildar Sahib had asked Ramlal to send his daughters to school. Since he could not disobey Tehsildar sahib, Ramlal decided to send Bholi to school. The other reason for doing so was that Bholi had little to no chances of getting married because she was slow witted, had pock marks on her face and body, and she stammered.
(v) What lesson did Ebright learn when in seventh grade he entered country science fair?
Answer : In the seventh grade, Richard participated in the County Science Fair. He displayed slides of frog tissue, which he showed under a microscope. Although he did not win he understood that simply making a neat display is not enough to win such a competition. The winners had done real experiments. This experience gave Richard Ebright a hint of what real science is.
(vi) What is the Chinese legend associated with the discovery of tea?
Answer : ——
(vii) Why did Custard, the dragon cry for a nice, safe cage?
Answer : Custard was a dragon. Although he appeared to be fiercest of all Belind’s pets, Custard cried for a nice safe cage because of his basic nature, which was calm and quiet-almost mistaken to be cowardly.
7. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 120-150 words each.
(i) The principle ‘forgive and forget’ helps a lot is maintaining cordial relations with our neighbours. Do you think Chubukov conveys this message in the play ‘The Proposal’.
Answer : Lomov and Natalaya meet for a serious purpose, i.e., to talk about marriage that decides the progress of one’s life as a member of the conventionally established society. But the purpose of their meeting gets lost on two consecutive occasions because Lomov’s faith in the values of his society disrupts his approach to the topic of marriage. He learns that the girl and her father like him, but, instead of proposing to marry her and discussing how their marriage should be organised, he goes on to talk about properties, relations, family histories, and pets, draws them into an unnecessary argument, and antagonises both of them. Finally, Chubukov marries Lomov and Natasha by force before another problem crops up. Thus the play ends on a comic note, just because the couple gets together with their father to celebrate their marriage while the dispute over the pets is still continuing. For any healthy relationship there should be mutual understanding and respect. Quarreling over trivial issues like dogs cannot guarantee longevity of a relationship.
(ii) How did Siddhartha Gautam become the Buddha?
Answer : ——
(iii) Describe the events of the ball and what happened after that in the story The Necklace.
Answer : After she lost the necklace, Matilda’s lifestyle went through some drastic changes. The money M. Loisel had borrowed from the money lenders to buy the replacement necklace was huge and needed to be paid off as soon as possible. They started living in a rented room in an attic. Matilda learned to cook, clean, wash the dishes, clothes and took menial jobs to save each penny. She bid adieu to her desire of being amongst the rich and the fabulous and became a commoner. She fetched her water, haggled at the shop, took down the refuse to the street each morning. Matilda Loisel turned to a crude woman of the household from a beautiful woman.
