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CBSE Class 10 English Question Paper 2016 (Outside Delhi) with Solutions
Time allowed: 3 hours
Maximum marks: 80
General Instructions:
Read the instructions very carefully and strictly follow them:
The Question Paper is divided into three Sections:
Section A – Reading Skills 20 Marks
Section B – Writing Skills with Grammar 30 Marks
Section C – Literature Textbook and Supplementary Reading Text 30 Marks
General Instructions:
- All questions are compulsory.
- You may attempt any Section at a time.
- All questions of that particular Section must be attempted in the correct order.
Section A – Reading 20 Marks
Question 1.
Read the passage given below carefully:
“Mum!” I shouted. “Are you okay?” I saw her little tent shuddering in the gale and listened closely for her response. Her voice was almost casual: “Oh, yes, I’m fine.” That’s my mother. It was the first night of our cycling trip through the interior of Iceland – a region so remote and inhospitable that for centuries, according to legend, it was abandoned. The weather was decidedly hurricane-like, but Mum wasn’t concerned. Months ago, I told her about my plan to pedal across Iceland. “It will be really difficult,” I said. “The roads are unpaved and often washed out, and the wind is blowing constantly – sometimes so hard that it pushes you off the road.” There was silence for a moment. Then she asked, “Can I come?” “Sure,” I replied. “But like the rest of us, you have to train to do two 160 kilometres a day back-to-back,” “Wow,” she said, “I could never do that.” I had more faith in my mother’s physical abilities than she did. I’d seen her raise six children and put in long hours doing physical labour on our small farm.
“Sure you can,” I told her, “Start tomorrow.” What really concerned me was what I perceived to be her frustrating humility: I thought her too self-depreciating about her intellect just because she had not completed college. I felt she underestimated her attractiveness just because she was not the type to wear makeup or fancy clothes. As I had grown into adulthood, the life I’d chosen seemed light-years away from Mum’s quiet existence, still caring for her children and her children’s children. Sometimes, on a visit home, I’d describe some recent trip I’d taken, and her blue eyes would shine with interest. So I couldn’t help thinking this trek might revitalize Mum, who had started to slow down in her 50s. It might spice up what I saw as her humdrum life. And it might be a boost to her tentative and retiring persona. Mum trained furiously, months in advance. As the trip roster was pared down to Mum, my good friend Allen and me, she stood as the most dedicated. Soon she was riding 80-100 kilometres per day, and was as strong a rider as Allen or I.
1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions briefly: 2 × 4 = 8
(a) How does the narrator describe the weather and road conditions in Iceland?
Answer:
The weather in the interiors of Iceland is decidedly hurricane-like and the roads are mostly unpaved and washed out. The wind blows constantly and sometimes so hard that it pushes one off the road.
(b) What training did the adventure cycling trip require? Why did the narrator have faith in his mother’s physical ability to undertake the trip?
Answer:
The training included doing two 160 kilometers a day back-to-back. The narrator had faith in his mother’s physical abilities as he had seen her raise six children and seen her put in long hours doing physical work on their small farm.
(c) In what way did the narrator think the trip would help his mother?
Answer:
The narrator thought that the cycling trip would revitalize his mum who had started to slow down in her 50s. He thought that it would spice up her humdrum life and boost her tentative and retiring persona.
(d) When were the narrator and his friend sure about his mum’s preparation?
Answer:
The narrator’s mother trained furiously for the cycling trip months in advance. His mother stood as the most dedicated when the trip roster was pared down to him, his friend Allen and her and was soon riding 80-100 kilometers per day.
1.2 Find meanings of the words given below from the options that follow: 4
(a) The word ‘perceived’ means …………………. .
(i) associate
(ii) acknowledge
(in) pressurize
(iv) notice/become aware of
Answer:
(iv) notice/become aware of
(b) The word ‘revitalize’ means …………………. .
(i) to pause
(ii) to enjoy
(iii) to give new life
(iv) to end something
Answer:
(iii) to give new life
(c) The word ‘tentative’ means ……………………. .
(i) hesitant/not certain
(ii) sure/certain
(iii) tense
(iv) tempted
Answer:
(i) hesitant/not certain
(d) The word ‘abandoned’ means …………………. .
(i) to give up/leave behind
(ii) to choose
(iii) to accept something
(iv) to enjoy
Answer:
(i) to give up/leave behind
Question 2.
Read the passage given below:
1. Fearing Covid-19 infection, more Indians prefer front – line tools – smartphones – to consult their doctors, instead of meeting them in person.
2. At least 46 per cent Indians have favoured telemedicine option, as per a survey conducted by online doctor consultation platform – Mount Virtual Hospital – done across metros covering Delhi – NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
3. Telemedicine entails delivery of health services from a distance using internet and it not only extends the reach of health services but also improves quality of health services besides saving time and money, according to experts.
4. The survey comes days after the Union Health Ministry said that its Sanjeevani telemedicine services has recorded 1 million consultations. In the wake of Covid-19 crisis, the Ministry approved the guidelines on telemedicine allowing any registered medical practitioner to treat Covid-19 patients remotely or by using telemedicine tools.
5. The data was collected from an age-group of 20 to 85 years. The total respondents in the survey were 2,406 which included 1,455 males and around 951 females.
6. The survey conducted by online doctor consultation platform – Mount Virtual Hospital – showed that about 70 per cent of the respondents who had diabetes, heart problems, blood pressure issues, cancer or kidney diseases, who are at increased risk of severe illness from the Covid-19, still want to get the consultation done with their doctors over all – be it follow up consultation or new consultation.
7. “With people using digital mediums to connect to doctors, we are observing behavioural change, and it will impact the health care sector positively in times to come,” Sanjay Singh, Founder of Mount Virtual Hospital, said in a statement.
8. According to the reports, 60% of the women surveyed in the age group of 18-45 years, wanted to connect digitally with their doctors for consultation related to dermatology, nutrition and diet and mental health issues, while 80% of the men (45-85 years of age) still prefer to have online consultation due to fear of Covid-19 infection keeping their age in mind.
9. “We have observed almost 200% jump in demand for online consultation. Many cancer patients who want to avoid risk of Covid-19 infection are connecting to us over video calls to discuss their problems,” said Dr. Rahul Bhargava, Director, Department of Clinical Hematology & Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Hospital. “With a large educated and technology-friendly population, India is now ready to take tele-consultations to the next level and utilise it for complex super specialities as well.” Bhargava added.
10. No wonder, telemedicine is becoming a hugely popular offering in healthcare. A recent Global Market Insights report found that the sector was worth about USD 38.3 billion in 2018, and that figure is projected to swell to USD 130.5 billion by 2025.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any eight questions from the twelve that follow: 1 × 8 = 8
(a) The frontline tool that India prefers to consult their doctors with is:
(i) Smartphones
(ii) Telemedicine
(iii) Online doctor
(iv) Virtual hospital
Answer:
(i) Smartphones
(b) The benefits of telemedicine:
(i) extending reach of health services
(ii) saves time and money
(iii) Improves quality of health services
(iv) All the above
Answer:
(iv) All the above
(c) The word ‘entails’ in Para 3 DOES NOT mean:
(i) requires
(ii) imposes
(iii) excludes
(iv) necessitates
Answer:
(iii) excludes
(d) The Ministry approved the guidelines on telemedicine:
(i) due to the Covid-19 crisis.
(ii) so that telemedicine tools could be used.
(iii) to enable medical practitioners to treat Covid-19 crisis.
(iv) so that patients in remote areas could be treated.
Answer:
(i) due to the Covid-19 crisis.
(e) The number of male respondents in the survey was:
(i) 1445
(ii) 2406
(iii) 951
(iv) 1455
Answer:
(iv) 1455
(f) People who prefer to consult their doctors over all do not include:
(i) cancer patients.
(ii) those infected with Covid-19.
(iii) diabetics.
(iv) those with kidney ailments.
Answer:
(ii) those infected with Covid-19.
(g) India can take telecommunication to the next level because:
(i) their population is educated.
(ii) of complex super-speciality facilities.
(iii) their population is technology friendly.
(iv) both (i) and (iii)
Answer:
(iv) both (i) and (iii)
(h) What percentage of women in the 18 – 45 years age group do not want to connect digitally with their doctors?
(i) 60%
(ii) 40%
(iii) 80%
(iv) 20%
Answer:
(ii) 40%
(i) Choose the option that lists statement that is NOT TRUE.
(i) the demand for online consultation has jumped by 200 per cent.
(ii) digital medium to connect with doctors will have a negative impact on health care.
(iii) 46% Indians have favoured telemedicine option.
(iv) the severely ill people also want to get consultation over all.
Answer:
(ii) digital medium to connect with doctors will have a negative impact on health care.
(j) The word ‘follow-up’ in Para 6 does not mean the same as:
(i) review
(ii) re-examine
(iii) re-evaluation
(iv) revive
Answer:
(iv) revive
(k) ……………….. is becoming very popular in healthcare:
(i) Bone marrow transplant
(ii) Mental health issue
(iii) Diet and nutrition
(iv) Telemedicine
Answer:
(iv) Telemedicine
(l) The word ‘utilise’ in Para 9 DOES NOT mean the same as:
(i) use
(ii) consume
(iii) employ
(iv) lose
Answer:
(iv) lose
Section B – Writing Skills with Grammar 30 Marks
Question 3.
Your locality has witnessed a number of cases of theft in recent weeks. The local law and order authorities were approached but you find no change in the situation. Write a letter in 100 – 150 words to the editor of a local newspaper drawing attention of the higher authorities to the problem. You are Ram/Rama 4, Gobind Road, Meerut. 10
Or
Question 3.
Your grandfather is very upset about the rising prices and keeps thinking of his olden times when things were very cheap. You are convinced that inflation has made life difficult for common man. Write a letter in about 100-150 words to the editor of a national daily describing the difficulties faced by poor families. You are Somya/Suresh, address 21-Gandhi Road, Delhi-110001. 10
Answer:
4, Gobind Road
Meerut
14 th February, 20xx
The Editor
The Daily Times
Meerut
Subject: Drawing attention of authorities towards deteriorating law and order
Sir
Through the medium of the columns of your esteemed newspaper I wish to draw the attention of the local law and order authorities to the increase in the number of theft cases in our locality in the recent weeks.
These include robberies in houses, car lifting and cases of chain snatching. The local law and order authorities have been approached by the residents but there is no change in the situation of the prevailing lawlessness and disorder. We are left with no choice but to resort to the medium of the press to draw the attention of the higher authorities to our
problem. This problem needs to be dealt with immediately to remove the insecurity in the minds of the people who are feeling unsafe and threatened on a daily basis.
I hope you will publish my letter in your newspaper so that the attention of the higher authorities is drawn to this growing danger of theft.
Yours sincerely
Ram/Rama
Or
21 Gandhi Road
New Delhi-110 001
19 th April, 20xx
The Editor
The Times of India
Delhi
Subject: Poor families most affected by inflation
Sir
Through the medium of this letter I would like to express my concern about the incessantly rising prices and how it has made life very difficult for the common man.
The characteristic of recent inflation is that it has been concentrated on basic commodities which absorb a higher proportion of the spending basket of the economically weaker sections. As a result, lower income households are experiencing higher inflation rates than higher income groups. Inflation has impoverished the common man. He has to struggle very hard to attain his daily bread and feed his family. The common man has been feeling the pinch and bearing the blunt of soaring inflation. Hence there is an urgent need to take care of the effects of inflation on the common man.
I hope you will publish my letter in your widely read newspaper so that the concerned authorities look into this matter thereby giving some respite to the lower income groups in our country.
Yours sincerely
Suresh
Question 4.
Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100 – 120 words.
[A] The pie chart below displays data about the percentage of students who took up different foreign languages as their third language in ABC School. Write a paragraph analyzing the given data. 8
Or
[B] Read the following excerpt from an article that appeared in a local daily.
Science attempts to explore the secrets of nature while religion wants to reveal the very purpose of existence. The aim of both science and religion is to discover the truth.
Write a paragraph to analyse the given argument.
You could think about what alternative explanations might weaken the given conclusion and include rational evidence that would strengthen counter the given argument. 8
Answer:
[A] Due to considerable competition, acquiring knowledge of global languages has become very important. The concept of learning a foreign language is not only productive due to the linguistic skills it imparts but also because it opens a lot of career opportunities in foreign countries. The given pie-chart displays data about students who took up different foreign languages as their third language in ABC school. 28% students opted for French with a close 23% who opted for Spanish. An equal percentage of students between 11% to 13% opted for Arabic, Chinese, Italian and Japanese languages. The concept of learning a foreign language fosters an understanding to Bridge the gap between different cultures and promotes diplomacy.
Or
[B] It is difficult to believe that science and religion can have something in common,
though they are contradictory in so many ways. The ultimate aim of both is to discover the truth. Science endeavors to give a rational reason for everything, while religion delves into the inner truth for answers. Science seeks logical tools and theories and also uses experiments and detailed observations to look for answers. On the other hand, religion seeks the route of spirituality and divinity to reveal the very purpose of existence. To conclude, Science demands explanation and clarification, while religion endures and tolerate obscurity.
Question 5.
Complete the following paragraph by filling in the blanks with the help of the given options: 1 x 4 = 4
Reading a novel (a) ………………….. short story (b) ………………….. second language could dramatically (c) ………………….. physiological responses to emotions such (d) ………………….. smiling.
Answer:
(a) (ii) or
(b) (ii) in
(c) (i) reduce
(d) (iii) as
Question 6.
In the following paragraph one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along the word before and the word after against the correct blank number. 1 x 4 = 4
Answer:
Question 7.
Look at the words and phrases given below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences as given in the example. 1 × 4 = 4
For example: curse / a / illiteracy / is / Illiteracy is a curse.
(a) illiterate / remain / the / and / backward / poor / people /
(b) easily / by / they / cheated / are / others /
(c) our / it is / to help / moral duty / to become / literate / everyone /
(d) a country / literacy / is the / basis / of / main / development / of /
Answer:
(a) The poor and backward people remain illiterate.
(b) They are easily cheated by others.
(c) It is our moral duty to help everyone to become literate.
(d) Literacy is the main basis of development of a country.
Section – C Literature Text & Supplementary Reading Text 30 Marks
Question 8.
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answers in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number the answers correctly. 1 × 4 = 4
Mark! While relatives are looking on and lamenting deeply, one by one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to the slaughter. So the world is afflicted with death and decay, therefore, the wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.
Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind; on the contrary, his pain will be greater and his body will suffer. He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. He who seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and grief. He who has drawn out the arrow and has become composed will obtain peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow and be blessed.”
(a) Why did Buddha give this sermon to Kisa Gotami?
Answer:
Buddha gave this sermon to Kisa Gotami because she was lamenting and grieving after the death of her son.
(b) What fact of life did Buddha convey to Kisa Gotami in this sermon?
Answer:
Buddha wanted to convey to Kisa Gotami that the world is afflicted with death and therefore it is wise not to grieve over a loved one’s death, knowing the terms of the world. Grieving will make a person physically and mentally sick.
(c) Who can obtain peace of mind in this world?
Answer:
He who remains composed and does not resort to grieving and lamentation will obtain peace of mind in this world.
(d) Find out the words from the passage which mean the same as following:
(i) killing of animals etc.
(ii) feeling sorry/sorrowful
Answer:
(i) slaughter (ii) lamentation
Or
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
(a) Who does ‘he’ refer to in the stanza?
Answer:
‘He’ in the stanza refers to the tiger.
(b) Why is ‘he’ locked?
Answer:
He is locked in a cage in the zoo for the entertainment of the visitors.
(c) Explain: ‘stalking the length of his cage’.
Answer:
He is walking to and fro in the limited space of his cage.
(d) Why is he ignoring visitors?
Answer:
He is ignoring visitors because he does not like being where he is forced to be.
Question 9.
Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 words each. 2 × 5 = 10
(a) What game did Mijbil invent?
Answer:
A suitcase had become damaged in such a way that the lid, when closed, remained at a slope from one end to the other. Mijbil discovered that if he placed the ball on the high end it would run down the length of the suitcase. He would place the ball on the high end and would dash around the other end to catch it.
(b) What all did Valli see on her first bus journey?
Answer:
Valli had a great time as she got to see many things on her first journey. As the bus came to a rail road crossing, Valli saw a speck of a train at a distance. She then saw it growing bigger as it drew near. Then it rushed past creating a tremendous rattle shaking the bus. From there the bus took her to a well-laid-out shopping street. Here she saw big and bright looking shops that had a glittering display of clothes and other merchandise. She was dumbfounded with wonder and just gaped at everything.
(c) WTrat message does the poem convey?
Answer:
The poem conveys the message that love should be unconditional and should not depend on physical appearance. Young men may love women based on their beauty but God alone is the only one who loves all human beings for who and what they are.
(d) What was Ebright’s achievement in his senior year?
Answer:
It was only after losing at the Science Fair that Ebright did realize what real science was all about. It was really a sad feeling for him as he sat at the fair and did not get anything while everybody else had won something. Ebright’s entry was a slide of frog tissues which he showed under a microscope. He realized the winners had tried to do real experiments not just make a neat display. It was then that the competitive spirit that drives a man appeared in Ebright and this motivated him further to become a bright scientist.
(e) Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?
Answer:
When Sulekha was ten months old she had fallen off the cot on her head and perhaps had damaged some part of her brain. That was why she remained a backward child and came to be known as Bholi, the simpleton.
Question 10.
Answer the following question in about 100 – 150 words. 8
Gotami comes to Buddha praying to him to revive her dead son. Buddha asks her to bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent or friend. Through this simple act, Buddha communicates the most profound truth of life, not only to Gotami but also to the whole mankind.
What is the truth that Buddha communicates? What lesson does Gotami learn? What changes would take place in a common man’s life if that truth is understood?
Or
How did Nelson Mandela’s understanding of freedom change with age and experience? How did Mandela’s ‘hunger for freedom’ change his life?
Answer:
Buddha wanted Kisa Gotami to understand that the life of mortals in this world is troubled, brief and combined with pain. There is no way in which those who have been born could avoid dying. After reaching old age there is death. Both young and old, fools and wise all are subject to death. The world is afflicted with death and decay, so the wise people do not grieve knowing the terms of the world. If one does grieve, his pain would be greater and his body would suffer.
When Kisa Gotami got tired and depressed for not getting the mustard seeds as per condition, she sat down at the wayside and watched the flickering lights of the city that extinguished soon. The understanding dawned on her that the life of human beings also flickers then dies. Death is inevitable for all, so one must not grieve over it.
Only those who give up lamentation, complaint and grief and become calm and composed can get peace of mind. He who has overcome all sorrow becomes free from sorrow.
Or
Mandela was not born with a hunger to be free. He was born free in every way that he knew. As long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, no laws troubled him. As a student he had wanted transitory freedom. Gradually he began to realize that his boyhood freedom was a mere illusion. As a young man Mandela realized that his boyhood freedom was an illusion and his freedom had already been taken from him. Then he began to hunger for it and this led him to join the African National Congress. It transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, it drove a law-abiding attorney to become a criminal, it turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home and forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. He understood that he needed to liberate his people.
Question 11.
Answer the following question in about 100 – 120 words. 8
What impression do you form of Hari Singh after reading the lesson, ‘The Thief’s Story’?
Or
It is morally incorrect to invade another country/planet for one’s own benefit. The Martians did not understand the value of peaceful coexistence. How did the book of nursery rhymes save the Earth from the Martian invasion?
Answer:
Hari Singh was a thief and though he was only fifteen years old, he was fairly experienced and successful in his job. He was very eager to learn to read and write because he knew that once he could write, there would be no limit to what he could achieve. He was very grateful to Anil and quite liked working for him. He found it difficult to rob him since Anil was also the most trusting person he had ever met. The thief could not bring himself to cheat him. Even though the thief finally managed to rob Anil, his conscience did not allow him to run away with the money. He understood that Anil’s face would show only a touch of sadness when he discovered the theft – not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust. So, he hurried back to Anil and was now a reformed and better person.
Or
The Martians led by their leader launch an inter-planetary attack on the Earthlings. The Martian space probe reaches the Canterville Public Library. There they come across the book of nursery rhymes, “Mother Goose”. After reading the verses of the nursery rhymes the Martians assume that the Earthlings had reached a high level of civilization. They misinterpreted the nursery rhymes and this terrifies the Martian invaders who abort their plan and make good their escape. It is actually morally incorrect to invade another planet for one’s own benefit. Peaceful coexistence is fundamental for the survival of human race. There are no winners or losers in a war and war is only destructive. The Martians seem to be ignorant of this reality.