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CBSE Class 10 English Question Paper 2022 (Term-II) with Solutions
Time allowed: 2 hours
Maximum marks: 40
General Instructions:
Read the instructions very carefully and strictly follow them:
- This question paper contains three sections READING, WRITING & GRAMMAR and LITERATURE.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each Part/Section.
Section A (Reading) 10 Marks
Question 1.
Read the passage given below:
1. Milkha Singh, also known as The Flying Sikh, was an Indian track and field sprinter who was introduced to the sport while serving in the Indian Army. He is the only athlete to win gold in 400 metres at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He also won gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. He represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his sporting achievements.
2. The race for which Singh is best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 metres final at the 1960 Olympic Games. He led the race till the 200 m mark before easing off, allowing others to pass him. Singh’s fourth-place time of 45.73 seconds was the Indian national record for almost 40 years.
3. From beginnings that saw him orphaned and displaced during the partition of India, Singh became a sporting icon in the country. In 2008, journalist Rohit Brijnath described Singh as “the finest athlete India has ever produced”.
4. He was disappointed with his debut performance at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. “I returned to India, chastened by my poor performance in Melbourne. I had been so excited by the prospects of being part of the Indian Olympics team, but, hadn’t realized how strong and professional the competition would be. My success in India had filled me with a false sense of pride and it was only when I was on the track that I saw how inconsequential my talents were when pitted against superbly fit and seasoned athletes. It was then that I understood what competition actually meant, and that if I wanted to succeed on the international arena, I must be prepared to test my mettle against the best athletes in the world.”
5. Then he decided to make sprinting the sole focus of his life.
“Running had thus become my God, my religion and my beloved”.
“My life during those two years was governed by strict rules and regulations and a self- imposed penance. Every morning I would rise at the crack of dawn, get into my sports kit and dash off to the track, where I would run two or three miles cross-country in the company of my coach.”
6. On how he pushed himself through the tough days of vigorous training. “I practiced so strenuously that often I was drained of all energy, and there were times when I would increase my speed to such an extent that after my rounds, I would vomit blood or drop down unconscious through sheer exercise. My doctors and coaches warned me, asked me to slow down to maintain my health and equilibrium but my determination was too strong to give up. My only focus was to become the best athlete in the world. But then images of a packed stadium filled with cheering spectators, wildly applauding me as I crossed the finishing line, would flash across my mind and I would start again, encouraged by visions of victory.”
Based on your reading answer any five questions from the six given below: 1 × 5 = 5
(i) What is Milka Singh known as? What realization did Milkha Singh have when he was on the track during the Melbourne Olympics?
Answer:
Milkha Singh is known as the flying Sikh. When he was on the track during the Melbourne Olympics, he realized how inconsequential his talents were when pitted against superbly fit and seasoned international athletes.
(ii) List any two of Milkha Singh’s achievements.
Answer:
Milkha Singh is the only athlete to win gold in 400 meters at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He also won gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games.
(iii) What strict rules and regulations did Milkha Singh follow?
Answer:
For two years, Every morning, he would rise at the crack of dawn, get into his sports kit and dash off to the track, where he would run two or three miles cross country in the company of his coach.
(iv) State two consequences of his hard and strenuous practice.
Answer:
He practiced so strenuously that after he was drained of all energy. At times, when he increased his speed, he would vomit blood or drop down unconscious through sheer hard exercise.
(v) What motivated Milkha Singh to become the best athlete in the world?
Answer:
During the Melbourne Olympics Milkha Singh realized the true meaning of competition and that if he wanted to succeed on the international arena he should be prepared to test his mettle against the best athletes in the world. So his focus was to become the best athlete in the world.
(vi) Explain the phrase’ I would start again’ in the last sentence.
Answer:
When Milkha Singh was on the verge of giving up, the visions of victory kept him encouraged and motivated and he would not give up.
Question 2.
Read the following excerpt from a Case Study: J.K. Rowling – A Journey
The story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling’s near magical rise to fame is almost as well known as the characters she creates.
Rowling was constantly writing and telling stories to her younger sister Dianne. “The first story I ever wrote down was a rabbit called Rabbit.” Rowling said in an interview. “He got the measles and was visited by his friends including a giant bee called Miss Bee. And ever since Rabbit and Miss Bee, I have always wanted to be a writer, though I rarely told anyone so. However, my parents, both of whom come from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage or secure a pension.
A writer from the age of six, with two unpublished novels in the drawer, she was stuck on a train when Harry walked into her mind fully formed. She spent the next five years constructing the plots of seven books, one for every year of his secondary school life. Rowling says she started writing the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in Portugal, where she was teaching English.
At first nobody wanted to publish Harry Potter. She was told that plot was too complex. Refusing to compromise, she found a publisher.
In 1997 Rowling received her first royalty cheque. By book three, she had sky rocketed to the top of the publishing world. A row of zeroes appeared on the author’s bank balance and her life was turned upside down. Day and night she had journalists knocking on the unanswered door of her flat.
Rowling’s quality control has become legendary, as her obsession with accuracy. She’s thrilled with Stephen Fry’s taped version of the books and outraged that an Italian dust jacket showed Harry minus his glasses. “Don’t they understand that the glasses are the clue to his vulnerability.”
On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer any five of the six questions given below:
(i) Explain J.K. Rowling’s ‘near magical rise to fame’.
Answer:
Rowling’s ‘near magical rise to fame’ traces her incredible journey of becoming a famous writer.
(ii) What reason did the publishers give for rejecting Rowling’s book?
Answer:
The publishers rejected Rowling’s book saying that the plot of her story was too complex.
(iii) What was the drawback of achieving fame?
Answer:
The drawback of achieving fame was that day and night she had journalists knocking on the unanswered door of her flat.
(iv) Why was Rowling outraged with the Italian dust jacket?
Answer:
This was because the Italian dust jacket showed Harry minus his glasses, not understanding that the glasses are the clue to his vulnerability.
(v) Find a word in the last para that means the same as ‘insecure/helpless’.
Answer:
The word vulnerability means the same as ‘insecure/helpless.’
(vi) According to the graph, how many years did it take Rowling to become very successful?
Answer:
It took about six years for Rowling to become very successful.
Section B (Writing and Grammer)
Question 3.
Attempt any one from (i) and (ii).
(i) A group of enterprising young adults conducted a survey on reopening of educational institutions in the National Capital
Write a paragraph in not more than 120 words analysing the above argument.
Answer:
Seeing the downward trend in the number of Covid cases, a group of enterprising
young adults conducted a survey on reopening of educational institutions in the National Capital. Among the people who were questioned 28% felt that institutions could be opened after vaccinations whereas 24% said that they should be opened only for exams and practical work. Around 20% people were of the opinion that there opening should be halted till the Covid cases are less than 0.3%. Those who felt that schools should be opened only for classes 9th to 12th and those who said they should be opened for all classes were 15% and 8% respectively. People who couldn’t say anything constituted only 5%.
(ii) You are Vikram/Vanya, Librarian, B.S. Public School, Delhi.
Write a letter to the Manager of Amar Publication House, Mumbai, placing an order for 4 sets of Social Studies books for grades 6 – 8 published by N. C. E. R. T. in not more than 120 words. Mention school discount, mode of payment and date of delivery.
Answer:
B.S. Public School
Delhi
29 th March, 20××
The Manager
Amar Publication House
Mumbai
Subject: Placing an order for books.
Sir,
On behalf of our school I am herewith placing an order for four sets of Social Studies books, published by N.C.E.R.T, for grades VI
th
to VIII
th
. Please ensure that these books are delivered to us latest by the 7th of April and are in good condition.
I also request you to send the bill after applying the discount that is permissible to our school. Payment will be made after receiving and checking the books. Seeking an early response from your end.
Your Sincerely
Vanya
Question 4.
The following paragraph has an error in each line. Identify the error and write its correction against the correct blank number. The first one has been done as an example. 1 × 3 = 3
Answer:
Incorrect – Correct
(a) among – in
(b) Much – Many
(e) is – are
Question 5.
Read the following conversation and complete the passage that follows: 2
Neha: I’m really looking forward to the class picnic tomorrow.
Namita: Yes, after a long time we will be meeting our friends and teachers.
Neha told Namita (1) ________ looking forward to the class picnic ________, Namita agreed that after a long time.
(2) _______ friends and teachers.
Answer:
Neha told Namita (1) that she was really looking forward to the class picnic the next day, Namita agreed that after a long time.
(2) they would be meeting their friends and teachers.
Section C (Literature)
Question 6.
Answer any six questions in about 30 – 40 words each. 2 × 6 = 12
(i) What does the writer recall about his childhood in Goa? (Glimpses of India)
Answer:
Recalling his childhood in Goa, the writer reminisces how the baker used to be their friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least twice a day. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke the children up from sleep and they ran to meet and greet him. The children especially longed for the bread bangles which they would choose carefully.
(ii) “The sights so moved him that he at once went out into the world to seek enlightenment.”
What were the sights that moved ‘him’? (The Sermon at Benares)
Answer:
At the age of twenty-five, while he was out hunting, the prince, who had been shielded from the sufferings of the world chanced upon a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession and finally a monk begging for alms. He was really moved by these sights.
(iii) Mention any two issues over which Amanda was nagged and scolded?
Answer:
Amanda is constantly nagged and scolded for many reasons. She was nagged for slouching and not sitting up straight and for biting her nails. She was scolded as she did not finish her homework and had not tidied her room.
(iv) “Money is external”. What does the poet mean by this expression taken from the Ball Poem? (The Ball Poem)
Answer:
By this expression the poet intends to make us realize the mere material value of money which in no way helps us to understand the essential worth of a commodity. In this world of possessions, the value of money is only to buy things and this does not make us understand the true value of things.
(v) Describe Custard the dragon.
Answer:
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth. He had spikes on top of him and scales beneath him. His mouth was like a fireplace and he had a chimney like nose. He had real daggers on his toes. Despite his ferocious appearance, he was actually a coward.
(vi) What did Ebright learn from his failure at the Science fair? (The making of a scientist)
Answer:
Ebright had exhibited slides of frog tissues at the science fair. He did not win any prize. He learnt an important lesson that science was not just about making a neat display.
It was about doing projects and real experiments. So he understood that for the next year’s fair he would have to do a real experiment.
(vii) Who was Henry? What role did he play in Ausable’s plans?
Answer:
Henry was a waiter at the hotel where Ausable was staying. He unknowingly helped Ausable in his plan by knocking at Ausable’s door at the right moment. His loud and persistent knocking helped Ausable in getting rid of Max, who had come to steal the report.
Question 7.
Answer any two of the following in about 120 words each.
(i) As Valli, make a diary entry sharing your joys and disappointments during the bus ride.
Answer:
5
th
May, 20××
Today afternoon, when I finally boarded the bus, it was as if my dream had come true. It was so wonderful, the inside of the bus and the view outside was so exciting. I was actually devouring everything with my eyes. Though there-were annoying and repulsive passengers, I could ignore them for the joy I was experiencing. Then I saw a young cow running very fast in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. Despite the driver’s repeated honking it refused to move away. I found this so funny that I laughed until there were tears in my eyes. But on my way back, I saw the same cow lying dead as it had been struck by a fast-moving vehicle. The sight of the lifeless creature, spattered with blood completely dampened my enthusiasm and I no longer wanted to look out of the window. My bus ride was a combination of joy and disappointment, one that I will always remember.
(ii) Natalya and her father Chubukov ‘turn around’ when Lomov puts his proposal in the open. As a reader briefly describe what you think of Natalaya and Chubukov from the play “The Proposal”.
Answer:
Lomov comes to Chubukov’s house to propose to Natalya. But they start quarrelling and arguing over petty issues and the proposal is in danger of being forgotten amidst all this fighting. Lomov, a hypochondriac, is obsessed with his imaginary illness and spends sleepless nights. The playwright uses his character to satirize the attitude of the Russian upper-middle class society towards marriage. His hesitation and nervousness in proposing to Natalya is humorous. He lacks confidence and keeps beating about the bush and this is where all the problems start. His immaturity and stubbornness almost ruin the prospect of his marriage with Natalya. She is also very short tempered and quarrelsome but forgets everything when she comes to know that Lomov had come to propose to her. She forces her father to call him back.
(iii) The credit of Bholi’s transformation to Sulekha goes to her teacher. Elaborate with reference to the text.
Answer:
Bholi was a simple girl but when she started going to school, her teacher’s love and encouragement gave her a new hope that changed the course of her life. Her teacher plays a very important role not only in educating her but also giving her courage to stand-up for her own self-respect.
If one has the will and the inclination, nothing is impossible and if this willingness is backed by love and encouragement, the most far-fetched and impossible goals can also be achieved. This is aptly proved in the story of Bholi who gets a completely new personality and identity all because of the sincere and genuine efforts of her teacher. Her teacher’s loving words touched her heart and instilled in her the confidence to live up to her teacher’s expectations because she did not want to let down such a kind lady. Her teacher plays a very important role in her life by giving her education and the courage to stand up for her own self-respect. Her teacher makes her confident enough to fight for her own right. When she comes off age her parents decide to marry her to a man twice her age. When the greedy groom demanded a hefty dowry she rebelled because of her education and did not let herself be taken for granted by a mean, greedy and contemptible man like Bishamber. She saved her father from a huge expense in this manner.