As per CBSE Sample Paper

Issued On 02 Sep 2021...

Sample
Papers
English Language
& Literature
CBSE Class 10 (Term I )

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As per CBSE Sample Paper
Issued On 02 Sep 2021...

Sample
Papers
English Language
& Literature
CBSE Class 10 (Term I )

Author
Dolly Jain

ARIHANT PRAKASHAN (School Division Series)

ARIHANT PRAKASHAN (School Division Series)
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Contents

þ One Day Revision 3-12

þ CBSE Question Bank 15-33
þ Latest CBSE Sample Paper 37-49

Sample Paper 1 50-64

Sample Paper 2 65-79

Sample Paper 3 80-94

Sample Paper 4 95-109

Sample Paper 5 110-124

Sample Paper 6 125-139

Sample Paper 7 140-154

Sample Paper 8 155-169

Sample Paper 9 170-184

Sample Paper 10 185-199

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Chapterwise Important MCQs
CBSE Case Based MCQs
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Syllabus

English Language & Literature CBSE Class 10 (Term I )

READING
Question based on the following
kinds of unseen passages to assess
inference, evaluation, vocabulary,
analysis and interpretation:
. Discursive passage - words
. Case based Factual passage
with visual input statistical data
chart etc. - words
WRITING SKILL
. Formal letter based on a given
situation.
l Letter to the Editor
l Letter of Complaint Official
FIRST FLIGHT : Prose
. A Letter to God
. Nelson Mandela
. Two Stories About Flying
. From the Diary of Anne Frank
. The Hundred Dresses
. The Hundred Dresses
FIRST FLIGHT : Poetry
. Dust of Snow
. Fire and Ice
. A Tiger in the Zoo
. The Ball Poem

l Letter of Complaint Business FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT

FEET : Supplementary
GRAMMAR
. Triumph of Surgery
. Tenses
. The Thief s Story
. Modals
. Subject-Verb Concord . Footprints Without Feet
. Determiner
. Reported Speech EACH SEMESTER
. Commands and Requests Section Weightage
. Statements Reading 10
. Questions
Writing & Grammar 10
LITERATURE Literature 20
Questions based on extracts texts Total 40
to assess interpretation, inference, Internal Assessment 10
extrapolation beyond the text and Grand Total 50
across the texts.
MCQs Preparation Tips
Focus on Theory
MCQs can be formed from any part or
line of the chapter. So, strong command
on theory will increase your chances to
solve objective questions correctly and
quickly.
Practice of Solving MCQs
Cracking an MCQ-based examination
requires you to be familiar with the
question format, so continuous practice
will make you more efficient in solving
MCQs
Speed & Accuracy
In MCQ-based examination, you need
both speed and accuracy, if your
accuracy is good but speed is slow then
you might attempt less questions
resulting in low score.
Attempting MCQs in Exams
1. Read the paper from beginning to
end & attempt those questions first in
which you are confident. Now move
on to those questions which requires
thinking and in last attempt those
questions for which you need more
attention.
2. Read instructions of objective
questions carefully and find out what
is being asked,
a bit carelessness can lead you to
incorrect answer.
3. Tick/Write down the correct option
only while filling the OMR sheet. Step
Learn to Identify Wrong Answers
The simplest trick is, observe the options
first and take out the least possible one
and repeat the process until you reach
the correct option.
Analyze your Performance
During the practice of MCQs you can
identify your weak & strong
topics/chapter by analyzing of incorrect
answers, in this way you will get an
awareness about your weaker topics.
Practice through Sample Papers
Solving more & more papers will make
you more efficient and smarter for
exams. Solve lots of Sample Papers
given in a good Sample Papers book.
by step solution is not required in
MCQ type questions, it is a waste of
time, you will not get extra marks for
this
4. Most of the time, you need not to
solve the MCQ completely to get the
correct option. You can start thinking
in reverse order and choose the best
fit option.
5. As there is no negative marking for
incorrect answers, so don't leave any
question unanswered. Use your
guess if you have not exact idea
about the correct answer.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
ONE DAY
REVISION
Revise All the Chapters of Literature Section
in a Day Just Before the Examination...
First Flight-Prose
● A Letter To God by GL Fuentes
Lencho’s Hope of Good Harvest
Lencho was a farmer who lived on the peak of a low hill
with his family. His field was full of ripe corn. He was
eagerly waiting for a good rain to have a good harvest, so
that he could earn money for his family.
Lencho’s Hope Turned into Despair
One day, it started raining at the time of supper (dinner).
This made Lencho happy. The raindrops falling from the
sky were like new coins for Lencho. However, suddenly
strong winds began to blow and hailstones started to fall.
The storm continued for about an hour and the corn fields
were completely destroyed.
Lencho’s Firm Belief in God
Though Lencho was a poor farmer and had lost all his
crops, he had firm faith in God. He found in God his last
hope and decided to write a letter to God asking for help.
He asked God to send him a hundred pesos so that he
could sow his field again and support his family until the
new crops were harvested.
The Postmaster’s Reaction
to Lencho’s Letter
In the post office, a postman found Lencho’s letter and
laughed after seeing the address on it. He took the letter to
the postmaster.
3
The postmaster was kind and friendly person who
also laughed at first, but then became serious when
he realised that the sender (Lencho) had a firm
belief in God. So, he decided to help the sender.
To help keep Lencho’s faith in God, the postmaster
requested his employees and friends to give some
money. He also gave a part of his salary. But, he
failed to collect hundred pesos and collected only
seventy pesos. He, then put the money in an
envelope and signed it as God.
Lencho Recieves the Money
When Lencho got his letter, he became very happy
to see the money but after counting the money, he
became angry.
Lencho Writes Another Letter
Lencho believed that God could not make such a
mistake. So, he wrote another letter. The postmaster
took out his letter and read it.
In this letter, Lencho had written that he had
received only 70 pesos and requested God to send
ONE DAY REVISION
the remaining money. He also requested God not to
send the money through post because the post
office employees were ‘a bunch of crooks’, who
might have stolen his money.
 4 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
● Nelson Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
First Democratic Government
of South Africa
On 10th May, 1994, the first democratic, non-racial
government of South Africa was formed. The
inauguration ceremonies took place in a sandstone
ampitheatre formed by the Union buildings in Pertoria,
where many leaders of the world had gathered.
Nelson Mandela was accompanied by his daughter
Zenani. Mandela took his oath as the President of
independent South Africa. He pledged to obey and
uphold the constitution and to devote himself to the
well-being of the people.
Mandela Addresses the Guests
After taking oath, Mandela addressed the guests. He
promised to create a society of which all humanity
would be proud. He thanked the international leaders
for joining the ceremony that represented a common
victory of justice, peace and human dignity.
He promised that he would work to remove all kinds of
poverty, sufferings oppression and discrimination from
the society.
Display of the Military Power
by South African Jets
When Mandela had taken oath, South African jets
displayed the military power. It also showed the
loyalty of military to democracy. The highest military
generals saluted him. He recounted the days when
these generals would have arrested him for being a
rebel.
The ceremony was then proceeded by the playing of
two National Anthems. The Whites sang ‘Nkosi Sikelel’
the old song and the Blacks sang ‘Die Stem’ the new
song which marked the end of the ceremony.
Apartheid and South Africa
Nelson Mandela reminiscenced (remembered)
about days gone by which would soon be the part of
history where the Whites had formed a system of racial
dominance against the Blacks of South Africa. It was
the basis of the harshest and the most in humane
societies, the world had ever witnessed.
ONE DAY REVISION
The Blacks were deprived of their basic fundamental
rights and had to live an inhumane life. This was known
as the policy of Apartheid.
The policy of Apartheid (policy of racial segregation)
created a deep and lasting wounds on his country and
its people.
by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Mandela Recalls the Sacrifices
of Freedom Fighters
On the auspicious day, Mandela regretted the loss of
thousands of people and remembered their sacrifices
for the freedom of their native land.
He recalled great freedom fighters like Oliver, Tambos,
Walter Sisulus, Chief Luthulis, Yusuf Dadoos etc. who
were the men of uncommon courage, wisdom and
generosity. Mandela called himself to be the sum of all
those great freedom fighters. He was able to form a
non-racial government because of their sacrifices. He
considered his countrymen to be the real wealth of the
country; finer than the purest diamonds.
Mandela believed that there is goodness in every
individual. As per him, every man has two obligations in
his life to fulfil-obligation to his family and to his
country. But in South Africa. The Blacks were not
allowed to fulfil their obligations and had to bear severe
punishments if tried to do so.
Changing Definition of Freedom
When he was a child he was free to do anything as
long as he abided by the customs of the community.
During adolescence, Mandela considered freedom as
staying out at night, do as he pleased.
As a young man, taking his decisions on his own was
the meaning of freedom for Mandela.
It was later in life, he realised that freedom actually
meant freedom of his country and its people.
Mandela Joins African National Congress
Mandela realised that his complete community
including him lacked freedom. So, he joined the African
National Congress with a desire to gain freedom,
respect and dignity for his community. The desire for
freedom for people as a whole changed his whole life.
He was imprisoned many times in the process of
gaining freedom for his people and was transformed
from a frightened young man to a bold person which
turned him from a law abiding person to become a
criminal. He realised that freedom is indivisible.
Mandela’s Realisation
Mandela realised that he could not enjoy his freedom
when his community was not free. He also realised that
just like oppressed (torturer), the oppressor (tortured) is
also not free. The oppressed is a prisoner of hatred,
prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Thus, both the opp-
ressor and the oppressed alike are robbed of their
humanity. Both of them must be liberated.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
● Two Stories About Flying
I. His First Flight
by Liam O’ Flaherty
The Young Seagull’s Fear of Flying
The young seagull was alone on his ledge (cliff). His
two brothers and his sister had already learnt to fly. The
young seagull was afraid to fly because of the long
stretch and depth of the sea. He thought that his wings
would not support him. So, he ran back to his hole on
the ledge. His father and mother tried to persuade him
to fly. They scolded and even threatened him to starve
if he does not try to fly. But young seagull did not
move.
Parents Leave the Young Seagull Alone
Twenty four hour passed and no body came near
him. All the day, the young seagull watched his parents
teaching his brothers and sister how to fly. The whole
family taunted the young seagull for his cowardice.
The Hungry Seagull
As the time passed, the young seagull could not
tolerate the hunger and the heat. He moved closer to
the ledge and pretends to fall asleep but nobody took
notice of him. Only his mother noticed him. She was
standing high on the plateau with a fish. As the young
seagull saw the food, he felt more hungry and asked
his mother to bring him food.
The Mother’s Trick
Realising his madness for the food, his mother tried to
tempt him with pieces of fish. Initially, she tore the fish in
the manner the young seagull loved to eat. This sight
maddened the young seagull. Then, the mother flew
nearer to him which filled young seagull with joy.
However, the mother stopped near the edge of the
ledge. Out of excitement and hunger, the young
seagull ran towards the mother and dived for the fish.
The Joy of Flight
When he realised that he had dived, the seagull got
scared and screamed with fear. But soon he felt his
wings spread outwards and he began to fly slowly
downwards and upwards. He was no longer afraid of
flying. Seeing him flying, his family started shrieking.
The Family’s Celebration
As the young seagull landed on the green sea, his legs
sank into it. He tried to fly again but he was tired and
weak with hunger. Finally, his feet sank into the green
sea, his belly touched it and he was floating on it. The
family members praised him and offered him pieces of
dog- fish as he had finally made his first flight.
5
II. The Black Aeroplane
by Frederick Forsyth
The Narrator’s Trip to England
The narrator was flying his old Dakota aeroplane over
France back to England at night. The sky was clear and
moon was shining. He was dreaming of his holiday and
looking forward to be with his family. It was 1:30 in the
morning. He called the Paris Control to get instructed
about the way. Paris Control advised him to turn 12
degrees West.
Appearance of Storm Clouds
When the narrator reached 150 km beyond Paris,
he suddenly saw huge storm clouds in front of him.
He knew that it was not possible to fly up and over
the clouds. He also did not have enough fuel to go
around the clouds. First, he thought of going back
to Paris. However, the thought of breakfast with
his family, made him determined to fly through the
clouds.
A Risky but Brave Decision
The narrator decided to take the risk and flew into the
storm, but everything went out of control. He was
unable to see because everything outside the plane
was black. The aeroplane jumped and twisted in the
air. His compass stopped working. He tried to contact
the Paris Control for directions but his radio had also
stopped working. Consequently, he was totally lost in
the storm.
A Black Aeroplane Appears
Luckily, he saw another black aeroplane near him. The
pilot in black aeroplane raised his hand and signalled
the narrator to follow him.
Narrator Follows Black Aeroplane
The narrator followed the black aeroplane. Now, he
could only fly the plane for five or ten minutes. He felt
frightened again because his fuel tanks were emptying.
But suddenly after about half an hour he saw two
straight lines of lights ahead of him on the ground.
They were the lights of an airport’s runway. He was
able to land safely which gave him a sigh of relief.
ONE DAY REVISION
The Black Aeroplane Remains a Mystery
After landing, the narrator went to the Control tower of
the airport. He asked the woman in the Control tower
about the black plane. However, the woman told him
that no other plane was flying except his on such a
stormy night. The narrator was shocked on hearing
this. He wondered who had helped him.
 6 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
● From the Diary of Anne Frank
Anne’s Need to Write a Diary
Anne Frank, a thirteen year old girl, was gifted a diary by
her father. In her first entry, she expressed her desire to
confide everything to the diary. Anne considered the diary
to be a real friend with whom she could share all her
secrets. She made it her best friend and called her ‘Kitty’.
Anne’s Childhood and Family
Anne was born on 12th June, 1929. Her elder sister,
Margot was born in 1929. Her father’s name was Otto
Frank whom she considered to be the most adorable
father. Her mother’s name was Edith Hollander Frank.
Her parents emigrated to Holland in 1933 and the
sisters were sent to Achen to stay with their
grandmother.
Anne had great love for her grandmother. Her
grandmother died in January 1942. So Anne lit
a candle in her memory on her own birthday in June.
Anne’s School and her
views about Teachers
After explaining about her life, Anne started her diary
entry for 20th June, 1942. She started by writing about
her day in the school when the teachers were going to
tell the result. Anne was a good student and had a
good relationship with all the teachers except her
Maths teacher Mr. Keesing. He was always annoyed by
her talkative nature.
● The Hundred Dresses-I by EL Bsor Ester
Wanda Petronski in Class
Wanda Petronski was a Polish girl in an American
school. She sat on the seat next to the last seat in the
corner in Room Thirteen where all naughty boys sat. No
one knew why she used to sit there. May be because
she belonged to Boggins Heights and her feets were
usually dirty with dry mud.
Wanda’s Absence
Wanda was absent on Monday as well as on Tuesday.
Nobody in her class noticed her absence. It was on
Wednesday that her two classmates Peggy and
ONE DAY REVISION
Maddie noticed it. Wanda had no friends. She used to
come to school alone.
She used to wear a shabby but clean and faded blue
dress to school everyday. So, she seemed different
from others and was teased. The students made fun of
her name. For them, her name was difficult to say and
was funny.
by Anne Frank
Anne’s Talkative Nature
and Punishment
Mr. Keesing gave Anne extra homework as
punishment. He asked her to write an essay on the
topic ‘A Chatterbox’. She wrote the essay in three
pages for her satisfaction. She defined being a
chatterbox a feature of a student and also mentioned
that she inherited this trait from her mother who was
also very talkative.
Mr Keesing read the essay in the class and laughed at
it. When she was caught again talking by Mr Keesing,
he gave her another essay as a punishment on the
topic ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’. He punished her
again asked to write an essay on ‘Quack, Quack,
Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’.
Anne Mock Mr Keesing Amusingly
Anne wanted to write something interesting and
different this time. So, with the help of her friend
Sanne who was good at poetry, she wrote the essay in
verse. The poem was of a father swan and a mother
duck with three baby ducklings. The father swan bit
the ducklings to death because they quacked too
much.
Mr Keesing took the joke in the right way. He read the
poem in the class as well as in other classes. Since
then, Anne was allowed to talk and had not been
assigned any extra homework.
Peggy and Maddie
Peggy and Maddie were good friends of each other.
Peggy was the most popular girl in the school. She
was pretty and intelligent. Maddie on the other hand
was a poor girl who wore clothes given by Peggy so
that mother used to trim those dresses so that no one
could recognise them.
Whenever Peggy and Maddie found Wanda alone in
the school yard Peggy used to ask her about the
number of dresses and shoes she had. They were
surprised when Wanda told them that she had hundred
beautiful dresses and sixty pairs of shoes. Peggy had
thought of this game to tease Wanda.
The reason to tease Wanda was that she wore the
same faded blue dress to school everyday and lied that
she had hundred dresses. Maddie felt embarrassed
when Peggy teased Wanda. She wanted Peggy to stop
teasing Wanda and decided to write Peggy a note. But
could not do so because she was afraid of becoming a
next target for Peggy.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
The Drawing and the Colouring Contest
A drawing and colouring contest was organised in the
class next day. In this contest, girls were supposed to
design dresses while boys had to design motorboats.
Maddie felt that Peggy would win the contest as she
drew better than anyone else in the class.
The Result of the Contest
Next day, the result of the contest was going to be
announced by the teacher. The students were amazed
to see about a hundred designs of dresses hanging over
the walls of the class. The students had assembled and
the class teacher Miss Mason announced the names of
● The Hundred Dresses-II by EL Bsor Ester
A Letter to Miss Mason
from Wanda’s Father
When the class was circling the room to look at
Wanda’s drawings, the monitor brought a note from the
Principal Office to Miss Mason.
In the letter, Wanda’s father, Jan Petronski, stated that
they had shifted to a big city. So, Wanda and her
brother Jake would not come to the school. He also
wrote that Wanda was teased by her classmates for her
name. In the big city, nobody would consider her name
funny and laugh at her.
Reaction of Children and
Miss Mason to the Letter
The letter made everyone silent and everybody was
feeling ashamed of their behaviour towards Wanda.
Miss Mason told the students not to hurt anybody’s
feelings due to his or her name. She further asked them
to think about it carefully.
The letter from Wanda’s father deeply affected Maddie.
Maddie could not concentrate on her lessons. So, she
decided to go to Wanda’s house at Boggins Heights to
apologise to her.
Peggy and Maddie
Visits Wanda House
After school, Peggy and Maddie decided to go to
Boggins Heights to visit Wanda’s house. When they
reached Wanda’s house, they found it old but clean just
like Wanda’s dress. They knocked on the door but the
Petronski’s had already left.
Maddie’s Decision
When Peggy and Maddie were returning home, Peggy
told Maddie that teasing Wanda about her dresses
actually helped her. She also added that it was because
7
the winners. Jack Beggles was the winner among the
boys and Wanda Petronski was the winner in girls.
Reactions of Wanda’s Classmates
The teacher informed them that all the hundred
drawings were made by Wanda and each drawing
deserved the prize. But unfortunately, Wanda was
absent and thus, could not receive her prize.
All the children applauded for Wanda’s drawings and
whistled while looking at them. Peggy and Maddie
noticed a blue and a green dress that Wanda used to
talk about them.
of her questions that Wanda got the ideas for her dress
designs.
But Maddie was not satisfied. Maddie failed to sleep
that night. She only thought about Wanda. She used to
make speeches in her sleep of about Wanda. She
decided to take stand against bullies.
A Friendly Letter to Wanda
from Peggie and Maddie
On Saturday, Maddie and Peggy wrote a letter to
Wanda. They wanted to apologise to her. But, in the
letter, they told her that she had won the contest and
only asked her friendly questions.
After completing the letter, they mailed it to Boggins
Heights requesting them to forward it to Petronski’s
new address. Both Maddie and Peggy waited for
Wanda’s answer but there was no reply.
Reply from Wanda
On the last day of school before Christmas, a letter
from Wanda was received. She sent a letter to her
teacher. She especially asked the teacher to give the
green dress to Peggy and the blue one to Maddie. She
told her that she had joined a new school but missed her
old school and her teacher.
Drawings of Peggy and Maddie
After school, Peggy told Maddie that Wanda’s
drawings made it clear that she did not hate them. At
ONE DAY REVISION
home, Maddie pinned the drawing on her wall. She
started crying thinking about Wanda.
Suddenly, she saw the face on Wanda’s sketch. It was
Maddie herself. Hurriedly, she left to go to Peggy’s
house. She showed the drawing to Peggy and saw that
the drawing which Peggy had looked like Peggy. It
made them believe that Wanda liked both of them and
had forgiven them.
 8 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
First Flight-Poetry
● Dust of Snow by Robert Frost
Stanza 1
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Explanation In this stanza, the poet remembers a
small incident that changed his mood. Once, the poet
was in a depressed mood and was hopeless. He was
standing (It is not clear whether the poet was standing
or passing (the tree) under a hemlock tree. Suddenly, a
crow sitting on the tree, shook it and some powdery
snow from the tree fell on the poet.
● Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
Stanza 1
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
Explanation In the above lines, the poet is saying that
there are two schools of thoughts to end the world–fire
and ice. Here, fire represents desires of human beings.
The poet knows that desire is a self-destructing
emotion because human desires are never-ending and
can make man do anything to fulfil them. Thus, he
supports those people who say that the world would
end in fire.
● A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris
Stanza 1
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
Explanation In these lines, the poet is describing a
tiger in a cage.
The tiger with bright and clear stripes moves inside the
ONE DAY REVISION
cage. The cage is very small so the tiger can hardly
take a few steps along its length. His pads are soft like
velvet so no one can hear the sound of his footsteps.
Inspite of being the most powerful creature, he is
imprisoned inside a cage.
This situation has made the tiger angry. But he is
keeping quiet as he knows that he is helpless in the
situation.
Stanza 2
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued
Explanation The dust of snow which fell on the poet
changed his mood. He became happy and refreshed.
This was because when the snow fell on him he got out
of his thoughts and noticed the beauty around him. This
change in mood helped to save poet’s remaining day
which he was ruining by being upset. He realised that he
should not remain stuck over his past and should move
on with a good thought and positive outlook.
Stanza 2
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Explanation In these lines, the poet says that if the
world were to perish twice then ice is equally able to
end it. Here ice represents hatred and indifference. The
poet says that he had experienced enough of hate and
hate is also a self-destructing emotion. It can break
relations. Thus, ice is also a great choice to end the
world.
Stanza 2
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
Explanation In these lines, the poet is filled with
sorrow for the caged tiger. He feels that a tiger should
be free in his natural habitat.
He should be hiding in the shadows and
quietly moving through the long grass near the water
hole.
He should be waiting for a fat and healthy deer to pass,
in the hope of getting a heavy meal. The poet wants to
convey that the actual life of a tiger is in a jungle and
not in a cage.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Stanza 3
He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
Explanation In these lines, the poet explains what a
tiger in his natural habitat should be doing.
According to him, a free tiger should be roaring
around the houses located at the jungle’s edge. He
should be showing his sharp white teeth and his
claws to terrorise the villagers.
Stanza 4
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
● The Ball Poem by John Berryman
Stanza 1
What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over - there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
Explanation The poem starts with poet looking at
the boy who has lost his ball. The poet is wondering
how boy would react on touny his ball.
The poet himself saw the ball bouncing happily down
the street and then falling into the water. The poet
says that there is no use to tell the boy that there are
other balls. Because, he would get many other balls,
but the boy would never be able to get the lost ball
and the memories associated with it.
Stanza 2
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless.
Explanation In these lines, the poet describes the
condition of the boy after losing his ball.
The boy feels very sad by the loss of his ball. He is
standing like a statue at one place, shivering and
staring at the ball. This symbolises the memories of
his young days.
He is filled with sorrow and just keeps standing in the
direction where his ball is going. The poet says that
he would not interfere in the boy’s thoughts as he
feels that through this experience, the boy will learn
the meaning of loss.
9
Explanation In these lines, the poet’s focus returns back
to the angry tiger in the cage. The poet explains that
unlike the tiger in the jungle, this tiger is not free. He is
locked in the concrete cell. His strength and power is of
no use, behind the bars of the cage. He is moving in his
cage ignoring the visitors who are continuously visiting to
have a look at him.
Stanza 5
He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
Explanation In these lines, the poet says that even at
night the tiger is disturbed. He hears the last sound of the
patrolling cars of the zoo officials. The tiger stares at the
brilliant stars shining brightly in the sky with his brilliant
eyes which hopes for freedom.
The poet says that it is not worth to tell the boy that
another ball can be bought for only a dime (ten cents).
Because, another ball cannot replace the memories
attached with the lost ball.
Stanza 3
.......... Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.
Explanation In these lines, the poet says that the boy is
learning his first responsibility of taking care of his things
and how to bear the loss of something in a world of
possessions. The poet make a broad statement that
people will take balls and these balls will be lost. In other
words, the boy will keep losing things and would buy
another one to replace the lost thing. But he would never
be able to buy back that lost thing and the memories
associated with it.
Money is external as it can not buy memories nor can it
replace the lost things.
Stanza 4
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
ONE DAY REVISION
This epistemology of loss, how to stand up
Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up.
Explanation In these lines, the poet suggests that from
the loss of the ball, the boy is learning the meaning of
loss. He is also learning how to stand up from the loss.
The poet says that knowing that every man has to stand
up after such losses, the boy too will learn how to stand
up and leave the losses behind. He would have
understood the true meaning and nature of loss.
 10 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Footprints without Feet-Supplementary
● A Triumph of Surgery by Dr. James Herriot
Tricki Looks Ill and Dr. James
Enquires about It
When Dr James was driving he saw Mrs Pumphrey and
Tricki walking down the street. As he stopped his car, he
was shocked to see that Tricki had become fat like a
sausage. His eyes were red and his tongue was
hanging out. Dr James enquired about Tricki’s health
from Mrs Pumphrey.
Mrs Pumphrey explained to Dr James that Tricki was
dull and weak. She felt that he was suffering from
malnutrition. So, she had been giving him some extra
meals (malt, cod-liver oil and Horlicks) between his
main meals.
Dr. James’ Advice
After knowing about Tricki’s condition and his routine,
Dr James informed Mrs Pumphrey that if she would did
not reduce his food and increase his exercise, Tricki
would fall ill.
After a few days, Mrs Pumphrey called and informed Dr
James about Tricki’s health. She told him that Tricki
was not eating anything and had been vomiting. She
further informed him that her dog spent all his time
lying on a rug and did not do anything.
He suggested Mrs Pumphrey to hospitalise him for a
fortnight for observation so that the proper treatment
could follow. Dr James’ suggestion broke Mrs
Pumphrey’s heart but, she allowed him to take Tricki
along with him to his surgery.
Tricki’s Stay and
Recovery at the Hospital
On reaching the hospital, Tricki laid motionless on the
carpet. The dogs in the hospital sniffed around him and
found him uninteresting.
● The Thief’s Story by Ruskin Bond
Hari Singh Approaches Anil
The narrator, Hari Singh met Anil, while he was
ONE DAY REVISION
watching a wrestling match. Anil was a tall, thin, easy
going and simple type of man. And the narrator was a
15 years old boy who was a thief.
The narrator thought that Anil could be an easy target
for him to rob.
He used some flattering words to gain Anil’s
confidence and soon they started conversing. He lied
to Anil that his name was Hari Singh. After this
introduction, they talked about wrestlers and then Anil
walked away.
Tricki was put on a water diet for first two days. At the
end of the second day, Tricki started to show some
interest in his surroundings. On the third day he made
low and weak sound walked slowly walked out of his
room and joined the other dogs in the garden.
Later on the third day, he ran with enthusiasm when the
food was served. He also competed for the extra food
that was put out for him.
Tricki’s Recovery
Tricki recovered at a very fast speed. No medicine had
been given to Tricki for his treatment. He had started
running all day long and enjoyed with other dogs. Mrs
Pumphrey used to call Dr. Herriot several times in a day
as she was keen to know about Tricky’s recovery.
As Tricki’s health started improving, Mrs Pumphrey
started sending additional food items, like eggs, wine
and brandy for Tricki. As this was not required in
Tricki’s diet, the vet and his partner consumed these
additional items themselves. Everybody was so happy
with the unusual delicious food that they wanted to
keep Tricki as a permanent guest.
Tricki Goes Home
After two weeks, Dr James informed Mrs. Pumphrey
that Tricki was fit and could go home. Mrs Pumphrey
reached the surgery within half an hour.
Mrs Pumphrey enquired about Tricki’s actual condition.
Dr James informed her that Tricki was fine and went to
get Tricki from the garden.
As soon as the dog saw his owner, he jumped on her
lap and started licking her face. Mrs Pumphrey was
very happy at finding Tricki as excited as he used to be.
She thanked Dr James Herriot and called the treatment
‘A triumph of surgery.’
Hari Follows Anil and Anil
Brings Him to His Room
Hari followed Anil and told him that he wanted to work
for him. To this, Anil expressed his inability to pay Hari.
Then Hari questioned Anil if he could feed him. Anil told
Hari that he would employ him only if Hari knew how to
cook. Hari lied that he knew how to cook and was
employed. Anil took Hari to his room which was located
over Jumna sweet shop. Anil soon realised that Hari
didn’t know how to cook. He asked Hari to leave, but
Hari stayed there, with his most appealing smile. This
made Anil laugh. He patted Hari’s head and told him
that he would teach him how to cook.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Anil Teaches Hari
Apart from cooking, Anil also taught Hari to write his
name and promised to teach him how to write whole
sentences and to add numbers.
Hari was happy and grateful for getting educated as he
knew that he could do anything once he could write like
an educated man. Hari enjoyed working for Anil. He
made tea in the morning and later he would go to buy
day’s supplies.
Anil’s Work
Anil had no regular income. He made money by
contributing Articles to the magazines. Sometimes he
would have enough money to celebrate and sometimes
he had to borrow money.
One evening, Anil came back with a bundle of notes
which he had earned by selling his book to a publisher.
At night, Anil put the money under his mattress and
Hari noticed it.
Hari Robbed Anil
Hari crawled up to his bed that night Hari decided to
rob Anil. So, when Anil was asleep, he slid his hand
under the mattress and drew the money out quietly. He
rushed out of the room and began to run on the road.
He was running towards the railway station to catch
10.30 Express to Lucknow as he had planned. When
● Footprints Without Feet by Robert Arthur
Boys See Footprints on a Street
Two boys on a street in London were surprised to see
fresh muddy footprints of bare feet on the steps of a
house. The boys were fascinated that the fresh foot
prints were appearing without anyone being present.
They keep on following the footprints till they
disappeared.
Griffin : A Lawless Scientist
The footprints had been made by Griffin, a scientist
who had discovered how to become invisible by
swallowing certain rare drugs.
Griffin was a great scientist, but a lawless person. His
landlord did not like him and tried to throw him out of
the house. So, Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house.
To escape from this situation, Griffin removed his
clothes and became invisible. Later, he became a
homeless wanderer in London without any clothes and
money.
Hidden in a Big London Store
Griffin managed to escape from the observation of the
two keen boys. As the weather was bitterly cold in
London, Griffin decided to slip into a big London store
for warmth. The store was closed at night, Griffin wore
some warm clothes, shoes, an overcoat and a hat.
11
he counted the money, he was happy to find 600
rupees.
Hari didn’t Board the Train
Hari reached the station just when the train was moving
out. He could have jumped to get into one of the
carriages but he did not catch the train and stood
alone on the platform.
Hari decided to leave the station and thought about
how would Anil feel when he would come to know
about the theft. Soon, he reached the maidan. It was
November and it had started raining.
In the excitement of theft, Hari forgot that apart from
giving him some money, Anil also educated him. He
realised that education would have made him into a
big, clever and respected man.
Hari’s Final Decision
Finally, Hari decided to go back to Anil. He went back
into the room and cautiously put back the wet currency
notes under the mattress and went to sleep.
Hari woke up late in the morning. He found that Anil
had already prepared tea. Anil gave a fifty rupee note to
Hari which was still wet. He told Hari that he had
earned some money by selling a book to a publisher
and now would be able to pay him regularly. Hari felt
that Anil knew about the theft but he didn’t say anything
to him about it.
He ate cold meat and drank some coffee from the
kitchen of the restaurant and then went to sleep on a
pile of quilts.
Griffin is Invisible Again
When Griffin woke up next morning, the shop
assistants had already arrived at the shop. On being
seen, Griffin panicked and started running. As he was
being chased, he again took off his newly found
clothes. Consequently, he found himself invisible and
naked in the chill again.
Griffin at a Theatrical Company
Griffin reached Drury Lane and entered into a shop that
sold theatrical items.
ONE DAY REVISION
A little later, he came out wearing bandages, dark
glasses, a false nose, big bushy whiskers and a large
hat. Then, he attacked the shopkeeper to escape and
also robbed his money.
Griffin Arrives at Iping Village
After robbing the shopkeeper, Griffin left London and
took a train to the village of Iping. Here, he booked two
rooms in an inn belonging to Mr. Hall. He ordered not
to be disturbed by anyone as he wanted to be alone.
He paid in advance for the room.
 12 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Soon the money that Griffin had stolen from theatrical
company was finished. He lied to assure the staff at inn
that he was going to receive a cheque. But, he stole
money from clergyman’s desk. Hearing the sound of
money being stolen the landlord and his wife came to
check but could not find anyone in the room.
Furniture Shows Strange Behaviour
On the same day of stealing money, Mrs Hall found
Griffin’s room open, with his bandages and clothes
lying around, she and her husband entered the room.
Suddenly, Mrs Hall heard a sniff and the hat near the
bedpost was thrown on her face.
Then, the bedroom chair was thrown at her legs. Both
the landlord and his wife were pushed out of the room.
Mrs Hall felt that the furniture was haunted by spirits, as
she could not see Griffin.
Griffin is Suspected
Mrs Hall blamed Griffin for the strange events while the
neighbours blamed him for witchcraft. Soon, the news
of burglary at clergyman’s house was spread. Most
people in the village felt that the strange scientist was
ONE DAY REVISION
involved in it, because he paid his due rent. As a result,
the village police constable Mr Jaffers was called.
Griffin Becomes Invisible
Mrs Hall went to Griffin and enquired what he had been
doing with her chair in the room. She also enquired
about how he came out of an empty room and entered
a locked room.
Griffin lost his temper and decided to show her
everything. He threw off his bandages, spectacles,
whiskers and his nose. People who had gathered were
horrified to see the headless man.
Griffin Escapes from Iping
When constable Jaffers had arrived, he was surprised
to know that he had to arrest a man without a head.
Yet, he tried to catch him. Griffin removed all that he
was wearing to become invisible.
The constable was trying to catch a man he couldn’t
see. Some people tried to help Jaffers but were hit by a
blow they could not see. Soon Jaffers was knocked
unconscious and Griffin ran away.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 15

CBSE
QUESTION BANK
Extract Based Questions

First Flight-Prose
A Letter to God
List - I List-II
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow. D. Torrential rain 4. Really heavy rain that
comes very suddenly
A. The house-the only one in the entire
E. Downpour 5. Is a violent, short-lived
valley -sat on the crest of a low hill.
weather disturbance
From this height one could see the river associated with lightning,
and the field of ripe corn dotted with the thunder and strong, gusty
flowers that always promised a good winds.
harvest. The only thing the earth needed
was a good downpour or at least a A B C D E A B C D E
shower. Throughout the morning (a) 2 4 5 1 3 (b) 4 1 3 5 2
Lencho who knew his fields intimately (c) 5 3 4 2 1 (d) 3 5 1 2 4
had done nothing but see the sky (iv) Based on the given extract, what is
towards the north-east. Lencho NOT likely to think while looking
(i) Based on the detail of the house’s at his field?
location, how can it best be described? (1) Such a blessing, God! (2) Just a downpour, God.
(a) Majestic (b) Imposing Thank you. And everything will be
(c) Solitary (d) Unique perfect.

(ii) The field of corn dotted with flowers

means that (4) I wish we have enough
(3) All set for the grand
(a) not a single flower was bigger than a food to eat after this
harvest. I'm going to
harvest.
dot. be rich!
(b) the flowers were scattered across. (a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) the flowers were in shaped like dots. (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(d) the flowers had shrunk in size.
(v) Which quote supports the idea in the given
CBSE QUESTION BANK

(iii) Lencho wished for a downpour or a extract?

heavy shower. Pick the option that (a) “Farming is a profession of hope.”
correctly lists the correct match for kinds (b) “I would rather be on my farm than be
of rain. emperor of the world.”
List - I List-II (c) “Farming looks mighty easy when your
A. Heavy rain 1. Light rain that falls in very
plough is a pencil, and you’re a
fine drops thousand miles from the corn field.”
(d) “Those too lazy to plough in the right
B. Thunderstorm 2. Very heavy rain, tropical season will have no food at the
rain
harvest.”
C. Drizzle 3. It’s coming down quite Ans. (i) (c) Solitary
strong and you get very
(ii) (b) the flowers were scattered across.
wet very quickly
 16 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

(iii) (d) A-3, B-5, C-1, D-2, E-4 (v) Pick the most suitable quote for this
(iv) (d) Option (4) extract.
(v) (a) “Farming is a profession of hope.” (a) “It is easier to fool people than to
convince them that they have been
B. When he finished, he went to the window fooled.” – Mark Twain
to buy a stamp which he licked and then (b) “Real knowledge is to know the extent
affixed to the envelope with a blow of his of one’s ignorance.”- Confucius
fist. The moment the letter fell into the (c) “You see a person’s true colours when
mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It you are no longer beneficial to their
said: “God. of the money that I asked for, life.”- anonymous
only seventy pesos reached me. Send me (d) “True generosity means accepting
the rest, since I need it very much. But ingratitude.” - Coco Chanel
don’t send it to me through the mail Ans. (i) (d) Option (4) (ii) (c) (2) and (4) (iii) (d) Option (4)
because the post office employees are a (iv) (d) List of further demands.
bunch of crooks. Lencho.” (v) (d) “True generosity means accepting
(i) ‘…bunch of crooks.’ Pick the option that ingratitude.” - Coco Chanel
DOES NOT collate with ‘bunch of’,
correctly. Nelson Mandela :
(1) keys Long Walk to Freedom
Read the extracts given below and answer
(4) islands bunch of (2) grapes the questions that follow.
A. “We, who were outlaws not so long ago,
(3) flowers
have today been given the rare privilege
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) to be host to the nations of the world on
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4) our own soil. We thank all of our
(ii) What was the most likely response that distinguished international guests for
the postmaster expected in Lencho’s having come to take possession with the
second letter? people of our country of what is, after
(1) Sorrowful (2) Gratitude all, a common victory for justice, for
(3) Disappointment (4) Elation peace, for human dignity.”
(5) Shock (i) The guests at the spectacular ceremony
(a) (2) and (5) (b) (1) and (3) are being called distinguished because
(c) (2) and (4) (d) (3) and (5) (a) they have been invited as guests to
attend it.
(iii) Pick the option that lists the option
(b) they are eminent world leaders
corresponding to—’with a blow of his witnessing it.
fist.’ (c) they are visiting the country for this
(1) purpose.
(d) they have resumed diplomatic relations
with the country.
(ii) It is a victory for ‘human dignity’. Pick
CBSE QUESTION BANK

(4) (2)
the option that lists the correct answer for
what ‘human dignity’ would include
(a) (i) equality (ii) liberty (iii) indecency
(b) (i) liberty (ii) indecency (iii) self-respect
(3)
(c) (i) immorality (ii) self-respect (iii)
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) equality
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4) (d) (i) equality (ii) liberty (iii) self-respect

(iv) Lencho’s letter included (iii) Why does the speaker say that it is a
(a) details of his problems. ‘rare privilege’? He says this as they
(b) description of the post office.
have
(c) belief of being looted. (a) been deprived of this honour.
(b) seldom been given this honour.
(d) list of further demands.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(c) experienced it for the first time.
(d) been chosen over other countries, for this
honour.
(iv) How do you think the speaker feels?
Choose the option that best fits his state
of mind.
I feel...
(a) (i) emotional (ii) elated (iii)
unmindful
(b) (i) elated (ii) unmindful (iii)
overwhelmed
(c) (i) overwhelmed (ii) elated (iii)
honoured
(d) (i) elated (ii) honoured (iii) unmindful
(v) Pick the option that show cases the usage
of ‘host’ as in the extract.
(a) He was praised for his hospitality as the
host of the party.
(b) She was able to host the event without
any hindrance.
(c) She met the host and apologised for her
friend’s misbehaviour.
(d) He is the best host that one can ever
come across.
Ans. (i) (b) they are eminent world leaders witnessing it.
(ii) (d) (i) equality (ii) liberty (iii) self-respect
(iii) (c) experienced it for the first time.
(iv) (c) (i) overwhelmed (ii) elated (iii) honoured
(v) (b) She was able to host the event without any
hindrance.
B. “It was only when I began to learn that
my boyhood freedom was an illusion,
when I discovered as a young man that
my freedom had already been taken
from me, that I began to hunger for it.
At first as a student I wanted freedom
only for myself, the transitory freedoms
of being able to stay out at night, read
what I pleased and go where I chose.
Later, as a young man in Johannesburg,
I yearned for the basic and honourable
freedoms...”
(i) The title that best suits this extract is
(a) Freedom for Everything
(b) Knowledge about Freedom
(c) Significance of Freedom
(d) Realisation of Freedom
17
(ii) Why do you think the speaker mentions
some freedoms as ‘transitory’?
(a) The freedoms are momentary and keep
changing with time.
(b) The definition of freedom is constant
but perspectives differ.
(c) Freedom means different things to
different people.
(d) Freedom is not that important after a
certain age.
(iii) Choose the option that best fits the usage
of the word ‘illusion’ as used in the
extract.
(a) He was never able to get past the illusion.
(b) The illusion I experienced was quite
intriguing.
(c) A large mirror in the room creates an
illusion.
(d) I was living under the illusion that this is
possible.
(iv) The speaker says, ‘at first as a student I
wanted freedom only for myself.’ Why
do you think he only thought about
himself?
(a) He didn’t want to think about the
freedom denied to others.
(b) He was being selfish and was only
bothered about himself.
(c) He didn’t think that freedom denied to
him was important for others.
(d) He was too young to realise that
freedom was denied to others as well.
(v) A part of the extract has been
paraphrased. Choose the option that
includes the most appropriate solution to
the blanks in the given paraphrase of the
extract.
The speaker’s belief about freedom, since
childhood proved false. It was not until
the speaker grew up to be a young man
when it
(i) _________ on him that he was (ii)
_________ of freedom. Then he began (iii)
CBSE QUESTION BANK
____________ it.
(a) (i) desired (ii) dawned (iii) depriving
(b) (i) dawned (ii) deprived (iii) desiring
(c) (i) dawned (ii) arrived (iii) desiring
(d) (i) arrived (ii) deprived (iii) dawned
Ans. (i) (d) Realisation of Freedom
(ii) (a) The freedoms are momentary and keep
changing with time.
(iii) (d) I was living under the illusion that this is possible.
(iv) (d) He was too young to realise that freedom was
denied to others as well.
(v) (b) (i) dawned (ii) deprived (iii) desiring
 18 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Two Stories about Flying

I. His First Flight
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow. (1) (2)
A. The day before, all day long, he had
watched his parents flying about with
his brothers and sister, perfecting them
in the art of flight, teaching them how to
skim the waves and how to dive for
fish. He had, in fact, seen his older (3) (4)
brother catch his first herring and
(a) (1) and (2) (b) (2) and (3)
devour it, standing on a rock, while his
(c) (3) and (4) (d) (1) and (4)
parents circled around raising a proud
cackle. And all the morning the whole (iv) Which of the following feelings did the
family had walked about on the big young gull, NOT feel according to the
plateau midway down the opposite cliff given context? “…all day long, he had
watched his parents flying about with his
taunting him with his cowardice.
brothers and sister…”
(i) Based on the given sentence, pick the
(1) sad (2) incompetent (3) excluded
option that corresponds to what human
(4) ungrateful (5) inspired (6) jealous
parents would say. ‘while his parents
(7) anxious
circled around raising a proud cackle.’
(a) 1, 3, 6 (b) 2, 5, 7
(a) Well done! (b) Oh no!
(c) 2, 3, 7 (d) 4, 5, 6
(c) Ready?! (d) Really!?
(v) Select the most appropriate option for the
(ii) Which option lists the image nearest to
following:
‘skim the waves’?
devour : guzzle : : nibble : _______
(a) chew (b) savour
(c) peck (d) gulp
Ans. (i) (a) Well done!
(ii) (d) Image (4)
(iii) (c) (3) and (4)
(iv) (d) 4, 5, 6
(2) (v) (c) peck
(1)
B. He just felt a bit dizzy. Then he flapped his
wings once and he soared upwards. “Ga,
ga, ga, Ga, ga, ga, Gaw-col-ah,” his mother
swooped past him, her wings making a
loud noise. He answered her with another
scream. Then his father flew over him
screaming. He saw his two brothers and
CBSE QUESTION BANK

his sister flying around him curveting and

(3) (4) banking and soaring and diving.
(a) Image (1) (b) Image (2) Then he completely forgot that he had not
(c) Image (3) (d) Image (4) always been able to fly, and commended
(iii) Imagine that the young gull attended a himself to dive and soar and curve,
workshop on inspiration and confidence shrieking shrilly.
building and received a couple of pieces (i) Pick the most appropriate reason why the
of advice. young gull felt dizzy.
Choose the option that reflects these (a) He hadn’t eaten anything for a day.
pieces of advice, most relevant to his (b) He was dizzy with excitement.
situation. (c) He was wary of heights.
(d) He was flying for the first time.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(ii) How would you describe the screams of
the gulls in the given extract?
(a) Elation
(b) Bewilderment
(c) Shock
(d) Protection
(iii) The line “he completely forgot that he
had not always been able to fly” implies
the
(a) great confidence the young gull had in
his skills.
(b) naturalness of the act of flying for the
young gull.
(c) satisfaction and joy of flying together as
a family.
(d) desire of the young gull to leave his fears
behind.
(iv) The extract refers to the many
movements of the young gull’s brothers
and sister. Choose the option that
correctly sequences these movements.
(a) The young gull’s brothers and sister
flew by tilting their wings, rose high,
made darting movements and plunged
headfirst.
(b) The young gull’s brothers and sister
flew by plunging headfirst, making
darting movements, tilted their wings
and rose high.
(c) The young gull’s brothers and sister
flew with darting movements, tilted
their wings, rose high and plunged
headfirst.
(d) The young gull’s brothers and sister
flew by rising high, plunging headfirst,
making darting movements and tilting
their wings.
(v) Which of the following mirrors the use
of the literary device in “shrieking
shrilly”?
(a) Sparkling saga
(b) Singing soft
(c) Slippery sloppily
(d) Sneeze silently
Ans. (i) (d) He was flying for the first time.
(ii) (a) Elation
(iii) (b) naturalness of the act of flying for the young
gull.
(iv) (c) The young gull’s brothers and sister flew with
darting movements, tilted their wings, rose high
and plunged headfirst.
(v) (d) Sneeze silently
19
II. The Black Aeroplane
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. Everything was going well — it was an
easy flight. Paris was about 150
kilometres behind me when I saw the
clouds. Storm clouds. They were huge.
They looked like black mountains
standing in front of me across the sky. I
knew I could not fly up and over them,
and I did not have enough fuel to fly
around them to the north or south. “I
ought to go back to Paris,” I thought,
but I wanted to get home. I wanted that
breakfast. ‘I’ll take the risk,’ I thought,
and flew that old Dakota straight into
the storm.
(i) Based on the given extract, choose the
option that lists the meme which would be
the most appropriate response to “…it was
an easy flight”?
(1) (2)
(3) (4)
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(ii) How would you describe the ‘risk‘ the
narrator took?
(a) Calculated (b) Impetuous
(c) Unavoidable (d) Navigable
(iii) In what way might the reference to the
Dakota as “old” be relevant?
(a) Its antique value made it expensive and
precious to the narrator.
CBSE QUESTION BANK
(b) It is employed by the narrator as a term
of endearment.
(c) It did not have enough fuel to fly
around the storm clouds.
(d) Its ability to negotiate the storm clouds
might have been suspect.
(iv) Read the statements given below, and then
select the option that best describes the
given statements.
Statement I The narrator’s desire to
reach home and see his family made him
complacent.
20 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Statement II The narrator was unaware
of the threat that the adversarial storm
clouds presented.
Statement III The narrator’s decision
making was quick but irresponsible as
well as dangerous.
(a) Statement I is False, Statement II is
True, Statement III cannot be inferred.
(b) Statement I and III are True, Statement
II cannot be inferred.
(c) Statement I cannot be inferred, Statement
II is False, Statement III is True.
(d) Statement I and II are False, Statement
III is True.
(v) Select the correct option to fill in the blanks
below:
risk: risky :: ______ : _______
(a) danger: dangerously
(b) hazard : hazardous
(c) peril : imperilled
(d) caution : precaution
Ans. (i) (c) Option (3)
(ii) (b) Impetuous
(iii) (d) Its ability to negotiate the storm clouds might
have been suspect.
(iv) (c) Statement I cannot be inferred, Statement II is
False, Statement III is True.
(v) (b) hazard : hazardous
B. I was safe! I turned to look for my friend in
the black aeroplane, but the sky was
empty. There was nothing there. The black
aeroplane was gone. I could not see it
anywhere. I landed and was not sorry to
walk away from the old Dakota near the
control tower. I went and asked a woman
in the control centre where I was and who
the other pilot was. I wanted to say ‘Thank
you’. She looked at me very strangely, and
then laughed. “Another aeroplane? Up
there in this storm? No other aeroplanes
were flying tonight. Yours was the only one
I could see on the radar.” So, who helped
CBSE QUESTION BANK
me…
(i) Select the option that correctly tracks the
progression of emotions experienced by
the narrator in the given extract.
(a) excited – surprised – relieved – grateful
– perplexed
(b) relieved – confused – curious – dejected
– panic-stricken
(c) optimistic – lonely – calm – elated –
appreciative
(d) triumphant – reassured– inquisitive –
thankful – uncertain
(ii) Why do you think the woman in the
control centre laughed?
(a) She found the narrator funny.
(b) She thought his question was
preposterous.
(c) She thought he was teasing her.
(d) She was relieved the narrator was safe.
(iii) Filled with questions, the narrator
decides to place an advertisement in the
local newspaper to look for his ‘friend’.
Read the advertisement given below and
select the option that includes the most
appropriate solutions for the blanks:
Looking for a pilot of a black aeroplane
who
(i) _______ an old Dakota out of storm
clouds late last night, but (ii) _______
before the Dakota pilot could express his
gratitude after landing. Though control
centre and radar did not (iii) _______ its
presence, the Dakota pilot would really
appreciate if his friend reached out.
Please contact the Dakota pilot at
5200100110. In deep gratitude and eager
(iv) ______, XXX
(a) (i) guided; (ii) disappeared; (iii) register;
(iv) anticipation
(b) (i) took; (ii) landed; (iii) acknowledge;
(iv) appreciation
(c) (i) brought; (ii) went away; (iii) confirm;
(iv) expectation
(d) (i) helped; (ii) vanish; (iii) make note;
(iv) excitement
(iv) The narrator exclaimed that he was ‘safe’.
Which of the following represented the
most immediate threat to the narrator’s
safety?
(a) The black mountain-like storm cloud
(b) The depletion of fuel in the last fuel tank
(c) Being lost due to non-functioning
equipment
(d) The old rattling Dakota aeroplane
(v) Choose the option that correctly matches
the idioms in Column A to the story’s
events in Column B:
Column A – Column B –
Idioms Story events
A. Every cloud 1. The narrator really wanted to
has a silver have a hearty English breakfast,
lining. even though he really ought to
have turned back.
B. To be on cloud 2. The man in the other plane
nine. waved at the narrator and
asked him to follow, closely
drawing him out.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 21

Column A – Column B – (iii) Pick the option that is ODD one out with
Idioms Story events reference to the meaning of ‘patience’.
C. To have your 3. The compass and other
(1) indolence
head in the instruments stopped working.
clouds. The radio was dead too.
D. Gathering 4. And there it was – the well-lit (4) grit patience (2) perseverance
clouds. runway. An airport. The
narrator could safely land.
(3) tolerance
(a) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1 (b) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
(c) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4 (d) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
Ans. (i) (a) excited – surprised – relieved – grateful – (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
perplexed
(ii) (b) She thought his question was preposterous. (iv) If the diary were a ‘real friend’, what
(iii) (a) (i) guided; (ii) disappeared; (iii) register;(iv)
qualities would Anne expect it to have?
anticipation Pick the option that lists these correctly.
(iv) (b) The depletion of fuel in the last fuel tank 1. optimistic 2. good listener
(v) (d) A-2; B-4; C-1; D-3 3. confidant 4. energetic
5. non-judgemental6. outgoing
From the Diary of Anne Frank 7. ambitious
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 5, 6 and 7
Read the extracts given below and answer (c) 2, 3 and 5 (d) 3 and 7
the questions that follow.
(v) Pick out the sentence that brings out the
A. “Paper has more patience than people’ I meaning of ‘brooding’ as used in the
thought of this saying on one of those extract?
days when I was feeling a little (a) The mysterious house on the hill is still
depressed and was sitting at home with brooding above the village.
my chin in my hands, bored and listless, (b) The people at the stock market always
wondering whether to stay in or go out. keep brooding about the gains.
I finally stayed where I was, brooding: (c) He was brooding over the matter and
Yes, paper does have more patience, and took a long time to decide.
since I’m not planning to let anyone else (d) Suspense and drama were brooding at
read this stiff-backed notebook grandly the site of the investigation.
referred to as a ‘diary’, unless I should (vi) Anne doesn’t plan to let anyone else read
ever find a real friend, it probably won’t her diary as
make a bit of difference.” (a) she is secretive about her life.
(i) ‘Paper has more patience than people.’ (b) it’s about her intimate feelings.
What does this imply? This implies that (c) she is unwilling to share it with anyone.
Anne (d) she wants to cherish these moments
(a) believed in the power of writing more herself.
than speaking to people. (vii) Pick the option that lists the image that
(b) felt that she could pour her heart out on most appropriately corresponds to
paper without any hindrance. ‘chatterbox’.
(c) had more faith in sharing her thoughts
CBSE QUESTION BANK

and feelings with paper.

(d) felt that she could share her feelings
openly on paper.
(ii) Pick out the emotion which clearly brings (1) (2)
out the meaning of ‘listless’ as used in the
extract?

(3) (4)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
(a) Image (1) (b) Image (2)
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) (c) Image (3) (d) Image (4)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
22 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Ans. (i) (b)felt that she could pour her heart out on paper
without any hindrance.
(ii) (d) Option (4) (iiii) (a) Option (1)
(iv) (c) 2,3 and 5
(v) (c)He was brooding over the matter and took a
long time to decide.
(vi) (b) it’s about her intimate feelings.
(vii) Image (2)
B. “Mr Keesing had a good laugh at my
arguments, but when I proceeded to talk
my way through the next lesson, he
assigned me a second essay. This time it
was supposed to be on ‘An Incorrigible
Chatterbox’. I handed it in, and Mr
Keesing had nothing to complain about
for two whole lessons. However, during
the third lesson, he’d finally had
enough. “Anne Frank, as a punishment
for talking in class, write an essay
entitled-‘Quack, Quack, Quack, said
Mistress Chatterbox’.”
(i) What convincing argument was made by
Anne?
(a) She was talkative just like any other
student in the class.
(b) She had the right to be talkative, as it
was a classroom and not a prison.
(c) She had inherited the trait from her
mother, so couldn’t stop being talkative.
(d) She found it impossible to be quiet like
the others as she couldn’t change herself.
(ii) What does ‘had a good laugh’ imply, in the
context of Mr. Keesing? It means that he
(a) celebrated his ability to make Anne
write the essay.
(b) ridiculed Anne in front of the whole class.
(c) pulled up Anne for her arguments in
the essay.
(d) realised the humour in it and was
amused.
(iii) Based on this extract, pick the option with
the list of words that best describe Mr
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Keesing.
(a) jovial and creative
(b) strict and innovative
(c) tolerant and strict
(d) innovative and jovial
(iv) Why do you think Mr Keesing chose the
title - ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’ - for
Anne, to write on?
(a) Anne to express her inability to
elaborate on such a topic.
(b) that this would embarrass Anne and
would check her indiscipline.
(c) her to apologise and not repeat her
talkative behaviour.
(d) Anne to explore her creative writing skills.
(v) How did Anne feel when she was
punished the third time by Mr Keesing?
(a) was happy as she had to write three
essays on the same topic.
(b) enjoyed making fun of Mr. Keesing in
her own way.
(c) was worried as she had run out of
original ideas for her essay.
(d) was thrilled at another opportunity to
showcase her writing abilities.
Ans. (i) (c) She had inherited the trait from her mother, so
couldn’t stop being talkative.
(ii) (d) realised the humour in it and was amused.
(iii) (b) strict and innovative
(iv) (b) that this would embarrass Anne and would
check her indiscipline.
(v) (c) was worried as she had run out of original
ideas for her essay.
The Hundred Dresses I
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. She always wore a faded blue dress
that didn’t hang right. It was clean,
but it looked as though it had never
been ironed properly. She didn’t have
any friends, but a lot of girls talked to
her. Sometimes, they surrounded her
in the school yard as she stood
watching the little girls play
hopscotch on the worn hard ground.
“Wanda,’’ Peggy would say in a most
courteous manner, as though she
were talking to Miss Mason.
“Wanda,” she’d say, giving one of
her friends a nudge, “tell us. How
many dresses did you say you had
hanging up in your closet?”
(i) The ‘most courteous manner’ here means
that Peggy was
(a) on her best behaviour.
(b) teasing Wanda.
(c) trying to impress Wanda.
(d) respectful to Wanda.
(ii) Peggy gave her friend a nudge because
(a) she wanted to push her away from the
scene.
(b) she disliked her friend being distracted
then.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(c) she was teasing Wanda and wanted her
to make others pay attention.
(d) she was teasing Wanda and didn’t want
anyone to miss the ‘fun’.
(iii) Pick the option having the words that DO
NOT match the word, ‘closet’, from those
given.
(1) Wardrobe (2) Loft (3) Cabinet (4)
Cupboard (5) Porch (6) Cellar
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 3, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 2 and 6 (d) 2, 5 and 6
(iv) Why was Wanda’s answer to Peggy’s
question always the same? Pick the
LEAST probable reason. This was so
because she knew that
(a) she was being picked on and it was
probably her defence.
(b) confessing the truth would probably
worsen the situation.
(c) she didn’t know how else to get out of
that situation.
(d) sticking to an unexpected answer
would get her the attention she needed.
(v) Regarding Wanda being teased, Miss
Mason was
(a) in denial that such behaviour was
possible by her students.
(b) aware, but didn’t want to discuss it
with the students.
(c) unaware that the students were
frequently teasing Wanda.
(d) of the belief that such behaviour was a
normal part of growing up.
(vi) Which of the following images showcase
‘hopscotch’?
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Ans. (i) (b) teasing Wanda.
(ii) (d) she was teasing Wanda and didn’t want
anyone her miss the ‘fun’.
(iii) (a) 2, 5 and 6
(iv) (d) sticking to an unexpected answer would get
her the attention she needed.
(v) (c) unaware that the students were frequently
teasing Wanda.
(vi) (4)
23
B. “In the opinion of the judges, any one of
the drawings is worthy of winning the
prize. I am very happy to say that
Wanda Petronski is the winner of the
girls’ medal. Unfortunately, Wanda has
been absent from school for some days
and is not here to receive the applause
that is due to her. Let us hope she will be
back tomorrow. Now class, you may file
around the room quietly and look at her
exquisite drawings.”
(i) Pick the statement that is TRUE,
according to the information given in the
extract.
(a) Wanda won the prize because she had
submitted a variety of entries.
(b) Wanda would have still won the prize
even if she had submitted just one
entry.
(c) Wanda won the prize because the
majority of judges were women.
(d) Wanda would have still won the prize if
she had drawn something else.
(ii) Miss Mason says, “I am very happy to …”.
Which phrase DOES NOT replace the
underlined phrase correctly from those
given below?
(a) It gives me great pleasure to…
(b) I am sure you’ll be surprised to…
(c) I am delighted to…
(d) It fills me with joy to…
(iii) When the teacher wants them to ‘file
around’, she wants the students to
(a) put the files in their proper places.
(b) gather around her table to discuss the
designs.
(c) file the designs properly in their folders.
(d) walk in a line to admire the designs.
(iv) Pick the sentence that DOES NOT use
‘due to’ in the same sense as in the given
extract.
(a) She was disappointed due to their rude
CBSE QUESTION BANK
behaviour.
(b) We must give our colleagues the
vacation due to them.
(c) I have some extra money due to me this
month from my friend.
(d) You have an apology due to your
parents.
(v) The teacher refers to Wanda’s designs as
‘exquisite’ because
(a) each one of the hundred designs was
different.
(b) each one of them was very beautiful.
24 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(c) each of them was a copy of the latest fashion
trend.
(d) each one had the same colour theme as the
other.
Ans. (i) (b) Wanda would have still won the prize even if
she had submitted just one entry.
(ii) (b) I am sure you’ ill be surprised to .....
(iii) (d) walk in a line to admire the designs.
(iv) (a) She was disappointed due to their rude
behaviour.
(v) (b) each one of them was very beautiful.
The Hundred Dresses II
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. Dear Teacher
My Wanda will not come to your school
anymore. Jake also. Now we move
away to big city. No more holler
‘Pollack’. No more ask why funny
name. Plenty of funny names in the city.
Yours truly,
Jan Petronski
(i) Jan’s tone in the writing of the letter IS
NOT
(a) distressing (b) spiteful
(c) hurt (d) painful
(ii) What, according to the letter, was the
primary reason that prompted Mr
Petronski to take the decision to move to
a big city?
(a) His wish to achieve success in the big
city.
(b) His urge to join his relatives who
mostly lived in the big city.
(c) His anxiety over their poverty in the
small city.
(d) His agony about his children being
viewed as ‘outsiders’ by their
schoolmates.
(iii) The dictionary says the following about
migration. Migration involves the
CBSE QUESTION BANK
movement of people (birds, fish etc) from
one place to another with intentions of
settling, permanently or temporarily, at a
new location (geographic region). Which
of the following options INCORRECTLY
uses ‘migration’?
(a) After gold was found in the
uninhabited region, there was a
migration to that area.
(b) Bears sleep through winters. This
migration helps bears to use their stored
energy much more slowly.
(c) There was a mass migration of
youngsters to the tagged locale, to assist
the cause for charity.
(d) Scientists have studied the migration of
fish over long distances in the river.
(iv) The phrase ‘Pollack’ reveals a
discrimination on the basis of
(a) race (b) gender
(c) religion (d) wealth
(v) The line-- Plenty of funny names in the
city—suggests that the city
(a) is a melting pot of people from different
parts of the world.
(b) has foreign people willing to give
opportunities to the poor.
(c) is a safe haven for immigrants if they
have funny names.
(d) has a special status for all who are
willing to be funny.
Ans. (i) (b) spiteful
(ii) (d) His agony about his children being viewed as
‘outsiders’ by their schoolmates.
(iii) (b) Bears sleep through winters. This migration
helps bears to use their stored energy much more
slowly.
(iv) (a) race
(v) (a) is a melting pot of people from different parts
of the world.
B. Weeks went by and still Wanda did not
answer.
Peggy had begun to forget the whole
business, and Maddie put herself to
sleep at night making speeches about
Wanda, defending her from great
crowds of girls who were trying to tease
her with, “How many dresses have you
got?” And before Wanda could press
her lips together in a tight line, the way
she did before answering, Maddie
would cry out, “Stop!”
(i) Which primary feelings of Maddie does
the extract reveal?
(a) Guilt, regret and righteousness
(b) Guilt and shame
(c) Shame, regret and courage
(d) Courage and righteousness
(ii) Which of the following is most likely to
be a part of Maddie’s speech?
(a) Stop! I think it’s about time we asked
her a new question. This is not fun
anymore. How about her faded dress?
(b) Stop! Don’t you know that I’m the one
who had to lead in Peggy’s absence?
This is unacceptable.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 25

(c) Stop! How dare you all join in without (c) Wanda’s absence – Maddie’s need to
Peggy’s permission? Don’t you know make amends
she’d be angry? (d) Peggy teasing Wanda— Maddie’s stand
(d) Stop! Aren’t you all ashamed of against it
yourself? Why do you trouble her? She (v) Wanda didn’t reply to the letter for
means no harm to anyone. weeks. Pick the option that DOES NOT
(iii) Choose the declaration which is likely to be supply a possible reason for this, from
received with the pressing of lips together those given below.
in a tight line. (a) The letter took more than a couple of
weeks reaching her as it didn’t have an
address and needed to be forwarded.
(2) (3) (b) She needed time to forgive Maddie and
Peggy and think her reply through.
(c) Peggy had second thoughts after
(1) (4) mailing the letter and reclaimed it from
the post office, to mail weeks later.
(d) She was occupied with settling in at the
new school in the city.
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) Ans. (i) (c) shame, regret and courage
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4) (ii) (a) Stop! I think it’s about time we asked her a
new question. This is not fun anymore. How about
(iv) Pick the option with a cause-effect
her faded dress?
relation, with reference to the given
(iii) (a) Option (1)
extract. (iv) (c) Wanda’s absence – Maddie’s need to make
(a) Wanda’s absence— Peggy missing amends
Wanda (v) (c) Peggy had second thoughts after mailing the
(b) Maddie’s need to make amends – letter and reclaimed it from the post office, to mail
Confessing publicly weeks later.

First Flight-Poetry
Dust of Snow 5. thankful 6. disheartened
7. impulsived
Read the extract given below and answer (a) 1, 3 and 7 (b) 2, 4 and 6
the questions that follow. (c) 5 and 7 (d) 1 and 3
A. The way a crow (iii) Identify the option that DOES NOT use
Shook down on me the word ‘rue’ correctly.
The dust of snow (a) The film was a disaster and he rued his
From a hemlock tree decision to act in it.
Has given my heart (b) I am sure she rued the day she listened
A change of mood to a fortune-teller.
And saved some part (c) It wasn’t long before I rued my
disobedience and my deceit.
CBSE QUESTION BANK

Of a day I had rued.

(d) Others finally rue the one who is
(i) Of the many symbols the hemlock tree dishonest and heartless.
represents, choose the one that Frost
(iv) Synecdoche is a poetic device that uses a
drew upon in all likelihood, for this
part to represent the whole. E.g. That’s a
poem. Symbol of great set of wheels! (Set of wheels has
(a) longevity (b) togetherness been used for car.)
(c) healing (d) protection Pick an example of synecdoche from the
(ii) Choose the option that lists the possible poem.
feelings of the poet prior to the (a) Has given my heart/A change of mood
experience shared in the poem. (b) The way a crow/Shook down on me
1. reassured 2. disappointed (c) The dust of snow/From a hemlock tree
3. curious 4. demotivated (d) And saved some part/Of a day I had
rued
26 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

(v) Choose the option showing the reason (iii) The poem is a _______ put across by the
NOT corresponding with “… a poet.
Crow/Shook down on me/The Dust of (a) powerful warning (b) heart-felt apology
Snow.” (c) earnest appeal (d) vengeful threat
(a) The crow’s landing on the branch of the
(iv) The poet uses the phrasal verb -hold
tree. with. Choose the option that DOES NOT
(b) The shivering of the crow, due to the indicate a valid phrasal verb.
cold.
(1) off (2) back
(c) The readjustment of position of the
crow on the branch.
(d) The cawing of the crow hidden in the Hold
foliage.
Ans. (i) (c) healing (ii) (b) 2, 4 and 6 (3) on (4) into
(iii) (d) Others finally rue the one who is dishonest and
heartless. (a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(iv) (a) Has given my heart/A change of mood (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(v) (d) The cawing of the crow hidden in the foliage. (v) Pick the option that is NOT TRUE about
the poet according to the extract. The poet
Fire and Ice (a) is inclined to believe that the world
would most likely end with fire.
Read the extract given below and answer (b) has heard divided opinions about the
the questions that follow. way the world would end in all
A. Some say the world will end in fire, likelihood.
Some say in ice.From what I’ve (c) preaches love and kindness to combat
tasted of desire the spread of hate among all.
I hold with those who favor fire. (d) declares the power of ice to be as
destructive as that of fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate (vi) Identify the most likely tone of the poet in
To say that for destruction ice the lines-‘To say that for destruction ice/Is
Is also great also great’.
And would suffice. (a) sarcastic (b) serious
(c) amused (d) celebratory
(i) Choose the CORRECT statement about
the given poem. Ans. (i) (b) Fire and ice are symbols—not of natural
(a) Fire and ice are images—they help the disasters, but of humanity’s ability to create
readers visualise the power of nature disasters of its own.
over man. (ii) (d) Fire-2, 5; Ice-1, 3, 4
(b) Fire and ice are symbols—not of natural (iii) (a) powerful warning
disasters, but of humanity’s ability to (iv) (d) Option (4)
create disasters of its own. (v) (c) preaches love and kindness to combat the
(c) Fire and ice are elements—not of spread of hate among all.
Nature but man-made and possess the (vi) (a) sarcastic
ability to create havoc for mankind.
(d) Fire and ice are agents—they change the A Tiger in the Zoo
CBSE QUESTION BANK

thinking of mankind from negative to

positive and bring harmony.
3. Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
(ii) Select the option that correctly classifies
the connotations for fire and ice, as A. He should be lurking in shadow,
suggested in the poem. Sliding through long grass
1. rage 2. violence Near the water hole
3. indifference 4. hate Where plump deer pass.
5. greed (i) According to the extract, the poet wishes
(a) Fire-3, 4; Ice-1, 2, 5 for the tiger to be ‘sliding’ through the
(b) Fire-2, 5; Ice-1, 3, 4 foliage as this would
(c) Fire-1, 3, 5; Ice-2, 4 (a) assist in keeping the prey unsuspecting
(d) Fire-1, 2, 4; Ice- 3, 5 of the predator’s sound.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(b) aid in camouflaging the presence of the
predator before it rushes in.
(c) help the predator pounce on the prey
comfortably without getting tired.
(d) Support the predator’s vision as it eyes
its prey.
(ii) Which fact DOES NOT connect with the
significance of the water hole for the
tiger?
(a) Many tigers chase prey into the
water and holds the victim’s head
under water until it drowns.
(b) Prey feed in the water on water-lilies,
and often wander into the middle of the
water hole, where they are vulnerable
and easy for the tiger to kill.
(c) Prey that has quenched its thirst
ensures consumption of hydrated meat
for the tiger.
(d) Chasing the panicked prey from
shallow to deep water where the tiger
grabs it.
(iii) Pick the option that DOES NOT use
‘lurking’ correctly to fill in the blank.
(a) The thug was ............ in the alley late
evening, for unsuspecting passers-by.
(b) The hyena was ............ in its den after a
good meal.
(c) The detective cautioned her team
about the ............ dangers likely to
impact the case.
(d) The prejudices ............ beneath the
surface create misunderstandings.
(iv) ‘Shadow’ here, refers to the shadow of
(a) the tiger
(b) long grass
(c) water hole
(d) deer
(v) Pick the phrase that DOES NOT
suggest that the forest in the extract is
lush.
(a) long grass
(b) the water hole
(c) plump deer
(d) lurking in shadow
Ans. (i) (a) assist in keeping the prey unsuspecting of
the predator’s sound.
(ii) (c) Prey that has quenched its thirst ensures
consumption of hydrated meat for the
tiger.
(iii) (b) The hyena was ............ in its den after a
good meal.
(iv) (b) long grass.
(v) (d) lurking in shadow
27
B. But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars, …
(i) Choose the image that best describes the
condition of the tiger based on the given
extract.
(1) (2)
(3) (4)
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(ii) Which option correctly lists the reason for
the tiger ‘stalking the length of his cage’?
(a) Animals tend to cover large distances
and burn a lot of their energy by hunting
for prey, in their natural habitat. Zoos
deprive them of such stimulation and
they are restless and bored.
(b) Animals are scared of visitors gazing at
them in their unnatural surroundings.
Zoos are places where animals are far
removed from the privacy of their
natural habitat.
(c) Animals dislike human noises in the city
and react to them aggressively. Zoos are
often located in cities or outskirts.
(d) Animals require human love and care
and miss this when in captivity. Zoos are
places where they walk around
mechanically to attract human attention.
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(iii) Which option identifies a patrolling car
correctly?
(1) (2)
(3) (4)
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
28 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(iv) The main contrasting idea suggested by
the extract is that of
(a) strength and weakness.
(b) nature and culture.
(c) beasts and mortals.
(d) confinement and freedom.
(v) Choose the option listing the most likely
reason for the tiger to ignore visitors,
according to the extract.
(a) He is scared of their constant stares.
(b) The visitors don’t provide him with any
food.
(c) He knows that none would help him
out of captivity.
(d) The visitors don’t speak to him kindly.
Ans. (i) (b) Option (2)
(ii) (a) Animals tend to cover large distances and
burn a lot of their energy by hunting for
prey, in their natural habitat. Zoos
deprive them of such stimulation and
they are restless and bored.
(iii) (b) Option (2)
(iv) (d) confinement and freedom.
(v) (c) He knows that none would help him out
of captivity.
The Ball Poem
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. What is the boy now, who has lost his
ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and
then
Merrily over- there it is in the water!
(i) The extract suggests that the poet is
(a) an onlooker observing
(b) a parent recounting the incident
(c) the boy talking about himself
(d) imagining the incident
(ii) The poet seems to have indicated the
CBSE QUESTION BANK
merry bouncing of the ball to
(a) create a sense of rhythm in these lines.
(b) support the happiness of the experience
of playing.
(c) contrast with the dejected feeling of the
boy.
(d) indicate the cheerful mood of the boy.
(iii) Choose the situation that corresponds to
the emotion behind the exclamation mark
in the poem.
1. Hey I Hey! That’s no way to dispose off
the garbage. Have you no community
sense? Please but it in the bin.
2. I knew it! knew he’ll fare well in his
auditions for ‘Young Chef’. Now, we
prepare for the semi-finals.
3. I dont know where I’ve placed my
ID-card. Let me check the bag once
more, Ah, finally!
4. I’ve been trying to call mom for the past
20 minutes and can’t get through. I
don’t know how. Aarrgh! Again!
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(iv) The poem begins with a question. Based
on your reading of the poem, the speaker
(a) wants the boy to answer the question.
(b) expects the passers-by to respond.
(c) is looking for answers in a self-help book
(d) is thinking to himself.
(v) Alliteration is a literary device that occurs
with the same letter or sound at the
beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words.
Pick the option that showcases an
example of alliteration from the extract.
(a) What is the boy now (b) Who has lost
his ball
(c) What is he to do
(d) and then/ Merrily over
Ans. (i) (a) an onlooker observing
(ii) (c) contrast with the dejected feeling of the boy.
(iii) (d) Option (4)
(iv) (d) is thinking to himself.
(v) (b) Who has lost his ball
B. An ultimate shaking grief fixes the
boy As he stands rigid, trembling,
staring down;
All his young days into the harbour
where;
His ball went. I would not intrude on
him;
(i) The poet uses the word ‘ultimate’ to
describe the boy’s reaction. Pick the
meaning that DOES NOT display what,
‘ultimate’ means in the context given.
(a) consequent (b) final
(c) conclusive (d) fateful
(ii) The boy is very young in this poem. As a
mature, balanced grown-up, he might
look back and think that his reaction of
‘ultimate shaking grief’ was
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
1. disproportionate to the loss.
2. pretension to procure a new toy.
3. according to his exposure and experience
then.
4. a reaction to the failure of retrieving the
toy.
5. justified and similar to what it would be
currently.
(a) 5 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 4 (d) 3 and 5
(iii) Pick the option that lists the boy’s
thoughts, matching with the line-As he
stands rigid, trembling, staring down
(1) (2)
(3) (4)
Ans. (i) (a) consequent
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(iv) Why does the speaker choose not to
intrude? This is so because the poet
(a) knows that it would embarrass the boy
in his moment of grief.
Footprints Without Feet Supplementary
A Triumph of Surgery
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. The entire staff was roused and maids
rushed in and out bringing his day bed,
his night bed, favourite cushions, toys
and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch
bowl, supper bowl. Realising that my
car would never hold all the stuff, I
started to drive away. As I moved off,
Mrs Pumphrey, with a despairing cry,
threw an armful of the little coats
through the window. I looked in the
mirror before I turned the corner of the
drive; everybody was in tears. Out on
the road, I glanced down at the pathetic
little animal gasping on the seat by my
side. I patted the head and Tricki made
a brave effort to wag his tail. “Poor old
lad,” I said. “You haven’t a kick in you
but I think I know a cure for you.”
29
(b) feels that it’s important that the boy
learn an important life lesson,
undisturbed.
(c) realises that he doesn’t have sufficient
funds to purchase a new ball for the boy.
(d) Experiences a sense of distress himself,
by looking at the boy’s condition.
(v) Choose the option that lists the meaning
of ‘harbour’ as used in the extract. Noun:
1. a place on the coast where ships may
moor in shelter.
2. a place of refuge. Verb:
3. keep (a thought or feeling, typically a
negative one) in one's mind, especially
secretly.
4. shelter or hide (a criminal or wanted
person).
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(ii) (b) 1 and 3
(iii) (d) Option (4)
(iv) (b) feels that it’s important that the boy learn an
important life lesson, undisturbed.
(v) (d) Option (1)
(i) What might the atmosphere of the
household in the above extract signify?
(a) Mrs Pumphrey’s status in society
reflected in Tricki’s lifestyle.
(b) The staff’s love for Tricki, which
matched that of Mrs Pumphrey.
(c) The grand life of comforts and luxuries
that Tricki enjoyed.
(d) Mrs. Pumphrey’s indulgence and
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anxiety acted upon by the staff.
(ii) Given below are emotions reflecting
various expressions and reactions.
Choose the option that correctly
describes the narrator’s mindset in the
given extract.
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
(a) Options (1) and (3)
(b) Options (2) and (4)
30 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

(c) Options (3) and (5) (d) believed Tricki’s health was
(d) Options (2) and (5) deteriorating.
Ans. (i) (d) Mrs. Pumphrey’s indulgence and anxiety
(iii) Given below are some well-known acted upon by the staff.
quotes shared by the staff to console (ii) (b) Options (2) and (4)
Mrs. Pumphrey, after Tricki’s departure. (iii) (d) Option (4)
Choose the option that correctly (iv) (b) Options (3) and (4)
identifies the quote that IS NOT (v) (c) pitied Tricki’s condition.
appropriate to the consolation offered. B. He discovered the joys of being bowled
Once you
There is a
crack in
over, tramped on and squashed every
choose hope.
anything is
everything,
that show the
few minutes. He became an accepted
possible.
Chrestopher Reeve
light gets in
Leonard cohen
member of the gang, an unlikely, silky
(1) (2) little object among the shaggy crew,
fighting like a tiger for his share at
Mostly it is loss
We grow fearless by
walking into our which teaches mealtimes and hunting rats in the old
fears. us about the
Robin Sharma
worth of things. henhouse at night. He had never had
(3) (4) such a time in his life. All the while, Mrs
Pumphrey hovered anxiously in the
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
background, ringing a dozen times a
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4) day for the latest bulletins.
(iv) As the extract indicates, Mrs. Pumphrey (i) Read the following statements, each of
indulged Tricki and bought him many which describes the gist of the given
things. extract. Select the option that captures the
Choose the option that best describes the essence of the extract correctly.
kinds of advertisements that seem likely Statement I – It highlights the kind of
to persuade Mrs. Pumphrey to buy comforts and luxuries that Tricki was
something for Tricki. used to at home.
1. Statistics Appeal – Such Statement II – It brings out a contrast
advertisements use facts and data to between Tricki and Mrs. Pumphrey’s
convince consumers to buy products. state of being.
2. Scarcity Appeal – Such advertisements Statement III – It reflects that Tricki was
create a feeling of exclusivity and are happier at the surgery, and loved being
often used to convince people to take with other dogs.
advantage of a sale or limited period Statement IV – It shows Tricki’s journey
offer. with his peers at the surgery, and
3. Personal Appeal – Such documents his recovery.
advertisements focus on evoking (a) Statements I and II
emotions to convince consumers and (b) Statements III and IV
often relate to family or other (c) Statements I and III
inter-personal interactions. (d) Statements II and IV
4. Fear Appeal – Such advertisements (ii) What does the reference to Tricki as a
focus on inspiring some kind of fear to “silky little object” signify?
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convince consumers to take action in (a) Tricki was a very small and rather
order to avoid certain negative or
pampered dog.
undesirable consequences.
(b) Tricki was comfortably attired in fine
(a) Options (1), (2) and (4) silks and warm coats.
(b) Options (3) and (4) (c) Unlike the other dogs, Tricki had lived
(c) Options (1), (3) and (4) in the lap of luxury with care and
(d) Option (2) grooming.
(v) The narrator describes Tricki as a (d) The narrator’s mockery of Tricki’s life
“pathetic little animal”. The use of the and treatment with Mrs. Pumphrey.
word ‘pathetic’ indicates that the (iii) Why does the narrator describe being
narrator “tramped on and squashed” as joys?
(a) was very fond of Tricki. (a) To suggest the irony about the strange
(b) thought Tricki was contemptible. ways of dogs.
(c) pitied Tricki’s condition.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(b) To mention the simple pleasures of
canine life.
(c) To compare it to Tricki’s earlier
play-time at the house.
(d) To direct attention towards Tricki’s
successful recovery.
(iv) “All the while, Mrs Pumphrey hovered
anxiously in the background”. Given
below are different types of pet parenting
styles described in Country Living, an
e-magazine.
Choose the option that best reflects the
kind of pet owner Mrs. Pumphrey was
(1) Traffic Light pet owners have a healthy
balance of rules and freedom and give
clear and consistent signals for ‘yes’ and
‘no’.
(2) Entranced pet owners have the best
intentions, but as soon as their pet locks
eyes with them and gives their command,
they are at their pet's beck and call.
(3) The Goose pet owners go all-out in
protecting their pet. They often limit
their time away from their pet,
especially puppies.
(4) The Baggage Handler pet owners love
being close to their pets and going on
adventures together. They are always
mindful of the pet's comfort and
security.
(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(v) Pick the option that reveals Tricki’s
characteristics in the context of ‘fighting
like a tiger for his share at mealtimes and
hunting rats in the old henhouse at night.’
(1) selfish (2) happy
(3) greedy (4) confident
(5) sturdy (6) cruel
(a) (2), (4) and (5) (b) Only (2)
(c) (1) and (5) (d) (3),(4) and (6)
Ans (i) (d) Statements II and IV
(ii) (c) Unlike the other dogs, Tricki had lived in the
lap of luxury with care and grooming.
(iii) (b) To mention the simple pleasures of canine life.
(iv) (b) Option (2) (v) (a) (2),(4) and (5)
The Thief’s Story
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. Anil was watching a wrestling match
when I approached him. He was about
25-- a tall, lean fellow – and he looked
easy-going, kind and simple enough for
my purpose. I hadn’t had much luck of
late and thought I might be able to get
into the young man’s confidence.
Ans. (i) (c) was looking for simple people to dupe.
31
‘You look a bit of a wrestler yourself,” I
said. A little flattery helps in making
friends.
(i) According to the extract, the young boy
was watching the wrestling match
because he
(a) had been invited there by the wrestlers.
(b) was supposed to meet someone there.
(c) was looking for simple people to dupe.
(d) loved wrestling and followed it very
closely.
(ii) ‘I hadn’t had much luck of late’ means
that the boy hadn’t
(a) ever conned people successfully.
(b) been successful in duping people lately.
(c) understood the consequences of
thievery till date.
(d) considered the role of fate in deceiving
others.
(iii) ‘I might be able to get into the young
man’s confidence.’
Choose the option that DOES NOT
display what the statement means.
(a) He wanted to win his trust.
(b) He wanted him to share his thoughts
without caution.
(c) He wanted him to feel comfortable
revealing more details about himself.
(d) He wanted to be able to spend quality
time with him.
(iv) Anil looked easy-going, kind and simple
to the narrator. Which of the given
characteristics would NOT fit in with this
description?
(a) Compassionate (b) Suave
(c) Uncomplicated (d) Carefree
(v) Based on the line, “A little flattery helps
in making friends.”, choose the option
that displays the quote closest in
meaning.
(a) Imitation is the best form of flattery;
people generally understand that my
comedy is not intended to hurt
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anybody.
(b) I know imitation is the highest form of
flattery, but stealing one's identity is
totally different.
(c) Nothing is so great an example of bad
manners as flattery. If you flatter all the
company, you please none; If you flatter
only one or two, you offend the rest.
(d) One may define flattery as a base
companionship which is most
advantageous to the flatterer.
(ii) (b) been successful in duping people lately.
32 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
(iii) (d) He wanted to be able to spend quality time
with him.
(iv) (b) Suave
(v) (d) One may define flattery as a base
companionship which is most advantageous to
the flatterer.
B. I think he knew I made a little money
this way but he did not seem to mind.
Anil made money by fits and starts. He
would borrow one week, lend the next.
He kept worrying about his next
cheque, but as soon as it arrived, he
would go out and celebrate. It seems he
wrote for magazines—a queer way to
make a living!
(i) Anil made money ‘by fits and starts’
means that he
(a) deemed it fit to start investing money.
(b) started earning money in the recent
past.
(c) received money intermittently.
(d) put his money to use frequently.
(ii) The information in the extract suggests
that Anil could be a
(a) salaried professional
(b) freelancer
(c) businessman
(d) volunteer
(iii) If borrow : : lend, then pick the ODD pair
from the options below.
(a) give : : take (b) lose : : find
(c) hop : : skip (d) buy : : sell
(iv) The reference to making a little money
‘this way’ refers to a way that is viewed
by most people as
(a) sensible (b) inappropriate
(c) charitable (d) aggressive
(v) Based on your understanding of Anil in
the extract, choose the option that
synchronises with his thinking.
(a) So what if I don’t have much money?
Giving it to that person is important as
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they could do with a helping hand.
(b) I better learn how to protect my money.
I think I’m being looted.
(c) I earn money with such tremendous
effort. Where does it all go?
(d) When I become rich, I can begin to help
friends then. Right now, I will spend only
on myself.
Ans. (i) (c) received money intermittently.
(ii) (b) freelancer
(iii) (c) hop : : skip
(iv) (b) inappropriate
(v) (a) So what if I don’t have much money? Giving it
to that person is important as they could do with a
helping hand.
Footprints Without Feet
Read the extracts given below and answer
the questions that follow.
A. As she and her husband turned away in
terror, the extraordinary chair pushed
them both out of the room and then
appeared to slam and lock the door
after them. Mrs Hall almost fell down
the stairs in hysterics. She was
convinced that the room was haunted
by spirits, and that the stranger had
somehow caused these to enter into her
furniture. “My poor mother used to sit
in that chair,” she moaned! To think it
should rise up against me now! The
feeling among the neighbours was that
the trouble was caused by witchcraft.”
(i) Mrs Hall felt that the room was haunted
by spirits because
(a) she could see evil spirits.
(b) she heard strange noise.
(c) uncanny things happened there.
(d) the door slammed shut.
(ii) Pick the option that best describes how
Mrs Hall must be feeling at the moment
described in the extract.
(a) stunned and furious
(b) shocked and outraged
(c) outraged and nervous
(d) stunned and agitated
(iii) Pick the sentence that brings out the
meaning of ‘hysterics’ as used in the
extract.
(a) My friend and I were in splits when we
saw the clown’s antics.
(b) I don’t know why I suddenly felt
worried about flying home.
(c) The sight of blood put the old man in a
frenzy.
(d) The people who had witnessed the
accident were spell bound.
(iv) Pick the option that displays a cause ->
effect relationship.
(a) pushed and locked out -> hysterical
(b) rising of the chair -> moaning
(c) troubled neighbours -> witchcraft
(d) stranger -> haunted spirits
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 33

(v) The neighbours thought it was (i) Why were the boys surprised to see a
‘witchcraft’. This tells us that neighbours barefooted man in London? The boys
were were surprised as
(a) suspicious (b) superstitious (a) it was an unusual sight to see someone
(c) nervous wrecks (d) gossip-mongers this way.
(vi) Pick the option that includes the correct (b) everybody in London moved around in
matches of Column A with Column B. shoes.
(c) it was pretty cold to move around bare
Column A Column B feet.
A. The stranger was (1) eccentric, lonely and (d) only a person who is homeless and
callous wandering does so.
(ii) Pick out the option that is NOT related
B. He had escaped (2) eccentric, callous and
short-tempered to ‘started’ as used in the extract

C. He had an uncommon (3) from London to Iping Started

appearance
(4) as he wore bandages
round his forehead 1. flinched 2. jerked 3. recolled 4. pointed

(a) A-2; B-4; C-3 (b) A-1; B-3; C-4 (a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
(c) A-3; B-2; C-1 (d) A-2; B-3; C-4 (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
(vii) Look at the different meanings of ‘haunt’. (iii) Pick the option that best describes
Pick the option that DOES NOT how the boys are feeling based on the
correspond to its meaning extract.
(a) to be conscious of a strange (a) enchanted, curious, puzzled
phenomenon.
(b) captivated, curious, puzzled
(b) be persistently and disturbingly present
(c) repulsed, curious, captivated
in (the mind).
(d) enchanted, repulsed, curious
(c) (of something unpleasant) continue to
affect or cause problems for. (iv) The boys felt that the footprints were
(d) a place frequented by a specified (a) seen due to some magic trick.
person. (b) a figment of imagination.
Ans. (i) (c) uncanny things happened there. (c) of a man who was invisible.
(ii) (d) Stunned and agitated (d) those of a mysterious man.
(iii) (c) The sight of blood put the old man in a frenzy. (v) Pick the option that best matches
(iv) (a) pushed and locked out -> hysterical synonyms of the word ‘gazed’.
(v) (b) superstitious (a) (i) gaped (ii) gawked
(vi) (d) A-2; B-3; C-4 (b) (i) admired (ii) disbelieved
(vii) (a) to be conscious of a strange phenomenon. (c) (i) overlooked (ii) stared
(d) (i) surveyed (ii) overlooked
B. The two boys started in surprise at the
(vi) Pick the option that lists the correct
fresh muddy imprints of a pair of bare
direction of the footprints on the stairs, as
feet. What was a barefooted man doing
noticed by the boys.
on the steps of a house in the middle of
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London? And where was the man? As

they gazed, a remarkable sight met their
eyes. A fresh footmark appeared from
(1) (2) (3) (4)
nowhere! Further footprints followed,
one after another, descending the steps (a) Option (1) (b) Option (2)
and progressing down the street. The (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)
boys followed, fascinated, until the Ans. (i) (c) it was pretty cold to move around bare feet.
muddy impressions became fainter and (ii) (d) Option (4)
fainter, and at last disappeared (iii) (b) captivated, curious, puzzled
altogether. (iv) (d) those of a mysterious man.
(v) (a) (i) gaped ii) gawked
(vi) (b) Option (2)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 37

Latest CBSE
SAMPLE PAPER
Latest Sample Question Paper for Class X (Term I)
Issued by CBSE on 2 Sept 2021

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING

I. Read the passage given below.

1. Nature is our mother, our first teacher. The greatest lesson that she teaches us is to
maintain an equilibrium in life. We learn to maintain composure through our joys,
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sorrows and fears. In fact, there are a thousand lessons that nature can teach us,
provided we look for them.
2. With time, a sapling grows into a full-grown tree; something so tiny and delicate
develops into a strong tree capable of supporting others. No matter how tall it
grows, how much it may flourish or how many animals and birds it may support,
its roots are firmly buried from where it once rose. That’s a lesson to keep ourselves
grounded, respect and embrace our roots and give something back to those humble
beginnings that nurtured us into who we are.
3. Then there is the message of peaceful coexistence. ‘I am because we are.’ Nature
provides every creature a chance to exist. However, the existence of one creature or
being depends on the existence of the other. The tiger eats the antelope; without the
antelope, the tiger wouldn’t survive. Likewise, without tigers, the over-abundance
of antelopes would cause them to starve to death.
38 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

4. I wonder if you have noticed that when birds or squirrels see a predator, they give
out an alarm call to their fellow creatures, of the lurking danger. They put
themselves in danger to save the lives of others. Many animals, like the salmon,
usually die after they spawn, but this doesn’t stop them. One life extinguished for
the betterment of others is a small price to pay.
5. The snow melts in the warmth of spring to give birth to fresh green leaves. In
autumn these leaves age into shades of gold only to be buried in the cold grave of
winter. Change is inevitable; the sooner we embrace this, the better it is for us. We
must also understand that even in pain there is growth. If you cut a hole in the tree,
it will grow around it. No matter what may come in its way, a river will continue to
flow. Similarly, no matter what grief may break your heart, nature teaches us that
life goes on.
6. Keep in mind life isn’t about making lists and trying to be one step ahead of others.
Life is to live. Take a break-stop being a workaholic and smell the roses, do
whatever makes you feel happy and most of all spend some time with nature to
pick up invaluable lessons.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. According to the author, what, from the following, is the greatest lesson being taught
by nature?
(a) Balance in our emotions. (b) Partial to joys in life.
(c) Afraid of unhappiness. (d) Indifferent to fears.

2. Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to paragraph II.
Jai : I’ve done well for myself in this school. I’m the best they have. I can get admission
anywhere. This is my moment!
Sid : Congratulations! Just remember, we should ………………………
(a) become strong despite our weakness.
(b) be kind and supportive towards everyone.
(c) respect the origins from where we have grown.
(d) nurture ourselves well from the beginning.

3. Choose the option that best conveys the message in ‘I am because we are.’
(a) Tigers are dependent on antelope. (b) Antelope are dependent on tigers.
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(c) Humans are dependent on animals. (d) Everyone is dependent on each other.

4. What qualities do the birds and squirrels display when they warn others of possible
danger? Choose one option from the following
(a) Observation skills and alertness. (b) Tendency to get easily frightened.
(c) Selfless assistance to help others. (d) Determination to protect themselves.

5. Select the option with the underlined words that can suitably replace lurking
(paragraph 4).
(a) The policeman pulled up the person who was wandering aimlessly through the city.
(b) The thief knew that remaining hidden was the best strategy to avoid being caught.
(c) The policeman was caught on camera while pouncing with force, to grab the fleeing
culprit.
(d) The thief was walking boldly into the house thinking it was devoid of residents.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 39

6. A Portmanteau words like smog

(smoke + fog), is a blend of words in which parts of multiple words are combined into
a new word. From the options given below, select a Portman- teau word that appears
in the para 6.
(a) Coexistence (b) Workaholic
(c) Full-grown (d) Flourish

7. Select the qualities from paragraph III, that the author wants us to imbibe.
Being
1. Acceptive 2. Passionate
3. Emotional 4. Resilient
5. Perceptive
(a) (2), (4) and (5) (b) (1), (3) and (4)
(c) (1), (4) and (5) (d) (3), (4) and (5)

8. Which of the following is shown by the changing of seasons?

(a) The beauty of nature. (b) Nature’s creativity.
(c) All seasons are equal. (d) Nothing lasts forever.

9. What does the writer advise, in paragraph 6?

(a) Indulging in competition with others. (b) Making priority lists.
(c) Taking life seriously. (d) Having free time for ourselves.

10. Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the central idea of the passage.
(a) Nature She pardons no mistakes. Her yea is yea and her nay, nay - Ralph Waldo Emerson
(b) Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better.- A. Einstein
(c) Nature never deceives us; it is we who deceive ourselves. -Jean Jacques Rousseau
(d) All the ugliness of the world can best be forgotten in the beauty of nature!
-Mehmet Murat
II. Read the passage given below.
1. Research from the Publishers Association has shown that films based on books take
44% more at the box office revenue in the UK and 53% more worldwide than
original screenplays. The report explores what impact a book has when adapted for
film and TV.
2. The report reads “Published material is the basis of 52% of top UK films in the last
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10 years, and accounts for an even higher share of revenue from these leading
performers, at 61% of UK box office gross and 65% of worldwide gross.” The
Hollywood adaptation of “My Cousin Rachel’’ was shown to have a significant
impact on the sales of the Daphne Du Maurier thriller. The sales of the book in 2017
alone accounted for 23% of all sales since 1992.
3. The research suggests that adapted films tend to perform better, because films can
“leverage the popularity” of well-known books through an existing audience.
Films adapted from books also tend to have a richer, more fully-developed story to
draw on. In terms of TV adaptation, it was revealed that a quarter of dramas were
based on literary sources and attracted a 56% larger share of the audience than
those based on original scripts. Fourteen of the 35 high end series produced in the
UK in the period between January and September 2017 were based on books,
compared to seven based on true stories or historical events and five based on
pre-existing films or TV stories.
40 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

4. In the case of the 2016 BBC broadcast of “The Night Manager”, research revealed
that while the novel was in circulation for over 25 years, 82% of the copies it sold
were in 2016 and 2017. Sales of the paperback edition remained strong in 2017 even
after the series went off the air.
5. In conclusion, the report states that “there is a strong two-way relationship
between publishing and the wider creative economy, wherein a successful
adaptation often has spill-over effects and gives a substantial boost to the sales of
the original book.”
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. The purpose of the research by Publishers Association was to study the ……… .
Choose the correct option.
(a) variety in films and TV shows. (b) impact of films on books.
(c) choice of books for film-making. (d) connection between books and films.

12. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(i) The revenues generated at the box office have increased.
(ii) Majority of the top films in the UK are based on published material.
(a) (i) is the result of (ii) (b) (1) is the reason for (ii)
(c) (i) is independent of (ii) (d) (1) contradicts (ii)

13. Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement.
“The sales of the book in 2017 alone accounted for 23% of all sales since 1992.”
(a) There were 23% higher sales in 2017 than previous years.
(b) A major chunk of sales happened in 2017.
(c) The sales were limited to 23% in 2017.
(d) There were very few books sold in the previous years.

14. According to the research, the films based on books have greater success because
…………
(a) people like to see the characters from the books on screen.
(b) the films get the advantage of the fame of the books.
(c) it takes less effort for people to watch films than read books.
(d) the films get a ready-made script from the books.
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15. Select the option listing what the given sentence refers to.
“Films adapted from books also tend to have a richer, more fully-developed story to
draw on.”
(i) The plot and the storyline of such films are better.
(ii) The characters are likely to be more vivid.
(iii) The production of such films is meant for the rich and famous.
(iv) The settings and costumes are adapted from the book.
(v) The making of such films require the author to write a sequel.
(a) (i), (iii) and (iv) (b) (ii), (iii) and (v)
(c) (i), (ii) and (v) (d) (i), (ii) and (iv)

16. On what from the following were the maximum TV serials in UK in the year 2017
based?
(a) Books (b) Historical stories
(c) Original true stories (d) Previous films
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 41

17. This passage lists an example proving that TV dramas based on literary works have
…………… .
Select the correct option.
(a) increased the immediate sales of the book
(b) increased the sales of the book during the first screening
(c) had no immediate impact on the sales of the book
(d) had very little impact on the sales of the book

18. Choose the correct option to answer the following.

According to paragraph V, “there is a two-way relationship between books and the
screen.”
This is so because both
(a) revolve around the same stories. (b) cater to an audience with the same taste.
(c) gain from each other’s popularity. (d) belong to the creative field.

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. The hospital board clearly mentioned that you ………… smoke in the hospital as it is a
health hazard for all.
(a) cannot (b) must not (c) need not (d) might not
20. There’s never ……… petrol left after Rahul uses the car.
(a) much (b) little (c) many (d) a little

21. I am taking driving lessons now. Hopefully, I …………… my driving test by November.
(a) will take (b) would pass
(c) will have taken (d) will be taking

22. Which option displays the correct change of the following to reported speech?
Sunitha asked Venkat, “How much is the rent for your flat?”
(a) Sunitha asked Venkat how much was his rent for flat.
(b) Sunitha asked Venkat how much the rent for his flat was.
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(c) Sunita enquires from Venkat that how much rent he pays.
(d) Sunita told Venkat how much the rent for his flat was.

23. Which option displays the correct change of the following to reported speech?
She said, “I told Damanjit to send you an e-mail three days ago.”
(a) She told that Damanjit had mailed you three days then.
(b) She informed me that Damanjit has mailed me three days before.
(c) She says that she has told Damanjit to send me an e-mail three days then.
(d) She said that she had told Damanjit to send an e-mail to me three days before.

24. The dog ………… under the chair before the children arrived.
(a) has been hiding (b) was hid
(c) have hid (d) had hidden
42 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Debashree, a resident of Siliguri, Assam. You have to write a letter to the editor
of a national daily drawing attention towards the difficulty faced by differently-abled
people at tourist places.
25. Select the option with relevant aspects that Debashree should select, for this letter.
(i) The newspaper’s name
(ii) Attached proof of the newspaper subscription
(iii) Debashree’s address
(iv) Formal tone
(v) Expected date of the letter¡¦ s receipt
(a) (i) and (v) (b) (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(c) (iii) and (v) (d) (i), (iii) and (viv)

26. Select the appropriate subject for this letter.

(a) Drawing attention towards differently-abled people
(b) The Differently-abled: Neglected or Misunderstood?
(c) Tourist places are an inconvenience to differently-abled people
(d) Inconvenience faced by the Differently-abled at Tourist Spots

27. Which option should Debashree select, to elaborate on the difficulties faced by the
differently-abled?

(a) Absence of ramps for wheelchairs (b) Unsuitable visiting timings

Unclean toilets Tourist guides untrained in
High ticket-prices sign language
Lack of braille-script tourist
pamphlets

(c) Absence of ramps for wheelchairs (d) Unclean toilets

Tourist guides untrained in sign High ticket-prices
language Unsuitable visiting timings
Lack of braille-script tourist
pamphlets

28. Debashree shares some suggestions in her letter, to address the issue.
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Select the option that helps her complete these suggestions, appropriately.
In my opinion, the media can play a pivotal role in transforming people’s (i)…… . Also,
(ii) against negligence to the needs of the differently-abled, at the tourist spots, shall go
a long way in bringing about a positive change.
(a) (i) beliefs and traditions (ii) composing songs
(b) (i) perceptions and attitudes (ii) cautioning the authorities
(c) (i) preferences (ii) protesting
(d) (i) interactions (ii) keeping minimum interference

29. Select the option that correctly justifies the choice of the concluding portion of this
letter.
1. I expect the authorities to take actions on this issue my thoughts in your newspaper.
2. I hope my views get published in the columns of your newspaper so that this issue
may garner more public support and awarness.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 43

(a) Yes, to Option (1) because of the authoritative tone.

(b) No, to Option (1) because of the informal tone.
(c) Yes, to Option (2) because of the tone of polite expectation.
(d) No, to Option (2) because of the certainty in the tone.

30. Select the option that completes the concluding line appropriately.
I hope that my letter will …………… .
(a) help spread awareness about the issue.
(b) lead to action against all authorities responsible, at tourist spots.
(c) improve circulation of the national daily.
(d) result in positive reviews by the readers.

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections V, VI, VII, VIII and IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
But the decades of oppression and brutality had another unintended effect, and that
was that it produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the
Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our times – men of such
extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known
again. Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always
known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
It is from these comrades in the struggle that I learned the meaning of courage. Time
and again, I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for an idea.
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
31. What was the unintended effect of the long oppression? Choose the correct option.
(a) It made the people indifferent to injustice.
(b) It made the people reject oppression.
(c) It influenced a generation to fight against injustice.
(d) It made people accept their oppression.

32. Men of such extraordinary courage refers to the people who …………
(a) liberated and abolished the Apartheid system.
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(b) used their resources to spread awareness.

(c) fought for their country’s freedom.
(d) demonstrated utmost strength to oppose the system.

33. Nelson Mandela compares ……… to diamonds.

(a) his countrymen (b) patriots
(c) wise men (d) the oppressed

34. When Nelson Mandela says, “I have seen men and women risk and give their lives for
an idea.”, he means that they are …………
(a) stubborn (b) committed (c) intelligent (d) proud

35. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following
depths: heights : : compassion : .
(a) wisdom (b) oppression (c) struggle (d) courage
44 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Let me put it more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is
completely alone in the world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a
sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends. I have a
family, loving aunts and a good home. No, on the surface I seem to have everything,
except my one true friend. All I think about when I’m with friends is having a good
time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things.
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)
36. Why does Anne feel the following?
…… no one will believe that a thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in the world.
(i) People knew she had a family.
(ii) People rejected the idea of loneliness.
(iii) She had several friends.
(iv) She had a cheerful personality.
(v) Her life was comfortable.
Choose the correct option from the following
(a) (i) and (v) (b) (i), (iii) and (iv)
(c) (ii) and (iii) (d) (ii), (iv) and (v)

37. Select the most appropriate option for (i) and (ii).
(i) …… on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend.
(ii) Anne doesn’t truly connect with anyone.
(a) (i) is true and (ii) is false.
(b) (ii) is the opposite of (i).
(c) (i) furthers the meaning of (ii).
(d) Both (i) and (ii) cannot be inferred from the extract.
38. From the options given below, identify Anne’s tone in the extract.
(a) Restless (b) Dissatisfied
(c) Scared (d) Hurt

39. Select the option which displays an example of ‘having a good time’.
(a) He is out for a picnic with his (b) He is studying hard for the periodic
friends and they are laughing and test the following day to improve
singing together. his scores.
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(c) He is trying to convince his father (d) He just rescued an injured puppy
to purchase the latest video and is tending to its wounds.
games for him.

40. What do we get to know about Anne when she says the following?
I can’t bring myself to talk about anything but ordinary everyday things
Choose one from the following to answer
(a) She is proud of her ways.
(b) She is struggling to strike conversations.
(c) She is unsure of her own thoughts.
(d) She is unable to have a satisfying conversation.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 45

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Money is external.
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
The epistemology of loss, how to stand up Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up (The Ball Poem)
41. The poet says money is external. What does it mean in this extract?
(a) Money helps us purchase materials that make life worth living.
(b) Money promotes materialism and hunger for power among youngsters.
(c) Money only impacts a person’s external environment.
(d) Money buys materialistic things and can be earned again, when lost.

42. What does the boy learn by losing the ball, according to the extract?
(i) Loss is the unavoidable truth of life.
(ii) Material objects can be replaced.
(iii) Money buys happiness.
(iv) Losses in life can be prevented with care.
(v) Life continues despite losses.
(a) (i), (ii) and (v) (b) (ii) and (iv)
(c) Only (i) (d) (iii) and (v)

43. The boy is learning how to stand up …… . This means that he is learning to be
………… in the face of difficulties.
(a) patient (b) resilient
(c) defensive (d) judgemental

44. Which option lists who is speaking these lines?

(a) An observer (b) The boy’s parent
(c) The ball salesman (d) A friend

45. According to the poet, from whom do we mostly learn about loss?
(a) Elders (b) Experiences
(c) Books (d) Teachers
VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
I followed casually.
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“Hello again,” he said.

I gave him my most appealing smile. “I want to work for you,” I said.
“But I can’t pay you.”
I thought that over for a minute. Perhaps I had misjudged my man. I asked, “Can you
feed me?”
“Can you cook?”
“I can cook,’’ I lied again.
“If you can cook, then maybe I can feed you.”
He took me to his room over the Jumna Sweet Shop and told me I could sleep on the
balcony.
But the meal I cooked that night must have been terrible because Anil gave it to a stray
dog and told me to be off. But I just hung around, smiling in my most appealing way,
and he couldn’t help laughing.
(The Thief’s Story)
46 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

46. Even though Hari Singh followed Anil casually, it was a/an ………… .
(a) careless action (b) staged move
(c) unusual decision (d) bold step

47. From the following options, identify Hari Singh’s intention behind the appealing
smile.
(a) Deceit (b) Harm
(c) Hatred (d) Jealousy

48. Select the option listing Anil’s charac- teristics, as revealed in the extract.
(i) Unassuming (ii) Kind (iii) Determined (iv) Naive
(v) Humourous
(a) (ii) and (iii) (b) Only (v)
(c) (i), (ii) and (iv) (d) Only (ii)

49. Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2).
(i) Anil gave his meal to a stray dog.
(ii) Hari Singh did not know how to cook.
(a) (ii) is true and (i) is false. (b) (ii) is the result for (i).
(c) (ii) is the cause for (i). (d) (ii) is false and (i) is true.

50. The phrase hung around suggests that Hari Singh continued to …………
(a) smile (b) cook
(c) appeal (d) linger
IX. Attempt the following.
51. Lencho is ……… when he says, “that’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”
(a) doubtful (b) stressed
(c) confused (d) dismissive
52. Which option correctly replaces the underlined phrase in the give line from Fire and
Ice?
I hold with those who favour fire.
(a) am as experienced as (b) strongly disagree with
(c) have the same opinion as (d) habitually avoid

53. The purpose of the treatment, given to the young seagull by his parents, was to
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………… .
(a) teach him a lesson about the importance of food.
(b) inculcate obedience towards them.
(c) let him overcome his fear.
(d) improve his relationship with his siblings.

54. Peggy often gave a nudge to one of her friends when she spoke to Wanda in the school
yard. This meant that she wanted her friend to …………… .
(a) stop talking to Wanda and move on (b) observe and partake in the joke on Wanda
(c) ignore the complete situation with Wanda (d) interrupt any reply that came from Wanda

55. In the poem Dust of Snow, which negative symbols have been used to create a positive
effect?
(a) Hemlock tree; crow (b) Crow; snow
(c) Snow; hemlock tree (d) Crow; dust
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 47

56. Mandela refers to liberty as ‘newborn’ because it

(a) was dependent on others for growth and guidance.
(b) had recently been attained with lots of struggle.
(c) made people experience infant-like excitement.
(d) arrived unexpectedly for everyone.
57. In the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, what does the tiger’s ‘quiet rage’, indicate?
It indicates that the tiger’s anger is
(a) forgotten (b) provoked (c) suppressed (d) opposed
58. Identify the option that aptly describes Griffin.
(a) Greedy, yet kind (b) Proud and honourable
(c) Considerate and selfless (d) Brilliant, but lawless

59. Anil’s carelessness made stealing from him ………… for Hari Singh.
(a) uninteresting (b) difficult (c) systematic (d) predictable

60. What does the exclamation, “This is a triumph of surgery”, by Mrs. Pumphrey, mean?
(a) The surgery was successful. (b) The mistress could take back her pet.
(c) The doctor was a great veterinarian. (d) The planned venture was fruitful.

ANSWERS
1. (a) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (c) 5. (b) 6. (b) 7. (c) 8. (d) 9. (d) 10. (b)
11. (d) 12. (a) 13. (b) 14. (b) 15. (d) 16. (a) 17. (a) 18. (c) 19. (b) 20. (a)
21. (c) 22. (b) 23. (d) 24. (d) 25. (d) 26. (d) 27. (c) 28. (b) 29. (c) 30. (a)
31. (c) 32. (d) 33. (a) 34. (b) 35. (b) 36. (b) 37. (c) 38. (b) 39. (a) 40. (d)
41. (d) 42. (a) 43. (b) 44. (a) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (a) 48. (c) 49. (c) 50. (d)
51. (d) 52. (c) 53. (c) 54. (b) 55. (a) 56. (b) 57. (c) 58. (d) 59. (a) 60. (d)

EXPLANATIONS
I. 1. (a) According to the author, a balance in
our emotions, is the greatest lesson being
taught by nature.
2. (c) Suitable answer for the given dialogue
with reference to paragraph II is ‘respect
6. (b) Workaholic is the correct answer. It
is made up of two words; work +
alcoholic.
7. (c) The author wants us to imbibe being
acceptive, resilient and perceptive.
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the origins from where we have grown.’
This is because the given passage tells us
that nature teaches to be remain grounded
like the roots of the trees.
3. (d) The line ‘Everyone is dependent on
each other’ best conveys the message - ‘I
am because we are.’
4. (c) The birds and squirrels display selfless
assistance to help others when they warn
others of possible danger. This shows that
one life extinguished for the betterment of
others is a small price to pay.
10. (b) Albert Einstein quote “Look deep into
5. (b) ‘The thief knew that remaining hidden
was the best strategy to avoid being
caught’ is the option that can replace the
word ‘lurking’ in the given passage.
8. (d) The changing of seasons show that
nothing lasts forever. The snow melts in
the warmth of spring to give birth to fresh
green leaves. In autumn these leaves age
into shades of gold only to be buried in the
cold grave of winter.
9. (d) In the sixth paragraph the writer
advises us to have free time for ourselves,
to do whatever makes us feel happy, and
spend time with nature to learn the most
valuable lessons of life.
nature, and then you will understand
everything better” best expresses the
central idea of the passage.
48 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
II. 11. (d) The purpose of the research by
Publishers Association was to study
the connection between books and films.
12. (a) (i) is the result of (ii). The revenues
generated at the box office have increased
because majority of the top films in the UK
are based on published material.
13. (b) A major chunk of sales happened in
2017 is the correct meaning of the state-
ment “The sales of the book in 2017 alone
accounted for 23% of all sales since 1992.”
14. (b) According to the research, the films
based on books have greater success
because the films get the advantage of the
fame of the books.
15. (d) (i), (ii) and (iv) is the correct answer.
The given sentence ‘Films adapted from
books also tend to have a richer, more
fully-developed story to draw on’ means
that the plot and the storyline of such films
are better. The characters are likely to be
more vivid. The settings and costumes are
adapted from the book.
16. (a) The maximum TV serials in UK in the
year 2017 were based on books.
17. (a) This passage lists an example proving
that TV dramas based on literary works
have increased the immediate sales of the
book.
18. (c) ‘There is a two-way relationship between
books and the screen’. This is so because
both gain from each other’s popularity.
III. 19. (b) The hospital board clearly mentioned
that you must not smoke in the hospital as
it is a health hazard for all. ‘Must not’
shows the obligation of not smoking.
20. (a) There’s never much petrol left after
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Rahul uses the car. ‘Much’ is used with
non-countable noun ‘petrol’.
21. (c) I am taking driving lessons now.
Hopefully, I will have taken my driving
test by November. The event is fixed to
happen by November, so ‘will have taken’
is the correct answer.
22. (b) The correct answer is ‘Sunitha asked
Venkat how much the rent for his flat was.’
23. (d) The correct answer is ‘She said that she
had told Damanjit to send an e-mail to me
three days before.’
24. (d) The dog had hidden under the chair
before the children arrived. The given
sentence is in past tense, therefore, ‘had
hidden’ is the correct answer.
IV. 25. (d) (i), (iii) and (iv) is the correct answer,
i.e., The newspaper’s name, Debashree’s
address and formal tone are required for
the letter.
26. (d) The appropriate subject for this
letter should be: Inconvenience Faced by
the Differently-abled at Tourist Spots.
27. (c) Debashree should include the following
points to elaborate the difficulties faced by
the differently-abled tourists
• Absence of ramps for wheelchairs
• Tourist guides untrained in sign
language
• Lack of braille-script tourist pamphlets
28. (b) ‘(i) perceptions and attitudes (ii)
cautioning the authorities’ is the correct
answer.
29. (c) The correct concluding point is: I hope
my views get published in the columns of
your newspaper so that this issue may
garner more public support and
awareness.
Therefore, yes, to Option (ii) because of the
tone of polite expectation.
30. (a) The concluding line should be ‘I hope
that my letter will help spread awareness
about the issue’.
V. 31. (c) The unintended effect of the long
oppression was that it influenced a
generation to fight against injustice.
32. (d) Men of such extraordinary courage
refers to the people who demonstrated
utmost strength to oppose the system.
33. (a) Nelson Mandela compares his
countrymen to diamonds.
34. (b) When Nelson Mandela says, “I have
seen men and women risk and give their
lives for an idea.”, he means that they are
committed.
35. (b) The antonym of depths is the heights,
similarly the antonym of compassion is
oppression.
VI. 36. (b) Anne felt that no one will believe that a
thirteen-year-old girl is completely alone in
the world because people knew she had a
family. She had several friends. She had a
cheerful personality. Thus, option (b), (i),
(iii) and (iv) is the correct answer.
37. (c) (i) furthers the meaning of (ii), i.e., on
the surface Anne seem to have everything,
except her one true friend. This is because
she didn’t truly connect with anyone.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
38. (b) Anne’s tone in the extract is
dissatisfied.
39. (a) ‘He is out for a picnic with his friends
and they are laughing and singing
together.’ is an example of ‘having a good
time’.
40. (d) When Anne says, “I can’t bring myself
to talk about anything but ordinary
everyday things”, it means she is unable to
have a satisfying conversation.
VII. 41. (d) The poet says money is external. It
means money buys only materialistic
things and can be earned again, when
lost.
42. (a) According to the extract, the boy learns
the following by losing the ball
• Loss is the unavoidable truth of life.
• Material objects can be replaced.
• Life continues despite losses.
Thus, option (a), (i), (ii) and (v) is the
correct answer.
43. (b) The boy is learning how to stand up…
This means that he is learning to be
resilient in the face of difficulties.
44. (a) An observer is speaking the above lines.
45. (b) According to the poet, we mostly learn
from our own experiences about loss.
VIII. 46. (b) Even though Hari Singh followed Anil
casually, it was a staged move because he
wanted to rob Anil.
47. (a) Hari Singh’s intention behind the
appealing smile was deceit.
48. (c) Anil was unassuming, kind and naïve.
Thus, option (c), (i), (ii) and (iv) is the
correct answer.
49. (c) (ii) is the cause for (i), i.e., Anil gave his
meal to a stray dog because Hari Singh did
not know how to cook.
49
50. (d) The phrase hung around suggests that
Hari Singh continued to linger.
IX. 51. (d) Lencho is dismissive when he says,
“that’s what they say: no one dies of
hunger.”
52. (c) ‘have the same opinion as’ can replace
the underlined phrase in the given line
from Fire and Ice, I hold with those who
favour fire.
53. (c) The purpose of the treatment, given to
the young seagull by his parents, was to let
him overcome his fear. This was because
the young seagull feared that his wings
would not support him when he would fly.
54. (b) Peggy often gave a nudge to one of her
friends when she spoke to Wanda in the
school yard. This meant that she wanted
her friend to observe and partake in the
joke on Wanda.
55. (a) In the poem Dust of Snow, hemlock tree
and crow are the negative symbols used to
create a positive effect.
56. (b) Mandela refers to liberty as ‘newborn’
because it had recently been attained with
lots of struggle.
57. (c) In the poem, A Tiger in the Zoo, the
tiger’s ‘quiet rage’, indicates that the tiger’s
anger is suppressed since he was locked in
a small cage in a zoo.
58. (d) Griffin was a brilliant scientist, but
lawless person. He used his invention of
becoming invisible for doing lawless
deeds.
59. (a) Anil’s carelessness made stealing from
him uninteresting for Hari Singh. This took
all the fun out of theft.
60. (d) The exclamation, “This is a triumph of
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surgery”, by Mrs. Pumphrey, means that
the planned venture was fruitful.
50
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 1
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. Corruption, terrorism, communalism, greed for power and wealth and the list of
ailments that affect modern society continue. More than half the population of
India is below the age group of 25 and the future of the country will only be bright
if youngsters are equipped to deal with these ailments.
II. A child is a storehouse of potential and it is important to nurture and develop these
attributes since a very young age. Since, they spend much of the time in school, the
curriculum in school should be such that it enables children to understand, care
and practise ethical values like respect, justice and civic sense. Education should
aim to develop a sense of rights and duties as well as moral values like honesty,
responsibility and respect for others.
III. Moral education should be directed towards enhancing a child’s ability to critically
analyse situations, make decisions, empathise with people and work in cooperation
towards a common goal.
IV. As a means of direct instruction to students, schools are very influential in the
character development of a child and the methods of education affect the
development of morally upright citizens who can bring about the much needed
change in the country.
V. The youth of today have to face a lot of problems like drug abuse, violent
behaviour and family issues. If they are not taught morals, they would fail to
differentiate between good and bad values. Hence, they would be incapable in
dealing with different types of issues. A sound moral base would help a child
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 51

make the right decisions, especially in an era where the youth is increasingly
coming under the negative influence of the media.
VI. Schools in India have introduced moral education as part of their curriculum
because they realise that morally sound citizens are the need of the hour. Since
most children look up to their teachers as role models, it is most appropriate that
they be the facilitators of moral values.
VII. Thus, schools should focus more on the personality development of children since
it is one of the most important responsibilities of a school. Schools should take the
initiative to mould children into better human beings so that they can make the
world a better place to live in.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. According to the author, what, from the following, should be taught to children from
childhood?
(a) Education (b) Discipline
(c) Moral values (d) Lawless actions

2. Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to paragraph II.
Karan: Do you know about the brutal criminal case that happened in our own city?
Shyam: Yes, news about this pathetic incident is printed on the front page of today’s
newspaper.
Karan: Our society is going through an extremely bad phase. The human beings have
forgotten their moral qualities.
Shyam: Yes, moral education is the only way towards the negativity free human society
in the future. ..................... .
(a) Besides moral education, academic education should also get a priority from the smaller
ages.
(b) Government should take major decisions about spreading moral education.
(c) Besides academic education, moral education should also get a priority from the smaller
ages.
(d) Okay now I have to go to my tuition class. I will talk to you later.

3. Why is it important to inculcate moral values since childhood?

(a) Because children are the future of a country.
(b) Because they are under constant negative influences of social media.
(c) Because they have to face many problems in life.
(d) All of the above

4. Select the option that conveys the message in – ‘morally sound citizens are
the need of the hour.’
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(a) Government should take major decisions about spreading moral education.
(b) Better human beings can make the world a better place to live in.
(c) Developing moral qualities is the only way to solve these social issues.
(d) Moral citizens can only be possible by giving moral education to the mass population.

5. According to the passage, moral education helps children in ................ , decision-

making, cooperation and ................ .
(a) Critical analysis of situation, empathy (b) Acting morally, ethics
(c) Acting ethically, respecting others (d) Analysing the problem, acting as one wishes
52 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

6. What kind of problems are being faced by today’s youth?

1. Drug abuse 2. Family issues
3. Violent behaviour 4. Peer pressure
5. Influence of social media
(a) 1, 2, and 4 (b) 3, 4, and 5
(c) 1, 3 and 5 (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

7. Which moral values are important for children to learn?

(a) Honesty, violence, responsibility, crime
(b) Crime, respect for others, bad behaviour, common sense
(c) Honesty, responsibility, respect for others, civic sense
(d) Responsibility, crime, respect for others, bad behaviour, civic sense

8. Choose from the quotes given below which can represent the central idea of the
passage.
(a) “Education without morals is like a ship without a compass, merely wandering
nowhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
(b) “People who try hard to do the right thing always seem mad.” – Stephen King
(c) “A quiet conscience makes one strong” – Anne Frank
(d) “Our very lives depend on the ethics of strangers and most of us are always strangers to
other people.” – Bill Moyers

9. Assonance is resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words, arising

particularly from the rhyming of two or more stressed vowels, but not consonants
(e.g. sonnet, porridge ), but also from the use of identical consonants with different
vowels (e.g. killed, cold, culled).
From the options given below, select an assonance phrase that appears in the para II.
(a) Education should aim to develop (b) Since a very young age
(c) A child is a storehouse of potential (d) Spend much of the time in school

10. Select the option with the underlined words that can suitably replace facilitator
(paragraph VII).
(a) Traditionally, for many school learners the physical process of writing is an inhibitor.
(b) I feel that, between them, they could really make a complete team of penal reformers and
crime preventers.
(c) In a number of developing countries, war has been an additional impediment to
progress.
(d) He is remembered fondly as a mentor and friend by several generations of students in
this school.

II. Read the passage given below.

SAMPLE PAPER 1

1. Through the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, the countries of the world
have resolved to achieve universal access to safe drinking water and adequate
sanitation and hygiene to all by 2030. The aim is to ensure the consumption of safe
drinking water, practice safe sanitation and hygiene, resulting in lower exposure to
a contaminated environment, resulting in lower morbidity and mortality, especially
amongst children.
II. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched by the Government of India on 2nd
October, 2014 to achieve the vision of ‘Swachh Bharat’ by 2nd October, 2019. The
Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin-SBM (G) endeavours to accelerate rural sanitation
coverage, reduce open defecation and improve management of solid and liquid
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 53

wastes in rural areas. The implementation of SBM (G) is the responsibility of the
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS). The MDWS, while issuing
guidelines for Open Defecation Free (ODF) verification stressed on “safe
technology option which aimed at no contamination of surface soil, ground water
or surface water; excreta management inaccessible to flies or animals; no human
handling of fresh excreta and freedom from odour and unsightly condition”. Over
the past 4 years, over 92 million new households have received access to household
toilets and by the end of the SBM G programme, all 16.5 million rural households
will have such access. However, the issue is of usage and thus, the goal is to create
ODF communities and villages, with no one defecating in the open.
III. The status of ODF villages published on the website of MDWS indicates that as on
01.04.2019, over 99% of rural HHs in India have toilet access. The declared ODF
villages at all India level accounted to 556,824 spreading over 247,723 Gram
Panchayats, 6,031 Blocks and 616 Districts.
IV. UNICEF in India accords high priority to the provision of safe sanitation and water
services to people in rural areas and has over the past many years aided through
catalytic technical support to MDWS, Government of India and 15 state
governments in the implementation of the various sanitation programmes and
since 2014, specifically to the SBM (G). With the progress of the SBM (G) and
declaration of ODF communities, there is an emerging question on whether the
campaign to eliminate open defecation and create ODF communities is resulting in
the decrease in faecal contamination in the environment.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. The purpose of the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (G) was to ................. . Choose the
correct option.
1. accelerate rural sanitation coverage
2. reduce open defecation
3. improve management of solid and liquid wastes in rural areas
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3

12. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(1) The goal is to create Open Defecation Free (ODF) communities and villages.
(2) There will be a decrease in the faecal contamination in the environment.
(a) (1) is the result of (2). (b) (1) is the reason for (2).
(c) (1) is independent of (2). (d) (1) contradicts (2).

13. Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement.
“By the end of the SBM-G programme, all 16.5 million rural households will have toilet
access.”
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(a) By 2nd October, 2019, there will be villages with no one defecating in open.
(b) By the end of the programme, rural households will be defecating in open.
(c) By 2nd October, 2019, there will be enough toilets in the households.
(d) By the end of the programme, there will be no villages in India with access to toilets.
14. The passage provides data that proves that ........... .
(a) There is an increase in usage of toilets among rural households.
(b) Over 99% of rural households have access to toilets.
(c) There is an increased access to toilets among rural households.
(d) There is a decrease in open defecation.
54 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

15. On which of the following goals, ODF guidelines are based?

1. Universal access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.
2. Lower exposure to a contaminated environment.
3. Lower morbidity and mortality, especially amongst children.
(a) 1 and 3 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

16. Select the option what the given sentence refers to.
“Over the past 4 years, over 92 million new households have received access to household
toilets.”
(a) There is an increase in building of toilets inside households.
(b) There is an increase in construction of community-shared toilets.
(c) There is an increase in usage of toilets among rural households.
(d) There is an increase in the access to toilets but are not being used by the villagers.

17. The government is successful in providing access to toilets to over 99% of rural
households because ............ .
Select the correct option.
(a) villagers also want to have access to toilets to minimise the negative impact of open
defecation.
(b) villagers are cooperative.
(c) government is giving false data.
(d) rural households have become educated.

18. According to the passage, who is responsible for the progress of Swachh Bharat
Mission?
(a) Open Defecation Free communities and villages
(b) Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
(c) UNICEF
(d) Sustainable Development Goals

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. .......... of the mango trees in their garden bear fruit twice a year.
(a) A little (b) Much
(c) More (d) Some
SAMPLE PAPER 1

20. Is it true that the students from the Space Research Centre ............. this evening?
(a) was arriving (b) are arriving
(c) is arriving (d) were arriving

21. Every day I go to school in a bus but today I .............. by car because the bus operators
are on strike.
(a) am going (b) am going to go
(c) will be gone (d) have gone
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 55

22. Choose the correct option to change the following sentence into indirect speech.
My friend said to Deepak, “Have you ever been to Agra?”
(a) My friend told Deepak if he had ever been to Agra.
(b) My friend asked Deepak had he ever been to Agra?
(c) My friend asked Deepak if he had ever been to Agra.
(d) My friend asked Deepak if he have ever been to Agra.

23. Choose the correct option to change the following sentence into indirect speech.
Reema said, “Alas! Karina’s mother is suffering from cancer.”
(a) Reema exclaimed with sorrow that Karina’s mother was suffering from cancer.
(b) Reema exclaimed that alas! Karina’s mother was suffering from cancer.
(c) Reema exclaimed with joy that Karina’s mother was suffering from cancer.
(d) Reema exclaimed with sorrow that Karina’s mother is suffering from cancer.

24. The kids .............. really hard for the show. Now, don’t cancel it, please.
(a) had worked (b) has been working
(c) have worked (d) had been working

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Amita staying at Sunrise Apartments, Gymkhana Road, Pune, Mumbai. You
have to write a letter to the editor of Hindustan Times about the problems faced by
residents of the colony due to the three open manholes on the main road leading to
your colony.
25. Which of the following are required by Amita for this letter?
1. Date on which letter is written 2. Expected reply from the editor
3. Informal language 4. Amita’s address
5. Newspaper office address 6. Fees for getting her letter published
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2, 4 and 6
(c) 1, 4 and 5 (d) 2, 3 and 5

26. As per the given options which of the following should come last in the letter?
(a) Date (b) Sender’s address
(c) Salutation (d) Subject

27. Select the option that correctly shows the subject of the letter.
(a) Open manholes on the main road
(b) Problems caused by open manholes
(c) Problems appearing in Sunrise Apartments, Gymkhana Road, Pune
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(d) Open manholes in Sunrise Apartments, Gymkhana Road, Pune

28. Select the option which can complete the problems described by Amita in her letter.
These open manholes (i) ................. for the residents of the apartment. Moreover, our
colony has no street lights, since past two months. There are (ii) ................. even on the
main road leading to our apartment. With the open manholes and lack of street lights,
accidents are on a rise. The road gets dark after seven in the evening. People fear going
out, not only to avoid accidents but also to avoid (iii) ................. . The open manholes
not only emit bad smell and cause pollution but are also a breeding ground for
mosquitoes.
56 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

(a) (i) problems, (ii) street lights, (iii) being prey to unsafe environment

(b) (i) are becoming traps, (ii) no street lights, (iii) being prey to unscrupulous elements

(c) (i) are turning into death traps, (ii) street lights, (iii) being prey to unsafe elements

(d) (i) are death holes, (ii) flash lights, (iii) being prey to malicious elements

29. Which of the following should be the concluding portion in the letter?
1. I would like to request you to publish the issue in your newspaper so that the
higher authorities can take an immediate action.
2. You should publish this in your newspaper so that everyone can be aware and
avoid coming to this colony at night.
(a) Yes to option (1) because of its polite tone
(b) Yes to option (2) because of its authoritative tone
(c) No to option (1) because of its soft and informal tone
(d) No to option (2) because of its strict and formal language

30. Choose the most appropriate concluding line for the letter.
(a) Hoping for an action! (b) Hoped to have an action!
(c) Hoping for an early action! (d) Hoping for a severe action!

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there
was a single hope: help from God. “Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a
total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.” “That’s what they say: no one dies of
hunger.” All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God,
whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s
conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he
knew how to write. The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter
which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a
letter to God. (A Letter to God)

31. “But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley”
–‘all’ referred to .............. .
(a) Lencho
(b) Post office employees
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(c) Lencho and his family

(d) None of the above

32. Why was Lencho made to remember that no one dies of hunger? Choose the correct
option.
(a) Because his crops were destroyed by the hail.
(b) Because he had a loss in business.
(c) Because he lost all his money in gambling.
(d) Because somebody burgled his house.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 57

33. When Lencho thought about the help from God, “whose eyes, as he had been
instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience”, he meant that
................. .
(a) God could help him with money.
(b) God is omniscient.
(c) Somebody would send him money if would write a letter to God.
(d) God can see inside his conscience.

34. Why is the term ‘solitary house’ mentioned in the above extract?
1. Lencho’s house was the only one in the valley.
2. Lencho’s house was in the end of the valley.
3. Lencho stayed separately in his own house.
(a) Only 2 is correct (b) Only 3 is correct
(c) Only 1 is correct (d) All are correct

35. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following.
Belief : ................. : : Isolated : Solitary.
(a) Heart (b) Instructed
(c) Hope (d) Conscience

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
The first period was a study period. Maddie tried to prepare her lessons, but she could
not put her mind on her work. She had a very sick feeling in the bottom of her
stomach. True, she had not enjoyed listening to Peggy ask Wanda how many dresses
she had in her closet, but she had said nothing. She had stood by silently and that was
just as bad as what Peggy had done. Worse. She was a coward. At least Peggy hadn’t
considered they were being mean but she, Maddie, had thought they were doing
wrong. She could put herself in Wanda’s shoes. (The Hundred Dresses – II)

36. Why did Maddie have a very sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach?
1. She was not feeling well.
2. She had an upset stomach due to cafeteria’s lunch.
3. She was feeling guilty for not taking stand for Wanda.
4. She was feeling sad for not stopping Peggy from teasing Wanda.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4

37. Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2).
1. Maddie could put herself in Wanda’s shoes.
2. Maddie used to wear Peggy’s old dresses after being modified by her mother.
(a) (1) is true and (2) is false.
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(b) (2) is the opposite of (1).

(c) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract
(d) (2) is the cause for (1).

38. Why did Maddie always remain silent when Wanda was being teased?
(a) She thought that Wanda deserved that behaviour.
(b) She felt scared in front of Peggy.
(c) She thought Peggy would start teasing her.
(d) She didn’t want to interfere.
58 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

39. What do we get to know about Peggy from the line, “At least Peggy hadn’t considered
they were being mean”?
Choose one from the following to answer.
(a) Peggy was proud of her actions (b) Peggy was unable to analyse her actions

(c) Peggy was naïve (d) Peggy was a rude and mean student

40. From the options given below, identify Maddie’s tone in the extract.
(a) Dissatisfied (b) Scared (c) Guilty (d) Insulting
VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass. A Tiger in the Zoo

41. ‘On pads of velvet quiet’ means

(a) The tiger has velvety paws.
(b) There is a velvet carpet in his cage.
(c) The tiger is walking quietly because of his velvety soft paws.
(d) All of the above

42. What does the poet mean by ‘he should be lurking in a shadow’?
1. The tiger should be in the jungle hiding in the shadow of long grass.
2. The tiger should hide behind the long grass.
3. The tiger is like a shadow in the dark.
(a) Only 2 (b) 1 and 3 (c) 2 and 3 (d) Only 1

43. The rhyming scheme of the above extract is ............ .

(a) Abcb (b) Abab (c) Abba (d) Abcd

44. Select the option which displays an example of ‘in his quiet rage’.
(a) He just rescued an injured puppy and is tending to its wounds.

(b) Afterwards, they described their emotions as suppressed anger, fear and fury at the fact
that people could behave in such a manner.
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(c) Feeling scared about what could go wrong is preventing an increasing number of
wannabe entrepreneurs from setting up in business, new research claims.

(d) He had not gone farther to the end of the innkeeper’s field, when to his surprise he
found that the road forked.

45. Choose the option which shows the contrast used by the poet between the first four
lines and last four lines of the above extract.
(a) Life in a cage vs life in a jungle (b) Life in a zoo vs life in a village
(c) Life in a village vs life in a cage (d) Life in a city vs life in a jungle
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 59

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Mrs Pumphrey wrung her hands. “Oh I will, Mr Herriot. I’m sure you are right, but it
is so difficult, so very difficult.” She set off, head down, along the road, as if
determined to put the new regime into practice immediately. I watched their progress
with growing concern. Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat; he had a
whole wardrobe of these coats — for the cold weather and a raincoat for the wet days.
He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn’t be long before I heard
from Mrs Pumphrey. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs Pumphrey was
distraught. (A Triumph of Surgery)

46. Why was it difficult for Mrs. Pumphrey to follow Dr. Herriot’s advice?
(a) Because she could not deny anything to Tricki.
(b) According to her, Tricki was suffering from malnutrition.
(c) As per Mrs. Pumphrey, Tricki needed extra meals between main meals.
(d) All of the above

47. Choose the option with underlined word that can replace the word ‘wring’ in the
above extract.
(a) They are always trying to take out additional funds from the government.
(b) On occasions Mr. Parry was seen to twist his hands as he struggled with his emotions.
(c) One minute they’re all sweet and caring and the next they stab you in the back.
(d) It was followed by a roaring crash that seemed to rend the very heavens.

48. Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2).
(1) Mrs. Pumphrey was overfeeding her dog.
(2) Dr. Herriot was concerned about Mrs. Pumphrey and her dog Tricki.
(a) (2) is true and (1) is false. (b) (2) is the result for (1).
(c) (2) is the cause for (1). (d) (2) is false and (1) is true.

49. What can we infer about Mrs. Pumphrey’s reaction on Dr. Herriot’s advice?
(a) Overlooking (b) Insulting
(c) Hurt (d) Helpless

50. What did Mrs. Pumphrey tell Dr. Herriot about Tricki’s health on the call? Complete
the conversation between them by choosing the correct option.
Mrs. Pumphrey: Hello, Mr. Herriot. ..................... .
Mr. Herriot: Oh okay, Mrs. Pumphrey. I am coming to you as soon as possible.
1. Tricki is not eating anything.
2. He is having bouts of vomiting.
3. He spends all his time lying on a rug, panting.
4. He doesn’t want to go for walks, doesn’t want to do anything.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

IX. Attempt the following.
51. “But no one really thought much about Wanda Petronski, once she sat in the corner of
the room.” This means that students of Room Thirteen ............... .
(a) did not care much about Wanda’s presence.
(b) did not know who Wanda was.
(c) did not talk to Wanda.
(d) did not befriend Wanda.
60 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

52. Anne Frank wrote her diary while in hiding with her family in Amsterdam during the
(a) German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.
(b) German occupation of the Netherlands in World War I.
(c) British occupation of South Africa after Anglo-Boer war.
(d) None of the above

53. Anil in the end of the story ............... .

(a) gave Hari Singh his final pay.
(b) gave a fifty rupee note to Hari Singh as his salary.
(c) gave note to Hari Singh saying the he knew about the robbery.
(d) gave note to Hari Singh that he had forgiven him for stealing money.

54. The poet said, “what is the boy going to do?” in the poem “The Ball Poem”. Why did
he ask so?
(a) Because the boy had lost his ball.
(b) Because the ball of the boy had fell into water.
(c) Because the boy had tore his ball.
(d) Because the boy got a new ball.
55. Choose which of the following can be associated with the pilot of Dakota plane?
(a) Risk-taker, determined, family man (b) Coward, confused, follower
(c) Risk-taker, follower, determined (d) Foodie, risk-taker, confused

56. Why did the poet regret his day in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?
(a) Something bad has happened to him. (b) He was guilty of something.
(c) Not mentioned in the poem. (d) He was upset because of his family.

57. Mandela says that his boyhood freedom was an illusion because
1. his freedom to live with dignity and self-respect had already been stolen from him
without him realising.
2. all the Blacks were deprived of basic humane society.
3. his desire for staying out at night, living on his own conditions were not the actual
freedoms.
(a) Only 1 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None of these
58. The young seagull’s mother screamed at him derisively on asking for food because ......... .
(a) she wanted him to come to her and get her food.
(b) she wanted him to remain on the ledge.
(c) she wanted him to feel guilty for not flying with the family.
(d) she was teasing him with food as he was hungry so that he would fly to her.
59. According to Robert Frost, fire and ice are equivalent to ............ in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’.
(a) Human emotions: love and hate
SAMPLE PAPER 1

(b) Hot and cold temperatures of earth

(c) Self-destructing human emotions: desire and hatred
(d) All of the above
60. When did the author say the following line?
If only Griffin had managed to wake up in good time all might have been well.
(a) When Griffin was caught by clergyman and his wife.
(b) When Griffin was caught by the constable Mr. Jaffers.
(c) When Griffin was caught by the staff of the big London store.
(d) When landlord threw Griffin out of the house.
 OMR SHEET SP 1
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
62 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Answers
1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (d) 7. (c) 8. (a) 9. (c) 10. (d)
11. (c) 12. (b) 13. (a) 14. (b) 15. (d) 16. (c) 17. (a) 18. (b) 19. (d) 20. (b)
21. (a) 22. (c) 23. (a) 24. (c) 25. (c) 26. (c) 27. (a) 28. (b) 29. (a) 30. (c)
31. (c) 32. (a) 33. (b) 34. (c) 35. (d) 36. (c) 37. (d) 38. (c) 39. (b) 40. (c)
41. (c) 42. (d) 43. (a) 44. (b) 45. (a) 46. (d) 47. (b) 48. (b) 49. (a) 50. (d)
51. (a) 52. (a) 53. (b) 54. (b) 55. (a) 56. (c) 57. (c) 58. (d) 59. (c) 60. (c)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (c) According to the author, moral values
should be taught to children from childhood.
2. (c) “Besides academic education, moral
education should also get a priority from the
smaller ages.” is the correct answer.
3. (d) It is important to inculcate moral values
since childhood because of the following
reasons:
• Children are the future of a country.
• They are under constant negative influences
of social media.
• They have to face many problems in life.
4. (b) “Better human beings can make the world a
better place to live in” conveys the message in
– ‘morally sound citizens are the need of the
hour.’
5. (a) According to the passage, moral education
helps children in critical analysis of situation,
decision-making, cooperation and empathy.
6. (d) The problems faced by today’s youth are:
• Drug abuse
• Family issues
• Violent behaviour
• Peer pressure
• Influence of social media
7. (c) Honesty, responsibility, respect for others,
civic sense are the moral values that are
important for children.
8. (a) The quote by Martin Luther King Jr.
SAMPLE PAPER 1
this school.” The underlined word ‘mentor’
can replace the word facilitator in para VII.
11. (c) The purpose of the launch of Swachh
Bharat Mission (G) was to accelerate rural
sanitation coverage, reduce open defecation
and improve management of solid and liquid
wastes in rural areas.
12. (b) (1) is the reason for (2), i.e., the goal is to
create Open Defecation Free (ODF) communi-
ties and villages so that there will be a decrease
in the faecal contamination in the environment.
13. (a) “By 2nd October, 2019, there will be
villages with no one defecating in open.” gives
the correct meaning of the following statement
- “By the end of the SBM-G programme, all
16.5 million rural households will have toilet
access.”
14. (b) The passage provides data that proves that
over 99% of rural households have access to
toilets.
15. (d) ODF guidelines are based on the following
goals:
• Universal access to safe drinking water and
adequate sanitation.
• Lower exposure to a contaminated
environment.
• Lower morbidity and mortality, especially
amongst children.
16. (c) The given sentence “Over the past 4 years,
over 92 million new households have received
access to household toilets.” refers that there is

“Education without morals is like a ship

without a compass, merely wandering
nowhere.” gives the central idea of the
passage.
9. (c) “A child is a storehouse of potential” is an
example of assonance because the vowel ‘o’ is
repeating in the words ‘storehouse of
potential’.
an increase in usage of toilets among rural
households.
17. (a) The government is successful in providing
access to toilets to over 99% of rural
households because villagers also want to have
access to toilets to minimise the negative
impact of open defecation.

10. (d) “He is remembered fondly as a mentor and 18. (b) Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
friend by several generations of students in is responsible for the progress of Swachh
Bharat Mission.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
19. (d) ‘Some’ should be used here to denote a
small quantity.
20. (b) ‘Are arriving’ is the correct option because
‘student’ is a plural subject.
21. (a) ‘Am going’ should be used to denote an
action happening in present.
22. (c) “My friend asked Deepak if he had ever
been to Agra.” is the correct reported speech.
23. (a) “Reema exclaimed with sorrow that
Karina’s mother was suffering from cancer.” is
the correct reported speech.
24. (c) ‘Have worked’ is the correct answer
because the action has been completed just
before the present moment.
25. (c) Amita requires the following for her letter:
• Date on which letter is written
• Amita’s address
• Newspaper office address
26. (c) ‘Salutation’ should come last as per the
given option. The correct order is : Sender’s
address ® date ® subject ® salutation.
27. (a) The correct subject is: Open manholes on
the main road leading to Sunrise Apartments,
Gymkhana Road, Pune.
28. (b) ‘(i) Are becoming traps, (ii) no street lights,
(iii) being prey to unscrupulous elements’ is
the correct answer.
29. (a) “I would like to request you to publish the
issue in your newspaper so that the higher
authorities can take an immediate action” is
the correct concluding portion because of its
polite tone.
30. (c) ‘Hoping for an early action!’ is the correct
concluding line.
31. (c) The statement, “But in the hearts of all who
lived in that solitary house in the middle of the
valley” –‘all’ referred to Lencho and his family.
32. (a) Lencho was made to remember that no one
dies of hunger because that night all his crops
were destroyed by the hailstorm.
33. (b) When Lencho thought about the help from
God, “whose eyes, as he had been instructed,
see everything, even what is deep in one’s
conscience” he meant that God is omniscient.
34. (c) Lencho’s house is referred to as a ‘solitary
house’ because it is the only one in the valley.
35. (d) Belief : Conscience : Isolated : Solitary. This
is because ’isolated’ and ‘solitary’ are
synonyms and so do ‘belief’ and ‘conscience’.
63
36. (c) Maddie had a very sick feeling in the
bottom of her stomach because she was feeling
guilty and sad for not taking stand for Wanda
and for not stopping Peggy from teasing
Wanda. Hence, option (c), 3 and 4 are the
correct statements.
37. (d) (2) is the cause for (1), i.e., Maddie could
put herself in Wanda’s shoes because she used
to wear Peggy’s old dresses after being
modified by her mother.
38. (c) Maddie always remained silent when
Wanda was being teased because she was
worried that Peggy and the other girls would
start teasing her too.
39. (b) The lines tells us that Peggy was unable to
analyse her actions.
40. (c) Maddie was guilty of everything that had
happened to Wanda.
41. (c) “On pads of velvet quiet” means that the
tiger is walking quietly because of his velvety
soft paws.
42. (d) By the line ‘He should be lurking in
shadow’, the poet means that as the tiger is a
wild animal, he should live in the jungle and
hide in the shadow of long grass to hunt the
deer.
43. (a) The rhyming scheme of the above extract is
‘abcb’.
44. (b) Option (b) displays an example of in his
‘quiet rage’.
45. (a) Life in a cage vs life in a jungle is the
contrast used by the poet between the first
four lines and last four lines of the above
extract.
46. (d) Mrs. Pumphrey found it difficult to follow
Dr. Herriot’s advice because she could not
deny anything to Tricki and thought that he
was suffering from malnutrition and thus,
needed extra meals.
47. (b) On occasions Mr. Parry was seen to twist
his hands as he struggled with his emotions.
The underlined word ‘twist’ can replace the
SAMPLE PAPER 1
word ‘wring’ in the given extract.
48. (b) (2) is the result for (1), i.e., Dr. Herriot was
concerned about Mrs. Pumphrey and her dog
Tricki because Mrs. Pumphrey was
overfeeding her dog.
49. (a) Mrs. Pumphrey overlooked Dr. Herriot’s
advice and kept overfeeding her pet dog
Tricki.
64 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
50. (d) Mrs. Pumphrey told the following
problems to Dr. Herriot:
• Tricki is not eating anything.
• He is having bouts of vomiting.
• He spends all his time lying on a rug,
panting.
• He doesn’t want to go for walks, doesn’t
want to do anything.
51. (a) “But no one really thought much about
Wanda Petronski, once she sat in the corner of
the room.” This means that students of Room
Thirteen did not care much about Wanda’s
presence.
52. (a) According to the chapter ‘From the Diary of
Anne Frank’, she wrote the diary when she
was in hiding with her family in Amsterdam
during the time when the Germans occupied
the Netherlands in World War II.
53. (b) Anil in the end of the story gave a fifty
rupee note to Hari Singh as his salary.
54. (b) In the poem ‘The Ball Poem’, the boy’s ball
falls into water so the poet wonders what the
boy will do now having lost a precious thing.
55. (a) The pilot of Dakota plane was a risk-taker,
determined and family man.
SAMPLE PAPER 1
56. (c) The poem ‘Dust of Snow’ does not
mention the reason behind the poet regretting
the day.
57. (c) Mandela says that his boyhood freedom
was an illusion because whatever he thought
of freedom in his early age had proved to be
false.
He realised that his freedom to live with
dignity and self-respect had already been
stolen from him as all the Blacks were
deprived of basic humane society. Whatever
freedoms he got like staying out at night,
living on his own conditions were not the
actual freedoms.
58. (d) The young seagull’s mother screamed at
him derisively on asking for food because she
was teasing him with food as he was hungry
so that he would fly to her.
59. (c) According to Robert Frost, fire and ice
are equivalent to self-destructing human
emotions: desire and hatred, in the poem ‘Fire
and Ice’.
60. (c) The author said the given line when Griffin
was caught by the staff of the big London
store.
 65
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 2
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. What is Discipline? Is it absolute freedom to do what a person wants? Is freedom regardless
of consequences? Does it mean corrective action after a problem occurs or a wrong is
done? Is it imposition? Is it abuse? Does it take away freedom?
II. The answer is none of the above. Discipline does not mean that a person takes a
belt and beats up kids. That is madness. Discipline is loving firmness. It is
direction. It is prevention before a problem arises. It is harnessing and channelising
energy for great performance. Discipline is not something you do to but you do for
those you care about.
III. Discipline is an act of love. Sometimes you have to be unkind to be kind: Not all
medicine is sweet, not all surgery is painless, but we have to take it. We need to
learn from nature. We are all familiar with that big animal, the–giraffe. A mama
giraffe gives birth to a baby giraffe, standing. All of a sudden, the baby falls on a
hard surface from the cushion of mama’s womb and sits on the ground. The first
thing mama does is to get behind the baby and give him a hard kick. The baby gets
up, but his legs are weak and wobbly and the baby falls down. Mama goes behind
again and gives him one more kick. The baby gets up but sits down again. Mama
keeps kicking till the baby gets on its feet and starts moving. Why? Because mama
knows that the only chance of survival for the baby in the jungle is to get on its
feet. Otherwise it will be eaten up by wildcats and become dead meat.
IV. Children brought up in a loving, disciplined environment end up respecting their
parents more and become law–abiding citizens. The reverse is just as true. Good
parents are not afraid of momentary dislikes by children to enforce the subject.
66 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Allowing a child to eat a box of chocolate could lead to sickness. At the same time,
the discipline of eating one or two pieces a day can be an enjoyable experience for a
longer time. Our instinct makes us do whatever we want regardless of the
consequences. Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired but
controlling the desire.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. According to the author, which of the following is not discipline? Choose the correct
option.
(a) Giving absolute freedom to children (b) Continuous hitting or abusing a child
(c) Imposing everything (d) All of these

2. Why do you think a mama giraffe kicks her baby immediately after birth?
1. To make the baby stand on its feet.
2. Mama giraffe knows the harsh reality of this brutal world.
3. Mama giraffe knows that if baby will not stand it will be eaten up by wildcats and
become dead meat.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 2 and 3

3. Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the central idea of the passage.
(a) “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” –
Abraham Lincoln
(b) “Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage.” – Robin Sharma
(c) “Self-discipline is when your conscience tells you to do something and you don’t talk
back.” – W.K. Hope
(d) “Discipline is rarely enjoyable but almost always profitable.” – Darrin Patrcik

4. Choose the option which conveys the message in – ‘Discipline is loving firmness’.
(a) Discipline is becoming strict.
(b) Discipline means to become strict for the good of children.
(c) Discipline is becoming strong.
(d) Discipline is becoming emotionally strong.

5. Complete the dialogue between a student and a teacher with reference to above
passage.
Student : Why does every teacher stress us to be disciplined?
Teacher : Because discipline can change your life completely ........... .
(a) You should follow strict rules.
(b) If you are disciplined, you can take out time to play and study and do other works.
SAMPLE PAPER 2

(c) You should understand the importance of discipline.

(d) If you are disciplined, you are able to understand what you should do and what you
should not.

6. Which of the following statements is True regarding disciplining children?

1. Discipline means not only absolute freedom but also a corrective action after a
problem occurs.
2. Discipline brings true freedom by controlling the desires.
(a) Both 1 and 2 are true (b) Only 1 is true
(c) Neither 1 nor 2 is true (d) Only 2 is true
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 67

7. What does the following line suggest – ‘Not all medicine is sweet’?
(a) Sometimes bitter medicines have to be taken in order to get healthy.
(b) We require only strictness to make a child disciplined.
(c) Sometimes being strict and firm is necessary to make the child disciplined and future
ready.
(d) There are sweet as well as bitter medicines.

8. Choose the option with underlined words that can replace the word ‘wobbly’ (para III).
(a) I’m strong enough to lift that box without help.
(b) The baby’s first shaky step almost sent her sprawling and he caught her arm quickly.
(c) His tone was a firm statement that instructions would be followed henceforth.
(d) They were unable to meet their mortgage repayments.

9. How does discipline help in one’s performance?

(a) By harnessing and channelising the energy.
(b) By giving punishments.
(c) By making them strong.
(d) By giving them many opportunities.

10. Which of the following is an example of discipline?

(a) A mother hitting a child with a ruler to make her understand a problem in Maths.
(b) A father buying his son whatever he demands.
(c) A mother calmly explaining the wrong action done by a child and let him rectifies it.
(d) A grandmother nagging a child for everything he/she does.

II. Read the passage given below.

I. Universal access to adequate sanitation is a fundamental need and human right.
Securing access for all would go a long way in reducing illness and death,
especially among children. ‘Safely managed’ sanitation services represent a higher
service level that takes into account the final disposal of excreta, in addition to the
“basic” service level which requires an improved sanitation facility (such as flush
toilets or latrine with a slab) not shared with other households.
II. Between 2000 and 2020, the global population increased by 1.7 billion people, but
2.4 billion people gained access to safely managed sanitation services, i.e. a basic
facility where excreta are disposed in situ or treated off-site. Still, in 2020 3.6 billion
people lacked safely managed services, of which approximately half (1.9 billion)
had basic services. Among the 1.7 billion people lacking even basic services, 580
million shared improved sanitation facilities with other households, counted as
‘limited’ services and 616 million used ‘unimproved’ facilities. The data reveal
pronounced disparities, with two thirds of people who still lacked even basic
services lived in rural areas. Nearly half of them lived in sub-Saharan Africa.
SAMPLE PAPER 2

III. Almost all developed countries have achieved universal access, but sanitation
coverage varies widely in developing countries. In 2020, 62 countries had achieved
universal (>99 per cent) access to basic services. Yet, in 48 countries, less than half
of the population had safely managed services.
IV. Defecating in the open is an affront to dignity and risk to children’s nutrition and to
community health. The elimination of open defecation is recognised as a top
priority for improving health, nutrition and productivity of developing country
populations and is explicitly mentioned in SDG target 6.2.
68 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

V. Among the 1.7 billion people without basic sanitation services in 2020, nearly a
third (494 million) used no form of toilet and practised open defecation. In 55
countries, more than 5 per cent of the population practised open defecation in 2020.
Open defecation is most widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, but is also high in
Central and Southern Asia as well as Oceania.
VI. In 17 countries, open defecation decreased by more than five percentage points
between 2015 and 2020. Assuming current rates of progress continue the world and
most SDG regions are on track to eliminate open defecation before 2030.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. The basic and fundamental human right as per the above passage is ............... .
(a) Access to sanitation and hygiene
(b) Access to sanitation and open defecation
(c) Access to toilet and open defecation
(d) None of the above

12. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(1) There is a need to eliminate open defecation.
(2) There is need to improve health, nutrition and productivity of developing country
populations.
(a) (1) is the result of (2). (b) (1) is the reason for (2).
(c) (1) contradicts (2). (d) (1) furthers the meaning of (2).

13. According to the passage, open defecation is widespread in the sub-Saharan Africa,
Central and Southern Asia and Oceania due to ............... .
(a) Lack of education
(b) Lack of basic sanitation services
(c) Lack of safely managed sanitation practices
(d) All of the above

14. The statement “there is a wide difference between developed and developing countries
in the sanitation coverage” means that
(a) Nearly two-thirds of people still lack even basic services that live in rural areas.
(b) 62 countries in the world have achieved universal access to basic sanitation services.
(c) In 48 countries, less than half of the population has safely managed services.
(d) 1.7 billion people are without basic sanitation services.

15. What are the consequences of insanitary conditions?

1. Illnesses 2. Deaths
3. Breeding grounds for mosquitoes 4. Contaminated food and water
SAMPLE PAPER 2

(a) 2 and 4 are correct (b) 1 and 3 are correct

(c) All are correct (d) 2 and 3 are correct

16. According to the passage, ‘limited’ services referred to ............... .

(a) The people who have access to only basic sanitation facilities.
(b) The people who do not have access to even basic sanitation services.
(c) The people who have access to toilets in the community.
(d) The people who share improved sanitation facilities with other households.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 69

17. According to the passage, ‘there is a direct relationship between sanitation and health
of individuals’.
This is so because
(a) Unwashed hands will lead to diseases.
(b) Unsanitary conditions are not good living conditions.
(c) Unsanitary practices lead to unsanitary environment leading to various diseases and
ill-health.
(d) Health of individuals get affected by the conditions of the environment.

18. The data from the above study reveals ............. among the coverage of sanitation
facilities among the rural and urban areas.
(a) equity (b) disparity
(c) unjust (d) distribution

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. The Second Anglo-Maratha War .............. the power of the Maratha chiefs.
(a) had shattered (b) has been shattering
(c) has shattered (d) had been shattering

20. We’ll talk about it .............. later, I have an important piece of work to complete tonight.
I can’t spare any time right now.
(a) much (b) few
(c) a little (d) little

21. The constellation they .............. to observe is clearly visible from here.
(a) were going (b) are going
(c) was going (d) is going

22. Choose the option which correctly changes the given sentence into indirect speech.
She said to me, “You didn’t break the window, did you?”
(a) She informed me whether I had broken the window.
(b) She asked me you didn’t break the window, did you.
(c) She told me that I had not broken the window.
(d) She asked me whether I had broken the window.

23. Choose the option which correctly changes the given sentence into indirect speech.
SAMPLE PAPER 2

My mother said, “May God bless you!”

(a) My mother prayed to God for my well-being.
(b) My mother said to God for my well-being.
(c) My mother told God to bless me.
(d) My mother asked God for my well-being.

24. It .............. since morning.

(a) had been raining (b) has been raining
(c) was raining (d) is raining
70 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
Write a letter to M/s. H.M.T. Corporation Chandigarh, an online store from where you
bought a wristwatch recently. The watch you received has many issues. You are Dipti
Gupta, 450, Sector 20, Chandigarh.

25. Which kind of letter is this?

(a) Letter of enquiry (b) Letter of order
(c) Letter of complaint (business) (d) Letter of complaint (official)

26. Which of the following option is best suited to write the date in the letter?
1. March 1st, 2021 2. 1st March, 2021
(a) Yes to option 1 because of its new format.
(b) Yes to both the option because both are correct formats.
(c) No to option 2 because it is an old format.
(d) No to both options because both are incorrect formats.

27. Choose the subject line for the letter.

(a) Complaint regarding the watch.
(b) Complaint regarding the replacement of watch.
(c) Complaint regarding the functioning of the watch and its replacement.
(d) Complaint regarding the functioning of the watch.

28. Which of the following details are required for the letter?
1. Date of purchase 2. Brand and model no. of watch
3. Attached copy of the bill 4. Warranty card
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 3 and 4

29. What problems should be included in the letter?

(a) • Not working properly • Scratches on the dial
• Packaging was not good • Broken steel strap
• Negligence on part of the store

(b) • Not working properly • Negligence on part of the store

• Beautiful packaging • Broken glass

(c) • Warranty card not given • Bill not given

• No scratches however

(d) • Different color • Different dial

SAMPLE PAPER 2

• Looking beautiful • Good choice sent

30. Dipti has suggested a solution. Choose the correct option.

To resolve the problem, I would appreciate you either changing the watch with a new
fully functioning model or ................ .
I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my problem and will wait until a week
before seeking help from a consumer protection agency.
(a) keep the product with you (b) I will keep it as it is
(c) refund the amount in my bank account (d) None of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 71

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe as a spectacular array of South
African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union
Buildings. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a
demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had
been freely and fairly elected. Only moments before, the highest generals of the South
African defence force and police, their chests bedecked with ribbons and medals from
days gone by, saluted me and pledged their loyalty.
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

31. Which event is represented by the above extract? Choose the correct option.
(a) Inauguration ceremony of the Union Building.
(b) Inauguration ceremony of a non-racial democratic government.
(c) Republic Day of South Africa.
(d) Nelson Mandela’s political victory.

32. The most symbolic thing that happened on the inauguration ceremony was
(a) Playing of two National Anthems - ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and ‘Die Stem’.
(b) People were now saluting and pledging their loyalty.
(c) The military was making a chevron.
(d) Dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world were present at the ceremony.

33. ‘Days gone by’ refer to the days ................ .

1. When South Africa was not independent.
2. When South Africa was suffering from the policy of Apartheid.
3. When there was discrimination with Blacks in all aspects.
4. When ‘me’ was a rebel and freedom fighter.
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

34. How was the mood of Mandela while describing the above event?
(a) Overwhelmed (b) Jovial
(c) Emotional (d) Sad

35. Complete the following by choosing the word from the extract.
Glorious : Spectacular : : Adorn : .............. .
(a) Precision (b) Perfection
SAMPLE PAPER 2

(c) Awe (d) Bedeck

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
The sun was now ascending the sky, blazing on his ledge that faced the south. He felt
the heat because he had not eaten since the previous nightfall. He stepped slowly out
to the brink of the ledge, and standing on one leg with the other leg hidden under his
wing, he closed one eye, then the other and pretended to be falling asleep. Still they
took no notice of him. He saw his two brothers and his sister lying on the plateau
dozing with their heads sunk into their necks. His father was preening the feathers on
his white back. Only his mother was looking at him. (His First Flight)
 72 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

36. Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2).
1. The mother seagull was watching the young seagull.
2. The mother seagull knew that he was hungry and not slept.
(a) (1) furthers the meaning of (2).
(b) (1) is true and (2) is false.
(c) (2) is the opposite of (1).
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract.

37. Why did the young seagull feel the heat of the blazing sun?
1. The young seagull had not eaten since the previous nightfall.
2. The sun was shining just above the ledge.
3. The young seagull was sensitive to heat.
4. He was punished by his family for not learning to fly.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 3

38. How was the young seagull feeling on the ledge?

(a) Alone (b) Satisfied
(c) Happy (d) Fainting

39. What did the young seagull do when he was alone on the ledge?
(a) He stepped slowly out to the brink of the ledge.
(b) He stood on one leg with the other leg hidden under his wing.
(c) He closed one eye, then the other and pretended to be falling asleep.
(d) All of the above

40. Select the option that displays an example of ‘take no notice’.

(a) She turned her back on him in blatant disregard he wasn’t likely to misinterpret.

(b) She totally ignored what I was saying.

(c) Someone was building a log house so close that they could overlook her farm.

(d) My attention wasn’t really on the game.

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
In a world of possessions. People will take
Balls, balls will be lost always, little boy.
And no one buys a ball back. Money is external.
He is learning, well behind his desperate eyes,
SAMPLE PAPER 2

The epistemology of loss, how to stand up

Knowing what every man must one day know
And most know many days, how to stand up. (The Ball Poem)

41. What is the ball symbolic of in the above extract?

(a) It means boy’s lost childhood.
(b) It means that boy was playing with a ball.
(c) It means that poet has lost something.
(d) None of the above
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 73

42. Why did poet say ‘money is external’?

(a) Because money is earned.
(b) Because no one will give money to buy a new ball.
(c) Because money cannot buy the memories attached with that ball.
(d) All of the above

43. The word ‘epistemology’ means ............... .

(a) Theory
(b) Objectivism
(c) Philosophy
(d) All of these

44. Why did poet say that “People will take balls, balls will be lost always, little boy”?
1. People will snatch ball from the boy.
2. This is the world of possessions in which one has to learn to cope with the things
lost.
3. One has to cope with losses, be it childhood, memories or anything else.
4. In this world of possessions no one cares about feelings of others.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 2, 3 and 4

45. When the poet said that the boy is watching with his desperate eyes, he meant that the
boy had become .............. .
(a) hopeless (b) distressed
(c) aching (d) desirous

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
This time he decided to try the stock of a theatrical company in the hope of finding not
only clothes but also something that would hide the empty space above his shoulders.
Shivering with cold he hurried to Drury Lane, the centre of the theatre world. He soon
found a suitable shop. He made his way, invisible, upstairs and came out a little later
wearing bandages round his forehead, dark glasses, false nose, big bushy
side-whiskers and a large hat. To escape without being seen, he callously attacked the
shopkeeper from behind, after which he robbed him of all the money he could find.
(Footprints without Feet)

46. When did ‘he’ decide to try the stock of a theatrical company?
(a) When he became clotheless while escaping from the staff of the big London store.
(b) When he could not find clothes in the big London store.
(c) When he became clotheless.
(d) None of the above
SAMPLE PAPER 2

47. The phrase ‘made his way’ means that Griffin ............... .
(a) Moved backwards.
(b) Found his way to escape the Drury Lane.
(c) Moved forward towards the theatrical company.
(d) Moved ahead towards the owner of the shop.
 74 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

48. Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2).
1. Griffin was shivering with cold. 2. It was mid-winter in London.
(a) (2) is the cause for (1). (b) (2) is true and (1) is false.
(c) (2) is false and (1) is true. (d) (2) is the result for (1).

49. Which of the following things did Griffin wear from the theatrical company?
1. Bandages round his forehead 2. Dark glasses
3. False nose 4. Big bushy side-whiskers
5. A large hat
(a) 1, 2 and 5 (b) 2, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

50. From the following options, identify Griffin’s intention behind ‘callously attacking the
shopkeeper’.
(a) To enjoy (b) To hurt
(c) To deceit (d) To escape

IX. Attempt the following.

51. When did Anne Frank write her first diary entry?
(a) 20th June, 1942 (b) 12th June, 1942
(c) 1st May, 1944 (d) 1st August, 1944

52. Hari Singh could read the faces of people which means that ............... .
(a) he was a face reader (b) he was an experienced thief
(c) he was an astrologer (d) he was an enlightened boy

53. Why had Wanda been absent from school for some days?
1. Because she was not well.
2. Because she was afraid of Peggy’s teasing.
3. Because she had moved to another city.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2
(c) Only 3 (d) 2 and 3

54. The poetic device is used in the line ‘Shook down on me’ in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’ is
.................. .
(a) Alliteration (b) Metaphor
(c) Simile (d) Assonance

55. What would a tiger do when he is free in a jungle?

1. He would hide and hunt deer.
2. He would terrorise the people with his big teeth and claws.
SAMPLE PAPER 2

3. He would move freely within large jungles.

4. He would show his anger.
(a) 2 and 4 (b) 1, 2, and 4
(c) 3 and 4 (d) All of these

56. The postmaster became ................ on reading the letter written by Lencho.
(a) Grief-stricken (b) Serious
(c) Happy (d) Regretful
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 75

57. “Within minutes, about thirty feet of gleaming black metal drew up outside the
surgery.” Which figure of speech is used in the underlined phrase?
(a) Synecdoche (b) Assonance
(c) Simile (d) Metaphor

58. Identify the option that describes the atmosphere around Boggins Heights.
(a) A forbidden place (b) A drizzly place
(c) Damp and dismal (d) Haunted place

59. Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of lights in front of
me. It means that the pilot of old Dakota saw ................ .
(a) another plane (b) a runway
(c) the Control Tower (d) None of these

60. Pick the words that can be related with ‘ice’ from the poem ‘Fire and Ice’.
(a) Rigidity (b) Insensitivity
(c) Coldness (d) All of these

SAMPLE PAPER 2
 OMR SHEET SP 2
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 77

Answers
1. (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (c) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (c)
11. (a) 12. (d) 13. (b) 14. (a) 15. (c) 16. (d) 17. (c) 18. (b) 19. (a) 20. (c)
21. (b) 22. (d) 23. (a) 24. (b) 25. (c) 26. (b) 27. (d) 28. (b) 29. (a) 30. (c)
31. (b) 32. (a) 33. (d) 34. (a) 35. (d) 36. (a) 37. (c) 38. (a) 39. (d) 40. (b)
41. (a) 42. (c) 43. (d) 44. (d) 45. (b) 46. (a) 47. (c) 48. (a) 49. (d) 50. (d)
51. (a) 52. (b) 53. (c) 54. (d) 55. (d) 56. (b) 57. (a) 58. (c) 59. (b) 60. (d)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (d) According to the author of the passage,
discipline does not refer to giving children
freedom to do as they please or even to beating
them. Simultaneously, it does not mean that no
punishment should be given or that serious
imposition of rules is not discipline. Hence,
option (d) is the correct answer.
2. (b) According to the passage, mama giraffes
does it to ensure that the baby learns how to
stand and survive in the wild. She does it so
that the baby understands the harshness of the
world and knows that if it does not learn to
stand on its feet and walk, it will be eaten by
wild animals.
3. (c) A quote by W.K. Hope that “Self-discipline
is when your conscience tells you to do
something and you don’t talk back.” correctly
conveys the central idea of the passage.
4. (b) Option (b) “Discipline means to become
strict for the good of children” conveys the
message in – “Discipline is loving firmness”.
5. (d) Option (d) is appropriate to complete the
given dialogue.
6. (a) Discipline means enjoying freedom but
with a corrective action if any problem arises
due to enjoyment of that freedom. Also, true
freedom can be achieved by being disciplined
and controlling unnecessary desires.
7. (c) The line – “Not all medicine is sweet”
suggests that sometimes being strict and firm
is necessary to make the child disciplined and
11. (a) According to the first line of the passage,
universal access to sanitation and hygiene is
the basic need and fundamental right of every
human being.
12. (d) (1) furthers the meaning of (2), i.e., there is
a need to eliminate open defecation in order to
improve health, nutrition and productivity of
developing country populations.
13. (b) According to the passage, open defecation
is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, Central
and Southern Asia and Oceania due to lack of
basic sanitation services.
14. (a) The statement “there is a wide difference
between developed and developing countries
in the sanitation coverage” means that nearly
two-thirds of people still lack even basic
services that live in rural areas.
15. (c) Insanitary conditions can lead to illnesses,
deaths, growth in number of mosquitoes and
contamination of food and water.
16. (d) According to the passage, ‘limited’
services referred to the people who share
improved sanitation facilities with other
households.
17. (c) According to the passage, “there is a
direct relationship between sanitation and
health of individuals”. This is so because
unsanitary practices lead to unsanitary
environment leading to various diseases and
ill-health.
18. (b) The data from the above study reveals
SAMPLE PAPER 2

future ready. disparity among the coverage of sanitation

8. (b) “The baby’s first Shaky step almost sent her
sprawling and he caught her arm quickly.” The
underlined word ‘shaky’ can replace the word
‘wobbly’ in para III.
9. (a) Discipline helps in one’s performance by
harnessing and channelising the energy.
10. (c) “A mother calmly explaining the wrong
action done by a child and let him rectifies it.”
is an example of discipline.
facilities among the rural and urban areas.
19. (a) ‘Had shattered’ is the correct answer
because the action has already been completed
in the past.
20. (c) ‘A little’ is the correct answer as it is used
with non-quantifiable noun such as time.
21. (b) ‘Are going’ is the correct answer because
here the subject ‘they’ is a plural subject.
78 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
22. (d) ‘She asked me whether I had broken the
window.’ is the correct indirect speech.
23. (a) The indirect speech is: ‘My mother prayed
to God for my well being.’
24. (b) ‘Has been raining’ is the correct answer
because the action of raining that started in
the past is still continuing in the present
moment.
25. (c) The given letter is a letter of complaint
(business) because it is about a defective
product received.
26. (b) Both the formats of the date are correct.
Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
27. (d) The appropriate subject line is: Complaint
regarding the functioning of the watch.
28. (b) Following details are required for the letter:
• Date of purchase
• Brand and model no. Of watch
• Attached copy of the bill
• Warranty card
Thus, option (b) is the correct answer.
29. (a) Following problems should be included in
the letter:
• Not working properly
• Scratches on the dial
• Packaging was not good
• Broken steel strap
• Negligence on part of the store
Thus, option (a) is the correct answer.
30. (c) ‘refund the amount in my bank account’ is
the correct answer.
31. (b) The given extract mentions the
inauguration ceremony of a non-racial
democratic government under the leadership
of Nelson Mandela.
32. (a) According to the story ‘Nelson Mandela:
Long Walk to Freedom’, the most symbolic
thing that happened on the inauguration
ceremony was the playing of two National
Anthems - ‘Nkosi Sikelel –iAfrika’ and ‘Die
SAMPLE PAPER 2
Stem’
33. (d) In the phrase ‘days gone by’, the days
when South Africa was not independent and
suffering from Apartheid is being referred to.
During those days, Blacks were discriminated
against and the speaker of the extract, Nelson
Mandela, was a freedom fighter and rebel.
34. (a) Mandela was overwhelmed while
describing the above event.
35. (d) Glorious : Spectacular : : Adorn : Bedeck.
This is because glorious and spectacular are
synonyms so do adorn and bedeck.
36. (a) (1) furthers the meaning of (2), i.e., the
mother seagull was watching the young
seagull as she knew that he was hungry and
not slept.
37. (c) The young seagull felt the heat of the
blazing sun because he had not eaten, since,
the previous nightfall as he was punished by
his family for not learning to fly.
38. (a) The young seagull was feeling alone on the
ledge.
39. (d) When the young seagull was alone on the
ledge he stepped slowly out to the brink of the
ledge and stood on one leg with the other leg
hidden under his wing. He then closed one
eye, then the other and pretended to be falling
sleep.
40. (b) “She totally ignored what I was saying.” is
an example of ‘took no notice’.
41. (a) According to the poem ‘The Ball Poem’,
‘ball’ symbolises the boy’s childhood which is
now lost and nothing can bring it back.
42. (c) By ‘money is external’, the poet meant
that though money can buy a new ball, it
cannot buy the memories attached with the
lost ball.
43. (d) ‘Epistemology’ refers to the theory or
objectivism and philosophy of knowledge.
Hence, all of the options correspond to the
word ‘epistemology’.
44. (d) The poet suggests that people will always
be greedy of other people’s materialistic
possessions, and that one will always lose
these possessions and thus, should learn how
to cope with that loss. Thus, option (d) is the
correct answer.
45. (b) When the poet said that the boy is watching
with his desperate eyes, he meant that the boy
had become distressed.
46. (a) According to the story ‘Footprints without
Feet’, Griffin, the man mentioned in the
extract, decided to try the stock of a theatrical
company after he lost his clothes while
escaping from the staff of the big London store
who were chasing him.
47. (c) The phrase ‘made his way’ means that
Griffin moved forward towards the theatrical
company.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
48. (a) (2) is the cause for (1), i.e., Griffin was
shivering with cold because it was mid-winter
and he didn’t have any clothes on his body.
49. (d) According to the extract, Griffin came out
of the theatrical company wearing bandages
on his forehead, dark glasses, fake nose, big
bushy side whiskers and a large hat. Hence,
option (d) is the correct answer.
50. (d) Griffin wanted to escape the shop, that’s
why he attacked the shopkeeper from behind.
51. (a) According to the chapter ‘From the Diary of
Anne Frank’, Anne wrote in her diary for the
first time on 20th June, 1942.
52. (b) Hari Singh could read the faces of
people which means that he was an
experienced thief.
53. (c) Wanda had been absent from school
because she along with her family had moved
away to another city.
54. (d) ‘Assonance’ refers to the prominence of a
vowel sound throughout a line. It is used in the
line ‘Shook down on me’.
79
55. (d) According to the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’,
a tiger is a wild animal and thus, should live
and hide in the jungle where he can hunt
deer and terrorize the people in the nearby
village. In contrast to the zoo, in the jungle a
tiger can move freely in the space and show
his anger. Hence, option (d) is the correct
answer.
56. (b) The postmaster became serious on reading
the letter written by Lencho because he was
shaken by the strong faith that Lencho had in
God.
57. (a) ‘Gleaming black metal’ represent a car,
therefore, synecdoche is used.
58. (c) The atmosphere around Boggins Heights
was described as damp and dismal.
59. (b) Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw
two long straight lines of lights in front of me.
It means that the pilot of old Dakota saw a
runway.
60. (d) Rigidity, coldness and indifference all are
related with ‘ice’ in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
SAMPLE PAPER 2
80
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 3
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. Every form of human activity upsets or changes the wildlife complex of the area
unceasingly and unavoidably. Man has destroyed many forms of wildlife for no
reasonable purpose. Small sections of the community, for their own narrow, selfish
ends, have destroyed many things of general interest. Expediency has often led
man to make grave blunders in land use, habitat destruction, and the extermination
of many forms of wildlife.
II. In his everyday life, man’s attitude is determined in the main by purely practical
considerations; ethical or moral considerations come afterwards. Looked at in this
way, the disappearance from Britain of such animals as the wolf and wild boar can
be more easily understood. In our intensively cultivated and over–populated
country there was no room for such large mammals, the one a predator of big
livestock and the other a pest to agriculture. Thus, man’s first attitude to animals is
the result of their effect on his own survival, or what he considers to be their effect
on his survival.
III. Then there is his concern with sport. The animals he sets aside for this purpose are
given special protection and war is waged unceasingly on any other creatures that
may be a danger to them. This creates many problems and man has made serious
errors in his destruction of predators. Until recent years all hawks and falcons were
destroyed as “vermin” by game preservers. This meant the destruction of kestrels,
which are useful to the farmer: it meant the destruction of owls, which are useful to
the farmer; so here you had sport acting against the interests of food production.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 81

Tragedy of all this is that all the killing of predators did not in any way improve
man’s sport. It has been clearly shown by modern research that eagles, hawks,
falcons and predatory mammals have not the slightest effect on the numbers of
game birds anywhere.
IV. Broadly speaking, man wages war against the creatures which he considers harmful,
even when his warfare makes little or no difference to the numbers of his enemies.
And he encourages those creatures which are useful, even though their attacks on
pests make little difference to the numbers of those pests. It would be true to say,
therefore, that our attitude to song–birds, to most birds of prey and to many of our
predatory animals, arises from the fact that they have either been proved useful or of
no consequence. Either way, from this, we have developed the idea of conservation
which means preserving what we have left of our heritage of wildlife and even
finding room for rarities which may do a little damage on the side.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. According to the author, what has been man’s attitude towards wildlife?
(a) Man is selfish and self–centred.
(b) For him it is practical aspects first and then other things.
(c) He can kill any animal, over–cultivate crops, cut forests and all this for his survival
(d) None of the above

2. The justification given for the killing of wolves and wild boar in Britain was that .............. .
(a) Man’s perception is to preserve only those animals that have practical implications
(b) The wolf was considered a predator of livestock
(c) The wild boar was considered a pest to agriculture
(d) All of the above
3. Complete the conversation between human and Mother Nature based on the above
passage.
Mother Nature If everyone has progressed doesn’t it become everyone’s duty to
become a conservationist.
Human Yes but all are so busy I can’t tell everyone to leave other things and start
helping in conservation.
Mother Nature So you mean to say that I will die because ................ .
(a) you humans do not have time to help me out
(b) you humans will do what you can but can’t collectively help me out
(c) you humans can’t collectively help me out
(d) you humans will keep exploiting me and my creations
4. Why has man been killing predators?
(a) He thinks that they are a danger to the birds useful in sports.
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(b) He thinks that they are a danger to human survival.

(c) He thinks that they are a danger to the pest survival.
(d) All of the above
5. Choose the option with underlined words which is closest in meaning to the word
‘unceasingly’ (Para I).
(a) The troops were forced to surrender the fort.
(b) The company has consistently underrated the importance of a well-trained workforce.
(c) The service contracts of all directors with the company are terminable on 2 months’ notice.
(d) High yielding and indeterminate varieties appear to be more susceptible.
82 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

6. Which of the following statements are true in the context of the above passage?
1. Conservation is an idea to preserve our heritage of wildlife from the damaging
effect of human activity.
2. Killing of predators by the man, who are a danger to the birds useful in sports has
had no effect on the number of game birds.
(a) Only 1 is true (b) Only 2 is true
(c) None of them is true (d) Both 1 and 2 are true

7. The word ‘endangering’ does not correspond to ................

(a) Threatening (b) Preserving
(c) Imperial (d) None of these

8. The line – “man wages war against the creatures which he considers harmful” means
that
(a) Man does not respect the other species present on this planet.
(b) Man start killing wildlife without any definite cause
(c) Man is a coward being taking advantage of other species
(d) Human beings is the most selfish race on earth

9. Choose the quote that best expresses the central idea of the passage.
(a) “All must pay the debt of nature.” – Annie Proulx
(b) “Art is a man’s nature; nature is God’s art.” - Philip James Bailey
(c) “Modern man talks of a battle with nature, forgetting that, if he won the battle, he would
find himself on the losing side.” - E. F. Schumacher
(d) “Perhaps there is a soul hidden in everything and it can always speak, without even
making a sound, to another soul.” – Francis Hodgson Burnelt

10. Synecdoche occurs when a part is represented by the whole or, conversely, the whole is
represented by the part. For example: Wheels = a car.
From the options given below, select a Synecdoche word that appears in the para IV.
(a) Creatures (b) Man
(c) War (d) Enemies

II. Read the passage given below:

I. Child marriage is a violation of human rights, but is all too common. Marriage
before the age of 18 is a fundamental violation of human rights. Many factors
interact to place a child at risk of marriage, including poverty, the perception that
marriage will provide ‘protection’, family honour, social norms, customary or
religious laws that condone the practice, an inadequate legislative framework and
the state of a country’s civil registration system. While the practice is more common
among girls than boys, it is a violation of rights regardless of sex.
II. Child marriage often compromises a girl’s development by resulting in early
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pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her

opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at increased
risk of domestic violence. Although the impact on child grooms has not been
extensively studied, marriage may similarly place boys in an adult role for which
they are unprepared, and may place economic pressures on them and curtail their
opportunities for further education or career advancement.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 83

III. Although marriage is not mentioned directly in the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, child marriage is linked to other rights – such as the right to freedom of
expression, the right to protection from all forms of abuse, and the right to be
protected from harmful traditional practices – and is frequently addressed by the
Committee on the Rights of the Child.
IV. Across the globe, levels of child marriage are highest in West and Central Africa,
where nearly 4 in 10 young women were married before age 18. Lower levels of
child marriage are found in Eastern and Southern Africa (31 per cent), South Asia
(28 per cent), Latin America and Caribbean (22 per cent), and the Middle East and
North Africa (15 per cent).
V. The prevalence of child marriage is decreasing globally, with the most progress in
the past decade seen in South Asia, where a girl’s risk of marrying in childhood has
dropped by more than a third, from nearly 50 per cent to 30 per cent.
VI. Still, the total number of girls married in childhood stands at 12 million per year,
and progress must be significantly accelerated in order to end the practice by 2030
– the target set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. Without further
acceleration, more than 150 million additional girls will marry before their
18th birthday by 2030.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. Which of the following child rights is mentioned in the passage?
(a) Right to be protected from harmful traditional practices
(b) Right to information
(c) Right to education
(d) All of the above
12. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).
(1) Girls are married off before the age of 18.
(2) Child marriage can result in early pregnancy and social isolation.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (2) is the result of (1)
(c) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the passage
(d) (1) and (2) are opposite

13. Which of the following regions has the lowest percentage of women aged 20 to 24
married before age 15?
(a) Eastern and Southern Africa (b) South Asia
(c) Middle East and North Africa (d) Latin America and Caribbean

14. If the trend of child marriage continues at the same pace, ................ girls will be
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married before the age of 18 by the year 2030.

(a) More than 12 million (b) More than 150 million
(c) Less than 200 million (d) 150-250 million

15. Choose the factors that contribute to child marriage.

1. Poverty
2. Perception that marriage will provide ‘protection’
3. Family honour
4. Social norms
84 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

5. Customary or religious laws that encourage the practice

(a) 2, 3, 4 and 5 (b) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) All of these

16. How are boys affected by child marriage?

(a) Child marriage may place social pressures on them
(b) Child marriage can expand their opportunities for further education or career
advancement
(c) Child marriage places boys in an adult role for which they are unprepared
(d) None of the above

17. What is the percentage of child marriage in West and Central Africa?
(a) 40% (b) 30%
(c) 50% (d) 60%

18. What does the following line refer to?

“A girl’s risk of marrying in childhood has dropped by more than a third.”
(a) There is 1/3rd decrease in child marriage among girls.
(b) There is more than 1/3rd decrease in child marriage among girls.
(c) There is 1/3rd risk of marrying a girl in childhood.
(d) There is less than 1/3rd risk of marrying a girl in childhood.

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. He has hardly read ............. books during summer vacations.
(a) many (b) any
(c) some (d) much

20. Honesty is his policy and politics ............. a corrupt game these days.
(a) was (b) are
(c) is (d) were

21. ............. you please ............. your e-mail address as soon as possible?
(a) Could, send (b) Can, sends
(c) Could, sends (d) Can’t, sent

22. The Prime Minister ............. for Russia tomorrow on a 5 day state visit.
(a) will have left (b) was leaving
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(c) had been left (d) is leaving

23. Choose the option that correctly changes the given sentence into indirect speech.
“When I was in school, I used to skip a few classes”, said the retired IAS Officer.
(a) The retired IAS Officer confessed that when he was in school, he used to skip a few
classes.
(b) The retired IAS Officer asked when he was in school, he used to skip a few classes.
(c) The retired IAS Officer said that when he had been in school, he used to skip a few classes.
(d) The retired IAS Officer concluded that when he has been in school, he used to skip a few
classes.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 85

24. Choose the option that correctly changes the given sentence into indirect speech.
The music teacher said to the children, “Do not get carried away and get out of the
tune.”
(a) The music teacher warned the children from getting carried away and from getting out
of tune.
(b) The music teacher told the children not to get carried away and not to get out of tune.
(c) The music teacher said to the children that do not get carried away and get out of tune.
(d) The music teacher warned the children against getting carried away and getting out of tune.

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Kanishk of A-28 Aurobindo Marg, Delhi. You have to write a letter about
your concerns on the sale of alcohol to underage people.
25. Whom will you write the letter?
(a) Editor of a newspaper (b) Police Commissioner
(c) Chief Minister of Delhi (d) Owner of the liquor shop

26. What should come in place of sender’s address? Choose the most appropriate option.
(a) Aurobindo Marg, Delhi (b) A-28, Delhi
(c) A-28 Aurobindo Marg, Delhi (d) Delhi

27. Which of the following option should be selected as the opening line of the letter?
(1) Through the columns of your esteemed daily I would like to draw the attention of
the concerned authorities towards the problem of selling alcohol to underage
people.
(2) Through the columns of your esteemed daily I want the higher authorities to
impose a ban on sale of liquor to the underage people.
(a) Yes to option (2) because of the authoritative tone.
(b) Yes to option (1) because of the polite tone.
(c) No to option (1) because of requesting and informal tone
(d) No to option (2) because of firm tone

28. Elaborate your concerns by choosing the correct option.

(a) • Increased consumption of alcohol by underage people
• The sellers do not ask for age of proof
• The sellers get easily bribed
• Underage do not know when to stop once starts drinking
Negative consequences – uncontrolled behaviour, emotional and social problems, etc.

(b) • Underage do not know when to stop once starts drinking

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• Negative consequences – uncontrolled behaviour, emotional and social problems, etc.

(c) • Increased consumption of alcohol by underage people

• The sellers do not ask for age of proof
• The sellers get easily bribed

(d) • Increased consumption of alcohol by underage people

• Underage do not know when to stop once starts drinking
86 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

29. Complete the concluding line of the letter.

.............. towards stopping the sale of alcohol to the underage people.
(a) I want my letter is given an appropriate space in your newspaper.
(b) Give my letter an appropriate space in your newspaper.
(c) I shall be grateful if my letter is given an appropriate space in your newspaper.
(d) I shall be grateful if my letter helps.

30. Identify the complementary closing for the letter.

(a) Thanking you (b) Thanking you
Yours Sincerely Yours sincerely
XYZ Kanishk
(c) Yours lovingly (d) Thanking you
XYZ Kanishk

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because
I’ve never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither
I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year -old schoolgirl. Oh
well, it doesn’t matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all
kinds of things off my chest. ‘Paper has more patience than people.’ I thought of this
saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at
home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or
go out. I finally stayed where I was, brooding. (From the Diary of Anne Frank)

31. Why does the writer feel she had a greater need to get all kinds of things off her chest?
(a) She had no friends to confide in (b) She had no one to talk to
(c) She was all alone in this world (d) All of these

32. What does the line ‘Paper has more patience than people’ mean?
(a) One can write anything on paper (b) One can our one’s heart on paper
(c) Paper cannot be judgemental (d) Both (b) and (c)

33. Choose the option that shows the meaning of ‘brooding’ as it is used in the above extract.
(a) The Darian he remembered had never been hesitant like this man.
(b) She found him in the kitchen, thinking deeply over a cup of coffee.
(c) She had been careless and left the window unlocked.
(d) She was utterly confused about what had happened.
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34. Anne Frank was sitting ............ .

(a) at her father’s office building (b) at her home
(c) in a hiding in Amsterdam (d) at her friend’s home
35. Why was writing a diary strange experience for the speaker?
1. Because it was her first time writing a diary
2. Because she felt no one would be interested in musings of a 13-year old girl
(a) Only 1 is true (b) Both 1 and 2 are true
(c) Neither 1 nor 2 is true (d) Only 2 is true
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 87

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
Wanda didn’t have any friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She
always wore a faded blue dress that didn’t hang right. It was clean, but it looked as
though it had never been ironed properly. She didn’t have any friends, but a lot of girls
talked to her. Sometimes, they surrounded her in the school yard as she stood watching
the little girls play hopscotch on the worn hard ground. (The Hundred Dresses – I)

36. Why did girls surround Wanda in the schoolyard?

(a) To talk to her (b) To play with her
(c) To tease her (d) None of these

37. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Wanda did not have friends at school.
(2) Everybody in her class found her name funny.
(a) (1) is true and (2) is false
(b) (1) is the result of (2)
(c) (2) is true and (1) is false
(d) (2) contradicts (1)

38. Which two names did students of Room 13 find funny?

1. Thomas and Wanda 2. Wanda and Allen
3. Erik and Petronski 4. Wanda Petronski and Willie Bounce
(a) 2 and 3 (b) Only 3
(c) Only 4 (d) 1 and 2

39. How would you describe Wanda? Choose from the options given below.
(a) Shy, reserved, did not say anything
(b) Poor, Polish girl, mean, weak
(c) Smart, shy small
(d) Bold, bully, coolest girl of the class

40. What does the following line mean?

She didn’t have any friends, but a lot of girls talked to her.
(a) The girls talked to Wanda during classes only.
(b) The girls talked to Wanda because she brought them food.
(c) The girls talked to Wanda to take her help in studies.
(d) The girls talked to Wanda to tease her.

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
The way a crow
Shook down on me
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The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree (Dust of Snow)

41. Crow is considered to be a/ an ................. .

(a) bad omen (b) good omen
(c) evil (d) poison

42. Who is the writer of the above extract?

(a) Leslie Norris (b) Robert Frost
(c) John Berryman (d) Carolyn Wells
88 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

43. What is the symbolic meaning of the poem?

1. We should not regret for past 2. We should move on
3. We should think of crow
4. We should take notice of things happening around us
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 4 (c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 1, 3 and 4

44. Choose the statement that is True about the above extract.
(a) The rhyming scheme of the above extract is abab.
(b) A hemlock tress is a symbol of bad omen.
(c) Alliteration is used in the poem.
(d) All are true

45. Why is hemlock tree considered to be an ill omen?

(a) It is a poisonous tree. (b) It is found in cold places.
(c) It is a very tall tree. (d) It is said to be haunted by ghosts.

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
I was still a thief when I met Anil. And though only 15, I was an experienced and fairly
successful hand.
Anil was watching a wrestling match when I approached him. He was about 25 — a
tall, lean fellow — and he looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my purpose.
I hadn’t had much luck of late and thought I might be able to get into the young man’s
confidence.
“You look a bit of a wrestler yourself,” I said. A little flattery helps in making friends.
“So do you,” he replied, which put me off for a moment because at that time I was
rather thin.
“Well,” I said modestly, “I do wrestle a bit.”
“What’s your name?” (The Thief’s Story)

46. What does the line “I hadn’t had much luck of late” mean?
(a) The speaker did not have good luck in the past
(b) The speaker did not get a chance to steal recently
(c) The speaker is experiencing bad luck since sometime
(d) None of the above

47. Why did the speaker want to win Anil’s confidence?

(a) Anil was his ideal
(b) Anil was stupid enough to trust the speaker
(c) The speaker wanted to rob Anil
(d) The speaker was just flattering Anil
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48. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Anil was watching a wrestling match.
(2) Hari Singh took advantage and robbed Anil’s room.
(a) (1) is the result of (2) (b) (1) is the cause for (2)
(c) (1) contradicts (2) (d) (1) is true (2) is false.

49. “Anil looked easy-going, kind and simple enough for my purpose” - which of the given
characteristics describe Anil based on the above statement.
(a) Debonair (b) Trustful
(c) Fiddly (d) Ignorant
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 89

50. Choose the quote which expresses the meaning of the statement – “A little flattery
helps in making friends.”
(a) “Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.” – Joyce Brothers
(b) “I know imitation is the highest form of flattery, but stealing one’s identity is totally
different.” – AnnaLynne McCord
(c) “Flattery is like cologne water, to be smelt, not swallowed.” - Josh Billings
(d) “Nowadays flattery wins friends, truth hatred.” – Terence

IX. Attempt the following.

51. Which figure of speech is used in the following line
“From what I’ have tasted of desire I hold with those who favour five” is ............. .
Choose the correct option.
(a) Enjambment (b) Assonance
(c) Imagery (d) Personification

52. What did Tricki do when he see Mrs. Pumphrey after his ‘hospitalisation’?
1. He licked her face
2. He swarmed over her
3. Barked to show his excitement
(a) Only 1 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) All of these

53. Imagine yourself as the pilot of old Dakota. Suppose you get the chance to meet the
pilot of the black aeroplane who helped you in the storm, what would you say to him?
Complete the dialogue.
Hello, I’m the pilot of old Dakota you saved in the storm. ............... By the way what is
your name?
(a) Thank you for your help! I owe my life to you.
(b) Thanks!
(c) Oh sorry wrong person!
(d) None of the above

54. “An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy” – What is the meaning of the underlined
phrase?
(a) The boy is standing without any movement
(b) The boy is stick to his place
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

55. When Nelson Mandela says, “I was simply the sum of all those African patriots who
had gone before me” he means that ............... .
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(a) he is alone equivalent to those African patriots who had gone before him.
(b) he is the result of the sacrifices of all the African patriots who had gone before him.
(c) he is the most sacrificing person among all the African patriots who had gone before him.
(d) he is the one who motivated everyone to sacrifice their lives and families for the struggle
of freedom.
90 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

56. Match the following words used in poems from ‘First Flight’ with their symbolic
meanings.
List – I List – II
(Words) (Symbolic Meanings)
A. Hemlock tree 1. Regret
B. Fire 2. Bad omen
C. Ice 3. Personal losses
D. Ball 4. Desires
5. Hatred

Codes
A B C D A B C D
(a) 1 3 4 5 (b) 5 4 2 1
(c) 2 4 5 3 (d) 1 4 5 2

57. “A stranger of such uncommon appearance set all tongues wagging” – what is the
meaning of the underlined phrase in context of the story “Footprints without Feet”?
(a) People are talking a lot about something (b) People are wagging their tongues
(c) Dogs are wagging their tails (d) None of these

58. What is the irony in the story “A Letter to God”?

(a) Those who helped Lencho got the blame of stealing money.
(b) Those who stole got the appreciation of helping.
(c) God didn’t help Lencho.
(d) Lencho’s corn fields were destroyed by the hailstorm.

59. Which concrete cells are being talked about in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’?
(a) Prison (b) Cage in zoo
(c) Hunter’s trap in jungle (d) All of these

60. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) The young seagull was left alone on the ledge.
(2) His family flew off to other country.
(a) (1) is the result of (2) (b) (2) is true (1) is false
(c) (1) is true (2) is false (d) (1) contradicts (2)
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 OMR SHEET SP 3
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
92 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Answers
1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (b) 8. (d) 9. (c) 10. (b)
11. (a) 12. (b) 13. (c) 14. (b) 15. (d) 16. (c) 17. (a) 18. (b) 19. (b) 20. (c)
21. (a) 22. (d) 23. (a) 24. (d) 25. (a) 26. (c) 27. (b) 28. (a) 29. (c) 30. (b)
31. (a) 32. (d) 33. (b) 34. (c) 35. (b) 36. (c) 37. (b) 38. (c) 39. (a) 40. (d)
41. (a) 42. (b) 43. (c) 44. (d) 45. (a) 46. (b) 47. (c) 48. (d) 49. (b) 50. (d)
51. (a) 52. (d) 53. (a) 54. (a) 55. (b) 56. (c) 57. (a) 58. (a) 59. (b) 60. (c)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (c) According to the passage, man has
destroyed many things for his own selfish
interests. He has made many mistakes in his
use of land, clearing of the forest and killing of
many animals in the name of his survival.
2. (d) The justification given for the killing of
wolves and boars in Britain is that the former is
a predator of big livestock and the latter is a
pest to agriculture. And also, that man’s
attitude towards animals is resulted from how
they affect his survival or how beneficial they
prove to be.
3. (b) “you humans will do what you can but
can’t collectively help me out” is the correct
answer.
4. (a) According to the passage, man has been
killing predators because he thinks that they
are a danger to the birds used in sports.
5. (b) “The company has consistently underrated
the importance of a well-trained workforce.”
The underlined word ‘consistently’ means
non-stop which is same as unceasingly.
6. (d) According to the passage, killing of
predators has had no effect on the number of
game birds and conservation of wildlife refers
to the preserving of their heritage from the
damaging human activities. Hence, both the
statements are true.
7. (b) ‘Endangering’ means putting someone at
risk or in danger. ‘Preserving’ meaning
conserving or keeping something safe from
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9. (c) Quote by E.F. Schumacher - “Modern man
talks of a battle with nature, forgetting that, if
he won the battle, he would find himself on
the losing side.” correctly expresses the central
idea of the passage.
10. (b) ‘Man’ is the synecdoche word which
represents the whole mankind.
11. (a) According to the given passage, children’s
rights mentioned in the Convention on the
Rights of the Child include right to be
protected from harmful traditional practices.
12. (b) (2) is the result (1), i.e., when a girl is married
in her childhood, the child marriage may lead to
early pregnancy and social isolation.
13. (c) According to the data, Middle East and
North Africa have the lowest percentage of
women aged 20 to 24 married before the
age of 15.
14. (b) If the trend of child marriage continues at the
same pace, more than 150 million girls will be
married before the age of 18 by the year 2030.
15. (d) According to the given passage, the factors
that contribute to child marriage are poverty,
the perception that marriage provides
‘protection’, safeguarding the family honor,
social norms, customary or religious laws that
allow the practice. Hence, option (d) is the
correct answer.
16. (c) According to the passage, child marriage
places boys in an adult role for which they are
unprepared.

harm and injury, is opposite in meaning to

17. (a) There are 40% of child marriages in West
endangering.
and Central Africa.
8. (d) The line – “man wages war against the
18. (b) The line - “A girl’s risk of marrying in
creatures which he considers harmful” means
childhood has dropped by more than a third”
that humankind is the most selfish race on
refers that there is more than 1/3rd decrease in
earth.
child marriage among girls.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
19. (b) ‘Any’ is the correct answer. It is used after
the word ‘hardly’ to depict ‘nothing’ or
‘minimal’ of something.
20. (c) ‘Politics’ is a singular subject, so ‘is’ should
be used here.
21. (a) Since the given sentence is a request, ‘could’
should be used to start it and it takes the first
form of the verb (V1), i.e., ‘send’.
22. (d) ‘is leaving’ is the correct answer because
the event is fixed to happen on the next day.
23. (a) The correct indirect speech is – “The retired
IAS Officer confessed that when he was in
school, he used to skip a few classes.”
24. (d) The correct indirect speech is – “The music
teacher warned the children against getting
carried away and getting out of tune.”
25. (a) The letter will be written to the editor of a
newspaper.
26. (c) ‘A-28 Aurobindo Marg, Delhi´ will come in
place of sender’s address.
27. (b) Option (1) shows the better opening line
because of its polite tone.
28. (a) Option (a) shows the better elaboration of
concerns for the sale of alcohol to the underage
people.
29. (c) “I shall be grateful if my letter is given an
appropriate space in your newspaper” is the
correct expression for the concluding line.
30. (b) Option (b) shows the correct
complementary closing for the letter.
31. (a) The writer feels that she has a greater need
to get all kinds of things off her chest because
she didn’t have any friends to share her
feelings with.
32. (d) The line “Paper has more patience that
people” means that one can write anything on
a paper without being scared for the secret to
be disclosed and the paper won’t be
judgemental unlike people.
33. (b) ‘Brooding’ means to be engaged in deep
thought about something that makes a person
sad. Hence option (b) “She found him in the
kitchen, thinking deeply over a cup of coffee.”
is the correct answer.
34. (c) According to the chapter ‘From the Diary of
Anne Frank’, Anne was hiding in a house in
Amsterdam during the time she was writing
her diary.
93
35. (b) It was a strange experience to write a diary
for Anne because she was doing it for the first
time and she did not expect anyone to be
interested in musings of a 13-year old girl.
36. (c) According to the story, Peggy and her
friends used to surround Wanda in the
schoolyard and tease her about her clothes and
shoes.
37. (b) (1) is the result of (2), i.e., Wanda did not
have any friends at school because everyone
thought that her name was funny.
38. (c) Students of Room 13 found Wanda
Petronski’s and Willie Bounce’s name funny.
39. (a) According to the story Wanda is described
as a shy girl or reserved nature, who did not
speak much or say anything.
40. (d) The line – “She didn’t have any friends, but
a lot of girls talked to her” means that the girls
talked to Wanda to tease her.
41. (a) ‘Bad omen’ is appropriate to fill the blank
in the given sentence.
42. (b) The given extract is written by Robert
Frost.
43. (c) The poem suggests that we should not
overthink and regret the events of the past and
learn to move on from them. It also tells us that
we should be aware of things happening
around us no matter how minute.
44. (d) All the statements listed are true.
45. (a) Hemlock tree is considered to be an ill
omen because it is a poisonous tree.
46. (b) The line “I hadn’t had much luck of late”
means that the speaker, Hari Singh, hadn’t got
a chance to steal in the past few days.
47. (c) The speaker, Hari Singh wanted to win
Anil’s trust and confidence so that later he
could rob him.
48. (d) (1) is true (2) is false.
49. (b) “Anil looked easy-going, kind and simple
enough for my purpose” – shows that Anil was
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trustful.
50. (d) The quote by Terence - “Nowadays flattery
wins friends, truth hatred” expresses the
meaning of the statement – “A little flattery
helps in making friends.”
51. (a) The figure of speech is used in the line
“From what….favour fire” is enjambment.
94 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
52. (d) After getting better in the hospital, when
Tricki saw his owner Mrs. Pumphrey, he
became very happy and jumped and barked to
show his excitement. He also licked her face
and swarmed all over her.
53. (a) The correct answer is “Thank you for your
help! I owe my life to you”, as the life of the
pilot of Dakota was saved by the pilot of black
aeroplane.
54. (a) The underlined phrase means that the boy
is standing without any movement.
55. (b) When Nelson Mandela says, “I was simply
the sum of all those African patriots who had
gone before me” he means that he (as the first
Black President) is the result of the sacrifices of
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all the African patriots who had gone before
him.
56. (c) ‘2453’ is the correct matching sequence.
Hemlock tree: Bad omen; Fire: Desires; Ice;
Hatred; Ball: Personal losses.
57. (a) The phrase ‘set all tongues wagging’ refers
to when people talk a lot about something.
58. (a) The irony in the story ‘A Letter to God’ is
that those who helped Lencho got the blame of
stealing money.
59. (b) According to the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’,
the tiger has been caged in a zoo. The poet
refers to the cage as ‘concrete cells’.
60. (c) (1) is true (2) is false. The young seagull’s
family was on the opposite cliff.
95
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 4
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. What is intelligence? And how can one be intelligent all the time? One has to
understand the basic fact that intelligence and intellect are at two opposite poles. A
person who is an intellectual would have all the knowledge of the world but won’t
know how to give it shape. Knowledge burdens the individual if he does not have
the intelligence to express it.
II. Intelligence is an integral part of the individual which finds fulfilment in
expression. An intellectual who is burdened by excessive knowledge can never
flow with intelligence. Intelligence demands that an individual be sensitive of his
acts, thoughts and emotions. It also demands that the individual be inquisitive
about the working of life and of one’s own mind.
III. Intelligence implies that the individual be supple and flow along with life’s source,
so as to be one with the sublime realities of love, bliss and peace. Intelligence is the
basic knowledge of life which is transformed into knowing.
IV. The transformation process between knowledge and knowing requires the
individual to be inquisitive, sensitive and observant. To do all this, the individual
has to be in the present. This being in the present brings the individual back to
harmony. Only meditation helps the individual to be in the present moment. He
can then observe his own thoughts and actions.
V. Once he is able to observe his own thoughts and actions, he can see his repressions,
motivations and prejudices. This sets into motion the wheel of intelligence, which
dispels ignorance behind thoughts, actions and emotions.
96 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

VI. Intelligence strengthens the integration and harmony of the individual. Strength to
act intelligently according to the situation helps in obliterating thought processes
which perpetuate fear, remorse and conflict within.
VII. This conscious understanding of one’s fear, remorse and conflict opens the doors of
intelligence so that we can first understand and then transcend them. Otherwise,
we remain in a state of ignorance. The art of understanding is what suffuses us
with wisdom.
VIII. And the art of understanding oneself provides strength. The art of being wise and
strong is intelligence. Without this basic intelligence, an individual is tapped
within himself manifesting inner conflicts, hatred and ignorance in the external
world.
IX. Meditation also helps a person understand what others are trapped in. Once they
handle the situation, the doors of intelligence and compassion are further opened.
Without basic understanding about oneself, compassion can never flower. Without
compassion, all intelligence is ignorance.
X. Meditation, therefore, provides the necessary strength to surrender to oneself and
be with oneself. And this being with oneself without remorse, guilt or fear makes
one intelligent and capable of acting rightly.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. How does being intelligent help an individual?
Being intelligent helps an individual
(a) To strengthen oneself.
(b) To be in harmony with himself and with the world around.
(c) To act according to the situation.
(d) All of the above

2. Bring out the difference between intellect and intelligence.

1. Intellect is the knowledge one possesses.
2. An intellectual has the entire knowledge of the world but the ability to apply this
knowledge is intelligence.
(a) Only 1 is true (b) Only 2 is true
(c) Both 1 and 2 are true (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is true

3. How can intelligence become ignorance?

(a) When an individual is not able to handle situations.
(b) When one lacks compassion and understanding of oneself.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
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4. Which of the following corresponds with writer’s definition of intellect and intelligence?
(a) Intelligence is knowing that stealing is immoral and intellect is not doing it.
(b) Intellect is knowing that stealing is immoral and intelligence is not doing it.
(c) Both intellect and intelligence are knowing that stealing is immoral.
(d) Intellect and intelligence are interchangable which mean that we should not steal.

5. According to the passage, the strength required to surrender to oneself and be with
oneself can be attained through ................. .
(a) meditation (b) ignorance
(c) intelligence (d) intellect
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 97

6. Mention traits of intelligent people.

1. Intelligent people are sensitive to their acts, thoughts, emotions and surroundings.
2. They not only understand their own emotions but are sensitive to others’ feelings
as well.
3. Intelligent people have a conscious understanding of one’s fear, remorse and
conflict.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3

7. Choose the quote that best expresses the central idea of the passage.
(a) The intellect is like a knife – the sharper, the better. As long as you know how to handle
it.
(b) Intelligence is in the head, not in the age.
(c) The higher the voice the smaller the intellect.
(d) Knowledge is having the right answer, intelligence is asking the right question.

8. The line – “To be inquisitive, sensitive and observant, the individual has to be in the
present” means that
(a) the individual should live in the present moment.
(b) the individual should think about his/ her present career.
(c) the individual should be in present moment thinking about his/ her future.
(d) the individual should be in the present moment thinking about his/ her past.

9. Given below are three sentence with a blank in each of them. Choose the word from
para VIII that can fill all three blanks.
1. I believe that only once in his life was he betrayed into .............. a strong emotion.
2. Earth represents the solid state of matter, .............. stability, permanence and rigidity.
3. The younger members outdid the elder in .............. their belief.
(a) conflicts (b) manifesting
(c) hatred (d) ignorance

10. What do you call a person having all the knowledge of the world?
(a) Agnostic (b) Omniscient
(c) Astronomer (d) Pantomath

II. Read the passage given below.

I. The crime of human trafficking is complex and dynamic, taking place in a wide
variety of contexts and difficult to detect. One of the greatest challenges in
developing targeted counter-trafficking responses and measuring their impact is
the lack of reliable, high-quality data related to the scale of human trafficking and
the profile of victims.
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II. The need for improved international response to human trafficking and
commitment to its eradication is illustrated by its prominent inclusion in the
targets of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the
Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).
III. Since, the early 2000s, the proportion of identified cases of trafficking for sexual
exploitation has in general declined, while the share of identified cases of
trafficking for forced labour has generally increased, as identification of such cases
has improved. However, there are regional differences in the rates of both
trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced labour. For example, data from
UNODC and CTDC show that trafficking for forced labour has a higher rate in
98 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Africa and the Middle East than trafficking for sexual exploitation, while the
opposite is true for regions such as Europe and Northern America. This is partly
reflected in the CTDC data, where an increase of available case data from Northern
America from 2015 onwards increased the proportion of victims trafficked for
sexual exploitation in the dataset.
IV. A large proportion of victims identified are female, as human trafficking had
previously tended to be seen as a crime which affects mostly females who are
trafficked for sexual exploitation. Over time, a higher percentage of men have been
identified as it has been acknowledged that men can also be vulnerable to many
forms of human trafficking, including sexual exploitation, and the identification of
such cases has improved. The proportion of children relative to adults for males
and females is about the same.
V. CTDC data also show differences in the routes undertaken by victims of
trafficking. Nearly 80 per cent of international human trafficking journeys cross
through official border control points, such as airports and land border control
points. Victims of labour exploitation are more likely to be trafficked through
official border control points, while victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation
account for more cases crossing borders via locations that don’t have official border
control points. This includes irregular routes, such as those across the sea or
cross-country. Children are also more likely than adults to be trafficked via routes
that don’t have official border control points.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. What do you understand by the term Human Trafficking?
(a) The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of
the threat or use of force for the purpose of exploitation.
(b) The migration of humans including children and women in large numbers from place to
another in order to find better living opportunities.
(c) The forced relocation of people from a locality or community for selfish reasons and
forcing them to stay in unsanitary conditions with negligible spaces.
(d) None of the above

12. What trend of trafficking is seen since 2000s?

1. Decline in trafficking for sexual exploitation.
2. Decline in trafficking for forced labour.
3. Increase in trafficking for forced labour.
4. Increase in trafficking for sexual exploitation.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
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13. People who are trafficked suffer from .............. and rarely have access to an education
or to health care.
(a) Physical abuse (b) Emotional abuse
(c) Sexual abuse (d) All of these

14. Who among the following is more prone to be trafficked?

(a) Adult males and females
(b) Children both boys and girls
(c) Only females – both adult and young
(d) Both (a) and (b)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 99

15. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Child trafficking may result in forced marriages, begging, sexual exploitation and
domestic labour.
(2) Human trafficking for sexual exploitation is increasing.
(a) (1) furthers the meaning of (2) (b) (1) contradicts (2)
(c) (2) is the cause for (1) (d) Both (1) and (2) are true but unrelated

16. Victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation account for more cases crossing borders via
(a) Official border control points.
(b) Locations that don’t have official border control points.
(c) Airports and land border control points.
(d) All of the above

17. Which of the following organisations target to improve the respond to human
trafficking as mentioned in the above passage?
(a) United Nations (UN)
(b) Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) The Red Cross Society

18. What does the author want to say with the following line?
Over the time, there is an increase in trafficking men for various exploitations.
(a) No females are trafficked now; only men are being trafficked.
(b) Cases of female trafficking are on a decline while cases of male trafficking are increasing.
(c) Cases of female trafficking are as it is while identification of cases of male trafficking has
improved.
(d) Cases of male trafficking are higher than that of females.

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. ............... people went to welcome the Indian Cricket team.
(a) A little (b) Many
(c) Fewer (d) Much

20. I ............... late on Saturdays for the last 2 months.

(a) have been sleeping (b) am sleeping
(c) have slept (d) had been sleeping
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21. Which of the following is the correct indirect speech of the given sentence?
The student said to the teacher, “I am sorry that I am late.”
(a) The student said to the teacher that I was sorry that he was late.
(b) The student told the teacher that I am sorry that I am late.
(c) The student told the teacher that he was sorry that he was late.
(d) The student asked the teacher whether he was sorry that he was late.
22. What ............... the council decided about the water problem?
(a) has (b) have
(c) was (d) are
100 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

23. Which of the following is the correct indirect speech of the given sentence?
My mother said, “Will you come home on time?” And I said, “Yes.”
(a) My mother asked me if I would come home on time and I replied that I would.
(b) My mother told me if I would come home on time and I said to her that I would.
(c) My mother asked me will I come home on time and I said I will.
(d) My mother asked me if I will come home on time and I replied that I will.

24. You ............... forget to wear your helmet while riding your motorbike.
(a) ought not (b) need not
(c) can (d) must not

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You have to write a complaint letter to the General Manager, Complete Printing Supplies,
Nagpur for an incomplete order of HP Laserjet Printers.

25. Arrange the format of the complaint letter.

1. Receiver’s address 2. Subject
3. Sender’s address 4. Content
5. Salutation 6. Complementary closing
(a) 312546 (b) 625134
(c) 251436 (d) 165423

26. Choose the correct subject for the letter.

(a) Incomplete delivery of HP Laserjet printers
(b) Incomplete delivery
(c) Delivery of HP Laserjet printers
(d) HP Laserjet printers

27. Which of the following details are required for the letter?
1. Model no. 2. Contact details of HP
3. Date of order 4. Copy of the agreement
5. Transaction code
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 5
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5 (d) 2 and 3

28. Complete the elaboration of the problems for the complaint letter.
I want to call your attention to your first delivery of HP Laserjet printers set on 8
October 20XX under the transaction code 1234567. (i) ............... that only 1750 units
were delivered on the said day as stated in the delivery form and checked by our staff.
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As per our contract, a total of 2000 units were supposed (ii) ............... on the first
delivery date. (iii) ............... you that your company was not able to follow the said
agreement. The incomplete delivery has already caused some delay in our projects. As
such, I request that you immediately act on the problem and deliver us the lacking
units together with the second delivery by October 15, 20XX.
(a) (i) Our staff show, (ii) to be delivering, (iii) I am happy to inform
(b) (i) Our records show, (ii) to be delivered, (iii) I regret to inform
(c) (i) Your records show, (ii) to get delivery, (iii) I am contended to inform
(d) (i) Your bill show, (ii) to be delivers, (iii) I don’t want to inform
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 101

29. Choose the correct concluding line for the letter.

(a) I want my order as soon as possible.
(b) Send my order as soon as possible or I will take a legal path.
(c) I hope there will be no more delay from your side. I am looking forward to my order.
Please send it as soon as possible.
(d) I hope there will be no more drawbacks in fulfilling the orders. I look forward to your
full cooperation. I have also enclosed the copy of the agreement.

30. Choose the correct complementary closing for the letter.

(a) Yours faithfully (b) Yours sincerely
Shaheen ABC
(c) Yours lovingly (d) Yours truly
XYZ (your name)

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
But the decades of oppression and brutality had another, unintended, effect and that
was that it produced the Oliver Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, the
Yusuf Dadoos, the Bram Fischers, the Robert Sobukwes of our time — men of such
extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity that their like may never be known
again. Perhaps it requires such depths of oppression to create such heights of character.
My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always
known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds.
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

31. The phrase ‘their like may never be known again’ means .............. .
(a) There will not be those great heroes again.
(b) No one can be as great as those heroes.
(c) Such great heroes are born once.
(d) All of these

32. What effects did Apartheid have on the people of South Africa?
(a) The people were deeply hurt and had a traumatic experience for lifetime by the practice
of Apartheid.
(b) It created many rebels and freedom fighters.
(c) All the Blacks came together to fight for their freedom.
(d) All of the above
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33. What kind of brutality do you think happened during the Apartheid if you correspond
it with that of Pre-independent India?
1. Mass killing of protesters and innocents.
2. Non-provision of basic fundamental rights.
3. Foreceful relocation from native land.
4. Communal disputes.
5. Inhumane living conditions.
(a) 2, 3 and 5 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
102 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

34. Why did Mandela call those freedom fighters ‘men of such extraordinary courage,
wisdom and generosity’?
(a) Because of these qualities they helped in freedom struggle.
(b) Their struggle and courage started the flame of protest in others as well.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

35. Given below are three sentences which have to be filled with the same word. Select the
correct option.
(1) He had a native abhorrence of cruelty, of injustice, of disorder, of ............ , of
tyranny and all these things in all their degrees marked Hastings’s course in India.
(2) There was ............ neither on the one hand nor servility on the other to explain this
abandonment of their traditions.
(3) The idea that to be at home looking after children is some kind of ............ is quite
freakish.
(a) Oppression (b) Generosity
(c) Wisdom (d) Courage

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
When she finished her arithmetic she did start a note to Peggy. Suddenly she paused
and shuddered. She pictured herself in the school yard, a new target for Peggy and the
girls. Peggy might ask her where she got the dress that she had on, and Maddie would
have to say it was one of Peggy’s old ones that Maddie’s mother had tried to disguise
new trimmings so no one in Room Thirteen would recognise it. If only Peggy would
decide of her own accord to stop having fun with Wanda. Oh, well! Maddie ran her
hand through her short blonde hair as though to push the uncomfortable thoughts
away. (The Hundred Dresses – I)

36. What did Maddie write in her note to Peggy?

(a) “Hey, Peg, let’s increase asking Wanda how many dresses she has.”
(b) “Hey, Peg, let’s stop asking Wanda how many dresses she has.”
(c) “Hey, Peg, let’s start asking Wanda how many shoes she has.”
(d) “Hey, Peg, let’s make fun of Wanda’s dress that she wears to school every day.”

37. How did Maddie convince herself that Peggy was doing nothing wrong?
(a) Peggy protected small children from bullies.
(b) Peggy could not do anything wrong.
(c) Peggy could not bear cruelty against animals.
(d) All of the above

38. Why did Maddie used to wear Peggy’s old clothes?

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(a) Because she was Peggy’s best friend.

(b) Because her mother was Peggy’s mother’s best friend.
(c) Because she could not afford new ones.
(d) Both (a) and (c)

39. Which of the following option can describe Maddie in the above extract?
(a) Angry
(b) Scared
(c) Refreshed
(d) Confused
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 103

40. Choose the option which depicts the phrase ‘picture oneself’.
(a) She avoided looking down, afraid to imagine just how deep the waters were.
(b) I looked all around, but I could see nobody there.
(c) I’m not sure he can help me, but I would really like to speak to him.
(d) He is leaving home to study at a top university.

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. (Fire and Ice)

41. Why does the poet say ice would suffice for destruction of world?
(a) Ice is compared to hatred (b) Hatred is a self-destructing emotion
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of these

42. ‘It’ in the above extract refers to ............ .

(a) poet (b) world
(c) feelings (d) All of these

43. Choose the option that does not mean the same as the word ‘perish’.
(a) Die (b) Fall
(c) Expire (d) Endure

44. The rhyming scheme of the above extract is ............ .

(a) abab (b) abcb
(c) abcd (d) No rhyming scheme present

45. Pick the correct response for the following statement given by the student.
“I think one should not hate anyone in this world.”
(a) Hate is a learned feeling.
(b) Hate is a feeling which leads to self-destruction.
(c) Hatred leads to faltered relationships.
(d) Hatred is capable of destroying the world.

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
The entire staff was roused and maids rushed in and out bringing his day bed, his
night bed, favourite cushions, toys and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch bowl,
supper bowl. Realising that my car would never hold all the stuff, I started to drive
away. As I moved off, Mrs. Pumphrey, with a despairing cry, threw an armful of the
little coats through the window. I looked in the mirror before I turned the corner of the
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drive; everybody was in tears. Out on the road, I glanced down at the pathetic little
animal gasping on the seat by my side. I patted the head and he made a brave effort to
wag his tail. “Poor old lad,” I said. “You haven’t a kick in you but I think I know a cure
for you.” (A Triumph of Surgery)

46. The pathetic animal being talked about in the extract above is ............ .
(a) Mrs. Pumphrey’s pet hamster (b) Mrs. Pumphrey’s pet kitten
(c) Mrs. Pumphrey’s pet cat (d) Mrs. Pumphrey’s pet dog
104 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

47. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Everyone was rushing around to bring out the animal’s favourite things.
(2) The animal was going to be hospitalised for a fortnight.
(a) (1) is true (2) is false (b) (2) is the cause for (1)
(c) (2) is the result of (1)
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract

48. Select the options listing Mrs. Pumphrey’s characteristics as revealed in the extract.
1. Extravagant 2. Indifferent
3. Over concerned 4. Arrogant
5. Indulgent
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 5 (c) 1, 3 and 5 (d) 2 and 4

49. What does the phrase ‘you haven’t a kick in you’ mean in the context of the above extract?
(a) Barely some days left to live (b) Barely healthy
(c) Barely any vigour or life left in him (d) All of these

50. How was the speaker feeling on seeing the animal?

(a) Pity (b) Angry (c) Hatred (d) Queasy

IX. Attempt the following.

51. Which of the following quote can be related to the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’?
(a) Love for freedom is the natural instinct of every living being.
(b) For to be free is to live in a way that enhances the freedom of others.
(c) The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are
treated.
(d) Animals are born who they are,, accept it, and that is that. They live with greater peace
than people do.

52. Why is Griffin called a brilliant scientist?

(a) Because he invented how to become invisible.
(b) Because he invented many things for human benefit.
(c) Because he kept on researching on useful things.
(d) None of the above

53. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) The author was flying his Dakota from England to France.
(2) He wanted to be with his family.
(a) Both (1) and (2) are true and (2) is the correct explanation of (1).
(b) Both (1) and (2) are true, but (2) is not the correct explanation of (1).
(c) (1) is true, but (2) is false.
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(d) (1) is false, but (2) is true.

54. What all things Maddie want to say to Wanda when she heard the letter sent by
Wanda’s father?
1. They were sorry they had picked on her.
2. How wonderful the whole school thought she was!
3. “Please, don’t move away and everybody would be nice.”
4. She and Peggy would fight anybody who was not nice to her.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) All of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 105

55. What has changed the mood of the poet?

(a) A crow (b) A hemlock tree
(c) Dust of snow (d) None of these

56. Rearrange the events of the story ‘Letter to God’ in chronological order.
1. Lencho’s letter was answered.
2. A hailstorm came and destroyed Lencho’s fields.
3. Lencho wrote a letter to God.
4. Lencho and his family were having dinner.
5. Lencho again wrote a letter to God.
(a) 52413 (b) 42315
(c) 34251 (d) 15243

57. Why did Hari Singh go back to Anil after stealing his money?
(a) Because he wanted to read and write.
(b) He could not break Anil’s trust.
(c) He wanted to be big and respected man in the society.
(d) All of the above

58. It is useless to say that there other balls because ............ .

(a) the boy cannot buy a new ball.
(b) the memories attached with that ball cannot be bought.
(c) a new ball is very experience.
(d) All of the above

59. The purpose of young seagull’s mother for bringing a piece of fish near him was to
............ .
(a) push him to fly out of hunger (b) tease him
(c) feeding him his favourite food (d) None of these

60. Who said the following line?

“This is a photo as I would wish myself to look all the time. Then I would, maybe, have
a chance to come to Hollywood.”
(a) Wanda (b) Peggy
(c) Anne Frank (d) Margot Frank
SAMPLE PAPER 4
 OMR SHEET SP 4
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 107

Answers
1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (b)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (d) 14. (d) 15. (d) 16. (b) 17. (c) 18. (c) 19. (b) 20. (a)
21. (c) 22. (a) 23. (a) 24. (d) 25. (a) 26. (a) 27. (c) 28. (b) 29. (d) 30. (b)
31. (d) 32. (d) 33. (c) 34. (c) 35. (a) 36. (b) 37. (d) 38. (c) 39. (d) 40. (a)
41. (c) 42. (b) 43. (d) 44. (a) 45. (d) 46. (d) 47. (b) 48. (c) 49. (c) 50. (a)
51. (a) 52. (a) 53. (d) 54. (d) 55. (c) 56. (b) 57. (d) 58. (b) 59. (a) 60. (c)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (d) Being intelligent helps an individual to
strengthen oneself, to be in harmony with
himself and with the world around and to act
according to the situation.
2. (c) According to the passage, intellect can be
defined as knowledge that a person possesses.
This knowledge can only be given shape
through intelligence, without intelligence the
intellectual would feel burdened. Hence, both
the statements listed as 1 and 2 are correct.
3. (c) The passage suggests that intelligence can
become ignorance when a person lacks
compassion for others and understanding of
oneself. In addition, when a person is unable to
handle tough situations, it can be said that
he/she has become ignorant.
4. (b) According to the writer, intellect is the
knowledge and intelligence is the ability to
express it. Thus, option (b) correctly
corresponds with this definition.
5. (a) According to the passage, the strength
required to surrender to oneself and be with
oneself can be attained through meditation.
6. (b) According to the passage, intelligent people
are sensitive in their actions, thought process
and emotions. Their sensitivity is not limited
to themselves as it is also extended to the
feelings of other people.
7. (d) The quote – “Knowledge is having the right
answer, intelligence is asking the right
question.” best expresses the central idea of the
11. (a) The term ‘human trafficking’ refers to the
transportation, recruitment and harbouring of
people by threatening them or using violent
force with them to use them for exploitation.
12. (c) According to the passage, there has been a
decline in trafficking for sexual exploitation
while simultaneous increase in trafficking for
forced labour since 2000s.
13. (d) According to the passage, people who are
trafficked suffer physical, emotional and
sexual abuse and are exploited and ill-treated.
They are also devoid of access to education or
even health care.
14. (d) The passage suggests that regardless of
gender or age, the proportion of people
subjected to human trafficking is nearly same,
i.e., adults are as prone to being trafficked as
children.
15. (d) Both (1) and (2) are true but are unrelated
to each other.
16. (b) According to the passage, the traffickers
transport the victims of trafficking for sexual
exploitation through locations that don’t have
official border control points.
17. (c) According to the passage, the United
Nations (UN) and the Global Compact for
Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)
target to improve the respond to human
trafficking and commit to eradicating it
completely.
18. (c) From the given line, the author wants to say
SAMPLE PAPER 4

passage. that cases of female trafficking are as it is while

8. (a) The line – “To be inquisitive, sensitive and
observant, the individual has to be in the
present” means that the individual should live
in the present moment.
9. (b) ‘Manifetsing’ is the correct answer which
can be filled in all the three blanks.
10. (b) Omniscient is a person having all the
knowledge of the world.
identification of cases of male trafficking has
improved.
19. (b) ‘Many’ is the correct answer which is used
with ‘people’.
20. (a) ‘Have been sleeping’ is the correct answer
because the action that started in the past (2
months ago) is still continuing in the present.
108 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
21. (c) The correct indirect speech is – “The
student told the teacher that he was sorry that
he was late.”
22. (a) ‘Has’ is the correct answer here because
‘council (of members)’ is used as a singular
subject here.
23. (a) The correct indirect speech is – “My mother
asked me if I would come home on time and I
replied that I would.”
24. (d) ‘Must not’ is appropriate here because it
shows obligation to do something.
25. (a) 312546 is the correct sequence.
26. (a) The correct subject is: Incomplete delivery
of HP Laserjet printers.
27. (c) Following details are required for the letter:
• Model no.
• Date of order
• Copy of the agreement
• Transaction code
28. (b) “Our records show, to be delivered, I regret
to inform” is the correct answer.
29. (d) ‘I hope there will be no more drawbacks in
fulfilling the orders. I look forward to your full
cooperation. I have also enclosed the copy of
the agreement.’ is the suitable option.
30. (b) Option (b) is the correct complementary
closing for the letter.
31. (d) The phrase ‘their like may never be known
again’ means that such heroes cannot and will
not be equaled ever again.
32. (d) According to the story, the policy of
Apartheid left a lasting effect on the people of
South Africa by hurting them and traumatising
them. It also led to creation of many freedom
fighters and revolutions and brought all the
Blacks together to fight the oppression.
33. (c) Mass killing of protestors and innocent
people, stripping people of their fundamental
rights and forcing their relocation are few of
the brutalities that happened during the
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Apartheid. Additionally, it gave rise to
communal disputes and inhumane living
conditions.
34. (c) According to the extract, Mandela called the
freedom fighters men of extraordinary courage
because not only did their qualities of courage,
wisdom and generosity help in the freedom
struggle but it also inspired to join the protest
and fight alongside.
35. (a) ‘Oppression’ means prolonged cruel or
unjust treatment or exercise of authority. It is
the only option that can fill all the three gaps.
36. (b) According to the story, Maddie wanted
Peggy to stop targeting Wanda and teasing her
about her clothes. Hence, option (b) shows
correctly what Maddie had written in note to
Peggy.
37. (d) To convince herself that Peggy was doing
nothing wrong, Maddie focused on some good
qualities of Peggy like protecting small
children from bullies, she could not do
anything wrong and didn’t bear cruelty
against animals.
38. (c) Maddie used to wear Peggy’s old clothes
because she wasn’t as rich and couldn’t afford
new clothes.
39. (d) Maddie was confused about what to do
and how to stop Peggy from teasing Wanda.
40. (a) Otpion (a), “She avoided looking down,
afraid to imagine just how deep the waters
were.” depicts the phrase ‘picture oneself’.
41. (c) The poet compares ice to hatred, which is a
self-destructing emotion and hence, says that
the world would be destructed by ice.
42. (b) In the first line, ‘it’ refers to the World.
43. (d) ‘Perish’ means to die or fall, especially
suddenly. ‘Endure’ means to suffer patiently.
Hence, ‘endure’ doesn’t correspond to perish.
44. (a) The rhyming scheme of the given extract is
abab.
45. (d) The correct response for the given
statement is that hatred can destroy the world
by destroying people.
46. (d) According to the story, the pathetic
animal is Tricki, which is Mrs. Pumphrey’s pet
dog.
47. (b) (2) is the cause for (1), i.e., Everyone in Mrs.
Pumphrey’s household was rushing to bring
Tricki’s favourite things because he was going
to be hospitalized for a fortnight.
48. (c) The extract suggests that Mrs. Pumphrey
was extravagant, indulgent and over
concerned.
49. (c) The phrase ‘you haven’t a kick in you’
means to not have any spirit or life or vigour in
you.
50. (a) The speaker was feeling pity on seeing the
animal.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
51. (a) Through the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the
poet wants to convey that everyone, humans
and animals, want to live in their natural
habitat and in freedom. He wants to tell the
readers that nobody likes to be caged and
everyone enjoys freedom equally. Hence,
option (a) “Love for freedom is the natural
instinct of every living being” is the correct
answer.
52. (a) Griffin is called a brilliant scientist because
he invented how to become invisible.
53. (d) (1) is false, but (2) is true. The author
was flying his Dakota from France to
England.
54. (d) After having heard the letter from
Wanda’s father, Maddie wanted to apologise
to Wanda for how they treated her and tell
her that everyone at school thought that
she was wonderful. She wanted to ask
Wanda not move away and tell her that they
would fight anybody who would be mean to
her.
55. (c) Dust of snow changed the mood of the
poet.
109
56. (b) ‘42315’ is the correct order of events in the
story ‘A Letter to God’. The story begins with
Lencho and his family having dinner. That
night his crops were destroyed by a hailstorm,
owing to which Lencho writes a letter to God
asking for help. That letter is answered by the
postmaster and in reply, Lencho writes to God
again saying the people at the post office took
some of the money God sent.
57. (d) Hari Singh went back to Anil because he
didn’t want to break his trust. He also
remembered how Anil had taught him to read
and write and how it can help him become a
respected man in the society and thus, earn
much more than he is stealing.
58. (b) It is useless to say that there other balls
because the memories attached with that ball
cannot be bought.
59. (a) The purpose of young seagull’s mother for
bringing a piece of fish near him was to push
him to fly out of hunger.
60. (c) Anne Frank said the following line – “This
is a photo as I would wish myself to look all
the time. Then I would, maybe, have a chance
to come to Hollywood.”
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110
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 5
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. The painstaking memorisation of mathematical tables, historical dates, capitals of
countries and even poems leaves an indelible mark on every adult who has
attended school. However, all educators deprecate this rote system learning by
orally reciting and consigning lessons to memory as mindless and mechanical,
which goes against critical thinking and creativity. But is this dichotomy between
creativity and rote learning part of a lazy binary thinking?
II. We often hear about people who can repeat the entire telephone directory or
memorise the entire dictionary. Indians have a history of highly developed systems
of memorisation, perfected through centuries of Vedic learning. From a typically
Western perspective, the permanency of the written word has been pitted against
the ‘unconscious operation of memory’ of oral cultures and held to be more reliable
in cultural transmission. However, refuting this thesis, Fritz Stall, an Indie scholar
observes that the oral tradition in India is remarkable, “because it has led to
scientific discoveries that are of enduring interest”. Of course, this mugging up
can be aural (i.e., chanting aloud) or visual—mentally storing images in a visual
map.
III. The advantages of rote memorisation—like it expands areas of the mind to great
possibilities—are now becoming evident to the world. Various accounts from
ancient India, including those from travellers like I-tsing, point to the fool-proof
system of oral memorisation and the capacity to absorb volumes of data.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 111

IV. A parallel dimension of transmission of knowledge also existed in India, with a

flexible mode of oral communication through which knowledge was disseminated.
One instance is the narrative-performative tradition of recitation, which extended
basic story through interpolations, conscious extensions and embedding of
sub-narratives. Many Indian myths, legends, epics and fables such as
Kathasaritsagara and Jataka stories were spread though this process. While the
story remains the same, the interpretation changes according to who says it, where
it is said and how it is said. While communicating mathematics, philosophy and
other scientific disciplines, cryptic text forms were created, that facilitated
memorisation.
V. A related question pertains to cognition—how can we transmit principles using
memorisation as a creative tool rather than as a mechanical process of repetition?
Bhaskara’s Lilavati, the seminal 12th Century illustrates how memorisation and
creativity go together.
VI. The fact that Bhaskara’s methods still figure in Indian pedagogic consciousness was
recently brought home in a news report on the Ramanujan School of Mathematics
in Patna, which trains youngsters from poor families to clear the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) entrance test. This year, all the 30 students of the school got
through IITs. Anand Kumar, the school’s founder, called it the “sheer power of
practice to break the so-called IIT code” and a student attributed the success to his
teacher’s ability to teach differential calculus through a “thrilling story of a daring
robber”.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. All educators condemn rote learning by
(a) Making it a feat of memory.
(b) Making it a critical learning.
(c) Making it a creative and analytical learning.
(d) Reducing it to oral recitation and a mechanical reading.

2. What does Indians have a history of?

(a) Highly developed systems of memorisation.
(b) Underdeveloped systems of memorisation.
(c) Highly developed systems of rote learning.
(d) Underdeveloped systems of rote learning.

3. Why do you think the oral tradition in India is called remarkable?

1. It has helped to preserve Vedic learning.
2. Some of the old texts are still available.
3. It has led to scientific discoveries of enduring interest.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2 (c) 2 and 3 (d) Only 3
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4. What is the advantage of rote learning?

(a) It promotes learning without understanding.
(b) It does not add pressure to the mental faculties.
(c) Mugging up can be aural as well as visual.
(d) It expands areas of the mind to greater possibilities.

5. Cryptic texts were created for mathematics, philosophy, etc. because

(a) these are very simple (b) these are easy to remember
(c) these are short and easy (d) they are easy to interpret
112 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

6. Choose the option which uses the word ‘refute’ as it is used in the above.
(a) It was one thing to tell herself everything was resolved, but quite another to thoroughly
refute something she had always considered wrong.
(b) She wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep, but she need to refute what her
instincts told her before she acted.
(c) Gabriel’s biggest mistake was not forcing you to refute your new world from the start.
(d) No serious observer, acquainted with modern microscopic technical methods, has been
able to refute the explanation of their observations.

7. Which of the following is an example of oral transmission of knowledge?

(a) Spread of Kathasaritsagara and Jataka stories.
(b) Teaching of differential calculus.
(c) Memorisation of Mathematical tables, historical dates, capitals of countries and poems.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

8. Anand Kumar’s method is able to prove that .............. .

(a) Memorisation can be used as a creative tool rather than a mechanical process.
(b) Visual maps can be formed through oral learning.
(c) Various interesting discoveries can be made through the process of memorisation.
(d) All of the above

9. Choose the option that displays the gist of the above passage.
(a) “All genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves the use of the mind, not just the
memory. It is a process of discovery, in which the student is the main agent, not the
teacher.” - Mortimer Adler
(b) “Many think of memory as rote learning, a linear stuffing of the brain with the facts,
where understanding is irrelevant. When you teach it properly, with imagination and
association, understanding becomes a part of it.” – Tony Buzan
(c) “Your brain has a capacity for learning that is virtually limitless, which makes every
human a potential genius.” - Michael J. Gelb
(d) “The human brain had a vast memory storage. It made us curious and very creative.
Those were the characteristics that gave us an advantage - curiosity, creativity and
memory. And that brain did something very special. It invented an idea called ‘the
future’.” - David Suzuki

10. Which of the following shows an example of ‘unconscious operation of memory’?

(a) Memorisation of historical dates and events.

(b) Children imitating their parents’ behaviour and actions.

(c) Reaction of brain to a burn or a prick.

SAMPLE PAPER 5

(d) Transmission of stories from one generation to other.

II. Read the passage given below.

I. Depression is a common mental disorder affecting more than 264 million people
worldwide. It is characterised by persistent sadness and a lack of interest or
pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. It can also disturb sleep
and appetite; tiredness and poor concentration are common. Depression is a
leading cause of disability around the world and contributes greatly to the global
burden of disease. The effects of depression can be long-lasting or recurrent and
can dramatically affect a person’s ability to function and live a rewarding life.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 113

II. The causes of depression include complex interactions between social,

psychological and biological factors. Life events such as childhood adversity, loss
and unemployment contribute to and may catalyse the development of depression.
III. Psychological and pharmacological treatments exist for moderate and severe
depression. However, in low and middle-income countries, treatment and support
services for depression are often absent or underdeveloped. An estimated 76–85%
of people suffering from mental disorders in these countries lack access to the
treatment they need.
IV. Depression and associated mental disorders can have a profound effect on all
aspects of life, including performance at school, productivity at work, relationships
with family and friends and ability to participate in the community. Research also
shows strong relationships between depression and physical health, including
tuberculosis and cardiovascular disease. Depression affects all types of people –
young and old, rich and poor – in all countries. Women are more likely to have
depression than men.
V. WHO has developed brief psychological intervention manuals for depression that
may be delivered by lay workers. An example is Problem Management Plus, which
describes the use of behavioural techniques, relaxation training, problem-solving
treatment and how to strengthen social support as means of managing depression.
The manual Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Depression describes a group
counselling approach that focuses on identifying and addressing interpersonal
difficulties. Finally, Thinking Healthy covers the use of cognitive-behavioural
therapy for perinatal depression.
VI. WHO’s mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) focuses on helping
countries to scale up first-line support for mental health conditions through
training of non-specialists. This allows gaps in service to be filled and broadens the
overall capacity of a country’s health-care system.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. Depression can negatively affect the .............. .
(a) Performance at school or office
(b) Relationship with friends and family
(c) Ability to participate in the community
(d) All of the above

12. The consequences of depression include disturbed sleep and appetite patterns, lack of
interest, .............. .
(a) tiredness and poor concentration (b) lack of sleep
(c) lack of going out (d) lack of interaction
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13. What are the causes of depression?

1. Complex interactions between social, psychological and biological factors.
2. Childhood adversity.
3. Personal or professional loss.
4. Unemployment.
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) All of these
114 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

14. The word ‘profound’ does not correspond to the word

(a) Superficial (b) Intense
(c) Great (d) Extensive

15. Depression is a leading cause of disability around the world. The disability here refers
to
(a) Mental disability (b) Physical disability
(c) Both physical and mental disability (d) Cognitive disability

16. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Depression can dramatically affect a person’s ability to live a rewarding life.
(2) A depressed person is unable to get satisfaction from his own life, there is absence
of gratification.
(a) (1) is the result of (2) (b) (2) furthers the meaning of (1)
(c) (1) is independent of (2) (d) (2) contradicts (1)

17. .............. and .............. treatments exist for moderate and severe depression.
(a) Psychological, allopathic (b) Psychological, pharmacological
(c) Allopathic, homeopathic (d) Ayurvedic, pharmacological

18. What is the basic strategy that is included in all interventions developed by WHO?
(a) Social support (b) Behaviour therapy
(c) Medical care (d) None of these

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. The team which won four matches this year ............... nominated for the prestigious
award.
(a) has been (b) have been
(c) are being (d) were being

20. The chief ............... to send the children of the village to live in a settlement in the next
valley.
(a) had been deciding (b) decided
(c) was deciding (d) have been deciding

21. They ............... to borrow from the bank to start their business.
(a) need (b) need not (c) dare not (d) ought not
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22. Give me ............... advice on how to improve my writing skills.

(a) some (b) many (c) much (d) more

23. Which of the following is the indirect speech of the given sentence?
She said, “I’m having the interview at four o’clock.”
(a) She said that she had the interview at four o’clock.
(b) She said that she have been having the interview at four o’clock.
(c) She said that she is having the interview at four o’clock.
(d) She said that she was having the interview at four o’clock.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 115

24. Which of the following is the indirect speech of the given sentence?
“Get out of the car!” said the policeman.
(a) The policeman requested him to get out of the car.
(b) The policeman suggested him to get out of the car.
(c) The policeman ordered him to get out of the car.
(d) The policeman wanted him to get out of the car.

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Ashish. Write a letter to the newspaper editor highlighting the problem of bad
condition of road near ABC colony, Gandhinagar through a letter.
25. What will be the sender’s address for the above letter?
(a)Ashish ABC Colony, Gandhinagar (b) Gandhinagar, ABC Colony
(c) Ashish, Gandhinagar (d) ABC Colony, Gandhinagar

26. Choose an appropriate subject for the letter.

(a) Construction of Road near ABC Colony, Gandhinagar
(b) Improvement in Gandhinagar
(c) Construction of Road in Gandhinagar
(d) Problems due to Road in Gandhinagar

27. Complete the opening line of the letter.

............... I want to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the issues
people face in ABC Colony, Gandhinagar due to the bad condition of the road.
(a) By the columns of your newspaper
(b) Through your newspapers of your daily esteemed
(c) Through the columns of your esteemed daily
(d) By the column in the newspaper

28. Choose the option to elaborate the problems.

(a) • Congestion on road throughout the day.
• Potholes everywhere on the main road.
• Rainy seasons aggravates the problems.

(b) • Congestion on road throughout the day.

• Potholes everywhere on the main road.
• Terrible jam during morning hours.
• Inconvenience to school students and working people.
• Rainy seasons aggravates the problems.
SAMPLE PAPER 5

(c) • Inconvenience to school students and working people.

• Rainy seasons aggravates the problems.

(d) • Potholes everywhere on the main road.

• Terrible jam during morning hours.
116 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

29. Choose the concluding line for the letter.

(a) I order you to publish my letter in your newspaper so that the higher authorities can take
an immediate action and oblige me.
(b) I want my letter to be published in your newspaper so that the higher authorities can
take an immediate action and oblige.
(c) I request you to publish my letter in your newspaper so that the higher authorities can
take an immediate action and oblige us.
(d) Publish my letter in your newspaper so that the higher authorities can take an immediate
action.
30. Complete the complementary closing for the letter.
Thanking you
...............
Ashish
(a) Yours sincerely (b) Yours lovingly
(c) Yours obediently (d) Your’s sincerely

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
My father, the most adorable father I’ve ever seen, didn’t marry my mother until he
was thirty-six and she was twenty-five. My sister, Margot, was born in Frankfurt in
Germany in 1926. I was born on 12th June, 1929. I lived in Frankfurt until I was four.
My father emigrated to Holland in 1933. My mother, Edith Hollander Frank, went with
him to Holland in September, while Margot and I were sent to Aachen to stay with our
grandmother. Margot went to Holland in December and I followed in February, when I
was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)

31. How old was the speaker when she was sent to Holland?
(a) Four years old (b) Six years old
(c) Seven years old (d) Five years old

32. Anne said, “I was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.” The
phrase ‘plunked down’ means ............... .
(a) to throw down (b) to take down
(c) to put down in a casual way (d) to write down
33. Rearrange the events of the story from which this extract has been taken.
1. The speaker’s parents went to Holland.
SAMPLE PAPER 5

2. The speaker and her sister went to Aachen.

3. Margot was born.
4. The speaker was born.
5. The speaker started school in Montessori nursery school.
6. The speaker and her sister went to Holland.
(a) 615243 (b) 231456 (c) 142365 (d) 341265
34. Who was Anne Frank?
(a) A writer (b) The most renowned victim of holocaust
(c) A simple girl living in Amsterdam (d) None of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 117

35. Choose the option which does not use the word ‘emigrate’ as it is used in the above
extract.
(a) The Russians do not emigrate as isolated individuals; they migrate in whole villages.
(b) In 1799 he found it advisable for his comfort, if not for his safety, to emigrate with his
family to the United States.
(c) For the last two centuries, since the Tamils started to emigrate to Sri Lanka with its
Sinhala majority, the two ethnic groups have been in conflict.
(d) Famine and pestilence at home drove men to emigrate hopefully to the golden East.

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Days passed and there was no answer, but the letter did not come back, so maybe
Wanda had received it. Perhaps she was so hurt and angry she was not going to
answer. You could not blame her. Weeks went by and still Wanda did not answer.
Peggy had begun to forget the whole business, and Maddie put herself to sleep at night
making speeches about Wanda, defending her from great crowds of girls who were
trying to tease her with, “How many dresses have you got?” And before Wanda could
press her lips together in a tight line, the way she did before answering, Maddie would
cry out, “Stop!” Then everybody would feel ashamed the way she used to feel.
(The Hundred Dresses – II)

36. Peggy and Maddie wrote a ............... letter to Wanda.

(a) friendly (b) apologising
(c) complaint (d) formal

37. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Maddie used to make speeches in her sleep about Wanda.
(2) Maddie was deeply affected by the letter from Wanda’s father.
(a) (1) is opposite to (2)
(b) (2) is the cause for (1)
(c) (2) is independent of (1)
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the passage.

38. What could be the least possible reason for Wanda not replying to their letter?
(a) She was hurt and angry. (b) She did not want to forgive them.
(c) She did not receive the letter. (d) She forgot who they were.

39. When did Maddie and Peggy decide to write a letter to Wanda?
1. When they could not find her at her house in Boggins Heights.
2. When Wanda left the school and the city.
3. When she wrote a letter to them.
Choose the correct option from the following.
SAMPLE PAPER 5

(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Only 2 is correct

(c) 1 and 2 are correct (d) 2 and 3 are correct

40. “Perhaps she was so hurt and angry she was not going to answer” – The line suggests
that Wanda
(a) got hurt by the teasing from Peggy and other girls.
(b) was hurt because she had to left her school and city to move to a new city.
(c) was angry at Peggy and Maddie.
(d) None of the above
118 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Some say the world will end in fire
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice. (Fire and Ice)

41. What would be a better option to end the world?

(a) Fire (b) Ice
(c) Both fire and ice are equally competent (d) None of these

42. The rhyming scheme of the poem is ............... .

(a) abaa bcbcb (b) aaba bcbcb
(c) aaab bcbcb (d) abab bcbcb

43. Why is the poet in favour of fire destructing the world?

(a) Fire is compared to desires.
(b) The poet has realised that the desires are self-destructing.
(c) The human desires are insatiable.
(d) All of the above

44. Why do you think the poet has chosen two completely contrasting things to end the
world?
(a) Fire is compared to desires which means to like something or someone.
(b) Ice is compared to hatred which means not liking something or someone.
(c) Fire and ice show two extreme emotions which have the capability to destroy oneself.
(d) None of the above

45. What does the poet want to convey through the poem?
1. We should not be greedy.
2. All humans should check their desire and hatred.
3. We should restrain our desire and love fellow beings.
(a) Only 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) Only 3

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
SAMPLE PAPER 5

‘Extraordinary affair!’ the clergyman kept saying for the rest of the day. But it was not
as extraordinary as the behaviour of Mrs. Hall’s furniture a little later that morning.
The landlord and his wife were up very early and were surprised to see the scientist’s
door wide open. Usually it was shut and locked and he was furious if anyone entered
his room. The opportunity seemed too good to be missed. They peeped round the
door, saw nobody and decided to investigate. The bedclothes were cold, showing that
the scientist must have been up for some time and stranger still, the clothes and
bandages that he always wore were lying about the room. All of a sudden Mrs. Hall
heard a sniff close to her ear. (Footprints without Feet)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 119

46. What extraordinary affair is being talked about in the above extract?
(a) Stealing of clergyman’s money without anyone being present in the room.
(b) Moving of furniture on its own.
(c) Mysterious sounds coming from the room.
(d) None of the above

47. What happened when the landlord and his wife entered the strange scientist’s room?
1. The hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed itself into her face.
2. The bedroom chair became alive and charged straight at her.
3. The extraordinary chair slammed and locked the door after them.
4. Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4

48. What did Mrs. Hall think of the room and the scientist?
(a) The stranger is a ghost. (b) It had been haunted by spirits.
(c) The stranger is a black-magician. (d) Both (b) and (c)

49. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) The scientist used to get furious if anyone entered his room.
(2) The scientist let Mrs. Hall and the landlord to enter his room.
(a) (1) is independent of (2) (b) (2) is the cause for (1)
(c) (1) is false (2) is true (d) (1) is true (2) is false

50. Whose sniff did Mrs. Hall hear close to her ear?
(a) The clergyman’s (b) A staff of inn
(c) Griffin, the scientist’s (d) A ghost’s

IX. Attempt the following.

51. According to the poet, what is the child learning in the poem ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) To bear loss (b) To take care of things
(c) To be responsible (d) To be careful

52. Hari Singh observed in his career that a rich man shows ............... on getting robbed.
(a) fear (b) anger
(c) saddened face (d) loss of trust

53. Why did the postmaster get surprised on seeing the letter?
(a) Because it was a letter to God.
(b) Because he had never seen such a strong faith in God.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
SAMPLE PAPER 5

(d) None of the above

54. What all things did Mrs. Pumphrey’s staff give to Dr. Herriot when he took Tricki with
himself?
1. Little coats, toys and rubber rings, day bed and night bed, favourite cushions
2. Breakfast bowl, lunch bowl, supper bowl
3. Wine and brandy
4. Cod liver oil and two dozen eggs
5. Horlicks, cakes and pastries
(a) 1, 2 and 4 (b) 2, 3, 4 and 5 (c) 1 and 2 (d) 3, 4 and 5
120 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

55. What happened when snow fell on the poet?

(a) He noticed what’s happening around him.
(b) His mood got changed.
(c) He became happy.
(d) All of the above

56. How is the tiger described in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’?
(a) Beautifully striped, poor, weak, velvety paws
(b) Big white teeth and claws, helpless, strong, angry
(c) Beautifully striped, velvety paws, big white teeth and claws, strong, angry
(d) Beautifully striped, poor, weak, helpless, strong, angry

57. Match the various stages of Mandela’s life and meaning of freedom at that time.
List I List II
(Stages of life) (Meaning of freedom)
A. Childhood 1. Freedoms of being able to stay out at night
B. Boyhood 2. Basic and honourable freedoms of marrying and having a family
C. Young Man 3. Freedom of his people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect
D. Adulthood 4. Free to roast mealies under the stars
5. Freedom not to be obstructed in a lawful life

Codes
A B C D A B C D
(a) 5 3 2 4 (b) 2 4 1 3
(c) 4 1 5 3 (d) 1 3 4 5

58. Given below are a few sentences. Identify the sentences which are FACTS and those
which are OPINIONS and choose the correct option.
1. The moon came up from the east.
2. Storm clouds look like black mountains if you are in an aeroplane.
3. You ought not to follow a strange black aeroplane in storm clouds.
4. When flying an aeroplane, you need a compass, a radio and fuel.
5. An airport is the place where aeroplanes land and take off from.
(a) Fact: 2, 3 and 5; Opinion: 1 and 4 (b) Fact: 2, 3 and 4; Opinion: 1 and 5
(c) Fact: 1, 4 and 5; Opinion: 2 and 3 (d) Fact: 1; Opinion: 2, 3, 4 and 5

59. The young seagull did not fell headlong when he took his first flight. The line suggests
that the young seagull ................ .
(a) did not fell on his head
(b) did not fell straight into the sea instead flew upwards
SAMPLE PAPER 5

(c) did not fell on his tail

(d) did not fly upwards

60. When Wanda answered that she had 60 pairs of shoes, cries of exaggerated politeness
greeted that. What does the underlined phrase mean?
(a) Peggy tried to embarrass Wanda by asking disturbing questions in the politest manner
possible.
(b) Peggy tried to be polite with Wanda while teasing her so not to hurt her.
(c) Peggy politely accepted the fact that Wanda had 60 pairs of shoes.
(d) Peggy then politely asked if they were all alike.
 OMR SHEET SP 5
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
122 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Answers
1. (d) 2. (a) 3. (d) 4. (d) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (d) 8. (a) 9. (b) 10. (b)
11. (d) 12. (a) 13. (d) 14. (a) 15. (c) 16. (b) 17. (b) 18. (a) 19. (a) 20. (b)
21. (b) 22. (a) 23. (d) 24. (c) 25. (a) 26. (a) 27. (c) 28. (b) 29. (c) 30. (a)
31. (a) 32. (c) 33. (d) 34. (b) 35. (c) 36. (a) 37. (b) 38. (d) 39. (a) 40. (a)
41. (c) 42. (a) 43. (d) 44. (c) 45. (b) 46. (a) 47. (b) 48. (d) 49. (d) 50. (c)
51. (a) 52. (b) 53. (c) 54. (c) 55. (d) 56. (c) 57. (c) 58. (c) 59. (b) 60. (a)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (d) According to the passage, educators don’t
approve of the rote learning method by
reducing it to oral recitation and also learning
lessons like a mechanical mind. This,
eventually, goes against critical thinking and
creativity.
2. (a) According to the passage, Indians have a
history of highly developed systems of
memorisation, which was only made better by
years of Vedic learning.
3. (d) The passage suggests that the oral tradition
in India is remarkable because it has led to
many scientific discoveries that have also
proved interesting.
4. (d) The passage suggests that rote learning can
expand the human mind to several great
possibilities.
5. (b) According to the passage, cryptic texts were
created for mathematics, philosophy, etc.
because they were easier to remember.
6. (d) “No serious observer, acquainted with
modern microscopic technical methods, has
been able to refute the explanation of their
observations.” uses the word ‘refute’ as it is
used in the above passage.
7. (d) Spread of Kathasaritsagara and Jataka
stories and teaching of differential calculus
are examples of oral transmission of
knowledge.
8. (a) Anand Kumar’s method is able to prove
SAMPLE PAPER 5
10. (b) Children imitating their parents’ behaviour
and actions is an example of unconscious
operation of memory.
11. (d) According to the passage, depression can
severely affect a person’s life. It can affect a
person’s professional performance, ruin their
relationship with friends and family and affect
their ability to become a participant of the
society.
12. (a) The passage suggests that as a result of
depression, a person’s sleep and appetite
can be disturbed, it can lead to loss of interest
in otherwise enjoyable activities and
cause persistent sadness. Depression can
also cause tiredness and lead to poor
concentration.
13. (d) According to the passage, the causes of
depression include childhood adversity,
personal or professional loss and
unemployment, complex interactions between
social, psychological and biological factors.
14. (a) ‘Profound’ means very great or intense.
Hence, ‘superficial’ meaning casual and
shallow does not correspond to profound.
15. (c) Depression is a leading cause of disability
around the world. The disability here refers to
both physical and mental disability.
16. (b) (2) furthers the meaning of (1).
17. (b) According to the passage, ‘psychological’
and ‘pharmacological’ treatments exist for

that memorisation can be used as a creative moderate and severe depression.

tool rather than a mechanical process.
9. (b) “Many think of memory as rote learning, a
linear stuffing of the brain with the facts,
where understanding is irrelevant. When you
teach it properly, with imagination and
association, understanding becomes a part of
it” gives the gist of the passage.
18. (a) Social support is the basic strategy that is
included in all interventions developed by
WHO.
19. (a) ‘Has been’ is the correct answer because the
given sentence is in present tense (this year).
20. (b) ‘Decided’ is the correct answer.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
21. (b) ‘Need not’ is the correct modal to be used
here.
22. (a) ‘Advice’ is an uncountable noun so ‘some’ is
the correct answer here.
23. (d) The correct indirect speech is – “She said
that she was having the interview at four
o’clock.”
24. (c) The correct indirect speech is – The
policeman ordered him to get out of the car.
25. (a) Option (a) will be the correct sender’s
address for the above letter.
26. (a) “Construction of Road near ABC colony,
Gandhinagar” is the correct subject.
27. (c) “Through the columns of your esteemed
daily” is the correct answer.
28. (b) Option (b) elaborates the problems efficiently.
29. (c) Option (c) is the most suitable concluding
line for the letter.
30. (a) ‘Yours sincerely’ is the correct option.
31. (a) According to the passage, the speaker was
four years old when she was moved from
Frankfurt to Holland.
32. (c) The phrase ‘plunked down’ means to put
down abruptly or in a casual way.
33. (d) ‘341265’ is the correct order of the events in
the story from which the extract has been taken.
34. (b) Anne Frank was the most renowned victim
of holocaust.
35. (c) ‘Emigrate’ means to leave one’s own country
in order to settle in another. Hence, only the
sentence in option (c) does not use the word
correctly. The correct word to be used instead
of emigrate in the sentence is ‘immigrate’.
36. (a) According to the story ‘The Hundred
Dresses’, Peggy and Maddie wrote a friendly
letter to Wanda.
37. (b) (2) is the cause for (1), i.e., Maddie used to
make speeches in her sleep about Wanda
because she was deeply affected by the letter
from Wanda’s father.
38. (d) The least possible reason for Wanda not
replying to their letter could be that she forgot
who Peggy and Maddie were.
39. (a) Maddie and Peggy decide to write a letter to
Wanda when they could not find her at her
house in Boggins Heights.
123
40. (a) “Perhaps she was so hurt and angry she
was not going to answer” – The line suggests
that Wanda got hurt by the teasing from
Peggy and other girls.
41. (c) The poet mentions both ice and fire are
equally capable and competent for the
destruction of the world.
42. (a) The rhyming scheme of the given poem is
abaa bcbcb.
43. (d) The poet says that fire is similar to human
desire which is self-destructive and insatiable
and would be favourable for causing the
destruction of the world.
44. (c) The poet has used fire and ice as symbols
of destruction because they represent
two extreme human emotions – desire
and hatred, both of which lead to
self-destruction.
45. (b) Through the poem, the poet wishes to
convey that we should learn to exercise some
control over our emotions and desires and not
be very greedy or it will lead to our
destruction.
46. (a) Stealing of clergyman’s money without
anyone being present in the room was the
extraordinary affair is being talked about in
the above extract.
47. (b) When the landlord and his wife entered
the strange scientist’s, the furniture came alive
and the hat hit Mrs. Hall in the face, the
bedroom chair came straight at her and
slammed the door, which was locked soon
after. All of this made Mrs. Hall hysterical and
also made her believe that a ghost was
haunting the room.
48. (d) Mrs. Hall thought that the scientist was a
black magician and the room was haunted by
spirits.
49. (d) (1) is true (2) is false. The landlord and his
wife, Mrs. Hall entered the scientist’s room
themselves when they saw it opened.
50. (c) Mrs. Hall heard Griffin, the scientist’s sniff
SAMPLE PAPER 5
close to her ear.
51. (a) According to the poet, the child is learning
to bear loss in the poem ‘The Ball Poem’.
52. (b) Hari Singh observed in his career that a
rich man shows anger on getting robbed.
124 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
53. (c) In the story ‘A letter to God’, when the
postmaster sees Lencho’s letter, he laughed at
the letter because it was a letter addressed to
God but moments later he turned serious
because he was surprised by the man’s strong
faith in God.
54. (c) In order to make sure that Tricki has all the
things he would need in the hospital and
wouldn’t miss anything, Mrs. Pumphrey’s staff
gave his little coats, toys and rubber rings, day
bed and night bed, favourite cushions,
breakfast bowl, lunch bowl and supper bowl to
Dr. Herriot.
55. (d) When snow fell on the poet, he noticed
what’s happening around him, his mood got
changed and he became happy.
SAMPLE PAPER 5
56. (c) The tiger is described as beautifully striped,
velvety paws, big white teeth and claws,
strong, angry in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’.
57. (c) ‘4153’ is the correct matching sequence.
58. (c) Statements 1, 4 and 5 are facts because they
are directly mentioned in the text. The
statements 2 and 3 are opinions as they are not
mentioned in the text.
59. (b) The young seagull did not fell headlong
when he took his first flight. The line suggests
that the young seagull did not fell straight into
the sea instead flew upwards.
60. (a) The underlined phrase means that Peggy
tried to embarrass Wanda by asking disturbing
questions in the politest manner possible.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 125

SAMPLE PAPER 6
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. “Cured yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician,” says Matthew
Prior, a celebrated pharmacologist, while talking about the deleterious effects of
drugs in his book, ‘The Remedy Worse than the Disease’. There is no dearth of
patients dying of misguided treatment, disorder bound to disappear in a short
duration.
II. In this era of drugs we must familiarise ourselves with the term ‘Iatrogenic disease
(physician caused ailment)’. When a physician administers medicines without a
complete understanding of the patient’s condition, drugs play havoc. A person may
become the victim of a worse disease or even lose his life.
III. With Analgin, for instance, special precautions should be taken in case of
pregnancy, bronchial asthma, renal and hepatitic dysfunctions and blood-related
SAMPLE PAPER 6

disorders. It has been banned in several countries, including the USA and Sweden,
because of its unexpected and negative effects that lead one even to death through
an anaphylactic shock. An anaphylactic shock is a process that leads to a severe
fall in the blood pressure, bronchoconstriction, the swelling of blood and lymph
vessels and sometimes death because of the loss of fluid in these vessels.
Anaphylaxis usually occurs suddenly, in minutes after the administration of a
drug. The well-known drug, penicillin and many other drugs, may cause
anaphylaxis.
126 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

IV. The term ‘side-effects’ is a part of an ailing layman’s vocabulary but adverse drug
reactions are known only to a more aware and literate patient. Ciprofloxacin, when
given for an ear-infection, may cause vertigo and amoxycillin, while fighting a
throat infection, may hurt the stomach. Similarly, while chemotherapy given for
cancer may lead to indigestion and hair fall, steroids administered continuously
may lead to obesity and diabetes.
V. Drugs are meant to eliminate disease. In the quest for avoiding the misery of
sickness, man has invented medicines that may themselves cause diseases. The
illness caused by a drug may be short-term or long-term. Side effects are short-term
and predictable. The unpredictable and bizarre reactions are termed as adverse
reactions. A variety of drugs cures many ills but is also known to cause irregular
heart beat and even sudden death.
VI. A strong sense of responsibility on the physician’s part and an attitude of extreme
caution on the patient’s part can substantially help in covering at least some of the
risks of medicines, if not all. There are many factors that help a doctor in his choice
and use of the drug. The medical history of a patient, age, sex, personality,
environment and education contribute in deciding the course of treatment. The
very old and the very young are likely to suffer as their bodies are less tolerant.
Older children may sometimes be more tolerant than the adults. The elderly tend
to respond better to standard drug dosage. But the lower body size, slow blood
flow to vital organs, decreasing metabolic capacity and tendency to multiple
physical problems contribute to adverse reactions.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. An ‘Iatrogenic disease’ is an ailment caused by
(a) Infection in the hospital ward.
(b) Overdose of anaesthetic.
(c) The wrong administration of drugs by a physician.
(d) Self-medication and buying drugs over the counter.

2. Why must analgin and penicillin be used carefully?

(a) These may cause suffocation. (b) They may create bruises.
(c) Some patients complain of leg cramps. (d) These may cause anaphylaxis.

3. An adverse drug reaction is an illness caused by

1. Side effects of a drug.
2. A drug having unpredictable and strange effects on a patient.
3. A drug having predictable and unpleasant disorders.
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2
(c) Only 2 (d) 2 and 3
SAMPLE PAPER 6

4. Suggest a suitable title for the passage.

(a) Deleterious Effects of Drugs (b) Side Effects of Drugs
(c) Drug Use (d) Physician’s Carelessness

5. Why are elderly people prone to adverse drug reactions?

(a) Because they have larger body size.
(b) Because they have multiple emotional problems.
(c) Because they have slow blood flow to vital organs.
(d) Because they have stagnant metabolic capacity.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 127

6. Which of the following quote suits the passage?

(a) “Medicine cure diseases but only doctors can cure patients.” – Carl Jung
(b) “Physicians and patients need to work together to pursue care that improves health.”
Dr. Amir Qaseem
(c) “The doctor-patient relationship is critical to the placebo effect.” – Irving Kirsch
(d) “Some patients recover because they believe in doctors.” – Hippocrates

7. The word ‘dysfunction’ corresponds to the word

(a) Disorder of brain (b) Indigestion
(c) Bad temper (d) Not working properly

8. “Cured yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician” which of the

following situation proves the above point?
(a) I went to my doctor for the treatment of my sore throat and the doctor diagnosed me
with COVID.
(b) She went to her mother to ask her to go out on a trip with her friends and her mother
gave her permission.
(c) I went to my boss to ask for a leave for the next day; I got my leave approved but I got
some work as well to be done at home.
(d) Father helped his son in studies throughout his school-years, but the son was ungrateful
to his father.

9. Which of the following qualities do you expect in a physician?

1. Responsible 2. Strict
3. Caring 4. Knowledgeable
5. The expensive the better
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2 and 5
(c) 2 and 5 (d) 3, 4, and 5

10. What kind of caution on the part of patient is required to prevent uninvited diseases?
(a) To take medicines as per the physician’s instructions.
(b) To do some internet research about his treatment and medicines and then decide further.
(c) Enquire about the physician before taking the treatment.
(d) None of the above

II. Read the passage given below.

I. Over the last 50 years, human activities – particularly the burning of fossil fuels –
have released sufficient quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to
trap additional heat in the lower atmosphere and affect the global climate.
II. In the last 130 years, the world has warmed by approximately 0.850°C?. Each of the
last 3 decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since 1850.
Sea levels are rising, glaciers are melting and precipitation patterns are changing.
SAMPLE PAPER 6

Extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent. Although global
warming may bring some localised benefits, such as fewer winter deaths in
temperate climates and increased food production in certain areas, the overall
health effects of a changing climate are overwhelmingly negative. Climate change
is impacting human lives and health in a variety of ways. It threatens the essential
ingredients of good health - clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply,
and safe shelter - and has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global
health.
128 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

III. Extreme high air temperatures contribute directly to deaths from cardiovascular
and respiratory disease, particularly among elderly people. In the heat wave of
summer 2003 in Europe, for example, more than 70,000 excess deaths were
recorded. Globally, the number of reported weather-related natural disasters has
more than tripled since the 1960s. Every year, these disasters result in over 60,000
deaths, mainly in developing countries. Rising sea levels and increasingly extreme
weather events will destroy homes, medical facilities and other essential services.
More than half of the world’s population lives within 60 km of the sea. People may
be forced to move, which in turn heightens the risk of a range of health effects,
from mental disorders to communicable diseases.
IV. Increasingly variable rainfall patterns are likely to affect the supply of fresh water.
A lack of safe water can compromise hygiene and increase the risk of diarrhoeal
disease, which kills over 500,000 children aged under 5 years, every year. In
extreme cases, water scarcity leads to drought and famine. By the late 21st century,
climate change is likely to increase the frequency and intensity of drought at
regional and global scale.
V. Measuring the health effects from climate change can only be very approximate.
Nevertheless, a WHO assessment, taking into account only a subset of the possible
health impacts, and assuming continued economic growth and health progress,
concluded that climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000
additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050; 38,000 due to heat exposure in
elderly people, 48,000 due to diarrhoea, 60,000 due to malaria, and 95,000 due to
childhood undernutrition.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. Which of the following is among the consequences of global warming?
(a) Melting of glaciers (b) Rivers becoming salty
(c) Ponds getting dirty (d) Avalanche has become common

12. Burning of fossil fuels result in

1. Release of carbon dioxide.
2. Release of other greenhouse gases.
3. Trapping of additional heat in the lower atmosphere.
4. Negative effects on the global climate.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) All of these

13. Lack of hygiene and safe drinking waters results in ................. among children under 5
years of age, every year.
(a) 50,000 births (b) 600,000 cases
SAMPLE PAPER 6

(c) 500,000 deaths (d) 70,000 deaths

14. Globally, the number of reported weather-related natural disasters has

(a) tripled since the 1960s
(b) more than tripled since the 1960s
(c) less than tripled since the 1960s
(d) None of the above
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 129

15. What are the positive effects of global warming?

1. Fewer winter deaths in temperate climates.
2. Increased food production in certain areas.
(a) Only 2 is correct (b) Both 1 and 2 are correct
(c) Only 1 is correct (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct

16. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) People are forced to move away from the sea.
(2) Variable rainfall patterns affect the supply of fresh water.
(a) (1) is true (2) is false (b) (1) is the result of (2)
(c) (1) is the cause for (2) (d) (1) is independent of (2)

17. Which of the following options shows the time span referred to in the given line?
“Each of the last 3 decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since
1850.”
(a) 2017-2020 (b) 1990-2020 (c) 1850-1880 (d) 1850-1852

18. Choose the statements which are true in the context of the passage.
1. Climate change threatens the essential ingredients of good health - clean air, safe
drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter.
2. Climate change has the potential to undermine decades of progress in global
health.
3. Earthquakes may force people to move away from their homes near sea.
(a) 1 is true (b) 2 is true
(c) 1 and 2 are true (d) All are true

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. I have still some shopping to do. .............. I leave my bag in your store?
(a) May (b) Might (c) Must (d) Can’t

20. The poor have .............. access to cleanliness.

(a) Many (b) Much (c) Less (d) Few

21. Yippy! I .............. for the interschool dance competition!

(a) Has been selected (b) Have not been selected
(c) Had not been selected (d) Have been selected
SAMPLE PAPER 6

22. To an outsider the economics of this company .............. to be in a shambles.

(a) Seem (b) Seems (c) Seeming (d) Is seem

23. Which of the following is the indirect speech of the given sentence?
Sheela said to Rashmi: “You can come and stay at my place if you’re ever in Delhi”.
(a) Sheela told Rashmi that she could come and stay at her place if she was ever in Delhi.
(b) Sheela told Rashmi that you can come and stay at my place if you’re ever in Delhi.
(c) Sheela asked Rashmi that she can come and stay at her place if she is ever in Delhi.
(d) Rashmi asked Sheela if she could come and stay at her place if she was ever in Delhi.
130 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

24. Which of the following is the indirect speech of the given sentence?
She said, “Could you open the window, please?”
(a) She asked me if I could open the window, please.
(b) She said could I open the window, please.
(c) She asked me to open the window.
(d) She requested if I could open the window, please.

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Shreshtha, residing at 43 Street Avenue, Bengaluru. Write a letter to ABC
Association of your society complaining about the facility of parking in your society.
25. Whom should Shreshtha address the letter to?
(a) Society association (b) Secretary, ABC Association
(c) Guard, ABC Association (d) None of these

26. Which of the following is the correct format for the date to be used in the letter?
(a) 23 September 20XX (b) September 20XX
(c) 23 September (d) September 23

27. Choose the salutation to be used in the letter.

(a) Dear Sir (b) Dear Ma’am
(c) Sir/ Ma’am (d) None of these

28. Complete the opening line of the letter.

.............. about the poor parking facility provided by your association in our society.
(a) I am writing this letter to complain to you
(b) I have written the letter to tell you
(c) I have been writing this letter with regret
(d) I am writing the letter to express my anger

29. Choose the concluding portion of the letter.

(1) I therefore, request you to ask all the residents of the society to obey the rules as
per instructed by the association. And there should be strict action against the
violators.
(2) I want strict action against the violators and tell the residents of the society to obey
the rules.
(a) Yes to option (1) because of the polite tone
(b) No to option (1) because of requesting tone
(c) Yes to option (2) because of the firm tone
SAMPLE PAPER 6

(d) No to option (2) because of the authoritative tone

30. Choose the closing line for the letter.

(a) Hope you take an action.
(b) Hope you will take an immediate and strict action!
(c) Hoping for an action at least!
(d) Hoping for an early action!
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 131

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Paris was about 150 kilometres behind me when I saw the clouds. Storm clouds. They
were huge. They looked like black mountains standing in front of me across the sky. I
knew I could not fly up and over them and I did not have enough fuel to fly around
them to the North or South. “I ought to go back to Paris,” I thought, but I wanted to get
home. I wanted that breakfast. ‘I’ll take the risk,’ I thought and flew that old Dakota
straight into the storm. (The Black Aeroplane)

31. The literary device used in the line “they looked like black mountains standing in front
of me across the sky” is ............... .
(a) Imagery (b) Simile
(c) Metaphor (d) Personification

32. Why was pilot shocked on seeing the storm?

The pilot was shocked on seeing the storm because
(a) he did not have enough fuel. (b) the sky was clear before
(c) he did not know how to fly in a storm. (d) All of these

33. ............... made the pilot fly into the storm.

(a) His urge to go home (b) His urge to have an adventure
(c) His gut feeling (d) None of these

34. The pilot’s decision to fly in the storm shows

1. His courageous attitude.
2. His love for his family.
3. His risk-taking capacity.
4. His cooperation with Control Tower.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) All of these

35. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following.
Below : Over : : Crooked : ............... .
(a) Up (b) Around
(c) Straight (d) Enough

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
SAMPLE PAPER 6

The class roared. I had to laugh too, though I’d nearly exhausted my ingenuity on the
topic of chatterboxes. It was time to come up with something else, something original.
My friend, Sanne, who’s good at poetry, offered to help me write the essay from
beginning to end in verse and I jumped for joy. Mr. Keesing was trying to play a joke
on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him. I finished my
poem, and it was beautiful! It was about a mother duck and a father swan with three
baby ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked too much.
Luckily, Mr. Keesing took the joke the right way. (From the Diary of Anne Frank)
132 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

36. Which topics did Anne have to write essays on?

1. A Chatterbox
2. An Incorrigible Chatterbox
3. Quack, Quack, Quack, said Mistress Chatterbox
(a) Only 1 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 1, 2 and 3

37. When Anne says, “The class roared. I had to laugh too” she means that ............... .
(a) she was forced to laugh.
(b) she laughed to hide her embarrassment.
(c) she had left nothing to write on the topic.
(d) she was laughing on Mr. Keesing.

38. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

1. For the third time, Anne wrote a poem about a mother duck and a father swan with
three baby ducklings who were bitten to death by the father because they quacked
too much.
2. In the poem, she argued that talking is a student’s trait. She would never be able to
cure herself of the habit since my mother talked as much.
(a) (1) is true (2) is false (b) (1) and (2) are unrelated
(c) (1) furthers the meaning of (2) (d) Both (1) and (2) are false

39. How did Mr. Keesing react on reading Anne’s verse?

(a) He read the poem to Anne’s and several other classes.
(b) He added his own comments.
(c) Anne was allowed to talk and was not assigned any extra homework.
(d) All of the above

40. Select the option which shows an example of ‘playing a joke on someone’.
(a) As always, be careful about pulling pranks that will get you in trouble, or hurt
someone’s feelings.

(b) As a prank, some students let three goats loose inside their school after painting the
numbers 1, 2 and 4 on the sides of the goats. The teachers spent most of the day looking
for goat number 3.

(c) When determining whether a prank is a good idea on April Fools’ Day, employees
should consider the worst case scenario of their joke.

(d) This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank – playing on the first day
of April.

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
SAMPLE PAPER 6

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village! (A Tiger in the Zoo)

41. The rhyming scheme of the above extract is ............... .

(a) abab (b) abcb
(c) abcd (d) abba
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 133

42. What does the word ‘snarling’ mean?

(a) Growling (b) Shouting
(c) Attacking (d) Jumping

43. Onomatopoeia is using words which denote sound. Find the word in the above extract
which denotes onomatopoeia.
(a) Terrorising (b) Baring
(c) White fangs (d) Snarling

44. When is tiger supposed to snarl around the houses?

1. When he is in the cage. 2. When he is in the jungle.
3. When he is free.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3

45. Who has written the above lines?

(a) Robert Frost (b) Leslie Norris
(c) Carolyn Wells (d) John Berryman

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Anil was asleep. A beam of moonlight stepped over the balcony and fell on the bed. I
sat up on the floor, considering the situation. If I took the money, I could catch the
10.30 Express to Lucknow. Slipping out of the blanket, I crept up to the bed. Anil was
sleeping peacefully. His face was clear and unlined; even I had more marks on my face,
though mine were mostly scars. My hand slid under the mattress, searching for the
notes. When I found them, I drew them out without a sound. Anil sighed in his sleep
and turned on his side, towards me. I was startled and quickly crawled out of the
room. (The Thief’s Story)

46. After stealing the money, the speaker thought that he could live like an oil-rich Arab
for a week. ‘Oil-rich Arab’ refer to ............... .
(a) people who can make a lot of money through oil.
(b) people of Saudi Arabia who have lots of oil.
(c) people with oil refineries.
(d) None of the above

47. How was the speaker feeling when stealing money?

(a) Nervous (b) Scared
(c) Revengeful (d) Desirous

48. Choose the characteristics that describe the speaker in the above extract.
1. Robber 2. Deceitful
SAMPLE PAPER 6

3. Kleptomaniac 4. Experienced
5. Ungrateful
(a) 1, 2 and 5 (b) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 3 and 4

49. The word ‘startle’ corresponds to ............... in reference to above extract.

(a) Surprise (b) Frighten
(c) Scare (d) Both (b) and (c)
134 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

50. How did the speaker know that Anil has money?
(a) Anil himself told him. (b) He saw him keeping it under the mattress.
(c) Anil showed the money to him. (d) He saw Anil counting the money.

IX. Attempt the following.

51. What did Peggy mean by saying, “Boy and I thought I could draw”?
(a) She thought she could draw beautifully.
(b) She felt that Wanda could draw better than her.
(c) She thought that it was easy to draw hundred dresses.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

52. “That night was a sorrowful one for Lencho” – What happened on that night?
(a) He received a letter with only 70 pesos.
(b) His cornfield was destroyed by a swarm of locusts.
(c) His cornfield was destroyed by a hailstorm.
(d) He became hopeless on not meeting God as promised by God.

53. Assonance is repetition of vowel sounds in same line. The repetition is at different
places in different words. Choose the option which shows assonance from the poem
‘Fire and Ice’.
(a) To say that for destruction ice is also great.
(b) I hold with those who favour fire.
(c) Some say the world will end in fire.
(d) None of the above

54. What did the poet intend to say with the line, “And most know many days, how to
stand up” in the context of ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) That most of the days in one’s life one has to bear the miseries of life.
(b) That some days in one’s life, one has to take a stand for one’s losses.
(c) One has to learn to cope with the sufferings.
(d) None of the above

55. Why do you think the poet choose hemlock tree and crow in his poem?
(a) To emphasise that crow and hemlock tree are bad omens.
(b) To remind the readers that one should stay away from crow and hemlock tree.
(c) To show that the symbols of sadness and gloom can also bring happiness in life.
(d) None of the above

56. Why was Maddie sad even after hearing a letter from Wanda?
(1) She knew she would never see the little tight-lipped Polish girl again.
(2) She couldn’t ever really make things right between them.
SAMPLE PAPER 6

(a) (1) contradicts (2) (b) (2) furthers the meaning of (1)
(c) (2) is the cause for (1) (d) (1) is unrelated to (2)

57. “… Jubilant scenes on the streets of Pretoria followed the ceremony with blacks, whites
and coloureds celebrating together...” - The ‘coloureds’ are referred to ............... .
(a) people of races other than Blacks and Whites
(b) people who were African-American
(c) people who were American-African
(d) people who immigrated to South Africa
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 135

58. Why did Mr. Herriot say, “You must harden your heart and keep him on a very strict
diet”?
1. Tricki was getting hugely fat.
2. Tricki was a greedy dog.
3. Tricki did not know when to stop eating.
4. Mrs. Pumphrey used to overfeed Tricki.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 3

59. How did Griffin satisfy Mrs. Hall at the inn?

(a) By paying in advance for the room.
(b) By informing her that he was a scientist.
(c) By informing her that he didn’t want to get disturbed.
(d) All of the above

60. The young seagull was tapping his feet on the ground when saw his mother coming
towards him. He tapped the ground to show his ............... .
(a) excitement for meeting his mother
(b) excitement for food
(c) emotional meeting with his long-lost mother
(d) hunger

SAMPLE PAPER 6
 OMR SHEET SP 6
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 137

Answers
1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (c) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (c) 9. (a) 10. (a)
11. (a) 12. (d) 13. (c) 14. (b) 15. (b) 16. (d) 17. (b) 18. (c) 19. (a) 20. (c)
21. (d) 22. (b) 23. (a) 24. (c) 25. (b) 26. (a) 27. (c) 28. (a) 29. (a) 30. (d)
31. (b) 32. (d) 33. (a) 34. (b) 35. (c) 36. (d) 37. (b) 38. (a) 39. (d) 40. (b)
41. (b) 42. (a) 43. (d) 44. (c) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (a) 48. (b) 49. (d) 50. (b)
51. (d) 52. (c) 53. (b) 54. (a) 55. (c) 56. (b) 57. (a) 58. (c) 59. (a) 60. (b)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (c) According to the passage, an ‘Iatrogenic
disease’ is an ailment caused by the wrong
administration of drugs by a physician.
2. (d) The passage suggests that analgin and
penicillin are the drugs that must be used
carefully because they may cause anaphylaxis.
3. (c) The passage suggests that an adverse drug
reaction can be caused by a drug that has
unpredictable and strange effects on the
patient.
4. (a) As the passage talks about drugs and its
harmful effects, ‘Deleterious Effects of Drugs’
is the suitable title for the given passage.
5. (c) According to the passage, elderly people
are more prone to bad reactions to drugs in
comparison to young people because of their
slow blood flow to vital organs.
6. (b) A quote by Dr. Amir Qaseem – “Physicians
and patients need to work together to
pursue care that improves health.” suits the
passage.
7. (d) ‘Dysfunction’ means to not work properly.
Hence, only option (d) ‘not working properly’
corresponds to dysfunction.
8. (c) Option (c) “I went to my boss to ask for a
leave for the next day; I got my leave approved
but I got some work as well to be done at
home.” proves the given point.
9. (a) A physician is expected to be responsible,
caring and knowledgeable.
the lower atmosphere and all of these have
harmful effects on the climate.
13. (c) According to the passage, lack of hygiene
and safe drinking waters results in 500,000
deaths among children under 5 years of age,
every year.
14. (b) According to the passage, the number of
weather-related natural disasters that were
reported globally has more than tripled since
the 1960s.
15. (b) According to the passage, the few positive
effects of global warming include fewer deaths
in winter and increased production of food in a
few areas.
16. (d) Statement (1) is independent of statement
(2).
17. (b) The years 1990-2020 shows the time span
referred to in the given - “Each of the last 3
decades has been successively warmer than
any preceding decade since 1850.”
18. (c) According to the passage, climate change
threatens the essential ingredients of good
health, clean air, safe drinking water,
nutritious food supply and safe shelter. It also
has the potential to undermine decades of
progress in global health. Thus, statements 1
and 2 are true.
19. (a) ‘May’ is the correct answer here. It is used
for permission.
20. (c) ‘Less’ is the correct answer here.
SAMPLE PAPER 6

10. (a) On the part of the patients, it is required
that the patient should take the medicines as
prescribed by the physician.
11. (a) According to the passage, the melting of
glaciers is among the few drastic consequences
of global warming.
12. (d) Burning of fossil fuels releases a large
amount of carbon dioxide gas in the
atmosphere along with other greenhouse
gases. Eventually, it traps additional heat in
21. (d) The given sentence is in present tense so,
‘have been selected’ is the correct answer here.
22. (b) ‘Seems’ is the correct answer here because
‘economics’ is a singular subject.
23. (a) The correct indirect speech is – “Sheela told
Rashmi that she could come and stay at her
place if she was ever in Delhi.”
24. (c) The correct indirect speech is – ‘She asked
me to open the window.’
138 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
25. (b) Shreshtha should address the letter to the
Secretary, ABC Association.
26. (a) ’23 September 20XX’ shows the correct
format of the date to be used in the letter.
27. (c) ‘Sir/ Ma’am’ is the correct salutation for the
letter.
28. (a) ‘I am writing this letter to complain to you’
is the correct option to complete the opening
line of the letter.
29. (a) Option (1) is the suitable choice for the
concluding portion because of its polite tone.
30. (d) ‘Hoping for an early action!’ is the correct
concluding line for the letter.
31. (b) ‘Simile’ is a literary device that makes a
comparison. Hence, the literary device used in
the given line is simile.
32. (d) The pilot was shocked to see the storm
because the sky was clear before and he did
not have enough fuel to fly over the storm, nor
did he know how to fly in such weather
conditions.
33. (a) The pilot’s urge to go home and have
breakfast there made him fly through the
storm.
34. (b) The pilot’s decision to fly even after
witnessing the storm shows that he is a
courageous person with a risk-taking attitude.
It also shows his love for his family and the
need to see them soon.
35. (c) Below : Over : : Crooked : Straight. This is
so because below and over are antonyms, so
do crooked and straight.
36. (d) Anne had to write essays on topics
including ‘A Chatterbox’, ‘An Incorrigible
Chatterbox’ and ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, said
Mistress Chatterbox’.
37. (b) When Anne says, “The class roared. I had
to laugh too” she means that she laughed to
hide her embarrassment.
38. (a) Statement (1) is true and (2) is false, i.e., for
her third writing, Anne wrote a poem about a
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mother duck and a father swan with three
baby ducklings.
39. (d) Anne’s teacher, Mr. Keesing read the poem
aloud in many classes and added his own
comments. As a result of the poem, Anne was
permitted to talk and wasn’t given any extra
homework either.
40. (b) Option (b) “As a prank, some students let
three goats loose inside their school after
painting the numbers 1, 2 and 4 on the sides of
the goats. The teachers spent most of the day
looking for goat number 3.” shows an example
of ‘playing pranks on someone’.
41. (b) The rhyming scheme of the given extract is
abcb.
42. (a) The word ‘snarling’ means make an
aggressive growl with bared teeth. Hence,
‘growling’ is the closest in meaning to
snarling.
43. (d) ‘Snarling’ is the word which denotes
onomatopoeia, as it denotes the sound of
‘snarl’.
44. (c) When the tiger is in the jungle, free and
away from the zoo, he can snarl in the nearby
village to scare the people.
45. (b) The above lines are written by Leslie
Norris.
46. (b) ‘Oil-rich Arab’ refers to people of Saudi
Arabia who have lots of oil.
47. (a) The speaker was feeling nervous while
stealing money because Anil was the most
trusting person he had met ever.
48. (b) The speaker can be described as robber,
deceitful, experienced and ungrateful.
49. (d) The word ‘startle’ means to cause to feel
sudden shock or alarm. Thus, it corresponds to
the words – frighten and scare.
50. (b) The speaker saw Anil keeping the money
under the mattress.
51. (d) By saying the given line, Peggy thought
that Wanda’s drawings were more beautiful
than hers, because she used to think that she
could draw very beautifully.
52. (c) That night, Lencho’s cornfield was
destroyed by a hailstorm.
53. (b) The line “I hold with those who favour fire”
shows the use of assonance in the words ‘hold’
and ‘those’.
54. (a) In the poem ‘The Ball Poem’, the poet wrote
the line “And most know many days, how to
stand up” and by this line, he means that
people have to face miseries for most part of
their life.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
55. (c) The poet chose hemlock tree and the crow
are shown in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’ as
symbols of sadness and gloom and through the
poem, tells that even such dark and sad things
can bring happiness in life.
56. (b) (2) furthers the meaning of (1), i.e., Wanda’s
letter upset Maddie even more because she
realised that she would never see Wanda again
as she had gone. It also made her realise that
she would never get the chance to fix things
between them.
57. (a) The ‘coloureds’ are referred to people of
races other than Blacks and Whites.
139
58. (c) Mr. Herriot advised Mrs. Pumphrey to
harden her heart and put Tricki on a very strict
diet because of the following reasons:
• Tricki was getting hugely fat.
• Tricki was a greedy dog.
• Tricki did not know when to stop eating.
• Mrs. Pumphrey used to overfeed Tricki.
59. (a) Griffin satisfied Mrs. Hall at the inn by
paying in advance for the room.
60. (b) The young seagull was tapping his feet on
the ground when saw his mother coming
towards him. He tapped the ground to show
his excitement for food.
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140
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 7
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. Like all bad news and the common cold, allergies can pop up when you least
expect them. I suddenly developed an allergy to crocin (paracetamol) some years
ago after having it all my life to treat everything from headaches to fever and
toothache. A seafood-loving friend found himself unable to breathe after having
Thai food for dinner. After undergoing a battery of expensive tests, he was told the
chest tightness was not caused by a heart attack but by an allergy to shellfish,
something he ate once a week and had never reacted to before.
II. A stuffed or drippy nose, frequent sneezing, an itchy throat, rash, sinus, ear pain,
difficulty in breathing, stomach cramps and itchy, red or watery eyes are some of
the common symptoms of an allergic reaction. Pollen, dust, polluted outdoor air
and indoor pollutants such as dust mites, animal dander, cigarette smoke and
mould are among the common environmental pollutants, while other triggers
include medicines, paint and chemicals in cleaners and cosmetics such as hair
colour and skin creams. Among foods, eight allergens account for almost 90% of
food allergies: milk, soy, wheat, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
III. Most of us wrongly believe that people with allergies are either born with the
condition or develop identifiable symptoms in early childhood. You couldn’t be
more wrong. An allergy can occur at any time in your life and experts say its
prevalence among adults is rising. While most people who develop allergies as
adults have experienced some allergic reaction—either to the same or an unrelated
trigger before—a few have no history of sensitivity.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 141

IV. In an acute immune reaction, the allergy trigger may be one, but the symptom is
usually caused by a combination of factors. Stress, a sterile environment that
prevents the body from developing robust natural immunity and lifestyle-induced
changes in the body’s hormonal balance are thought to be some triggers. This is
borne out by clinical evidence that shows that women are more likely to develop
allergies at puberty, after pregnancy and at menopause, all of which point to
hormonal causes.
V. Of course, avoiding the allergy trigger and taking an anti-allergy medication as
soon as you can, after exposure to an allergen is the best possible protection. Since,
pollen levels generally peak in the morning, people with airway sensitivity and
asthma should postpone outdoor exercises to later in the day or stick to exercising
indoors as deeper and more rapid breathing induced by aerobic exercise causes
more pollen and dust being inhaled, which can wreck your airways and lungs.
Since, air pollutants tend to cling to clothes and hair, changing your clothes when
you come home or washing your hair before going to bed lowers exposure.
VI. Allergies in adults can be treated using some anti-allergic medicines. For those who
do not respond to the standard treatment, there’s always the option of a series of
allergy shots to help the immune system to build up a tolerance to the allergy. In
most cases, though, identifying and avoiding the allergen is enough to stay free of
trouble.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. What are the common symptoms of an allergic reaction?
1. A stuffed or dripping nose 2. Frequent sneezing
3. An itchy throat 4. Rash, sinus
5. Stomach cramps 6. Itchy, red or water eyes
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 6 (b) 2, 3 and 5 (c) 3, 4, 5 and 6 (d) All of these
2. The common environmental pollutants include pollen, dust and dust mites, ............ .
(a) Animal dander, cigarette smoke and mould
(b) Smog and mould
(c) Fog and smoke of cigarette
(d) Contaminated water, animal dander and flowers
3. What is an acute immune reaction?
1. In which the allergy trigger may be one.
2. In which the symptom is usually caused by a combination of factors.
(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Both 1 and 2 are correct
(c) Only 2 is correct (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct
4. How can you prevent/treat yourself from getting allergies?
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(a) By avoiding the allergy trigger.

(b) By taking an anti-allergy medicine as soon as there is exposure to an allergen.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above

5. When are women more likely to develop allergies?

(a) At puberty, after pregnancy and at menopause
(b) At pregnancy
(c) At puberty
(d) At menopause
142 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

6. Select the option with the underlined word that can suitably replace ‘battery’ (para 1).
(a) The shavers come complete with power unit.
(b) They stopped beside an artillery of abandoned guns.
(c) Ministers today issued a set of statements proclaiming that the prospects for renewed
growth remain good.
(d) He has served three years for assault.

7. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(1) Most people believe that allergies are either congenital or its symptoms are
developed in early childhood.
(2) Allergies can occur at any time in life.
(a) (2) is the cause for (1)
(b) (2) is the result of (1)
(c) (2) contradicts (1)
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the passage

8. What is the option for those who do not cure with anti-allergy medicines?
(a) Identifying and avoiding the allergen (b) A series of allergy shots
(c) The standard treatment (d) All of the above

9. ............ and ............ changes in the body’s hormonal balance are thought to be triggers.
(a) Stress, lifestyle and induced (b) Pollen, physical
(c) Sedentary lifestyle, stress (d) Lifestyle, eating

10. How does exercising later in the day or indoors help people with airway sensitivity
and asthma?
(a) It lowers their exposure to allergens. (b) It increases their breathing capacity.
(c) In increases their aerobic exercise capacity. (d) It lowers their exposure to pollens.

II. Read the passage given below.

Immunisation is a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives
every year. Vaccines reduce risks of getting a disease by working with your body’s
natural defences to build protection. When you get a vaccine, your immune system
responds.We now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases,
helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Immunisation currently prevents
2-3 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis,
influenza and measles.
Immunisation is a key component of primary health care and an indisputable human
right. It’s also one of the best health investments money can buy. Vaccines are also
critical to the prevention and control of infectious-disease outbreaks. They underpin
global health security and will be a vital tool in the battle against antimicrobial
resistance.Yet despite tremendous progress, far too many people around the world –
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including nearly 20 million infants each year – have insufficient access to vaccines. In
some countries, progress has stalled or even reversed and there is a real risk that
complacency will undermine past achievements.
Global vaccination coverage – the proportion of the world’s children who receive
recommended vaccines – has remained the same over the past few years.
During 2020, about 83% of infants worldwide (113 million infants) received 3 doses of
diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine, protecting them against infectious
diseases that can cause serious illness and disability or be fatal. While immunisation is
one of the most successful public health interventions, coverage has plateaued over the
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 143

last decade. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated disruptions have strained health
systems, with 23 million children missing out on vaccination in 2020, 3.7 million more
than in 2019 and the highest number since 2009.
Monitoring data at sub-national levels is critical to helping countries prioritise and
tailor vaccination strategies and operational plans to address immunisation gaps and
reach every person with life-saving vaccines.
Vaccines train your immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it’s
exposed to a disease. However, because vaccines contain only killed or weakened
forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put you at risk
of its complications. Vaccines protect against many different diseases, including:
Cervical cancer, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Influenza, Encephalitis, Measles, Meningitis,
Mumps, Pertussis, Polio, Rabies, Rotavirus, Rubella, Tetanus, Typhoid etc. WHO is
working with countries and partners to improve global vaccination coverage, through
the ‘Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020’.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. What do vaccines contain?
(a) Only killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria.
(b) Chemicals to fight diseases.
(c) Medicines necessary for an individual.
(d) Antibodies to fight diseases.

12. Vaccines are critical to the ............ of infectious-disease outbreaks.

(a) prevention and spread (b) spread and control
(c) prevention and control (d) None of these

13. How many life-threatening diseases do vaccines prevent?

(a) Less than 22 (b) 19
(c) More than 24 (d) More than 20

14. What impact did COVID-19 have on immunisation in 2020?

(a) 23 million children missed out on vaccination.
(b) 3.7 million more children than in 2019.
(c) The highest number of unvaccinated children since 2009.
(d) All of the above

15. “Immunisation is a global health and development success story” suggests that
1. Vaccination helps in saving millions of lives every year.
2. Vaccination reduces the risk of getting diseases.
3. Vaccination helps to improve immunity against various diseases.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2 and 3
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(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3

16. Choose the option that uses the word ‘strained’ as it is used in the passage.
(a) She saw dark figures jump from the top of the building across from her to the ground,
strained by what seemed like a thirty-story drop.
(b) He was also a man of letters, possessed of fine taste and a strained style.
(c) The last weeks passed in her mother’s bedroom had strained Natasha’s physical strength.
(d) The restaurant is located on the second floor of a spacious building and has a strained
atmosphere.
144 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

17. “Vaccination coverage has plateaued over the last decade” refers to
(a) The vaccination rate is same since the last ten years.
(b) The vaccination rate is decreased in the last one year.
(c) The vaccination rate is same since the last one year.
(d) The vaccination rate is increased in the last ten years.

18. Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020 aims at ............. .

(a) Improving national vaccination coverage (b) Improving global vaccination coverage
(c) Improving state vaccination coverage (d) All of these

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. Each one of the managers .............. for leave today in protest against the management.
(a) has applied (b) have applied
(c) apply (d) None of these

20. The patient .............. before the ambulance reached the hospital.
(a) has been dead (b) had died
(c) has died (d) died

21. We .............. only hope that everything turns out well.

(a) must (b) could
(c) can (d) need

22. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

Anand said to Renu, “I don’t know what Gayathri is doing these days. She hasn’t
visited us for ages.”
(a) Anand told Renu that he didn’t know what Gayathri was doing those days as she had
not visited them for ages.
(b) Anand said to Renu that he didn’t know what Gayathri was doing those days as she had
not visited them for ages.
(c) Anand asked Renu that he didn’t know what Gayathri is doing these days as she has not
visited us for ages.
(d) Anand says to Renu that he didn’t know what Gayathri was doing those days as she had
not visited them for ages.

23. ................ books are missing from the library.

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(a) Any (b) Some

(c) Much (d) More

24. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

“Call the first witness”, said the judge.
(a) The judge requested to call the witness.
(b) The judge wanted to call the first witness.
(c) The judge suggested to call the witness.
(d) The judge ordered to call the first witness.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 145

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper regarding your concerns about the reckless
driving of school bus-drivers. You are Bimal, resident of C- 4C Janakpuri, New Delhi.
25. What should come in the place of receiver’s address?
(a) The Editor (b) The Editor
The Tribune The Tribune
Mahatma Gandhi Marg Mahatma Gandhi Marg
New Delhi

(c) The Tribune (d) The Editor

Mahatma Gandhi Marg The Tribune
New Delhi

26. Choose the correct subject for the letter.

(a) Regarding reckless driving of school-bus drivers
(b) Driving of school-bus drivers
(c) Regarding school-bus drivers
(d) Regarding reckless school-bus drivers

27. Pick the correct set of suggestions for the problems mentioned in the letter.
(a) Correct law implementation (b) Traffic police should be present
No rule breaking by bus drivers on roads
Traffic police to be present Stronger measures against reckless
drivers should be taken
Levying heavy fines and forfeiting
their licenses of reckless drivers

(a) Correct law implementation (b) No rule breaking by bus drivers

No rule breaking by bus drivers
Stronger measures against reckless
drivers should be taken
Levying heavy fines and forfeiting
their licenses of reckless drivers
Stronger measures against reckless
drivers should be taken
Levying heavy fines and forfeiting
their licenses of reckless drivers
Publishing letter in the newspaper

28. Choose the opening line of the letter.

(1) Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of
the concerned authorities towards the grave issue of rash driving being done by
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school bus drivers.

(2) I want the attention of the concerned authorities towards the grave issue of rash
driving being done by school bus drivers.
(a) Yes to option (1) because of its formal and polite tone
(b) No to option (1) because of its incorrect language
(c) Yes to option (2) because of its informal tone
(d) No to option (1) because of its incorrect tone
146 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

29. Complete the problems elaborated by Bimal in his letter.

Driving in a (i) ................. , crossing speed-limits, not following traffic lights has
become very common. Despite such strict regulations regarding speed, none of these
drivers seem to follow them. This shows that there is a (ii) ................. . This is a menace
to other road users as the bus drivers that drive at high speed might crush
downwhoever comes in their way.
(a) manner on congested roads, (ii) lack in following rules
(b) unmannered on packed roads, (ii) lack of checking
(c) funny manner on congested roads, (ii) lack of laws
(d) zigzag manner on packed roads, (ii) lack of implementation

30. Choose the most appropriate concluding line for the letter.
(a) By addressing this issue, public awareness of the dangers of reckless driving can be raised.
(b) By addressing this issue, it is hoped that public awareness of the dangers of reckless
driving can be raised.
(c) Public awareness of the dangers of reckless driving can be raised.
(d) Please raise the public awareness.

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to
his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter. Never in his career as a postman
had he known that address. The postmaster — a fat, amiable fellow— also broke out
laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and tapping the letter on his desk,
commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.
Starting up a correspondence with God!” So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in
God, the postmaster came up with an idea. (A Letter to God)

31. ............... had written the letter at which the postman and the postmaster were
laughing.
(a) Lencho’s wife (b) Lencho’s sons
(c) Lencho (d) God

32. Which idea is being talked about in the above extract?

(a) He forwarded the letter to God.
(b) He kept the letter to himself.
(c) He decided to help the writer of the letter.
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(d) He scolded the postman for laughing at the letter.

33. What does the above extract represent?

(a) Lenchos’ faith in God (b) Postmaster’s kindness
(c) Lencho had only one hope – God (d) All of these

34. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following.
Heartily : Wholeheartedly : : ............... : Friendly
(a) Serious (b) Amiable
(c) Laughing (d) Correspondence
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 147

35. “Starting up a correspondence with God!” suggests that the writer of the letter was
starting ............... .
(a) deal with God by exchanging letters
(b) seeking God’s help by sending letter
(c) communication with God by exchanging letters
(d) None of the above

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
The minute they entered the classroom, they stopped short and gasped. There were
drawings all over the room, on every ledge and windowsill, dazzling colours and
brilliant, lavish designs, all drawn on great sheets of wrapping paper. There must have
been a hundred of them, all lined up. These must be the drawings for the contest. They
were! Everybody stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly.
As soon as the class had assembled, Miss Mason announced the winners. Jack Beggles
had won for the boys, she said and his design for an out board motor was on exhibition
in Room Twelve, along with the sketches by all the other boys. (The Hundred Dresses – I)

36. Why did everyone react in the following manner?

‘Everybody stopped and whistled or murmured admiringly’.
1. All the students knew that those were Wanda’s drawings.
2. All the students were amazed by the beautiful drawings.
3. All the students knew that they were the drawings for the contest.
4. All the students thought that those drawing were made by Miss Mason.
Choose the correct option from the following.
(a) 2 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 (c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3

37. Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2).
1. There were hundred drawings hanging in the Room Thirteen.
2. The drawings were beautiful.
(a) (1) is true (2) is false (b) (1) is the result of (2)
(c) Both (1) and (2) are true (d) (2) cannot be inferred from the passage.
38. What was the topic of the competition for boys and girls?
(a) Designing motorboats for boys and designing dresses for girls.
(b) Designing motorboats for both.
(c) Designing dresses for both.
(d) None of the above
39. Select the option which displays an example of ‘lined up’.
(a) Hold a pen in front of you and parallel its tip with some distant object.
(b) All children must make a queue when the whistle goes.
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(c) The books are arranged on a shelf above the desk.

(d) We have a series of activities to keep you entertained.
40. Pick out the option that classifies the statements as Facts (F) and Opinions (O).
1. I think Miss Mason was going to announce the winner for girls.
2. I think Wanda drew all those hundred drawings.
3. In my opinion Wanda could draw beautifully.
4. I think everyone was stunned on seeing those drawings.
(a) F-2, 3 and O-1, 4 (b) F-1, 2, 4 and O-3
(c) F-2, 4 and O-1, 3 (d) All are facts
148 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
41. Who is the poet of ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) John Berryman (b) Leslie Norris
(c) Carolyn Wells (d) Robert Frost

42. What does a ball cost?

(a) 5 dimes (b) 10 dimes (c) 1 dime (d) 4 dimes

43. Why does the poet decide not to console the boy?
1. It will be of no use.
2. The child has to learn to bear the losses of life.
(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Both 1 and 2 are correct
(c) Only 2 is correct (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct

44. Name the literary device used in “Merrily bouncing, down the street and then Merrily
over — there it is in the water!”
(a) Metaphor (b) Simile
(c) Alliteration (d) Anaphora

45. According to the poet, the boy is ............. while staring at his ball.
(a) shivering (b) shaking
(c) crying (d) gazing

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
At the surgery, the household dogs surged round me. Tricki looked down at the noisy
pack with dull eyes and when put down, lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs,
after sniffing round him for a few seconds,decided he was an uninteresting object and
ignored him. I made up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the
other dogs slept. For two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of
water. At the end of the second day he started to show some interest in his
surroundings and on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the
yard. (A Triumph of Surgery)

46. The noisy pack refers to .............. in the above extract.

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(a) Pack of household dogs (b) Pack of foods

(c) Pack of staff (d) Pack of bowls

47. Choose the option that can replace the phrase ‘keep an eye on’ in the given sentence.
The teachers were keeping an eye on him during the test because they thought he
might cheat.
(a) Toe the line (b) Beat the drum
(c) Go with the flow (d) None of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 149

48. Why did the speaker bring Tricki to surgery?

(a) Tricki was not well.
(b) Tricki was suffering from overnutrition.
(c) Tricki had bouts of vomiting.
(d) All of the above

49. What did other dogs do with Tricki?

(a) They sniffed him (b) They ignored him
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) They observed him

50. Which of the following statements are not true in the context of the story ‘A Triumph of
Surgery’?
1. Mrs. Pumphrey was the owner of Tricki.
2. Mrs. Pumphrey used to under-feed Tricki which made him weak and he had to be
hospitalised for a fortnight.
3. Tricki was a greedy dog who could not say ‘No’ to the food.
4. Mr. Herriot had kidnapped Tricki.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) All are true

IX. Attempt the following.

51. Choose the proverb that can be suited to the story ‘The Black Aeroplane’.
(a) Where there is a will there’s a way.
(b) Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
(c) Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
(d) Do not fear mistakes.

52. The poet says, ‘Of a day I had rued’. What is the meaning of ‘rued’?
(a) Ruined (b) Held in regret
(c) Ruled (d) Conquered

53. Why is there a need to liberate the oppressor?

(a) He is locked behind the bars of prejudice and hatred.
(b) He is somewhere hidden in fear or oppression.
(c) He is suppressed.
(d) None of the above

54. What would suffice if the world were to perish twice?

(a) Fire (b) Ice
(c) Hatred (d) Both (a) and (b)

55. Who said the following dialogue “I want to know what you have been doing to my
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chair upstairs”?
(a) Clergyman (b) Landlord
(c) Mrs. Hall (d) Griffin

56. How did Anne Frank enhance the image of her long-awaited friend?
(a) She did not just jot down the facts in the diary, she shared everything with it.
(b) She gave it a name ‘Kitty’.
(c) She covered her diary with beautiful covers.
(d) Both (a) and (b)
150 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

57. Why do you think the tiger ignores the visitors?

(a) Because he is not happy in the cage (b) Because he is angry
(c) Because his strength is confined in the cage (d) All of these

58. When did Wanda reply to the letter sent by Peggy and Maddie?
(a) On the last day of school before the New Year holidays.
(b) On the last day of school before Christmas holidays.
(c) Before the mid-term exams.
(d) None of the above

59. What is the theme of the story ‘His First Flight’?

(a) Importance of things like independence, self courage and confidence.
(b) Motivation to reach goals.
(c) Importance of family support.
(d) All of the above

60. “I had forgotten about them in the excitement of the theft.” What did the speaker forgot?
1. That he couldn’t cook Anil’s meals.
2. That he couldn’t run to the bazaar.
3. That he couldn’t learn to write whole sentences any more.
4. That he couldn’t become a big and respectable man.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2, 3 and 4 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) All of these
SAMPLE PAPER 7
 OMR SHEET SP 7
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
152 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Answers
1. (d) 2. (a) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (d)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (d) 14. (d) 15. (b) 16. (c) 17. (a) 18. (b) 19. (a) 20. (b)
21. (c) 22. (a) 23. (b) 24. (d) 25. (b) 26. (a) 27. (b) 28. (a) 29. (d) 30. (b)
31. (c) 32. (c) 33. (d) 34. (b) 35. (c) 36. (c) 37. (c) 38. (a) 39. (b) 40. (b)
41. (a) 42. (c) 43. (b) 44. (d) 45. (b) 46. (a) 47. (d) 48. (d) 49. (c) 50. (b)
51. (a) 52. (b) 53. (a) 54. (d) 55. (c) 56. (d) 57. (d) 58. (b) 59. (d) 60. (d)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (d) According to the passage, common
symptoms of an allergic reaction include
stuffed or dripping nose, rash, sinus, frequent
sneezing, ear pain, breathing difficulties,
stomach cramps, itchy throat and eyes.
2. (a) According to the passage, the common
environmental pollutants include pollen, dust
and dust mites, animal dander, cigarette
smoke and mould.
3. (b) The passage suggests that in an acute
immune reaction, the allergy trigger may only
be one, but the symptoms are usually caused
by a combination of many factors.
4. (c) The passage suggests that allergies can be
avoided by avoiding the allergy trigger and
can be treated by taking an anti-allergy
medicine as soon as exposure occurs.
5. (a) According to the passage, women are more
likely to develop allergies at puberty, after
pregnancy and at menopause.
6. (c) ‘Battery of tests’ as used in para 1 means
‘series or set of tests’. Thus, option (c) has the
underlined word ‘set’ which can replace
‘battery’ in para 1.
7. (c) Statement (2) contradicts statement (1).
12. (c) According to the passage, vaccines prevent
and control outbreaks of any infectious
disease.
13. (d) According to the passage, the world now
has vaccines that prevent more than 20
life-threatening diseases.
14. (d) According to the passage, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, more than 23 million
children missed out on vaccinations in 2020,
which is the highest number, since, 2009
and it is around 3.7 million more than that
in 2019.
15. (b) “Immunisation is a global health and
development success story” suggests that
vaccination helps in saving millions of lives
every year, it reduces the risk of getting
diseases and it helps to improve immunity
against various diseases.
16. (c) ‘Strained’ means to show signs of nervous
tension or tiredness. Only the sentence in
option (c) uses the word as it is used in the
passage.
17. (a) “Vaccination coverage has plateaued over
the last decade” refers that the vaccination rate
is same since the last ten years.

8. (b) For those who do not respond to
anti-allergic medicines, a series of allergy shots
is given to develop natural immunity against
the allergies.
9. (a) Stress and lifestyle-induced changes in the
SAMPLE PAPER 7
18. (b) Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020 aims
at improving global vaccination coverage.
19. (a) ‘Has applied’ is the correct answer because
‘each one of the managers’ represent that each
manager is an individual subject.

body’s hormonal balance are thought to be
triggers.
10. (d) Exercising later in the day or indoors help
people with airway sensitivity and asthma
lowers their exposure to pollens.
11. (a) According to the passage, vaccines contain
killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses
or bacteria that will never prove harmful to the
human body.
20. (b) ‘Had died’ is the correct answer because the
given sentence is in past tense. The two actions
occurred one after the other.
21. (c) ‘Can’ is the correct answer here.
22. (a) The correct indirect speech is – Anand told
Renu that he didn’t know what Gayathri was
doing those days as she had not visited them
for ages.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
23. (b) ‘Some’ is the correct answer to show ‘a few
books’.
24. (d) The correct indirect speech is – The judge
ordered to call the first witness.
25. (b) Option (b) shows the correct details of the
receiver’s address.
26. (a) “Regarding reckless driving of school-bus
drivers” is the correct subject for the letter.
27. (b) Option (b) will be the correct set of
suggestions for the problems mentioned in the
letter.
28. (a) Yes to option (1) because of its formal and
polite tone.
29. (d) (i) ‘Zigzag manner on packed roads’ is
appropriate to fill in the blank.
(ii) As ‘rules’ have already been talked about in
the previous sentence, ‘lack of implementation’
seems appropriate to fill in the blank.
30. (b) Option (b) is the most appropriate
concluding line for the letter.
31. (c) Lencho had written the letter at which the
postman and the postmaster were laughing.
32. (c) The postmaster didn’t want the writer of
the letter to lose faith in God and thus, decided
to help the writer himself.
33. (d) The given extract represents Lencho’s faith
and the postmaster’s kindness. It also shows
that Lencho’s only hope is God.
34. (b) Heartily : Wholeheartedly : : Amiable :
Friendly. This is so because, heartily and
wholeheartedly are synonyms and so do
amiable and friendly.
35. (c) “Starting up a correspondence with God!”
suggests that the writer of the letter was
starting communication with God by
exchanging letters.
36. (c) Everybody stopped and whistled or
murmured admiringly because all the students
knew that the drawings were for the contest
and they were amazed by those beautiful
drawings.
37. (c) Both (1) and (2) are true.
38. (a) According to the story ‘The Hundred
Dresses’, the topic of the competition was
‘designing motorboats’ for the boys and
‘designing dresses’ for the girls.
39. (b) Option (b) displays an example of ‘lined
up’, i.e. arranged as it is used in the given
extract.
153
40. (b) Only the sentence listed as 3 is an opinion
as it is an individual’s expressing his/her
opinion and the rest are facts as they are
mentioned directly in the story.
41. (a) The poet of ‘The Ball Poem’ is John
Berryman.
42. (c) According to the poem ‘The Ball Poem’, the
cost of the ball is 1 dime.
43. (b) According to the poem, the poet decides
against consoling the boy because it is of no
use as the ball and the memories it represents
are already gone. And the poet wishes for the
boy to understand that he will have to face
many losses in life and should learn to be
ready for it.
44. (d) ‘Anaphora’ is a literary device which refers
to the use of repeated words in two or more
lines. In the given lines, the word ‘merrily’
denotes the use of anaphora. Hence, option (d)
is the correct answer.
45. (b) According to the poet, the boy is shaking
while staring at his ball.
46. (a) In the given extract, the ‘noisy pack’ refers
to the household dogs that are already at the
hospital when Tricki arrives.
47. (d) The phrase ‘keep an eye on’ means to keep
someone or something under careful
observation and none of the idioms given in
the options have the same meaning.
48. (d) According to the story ‘Triumph of
Surgery’, Tricki was taken to the hospital
because he was unwell and had several bouts
of vomiting. Both of these were the
consequences of overfeeding him.
49. (c) When Tricki arrived at the hospital, the
other dogs sniffed around him first and then
ignored him after he seemed liked an
uninteresting object.
50. (b) According to the story, Mrs. Pumphrey,
who was the owner of Trick, overfed him
which eventually landed him in a hospital. Dr.
Herriot took him to treat at the surgery. Hence,
SAMPLE PAPER 7
the sentences listed as 2 and 4 are not true in
the context of the story.
51. (a) The proverb ‘Where there is a will there’s a
way’ is best suited to the story ‘The Black
Aeroplane’.
52. (b) The word ‘rued’ means to regret something
bitterly. Hence, option (b) ‘held in regret’ is the
correct answer.
154 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
53. (a) According to Nelson Mandela, there is a
need to liberate the oppressor because he is
locked behind metaphorical bars, of prejudice
and hatred and thus, should be helped to
overcome them.
54. (d) Both fire and ice would suffice if the
world were to perish twice.
55. (c) In the story ‘Footprints without Feet’,
Mrs. Hall said the given dialogue to Griffin.
56. (d) Anne Frank enhance the image of her
long-awaited friend by not just jotting down
the facts in the diary, instead she shared
everything with it. She gave it a name ‘Kitty’.
57. (d) The tiger ignores the visitors because he is
not happy in the cage, he is angry and his
strength is confined in the cage.
SAMPLE PAPER 7
58. (b) Wanda replied to Peggy and Maddie’s letter
by writing to Miss Mason and sent in on the last
day of school before Christmas holidays.
59. (d) The theme of the story ‘His First Flight’ is as
follows
• Importance of things like independence, self
courage and confidence
• Motivation to reach goals
• Importance of family support
60. (d) When Hari Singh ran away after stealing
money Anil, he had forgotten that running away
meant that he wouldn’t cook for Anil and shop
from the bazaar anymore. It also made him think
that Anil wouldn’t teach him to read and write
anymore and thus, he wouldn’t be able to become
a respectable man.
 155
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 8
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. Not too long ago, a group of teachers made a study of the students and learning
problems. A curious fact came out of this study. The teachers discovered that the
students who did poorly in subjects such as Maths or Art could still do very well in
other subjects. But the students who did poorly in reading, almost did poorly in all
their other courses.
II. For a while the teachers who made the study were puzzled by this, but they soon
had an answer to this puzzle. The teachers looked at the subjects that the students
were failing in and discovered that even subjects like Maths and Science were
based on reading.
III. Of course, there were also other skills involved such as learning to add and
subtract in Maths class. Most of the explanations of how to do things had to be read
by the students. Much of the home work assignments required students to read
long sets of directions and tests and problems in class often involved story
problems, problems that were explained in words and had to be read and
understood before they could be solved. Your success or failure in these classes
will depend on your ability to read the required material.
IV. Finally, if you go to college, almost all your study time will be spent in reading.
You need more and more information and most of the information come from the
printed material you have to read. Even if you could get tapes or movies
containing all the information, you need to know that they would not be of much
help until and unless you know how to read. Magazines and books may all be on
156 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

microfilm in the next few years, but they will still have to be read. The same is true
of most of what you have to learn in school. Your school is probably not going to
throw all printed material out of the window very soon.
V. Success in school courses still depends on an ability to read and those students,
who cannot read or at least read well enough to master material, are in trouble. You
are moving into a world where everyday more and more technical reading is
required. Instructions for using applications are becoming more complex. There are
written instructions to follow, for food preparations, traffic signs, travel directions
and safety information, all requiring the ability to read.
VI. Also your ability to get and keep a job is directly related to your ability to read.
Even the simplest jobs require some reading ability and many people advance to
more important and better paying jobs by getting additional knowledge and skills
through reading. The more specialised the job, the greater the need to read
confidently, quickly and efficiently. Doctors read professional journals so that they
can use the latest medical knowledge in treating patients while pharmacists have to
read the prescriptions the doctors write. Lawyers spend their days reading briefs.
The number of semiskilled and professional occupations that require high reading
ability is increasing rapidly. Today a person who cannot read is almost
unemployable.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. The study of a group of teachers revealed that ............... .
(a) The students who did poorly in reading almost always did poorly in all other subjects.
(b) The students who did poorly in subjects such as Maths or Art could still do very well in
other subjects.
(c) The students who did poorly in subjects such as Maths or Art did poorly in all other
subjects.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

2. How is reading ability helping various professionals in their fields?

1. Doctors read professional journals to be abreast with latest medical knowledge in
treating patients.
2. Pharmacists read doctor’s prescriptions.
3. Lawyers read briefs.
(a) Only 2 (b) 1 and 2 (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 2 and 3

3. What is the most essential pre-requisite to keep a job?

(a) One’s ability to read (b) One’s ability to write
(c) One’s ability to hear (d) One’s ability to speak

4. Complete the dialogue between two friends with reference to the above passage.
SAMPLE PAPER 8
3

Sam: Inspirational and motivational reading also helps us keeping our emotional
balance.
Sunil: Very true! ...............
Sam: Exactly! Reading is important not only for students but for each and every person
to understand the life in its true sense. Well, I will take your leave now. Bye!
(a) Reading helps you to get success in your studies.
(b) Reading itself is a huge source of acquiring knowledge.
(c) Reading helps you in gaining bookish knowledge.
(d) Reading opens up the world of imagination.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 157

5. Select the option with the underlined word that can suitably replace ‘instructions’
(para v).
(a) Military leaders command the troops to open fire.
(b) She didn’t acknowledge his order but headed toward the stairs.
(c) In July he issued a decree ordering all unofficial armed groups in the country to disband.
(d) The computer comes with a comprehensive owners manual.

6. “The students who did poorly in reading, almost did poorly in all their other courses”
because
(a) other courses require different skill-set.
(b) other courses are difficult to read.
(c) other subjects are also based on reading.
(d) other subjects are application-based subjects.

7. Assonance is resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words, arising

particularly from the rhyming of two or more stressed vowels and also from the use of
identical consonants with different vowels (e.g. killed, cold, culled).
From the options given below, select an assonance phrase that appears in the para I.
(a) Not too long ago (b) A curious fact came out
(c) The teachers discovered that the (d) Their other courses

8. Why is reading so important in one’s life?

(a) Success in school courses still depends on an ability to read.
(b) If you go to college, almost all your study time will be spent in reading.
(c) There are written instructions to follow, for food preparations, traffic signs, travel
directions and safety information.
(d) All of the above

9. Choose the quote that best expresses the central idea of the passage.
(a) “The best advice I ever got was that knowledge is power and to keep reading.” – David
Bailey
(b) “Reading is like thinking, like praying, like talking to a friend, like expressing your
ideas, like listening to other people’s ideas, like listening to music, like looking at the
view, like taking a walk on the beach.” – Roberto Bolaño
(c) “He that loves reading has everything within his reach.” – William Godwin
(d) “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” – Frederick Douglass

10. One’s .............. in school classes depends on one’s ability to read the required material.
(a) promotion or demotion (b) pass or fail
(c) success or failure (d) marks

II. Read the passage given below.

SAMPLE PAPER 8

I. Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood

glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart,
blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. The most common is type 2 diabetes,
usually in adults, which occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin or
doesn’t make enough insulin. In the past three decades the prevalence of type 2
diabetes has risen dramatically in countries of all income levels. Type 1 diabetes,
once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic
condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself. For people
living with diabetes, access to affordable treatment, including insulin, is critical to
their survival. Hyperglycemia or raised blood sugar, is a common effect of
158 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body’s
systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels. There is a globally agreed target
to halt the rise in diabetes and obesity by 2025.
II. About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low and
middle income countries and 1.6 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes
each year. Both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes have been
steadily increasing over the past few decades. In 2014, 8.5% of adults aged 18 years
and older had diabetes. In 2019, diabetes was the direct cause of 1.5 million deaths.
To present a more accurate picture of the deaths causes by diabetes, however,
deaths due to higher than optimal blood glucose through cardiovascular disease,
chronic kidney disease and tuberculosis should be added. In 2012 (year of the latest
available data), there were another 2.2 million deaths due to high blood glucose.
III. Between 2000 and 2016, there was a 5% increase in premature mortality from
diabetes. In high-income countries the premature mortality rate due to diabetes
decreased from 2000 to 2010 but then increased in 2010-2016. In lower-middle
income countries, the premature mortality rate due to diabetes increased across
both periods.
IV. By contrast, the probability of dying from any one of the four main
non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory
diseases or diabetes) between the ages of 30 and 70 decreased by 18% globally
between 2000 and 2016.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. What is diabetes?
(a) Elevated levels of blood glucose (b) Elevated levels of blood platelets
(c) Elevated fat in the body (d) Elevated level of cholesterol

12. There was a 18% decrease in probability of global deaths from any one of the four
non-communicable diseases between 2000 and 2016.
The above line suggests that
(a) deaths due to cardiovascular diseases decreased by 18%.
(b) deaths due to cancer and chronic respiratory diseases decreased by 18%.
(c) deaths due to diabetes decreased by 18%.
(d) deaths due to cardiovascular diseases or cancer or chronic respiratory diseases or
diabetes alone decreased by 18%.

13. What are the consequences of diabetes?

Stroke Blindness ................ Heart attack ................
(a) Obesity, Heart disease (b) Migraine, Amputation
SAMPLE PAPER 8
3

(c) Kidney Failure, Amputation (d) Cardiac Arrest, Anaemia

14. ............... deaths due to diabetes and high blood glucose are recorded each year.
(a) 3.7 million (b) 1.6 million
(c) 422 million (d) 2.2 million

15. What do you think can be the risk factors for diabetes?
1. Unhealthy diet 2. Less or no physical activity
(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Only 2 is correct
(c) Both 1 and 2 are correct (d) Both 1 and 2 are incorrect
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 159

16. Choose the option that does NOT use the word ‘premature’ as it is used in the above
passage.
(a) Every father should insure himself against premature death or prolonged illness for the
sake of his wife and children.
(b) Premature disclosure of the test sites might lead to invalidation of the experiment.
(c) For enterprises and service providers, the use of network processors ensures against
premature product obsolescence.
(d) Dean retreated to their quarters to handle some premature paper work and so spent the
remainder of the morning.

17. What is the main characteristic of Type-1 diabetes?

(a) There is insulin resistance.
(b) There is little or no insulin secreted by pancreas.
(c) The pancreas become dysfunctional.
(d) All of the above

18. Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.
(1) Diabetes is increasing the rate of premature mortality.
(2) Diabetes is taking lives before the average age of death.
(a) (2) furthers the meaning of (1) (b) (1) is the result of (2)
(c) (2) is independent of (1) (d) (1) is true (2) is false

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for each.
19. There were ............... people at the airport.
(a) many (b) little (c) more (d) much

20. The coffee is rather bitter. ............... you please pass some sugar?
(a) Shall (b) Should (c) May (d) Would

21. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

The General said,” Move the tanks to the battlefield immediately.”
(a) The General said to move the tanks to the battlefield immediately.
(b) The General ordered to move the tanks to the battlefield immediately.
(c) The General told to move the tanks to the battlefield immediately.
(d) The General ordered the tanks to be moved to the battlefield immediately.

22. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

SAMPLE PAPER 8

“Why don’t you change into something more comfortable?” he said to his guest.
(a) He asked his guest why he hadn’t change into something more comfortable.
(b) He asked his guest why didn’t he change into something more comfortable.
(c) He asked his guest why he didn’t change into something more comfortable.
(d) He asked his guest why he hasn’t change into something more comfortable.

23. When Feroze and Mehr ............... for the first time, they did not like each other but now
they are married.
(a) meet (b) meets
(c) met (d) have met
160 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

24. My uncle and guardian ............... me to start my own business.

(a) want (b) wants (c) is wanting (d) are wanting
Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Farhan, Purchasing Officer at Fortune Goods, 317, Sitara Road, Kerala. You
have to write a complaint letter to the Sales Manager of Everlong Batteries regarding
the incomplete delivery of batteries.
25. Choose the correct subject for the letter.
(a) Regarding the batteries delivered
(b) Regarding the incomplete delivery of batteries
(c)Complaint about batteries
(d) Batteries are incompetent
26. Complete the opening line for the letter.
I am writing this letter in reference to the ............... from your company has not been
supplied correctly.
(a) bill 243637 we sent (b) card no. 243637 we asked
(c) order no. 243637 that we ordered (d) warranty no. 243637 that was ordered
27. Which of the following are required for the letter?
1. Order no. 2. Sender’s details
3. Receiver’s details 4. Proof of incomplete delivery
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

28. Which of the following option should be opted as the concluding portion of the letter?
(1) Make up the shortfall immediately and ensure that such errors do not happen
again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.
(2) I am writing to ask you to make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that
such errors do not happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for
our supplies.
(a) Yes, to Option (1) because of the authoritative tone.
(b) No, to Option (1) because of the certainty in the tone.
(c) Yes, to Option (2) because of the tone of polite expectation.
(d) No, to Option (2) because of the informal tone.
29. Choose the suitable closing line for the letter.
(a) Thanking you (b) Thanks
(c) I look forward to hearing from you (d) Hope to see you soon
30. Choose the correct complementary closing for the letter.
SAMPLE PAPER 8
3

(a) Yours sincerely (b) Your’s lovingly

Farhan Farhan
Purchasing Officer Purchasing Officer
Fortune Goods Fortune Goods

(c) Yours (d) Yours sincerely

Farhan Farhan
Purchasing Officer Fortune Goods
Fortune Goods
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 161

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin or his
background or his religion. People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they
can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its
opposite. Even in the grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed
to our limits, I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps just for
a second, but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going. Man’s goodness is a
flame that can be hidden but never extinguished. (‘Nelson Mandela’ Long Walk to Freedom)

31. What does ‘a glimmer of humanity’ mean?

(a) A light of humanity (b) Humanitarian conditions
(c) People showing love to each other (d) None of these

32. What did ‘a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards’ reassured Mandela in prison?
(a) Love and kindness were still present (b) The guard was kind to him
(c) The guard treated him humanely (d) All of these

33. What message do we get from this story by Nelson Mandela?

1. Everything 2. Everyone is born 3. Love is natural to 4. Courage is
seems impossible equal. There should humans and hatred overcoming
until it’s done. not be discrimination is ingrained. one’s fear.
on any basis.

(a) Only 1 (b) 2 and 4

(c) 3 and 4 (d) All of these

34. What does the line “Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never
extinguished” show?
1. Optimism and inspiration.
2. Every individual has goodness within themselves.
3. Though it may remain burning at low intensity, but it can never be extinguished.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) Only 3
(c) Only 1 (d) All of these

35. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following.
Miserable : Grimmest : : Kindness : ................ .
(a) Glimmer (b) Love
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(c) Humanity (d) Hate

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Then he completely forgot that he had not always been able to fly and commended
himself to dive and soar and curve, shrieking shrilly. He was near the sea now, flying
straight over it, facing straight out over the ocean. He saw a vast green sea beneath
him, with little ridges moving over it and he turned his beak sideways and cawed
amusedly. His parents and his brothers and sister had landed on this green flooring
ahead of him. They were beckoning to him, calling shrilly. He dropped his legs to
stand on the green sea. (His First Flight)
162 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

36. When did the young seagull completely forget that he had not always been able to fly?
(a) When he took his first flight.
(b) When he cawed amusedly.
(c) When he joined his brothers and sisters.
(d) When he saw his mother bringing fish to him.

37. Why was everyone calling shrilly?

(a) Because the young seagull did not learn to fly.
(b) Because the young seagull made his first flight.
(c) Because the young seagull was not eating anything.
(d) Because the young seagull was asleep.

38. Which word does ‘beckoning’ not correspond to?

(a) Gesture (b) Signal
(c) Wave (d) Repel

39. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) The young seagull managed to take his first flight.
(2) His hunger made him fly.
(a) (1) is the result of (2)
(b) (2) is true (1) is false
(c) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the passage
(d) (2) is independent of (1)

40. What happened when the young seagull took his first flight?
1. He dived and soared. 2. He flew straight over the sea.
3. He was happy.
(a) 1 and 3 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 1, 2 and 3

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued. (Dust of Snow)

41. The rhyming scheme used in the above extract is ................ .

(a) abcd (b) abab
(c) abba (d) aabb

42. What has changed the mood of the poet?

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(a) Dust of snow (b) A crow

3

(c) A hemlock tree (d) None of these

43. What happened when snow fell on the poet?

1. He noticed what’s happening around him.
2. His mood got changed.
3. He became happy.
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) All of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 163

44. Why did the poet regret his day?

(a) Something bad has happened to him.
(b) He was guilty of something.
(c) Not mentioned in the poem.
(d) He was upset because of his family.

45. Choose the option that uses the word ‘rued’ as it is used in the above extract?
(a) If you want your workers to be rued, you need to pay them a decent wage.
(b) Sara slapped the snooze button on her alarm radio and rued the day she bought it.
(c) In spite of the time lapse between practice sessions, she did well enough to win his rue.
(d) The very things that in the moment dampen our moods can later be sources of intense
gratification and rue.

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
When I reached the station I did not stop at the ticket office but dashed straight to the
platform. The Lucknow Express was just moving out. The train had still to pickup
speed and I should have been able to jump into one of the carriages, but I hesitated —
for some reason I can’t explain — and I lost the chance to get away. When the train had
gone, I found myself standing alone on the deserted platform. I had no idea where to
spend the night. I had no friends, believing that friends were more trouble than help.
And I did not want to make anyone curious by staying at one of the small hotels near
the station. (The Thief’s Story)

46. Why did the speaker not stop at the ticket office?
(a) He did not have money to buy a ticket. (b) He had never bought a ticket in his life.
(c) He was in a great hurry. (d) He forgot to buy a ticket.

47. Where did the speaker decide to go from the station?

(a) To the market (b) To the clock tower
(c) To his employer (d) To a shady hotel

48. Which unexplained reason stopped the speaker from getting into the train?
(a) That he would break the trust of his employer.
(b) That he would not be able to read and write.
(c) That he would not be able to become a big and respected man in the society.
(d) All of the above

49. The phrase ‘get away’ means to ................

(a) escape (b) go away
(c) go to far off place (d) All of these

50. Which of the following qualities can be associated with the speaker in the above
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extract?
1. Grateful 2. Regretful
3. Happy 4. Curious
5. Ashamed 6. Cunning
(a) 2, 3, and 6 (b) 1, 2 and 5
(c) 2, 4 and 5 (d) 1, 3, and 4
164 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

IX. Attempt the following questions.

51. Choose the appropriate response in support of the following remark made by a
student.
I think animals can be kept in zoo so that they can be protected.
(a) Zoos should be banned. It’s not right to keep animals this way.
(b) I think wildlife sanctuaries and parks are better way to protect wildlife animals.
(c) I think humans should be kept in zoos and animal should roam freely.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

52. What did Peggy and Maddie decide to do after hearing letter from Wanda’s father?
1. To go to Boggins Heights to find Wanda.
2. To write an apologising letter to Wanda.
3. To write a friendly letter to Wanda.
(a) Only 2 (b) Only 1
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 1 and 3

53. When Dr. Herriot placed an extra bowl at the surgery ................ .
(a) Tricki jostled his way towards it.
(b) There was the usual headlong rush of the dogs.
(c) There were the sounds of high-speed eating.
(d) All of the above

54. Match the characters from First Flight with their identities.
List I List II
(Characters) (Identities)
A. Anne Frank 1. Victim of Apartheid
B. Lencho 2. A Polish girl
C. Nelson Mandela 3. Freedom fighter
D. Wanda 4. A farmer
5. Renowned victim of Holocaust

Codes
A B C D A B C D
(a) 1 4 5 3 (b) 5 2 3 4
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 5 4 1 2

55. Why did Lencho ask God not to send him the rest of the money through mail?
(a) Because he thought that mail would take a much longer time.
(b) Because he thought that the post office employees stole it.
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3

(c) Because he was not available to receive the mail next time.
(d) Because it was not safe to send money through mail.

56. What does the poet wish to convey through the poem ‘Fire and Ice’?
(a) We should not be greedy.
(b) All the human beings should check their desires and hatred.
(c) We should control our desires and care for our fellow beings.
(d) Both (a) and (c)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 165

57. Why do you think Wanda lie that she had hundred dresses and sixty pairs of shoes?
(a) To impress Peggy and Maddie. (b) She did not lie.
(c) To avoid getting bullied further. (d) None of these

58. What every man needs to know one day as per the poet of ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) That losing something is a part of life.
(b) One must learn to deal with such losses.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) One cannot buy a new ball

59. “I was very happy to go behind the strange aeroplane like an obedient child.” – Which
figure of speech is used in the underlined phrase?
(a) Metaphor (b) Simile
(c) Alliteration (d) Personification

60. What was the trick to write the essay on ‘A Chatterbox’?

(a) To come up with convincing ideas to prove the necessity of talking.
(b) To come up with difficult words that were beyond Mr. Keesing’s understanding.
(c) To write the fact that Anne had inherited talking trait from her mother.
(d) None of the above

SAMPLE PAPER 8
 OMR SHEET SP 8
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 167

Answers
1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (a) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (c) 7. (a) 8. (d) 9. (c) 10. (c)
11. (a) 12. (d) 13. (c) 14. (b) 15. (c) 16. (d) 17. (b) 18. (a) 19. (a) 20. (d)
21. (b) 22. (c) 23. (c) 24. (b) 25. (b) 26. (c) 27. (d) 28. (c) 29. (c) 30. (a)
31. (a) 32. (a) 33. (d) 34. (d) 35. (c) 36. (a) 37. (b) 38. (d) 39. (a) 40. (d)
41. (b) 42. (a) 43. (d) 44. (c) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (c) 48. (d) 49. (d) 50. (b)
51. (d) 52. (b) 53. (a) 54. (d) 55. (b) 56. (d) 57. (c) 58. (c) 59. (b) 60. (a)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (d) According to the passage, the study
conducted by a group of teachers revealed that
the students who did not perform very well in
subjects like Maths and Arts could still do well
in other subjects, but those who performed
badly in reading were almost always bad in all
other subjects.
2. (c) Learning to read is very important because
it helps in many stages and professions like
doctors reading professional journals,
pharmacists reading doctors’ prescriptions and
medicine name and lawyers reading briefs and
case files.
3. (a) According to the passage, no matter what
the job is, one’s ability to read is important in
every field.
4. (b) “Reading itself is a huge source of
acquiring knowledge,” is suitable to complete
the dialogue.
5. (d) The underlined word ‘manual’ can replace
the word instructions in para v.
6. (c) “The students who did poorly in reading,
almost did poorly in all their other courses”
because other subjects are also based on
reading.
7. (a) ‘Not too long ago’ has the assonance words
– not and long which have the same vowel
sounds.
8. (d) Reading is essential in life because not only
it is integral to achieving success in school
courses, but it also helps during college as
10. (c) According to the passage, an individual’s
success or failure in school classes and
while doing homework assignments depends
upon their ability to read the required
material.
11. (a) In the given passage, diabetes has been
defined as a chronic, metabolic disease which
results in elevated levels of blood glucose.
12. (d) The given line suggests that deaths due to
cardiovascular diseases or cancer or chronic
respiratory diseases or diabetes alone
decreased by 18% between 2000 and 2016.
13. (c) According to the passage, heart diseases,
stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputa-
tion are few of the consequences of diabetes.
14. (b) According to the passage, 1.6 million
deaths due to diabetes and high blood glucose
are recorded each year.
15. (c) According to the passage, unhealthy diet
and little to no physical activity are the causes
and risk factor for diabetes.
16. (d) ‘Premature’ means untimely or occurring
too early. Hence, only the sentence in option
(d) does not use the word correctly and as used
in the given extract.
17. (b) There is little or no insulin secreted by
pancreas is the main characteristic of Type-1
diabetes.
18. (a) (2) Furthers the meaning of (1), i.e. diabetes
is increasing the rate of premature mortality
SAMPLE PAPER 8

which means that it is taking lives before the

almost all of one’s time is spent in reading,
regardless of the subject. In day-to-day life too,
the ability to read is important because one
might have to follow written instructions for
food recipes, travel directions and read traffic
signs, etc.
9. (c) The quote by William Godwin – “He that
loves reading has everything within his reach”
best expresses the central idea of the passage.
average age of death.
19. (a) ‘Many’ is the correct answer here. It is used
with countable nouns.
20. (d) ‘Would’ is the correct answer here. It is a
modal verb used to express a polite request.
21. (b) The correct indirect speech is – The General
ordered to move the tanks to the battlefield
immediately.
168 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
22. (c) The correct indirect speech is – He asked his
guest why he didn’t change into something
more comfortable.
23. (c) Since, the given sentence is in past tense,
‘met’ is the correct option to be filled in the
blank.
24. (b) ‘My uncle and guardian’ represents one
same person, so singular verb ‘wants’ is
appropriate to fill in the blank.
25. (b) ‘Regarding the incomplete delivery of
batteries’ will be the correct subject for the letter.
26. (c) The given sentence is referring to an order
and hence, option (c) ‘order no. 243637 that we
ordered’ is appropriate to fill in the blank to
complete the opening line of the letter.
27. (d) Following are required for the letter
• Order no.
• Sender’s details
• Receiver’s details
• Proof of incomplete delivery
28. (c) Yes, to Option (2) because of the tone of
polite expectation.
29. (c) ‘I look forward to hearing from you’ is the
correct close to a formal letter, especially when
expecting a response.
30. (a) Option (a) shows the correct
complementary closing for the letter.
31. (a) ‘Glimmer’ means shine or light. Hence, by
‘a glimmer of humanity’, the author meant ‘a
light of humanity’.
32. (a) Whenever any guard would show kind
behaviour towards him, even for a second,
Mandela would get reassured that love and
kindness were still present in the world.
33. (d) From the story ‘Nelson Mandela Long
Walk to Freedom’, it can be understood that
things might seem difficult and impossible till
attempted and that courage is not only the
absence of fear but also the overcoming of the
fear. The story also teaches us that everyone is
born equal and discrimination of any kind is
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injustice; that love is natural to all human
beings whereas hatred is ingrained.
34. (d) The given line shows positive thinking and
is inspiring. It asserts that all human beings are
capable of goodness and though sometimes
that goodness may not be apparent, it is
always there.
35. (c) Miserable : Grimmest : : Kindness :
Humanity. This is so because miserable and
grimmest are synonyms and so do kindness
and humanity.
36. (a) When the young seagull finally started
flying for the first time, he completely forgot
that he had never been able to fly and has
always been scared that his wings would not
support him.
37. (b) Everyone was calling shrilly in order to
praise the young seagull for making his first
flight.
38. (d) ‘Beckoning’ means to gesture someone to
approach or follow. Hence, only ‘repel’ does
not correspond with beckoning.
39. (a) (1) is the result of (2), i.e., the young
seagull’s hunger pushed him to make his first
flight.
40. (d) When the young seagull took his first flight
he dived and soared, he flew straight over the
sea and he was happy.
41. (b) The rhyming scheme used in the above
extract is abab.
42. (a) The falling of the dust of snow when the
crow shook the branch of the hemlock tree
changed the poet’s mood.
43. (d) When snow fell on the poet, he noticed
what’s happening around him, his mood got
changed and he became happy.
44. (c) The poem makes a mention of the poet’s
regret of the day but the reason behind the
upset mood is not given.
45. (b) ‘Rued’ means to regret something bitterly.
Hence, the only sentence that uses it as used in
the given extract is the one in option (b).
46. (b) The speaker, Hari Singh, did not stop to
buy the ticket because he had never bought a
ticket in his life.
47. (c) The speaker felt bad for stealing from a man
who trusted him and taught him and decided
to go back to his employer, Anil.
48. (d) The reason that stopped the speaker was
that he didn’t want to break Anil’s trust and
lose his only friend and source of education.
With the help of Anil’s teachings, the speaker
thought, that one day he would become a
respected member of the society and thus, he
hesitated to go in the train.
49. (d) The phrase ‘get away’ means to escape, go
away and go to far off place.
50. (b) The speaker was ashamed of himself for
breaking Anil’s trust, he was regretful and at
the same time feeling grateful to Anil for
teaching him to read and write.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
51. (d) The appropriate responses to the given
remark are that zoos should be banned because
it strips the animals of their freedom and
wildlife sanctuaries and national parks provide
much better protection to wildlife and it
doesn’t restrict their freedom.
52. (b) After hearing the letter from Wanda’s
father, Peggy and Maddie decided to go to her
house to find and stop Wanda from leaving
and also to tell her that she won the contest.
53. (a) After restricting his food intake for two
days, when the doctor finally gives Tricki some
food, he leapt at the sight and ran joyfully to
eat.
54. (d) ‘5412’ is the correct matching sequence.
55. (b) Lencho asked God not to send him the rest
of the money through mail because he thought
that the post office employees stole it.
169
56. (d) Through the poem ‘Fire and Ice’, the poet
wants to convey that we should not be greedy
and we should control our desires and care for
our fellow beings.
57. (c) Wanda lied that she had hundred dresses
and sixty pairs of shoes to avoid getting
bullied further.
58. (c) According to the poet of ‘The Ball Poem’,
every person needs to understand that loss is a
part of life and should also learn to cope with
the loss.
59. (b) “I was very happy to go behind the strange
aeroplane like an obedient child.” – simile is
used in the underlined phrase.
60. (a) The trick to write the essay on ‘A
Chatterbox’ was to come up with convincing
ideas to prove the necessity of talking.
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170
CBSE Sample Paper English Class X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 9
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING
I. Read the passage given below.
I. The conquest of happiness has meant different facts to different generations. Our
forefathers took pride in scholarship, a spirit of sacrifice and solicitude for the
welfare of others. Gone are those days. Today we live only for ourselves. We are
jealous of the advancement of our neighbours. We end up tense and unhappy.
II. The term ‘happy’ has a variety of meanings. It stands for the lucky, fortunate,
content, glad or apt. Happiness lies within the mind of the individual. No amount
of external wealth may be helpful in making him happy.
III. Our forefathers had life styles, very much different from those we have today. Their
life was based mainly on the concept of ‘Simple living and high thinking.’ People
were satisfied with whatever they obtained after working hard. Excessive material
wealth did not mean much for them. They aimed at deriving mental satisfaction
and enrichment from whatever they did.
IV. The structural framework of our forefathers’ families was different from those of
ours. They lived in a cohesive joint family structure where they were happier than
we. They cared for each other. The siblings grew up with their cousins. The bond
of love which they share cannot be easily found in the nuclear family of the day.
The family provided an emotional cushioning effect against tension and stress.
However, in the nuclear family, we are detached from the feelings towards our
kith and kin. At times even the cousins do not recognise one another, when they
happen to be self-centred. Disputes in the family may lead to divisions. This may
finally destroy the family psyche.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 171

V. The joint family system provided a proper environment for the child to grow up.
The value of respect, tolerance, responsibility, integrity, etc. were internalised in the
child. In the long run, they became better human beings, compared to those in the
present generation. Our forefathers felt happiest if their children became ‘honest’
human beings. But today we are happy only if we attain our coveted material ends.
We are ready to resort to any means to attain that end. Our philosophy of life has
turned out totally Machiavellian.
VI. Our forefathers had a vision to make India the best. To attain their ambitions, they
were ready to make all sorts of personal sacrifices. Their happiness lay in that of
the millions of Indian brothers and sisters. On the other hand, today people are
ready to migrate to the West, to enjoy a comfortable life. They run away from the
evils of the Indian society without trying to remedy them. Often they become
successful in foreign lands. But in the process, they become alienated from their
motherland. The nostalgic feeling of their childhood and the relationship they left
lingered on, which cannot make them happy. Distance from their ailing parents is a
worrying factor and keeps them perturbed. It is not easy for them to return, as their
children will not be able to adjust to the Indian environment and the way of life.
Thus, in our generation, tradition and modernity have intermingled to form our
special system.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. According to the passage, which from the following options brings out the difference
between lives of our forefathers and today’s generation?
(a) Forefathers lived a self-sacrificing life while today’s generation live a self-centred life.
(b) Forefathers wanted to live with their children, but today’s generation wanted to live
alone.
(c) Forefathers took pride in scholarship; today’s generation look down upon it.
(d) None of the above
2. What do you understand by ‘happiness’?
(a) Happiness cannot be got from any amount of external wealth.
(b) It lies within the mind of the individual.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
3. Why are people ready to migrate to the West?
(a) To enjoy a comfortable life.
(b) To run away from the evils of the Indian society.
(c) To become successful in foreign lands.
(d) All of the above
SAMPLE PAPER 9

4. How does the joint family system make a child a good human being?
(a) By teaching a sense of responsibility, integrity, tolerance and values
(b) By giving responsibility and values
(c) By giving material comforts, integrity and responsibility
(d) By giving luxuries of life and values
172 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

5. Complete the dialogue between two friends with reference to the above passage.
Saurabh The most important thing in life is to be satisfied with what one has. My
resources are limited and I try to keep my wants within limits. I’m always happy with
what I have.
Ankit Oh, you must be a sage. Few people can be like you. ................. , which
invariably ends in frustration.
(a) People want to be rich and successful
(b) Their wants have no limits and their whole life is a race to satisfy their goals
(c) There can be unfulfilled desires and goals
(d) Their desires have limits and their whole life goes in fulfilling them

6. What concept was our forefathers’ life based upon?

1. Simple living and high thinking.
2. Satisfied with whatever they obtained after working hard.
3. Excessive material wealth did not mean much for them.
4. They aimed at deriving mental satisfaction and enrichment from whatever they did.
(a) 2 and 3 (b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1,2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2 and 3

7. Choose from the following options that display the concept of ‘Simple living and high
thinking’.
(i) Yesterday I had been to a Buddhist monastery. There were monks with their heads
shaved off, wearing only a simple cloth. Yet when I talked to them, they seemed to
be filled with purest thoughts about the planet and its creatures.
(ii) There lived a wealthy businessman with his only son in a big mansion. The
businessman had no time for his family yet, their house had everything in the
entire world that money can buy. The son had to spend most of his time alone, with
his cars and gadgets, but he was happy with it.
(a) Only (ii) (b) Both (i) and (ii)
(c) Only (i) (d) Neither (i) nor (ii)

8. Choose the option with underlined word/ phrase which can replace the phrase
‘lingered on’ in para VI.
(a) I knew I was going the wrong way, but I just carried on.
(b) It is estimated that some 7000 people have been disappeared by security forces.
(c) They have indicated their willingness to continue in office.
(d) Undercover officers spend most of their time hanging around.

9. The intermingle of modernity and tradition is shown by

(a) Children helping their parents or grandparents in using smart gadgets.
(b) Children staying away from their families.
SAMPLE PAPER 9

(c) Parents going to live at their children’s place.

(d) None of the above

10. Choose the option which suggests the following meaning “We are jealous of the
advancement of our neighbours”.
(a) Frog in the well
(b) Crab in the barrel
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of these
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 173

II. Read the passage given below.

I. The emergence of novel COVID-19 epidemic has been spreading in India which
brought the sudden lockdown situation in the country. After government execution
of lockdown with different stages, beings rapidly change their pattern of living.
The affection of such controls affected entertainment with several entities. Many
productions of entertainment programs get stopped that results the broadcast of
new programs and several episodes has been stationary till the unlocked. To avoid
the forfeiture in revenue, production houses used the concept of minimax
programming that belongs to repeated telecast of running or evergreen programs.
“Their current success may seem as an aberration at first glance. Doordarshan itself
has replayed its old shows in the past too and these have always gone unnoticed,”
says Shailesh Kapoor, founder and CEO at Ormax Media. Meanwhile, the
condition of movie theatre is much similar to other entertainment substances that
have been closed and unable to perceive the entertainment.
II. Under such circumstances, Web series enable to emphasis the audiences with its
own concept of ‘anywhere-anytime’ where audience can watch and get interact
with programs with their convenience and of personal medium. Web series are
developing a new breed for new content providers, who produce fresh content
for digital audiences. Spreading the Internet access in rural and urban areas is
much responsible for increasing of audience of web series in digital platform.
Since, the revolution of 4G in India, OTT (over-the-top) platform such as Hotstar,
Netflix, Amazon Prime video, ALTBalaji are delivering the content like web series,
movies, TV serials, sports and news with different languages to the user (audience)
with a boundless quality. A study revealed that 95% youth (age between 18 and 25)
have admitted to watching web series in a metro city like Mumbai and
approximately 81% audiences are watching in online manner by using OTT
platform where in 42% of audiences watching web series on a daily basis, by using
OTT high rate.
III. In a study, certain responses were collected on watching habits of web series
between before and after lockdown. It was clear that approximately 15% of rise was
seen in audiences during lockdown. Audiences showed their interest more towards
web series. In the same study, another interpretation showed the meaning of free
time to watch web series during lockdown. Before lockdown, ‘all day’ users of web
series were quite low to approximately 4% but during lockdown, an increase of
users approximately 36% was seen in category.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. What effect does COVID-19 bring in TV watching?
(a) Changed the pattern of TV watching
(b) Changed the pattern of watching web series
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(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) None of the above

12. How did production house avoid forfeiture in revenue during lockdown?
(a) By repeated telecast of running or evergreen programs
(b) By producing new serials
(c) By not stopping the production of new episodes
(d) All of the above
174 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

13. Which of the following are over the top platforms delivering to the audience?
1. Web series 2. Movies
3. TV serials 4. Sports
5. News with different languages
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 3, and 5 (d) All of these

14. A study revealed that .................. (age between 18 and 25) have admitted to watch web
series in a metro city like Mumbai.
(a) 81% youth (b) 95% youth
(c) 42% youth (d) 74% youth

15. Which category showed an increase during lockdown as per the data given?
(a) All day users
(b) Weekends users
(c) Only weekdays users
(d) Any day users

16. Choose the option which uses the word ‘forfeiture’ as it is used in the passage.
(a) Punishment has included reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay, confinement and bad
conduct discharge.
(b) Everybody was celebrating the forfeiture, everything was bubbling with life in the
ruined but reviving city.
(c) Two weeks later he took part in his crowning forfeiture at Nashville.
(d) In another version, the Muses were judges and awarded the forfeiture to Apollo, who
tied Marsyas to a tree and flayed him alive.

17. There was a 15% increase in the audience of watching web series suggests that
(a) 15% more audience was watching web series after lockdown was lifted.
(b) 15% more audience was watching web series before lockdown.
(c) 15% more audience was watching web series during lockdown.
(d) Both (a) and (c)

18. Choose the example of minimax programming that was applied by Doordarshan in
India during lockdown.
(a) Replaying Buniyaad (b) Replaying Ramayana
(c) Replaying Malgudi Days (d) Replaying Rangoli

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
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III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. As he .................. he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing.
(a) gets out of his bus (b) gets out of his car
(c) got out of his car (d) got out

20. Either China or Malaysia .................. the chance to win the world cup in badminton.
(a) have (b) has
(c) have has (d) has have
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 175

21. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

My friend said to me, “I shall go to Delhi tomorrow.”
(a) My friend told me that he would go to Delhi tomorrow.
(b) My friend told me that he will go to Delhi tomorrow.
(c) My friend asked me that he would go to Delhi the next day.
(d) My friend told me that he would go to Delhi the next day.

22. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

The master said to the servant, “Fetch me a glass of water.”
(a) The master ordered the servant to fetch him a glass of water.
(b) The master informed the servant to fetch him a glass of water.
(c) The master ordered the servant to fetch me a glass of water.
(d) The master said to the servant to fetch him a glass of water.

23. If you sit with bad boys, you .................. punished.

(a) might be (b) could be (c) shall be (d) can be

24. We have .................. money right now; we should go out for dinner another day.
(a) few (b) little (c) many (d) some

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You are Rajesh Roy of 105 C, Chatterjee Lane, Kolkata. You have received a letter from
your brother who is staying in the boys hostel of Shakti Mandir Public School,
Darjeeling, stating that he is being bullied by some senior students who threatened him
with dire consequences, if he complained. You have to write a letter to the Hostel
Warden requesting him to take urgent action.
25. What should come in the place of receiver’s details?
(a) Hostel Warden (b) Hostel Warden
Shakti Mandir Public School Shakti Mandir Public School
Darjeeling Darjeeling
West Bengal

(c) Hostel Warden (d) Shakti Mandir Public School

Shakti Mandir Public School Hostel Warden
West Bengal Darjeeling
West Bengal

26. Select an appropriate subject for the letter.

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(a) Bullying of a class X-D student

(b) Bullying of a class X student
(c) Bullying of a student
(d) Class X-D students

27. Choose the correct salutation for the letter.

(a) Dear Sir (b) Respected Ma’am
(c) Respected Sir (d) None of these
176 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

28. Choose the option which can be appropriately used as the concluding line for the letter.
(1) With due respect, I want to bring to your notice that my brother, Ashutosh Roy, of
class X-D, has been staying in dormitory No. 20 for the last 6 months.
(2) My brother, Ashutosh Roy, of class X-D, has been staying in dormitory No. 20 for
the last 6 months. He is being bullied by your school students.
(a) Yes, to Option (1) because of the tone of polite expectation.
(b) No, to Option (1) because of the certainty in the tone.
(c) Yes, to Option (2) because of the authoritative tone.
(d) No, to Option (2) because of the informal tone.

29. Choose the correct option to elaborate on the problems to be written in the letter.
(a) • My brother has been facing a lot of bullying because of being a ‘new bee’ in the hostel.
• Going through a lot of stress.
• Passes sleepless nights and sometimes even takes sleeping tablets.
• He no longer wants to study in your prestigious institution.
• Even been threatened of serious consequences by these bullies if he complains.

(b) • Passes sleepless nights and sometimes even takes sleeping tablets.
• He no longer wants to study in your prestigious institution.
• Even been threatened of serious consequences by these bullies if he complains.

(c) • My brother has been facing a lot of bullying because of being a ‘new bee’ in the hostel.
• He no longer wants to study in your prestigious institution.
• Passes sleepless nights and sometimes even takes sleeping tablets.

(d) • Going through a lot of stress.

• He no longer wants to study in your prestigious institution.
• Even been threatened of serious consequences by these bullies if he complains.
• Passes sleepless nights and sometimes even takes sleeping tablets.

30. Complete the concluding portion of the letter.

I am concerned about my brother’s life. I request you to take immediate remedial
action before the things get out of hand and ............... which might bring a bad name to
your school.
(a) forced me to withdraw my brother (b) force me to withdraw my brother
(c) forces me to withdraw my brother (d) am forced to withdraw my brother

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
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this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.

V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
There was no doubt about it. The Petronskis were gone. How could they ever make
amends? They turned slowly and made their way back down the hill. ‘Well, anyway,’
said Peggy, “She’s gone now, so what can we do? Besides, when I was asking her about
all her dresses, she probably was getting good ideas for her drawings. She might not
even have won the contest, otherwise.” Maddie turned this idea carefully over in her
head, for if there were anything in it she would not have to feel so badly. But that night
she could not get to sleep. (The Hundred Dresses – II)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 177

31. How did Peggy and Maddie know that Petronskis had gone?
1. They went to Boggins Heights where Wanda used to live.
2. There was not a sign of life about the house.
3. Peggy knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
4. She and Maddie went around to the back yard and knocked there.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 3 and 4 (c) 2 and 4 (d) All of these

32. Why could Maddie not sleep that night?

(a) She was guilty of not taking stand for Wanda.
(b) She was sad that she could not say sorry to Wanda.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) She was not feeling well that night.

33. Which of the following options describe the tone of Peggy in the above extract?
(a) Casual (b) Angry (c) Worried (d) Scared

34. Given below are three sentences which have to be filled with the same word. Select the
correct option.
I. Johnson tried unsuccessfully to ............... the bill, which passed the House in recent
days after negotiations between House Democrats and the White House.
II. The fundamental purpose of legislation is to create, ............... or repeal law, thereby
giving effect to the intentions of Parliament.
III. We have given him every opportunity to ............... his statements in light of more
recent proceedings.
(a) carefully (b) turned (c) amend (d) doubt

35. “Besides, when I was asking her about all her dresses, she probably was getting good
ideas for her drawings. She might not even have won the contest, otherwise.”
Peggy said the above line to ............... .
(a) convince herself that she did not do anything wrong with Wanda.
(b) hide her guilt.
(c) convince Maddie that Wanda won the contest because of her questions.
(d) Both (a) and (b)

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control tower. I
went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the other pilot
was. I wanted to say ‘Thank you’. She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed.
“Another aeroplane? Up there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying tonight.
Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.” So who helped me to arrive there
safely without a compass or a radio, and without any more fuel in my tanks? Who was
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the pilot on the strange black aeroplane, flying in the storm, without lights?
(The Black Aeroplane)

36. Why was the pilot not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota?
(a) He wanted to know about the other pilot and his plane.
(b) He wanted to talk to the Control Room operator.
(c) He wanted to go to his home urgently.
(d) None of the above
178 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

37. Rearrange the events of the story in proper sequence.

1. The pilot got stuck in a storm.
2. The pilot landed safely in England.
3. The compass and radar were not working.
4. The sky was clear and the weather was very calm.
5. The pilot of black aeroplane asked him to follow.
(a) 52413 (b) 23154 (c) 31425 (d) 41352

38. To whom did the pilot of old Dakota want to say thank you?
(a) His family (b) His friends
(c) Woman of control tower (d) Pilot of black aeroplane

39. What message do we get from the story?

1. Nothing is impossible
2. Where there is a will there is a way
(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Only 2 is correct
(c) Both 1 and 2 are correct (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct

40. How did the pilot of Dakota react when the woman at the control tower says, “Yours
was the only one I could see on the radar.” Choose the correct option.
(a) Shocked (b) Surprised (c) Sad (d) Angry

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass. (A Tiger in the Zoo)

41. The above poem emphasises on ............... .

(a) Importance of zoos (b) Importance of freedom
(c) Importance of cages (d) Importance of tigers

42. What are the two contrasting ideas shown in the poem?
(a) Life in jungle vs Life in captivity (b) Life in a zoo vs Life in natural habitat
(c) Tamed tiger vs Wild tiger (d) Both (a) and (b)

43. How has the poet personified tiger in the above lines?
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1. By using ‘he’ and not ‘it’ 2. By using tiger and not animal
3. By giving it a unique name
(a) Only 1 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) None of these

44. What is the meaning of the line ‘in his quiet rage’?
(a) The tiger is hungry.
(b) The tiger is sleepy.
(c) The tiger is unhappy and controlling his anger.
(d) The tiger is lazy.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 179

45. The word ‘lurking’ corresponds to the word ............... .

(a) Skulk (b) Hide (c) Sneak (d) All of these

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
The village constable was secretly sent for. Instead of waiting for the constable, Mrs.
Hall went to the scientist, who had somehow mysteriously appeared from his empty
bedroom. “I want to know what you have been doing to my chair upstairs,” she
demanded. “And I want to know how it is you came out of an empty room and how
you entered a locked room.” The scientist was always quick-tempered; now he became
furious. “You don’t understand who or what I am!” he shouted. “Very well — I’ll show
you.” (Footprints without Feet)

46. Why was the strange scientist suspected of burglary at clergyman’s house?
(a) Because he threw objects at Mrs. Halls.
(b) Because he was involved in witchcraft.
(c) Because he was wearing expensive clothes.
(d) Because he suddenly produced some ready cash, despite informing that he had no
money.

47. What did the scientist do on becoming furious?

(a) He threw off bandages, whiskers, spectacles and even nose.
(b) He started throwing objects at everyone present in the inn.
(c) He started hitting everyone in the inn.
(d) He ran out of the inn.

48. Why was the village constable secretly sent for?

1. The neighbours felt that the strange scientist had stolen clergyman’s money.
2. They thought that he was involved in some kind of witchcraft.
(a) Only 1 is correct (b) Only 2 is correct
(c) Both 1 and 2 are correct (d) Neither 1 nor 2 is correct

49. The word ‘furious’ does not correspond to the word.

(a) Enraged (b) Placid (c) Infuriated (d) Wrathful

50. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) The village constable was secretly called to investigate the burglary at the inn.
(2) The scientist became furious.
(a) (2) is the result of (1) (b) (2) is the cause for (1)
(c) (2) is false (1) is true (d) (2) is independent of (1)

IX. Attempt the following questions.

51. What does ‘a man of colour’ signify in context to the lesson ‘Nelson Mandela: Long
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Walk to Freedom’?
(a) Blacks (b) Whites
(c) People of mixed races (d) None of these

52. What was more difficult for Hari Singh than stealing the money?
(a) To learn to read and write
(b) To go back to Anil’s room
(c) To keep the stolen back undetected
(d) To cook Anil’s meals
180 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

53. Lines from poems from ‘First Flight’ are given. Match them with the poetic devices
used in them.
List I (Lines from poems) List II (Poetic Devices used)
A. Has given my heart 1. Metaphor: Describes an object or action in a way that isn’t
literally true
B. To say that for destruction ice is also great 2. Alliteration : The occurrence of the same letter or sound
C. On pads of velvet quiet 3. Enjambment: Thought or clause that does not come to an
end at a line break, rather it moves over to the next line.
D. What is the boy now, who has lost his ball 4. Assonance: Repeated use of vowel

Codes
A B C D A B C D
(a) 2 3 1 4 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 1 3 2 4 (d) 3 1 2 4
54. Why does the poet say, ‘balls will be lost always’ in the poem ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) To emphasise that loss of dearly thing or loved one is a universal fact.
(b) To emphasise that balls keep on getting lost.
(c) To show that children re careless with their things.
(d) None of the above
55. What tempted Dr. Herriot to keep Tricki as his permanent guest?
(a) Two dozen round fresh eggs brought by Mrs. Pumphrey for Tricki.
(b) Wine brought by Mrs. Pumphrey for Tricki.
(c) Brandi brought by Mrs. Pumphrey for Tricki.
(d) All of the above

56. Given below are a few sentences. Identify the sentences which are FACTS and those
which are OPINIONS and choose the correct option.
1. Water is necessary for crops to grow.
2. The post office employees are a bunch of crooks.
3. With God’s help, Lencho and his family will be saved and won’t go hungry.
4. Lencho placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.
5. Writing a letter to God is an act of faith.
(a) F- 2 and 5; O- 1, 3 and 4 (b) F- 1, 3 and 4; O- 2 and 5
(c) F- 1 and 4; O- 2, 3 and 5 (d) F- 2, 3 and 5; O- 1 and 4

57. “But for the life of him he could not move” – what do you understand by the
underlined phrase from the story ‘His First Flight’?
(a) He could not put even a little effort (b) His life was in danger
(c) He wanted to save his life (d) He put all the efforts

58. Why would Anne’s diary writing not make a difference?

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(a) Because she would not let anyone read her diary.
(b) Because she did not have anyone to read that diary.
(c) Because she was not allowed to show her diary to anyone.
(d) Because she hid her diary.
59. When did students of Room Thirteen think about Wanda?
(a) In the morning before school (b) In the afternoon, after school
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) During classes in the school
60. What did crow shake in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?
(a) Snow (b) Leaves (c) Hemlock tree (d) Twigs
 OMR SHEET SP 9
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
182 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

Answers
1. (a) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (c) 7. (c) 8. (d) 9. (a) 10. (b)
11. (c) 12. (a) 13. (d) 14. (b) 15. (a) 16. (a) 17. (c) 18. (b) 19. (c) 20. (b)
21. (d) 22. (a) 23. (c) 24. (b) 25. (b) 26. (a) 27. (c) 28. (a) 29. (a) 30. (b)
31. (d) 32. (c) 33. (a) 34. (c) 35. (d) 36. (a) 37. (d) 38. (d) 39. (c) 40. (a)
41. (b) 42. (d) 43. (a) 44. (c) 45. (d) 46. (d) 47. (a) 48. (c) 49. (b) 50. (d)
51. (a) 52. (c) 53. (a) 54. (a) 55. (d) 56. (c) 57. (a) 58. (a) 59. (c) 60. (c)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (a) According to the passage, our forefathers
lived a self-sacrificing life while today’s
generation live a self-centred life.
2. (c) The passage suggests that happiness can’t
be achieved or bought from any amount of
external wealth. It only truly lies within the
minds of the people.
3. (d) The passage suggests that today’s
generation is always ready to move to the West
to enjoy a comfortable life and run away from
the evils that plague the Indian society and
also to become successful in foreign lands.
4. (a) According to the passage, a joint family can
instill tolerance in a child, teach him a sense of
integrity and responsibility and by providing
them with values of respect and thus, make a
child a good human being.
5. (b) “Their wants have no limits and their
whole life is a race to satisfy their goals” is the
correct option to fill in the blank.
6. (c) According to the passage, our forefathers
lived on the principles of simple living and
high thinking. They did not care much for
excessive wealth and believed in being
satisfied with whatever they had obtained
through their work. They aimed at deriving
peace and enrichment from whatever they did.
7. (c) Only statement (i) shows the concept of
‘simple living and high thinking’.
8. (d) The underlined phrase ‘hanging around’ in
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11. (c) According to the passage, the COVID-19
pandemic changed the pattern and concept of
TV watching and of watching web series.
12. (a) According to the passage, to avoid loss
in revenue during the lockdown period,
production houses ran repeated telecast of the
evergreen and currently running programs.
13. (d) According to the passage, the over-the-top
(OTT) platforms like Hotstar, Amazon Prime
Video and Netflix are delivering web series,
movies, sports, news and TV serials to the
audience, since, the revolution of 4G in India.
14. (b) According to the passage, a study revealed
that around 95% youth have admitted to
watching web series in a metro city like
Mumbai.
15. (a) According to the data provided in the
passage, the percentage of all day users was
increased during the lockdown period.
16. (a) ‘Forfeiture’ means loss or giving up of
something as penalty. Hence, only the sentence
in option (a) uses the word correctly and as
used in the given extract.
17. (c) There was a 15% increase in the audience of
watching web series suggests that 15% more
audience was watching web series during
lockdown.
18. (b) Doordarshan repeated the telecast of
Ramayana which helped it in minimax
programming and collecting revenue higher
than the time of original telecast.

option (d) can replace the phrase ‘lingered on’

in para VI because it means to hang around.
9. (a) The intermingle of modernity and tradition
is shown by children helping their parents or
grandparents in using smart gadgets.
10. (b) ‘We are jealous of the advancements of our
neighbours is called crab in the barrel
mentality. It means that nobody should rise up
if we are not rising. If somebody tries to go up,
then the other pulls them back.
19. (c) The given sentence is in past tense, so ‘got
out of his car’ is the correct answer.
20. (b) The subject is singular here ‘China’ or
‘Malaysia’, therefore, ‘has’ is the correct
answer.
21. (d) The correct indirect speech is – “My friend
told me that he would go to Delhi the next
day.”
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
22. (a) The correct indirect speech is – “The master
ordered the servant to fetch him a glass of
water.”
23. (c) The sentence is showing a threatening, so
‘shall be’ is the correct answer.
24. (b) ‘Money’ is an uncountable noun so use of
‘little’ is correct here.
25. (b) Option (b) shows the correct format of
receiver’s details.
26. (a) ‘Bullying of a class X-D student’ is an
appropriate subject for the letter.
27. (c) Since, it is clear in the letter that the Warden
of a Boys Hostel is being addressed, ‘Respected
Sir’ is an appropriate greeting for the letter.
28. (a) ‘I want to bring to your notice’ is the formal
and polite way of informing someone about
the issue in the letter. Hence, option (a) is the
correct answer.
29. (a) Option (a) is the correct elaboration of the
problems to be addressed in the letter.
30. (b) The given sentence is in present tense;
hence, ‘force me to withdraw my brother’ is
appropriate to complete the concluding
portion of the letter.
31. (d) After listening to Wanda’s letter in the
class, Peggy and Maddie decided to visit her
house. They went there to find the house
empty and when they knocked on the door of
the house and of the backyard, nobody
responded.
32. (c) According to the extract, Maddie could not
sleep that night because she felt guilty for not
taking a stand for Wanda when Peggy and the
girls at school teased her about her clothes. She
was also upset that she could not apologise to
Wanda before she left.
33. (a) Peggy’s tone is very casual in the above
extract.
34. (c) ‘Amend’ means to fix or to improve. Hence,
it is the only word which can fit in all three
gaps.
35. (d) Peggy said the above line to hide her guilt
and to convince herself that she did not do
anything wrong with Wanda.
36. (a) The pilot of the old Dakota was not sorry
about walking away because he was keen to
know about the pilot of the black aeroplane
who saved him from the storm.
37. (d) ‘41352’ is the correct order of the given
events. When the Dakota flew from Paris, the
sky was clear and calm, but then the pilot gets
183
stuck in an unexpected storm and his compass
and radar stop working. Another plane
emerges, black in colour, the pilot of which
guides the Dakota out of the storm towards
safety. At the end, the pilot of Dakota reaches
his destination, England.
38. (d) The pilot of Dakota wanted to say thanks to
the pilot of the black aeroplane because he
saved his life in the storm.
39. (c) The story tells us that a clear way can be
found even in the darkest situation because
nothing is impossible. It also tells us that if we
don’t lose hope and don’t stop trying, every
problem can be solved.
40. (a) The pilot of Dakota plane got shocked
when the woman at the control tower says,
“Yours was the only one I could see on the
radar.”
41. (b) Through the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the
poet wishes to emphasise that every living
things should get the liberty of enjoying their
freedom and not be restricted.
42. (d) The poem makes a comparison between the
life of an animal in captivity where it has been
caged in a zoo and the life of an animal
roaming freely in its natural habitat, in this
instance, the jungle.
43. (a) ‘Personification’ is a figure of speech in
which an idea or a non-human thing is
attributed a few human characteristics. In the
poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the poet has
personified the tiger by using ‘he’ for the tiger
instead of ‘it’.
44. (c) The line ‘in his quiet rage’ refers that the
tiger’s mood is unhappy and he is angry with
the confinement. He wants to roam freely in
the jungle and hunt his prey, but he cannot do
either owing to his confinement in the zoo.
45. (d) ‘Lurking’ means be or remain hidden so as
to wait in ambush for someone or something.
Hence, all the given words – skulk, hide and
sneak – correspond to lurking.
SAMPLE PAPER 9
46. (d) According to the story, Griffin did not have
money to pay for the room and was expecting
a cheque. However, soon after the burglary,
Griffin produced some cash to pay at the inn.
47. (a) Griffin got very angry when Mrs. Hall
bombarded him with questions about the
furniture and his appearance from a locked
room. In his anger, he threw his bandages,
whiskers, spectacles and fake nose and went
on throw his clothes too and become invisible
again.
184 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
48. (c) The villagers thought the strange
occurrence in Griffin’s room, when the
furniture hit Mrs. Hall, was a result of
witchcraft and he did that. They also had
suspicions that he had stolen money from the
clergyman and thus, the village constable was
called to investigate the matter.
49. (b) ‘Furious’ means to be extremely angry.
‘Placid’ means to be calm and peaceful.
Hence, furious does not correspond with
placid.
50. (d) Statement (2) is independent of (1).
51. (a) In the context of the chapter ‘Nelson
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’, ‘a man of
colour’ signifies the Black people.
52. (c) Stealing the money from Anil, though a
tough and regretful decision, was an easy
action to perform. In contrast, keeping the
money without coming into Anil’s notice was a
difficult task for Hari Singh.
53. (a) ‘2314’ is the correct matching sequence.
54. (a) The poet says, ‘balls will be lost always’ to
emphasise that loss of dearly thing or loved
one is a universal fact.
SAMPLE PAPER 9
55. (d) According to the story ‘Triumph of
Surgery’, the treats for Tricki kept coming from
Mrs. Pumphrey. They included eggs, wine and
brandy, which were not given to Tricki but
enjoyed by Dr. Herriot and his colleagues.
These treats tempted him to keep Tricki as a
permanent guest.
56. (c) The sentences listed as 1 and 4 are facts as
are apparent from the story ‘A Letter to God’.
The sentences listed as 2, 3 and 5 are opinions
as they are not directly mentioned in the story
and are just the viewpoints of the speakers.
57. (a) The underlined phrase ‘for the life of him’
means ‘at; even one little bit’, i.e., he could not
put even a little effort to move himself forward
to fly.
58. (a) Anne’s diary writing wouldn’t make a
difference because she would not let anyone
read her diary.
59. (c) The students of Room Thirteen thought
about Wanda only during two times- in the
morning before school and in the afternoon
after school.
60. (c) The crow shook the hemlock tree in the
poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
 185
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

SAMPLE PAPER 10
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
A Highly Simulated Practice Questions Paper
for CBSE Class X (Term I) Examination

Instructions
1. The Question Paper contains three sections.
2. Section A READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
3. Section B WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as per
specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks (0.80 mark each).
6. There is no negative marking.
Maximum Marks : 40
Roll No. Time allowed : 90 min

Section A READING

I. Read the passage given below.

I. The funding crisis at many zoos has reopened the debate over the value of zoos
and whether they should be allowed to exist at all. People who are in favour of
zoos argue that they perform an essential role in conserving rare animal species.
Conservationists estimate that today at least 1,000 species of animals are
threatened. Over the past 20 years zoos have developed programmes designed to
help preserve endangered species. This involves breeding animals in captivity in
‘captive breeding programmes’—and then reintroducing them into their natural
habitats to replenish the number living in the wild.
II. Woburn Abbey, for example, saved a species called Pere David’s deer. The species
went largely unrecorded in China from 1920, but a few of the animals were brought
to Europe by a French missionary (Father David). Recently Woburn Abbey and
other zoos began returning breeding couples of Pere David’s deer to the wild in
China.
III. Zoos cooperate with each other in order to ensure the success of their breeding
programmes. Animals are passed from one zoo to another in order to prevent
inbreeding—breeding from closely related animals. If animals that are closely
related to one another mate, there is a danger that they will produce deformed
offspring.
186 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

IV. Supporters of zoos argue that they have an important role in educating children,
millions of who visit zoos every year. Television-viewing is no substitute for
encountering real animals, they argue. Zoos also carry out important research, for
example, on the best conditions for rare species to reproduce.
V. If zoos were forced to close, it would be disastrous for world conservation, zoo
supporters say. And most animals in captivity would have to be killed. “It does not
take much imagination to realise that the closure of all zoos would mean the
deliberate destruction of wildlife on a scale witnessed never before,” the National
Federation of Zoos says.
VI. Opponents of zoos accept that some species have been saved from extinction by
‘captive breeding programmes’, but they argue that this offers no solution to the
worldwide conservation crisis. The number of animals protected by zoos is tiny
compared with the overall problem. It cost millions to save the Arabian oryx from
dying out; but could that amount be found for every species that is endangered?
The value of zoo-breeding programmes is also questioned as some species, such as
the African elephant, do not reproduce well in captivity.
VII. Captive animals are often kept in poor and inhumane conditions, opponents say. In
the worst zoos, animals are still displayed for the entertainment of the public. Where
animals are placed in impoverished and unsuitable surroundings, they often behave
in abnormal and neurotic ways. It is common for polar bears constantly to pace up and
down or twist their heads and circle over and over again. This behaviour is now
recognised by scientists as a sign of stress and frustration. When children visit zoos
where animals are acting in neurotic and abnormal ways, they are not being educated.
Instead, opponents say, they are being given inaccurate information.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions
by choosing the correct option.
1. What are the advantages of zoos?
(a) Breeding of endangered species is done.
(b) Children are educated about wildlife in zoos.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
2. Zoos provide a chance to encounter real animals, ............. .
(a) but visitors do not always see the natural behaviour of animals.
(b) which gives visitors a chance to take pictures with animals.
(c) which can irritate the animals in the zoo.
(d) None of the above
3. How would closing of zoos be disastrous?
1. It would be disastrous for world conservation.
2. It would cause deliberate destruction of wildlife on a large scale.
SAMPLE PAPER 10

3. Most animals in captivity would have to be killed.

(a) Only 1 is correct (b) 2 and 3 are correct (c) All are correct (d) 1 and 2 are correct
4. Do you think captive breeding programmes are 100% successful? Choose the answer
with reference to the above passage.
(a) Yes, because they help to save rare species.
(b) Yes, because they prevent inbreeding.
(c) No, because such programmes are a minute solution to the worldwide conservation of
wild animals.
(d) No, because they result in neurotic and abnormal behaviour in wild animals.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 187

5. Complete the conversation between two friends with reference to the above passage.
Jatin: I feel that zoos are a good way to educate children about animals; there they can
watch and study animals’ behaviour. Also, zoos are helpful in conserving animals.
Rahul: You are right. Zoos help to save species from extinction ............. .
(a) but can you see the way they are living; they are confined to an area, they do not have
space to move, they are unable to act naturally.
(b) the zoo keepers hit those animals and do not give them food.
(c) but I still do not support zoos. I would have banned zoos if I had the power to do so.
(d) the zoo keepers themselves kill many animals when they become old and sick.

6. Which of the following species saved from extinction are mentioned in the above
passage?
1. Polar Bear 2. Pere David’s Deer
3. Arabian Oryx 4. Red Panda
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2 and 3 (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 3 and 4

7. ‘Captive Breeding Programme’ is beneficial because ............. .

(a) It involves breeding animals in captivity.
(b) Then reintroducing them into their natural in the wild.
(c) It helps to preserve endangered species.
(d) All of the above

8. Choose the option that does not correspond to the word ‘impoverish’.
(a) Weaken (b) Strengthen (c) Exhaust (d) Poor

9. How does cooperation of zoos support Captive Breeding Programme?

(a) By exchanging animals of rare species.
(b) By donating animals for the programme.
(c) By preserving the animals from extinction.
(d) By preventing inbreeding among captive animals.

10. What are the disadvantages of zoos?

(a) Running conservation programme is very costly.
(b) Captive animals are kept in very poor-condition.
(c) Children are getting inaccurate information about animal behaviours.
(d) All of the above

II. Read the passage given below.

I. Access to primary education is a basic right of every child. An effective primary
education can build a solid foundation and open avenues for future success. With
its profound implications on both the individual and society, primary education
SAMPLE PAPER 10

plays a crucial role in reducing extreme poverty and promoting social changes. The
Sustainable Development Agenda acknowledges the importance of primary
education in Goal 4 which stipulates that by 2030, the world should ensure
inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all, including a target on universal access to primary education.
Though there are varying standards, primary education is typically designed for
children 6 to 11 years of age.
188 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

II. Significant progress has been made toward achieving universal primary education.
Globally, the adjusted net attendance rate reached 87 per cent in 2019 and about
four out of five children attending primary education completed it. Additionally,
over the past two decades, the number of out-of-school children was reduced by
over 40 per cent. However, there is still a long way to go: 58 million children of
primary school age remain out of school, with the majority of them coming from
marginalised groups. In addition, recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS)
results show that many children do not have foundational reading and numeracy
skills, highlighting the massive challenge to achieving inclusive and equitable
quality education for all.
III. Globally, a lower proportion of children from the poorest families attend primary
education compared with their wealthier peers. While almost all children from the
top wealth quintile attend primary education, only 75 per cent of children from the
bottom wealth quintile do.
IV. Across different regions, household wealth impacts primary school completion
rates differently. West and Central Africa has the largest gap of 58 percentage
points in primary school completion rates between the richest and poorest
quintiles. In contrast, in East Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the
Caribbean, children from the top and bottom wealth quintiles complete primary
school at more similar rates, with a gap of just 13 percentage points.
V. In the past 20 years, the number of out-of-school children of primary education age
fell by more than 40 per cent, from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019.
However, 54 per cent of these out-of-school children were girls. Despite this
tremendous progress, the world must accelerate the pace at which the number of
out-of-school children is reduced, as the total has remained stagnant since 2007.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions
by choosing the correct option.
11. What is the target related to primary education?
1. By 2030, the world should ensure inclusive and equitable quality education.
2. Promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, including a target on universal
access to primary education.
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 1
(c) Only 2 (d) None of these

12. ............. and ............. have the highest rates of primary education completion in the rich
quintile.
(a) South Asia and Middle East and North Africa
(b) Latin America and the Caribbean and West and Central Africa
(c) Latin America and the Caribbean and East Asia and the Pacific
SAMPLE PAPER 10

(d) Eastern and Southern Africa and East Asia and the Pacific

13. How much decline in the number of out-of-school children of primary education age is
seen in the past two decades?
(a) From 109 million in 2000 to 99 million in 2019
(b) From 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019
(c) From 99 million in 2000 to 68 million in 2019
(d) From 99 million in 2000 to 45 million in 2019
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 189

14. What do you think could be the reasons for not completing primary education?
1. Poverty 2. Inaccessibility
3. Feasibility 4. Discrimination
5. Child labour and trafficking 6. Displacement
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(c) 1, 4, 5, and 6 (d) All of these

15. The word ‘Foundational’ corresponds with the word ............. .

(a) Inessential (b) Superficial
(c) Fundamental (d) Secondary

16. “In 2019, about four out of five children attending primary education completed it”
suggests that
(a) Less than 80% children completed primary education
(b) Almost 100% children completed primary education
(c) More than 80% children completed primary education
(d) About 80% children completed the primary education

17. “West and Central Africa has the largest gap of 58 percentage points in primary school
completion rates between the richest and poorest quintiles.” – refers to
(a) The number of West and Central African poor children was 58 percentage points lower
than that of wealthier peers.
(b) The number of West and Central African poor children was at 58 percentage points.
(c) The number of West and Central African poor children was 58 percentage points higher
than that of wealthier peers.
(d) None of the above

18. How is primary education critical to both an individual and a society?

(a) It can help in reducing extreme poverty.
(b) It can help in bringing out social changes.
(c) It can help in building foundation for kids.
(d) All of the above

Section B GRAMMAR AND WRITING

Grammar
III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each.
19. ................. students succeeded in passing than last year.
(a) Few (b) Fewer
SAMPLE PAPER 10

(c) Little (d) Much

20. The industrialist and the politician ................. to the function.

(a) was invited (b) has been invited
(c) have been invited (d) is invited

21. The plane ................. by two hours.

(a) will have taken off (b) will be took off
(c) will take off (d) will be taking off
190 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

22. You ................. have a university degree.

(a) need (b) mustn’t
(c) needn’t (d) dare

23. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

Ashish said to me, “I shall go to the market today.”
(a) Ashish told me that he would go to the market that day.
(b) Ashish asked me that he would go to the market that day.
(c) Ashish told me that he shall go to the market today.
(d) Ashish told me that he would go to the market today.

24. Choose the correct indirect speech of the following sentence.

The mother said to her son, ‘Change your shoes.’
(a) The mother said to her son to change his shoes.
(b) The mother asked her son to change his shoes.
(c) The mother asked her son to change your shoes.
(d) The mother ordered her son to change his shoes.

Writing
IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.
You have to write a letter to newspaper editor to raise the issue of insensitive use of
loudspeakers in metro cities. You are Krishna, residing in Delhi.
25. Choose the correct subject for the letter.
(a) Use of loudspeakers
(b) Loud speaker in metro cities
(c) Intensive use of loudspeakers in metro cities
(d) None of the above

26. What should come in the place of sender’s details?

(a) Krishna, Delhi (b) Kishan Kunj
(c) 47-A, Kishan Kunj, Delhi (d) Krishna, 9876XXXXXX

27. Which of the following is required for the letter?

(a) Formal tone (b) Rude words
(c) Strong vocabulary (d) Long sentences

28. Choose the correct opening line for the letter.

(a) Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper I want to raise the issue of insensitive
use of loudspeakers in metro cities.
(b) I want to raise the issue of insensitive use of loudspeakers in metro cities.
SAMPLE PAPER 10

(c) I am raising the issue of insensitive use of loudspeakers in metro cities by your
newspaper.
(d) I want my letter to be published in your newspaper about blaring of loudspeakers in
metro cities.

29. Complete the closing line for the letter.

................. do something to regulate the use of loudspeakers.
(a) The authorities (b) It’s time for authorities
(c) It is high time that authorities (d) The government should
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 191

30. Choose the option which shows the correct complementary closing for the letter.
(a) Thanking you (b) Thanking you
Yours sincerely Yours sincerely
ABC Krishna

(c) Yours lovingly (d) Yours truly

XYZ (your name)

Section C LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in
this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.
V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first
decade of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before
my own birth, the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences
and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their
own land. The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most
inhumane, societies the world has ever known. Now, in the last decade of the twentieth
century, and my own eighth decade as a man, that system had been overturned forever
and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless
of the colour of their skin. (Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

31. The system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people was called as ............ .
(a) The policy of Apartheid (b) Racial discrimination
(c) Inhumane system (d) Harshest system

32. Why did the speaker call that structure ‘one of the harshest and the most inhumane’?
(a) It was biased against the Blacks of the country.
(b) The Blacks were not given even their fundamental rights.
(c) The ones who protested were separated from their families as a punishment.
(d) All of the above

33. The last decade of the twentieth century depicts the time from ............ .
(a) 1981 to 1990 (b) 2001 to 2010
(c) 1991 to 2000 (d) 1981 to 2000

34. The word ‘overwhelm’ does not correspond to

(a) Dumbfound (b) Callous
SAMPLE PAPER 10

(c) Overcome (d) Affect

35. Choose the statement(s) which is/are not true in the context of the above extract.
1. White-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences with the Blacks.
2. Nelson Mandela was 86 years old when he became the President of South Africa.
3. White created the most inhumane and harshest environment for the Blacks.
4. Apartheid took place few years after the Anglo-Born war.
5. Blacks were not allowed to live a normal life.
(a) 2, 3 and 5 (b) 1, 2, 4, and 5
(c) 1 and 2 (d) None of these
192 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
I’m not so worried about my girlfriends and myself. We’ll make it. The only subject I’m
not sure about is Maths. Anyway, all we can do is wait. Until then, we keep telling each
other not to lose heart. I get along pretty well with all my teachers. There are nine of
them, seven men and two women. Mr. Keesing, the old fogey who teaches Maths, was
annoyed with me for ages because I talked so much. After several warnings, he
assigned me extra homework. An essay on the subject, ‘A Chatterbox’. A chatterbox —
what can you write about that? I’d worry about that later, I decided. I jotted down the
title in my notebook, tucked it in my bag and tried to keep quiet.
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)

36. The phrase ‘to lose heart’ means ............ .

(a) Become discouraged
(b) Become excited
(c) Become sad
(d) Become hopeless

37. How was the punishment of Mr. Keesing strange?

(a) He asked Anne to keep jogging till the class was over.
(b) He asked Anne to not study in his class.
(c) Despite being a Maths teacher, he asked Anne to write an essay in punishment.
(d) Despite being a Maths teacher, he asked Anne to go out of the class.

38. What did Anne argue in her essay?

1. That she has inherited talking trait from her mother.
2. She could not rectify it.
3. Talking is a trait of students.
(a) Only 2 (b) Only 3
(c) 1 and 2 (d) All of these

39. Select the option which displays an example of ‘jot down’.

(a) While I was talking to the doctor, he was busy reading something which made me feel
like he wasn’t listening very carefully to me.
(b) Sure, you can see my notes but I wrote briefly only a few ideas since I prefer to just listen
carefully during lectures.
(c) Don’t wory, it’s not unusual for a psychiatrist to write elaborated notes during your
consultation.
(d) Could you repeat quickly the questions so we can revise before the exam?

40. What do we get to know when Anne says the following? I’m not so worried about my
girlfriends and myself.
SAMPLE PAPER 10

Choose one from the following to answer.

(a) Anne is confident of her friends and herself moving to the next form.
(b) Anne is confident of getting passed in all the subjects.
(c) Anne is sure that half of her class won’t be promoted to next form.
(d) Anne is sure Mr. Keesing will pass her in maths.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 193

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. (The Ball Poem)

41. Which ultimate grief has fixed the boy?

(a) Loss of his ball
(b) Loss of his dear one
(c) Loss of his toys
(d) None of the above
42. Why is another ball worthless for the boy?
1. Because it cannot replace the memories attached with the lost ball.
2. Because he cannot afford to buy a new ball.
(a) Only 2 is correct (b) Only 1 is correct
(c) Both 1 and 2 are correct (d) Both 1 and 2 are incorrect

43. The mood of the boy is ............ .

(a) Shocked (b) Crying
(c) Upset and grief stricken (d) Shivering

44. What kind of world is it?

(a) A world of possessions (b) A materialistic world
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of these

45. What is the boy learning?

(a) The meaning of personal loss (b) How to cope with the loss
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of these

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow.
I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly — it was
early November — and a light drizzle added to my discomfort. Soon it was raining
quite heavily. My shirt and pyjamas stuck to my skin, and a cold wind blew the rain
across my face. I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower.
The clock showed midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain. Anil’s
money. In the morning he would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to
the cinema, but now I had it all. (The Thief’s Story)
SAMPLE PAPER 10

46. Select the correct option for (1) and (2).

(1) Hari Singh was sitting under a clock tower at midnight.
(2) He was trying to hide after stealing money from Anil.
(a) (1) is true (2) is false
(b) (2) is the result of (1)
(c) (1) contradicts (2)
(d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract.
194 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)

47. What was Hari Singh thinking while sitting in the shelter of clock tower?
1. “Education can one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees.”
2. “I cannot cook his meals, run to the bazaar.”
3. “I should go back to Anil for the sake of learning to read and write.”
4. “I cannot learn to write whole sentences any more.”
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1, 3 and 4

48. According to the speaker, how would Anil react when he would know about the theft?
(a) Would show a touch of sadness for the loss of trust.
(b) Would show fear for the loss of money.
(c) Would show anger for the loss of money.
(d) Would show acceptance for the loss of money.

49. The word ‘drizzle’ does not correspond to the word

(a) Sprinkle (b) Spray
(c) Shower (d) Rainfall

50. Arrange the following events in series.

1. He could not board the train
2. Hari Singh went to the bazaar.
3. He went to Anil’s room.
4. Hari Singh went to the clock tower.
5. Hari Singh stole money.
6. Hari Singh went to the station.
(a) 623514 (b) 561243
(c) 132456 (d) 231546

IX. Attempt the following questions.

51. “All of a sudden Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear.” – Who sniffed near Mrs. Hall?
(a) Clergyman (b) Griffin
(c) Staff of the inn (d) A ghost

52. When the young seagull’s brother caught his first herring, how did their parents react?
(a) They criticised him. (b) They shouted at him.
(c) They did not like it. (d) They made praising sounds.

53. Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple or an oak or a
pine instead of a hemlock tree in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?
1. A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree.
2. Other beautiful trees symbolise beauty and happiness.
SAMPLE PAPER 10

3. Frost wanted to symbolise the feelings of sadness and regret.

(a) Only 1 is correct (b) 1 and 2 are correct
(c) 2 and 3 are correct (d) All are correct

54. “Yeah, velvet too. A hundred dresses,” Wanda would repeat stolidly. – What does the
word ‘stolidly’ mean?
(a) Showing anger (b) Showing irritation
(c) Showing little emotion (d) Showing fear
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 195

55. “The field was white, as if covered with salt.” Which figure of speech is used in the
given line?
(a) Metaphor (b) Simile
(c) Personification (d) Alliteration

56. Why do you think the tiger in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ stares at the brilliant stars?
(a) Because they entertain him.
(b) Because they are shining freely in the sky.
(c) Because he likes to watch them.
(d) Because he loves their brightness.

57. Who was Tristan in the story ‘A Triumph of Surgery’?

(a) Mr. Herriot’s companion (b) Greyhound
(c) A dog at the surgery (d) Another name for Tricki

58. For the poet, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for? Fill in the blanks.
Fire = Greed, Avarice, Desires, (i) .............
Ice = Cruelty, Hatred, (ii) ............. , Insensitivity.
(a) (i) Conflict, (ii) Intolerance (b) (i) Coldness, (ii) Indifference
(c) (i) Rigidity, (ii) Fury (d) All of these

59. How did Wanda’s house remind Maddie of Wanda?

1. The house and its sparse little yard looked shabby but clean.
2. Wanda also used to wear a faded blue cotton dress, shabby but clean.
(a) Only 1 Is correct (b) Both 1 and 2 are correct
(c) Only 2 is correct (d) Both 1 and 2 are incorrect

60. The pilot of old Dakota was in the storm for ................. .
(a) Half an hour (b) Less than half an hour
(c) More than half an hour (d) An hour

SAMPLE PAPER 10
 OMR SHEET SP 10
Roll No.

Student Name Sub Code.

Instructions
Use black or blue ball point pens and avoid gel & fountain pens for filling the sheets.
Darken the bubbles completely. Don’t put a tick mark or a cross mark, half-filled or over-filled bubbles will not be read
by the software.
✔ ✗
Correct Incorrect Incorrect Incorrect
Do not write anything on the OMR Sheet.
Multiple markings are invalid.

1 21 41
2 22 42
3 23 43
4 24 44
5 25 45
6 26 46
7 27 47
8 28 48
9 29 49
10 30 50
11 31 51
12 32 52
13 33 53
14 34 54
15 35 55
16 36 56
17 37 57
18 38 58
19 39 59
20 40 60

Check Your Performance

Total Questions: Total Correct Questions
Score Percentage = × 100
Total Correct Questions: Total Questions

Less than 60% > Average (Revise the Sections/Chapters

again)
If Your Score is Greater than 60% but less than 75% > Good (Do more practice)
Above 75% > Excellent (Keep it on)
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I) 197

Answers
1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (b) 7. (d) 8. (b) 9. (d) 10. (d)
11. (a) 12. (c) 13. (b) 14. (d) 15. (c) 16. (d) 17. (a) 18. (d) 19. (b) 20. (c)
21. (a) 22. (c) 23. (a) 24. (b) 25. (b) 26. (c) 27. (a) 28. (a) 29. (c) 30. (b)
31. (a) 32. (d) 33. (c) 34. (b) 35. (c) 36. (a) 37. (c) 38. (d) 39. (b) 40. (a)
41. (a) 42. (b) 43. (c) 44. (c) 45. (c) 46. (a) 47. (c) 48. (a) 49. (d) 50. (b)
51. (b) 52. (d) 53. (d) 54. (c) 55. (b) 56. (b) 57. (a) 58. (a) 59. (b) 60. (c)

EXPLANATIONS
1. (c) According to the passage, the supporters of
zoo have argued that it plays a very important
role in educating children about the wildlife
and also helps in conservation of species by
breeding some of the endangered species in
captivity.
2. (a) Zoos provide a chance to encounter real
animals, but visitors do not always see the
natural behavior of animals.
3. (c) The passage suggests that closing the zoos
is not a good option as it would prove
disastrous and be a deliberate action of
destruction of wildlife on a very large scale as
many animals in captivity would have to be
killed.
4. (c) The captive breeding programmes are not
100% successful because such programmes are
a minute solution to the worldwide
conservation of wild animals.
5. (a) ‘but can you see the way they are living;
they are confined to an area, they do not have
space to move, they are unable to act naturally’
is the correct answer.
6. (b) The passage makes mention of the polar
bear, Pere David’s Deer and Arabian Oryx as
among the few animal species that have been
saved from extinction with the help of the
zoos.
7. (d) According to the passage, the captive
breeding programme saves the animal species
from extinction and preserves them by
programme is very costly and cannot be done
for every species. They argue that some zoos
keep the animals in inhumane conditions
which only aggravate their behavior and this
behavior gives inaccurate information to
children.
11. (a) According to the passage, Goal 4 in the
SDG agenda suggests that by 2030, the world
should ensure inclusive and equitable
education for all children and ensuring a
universal access of primary education.
12. (c) According to the passage, ‘Latin America
and the Caribbean and East Asia and the
Pacific’ have the highest rates of primary
education completion in the rich quintile.
13. (b) According to the passage, the decline in
the number of children who don’t go to school
for primary education fell by more than
40 per cent, from 99 million in 2000 to 58
million in 2019, out of which 54 percent
were girls.
14. (d) The passage mentions that the number of
children attending school is lower from the
poorer families and higher from the wealthier
families. This suggests poverty and
inaccessibility to be significant reasons behind
incompletion of primary education.
Additionally, feasibility, discrimination, child
labour and trafficking and displacement are
also the reasons for the same.
15. (c) ‘Foundational’ means denoting an
SAMPLE PAPER 10

breeding few in captivity and then letting them underlying basis or principle. Hence, it
out into the wild. corresponds with ‘fundamental’.

8. (b) ‘Impoverish’ means poor or to weaken
someone or something. Hence, ‘strengthen’
does not correspond to impoverish.
9. (d) Cooperation of zoos support captive
breeding programme by preventing inbreeding
among captive animals.
10. (d) According to the passage, the opponents of
zoo have argued that running the conservation
16. (d) “In 2019, about four out of five children
attending primary education completed it”
suggests that about 80% children completed
the primary education.
17. (a) “West and Central Africa has the largest
gap of 58 percentage points in primary school
completion rates between the richest and
poorest quintiles.” – refers that the number of
198 CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
West and Central African poor children was
58 percentage points lower than that of
wealthier peers.
18. (d) Primary education is critical to both an
individual and a society because it can help
in reducing extreme poverty, bringing out
social changes and building foundation for
kids.
19. (b) A comparison is made in the given
sentence, so ‘fewer’ is the correct answer here.
20. (c) ‘have been invited’ is the correct answer
because ‘the industrialist and the politician’ is
a plural subject.
21. (a) ‘will have taken off’ is the correct answer
here because the event is fixed to happen.
22. (c) ‘needn’t’ is the correct answer here.
23. (a) The correct indirect speech is – ‘Ashish
told me that he would go to the market that
day.’
24. (b) The correct indirect speech is – ‘The
mother asked her son to change his shoes.’
25. (b) The correct subject for the letter is
‘Intensive use of loudspeakers in the metro
cities’.
26. (c) Option (c) shows the correct details to be
filled in the sender’s details.
27. (a) Formal tone is required in the letter.
28. (a) Option (a) shows the correct opening line
for the letter.
29. (c) ‘It is high time that authorities’ is the
correct option to complete the closing line for
the letter.
30. (b) Option (b) is the correct complementary
closing for the letter.
31. (a) The discrimination against a certain group
of dark-skinned on the basis of race is referred
to as Apartheid.
32. (d) The speaker says that the discrimination
that was created in South Africa in the first
decade of twentieth century gave birth to a
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very harsh system as it was biased against the
dark-skinned people of the country, which
suppressed them and stripped them of their
most basic rights. The people who protest
against the system were punished severely by
separating them from their families.
33. (c) The last decade of the twentieth century
depicts the time between ‘1991 to 2000’.
34. (b) ‘Overwhelm’ means to overpower or
submerge. ‘Callous’ means cold-hearted and
brutal and hence, does not correspond with
overwhelm.
35. (c) According to the given extract, the white
population of South Africa fixed the differences
among themselves and began a system that
discriminated against the Blacks. Born in 1918,
Nelson Mandela was 76 years old when he
became the president of South Africa in 1994.
36. (a) The phrase ‘to lose heart’ means to become
discouraged. Hence, option (a) is the correct
answer.
37. (c) According to the chapter ‘From the Diary of
Anne Frank’, Mr. Keesing despite being a
Maths teacher, asked Anne to write an essay on
the subject ‘A Chatterbox’ as a punishment for
talking too much in the class.
38. (d) Anne, in her attempt to prove the necessity
of talking, argued that she inherited the trait
from her mother and thus, couldn’t rectify it
and also that talking is a very common trait
among students.
39. (b) Option (b) displays an example of ‘jot down’
— writing quickly or briefly.
40. (a) The given line shows that Anne was
confident of her friends and herself moving to
the next form.
41. (a) In the poem ‘The Ball Poem’, the boy is
struck with grief when he loses his ball after it
falls into water.
42. (b) According to the poet, another ball is
worthless because it cannot replace the lost ball
as it won’t have the same memories.
43. (c) In the poem ‘The Ball Poem’, the boy is
grief-stricken and upset because of the loss of
his ball.
44. (c) The poet describes the world as a
materialistic world of possessions that wouldn’t
understand the boy’s loss and probably just ask
him to buy a new ball.
45. (c) The boy is learning about personal losses
and how to cope with them.
46. (a) (1) is true (2) is false, i.e., Hari Singh was not
hiding anywhere, he was sitting under the
clock tower to think and analyse his action of
stealing.
47. (c) Hari Singh was regretting what he had done
because it not only cost him a good friend but
also the education he was getting from Anil.
Anil used to teach him how to read and write,
which would eventually help him become a
rich and respectful member of the society.
CBSE Sample Paper English Language & Literature X (Term I)
Other than this, the thought that he would not
be able to not cook or shop for Anil anymore,
made him want to go back to Anil.
48. (a) Hari Singh says that Anil wouldn’t become
angry with him but would definitely be sad
and upset that Hari Singh broke his trust.
49. (d) ‘Drizzle’ means little rain falling in very
fine drops. Hence, it does not correspond to
rainfall, which depicts the process.
50. (b) ‘561243’ is the correct order of the given
events.
51. (b) The invisible Griffin sniffed near Mrs.
Hall’s ear.
52. (d) When the young seagull’s brother caught
his first herring, their parents made praising
sounds.
53. (d) The poem uses hemlock tree instead of
other beautiful trees to emphasise the fact that
negative things can also bring happiness in
one’s life. This means that hemlock tree is
considered to be a bad omen and is a
poisonous tree, unlike the other trees which
symbolise beauty and cheerfulness.
199
54. (c) ‘Stolidly’ means impassive or showing little
to no emotions. Hence, option (c) is the correct
answer.
55. (b) Simile is used in the given to make
comparison with salt.
56. (b) In the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the tiger
probably felt envious of the ‘brilliant stars’ as
they had the freedom to move and shine freely
in the sky contrary to him being caged in the
zoo.
57. (a) Tristan was Mr. Herriot’s companion at the
surgery in the story ‘A Triumph of Surgery’.
58. (a) The poet compares fire with ‘desire’ and
suggests that it stands for greed, conflict and
greed. Similarly, he also makes comparison
between ice and ‘hatred’ and suggests that it
stands for cruelty, insensitivity, indifference
and intolerance.
59. (b) Wanda’s house reminded Maddie of
Wanda because Wanda’s house was little and
shabby but clean just like her faded blue dress.
60. (c) The pilot of old Dakota was in the storm for
more than half an hour.
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