PREBOARD EXAMINATION - II (2022-23)

SUBJECT : ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Code No. 184)

CLASS-X

Time : 3 Hrs. MM : 80

General Instructions:
1. 15-minute prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, GRAMMAR & WRITING and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

Section A: READING SKILLS Total - 20 MARKS

I Read the passage given below.

1. Hyderabad - The city of Nizam's GOLCONDA FORT

In the 16th century, when Golconda was the capital of Qutb Shahi Kingdom, it is believed that a shepherd
boy came across an idol on the hill. It was then that the Kakatia dynasty's ruler built the fort, which is 120 m
high. After it was captured by Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, the fort fell into ruins. The beautiful ruins
of the fort have a story to tell. They make you wonder how the fort may have looked in its days of glory and
grandeur. The fort also organizes a sound and light show every day and the history of this fort is narrated in
such an interesting manner that even a child can understand and enjoy it. The climb to the fort is a difficult
one and unless you are physically fit, you should avoid the climb and relax in the gardens below. The view
from the top is breathtaking.

CHARMINAR
2.
The next place is Charminar. The literal meaning of the monument is 'four minarets'. There is a mosque on
the second floor. It is said that when the state was hit by a severe plague, Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb
Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, prayed to end the plague and promised to build a mosque in
the very place where he was praying. Thus, Charminar came into being! The walk from the bottom of the
monument is a little frightening, owing to the narrowness of the pathway and the steepness of the steps.
Once you reach the top, the view of the crowds moving below with surely lift your spirits. Make sure you
visit the nearby Laad Bazaar, where there are rows of shops selling the famous hyderabadi glass bangles and
lac bangles.

SALAR JUNG MUSEUM

3.
The Salar Jung Museum is the third largest museum in the country and boasts of owing the biggest one-
man collection of antiques in the world. A visit to the Salar Jung Museum is a must even if you are not a fan
of antique stuff. You can view the Nizam's collection of textiles, arms, metalware, ivory carvings, Indian
bronzes and carpets. The main attraction is definitely the Musical clock, made by Cook and Kelvy of
England. Inside the clock is a timekeeper. Every hour, he comes out and beats a gong as many times as the
time indicates. Another attraction of the museum is the veiled Rebecca, an amazing sculpture made by the
Italian sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni

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Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below. Marks
i What led to the construction of the Golconda Fort? 1
a) Plague had indeed.
b) A shepherded boy came with an idol on the hill.
c) Security reasons
d) None of the above.

ii What led to the destruction of the Golconda Fort? 1

a) Constant Wars.
b) The Fort was captured by Aurangzeb.
c) Calamities
d) All of the above.

iii How the interest in the fort is kept alive? 1

iv What does the word 'breath taking' in Para 1 mean?

a) Astonishing
b) disgusting 1
c) prosperous
d) assured

v Why did Quli Qutb Shah build a mosque? 1

a) Fulfillment of Promise at the end of the plague
b) To promote gatherings
c) For prayers
d) The Beauty and grandeur
vi How does one feel after reaching the top of Charminar? 1
a) Very tired
b) Scared of the height
c) Useless
d) Lifts up the spirits

vii What is unique about the Salar Jung Museum? 1

viii What is unique about the ‘Laad Bazaar’? 1
a) Food and cousins
b) Hyderabadi Glass and lac bangles
c) Music
d) Grocery
ix The literal meaning of the word “charminar” is ? 1
a) Four directions
b) Four mosques
c) Four minarets
d) None of the above

x Name the main attractions of the Salar Jung Museum. 1

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II. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

a The choice we make on a daily basis – wearing a seatbelt, lifting heavy objects correctly or purposely staying
out of any dangerous situation – can either ensure our safety or bring about potentially harmful
circumstances.
b You and I need to make a decision that we are going to get our lives in order. Exercising self-control, self-
discipline and establishing boundaries and borders in our lives are some of the most important things we
can do. A life without discipline is one that‘s filled with carelessness.

c We can think it‘s kind of exciting to live life on the edge. We like the image of ― Yeah! That‘s me! Living
on the edge! Woo-hoo! It‘s become a popular way to look at life. But if you see, even highways have
lines, which provide margins for our safety while we are driving. If we over speed one side, we will fall
into the ditch. If we cross over the line in the middle, we could get killed. And we like those lines because
they help to keep us safe. Sometimes we don‘t even realise how lines help to keep us safe.

d I am not proud of this, but the first 20 years of my life at work, I ignored my limits. I felt horrible,
physically most of the time. I used to tell myself, ―I know I have limits and that I‘ve reached them, but I
am going to ignore them and see if how long I can get by with it I ran to doctors, trying to make myself
feel better through pills, vitamins, natural stuff and anything I could get my hands on. Some of the doctors
would tell me, ―it‘s just stress. That just made me mad. I thought stress meant you don‘t like what you do
or can‘t handle life, and I love what I do. But I kept pushing myself, travelling, doing speaking
engagements and so on- simply exhausting myself.

e Finally, I understood I was living an unsustainable life and needed to make some changes in my outlook
and lifestyle. You and I don‘t have to be like everyone else or keep up with anyone else. Each of us needs
to be exactly the way we are, and we don’t have to apologize for it. We‘re not all alike and we need to
find a comfort zone in which we can enjoy our lives instead of making ourselves sick with an overload of
stress and pressure.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below: Marks
i
The reason why living on the edge has become popular, is because of the____________ 1
a) Constant need for something different.
b) population being much younger
c) exhausting effort to make changes
d) Strong tendency to stay within our limits.
ii Which of the following will be the most appropriate title for the passage? 1
a) Much too soon
b) Enough is enough
c) How much is too much?
d) Have enough to do?

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iii
The phrase ―potentially harmful circumstances refers to circumstances that can…. 1
a) certainly be dangerous
b) Be fairly dangerous.
c) Be possibly dangerous.
d) seldom be dangerous
iv
Select the option that makes the correct use of ‘unsustainable, as used in the passage. 1
a) Not able to be maintained at the current label
b) Invalid
c) Beneficial
d) Illogical

v
The author attempts to the readers through this write-up. 1
a) Rebuke
b) Question
c) offer aid to
d) offer advice to
vi
The author uses colloquial words such as yeah and Woo-hoo! Which of the following is
NOT a colloquial word? 1
a) Hooked
b) Guy
c) Stuff
d) stress

vii
What does the author mean when he says, ―to get our lives in order? 1
a) To resume our lives.
b) To organize our lives
c) To rebuild our lives
d) To control our lives
viii Choose the option that correctly states the two meanings of ‘outlook’, as used in the passage‘.
1. A person‘s evaluation of life.
2. A person s experiences in life. 1
3. A person‘s point of view towards life
4. A person s regrets in life
5. A person‘s general attitude to life
Choose the option:
a) (1) and (4)
b) (2) and (3)
c) (3) and (5)
d) (4) and (5)

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ix
The author explains the importance of discipline and boundaries in our lives using the
example of: 1
a) Road accidents.
b) Traffic rules.
c) Lines on the highway.
d) Safe driving.
x
What is the message conveyed in the last paragraph of the passage? 1
a) Love what you do.
b) Love yourself to love others.
c) Be the best version of yourself.
d) Be yourself
III SECTION – B GRAMMAR AND CREATIVE WRITING 20

Attempt ANY TEN of the following questions.

i Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete an online update.
The climate control comment by an activist______on social media yesterday.
a) Blow up
b) Blew up
c) is blown
d) Will be blown
ii Read the conversation between a doctor and his patient. Complete the sentence by
reporting the patient’s reply correctly.

Doctor: Do you feel down from time-to-time Mr. Gopalan?

Patient: Yes, I do not stay in a good mood.
1 X 10
The doctor, while trying to figure out his patient’s ailment, asked about his well-being, to which,
the patient affirmed . = 10
iii Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line, from a health
magazine.
The advertisement read, ‘If you smoke, statistically your story_______end 15% before it
should’.
a) Must
b) Will
c) Should
d) Ought to
iv Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the
following line, from a news report:
Last week a child was not allowed to board the plane at Ranchi airport.

Option no. error correction

A. Child children
B. Last Previous
C. the a
D. at in

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v Complete the given narrative, by filling in the blank with the correct option:
Yesterday I …………………….. a phone call that my father was unwell
a) Receiving
b) Have received
c) Received
d) Was receiving
vi Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given portion
of a letter:
Subject: request for approval
Dear Sir
This is to respectfully submit that I (seeking) approval for organizing a tree plantation drive
to be undertaken by the club.
vii Report the dialogue between a grandson and his grandfather, by completing the sentence:
Grandson: Grandpa, who are your superheroes?
Grandpa: Anyone who shows kindness and compassion to others.
In response to the question about his superheroes, grandfather says that…………………

viii Identify the error in the given sentence, from a school magazine report and supply the
correction.
In order to balancing the sentiments of the Eagles and the Hawks, the Student Council suggested
a rematch between the teams.
ix Sunil shared some information, with Tariq, about a holiday at sea. Report Tariq’s question.

Did you enjoy travelling by sea? Sunil asked Tariq ---------.

x Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option, to complete the slogan by the Ministry
for Child Welfare.
WE AFFORD TO NEGLECT CHILDREN? THINK TWICE!!
a) Will
b) May
c) Need
d) Can
Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between Latha and her
xi father.
Father: Why ask so many questions, Latha?
Latha: I believe that if you don’t know the answer, keep asking till you do!
Father asked Latha the reason for so many questions she was asking.
Latha exclaimed good-humoredly that in event of not knowing the answer one should ______.
a) Keep asking till one does.
b) Kept asking till one does.
c) Keep asking till one do.
d) kept on to ask till one do

xii Identify the error on a shop’s hoarding and supply the correction, for the following sales
offer: Gumnaam & Daughters Pvt. Ltd. Bindapur, Jharkhand

Massive discount for all senior citizen vaccinated with the precautionary dose.
Identify the error and write the correction.

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IV CREATIVE WRITING SKILL 10 MARKS

1 You are interested in a short–term course in computer graphics during the holidays. Write a letter to
the Director, Fortune Graphics Computers, inquiring about their short–term courses and asking for
all the necessary details. You are Anuj/Anju of 28 A, Uttam Nagar, New Delhi. 5

OR
You are Rakesh/Sonia of Cambridge Senior Secondary School, Noida. Write a letter to the Sales
Mnaager, Orient Blackson, Noida, placing an order for some books for your school library.

2
The given chart shows the division of household tasks by gender in Great Britain. Write an analytical
paragraph describing the chart in not more than 100-120 words.

OR

The chart below displays details regarding online activity for six age groups in six categories. In
150-200 words, write an analytical paragraph for the table provided.

Age Age Age Age Age Age Age

Activity % Teens 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70+

Get News 76 71 72 78 76 73 71

Downloads 85 55 35 25 26 23 33

Buying a 44 66 67 69 63 68 42
product

Online 88 55 36 28 24 23 35
games

Searching 6 33 22 21 25 28 29
for people

Product 0 77 81 85 78 76 71
research

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 LITERATURE
V.1 Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given
i 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 honorable freedoms.

The title that best suits this extract is 1x5

a) Freedom for everything =5
b) Knowledge about Freedom
c) Significance of Freedom
d) Realization of Freedom

ii Why do you think the speaker mentions some freedoms as ‘transitory’?

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
d) He was too young to realise that freedom was denied to others as well.
v Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only.

The speaker’s belief about freedom, since ________ proved false. It was not until the
speaker grew up to be a young man when it dawned on him that he was deprived of
freedom.
OR

THINK-TANK: Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted
being in the land?
OFFSTAGE VOICE: (after a pause) You, sir.
THINK -TANK: (smacking mirror) Quicker. Answer quicker next time. I hate a slow mirror.
(He admires himself in the mirror.) Ah, there I am. Are we Martians not a handsome race?
So much more attractive than those ugly Earthlings with their tiny heads. Noodle, you
keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain just like mine.
NOODLE: Oh, I hope so, Mighty Think-Tank. I hope so.
THINK -TANK: Now, contact the space probe. I want to invade that primitive ball of mud
called Earth before lunch.
NOODLE: It shall be done, sir. (He adjusts levers on switchboard. Electronic buzzes and beeps are
heard as the curtains open.)

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i Choose the option that lists the most appropriate meaning of think-tank from those given
Below:
a) A tank that helps you think deeper than an average person, if you use its contents
regularly.
b) Non-stop flow of ideas from a fixed source about one particular issue.
c) A pool of ideas and solutions to various problems via individual, group or organiation.
d) A method by way of which people think collectively to identify stray thoughts among
them.

ii Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”
Choose the option that lists the genre having the original reference to the above lines.
a) Biography
b) Science-fiction
c) Mystery
d) Fairy tale
iii Choose the option that correctly categorizes the phrase “(after a pause)” based on
the dialogue given above
a) aside
b) stage direction
c) narration
d) Setting
iv Choose the option that gives you the example of an irony from the ones given below:
a) “Who is the most fantastically intellectually gifted being in the land?”
b) “I hate a slow mirror”
c) Noodle, you keep on exercising your mind, and someday you’ll have a balloon brain
just like mine.”
d) I want to invade that primitive ball of mud called Earth before lunch.
v Complete the analogy.
spinning : top :: rotation :

V.2 Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given.

1 Or if sometime when roaming about
A noble wild beast greets you
With black stripes on a yellow ground
Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal tiger to discern.
i Who is the noble beast here? 1X 5
a) lion =5
b) tiger
c) cheetah
d) Leopard
ii How can a tiger be recognized?
a) A tiger can be recognized with its nobility
b) A tiger can be recognized with its loud roar.
c) A tiger can be recognized with the black stripes on yellow skin.
d) A tiger can be recognized with its cat like appearance.

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iii Why did the poet call the tiger a noble animal?
a) The tiger doesn’t harm the animals in the jungle
b) The tiger is often seen helping animals in the jungle.
c) The tiger is very impressive in his appearance.
d) The tiger doesn’t kill humans.
iv What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?
a) Abababa
b) Abcdab
c) Abcbdd
d) Aabbcc
v Who is the poet of the above lines?
a) Carolyn Wells
b) Robert Klein
c) Robert Frost
d) Walt Whitman
OR
The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbour
and city on silent haunches
and then moves on.

i
List the qualities of the cat that Carl Sandburg applies to the fog?

ii Which one/s of the following applies to the given lines?

1. Personification is a literary device where you give an animal, object or natural

phenomenon, qualities or abilities that only a human can have.

2. Transferred epithet is a literary device when an adjective usually used to describe

one thing is transferred to another.

3. Imagery is the language used by poets and writers to create visual representation of
ideas in the minds of the readers.

4. Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which contradictory terms appear side by side.

a) 1 and 4
b) 2 and 3
c) Only 1
d) Only 3

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iii i. Pick the option that includes an image of the cat on its haunches.

a) Option 1
b) Option 2
c) Option 3
d) Option 4
iv
What does the fog look over?

a) Over houses
b) Over the harbour and the city.
c) Over offices
d) None of the Above.

v After sitting, the fog ___

a) Disappears
b) sits there only
c) moves on
d) gets dense
VI Answer ANY FOUR of the following in about 40-50 words each.
i
Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
4x3
ii
What special characteristic of Mijbil did Maxwell learn after he took him to the bathroom? = 12
iii
Why did Buddha ask Kisa Gotami to bring a handful of mustard seeds?
iv
Describe the method Anne Gregory suggested in order to prove that she is loved for who
she is.
v
‘Fire and Ice’ projects a pessimistic outlook. Comment.
VII
Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each.
i 2x3
Why was Tricki an uninteresting object for other dogs at the surgery?
=6
ii
Henry unintentionally saved Ausable’s life. briefly comment.

iii How did the Loisels react when they realized that the necklace had been lost?

VIII Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words.

Valli was sensitive, but at the same time, she was fearless and quite determined. Think of
another character from your textbook, First Flight, who displayed similar character traits. 6
Compare and contrast the lives of Valli and the other character
OR
Explain the phrase “the forest that was empty all these days”. After reading the poem
“The Trees”, for whom do you think are the forests needed? Imagine you are a tree
in a forest, what values would you like the humans to learn from the tree ?

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IX
Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words.

“And in her smiling eyes was the deep satisfaction that an artist feels when he is
contemplating the completion of his masterpiece.” Imagine you are Bholi’s teacher.
You are overwhelmed with a sense of satisfaction to see the conversion of ‘Bholi’ to
‘Sulekha’. Express your feelings in the form of a diary entry.
6
OR
Love, trust and compassion transformed Hari Singh”. Explain with reference to the story
“The Thief’s story

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