ROTARY PUBLIC SCHOOL

PRE-BOARD II EXAMINATION (2020-21)

SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS –X
SET A
TIME: 3 hrs. M.M.: 80
READING (20 MARKS)
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 10 marks

NEWSPAPER
The newspaper is one of the significant signs of modern civilization. It is the most popular form of reading
in the present times because it interests all sorts of people. It is full of political, news, sports and
commercial news, as well as articles by well-known writers. A newspaper keeps us both entertained and
informed.

In these days of democracy, public opinion rules everywhere. No government can long withstand the
pressure of a strong public opinion. It is, therefore, quite clear that the press controls public opinion, and
public opinion in turn controls the government, ultimately the press controls the government. It acts as an
interpreter between the government and the people and brings the rulers and the ruled together.

The press also acts as a public court. All evils, corruptions, vices, scandals, etc. are given publicity and
brought forth to the public through the medium of newspapers. The pressure of public opinion can be
brought to bear upon the doers of evil and injustice. The oppressed and the downtrodden may easily
demand justice at the bar of public opinion.

Again, to build a nation, it becomes necessary to spread ideas of liberty and independence among the
masses. The real freedom of a country is never possible without the upliftment of the people. Politicians as
well as economists, can circulate their ideas through newspapers, as they reach the most distant corners in
the shortest possible time. Newspapers also tell people what their rights are and teach them how they can
protect and exercise their rights. By placing before the readers new view-points every day, they stimulate
thought and increase the power of independent thinking. Thus, newspapers contribute to the development
of knowledge and their educative influence is indeed immense.

The advantages of having a strong, independent and honest press far outweighs the evils practised by a few
cheap, irresponsible newspapers. The newspaper is one of the greatest blessings of civilization and
journalism and therefore, it should be allowed to have the maximum amount of freedom possible.

Restrictions on newspaper should be as few as possible in order to ensure the healthy growth of a nation. In
the present stage of developing civilization, newspapers are an absolute necessity and given freedom of
expression, they are capable of doing immense good to society, the country and the world. Thus, the
freedom of Press, is the requisite for freedom of the people.
Answer the following questions-
1. Newspaper is the most popular form of reading in the present times because
1. it interests all sorts of people
2. it is full of political news
3. articles by well-known writers
4. all of the above
2. It becomes necessary to spread ideas of liberty and independence among the masses?
1. to build a common man
2. to build a nation
3. to build the government
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 4. to build the world

3. Who can circulate their ideas through newspapers, as they reach the most distant corners in the
shortest possible time?
1. public opinion
2. Politicians as well as economists
3. Lawyers as well as economists
4. Only Politicians

4. The press also acts as __________.

1. a civil court
2. a public court
3. a huge stage
4. an evil element
5. The newspaper is one of the significant signs of
1. modern civilization
2. ancient civilization
3. government only
4. public only

6. Which word in the passage means ‘crushed’?

1. spoiled
2. trodden
3. rotten
4. untidy
7. Find out the antonym of ‘discourage’ from the passage:
1. encourage
2. secure
3. stimulate
4. inspire
8. Find the synonym of ‘colossal’ from the passage:
1. immense
2. small
3. beautiful
4. big
9. Find out the antonym of ‘restriction’ from the passage:
1. slavery
2. courage
3. influence
4. freedom
10. Find the synonym of ‘immense’ used in the passage?
1. great
2. sequence
3. small
4. range
2.Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: 10 marks
TREE WORSHIPING
The tree is worshipped as earth’s mother in tribal India. It provides food, air, occupation, materials for
housing, fodder for animals and fuel. Without the trees there is neither soil nor water. There is nothing to
prevent the soil from being washed away; there is nothing to prevent the water from evaporating. In the
great tribal regions of India, which are home to the Bhils, the Santhals, the Nagas, the Bishnois, whenever
a child is born, a tree is planted in the child’s name. It forges a relationship between the child and the tree
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which is closer than the one between child and family. Naturally so, because that tree is specially the
child’s own. The trees are all slow growing. By the time the child reaches adolescence, his tree has just
come to fruit. It starts its life as a provider to the tribal child and the tribal is the guardian of the tree for
life. Nearly three hundred years ago in 1730, men and women of the Bishnoi tribe died in an attempt to
stop the felling of trees.
In September 1730, a royal party led by Giridhar Bhandari, a minister of the Maharaja of Marwar, arrived
at the village with an intention of felling some Khejri trees, that were sacred to the villagers. The trees
were to be burnt to produce lime for the construction of a new palace. A local woman, Amrita Devi
protested against the tree felling because such acts were prohibited by the Bishnoi religion. She and her
three daughters sacrificed their lives in an attempt to save the trees. Following the example, many other
villagers hugged the trees that were to be cut and got killed. This event became to be the forebearer of the
‘Chipko Movement’ initiated in the 20th century.
Bishnoi faith prohibits the cutting of green trees. It demands absolute protection of the Khejri, the shade
and fodder tree of the area. As a result, their lands are fertile, while all around them the fields have been
claimed by the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.

Answer the following questions:

1. The tree is worshipped as earth’s mother in
1. tribal India
2. free India
3. independent India
4. ancient India
2. Without the trees there is neither __________ nor __________ .
1. Soil, air
2. Air, water
3. Soil, water
4. Water, land

3. Tribal men and women died in an attempt to stop the felling of trees in the year_____
1. 1930
2. 1830
3. 1639
4. 1730

4. Which tradition was followed in the great tribal regions of India?

1. whenever a child is born, a tree is planted in the child’s name
2. whenever any child dies, a tree is planted in the child’s name
3. trees were planted on festivals
4. trees were cut during occasions
5. Bhils, Nagas and Santhals are which regions of India?
1. Civilized
2. Urban
3. Tribal
4. Rural
6. When was ‘Chipko Movement’ initiated in?
1. 18th Century
2. 20th Century
3. 21st Century
4. 19th Century
7. Girdhar Bhandari was a minister of the Maharaja of:
1. Marwar J 3. Jaipur
2. Jodhpur 4. Udaipur
8. A local woman _________ protested against the tree felling:
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 1. Anita Devi
2. Anjali Devi
3. Amrita Devi
4. Anjana Dev
9. Khejri trees were to be felled by the minister to
1. make t traditional wooden items
2. produce lime for the construction of a new palace.
3. produce a dye for the dying purposes
4. to be exported
10. Along with Amrita Devi who else sacrificed their life in an attempt to save the trees
1. the village women
2. Her two daughters
3. Her three daughters
4. All tribal people
LITERATURE (10 Marks)
3. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANYONE by answering the questions that follow-
5X1=5
Inside the clouds everything was suddenly black it was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane.
The old aeroplane jump and twisted in the air. I looked at the compass. I couldn't believe my eyes, the
compass was turning round and round and round .It was dead .It would not work! The other instruments
were suddenly dead too. I tried the radio.
1) What was causing the plane to jump and twist in the air ?
a)air pressure b)wind currents c)black stormy clouds d)dead engine
2)Why was the compass turning round and round?
a)because it was dead b)it couldn't find any signal
c)the plane was out of control d)there was a storm
3) Choose an option that is synonym of word – ‘dead’
a)Barren b)broken down c)deserted d)not useful
4)Over which country was the pilot flying at this moment
a)Germany b)Spain c)United Kingdom d)France

OR
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above lines?
(i) leopard (ii) jaguar (iii) tiger (iv) cheetah

(b) What is ‘he’ actually doing instead of lurking '?

(i) prowling in the forest (ii) resting in a cave
(iii) is left inside a Cage (iv) is growling at a deer

(c) Why is he waiting in hiding

(i) to stay away from the eyes of a hunter (ii) so that he can attack a deer
(iii) so that his prey does not notice him (iv) to track the movements of an intruder

(d) From which poem has this extract been taken?

(i) How to Tell Wild Animals (ii) Animals
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 (iii) A Tiger in the Zoo (iv) Dust of Snow

(e)Choose an option that is similar in meaning to the word ‘plump’

(i)slender (ii)lanky (iii)stout (iv)Chubby

4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANYONE by answering the questions that follow-
5X1=5
CHUBUKOV [interrupting]: My dear fellow…. I’m so glad, and so on.... Yes, indeed, and all that sort of
thing. [Embraces and kisses LOMOV]. I’ve been hoping for it for a long time. It’s been my continual
desire [Sheds a tear]. And I’ve loved you, my angel, as if you were my own son. May God give you both—
His help and his love and so on, and so much hope... What am l behaving in this idiotic way for? I’m off
my balance with Joy, absolutely off my balance! Oh, with all my soul... I’ll go and call Natalya, and all
that.
(a) Why is Chubukov so glad?
(i) because Lomov came to meet him
(ii) because Lomov wanted to marry his daughter
(m) because Lomov did not want his property
(iv) because Lomov did not come to borrow anything

(b) What had been Chubukov’s continual desire?

(i) to give back the oxen meadows to Lomov
(ii) to return the money he had borrowed from his neighbour
(iii) to see his daughter marry Lomov
(iv) to join both of the adjacent properties and make it one big farm

(c) Whom does ‘both’ refer to?

(i)Chubukov and Natalya
(ii) Lomov and Natalya
(iii) Stepan and Natalya
(iv) Chubukov and Lomov
(d) Choose an option that is similar in meaning to the word ‘balance’.
(i) composure (ii) stabilizer (iii) nervousness (iv) similarity
(e) Which of the following are the adjectives that can be associated with Chubukov?
1. greedy 2. loving 3. patient 4. Cruel 5. selfish 6. materialistic
(i) 1, 5 and 6 (ii) 2, 3 and 4
(iii) 1, 2 and 4 (iv) 2,5 and 6
OR
As they gazed, a remarkable sight met their eyes. A fresh footmark appeared from nowhere!
Further footprints followed, one after another descending the steps and progressing down the streets. The
boys followed, fascinated, until the muddy impressions became fainter and fainter, and at last disappeared
altogether.
(a) Whom did the footprints belong to?
(i) Mr. Jaffers (ii) Mrs Hall (iii) Griffin (iv) The landlord

(b) Where did the boys first see the footprints?

(i) on a footpath (ii) on the steps of a house
(iii) on a busy street (iv) on the snow covered ground

(c) Choose an option that is a synonym of the word ‘progressing’:

(i) developing (ii) managing (iii) gathering (iv) moving

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(d) What remarkable sight did the boys witness?
(i) a man walking without clothes in the snow
(ii)fresh muddy footprints appeared in front of them out of nowhere
(iii)an invisible person hit them and left only his footprints behind
(iv)footprints walking down the street in the middle of a snowstorm

(e) Name the author of the above lines

(i) Guy de Maupassant (ii) H.G. Wells
(iii) Sinclair Lewis (iv) Robert W. Peterson
GRAMMAR (10MARKS)
5. Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks to complete the note: (3x1=3)
In business, growth (a)__________; one has to grow if one (b)_________ out. This is particularly true
today with liberalization of imports and increasing competition. Moreover, growth and higher productivity
(c)_________ and higher employment creates larger markets both for industrial and consumer products.
(a) (i) will be needed for survival (ii) were needed for survival
(iii) is needed for survival (iv) was needed for survival

(b) (i) did not want to be wiped (ii) does not want to be wiped
(iii) will not want to be wiped (iv) can not want to be wiped

(c) (i) create employment (ii) creates employment

(iii) created employment (iv) had created employment

6.Read the following conversation and complete the paragraph choosing the best alternative: (3x1=3)
Reena: Do you know how to swim?
Surbhi: Yes, I know. I have learnt it during this summer vacation.
Reena asked Surbhi (a) -----------. Then Surbhi replied (b) ------------- and also added that (c) ---------------
`
(a) (i) whether she knew how to swim (ii) does she know how to swim
(iii) that she knows how to swim (iv) that she knew how to swim
(b) (i) in affirmative (ii) in negative
(iii) I knows (iv) I know
(c) (i) I have learnt it during the summer vacation
(ii) she has learnt it during the summer vacation
(iii) she had learnt it during the summer vacation
(iv) I had learnt it during the summer vacation

7. Fill in the blanks in the paragraph given below by choosing the most appropriate options from the
ones that follow. Write the answer in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers.
ATTEMPT ANY FOUR ( 4x1=4)
As we got closer (a) ______ the hills, the vegetation (b) ______ more abundant and the fields smaller.
By (c) _______ time we branched (d)______ the jungle, it (e)_____ quite dark.
a. (i) in (ii) from (iii) to (iv) over
b. (i) grew (ii) growing (iii) grows (iv) grown
c. (i) a (ii) an (iii) some (iv) the
d. (i) in (ii) into (iii) to (iv) on
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 e. (i) is (ii) was (iii) are (iv) were
WRITING (10MARKS)
8. India is a highly populated country. People lack in maintaining proper sanitation and hygiene as a result
they suffer from various diseases. India has a serious sanitation challenge; around 60% of the world’s open
defecation takes place in India. Poor sanitation causes health hazards including diarrhoea, particularly in
children under 5 years of age, malnutrition and deficiencies in physical development and cognitive ability.
You are Nitin/Nikita, head boy/girl of Vikas Public School, Jaipur. Write a letter to the editor of a national
daily, highlighting the problem and suggesting practical ways to ensure public sanitation and the right to
dignity and privacy. (100-150 words) 5x1=5
9. Children tend to become tense and nervous before the board exams. This may affect their health and
performance in the examination. Write an analytical paragraph in 100-120 words on the topic ‘Need
for Counselling before Board Examination’. 5x1=5

LITERATURE (30 MARKS)

10. Answer any TWO Questions in 20 to 30 words each from a and b respectively : 2x4=8 marks
a) Answer any TWO. (2x2=4)
(i) How did Valli manage to leave her house?
(ii) Why was the pilot of the Dakota frightened once again while following the other plane?
(iii) Mr. Keesing was a strict but kind teacher. Explain the truth of this statement.

b) Answer any TWO: (2x2=4)

(i) Anne wanted her diary to be different. How?
(ii) How was the hack driver recognised as Oliver Lutkins in the end?
(iii) What did Griffin do inside the London store?

11. Answer any TWO Questions in 40 to 50 words each from a and b respectively : 6x2=12 marks
a) Answer any TWO: (3x2=6)
i) Who were Pranjol and Rajveer? Where were they going?
ii) Money is external .What does the poet John Berryman mean by these words?
iii) What was the peculiarity of the corner of the room where wonder used to sit?
b) Answer any TWO: (3x2=6)
i) What made Hari Singh think that he could the life of an oil rich Arab for some time??
ii) “If the theory proves correct it will be a big step towards understanding the processes of life”. what
is the theory and who proposed it?
iii)What happened at the ball? Was Matilda’s dream fulfilled?

12. What does Valli mean when she says, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening
without our knowledge”? 5x1=5

13. She was one of those pretty young ladies, born as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks.
How do you know that Mme Loisel in the story ‘The Necklace’ was dissatisfied with her married life?
What did she want from her life? 5x1=5