SARVODAYAVIDYALAYA, TRIVANDRUM - 15

MODEL EXAMINATION 2023 24

STD X (ENGLISH LANGUAGE)
ICSE ENGLISH PAPER- 1

Maximum Marks: 80

Time allowed: Two hours

Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.

You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
The time givenat the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.

Attempt all five questions.

The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given inbrackets [].
Youare advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Questionl and 20 minutes in
answering Question 2.

Question 1
(Donot spend more than 30minutes on this question)
Write a composition (300-350 words) on any one of the following: [20]
i Write a story which ends with the words: "Better be alone than in a bad company."
11. 'Advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need'. Express your views
either for or against this statement.
iii. You have recently attended the wedding ceremony of your cousin. Describe the
ceremony and the accompanying celebrations.
iv. Narrate your experience of being with the inmates of an Old Age Home and your feelings
when you returned home.
Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it
suggests toyou. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may
take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture
and your composition.

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Question 2

(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)

Select any one of the following: [10]
i. Write a letter to your elder brother in the Army, congratulating him on being awarded
the President's medal for his bravery.
ii. Write a letter to the Chief Minister of your State complaining about the bad condition
of hospitals in your town.
Question 3
i Your school is organising an Inter-School Quiz Competition. Write a notice for your
school informing the students of the event. (5]
ii. Write an emailto the Principal of a neighbouring school, requesting him/her to send a
team of students to participate in the Inter-School Quiz Competition to be organised
by your school.
[5]
Question 4
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
My employer gave me a goose weighing eighteen pounds as a Christmas present.
The clerk said, "The old gentleman had never been known to give anything away before in his
life. He's taken afancy to you, and you are the lucky one.
It being Christmas time, Ithought Iwould treat myself to a good dinner and went into a
restaurant and laid the goose on the counter. For the first time it struck me that Ididn't want the
bird and that it was of no use to me at all. Iknew no one in London to give it to, so when the

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owner of the restaurant came round again, Iasked him if he would care to buy it. I
told him he
could have it cheap.
He turned to a couple of men who were sitting in a corner. They didn't
look to me worth the
price ofa chicken between them. A solemn-looking individual who had been
snoring in a corner
suddenly woke up as Iwas going out, and offered me seven pence for it. He would have taken it
away, I should never have seen it again, and my wbole life might have been different. But fate
has always been against me. I replied that it wasn't a Christmas dinner fund for the destitute, and
walked out.

The idea occurred to me to sell it to a poultry shop. I found one in Middleton Street. There
wasn't a customer near it. I took the goose out of the parcel and laid it on the shelf before the
owner and told him that he could have it cheap. He just seized the goose by the neck and flung it
at me. I dodged, and it caught the side of my head. I picked it up and hit him back with it, and a
policeman came up.
*Look at the shop, the shopkeeper said. It's twenty minutes to twelve, and there are seven
dozen geese hanging there that I'm willing to give away, and this fool asks me if Iwant to buy
another.' Ifollowed the policeman's advice, and went away quietly, taking the bird with me.
Then said Ito myself, that I will give it to a poor deserving person. I passed a good many
people, but no one looked deserving enough. I stopped a half-starved child and pressed it upon
her. She answered me, 'Not me!' I was desperate. At the Canal Bridge I looked behind me and
could see noone. Idropped the goose on the bridge. Heaving asigh of relief as Iturned back, a
constable collared me.

He asked me what Ihad thrown on the bridge. Itold him a goose. He asked me why Ihad
thrown a goose there. I told him because I was sick and tired of the bird. At this stage another
policeman came and said he had succeeded in recovering the parcel. But it contained golden
jewellery. I told them that it wasn't my parcel, but they did not believe me and I was imprisoned.
In the end the evidence against me was held to be insufficient to justify a conviction, and I got
off. I was much relieved and Idon't care if ever I see a goose again.
i) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from
the options provided: [2]
1. fancy (line 3).
(a) ornate
(b) inclination
(c) illusion
(d) understanding
2. solemn-looking (line 10)
(a) dignified
(b) ignorant
(c) insincere
(d) excited
(ii) Which word in the passage means the opposite of the word 'hopeful'? [1]
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 Join
the
to

So

iii.

(a) dodged
(b) desperate
(c) believe
(d) relieved
(ii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.
(a) What did the narrator get as aChristmas present? Who gave it to him and why?
(2|
(b) What was the narrator's first thought after getting the present? On
second
thoughts, what did the narrator decide to do with the present?
(c) Why did the narrator refuse the offer given by the first custonmer for his
present!?
[1|
(d) What happened to the narrator at the poultry shop? (2|
(e) Why was the narrator imprisoned?
(iv)
[2]
In not mnore than 50words, state how the narrator tried to get
rid of the goose. I8|

Question 5
i. Fill in each of the numbered blankS with the correct form of
the word given in
brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or
phrase appropriate to the blank space. |4)
Example: (0) asked
Once a King (0) (ask) a hermit for a powerful talisman.
The hermit (1) (give) him a ring (2) (contain) a (3)
of paper and asked him to open it when he (4)
(fold) slip
(face) with extraordinary
situations, be it a tragedy ora triumph. The talisman, the hermit (5) (tell) the
King, (6) (keep) him grounded: it (7) (help) him keep his head in any
situation.
The King had many occasions (8) (experience) the power of the writing on the
paper during his long reign. The paper had on it asimple line: This, too, shall pass".
ii. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
(4|
(a) They have embarked a new project.
(b) She had always hankered riches.
(c) A miser hates parting his money.
(d) Jatin has been laid with fever.
(e) Icouldn't wish anything better.
() We had to get the river.
(g) Many people prefer the new system the old.
(h) He drew adetailed contract before signing the deal.

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iii. Jointhe following sentences tomake one complete sentence nwithout using and, but or
so. Choose the correct option. |4|
1. His pace was very fast. It was difficult to be kept for long.
(a) His pace is too fast to be kept for long.
(b) His pace was too fast to be kept for long.
(c) His pace was too fast that made it difficult to be kept for long.
(d) Though his pace was too fast, it was difficult to be kept for long.
2. It is not a new car. However, it is reliable.
(a) It is reliable but not a new car.
(b) It is not a new car to be reliable.
(c) It is not a new car, still it is reliable.
(d) Though it is not anew car, yet it is reliable.

3. There is something in store for him. He does not know it.

(a) He does not know what is in store for him.
(b) He does not know there is something in store for him.
(c) He knows what is in store for him.
(d) He knew what was in store for him.

4. Mr Johnson was always punctual. This was something he prided himself on.
(a) Mr Johnson's punctual was something he prided himself on.
(b) Mr Johnson's punctual is something he prides himself on.
(c) Mr Johnson'spunctuality was something he prided himself on.
(d) Mr Johnson's punctuality was something he prides himself on.

iv. Choose the correct option to rewrite the following according to the instructions
given after each sentence. (8]

1. He had only just arrived at the station when there was a terrible explosion.
(Begin: Hardly. .....)
(a) Hardly had he arrived at the station when there was a terrible explosion.
(b) Hardly he arrived at the station when there was a terrible explosion.
(c) Hardly he had arrived at the station than there was aterrible explosion.
(d) Hardly had he arrived at the station before there was a terrible explosion.
2. Didn't they tellyou that they would not sign the agreement? (Begin: Were you..)
(a) Were you informed that they would not sign the agreement?
(b) Were you not told that they would sign the agreement?
(c) Were you not told by them that they would not sign the agreement?
(d) Were younot told by them that they would sign the agreement?
3. He said to me, 'Are you going away tonight?" (Begin: He inquired......)
(a) He inquired me if I was going away tonight.
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 (b) He inquired of me if I was going away that night.
(c) He inquired about me if I am going away tonight.
(d) He inquired from me if l was going away that night

4. Inever thought that they would win the match. (Begin: Little...)
(a) Little did I thought that they would win the match.
(b) Little do I know that they would win the match.
(c) Little did Ithink that they would win the match.
(d) Little do I think that they win the match.

5. Itwas not his intention to harm you. (Use:intend)

(a) He did not intended to harm you.
(b) He did not intend to harm you.
(c) He had not intend to harm you.
(d) He did not intended in harming you.

6. The wall is quite high for the thief to jump over. (Use: low enough)
(a) The wall is low enough for the thief to jump over.
(b) The wall is not low enough to the thief to jump over.
(c) The wall was low enough for the thief to jump over.
(d) The wall is not low enough for the thief to jump over.
7. You remembered to take your medicines, didn't you? (Begin: You didn't...)
(a) You didn't forgot to take your medicines, did you?
(b) You didn't forget to take your medicines, did you?
(c) You didn't remember to take your medicines, didn't you?
(d) You don't remember to take your medicines, don't you?

8. Aarti is the cleverest pupil in the class. (Use: clever)

(a) No other pupil in the class is as clever as Aarti.
(b) Aarti is the clever than any other pupil in the class.
(c) None other pupils in the class is as clever as Aarti.
(d) Noother pupils in the class was as clever as Aarti.

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