10th English Set 1 Practice Sheet

CLASSROOM CONTACT PROGRAMME
(ACADEMIC SESSION 2022-2023)
PRACTICE SHEET
CLASS – X
(SET-1)
TARGET : CBSE BOARD EXAMINATION
ENGLISH
ALLEN Career Institute Pvt. Ltd.

Corporate Office
® English
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Reading
1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
BRIDGE ACROSS ERAS

Long before the Chrysler or the Empire State Buildings glinted in the Sun, and even before the Statue of
Liberty was unveiled, a marvel of modern engineering became Big Apple’s most enduring and appealing
landmark, The Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Bridge, the oldest and longest suspension bridge in the world and along with its two Stately
275-foot stone towers, is often dubbed as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’. It is a 1,825 meters steel-wire
engineering marvel that links Manhattan with Brooklyn. On it, on an average 145,000 people drive, walk or
bike everyday.For long it has been one of the city’s most popular, recognisable and photogenic sights. And yet,
it is more than just a national landmark.
At a time when American women were still struggling for voting rights, equality etc., and when everywhere
they were asked ‘to do more and talk less’, a spirited Ms. Emily Warren Roebling did exactly what pleased her
in the full glare of public gaze. She was ‘wife, mother, lecturer, student, world traveller and club woman’ who,
by chance, became ‘the first woman field engineer’ and a pioneering example of independence.
Emily’s brilliant engineer father-in-law, John Augustus Roebling designed the bridge. But during the construc-
tion, a series of mishaps occurred including his death due to tetanus. Emily’s husband, Col. Washington, who was
familiar with his father’s bridge construction projects, took over. However, while working on the giant granite
anchorages that were being built in caissons or watertight chambers, he was hit by a debilitating disease that
paralysed him.
With that the onus fell on Emily to complete the bridge. The intelligent lady was familiar with the nuances of
“strength of materials, stress analysis, cable construction and in calculating catenary curves”— things she learnt
from her father- in-law, brother and husband. Then with Washington directing her, often with “spyglass” trained
out of the window, Emily communicated with the project team, and with the regulatory authorities, to bring the
project to completion. When the bridge finally opened in the spring of 1883, it saw the most ‘exuberant public
celebration of era’. As thousands of citizens noisily cheered and paparazzi were out in full force with their new
fangled photography half-tone engraving process, US President Chester Arthur along with demure Emily grandly
led the first ceremonial ride across the bridge.
Today, as a symbol of the Roebling’s legacy and honour to this amazing woman, the bridge proudly credits
her on a plaque: “Back of every great work we can find the self sacrificing devotion of a woman.” Source
- THE HINDU
CBSE-2023\Module\Practice Sheet\SET-1\10th\English
1. On the basis of your reading complete the sentences given below :
(a) The Brooklyn Bridge has been _______________________________________________________

(b) It was designed by ________________________________________________________________
(c) Colonel Washington was not able to continue with the work started by his father because
(d) Emily Roebling had learnt from her father-in-law, husband and brother ____________________
(e) The first ceremonial ride across the bridge was led by __________________________________
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2. Answer the following questions briefly :
(a) When was the bridge opened for public?

(b) How was family honoured for her accomplishment?
(c) Why is the passage titled ‘Bridge Across Eras’?
3. Find the synonyms of the words given below, from the passage :
(a) responsibility
(b) weakening
2. Read the passage carefully.
Euthanasia is deliberately bringing about a gentle and easy death making the last days of the patient as
comfortable as possible. This is to ensure a calm and peaceful death, to relieve incurable suffering in terminal
illness or disability. Euthanasia is voluntary, when requested by the sufferer. Here death is hastened by deliber-
ate withdrawal of effective therapy or nourishment.
The debate on euthanasia has again become a live issue in India as the Supreme Court of India in 1994
passed a verdict that attempted suicide is not a crime. With the recent medical knowledge, the judges in their
verdict were sympathetic to those who attempted suicide. They gave the verdict that attempting suicide is a
mental derangement and hence not to be considered as a crime.
This signifies social approval of suicide and euthanasia which is assisted suicide. This is often our dilemma.
Should one prolong the act of dying in a case of inevitable death or when a life is effectively over? One of the
achievements of modern medical technology is the use of artificial life support systems like artificial feeding,
dialysis, controlled respiration, pump circulation etc. In some cases it can be so dehumanising, painful, hazard-
ous or costly that other considerations outweigh the aim to conserve life.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, complete the following statements :
(a) Doctors administer euthanasia by __________________ .
(b) The debate on euthanasia has restarted as __________________.
(c) One can say that euthanasia has gained social approval as __________________.
(d) Two reasons that support the cause of euthanasia are __________________.
(e) The word in paragraph III that means “involving risk or danger” is __________________.
3. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow, choosing from the options given
below.
THE WORLD OF COLOUR
The study of colour is a fascinating mixture of scientific fact and emotional guesswork. Colour is basic to all
of us, and affects our lives in many ways. Swiss psychologist Max Lüscher has spent over 20 years studying
colours, and has developed a colour test which helps to explain your personality. You must choose which colours
you like most. According to Lüscher, people who choose red are energetic and adventurous, looking for
excitement. Those who prefer blue are calm and in control, and prefer a peaceful life. Green means firmness,
a dislike of change and a fear of failure. Yellow means you are open and free, ambitious and an optimist.
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It is interesting to look back in history, and to try to guess what colour meant to the first humans. Blue and
greens are common and familiar colours. They have ‘safe’ meanings for us. Blue makes us think of the sky and
the sea. Green is the colour of growing plants. But red is rare in nature. It is the colour of blood and meat, of
hunting or of injuries. It is also the colour of fire. The darkest nights are black — a colour is often associated with
fear.
It is possible to measure responses to some colours scientifically. When we see a red light, for example, we
become more tense and our heart rate increases. Blue, on the other hand, makes our heart rate decrease, and
also makes us feel more relaxed. In our daily life, colours are big business. Next time you are in a supermarket,
think about the colours around you and on the products. Food manufacturers choose the colours very carefully.
The right colours persuade us to buy more food. Red, green, orange and yellow are regarded as the main
‘appetite’ colours.
(a) The people who prefer red colour are
(1) moody and temperamental
(2) thrilled and excited
(3) peaceful
(4) ambitious
(b) Blue and green have safe meanings because
(1) we always look good in them
(2) they suit everyone
(3) they are readily available
(4) they are associated with nature
(c) A colour most associated with fear is
(1) yellow (2) black (3) red (4) green
(d) Colour affects our responses scientifically, e.g.,
(1) Pink gives us happiness
(2) Blue makes us think of the sky
(3) Green adds to our tension
(4) Yellow makes us remember the sun

(e) ‘Appetite colour’ in the passage means
(1) the food that sells more
(2) colours that stimulate our appetite
(3) colours that are easy to advertise
(4) colours that cost less
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4. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Experts say that what customers buy in the name of herbal cosmetics is often the same synthetic cosmetic
with a herb or two added, which works to lure customers. A product that says it is 100% natural may be
misleading in the sense that it's difficult to stabilize a fully natural base and is always quite expensive, requiring
advanced technology. The desired shelf life of a product is expected to be at least two years, but that of a
purely herbal product would be restricted to about six months. Also, the product won't be aesthetically
appealing as a synthetic product. Hence manufacturers of herbal products have to include synthetic base
ingredients to balance the formula.
2. Herbal ingredients might also cause allergies as they may contain a large number of constituents which may
be allergic to that user. Thus, the concept of using 'total extracts' may be harmful, because there are several
other ingredients going into the product. Also, things like pH need to be considered before using it.
3. According to the law experts, customers suing someone are considered extreme. Given the legal system in
India and the long-drawn litigation process, consumers tend to pursue legal action against manufacturers/
distributors in the event of any problem. However, with the dawn of consumer forums and more effective
laws protecting the interests of the consumers, the trend is slowly moving towards this direction.
4. At times it is not just manipulative manufacturers and passive consumers but sometimes weak and absent
rules regarding the process of manufacturing can also get fake production licences. Also one cannot make a
generalisation that synthetics are safe while naturals are harmful. I would say that the difference is that if one
is a known devil (synthetics) the other is unknown. Unlike the case of synthetic cosmetic, herbal cosmetics are
still in a nascent stage. You don't have well-defined standards for the use of raw materials in the production
of herbal cosmetics.
5. Finally, customers can also check out their cosmetics by using the 'Cosmetics ingredient dictionary, a database
of 19,000 ingredients. It claims to help users check out what chemical compounds they use daily. This App
lets you feed the names of the ingredients written on the container into the app and then get the reading
about it.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions.
(a) Why is it misleading when a product is labelled as 100% natural?

(b) Mention two drawbacks of natural products.
(c) Why is taking recourse to legal action gaining momentum?
(d) What is the cosmetics ingredient dictionary?
(e) Find the word from the passage that means the same as 'skilful at influencing in an unfair way. (para 4)
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5. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow, choosing from the
given options.
THE CAMERA CAN LIE — SOMETIMES
Much to their annoyance, pen-pushers are routinely reminded that a picture is worth a thousand words –
except that sometimes they can be the wrong “words” as happened last week when Reuters was forced to
withdraw more than 900 pictures taken by a freelance photographer after it was suspected that he had “doc-
tored” two recent photographs of the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.
In one picture, the smoke billowing from an apartment block after an Israeli air strike was allegedly thick-
ened by the photographer, Adnan Hajj, to dramatise the impact of the bombardment – and in another two
flares were suspected to have been added to an image of an Israeli jet in action over Lebanon.
The allegation of doctoring, first made by several bloggers, was confirmed by Reuters after an inhouse
investigation. Mr. Hajj, who has sold pictures to Reuters for more than 10 years, denied manipulating the two
photographs and attributed the thick smoke in the first picture to “bad lighting” and the fact that he was “trying
to remove dust marks.” As for the second, he said, there was “no problem with it – not at all.”
But Reuters was not convinced and said it was removing all of his pictures from its database and would not
be using his services any more. “This represents a serious breach of Reuters’ standards and we shall not be
accepting or using pictures taken by him,” the news agency said.
The idea that the camera never lies is as misleading as the notion that all statistics are meant to mislead.
What the “eye” sees is not always what it looks like, thanks to the many ways in which first the camera and then
the photograph can be – and is often – manipulated. Indeed, a photograph can be manipulated in more ways
– and more effectively – to convey a false reality than it is possible to do through the written word. Ask any clever
photographer and he will tell you the tricks camera can be made to play.
At a seminar recently, one journalist recalled how there was a time when British photographers, covering
stories about famine or floods in Third World countries, would carry teddy bears with them in order to use them
as prop for pictures supposedly showing that all that was left in a household, stricken by death and destruction,
were children’s toys. — The Hindu
(a) Reuters was forced to withdraw the pictures because
(1) they were not clear (2) some were authentic
(3) they were retouched (4) the journalist was charging too much
(b) Adnan Hajj was accused of
(1) provoking anti-national sentiments (2) treason
(3) blackmail (4) doctoring the photos
(c) Photography can be manipulated because
(1) the photographer has excellent skills (2) it can convey a false sense of reality
(3) it can be used for blackmailing (4) it can lead to illegal practices
(d) Teddy bears were used as props

(1) to promote their sale (2) to win prizes
(3) to interest the children (4) to get a heart-rending response
(e) “doctored” in the passage means
(1) to adulterate (2) to falsify
(3) improve (4) taking the help of a doctor
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6. Read the given poem carefully. Read the questions given below and write the option you consider
the most appropriate in your answer sheet.
Law of the Jungle
I have heard I have heard
There is a law of the jungle When the weaver bird’s nest
I have heard when the lion has eaten his fill Reflects on the lake
He never attacks The silvery fishes adopt it as neighbours.
He goes to lie under dense shady trees And if a rough storm breaks the foot bridge,
And when the rough gusts Then on a wooden plank
Shake branches of trees Squirrel, snake, goat and cheetah walk in a file.
The mynah leaving her own young I have heard
Covers the frail crow’s eggs There is a law of the jungle.
With her protective wings O god, All-powerful. All-seeing. All-wise
I have heard In this my city
When any bird-young falls out of the nest Proclaim a law,
The entire jungle wakes to rescue. Even the law of the jungle.
(a) The lines ‘............... when the lion has eaten his full he never attacks’ mean that the lion
(1) becomes lazy on full stomach. (2) kills only to survive.
(3) does not attack an easy prey. (4) likes to sleep under the shady tree.
(b) In case of a natural calamity, all the animals
(1) run helter-skelter. (2) create confusion.
(3) protect/safeguard each other. (4) take cover in other’s home.
(c) “I have heard when the lion has eaten his fill, he never attacks.”
The emotion conveyed through the above line is,
(1) contentment. (2) selflessness. (3) community feeling. (4) co-operation.
(d) “Proclaim a law” means
(1) make an announcement. (2) break a law.
(3) change the law. (4) amend the city law.
(e) The poet prays to God for :
(1) turning the city into a jungle. (2) making people more emphathetic/understanding.
(3) killing all animals. (4) letting animals rule man.
7. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions by writing the option that you consider the
most appropriate.
Journalist-turned-author Pinki Virani opened our eyes to a deeply painful truth — sexual abuse of children
in middle and upper-class Indian homes. Her book "Bitter Chocolate" (Penguin 2000) revealed how rampant
and perilous the crime is. It also dealt with how we Indians live in denial, believing that such sin are not the norm
in our culture. Indeed, a nationwide study published in 2007 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
describes child sexual abuse to be commonplace. In "Bitter Chocolate" award winning Virani poignantly talks of
her own trauma of childhood incest, and underlines the importance of children being encouraged to speak up in
order to overcome the shock and harm.
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Earlier, Virani’s first book, the award winning Aruna’s story, documented the tragedy of a nurse, who has
been in a semi - comatose state since 1973, after she was raped by a hospital employee while being strangled
with a chain. In these 36 years of losing her speech, sight and movement, Aruna Shanbaug, now 61, is being
kept in a persistent vegetative state.
In the early 1980s, Pinki Virani started out as journalist with ‘The Times of India Group’. She has been
editor of ‘Mid Day’, a Mumbai afternoon newspaper, and a Special Correspondent with ‘Sunday’. She is
married to Shankar Aiyar, also, a veteran journalist and editor. Virani’s fourth and most recent book, ‘Deaf
Heaven’ (Harper Collins), is also her first work of fiction. It’s been described by Khushwant Singh as “ingenuously
structured”.
(a) The book that speaks of Virani’s own trauma of childhood incest is
(1) Aruna’s story (2) Deaf Heaven (3) Bitter Chocolate (4) Bloody Hell
(b) ‘Bitter Chocolate’ does not reveal
(1) sexual abuse as a rampant crime (2) causes and cases of child labour
(3) denial of Indians regarding sexual sins (4) child sexual-abuse to be common place
(c) Name the book / books written by Virani that won the award
(1) Aruna’s story (2) Bitter Chocolate (3) Bloody Hell (4) Both (1) and (2)
(d) One of the following is not related to Pinky Virani in any way
(1) The Times of India (2) Sunday (3) The Portrait of a Lady (4) Mid Day
(e) The word that does not mean same as ‘ingenuous’
(1) candid (2) straight-forward (3) innocent (4) shrewd
8. Read the passage carefully and complete the sentences given below.
Real praise, the sincere compliment is probably the most useful social tool of all. It is the valued coin of our
conversation. Yet today, it is in danger of losing its brightness. For it is greatly misused and not properly ex-
changed.
What is a true compliment? It is one that benefits both giver and the receiver. Once a painter and his young
assistant were painting our house, the old man was wearing shiny new shoes. As the man started skilfully
painting, my father-in-law said to the boy, “Son, when you can show up on the job to paint a house, wearing new
shoes, you will be the master of your trade.” The painter smiled and did the best job.
We all like to have our sense of personal work built up or pointed out. And when one expert adds to
another’s sense of dignity and speaks favourably of his skill, he is offering a compliment of the highest and rarest
kind.
A compliment differs from flattery in that it is objective and given without thought of gain. Flattery is merely
lip service or excessive praise given for motives other than expressed.
The greatest efforts of the human race have always resulted from the love of praise. This should be inspired
in childhood. The wise parent makes it a point to compliment a child who deserves it. A woman I know has a 12-
year-old son who considers washing dishes for his mother a great honour. One night, while washing a large dish,
it slipped and crashed on the floor. Then his mother said, “You know, Robert, of all the times you have washed
the dishes for me, this is the first time you dropped one.” Anxiety left the boy’s face and he smiled. As one
psychologist advises, “Praise virtue and you will find few vices to criticise.”
(a) A sincere compliment is called the valued coin of our conversation because ___________.
(b) When one’s hard work is appreciated by an expert, ___________.
(c) Flattery differs from compliment as ___________.
(d) Children, who are great achievers in life, are generally brought up __________.
(e) The word ‘sense of dignity’ means ___________.
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9. Read the given passage carefully. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the follow-
ing questions by choosing the correct option from those given below:
Understanding Pain
Pleasure and pain are the inseparable facets of human existence. While the experience of our well-being is
rather vague and intangible, experience of pain is real, and affects our body, mind and spirit, altering our lives
in more ways than one. Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience caused by tissue damage that
results from physical trauma, burns, illness, injury or surgery. Despite the agony caused by pain, it is essential for
our survival. If you don’t feel pain, you could cause great harm to your body by inadvertently touching a hot iron
or jamming your finger in the drawer and not even knowing it. Or you could rupture the appendix and be
unaware of what was going on inside your body. Pain rings an alarm bell, alerting you to pay immediate
attention and take quick action.
Have you ever wondered why a severely wounded soldier continues to battle on so defiantly or an athlete
injured during a race goes on to win it? It happens so because the brain does not react immediately to the pain
signals, the sufferer just ignores them because there are more important tasks to attend. The pain registers only
after the task or event is over. The perception of pain has been studied extensively by psychologists who suggest
that there is a “gating system” in the central nervous system that opens and closes to let pain pass through to the
brain or block it. Psychological factors such as attention to pain, emotional state of a person, anticipation of pain
and the way that a person interprets a situation can both open and close the “gates”. This is why when you are
depressed or anxious your pain seems worse and intolerable—because your feelings can open the pain gate.
On the other hand, when your attention is diverted or focussed on pleasant tasks, your pain is almost impercep-
tible. Thus the physical cause of the pain may be the same, the pain circuits identical, yet the perception of pain
is dramatically different.
(a) Pain is unpleasant, yet _____________
(1) we need to experience it (2) we can’t escape it
(3) it gives us pleasure (4) it is not real
(b) Pain rings an alarm bell means that pain _____________
(1) warns that something is wrong (2) makes other people attend to us
(3) makes us scream (4) warns us beforehand
(c) “Gating system” in the central nervous system _____________
(1) prevents pain (2) changes our response to pain
(3) destroys the nervous system (4) does not allow us to escape pain
(d) Unhappiness or worry affects our system by _____________

(1) blocking the pain gate (2) diverting our mind away from pain
(3) causing depression (4) making pain seem worse
(e) The writer feels that pain is a _____________
(1) pleasurable experience (2) figment of our imagination
(3) necessary evil (4) source of great harm to the body
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10. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. One of the great values of punctuality is that it gives discipline to life. We have to get up in time. We have to
do things at the appointed time. All these entail certain amount of sacrifice. It dispels laziness and removes
our 'take-it-easy attitude'. A disciplined person always gets recognition and social acceptance. He is wanted
and appreciated. Therefore, punctuality can make us socially acceptable people.
2. Another significant merit of punctuality is that it provides ample time to do our work correctly and properly.
Doing things hurriedly or haphazardly can have disastrous consequences. When we do things in time there is
every chance that they end up as fine works.
3. The virtue of punctuality is said to be the key to success. Look at the great world leaders who have achieved
fame and success. Punctuality was their hallmark. They kept their promises. Punctuality is a virtue that is
appreciated by all. Washington once took his secretary to task for being late. The secretary laid the blame
upon his watch. Washington reported: "Then, Sir either you must get a new watch or I must get a new
secretary." People like them are ideals whom we should follow in earnest.
4. When individuals are not punctual they cause a lot of inconvenience to others. People have to wait for them
and waste their valuable time. Want of punctuality reveals want of culture and is discourteous to the person
we fail. Unpunctuality invites trouble and worry. History is full of cases which show that lack of punctuality has
caused defeat, loss of kingdom and golden opportunities. It is said that Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo
in 1815 because one of his generals came late. Many people lose good opportunities of job or promotion
when they reach late for appointment.
5. All of us are not born with the virtue of punctuality. We have to cultivate it painstakingly. Only constant vigil
and practice can implant this virtue. It calls for great deal of sacrifice. It calls for courage to root out laziness
and the 'take-it easy attitude'. It demands a disciplined life. That is why very few individuals have the virtue of
punctuality. But, know it for certain that it is the surest way to success.
On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions.
(a) What is the writer's concern in this passage?
(b) What would be the consequences of not maintaining punctuality in your work?
(c) Give some examples to show that lack of punctuality has caused trouble and worry.
(d) How did the great world leaders achieve fame and success in their life?
(e) Give one word for 'to keep a strict watch'. (para 5)
11. Read the passage given below.

Artificial Intelligence
Intense research on how the human mind functions is essential before one asks whether its electronic equiva-
lent can be constructed. Though one may not be able to describe the mind in terms of a set of rules and frames,
yet there is a possibility that the current research on parallel processing and neural networks might lead Artifi-
cial Intelligence scientists to simulate the fabric and process of the mind.
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Expert systems, the best known manifestations of Artificial Intelligence, have today gained immense credibil-
ity and acceptance in many professional fields. Several complex programmes are commercially
available to help analyze data fed into the machine, diagnose diseases and perform various tasks which have so
far required a high level of human expertise. Further attempts are also being made to widen the scope of each
such system to cover wider domains.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly making an impact on our lives. New machines taking advantage of
Artificial Intelligence have become irreplaceable in commerce, industry and research. What was science fiction
a decade ago is fast turning into reality.
Nonetheless, man-made machines are yet not capable of mimicking in entirety the sophistication and sub-
tlety of the human mind. So far all the knowledge base and data which are fed into the machines have been
carefully planned in advance and various exigencies taken into account. In a sharp contrast, a human being is
born into the world with an ability to learn.
Notwithstanding the inherent limitations, it is certain that Artificial Intelligence would bring a sea-change in
information and knowledge processing the world over in the coming decades.
(Artificial Intelligence by K. D. Pavate)
On the basis of your reading of the passage complete the statements given below by choosing the
correct options.
(a) Artificial Intelligence is
(1) adequate research in the working of the human mind
(2) electronic equivalent of the human mind
(3) the fabric and process of the mind
(4) intelligence that has been stimulated by study.
(b) Artificial Intelligence is not being used today to
(1) analyse data fed into a machine
(2) diagnose diseases
(3) perform tasks requiring a high level of human expertise.
(4) conduct adequate research in the working of the human mind
(c) Machines can not totally copy the human mind because
(1) they lack sophistication and subtlety (2) they lack the ability to continue learning
(3) they do not have any inherent limitations. (4) they do not have a knowledge-base and data.
(d) The word in the passage which means indications of the existence, reality, or presence of something is
(1) manifestations (2) expertise (3) programmes (4) domains
(e) The word in the above passage which means crisis situation is
(1) credibility (2) exigencies (3) subtlety (4) limitations
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Writing Skills
LETTER WRITING
1. You are Rohit/Reena, a resident of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. You are preparing for your X Class Board
examination, but due to frequent electricity cuts, it is becoming difficult for you to concentrate. You have to write
a letter to the Editor drawing attention to this problem.
2. You are Amit, a resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper, highlighting increasing
technological addiction among the youth.
3. You are Neha, a resident of Mumbai, Maharashtra. You are concerned about the recent increase in the road
accidents and miss happenings. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper to express your concerned about the
road safety.
4. You are Ankit, a resident of Kota, Rajasthan. Write a letter to M/s. Success Publishing House, complaining that
the books sent by them were not those you had ordered for.
5. To reduce noise pollution in your area, write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper describing the problem
and making a request to the concerned authorities to solve it.
6. Write a Letter to The Editor of a Local Newspaper about the frequent power cuts in your city.
7. As a regular bus traveller from Delhi to Noida, you might have witnessed rash driving. Write a letter to the editor
addressing this problem. Suggest ways to tackle this situation by addressing the problem to the concerning
authorities.
8. Write a letter to M/s. Oxford Publishing House, London complaining that the books sent by them were not those
you had ordered for. Ask for a replacement. You are Varun Joshi, Sector-20, Chandigarh.
9. You are Sanjeet of 122, Arjun Nagar, New Delhi. A number of scooters and cars are parked in your locality
without any order, causing blockage of the streets. Write a letter to the local Secretary of the Resident's Association
complaining against this problem.
10. Write a letter to the in-charge of the text-books section of NCERT, New Delhi complaining about the non-
availability of textbooks even one month after the beginning of the new session. You are Rohit Rana reading in
St. Xavier's School, Delhi.
ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH WRITING
1. The given pie chart represents the amount of money spent by a family on different items in a month. Write an
analytical paragraph using the information given in the chart.
19% 23%
Grocery
Clothes
5% Rent Tr
an 18
sp %
Miscellaneous
20% or
ta
tio
15%
Education
n
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2. The given bar graph shows the increasing use of skin care products by men and women over the period of three
months. Write an analytical paragraph elaborating the given information.
Products used by men Products used by women
Facewash Toner Sunscreen Facewash Toner Sunscreen
35 35
Number of times
Number of times
30 30
25 25
20 20
10 10
June July August June July August
3. The given double bar graph shows the preferences of children in a school in playing different games over the
span of six years. Write an analytical paragraph about the given information.
Volleyball
500
450 Basketball
400
No. of People
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
4. Look at the data given below which shows the changes that have occurred between 1995 to 2010 in Bilaspur
regarding the women education. Write a paragraph in about 150-200 words to record the changes by interpreting
this data.
Female Education in Bilaspur 1995 2010
1. No. of Girl's school 10 15
2. No. of Women Colleges 3 4
3. No. of students in schools 10000 16000
4. No. of students in colleges 6000 10000
5. Literacy rate 0.3 0.55
6. Distance Education Centres Nil 3
5. Here is a line graph showing the number of persons of different age groups killed in accidents. Analyse the given
data in a paragraph of 100-120 words. For more Analytical Paragraph examples for class X CBSE visit the
website.
Persons Killed in Road Accidents
900
800
No. of Persons Killed
700
600
500 Motor Bike
400 Bus and Car
300 Pdestrians
200
100
0
0-15 16-25 26-35 36-45 46-above Age Groups
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Integrated Grammar Exercises
GAP FILLING
1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.
Weekly markets (a) ________ my area are something to be seen and believed. The wares spill (b) ________ the
road and the road is jam-packed (c) ________ people shopping madly. The policemen try (d) ________ vain (e)
________ control the crowd but give up (f) ________some time. Hundreds (g) ________ buyers throng the area
chattering, bargaining, pulling, pushing.
2. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct words from the options given below :
Over 35,000 different species of spiders (a) ________ almost everywhere in the world. Spiders are carnivorous
and sometimes (b) ________ (c) ________ spiders. Most spiders use poison to kill or paralyse (d) ________ prey.
All spiders (e) ________ poison and are very dangerous (f) ________ small insects. But only a (g) ________
spiders have poison strong enough (h) ________ human beings.
(a) (1) live (2) lives (3) is living (4) are living
(b) (1) eats (2) are eating (3) ate (4) eat
(c) (1) another (2) other (3) few (4) some
(d) (1) there (2) their (3) its (4) it’s
(e) (1) have (2) has (3) are having (4) had
(f) (1) about (2) for (3) to (4) on
(g) (1) few (2) some (3) little (4) small
(h) (1) hurt (2) hurting (3) to hurt (4) was hurt
3. Look at the notes given below and complete the paragraph that follows by choosing the correct
option.
Egyptians discovered paper – made of stalks of tall reed – from word ‘papyrus’—supplies limited –
export restricted
The (a) _________________ Egyptians. It (b) _________________. The English word ‘paper’
(c) _________________ When supplies were limited (d) _________________ the export.
(a) (1) discovery of paper has been made by the (2) discovery of the paper was made by
(3) discovery of paper was made by the (4) discovery of paper is made by
(b) (1) was made from stalks of reed (2) had been made with stalks reed
(3) was being made of stalks with reed (4) was made with stalks from reed
(c) (1) derived from the word 'papyrus' (2) is derived of the word 'papyrus'
(3) has been derived from the word 'papyrus' (4) was derived from the word 'papyrus'
(d) (1) and a restriction was imposed on (2) a restriction was imposed on
(3) a restriction has been imposed on (4) a restriction was imposed by
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4. Complete the following passage by giving the correct form of the word given in brackets.
The saving of certain animals from extinction (a) ____________ (be) a problem for zoologists for many years.
Recently, the problem has become more acute and (b) ____________ (receive) so much publicity that most
people now feel (c) ____________ (concern) about it. One of the most gratifying developments of the last few
years is the (d) ____________ (pass) of strict laws to protect wild animals. Why is it, then, that still some rare
animals (e) ____________ (threat) with extinction? One reason (f) ____________ (be) the march of civilisation.
The natural home of several species (g) ____________ (destroy) for land, for road or an airfield.
5. Complete the following passage by choosing the correct options.
The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with (a) ________________ fresh warmth of a full-summer day.
The flowers (b) ________________ blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. The people of the
village began to gather in the square (c) __ ______________ the post of fice an d the bank
(d) ________________ ten o’clock. In some towns there were so (e) ________________ people that the lottery
took two days and had (f) ________________ started on June 25th. But in this village, where there were only
about three hundred people, the whole lottery took less than two hours, so it could (g) ________________ at ten
o’clock in the morning and still was over in time to allow the villagers to get home (h) ________________ lunch.
(a) (1) a (2) the (3) an (4) some
(b) (1) are (2) was (3) have (4) were
(c) (1) between (2) near (3) on (4) about
(d) (1) about (2) near (3) on (4) this
(e) (1) much (2) less (3) few (4) many
(f) (1) to be (2) to have (3) to do (4) been
(g) (1) stand (2) begin (3) have (4) be
(h) (1) to (2) for (3) of (4) in
6. In the passage given below, some prepositions are missing. Choose the correct words from the
given below options to complete the passage meaningfully.
Perspiration is one of the ways (a) _____________ keeping our body ‘furnace’ (b) ___________ a nice normal
temperature. Actually our body temperature is controlled (c) ___________ a centre (d) ________ the brain
known as the thermostat. It consists (e) ___________ three parts : a control centre, a heating centre, and a
cooling centre. Suppose the temperature (f) __________ the blood drops (g) ____________ some reason, the
heating centre goes to work and certain things begin (h) ____________ happen.
(a) (1) to (2) with (3) of (4) for
(b) (1) at (2) in (3) on (4) with

(c) (1) by (2) on (3) upon (4) under
(d) (1) inside (2) outside (3) infront (4) in

(e) (1) of (2) in (3) by (4) for
(f) (1) of (2) on (3) of (4) in

(g) (1) by (2) for (3) at (4) of
(h) (1) to (2) at (3) for (4) of
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7. Mary and Jane are twin sisters. When they (be born) __________ their mother (die) __________. They (be
separated) __________ . Mary (go) ____________ to live in France and Jane to England. They (be) ____________
16 years old now and they (not see) ____________ each other since they (be) ____________ 3 years old.
Nowadays they (be) ____________ in touch, they (write) ____________ letters twice a month. They (speak)
____________ different languages but Mary (learn) ____________ English, Jane (learn) ____________ -French
for 3 years now to be able to communicate. They (discover) ____________ they were sisters when they (see)
____________ a picture at school while they (do) ____________ an international student exchange. Next
summer they (visit) ____________ Germany together, they hope they (have) ____________ a great time.
8. Dear Ellen,
You probably ____________ (not imagine) where I ___________ (write) you from. This the most wonderful
experience of my life. Two months ago I ___________ (read) on the paper that a wood company ___________
(want) to cut some very old trees in a forest and I ___________ (decide) I ___________ (have) to do something
about it. So I ___________ (make) a tree house in one of the biggest trees. I ___________ (climb) up to it and
here I am. I ___________ (climb) up here last September, so I ___________ (be) here for almost 4 months. All
the media ___________ (show) a lot of interest in me and I ___________ (answer) thousands of questions. Some
journalists ___________ (even, take) pictures of me from a helicopter. I can say I ___________ (have) a
wonderful time, although sometimes at night it ___________ (get) very cold. I think I ____________ (stay) up
here for another 2 or 3 months and during this time I ____________ (write) a diary I ____________ (hope) some
newspaper ____________ (publish) when I ____________ (get down).
9. Mary (be born) ____________ in Glasgow but when she (be) ____________ 3 years old her parents (move)
____________ to London. She (go) ____________ to school in London. While she (study) ____________ at
University she (have) ____________ a serious accident and she (spend) ____________ 6 months in bed. During
this time she (learn) ____________ French and when she finally (get) ____________ up from bed she (speak)
____________ it fluently. She (get) ____________ a job as French translator in 2001, and she (work)
____________ for this firm since then. She (like) ____________ the job because it (allow) ____________ her to
speak to a lot of people but right now she (consider) ____________ the possibility of changing her job. Next year
she (take) ____________ a course in computer science because she (think) ____________ it (give) ____________
her the opportunity to find a better job.
10. The Supreme Court on December 10 ____________ (directed / has directed / had directed) educational
institutions to adopt a zero tolerance policy to ragging and ____________ (expel / expelling / expelled) students
____________ (find / found / finding) guilty of maltreating freshers. The apex court ____________ (has said /
said / has said) expulsion of offenders should be the minimum punishment as it was necessary to end the
menace that ____________ (could / should / must) lead to extreme torture and harassment, and sometimes
even loss of life.
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CBSE : Class X ®
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EDITING
There is one error in each line of the following passages. Write the incorrect word and the correction
Incorrect Correct
1. The service to mankind (a) ________________ ________________
is the service to humanity. (b) ________________ ________________
There are not a single religion (c) ________________ ________________
which do not preach the (d) ________________ ________________
ideal for service to humanity. (e) ________________ ________________
What is directly give to man (f) ________________ ________________
is directly give to God. (g) ________________ ________________
2. Educated mothers knows that (a) ________________ ________________
today’s childrens demand (b) ________________ ________________
logical reasoning to everything. (c) ________________ ________________
They could not be fooled by (d) ________________ ________________
fairy tailes and animal stories, (e) ________________ ________________
because they see
no fairies or animals other than
old animals on the city zoo. (f) ________________ ________________
They are interesting in TV games (g) ________________ ________________
and pictures in cinema stars. (h) ________________ ________________
3. The reading of novels is a most (a) ________________ ________________
popular pastime of the large (b) ________________ ________________
number in people. The attraction (c) ________________ ________________
in novel lies in its ability to (d) ________________ ________________
create interest and sustain it. As such,
in all forms of literature, novels are (e) ________________ ________________
the must popular and interesting. (f) ________________ ________________
They portray pen pictures from reel (g) ________________ ________________
life and society and present the
characters of the people we wish to saw. (h) ________________ ________________
4. I have a sudden desire e.g. have had
to take in my records (a) ________________ ________________
from the store when they (b) ________________ ________________
had remained with a decade. (c) ________________ ________________
5. For a longer time I regarded eg: longer long
my small sister as an enemy. I knew (a) ________________ ________________

that I have ceased to be my mother's (b) ________________ ________________
only loved child and the thought (c) ________________ ________________
filling me with discontent. She (d) ________________ ________________
sits constantly on my mother's (e) ________________ ________________
lap which I used to sit, and seemed (f) ________________ ________________
to take up all her care and time.
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OMISSIONS
One word has been omitted in each line. Put a slash / where the word is omitted and write the
correct answer.
Before word Word After word
1. One of firemen, displayed unusual bravery ___________ ___________ ___________
and heroism this occasion. In the midst ___________ ___________ ___________
of confusion, lady of the house had left her ___________ ___________ ___________
six old son sleeping in a room on the upper ___________ ___________ ___________
storey. Fire had that room. One could ___________ ___________ ___________
clearly see through the window tongues ___________ ___________ ___________
flames licking the ceiling. No one dared risk ___________ ___________ ___________
his life. The woman crying piteously.
2. The most wonderful part was see the tamed ___________ ___________ ___________
lions. It really a splendid thing to see ___________ ___________ ___________
them certain things unimaginable in ___________ ___________ ___________
actual life. There stood lion tamer ___________ ___________ ___________
with whip in his hand. ___________ ___________ ___________
3. A crow was sitting a tree, eg : sitting on a
doing nothing. small rabbit noticed ___________ ___________ ___________
the crow, asked, "Can I sit like you ___________ ___________ ___________
and nothing all day long?" The crow ___________ ___________ ___________
answered, "Sure, why not." So, rabbit ___________ ___________ ___________
sat on ground below ___________ ___________ ___________
the crow and rested. All of a
sudden, a fox appeared, jumped ___________ ___________ ___________
the rabbit and ate it.
4. Food keeps alive ___________ ___________ ___________
But when we overeat, ___________ ___________ ___________
fall sick. Food, exercise ___________ ___________ ___________
recreation should go hand ___________ ___________ ___________
hand. But now a days
we so busy that we ___________ ___________ ___________

not find time for ___________ ___________ ___________
anything. No time ___________ ___________ ___________
spend one's family. ___________ ___________ ___________
This is one of reasons ___________ ___________ ___________
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for lack of understanding between family members.
REPORTED SPEECH GAP FILLING
Read the conversation given below and complete the passage. Write the answers in the blank space
provided for the answers.
1. Raj : Our school is celebrating its Annual Day tomorrow.
Sanjay : Who is your chief guest?
Raj : Our chief guest is the honourable President himself.
Sanjay : That is quite incredible.
Raj told Sanjay that their school was celebrating (a) ______________. Sanjay wanted to know (b)_____________.
Raj replied that their chief guest (c) _____________. Sanjay was surprised and commented that
(d) ____________.
2. Ritu : Hello Reena! Do you know that the school trip to Mussoorie has been cancelled?
Reena: No, I didn’t know that. Why has the trip been cancelled?
Ritu : Our school Principal is a little worried about our safety.
Reena: Why is she worried?
Ritu : It has been raining heavily during the past four weeks. Our Principal feels that a landslide could occur in
that area.
Ritu greeted Reena and asked her (a) __________ Reena replied that (b)________and asked Ritu
(c)__________________. Ritu told her that their Principal (d)_____________. Reena asked her why she was
worried. Ritu told her (e)_________ for the past four weeks and (f)________.
3. Babita : Where do you want to go?
Pragati : I want to go to the drop point near the Zoo.
Babita : In that case you will have to get down at the Lakshmi Nagar bus stop and take an auto.
Pragati : How long will it take to reach there?
Babita asked Pragati (a) ______________ Pragati told her that (b) ___________ Babita told Pragati that (c)
____________ at the Laxmi Nagar bus stop and take an auto. Pragati asked Babita (d) ____________.
4. Renu : How was the school fete?
Sheela : I didn’t enjoy it much. It had no stalls of spicy food items.
Renu : Raghu told me that there were a lot of games.
Sheela : Yes, he’s right but there were not many prizes for the winners.
Renu asked Sheela (a) ____________. Sheela told her that (b) ___________ as it did not have stalls of spicy
food. Renu had been informed (c) __________. Sheela agreed that he was right but (d) _________.
5. Mr Dutta : Yesterday, I fell into a gutter when I was out on a morning walk.
Mr. Sharma : Oh! Was there anyone with you?
Mr. Dutta : I was all alone. But a few youngsters who were passing by helped me out.
Mr. Sharma : Thank God! It is always better to have a companion.
Mr. Dutta told his friend that (a) __________ when he was out on a morning walk.
Mr. Sharma wanted to know (b) ___________. Mr. Dutta replied that (c) _________________ out. Mr. Sharma
advised him that (d) ___________.
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6. Mother : Who do you think will win the match?
Daughter : Who is wearing blue?
Mother : India.
Daughter : Who are the men in yellow?
Mother : They are the Australians.
Daughter : They will surely win the match.
Mother : Oh! Why do you feel so?
Daughter : There are 11 of them against just two Indians.
The mother asked her daughter who (a) .................. The daughter enquired who the ones in blue were. The
mother replied that they were Indians. The girl then wanted (b) ............................ When the mother said that
they were Australians, the daughter emphatically (c) ............................... The Mother (d) ....................................
The daughter replied that there were 11 of them against just two Indians.
DIALOGUE COMPLETION
Choose the most appropriate option to complete the sentences given below.
1. Nike : Hi Bunny! Where (a) __________?
Bunny : Hi Nike! Going to the market to pick up some board games to play indoors. My cousins
(b) __________ tomorrow. What are you doing?
Nike : Nothing great.
Bunny : (c) __________ with me? You can help me choose the games.
Nike : Oh sure ! Could you wait a minute? I’II run along and tell my mother.
Bunny : Yes please do otherwise (d) __________
(a) (1) is you going (2) were you going (3) will you be going (4) are you going
(b) (1) are arriving (2) is arriving (3) have been arriving (4) have arrived
(c) (1) Would you like going (2) Will you like to come
(3) Are you liking to come (4) Would you like to come
(d) (1) she would get worrying (2) she will be worrying
(3) she will get worried (4) she will worry
2. Ravi : (a) ___________ this weekend?
Sunil : I don’t have any special plan.
Ravi : (b) _____________ the idea of a visit to Karna Lake?
Sunil : How lovely it sounds! But (c) ____________ parent’s permission.
Ravi : I’ll come to your house this evening. I (d) ____________ to allow you to join the picnic.
Sunil : Hey what a nice idea!
(a) (1) what should you do (2) what are you doing
(3) what would you do (4) what shall you doing
(b) (1) don’t you like (2) if you like (3) would you like (4) how would you like
(c) (1) I might have to seek (2) I have to seek
(3) I will have to seek (4) I should have to seek
(d) (1) I may request your parents (2) I shall have to request your parents
(3) I’ll request your parents (4) can I request your parents
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3. Anita : Hello Abhishek! Where (a) _______?
Abhishek : Hello! I have just been to the railway station (b) __________ for my father for Delhi.
Anita : (c) __________ to Delhi?
Abhishek : On the 18th.
Abhishek : My sister told me that (d) __________
Anita : Yes, but not now, perhaps in May. I have an interview to be faced.
Abhishek : All the best then !
(a) (1) are you coming from (2) have you come from
(3) do you come from (4) had you come from
(b) (1) to enquire about a ticket (2) to book a ticket
(3) to sell a ticket (4) to cancel a ticket
(c) (1) how is he going (2) where is he going
(3) when is he going (4) why is he going
(d) (1) you will go there (2) you are also planning to go there
(3) you have also gone there (4) you had also gone there
4. Son : Mummy! I want you (a) ________ homework.
Mummy : Go to the net and download necessary details.
Son : (b) __________
Mummy : Yes, I gave you the same answer yesterday also. Downloading from a net can help you.
Son : (c) __________
Mummy : What is your doubt ? (d) __________ ?
Son : No, it is not related to the homework. You always ask me to go to the net. Did you download me
also from the net?
Mummy : ? ! ? !
(a) (1) to help me in doing my homework (2) helping me in doing my homework
(3) having helped me in doing my homework (4) helped me in doing my homework
(b) (1) You gave me yesterday also the same answer
(2) yesterday also you gave me the same answer
(3) The same answer you gave me yesterday also
(4) the same answer yesterday also you gave me
(c) (1) I had a doubt (2) I have a doubt (3) I am in doubt (4) I was in doubt
(d) (1) If it is related to homework (2) Was it related to homework
(3) It was related to homework (4) Is it related to homework
5. Fox : I heard you singing at the lion's birthday party.
Crow : (a) __________ lies. I was not there.
Fox : I'm not telling lies but you are.
Crow : Wait a minute. Let me finish my lunch.
Fox : (b) __________ wait?
Crow : Then go away.

Fox : (c) __________ elder brother like that?
Crow : I'm not insulting you.
(a) (1) You stop telling (2) Do not speak (3) Do not tell (4) Can you tell
(b) (1) Why should I (2) Why I should (3) Why must I (4) Why I must
(c) (1) Why do you insult your (2) Why to insult your
(3) Why are you insulting your (4) Why did you insult your
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6. Kiran : Hello Abhi! I heard (a) __________ a play at the new year celebrations of the club.
Abhi : Yes, It's Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice. It (b) __________ on Friday at 5 pm in the Lotus theatre.
Kiran : Will you (c) __________ two tickets?
Abhi : Well, there are no tickets. It is free for all
(a) (1) are you putting up (2) you will organize (3) you are organizing (4) you will be organizing
(b) (1) would be staged (2) Is going to be staged (3) Is to be staged (4) was going to be staged
(c) (1) Would buy me (2) Could buy me (3) try to buy me (4) be able to get me
7. Mother : How was your exam?
Daughter : (a) _________ and I am happy about it.
Mother : When do you come for semester break?
Daughter : In the month of December.
Mother : (b) _____________?
Daughter : Yes, it will be almost by the end of the month.
Mother : How many days will you have holidays?
Daughter : (c) ________________
Mother : So, will you have to return on Jan 5th?
Daughter : Yes, Ma, (d) ______________
Mother : OK, I will reserve the ticket, well in advance.
(a) (1) it was fine (2) it will be fine (3) it shall be fine (4) it wasn't fine
(b) (1) will it be at the end of the month? (2) It will be at the end of the month!
(3) When will it start? (4) By the end of the month?
(c) (1) one week till Jan 4th (2) one week from Jan 5th
(3) One week till January (4) One week from January
(d) (1) But please reserve the ticket (2) Ticket will be reserved
(3) Ticket may be reserved (4) Ticket should be reserved
8. Student : Good Morning! (a)..........................?
Librarian : Yes, with pleasure. (b).....................?
Student : I want to apply for a library ticket.
Librarian : (c)...............................
Student : Here is my filled in application form, Sir.
Librarian : (d)....................?
Student : Yes, sir. Here is my ID Card.
Librarian : Please wait for a couple fo minutes. I'll get your ticket ready.
(a) (1) Should you give me some information (2) Shall you give me an information
(3) Could you give me some information (4) Would you give me any information
(b) (1) How I can help you (2) What you want
(3) About which you want to know (4) How can I help you
(c) (1) You will have to fill up an application form (2) You can fill up an application form
(3) Submit an application (4) Get you name registered
(d) (1) You have brought your ID card (2) Do you have your ID card
(3) Shall you show me your ID card (4) You have got your ID card
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9. Neetu : Mom, (a) __________ to visit my friend, Veena?
Mother : (b) __________ your homework?
Neetu : No, not yet ; I will complete it after I return.
Mother : (c) __________ to go?
Neetu : I (d) __________ some notes from her.
(a) (1) if I go to (2) may I go (3) shall I go (4) could I go
(b) (1) had you completed (2) should you complete
(3) have you completed (4) whether you completed
(c) (1) How do you want (2) Why do you want
(3) What do you want (4) When do you want
(d) (1) will borrow (2) have to borrow
(3) would have borrowed (4) had to borrow.
10. Immigration officer: Why are you visiting the country?
Couple : We are on a holiday.
Officer : How long do you intend to stay?
Couple : Two weeks.
After getting off the plane, a couple had to queue for an hour to get through immigration.
Finally, it was their turn. The Immigration officer asked them (a) __________ and the couple told him (b)
__________ . Then he wanted to know (c) __________. The couple replied (d) __________.
(a) (1) why were they visiting the country? (2) why are they visiting the country?
(3) why they were visiting the country (4) Why they are visiting the county
(b) (1) they are on a holiday (2) that they were on a holiday
(3) that they had been on a holiday (4) they were on a holiday
(c) (1) that how long they intended to stay (2) how long they intended to stay
(3) how long they are intended to stay (4) how long did they intend to stay
(d) (1) they will stay for two weeks (2) two weeks
(3) that they are going to stay for two weeks (4) that they would stay for two weeks
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Literature
FIRST FLIGHT
A LETTER TO GOD
Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.
1. With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But
suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did
resemble new silver coins. The boys exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
(a) Of which thing was field over grown?
(b) What change did he notice in the weather?
(c) "These truly did resemble new silver coins," here what does it mean?
(d) Find a word opposite of 'raw' from the passage.
2. When the finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with
a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said : "God : Of
the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me that rest, since I need it very much. But
don't send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho."
(a) What is the irony in these lines?
(b) How can you say that Lencho is self-disciplined?
(c) How many pesos did Lencho receive from God?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means 'a salaried person working in an office'.
Answer the following questions in 40-50 words.
3. What do you know about Lencho's family?
4. What did Lencho write in his letter to God?
5. Why did Lencho write in another letter to God?
6. How does Lencho's optimism help him in adversity?
7. Draw the character sketch of Lencho.
8. How can you say that Lencho had an unflinching faith in God?
9. What do you think about the aptness of the title of the story 'A Letter of God'?
NELSON MANDELA : LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
1. We, who were outlaws not so long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the
world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for having come to take possession
with the people of our country of what is, after all, a common victory for jutice, for peace, for human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to liberate all our people from the
continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination.
(a) What contrast does Mandela present in the opening lines of this passage?
(b) What pledge does Mandela take for people's welfare?
(c) '______ a common victory for justice ______'. Who said these words and why?
(d) Find out from the passage the word which means 'Freedom from legal, political and social restrictions'.
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2. It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect that animated my
life, that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one, that drove a law-abiding attorney to become a
criminal, that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home, that forced a life-loving man to live like
a monk. I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man.
(a) What did animate the life of Mandela?
(b) What was Mandela transformed into?
(c) Who is no more virtuous or self sacrificing than the next man?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means— 'behaving in a very good and moral way'.
3. I knew that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another
man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred', he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am
not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is
taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robed of their humanity.
(a) How, according to Mandela, is an oppressor a prisoner?*
(b) Who are robbed of their humanity?
(c) When a person is not truly free?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means 'people in general'.
4. What does Mandela tell about the Union Buildings in Pretoria?
5. What did the white do to rule the black?
6. What are Mandela's opinions about the hate and the love?
7. What do you know about the African National Congress?
8. What is the policy of apartheid? What was its impact on the black?
9. What do you know about the inaugural ceremony of the Mandela Government?
10. What were Mandela's opinions about the air show of the South African defence forces?
11. What different concepts of freedom did Mandela have at different stages of his life?
12. When did Mandela's hunger for freedom become greater? What transformation did it bring in him?
TWO STORIES ABOUT FLYING
PART-I
HIS FIRST FLIGHT
1. That was twenty-four hours ago. Since then nobody had come near him. 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 elder brother catch his first herring and
devour it, standing on a rock, while his parents circled around raising a 'proud cackle'.
(a) For how long had the young seagull been alone on his ledge?
(b) What did the young seagull's parents teach his brothers and sister?
(c) '_______ raising a proved cackle.' Who were raising a proud cackle and why?
(d) Find out from the passage the word which means— 'a soft-finned sea fish'.
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2. He dropped his legs to stand on the green sea. His legs into it. He screamed with fright and attempted to rise
again flapping his wings. But he was tired and weak with hunger and he could not rise, exhausted by the strange
exercise. His feet sank into the green sea, and then his belly touched it and he sank no farther. He was floating
on it, and around him his family was screaming, praising him and their beaks were offering him scraps of dog-
fish. He had made his first flight.
(a) Why couldn't the young seagull rise above the sea water?
(b) Who had made his first flight?
(c) How did the family congratulate him having made his first flight?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means— 'small pieces'.
3. Why was the young seagull alone on his lodge?
4. The young seagull faces outer and inner heat. How?
5. Why does the young seagull utter a joyful scream when he sees his mother flying to him?
6. What did the young seagull see when he flew straight over the sea?
7. How can you say that the young seagull was courageous too?
8. How does the young seagull learn to fly?
9. How did the young seagull learn to float on the sea water?
10. What lessons / inspirations do you draw from the story 'His First Flight'?
PART-II
BLACK AEROPLANE
1. 'I'll be in time for breakfast', I thought. A good big English breakfast! 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.
(a) What does the narrator say about the storm clouds?
(b) Why did the narrator say that he couldn't fly around the storm clouds?
(c) '______ it was an easy flight.' Who said these words and why?
(d) Find out from the passage the word which means 'not difficult'.
2. She looked at me very strangely, and 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 the pilot on the strange black aeroplane, flying in the storm, without lights?
(a) What was the reply of the woman in the control centre?
(b) Who was thoughtful about the another aeroplane and its pilot?
(c) Which aeroplane was without lights?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means 'a system that uses radio waves to find the position of a
moving object'.
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3. What did the narrator pilot ask the Paris Control and what was the reply?
4. What were the impacts of the storm on the narrator's aeroplane?
5. What did the narrator pilot ask the woman in the control centre and what was her reply?
6. How does the story 'The Black Aeroplane' end?
7. Give the verbal picture of the plane Dakota DS 088.
8. Justify the title of the story 'The Black Aeroplane'.
9. What dangers did the narrator-pilot face in his flight to England?
FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK
1. 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 syster, Margot, was born in Frankfurt in Germany in 1926. I was born on 12 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 say with our grandmother.
(a) When did Anne's parents get married?
(b) Which is the birth-place of Margot and Anne?
(c) '_____ the most adorable father_____'. Who said these words and why?
(d) Find out from the passage the word which means— 'left own country to go and live permanently in another
country.'
2. 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.
(a) How many men and women teachers were there in Anne's school?
(b) Why does Anne specially mention the teacher, Mr. Keesing?
(c) What did Anne decide about the essay?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means — 'persons with old-fashioned ideas'.
3. 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. He read the poem to the class, adding his own comments, and to several other classes as well. Since
then I've been allowed to talk and haven't been assigned any extra homework. On the contrary, Mr. Keesing's
always making jokes these days.
(a) About what was the poem written by Anne?
(b) How did Mr. Keesing take this joke of Anne?
(c) What was the impact of the versified essay / poem on Mr. Keesing?
(d) Pick out from the passage the word which means 'the sound of a duck'.
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4. Why was Anne's entire class quacking in its boots?
5. What is Anne's opinion about the educational level of the class?
6. What did Anne do when the note about the essay caught her eye?
7. Why, according to Anne, is writing in a diary really a strange experience?
8. Why did Anne think that paper has more patience than people?
9. Why had Anne started the diary?
10. What are Anne's opinions about the necessity of talking?
11. How did Anne make sure that the joke was on Mr. Keesing?
12. Write brief sketch of Anne's life.
DUST OF SNOW
Read the following stanza and answer the questions that follow :
1. The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
(a) What did the crow do to the hemlock tree?
(b) What was there in the tree at that time?
(c) Where do you think was the poet then?
Answer the following questions.
2. What side of nature do crow and hemlock represent?
3. What do you think has changed the mood of the poet?
4. Write the main theme of the poem 'Dust of Snow'.
FIRE AND ICE
Read the following stanza and answer the questions that follow :
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.
(a) What do people think about the ending of the world?
(b) What is the poet's opinion?
(c) What does 'desire' mean here?
(d) What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza?

2. How will the world end according to the poet?
3. What, according to the poet, do 'fire' and 'ice' represent? Do you agree with him? Why?
4. What is the central idea of the poem 'Fire and Ice'?
5. 'I hold with those who favour 'fire'. 'Why according to you, does the poet favour 'fire'?
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A TIGER IN THE ZOO
Read the following stanzas and answer the questions that follow.
1. But he locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
(a) In what kind of a cell is he locked?
(b) Whose strength is behind bars?
(c) How does he react to the visitors?
(d) Who is being ignored?
2. He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.

(a) Why does the tiger lurk in shadow?
(b) Why does he slide through the long grass?
(c) Where does the tiger generally go in the search of his prey?
(d) What can he find near the water hole?
3. Why does the tiger stalk in the cage? What does it reflect?
4. Bring out the pathetic elements in the poem, 'A Tiger in the Zoo'.
5. What message does the poet convey by the poem, 'A Tiger in the Zoo'?
6. Why is the zoo tiger staring at the stars?
7. How does the tiger terrorize the villagers?

THE BALL POEM
Read the following stanzas and answer the questions that follow.
1. No use to say. 'O there are other balls':

Ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where

His ball went
(a) How do people generally comfort a boy who has lost his ball?
(b) What does he stare at?
(c) What comes to his mind when he looks at the ball?
(d) Why is the boy so sad?
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2. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions.
(a) Who does the word 'he' refer to?
(b) Why is money or another ball worthless for the boy?
(c) How does the boy sense responsibility?
(d) What kind of a world is it?
3. What does the boy learn from the loss of the ball in the poem?
4. What is the condition of the boy after losing the ball?
5. What is the significance of the line 'O there are other balls'?
6. Why does the poet not want to intrude on the boy?
7. 'Money is external'. Revealed its implied thoughts.
8. What was the behaviour of the boy after losing the ball?
FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET

A TRIUMPH OF SURGERY
1. How was Tricki pampered?
2. Why did Mrs. Pumphrey give extra food between meals to Tricki?
3. What was wrong with Tricki as found by the author after the examination?
4. What steps were taken by Mrs. Pumphrey when she found Tricki a little sick?
5. How did Tricki look after getting cured?
6. What did the dogs of the narrator's house do when Mr. Herriot reached the surgery with Tricki?
7. When the narrator informed Mrs. Pumphrey that Tricki was convalescing rapidly, what did she do and what
changes were there in the eating habits of the narrator?
THE THIEF'S STORY
1. How did Hari make a little money for himself?
2. What did Anil do with the first meal cooked by Hari Singh?
3. Why did Hari Singh take a new name every month?

4. How did Hari Singh think Anil would react when he discovered the theft? Why did he think so?
5. What was Anil's Job? What did he do with the money he earned?
6. For how long did Hari Singh work for Anil before escaping with his money? What work did he do for him?
7. What happened after Hari Singh was unable to board the Lucknow Express?
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THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR
Answer the following questions in 40 to 50 words.
1. How did Ausable kill Max without using a weapon?
2. What made the story of the balcony so convincing?
3. Why did Fowler come to meet Ausable? Was he able to achieve his target?
4. What did the secret agent tell Max when he heard the knock?
5. Did Fowler find this episode, thrilling or disappointing? Give reasons for your answer.
6. Fowler said that Max would soon come back from the balcony. What did Ausable tell him?
7. How did Fowler have his first authentic thrill of the day?
8. What story did Ausable cook up regarding the arrival of the police? How did it affect Max?
9. Who was actually knocking at the door? Was it pre-planned?
10. How do you judge Ausable as a secret agent?
11. Pride before a fall befits Max, who said: "I will get it back tonight." Was he successful? What lessons can be
learned from this?
12. What makes you think Max was a careless and foolish fellow? Give a character-sketch of Ausable highlighting his
presence of mind and intelligence.
A QUESTION OF TRUST
Answer the following questions in 40 to 50 words.
1. How did Horace know all the details of the house?
2. How did Horace enter Shot over Grange?
3. Describe Horace Danby.
4. What did the young lady asked Horace to do for her?
5. Describe how Horace Danby planned his work?
6. Who was Horace Danby?
7. How did Horace Danby enter the house?
8. Describe the unexpected meeting of the young lady in red and Horace.
9. Who is the real culprit in the story, the young lady in red or Horace Danby? Comment.
10. Horace Danby represents such people who adopt the wrong ways to fulfil their wishes. What values would you
like such people to imbibe to reform themselves? Write in about 100-120 words.
11. Horace stated that he robbed only those who had a lot of money. Was he really a threat to society? Did he lack
the qualities of a good citizen? Discuss the values he needs to imbibe to lead a path of righteousness in 100-120
words.
12. Write a character-sketch of Horace Danby.
13. Describe Horace Danby's encounter with the young lady.
14. How did the lady in red turn out to be much smarter and cleverer than Horace Danby? How did one thief outwit
and out manoeuvre the other?
15. Give a character-sketch of the lady in red highlighting how she outwitted Horace Danby.
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FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET
1. Why were the two boys in London surprised and fascinated?
2. What did Griffin do in the theatrical company shop?
3. Why did Mrs. Hall think Griffin to be eccentric?
4. What did the scientist do in anger? Why were the people in the bar horrified?
5. What did Griffin procure for himself from the shop of a theatrical company?
6. What experiments had Griffin, the scientist carried out? What was the result?
7. Why was the scientist angry with the landlord and what did he do?
8. How did Griffin find himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time?
9. What did Griffin decide to try the second time? What did he hope to find?
10. What happened when news of the burglary at the clergyman's home became known? What happened when
Griffin suddenly produced some ready cash?
11. What did Griffin do in the big London store as soon as its doors were shut?
31

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CLASSROOM CONTACT PROGRAMME

(ACADEMIC SESSION 2022-2023)

TARGET : CBSE BOARD EXAMINATION

ALLEN Career Institute Pvt. Ltd.

BRIDGE ACROSS ERAS

1. On the basis of your reading complete the sentences given below :

(a) The Brooklyn Bridge has been _______________________________________________________

(a) When was the bridge opened for public?

(c) Why is the passage titled ‘Bridge Across Eras’?

(a) Doctors administer euthanasia by __________________ .

(b) The debate on euthanasia has restarted as __________________.

(a) The people who prefer red colour are

(1) moody and temperamental

(2) thrilled and excited

(b) Blue and green have safe meanings because

(1) we always look good in them

(2) they suit everyone

(3) they are readily available

(4) they are associated with nature

(c) A colour most associated with fear is

(1) yellow (2) black (3) red (4) green

(d) Colour affects our responses scientifically, e.g.,

(1) Pink gives us happiness

(2) Blue makes us think of the sky

(3) Green adds to our tension

(4) Yellow makes us remember the sun

(e) ‘Appetite colour’ in the passage means

(1) the food that sells more

(2) colours that stimulate our appetite

(3) colours that are easy to advertise

(4) colours that cost less

(a) Why is it misleading when a product is labelled as 100% natural?

(b) Mention two drawbacks of natural products.

(c) Why is taking recourse to legal action gaining momentum?

(d) What is the cosmetics ingredient dictionary?

(d) Teddy bears were used as props

(d) Unhappiness or worry affects our system by _____________

(3) necessary evil (4) source of great harm to the body

(a) What is the writer's concern in this passage?

11. Read the passage given below.

(Artificial Intelligence by K. D. Pavate)

(a) Artificial Intelligence is

(1) adequate research in the working of the human mind

(2) electronic equivalent of the human mind

(3) the fabric and process of the mind

(4) intelligence that has been stimulated by study.

(b) Artificial Intelligence is not being used today to

(1) analyse data fed into a machine

(2) diagnose diseases

(3) perform tasks requiring a high level of human expertise.

(4) conduct adequate research in the working of the human mind

(1) manifestations (2) expertise (3) programmes (4) domains

(1) credibility (2) exigencies (3) subtlety (4) limitations

1. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.

(c) (1) another (2) other (3) few (4) some

(d) (1) there (2) their (3) its (4) it’s

(f) (1) about (2) for (3) to (4) on

(g) (1) few (2) some (3) little (4) small

(3) a restriction has been imposed on (4) a restriction was imposed by

(a) (1) a (2) the (3) an (4) some

(b) (1) are (2) was (3) have (4) were

(c) (1) between (2) near (3) on (4) about

(d) (1) about (2) near (3) on (4) this

my small sister as an enemy. I knew (a)

we so busy that we _____ _ _______