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FIRST YEAR HIGHER SECONDARY EXAMINATION SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER

Part - 1
English

Maximum: 80 scores Time: 2 1/2 hrs.

Cool off time: 15 minutes

Questions 1 - 3 Read the excerpt and answer the questions that follow.
‘My dreams at that time were rather confused,’ he admitted. ‘Before my condition was
diagnosed, I had been very bored with life. There did not seem to be anything worth doing.’
1. Who is the ‘I’ referred to in the passage? (1)
2. What was his condition and why he was confused? (2)
3. Find out a word with similar meaning to ‘identify’. (1)
Questions 4 – 5 Complete the sentences suitably.
4. If you sing well, …………………………………………. (1)
5. If I had played, …………………………………………. (1)
Questions 6 – 8 Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow.
Without Thee what is all the mornings wealth?
Come, blessed barrier between day and day
Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!
6. Identify the speaker. (1)
7. Why sleep is considered as blessed barrier? (2)
8. Find out a poetic device used in these lines. (1)
Questions 9 – 10 Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
9. Her mother ______ (was, were) working in a super market. (1)
10. Ten miles ______ (is, are) not a short distance. (1)
Questions 11 – 13 Read the excerpt and answer the questions that follow.
Next morning, however, brought fresh cause for concern. I found three new cases among the
deck hands. The men already segregated were much worse.
11. Who is the speaker? (1)
12. Describe the situation. (2)
13. What is the cause for their concern? (1)
Questions 14 – 18 Answer any four. Each carries four scores. (4 x 4 = 16)
14. Edit the passage.
A monstrous terror seized him and his heart stand still. He can hear nothing. But it only last a
moment. The next moment, he feel his wings spread outwards.
15. Prepare a short character sketch of Dr. A J Cronin.
16. Elaborate the idea contained in the following lines

If thou art worn and hard beset

With sorrows that thou wouldst forget,
If thou wouldst read a lesson, that will keep
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep,
Go to the woods and hills! No tears
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.
17. Your class is conducting a debate on the topic ‘Online classes are superior to offline
classes’. Write four arguments against the topic.
18. You happened to meet Nicholai Ivanich. Prepare four questions that you would ask him.
Questions 19 – 24 answer any four. Each carries 6 scores. (4 x 6 = 24)
19. Prepare a profile of Jawaharlal Nehru.
 Born : 14 November 1889, Allahabad, India
Parents : Motilal Nehru, Swarup Rani Nehru
Education : Harrow School, Trinity College, Cambridge
Awards : Bharat Ratna (1955)
Spouse : Kamala Kaul
Children : Indira Gandhi
Death : 27 May 1964, New Delhi, India
20. You experienced the strange ritual of turtle calling in Namuana. You decided to send an
e-mail to your friend to share your experience. Draft the e-mail.
21. Imagine that you get the opportunity to address class 10 students before their public
examination. On the basis of Dr. Kalam’s message, prepare a speech to motivate them
for the examination.
22. Prepare a write-up on the helplessness of man as portrayed in the poem, ‘Death the
Leveller’.
23. Imagine that one day Mr. Gupta received a call from Maggie. What would be their likely
conversation? Prepare at least six exchanges.
24. In connection with Gandhi Jayanthi your school is organizing a programme to propagate
the relevance of Gandhian values in the present society. Prepare the script of the
speech to deliver before the school assembly.
Questions 25 – 28 Answer any three. Each carries 8 scores. (3 x 8 = 24)
25. Both man made and natural disasters are on the rise in the global scenario. Prepare an
essay on the safety measures that should be taken in the central and state level as part
of disaster management.
26. Write a travel essay describing a travel experience you had recently.
27. The Indian Space Research Organisation plans to conduct a workshop on the current
developments in the field of information technology. You get an opportunity to
represent your school in the workshop. Prepare the script of a speech to be delivered in
the workshop.
28. Read the poem given below and write a critical appreciation of it.

Cradle Song
Sleep, sleep, beauty bright,
Dreaming in the joys of night;
Sleep, sleep; in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit and weep.

Sweet babe, in thy face

Soft desires I can trace,
Secret joys and secret smiles,
Little pretty infant wiles.
As thy softest limbs I feel
Smiles as of the morning steal
O’er thy cheek, and o’er thy breast
Where thy little heart doth rest.

O the cunning wiles that creep

In thy little heart asleep!
When thy little heart doth wake,
Then the dreadful night shall break.

- William Blake

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Rengini Sasidharan, St. Stephen’s H S S, Keerampara

Simi P Muhammed, Govt. Model H S S, Cheruvattoor
Bithra P L, Govt. V H S S, Iringole
Shermil John Govt. V H S S, Neriamangalam
Sajitha M, N S S H S S, Varappetty
Binu V Maniyan, St. John’s H S S, Kavalangad
Lakshmy Menon, N S S H S S, Varappetty
Anju Mary Baby, T V J M H S S, Pindimana
Joby K Jose, St. Joseph’s H S S, Paingottoor
Abey Mathew, Mar Elias H S S, Kottappady