Time : 2 Hours

Maximum Marks : 40 ENGLISH LANG. & LIT.

CBSE
Self Assessment Paper

Solution of Question Paper

Section A - Reading 
1
1. (i) Russell vipers attack their prey by injecting poison. (1 × 5 = 5)
(ii) The Sand Boa secretes poisonous secretions which are dangerous to birds.
(iii) pushing their prey against the ground.
(iv) Animals try to kill efficiently as their prey will use any trick to avoid becoming a meal.
(v) he wanted to make the meat soft.
(vi) Secretion.
(1 × 5 = 5)
2. (i) The seal used in the floating Post office is unique as it bears the design of a boatman rowing a
Shikara on Dal lake.
(ii) The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here have the design of Dal lake.
(iii) The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other a small
museum that traces the philatetic history of the state postal department.
(iv) The biggest boon for the floating Post Office is that at no time of the year, one needs a fan in this
post-office.
(v) Secured.
(vi) The highest number of tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2012.

Section B - Writing and Grammar

3. (i) D-32 (5)
Jaipur
January 16, 20××
The Manager
M/S Dhanpatrai Pvt. Ltd.
Daryaganj
New Delhi
Subject : Request for Catalogue
Sir,
I am interested in purchasing a few of your publications on spoken English by V.P.P. I shall be very
grateful if you could send me the latest catalogue on these books. Please specify if any audio/
video cassettes are also available along with the books. I am enclosing a self-addressed envelope for
prompt despatch.
2 OSWAAL CBSE Sample Question Papers Term-II, ENGLISH LanG. & lit., Class-X

I am also interested in knowing your terms and conditions regarding the payment, time and mode
of delivery etc.
Hoping you would look into my request on priority.
Yours sincerely
Aashi Verma
(ii) Tigers — The Biggest Cats
The key findings from many years of study of tigers’ population have indicated that in many
countries, tigers are declining in numbers because of habitat loss and prey depletion rather than
being killed directly. Tigers are the biggest cats in the world but their number is gradually decreasing
because some of the tiger parts are used by people for various selfish purposes. The given data tells
us that the number of Royal Bengal Tiger is as low as 30 to 35 in China. The estimated population of
tigers in India ranges between 2500-3800 and is the highest as compared to other countries where
this animal is found. Bangladesh comes next where the minimum number of tigers is 300 and goes
up to a maximum of 460. Bhutan also shares the maximum number of Royal Bengal Tiger i.e., 460
with Bangladesh but there is a vast difference between the minimum number which is 80 in it. The
number of tigers in Nepal is also not very encouraging as the minimum number is 150. Even the
maximum number is only 250. To sum up, we can say that the tigers are in danger as the data clearly
indicates.
4. Error Correction (3)
(a) lives live
(b) is are
(c) on in
5. (a) she had wanted (2)
(b) he had said

Section C - Literature
(2 × 6 = 12)
6. (i) Yes, certainly Richard’s mother was concerned about her son’s future. He was the centre of her
life. She did all that was there in her capacity to help Richard in his feats. He carried on with his
experiments, because his mother arranged for telescope and microscope and everything that he
needed. This way he was able to learn a lot.
(ii) The above line tells us about Amanda that she doesn’t want to be with anyone. Her desire is to
be alone like on orphan in a tall tower where nobody can approach her. She doesn’t even want
to be always nagged by her parents and listen to her mother scolding.
(iii) Coorgis are famous for hospitality and valour which is the heart and soul of India. Apart from it,
Coorg is a beautiful region of rolling hills and lush green rainforests. It is also famous for coffee
and spices.
(iv) Indeed, Lomov is looking to marry but only Natalya because he considered her as a good home
maker. Though he was not in love with Natalya, he wanted to marry her as he was suffering due
to weak heart and sleep-sickness. He wanted a companion who could look after him.
(v) As a friend, I would advice Belinda to be nice to custard. She should have made him feel
comfortable and safe in the house and also give him equal importance instead of making fun of
him. Because those who are inferior in strength and power should have no right to haunt and
ridicule others.
(vi) Oliver Lutkins was a man from New Mullion who was to be served a summon to testify for a
pending court case. The narrator, the lawyer, who was assigned the task, was cleverly tricked by
Lutkins who exploited the gullibility of the former and helped him chase himself, thus subjecting
him to ridicule by the village folk.
No, the lawyer could not serve the summons that day for its obvious reason.
(vii) The night of the ball had been the realistion of a long cherished dream for Matilda, when she
was the focus of all the attention and every eye admired her. But the happiness was short-lived
and degenerated into shock of the worst nightmare when she discovered that the necklace was
Solutions 3

missing from her attire. Her mind was ridden with forebodings of how she would face Madame
Forestier and pay up for the loss.
(4 × 2 = 8)
7. (i) Kisa Gotami was devastated by the death of her only son. As suggested by Sakyamuni, she
wandered from home to home, asking for mustard seeds. The only condition was that the seeds
should be from a house where people had not lost a loved one to death. Kisa was unsuccessful
in getting any seeds. The futile search made her realize the truth that humans are mortal. They
have to face pain and suffering in their lives. It is a part and parcel of their life and it is of no
use grieving over them. She was ignorant of the fact that death is inevitable and must come to
all. In other words, she understood that human life is full of trials and tribulations which can be
answered by a human being through his own efforts. Man has to face all. Weeping and grieving
over the loss won’t fetch peace of mind.
Commonly Made Error
 Students do not focus on moral values taught through the lesson. They simply write the answer
related to Kisa Gotami’s incident.

Answering Tip
 Students must read the question, understand what is being asked and then write the answer focussing
on what is being asked in the question.
(ii) Bholi was quite a neglected child at home and this is evident from the text. No new clothes were
made for her and she was always passed on old dresses of her elder sisters. No one cared to
bathe her or oil her hair or even wash or mend her clothes. The neglect was probably due to the
fact that she was the youngest in a household of seven children. It might be that she failed to
draw attention and affection of her parents because of her disadvantageous looks or her physical
setbacks. Her parents sent her to school as they thought that there was a little chance of her
getting married.
(iii) Wanda: In my personal opinion, a person who is bullied regularly or has been bullied before,
suffers huge mental trauma and physical trauma. Some people lose their mental steadiness due to
these bullies. They also lose their confidence after getting bullies. They also lose their confidence
after getting bullied either temporarily or permanently. Moreover, if the person who is bullying
other people succeeds in doing so, then he will get confident and continue bullying people. Such
cases should be reported immediately.
Nelson Mandela: I strongly believe that the people who are victims of bullying learn to handle
these situations independently if they receive proper assistance. Therefore, a person should be
taught to retaliate against the bully, and at the same time, they should be taught not to bully on
the weaker people to show themselves as powerful. The oppressor should not oppress, and the
victim should protest against bullying.


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