CBSE Class 10 English Gap Filling Worksheet

Gap Filling Questions Class 10 English

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
26th January is a very special day for India. (a) _____________ is on this day that India became a sovereign democratic republic in 1950. Dr Rajendra Prasad became the first President of the Indian Republic. 26th January is celebrated with great enthusiasm and festivity all over the country. First of all, the Prime Minister (b) _____________ the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate. There he offers floral tributes to the martyrs. Then begins the colourful parade (c) _____________ starts from Vijay Chowk and terminates at the Red Fort.
(a) (i) It             (ii) It’s       (iii) This         (iv) That
(b) (i) visit         (ii) visits    (iii) visiting     (iv) visited
(c) (i) that         (ii) of         (iii) which       (iv) to
Answer.(a) (i), (b) (ii), (c) (i)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Buddhists (a) _____________ survived in India only as a comparatively small sect, (b) _____________ Buddhism in the east today has over hundred and fifty million adherents. It is the chief religion of Ceylon, Burma and Malaya. Buddhists (c) _____________ the four truths. They live a simple and austere life.
(a) (i) has           (ii) have       (iii) had             (iv) been
(b) (i) and          (ii) or            (iii) but             (iv) though
(c) (i) follow       (ii) follows     (iii) followed      (iv) following
Answer.(a) (ii), (b) (iii), (c) (i)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
The students (a) _____________ talking as Miss Sarkar entered the classroom. Then in a loud voice (b) _____________ said ‘Good Morning’ and glanced quickly around the room. All the children (c) _____________ her intently to find out what sort of a person she was. “I suppose you want to know my name,” she said.
(a) (i) are            (ii) was           (iii) were       (iv) been
(b) (i) she           (ii) they           (iii) he          (iv) them
(c) (i) observe     (ii) watching    (iii) watch      (iv) watched
Answer.(a) (iii), (b) (i), (c) (iv)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Rivers are considered holy in India but they are hardly treated with respect. All kinds of dust and filth find (a) _____________ way into the rivers. If we have to treat and purify the water for drinking it, how can the fish survive in (b) _____________ waters? Every year, river Gomti becomes the death bed of thousands of fish because (c) _____________ water released in the reservoir upstream carries effluents from the neighbouring.
(a) (i) their     (ii) his    (iii) its        (iv) over
(b) (i) these   (ii) this    (iii) that     (iv) their
(c) (i) any      (ii) the    (iii) an       (iv) a
Answer.(a) (i), (b) (i), (c) (ii)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Massage (a) _____________ be a natural tranquilliser. It has been (b) _____________ in virtually every culture throughout history to relieve aches and pains, unknot tense muscles, and help (c) _____________ body and the mind to relax. There are several types of massage, the most popular being the Oriental massage.
(a) (i) should    (ii) would     (iii) may    (iv) can
(b) (i) used       (ii) using     (iii) uses    (iv) use
(c) (i) a            (ii) an         (iii) the      (iv) any
Answer.(a) (iv), (b) (i), (c) (iii)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Dear Daddy,
I hope all’s well with you. Everything is fine here. I am sorry I (a) _____________write earlier. I was busy with my coaching camp which is now over. After the annual examination, most of (b) _____________ boarders have left for their homes. Only a few like me are left behind. I can’t express how badly I miss you all. I don’t know (c) _____________ I’ll be able to join you. Dad, I hate being a boarder. How lonely it is to stay here during the vacation! The few inmates left are not only boring but also nasty.
I hope you will come to my rescue soon.
Your son
Ravindra
(a) (i) couldn’t    (ii) hasn’t    (iii) have not    (iv) hadn’t
(b) (i) which       (ii) the        (iii) are            (iv) when
(c) (i) the           (ii) being     (iii) when         (iv) am
Answer.(a) (ii), (b) (ii), (c) (iii)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
I came to India on a short trip. With only one week left to return to America, everybody wanted to spend time with me. (a) _____________ we decided to watch (b) _____________ movie. We enjoyed it a lot. Then (c) _____________ the time to say good bye. We felt sad at parting from each other.
(a) (i) as          (ii) so           (iii) but              (iv) for
(b) (i) a           (ii) an           (iii) the              (iv) some
(c) (i) came      (ii) come      (iii) coming         (iv) to come
Answer.(a) (ii), (b) (i), (c) (i)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
There (a) _____________ a survey about the popular forms of music and how the taste in music differs with age. About a hundred people (b) _____________ in three age groups were interviewed on their musical preferences. The survey found that (c) _____________ first great musical age is adolescence.
(a) (i) has been    (ii) have been    (iii) had been    (iv) was
(b) (i) each          (ii) every           (iii) all              (iv) some
(c) (i) this            (ii) the              (iii) for             (iv) that
Answer.(a) (i), (b) (i), (c) (ii)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Delivering his inaugural address at the first Agricultural Science Congress here today the Prime Minister said efforts (a) _____________ be made to increase the production of food grains by at least three times in the next decade. He exhorted that the agricultural scientists (b) _____________ rise to the occasion to meet the challenge of feeding the population, so that we may not have to import it. If we delay, he said, in doing something about the matter, it would be difficult to face the shortage of grains. He is (c) _____________ that the agricultural scientists must think about the matter.
(a) (i) can               (ii) will           (iii) should              (iv) may
(b) (i) can              (ii) shall           (iii) must/should     (iv) need to
(c) (i) optimist       (ii) optimistic    (iii) optimism          (iv) optimistically
Answer.(a) (ii), (b) (iii), (c) (ii)

Question. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks choosing the correct option from those that follow.
Always (a) _____________ the metre dials from the right to the left. This procedure is much easier, especially if any of (b) _____________ dial hands are near the zero mark. When done, mark off the number of units recorded. Dials (c) _____________ gas metres usually indicate the amount each dial records.
(a) (i) read      (ii) reading     (iii) reads      (iv) reader
(b) (i) a          (ii) an             (iii) the         (iv) any
(c) (i) for        (ii) at             (iii) and         (iv) with
Answer.(a) (i), (b) (iii), (c) (iv)

Fill in the given blanks choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given below.

Question. The spirit silently witnesses what the body and mind go through unless (i) .................to govern and regulate the manner (ii) ................. the mind to perform. During the initial witnessing stage, the spirit (iii) ................. whenever our mind crosses any limit, warning us of its outcome.

(i) (a) it was awakened
(b) it is awakened
(c) it awakened
(d) it had awakened
Answer.(b) it is awakened

(ii) (a) in which it wishes
(b) to which it wished
(c) for which it was wishing
(d) to which it is wishing
Answer.(a) in which it wishes

(iii) (a) soft whispers and guides
(b) softly whispers and guides
(c) softly whispering and guiding
(d) was softly whispered and guided
Answer. (b) softly whispers and guides

Question. Poets and writers of late 18th century (i) ................. that the vitality of the rhyming couplet was lost. They thought that the versification of Dryden and Pope (ii) .................. This thought brought back the use of blank verse, the verse used by Shakespeare and Milton in the realm of English poetry. The idea of imitation that (iii) ................. in the age of Dryden and Pope also got a back seat.

(i) (a) has started to think
(b) started to think
(c) starts thinking
(d) had started to think
Answer.(b) started to think

(ii) (a) were not improved with
(b) cannot improve upon
(c) may be improved upon
(d) could not be improved upon
Answer.(d) could not be improved upon

(iii) (a) is kind of prevalent
(b) might be kind of prevalent
(c) was kind of prevalent
(d) were kind of prevalent
Answer.(c) was kind of prevalent

Question. The mastermind is billed as a ‘battle of minds’. This battle (i) ................. two havles.In the first, each of our participants (ii) ................. of questions, for two minutes, on any topic of his/her choice. In the second round, the questions (iii) ................. .

(i) (a) has been fought in
(b) is fought in
(c) is fought on
(d) fights in
Answer.(b) is fought in

(ii) (a) faced a barrage of question
(b) is facing the barrage of questions
(c) faces a barrage of questions
(d) have faced a barrage of question
Answer.(c) faces a barrage of questions

(iii) (a) were on general knowledge
(b) are on a general knowledge
(c) have been of general knowledge
(d) are on general knowledge
Answer.(d) are on general knowledge

Question. We are living in an environment which is full of bacteria. (i) ................. can produce serious diseases, but all of us (ii) ................. such diseases. It is due to a special power

(iii) ................. these diseases. A part of this special power of our body is known as innate immunity.

(i) (a) Many of these bacteria
(b) Most of this bacteria
(c) Much of these bacteria
(d) Much of this bacteria
Answer.(a) Many of these bacteria

(ii) (a) do not suffer of
(b) do not suffer from
(c) does not suffer from
(d) are not suffering with
Answer.(b) do not suffer from

(iii) (a) presenting in our body to fight
(b) presenting in our body fighting
(c) present in our body to fight
(d) presented in our body to fight
Answer.(c) present in our body to fight

Question. A true sportsman (i) ................. . Even in his worst defeat, he (ii) ................. his temper.It has been seen in games that good players (iii) ................. by mean players to get an easy victory. But a true sportsman never commits such acts.

(i) (a) is always cool-head
(b) is always cool-headed
(c) was cool-headed
(d) is never cool-headed
Answer.(b) is always cool-headed

(ii) (a) will lose
(b) can lose
(c) will not lose
(d) may lose
Answer.(c) will not lose

(iii) (a) is wounded
(b) will be wounded
(c) were wounded
(d) are wounded
Answer.(d) are wounded

Question. Classical novels (i) ................. source of knowledge. Students learn virtues and mould their life by reading them. Fortunately a book fair (ii) ................. our town. I accompanied with Sarita (iii) ................. the fair and buy some interesting novels.

(i) (a) shall be a very important
(b) are a very important
(c) was a very important
(d) has been a very important
Answer.(b) are a very important

(ii) (a) was held in
(b) are hold in
(c) were hold in
(d) is held in
Answer.(d) is held in

(iii) (a) have decided to visit
(b) have decide to visit
(c) has decided to visit
(d) has decide to visit
Answer.(a) have decided to visit

Question. Tree transplantation (i) ................. difficult. Experts say only a few species survive the process, which involves special machines to carefully remove trees along with some sail and the roofs before they (ii) ................... their alternate destination. The government (iii) ................. a list of empanelled technical agencies that will ensure the moved trees survive.

(i) (a) known to be
(b) are known to be
(c) is known to be
(d) was known to be
Answer.(c) is known to be

(ii) (a) is moved to
(b) are moved to
(c) shall move to
(d) were move to
Answer.(b) are moved to

(iii) (a) will come out with
(b) will come out
(c) shall come out
(d) has come out with
Answer.(a) will come out with

Question. The Wangala (i) ................. festival for the Garo in Meghalaya, Assam and Nagaland.It is a postharvest festival (ii) ................. the end of the agricultural year. It is popularly known as ‘The Hundred Drums’ festival. During the signature dance, the leading warrior (iii) ................. with synchronised dance steps and specific hand-head movements.

(i) (a) is important
(b) are an important
(c) was the important
(d) is an important
Answer.(d) is an important

(ii) (a) being celebrated for marking
(b) celebrated to mark
(c) celebrated to marking
(d) being celebrated for mark
Answer.(b) celebrated to mark

(iii) (a) leads the youngsters
(b) is lead the youngsters
(c) was leading the youngsters
(d) had leads the youngsters
Answer.(a) leads the youngsters

Question. Most students find it difficult to tackle topics that (i) ................. they are in or they are comfortable with. So one needs to develop a taste (ii) ................. and boring topic on this planet. For success in reading comprehension one (iii) ................. .

(i) (a) is diverse in the field
(b) are diverse from the field
(c) are diversed from the field
(d) is diversing from the field
Answer.(b) are diverse from the field

(ii) (a) for even the most obscure
(b) of even the most obscure
(c) for even a most obscure
(d) in even the more obscure
Answer.(b) of even the most obscure

(iii) (a) should able to understand
(b) can able to understand
(c) should be able to understand
(d) may able to understand
Answer.(c) should be able to understand

Question. As a novelist, Kamala Markandaya earnestly (i) ................. sisterhood or brotherhood of human beigns. Through her novels she (ii) ................. warm and caring human relationship. She envisions on ideal world where men and women can live and (iii) ................. by closer and constant sharing of meaningful concepts.

(i) (a) is believing in the universal
(b) believes of an universal
(c) believed in a universal
(d) believes in the universal
Answer.(d) believes in the universal

(ii) (a) tries to establish
(b) had tried to establish
(a) is trying establishing
(d) tries to be established
Answer.(a) tries to establish

(iii) (a) worked together harmonously
(b) work together harmonious
(c) work together harmoniously
(d) should work together harmoniously
Answer. (c) work together harmoniously

Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct options.

Question. As I was intelligent, I had .................. trouble.
(a) few
(b) little
(c) much
(d) less
Answer.(d) less

Question. The good news is that .................. volunteers dropped out this month than the last two.
(a) fewer
(b) less
(c) few
(d) a little
Answer.(a) fewer

Question. You .................. consult the Thesaurus if you need groups of synonyms for those words.
(a) had to
(b) need to
(c) used to
(d) might
Answer.(d) might

Question. It was .................. historic day for the organisation when .................. honour was bestowed upon its employees.
(a) a; an
(b) an; the
(c) the; a
(d) an; a
Answer.(a) a; an

Question. The Indian team is very strong. It ................ win the match.
(a) ought to
(b) may
(c) can
(d) will
Answer.(a) ought to

Question. The Komodo dragon .................. follow its prey till it eventually dies due to its venomous bite.
(a) must
(b) will
(c) could
(d) may
Answer.(b) will

Question. The prin cipal .................. grant you concession in fee.
(a) will
(b) can
(c) could
(d) used to
Answer.(b) can

Question. Neither Mukesh nor his brother .................. the school regularly.
(a) attends
(b) attend
(c) attending
(d) have attend
Answer.(a) attends

Question. At this time tomorrow we .................. in an aeroplane.
(a) shall be flying
(b) shall fly
(c) will fly
(d) may flying
Answer.(a) shall be flying

Question. After the release of Covid-19 vaccine, our economy.................. get a boom.
(a) should
(b) will
(c) may
(d) shall
Answer.(c) may

Question. At this time tomorrow we.................. our project details to ma’am.
(a) are presenting
(b) shall be presenting
(c) have been presenting
(d) will have presenting
Answer.(b) shall be presenting

Question. I drank .................. milk kept in the glass and went out for play.
(a) a little
(b) the little
(c) little
(d) few
Answer.(b) the little

Question. One goes to ....... university to receive education so that he could become ....... good citizen.
(a) a, the
(b) the, a
(c) a, a
(d) the, the
Answer.(b) the, a

Question. He who .............. solution of the problem will lead the team.
(a) bring
(b) brings
(c) shall bring
(d) have bring
Answer.(b) brings

Question. Ravi had to put in .......... hard work to come out with flying colours in the board examination.
(a) few
(b) several
(c) much
(d) many
Answer.(c) much

Question. Everybody .................. keen to participate in the upcoming nukkad natak.
(a) are
(b) has
(c) is
(d) were
Answer.(c) is

Question. Nobody ................. to ask him about his intentions the other day.
(a) dare
(b) dares
(c) daring
(d) dared
Answer.(d) dared

Question. When one of the candidates ............... caught copying, the others became cautious.
(a) is
(b) was
(c) were
(d) are
Answer.(b) was

Question. Connaught Place ....................... get smog towers in ten months.
(a) will
(b) can
(c) shall
(d) might
Answer.(c) shall

Question. .................. persons are free from faults.
(a) Few
(b) A little
(c) Little
(d) Everyone
Answer.(a) Few

Question. Neither you nor she .................. there.
(a) were
(b) have been
(c) was
(d) are
Answer.(c) was

Question. You .................. obey the traffic rules.
(a) should
(b) can
(c) may
(d) must
Answer.(d) must

Question. A number of mistakes .................. found in the essays.
(a) was
(b) were
(c) has been
(d) is
Answer.(b) were

Question. I saw .................. one-eyed man in the morning.
(a) a
(b) some
(c) an
(d) few
Answer.(a) a

Question. What is your idea about happiness? “To make even one unfortunate happy if I.................
(a) may
(b) will
(c) should
(d) can
Answer.(d) can

Question. I, who .............. your friend, will assist and protect you.
(a) are
(b) is
(c) am
(d) have
Answer.(c) am

Question. You .................. the letter now.
(a) need not to send
(b) need to sends
(c) need not send
(d) are needed to sends
Answer.(c) need not send

Question. I .................. appear in the Senior Secondary Examination next near.
(a) should
(b) will
(c) shall
(d) may
Answer.(b) will

Question.In the hour of need, every man, woman and child ............ to be ready for sacrifice.
(a) has
(b) have
(c) will
(d) shall
Answer.(a) has

Question. Draw .................. map of India on ................... black board.
(a) a, the
(b) an, a
(c) an, the
(d) the, a
Answer.(a) a, the

Question. Schools that have only ...................... teachers who know the language well ....................seek the help of other schools.
(a) a few, may
(b) a few, can
(c) a few, should
(d) less, some
Answer.(a) a few, may

Question. By the death of Subhas Chandra Bose, a great leader and patriot .................. lost to India.
(a) have been
(b) has
(c) was
(d) have
Answer.(c) was

Question. The university has received the highest number of applications ................. year in comparison to .................. previous year.
(a) that, this
(b) this, the
(c) the, the
(d) a, the
Answer.(b) this, the

Question. Our government ........................ to improve the lot of the poor in our country.
(a) can
(b) ought
(c) may
(d) will
Answer.(b) ought

Question. Rani Lakshmi Bai is one of the best heroines that ............... ever been born in India.
(a) has
(b) is
(c) have
(d) are
Answer.(c) have

Question. There were ............................. than fifty students in the class.
(a) few
(b) no fewer
(c) less
(d) no less
Answer.(b) no fewer

CATEGORY I Gap Filling

Fill in the blanks by with appropriate words.

Question. Mount Kailash—the Stairway to Heaven— (i) ............. (is the most/ is the more) intriguing mountain range is the whole of Himalayas. As a matter of fact, Mount Kailash is 22,000 ft from the Tibetan Plateau, which (ii) ............. (is largely/ is large) considered to be inaccessible. For Hindus and Buddhists, Mount Kailash is the physical embodiment of Mount Meru. It is one of the world’s most sacred and mysterious mountain peak. Every year, thousands of pilgrims enter Tibet for pilgrimage to the holy Mount Kailash. A few (iii) ............. (make/ makes) it to the region and a very few manage to finish circumambulating the hallowed peak.
Answer. (i) is the most (ii) is largely (iii) make

Question. We enjoy protection from Earth’s magnetic field, (i) ............. (generates/ generated) by our planet’s rotation and its iron-nickel core. This teardrop-shaped field shields Earth from high-energy particles (ii) ............. (launched at us/ launching at us) from the Sun and elsewhere in the cosmos. But due to the field’s structure, some particles get funneled to Earth’s Poles and (iii) ............. (collide into the / collide with our) atmosphere, yielding Auroras, the natural fireworks show known by some as the Northern lights.
Answer. (i) generated (ii) launched at us (iii) collide with our

Question. The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest and does the critical task (i) ............. (to providing/ of providing) Earth with 20% of its oxygen supply. Its dense vegetation acts like a giant air purifier, constantly (ii) ............. (taking in/ taking inside) carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen. The rainforest is so big that it comprises more than half of the world’s remaining rainforests even though it covers only 6% of the earth’s surface. The Amazon rainforest (iii) ............. (is located/ is locating) in South America and spreads over an astounding 5.5 million square kilometers.
Answer. (i) of providing (ii) taking in (iii) is located

Question. Brahmins (i) ............. (were the/ are the) highest ranking caste group and are the top of the varna system above Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. Brahmins have traditionally been priests, either in temples or to particular families and (ii) ............. (has/ have) traditionally been better educated, held high positions and had land and money. Many have worked as teachers, scribes, landowners and government clerks. Today they are employed in a number of professions. Many (iii) ........... (fulfilling/ fulfil) their priestly duties only a part time basis.
Answer. (i) are the (ii) have (iii) fulfil

Question. A total of 152 million children – 64 million girls and 88 million boys – (i) are ............. (estimated to be/ estimates to being) in child labour globally, accounting for almost one in ten of all children worldwide. Despite rates of child labour declining over the last few years, children (ii) ............. (are still being/ were still been) used in some severe forms of child labour such as bonded labour, child soldiers, and trafficking. Across India child labourers (iii) ............. (can be found/ could be finding) in a variety of industries: in brick kilns, carpet weaving, garment making, domestic service, food and refreshment services (such as tea stalls), agriculture, fisheries and mining.
Answer. (i) are estimated to be (ii) are still being (iii) can be found

Question. (i) ............. (An earlier/ The earliest) known dinosaurs appeared during the Triassic Period (approximately 250 to 200 million ago). Dinosaurs evolved into a very diverse group of animals with a vast array of physical features, including modern birds. Contrary to what many people think, not all dinosaurs (ii) ............. (lived in/ lived during) the same geological period. Stegosaurus, for example, lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago. Tyrannosaurus rex lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 72 million years ago. Stegosaurus (iii) ............. (was extinct for/ was extinct from) 66 million years before Tyrannosaurus walked on Earth.
Answer. (i) The earliest (ii) lived during (iii) was extinct for

Question. Earthquakes happen when two large pieces of the Earth’s crust suddenly slip. This causes shock waves (i) ............. (to shake/ to shook) the surface of the Earth in the form of an earthquake. Earthquakes usually occur (ii) ............. (by the edges to/ on the edges of) large sections of the Earth’s crust called tectonic plates. These plates slowly move over a long period of time. Sometimes the edges, which are called fault lines, can get stuck, but the plates keep moving. Pressure slowly starts to build up where the edges are stuck and, once the pressure gets strong enough, the plates will suddenly move (iii) ............. (caused/ causing) an earthquake.
Answer. (i) to shake (ii) on the edges of (iii) causing

Question. Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide and other air pollutants and greenhouse gases (i) .............(collect in/ collect into) the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have (ii) ............. (bouncing off/ bounced off) the earth’s surface. Normally, this radiation would escape into space—but these pollutants, which can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere, trap the heat and cause the planet (iii) ............. (to get hotter/ to get hot). That’s what’s known as the greenhouse effect.
Answer. (i) collect in (ii) bounced off (iii) to get hotter

Question. Emperor Qin Shi Huang is often referred as the initiator of the Great Wall. Actually, it was (i) ............. (him/ he) who first commanded the linking of the separate sections built by previous states. It (ii) ............. (is surprising/ was surprised) to know that the decision for this huge project was made due to a rumor! After unifying central China and establishing the Qin Dynasty in 221BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang (iii) wanted ............. (to consolidating/ to consolidate) his power and rule the country forever.
Answer. (i) he (ii) is surprising (iii) to consolidate

Question. Located 80 km North of Udaipur forest, Kumbhalgarh Fort (i) ............. (was/ is) the second largest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh Fort. The fort wall spans a length of 36 kilometers and is therefore known as “The Great Wall of India”. Kumbhalgarh Fort (ii) ............. (spread/ spreads) in the Aravalli range is the birthplace of Maharana Pratap, the famous king of Mewar. This is the reason that Rajputs (iii) ............. (has/ have) a special place in the hearts of this fort. In 2013, the fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee.
Answer. (i) is (ii) spread (iii) have

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in the brackets.

Question. The roadside from A gra to Firozabad .............(sprinkle) with crumbling Mughal era monuments juxtaposed with verdant fields.
Answer. is sprinkled

Question. I ............ (book) a ticket online and left for Amritsar.
Answer. booked

Question. Meditation ............. (mean) when the mind is without any agitation.
Answer. means

Question. Remarkably, this is all that modern science ............. (tell) about the horseshoe crab in Taunton Bay or anywhere else.
Answer. tells

Question. Tomorrow I ............. (go) for an entrance test at B.B. Public School.
Answer. will go

Question. People from all over the world ............. (come) to Kamakhya temple in Guwahati and pray.
Answer. come

Question. There were ............. (more) whales swimming in the ocean a long time ago.
Answer. many

Question. Ali Baba reached the foot of the same mountain where the thieves ............. (gather).
Answer. gathered

Question. They ............. (have) an excellent and qualified staff to look after their work.
Answer. have

Question. This year Shimla Summer Camp ............. (be) in the Pabber valley in the upper regions of Shimla.
Answer. is

Question. The Army ............. (attempt) unsuccessfully to throw up the Government.
Answer. attempted

Question. Scientists ............. (be) on the brink of a major breakthrough in career research.
Answer. are

Question. The State Government ............. (plan) to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway.
Answer. plans

Question. Gautam’s outlook on life changed when he realised that the world ............. (be) full of sorrows.
Answer. is

Question. Rakesh ............. (seem) unusually cast down after the game.
Answer. seems

Question. A large teamof United Nations Inspectors ............. (arrive) in India under the terms of the International Forestry Treaty.
Answer. will arrive

Question. The soldiers ............. (receive) a military mandate to inspect all their vehicles before traveling.
Answer. received

Question.Juan’s friends found him in a jovial mood after he learnt he ............. (be) the homecoming king.
Answer. was

Question. With all of the recent negative events in her life, she ............. (feel) malignant forces must be at work.
Answer. felt

Question. The fictitious rumors ............. (do) a great deal of damage even though they turned out to be false.
Answer. do

Question. When her schoolwork ............. (get) to be too much, Pakhi had a tendency to delay, which always put her further behind.
Answer. got

Question. If criminals ............. (be) allowed to join electoral fray extortion is likely to increase.
Answer. are

Question. While the demand is high for clay idols, people also prefer moulded idols ............. (procure) in bulk from other cities.
Answer. procured

Question. Crocodile can ............. (live) effortlessly both in water and on land.
Answer. live

Question. Two of the accused were arrested against whom the police ............. (have) registered a complaint.
Answer. has

CATEGORY II Editing

The following passages have not been edited. There is one error in each line. Identify the wrong word and write it with the correction in the space given. The first one has been done for you.

Question. A little political thinkers e.g. A little Some
(a) thinks that liberty 
(b) and equality couldn’t go together. 
(c) They think that liberty implied the freedom
(d) to do what one may like to doing
Answer.
Incorrect       Correct
(a) thinks        think
(b) couldn’t     can’t
(c) implied       implies
(d) doing         do

Question. Countries near on equator are e.g. on the
(a) much warmer then countries 
(b) farthest to the North and South, 
(c) as all know that Kerala is
(d) warm than Punjab 
(e) on winter 
Answer.
Incorrect       Correct
(a) then          than
(b) farthest     farther
(c) all             we
(d) warm        warmer
(e) an             in

Question. In the prisoner’s room a candle is e.g. is was
(a) burning dimly. A prisoner himself
(b) sat by the table. Only him back, ............... ...............
(c) the hair by his head, and his 
(d) hands are visible from outside 
(e) through by window
Answer.
Incorrect       Correct
(a) A                the
(b) him             his
(c) by               on
(d) are             were
(e) by               the

Question. One morning I finished one business at the bank e.g.
(a) and was returning in pick up my motorbike which I had left
(b) in the parking lot outside. Suddenly he realised that I had 
(c) lost the bike key. Upset, I searched about it in the bank. A bank 
(d) employee tried to help me find it and in vain
Answer.
Incorrect       Correct
(a) in               to
(b) he              I
(c) about         for
(d) and            but

Question. Neil Armstrong was the commander for Apollo 11.
(a) He was the first to walk over 
(b) the moon. What many people do not knew 
(c) is that, unlike most of their fellow 
(d) astronauts, he was the civilian and not part of the military
Answer.
Incorrect       Correct
(a) over           on
(b) knew          know
(c) their           his
(d) the             a

A WORD TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

The communicative approach to learning of English at Class X aims at the development of all the four skills of language learning and the Board Examination paper tests accordingly the students comprehension, knowledge, expression and application. These components are being attended to in the class room transaction through out the academic session, yet, students need to know the appropriate answering techniques and tips for qualitative performance. This assumes a greater significance for the Board Exams 2009 since the pattern of question paper has been changed incorporating 20% of questions HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills). Hence a conscientious efforts has been made here to help the students to face the Board Examination
paper with confidence.
Content and questions covering all the section of the question paper have been incorporated as per the changed pattern of the CBSE. The question’s marked with ( * ) are based on HOTS. Solved and unsolved model question papers included in this booklet will give a clear idea of the correct answering techniques to the students and also for their practice. It is hoped that this material would build up confidence amongst the students appearing for board examination 2009.