ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE
SECTION –A: READING
1 Read the following passage carefully:
1. For millions of people in India, river Ganga is the most sacred river. It is considered as a mother and goddess. It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. River Ganga is the third largest river in the world by the amount of water that flows through it. It is the longest river in India. The water of Ganga is used for irrigation, transportation and fishing.
2. The Gangetic plain formed by river Ganga is one of the most fertile lands on the earth. This is why almost 10% of the world population lives here and earns its livelihood. The Ganga, in India is the most worshipped water body. The irony here is that inspite of being the most worshipped river, it is also the dirtiest one. It carries some metals thrown out by tanneries, waste produced by industries and urban waste from different cities. All this has made river Ganga the fifth most polluted river in the world.
3. Another major reason that adds to the Ganga river pollution is the coal based power plants on its banks which burn tons of coal every year and produce tons of fly ash. This ash mixed with domestic waste water is released in the river. This bad situation calls for an urgent need to make efforts to reduce pollution and revive river Ganga.
4. To achieve these objectives, the Government of India has started a programme named “Namami Gange Programme”. The main pillars of this programme are sewage treatment, river surface cleaning, afforestation, river front development and public awareness. The importance of the success of „Namami Gange Programme‟ can be seen through the following lines : “If Ganga dies, India dies. If Ganga thrives, India thrives. No Ganga, No India.”
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any eight of the questions that follow :
(a) For whom is river Ganga a lifeline?
(b) For what purposes is the Ganga river water used?
(c) Why does almost ten percent of the world population live in the Gangetic Plain?
(d) What are the pollutants that make river Ganga very dirty?
(e) How do the coal based power plants pollute river Ganga ?
(f) Which two purposes will be served by the programme named “Namami Gange”?
(g) Write any two main pillars of the “Namami Gange Programme”.
(h) Most people in India consider the Ganga as _________.
(i) What is the irony of the Ganga being a most worshipped river.
2. Read the passage given below :
1. Everybody wants to succeed in life. For some, success means achieving whatever they desire or dream. For many it is the name, fame and social position. Whatever be the meaning of success, it is success which makes a man popular
2. All great men have been successful. They are remembered for their great achievements. But it is certain that success comes to those who are sincere, hardworking, loyal and committed to their goals. Success has been man‟s greatest motivation. It is very important for all. Success has a great effect on life. It brings pleasure and pride. It gives a sense of fulfillment. It means all round development. Everybody hopes to be successful in life. But success smiles on those who have a proper approach, planning, vision and stamina.
3. A proper and timely application of all these things is bound to bear fruit. One cannot be successful without cultivating these certain basic things in life. It is very difficult to set out on a journey without knowing one‟s goals and purposes. Clarity of the objective is a must to succeed in life.
4. A focused approach with proper planning is certain to bring success. Indecision and insincerity are big obstacles on the path to success. One should have the capability, capacity and resources to turn one‟s dreams into reality. Mere desire cannot bring you success. The desire should be weighed against factors like capability and resources. This is the basic requirement of success. The next important thing is the eagerness, seriousness and the urge to be successful. It is the driving force which decides the success. It is the first step on the ladder of success. One needs to pursue one‟s goals with all one‟s sincerity and passion. One should always be in high spirit. Lack of such spirit leads to an inferiority complex which is a big obstruction on the path to success.
5. Time is also a deciding factor. Only the punctual and committed have succeeded in life. Lives of great men are examples of this. They had all these qualities in plenty which helped them rise to the peak of success. Hard labour is one of the basic requirements of success. There is no substitute
for hard labour. It alone can take one to the peak of success. Every success has a ratio of five percent inspiration and ninety-five percent perspiration. It is the patience, persistence and perseverance which play a decisive role in achieving success. Failures are the pillars of success as they are our stepping-stones and we must get up and start again and be motivated.
2.1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer any four of the following questions in 30-40 words each :
(a) To whom does success come certainly?
(b) What are the basic things in life we need to achieve success?
(c) What did great men have in plenty to rise to the peak of success? Give any two examples.
(d) What is the one basic requirement of success?
(e) Explain: “Failures are pillars of success”.
2.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, fill in any two of the following blanks with appropriate words/phrase :
(a) _________ plays a decisive role in achieving success.
(b) Goals have to be pursued with _________ and _________.
(c) Ratio of success is _________ inspiration.
2.3 Find out the words from the passage that mean the same as the following : (any two)
(a) endurance (para 2)
(b) obstruction (para 4)
(c) motivation (para 5)
Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 10 English Sample Paper 2021 Set A Solved
