CBSE Class 10 English Sample Paper 2017 with Answers Set E

SECTION-A

(Reading) 

Q.1. Read the passage given below and answer briefly the questions that follow: 

The two great epics of ancient India – The Ramayana and the Mahabharta – probably took shape in the course of several hundred years, and even subsequently , editions were made to them . They deal with the early days of the Indo- Aryans , their conquests and civil wars , when they were expanding and consolidating themselves , but they were composed and compiled later. I do not know of any books anywhere which have exercised such a continuous and pervasive influence on the mass mind as these two . Dating back to a remote antiquity , they are still a living force in the life of the Indian people. Not in the original Sanskrit , except for a few intellectuals, but in translations and adaptations , and in those ethical ways in which tradition and legend spread and become a part of the texture of a people’s life. They represent the typical Indian method of catering all together for various degrees of cultural development , from the highest intellectual to the simple unread and untaught villager. They make us understand somewhat the secret of the old Indians in holding together a variegated society divided up in many ways and graded in castes , in harmonizing their discords and giving them a common background of heroic tradition and ethical living. Deliberately , they tried to build up a unity of outlook among the people , which was to survive and overshadow all diversity.

Among the earliest memories of my childhood are the stories from these epics told to me or the older ladies of the house, just as a child in Europe or America might listen to fairy tales or stories of adventure . There was for me both adventure and the fairy element in them. And, then ,I used to be taken every year to the popular, open-air performances where the Ramayana story was enacted and vast crowds cameto see it and join in the processions .It was all very crude , but that did not matter , for everyone knew the story by heart and it was carnival time.

Now answer the following questions briefly: 

i)Name the two great epics of ancient India.

ii)How much time did the great epics take to shape?

iii)What do the great epics deal with?

iv)How do these epics have a pervasive influence on the masses?

v)How do the great epics try to build up a unity of outlook among the people?

vi)How was the narrator told the stories in the childhood ?

vii)How did the narrator enjoy the stories of the epic ?

viii)How was the Ramayana story enacted?

Q2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the given questions: 

1. Just a few days ago, my daughter's friend committed suicide. This girl was bright, creative and different. Nobody knows what was going on in her mind when she took the drastic step but from what I understood it was her sense of failure. She was slightly short of attendance and was being taken to task for that and she could not cope. As the SarvaShikshaAbhiyan spreads, the

authorities that be are trying to get children to come to school, luring them with mid-day meals and other sops; perfectly understandable. The target is to get the children and parents used to the idea of a school. But, I haven't been able to understand the need not to trust our young adults with the decision of attending or bunking a class, when we can entrust them with voting the people they want into Parliament. Doesn't it reflect poorly on the quality of our teaching when a student prefers to spend time away from class rather than inside it?

2. For an 18-year-old, the university is itself a teacher, whether inside or outside class. Why then this mindless insistence on attendance as a criterion? There was a teacher of economics in our college at Delhi University for whose class students would be spilling over into the corridor. Friends who lived nearby were asked to reserve seats. Each seat meant for two had four people and the window sills were also used as seats. Such was the power of his words and his lecture. Not only people from other sections, but students from other colleges would also plead to be allowed to attend his lecture. The same subject taught by another teacher in the next classroom had the meager attendance of only two or four students who could not make it to the other crowded class.. To put the blame on the student for missing classes reflects poorly on the ability of our teachers to make their subjects interesting enough for students to come running to their classes rather than bunking them. Holding the attendance criteria as a necessary prerequisite is like holding a gun to a child's temple, figuratively and literally as my daughter's friend proved.

A. Answer the following questions in about two lines each: 

(i) Why did the daughter of writer's friend commit suicide?

(ii) What is the target of SarvaShikshaAbhiyan?,

(iii) How did the teacher of Delhi University attract so many students?

(iv) What does it reflect when students bunk a class?

B. Choose the most appropriate option in each of the following: 

(v) The word 'drastic' means ....................

(a) sudden                      (b) normal

(c) extreme                     (d) extraordinary

(vi)The word 'entrust' means......................

(a) belief                         (b) care

(c) make responsible        (d) ensure

(vii) The word 'criteria' has the same meaning as ....................

(a) system                                 (ii) method

(c) standard of measurement      (d) means

(viii) The word 'meager' has the same meaning as......................

(a) great                           (b) vial

(c) small                           (d) advanced

[SECTION-B]

(Writing & Grammar)

Q.3. You are DrNishant/Nisha. You came across the following information about the outbreak of swine flu and the number of lives taken by it. You decided to write an article for a leading daily about the precautions to be taken to prevent it from spreading. Write the article in 100-120 words using ideas from the unit on 'Health and Medicine,' your own ideas, and the bar- graph given below.

Q.4. 'Write an original story with the given value points in about 150-200 words 

We, a group of five ........................passing through jungle ................... carrying rifles on shoulder ...................a narrow stream ................... encounter with short, black men ...................a primitive tribe-------------------------------------------------- crucial moment ..................,. mobile phone rang ................... men in terror...................my loud talk ....................we are gods ..my brother threw a spear on them ...................the men scared .....................miraculous escape.

Q.5. Fill in the blanks with one word in each blank 

Three years ago, fresh (a) .................school, I (b) ....................the intimidating task of choosing a career (c) .............................college started..

Q.6. In the following paragraph one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the  word that comes after it. Underline the word which you have supplied. The first correction has been done as an example. 

According to the Bible, Noah saw rainbow                                           e.g., saw a

as a sign from God the flood.                                                               (a) ...................

In the 17th century men a scientific                                                      (b) ....................

explanation this glorious natural phenomenon.                                       (c) ....................

The-French scientist philosopher Rene Descartes                                     (d) ......................

finally confirmed the explanation now known to be correct .

Q.7. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences. Write the correct answers in your answer sheet. 

(a) the impression / idiot / I / of / an / absolute / gave

(b) swung / behind / the / door / me / big

(c) laughed / the clerks / at / in / me / the bank

SECTION -C

(Literature Textbook & Long Reading Text)

Q.8. Read the extract and answer the following questions. 

Neither stones nor prayers nor sticks.

Insults or complaints or bricks

Stilled the frog's determination

To display his heart's elation.

But one night a nightingale

In the moonlight cold and pale

Perched upon the sumac tree

Casting forth her melody.

1. Why did all efforts to stop the frog fail?

2. Why did the frog continue to sing?

3. What rhyme scheme is used here?

Or

Henry, I've been thinking about that bureau of grandfather's that's in his bedroom. You know I always wanted to have it after he died.

1 Who speaks these words and to whom?

2. What does 'bureau' in the passage mean?

3. What light does this speech throw on the character of the speaker?

Q.9. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each. 

1.When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they were evasive .Why don’t they disclose their problems?

2. How does the poet want to immortalize his friend?

3. What does Mrs. Slater ask Victoria not to do? Why?

4. Why did Ali give up hunting?

Q.10. Read the following lines:

‘As for LoonaBimberton, she refused to look at an illustrated, paper for weeks, and her letter of thanks for the gift of a tiger-claw brooch was a model, of repressed emotions. The luncheon party she declined; there are limitsbeyond which repressed emotions become dangerous."

Take a clue 'from these lines, think of what' others take of yourachievements which you feel proud of. Make a diary entry of your feelings when you begin to realize how human glory and vanity are of no importance. 

Or

The haughty temper of the official had quite left him in his sorrow and anxiety, and had laid bare his human heart. He knew at once that this was the letter the old man had been waiting for': it must be from his daughter Miriam'.

How should an officer behave with those who come to seek his help and guidance or for some favor? How do the people expect him to' discharge his duties? Prepare a speech on the good qualities of an officer.

Q11. What kind of illness caught, the child Helen? What kind of experience was it for her?

Or

Helen was gifted child .Justify the statement. 

ANSWER KEY

1. Ans. (i) The two great epics of ancient India are – The Ramayana and the Mahabharta

(ii) It took several hundred years to shape them and even subsequently , editions were made to them .

(iii) The great epics deal with the early days of the Indo- Aryans , their conquests civil wars, their expansion and consolidation.

(iv) The great epics have exercised a continuous and pervasive influence on the masses.

(v) They help in understanding how Indians held together a divided society in past. They harmonized their discords and gave them a common background of heroic tradition and ethical living.

(vi) The narrator got those stories from the epicstold by his mother and other older ladies in his childhood.

(vii) The narrator enjoyed both adventures and the fairy elements in the stories.

(viii) The Ramayana story was enacted in the open air and in the processions.

2. Ans. A. (i) She had a sense of failure.

(ii) to get the people used to the idea of attending school.

(iii) He had a wonderful power of words.

(iv) It reflects poorly on the ability of the teacher

B. (v).c             (vi) c             (vii) c             (viii) c

3. Ans. The Menace of Swine Flu By Nishant Swine flu is one of those pandemic diseases which people imported from some foreign countries It originated in Mexico and spread like forest fire. The cases of Swine flu are on the increase. It has taken the lives of 25 people in Pune, 20 in Bangalore Initially in Chennai only 6 - 7 lives were lost Swine fI'u and other such diseases can prove to be fatal if not detected and treated timely and properly. The symptoms of the swine flu like fever, running nose and sore throat resemble the common flu and cold, misleading many people If prevalence of any such symptom is found, a doctor has to be consulted; The attendants of the patients should wear masks. Crowded places contribute a lot to the spread of this deadly disease. So such places should not be visited. Prescribed medicines and rest are a panacea for any disease. So the instructions should be followed Any bodily contact should be avoided with those people who are already infected. Testing facilities should be enhanced in civil and private hospitals and the production of its vaccines should be

accelerated to encounter deadly diseases like swine flu.

4. Ans. We were a group of five people. We were through an extremely wild, dark jungle, quite unknown to us. At one place we cooked ourselves a good meal. Slowly moving, with our rifles on our shoulders, we were passing by a narrow stream, on the other side of which were tall trees of death. Suddenly we had to stop. Someone had thrown a spear barring our way. As if from nowhere, utterly black, short men wearing only loin clothes appeared. One of them came closer and uttered something in a loud voice. I was the only one who knew the language. I told my friends that men belonged to a very primitive tribe, almost extinct, and suspected us to be their enemies. The man asked us to get ready to be killed as no white man could cross their land. There was suspense in the air.

At this crucial time my mobile phone rang up, and I began to talk. It proved to be very lucky for us. The black men withdrew in terror and kept standing at a distance, bewildered. Their leader, old man, asked me what it was. Without thinking I said, "We are gods. God is speaking to us. Would you listen ?" I told my brother on the other end to speak as if he were God, asking the man not to block Our. way. He understood. I told him in which language to speak. The moment my brother spoke to the blackie - we don't know what happened to him - he threw his spear down, shouted something to his men. All of them knelt down. "Spare us, my. lords. We are happy that gods have come to visit us," the old man said in a pleading tone. In an impressive voice I told him that God's will would prevail and ordered him to help us come out of that jungle. A few minutes later, we were walking leisurely, laughing at what had happened, while the black men were carrying our load, guiding our path religiously, and thus we reached our destination without any harm.

5. Ans. (a) from       (b) had      (c) before

6. Ans (a) God for the            (b) men gave a

(c) explanationfor this            (d) scientist and philosopher

7. Ans. (a) I gave the impression of an absolute idiot.

(b) The big door, swung behind me.

(c) The clerks in the bank laughed at me.

8. Ans. 1. All efforts to quieten the frog failed because of, the frog's stubbornness.

2. The frog continued to sing as he wanted to take full pleasure out of his singing.

3. The rhyme scheme used here is aa, bb, cc ... .

Or

1. These lines are spoken by Mrs. Slater to her husband Henry Slater.

2. a desk of drawers.

3. The speech shows that Mrs. Slater is extremely mean and greedy.

9. Ans. 1. They didn’t want to tell a stranger that their only plan was to earn money for their ailing sister.

2. The poet has sung praises of his friend in his poetry. Wars and forces of nature will not be able to destroy his poetry. The future generations will read his poetry and will remember his friend. Thus he has immortalised his friend.

3. Mrs Slater is a very clever woman. She asks her daughter Victoria not to utter a word about the clock and the bureau of the grandfather which they have removed to their room. She does so because she fears the girl might disclose their secret in innocence.

4. When Ali was young, he was a skilful hunter. He could easily see the earth-brown partridge, almost invisible to his companions and the hounds. His sharp eyes could easily track down the hare crouching in the yellow brown scrub. Ali was successful where others were a bitter failure. He seldom missed the game and his mark. Ali had a daughter, Miriam, who was married to a soldier. Her marriage proved to be a turning point in his life. He bade a goodbye to hunting.

10. Ans. Saturday, 5 September, 20 ........

9:30 p.m. '

It is strange how one is puffed up with pride on getting momentary praise for his worldly achievements. People are so much lost in their day-to-day activities that they do not bother what you have achieved. They are concerned with their own self. I too prided myself of becoming the Miss College Beauty only yesterday. I began to extol myself to the skies for, having been blessed with fairy – like beauty. I compared myself to the best beauty queen of the world. But alas! the realization that I was just an ordinary creature with just fair complexion and sharp features came too sooner than later. I felt what was needed was the inner beauty, the beauty of the true mind and pure heart. The world, I have begun to realize, loves lofty minds and appreciates such people as have noble qualities. Physical beauty is fleeting, goodness always prevails. Man's good actions are cherished more than his outward beauty.

Or

Dear friends, I wish to highlight some prominent attributes that a good officer should cultivate in himself to win the acclaim of those whom he is called upon to serve There is no doubt that officer remain burdened with work and are likely to lose patience and polite manners. But the true test of a good officer lies in handling even the toughest job skilfully in the trying times. He should have tact and willingness to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. He may not be able to please everybody but he can., satisfy the people with his' polite and sweet temperament and etiquettes. Those who come to seek his favours should go satisfied and grudging even if he is not able to do what they expect of him. Keeping himself cool and not losing his temper will surely help him do maximum public service, besides not taxing himself with physical exertions or mental tensions. A good officer ought to have sincerity and devotion in his work besides zeal to be helpful and accommodating to others.

Thank you.

11. Helen was just nineteen months old when she was struck by a strange illness. They called it acute congestion of the stomach and brain. When the fever was gone, there was great rejoicing in the family. But no one, not even the doctor, knew that Helen would ever see or hear again. Helen recalls how her mother would calm and comfort her during the illness. She felt her eyes very hot and dry. Everything went dim and dim each day. Gradually she got used to her silence and darkness. It was then nothing short of a nightmare. Only the memories of the seen world remained with her for ever Those memories filled her mind with joy. She would often remember .the glimpses of broad, green fields, a luminous sky and flowers.. She feels satisfied and says, "If we have once seen, the day is ours, and what the day has shown."

or

Helen Keller was a gifted child. Though she could neither see nor hear yet she possessed the sense of smell to an unusual degree. Some people called it her "sixth sense". When she was a child, she smelled everything and knew where she was, or what neighbour's house she was passing by the distinctive odours. In her book, she recalls: "I used to feel along the square stiff boxwood hedges, and, guided by the sense of smell would find the first violets and lilies". From the odour coming from the earth, she knew that it always precedes a thunderstorm. One beautiful spring morning she became aware of a subtle fragrance in the air. Soon she recognized it to be the odour of the mimosa blossoms. She felt her way to the mimosa tree in no time. She had become an expert in odours. When preparations for making barbecue were being made, the savouryodour of the meat made her hungry long before the tables were set. Thus, the sense of smell, like the sense of touch, helped her a lot in her education, as in life.

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