ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Paper I [Set-8]
CLASS – X
Time : 2 hrs Maximum Marks : 80
Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
Attempt all five questions.
The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets []. You are advised to spend
not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1 and 20 minutes in answering Question 2.

Question 1.
(Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question) [20]
Write a composition (300 - 350 words) on any one of the following.

(a) Write an original story entitled: ‘Capsized.’

(b) Narrate your experience of waiting on the pavement for the school bus on a rainy morning.
(c) ‘The harder you work, the luckier you become.’ Express your views either for or against this
statement.
(d) A railway platform presents an opportunity to observe human behaviour. Describe your experience
when you were early for a train and had to spend some time on the platform observing different
people.
(e) Study the picture given below. Write a short story or a description or an account of what the picture
suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take
suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your
composition.
Question 2.
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question)
Select any one of the following. [10]

(a) You are studying in a boarding school in Dehradun. Write a letter to your father, explaining why you
will not be able to come home during the autumn break.
(b) Write a letter to the Customer Care Manager of a courier company, complaining to him about the
non-delivery of a parcel you sent to your friend in another city a month ago.

Question3.
(a) On the occasion of 75th Independence Day, your school is organising an Inter-House Quiz entitled
'Know Your Country'. Write a notice asking the students of Classes IX and X to submit their names
for the Quiz. [5]
(b) Write an email to the Head of the English Department of your school, requesting him/ her to be the
Quiz Master. [5]

Question 4.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

We can only be partially acquainted with the events which actually influence our life and our final destiny.
There are innumerable other events which do not leave any impression on us. If we were to know all the
changes in our fortunes, life would be too full of hope and fear, joy and disappointment to afford us a single
hour of true serenity. This idea may be illustrated by a page from the secret history of David Swan.
We first met David, at the age of twenty, on the high road from his native place to the city of Boston.
His uncle, a small grocer, was to employ him behind the counter there. Since he had been journeying on foot
from sunrise till nearly noon on a summer's day, he was tired. He decided to sit down in the first convenient
shade and await the coming up of the stagecoach. The spring murmured drowsily beside him. A deep sleep
fell upon David Swan.
He had slept only a few moments when a brown carriage drawn by a handsome pair of horses was
brought to a standstill nearly in front of David's resting place. A linchpin had fallen out making one of the
wheels to slide off. While the coachman and a servant were replacing the wheel, the lady and gentleman
sheltered themselves beneath the trees. They saw the bubbling fountain, and David Swan asleep beside it,
The merchant trod as lightly as his gout would allow. His wife took good heed not to rustle her silk gown, lest
David should wake up all of a sudden. The longer they looked, more did this elderly couple feel interested in
the unknown youth. Perceiving that a stray sunbeam glimmered down upon his face, the lady twisted a
branch aside to intercept it. Having done this little act of kindness, she began to feel like a mother to him.
"Providence seems to have laid him here," whispered she to her husband, "and to nave brought us
here to find him, after our disappointment in our cousin's son. I think I Can see a likeness to our departed
Henry. Shall we wake him?"
"To what purpose?" said the merchant, hesitating. "We know nothing of the youth's character."
"That open countenance," replied his wife, in the same hushed voice, "that Innocent sleep shows his
character."
While these whispers were passing, the sleeper's heart did not throb, nor his breath become
agitated, nor his features betray the least token of interest. Yet fortune was bending over him, just ready to
let fall a burden of gold. The old merchant had lost his only son. He had no heir to his wealth, except a distant
relative, with whose conduct he was dissatisfied.
"Shall we not wake him?" repeated the lady persuasively.
 "The coach is ready, sir," said the servant, behind.
The old couple started, reddened, and hurried away. They wondered whether they should ever have
dreamt of doing anything so very ridiculous.

(a) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options
provided: [3]
(i) rustle
(a) become calm (b) silence (c) make noise (d) make peace
(ii) glimmered
(a) dulled (b) flashed (c) dimmed (d) darkened
(iii) intercept
(a) stop (b) increase (c) aid (d) allow

(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

(i) How can you conclude from the passage that the lady had motherly feelings for David? [2]
(ii) What made David as well as the old couple take shelter beneath the trees? [2]
(iii) Why was the lady interested in David? [1]
(iv) Give the meaning of: "Yet fortune was bending over him, just ready to let fall a burden of
gold." [2]
(v) What principle does the author want to highlight from the incident about David? [2]
(c) In not more than 50 words, state how David was unlucky to lose a good fortune. [8]

Question 5.
(a) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy
the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
[4]
Example: (0) employed
In the olden days, when merchant ships usually …………(0)………… (employ) teenage boys as part of
the crew, a lad …………(1)………… (apply) for one of these jobs. The owner of the …………(2)………… (ship)
company asked him what he …………(3)………… (can) do.
"I can do my best," the boy answered, "to do what you are kind enough …………(4)………… (let) me
try."
"What have you done?" asked the owner.
“I …………(5)………… (saw) and split wood for my mother for nearly two years,” replied the boy.
"What have you not done?" asked the employer.
After some …………(6)………… (think) the boy said, "I have not gossiped in school for over a year."
"That is enough," said the merchant, "I …………(7)………… (take) you aboard my vessel and I hope
someday …………(8)………… (see) you as its captain. A boy who can master a wood-pile and control his
tongue must have good stiff in him."
(b) Fill in each blank with appropriate words. [4]
(i) The burglar broke …………………… under questioning.
(ii) How did such a situation come ……………………… .
(iii) The Sports Day went ………………………… well this year.
(iv) The company has taken …………………… a number of small firms.
(v) The lightning flashed ……………………… the sky.
(vi) The soldiers held the fort …………………… all attacks.
(vii) The scheme has fallen ……………………… for want of financial support.
(viii) I gave ……………………… all my old books.
(c) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using 'and', 'but' or 'so'.
Choose the correct option. [4]
(i) I speak the truth. I am not afraid of it.
a) I speak the truth being not afraid of it.
b) I am not afraid of speaking the truth.
c) I am not afraid for speaking the truth.
d) I am not afraid to speaking the truth.
(ii) He injured his foot. He was running the race.
a) He injured his foot while running the race.
b) He injured his foot because he ran in the race.
c) He was running the race for he injured his foot.
d) He injured his foot after he was running the race.
(iii) Turn to the right. You will find the shop.
a) You will find the shop before you turn to the right.
b) Turning to the right, you will find the shop.
c) You will not find the shop if you turn to the right.
d) Turning to the right, you may find the shop.
(iv) Read good books. Then you can improve your language.
a) By reading good books you cannot improve your language.
b) Read good books for you can improve your language.
c) Unless you read good books you cannot improve your language.
d) Unless you read good books you can improve your language.
(d) Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. Choose the
correct options. [8]

(i) Alexander conquered many countries, yet he was not happy. (Begin: In spite of....)
a) In spite of conquering many countries, Alexander was not happy.
b) In spite of he conquered many countries, yet Alexander was not happy.
c) In spite of Alexander conquering many countries, yet he is not happy.
d) In spite of Alexander conquering many countries, yet he was not happy.
(ii) There's no point in taking a loan if we cannot repay it. (Begin: What's ....)
a) What's the point of taking a loan when we cannot repay it?
b) What's the point of taking a loan if we will not repay it?
c) What's the point in taking the loan if we cannot repay it?
d) What's the point of taking a loan if we should repay it?
(iii) He had not been invited otherwise he would have come. (Begin: Had....)
a) Had he not been invited otherwise he would have come.
b) Had he be invited otherwise he would have come.
c) Had he been invited otherwise he would have come.
d) Had he been invited he would have come.
(iv) Simmi is the best singer we have. (Begin: We don't ....)
a) We don't have a best singer than Simmi.
b) We don't have a singer as good as Simmi.
c) We didn't have a best singer than Simmi.
d) We didn't have a better singer than Simmi.
(v) There is no success without hard work. (Begin: Wherever ...)
a) Wherever there is no hardwork, there is no success.
b) Wherever there is hardwork, there is success.
c) Wherever there is hardwork, there is no success.
d) Wherever there is success, there will be hardwork.
(vi) Nitin requested Bela to wait there till he returned. (Begin: Nitin said …….)
a) Nitin said Bela wait till I return.
b) Nitin said to Bela, "Wait there till I return".
c) Nitin said to Bela to wait here till he returns.
d) Nitin said to Bela, "Wait here till I return"
(vii) Crossing the road at a busy junction is dangerous. (Begin: It …….)
a) It is dangerous to cross the road at a busy junction.
b) It is dangerous crossing the road at a busy junction.
c) It is dangerous to cross the road in a busy junction.
d) It is dangerous crossing the road in a busy junction.
(viii) Because Rakesh's leg was fractured, the doctor forbade him to go out. (Use: forbidden to
go out.)
a) Having Rakesh's fractured leg, he was forbidden to go out by the doctor.
b) Having Rakesh's leg fractured, he was forbidden to go out by the doctor.
c) His leg being fractured, Rakesh was forbidden by the doctor to go out.
d) Having fractured his leg, Rakesh was forbidden to go out by the doctor.