CBSE Question Paper 2010 Class 10 English Language and Literature

CBSE Question Paper 2010 Class 10 English Language and Literature conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi in the month of March 2010. CBSE previous year question papers with the solution are available in myCBSEguide mobile app and website. The Best CBSE App for students and teachers is myCBSEguide which provides complete study material and practice papers to CBSE schools in India and abroad.

Question Paper 2010 Class 10 English Language and Literature

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Class 10 English Language and Literature list of chapters

Footprints

1. A Triumph of Surgery
2. The Thief’s Story
3. The Midnight Visitor
4. A Question of Trust
5. Footprints without Feet
6. The Making of a Scientist
7. The Necklace
8. The Hack Driver
9. Bholi
10. The Book That Saved the Earth

First Flight

1. A Letter to God
2. Long Walk to Freedom
3. Two Stories about Flying
4. From the Diary of Anne Frank
5. The Hundred Dresses I
6. The Hundred Dresses II
7. Glimpses of India
8. Mijbil the Otter
9. Madam Rides the Bus
10. The Sermon at Benares
11. The Proposal

First Flight (Poem)

1. Dust of snow
2. Fire and Ice
3. A Tiger in the Zoo
4. How to Tell Wild Animals
5. The Ball Poem
6. Amanda
7. Animals
8. The Trees
9. Fog
10. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
11. For Anne Gregory

CBSE Question Paper 2010 Class 10 English Language and Literature

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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

(i) This paper consists of four Sections.

Section A – Reading 20 marks

Section B – Writing 20 marks

Section C – Grammar 15 marks

Section D – Text Books 45 marks

(ii) All questions are compulsory.

(iii) Marks are indicated against each question.

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SECTION A (Reading) (20 Marks)

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (12 marks)

1. The exchange of greetings among people is very common. The most popular medium for this is the greetings card. It is usually sent by post. It is an illustrated message that expresses friendship, love, affection, goodwill, gratitude or some similar sentiment. Greeting cards are also sent to convey congratulations, thanks or get-well messages.

2. The practice of exchanging these cards between friends is an ancient one. The ancient Egyptians celebrated New Year by giving each other symbolic presents like scent bottles and mud tablets with the inscription “Good luck to you.” In ancient Rome, the medium of expression was a branch of an olive tree. Their leaves were coated with gold.

3. The practice of sending greetings for the New Year continued in Europe through the early days of the millennium. Then came the printing press. With its commercial use by 18th and 19th centuries, the exchange of New Year cards by merchants and tradesmen became very ordinary and uninteresting. Postal stamps and envelopes were introduced in 1840. They made the process of sending or passing the greetings from one person or place to another very convenient. The modern-day greetings card became definite and clear in 1843 when the first Christmas card with season’s greetings was designed in Britain. The commercial production of greeting cards became fully established by 1860.

4. There are several means of conveying greetings but the public post remains the most popular. In modern times technology has greatly developed. There is almost a revolution in the field of communication. With the availability of this technology, electronic mail is also being increasingly used for sending greetings.

5. In India, the practice of sending greeting card was begun by the British. This practice still continues. We send greeting cards on occasions like New Year, Christmas, Diwali, Pongal, Durga Puja, Baisakhi, Bihu, and other regional festivals.

Answer the following questions briefly:

(a) Why do the people send greeting cards? 

(b) What symbolic presents did the Egyptians send on the eve of the New Year? 

(c) How did the ancient Romans convey their greetings? 

(d) What effect did the printing press bring on the exchange of New Year cards? 

(e) What changes were brought about with the introduction of postal stamps and envelopes? 

(f) Who introduced this practice in India? 

(g) Find out from the passage the adverb form of the words given below: 

(i) usual (Para 1)

(ii) great (Para 4)

(h) Find out from the passage the word which means the same as the following: 

‘sense of being thankful for forever’ (Para 1)

2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (8 marks)

A little girl was fond of asking new questions day after day. One day she asked her mother, “Mummy, which one is good – an apple or a pear, a rose or a jasmine, a ball or a doll?”

The mother answered her questions easily but this time she was confused. How could she definitely say that one thing was good and the other was not? However, she evaded the answer somehow.

But after a few days, the little girl posed another question, “Mummy, is a story good or a song?”

This time the mother was well prepared and told the little girl that she would ask her a question first to which she should give a thoughtful reply. The mother then asked, “Tell me, is the sun god or the sky?”

The little girl thought and thought but could not find the right answer. She looked at the sky and then at the sun. It was indeed very difficult for her to decide in favor of either of the two since both were stunningly beautiful. Besides both were so close and inseparable.

The little girl now understood the point. Thereafter she never asked which one was good – this or that. Now she began to ask, “What is good in stories? What is good in songs?” And the mother answered her questions happily.

(a) What was the little girl fond of? 

(b) Why did the little girl’s question confuse the mother? 

(c) How did the mother solve the problem? 

(d) Why could the girl not decide in favor of either the sun or the sky? 

(e) What did she understand now? How did she change herself? 

SECTION B (Writing) (20 Marks)

3. You are Pulkit / Prachi, a resident of 221, Pocket V, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi. Your elder sister has suddenly fallen ill just before a competitive examination. Write a letter to your father who is away on a business tour to Mumbai, informing him about her condition. Also, ask him to return as early as possible. (8 marks)

OR

You recently visited a government hospital. You were shocked to see the poor state of sanitation. Write a letter to the Director of Health Services requesting him to pay urgent attention to this situation and take remedial measures. You are Lokesh/Lalita, D-76, Anandpur, Delhi.

4. Physical punishment is given to students in various ways all over the country. This practice is very undesirable. Punishment is sometimes so harsh that it almost amounts to cruelty. Write an article, in about 80 words, on this bad practice and how it should be totally banned. You are Yash/Yashika. (8 marks)

OR

Smoking is the greatest cause of death in the world. Still, the people do not give it up. Taking ideas from the hints given below, write a paragraph in about 80 words on the topic, ‘Smoking is injurious to health and how to control it.’

greatest killer: – causes deadly diseases such as cancer, bronchitis. heart attack etc. – shortens 1ife – starts just for fun or for exploring new things – ends up in addiction – requires strong willpower – exposure to spiritual practices – effective laws.

5. You are Ambika/ Ajay, a reporter. On your visit to the countryside, you saw the students celebrating Teacher’s Day in a very simple but noble manner by garlanding their teachers, applying sandalwood paste to their foreheads, presenting simple sweets purchased with their petty collection and displaying cultural items. Write a report in about 60 words for your paper. (4 marks)

OR

You are a reporter. On Diwali, you visited the city and saw certain incidents of minor fire. You took the notes which are given below. Using the information write a report in about 60 words.

minor fire – incidents in the capital- Diwali – seven incidents due to firecrackers – putting out the fire – a dozen fire tenders – deployed -fire extinguished – police alertness seen

SECTION C (Grammar) (15 Marks)

6. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet as given below against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the word that you have supplied. (½x6=3 marks)

Summers in Delhi are extremely hot.             e.g. extreme – extremely

Hot dry winds, known as ‘loo’                        (a)

blow over a capital. Monsoon                       (b)

showers of the month of July                       (c)

and August makes the city look                    (d)

green or beautiful. Delhi is                           (e)

full of historically important buildings.      (f)

7. Fil1 in the fol1owing blanks with suitable non-finite: (½x4=2 marks)

A bank employee was sent to jail for (a) _________________ (deceive) the bank customers. He used (b) _________ (transfer) money from their accounts into his wife’s account. Soon after (c) _________ (discover) his fraud, the bank dismissed him immediately. (d) _____________ (hold) him guilty the judge also sentenced him to three years’ jail.

8. Read the dialogue and complete the passage given below. Write the correct answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers. Do not copy the whole sentences. (1×3=3 marks)

Umang: Parnika, will you go to the school fete tomorrow?

Parnika: Yes, if you and Aanya go there.

Umang: What will you wear?

Parnika: Blue jeans and orange top.

Umang asked Parnika (a) __________________ the day after. Parnika replied that she would go in case (b)______________________. Umang then enquired (c) _____________. Parnika told her that she would wear blue jeans and an orange top.

9. Look at the words and phrases given below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences. The first one has been done as an example. Write the correct sentences in your answer sheet. Remember to number the answers correctly. (1×2=2 marks)

Example:

is / Tamil / Rajni Kanth / actor / famous / a

Rajni Kanth is a famous Tamil actor.

(a) on / was / December 12, / he / 1950 / born

(b) ‘Padma Bhushan’ / for his / he / cinema / the Indian / received / to / contribution

10. Look at the sentences given below and complete the paragraph that follows. Write the correct answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers. Do not copy the whole sentences. (1×3=3 marks)

(a) Avoid all kinds of sweets.

(b) The body absorbs sugar very quickly.

(c) It increases energy only for the time being.

Taking sugar is not the best way to increase energy. According to experts all kinds of sweets (a) __________________. Sugar (b) ____________ very quickly and energy (c) ___________ only for the time being.

11. The underlined words in the following passage have been used inappropriately. Replace them with their appropriate forms. Write the answers in your answer sheet against the correct numbers. Do not copy the whole passage. (½x4=2 marks)

Hardev Singh got an award for him (a) contribute to the welfare of the aged. He had gone into (b) depress 10 years ago after the death of his wife. He started visiting senior citizens in his (c) neighbor. He visited them to inquire if they were in any (d) difficult. It helped him come out of his own depression.

SECTION D (Text Books) (45 Marks)

12. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answers in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number the answers correctly. (5 marks)

The class roared. I had to laugh too, though I’d nearly exhausted my ingenuity on the topic of chatterboxes. It was time to come up with something else, something original. My friend, Sanne, who’s good at poetry, offered to help me write the essay from beginning to end in verse and I jumped for joy. Mr. Keesing was trying to play a joke on me with this ridiculous subject, but I’d make sure the joke was on him.

(a) Why did the class laugh heartily? 

(b) What did Anne decide to do this time? 

(c) What was the help offered by her friend? 

(d) How did Keesing try to play a joke on Anne? 

(e) Pick out a word from the passage which is the adjective form of ‘ridicule.’ 

13. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answers in your answer sheet in one or two lines only. Remember to number the answers correctly. (5 marks)

The baker made his musical entry on the scene with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with “Good morning” and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered to the servant.

(a) How did the baker announce his arrival? 

(b) What did he carry with him? 

(c) What would be his first act after his arrival on the scene? 

(d) Why were the children pushed aside? 

(e) Which word in the passage means the same as ‘an expression of disapproval / scolding’? 

14. Answer the following question in about 80 words. (6 marks)

What did the pilot of the Dakota encounter 150 kilometers away from Paris? Recount his experience inside the black clouds.

OR

Why do you think Kisa Gotami understood the reality the second time? In what way did the Buddha change her understanding?

15. Answer the following question in 30-40 words. (4 marks)

Who is Lomov? Why does he visit Chubukov?

OR

Is Natalya really a love-sick cat as called by her father? If it is so, why does she quarrel with Lomov?

16. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answers in your answer sheet. Remember to number the answers correctly. (4 marks)

Belinda lived in a little white house,

With a little black kitten and a little grey mouse,

And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,

And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

(a) Who is the mistress of the house? 

(b) How many pets does she have? 

(c) ‘Kitten,’ ‘mouse’ and ‘dog’ are enemies to each other. What effect do you think they create here? 

(d) What is the rhyme scheme in the stanza? 

(a) What is the boy doing? 

(b) What has happened to the ball? 

(c) What is the state of the boy’s mind? 

17. Answer any two of the following questions in 30-40 words each on the basis of the lines given below: (6 marks)

(a) ‘I think I know enough of hate …..’

What does the poet mean by knowing enough of hate? 

(b) ‘The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet’

Why does Amanda say so? 

(c) ‘Not one is respectable or unhappy

Over the whole earth.’

Who is the poet talking about? What is their state of mind? 

18. Answer the following question in 80-100 words: (8 marks)

God created this world but teachers create human beings. How does Bholi’s teacher succeed in changing the course of her life?

OR

Ausable has the ability to think quickly, act calmly and wisely in a situation of danger and surprise. Do you agree? Support your answer from the story that you have read.

19. Answer the following question in 30-40 words: (4 marks)

How did Hari Singh realize that Anil knew that his money had been stolen?

OR

Why did Richard Ebright give up tagging butterflies?

20. Answer the following question in 20-30 words: (3 marks)

Why did Matilda not like to visit her friend Mme? Forestier?

OR

How does Think-Tank compare the Martians with the people of the Earth?

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Last Year Question Paper Class 10 English Language and Literature

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