Class 10 English: CBSE Sample Question Paper- (2019-20) - 6 | CBSE Sample Papers For Class 10 PDF Download

(Section - A)

Q.1. Read the passage carefully :
For millions of people in India, river Ganga is the most sacred river. It is considered as 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 river water of Ganga is used for irrigation, transportation and fishing. The Gangetic plain formed by river Ganga is one of the most fertile lands on earth. This is why almost 10% of the world population lives here and earns its livelihood. The Ganga, in India is the most worshipped body of water. 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. 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. To achieve these objectives, 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 reading of the passage given above answer the following questions :
(a) The Ganga is a lifeline to millions of people who ............ 
(i) live in Haridwar 
(ii) live along its course 
(iii) live in India 
(iv) live near it 
Ans.(ii)
(b) Judging from the amount of water that flows through it, Ganga i s ............. largest river in the world. 
(i) second 
(ii) third 
(iii) fourth 
(iv) first
Ans. (ii)
(c) Form illions of people in India Ganga is the................. 
(i) longest river 
(ii) largest river 
(iii) most sacred river 
(iv) most useful river 
Ans. (iii)
(d) Irony lies in the fact that inspite of being the most worshipped, river, Ganga is also .......... 
(i) the largest river 
(ii) the dirtiest one 
(iii) the most sacred river 
(iv) the lifeline of millions 
Ans. (ii)
(e) The coal based power plants add to ................
(i) beauty of the river
(ii) pollution of the river
(iii) the usefulness of the river
(iv) the strength of the river 
Ans. (ii)
(f) The main pillars of 'Namami Gauge Programme' are ............... 
(i) Sewage treatment and afforestation 
(ii) river surface cleaning and public awareness 
(iii) river front development and sewage treatment 
(iv) sewage treatment/ river surface cleaning, afforestation and public awareness
Ans. (iv)
(g) The water of Ganga is used ............... irrigation, transport and fishing.
Ans. for
(h) Metals thrown out of tanneries add to pollution of Ganga. (True/False)
Ans. True

Q.2. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow : 
1. Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. Some species like Russell’s viper inject poison. Some others opt for an alternative non-chemical method — rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground, while pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can’t be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories. 
2. Even species listed as non-poisonous aren’t completely free of poison. The common Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions, particularly poisonous to birds. So the species doesn’t take any chance - it crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step. 
3. Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop ? After all, they eat only one or two at a time. 
4. While hunting animals try their worst to kill most efficiently, their prey use any trick to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison. For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison. 
5. Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more deadly poison. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves. 
6. Some snake killers have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are highly resistant to cobra poison, and with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly. It would be the death of cobras as a species if they didn’t evolve a more deadly poison to stop mongooses. 
7. Poison has another important role. It’s an extreme meat softener; specific enzymes break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun’s warm rays to aid digestion. 
8. But I wonder if we cannot use venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local hospitality often involves leather-tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaws ache. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like a python stuffing a deer down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison.
2.1. Read the questions given below and answer any four in 30-40 words each :
(а) Russell viper and rat snake have different methods to attack prey. How ?
(b) How does Sand Boa kill its prey ?
(c) There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey ? Why ?
(d) What makes mongoose a snake predator ?
(e) What difficulty does the writer face when he is entertained in the remote parts of India ?
Ans.
(a) Russell viper injects poison while rat snakes catch and push their prey against the ground.
(b) The Sand Boa produces secretions particularly poisonous to birds. It crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step.
(c) There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey because their prey use all tricks to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison.
(d) A mongoose is highly resistant to cobra poison and its speed and agility, enables it to kill snakes fearlessly, thereby making it a snake predator.
(e) In the remote parts of India he is offered leather tough meat which he chews and chews till his jaws ache. He cannot spit it or refuse it because he does not want to offend his hosts so he just swallows it.
2.2. On the basis of your reading of the above passage fill in any two of the following blanks :
(i) Over powering   _______ is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs.
(a) a killer 
(b) humans
(c) a python 
(d) prey
Ans. (d) prey
(iii) Poison __________ meat.
(a) enhances taste of 
(b) hardens
(c) softens
(d) breaks down
Ans. (c) softens
(iii) Californian squirrels are ________ rattlesnake poison.
(a) afraid of  
(b) helpless against
(c) resistant to 
(d) indifferent to
Ans. (c) resistant to

2.3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as (any two) :
(а) Another  (para 1)
(b) Liquid substances released from  glands (para 2)
(c) Particular (para 7)
Ans.
(a) Alternative
(b) Secretions
(c) Specific

(Section - B)

Q.3. You are Rahul/Rajni, living at 5, M.G. Road Chandigarh. You read an advertisement about one month Course in Accounting through computers to be organised by Logic Learning Limited, 1 Patel Road, Chandigarh. You wish to join this course. Write a letter to the advertisers seeking all the relevant information about the course.
Or
The appearance of mega malls and multiplexes increases the growth and development of city. At the same time these high and shopping complexes and multiplexes give rise to materialism in terms of excessive and unnecessary spending; and they also create environmental hazards. Write an article expressing your views on the problems created by this rapid urbanization. (100-150 words)
Ans.
5 MG Road
Chandigarh
4 May 20....
The Director
Logic Learning Limited
Patel Road
Chandigarh'

Sir
Subject: Inquiry about the Computer Course
This is in response to your advertisement in The Tribune about one month Course in Accounting through computers. I would like to join this course. Would you kindly let me know the following at the earliest ?
(a) minimum qualification for eligibility to join the course
(b) date of commencement and fee
(c) job prospects after doing this course
I have recently passed B.Com Final, and I wish to become an accountant. Looking forward to an early reply.
Yours sincerely
Rahul
Or
Mega Malls
Mega malls and multiplexes give importance to the city and generate employment for the people in the area. They have made our life simple and easy. But they make us spend more. We are attracted by several items in the mega malls which we don't need. But we buy them. This involves an unnecessary expenditure. We hardly realize that these malls cause pollution. The stores inside the mega malls stock home products like food items that pollute the air inside the malls. The stock of plastic bags and items of leather pollute the air. The use of air-conditioners on a large scale produces greenhouse gases which ultimately contribute to global warming. The rapid urbanization has become a health hazard for the people. Ways should be found to minimise the hazardous effect of rapid urbanization.

Q.4. Write a story in 150-200 words with the help of the following outline. Give it a suitable title also.
Bunya was a foolish boy, who was an attention seeker. He was a woodcutter and would go deep into the jungle to cut trees. One day he wanted to do an act of mischief. He shouted at the top of his voice, “There’s a tiger, tiger, there’s a tiger”
Or
On Sunday I was watching TV. Suddenly I heard people shouting outside.....
Ans. Bunya was a foolish boy, who was an attention seaker. He was a woodcutter and would go deep into the jungle to cut trees. One day he wanted to do an act of mischief. He shouted at the top of his voice, “There ’s a tiger, tiger, there’s a tiger ....” The villagers, stopped th eir work came rushing with sticks in their hands, making loud noises, to frighten the tiger. But when they reached the spot Bunya started laughing loudly. ‘I have befooled you! Ha, Ha, Ha!” The villagers were very annoyed but they forgave him, after all he was just a child. Bunya’s mother warned him not to repeat the false alarm again. Time passed and people forgot about the incident. Bunya went back to the woods but as he was resting under a tree, he saw a real tiger this time. He shouted ‘Tiger, Tiger, Help! Help! but no one came to his rescue. Luckily for Bunya there was a hunter, nearby who fired a shot and the loud report of the gun was enough to frighten the tiger. Bunya was saved but it was a lesson learnt. No one had believed him this time and look what his mischief could have cost him!
Or
On Sunday, I was watching TV. Suddenly I heard people shouting outside. Curious to know what was happening I, too, rushed out and lo! I saw a big snake almost 6 feet in length, and the crowd armed with sticks, all set to kill it. With its hood up, the snake was in no mood to spare its attackers. Some men armed with long bamboo sticks, were trying to hit it. I could see that the snake was wounded, but had not given up the fight. Luckily for the snake someone had informed the forest department about it and they came to its rescue. They pushed the crowd away and took control of the situation. Trained in catching snakes, slowly, they went towards it, one of them was carrying a gunny bag. I witnessed the struggle between man and animal. Even the trained Forest gaurds struggled. The agitated snake was swiftly moving in all directions, ready to spew venom into its attackers. Then one of them shot a tranquiliser at the snake. They could manage to subdue it after a good fifteen minutes. Then gradually, it lost its agility, the tranquiliser seemed to be working. And now, one gaurd, got it on the special stich he had and forced its head into the gunny bag, held by another gaurd. Quickly they closed the bag and once again man won! But this time, not to kill it but to take it to the woods and set it free.

Q.5. Complete the following passage and fill in the blanks with suitable words.
Gardening was her ___1___ joy. She loved getting her hands dirty __ 2 ___  'decorating' the landscape with reds, pinks, and blues. Although she loved gardening, tears came __ 3 ___ her eyes as she watered her plants because usually at this time, her grandson Mohan,___4___ be with her
1. 
i. great 
ii. greatest 
iii. the 
iv. good 
2. 
i. in 
ii. into 
iii. as 
iv. while 
3. 
i. from 
ii. down 
iii. into 
iv. of 
4. 
i. would 
ii. will 
iii. ought 
iv. won't
Ans. GAP FILLING
1 . ii. greatest
2. iv. while
3 . iii. into
4 . i. would

Q.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 against the correct blank number. 

Ans.


Q.7. Rearrange any four of the following words/phrases to make meaningful sentences : 
1. that life/began/centuries ago/scientists think/twenty million/on earth/about 
2. endless process/the plants and animals/of evolution/are the product/of an 
3. are/their/animals/products of/all the/environment
4. lose/habitat/human/due to/their/the animals/encroachment
5. the/habitat/regrowth/rate of/is/very slow/of
Ans. 
1. Scientists think that life began on earth about twenty million centuries ago.
2. The plants and animals are the product of an endless process of evolution.
3. All of the environment products are their animals.
4. The animals lose their habitat due to human encroachment.
5. The regrowth rate of habitat is very slow.

(Section - C)

Q.8. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
When I casually mentioned this to a friend, he casually replied that I had better get one in the Tigris marshes, for there they were as common as mosquitoes, and were often tamed by the Arabs. We were going to Basra to the Consulate-General to collect and answer our mail from Europe. At the Consulate- General we found that my friend's mail had arrived but that mine had not.
(a) The author found at the Consulate - General .............
(i) his friend
(ii) his friend's mail
(iii) his own mail
(iv) an otter
Ans. (ii) his friend's mail
(b) What were tamed by the Arabs ?
(i) camels
(ii) mosquitoes
(iii) otters
(iv) shell fish
Ans. (iii) otters
(c) "They" referred to here are .............
Ans. otters
(d) "That" mine had not" means............
Ans. my mail had not arrived
Or
"In one month you will be able to read this book. Then I will give you a bigger book, then a still bigger one. In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village. Then no one will ever be able to laugh at you. People will listen to you with respect and you will be able to speak without the slightest stammer. Understand ? Now go home, and come back early tomorrow morning/''
(a) The tone of the speaker is    
(i) soft 
(ii) encouraging
(iii) commanding 
(iv) frightening
Ans. (ii) encouraging
(b) The listener will overcome her stammering when she..........       
(i) becomes learned 
(ii)  grows up
(iii) speaks with confidence  
(iv) begins to browbeat others
Ans. (i) becomes learned 
(c) The speaker here is the .......
Ans. The headmistress 
(d) "Without the slightest stammer means that ........
Ans. She will be able to speak confidently and fluently.

Q.9. Answer any five of the following questions in 30-40 words each :
(i) How did Kisa Gotami realise that life and death is a normal process ?
Ans. Kisa Gotami, had come to Gautama Buddha, asking for medicine to cure her son, who had died. He asked her to get mustard seeds from a house where noone had died. She went from house to house but could not find even a single-family where they had not lost a dear and near one. This made her realise that life and death are natural processes.
(ii) Why did Maddie write a note to Peggy and then to reit ?
Ans. Maddie wrote a note to Peggy but tore it because she did not have the courage to antagonise Peggy. She did not want to become Peggy’s and the other girls’ new target. She wanted Peggy to realise not to make fun of Wanda on her own accord.
(iii) How can you say that Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely honest ?
Ans. Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely honest because he robbed a safe every year only to finance his hobby of collecting rare and expensive books. He also used to take away only as much booty as he needed for buying books for one year.
(iv) What difficulty do the crew of the space probe face on the Earth ?
Ans. The crew of the space probe landed in a library. They did not know about books so they were made to eat a book. First they were ordered to listen to them and then to see them. They ate their vitamins and read out the rhymes, convincing Think-Tank of the earthlings plan to invade Mars and kill him and ordered to evacuate the earth.
(v) What was the most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street ?
Ans. The most fascinating thing that Valli saw on the street was the local bus, travelling between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once coming back, with a new set of passengers, each time.
(vi) What motivated the postmaster decide to help Lencho ?
Ans. The postmaster was impressed by Lencho’s faith in God so he decided to collect money for him, put it in the mail box with just God written on it, so that Lencho would think it was God who had sent the money.
(vii) Why did the hack driver help the narrator to look for Oliver Lutkins ?
Ans. The hack driver was Oliver Lutkins, himself, but he pretended to be Bill Magnuson. He not only wanted to earn a quick buck from him but also wanted to have some fun by posing as Bill Magnuson and taking him around the village looking for Oliver Lutkins.

Q.10. The proposal was forgotten amidst argumentation. Which right approach should have been followed by both parties?
OR
When did the author decide to have an otter as a pet? How did he get an otter?
Ans.
PROSE-THE PROPOSAL
Lomov came to Chubukovs to propose Natalya. Both are neighbours and at the right age to marry. But instead of taking the proposal forward both of them started fighting over some or the other matter. Firstly they fought over a small piece of land called oxen meadows both of them claimed that the land belonged to them and not the other one. Somehow the argument came to an end and they started fighting over dogs and claimed each of their dogs better than the other ones. The proposal was forgotten amidst all these arguments. The situation might be different if both the parties had followed the right approach. Oxen meadows would belong to both of them if they got married. Similarly, dogs are the very trivial thing to argue about while marriage is going to take place. Both should have dropped their ego and should have been polite and patient to each other.
OR
PROSE- MIJBIL THE OTTER
The author had a pet dog named Jonnie. When Jonnie died, his life without a pet was lonely. In 1956, he went to Southern Iraq. He had decided by then that he would keep an otter as a pet instead of a dog. His home in Scotland had much water around it. So it would be suitable for an otter. The author shared this idea with a friend. He supported the idea and suggested that he should take an otter from the Tigris marshes. He said that otters were in plenty at that place. One day, the author found two Arabs in his room. They had brought a sack with them. In the sack, there was an otter.

Q.11. Matilda's over ambitiousness was the cause of her destruction. Justify.(100-150 words)
Or
Bholi is a child different from others. This difference makes her an ob j ect of neglect and laughter. Elaborate.
Ans. Matilda was a young pretty woman with high ambitions. She was dreamy and overambitious. This proved to be the cause of her destruction. Though she was born in a poor family/ she dreamt of being loved and admired by the rich. One day, her husband brought her an invitation for a party at the minister's residence. Matilda borrowed a diamond necklace to wear at the party. Matilda was extremely happy. She was the centre of attraction at the party. But the necklace was lost and the Loisels had to borrow a huge amount of money to get a similar necklace. The happiness of their life was spoilt. After ten years of hard life, Matilda came to know that the diamonds she had worn at the party were false. But now it was too late. Matilda looked like an old woman without any physical charm. It all happened due to her bad luck.
Or
There are two Bholis in the story named ''Bholi". One Bholi is a simpleton. She is dull and witless. She has no confidence. Other children make fun of her when she stammers. Her onwn mother mistreats her. She is regarded as a burden by her father.
She has to wear the old dresses of her elder sisters. Nobody takes her seriously. After her education, Bholi becomes Sulekha in the real sense. Her class teacher encourages her in her studies. She gives her books to read. She encourages her to become the most learned person in the whole village. She no longer stammers. She learns to speak out for her rights as a person. Her education is put to test at the time of her marriage. Her parents settle her marriage with an older man who is rich and greedy. This man named Bishamber has children from his first marriage. He is lame also. Still he demands five thousand rupees as dowry at the time of marriage. Bholi makes a hard decision about her life. She rejects this man who is mean, greedy and contemptible. Thus, Bholi's whole personality undergoes a complete transformation. She prefers to be a school teacher and not be a helpless and hopeless housewife.