English - Language and Literature All India Set 1 2014-2015 English Medium Class 10 Question Paper Solution

Read the passage given below :

Kausani is situated at a height of 6,075 feet in the Central Himalayas. It is an unusally attractive little town. It covers just about 5.2 sq. kms. It lies to the north of Almora in Uttarakhand's picturesque kumaon region.

Kausani provides the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas. It is the most striking aspect of the place. Snow-capped peaks are spread in a stately row. They stare at you in silvery white majesty. The most famous peak on view is Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India. It is situated at a height of 25.645 feet and 36 miles away as the crow files. The other famous peaks on view are choukhamba (23,420 feet) and Trishul (23,360 feet). Then there are also Nilkanth, Nandaghunti, Nandaghat and Nandakot. On a clear day, the blue of the sky makes a splendid background to these peaks. At sunrise and at sunset, when the colour changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in your memory.

When Gandhiji visited this place in 1929, its scenic beauty held him spellbound. He named it the 'Switzerland of Indian'. He prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days, making time to write a book, 'Anashakti Yoga'. The place where he was staying was originally a guest-house of the tea estate. It was renamed 'Anashakti Ashram' after the book.

Kausani is the birthplace of Sumitranandan Pant, India's poet laureate. Its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems. Its tea gardens mingle with dense pine forests and fruit orchards. The area is also host to many fairs and religious caremonies. If Uttaranchal is the abode of gods, Kausani is God's own backyard. There is no traffic, no one is in a hurry. If serenity could be put on a canvas, the picture would resemble Kausani.

On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions :

(a) Where is Kausani situated ?

(b) What is the most striking aspect of Kausani ?

(c) Which is the most famous peak on view from Kausani ?

(d) How did Kausani influence Sumitranandan Pant ?

(e) When does the view of peaks become so memorable ?

(f)  How can we say that Gandhiji was greatly charmed by the natural beauty of Kausani ?

(g) What makes Kausani a calm and quiet place ?

(h) Why, do you think, is Kausani known as 'God' s own backyard' ?

Read the passage given below:

1. I rested for a moment at the door of Anand Bhawan, on Market Road, where coffee-drinkers and tiffin-eaters sat still at their tables, uttering low moans on seeing me. I wanted to assure them, "Don't mind me, you hugging the cash box − you are a coward, afraid even to breathe. Go on, count the cash, if that is your pleasure. I just want to watch, that's all. If my tail trails down to the street, if I am blocking your threshold, it is because, I'm told, I'm eleven feet tip to tail. I can't help it. I'm not out to kill − I'm too full. I found a green pasture full of food on my way. I won't attack until I feel hungry again. Tigers attack only when they feel hungry, unlike human beings who slaughter one another without purpose or hunger."

2. To the great delight of children, schools were being hurriedly closed. Children of all ages and sizes were running helter-skelter, screaming joyously. "No school, no school. Tiger, tiger!" They were shouting and laughing and even enjoying being scared. They seemed to welcome me. I felt like joining them. So I bounded away from the restaurant door. I walked along with them, at which they cried, 'The tiger is coming to eat us; let us get back to school!"

3. I followed them through their school gate while they ran up and shut themselves in the school hall securely. I climbed up the steps of the school, saw an open door at the far end of a veranda, and walked in. It happened to be the headmaster's room. I noticed a very dignified man jumping on the table and heaving himself up into an attic. I walked in and flung myself on the cool floor, having a special liking for cool stone floors.

4. As I drowsed, I was aware of cautious steps and hushed voices all around. I was in no mood to bother about anything. All I wanted was a little moment of sleep; the daylight was very bright.

On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:

(a) How did the diners at Anand Bhawan react on seeing the tiger?

(b) When do tigers attack? In this context, how are human beings different from tigers?

(c) Why were children happy and even enjoying being scared?

(d) What did the headmaster do on seeing the tiger? What did the tiger like to do in the headmaster's office?

(e) Identify the word which means the same as 'hugging'. (Para 1)

(i) counting
(ii) hiding
(iii) rubbing
(iv) holding tightly in the arms

(f) Identify the word which means the same as 'delight'. (Para 2)

(i) pleasure
(ii) fear
(iii) sorrow
(iv) nervousness

(g) Identify the word which means the same as 'dignified'. (Para 3)

(i) tall
(ii) honourable
(iii) terrified
(iv) tired

Recently a serious quarrel took place in a colony in Delhi due to the use of loudspeakers at a public place and caused disharmony among the people. Write a letter in 100 − 120 words to the Editor of The Hindustan Times expressing your concern over the unpleasant incident, highlighting the fact that the loudspeakers cause noise pollution and discord, suggesting that the unauthorised use of loudspeakers at public places should be banned. You are Anjana/Arjun, F-112 Kailash Colony, Delhi.

Heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir caused floods, landslides, house collapses and heavy loss of life and property. Write an article in 100 − 120 worlds on 'Floods − Cause and Prevention'. You are Anita/Aman.

" .............. Ultimately I won it as I was determined to achieve my goal." The closing of the story is given above. You can start your own story but you cannot change the end. Write the story in 150 − 200 words.

Hints : humble family background − no guidance or support − amibition − difficulties − didn't give up − long struggle paved the way for success

Complete a story in 150 − 200 words from the outline given below:

Birds lived − a forest − one year hot and dry − the king bird suggested to migrate − a greedy sparrow noticed carts with baskets of grain − the sparrow dashed to eat − but warned her friends not to go − owner might kill them − birds scared − the greedy sparrow enjoyed her meal − owner spread a net − was caught

Read the passage given below and fill in the blanks by choosing the most appropriate options from the ones that follow :

There are ways and ways (a) ________ tackling a problem. But governments all over the world (b) ________ only one system (c) ________ is : the carrot-and-stick one.

(a) (i) in

     (ii) of

     (iii) from

     (iv) on

(b) (i) prefer

      (ii) prefers

      (iii) preferred

     (iv) preferring

(c) (i) who

     (ii) which

     (iii) what

     (iv) whose

The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line against which a blank has been given. Write the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet against the correct blank number as given in the example. Remember to underline the word that you have supplied.

Rearrange the following words and phrases into meaningful sentences. One has been done for you as an example.

Example :

person/physically/a/was/Kitty/handicapped/Kitty was a physically handicapped person.

(a) sat up/wheelchair/in a/battery driven/every evening,/she

(b) drove/an/she/her wheelchair/to/apple orchard/

(c) very happy/with apples/the trees/she was/to see/laden/

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :

When I got to New Mullion, my eager expectations of a sweet and simple country village were severely disappointed. Its streets were rivers of mud, with rows of wooden shops, either painted a sour brown, or bare of any paint at all.

(a) Who is 'I'?

(b) Why was 'I' disappointed?

(c) What does the word 'expectations' mean ?

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :

'Never shall a young man,

Thrown into despair

By those great honey-coloured

Ramparts at your ear."

(a) Who is the speaker of these lines? Who is he speaking to ?

(b) What does the young man mean by 'honey-coloured ramparts' ?

(c) What does the word 'despair' mean ?

Why did the Buddha choose Benares to preach his first sermon?

Why didn't Valli want to go to the stall and have a drink? What does it tell you about her?

Why was Matilda in a hurry to go to her house after the ball?

What filled Bholi, a dumb cow, with a new hope?

Answer the following question in 80 − 100 words :

Through 'The Sermon at Benares', the Buddha preached that death is inevitable and we need to overcome the suffering and pain that follows.

Based on your reading of the lesson, write how one should cope with the death of a loved one.

Answer the following question in 80 − 100 words :

Chekov has used humour and exaggeration in the play to comment on courtship in his times. Illustrate with examples from the lesson. 'The Proposal'. Also mention the values, you think, any healthy relationship requires.

What was Mr. Otto Frank's major contribution to the world?

Anne describes herself as a 'little bundle of contradictions'. Why? Explain in your own words.

How did Helen benefit when Dr. Graham Bell accompanied her to the World Fair?

How did Helen display her passion for Radcliffe College?