THE INDIAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL, KUWAIT FIRST TERM EXAMINATION ( ) CLASS X ENGLISH SAMPLE PAPER

Transcription

1 THE INDIAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL, KUWAIT FIRST TERM EXAMINATION ( ) CLASS X ENGLISH SAMPLE PAPER Max Marks : 80 Duration : 3 HOURS Section A: Reading 20 marks Section B: Writing & Grammar 30 marks Section C: Literature and Long reading 30 marks SECTION A READING 20 Marks Q.1 Read the following passage carefully. The late Peter Marshall was an eloquent speaker and for several years served as the chaplain of the US Senate. He used to love to tell the story of Keeper of the Spring, a quite forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slope of Alps. The old gentleman had been hired many years earlier by a town councilman to clear the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the spring flowing through their town.with regularity, he removed the leaves and branches, and wiped away the silt that would otherwise have choked the flow of water. The village became a popular attraction of vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the clear spring, the mill wheels of various businesses located near the water started working. Years passed. One evening the town council met for its annual meeting and reviewed the budget. One man s eye caught the salary being paid to the obscure keeper of the spring. He asked, who is the old man? Why do we keep him year after year? No one ever sees him. For all we know is he is doing us no good. By an unanimous vote, they dispensed with his services. For several weeks, nothing changed. By early autumn, trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches fell into the pools, hindering the flow of water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight brownish tint in the spring. Then the water turned darker and was covered with slimy film and a foul odor was soon detected. The mill wheels moved slowly, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left, as did the tourists. Disease and sickness spread the village. The council quickly called a special meeting. Realizing their error in judgement, the hired the old keeper of the spring and within a few weeks, the veritable river of life began to clear up and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps. Never become discouraged with the seeming smallness of your task, job, or life. Cling fast to the words of Edward Everett Hale: I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do. The key to accomplishment is to believe that what you can do will make a difference. Answer the following questions on the basis of your reading of the passage: (1x8=8) (a) Who was Peter Marshall and what was unique about him? (b) Which story did Peter Marshall love telling? (c) What was essentially the job of the old man?

2 (d) How did the village manage to attract vacationers? (e) Why was the old man removed from his job? (f) What happened to the spring during autumn? (g) Why was the old keeper of the spring bought back? (h) What do we learn from this story? Q. 2. Read the following passage carefully: (12 marks) 1. After a long day out in the scorching sun at Nizamuddin railway station, having checked out every bit of garbage disposed off trains, a group of ragpickers gathered for a chat in a rain-swept shelter. This was no regular gathering for them. It was a Mother s Day gathering. 2. Most children had never heard the word but grew emotional once they got to know what the day signified. Gifts for their mothers ranged from promises of not running away, to earning enough to assure their mothers of some comfort some day. 3. When it came to actual celebrations for the day, a group of boys at the centre run by Chetna, an NGO, near the station, surrounded Manjula Rai. Some even pulled her hair and the rowdy ones calmed down after a stem glance from her. For many boys and girls, this 47-year old social worker is a face recognized as a help at hand. For quite a few of them, Manjula is the mother who influences them. 4. When they settled down to talk, the children at Chetna, related their aspirations with thoughtful intent. Vikas Kumar, who felt shy to pronounce the word Mother s Day, said he was determined to secure some day, quality life for his mother, who was a domestic worker. His promise to his mother on Mother s Day was to take out his mother from a rented house and to give her a home with a better life, some day. 5. Vikas left school when he was just 9, but is now a motivator for other boys to break free of ragpicking and study through die Open School System. Today, Vikas, who is a Class VII student, is the pride of the Centre and Manjula has been a part of his journey all through. She has been convincing the parents of these children to understand their evolution from being a child labourer to a teenager who can acquire skills for a better life. 6. Aslam for instance, who giggled as the boys tried to pronounce Mother s Day, knew the words Mom and Dad having watched T.V. serials and Hindi films. According to him : I keep running away from home and fight with my Mom. But on Mother s Day, when I go back, I will not fight and stay with her. The traumatic life stories related by these children become a self-explanation for their aggressive behaviour and their suppressed feelings. 2.1 Answer the following questions in about words : (2 4 = 8 marks) (a) What was special about Mother s Day at the rain-swept shelter? (b) What were the ragpickers reaction about Mother s Day? (c) How did the children celebrate the day at the Chetnapremises? (d) Why is Vikas case inspiring for the ragpickers? 2.2 Find the correct meanings of the words given below: (1 4 = 4 marks) (e) When one is out in the scorching sun, it means the day is. (i) cool (ii) rainy (iii) very hot (iv) very dry (f) The ragpickers had understood about Mother s Day when Manjula told them what it

3 (i) signified (ii) promised (iii) gifted (iv) created (g) When one hankers for something better, it becomes (i) an emotional moment (ii) a dream moment (iii) an aspiration (iv) traumatic life story (h) A term in the passage which means the same as compelling is (i) convincing (ii) scorching (iii) understanding (iv) pronouncing SECTION B WRITING AND GRAMMAR 30 Marks Q.3.Write a letter to the editor of a national daily commenting on the increased display of violence in Indian films. 8 Marks You are Rakesh/Raksha of No.40, Crompton Avenue, Balaji Colony, New Delhi. You have purchased a washing machine from a reputed showroom but within a week of purchase it has started giving trouble. Write a letter of complaint to the Manager, Amit Electronics, Vishal Colony, New Delhi. Q.4. Based on the outline given below, develop a story in about words. Give a suitable title for your story. It had been over two hours waiting for the plane to land. Sheryl was getting restless. Suddenly she heard an announcement. 10 Marks It was 10pm in the night and the dark clouds loomed large over the horizon. Rahul was alone at home. Suddenly the phone rang.. 5. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the lines. Write the incorrect word and the correction in the space provided. Do not copy the whole passage. (any four) 1x4=4 marks Incorrect Word Correct Word The Band-Aid was invent in New Jersey. a. Dickson fretted as his wife Josephine, cut herself again and again on working in the b. kitchen. One day while he was wrapping his c. wound once again with a bulky bandage of gauze and tape, he had struck with an idea. He put some d. gauze on a strip of medical tape and the Band-Aid was born.

4 6. Fill in the blanks choosing the most appropriate options from the ones given below. (any four) Write the answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers. 4 Marks Imagine a 500 kilo animal (a) the unmistakable sound (b) hooves thundering towards you (c) the speed of wind. Its nose flaring (d) hair flying, it stops hardly a feet from where you stand. (a) (i) of (ii) with (iii) in (iv) at (b) (i) of (ii) in (iii) with (iv) from (c) (i) in (ii) for (iii) by (iv) at (d) (i) the (ii) and (iii) for (iv) on 7. Rearrange any four of the following words and phrases into meaning sentences: 4 Marks (a) are/ community / The Parsis / immigrant / an (b) they / came / and now / possibly located / from Persia / in Bombay (c) passing year / number of / the / Parsis / dwindling / are / with each (d) have / economic / economy / reforms / boosted / Indian / the SECTION C : LITERATURE TEXT BOOK AND LONG READING TEXT 30 MARKS 8. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. Write the answer in one or two lines only: Counting your chickens before they re hatched,are you? No wonder you could never make a go of it. (a) Who says these words and to whom? (b) What is the occasion? (c) What does Counting your chickens again before they re hatched mean? (d) What could the other person never make a go of it? When wasteful wars shall statues overturn, And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword nor war s quick fire shall burn The living record of your memory. (a) Why is war described as wasteful? (b) What does the phrase, the living record of your memory mean? (c) Name the literary device used in the 1 st line. (d) In what context does the poet say these words? 1x4=4 Marks 9. Answer any four of the following in words: 2 x 4 = 8 Marks

5 (a) What kind of a king was Ozymandias? (b) What motivated Mrs Packletide to deviate towards the steps of Nimrod? (c) What were the most striking qualities about Nicola and Jacopo? (d) What request did Ali make to Lakshmi Das?? (e) Why is John wife angry? What does she decide to do? 10. Answer the following question in about words. 8 Marks How is the hypocrisy of the two sisters brought out in the play, The Dear Departed? Both Coachman Ali and the Post Master share feelings of guilt in their own lives but their realization comes a little too late to make amends. Describe what they feel guilty about and how the realization comes to them. 11. Answer the following in words. 10 Marks The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Justify the famous quote of Helen Keller. Sketch the character of Dr Alexandra Graham Bell. (The Story of My Life)