CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10 English 2015 Term 1

Time allowed : 3 hours
Maximum marks: 70

SECTION-A
(READING SKILLS) 20

Question 1.
Read the passage given below carefully: [8]
Generally, it is the lionesses that do the work of hunting for food. They work together in the most remarkable way. A typical hunt involves some members of the pride stalking and driving a herd of grazing animals towards other lionesses lying in ambush. At the last moment the ambush party break cover and bring down one or two selected members of the herd. The main prey animals include wildbeast, zebra, impala, waterbuck, kudu and buffalo. Other big cats include the leopard, races of ’ which are found in both Africa and Asia. Leopards are good tree climbers and they often ambush prey by lying in wait on trees. Dark-haired leopards are known as panthers. The jaguar is the only big cat found in the America. It was once widespread, but it no longer exists in North America and is in danger of becoming extinct in South America. It feeds mainly on peccaries and other small animals.

The cheetah is also usually included among the big cats, as it rests with its feet held out in front (smaller cats tuck their front feet underneath them). However, it cannot roar and, unlike any other cats, it cannot retract its claws. It is therefore placed in a different genus to the other big cats. The cheetah is a very fast runner, but it has no power of endurance. It stalks a prey animal and then rushes at it from a few metres away. If it does not catch its intended victim within about 400 m (440 yds), it has to give up. The cat family includes a number of smaller species. Among these are the rare snow leopard of Southeast Asia, the manul of Central Asia, the European lynx, the bobcat , and puma of North America, the caracal and
serval of Africa and the ocelot and pampas cat of South America.

The domestic cat belongs to the genus Felis. It was almost certainly bred from the African bust cat, rather than the ferocious, tabby-life wild cat of Europe. Other members of this genus include the jungle cat of southeat Asia, the sand cat of Africa, the rare African golden cat and the endangered Geoffrey’s cat of South America. One of the largest is the beautiful Temminck’s golden cat of southeast Asia \which measures over 1 m (3 ft) in length.
On the basis of your reading, answer the following questions:
(a) Who does most of the hunting in a group?
(b) What is the strategy of the group for hunting?
(c) How are the leopards different from the lions?
(d) Name any three members of cat family.
(e) Which member of the cat family is in danger of getting extinct?
(f) How is cheetah different from the other cats?
(g) Which family does the domestic cat belong to?
(h) Which is the largest cat? Describe its two qualities.
Answer:
(a) Lioness does most of the hunting in a group.
(b) Some members of the group stalk and drive a herd of grazing animals towards the other lionesses lying hidden there. The ambush party selects the weak animal and attack it. In this way, they hunt their preys.
(c) Leopards are good tree climbers whereas the lions cannot climb the trees that’s how the leopards are different from the lions.
(d) Leopards, jaguar and panthers are three – members of cat family.
(e) Jaguar is in the danger of getting extinct.
(f) Cheetah is different from other cats as it cannot roar like the other cats.
(g) The domestic cat belongs to the family of ‘genus Felis’.
(h) Temminck’s golden cat is the largest cat. It is the largest and the rarest cat species in the world.

Question 2.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : [12]
This is a pivotal moment for India, for reasons that are not always obvious. Let me start with demographics. Already the world’s largest democracy and one of its most diverse countries, India is set to overtake China as the most populous nation. At the same time, India’s population is relatively young. Because education has the power to transform society, India’s youthfulness leaves it poised for an educational leap, at the very time education is being transformed by access and technology.

We use new ways to employ technology to enhance teaching and life-long learning. This is not about video-taped lectures posted online; this is a feedback loop of deep congitive research and practical application of a new kind of interactive learning. The focus is not on the tools, but on the outcomes for each student. The resulting teachniques have proven to the faster and more effective than traditional classroom curricula in a variety of subjects.

At the same time, these techniques can create new access to learning at relatively little cost. Closely connected to research in artificial intelligence and machine learning, the technology-enhanced learning techniques being refined in laboratories at various universities, could fuel a dramatic transformation of education in India. Technology can be a powerful equaliser, levelling the playing field for millions of people in a short time. When technology is- changing quickly, developing countries have an opportunity to leapfrog existing standards, going directly to newer, better tools and methods. Think of the cell phone, which rapidly proliferated in India and other developing nations that were not deeply inversted in landlines. Now think of that technological leapfrogging in the field of education, the foundation for human success and new ideas that benefit society. The scholars are probing the intersection of technology and human possibility, and then translating their findings into practical application. These scholars are deeply grounded in the sciences and technologies they come to study, but also are increasingly adept at innovation and independent problem-solving that leads to new inventions, new companies and whole new fields.
(a) What are the benefits of having young population in India? [2 × 4 = 8]
(b) How is technology used for lifelong learning?
(c) How are the new techniques different from traditional classroom?
(d) How are the scholars trying to help in the field of education?
(e) Choose the appropriate answer : [1 × 4 = 4]

Question 1.
The word that means, ‘very important/ vital’
(i) obvious
(ii) diverse
(iii) pivotal
(iv) populous

Question 2.
The synonym for ‘jump’ is :
(i) transfrom
(ii) poised
(iii) leap
(iv) loop

Question 3.
The antonym of ‘rough/rude’ is :
(i) equaliser
(ii) leapfrog
(iii) proliferated
(iv) refined

Question 4.
The antonym of inexpert/unskillful is :
(i) populous
(ii) equaliser
(iii) adept
(iv) leapfrog
Answer:
(a) The young population can be transformed by access and technology in the field of education.
(b) By providing feedback loop of deep cognitive research and practical application of the new kind of interactive learning the technology is used for a life-long learning.
(c) The new technology can create access to learning at relatively little cost and a much faster pace in a variety of subjects than traditional classroom.
(d) Scholars try to help in the field of education by probing the intersection of technology and human possibility.
(e)
1. (iii) pivotal
2. (iii) leap
3. (iv) refined
4. (iii) adept

SECTION-B
(WRITING SKILLS WITH GRAMMAR) 25

Question 3.
Accidents are caused almost every day by stray animals moving freely on the busy roads. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in 100-120 words complaning about the danger posed by them. You are Kamal/Kalpana of Karol Bagh. Do not forget to give your suggestions to solve the problem. [5]
OR
In advanced and educated India girls are still not welcome. Write an anticle on the topic ‘Girl Child’ in 100-120 words.
Answer:
14/2, Karol Bagh
New Delhi
21 Jan 20XX
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi
Sub: Problem Of Stray Animals On Road
Sir,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the Municipal Corporation towards the problem to stray animals which are a constant threat to vehicles on the road. Sometimes these stray animals start behaving in a strange manner all of a sudden which can jeopardize the lives of the passerby. MCD should open parks or provide some grassy areas where these animals can feed without causing any disturbance.
MCD should also take care of the arrangement of water for these animals. People should be made aware that they should not feed the animals on the road. The should feed them at their designated places only.
Hope these steps would solve the problem and save many lives of humans as well as that of animals.
Thanking You Your truly,
Kamal/Kalpana
OR
‘GIRL CHILD’
By x y z
A girl Child is the most beautiful and extremely sensitive creation of the Almighty. But the irony is that this beautiful creation is not loved or liked by the society much. The girl child is considered a burden even before her birth and is ill-treated by her own parents.
The parents hesitate to send their lovely daughters to schools for education, as they feel it is the wastage of time and money as at last, girls will only have to manage their houses. Though the girls are successful in all the spheres of life, our society is still not ready to accept them as equal citizens of the society.
In this regard, the government has announced a number of schemes and policies to encourage girls to get higher education so that they can contribute to the society. It is high time we stop under¬estimating their calibre and talents because no country can prosper without half of its population. Girls should get the best education and best treatment at home for a better future.

Question 4.
Complete the following story in 150-200 words: (10 marks)
Radhika was very happy when she came to a new town with her parents. She got admission in a good school as she had secured very good marks. The first day when she came to school. She was very excited to meet her new friends but
Answer:
Radhika was very happy when she came to a new town with her parents. She got admission in a good school as she had secured very good marks. The first day when she came to school. She was very excited to meet her new friends but she was shocked to see that everyone started laughing at her dark skin and short height. Some girls started calling her by funny names. She felt bad that , even the teacher in the class did not scold them. She went inside the class and wanted to sit on a desk. Noboby offered her a desk. Finally, she went to the desk at the end of the room. She wanted to cry because she was missing her old friends of previous school who loved her so much. All the children played together. There was no such difference among the children.

During recess, she opened her tiffin and went to have her lunch with the other girls, but no body entertained her. She started crying, then her maths teacher saw her crying and consoled her that everything would be all right in a couple of days. She talked to her very lovingly. After that, Radhika had no problem in the school as she had got a true friend in her maths teachers.

Question 5.
Fill in the blanks with suitable words : [1 × 3 = 3]
My childhood had always been a sheltered one. My parents along (a) …… my teachers tried to instill good ethics in (b) ….. But ‘sharing’ was one moral value (c) ….. I was never comfortable with.
Answer:
(a) with
(b) me
(c) which

Question 6.
The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correction in the blank spaces. The first one has been done as an example. [1 × 4 = 4]
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10 English 2015 Term 1 1
Answer:
CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10 English 2015 Term 1 2

Question 7.
Rearrange the following jumbled up words or phrases in meaningful sentences. The first one has been done as an example. [1 × 3 = 3]
Example: never / stamps / glue, / for / paste / tape/ or / use
Never use glue, paste or tape for stamps.
(a) they/ forever / your / will / stamps / damage
(b) need / packet / you / hinges / of / a
(c) thin paper/small/rectangles/stamp hinges / are / of
Answer:
(a) They will damage your stamps forever.
(b) You need a packet of hinges.
(c) Stamp hinges are small rectangles of thin paper.

SECTION-C
(LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT) 25

Question 8.
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow : [1 × 3 = 3]
(a) For how long had the seagull been alone?
(b) What did the young seagull see his parents doing the day before?
(c) Why did the parents make a loud noise?
OR
He should be lurking in shadow, Sliding through long grass Near the water hole where plump deer pass.
(a) Who is ‘he’ referred to here?
(b) Why is ‘he’ sliding through the long grass?
(c) Why does the poet refer to deer as ‘plump deer’?
Answer:
(a) The seagull had been alone for twenty-four hours.
(b) The day before, his parents were teaching the other children how to fly.
(c) The parents made a loud noise as they were happy and were cheering the elder brother of the young segaull catch his first herring.
OR
(a) ‘He’ is referred to a tiger.
(b) ‘He’ is hiding in the long grass to attack a deer.
(c) The poet imagined the tiger to get a plump deer so that he could feast on it.

Question 9.
Answer the following questions briefly in 30-40 words each: [2 × 4 = 8]
(a) Who was Peggy? Why and how did she make fun of Wanda?
(b) Why did Anne maintain a diary?
(c) How did Horace get entry into the house?
(d) How did Max enter Ausable’s room?
Answer:
(a) Peggy was the most popular girl in the school. She was proud of her beauty and money. She made fun of Wanda because she always wore a faded blue dress. She would also tease her about her hundred dresses.
(b) After the death of her grandmother, Anne became lonely. She did not have any friend to confide in so she felt the need of maintaining diary in order to express her feelings.
(c) Horace had befriended the pet dog and he knew where the keys were hung.
(d) Max had a duplicate key of his room through which he entered the room.

Question 10.
Answer the following question in 80-100 words: [4]
How did the young seagull’s parents teach him the art of flying?
OR
Describe how Horace Danby plan his work?
Answer:
The parents of the young seagull were very wise. On seeing that their child was quite weak and scared and is afraid to fly, they, at once, decided to be strict with him. They warned him that they would not feed him anymore as he was a grown up seagull. He would starve to death if he did not fly. They tempted him by showing flesh and eating it in front of him but they did not offer it to him. Hunger provoked the young seagull to fly and ultimately, he made efforts and was successful.
OR
Horace Danby was an intelligent and clever thief. He robbed a safe every year which would suffice him for twelve months. He planned his robbery very carefully. He studied the complete situation of the house at Shoover Grange for two weeks. In the meantime, he had studied the situation of rooms, electric wires,: path and its garden. He had studied the detailed plan of the drawing room. He also knew about the keys as he had seen where the housekeeper hang the keys every time. He befriended the pet dog to escape him while robbery. Thus, he made all the security arrangements by ensuring that there was no problem in breaking in there.

Question 11.
Answer the following question in 100-120 words: [10]
Give the character sketch of Miss Anne Mansfield Sullivan.
OR
How did Helen enjoy her journey to Baltimore?**
OR
Describe Anne’s relationship with her mother.**
OR
Why did the inmates in the Secret Annexe take bath at different places ?**

CBSE Previous Year Question Papers