CBSE Sample Papers for Pre-Mid Term Exam Class 10 Communicative English – Paper 2

Sample Paper 2

Strictly based on the Remodelled Scheme of Assessment, the Latest Syllabus and Design of the Question Paper released by the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi effective from academic year 2017-18.

SECTION A : READING                                   (20 MARKS)

Question 1:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :                                         [8]
Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals and are part of the family of toothed whales that include orcas and pilot whales. They are found worldwide, mostly in shallow seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid. Dolphin colouration varies, but they are generally grey in colour with darker backs than the rest of their bodies. Dolphins consume a variety of prey including fish, squid and crustaceans.
It is difficult to estimate population numbers since there are many different species spanning a large geographic area. Like bats, dolphins use echolocation to navigate and hunt, bouncing high pitched sounds off of objects, and listening for the echoes. Most species live in shallow areas of tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. Five species live in the world’s rivers. Dolphins are well known for their agility and playful behaviour, making them a favourite of wildlife watchers. Many species will leap out of the water, spy-hop (rise vertically out of the water to view their surroundings) and follow ships, often synchronizing their movements with one another. Scientists believe that dolphins conserve energy by swimming alongside ships, a practice known as bow-riding. Dolphins live in social groups of five to several hundred. They use echolocation to find prey and often hunt together by surrounding a school of fish, trapping them and taking turns swimming through the school and catching fish. Dolphins will also follow seabirds, other whales and fishing boats to feed opportunistically on the fish they scare up or discard. To prevent drowning while sleeping only half of the dolphin s brain goes to sleep while the other half remains awake so they can continue to breathe!
Dolphins are highly social animals, often living in pods of up to a dozen individuals, though pod sizes and structures vary greatly between species and locations. In places with a high abundance of food, pods can merge temporarily, forming a superpod, such groupings may exceed 10,000 dolphins. Membership in pods is not rigid, interchange is common. Dolphins can, however, establish strong social bonds. They will stay with injured or ill individuals.
(a) How has the writer described dolphins? [1]
(b) They are part of which family? [1]
(c) What is the normal diet of dolphins?    [1]
(d) How do dolphins navigate?                   [1]
(e) What are dolphins most known for? [1]
(f) How do dolphins conserve energy?          [1]
(g) How do they find their prey?              [1]
(h) How do they prevent drowning while sleeping? [1]

Question 2:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :                                       [12]

  1. In the early nineteenth century surgical operations were cruelly painful. Patients were tied to the operation table with strong straps to prevent them from struggling. They were given doses of whisky to blunt their pain as much as possible. But this did not help them very much. Often, when a patient cried out aloud in agony, the surgeon hurried the operation.
  2. ‘Is there nothing that will help patients feel no pain? ’ Dr. James Simpson thought. 7 must search for a painkiller until I find one. ’And the more operations he saw, the more resolute he became.
  3. Simpson had to carry out two kinds of tasks. First, he had to find a chemical that could lesson or kill pain when the operation took place. Then, he had to be sure that the painkiller would not kill the patient as well, or harm the patient s health. But how could he make sure of this? He could not use his patients or other people in experiments. It might be perilous. So he decided to experiment on himself and on some friends who volunteered to help.
  4. One day, Simpson showed his friends a new chemical called chloroform. Simpson gathered as much information as he could about it and decided to test it. He, followed by two of his friends, began to inhale it. When they had inhaled it for some time, the three men became unconscious. They saw nothing, heard nothing and felt nothing.
  5. It was Simpson who came to himself first. The chloroform had done him no harm at all and he was happy and excited about it. Soon his friends too felt quite well. Now Simpson knew how to make operations completely painless.
  6. Simpson and his friends successfully tested chloroform on 4 May 1847. But it did not bring relief to any patient till 1855. Most doctors refused to use it. They said they did not know what injury it might do to their patient’s health. Many religious groups were also against the use of chloroform. They felt that God had good reasons for giving his creatures pain.
  7. Anaesthetics are now very common. Does anyone remember Simpson and the great work he did? Perhaps not, but he lives every time a patient has an operation and feels no pain.
    (a) How did doctors in the early nineteenth century deal with pain during surgeries? [2]
    (b) What was Dr Simpson’s challenge? Why did he decide to experiment on himself and his volunteer friends instead of his patients? [2]
    (c) How did Simpson’s discovery revolutionise the science of medicine? [2]
    (d) Why did most doctors as well as many religious groups initially oppose Dr Simpson’s innovation?     [2]
    (e) Simpson tried the chloroform on himself first. What did it show about his character?    [1]
    (f) Find out the synonym of ‘risky’ in the paragraph 3? [1]
    (g)
    Why did the three men become unconscious? [1]
    (h) What is the meaning of the expression ‘came to himself’? [1]

SECTION B : WRITING AND GRAMMAR                     (30 MARKS)

Question 3:
You are the Sports Secretary of your school. Write a letter to a sports  dealer  asking for information regarding sports items that your school wants to purchase.         [8]

Question 4:
Write a short story in about 200-250 words with the given outline.                                     [10]

Hints : School Annual Day-English Play prepared with great efforts — the   main  actor  lost his voice — panic — commotion — prompter suggested to read the lines from behind the curtain — no one guessed — acting and speaking — perfect synchronisation — All’s well that ends well!

Question 5:
Fill in the blanks by choosing the most appropriate words from the given options. [4]
Over 35,000 different species of spiders (a) _____________  almost everywhere in the world. Spiders are carnivorous and sometimes eat (b)___________ spiders. Most spiders use poison to kill or paralyse their prey. All spiders (c)_____________ poison and are very dangerous (d)__________ small insects.
CBSE Sample Papers for Pre-Mid Term Exam Class 10 Communicative English - Paper 2-5

Question 6:
The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correct word in the answer sheet against the correct blank number. [4]
CBSE Sample Papers for Pre-Mid Term Exam Class 10 Communicative English - Paper 2-6

Question 7:
Rearrange the following jumbled up words into meaningful sentences.                                     [4]
(a) enjoyable and / educative hobby / is an / birdwatching
(b) go on a bird trail / merge with the surroundings / clothes that / when you / wear dull coloured
(c) that would / avoid any jerky / disturb a bird /or loud movements
(d) field guide / to help you identify / take a / unfamiliar birds

SECTION C : LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND EXTENDED READING TEXT (30 MARKS)

Question 8:
Read one of the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow :                              [4]

Mothers carrying their babies home through the jungle after the day s work in the fields hushed their singing lest they might curtail the restful sleep of the venerable herd-robber.
(a) What were the steps taken by the mothers for the animal?
(b) Point out the literary device in ‘venerable herd-robber’.
(c) How did all this care benefit the animal?
(d) Which figure of speech is used in this passage?
OR
In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.
(a) What does the word ‘drowned’ indicate?
(b) How has ‘she’ drowned a young girl in the mirror?
(c) How does ‘she’ react when ‘she’ looks at her face reflected in the mirror?
(d) Why does ‘she’ behave like a terrible fish?

Question 9:
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words :             [8]
(a) Why did Mrs. Packletide give up big-game shooting?
(b) What do you think the ‘terrible fish’ in the last line symbolises? What is the poetic device used here?
(c) How did Louisa Mebbin blackmail Mrs. Packletide?
(d) Why does the mirror appear to be a lake in the second stanza? What aspect of the mirror do you think is being referred to here?

Question 10:
Answer one of the following questions in about 100-120 words :                                              [8]
Suppose you are one of the villagers of the village who is taking part in that hunting expedition and you are surprised by seeing all the display of wealth and money which leads to a false victory. Write a diary entry of all that happened and express your feelings for false ego.
OR
Imagine you are the lady in the poem ‘Mirror’ and pen down your feelings about your changing reflection in the mirror and how it has troubled you.

Question 11:
Answer one of the following questions in about 200-250 words :              [10]
Compare and contrast the behaviour and attitude of Mr and Mrs van Daan.

OR

Describe in your words the picture Anne draws of the Nazis. What is her final comment on them in the chapter?

OR

Helen was an inquisitive child. How can we say so?

OR

Comment on the academic progress of Helen even though she was differently abled.

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