Sample Papers for Class 10 CBSE SA1 English Solved 2016-17 Set 7

SECTION – A: READING (20 marks)

Q. 1. Read the following passage carefully: (8 marks)

1. I was below average student. Both in schools and colleges, rarely my teachers knew me by name. I don’t think I was a dunce; just that I didn’t have an academic bent of mind. Since failures were more a habit than an exception, a below par performance never disturbed pie. Neither were my teachers proud of me nor did I make my parents feel proud of me.

2. Of course, my parents being noble-hearted, never gave up on me. They never put me down in the presence of others. In fact, to shield me, they always projected a positive image of me to the world.

3. In 1984, while pursuing my graduation in mathematics, I had failed in one of the subjects in my fourth semester. I already had three arrears. For the first time, hearing about my failure, I saw tears in my father’s eyes. This was my first experience of seeing my father cry. I couldn’t handle his crying. To withdraw myself I escaped to the terrace of my apartment. I suffered a fear like I have never known before. I was trembling. I never wanted my parents to ever cry again because of my failures. But, I was scared. “Was it too late to hegin in life,” I doubted. I was already over 18, just about 50% marks in my four semesters, 4 arrears to clear and 3 regular paper to face in my fifth semester, no talent, no special abilities, never won a prize in my life, not a single certificate…. I truly wanted to make it very big in life, if not for my sake, just to make up for all that I had put my parents through. My thoughts were haunting me, “Rajan, you don’t have any taste of success. You just don’t know what it is to succeed.” With tears flooding, I cried, “Can I still make it big in life or have I missed the bus ?”

4. My neighbour, Vijayaraghavan, who learnt about the sobbing of my soul, casually said, “Rajan, the harder you press the spring the faster it will bounce back. So, what if your life has been pressed by failures for 18 years. Decide to bounce back and bounce back big in life. Even God will not stop you.” Bounce back I did ! I bounced back big to clear all the 7 papers in first class and ever since I smile at my failures.
5. After all what is resilience the number : To get up one more time than you have fallen. I do not remember of times life as pushed me down, but every time I have bounced back big, for, I can hear the message lingering from within me even louder, “The harder you press the spring the faster it will bounce back. Bounce back and bounce back big.”

6. Ever since, I have given enough opportunities for my parents to cry…….cry they do, glad they have a son in me.

(A) On the basis of your reading of the passage complete the following: (1×6 = 6 marks)
(i) The author was a below average student because he……………. (1)
(ii) His failures and poor performance made his teachers and parents…………… (1)
(iii) The author couldn’t bear……………. (1)
(iv) At the age of 18, the author felt a deep sense of fear and wondered whether……………. (1)
(v) After being inspired by his neighbour, he……………. (1)
(vi) The message given by the author is……………. (1)

(B) Find words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following:
(i) ability to recover quickly (Para 5) (1×2 = 2 marks)
(ii) difficult to forget (Para 3)

Q. 2. Read the passage given below carefully: (12 marks)

PENGUINS

(1) Biologists in New Zealand are baffled by the sudden death of a large number of the world’s rarest species of penguins. At least a third of the 400 yellow-eyed penguins that live on the Otago Peninsula, in New Zealand’s South Island have died since December, The loss represents around 15.

(2) Percent of all Yellow eyed penguins and threatens to extinguish the mainland population. The disappearance of this group of penguins is particularly serious for the species because the birds are genetically distinct from those on the Auckland island Campbell Island and their disappearance would narrow the species gene pool considerably. This first penguins died in December and by February the population had crashed.

(3) Post-mortem examinations showed no sign of poisoning by heavy metals or pesticides nor was there any sign of a virus. Whatever killed the birds acted very quickly – In the eight hours they were at sea feeding on the day they died – and most of the corps recovered were near their home beaches. ‘Whatever it is seems to make them sick, then head for home and collapse on the beach.” said one of the scientists.

(4) Suggestions of a cause range from a change in food supply caused by climatic change, to poisoning by a biological toxin perhaps from an algal bloom. The sea has particularly warm this summer, but temperature alone would not kill the penguins nor had the unusual climatic conditions interfered with the birds ‘feeding. None of the dead birds showed any signs of disease.

(A) Read the following summary of the Information given in the passage and fill in the each of the spaces with one word only. (5 Marks)
The recent death of a number of (i)…………Yellow-eyed penguins has puzzled (ii)…………in
New Zealand. On post-mortem examination (iii)…………infection and poisoning were ruled
out, although it is clear that the penguins died quickly. Scientists are trying to find the main
(iv)…………of the disaster and it has been suggested that they could have died due to changes
in climatic conditions or in their food supply. The word from the above passage which means ‘poison’ in para 3 is (v)………….

(B) Find words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the words by choosing the correct option: (3 Marks)

(i) confused (para 1)
(ii) put out (para 2)
(iii) disease (para 3)

SECTION – B: WRITING AND GRAMMAR (25 marks)

Q. 3. The condition of the public park in your locality is miserable. Write a letter to the Editor of ‘ a Local Newspaper with the help of the points given below in 120-150 words. You are Ranjit/ Reshma. (5 marks)
• Poorly managed parks
• Heaps of garbage everywhere
• Boundary-wall broken
• Very dirty animals resting there

Q. 4. Students mostly think that their teacher exaggerate their bad qualities. But it is not at all true. They love their students and have their best interest at heart With the help of the following story line, write a story in about 120 words on the topic ‘A Teacher’s Love for His Student’. (10 marks) Q. 5. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks with the help of options that follow: (1/2x 6 = 3 marks)

Here’s something just for mothers, (a)…………..being good, compassionate and jack of all trades
(b)…………..is also the (c) …………..beautiful word in the English language. The British Council
quizzed (d)…………..than 40,000 persons in 102 non-English countries (e)…………their favourite
words and the word ‘mother’ came on top closely followed (f)…………..passion, smile, love and
eternity.

Q. 6. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Identify each error and write it along with the correct word in your answer sheet as shown in the example : (4 marks)

Error Correction

Silence is the power which can take, e.g. the a
Either a positive and negative form. (a) ……………. …………….
If I understand the nature in this power, (b) ……………. …………….
I can use it for a beneficial way. (c) ……………. …………….
There are two levels in silence— (d) ……………. …………….
Physical and Mental.

Q. 7. Given below are a set of instructions for using a clinical thermometer. By choosing the correct options complete the paragraph describing the process of using a clinical thermometer. (3 marks)
• Wash the thermometer with fresh water thoroughly.
• Shake it well to bring down the reading below 37° C.
• Place the bulb of the thermometer under the patient’s tongue.
• Ask the patient to keep the mouth closed.
• Keep the thermometer under the patients tongue for at least 2 minutes.
• Take out the thermometer and read the temperature.

How to use a Clinical Thermometer

The clinical thermometer (a)…………..with fresh water and the reading (b)…………..by shaking it
well. Then the bulb of the thermometer (c)…………..under the patient’s tongue and he is asked to
keep the mouth closed. The thermometer should be kept there for at least two minutes. It is then taken out and the temperature is read.

SECTION – C: LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND LONG READING TEXT (25 marks)

Q. 8. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow: (1×3 = 3 marks)

In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman.
Rises towards her day after day like a terrible fish.

(a) Why does the poet refer to the ‘terrible fish’ in the last line ? (1)
(b) Why has it been described as being “terrible” ? (1)
(c) What does the phrase “in me she has drowned a young girl” mean ? (1)
OR
“Are we pinching it before Elizabeth comes ?”
(a) What does ‘it’ refer to here ? (1)
(b) How does Victoria conclude that her parents are pinching ‘it’ ? t (1)
(c) Mention two reasons that Mrs. Slater gives for her action. (1)

Q. 9. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: (2×4 = 8 marks)

(a) Mrs. Slater represents a great materialistic character in the play, ‘The Dear Departed’. Give two
evidences in support of the statement. (2)
(b) Draw the contrast between ‘childish’ and ‘artless’ faces and the seriousness beyond their years
visible on them. (2)
(c) Would you agree that Mrs. Packletide was jealous ? Give reasons. (2)
(d) How does Sylvia Plath effectively use personification in her poem ‘The Mirror’ ? (2)

Q. 10. Answer any one of the following in 80-100 words : (4 marks)

Both Nicola and Jacopo have grown up and are successful and respectable citizens. They were asked to inaugurate a ‘HOME’ for the abandoned children. Imagine yourself to be Nicola, address the gathering expressing your views on ‘Child Care’.
OR
What message does the poet wish to convey through the poem ‘Mirror’ ?

NOVEL/LONG READING TEXT (10 marks)

Attempt any one question from 11(a) or 11(b) in about 150 words.
The Story of My Life

Q, 11. (a) Helen was quite bitter to discover that the horse-shoe crab had vanished, but was soon happy that he had returned to the sea. What does this reveal about Helen’s character ? Answer in about 100 words. (10 marks)
OR
(a) Helen was quite attached to her father. His death was her ‘first great sorrow’. Write about her father in 100 words.

The Diary of a Young Girl
Q. 11. (b) Why did Anne call her secret dwelling a paradise ? (10 marks)
OR
(b) Write the pen-portrait of Alfred Dussel

CBSE Class 10 Sample Papers SA1 Solved English 2016-17 Set 7 (Question Paper Download PDF)
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