10th CBSE English (Communicative) Board Examination (2023-24)

10th English Board Exam 2023:

Class:	10th Standard (CBSE) – Board Examination 2023-24
Subject:	English (085)
Time Duration:	03 Hours
Maximum Marks:	80
Date:	~ February 2024

General Instructions:

Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly – A, B, C and D.

1) This question paper is divided into four sections – A, B, C and D.

• Section A – Reading Skills (22 Marks)
• Section B – Writing Skills (22 Marks)
• Section C – Grammar (10 Marks)
• Section D – Literature Textbook (26 Marks)

2) There are 10 questions in the question paper. All questions are compulsory.
3) Answers should be brief and to the point.
4) All questions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order.
5) Instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.

SECTION A – (Reading Skills) [22 Marks]

Question 01: Read the following passage carefully:

1. It was a bleak, rainy day, and I had no desire to drive up the winding mountain road to my daughter Carolyn’s house. But she had insisted that I come and see something at the top of the mountain.
2. So, here I was, reluctantly making the two-hour journey through fog that hung like veils. By the time I saw how thick it was near the summit, I’d gone too far to turn back. Nothing could be worth this, I thought, as I inched along the perilous highway.
3. “I’ll stay for lunch, but I’m heading back down as soon as the fog lifts,” I announced when I arrived. “But I need you to drive me to the garage to pick up my car,” Carolyn said. “Could we at least do that ?
4. “How far is it ?” I asked. “About three minutes,” she said. “I’ll drive – I’m used to it.”
5. After ten minutes on the mountain road, I looked at her anxiously. “I thought you said three minutes.” She grinned. “This is a detour.”
6. Turning down a narrow track, we parked the car and got out. We walked along a path that was thick with old pine needles. Huge black-green evergreens towered over us. Gradually, the peace and silence of the place began to fill my mind.
7. Then we turned a corner and stopped – and I gasped in amazement. From the top of the mountain, sloping for several acres across folds and valleys, were rivers of daffodils in radiant bloom. A profusion of colour – from the palest ivory to the deepest lemon to the most vivid salmon – blazed like a carpet before us. It looked as
   though the sun had tipped over and spilled gold down the mountainside.
8. At the centre, cascaded a waterfall of purple hyacinths. Here and there were coral-coloured tulips. And as if this bonanza were not enough, western bluebirds frolicked over the heads of the daffodils, their tawny breasts and sapphire wings like a flutter of jewels.
9. A riot of questions filled my mind. Who created such beauty? Why? How? As we approached the home that stood in the centre of the property we saw a sign that read: “ Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking.”
10. The first answer was: “One Woman – Two Hands, Two Feet.” The second was: “One at a Time.” The third: “Started in 1958.”
11. As we drove home, I was so moved by what we had seen, I could scarcely speak. “She changed the world,” I finally said, “one bulb at a time. She started almost 40 years ago, probably just the beginning of an idea, but she kept at it.”
12. The wonder of it would not let me go. “Imagine,” I said, “if I’d had a vision and worked at it, just a little bit every day, what might I have accomplished ?” Carolyn looked at me sideways, smiling. “Start tomorrow,” said she. “Better yet, start today.”

Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:

1) State why the author was reluctant to make a two-hour journey.

2) “This is a detour.” On what occasion did Carolyn say this to the author ? (30 – 40 words only)

3) The author started liking the place because:

1. of its forest and sandy sea beach.
2. of the black-green evergreens towering over them.
3. of the bleak and rainy day.
4. of reaching the place in just three minutes.

4) The place, where the author went with her daughter, had a beautiful panoramic view. Justify this statement with
reference to the passage, in about 40 words.

5) Why was the narrator’s mind filled with questions?

6) Complete the following sentence appropriately:
“The wonder of it would not let me go.”
From this sentence, we can infer that the author was deeply ______________.

7) State whether the given assertion is True or False.
A field of flowers opens one woman’s eyes to the world of the possibilities.

8) What is the lesson the author learns from her experience?

1. To drive to such places more often
2. To start working for nature
3. To change the world with a new vision
4. That there is a huge world of possibilities

9) Find a word from paragraph 1, which means the same as ‘cheerless and gloomy’.

10) Substitute the word ‘perilous’ with a word which is its synonym:

1. Dangerous
2. Cunning
3. Devastating
4. Secured

Question 02: Read the following table displaying the performance and interest of four students of different calibre in academics and co-curricular activities.

Answer the following questions, based on the above table:

(i) Identify the student from the above table who has artistic ideas.

(ii) Lata has interest in robotics and Coding. Choose the best career option for her from the given options:

1. Event Organizer
2. App Developer
3. Choreographer

(iii) Which interest(s) of Raghu can help him to relax whenever he is stressed ?

(iv) Give one justification each to prove that:

1. Lata’s actions are based on accurate calculations, and
2. Lata is capable of cracking any competitive examination.

(v) Select the correct option to fill in the blanks and complete the analogy:
guitar : music :: ______________ : Photograph

(vi) Complete the given sentence with appropriate reason, with reference to the information in the given table.
From the table given given above, we can infer that even though Raghu is an average student yet he is ___________ than Lata.

(vii) Explain why situation (C) showcases the sportsmanship quality of Ravi:

1. In an inter-school cricket tournament, Ravi played well and helped the team to win the match:
2. In an inter-school cricket match tournament, it was Ravi who cheered his team as a captain and took important decision to win the match.
3. After an inter school cricket match, Ravi congratulate the opposite team for winning the match

(viii) Choose the correct option which proves that Mohit is a good Debater:

1. Mohit shout at beginning of any discussion and does not let others speak.
2. Mohit argues without any facts while presenting ideas.
3. Mohit can convince others with valid points and facts.

SECTION B – (Writing Skills)

Question 03:

As Aarushi, a student of class IX, write an email, in 50 words to the Principal of your school, requesting him / her for a change your section from IX-A to IX-B.

Include a reason why you desire the change.
You may copy the given template to write your email.

From:
To:
Cc:	ssc@xyzschool.com
Date:	April 10, 2024, 07:05 PM
Subject:
. . . .

Question 04: Write a factual description, in not more than 100 words, of an english notebook that you have to submit to your teacher.

Question 05: 10th English Board Exam 2023

• Vocational Education prepares learners for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities. Taking ideas from the unit ‘Education,’ along with your own ideas, write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in about 120 words, providing information to the students about the growing need of Vocational Education in the present day world.

OR

• Ecotourism means responsible travel to natural areas conserving the environment. Imagine yourself as a member of the Ecotourism Society of India. Taking ideas from the units ‘Environment’ and ‘Travel and Tourism’, write a letter to the Ministry of Tourism, mentioning the ways to propagate Ecotourism by sensitizing people.

Question 06: 10th English Board Exam 2023

• India represents a harmonious oneness in spite of distinctions. Taking ideas from the unit “National Integration”, and using the given cues along with your own ideas, write an article in 150 words for your school magazine on “The Importance of Diversified Culture”.

India – a land embracing many cultures

India – festivals dedicated to seasons and harvests

 

India – multitude of castes, creed, colour, convictions, culture, cuisines, costumes and customs

India – national festivals – pride, sense of patriotism – promote national integration

OR

• EVs or Electric vehicles have now become a necessity. Keeping in mind how the rise in economic activity and burgeoning population has led to a tremendous demand of electric vehicles in the transport sector, especially in urban India, write an article on “A World with Smog-free and Clean Air”. Use the given cues along with your own ideas from the Unit — ‘Science’. (150 words)

India’s ever-growing population EV – Lower running costs

Critical issues of air and noise pollution

 

Zero tailpipe emissions

Electric vehicles – low maintenance costs

SECTION C – (Grammer) [10 Marks]: 10th English Board Exam 2023

Question 07: 10th English Board Exam 2023 – Complete the tasks (a) – (c), as directed.

a) Fill in the blanks (i) – (iii) with the appropriate option from those given in the brackets.

A house on my way to work (i) ______________ (had acquired / has acquired / acquired) an American pit bull terrier. On the surface, it (ii) ______________ (seems / seemed / has seemed) to be a friendly dog. All it does (iii) ______________ (was / are / is) stand and grin through the fence.

b) In the following paragraph, one word has been omitted in each line. In your answer sheets, remember to write the missing word along with the word that comes before and after it, as shown below. The first one has been done as an example.

c) Do as directed.

1. Rearrange the following jumbled words/phrases in the given dialogue to create a meaningful sentence.
   Mohan: Do you know why many people, now-a-days, do not like the concept of zoo?
   Lalit: No, I don’t. Can you give me a valid reason, why?
   Mohan : like / zoos / animals in cages / many / do not / zoo / concept of / people/ this / keep / as
2. Report the dialogues to complete the paragraph that follows.
   Rohit: I have bought a new DSLR camera.
   Mohit: What will you do with this?
   Rohit: I will click beautiful pictures with this camera
   Rohit told Mohit that(a) _________________ . As it was not aware of it, so he asked (b) _________________ . To this, Rohit answered that he would click beautiful pictures with that camera.

SECTION D – (Literature Textbook) [26 Marks]

Question 08: Read the following excerpts and answer the questions briefly, for any two excerpts, of the given three, (a), (b), (c).

(a) “Yes,” the frog replied. “You see,
I’m the frog who owns this tree.
In this bog I’ve long been known
For my splendid baritone
And, of course, I wield my pen for
Bog Trumpet now and then’.

(The Frog and the Nightingale)

1. Why is the frog famous in the bog?
2. Which characteristic trait of the frog is revealed from the above lines?
3. Explain the term ‘baritone’.
4. How does the frog introduce himself?

b) Mrs. Jordan: No, that’ll never do. We want a verse that says how much we loved him and refers to all his good qualities and says what a heavy loss we’ve had.

Mrs. Slater: You want a whole poem. That’ll cost a good lot.

Mrs. Jordan : Well, we’ll think about it after tea, and then we’ll look through his bits of things and make a list of them. There’s all the furniture in his room.

(The Dear Departed)

1. What does Mrs. Jordan want?
2. Mrs. Slater does not want a whole poem to be published. Why?
3. “You want a whole poem. That’ll cost a good lot.” Mention one characteristic trait of Mrs. Slater through this line.
4. Which is more important for these speakers — mourning one their father’s death or distributing his property between them?

c) Counting your chickens again before they’re hatched, are you ? No wonder you could never make a go of it.

But it’s the real thing this time! Go and make me a cup of tea, will you ? And remind me to take some ginger juice tonight. It’s very good for the throat.’

(Patol Babu)

1. Identify the phrase that gives an impression that the speaker does not have any faith in Patol Babu?
2. How does Patol Babu try to convince his wife?
3. What does the phrase ‘counting your chickens again before they’re hatched’ mean?
4. Why was Patol Babu not successful, according to his wife?

Question 09: 10th English Board Exam 2023 – Answer any 5 of the following questions in 30 – 40 Words each:

1. Describe the poet’s (D.H. Lawrence) dual attitude towards the snake. (The Snake)
2. You can feel other’s pain only when you go through it yourself. Validate this statement with reference to the story, “The Letter” and why it took place? (The Letter)
3. John was worried and concerned about his wife’s response after meeting the ghost. But it proved to be baseless. Justify. (The Shady Plot)
4. iv) Humor plays a major role in the chapter, ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’. Prove this statement with the instances of humor. (Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger)
5. ‘Et tu, Brute!’ These were the last words of Julius Caesar. Elucidaten with reference to the drama ‘Julius Caesar’. Why did these words before his death? (Julius Caesar)
6. Will power and determination bring Success against all odds Comment with reference to Virtually true.(Virtually True)

Question 10: 10th English Board Exam 2023 – Answer any one of the following two questions in about 150 words:

• In the poems ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley and ‘Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments’ by William Shakespeare, the concept of Time is explored, but each poet treats it in a distinct manner. Elucidate.

OR

• Both the stories ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’ and ‘The Letter’ teach us not to lose hope and courage even in adverse situations. Write a letter to a friend justifying the statement with reference to the stories.