PRACTICE QUESTION PAPER (2023-24)

CLASS: X
SUBJECT : ENGLISH
Time: 3 Hours M.M. : 80
General Instructions:-
(i) The Question Paper contains four sections – Reading Skill,
Grammar, Writing Skill and Literature.
(ii) Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

SECTION - A 20Marks
(READING SKILL)
Q 1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that
follow: (10)

(i) Eiha Dixit is an eight-year-old girl from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. She was born
on September 29, 2012 to Kuldeep and Anjali.The young environmentalist
planted a record 1,008 saplings on her fifth birthday. By the age of 6, she had
already planted 2500 saplings and earned a place in the Asia Book of
Record. Eiha was also awarded the "Bal Shakti Puraskar 2019" by the
President of India for excellence in the field of social service.
(ii) Eiha's father says that she had the courage to do something different from the
very beginning. One day, Eiha was watching a cartoon on television that
discussed the importance of plants and how they help the environment. Ever
since the thought that plants help save the environment and combat pollution
has remained in the little girl's mind. Then, when she saw the Prime Minister
discuss plants on television, she insisted on planting a sapling. The family
planted a lemon plant in their garden.
(iii) Soon, Eiha began insisting on planting saplings regularly and her family
obliged. Every Sunday, the family would plant saplings in the vicinity of their
house. Her father would share it on social media, and slowly people started
taking note of Eiha's work.
(iv) Initially, people would notice and appreciate Eiha's efforts, but once the family
started the "Green Eiha Smile Club" in 2018, children started joining Eiha in
her endeavour. Today, Elha and her club continue to plant saplings and
encourage others to do so on occasions such as birthdays and weddings.
"This is our last chance to save human civilization. Planting trees is the only
way to do it, the more the better," says Eiha, who aims to become an IPS
officer, and wishes to plant trees all her life.
Questions :

Q1. To which state does Eiha belong?

A. M. P.
B. U. P.
C. Haryana
D. Rajasthan

Q2. When was Eiha born?

A. September 28, 2012
B. September 13, 2012
C. September 12, 2012
D. September 29, 2012

Q3. How many saplings had Eiha planted by the age of six?
A. 1500
B. 2500
C. 3000
D. 4000

Q4. What was the name of the club started by the family of Eiha?
A. Green Eiha Fairy Club
B. Green Eiha Smile Club
C. Green Eiha Smart Club
D. Green Eiha Sensitive Club

Q5. Eiha aims to become an ________ .

A. IAS
B. IPS
C. doctor
D. teacher

Q6. With which Puraskar was Eiha awarded in 2019?

Q7. Which Idea remained in the mind of Eiha after watching a cartoon on television?

Q8. What would the family do every Sunday?

Q9. What does Eiha and her club encourage others to do on birthdays and weddings?

Q10. According to Eiha, how can human civilization be saved?

Q2. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below. (10)
 (i) The proverb conveys to us that no man is free from mistakes or faults. None
is infallible in this world. Before criticising others, we should first look into
ourselves. To err is human. If we do not make mistakes, we shall rise to the
level of godliness or divinity. At the same time, if we go on making mistakes
only, we shall come down to the level of devilry. Both the possibilities are
remote. A rational inference is that man is not totally free from mistake-
making tendency. After all, he is human being but those who forgive men for
their mistakes, are superhuman.
(ii) It is a princely quality to forgive others. We must have a humanised and kind
attitude towards others. We must rather think that we also may make
mistakes. We ourselves are not divine or godly.
(iii) Apart from it, man has always learnt through mistakes. If a man makes
mistakes knowingly or deliberately, he is unforgivable. He rather deserves to
be punished for the mistakes he has been committing deliberately and
repeatedly. But if mistakes are made unknowingly or innocently, they should
be forgiven and forgotten. It can be done only by a superman with divine
virtues. Mercy is a godly quality and those who are merciful, are humanistic
and altruistic.
(iv) In the light of these arguments, one may ardently advocate for the proverb
"To err is human, to forgive superhuman." When Christ was being crucified,
he prayed to God. "Forgive them, they don't know what they are doing."

QUESTIONS:

1. What should we do before criticizing others?

2. What will happen if we do not make mistakes?

3. What kind of attitude should we have towards others?

4. What should be done to a man who makes mistakes knowingly?

5. What did Christ pray to God when he was being crucified?

6. From which things, no man is free?

A. mistakes
B. faults
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

7. Through which thing man has always learnt something?

A. mistakes
B. money
C. health
D. All of these
8. What kind of people are those who are merciful ?
A. humanistic
B. altruistic
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B

9. Which word in the passage means the same as 'support'?

A. infallible
B. advocate
C. humanised
D. forgive

10. When does a man become unforgivable?

A. When he makes mistakes deliberately.
B. When he makes mistakes innocently.
C. When he makes mistakes unknowingly
D. When he helps somebody with money.

SECTION – B 10 Marks
(GRAMMAR)

Q3. Attempt any ten sentences from the given items. (10 X 1 =10)

a. Choose the correct form of verb from the given choices :

1. _______ you not (take) your breakfast yet?
A. did not take
B. have not taken
C. are you not taking
D. None of these

2. It ______ ( hail ) outside for half an hour.

A. was hailing
B. is hailing
C. have been hailing
D. has been hailing

b. Choose the correct article from the given choices :

3. He is ________ artist.
A. the
B. a
C. an
D. No article

4. ______ Water is necessary to survive.

A. No article
B. The
C. A
D. An

c. Choose the correct punctuated sentence from the given choices :

5. reema said to her mother where are you going

A. Reema said to her mother: Where are you going.
B. Reema said to her mother, "Where are you going?"
C. Reema said to her mother, "where are you going?
D. Reema said to her Mother, " where are you going, "

6. Alas he is ruined
A. Alas! He is ruined?
B. Alas, he is ruined.
C. Alas! He is ruined.
D. Alas? He is ruined.

d. Choose the correct modal from the given choices :

7. He ________ dance for hours in his childhood.

A. could
B. can
C. need
D. will

8. He ______ rather break than stoop.

A. should
B. would
C. can
D. must

e. Choose the sentence showing correct indirect speech from the given choices :

9. Rohit has said, " I cannot displease my friend."

A. Rohit has said that I cannot displease my friend.
B. Rohit has said that he could not displease his friend.
C. Rohit has said that he cannot displease his friend.
D. Rohit has said that he could not displease my friend.

10. He said to her, "Do you want to go home?"

A. He asked her if she wanted to go home.
B. He asked her if she wants to go home.
C. He told her that she wanted to go home.
D. He asked her does she want to go home.
f. Choose the correct non-finite from the given choices.

11. This medicine is pleasant _______ (take).

A. to take
B. taking
C. take
D. having taken

12. Raman is fond of ______ (play) cricket.

A. to play
B. playing
C. play
D. having played

SECTION – C 10 Marks
(WRITING SKILL)
Q4. Attempt any one of the following : (5)

(i) Your father had sent to you a beautiful gift on your birthday from New York.
Write a letter to him expressing your feelings of love and admiration for him.
You are Sapna/ Mudit living at D-30, Saraswati Kunj, Chennai.

(ii) You are Kamal/ Kamala, a student of Vohra Public School, Faridabad,
Haryana. The toilets of your school are very dirty. Write an application to your
principal drawing his attention and pointing out the foul smell emitting out of
the toilets.

Q5. Attempt any one of the following : (5)

(i) You are the general manager of a leading industrial concern. You need a
chartered accountant for your office. Write an advertisement in not more than
50 words to be published in the Times of India, New Delhi under the
classified.
(ii) Write a paragraph on 'Value of Trees'.

SECTION - D 40 Marks
(LITERATURE)
Q6. Do any one of the passages given below and answer the questions that
follow. (5)
My father, the most adorable father I've ever seen; didn't marry my mother until he was
thirty-six and she was twenty-five. My sister, Margot, was born in Frankfurt in Germany
in 1926. I was born on 12th June, 1929. I lived in Frankfurt until I was four. My father
emigrated to Holland in 1933. My mother, Edith Hollander Frank, went with him to
Holland in September, while Margot and I were sent to Aachen to stay with our
grandmother.

Questions:
1. Name the chapter from which the passage has been taken.
2. Who does 'my father' refer to here?
3. Where did the grandmother live?
4. When was Anne Frank born?
5. What was the name of Anne Frank's mother?

Or

Our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese
days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might
have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the
moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still
exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished.

1. Name the chapter and its writer.

2. Whom do the elders remember nostalgically?
3. Who are referred to as the makers?
4. Which time-tested things still exist?
5. Which word in the passage means the same as 'disappeared'?

Q7. Answer any two of the following questions : (2 X 3 = 6)

(i) Why did the postmaster send money to Lencho? (A Letter to God)

(ii) What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother ? (From the Diary of Anne Frank)

(iii) What happened when the box was opened? (Mijbil the Otter)

(iv) What happens to Lomov when he is in an excited state? (The Proposal)

Q8. Attempt any one of the following questions : (6)

What legends are associated with the origin of tea?

(Tea from Assam)
Or
Write a character sketch of Natalya.
(The Proposal)

Q9. Attempt any one of the following stanzas : (5)

Some say the world will end in fire
 Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.

Questions:
1. Name the poem and the poet.
2. What does fire stand for in these lines?
3. What does ice stand for in these lines?
4. Which figure of speech is used in the first two lines?
5. What is the rhyme scheme used in the stanza?

Or
The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets but they didn't hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.

Questions:
1. Name the poem and its poet.
2. Who was Custard?
3. What did the pirate do on seeing the dragon?
4. How many bullets did the pirate fire on Custard?
5. Who ate every bit of the pirate?

Q10. Attempt any two of the following questions : (2 X 3 = 6)

(i) Describe the state of a tiger in the zoo? (A Tiger in the Zoo )
(ii) What is the central idea of the poem 'The Ball Poem'?
(iii) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, leaves and twigs do? (The
Trees )
(iv) Describe the four pets of Belinda. (The Tale of Custard the Dragon)

Q11. Attempt any two of the following questions : (2 X 3 = 6)

(i) Why is the writer tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest? (A Triumph of
Surgery )
(ii) Why was Fowler disappointed on meeting Ausable? (The Midnight Visitor)
(iii) How did Richard Ebright's mother help him to become a great scientist? (The
Making of a Scientist)
(iv) Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi? (Bholi)

Q12. Attempt any one of the following questions : (6)

Who is the real culprit in the story 'A Question of Trust'?
or
How did the necklace change the life of Matilda? (The Necklace)
 Answer key

Practice Question paper

Class: 10th

Marking instruction

Question Expected Answers Marks

No. awarded
1 Answer 10 Marks
1.( B ) U. P. (1 Mark each)
2.( D) September 29, 2012
3. (B) 2500
4. (B) Green Eiha Smile Club
5. (B) IPS
6. She got 'Bal Shakti Puraskar' in 2019.
7.The idea that plants help save the environment and
combat pollution remained in her mind.
8. Every Sunday, the family would plant saplings in
the vicinity of their house.
9. Eiha and her club encourage others to plant saplings
on birthdays and weddings.
10. According to Eiha, planting trees can save human
civilization.

2 Answer. 10 Marks
1. We should first consider our own mistakes before (1 Mark each)
criticizing others.
2. If we do not make mistakes, we shall rise to the
level of godliness or divinity.
3. We should have a humanised and kind attitude
towards others.
4. If a man makes mistakes knowingly, he deserves to
be punished. He is unforgivable.
5. Christ prayed to God to forgive all those people
because they were unaware of their action.
 6. (C) Both A and B
7. (A) mistakes
8. (C) Both A and B
9. B) advocate
10. (A) When he makes mistakes knowingly.

3 Ans. 3. 10 Marks
a. Tense (1 Mark each)
1. B. Have you not taken
2. D. has been hailing

b. Article
3. C. an
4. A. No article

c. Punctuation
5. B. Reema said to her mother, "Where are you
going?"
6. C. Alas! He is ruined.

d. Modal
7. A. could
8. B. would

e. Narration
9. C. Rohit has said that he can not displease his
friend.
10. A. He asked her if she wanted to go home.

f. Non finite
11. A. to take
12. B. playing

4 Letter 5
Format : 1 mark
Sender’s address, Date, Receiver’s address, Subject
and Salutation, Body of letter & Complimentary Close

Award full marks if all aspects are included.

Award 0.5 mark if more than one aspect is missing.
Award zero mark if more than two aspects are
missing.

Content : 2 marks
Accuracy & Expression : 2 marks
Award full marks if
 Tense, tone and vocabulary are appropriate
 Coherent and relevant ideas
 One or two grammatical/ spelling mistake

Model Answer :
D-30, Saraswati Kunj

Chennai

10 March 2021

My dear Father

I am delighted to receive your birthday gift. It is

simply superb. Though I have received many gifts,
none can equal the one that you have sent.

The electronic dictionary which you have sent me has

more than one lakh words. Besides, it has the facility
to learn the correct pronunciation of words. It has a
number of interesting grammar and vocabulary games
which can help a student.

It is really very useful. It will help me all through my

education and even afterwards. I know you are busy in
New York but you must soon find time to visit us.

Yours affectionately
Sapna

Or
Application : 5 Marks
Format : 1 mark
Receiver’s address, Subject and Salutation, Body of
application & Complimentary Close

Award full marks if all aspects are included.

Award 0.5 mark if more than one aspect is missing.
Award zero mark if more than two aspects are
missing.

Content : 2 marks

Accuracy & Expression : 2 marks

Award full marks if
 Tense, tone and vocabulary are appropriate
 Coherent and relevant ideas
 One or two grammatical/ spelling mistake

Model Answer :
To

The Principal
Vohra Public School
Faridabad
(Haryana)

Sub: dirty condition of our school toilets

Sir

It is to bring to your kind notice that the school-toilets

are very dirty. They stink and we have to use them
because there is no alternative. The taps are constantly
leaking. It's difficult to stand there at all. I wish you
could yourself see their condition.
In fact their bad condition forces many students to
relieve themselves at the boundary walls and other
such places. The sweepers never seem to clean them.
There are dirty remarks written all around in the toilet
walls. Kindly get the toilets cleaned and painted
afresh to give them a good look.
 Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours obediently

Kamal/Kamala
Class : X

5 Advertisement 5 marks
Format : 1 mark
Box, Heading, Content, Contact no, Address/ Email

Award full marks if all aspects are included

Award ½ mark if more than one aspect is missing.
Award zero mark if more than two aspects are
missing.

Content : 3 marks

Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar - 1 mark

Required a chartered accountant for a leading

concern 'Mehta Washing Powder India Ltd.'
Only candidates with CA degree, having two years
of experience in an MNC and are not more than 35
years of age can apply. Attractive salary and
promising career. Apply with complete resume
within seven days to General Manager, Mehta
Washing Powder Private Ltd., Housing Board,New
Delhi.

Or
Paragraph
Content : 3 marks
Accuracy & Expression : 2marks
Award full marks if
  Tense, tone and vocabulary are appropriate
 Coherent and relevant ideas
 One or two grammatical/ spelling mistake

Model Answer :
Trees and plants have a vital role in our life. They do
not only provide essential oxygen but also add to the
scenic beauty around us. Trees and plants provide us
with fresh air to breathe in and help in controlling the
atmospheric pollution. In summer, when the sun starts
scorching us, trees and plants provide us shade and
protect us from its heat. During rainy season, the trees
prevent soil erosion.In the cold winter, trees and
plants give us food and warmth by way of burning
fuel and firewood for cooking purposes. Trees also
provide us with essential herbs and fruits. Thus, trees
are indispensable for a healthy life of everyone.

6 5 Marks
1. From the Diary of Anne Frank
2. Otto Frank
3. Aachen
4. 12th June 1929
5. Edith Hollander Frank

Or
Ans.
1. A Baker from Goa by Lucio Rodrigues
2. The good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and
their famous loaves of bread
3. the bakers
4. the furnaces
5. vanished

7 (i) 2X3=6
Suggested value points :
Lencho's faith surprised the postmaster, not wanted to
shake his faith, hopes should prove true, sent him
money
Model Answer :
The postmaster was surprised to see Lencho's deep
faith in God. He did not want to shake his faith in
God. He did not want his hopes to prove false. So he
sent him the money.

(ii) Suggested value points :

her intense love for her grandmother, no one could
understand it, she thought of her very much, lighted
up extra candle on her birthday
Model Answer :
When Anne's grandmother died, she stated that no one
could understand her intensity of love for her
grandma. She said that no one could imagine how
much she thought of her. Lighting up extra candle for
her on her birthday shows her love for grandmother.

(iii) ) Suggested value points :

Mij jumped out of the box, started running, the
passengers started crying, chaos inside the plane
Model Answer :
As soon as the box was opened, Mij jumped out of it
and disappeared. It started running all over the plane.
The passengers started crying out of fear. All this
created chaos inside the plane.

(iv) Suggested value points :

heartbeat increases, lips tremble and twitch in the
right eyebrow, something pulls in left, jumps like a
lunatic

Model Answer :
Lomov's heartbeat increases in an excited state. His
lips tremble. There is twitch in his right eyebrow.
When he goes to sleep, something pulls in his left
side. Then he starts jumping like a lunatic.
8 Suggested Value Points: 6 Marks
No one really knows who discovered tea, many
legends associated with the origin of tea, An Indian
legend about Bodhidharma, felt sleepy during
meditations, cut eyelids and tea plants grew out of the
eyelids, another legend about a Chinese emperor,
drank water after a boil, few leaves fell into the water
and they were tea leaves.

Model Answer :
Rajvir tells Pranjol that no one really knows who
discovered tea. There are many legends associated
with the origin of tea. An Indian legend goes like this.
Once there was a Buddhist ascetic Bodhidharma. He
used to feel sleepy during meditations. So he cut off
his eyelids. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids.
When the leaves of these plants were put in hot water
and drunk, these banished sleep. It is said that they
were tea leaves.
Another legend lies like this that a king in China was
in the habit of drinking water after boiling it. One day,
a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell
into the water. As a result, the boiled water got a
delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves. Thus
the chapter shows an Indian legend and a Chinese
legend associated with the origin of tea.
Or
Suggested Value Points:

Natalya: unmarried and 25 years old heroine of the

play, father calls her a love sick cat, quarrels over the
authority of Oxen Meadows and the better breed of
their pet dogs, when comes to know about the proposal
Lomov is called back, arguments starts before the
proposal, father puts her hand in the hands of Lomov,
announces that they are engaged but she again starts
quarrelling with him, an interesting but materialistic
character
Model Answer :
 Natalya is the heroine of the play 'The Proposal'. She
is 25 years old. She is still unmarried. It causes a great
worry to her father. Natalya wishes that somebody
should love her and propose to her. Her father calls
her 'a love-sick cat'. She is quarrelsome by nature. She
quarrels with Lomov over the authority of Oxen
Meadows and the better breed of their pet dogs. When
she comes to know that he had come to propose to
her, she starts crying. Lomov is called back once
again and argument starts before proposing. Her father
does not want to lose this opportunity. He at one puts
Natalya's hand in the hands of Lomov. Then he
announces that they are engaged to each other.
Natalya becomes very happy. But she again starts
quarrelling with him. Thus we can say that Natalya is
an interesting but materialistic character.

9 Ans. 5 Marks
1. Fire and Ice by Robert Frost
2. Here 'fire' stands for burning desire for material
things.
3. Here 'ice' stands for hatred.
4. 'Anapora' is used in the first two lines.
5. The rhyme scheme used in the stanza is abaa.
Or

Ans.
1. The Tale of Custard the Dragon by Ogden Nash
2. Custard was Belinda's pet dragon.
3. The pirate drank some alcohol from a container in
his pocket.
4. He fired two bullets on Custard.
5. Custard ate every bit of the pirate.

10 (i) 2 x 3 =6 Marks
Suggested Value Points :
Imprisoned in a concrete cell and strength behind the
bars, ignores the visitors and keeps on stalking, hears
the last sound of the patrolling cars, stares the shining
stars with brilliant eyes
Model Answer :
A tiger in the zoo is imprisoned in a concrete cell. His
strength is locked behind the bars. He shows no
interest in looking at the visitors. Rather, he keeps on
stalking in the limited space of the cage. He hears the
sound created by the patrolling cars of the zoo
authorities. He stares at the shining stars with his
brilliant eyes.

(ii) Suggested Value Points :

learn how to accept the loss of our dear things, things
are found and lost, to be brave enough to accept the
fact of life, staying strong is the only way to survive.

Model Answer :
The central idea of the poem is that we have to learn
how to accept the loss of our worldly possessions and
dear ones. It is the nature of life that things are found
and lost too. Nothing remains with us forever. So we
have to be brave enough to accept this fact of life.
Staying strong is the only way to survive.

(iii) Suggested Value Points :

the trees are in the house, roots try to free from the
cracks of the veranda, leaves move towards the glass,
branches become stiff.
Model Answer :
At present, the trees are in the house. The roots try to
free themselves from the cracks of the varanda floor.
The leaves make efforts to move towards the glass in
search of light. The small branches become stiff as
they try to pull themselves towards the light.

(iv) Suggested Value Points :

story of a girl named Belinda, lived in a little white
house with four pets: Ink, Blink, Mustard and Custard,
a kitten, a grey mouse, a little yellow dog and a little
dragon.
Model Answer :
 'The Tale of Custard the Dragon' presents the story of
a girl named Belinda.She lived in a little white house.
She had four strange pets named Ink, Blink, Mustard
and Custard. Ink was a little black kitten, Blink was a
little grey mouse, Mustard was a little yellow dog and
Custard was a little dragon.

11 (i) Suggested Value Points : 2 x 3 =6 Marks

started sending eggs and wine, nothing given to Tricki,
the writer enjoyed all things, tempted to keep Tricki as
a permanent guest.

Model Answer :
Mrs. Pumphrey started sending eggs,wine and brandy
to build Tricki's strength. But nothing was given to
Tricki. Rather, the narrator and his partners started
enjoying all these things. So they were tempted to keep
Tricki on as a permanent guest to continue the fun.

(ii) Suggested Value Points :

Fowler was disappointed to see Ausable, Fat and lived
in a gloomy French hotel, not romantic, lifestyle not
thrilling.

Model Answer :
Fowler was very curious to meet a detective like
Ausable. But he felt very disappointed to meet him for
many reasons. First of all, he was extremely fat.
Secondly, he lived on the sixth and top floor of a
gloomy French hotel. It was not the setting for a
romantic adventure. No aspect of his lifestyle was
thrilling and exciting.

(iii) Suggested Value Points :

mother got him a book, bought him many equipments,
encouraged his interest in learning, a significant person
in his success story.

Model Answer :
 Richard Ebright's mother got him a book that became a
turning point in his life. She took him on trips. She
bought him a telescope, microscope and other
equipments that helped him in many ways. She
encouraged his interest in learning. Thus, she acted as
a significant person in his success story.

(iv) Suggested Value Points :

Bholi a backward child due to an injury, an attack of
smallpox, black marks all over her body, stammered
while speaking

Model Answer :Bholi's real name was Sulekha, but she

was called Bholi. She remained a backward child due
to an injury in her head when she was ten months old.
At the age of two, she had an attack of smallpox which
left the black marks all over her body. She stammered
when she started speaking.

12 Suggested Value Points : 6 Marks

Horace Danby respectable but not completely honest,
loved to buy rare and expensive books, raised money
by breaking a safe every year, entered the Shotover
Grange with planning, a young lady posed to be the
mistress of the house, made him open the safe for her,
Horace left fingerprints all over and arrested, real
culprit the lady in red

Model Answer :
Horace Danby was a good and respectable citizen. He
was fifty years old and unmarried. But he was not
completely honest. He loved to buy rare, latest and
expensive books. He raised money to buy these books
by breaking one safe every year. His latest target was
the safe at Shotover Grange. He made thorough
preparation for his venture. But when he entered the
room, his hay fever made him sneeze. It brought a
young lady to him. She posed to be the mistress of the
house. She threatened to hand him over to police. She
told him that she would let him go free if he opened
the safe for her. She wanted to wear the jewellery for
a dinner party that evening. She said that she had
forgotten the code number to open the safe. Horace
was scared. So he opened the safe but without wearing
gloves in hurry. He left his finger prints all over that
led to his arrest.
Thus the real culprit in the story was the lady in red.
She had befooled, cheated and trapped Horace Danby.

Or
Suggested Value Points :
Invited to a party, Matilda borrowed a necklace of
diamonds from Mme. Forestier, had a great sense of
victory at the ball, lost the necklace and failed to find
it, raised a loan of 18000 francs, after 10 years of hard
work able to pay off the debt, the diamond necklace
was artificial, the necklace changed their life
completely.
Model Answer :
Matilda was a very beautiful and attractive woman.
One evening, her husband told her that they were
invited to a party at the residence of the Minister of
Public Instruction. She went to her friend Mme.
Forestier's house. She borrowed a necklace of
diamonds from her to wear at the party. Everybody
praised her at the ball.All the officers at the party
wanted to dance with her. She had a great sense of
victory. But she lost the necklace. She and her
husband made all efforts to find it, but in vain.
Now they needed 36000 francs to purchase a
diamond necklace and return it to Mme. Forestier. But
they had only 18000 francs with them. So Loisel
raised a loan of 18000 francs. They shifted to a small
room. They dismissed their maid. Matilda did all her
household works herself. Mr Loisel did extra work in
the evenings. After ten years of hard work, they were
able to pay off their debt. But now Matilda had
become an ordinary woman of a poor house. In the
end, she came to know that the diamond necklace was
artificial. It was not even worth 500 francs in reality.
Thus the necklace changed their life completely.