Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Jammu Region

Sample Paper Class – X (2020 -21) Solved Set 1

English – Language and Literature

Time allowed: 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:

1. This paper is divided into two parts: A and B. All questions are compulsory.
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these
instructions very carefully and follow them.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Part A (40 Marks)

READING (20 marks)

1. Read the passage below.

During our growing up years we as children were taught - both at home and school - to worship the photos and
idols of the Gods of our respective religions. When we grew a little older, we were to read holy books like the
Bhagwad Gita, Bible and Quran; we were told that there are a lot of life lessons to be learnt from these holy
books. We were then introduced to stories from our mythologies which taught us about ethics and morality-
what is good and what is bad. I also learnt to be respectful towards my parents who made my life comfortable
with their hard work and love and care, and my teachers who guided me to become a good student and a
responsible citizen.

2. Much later in life, I realised that though we learn much from our respective holy books, there is a lot to learn
from our surroundings. This realization dawned upon me when I learnt to enquire and explore. Everything
around us- the sun, the moon, the stars, rain, rivers, stones, rocks, birds, plants and animals - teach us many
valuable life lessons.

3. No wonder that besides the scriptures, in many cultures nature is also worshipped. The message that we get is
to save our environment and maintain ecological balance. People are taught to live in harmony with nature and
recognize that there is God in all aspects of nature.

4. Nature is a great teacher. A river never stops flowing. If it finds an obstacle in its way in the form of a heavy
rock, the river water fights to remove it from its path or finds an alternative path to move ahead. This teaches us
to be progressive in life, and keep the fighting spirit alive.

5. Snakes are worshipped as they eat insects in the field that can hurt our crops, thus protecting the grains for us.
In fact, whatever we worship is our helper and makes our lives easy for us. There are many such examples in
nature, but we are not ready to learn a lesson. Overcome with greed, we are destroying nature. As a result, we
face natural disasters like droughts, floods and landslides. We don’t know that nature is angry with us.

6. However, it is never too late to learn. If we learn to respect nature, the quality of our life will improve.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY TEN questions from the 12 that follow.

(1 x 10=10)

(i) We are told to worship photos and idols of Gods during our _________.
a. childhood
b. adulthood
c. growing up years
d. none of these

(ii) Parents should be worshiped because __________

a. they gave us Holy books to read
b. they taught us what is good and what is bad
c. they work hard to make our lives easier
d. they have read many mythical stories

(iii) One can learn life lessons from _________

1. Mythology 2. Reading Holy books 3.Nature 4. Worshiping photos and idols of God
a. 1,2,4
b. 1,3,4
c. 1,2,3
d. 2,3,4

(iv) The natural disaster that has not been talked about in the passage is :
a. Drought
b. Earthquake
c. Flood
d. Landslide

(v) A river teaches us to be ___________

a. Stubborn
b. Obstinate
c. Progressive
d. Docile

(vi) Snakes are worshipped because they protect ____________

a. Crops from animals
b. Crops from insects
c. Us from rodents
d. Us from insects
 (vii) According to the passage, the reason for not a worshiping nature is ___________
a. Anger
b. Ethics
c. Harmony
d. Greed

(viii) The most suitable meaning of the word “guided” is __________

a. Answered
b. Advised
c. Fought
d. Polished

(ix) The word which means the same as “explore” is ___________

a. Search
b. Frequent
c. Describe
d. Request

(x) The word which finds its synonym is in “valuable” is _________

a. Proper
b. Desirable
c. Available
d. Useful

(xi) Choose the option which means the same as “harmony”

a. Beauty
b. Friendship
c. Discomfort
d. Honesty

(xii) Which word means the same as “ethics”

a. Conduct
b. Deed
c. Action
d. Moral philosophy

2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 10 = 10)

1. Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. When areas in and around Leh began to experience water
shortages, life didn't grind to a halt. Why? Because Chewang Norphel, a retired civil engineer in the Jammu
and Kashmir government came up with the idea of artificial glaciers.

2. Ladakh, a cold desert at an altitude of 3,000-3,500 metres above sea level, has a low average annual
rainfall rate of 50mm. Glaciers have always been the only source of water. Agriculture is completely
dependent on glacier melt unlike the rest of river/monsoon-fed India. But over the years with increasing
effects of climate change, rainfall and snowfall patterns have been changing, resulting in severe shortage
and drought situations. Given the severe winter conditions, the window for farming is usually limited to one
harvest season.

3. It is located between the natural glacier above and the village below. The one closer to the village and
lowest in altitude melts first, providing water during April/May, the crucial sowing season. Further layers of
ice above melt with increasing temperature thus ensuring continuous supply to the fields. Thus, farmers
have been able to manage two crops instead of one. It costs about Rs.1,50,000 and above to create one.

4. Fondly called the "glacier man", Mr. Norphel has designed over 15 artificial glaciers in and around Leh
since 1987. In recognition of his pioneering effort, he was conferred the Padma Shri by President Pranab
Mukherjee, in 2015.

5. There are few basic steps followed in creating the artificial glacier.

6. River or stream water at higher altitude is diverted to a shaded area of the hill, facing north, where the
winter sun is blocked by a ridge or a mountain range. At the start of winter/November , the diverted water is
made to flow onto sloping hill face through distribution channels. Stone embankments are built at regular
intervals which impede the flow of water, making shallow pools and freeze, forming a cascade of ice along
the slope. Ice formation continues for 3-4 months resulting in a large accumulation of ice which is referred
to as an "artificial glacier".

No. of tourist who visited Leh

Month / April May June July August September

Year

2010 3410 16518 22889 22415 5575 3041

2011 3001 26310 33908 46843 37756 20833

i. For how many months does the ice formation continue?

(a) 2 months
(b) 3-4 months
(c) 5 months
(d) none of these

ii. Mr Norphel designed 15 artificial glaciers in __________

(a) Kashmir
(b) Ladakh
(c) Leh
(d) a village

iii. What kind of landform is Ladakh?

(a) Hot desert
(b) Cold desert
(c) Dry desert
(d) Hot and Dry desert

iv. Who was Chewang Norphel?

(a) a retired principal
(b) a retired activist
(c) a retired social worker
(d) a retired civil engineer

v. In which year did Mr Norphel get Padma Shri award?

(a) 2007
(b) 2015
(c) 2009
(d) 2005

vi. Ladakh is at an altitude of ____________ metres above sea level.

(a) 2000-2050
(b) 1500-2000
(c) 3000-3050
(d) 2500-3000

vii. the tabular graph given above depicts that maximum tourist visited Leh in
(a) August 2010
(b) August 2011
(c) July 2010
(d) July 2011

viii. the lowest number of tourist who visited Leh was in the month of
(a) April 2010
(b) April 2011
(c) Sep 2010
(d) Sep 2010

ix. the number of visitors to Leh in July 2011 was____________ those who visited in July 2010
(a) One third
(b) Double
(c) more than double
(d) Half

x. ______ visitors visited Leh in may 2010.

(a) 16815
(b) 16518
(c) 15618
(d) 16158

xi. The word which means the same as 'involving new methods' in para 4 is __________
(a) pioneering
(b) recognition
(c) conferred
(d) fondly

xii. The synonym of 'height' in para 2 is _____________

(a) desert
(b) altitude
(c) increasing
(d) drought

LITERATURE (10 Marks)

3 Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE, by answering the questions that follow.

(5 x1 = 5)

(A) I finished my poem and it was beautiful. It was about a mother duck and a father swan with three baby
ducklings who were bitten to death by the other because the quacked too much.

i. Who was ‘he’ in the passage?

a. Her classmate
b. Mr. Keesing
c. Her father
d. His history teacher

ii. During which lesson he had finally had enough?

a. First lesson
b. Second lesson
c. Fourth lesson
d. Third lesson

iii. Which word in the passage means the same as ‘to laugh’?
a. Joke
b. Ridiculous
c. Roared
d. Entitled

iv. Mr. Keesing was trying to play a _______ on Anne.

 a. Fun
b. Song
c. Joke
d. Trick

v. Choose the answer that list the correct option about the subject taught by Mr. Keesing?

(1) (2) (3) (4)

Table of Fourteen Noun Part of plant Difference between

14 x 1 = 14 A noun is the name of the a) Stem Longitude Latitude

person, place…
14 x 1 = 28 b) Leaves
……… ………

14 x 1 = 42 c) Root ……… ……….

……… ………

a. Option(1)
b. Option (3)
c. Option (3)
d. Option (4)

OR

(B) We have an Indian legend too. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he
felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when
put in hot water and drunk banished sleep.
“Tea was first drunk in China,” Rajvir added, “as far back as 2700 BC! In fact words such as tea, ‘chai’
and ‘chini’ are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as
medicine than as beverage.” The train clattered into Mariani junction. The boys collected their luggage
and pushed their way to the crowded platform.

i. Who cut off his eyelids to avoid being sleepy during the meditation?
a. The Priest
b. The Buddhist ascetic
c. The Monk
d. The Sage

ii. Tea was used in Europe as:

a. Drink
b. Energizer
c. Soft drink
d. Medicine
 iii. How many tea plants grew out of the eyelids?
a. Five
b. Six
c. Eight
d. Ten

iv. Which word in the passage means ‘drove away’?

a. Legend
b. Banished
c. Ancient
d. Ascetic

v. Europeans started drinking tea in _________ century.

a. Fifteenth
b. Sixteenth
c. Fourteenth
d. Tenth

4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE by answering the questions that follow: (5 x 1 = 5)

A. He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage
On pads of velvet quite,
In his quiet rage.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole.
Where plump deer pass.

i. The fact that he is stalking the few steps means:

a. He is free
b. He is caged
c. He is roaming in the forest
d. He is wandering in the long grass

ii. Why does he move only a gew steps, it is because of:

a. Zoo
b. Room
c. Jungle
d. Cage

iii. Pick out the word from the stanza that means the same as ‘clear’.
a. Stripes
 b. Velvet
c. Vivid
d. Rage

iv. Who has written the above lines?

a. Leslie Norris
b. Robert Frost
c. Robin Klein
d. Carolyn Wells

v. Name the poetic device used in line 1.

a. Metaphor
b. Alliteration
c. Personification
d. Repetition

OR

B. The way a crow

Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

i. Where was the crow sitting?

a. On a banyan tree
b. On a hemlock tree
c. On a pine tree
d. On a gulmohar tree

ii. What did it shake on the poet?

a. Rubber ball
b. Fruit of a tree
c. A small pebble
d. Dust of snow

iii. Give a rhyming word of ‘crow’ from a passage.

a. Heart
b. Mood
c. Snow
 d. Rued

iv. What was the poet’s state of mind at that time?

a. Good mood
b. Best mood
c. Not very good mood
d. Depressive mood

v. The rhyme scheme of these line is _________.

a. Aabb; abab
b. Abab; abab
c. Abbc; aabb
d. Abba; aabc

GRAMMAR (10 marks)

5. Choose the most appropriate options from the ones given below the passage. (3 x 1 = 3)

In developing countries such as Britain, Germany, Japan and USA, one can see a number of people of all age
group like pensioners, school going children, etc. (i)__________ in the meadows, forests and parks, on the river
banks and sea shores with cameras and notebooks (ii)____________ birds. Each member of a bird watching
club (iii)____________ a badge, identity card and a map of the area. The main function of these organizations is
to collect as much data on birds as possible.

i.
(a) moving about
(b) moved about
(c) move about
(d) movement
ii.
(a) jotting down the names, colours and size of the difference
(b) jotting down the names, colours and size of the different
(c) jotting down the names, colours and size
(d) differentiate
iii.
(a) was provided with
(b) was provided in
(c) is provided with
(d) is provided in

6. Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks to complete the dialogue: ( 3 x 1 = 3)

Mother: Why don’t you clean up your room?

 Son : I don’t have the time. (i)________

Mother: The maid is busy in the kitchen.

Son : She can do it later.

Mother: But how can you study in this mess?

Son : It’s alright (ii)________

Mother: It may not bother you, but it is not the right habit. (iii) At least_________

Son : No, I’ll clean up my table also later.

Mother : With such an untidy study table how are you going to write?

i.
(a) What was the maid doing?
(b) What is the maid doing?
(c) Where were the maid?
(d) Why can the maid doing?

ii.
(a) Is bothering me
(b) Bothered me
(c) Doesn’t bother me
(d) Weren’t bothering me

iii.
(a) Cleaned your table
(b) Clean up your table
(c) Cleaning your table
(d) Have cleaned your table

7. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct options for ANY FOUR of the six sentences given below:

(4 x 1 = 4 )

i. That well built boy __________ I met at the sports meet is a famous hockey player.
a. Who
b. Whom
c. Where
d. Whose

ii. Suspecting every stranger you __________ across is wrong.

a. Came
b. Comes
 c. Come
d. Coming

iii. The longer a candle burns, the ____________ it becomes.

a. Shorter
b. Short
c. Long
d. Small

iv. Swapna is not as __________ as her brother.

a. Friend
b. Friendly
c. Friends
d. Friendship

v. You are not allowed ___________ your vehicles here.

a. To park
b. To parking
c. For park
d. Park

vi. Let him take the examination without __________ fine.

a. An
b. Any
c. Those
d. Their

Section B

WRITING (2 x 5 = 10)

8. Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100- 120 words. (1 x 5 = 5)

A) You are Tanvi/Shirish, resident of Safdarjung Development Area, New Delhi. You are extremely disturbed
about the attacks on old people living alone. Write a letter to the editor, ' The New Indian News,' making people
sensitive to the problem. Make suggestions to the people living alone and the authorities to ensure that such
attacks do not take place.

OR

B) You are Tripti, head girl of Guru Nanak girl senior Secondary School, Kanpur. Write a letter to Dimple
caterers, Motijheel, Kanpur to find out the rate for conducting the 12th standard farewell party, inquiring about
catering charges per head, service charges and advance to be paid.

9. Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words. (1 x 5 = 5)

A) You came across the following advertisement published in Public Interest by the Ministry of Health. You
feel that despite rising taxes and restrictions against smoking in India, there are still 260 million in the country
and the number is still rising. Taking ideas from the advertisement with your own ideas, write a paragraph for
your school magazine.

WHEN YOU SMOKE YOU BURN YOUR LUNGS

Take deep breath and think

FACTS:

SMOKERS HAVE

- 20-25 higher risk of developing lung cancer.

- 2-3 times higher risk of having a heart attack
- 3 times higher risk of sudden death

PASSIVE SMOKERS

- Risk of having bronchitis, pneumonia, Asthma and reduced rate of lung growth. If current battens
continue. Smoking will cause some 10 million deaths every year.

SMOKING BRINGS YOU

Brain strokes, heart attack, lung cancer, sperm deformities and importance in males, cancer of cervix and
infertility in females.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

OR

B) The number of tigers, the biggest cats in the world is gradually decreasing. Given below is a data which
reveals the number of Royal Bengal Tiger in different countries. Write an analytical paragraph by interpreting
the data.

S.No. Name of country Minimum Maximum

1 Bangladesh 300 460

2 Bhutan 80 460

3 China 30 35
 4 India 2500 3800

5 Nepal 150 250

LITERATURE (30 marks)

10. Answer ANY TWO questions in 20-30 words each, from A and B respectively.

A) (Any two) (2 x 2 = 4)

i. How did the rain change and what happened to Lencho's fields?

ii. Why was the poet standing under the hemlock tree?

iii. Why were the two national anthems sung?

B) (Any two) (2 x 2 = 4)

i. Why is Mrs pumphrey worried about Tricki?

ii. How had sacrifice Of Mrs Loisel been in vain?

iii. What are the qualities that go with the making of a scientist?

11. Answer ANY TWO questions in 40-50 words each, from A and B respectively. (3 x 4 = 12)

A (Any two) (3 x 2 = 6)

i. Anne says that teachers are the most unpredictable. Is Mr keesing unpredictable?

ii What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Explain in your own words.

iii. What is the ailment that Lomov is suffering from?

B (Any two) (3 x 2 = 6)

i. Griffin is a talented scientist but he misused his invention. The lesson we learn from his examples is that
misuse of scientific Discovery can play Havoc with humanity. Explain.

ii. Why did Anil not handover Hari Singh to the police?

iii. Bholi was a neglected child. Explain.

12. Answer any one of the following in 100-120 words. (1 x 5 = 5)

A) A young Seagull is afraid to fly. His father and mother threaten him and cajol him to fly. Don't you think
that such type of strategy is followed by almost all parents to make their children learn? Substantiate your
answer with examples.

OR

B) We would Climb a bench or a parapet and peep into the basket; somehow, I can still recall the typical
fragrance of those loaves.

Why were the children fascinated by the Baker? How did they show their eagerness to see him?

13. Answer any one of the following in 100- 120 words. (1 x 5 = 5)

A) What did the hack driver tell the narrator about Lutkins Mother? How did she treat the narrator?

OR

B) Bholi's real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last one paragraph of
the story is only called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at the last point in the story?