NALANDA GURUKULA INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

QUARTERLY EXAMINATION SEPTEMBER-2023

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ENGLISH PAPER – 1

CLASS: X MAX MARK: 80

DATE: 07 -09-2023 DURATION: 2 Hr.
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Attempt all five questions.
The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
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Question 1
(Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.)
Write a composition (300 -350 words) on any one of the following. [20]
(i) Write an original story that begins with the words: ‘He was the funniest boy/girl I had ever met. He/she
would make everyone laugh…’
(ii) You are a spectator at a cricket match. Trouble erupts suddenly, and you witness a riot among the
crowd. Narrate what happened and why.
(iii) “Living in the countryside is far more advantageous than living in the city.” Express your views either
for or against the statement.
(iv)Describe the joys of summer.
(v) Study the given picture below. Write a short story or description or an account of what the picture
suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions
from it.

Question 2 [10]
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Answer any one.
(i) Your class was taken to visit an Old Age Home where you spent half a day with the residents. Write a
letter to a friend telling him/her what you saw, how you felt and in what way you have changed since the
visit.
(ii) Write a letter to the Director of a television channel complaining about the quality of the programmes
telecast. Suggest ways to improve the programmes.
Question 3
(i) You are the Librarian of your school. Write a notice to be put on the school noticeboard, asking the
students of Classes VI to X to donate their books to be given to a charitable institution, running a school
for the underprivileged children in a slum colony. [5]
(ii) As the librarian of the school, write an e-mail to the Principals of neighbouring schools, requesting them
to ask their students to donate books as given in 3(a) [5]
Question 4
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Sita went to her grandfather and sat down beside him.

‘When you are hungry, tell me,’ she said, ‘and I will make the bread.’

‘Is your grandmother asleep?’

‘Yes. But she will wake soon. The pain is deep.’

The old man stared across the river, at the dark green forest, at the leaden sky, and said. ‘If she is not better
by morning, I will take her to the hospital in Shahganj. They will know how to make her well. You may be
on your own for two or three days. You have been on your own before.’

Sita nodded gravely-she had been alone before; but not in the middle of the rains with the river so high. But
she knew that someone must stay behind. She wanted Grandmother to get well and she knew that only
Grandfather could take the small boat across the river when the current was so strong.

Sita was not afraid of being left alone but she did not like the look of the river.

That evening it began to rain again. Big pellets of rain were scarring the surface of the river. But it was
warm rain and Sita could move about in it. She was not afraid of getting wet, she rather liked it. In the
previous month, when the monsoon shower had arrived, washing the dusty leaves of the tree and bringing up
the good smell of the earth,she had exulted in it, had run about shouting for joy.

She was used to it now, even a little tired of the rain, but she did not mind getting wet. It was steamy indoors
and her thin dress would soon dry in the heat from the kitchen fire.

She walked about barefoot, barelegged. She was very sure on her feet. Her toes had grown accustomed to
gripping all kinds of rocks, slippery or sharp, and though thin, she was surprisingly strong.

Black hair, streaming across her face Black eyes. Slim brown arms. A scar on her thigh when she was small,
visiting her mother's village, a hyena had entered the house where she was sleeping, fastened onto her leg
and tried to drag her away but her screams had roused the villagers and the hyena had run off.

She had moved about in the pouring rain, chasing the hens into a shelter behind the hut. A harmless brown
snake, flooded out of its hole, was moving across the open ground. Sita took a stick, picked the snake up
with it, and dropped it behind a cluster of rocks. She had no quarrel with snakes. They kept down the rats
and the frogs. She wondered how the rats had first come to the island-probably in someone's boat or in a
sack of grain.

She disliked the huge black scorpions who left their waterlogged dwellings and tried to take shelter in the
hut. It was so easy to step on one and the sting could be very painful. She had been bitten by a scorpion the
previous monsoon and for a day and a night she had known fever and great pain. Sita had never killed living
creatures but now, whenever she found a scorpion, she crushed it with a rock! When, finally, she went
indoors, she was hungry.

She ate some parched gram and warmed up some goat's milk.
Grandmother woke once and asked for water and Grandfather held the brass tumbler to her lips.

The roof was leaking and a small puddle formed on the floor. Grandfather kept the kerosene lamps alight.
They did not need the light but somehow it made them feel safer.
(i) For each word given below, choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options
provided. [3]
1. gravely (line 8)
(a) happily (b) seriously (c) angrily (d) with great fun
2. steamy (line 16)
(a) stinky (b) bright (c) wet (d) hot and humid
3. parched (line 33)
(a) dried (b) hollow (c) smooth (d) sat down
(ii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.
(a) Why did Sita have a scar on her thigh? [2]
(b) Why did she think snakes were useful? [1]
(c) What did Sita do with the snake? [2]
(d) The passage tells us that Sita never killed living creatures. Why did she crush scorpions with a rock?[2]
(e) Why did they keep the lamps alight? [2]
(iii) In not more than 50 words, describe what kind of a girl was Sita. [8]
Question 5
(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not
copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank
space. [4]
Example: (0) saw
A boy (0) ________(see) a turtle on the beach. He began (1) ________ (examine) it, but the turtle pulled in
its head and closed its shell. The boy was upset. (2) ________ (pick) up a stick, he tried to force it open.
The boy's uncle, from a distance, remarked, "No, that's not the way! You'll not get it to open up with a
force." The uncle took the turtle into the house and put it near the fireplace. It did not (3) ________ (move)
until it began (4) ________ (get) warm. Then the turtle pushed out its head, stretched out its legs and began
to crawl. "Turtles (5) ________ (be) like that," said the uncle, "and people, too. You can’t (6) ________
(force) them into anything. But if you first (7) ________ (warm) them up with kindness, it is likely that
they (8) ________ (do) what you want them to do."
(ii) Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word. [4]
(a) The bus broke ________ the highway.
(b) The mouse crept stealthily ________ the cheese.
(c) The theory exam was followed ___________ a group discussion.
(d) Smoking ________ public places is now banned.
(e) Anil took _______ his cap and wiped his face.
(f) Rohini is concerned _________ her father’s health.
(g) We lived in this town ________ six years.
(h) What a contrast ________ the two siblings.
(iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using ‘and’, ‘but’ or ‘so’.
Choose the correct option. [4]
(a) They did not believe me. I had to give them evidence.
1. Although I gave them evidence, they did not believe me.
2. I gave them evidence so they did not believe me.
3. They did not believe me as well as my evidence.
4. I had to give them evidence to ensure they might believe me.
(b) Brutus killed Caesar. Caesar was ambitious.
1. While Caesar was ambitious, Brutus killed him.
2. Once Caesar was ambitious, Brutus killed him.
3. When Caesar was ambitious, Brutus killed him.
4. As Caesar was ambitious, Brutus killed him.
(c) Rajan is a great cricketer. He is also popular.
1. Rajan is popular as he is a great cricketer.
2. Not only rajan a great cricketer, but he is also popular.
3. Not only is Rajan a great cricketer, but he is also popular.
4. Since Rajan is a great cricketer, he is also popular.
 (d) This concept is complex. That concept is equally complex.
1. This concept is complex that.
2. This concept is complex as that.
3. This concept is as complex and as that.
4. This concept is as complex as that.
(iv) Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. Choose the
correct option. [8]
(a) She is not only a good actor, but also an excellent singer.
(End: …….. singer)
1. Besides being a good actor she is an excellent singer.
2. Besides being a good actor she was an excellent singer.
3. Besides being a good actor she is a singer.
4. Besides being an actor she is an excellent singer.
(b) All the people in the bank are not prepared to go home without cash.
(Begin: None…..)
1. None of the people in the bank is prepared to go home without cash.
2. None people in the bank are prepared to go home without cash.
3. None of the people in the bank were prepared to go home without cash.
4. None the people in the bank is prepared to go home without cash.
(c) You are not allowed into the club unless you are a member.
(Use: Only if ……)
1. Only if you will be a member will you be allowed to the club.
2. You are allowed into the club only if you are a member.
3. You are permitted to enter the club only if you are a member.
4. Unless you are a member you are not allowed into the club.
(d) “Can I help you with your homework?” said my father.
(End: …… my homework)
1. My father said to me if he can help me with my homework.
2. My father asked me if he had helped me in doing my homework.
3. My father asked me whether he could help me with my homework.
4. My father asked me whether he can help me with my homework.
(e) It is important to be successful and happy.
(Begin: Not…..)
1. Not only was it important to be successful but also happy.
2. Not only is it important to be successful but also happy.
3. Not only is it important to be successful but happy.
4. Not only was it important to be successful but happy.
(f) The teacher scolded him for coming late.
(Begin: He…..)
1. He is scolded by the teacher for coming late.
2. He was scolded by the teacher for coming late.
3. He had scolded by the teacher for coming late.
4. He scolded the teacher for coming late.
(g) This score is better than any other score I’ve ever achieved in English Language.
(Use: best)
1. This score is the best I will be achieved in English Language.
2. This score is the best I can achieved in English Language.
3. This score is the best I’ve achieved in English Language.
4. This score is the best I could achieved in English Language
(h) He had hardly stepped out when it started raining.
(Begin: Hardly …..)
1. Hardly he stepped out of the house when it started raining.
2. Hardly had he stepped out of the house when it starts raining.
3. Hardly did he stepped out of the house when it started raining.
4. Hardly had he stepped out of the house when it started raining.

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