Second Language

NEW SYLLABUS

(BASED ONLY ON CLASS X SYLLABUS)

Time—3 Hours 15 Minutes

( First 15 minutes for reading the question paper only, 3 hours for writing )

Full Marks : 90

1. Read the following paragraphs and answer the questions that follow:

Some days after the funeral, a special train took Gandhiji’s ashes to Allahabad. The compartment was decked with flowers. People on the train sang bhajans. People did not weep anymore for they could feel Gandhiji’s presence amid the flowers and the songs. At every station sorrowful crowds filled the platform. Amid song and prayer the train reached Allahabad. The ashes were immersed in the Ganges where a huge crowd gathered at the bank. Afterwards we all went back to Delhi.

Back in Delhi, I felt at sea. I had not directly walked with Gandhiji, gone to prison at his call or made any sacrifice for my country. My sisters and I, and other young people like me, had been merely onlookers. But still I felt at sea. I felt I had grown up within a magic circle. With Bapu’s passing away, I felt the magic circle had vanished, leaving me unprotected.

With an effort I roused myself. I asked myself—had Bapu lived and died for nothing? How could I so easily lose courage when he was no longer there? My values were not so weak. Millions of people would have been ordinary folk but for Bapu. He brought them out of indifference and awakened them to one another’s suffering. What if now Bapu is gone? We were still there, young, strong and proud to bear his banner before us.

Bapu had passed away but his India would continue to live in his children.

A. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences : 1×5=5

(a) People on the train

i) recounted Gandhiji’s eventful life

ii) performed devotional songs

iii) shed tears for the departed soul

iv) wondered who would lead India theneceforth

(b) The ashes were taken to Allahabad

i) to be kept in a memorial

ii) to be deposited in holy water

iii) to allow people to pay their respect

iv) to be buried

(c) Immediately after getting back to Delhi from Allahabad, the author

i) resumed her routine life

ii) began political discussions

iii) felt rudderless

iv) launched herself into political activities

(d) The writer admonished herself for

i) being vengeful

ii) losing courage

iii) wasting so much time

iv) not doing enough for Bapuji

e) By Bapu, millions of people were brought out of their

i) hunger

ii) apathy

iii) poor economic condition

iv) idleness

B. There are some blanks below. Complete the sentences with information from the above tex :

1×3 = 3

i) The writer and her sister were never directly involved in the activities led by Bapuji ______ .

ii) The writer felt at last that her values were strong enough to __.

iii) Gandhiji made the ordinary people feel _______.

C. Fill in the chart with information from the text: 2×2= 4

Cause

i) People could feel Gandhiji’s presence in flowers and songs.

ii) Bapu continued to be an inspiration for the young.

Effect  i) ? ii) ?

2. Read the lines of the poem carefully :

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

A. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences : 1×4=4

(a) I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky – here ‘must’ indicates the poet’s

i) sense of duty

ii) sense of loyalty

iii) irresistible passion

iv) stress and strain

(b) To navigate in the right direction, the poet wants

i) a good pilot

ii) a good and hardy ship

iii) a star

iv) a smooth sea

(c) Is a wild call and a clear call - here ‘wild’ means

i) angry

ii) uncivilized

iii) untamed

iv) fierce

(d) The poet wants the white clouds

i) to thicken

ii) to move fast

iii) to soar up and down

iv) to blur the vision

B. Answer each of the questions given below in one or two sentences : 2×2= 4

i) When does the poet hope to start his voyage?

Ans :

ii) Which birds are expected to accompany the poet in his voyage?

Ans:

Reading and Comprehension

(Unseen)

3. Read the text below and answer the following questions:

Three tiger cubs, spotted for the first time at Rajasthan’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR), have taken thebig cat population to 74 at the sanctuary located at Swai Madhopur.

The reserve now has 20 tigers, 30 tigresses, and 24 sub-adults and cubs, apart from 4 tigers each in Keladevi range and Dholpur range of the reserve.

The tigress T-105 was sighted with 3 cubs on Wednesday evening in Tapkan-Sultanpur area in zone-1, said Sanjiv Sharma, assistant conservator of forest at Ranthambore reserve.

He said it was the first litter of the big cat, the daughter of tigress T-39.

While the good news has excited wildlife lovers, the RTR administration is also worried that with their increasing population, the tiger territory is shrinking.

A forest official said that due to increasing population territorial disputes are rising among big cats, resulting in migration.

Citing the instance of tigress Ridhi and Siddhi, the official said they have injured each other a number oftimes due to territorial disputes and therefore need to be relocated to Sariska Tiger Reserve but the processhasn’t even started in the last two months despite all necessary approvals.

A. Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences : 1×6 = 6

(a) The three tiger cubs have been seen

i) during their birth

ii) after their birth

iii) during their treatment

iv) following their relocation (b) The RTR management is worried about

i) shrinking tiger population

ii) growing tiger population

iii) man-tiger conflict

iv) tigers overwhelming other forms of wild life

(c) According to the current count the number of tigers of all genders and ages in RTR is more than

i) a hundred

ii) ninety

iii) a hundred and twenty

iv) seventy

(d) The three cubs were seen with

i) an RTR employee

ii) the deputy conservator of RTR

iii) their mother

iv) other cubs

(e) Keladevi range and Dholpur range – here ‘range’ refers to

i) a mountain range

ii) a section of a forest

iii) an array of choices

iv) a span of vision

(f) RTR is located in the state of

i) Rajasthan

ii) Swai Madhopur

iii) Ranthambor

iv) Sultanpur

B. Some of the statements are True and some are False. Write ‘T’ for True and ‘F’ for False in the boxes on the right-hand side. Quote a line or part to support your answer. (1 +1)×3=6

i) Ridhi and Siddhi had repeated fights. _______

Supporting sentence :

ii) The relocation process is on after necessary approvals. _____

Supporting sentence :

iii) Wild life lovers are upset about the news of three tiger cubs. _______

Supporting sentence : 

C. Answer the following questions in complete sentences : 2×4=8

i) In which area was the three tiger cubs newly spotted ?

Ans:

ii) Who is the mother of the tigress T-105?

Ans :

iii) What are territorial disputes leading to ?

Ans :

iv) What is the plan regarding relocation?

Ans :

Section-B (Grammar and Vocabulary)

4. Choose the correct alternatives : 1×3=3

Members _________ (carried/carry/carrying) entry passes may _____ (seat/be seated/seating) in a special gallery ______  (fitted/fitting/fit) with a giant screen.

5. Do as directed :

a) Fill in the blanks with articles and prepositions : 1×3=3

The final match ______ England and Pakistan was a heart-stopper. Pak batsmen failed__________ fire and hence, they set up a very modest target _______ England.

(b) i) Tamal shouts louder than Santosh. (Change the degree of the comparison) 1

Ans:

ii) The teacher said to the students, ‘Let’s have a story-telling competition this year.’ (Change into

indirect speech) 1

Ans:

iii) Please don’t disturb the zoo animals. (Change the voice) 1

Ans:

(c) Choose the correct phrasal verb from the list given below to replace the words underlined. Write the correct phrasal verbs in the boxes on the right hand side, changing the form, where necessary. There is one extra phrasal verb in the list :

i) You need to arrange the books on your table.

ii) Reducing the price of petrol diesel should be the top priority of the government.

iii) Have you read this book by Rabindranath Tagore? [List of phrasal verbs : bring down, do up, go through, work out] 

6. Given below are the meanings of four words which you will find in the passage in Question No. 3. Find out the words and write them in the appropriate boxes on the right hand side : 2×4=8

i) a forest area kept for the protection of a particular animal:

ii) anxious :

iii) example :

iv) in spite of :

Section-C (Writing)

7. Write a letter to the editor of an English daily expressing your concern over the reckless use of plastic bags. 10

(Points : plastic bags – not bio-degradable – chokes drains – pollutes soil and water –– need for awareness)

8. Write a newspaper report on a train-bus collision within 100 words with the help of the hints given. 10

 Hints: (speeding bus – unmanned level crossing – speeding train – bus knocked away-15 killed, 20 seriously 

injured – rescue operation – police took control)

9. Write a paragraph on ‘The importance of sports and games’ on the basis of the following points : 10

Keeps body fit – relieves the stress - keeps mind cheerful – helps to grow social skills – can open up  career opportunities.

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