Students can access the CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English with Solutions and marking scheme Term 2 Set 2 will help students in understanding the difficulty level of the exam.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Term 2 Set 2 with Solutions
Time : 2 Hours
Max. Marks : 40
General Instructions :
- The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING. WRITING & GRAMMAR and LITERATURE.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section-A
Reading (10 marks)
Question 1.
Read the passage given below.
1. In the market for a new pet? Looking for something a bit exotic? For many consumers, reptiles and amphibians are just the thing: geckos, monitors, pythons, tree frogs, boas, turtles and many more species are available in seemingly endless varieties, many brilliantly coloured, some exceedingly rare. Exotic reptiles and amphibians began surging in popularity in the early 1990s, not only in the United States but also in Europe and Japan. From 2004 to 2014, the European Union imported nearly 21 million of these animals; an estimated 4.7 million households in the United States owned at least one reptile in 2016.
2. But popularity has spawned an enormous illegal trade, conservationists say. Many reptiles sold as pets are said to have been bred in captivity and sales of those animals are legal. In fact, many were illegally captured in the wild.
3. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) identified 18 instances in which reptiles and amphibians are exported as captive-bred but likely are not. The examples included Indian star tortoises from Jordan, red-eyed tree frogs from Nicaragua, and savanna monitors from Ghana and Togo.
4. Dozens of countries export reptiles and other exotic animals labelled captive-bred, but Indonesia stands out. At least 80 per cent of the 5,000 plus green pythons, for instance, annually exported from the country as captive-bred were caught illegally in the wild, depleting some island populations. Plucking animals from the wild is cheaper and easier than setting up a breeding operation. This is especially true for low-profit animals like Tokay geckos, which are traded at such high volumes that it would not make economic sense to invest in breeding them.
5. Generally, villagers capture animals in forests and fields and sell them to middlemen who hand them off to legal reptile farms. The owners of the farms acquire government paperwork certifying that the animals were captive-bred. Once a wild-caught animal is exported with paperwork certifying it as captive-bred, officials in countries like the United States have little choice but to allow it in.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer ANY FIVE questions from the six given
below.
(i) List the exotic animals that are in demand for pet trade. (1)
Answer:
The exotic animals that are in demand for pet trade are geckos, monitors, pythons, tree frogs, boas and turtles.
(ii) Why are exotic animals caught in the wild than being captive bred for the pet trade? (1)
Answer:
Animals are not captive bred because breeding animals for pet trade is more expensive and less profitable than directly catching them in the wild.
(iii) What makes officials of foreign countries helpless towards illegal pet trade? (1)
Answer:
Officials are helpless when they have to approve illegally acquired animals because owners have government paperwork certifying that the animals were captive-bred.
(iv) Why should animals not be caught in the wild and be bred for the pet trade? (1)
Answer:
When animals are annually exported from their home country, it depletes the country’s population.
(v) Rewrite the following sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with a word that means the same from paragraph 1.
Earlier the idea of home workout wasn’t that widespread, but with the work from home culture propagated by the pandemic, it started to become a trend. (1)
Answer:
Earlier, the idea of home workout wasn’t that widespread, but with the work from home culture propagated by the pandemic, it began surging in popularity.
(vi) State which country stands out in terms of illegal wildlife trade? (1)
Answer:
At least 80 per cent of the 5,000 plus green pythons annually exported from Indonesia as captive-bred were caught illegally in the wild, depleting some island populations.
Question 2.
Read the following excerpt from a case study titled The Science Behind The Eiffel Tower.
1. There are a few man-made structures that invoke an immediate mental image the moment their names are mentioned in any conversation. Take the Taj Mahal, for instance. You must be already picturing an ivory white marble mausoleum or the Great Wall of China that brings to mind an almost endless stretch of fortification, made of stones and bricks. And then, there is the Eiffel Tower.
2. Constructed to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution, the Eiffel Tower also turned into ashow of strength as it showcased France’s industrial prowess in the late 19th century. While it is easy to credit the tower to Gustave Eiffel, whose name the tower bears, the French civil engineer wasn’t actually directly involved in its design.
3. The design belonged to Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, two engineers who worked with Compagnie des Etablissements Eiffel, the company that Gustave owned. They came up with their design as an entry for the competition that was to decide the centerpiece of the proposed Paris Exposition or World’s Fair, of 1889.
4. Their design won and the construction of the wrought iron tower eventually began in 1887. After two years of construction, the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated on March 31,1889. A colossal structure with 18,000 pieces constituting a combined weight of over 7,300 tonnes, more than 60 tonnes of paint was utilised to paint every inch of the structure. The completed Eiffel Tower came to be a symbol of modern architecture, right from the choice of the material used to the fact that it existed purely to demonstrate meaning, skill and creativity, with little real utility.
5. The Eiffel Tower turned out to be a towering hit during the World’s Fair and as time passed, the fact that its height and therefore employability as a wireless telegraph transmitter proved it to be indispensable. It was used in transmission and reception over 400 km for starters and reached out across the Atlantic by 1913. It came in handy during World War I, allowing the French to intercept enemy messages and obtain crucial information. It still houses 120 antennas and is used to broadcast radio and television signals.
6. The Eiffel Tower was once the tallest man-made structure in the world. Open to visitors on all days of the year, millions of people from around the world enjoy the dazzling sight and the views that the Eiffel Tower has to offer. That number will only continue to rise like the Eiffel Tower itself, which seems to rise into the sky when viewed from close quarters.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY FIVE questions from the six . given below.
(i) Write the synonym of ‘competence’. (1)
Answer:
The synonym of competence is prowess.
(ii) How did the Eiffel Tower help in World War I? (1)
Answer:
The Eiffel Tower helped in World War-I by allowing the French to intercept enemy messages and obtain cruci& information.
(iii) Which word in the passage is the same as ‘tomb’? (1)
Answer:
The word mausoleum in the passage is the same as tomb.
(iv) What does it still house? (1)
Answer:
It still houses 120 antennas and is used to broadcast radio and television signals.
(v) According to the data given in the table provided in the passage, what do you think was the most profitable year for Eiffel tower? (1)
Answer:
Over 87.2 million euros of revenue was generated in 2019, making it the most profitable year for Eiffel Tower.
(vi) Who designed the Eiffel tower? (1)
Answer:
The design belonged to Maurice Koechiin and Emile Nouguier, two engineers who worked with Compagnie des Etablissements Eiffel, the company owned by Gustave Eiffel.
Section-B
Writing and Grammar (10 marks)
Question 3.
Attempt ANY ONE from (i) and (ii).
(i) Write an analytical paragraph in 100-120 words about the spending on school education by the government. You can take clues from the points in the given picture. (5)
Answer:
Expenditure on School Education:
When we look at the given graph, we understand that the government’s expenditure on school education has been rapidly decreasing and moving at a lower end. School education is the basic right of every individual and it is the first step that anyone takes towards education. After 2015, ii has been decreasing and it is a crucial state for India.
Educated and well-equipped future citizens are the need of the hour and the government should mainly focus on the same. Our country needs knowledgeable and experienced people who can elect wisely and choose the right caretakers of the government which is, for the people, by the people and of the people. The right to education can only reach its ultimate objective when the major part of the expenditure is carried on for school education and later on, higher education.
(ii) You are Tarleen residing at, 27, Orient Tower, near Indian Oil petrol pump, Guwahati, Assam and studying at a coaching centre in New Delhi. You need accommodation for yourself. You come across the following advertisement in a local newspaper. (5)
FOR RENT
Rooms available for Students.
Newly furbished Paying Guest Services at D-113, Block D, East of Kailash,
Delhi-i 100XX, near metro station.
With all basic amenities and negotiable rent.
Contact the Manager: 9100XXXXXX
Write a letter to the Manager of Paying Guest Services, D-113, Block D, East of Kailash, Delhi, inquiring about the details you need for your comfortable stay there.
27. Orient Tower
Assam
Guwahati
15th November, 20XX
The Manager
D-113 Block-D
East of Kailash
Delhi 110 0XX
Subject: Enquiry about accommodation
Respected Sir,
I am a student at Zenith coaching centre. I am preparing for the entrance test of UPSC. I basically hail from Assam. I have come to Delhi for my studies. I am looking for rented accommodation. I saw the advertisement of your paying guest services in the Tribune of 13th November 2021.1 would like to know in detail about the services offered by you.
I want to be accommodated near to my coaching centre as it would save my travel time and I would be less tired and thus will be able to give more time to my studies. My coaching centre is in Model Town and I would like to be accommodated near it to save travel time. Kindly send me the details about the type of accommodation offered, monthly charges, food provisions, facilities available like attached bathrooms, Wi-Fi facility and other basic facilities. Please do share any other condition that you think should be informed in advance.
I assure you that the rental payments shall be made on time.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Tarleen Mehta
Question 4.
The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Identify the error and write its correction against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the correction. The first one has been done for you. (1 x 3)
Error | Correction | ||
I like you to know the story of Helen Keller, | Example | like | would like |
who neither see nor hear from the time she was a baby. | (a) | – | – |
She was unable to play with other children and not hear | (b) | – | – |
what was said to her. | – | – | |
Helen learnt that things have names under Ann Sullivan’s guidance. | (c) | – | – |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
(a) neither | could neither |
(b) not | could not |
(c) things have | things must have |
Question 5.
Given below is a conversation between a police inspector and a car driver. Fill in the blanks in the paragraph below by choosing the correct option from the ones given. (1 x 2 = 2)
Inspector: Hey driver! Stop!
Driver: Why? What happened!
Inspector: You are driving on the wrong side of the road. You should be taking the left side. Driver: I don’t understand. I think I am right.
Inspector: No sir. The right is wrong.
Driver: I don’t get you. What do you mean by saying that the right is wrong and the left is right?
Inspector: I mean that you have to keep to the left. Right?
Driver: I understand. The left is right and the right is wrong.
Inspector called the driver and asked him to stop. The driver ……….(a) ………. and asked him the reason. The Inspector said that he was driving on the wrong side of the road and ……….(b)……… on the left side. The driver exclaimed that he did not understand and thought that he was right.
Answer:
Inspector called the driver and asked him to stop. The driver (a) was surprised and asked him the reason. The Inspector said that he was driving on the wrong side of the road and (b) should be taking on the left side. The driver exclaimed that he did not understand and thought that he was right.
Section-C
Literature (20 marks)
Question 6.
Answer ANY SIX questions in 30-40 words each. (2 x 6)
(i) Elaborate on the two legends about the discovery of tea. (2)
Answer:
There are two legends on the discovery of tea—India and Chinese. According to the Indian legend, there was a Buddhist ascetic named Bodhidharma. He often fell asleep during meditation. To stop this, he cut off his eyelids. It is said that ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of this plant were put in hot water and drunk to banish sleep. The legend connects the energising quality of tea with the ascetic’s problem of sleep. The Chinese legend tells us that there was a Chinese emperor who always had boiled water. Once a few leaves from a twig fell into his boiling water. They gave a delicious flavour to his water, and from then, tea became popular in China.
(ii) Is Amanda an orphan? Justify. (2)
Answer:
Amanda is not an orphan and her mother is talking to her all through the poem. However, she is irritated with her mother’s scolding and criticism, and hence, she imagines herself to be an orphan. She wants to live life in her own whims and fancies without being checked.
(iii) With reference to the poem, ‘Animals’, comment on the way animals are found to be more “placid and self-contained”. (2)
Answer:
Humans are said to be the highest living beings created by God. but in the poem entitled ‘Animals’, the poet finds animals to lead their lives in a better way than humans. They are not dissatisfied with their living conditions, they do not spend time fighting over religion or hating each other. The poet can be his true self when he is with animals, whereas humans can never accept anyone just as the way they are. This is why the poet finds animals more placid and self-contained in life.
(iv) Comment on how the other pets were different from custard? (2)
Answer:
The other pets named were apparently boastful of their bravery and seemed to be ahead of Custard in this regard. But they were jealous of Custard since he was a pampered pet who kept nearer to their owner Belinda. In the end, they surprisingly failed to face the pirate and it was Custard who rescued everyone.
(v) Kisa Gotami got back her peace of mind. How? (2)
Answer:
Buddha helped Kisa Gotami get back her peace of mind by introducing the truth of the inevitability of death in every life. He sent her to bring mustard seeds from a household that had never experienced death if she wanted to bring back her son’s life. Kisa couldn’t find such a household. By doing this, Buddha wanted to prove that death is common to all. She was not the only one who had lost her beloved son. Buddha, then explained to her that to get peace of mind, one must learn that if one accepts the fact that everything is mortal, it becomes easy to accept death. Kisa realised the truth of life and her mental peace was restored.
(vi) With reference to the story ‘The Hack Driver’, briefly state how did the chief react to the narrator’s failure to serve the summons on Lutkins? (2)
Answer:
The lawyer’s chief reacted in anger when the lawyer came back empty-handed from New Mullion. He told in an angry tone that he only deserved to get big ditches and should not have been trained as a lawyer. He got very annoyed at him.
(vii) Bholi is a child different from others. Elaborate. (2)
Answer:
Bholi is a different child and she is treated differently too. She is slow for her age and stammers when she speaks. Smallpox had left her covered with pock-marks. As a result, she had to suffer a lot. Her parents didn’t even bathe her as they ignored her completely.
Question 7.
Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 120 words each. (4 x 2)
(i) Both Ebright and Matilda wished and aimed for something in their life. Discuss how the nature of the same was different for both. (4)
Answer:
Ebright was a kid with a scientific bent of mind. Right from childhood, he had a knack for observing nature. With his constant support from mother, he fulfilled his ambition of being a scientist. His aim was to conduct fruitful inventions and contribute to the realm of science. On the other hand, Matilda wished for a better life. She was not content with her means and sulked at whatever she got in her life. She aspired for a celebration of her beauty amidst splendid living. Therefore the nature of her wish was negative and it even proved self-destructive. It deteriorated their lifestyle and she along with her husband had to endure hardships. In contrast, Ebright’s wish and aim was progressive and positive.
(ii) Valli convinced his mother to take a ride on a bus with her to go see the fair at the town. But both are first timers. Start a conversation
between the two. You may start like this: (4)
Valli: Amma! It’s time… let us wait for the bus!
Mother: Yes, Valli..but don’t rush..stand quietly..a very huge bus it is…stand carefully and don’t dance on the road.
Answer:
Valli: Amma! It’s time! Let us wait for the bus.
Mother: Yes Valli. But don’t rush. Stand quietly. A very huge bus it is so stand carefully and don’t dance on the road.
Valli: Yay! The bus is here! Bus-walla stop the bus please! [After getting in]
Mother: Valli, please sit quietly on your seat. The bus moves so fast! You will fall and hurt yourself.
Valli: No Amma. Look at the bright shops! Lots of sweets, sarees and what not!!
Mother: Yes. We will bring your Appa too on Sunday when he is free. It is so colourful outside the town.
Valli: Yes Amma. [To the conductor] Give us two tickets to the fair please.
Mother [jokingly]: When did you become so smart, Valli? Talking like a grown girl!
Valli: Yes, am I a child anymore? I’m eight years, a grown-up girl.
Everyone laughs.
(iii) What makes ‘The Proposal’ an intensely hilarious play? (4)
Answer:
The one-act play ‘The Proposal’ by Anton Chekhov is an out-and-out hilarious play, ridiculing people fixated on materialism. At the very outset, the melodramatic terms that Chubukov uses for Ivan strike the funny bone. There is a gaping difference between what he actually feels for Ivan and what he shows. He addresses him most lovingly and respectfully with terms like ‘darling’, but he scoffs at him and thinks that he might have come to ask for money. He addresses Natalya as a lovesick cat, but she proves to be a greedy quarrelsome woman. The ostensibly furious argument between Ivan and Natalya and her father is the most hilarious part of the play. Ivan’s repeating the story of ownership of the Oxen Meadows and the superiority of Guess over Squeezer and then collapsing at Natalya’s abuses created an extremely ludicrous situation. The various terms that Natalya, Chubukov, and Ivan used to abuse each other and their family members such as ‘blind hen’, ‘turnip-ghost’, ‘wizen-faced frump’ and ‘guzzling gamblers’ were utterly funny. Natalya’s complete volte-face upon knowing about Ivan’s proposal takes the play to the crescendo of hilarity. The very fact that they fought throughout the play and agree to get married within no time, in the end, makes it supremely hilarious.