MID-TERM EXAMINATION (2022-23) CLASS: 10 SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE (184)

No. of pages - 15.           (M)

MID-TERM EXAMINATION (2022-23)

CLASS: X

SUBJECT: ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE (184)

Time Allowed: 3 hours

Maximum Marks: 80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

1. This question paper contains THREE SECTIONS READING, WRITING & GRAMMAR and LITERATURE.

2. Section A Reading 20 marks.

3. Section B-Writing Skill and Grammar-20 marks.

4. Section C-Literature -40 marks.

5. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part and question.

SECTION-A (READING) (20 MARKS)

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (10x1-10)

Crash dieting may help you lose weight in the short term, but ultimately it can hinder weight loss in the long term, as most of the weight you have lost with crash dieting will bounce back, meaning you will gain all the weight that you have lost.

Crash dieting not only removes fat but also lean muscle and tissues. Contrary to the belief of many people who start this diet, this form of dieting is neither healthy nor successful in achieving long term weight loss as it induces the slowing down of the body's metabolic rate - The body seeks to conserve every calorie and so weight loss becomes increasingly difficult. Metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body needs to maintain its regular activities. This means your body needs fewer calories than it did previously, making weight gain more likely once you stop dieting.

Most crash diets involve eating low-calorie foods for several weeks or eating the same food or food groups for several weeks. Even if you're only trying

the diet for a week or two, eating such a strict diet of the same foods can cause nutritional deficiencies. This can have multiple immediate side-effects such as haggered look, dark circles under eyes, dull skin, sloppy posture and less stamina.

This is also why exercise is recommended in any weight loss plan to build muscle and maintain your metabolic rate. Again common mistakes which are observed with exercise are joining the gym only till the New Year, so that you can lose weight and once the party is over, the party for not exercising continues. On the other hand, we have to make New Year resolutions with the gym memberships which are so tempting during the New Year, and take up annual memberships, which is not bad. What is bad is to break the resolution. It is good to take up an exercise programme and to make up a resolution about exercise, provided you do not break your resolution and continue exercising year long. What is important is consistency,

Choose the correct option:

(i) The basic flaw in crash diet plans causes ________ (1)

(a) obesity

(b) weight loss

(c) nutritional deficiency 

(d) illness

(ii) According to the writer, a person should go to the Gym for exercising ________ (1)

(a) before the New Year

(b) regularly

(c) sometimes

(d) after the New Year

(iii) Crash dieting helps in losing weight, ________ (1)

(a) for short duration

(b) permanently

(c) for longer period

(d) does not help

(iv) What is meant by the word 'Hinder'? (Para 1) (1)

(a) Give

(b) Save

(c) Assist

(d) Obstruct

(v) The word opposite in meaning to 'Induces' is __________ (Para 2)

(a) Triggers

(b) Prevents

(c) Increases

(d) Produces

(vi) What harm does crash dieting do? (1)

(vii) Mention any two side effects of crash diet.

(viii) Why is exercise important?

(ix) Define Metabolic Rate.

(x) Body's metabolic rate seeks to _______.

2. Read the Article on Shillong hosts India's first La Tomatina Festival' and answer the questions that follow: (10x1=10)

Shillong, the abode of clouds, indeed painted itself red this time. In order to promote tourism, the Meghalaya Capital witnessed India's first La Tomatina Festival where participants smear each other with tomatoes and throw them around much like they do in Holi. The organisers in Shillong collected discarded tomatoes from the vendors to avoid wastage.

After the festival gained popularity through the Bollywood film, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, many parts of India have shown intention to host the La Tomatina. This is the world's largest food fight.

The La Tomatina festival is held in the Valencian town of Bunol, Spain. It first began in 1945, when a man accidentally fell off a float during the annual parade of the Bunol. In a fit of rage, he picked up tomatoes from a nearby vegetable stall and began throwing them at everyone is sight. Next year, in 1946, a group of people repeated the act. The tomatoes pelting festival became an official festival in the year 1957.

The event takes place every year on the last wednesday of August and lasts for exactly one hour, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Around 1,50,000 tomatoes are

hurled during the fight. The tomatoes come from Extremadura where they are less expensive and of inferior taste. Year 1975 onwards, San Luis Bertran, the patron of Bunol, has been organising the whole festival. Year 1980 onwards, the town hall started organising the festival.

The rules of the festival include squashing of the tomatoes before throwing to avoid injuries. No other projectiles except tomatoes are allowed. Participants have to make way for trucks and after the second shot indicative of ending the tomato hurl, no tomatoes should be thrown. Prior to 2013, around 40,000 to 50,000 people would cram into this tomato fight expanding Bunol's normal 9000 person population. Since 2013, official ticketing has been in place and the number of participants has been limited to 20,000 people.

Choose the correct option:

(i) The La Tomatina Festival became official in the year ............... (1)

(a) 1946

(b) 1957

(c) 1975

(d) 1980

(ii) For the festival, the tomatoes come from Extremadura as they are .............. (1)

(a) expensive

(b) easily available

(c) cheap

(d) rotten

(iii) After the year 2013, the number of participants in the festival have been limited to ______.

(a) 20,000

(b) 40,000

(c) 9,000

(d) 50,000

(iv) Find a word from the passage which means the same as 'Place where one lives". (Para 1). (1)

(a) capital

(b) smear

(c) vendor

(d) abode

(v) Which one of the following is an Antonym of the word 'Hurl".

(a) throw

(b) toss

(c) catch

(d) sling

(vi) How did 'La Tomatina' Festival start initially in Spain?

(vii) When does the celebration of the festival take place?

(viii) Mention the rules of festival. (Any 2)

(ix) Originally La Tomatina Festival was organized in the city of _________ in _________.

(x) 'The organisers in Shillong collected dircarded tomatoes.' What does this statement show about their attitude towards food?

SECTION-B (WRITING SKILLS AND GRAMMAR) (20 MARKS)

3. Attempt Any One of the following in 100-120 words: (5)

You are Ramit/Rama, living at P-108, Ketan Apartments, Rohini, Delhi. Injuries and deaths taking place due to under age driving are being reported almost everyday. Write a letter to the Commissioner of Traffic Police requesting him to be strict in such cases and also to take necessary steps to stop the practice.

OR

You are Rahul/Rashi, a resident of H.No. 65, Block D, Vasant Vihar, Delhi. You are disturbed by the effect of advertisements of fast foods on the young and impressionable minds of children. Write a letter to the Editor of a National daily expressing your concern over the issue and suggesting some measures also.

4. Read the following statement based on a thesis done by scientists: (5)

We do not see CO2. This is an invisible threat, but quite real. This means an increase in global temperatures, an increase in extreme weather events such as floods, melting ice, rising sea levels and an increase in ocean acidity.

With reference to the above statement, write an Analytical Paragraph in about 100-120 words on the topic 'Influence of Global Warming on Earth".

You can include rationale/evidence to strengthen/counter your arguments.

OR

The table given below shows the Literacy Rate of male and female population in a state. Based on the data given, write an Analytical Paragraph in about 100-120 words.

5. Read the following sentences in Direct Speech and convert them into indirect speech (reported speech) by choosing the right option: (Any) Three) (3x1-3)

(i) Madhu said to Geeta, "How far is your house from the Railway Station?" (1)

(a) Madhu asked Geeta how far her house was from the Railway station.

(b) Madhu asked Geeta how far your house from the Railway station was.

(c) Madhu asked Geeta how far is your house from the Railway station.

(d) Madhu asked Geeta how far her house from the Railway station is.

(ii) Rekha said to Rakesh, "I went to watch a movie yesterday." (1)

(a) Rekha told Rakesh that I went to watch a movie yesterday.

(b) Rekha told Rakesh that she went to watch a movie yesterday.

(c) Rekha told Rakesh that she had gone to watch a movie the previous day.

(d) Rekha asked Rakesh that she had gone to watch a movie the previous day.

(iii) He said to me, "Do you like cricket?" (1)

(a) He asked me if I liked cricket.

(b) He asked me that you like cricket.

(c) He asked me if you liked cricket.

(d) He asked me if he likes cricket.

(iv) The teacher said to the students. "You should revise your lessons". (1)

se your

(a) The teacher told the students that you should revise lessons.

(b) The teacher asked the students that they should revise their lessons.

(c) The teacher advised the students to revise their lessons. 

(d) The teacher told the students that they should revise your lessons. 

6. Fill in the blanks to complete the following passage by choosing the most

appropriate words from the given options. (Any Three) (3x1-3)

Fresh raw vegetables help (i) ________ the reconstruction of cells, making (ii) ________ stronger (iii) ________ more resistant. At least one third (iv) ________ your food should consist of fresh raw vegetables.

(i)     (a) of        (b) in       (c) from      (d) into

(ii).   (a) him     (b) his     (c) her         (d) them

(iii)   (a) and     (b) but     (c) so          (d) that

(iv).  (a) for      (b) of        (c) with      (d) on

7. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the error and its correction as shown in the example. (4x1=4)

SECTION-C (LITERATURE) (40 MARKS)

8. Read Any One of the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow: (5x1-5)

The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even today any person with a jack fruit - like appearance is easily compared to a baker.

Questions:

(i) The bakers in the old days were prosperous is evident from the fact that ________.

(a) they had a plump physique.

(b) they had big houses.

(c) they wore silk clothes.

(d) they held parties.

(ii) The baker collected his bills ________. (1)

(a) daily

(b) fortnightly

(c) at the end of month

(d) at the end of the quarter

(iii) Baking was a profitable profession as the ________. (1)

(a) baker looked busy.

(b) baker and his family never starved.

(c) baker looked worried about his money.

(d) None of the above.

(iv) The accounts were maintained (1)

(a) in a diary

(b) in a register

(d) did not maintain

(c) on a wall with pencil

(v) A Jack-fruit like appearance implies: (1)

(a) a pot-bellied person

(b) a healthy person

(c) a lean fellow

(d) fat rather plump bodied person

OR

I tried to sound severe: "Now I really mean this. If you don't cut his food right down and give him more exercise he is going to be really ill. You must harden your heart and keep him on a very strict diet."

(i) Who is 'I' in the above lines?

(a) Mrs. Pumphrey

(b) Mr. Herriot

(c) Tricki

(d) None of these

(ii) His advice was

(a) to give exercise to the dog.

(b) to keep the dog on a strict diet.

(c) to cut down the dog's food.

(d) All of the above

(iii) What did Mrs. Pumphrey do? (1)

(a) made the dog exercise

(b) made him fast

(c) fed him extras between meals

(d) cut down his food

(iv) 'I' tried to sound severe suggests that the person was __________(1)

(a) serious

(b) happy

(c) excited

(d) nervous

(v) Mr. Herriot was __________

(a) Tricki's owner

(b) Tricki's trainer

(c) a veterinary surgeon

(d) Mrs. Pumphrey's husband

9. Read Any One of the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow: (Any One)(5x1-5)

I would not intrude on him;

A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now

He senses first responsibility.

(i) The composer of the poem is __________.

(a) Robin Klein

(b) Leslie Norris

(c) John Berryman

(d) Robert Frost

(ii) The boy is grieving since he has ________.(1)

(a) lost his ball

(b) been scolded

(c) lost his parents

(d) lost his dog

(iii) The poet did not want to intrude on:

(a) his privacy

(b) his thoughts

(c) his dreams

(d) his money

(iv) A dime is ___________. 

(a) a small amount of money 

(b) a type of toy

(c) a bigger ball

(d) none of these

(v) What is 'His' first responsibility? (1)

(a) to play without a ball

(b) to buy another ball

(c) to spend a dime

(d) to look after his belongings

OR

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole

Where plump deer pass.

Questions:

(i) 'He' in these lines refers to ______

(a) the Bengal tiger

(b) the Asian Lion

(c) a tiger in forest

(d) a tiger in a cage

(ii) The words 'lurking' and 'sliding' describe.

(a) rage

(b) movement

(c) anger

(d) happiness

(iii) He should be lurking in shadow to ______

(a) save himself from the sun.

(b) save himself from the angry lion.

(c) enjoy the shadow and rest.

(d) attack the deer who comes near the water hole.

(iv) He slides through long grass for a chance _______

(a) to play hide and seek

(b) to drink water at water hole

(c) to bath in the water hole

(d) to kill plump deer

(v) The rhyming scheme of the stanza is ______.

(a) abcb

(b) abab

(c) aabb

(d) abac

10. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words each: (Any Four) (4x3-12)

(i) What does 'fire' and 'ice' stand for in the poem 'Fire and Ice"? What do you think would be enough to destroy the world? (3)

(ii) The young seagull found it difficult to fly for the first time. Why was he afraid to fly? Explain. (3)

(iii) Explain the phrase 'quaking in its boots' mentioned in the lesson 'From the Diary of Anne Frank'. Why was the whole class quaking in its boots? (3)

(iv) What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem 'Dust of Snow' initially? What images are used by the poet to bring the effect? Comment.(3)

(v) "The Post-Office employees are a bunch of crooks". What made Lencho call them a bunch of crooks"? (3)

11. Answer the following questions in 40-50 words each: (Any Two) (2x3-6)

(i) "The expected call came within a few days'. Who called the doctor in the story 'A Triumph of Surgery' and why? (3)

(ii) In the story The Midnight Visitor', why did Fowler come to meet Ausable? Did Ausable meet his expectations? Why or why not? (3)

(iii) Horace Danby was a typical thief. Describe now he planned his work. (A Question of Trust)(3)

12. Answer the following question in 100-120 words: (Any One)

Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech used these two terms 'an extraordinary human disaster' and 'so glorious a human achievement"? What did he mean by that? Explain.

OR

"I wish I had the faith of the man". Describe Lencho's character in the light of the above statement.

13. Answer the following question in 100-120 words: (Any One) (6)

The chapter 'The Thief's Story' shows Hari Singh's journey from a thief to an honest man who values friendship and other human values. Do you think it was Anil's selfless friendship that helped Hari to redeem himself? Give reasons in support of your answer highlighting the values possessed by Anil which touched Hari Singh's heart and made him return to Anil.

OR

In the story 'A Question of Trust', Horace Danby was befooled by the lady in red. How did she deceive him? Explain.