Please refer to Class 10 English Sample Paper Term 2 With Solutions Set A provided below. The Sample Papers for Class 10 English have been prepared based on the latest pattern issued by CBSE. Students should practice these guess papers for class 10 English to gain more practice and get better marks in examinations. The Term 2 Sample Papers for English Standard 10 will help you to understand the type of questions which can be asked in upcoming examinations.
Term 2 Sample Paper for Class 10 English With Solutions Set A
Section A
Reading
1. Read the following passage given below :
(1) Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have any limbs. Some species like Russell’s viper, inject poison into their prey. Some others opt for an alternative non-chemical method – rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground to immobilize them, while pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can’t be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories.
(2) Even species listed as non-poisonous are not completely free of poison. The common Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly poisonous and dangerous to birds. So, the species does not prefer to take any chance – it crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step.
(3) Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop? After all, they eat only one or two at a time.
(4) While hunting, animals try their best to kill as efficiently as possible while their prey will put in all the efforts, use any trick to avoid getting caught and becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to the poison. For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattle snake getting caught and poison.
(5) Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more deadly poison. Snakes also have to struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves.
(6) Some snake killers are prone to have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are sure; highly resistant to the poison of cobra, and with their speed and agility, they can kill snakes fearlessly and are relatively unharmed . It would mean definite death of cobras as a species if they did not evolve a more deadly poison to stop and resist the mongooses.
(7) Poison has another very important role. It has an extreme meat softening property; their specific enzymes break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun’s warm rays to aid it in its digestion.
(8) But I wonder if we can use the venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local hospitality there often involves serving leather-tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaws start aching. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like a python stuffing a deer, down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison.
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer ANY FIVE questions from the six given below:
(i) How do Russell vipers attack their prey?
Ans. Russell vipers attack their prey by injecting poison.
(ii) How does Sand Boa kill its prey?
Ans. The Sand Boa secretes poisonous secretions which are dangerous to birds.
(iii) Rat snakes attack their prey by ___________.
Ans. pushing their prey against the ground.
(iv) Why do animals try to kill efficiently?
Ans. Animals try to kill efficiently as their prey will use any trick to avoid becoming a meal
(v) The writer wished he had poison because ____________.
Ans. he wanted to make the meat soft.
(vi) One word for ‘liquid substances released from glands’ in paragraph-2 is ____________.
Ans. Secretion.
2. Read the following excerpt from a case study:
(1) Tourists to Jammu and Kashmir have another attraction – a floating post office on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, the first in the country. ‘Floating Post Office, Dal Lake, – claimed to be the only one such post office in the world – is built on an intricately carved maroon houseboat, fastened on the western edge of the Dal Lake.
(2) This post office lets you avail of all the regular postal services available in the country while being afloat. The seal used on everything posted from Floating Post Office is unique – along with the date and address. It bears the design of a boatman rowing a Shikara on the Dal Lake. The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here carry a special design which has the picturesque scenery of Dal Lake and Srinagar city. These pictures reach wherever these letters are posted to and hence promote Kashmir as a tourist destination across the world.
(3) This is actually a heritage post office that has existed since British times. It was called Nehru Park Post Office before 2011. But after that the chief postmaster John Samuel renamed it as ‘Floating Post Office’.
(4) The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other a small museum that traces the philatelic history of the state postal department. It has a shop that sells postage stamps and other products.
(5) But for the locals, Floating Post Office is more than an object of fascination. Rupees 1-2 crore is deposited per month in Floating Post Office by communities living in and around the Dal Lake. The lake has several islets that are home to more than 50,000 people.
(6) The greatest difficulty is the recurrence of 2014 like floods in which the houseboat had gone for a toss uncontrollably pushed by the flood. Rescue teams had to anchor it using special mechanism at a nearby highland. Then it was brought back on the Dal after the water receded. The biggest boon is that at no time of the year, you need a fan in this post-office!
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY FIVE questions from the six given below.
(i) Why is the seal used in the floating Post Office unique?
Ans. The seal used in the floating Post office is unique as it bears the design of a boatman rowing a Shikara on Dal lake.
(ii) What is the special feature of this Post Office?
Ans. The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here have the design of Dal lake.
(iii) Describe the Post Office’s houseboat.
Ans. The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other a small museum that traces the philatetic history of the state postal department.
(iv) What is the biggest boon for the floating Post Office?
Ans. The biggest boon for the floating Post Office is that at no time of the year, one needs a fan in this post-office.
(v) The word ‘fastened’ in Paragraph-1 means ___________.
Ans. Secured.
(vi) In which year did the highest number of tourists visits Jammu and Kashmir?
Ans. The highest number of tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2012.
Section B
Writing and Grammar
3. Attempt ANY ONE from (i) and (ii).
(i) You are Aashi Verma of D-32, Jaipur. Write a letter to M/S Dhanpatrai (Pvt.) Ltd. Daryaganj, New Delhi asking for a catalogue of books, terms and conditions of supply and mode of payment etc.
(ii) 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 in about 120 words by interpreting the data.
Ans. (i) D-32
Jaipur
January 16, 20××
The Manager
M/S Dhanpatrai Pvt. Ltd.
Daryaganj
New Delhi
Subject : Request for Catalogue
Sir,
I am interested in purchasing a few of your publications on spoken English by V.P.P. I shall be very grateful if you could send me the latest catalogue on these books. Please specify if any audio/ video cassettes are also available along with the books. I am enclosing a self-addressed envelope for prompt despatch.
I am also interested in knowing your terms and conditions regarding the payment, time and mode of delivery etc.
Hoping you would look into my request on priority.
Yours sincerely
Aashi Verma
(ii)
Tigers — The Biggest Cats
The key findings from many years of study of tigers’ population have indicated that in many countries, tigers are declining in numbers because of habitat loss and prey depletion rather than being killed directly . Tigers are the biggest cats in the world but their number is gradually decreasing because some of the tiger parts are used by people for various selfish purposes. The given data tells us that the number of Royal Bengal Tiger is as low as 30 to 35 in China. The estimated population of tigers in India ranges between 2500-3800 and is the highest as compared to other countries where this animal is found. Bangladesh comes next where the minimum number of tigers is 300 and goes up to a maximum of 460. Bhutan also shares the maximum number of Royal Bengal Tiger i.e., 460 with Bangladesh but there is a vast difference between the minimum number which is 80 in it. The number of tigers in Nepal is also not very encouraging as the minimum number is 150. Even the maximum number is only 250. To sum up, we can say that the tigers are in danger as the data clearly indicates.
4. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Identify the error and write its correction.
People of diverse cultures lives
together in India. There is many
people who exhibit unity on diversity.
Ans. Error Correction
(a) lives live
(b) is are
(c) on in
5. Read the conversation given below and complete the passage that follows:
Mrs. Pickle told Mrs. Weakly that she had told Rodney that (a) _________ an emotional commitment from him. At this Mrs. Weakly asked her what (b) _______. Mrs. Pickle replied that he had started crying.
Ans. (a) she had wanted
(b) he had said
Section C
Literature
6. Answer ANY SIX questions in 30-40 words each.
(i) Do you think Richard’s mother was too indulgent when she bought him things like cameras, telescopes, microscopes? Give two reasons to support your answer.
Ans. Yes, certainly Richard’s mother was concerned about her son’s future. He was the centre of her life. She did all that was there in her capacity to help Richard in his feats. He carried on with his experiments, because his mother arranged for telescope and microscope and everything that he needed. This way he was able to learn a lot.
(ii) What does the line “never let down my bright hair” tell us about Amanda?
Ans. The above line tells us about Amanda that she doesn’t want to be with anyone. Her desire is to be alone like on orphan in a tall tower where nobody can approach her. She doesn’t even want to be always nagged by her parents and listen to her mother scolding.
(iii) Why does the author in ‘Coorg’ say that the visitors’ search for the heart and soul of India would be found in Coorg?
Ans. Coorgis are famous for hospitality and valour which is the heart and soul of India. Apart from it, Coorg is a beautiful region of rolling hills and lush green rainforests. It is also famous for coffee and spices.
(iv) Read the statements given below:
Statement 1 – ‘Lomov is looking to marry.’
Statement 2 – ‘Lomov is looking to marry Natalya.’
Bring out the difference between the two statements and explain what it tells you about Lomov.
Ans. Indeed, Lomov is looking to marry but only Natalya because he considered her as a good home maker. Though he was not in love with Natalya, he wanted to marry her as he was suffering due to weak heart and sleep-sickness. He wanted a companion who could look after him.
(v) Belinda shares a post on Instagram with the following hashtags.
#Ink#Blink#Mustard#Bravehearts#My family#My world#
She doesn’t mention Custard in her post.
As a friend of Belinda, what would be your advice to her and Why?
Ans. As a friend, I would advice Belinda to be nice to custard. She should have made him feel comfortable and safe in the house and also give him equal importance instead of making fun of him. Because those who are inferior in strength and power should have no right to haunt and ridicule others.
(vi) Who was Lutkins? Did the narrator serve the summons that day? Why?
Ans. Oliver Lutkins was a man from New Mullion who was to be served a summon to testify for a pending court case. The narrator, the lawyer, who was assigned the task, was cleverly tricked by Lutkins who exploited the gullibility of the former and helped him chase himself, thus subjecting him to ridicule by the village folk.
No, the lawyer could not serve the summons that day for its obvious reason.
(vii) Why was Matlida sad after the ball?
Ans. The night of the ball had been the realistion of a long cherished dream for Matilda, when she was the focus of all the attention and every eye admired her. But the happiness was short-lived and degenerated into shock of the worst nightmare when she discovered that the necklace was missing from her attire. Her mind was ridden with forebodings of how she would face Madame Forestier and pay up for the loss.
7. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 120 words each.
(i) Life is full of trials and tribulations which can be overcome by a human being through his own efforts. Explain with reference to Kisa Gotami’s life.
Ans. Kisa Gotami was devastated by the death of her only son. As suggested by Sakyamuni, she wandered from home to home, asking for mustard seeds. The only condition was that the seeds should be from a house where people had not lost a loved one to death. Kisa was unsuccessful in getting any seeds. The futile search made her realize the truth that humans are mortal. They have to face pain and suffering in their lives. It is a part and parcel of their life and it is of no use grieving over them. She was ignorant of the fact that death is inevitable and must come to all. In other words, she understood that human life is full of trials and tribulations which can be answered by a human being through his own efforts. Man has to face all. Weeping and grieving over the loss won’t fetch peace of mind.
(ii) Bholi was a neglected child. Explain.
Ans. Bholi was quite a neglected child at home and this is evident from the text. No new clothes were made for her and she was always passed on old dresses of her elder sisters. No one cared to bathe her or oil her hair or even wash or mend her clothes. The neglect was probably due to the fact that she was the youngest in a household of seven children. It might be that she failed to draw attention and affection of her parents because of her disadvantageous looks or her physical setbacks. Her parents sent her to school as they thought that there was a little chance of her getting married.
(iii) Custard was discriminated against, bullied and made fun of.
Such behaviour often has a disastrous impact on the victims and etches a permanent scar on their minds.
Write opinions of Wanda and Mandela on this issue.
Wanda: In my personal opinion, ……………………………….(continue)
Nelson Mandela: I strongly believe that…………………….(continue)
Ans. Wanda: In my personal opinion, a person who is bullied regularly or has been bullied before, suffers huge mental trauma and physical trauma. Some people lose their mental steadiness due to these bullies. They also lose their confidence after getting bullies. They also lose their confidence after getting bullied either temporarily or permanently. Moreover, if the person who is bullying other people succeeds in doing so, then he will get confident and continue bullying people. Such cases should be reported immediately.
Nelson Mandela: I strongly believe that the people who are victims of bullying learn to handle these situations independently if they receive proper assistance. Therefore, a person should be taught to retaliate against the bully, and at the same time, they should be taught not to bully on the weaker people to show themselves as powerful. The oppressor should not oppress, and the victim should protest against bullying.