SAMPLEQUESTIONS

FOR
ENGLISHPROFICIENCYTESTFORCLASSX
RationaleoftheTest
Thetestistextindependenti.e.itisnotbasedonasettextorsyllabus.AsaProficiencyTest,ittests
both skills and knowledge. Thereisabalancebetweenkeyaspectsoflanguageas,forinstance,
reading skills, involving language knowledge as well as ability to process meanings through
inference,analysis,comparisonandevaluation;knowledgeofgrammarandvocabularytotheextent
thatisrequiredforgeneralcommunicativetasks.Specificskillsinvolvedinwritingarealsoimportant
e.g. awareness of the structure of simple written texts, how they are organized, and the kinds of
formatsthatareusedinletters,forinstance.
Reading is given 30 marks as it is the basis for grammar & writing and because it is important in
further studies which students have to undertake in their later academic work. One passage of
readingisofnarrativetype,(itmaybeanextractfromastory)andtestscandidatesunderstanding
of events, characters, descriptions and also the perception of meanings which are implicit in the
details of the story. Onepassage is a nonfictional text containing information,argument,opinion,
factsandideas.Readingofthiskindisfocusedonabilitytoarriveatthegistofanidea/argument,to
correctly separate opinions from facts (which implies some ability to analyse), to be able to
distinguishmainideasfromsubordinateones,tounderstandthetoneorviewpointe.g.humorous,
ironic,seriousetc.Thethirdpassageisashortpoem,around20lines.Thisistotestifcandidatescan
understandlanguagewhichiscomposeddifferentlyitisnotlinear,hashiddenmeanings,unusual
expressions and uses sound effects (e.g. rhyme), simile and metaphor which conveys meaning
indirectlyratherthandirectly.
Vocabularyisgiven20marksas:
1. Vocabularyiscentralinreadingcomprehension,whereitisessentialinmeaning.
2. Itisalsotestedseparatelyinordertotestrangeofknowledgeofwords.
Itistobekeptinmindthatthelevelofvocabularyissuchthatiscommonlyfoundintextsthat
areprescribedintheschoolreadersatclass9and10.
Grammar + Writing (30 +20) The MCQ format does not allow testing of writing skills as writing is
integrative of other skills and needs to be tested through production. However, it is felt that the
awareness of the components of writing can be tested here e.g. format of letters, paragraph
organization,linkagebetweensentencesetc.Thesearealsopartoflanguageknowledge.

Cloze Test has been included as it is a test which is the most global and comprehensive test of
language. It consists of a passage where the first sentence sets the context of the passage and
subsequently there are blanks at regular intervals. Filling these blanks requires an overall
understandingofmeaningandofthelanguageitemsthatwillfitintotheparticularcontextofthe
sentences.Forexample,whentheuseofarticlesisexplainedinisolation,ausercannotunderstand
whereacertainarticleneedstobeused/omitted.Itisonlyincontextthatadecisionregardingthe
useofanarticleismade.Thereforeaclozetestisthebestwaytoknowifastudentcaninferfrom
the context whether that article is to be used or not. The same applies to other items like
prepositions,conjunctionsetc.

Theformatandbreakupofpartsofthetestisasfollows:
MaximumMarks:100
Time:2.30Hours
Thequestionpapercontains100questions.Allquestionsarecompulsory.
Thequestionsaredividedintothefollowingparts:
(Reading3passages)
A

UnseenPassage(Narrativetype)

Q.110

Unseenpassage(Informativetype)

Q.1120

Poem

Q.2130

Vocabulary

Q.3150

Grammar

Writing

Q.6685

Cloze

Q.5165

Q.86100

Each Multiple Choice Question has four options out of which only ONE option is
correct.Eachcorrectanswerearnsacreditof1mark.
Awronganswercarriesapenaltyofmark.
Anunansweredquestionearnsnomark.

Instructionforwritingontheanswersheet:

UseonHBPenciltofilltheanswersheet.DONOTUSEAPen.

Ifyouwanttochangeanentryafterfillingabubble,erasethefilledbubble.

ThefollowingexampleillustratesthecorrectwayofansweringaMultipleChoiceQuestion:

Example:
Theyvebothworkedhere
a. in
b. for
c. since

overtenyears.

d. during
Answer:Theanswertothisquestionis(b).YouhavetomarkitontheAnswersheetasshown:

DESCRIPTIONOFLEVELSOFPROFICIENCY:
Thisisbeinggiveninordertodefinethelevelsofproficiencythatcorrelatewiththemarksobtained
inthetest.Ithelpsthecandidatetoseewhichareasneedmoreattentionforthedevelopmentof
higherlevelsofproficiency.
5.

GoodUserHasoperationalcommandofthelanguage.Generallyhandlescomplexlanguage
well and understands detailed reasoning, reflective of a certain degree of analytical and
interpretative skills. Has a range of vocabulary and can understand complex structures. Is
awareofthestructureoforganizationandcoherenceintexts.Thisuserwillbeabletoscore
very well in all parts of the test, particularly in reading comprehension and cloze exercise.
(80%andabove)

4.

Competent User Has generally adequate command of the language despite some
inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Understands some conventions in writing, and can
interpret a text, knows the structures, butmay nothave a range.Thisuser willbe ableto
score fairly well, may score better in some parts of the test. Performance in the cloze
exercise may make a difference better performance in this part brings the candidate
towardsthehigherendatthislevel.(6079%)

3. Modest User Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most
situations, though is likely to make many mistakes in interpretation and in understanding
structures and writing conventions. Should be able to handle basic communication
reflected in some knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. This user will manage an average
scoreinallpartsofthetest.(between4059%)
2.LimitedUserBasiccompetenceislimited.Hasfrequentproblemsinunderstandingnon
factualinformation(thiswillshowupinreadingcomprehension)andwillnotbeableto
exerciseskillsneedinginferenceandinterpretation.Isnotabletouse&understand
complexlanguage.Thisuserwillscorelowinreadingaswellasgrammarandcloze(willnot
understandtheoverallcoherenceofthepassage)andmaynotbeabletoanswerquestions
pertainingtotextorganization.(2039%)
1.ExtremelyLimitedUserCanunderstandonlyisolatedwords.Hasgreatdifficultyin
understandingstructures,butmaygivesomecorrectresponsestoquestionsofasimplerkind.
Maynotattempttoanswermanyofthequestions.Comprehensionlevelisverylowevenfor
simpletexts.(019%)

Samplequestions
ReadingComprehension
Thisisasamplepassage(200words),shorterthantheonewhichwillappearinthetest(whichwill
beof300350words),butofthesamelevelofdifficulty.Inthesample,5MCQsaregiven.Inthe
actualpaper,therewillbe10MCQsoneachpassage(seeabove).

Readthefollowingpassageandchoosethecorrectanswerforthequestions:
Inthisworlditisnotonlyfutileforthesmalltoappealtoauthority,itisdangerousaswell.
Fortunately,thetinyvoiceseldomreachesbigearsorwhoknowswhatmighthappen?WhenGafur
returnedhomefromthelandlordsandquietlylaydown,hisfaceandeyeswereswollen.Thechief
causeofsomuchsufferingwasMahesh.WhenGafurlefthomethatmorning,Maheshbrokeloose
fromhistether,andenteringthegroundsofthelandlord,hadeatenupflowersandupsetthecorn
dryinginthesun.Whenfinallytheytriedtocatchhim,hehadhurtthelandlordsyoungestdaughter
andhadescaped.Thiswasnotthefirsttimethishadhappened,butGafurwasforgivenbecausehe
waspoor.Ifhehadcomearound,andasonotheroccasions,beggedforthelandlordsforgiveness,
hewouldprobablyhavebeenforgivenbutinsteadhehadclaimedthathepaidrent,andthathewas
nobodysslave.ThiswastoomuchforShibubabu,thelandlord,toswallow.Gafurhadbornethe
beatingsandtortureswithoutprotest.Athome,too,helayinacornerwithoutaword.Hisheart
burntwithinhimlikethesunoutside.Hekeptnocountofhowtimehadpassed.
Q.1Inthepassage,whosevoiceisdescribedas`tiny?
a.

Thevoiceofthebigpeople

b.

Thevoiceofthesmallpeople

c.

Thewrongpeople

d.

Thepeoplewhoarestrong

Q.2WhywereGafurseyesandfaceswollen?
a.Hehadbeenbeatenbythelandlord.
b.Hewasill.
c.Hewaslyingdown
d.HehadbeenhurtphysicallybyMahesh
Q.3WhydidGafurnotaskthelandlordsforgiveness?
a.Hewaspoor.
b.Hedidntbotheraboutthelandlord.
c.Hewashappythatthelandlordspropertyhadbeendamaged.
d.Hewantedtosavehisdignity

Q5.`Tokeepcountoftimemeans:
a.

Tobeabletocount

b.

Tobeawareofthepassageoftime

c.

Tobeunconscious

d.

Tolookataclock

Vocabulary:
1.

Choosetheoptionclosestinmeaningtothewordinbold:
Ancestora.oldb.forefatherc.pastd.dead

2.

Choosetheoptionoppositeinmeaningtothewordinbold:
Exteriora.internalb.inferiorc.superiord.interior

Grammar:
Choosetherightoptiontofillintheblank:
1.

What____________youliketodrink?
a.

2.

willb.mightc.wouldd.shall
Thereareotherpeopleinthepark_________ourselves.

besidesb.besidec.befored.around
3.

Hehadaheartattack.Thedoctorwasimmediately___________.
a.

Sentoffb.sentforc.sentind.sentthrough

Writing
Q.1Thefollowingsentences(AE)canbeputtogethertoformawellconnectedpassagebutarenot
inthecorrectorder.Choosetheoptionthatgivesthebestorderofthesentences.
A.Thentheywentbackintothecabin.
B.Hisfatherwalkedintothelargebedroomtotherightofthekitchen.
C.Michaelwentintothelittleroomontheleft.
D.Theystoodinsilenceforafullfiveminutes.

E.Eachhungeredtoembracetheother,tocry,toscreamwithexcessofsorrow.
a.DACBEb.DEACBc.CBDEAd.CBEDA
Q.2Readthefollowingandchoosetherightwordtoconnectthesentences:
Theweatherofficehadpredictedthatitwouldrain_____1______.Theirpredictionsareusually
accurate.____2_____,itdidnotrainforseveraldays.When____3_____theraindidcome,itwas
insufficient___4______thecropsweredamaged.
1.

a.frequentlyb.muchc.soond.well

2.

a.howeverb.butc.thoughd.instead

3.

a.definitelyb.intheendc.atlastd.lastly

4.

a.andb.alsoc.evend.that

Cloze
Clozetestisatestofgrammar,sentenceconnection,vocabularyetc.,withinacontext,and
thereforeteststheoverallproficiencylevel.Thereisapassagewithblanksatregularintervalsand
thecorrectchoicehastobeindicated.ThetestforclassXwillhaveoneclozetestof15questions,
worth15marks.Thesamplegivenbelowisashortpassagewith5questions.
MybrotherandIusedtofightagreatdealaschildren.Wedid__________ofthingstogether,not
alwaysincomplete_______.Infact,ononeoccasion,heactually________myarm.Isupposehe
reallydidmea________,asImissedtheschoolexams______thatyear.
Q.1a.manyb.somec.alotd.adeal
Q.2a.harmonyb.friendshipc.unisond.liking
Q.3a.damagedb.brokec.rippedd.tore
Q.4a.courtesyb.benefitc.favourd.privilege
Q.5a.forb.aroundc.atd.during