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MM:40 TIME:1 HOUR

All questions are compulsory to attempt.
The intended marks for questions are given in brackets [ ].
Select the correct options for each of the following questions.

QUESTION 1

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Perhaps it is the strong positive thought process of man; which reaches out to people and creates a
magnetic whirlpool, as it were, attracting positive conditions – which in turn yield positive results.

It’s not as mystical as it sounds. Your thoughts do shape the world you perceive around you. To a
depressed man, the silent presence of a plant will only add to his sense of isolation; but for a

positive thinker the same plant would hold a promise in its lush greenery, making him happy to
belong to a world full of beautiful creations. And so, it is – fill your mind with energetic, happy,
enthusiastic and creative thoughts and watch yourself turn into a new person. Make-belief works. If
you tell yourself that you are a dynamo of energy, a powerhouse of creativity and act enthusiastic,
your brain will miraculously absorb the new thought process and you will begin to live it. It is no
longer a delusion but a return to what nature meant us to be. It is difficult to feel positive if you feel
physically sluggish. Regular exercise sets in motion the wheels of the positive process. As circulation
revs up, muscles tauten, one feels more in control of oneself and as a result, optimism surges. The
message, “It’s a great life.” in turn starts a healthy-mind-and-body cycle.

Mind-altering drugs, that levitate one from depression, maybe effective, but they are also toxic. Jean
Paul Sartre might have written his last book after drugging himself with amphetamines because they
gave him that extra ‘high’ of inspiration, but genius is an innate quality and we need to look into
ourselves to raise that ‘extraness’ without affecting our health adversely. Positive thoughts have a
wonderful companion – peace. It’s amazing how productive a peaceful mind tuned into positive
thinking can be. Solutions crop up. New creative ideas flow in. It happens because when one is in
perfect harmony with the self, all those tremendous potential gifts within ourself get activated. As
Saifee says, “When I am spiritually at peace, I can see things around me clearly.

Positive thinking can be tuned into by simple methods: by occasionally spending time close to
Nature. The sighing of the sea, the hush in the air, the rustle of the wind through the leaves balance
your bio-rhythm and restore your mental processes back to their natural wavelength. Back home,
you can let the same image flash through your mind’s eye.

Sometimes, the mind slips back to its worries, its tears and its pessimism. But that is no cause to
worry, since the positive ideas have already taken root and will ultimately grow into a strong tree.
(a) For each word given below, choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the
options provided. [3]

(i) isolation

1. loneliness
2. refusal
3. forsaking

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(ii) delusion
1. illusion
2.mistaken belief
3. seclusion

(iii) tremendous
1. huge
2. big
3. extraordinarily great

(b) What do your thoughts do? [1x6=6]

1. They shape the world you perceive around you.
2. They create their own world.
3. They shape unusual world.

(c) How will a depressed man react to the silence presence of a plant?
1. It will add only to his sense of isolation.
2. It will add to the further sadness.
3. It will add to the helplessness.

(d) How will a positive thinker respond to the same plant?

1. He / She will become a plant lover.
2. He / She will become gloomy.
3. The plant will hold a promise in its lush greenery.

(e) What should you fill your mind with?

1. energy, happiness, enthusiasm and creative thoughts
2. fear, uncertainty, hopelessness and guilt.
3. governance, orthodox, geniality and carelessness.

(f) What is difficult to think if you feel physically sluggish?

1. negatively
2. positively
3. indifferently

(g) What does the message, “It’s a great life.” state?

1. a healthy mind-and-body cycle
2. a peculiar-dull-and-selfish cycle
3. a unique-cruel-and-unkind cycle

(h) What has the author said about thoughts? [3]

1. Positive thoughts help the mind calm down and encourage us to think in a new perspective.
They help in solving problems, thinking new, creative ideas and handling tough situations calmly and
confidently.
2. A person falls into the clutches of pessimism when the mind is restless. Our mind begins to
worry when we are surrounded with difficult situations.

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3. Solutions do not crop up when we face a problem with an uneasy and disturbed mind. A
disturbed mind filled with negative thoughts is not instrumental in solving problem in any way.

QUESTION 2

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words provided after the passage. [8]
Example: (0) roamed

Once upon a time, in the days when genies and giants (0) ______(roam) the land, there (1) _____ (live)
a farmer (2) ______(name) Baba Ayub. He lived with his family in a little village by the name of Maidan
Sabj. Because he had a large family to feed, Baba Ayub (3) _______ (see) his days (4) _____(consume)
by hard work. Every day, he (5) ______(labour) from dawn to sundown, (6) ______(plough) his field
and (7) _______(turn) the soil and (8) _______ (tend) to his meagre pistachio trees.

(i) 1. living
2. lived
3. lives

(ii) 1. naming
2. named
3. names

(iii) 1. see
2. seeing
3. saw

(iv) 1. consumed
2. consuming
3. consumes

(v) 1. labours
2. laboured
3. labouring

(vi) 1. ploughed
2. ploughing
3. ploughs

(vii) 1. had turned

2. turned
3. turning

(viii) 1. tended
2. tending
3. tends

(b) Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks. [8]

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(i) It has been raining ____ two hours.
1. since
2. for
3. from

(ii) He just scraped _____ his examination.

1. out
2. up
3. through

(iii) Mrs Kapoor was bent _____ attending the meeting.

1. at
2. on
3. for

(iv) She is proud and looks ____ on her colleagues.

1. up
2. at
3. down

(v) Rahul plays football ____ his grandfather.

1. for
2. in
3. with

(vi) The mother was sitting ____ the sick child.

1. beside
2. for
3. with

(vii) Monika is leaning ______ the wall.

1. at
2. by
3. against

(viii) Rosie is very good _____ art and craft.

1. at
2. in
3. for

(c) Choose the correct options to join the following sentences without using and, but or so. [4]

(i) John gave me a novel. John wanted me to review it.

1. John gave me a novel so that I could review it.

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2. John gave me a novel as John wanted me to review it.
3. John gave me a novel to review.

(ii) Her mother warned her not to talk to strangers. She told her not to accept gifts from unknown
people.
1. Her mother warned her not to talk to strangers or to accept gifts from unknown people.
2. Her mother warned her neither to talk to strangers nor to accept gifts from unknown people. 3.
Her mother warned her so that she should not talk to strangers or accept gifts from unknown
people.

(iii) The trekkers got lost due to the heavy fog. They had misplaced their map as well.
1. The trackers got lost due to the heavy fog besides they had misplaced their map.
2. Not only the trackers got lost due to the heavy fog but they also misplaced their maps.
3. Not only did the trackers get lost due to the heavy fog but they misplaced their maps also.

(iv) I wear this expensive outfit sparingly. I bought it last month.

1. I wear this expensive outfit sparingly because I bought it last month.
2. I wore this expensive outfit sparingly which I bought last month.
3. I wear this expensive outfit, which I bought last month, sparingly.

(d) Read each sentence with its instructions. Choose the correct answer from the options provided
beneath each. [8]

(i) I prefer playing a game to watching television. (Begin: I would rather…………)

1. I would rather like to play a game than to watch television.
2. I would rather been playing a game than watching television.
3. I would rather play a game than watch television.

(ii) Priya said, “We have had no rain since January.” (Begin: Priya said that…….) 1.
Priya said that they didn’t have any rain since January.
2. Priya said that they had had no rain since January.
3. Priya said that they has had no rain since January.

(iii) Her father was ill. She postponed her birthday party. (Use: put instead of postponed) 1.
Her father was ill so she put forth her birthday party.
2. Her father was ill so she put away her birthday party.
3. Her father was ill so she put off her birthday party.

(iv) I would advise you to take permission from the Principal before you go out. (Begin: You had…)
1. You had not gone out without the Principal’s permission.
2. You had better taken the Principal’s permission before you go out.
3. You had better take the Principal’s permission before you go out.

(v) The five terrorists were arrested by the police. (Use: custody instead of arrested)
1. The five terrorists are taken in police custody.
2. The five terrorists were taken into custody by the police.
3. The five terrorists were being taken into custody by the police.

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(vi) He is inviting all his friends. (Begin: Each……..) 1.
Each of his friends are being invited by him.
2. Each of his friend is invited by him.
3. Each of his friends is being invited by him.

(vii) It is a pity that it is too late to do anything. (Begin: I wish…..) 1.

I wish it were not too late to do anything.
2. I wish it was not too late to do anything.
3. I wish it was early to do anything.

(viii) I will stop now unless you have any further questions. (Begin: I will stop now, provided …….)
1. I will stop now, provided you have any further questions.
2. I will stop now, provided you have some further questions.
3. I will stop now, provided you have no further questions.

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Click here for Best ICSE Class 10th Study Materials