MOUNT LITERA ZEE SCHOOL, BARH

Pre Board -1 (Session 2022-23)

Grade: 10th Set- A Maximum Marks:80

Subject: English Time Allowed: 3 Hours

General Instructions:

1. 15-minute prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.

2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections-READING, WRITING and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question number in
your answer sheet to indicate the option/s being attempted.

Section A: READING SKILLS (20Marks)

I. Read the passage given below. 10M

1. When you grow up in a place where it rains five months a year, wise elders help you to get acquainted
with the rain early. They teach you that it is ignorant to think that it is the same rain falling every day. Oh
no, the rain is always doing different things at different times. There is rain that is gentle, and there is also
rain that falls too hard and damages the crops. Hence, the prayers are for the sweet rain that helps the
crops to grow.

2. The monsoon in the Naga hills goes by the native name, khuthotei (which means the rice-growing
season). It lasts from May to early or mid-October. The local residents firmly believe that Durga Puja in
October announces the end of rain. After that, one might expect a couple of short winter showers, and the
spring showers in March and April. Finally, comes the “big rain” in May; proper rainstorms accompanied by
heart-stopping lightning and ear-splitting thunder. I have stood out in storms, looking at lightning arc
across dark skies, a light- and-sound show that can go on for hours.

3. This is the season when people use the word sezuo or sizu to refer to the week-long rains, when clothes
don’t dry and smell of mould, when fungus forms on the floor and when you can’t see the moon or the
stars because of the rainclouds. But you learn not to complain. Rain, after all, is the farmer’s friend and
brings food to the table. Rituals and festivals centre around the agricultural rhythm of life, which is the
occupation of about 70 per cent of the population.

4. The wise learns to understand its ways. I grew up hearing my grandfather say, “It’s very windy this year.
We’ll get good rain.” If the windy season was short and weak, he worried there might not be enough rain
for the crops. I learned the interconnectedness of the seasons from childhood, arid marvelled at how the
wind could bring rain. Another evening, many rainy seasons ago, my paternal aunt observed the new moon
and worried,

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“Its legs are in the air, we’re in for some heavy rain.” She was right. That week, a storm cut off power lines
and brought down trees and bamboos.

5. Eskimos boast of having a hundred of names for snow. Norwegians in the north can describe all kinds of
snow by an equal amount of names: pudder, powder snow, wet snow, slaps, extra wet snow, tight
snowfall, dry snow, and at least 95 more categories of snow. Likewise, in India we have names and names
for rain. Some are common, some are passing into history.

6. The rains are also called after flowering plants and people believe that the blossoming of those plants
draws out rain. Once the monsoon’s set in, field work is carried out in earnest and the work of uprooting
and transplanting paddy in flooded terrace fields is done. The months of hard labour are June, July and
August. In August, rain, also called phrogii, is a sign that the time for cultivation is over. If any new grain
seeds are sown, they may not sprout; even if they do sprout, they are not likely to bear grain. The rain acts
as a kind of farmer’s almanac.

7. The urban population of school-goers and office-goers naturally dislikes the monsoon and its
accompanying problems of landslides, muddy streets and periodic infections. For non-farmers, the month
of September can be depressing, when the rainfall is incessant and the awareness persists that the
monsoons will last out till October. One needs to have the heart of a farmer to remain grateful for the
watery days, and be able to observe—from what seems to the inexperienced as a continuous downpour—
the many kinds of rain. Some of the commonly known rain-weeks are named after the plants that
alternately bloom in August and September. The native belief is that the flowers draw out the rain.

8. Each rain period has a job to fulfil: October rain helps garlic bulbs to form, while kumunyo rain helps the
rice bear grain. Without it, the ears of rice cannot form properly. End October is the most beautiful month
in the Naga hills, as the fields turn gold and wild sunflowers bloom over the slopes, all heralding the
harvest. Prayers go up for protecting the fields from storms, and the rains to retreat because the grain
needs to stand in the sun and ripen. The cycle nears completion a few weeks before the harvest, and the
rain does retreat so thoroughly from the reaped furrows that the earth quickly turns hard. The months of
rain become a distant memory until it starts all over again.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the correct
option

(1) The rains are called after flowering plants because

(i) heavy rains kill plants.
(ii) flowers grow in the rainy season.
(iii) it is believed that the plants bring the rain.
(iv) flowers grow all the year round.

(2) The rain is like a calendar for farmers because

(i) it tells them when to sow and when to harvest.
(ii) it tells them the birthdays of their children.

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(iii) each month has a time for plantation.
(iv) different kinds of rain tell different things.

(3) People who live in cities don’t like rain because

(i) it brings mud and sickness with it.
(ii) they are not bothered about the farmers.
(iii) they don’t like the plants that grow during the rain.
(iv) going shopping becomes difficult.

(4) People pray asking the rain to retreat because

(i) the fungus and mould to dry.
(ii) children don’t get a chance to play.
(iii) the crops need the sun and heat to ripen.
(iv) they like to pray.

(5) Why do the elders want you to understand the rains in the Naga hills ?
i. Gentle rain ii. Prayer for gentle rain iii. Rains that falls too hard iv.Easy Rain

(6) What does Durga Puja mean to the farmers of the Naga hills ?

a.It is holy festival for them b. It announces the end of the rain c. They expect there after water shower
d. None

(7) What is the occupation of more than half the population of the Naga hills ?

i. farming. Ii. Business iii. Unemployed d.None

(8) Meaning of acquainted (para 1)

i. Familiar . Gloomy iii. Hostile iv. Enormous

(9) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following: flowering (para 6)

i. Blossom ii.Scanty iii. Dearth iv. Prominent

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(10 ) Synonyms of non-stop (para 7)

i. Incessant ii. Mammoth iii. shallow iv none

II. Read the following excerpt from a case study . 10M

1. India is home to an estimated 10% of the global Snow Leopard population spread across five
Himalayan states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
which is only 5% of the available global habitat for the animal.

2. Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India by the Project Snow Leopard Committee instituted by the
Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, in the year 2009 to safeguard and conserve
India’s unique natural heritage of high altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by promoting
conservation through participatory policies and actions.

3. Project Tiger and Project Elephant is prevalent in India with the former introduced in 1973 garnering
worldwide attention.

4. The Snow Leopard usually occurs at an altitude of >2700m above sea level and is the apex predator in
the Himalayan Region along with the Tibetan Wolf. The project is not only to protect the Snow Leopard, but
as with Project Tiger, it is considered an umbrella species and with its protection, comes the protection of
other species and the habitat which they are all a part of.

5. Top 3 National Parks in India where the Snow Leopard can likely be seen

(i) Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary – Himachal Pradesh

(ii) Ulley Valley – Ladakh (iii) Hemis National Park – Himachal Pradesh

The reasons for introduction of Project Snow Leopard are as follows

(i) High altitudes of India > 3000m including the Himalayan & Trans-himalayan biogeographic zones
support a unique wildlife assemblage of global conservation.
(ii) There has been relatively less attention on the region from the viewpoint of wildlife conservation.
(iii) The region represents a vast rangeland system supporting important traditional pastoral economies and
lifestyles.

(iv) The region provides essential

ecosystem services and harbours river
systems vital for the nation’s food
security.

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(v) India has ratified international agreements promoting the conservation of high altitude wildlife species
such as the snow leopard.
(vi) The region is important for the country’s national security as well as international relations.
(vii) The high altitude wildlife in India today faces a variety of threats.
(viii) The existing high altitude protected areas in India require considerable strengthening.
(ix) Wildlife Management in the region needs to be made participatory. (360 Words)

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.

(i) The purpose of above study is to show that snow leopards are ............. .

Choose the correct option

(a) Near threatened species that can be protected (b) Vulnerable species and must be protected (c) Least
concerned species that need no protection (d) Species that live in the Himalayas.

(ii) Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.

(1) Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India in 2009 to conserve unique high altitude wildlife like
snow leopards.

(2) Project Tiger was introduced in India in 1973 to conserve the endangered Bengal tigers and save them
from extinction.

(a) (1) is the result of (2).

(b) (1) is the cause of (2).
(c) (1) is independent of (2).
(d) (1) contradicts (2).

(iii) Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following phrase. “Snow Leopard… is
considered an umbrella species…”

(a) Other species will also be protected by protecting Snow Leopards.

(b) It consists of many other species.
(c) It is the most important species in the region.
(d) None of the above

(iv) According to the above passage, high altitude regions should be protected because they ............. .

(a) Support unique wildlife of global significance

(b) Support endangered wildlife that must be protected
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(c) Consist of very insignificant ecosystems and organisms
(d) Are rich in minerals and natural resources

(v) According to the passage, which other species can be found in the Himalayan Region besides the Snow
Leopard?

(a) Asian Elephants (b) Endangered Tiger (c) Tibetan Wolf (d) Both (a) and (c)

(vi) Which of the following is integral to the nation’s food security?

(a) Wildlife management (b) Vast rangeland system (c) Aquatic ecosystems (d) River systems

vii) The passage concludes that promotion of conservation of high altitude wildlife species by India requires
it to ............... . Select the correct option
(a) Keep the region neat and tidy
(b) Protect the region as well
(c) Donate money to the human inhabitants of the region
(d) Hold such species captive in order to protect them

viii. Meaning of ‘Dweller’ (Choose from Para 1)

ix. Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/ phrase from paragraph : Pros: Advantage:: : Hunter:
…….(Para 4) (Clue: Just like Cons is synonyms of pros , similarly Hunter is………)

X. Project Snow Leopard was introduced in India…………………

SECTION B –GRAMMAR 10M

III. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option . Attempt ANY TEN (out of 12)of the following.

i. Shakespeare ____ dramas that are appealing to the people of all ages. 
a. Wrote
b. Had written
c.Had been writing
d. Has written

ii. Read the conversation between Reena and Surbhi . Complete the Reported speech.

Reena : Do you know how to swim?

Surbhi : Yes I know. I have learnt it during this summer vacation.

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Reena asked Surbhi …………………… Then Surbhi replied in affirmative and also added that she had
learnt it during the summer vacation.

iii. Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line, from a health magazine.

The advertisement read, ‘If you smoke, statistically your story end 15% before it should’.

A. must B. should C. will D. ought to

iv. Read the conversation between a Delhi Metro personnel and a traveller and complete the passage that
follows.

Traveller : Please give me three tokens to Rajiv Chowk. How much is it?
Metro Personnel : Fifty rupees a token.

The traveller (a) .......................................... three tokens to Rajiv Chowk and asked how much it was.

v. Last week the super thief is caught in Pune by the Pune police.

Error Correct

vi. The Chief Minister in Gujarat met the students of RSS on 6th February in Delhi.

Error Correct

vii. As I was standing on the dock, looking out at the lake for the last time, a feeling of emptiness over me like
darkness.

A. will wash B. had washed C. will have washed D. washed

viii. ) At this time tomorrow we ………………………. our project details to ma’am.

a) are presenting b) shall be presenting c) have been presenting d) will have presenting

ix. The good news is that…………… volunteers dropped out this month than the last two.

a) fewer b) less c) few d) a little

x. Everybody …………… keen to participate in the upcoming nukkad natak.

a) are b) has c) is d) were

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xi. You …………………… consult the Thesaurus if you need groups of synonyms for those words.

a) had to b) need to c) used to d) might

xii. My favourite hobby, since my childhood, is ………..butterflies.

(a) catch (b) caught (c) catching (d) has been catching

IV. SECTION B –CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS 10M

1. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5M

A. You are Tanisha/Tarun, a resident of Satya Nagar Colony, Barh, Patna. You have noticed that some
residents of your colony are repeatedly flouting quarantine rules laid out during the outbreak of the COVID–
19 pandemic. Write a letter to the Editor Times of India ,Patna,drawing attention towards the same. Explain
how such acts impact the health of the community and request immediate intervention of concern authority

Or

B. You are Sujal /Sujata of Pragya Public School, Nangal, Punjab who had arranged a trip for fifty students
to Nanital in summer vacations for ten days with „Mount Travels and Tourism‟. The arrangements done by
the travel agency were far below the standard .The accommodation and food facilities were inferior in
quality .Write a letter of complaint to the director of the agency to stop duping tourists with false promises
as it tarnishes the image of locals (100-120 words)

2. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5M

A. The chart below displays data about the number of digital devices purchased in Rishunagar across the
years 2015-2019. Write a paragraph analyzing the given data.

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 OR

(B) Read the following excerpt from an article that appeared in the magazine section of a local daily: The
ban on single-use plastic is impractical. The purpose of articles like bags and packaging is ultimately to
make human life easier. Plastic articles do this well, so they shouldn’t be banned. Write a paragraph to
analyse the given argument. You could think about what alternative explanations might weaken the given
conclusion and include rationale / evidence that would strengthen / counter the given argument.

V. SECTION C – LITERATURE 40 M

1 Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. 5M

1.A Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

“He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.

” i. The poem, “A Tiger in the Zoo” is written by

(a) Leslie Norris (b) William Blake (c) Peter Niblett(d) Robert Frost

ii. The tiger should be lurking in the shadow

(i) for his prey (ii) for taking rest (iii) for leisure (iv) for scaring others

iii. The deer frequents the water hole to _________

iv. The phrase ‘lurking in the shadow’ here means __________

v. Write the Rhyme scheme of this poetry……….

Or

1.B I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!
No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went

i. The poet uses the ball as a symbol of the boy’s

a) sense of adventure. b) carefree childhood days. c) ability to bounce back. d) extended family.

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ii. The poet feels that there is no point consoling the boy as
a) it would give him false hope.
b) he might demand for a new ball.
c) it might distress him further.
d) whatever he has lost is irretrievable.

iii. The word ‘harbour’ DOES NOT have a meaning similar to

a) port. b) pier. c) dock. d) cargo.

iv. Merrily over — there it is in the water!’ The dash here is meant to convey
a) some familiar experience.
b) a feeling of excitement.
c) a sense of unexpected interruption.
d) some thoughtful moments.

v. The word that DOES NOT indicate a physical manifestation of sorrow in the boy, is
a) worthless. b) shaking. c) trembling. d) rigid.

VI. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. 5M

1. A Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that.
Sit down.”

Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned
for her, but she was annoyed by his attention. “There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve
paid my thirty paise like everyone else.” The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up
madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?” Valli shot an
angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And you’ve not yet given
me my ticket.” “I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually
Valli too joined in the laughter.

i. How did Valli feel when the elderly man expressed concern that she was standing?

a) Rather shocked b) Somewhat happy c) Fairly displeased d) Quite embarrassed

II. Which word does ‘chimed in’ NOT correspond to?

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a) Intervened b) Interrupted c) Intersected d) Interjected

iii. Choose the characteristic displayed by the conductor when he addressed Valli and declared that she
couldn’t be ‘a mere girl’.
a) encouragement b) indulgence c) embarrassment d) authority

iv. Meaning of haughtily……….

v. Complete the analogy by selecting the suitable word from the text.

Slowly: Gradually :: Imitate :…………

OR

1.B At about the age of twenty five, the Prince, thereof shielded from the sufferings of the world, while
hunting out glanced upon a sick man, then an aged man, then a funeral procession, and finally a monk
begging for alms. These sights so moved him that he at once became a beggar and went out into the world to
seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows he had witnessed.

i. Whose age has been referred here?

ii. What was the effect of sights on the prince?

iii. How did witnessing sorrow change him?

iv. What does „glance‟ imply in the given lines?

v. Complete the analogy by selecting the suitable word from the text.

Rich: Beggar:: Happiness:…………

VI. Answer ANY FOUR of the following in about 40-50 words each. 4*3=12

i. Describe how Custard’s reaction was different from that of others, on seeing the pirate?

ii. Nelson Mandela speaks of ‘Twin Obligations’. Elucidate.

iii. Why would you not agree with Lencho calling them ‘’a bunch of crooks‟?

iv. Why does Maxwell observe that the airhostess “was the very queen of her kind”? Why does the she say –
‘it would be better if you resumed your seat, and I will find the animal and bring it to you’?

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v. Thieves and swindlers have no sense of moral righteousness. Comment with references to instances from
“A Question of Trust”

VII. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. 2*3=6

i. Why was Matlida Loisel always unhappy?

ii. How did Bholi find her school teacher different from her family members?

iii. Justify the poet’s allusion to Rapunzel in ‘Amanda’.

VIII. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words 1*6=6M

I. Selfish is a common trait among all except a few and Kisa Gotami could not save herself untouched from
it. She says, “How selfish am I in my grief!” Justify her statement to her realization of Death to all.

Or

ii. . Simple moment proves to be very significant and saves rest of the day of poet from being wasted.
Explain on the basis of the poem ‘Dust of Snow

VIII. VIII Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words 1*6=6M

I. We should be content with what life gives us. If we long for more and are not contented with our means,
we shall suffer much and face difficulties in our life. Justify it with reference to the character ‘ Matilda’ in
the lesson ‘The Necklace’.

Or

Valli shows extraordinary courage in taking a bus journey all alone. Explain how ability and courage are
essential to fulfill one’s dream.

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