Half Yearly Examination 2022

Sub – English Literature

Cl – X

Time – 1:30hr F. M. – 50

The paper has four sections.

Section A is compulsory.

You must attempt one question from each of the Sections B, C and D.

Section A

Question 1

Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options. (Do not copy the questions,
write the correct answer only) (14)

1. What is the form of the poem ‘The Patriot’ ?

a. Dramatic monologue
b. Sonnet
c. Free verse
d. Parable
2. The poem ‘The Patriot’ ends in an optimistic note. Which option highlights it?
a. The Patriot believes that charges against him will be taken back.
b. The patriot believes people will show mercy on him.
c. The patriot believes he will be saved as he has not done anything wrong.
d. The patriot believes God will reward him according to his true merit.
3. How did Abou Ben Adhem speak to the angel?
a. Rudely
b. Proudly
c. Humbly
d. He did not speak at all
4. Which of the following words have been used to address the angel?
a. Vision, light
b. Presence, vision
c. Lily , lotus
d. Lily, presence
5. In the story, The Blue Bead, the village women wore necklaces made of ___ ?
a. Blue beads
b. Scarlet seeds
c. Glass beads
d. Pearls
6. Which of the following rightly describes Sibia’s appearance?
a. Ebony hair, great eyes, skin like oiled brown cream
b. Black hair, blue eyes, smooth skin
c. Ebony hair, great eyes, light skin
d. Black hair, great eyes, dry skin
7. What is the motto of the Olympics?
a. ‘Slow and steady wins the race’
b. ‘Faster, higher, stronger’
c. ‘Participation is more important than winning ‘
d. ‘Winning is more important than participation’
8. For how many years had Jesse Owens trained for the Olympics?
a. Ten years
b. Six years
c. Two years
d. Four years
9. What request did Antonio want to make to Shylock ?
a. Request for mercy
b. Request not to take a pound of flesh
c. Request to become his friend
d. Request to take back three thousand ducats
10. The Duke cannot deny the course of law because ___
a. It will adversely affect the trade in Venice
b. It will help Lorenzo to escape
c. It will make the Duke popular
d. It will help Bassanio to go to Belmont
11. Why does Lorenzo praise Portia?
a. She is intelligent and beautiful
b. She has an understanding of friendship
c. She is a rich lady of Belmont
d. She is Bellario’s cousin
12. Why did Portia send her servant to Doctor Bellario?
a. To call him to help Shylock
b. To feast with him
c. To send her notes and garments
d. To pray for Bassanio
13. Launcelot says Jessica is damned because ____
a. She is Shylock’s daughter
b. She eloped with Lorenzo
c. She dislikes Portia
d. She is kindhearted
14. Now that Bassanio is married to Portia, he is expected to _____
a. Spend even more money
b. Return all the money he borrowed from Antonio
c. Live an upright life
d. Stay back at Belmont for the rest of his life

Section B (Drama)

Read the extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Question 2 :
Portia : I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow
To live in prayer and contemplation,
Only attended by Nerissa here,
Until her husband and my lord’s return:
1. To whom does Portia say the above words? Where are they ? (2)
2. Where have Portia and Nerissa decided to spend their days in prayer? Who will
take care of Portia’s household in her absence? (2)
3. Does Lorenzo accept the responsibility given to him by Portia? What instruction
has Portia given her servants about Lorenzo and Jessica? (2)
4. Does Portia really want to pray in secret for her husband’s return? What does
she actually want to do? (3)
5. What plan does she reveal to Nerissa about putting up disguise? (3)

Question 3 :
Jessica: ...for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
1. Who has been referred as ‘her’ in this extract? To whom is Jessica speaking
these words? (2)
2. Explain – ‘the poor rude world hath not her fellow’. (2)
3. Where is Jessica now? What responsibility has been given to Lorenzo and
Jessica? (2)
4. According to Jessica, how should Bassanio live his life now as he is married
to Portia? (3)
5. What reference does Jessica give to prove that there can be no other
woman on earth like Portia? (3)

Section C (Prose)
Read the extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow :
Question 4 :
She knew what finery was , though.
1. Who has been referred as ‘she’ in this extract? What is meant by ‘
finery’? (2)
2. Where had she seen the ‘finery’ ? With whom did she go there? (2)
3. Did she own any of the ‘finery’ ? Why? (2)
4. Describe the crowd at the bazaar. (3)
5. Besides the finery, what else attracted Sibia’s attention at the bazaar?
(3)

Question 5:
You can melt down all the gold medals and cups I have, and they
couldn’t be a plating on the 24- carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that
moment.
1. Who is referred as ‘I’ in the extract? Who is Luz Long? (2)
2. Where did their friendship start? How long did this friendship last?
(2)
3. With reference to the short story , what records did Jesse make ? (2)
4. What has Luz Long been called the epitome of? Explain . (3)
5. How did Jesse and Luz greet each other after their event was over?
Elaborate. (3)

Section D (Poetry)
Read the extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Question 6 :
The air broke into a mist with bells,
The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries.
1. What poetic device has been used In the first line of the
extract ?(2)
2. Why had the crowd gathered? (2)
3. What was the crowd ready to do for the patriot? (2)
4. Describe how the patriot was welcomed exactly one year ago.
(3)
5. How did the patriot's fate change in exactly one year? (3)

Question 7 :
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
1. What made Abou bold? (2)
2. Who has been referred as ‘presence’ ? What was it doing?
(2)
3. Why was Abou disappointed? (2)
4. How many times did the angel visit Abou? What was the
presence doing when it visited Abou the first time? (3)
5. What message does the poem give us? (3)