1CSE 2023 EXAMINATION

SPKCIMEN QUESTION PAPER

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

(ENGLISH PAPER - 1)

Animam Akarks: 80

Time alloned. Two huus

Answers to thts Paper mmast be wrlten on the paer provided sepxaralely.

You will not e ullwed u wrile during the Jirst 15 mivtes
his fime is fo be spent in reading the question paper.
h e aime
gtven ar the
he ad of this Paper is the lime
allowed jar writing ihe umrwerx

Aftempt allJive questiA.

The iruendud
marks fir questions or parts of questtons are
gven in brackets L1
YOu are adwised lo spend nal mure ihun 30 nrutes im
arwering Qwestion I a d 20 minites in

answering Qwestion 2

uestion 1
(Do ot
spend more lhan 30 minutes this
sa
questicn.)
Write a
composition (00- 3S0 words) on any one ol tie
loilowing
)Wile (20
an
oríginal short story entitled:"Lost and F'ound.
() lmagne a sitiation whure
your mother has beem unwell and you hud l help
er.
xplain what you did to
help. What did you leam lrom the
experience?
ii) "Demancracy canot sarvive wititott edaucation'.
Express your views either for or
against this statemont.
fiv) You arc a
regular iraveller n
your wehool bus. Describe what you see on your
way home from schonl each alermoon. Give details of the temiliar
sounds you
sights and
expurionce each day.
( ) S t u d y the pictur gven beiow. write a sory or a dcscription or n account o

what it suggests to you. Your composition nuy be ahoul he suljexct si the

picture or you may tuke suggestiuns lrom i, huwever, there must he s clcar

cnieciam feiween lhe piclure ar your aritisLen

Questinn 2
rLr not w n u mure Ihun 20 mrutes on hAr questtom

Select any one of the tollowing"

lor wo weeks. An
(0 Yoir triend bus been unwell and unable to alienu school
weilc Ictter to
lerichaxal draina coupeliion took place during thrs perind. a

hiin/her ahout the evont and your role in it.

sour iricnd tclling
Break time al ymur schexol is mly lkor a duralion of fifleen minutcs Wric a
(1)
lur an exlension in lhe break-üme fron1
e l e r 4i yur PTineipui Tequesling
ilieen minules to halt an heur. iive reAsons lor your roqucst and cxplain in

what way an eatended brcak would make a diTerence to you as a student

Question 3
wnie u nolice
Your schooi 1s hosting in inlerschool music compeiuon.
(0)

inforaning your school abour the event.

ti) Write an cmail to he Peincipal of a ncighbouring scbool infornning

hinv/her 51
event and requesting him/her to send
a team to pamicipate.
of the
 Question4
Reed the
following pas8age curefülly and answer the
qucstions that follow:
He would lave gore on
worying and wonying in ihis way if un
distraction hud not arrived in the expected
form of a
beavily laaded
the
grissy bunk, dodging berwecn thc cnconut
car
bunpiug ove
Inees and
in the raising a cloud of dust
pah before it came to a standstill in froni of Mon
ruarruw

whike Repos, the

bungalow that stood cmpty mest of the year. l was the
de Stlvas, the
family that cane from Bombay to spend an
occasional huliday n t and
bring
il
suddenly to life for a fiw days. had They bought Men Repos a year ago from
the Vakils who had becn onc of the firsi
Rembay lamilies to build boliday
cunLages on the Thul beach. But they had
gruwn lux0 old andfruil to come often
and, aller the bousc bas stood
cmpy for
several yen, soid t ko the de Silvas
who were 10
young and
energetic and secmed heartily io enjoy lile on the beach.
Whenever they came, ife changed for the family and the linle hat, to.
Immediatcly there was a
hubbub, all kinds of excitcment and
of course work
expoctations, and
to be doc, cmployment to be had and wages.
Hari, Bels and Kamal stood by their duor under the
frangpani trec, tense with
ecitement watching and holding Pinto back as he barked
ul the unfaniliar
sight of a car and stranger till his voiec was
quite hoarse. There was a

cermmotson in the
marshy ureek that separated the hut from the house, too
lherons, egccts, kingfishers and morhens all tlapping into the dense grecnery
ol the
pandanus, the casuarina and the bhindh trees fur shelier.

Do you think they have come here for

good? Bela whispercd.
Hunh-who would live here
if he had a housc in Bonbay?" Hari scolled.
But look how much
lugLAge they" ve brought -it cau't be just for a few days,"
Bela seid, and it was truc that an umbelievable mumber
of boxes and bags and
buskets werc
being taken nul ol the cur, oul ot the boot and of
the luE8agC
carrier so that anyonc would have thought they had cone to stay foreve.

Vilhage by the Sea

Anita Desa

T23011-SPECIMEN
(4) For esch word given bclow cho0S the oorroet mcaning (as Used in the
(31
passage) from the options provided:

1. distraction (line 2
(a) someting that stops you from thinking about something else

(b) something dhal helps you io think about something cisc

(e)sOething thal you ue for weight-training

(d) something that helps you to not be distrucred

frail (line 99
Stong

Funy

(d) weak

. dense (line 19)

stupla

very t

a kind ol 1ree

(d) spae

Gi) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

ta) who wer the vakils?|

(b) why was the housc more suitod to the Dc Silvas?

(c) Who was Pintu?

(d) What effect did the noise have on the natural sutvundings?

Bcia's what opinion docs Han bave at

(e) From Hari's answer to question

Bombay?
De Silvas chanyed
(iti) In not more than S0 words describe how the arrival of the
life for the fanily in the little but.

4of
23 011-SPECIMEN
 Qurstion S
in
() Fil in ench
of the
numbered blanks with the corec1 fom
of the word given
the passage but writc in correct serial order the word
or
brackeds Do not copy

paras p a r i a l e lo Uhe blaik space.

Fxumple:
(SIOW thne c a r 8s W l e nEW nOuse
(0)1
Answcr: slowed

0)pull) up inlo the drnveway (2) (obscrvc) the way

4) (forgo) that
they had (build) up the alcony.
(3)
the bricks ot dhe huuse S) (be) chocolate brown. The new people

into a study room. I

(0) (make) tie tiny baicony

(starc) at this house,_ (8) (renember) my childhood there.

()Fillin the blanks with appropriate words.

h e cury stan troru your
(a) Please wash dress
(6) Sho tuTed the offer to work at the factory.

the house when the family was aWay.

(c)The burglars bmke _
(d) I shall compeie_ him.
(e) She agreed my proposal.

She would like to come ot.

cOSinetic
(g) The Vishwas group of companies has lake.
market complctcly.

ugrced the manager s orde

th) He
to caTy
(ii) Join the folluwing sentences to makc ane complete sentence without uing

und, bur or so. Choose the comect option.

. The delegates arrivod. The meting started inmediately.

(a) No sooner did the dcegates anve than the meeting startcd.

(b) No sooner did the delegates arive, the meeting started.

(c) No sooner îhe delegates arrived than the meeting started.

(d) The delegales ariving, the meeting started.

T23 011-SPECIMEN Sef

 Wc iost our tickot. we lost luggage.
2 our

(a) We lose our ttcket as weil as our Iuggagc.

6) Having lost our ticket we iost our lugeage.

) We lost our ticket as well as our lugeege

(d) We lost our tickct and wc lost our lugsage.

the flower
3. Ile cuhivantes crchids. Fic divplays them at
show
(a) Hc cultivates orcbids to display st the tlower show.

th) Hc cultivatcs orchids for displayed at the flower show

() He cullivates archids to play with at the flower show

(d) He cultivates orchids, but displays thcm only at the fiower show.

avay. Ile had the Principal

4. Fle ran seen
coming
t N o suner did he see the Principal eoming. he ran away.

(6) He ran to soc the Principal coming

(e) By seeing the Principal coming, he ran away.

(d) Sering the Princiral caming, he an away.

aficr
Ro-vritc the tollowing sentences according to the instractons given
(V
cach. Make other changes thul may be nece ss Ary, but do not change the

mcmig o each sentenoe. Cheose the cormcet options.

t h e cuplam smd, " i gives me gTeal plensure to be ere his evening"

(Begn. "He euptain...

to be there that
(a) The cuptain suid that it was
giving him greal pleasurc

vEDIng
(o be here this
(D) e Captain sala tat 1 Eives me Ereat pleusure

CVening
( C ) n e Caplaln sald thar it BAVC him grcal plcasurc to be hcre this

veng
to be there that
(d) The captain sad thal il gAve him grcat plcasurc

evemng
 the concert.
the train arrives on lime, we shall misw
2. Unlcss

Begin: . .
Lrain arives ine, we shall u i s s the concert.
()the

not arrive on timc, we shall miss the oorcon.

(6) f the urain does
h e tran arived em time, we shall miss Uhe concert
()

rain does n o arrive on timc, we shall not miss the concert.

(d) ffthe

lie has never been sclected,

3. He h a appliod many tmes
fBegin: n splte..

many imes, he had never been selecied.

()In spitc of applying
() In spite applying muny limes, he has never been seleeted

(e) In pile of applying many times, he las never been selectcd.

(d) ln spite never heing selected, he has applied many times.

4. Very few managers are as honest as Jamcs

(nd -. managers

(a) James Is more honcst than oihCr managcrs

(6) James is more honcst than mest othor managcrs.

(c) Jamcs is honest than nany other managers.

James t5 most hened umong other managers.

(a
S. I accept your offer.

(Ua: acecptable)

(a) YOur aller 13 Neceplabie to me.

() Your offer was acceptable lo me.

(c) Your uller is acceptable.

(d) Your Bcceptable ofer came to me.

173011
6 As soon as he finishes his work, he starts playing.

(Begin: Handly...
(a) Hardly his work is finishod, he starts playing

(b) Hardly he finishes his wark, he starts phayimg

c)lardly he has finished his work and he starts playing.

() Handly deoes he finish his work, when he stars playing

7. My fauther gave me a pen.

(Bgin: A pen.

ta) A pen had been given Lw me by iny father.

(b) A pen was given to me hy my fatther

(c) My father was gave me a pen.

d) A pen was given by me to my father.

8. have never sccn Mr. Joc losc his temper.

(Begtn: Never...
(a) Never I have soen Mr. Joc losc his tempcr.

(b) Never did I soc Mr. Joc kosc his temper.

(e) Never have I seen Mr. Joe losing his temper.

(d) Never ever did I see Mr. Joe lase his lemper.
 ICSE 2023 EXAMINATION

sPECIMEN QUESTION PAPER

LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
(ENGLISH PAPER -2)

Maximum Marks. 80

Time allowed: Two hours

Answers to this Paper must be writen on the paper provided separately.

You will not he ollomved to vwite during the fir 15 minutes

This töte is lo be spent in readmg ths question paper

The lime given at the head of this Paper Is the time allowed for writing the answers.

Ihe paper has four Sections

Section A is compusory l questions in SectionA must be anrwered

Ou rust arfempx one quesfion jrom cach f the Sectiors B, C aml D and one other question from any

Secrlon ofyour chole.

Tho intended mcrks for qwestionts or parts ofquestions ore gtven in brackets f }

SECTION A

Attempr all questions from this Section,)

Qwestion
Read the lollowing questions and choose the most appropriate response irom the cheices
given below (Please do nut copy the question - simply wzite out in correct serial order the

PPropriate word or phase.)

[16)
(0) What did the Little Match girl see when she strck the second mateh?

( A beustiful candle lit Christnas Tro

(b) Her grandmother who loved her dearly

(e) Brighi stars shording arOss ihe sky
(d) A sufted goose waddling towards her

(ü) What is the caged bird in Maya Angclou's pocm blinded by*
H c r arrow cage

(6) Her rag

(d) Iler fears of the unkncwn

T 012-SPECIMEN 1of8
u tae poein that Margot wrole, (in Bradbury's slory, "All Summer in a Day'), she

compares the sum io

a) penny
(b) clock

) lower

lemon

(iv) Which ul the lollowing statements is NOT tnue of Sibia'?

(a) She had long golden hair

(6) She had to work hard from her early years

(c) She was hvclve years old

(d) Slhe had io

money to
huy 8lass beads at the bazzar

lines from the 'Nine Gold Medals' tells us thul the

() Which of the following poem,

poeri oesCnbes an inetinuonal sporting event

The athletes had from so many couuries

(a) come

(6) And nine young athletes stood there detemined

in their uracks
()The eighi uther uthletes slopped
for the gold, for the silver and hrone
(U) To run

Whal dees thee

(vi) Jesse Owens says thot Ilitler had kept him (Luz Long) "under Wrap.

phirise 'wder wraps' mean

(a) Wnpped in a blanket

b) Gift wapped

A concealed secre
(C) caretully
(d) Bencath a wrapper

The Palrid leel a d and

character in Browning puem,
s

(vil) what makes the central

bitter?
(@) The welcome he received
followers
(b) The ticklc imindcdncss of his

ieting wet in the rain

(e)

(d) The fiags on the church spin

 wiy
(vin) Joe Tempsm
baber

(6) carpernter

gardener
(d wheelwnght

(ix) Whar did Abou Ben Adhent see in his hedroom when he awoke one night?

(a) A Fairy writing in a book of gold|

6) An angel sitting on his bed

(C)A taiy sting on his bod

(4) An angel writing in a book of gold

(K)Whar sight ils the poct Wordsworh's heart with joy'?

(a) A fickd of daffodi ls

(5) The stars in the Milky Way

The daneing waves

(c
(d Ihc loncly cloud

(xi) When Shyluck speaks of Jessicur's clopernent he exclaims, "My own lesh and hlood
to rebell' Whal lcling do his words convey?

(a)ppride
envy

e) betrayal
remorse

x1) What rarc qualiy of Hastanio's helps him cboose the right caske?

(a) His bonesty and integriy

(b) His deperale need for muney

(e Llis dislike of gold and silver

(d) His ability to look beyond oTWard appcaranccs
Ni "Niy decds upon my head! l crave 1he law. Thie penaully und lrlel ol my hond." Who

says these words and to whum?

(4) Portia to Antonio

(b) Stylock to Portiu

C) Bassario to Portia

(d) Artonio te Shy lock

(KIV) Wlich of the following words best desUribes Antonio's attitude during thc
trial
(ajcalous

() angry

generous
resigned

(x) why does a

quarrel brcaks out betwecn Nerissa and Gratiano in the fival
Act of°The
Merchant of Vonice"?

(a) Gratiano admits that he had given

away he ring which Nerissa had givea top
him.

(b) Nerissa admits thul she huacl accum

Portia to Venioe
disguised as aa
Awyer's clerk.

(C) iraluano is
anoycd with Ncrissa tor
giVng away has r g to
rangET m
Venicc.

(d) Ncrissa is angry with Gratiano for leuving for Venice on the very day they were
maried.

(xV1) How does lArenvo reng/e Portia cvcn

bctorc be scc her wben the
two
wormen relurm lirem Venice?
youmg

(a) by the clothes she wears.

(6) by the sound of ber veice.

(c) by the perfame sbe uses.
(d) by her touch.
 (The Merchant of Venice by Wiliam Shakespesare)

Questlon 2

Read the extract given below and answer the qucstions that follow

SHLOCK: To bait fish withal. fu witlfeed nothing

elsc, it wll feed my revengC. He halh drsgraceu

me carnd htndered me haif a milion, longhed at my lxse,

mocked at my gains, scorned my Horo,

worted ny bargums, cooied my Jriends, ealed

mine enemies-and what s i s reavon" Tum a.Jew

Who is 'He'?

whal does Shylock Wanl Iram him?

What docs Shylock mcan by to bait fish withal *?

(i) Fxplain in your own words any threc ways in which He had wronged Shy lock.

(in) According in Sihylock, in what ways did Jews rcsemble Christians

(iv) How does Shylock usx Christian example to justifly his desire for rovengc? 3
The given extrat reveals twu distinet emodions that Shytock expcticnccs. What are
(
they ive une reasan lo justily each of these enmoions

Questlon 3

Reud the extract gíven below and answr the qucstions that follow

Purtie: The yualily of mercy is nol strained

h druppeth as the genle raàn rmm heaven

ipon the place beneauh: it is twice hlessed:
t blessesh him tht gives and him that takes.

UgExi in
Re mugeu, t hecomes

The thromed monarch berter than his crown

(i) Where does this scene take place? Why Is Portia here? Why does Bassanio not
recogiso her?
() To what is merecy compared in these lines? Why is merey said to be 'twice blessed"?
13
(in) Explain the lines: Tis mightiest in he mightiest: it becomes

e
troned monarch betrer than hís cruwn
(iv) Taler in her speech Portia mcntions a sccptre. What isa ceptre?|low, accurding lo
Portia, is mercy above the "sccptrad sway"7

9 l e weon are these wors ndldresed? Whar docs the pcrson say in respanse to Portia's
words? Portia is seen us the drmaic heroine of the play. Using references from the
text mention uny two specis ol her character that appcal to you most.

SECTION C

(Answer one or more questfons from this Seciun)

PROSE-SHORT STORIESs

Treasure Trave-A Colletion of iCSE Poems and Sbort Storie)

Read the exiract from Ray Bradbury's short slory, '"All Summer ina Day' given below and
answr the qucstions thnt follow

The giri sturnding in the open, held out her hand

Oh look, look " she satd tremblimg

They came slowy to lovk at her upumed palm

n the center ofin, eupped und huge, was a single ramdrop. She began to cry.
looking as it They glanced quletly at the sun.
Oh. Oh"

(i) How old were "ihey 7 Where werc they lirving? Whar had they been doing umtii îhe

girl called their anention to the raindrop?

0) Mention any three ways in which their lives on this planet differod from life on earth.

(n) why docs the gii begin to ery whien she looks at the randrup?

(iv) Describe the dramatie change in the weather immediaxcly after the raindrop fell.

(v) Whant feelíngs do they' experience al the end of the sluny? What had thcy done eartier
that made them teel this way?
Read the following exract from llans Christian Anderson's story, "Ihe Lirtle Match Girl'
und wwwer the questions given below;

So the tiule giri walked aboul the streels on her naked feet, which were red

and hue wilh cold in her old apran she carried a great mary marches and she

kad apackel f them in her harnd us wel.

) Who wus 'sbe? What can you conclude about her condition from the above description?

() What timc of the ycar was ir? Why did she not wamt to go home?

(ii) What did she use the matches for? What happenod when she lit the first match?

(iv) Whom did she love dcarly? What did she say when Ihis person appeared befonre her?

(v)Whal huppened w the litle gicl at the cnd of the story? Would you cosider this a
sud une: Cave one for your amswe.
happy enidrg or a reuson

SECTION D
(Answer one or more quesims frm this Secliom)

POETRY
(Treasure Trove - A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories)

Question 6
and
Rcad the following cxtract from the poem "Abou Ben
Adem by Iegh Hunt answer

the qucstions that follow

Ahou Ben Auhem fmmag his ribe mer tue)

dream
fwuke une
nighi jrom a
deap Upeuce
Whul did Abou Ben Adhem see whcD wokc rom a decp slccp one gntr
(i)

(i) What did Abou Bcn Adhem aSk the angel? What was the angel's esponse?

do when he learmt that his nurme dhd nut appex

(ii) Whal did Abou request the angel to

who loved the Lord? What does this reveal to us of Abou

aTOng the numes of those

Ben Adhem's churacler?

Whit did the argel

(iv) When and how did the angel appear to Abou lJen Adhein again?
show Abou this tirve?

his tribe Why do you thnk be says

()What does the poet mean by May increcase
of the poem7
this? What is the cenlral message 7 of8
123 012-SPECIMEN
Question 7

Read the exract from David Roth's poem, 'Nine Gold Medals' given below and answer
the questions that follow
And the baner above and nine smiling faces
Said more than these words eer will

Said mare than these words ever will.

Meer?
(i) Whut was 'special about the athletes who were purticipating in this Sports
What spocial quality of their does te poem celebrate?

) Which race was the highlight of the day? Whar was the signal that the athlctes waited
for? How many athletos participatod in this racc?
ii) How does the poet describe the stute uf mind of the athletes as they lined up for the

race? Who won the race? (31

altemate title, what would you call i? Give reasons

iv) fyou had to give this poem an

for your nswer

131

Give brief account of what happened aller the yaungesl alhlete fell to the grotnd.
(v) a

thc word 'strange to describe the behaviour of the

Why do you think the author use

14
athletcs?