DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL (JOKA) SOUTH KOLKATA

Series DPSJSK Code No: 184/1 SET-1

Roll No. Candidate must write the

code on the title page of the
answer-book.

PRACTICE EXAMINATION
CLASS- X
2023 – 2024
E N G L I S H (184)

Time allowed: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:

(i) The Question Paper contains THREE sections- READING, GRAMMAR & WRITING and
LITERATURE.
(ii) Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
(iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
_______________________________________________________________________

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 SECTION A: READING SKILLS (20 marks)
1. Read the following text. 10 marks
1. Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry
sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the
sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the
problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder.

2. I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology
and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archaeological expeditions and
governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide
substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results.
At the same time, they would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the
inducement to engage in illegal activities.

3. You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient
artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold
to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But you might
reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically,
you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.

4. I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one
another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually
indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard, even precious royal seal impressions known as ‘melekh
handles’ have been found in abundance — more than 4,000 examples so far.

5. The basement of museums is simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be
discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot
be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of
a computer, sold artifacts could be more accessible than are the pieces stored in bulging museum
basement. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained
on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become
needed for scientific purposes. It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artifacts
were sold in the open market. However, the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially
reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known,
and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions

i. Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to the above passage. (1)
Dev: I think in order to save the ancient findings from being sold illegally, we should sell them in open
markets.
Prachi: I agree but …………….
(a) Only the artifacts that are not of import and are excavated in multiple quantity
(b) Not the artifacts that are of scientific or historic importance
(c) It is not our decision or concern should we should not discuss it
(d) Both (a) and (b)

ii. Choose the option that best conveys the message in – ‘Practically, you are wrong.’ (1)
(a) One must leave everything to God and have faith that all will be right.
(b) One must strive to do better in life, every step of the way.
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(c) One must not despair in life and try their best to make things better.
(d) Money and success are the most important things in life.

iii. Which of the following can be said about the people in the profession of archaeology? (1)
(a) Collectors of artifacts
(b) Seekers of knowledge
(c) Smugglers of knowledge
(d) Acquire of knowledge for business purposes

iv. What are the two major problems that archaeologists face in their profession? Answer in about 40
words. (2)

v. Which of the following words means “a study of human activity through recovery and analysis of
material culture”? (1)
(a) Stratigraphically
(b) Archaeologist
(c) Archaeology
(d) Excavation

vi. Select the qualities that the author seems to exhibit, on the basis of your reading of the passage.
(1)
(1) Conniving (2) Business-minded (3) Shrewd (4) Sharp (5) Clever
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 2, 4 and 5
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 2 and 5

vii. Based on your understanding of the passage, write in about 40 words, what is the lesson taught by
the process of excavation? (2)
viii. Substitute the word ‘paltry’ with ONE WORD similar in meaning, in the following,
sentence from paragraph 1: (1)
Only paltry sums are available for excavating and …

2. Read the following text. 10 marks

1. Unsafe water kills more people each year than do was and all other forms of violence combined.
Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: less than 1 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is actually
accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global demand for
freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now.

2. Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a ‘universal solvent’, water is able to dissolve more
substances than any other liquid on Earth. Water pollution is the release of substances into subsurface
groundwater or into lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries and oceans to the point where the substances
interfere with beneficial use of the water or with the natural functioning of ecosystems. In addition to the
release of substances, such as chemicals. Trash or microorganisms, water pollution may also include the
release of energy, in the form of radioactivity or heat, into bodies of water. The key causatives of water
pollution in India are urbanization, deforestation, industrial effluents and agricultural run-offs with the
use of insecticides and pesticides. The other causes are social and religious offerings in water bodies and
the use of detergents and fertilizers.

3. Water pollution can have disastrous consequences on the ecosystem. Furthermore, toxic chemicals can
travel through the food chain and get into our bodies, causing diseases and death.
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4. There is no single or simple answer to stop the water pollution crisis. However, there are many solutions
to prevent water pollution, both in our daily lives and within industries. They are wastewater, reducing
plastic waste and water conservation. In addition to this, we must have water-efficient toilets, stormwater
management and ozone wastewater treatment.

Oil spill
Oil Septic
pollution tank

Water
Nuclear parks
waste
Causes of
water Intensive
Water
pollution farming
storage tanks

Household Pesticide
waste
Industrial
Swimming
waste

Major Causes of Water Pollution

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions.

(i) Infer one reason for the following, based on information in Paragraph 1. (1)
Less than 1 percent of the Earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us.
(ii) Select the appropriate option to fill in the blank. (1)
Water is uniquely vulnerable to ________________________________.
(a) season
(b) pollution
(c) water bodies
(d) extreme weather conditions

(iii) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from Paragraph 2: (1)
vulnerable : resilient : : artificial : _________________________
(Clue: Just as resilient is the opposite of vulnerable, similarly the opposite of artificial is __)

(iv) Mention any two major causes of water pollution, within 40 words. (2)

(v) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option: (1)

One of the solutions of preventing water pollution is ____________________________
(a) building industries near water bodies
(b) water conservation and reducing plastic waste
(c) avoiding swimming
(d) reducing farming

(vi) Substitute the word ‘causative’ with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence: (1)

The key causative of water pollution in India must be addressed.

(vii) Based on your understanding of the passage, write in about 40 words, what is water pollution,
according to the writer? (2)

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(viii) Select the most suitable title for the passage from the following: (1)
(a) Water Pollution – A Concern
(b) Unsafe Water – A Menace
(c) Universal Solvent – Water
(d) Global Concern – An Urgent Need

SECTION B: WRITING SKILLS & GRAMMAR (20 marks)

GRAMMAR
3. Complete ANY TEN of twelve of the following tasks, as directed. 1x10=10
i. Report the dialogue between a mother and her daughter, by completing the sentence:
Customer: Why is the meal so sour?
Waiter: Nobody has complained for five days sir, about the meal.

In response to the customer’s question about why the meal was so sour, the waiter said that
_____________________________________.

ii. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given portion of a letter:
Sir,
I would like to bring to your notice that the people in and around Cheran Nagar ___________ (face)
difficulties in travelling back and forth because of the bad condition of the roads there.

iii. Read the given sentence from an article on balanced diet for children. Identify the error and supply the
correction in the sentence.

The children are regularly told that a diet having too much sugar and fat are bad for them, and chocolate
contains a great deal of both of these.

Use the given format for your response.

error correction

iv. Complete the given narrative, by filling in the blank with the correct option:
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

v. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option, to complete the slogan by the Ministry for Child Welfare.
________________ WE AFFORD TO NEGLECT CHILDREN? THINK TWICE!!
a. WILL
b. MAY
c. NEED
d. CAN

vi. Manish shared some information with Tariq, about a holiday at sea. Report Tariq's question.
Did you enjoy travelling by sea?

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vii. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option, to complete the sentence below:

The captain as well as the team __________ proud to lift up the trophy.
a. are
b. were
c. is
d. be
viii. Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the corrections for the following line, from a
news report:
Last week, a child was not allowed to board the plane at Kanpur airport.

Option No. Error Correction

A. child children
B. last previous
C. the a
D. at in

ix. Report the dialogue between an interviewer and a candidate by completing the sentence:
Interviewer: What are your qualifications?
Candidate: I have done Hotel Management from the National Institute of Hotel Management.
The interviewer asked the candidate about his qualifications.
The candidate replied ______________________________________________________.

x. Identify the error on a shop's hoarding and supply the correction, for following sales offer:

KALRA & DAUGHTERS PVT.LTD

Massive discount for all senior citizen vaccinated with the precautionary dose.

Use the given format for your response.

Error Correction

xi. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete an online update:
The climate control comment by an activist _____________on social media yesterday.
a. blow up
b. blew up
c. is blown
d. will be blown

xii. Select the correct option to fill in the blanks 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. will
c. should
d. ought to

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 WRITING

4. A. You are Sourin / Sunaina, living at D59, Sector 5, Delhi. You saw an advertisement about a short-term
course in computer programme by Zee Computer World, Pitampura, Delhi. Write a letter to the
organisation, seeking all the relevant course details, within 100 – 120 words. 5
OR
4. B. You are Nishant / Nisha Singh, an assistant professor at a renowned University in Kolkata. Outside
your college, there is a river which is polluted by the locals. You want to organize a rally to make people
aware of the issue. Write a letter to the editor highlighting the need for awareness among people and to
motivate people to join the rally.

5. A. The pie-chart below shows some data on the various uses of harvested rainwater to fulfil non-potable
water needs of a metropolitan city. Analyse the data and summarise it in the form of a paragraph, in 100
– 120 words. 5
USE OF HARVESTED RAINWATER TO MEET
DIFFERENT NON-POTABLE WATER NEEDS
Mopping floors
Flushing 3% Car washing
16% 6%

Gardening
13%

Bathing
26%

Washing clothes
36%

OR
5. B. Given below is a report on diabetes and its massive grip on both the urban and rural population of
India. Read the following report and write an analytical paragraph based on it, in 100 – 120 words.

Recent studies have shown a rapid conversion of impaired glucose tolerance to diabetes in the southern
states of India, where the prevalence of diabetes among adults has reached approximately 20% in urban
populations and approximately 10% in rural populations. Because of the considerable disparity in the
availability and affordability of diabetes care, as well as low awareness of the disease, the glycemic
outcome in treated patients is far from ideal.

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SECTION C: LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING TEXT (40 marks)

6. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. 5

A. Last year we lent you our threshing machine, although on that account we had to put off our own
threshing till November, but you behave to us as if we were gypsies. Giving me my own land indeed! No,
really, that’s not at all neighbourly! In my opinion, it’s even impudent, if you want to know.
(The Proposal)
(i) What happened after that? (1)
(a) They left their home to travel.
(b) They left their farm overlooked.
(c) They lent their threshing machine.
(d) None of these.

(ii) Which word from the extract means the same as ‘not showing due respect’? (1)

(iii) What happened when Natalya lent her threshing machine to Lomov last year? (1)
(a) She went bankrupt.
(b) She needed financial help.
(c) She had to put off her threshing.
(d) She incurred a loss.

(iv) How did Natalya try to prove that they were at least good neighbours? (2)

OR
B. THINK-TANK: Sandwiches are the main staple of Earth diet. Look at it closely. (Omega squints at book.)
There are two slices of what is called bread, and between them is
some sort of filling.
OMEGA: That is correct, sir.
THINK-TANK: To confirm my opinion, I order you to eat it.
OMEGA: (gulping) Eat it?
THINK-TANK: Do you doubt the Mighty Think-Tank?
OMEGA: Oh, no, no. But poor Lieutenant Iota has not had her breakfast. Lieutenant Iota, I order you to
eat this — this sandwich.
IOTA: (dubiously) Eat it? Oh, Captain! It’s a very great honour to be the first Martian to eat a sandwich, I’m
sure, but — but how can I be so impolite as to eat before my Sergeant? (handing Oop the book and saying
brightly) Sergeant Oop, I order you to eat the sandwich
immediately. (The Book That Saved The Earth)

(i) The boastful manner of Think-Tank and his misinterpreted definition of the sandwiches prove that he
was a/an: (1)
(a) intelligent leader
(b) accountable and engaging leader
(c) big fool
(d) amiable and self-motivated leader

(ii) The word ‘gulping’, as used in the extract, DOES NOT mean the same as: (1)
(1) restraining and devouring (2) overeating, slurping and gorging
(3) suppressing and quenching (4) ejecting, banishing and excreting
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(5) gobbling and devouring
(a) Option (2)
(b) Option (3) and (4)
(c) Option (1) and (5)
(d) Option (4)

(iii) Why did the Martians feel reluctant to eat the sandwiches? (2)
(iv) Who was eventually made to eat the sandwich? (1)

7. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. 5
A.
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
(Dust of Snow)

(i) What does the poet mean when he says ‘had saved some part of a day’? (2)

(ii) Choose the option that lists the possible feelings of the poet prior to the experience shared in the
poem. (1)
(1) Reassured (2) Disappointed
(3) Curious (4) Demotivated
(5) Thankful (6) Disheartened
(7) Impulsive

(a) 1, 3 and 7
(b) 2, 4 and 6
(c) 5 and 7
(d) 1 and 3

(iii) What is the mood of the poet that is conveyed in these lines? (1)

(iv) What does the “dust of snow” symbolize in the poem? (1)
(a) A new beginning
(b) A reminder of winter’s harshness
(c) A transformative experience
(d) We cannot determine from the stanza

OR
B.
I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.
(For Anne Gregory)

(i) Who does "I" refer to in the given extract? (1)

(a) Anne Gregory
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(b) Poet W.B Yeats
(c) A young man
(d) An old religious man

(ii) What did "I" hear? (1)

(a) He heard that God's love is prior to all.
(b) He heard that God's love is inferior to all.
(c) He heard that God's hate is superior to all.
(d) He heard that God's love is superior to all.

(iii) The poetic device has been used in lines 3 and 6 is ____________________. (1)

(iv) How is God’s love different from that of the young men? Answer in about 40 words. (2)

8. Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words. 4x3=12

(i) Explain the given statement with reference to Nelson Mandela's dreams.
"A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.". (Nelson Mandela- Long Walk to Freedom)

(ii) How do we know that bakers were an integral part of the Goan society?
(Glimpses of India)
(iii) Anne says that there were so many dummies in the class that about a quarter of them should not be
promoted. Is she being rude or brutally honest?
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)
(iv) The use of symbolism in the poem 'Fire and Ice' conveys the poet's message effectively. Elaborate with
reference to the poem.

(v) Describe how Custard's reaction was different from that of others, on seeing the pirate.
(The Tale of Custard the Dragon)

9. Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions, in about 40-50 words. 2x3=6

(i) What do you think were the feelings of Madame Forestier when she came to know that Matilda
returned her a diamond necklace in place of an artificial one? (The Necklace)

(ii) What do you think would happen to Tricki after he went back to Mrs Pumphrey?
(A Triumph of Surgery)
(iii) Validate the importance of small, fun learning tasks towards successful tasks towards successful
careers, in the context of Richard Ebright in, 'The Making of a Scientist'.

10. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. 1x6=6

(i) Mijbil and the Tiger, both were looked after by humans. Assume they both meet each other in the zoo
and have a conversation about their lifestyle and feelings. Write this conversation as per your
understanding of 'Mijbil the Otter' and 'A Tiger in the Zoo'.

You may begin like this:

Tiger: Thanks for visiting me, though I don't usually like visitors.
Mijbil: Oh! I would love visitors, I think.

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(ii) Bringing up teenagers can be both a challenge and fun. How far do you agree? Express your views with
reference to Amanda's life. (Amanda)

11. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. 1x6=6

(i) The credit of Bholi's transformation to Sulekha goes to her teacher. Discuss with reference to the text.
(Bholi)
(ii) 'Honour among thieves' is considered a popular code. Examine 'A Question of Trust' as a story woven
around this code.

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