SEBA| HSLC| CLASS 10| ENGLISH| SOLVED PAPER - 2023| ASSAM BOARD
2023
ENGLISH
Full Marks: 90
Pass Marks: 27
Time: 3 hours
The figures in the margin indicate
full marks for the questions
SECTION – A
1. Choose correct options for the following: 1x10=10
(i) “A plague
of locusts would have left more than this ….” What does the underlined
word mean?
(a) a herd of
animals
(b) a swarm
of bees
(c) a flock
of birds
(d) a swarm of insects
(ii) “The
postmaster – a fat, amiable fellow – also broke out laughing – “. Choose from
below the word that is same in meaning as ‘amiable’ –
(a) huge
(b) friendly
(c) jealous
(d) angry
(iii)
Apartheid is a political system that separates people according to their
_________.
(a) religion
(b) language
(c) race
(d) gender
(iv) In life,
every man has twin obligations – what is another word for ‘obligations’?
(a) duty
(b) hobbies
(c) wealth
(d)
livelihood
(v) Between
Mysore and the coastal town of ________site a piece of heaven.
(a) Travancore
(b) Mangalore
(c) Cuddalore
(d) Bangalore
(vi) Lencho
hoped for help from _______.
(a)
neighbours
(b)
sons
(c) God
(d)
wife
(vii)
________has the largest concentration of tea plantations in the world.
(a)
Darjeeling
(b) Tamil
Nadu
(c) Assam
(d) Kerala
(viii) Tea
was first drunk in _________.
(a) China
(b) Japan
(c) England
(d) India
(ix) Despite
having a strong desire, what did Valli resist in the fair to save for the bus
fare?
(a) merry-go-round
(b) ribbons
(c) snacks
(d) lollipops
(x) For
Valli, the most fascinating thing to watch was
(a) cows
grazing in the field.
(b) children
playing in the street.
(c) the bus that travelled between her village and the
nearest town.
(d) the
bullock-carts on the village street.
2. Choose the correct answer of the following: 1x10=10
(i) The
captured tiger is stalking in
(a) the
stable
(b) the cage
(c) the zoo
(d) the night
street
(ii)
Chocolate was harmful for Amanda’s _______.
(a) nails
(b) hair
(c) acne
(d) tummy
(iii) The
word ‘rigid’ means
(a) flux
(b) soft
(c) hard
(d) dry
(iv) Custard
was the name of a ________.
(a) dragon
(b) dog
(c) cat
(d) biscuit
(v) The
world, as mentioned in ‘The Ball Poem’, is one of ______
(a) ball
(b) friends
(c) fun
(d) possessions
(vi) Griffin
was a ________.
(a) teacher
(b) scientist
(c) driver
(d) trader
(vii) The
speaker in ‘The Hack Driver’ was sent to a town _____miles away in the country.
(a) twenty
(b) thirty
(c) forty
(d) fifty
(viii) Max
was like a _______according to the author of ‘The Midnight Visitor’.
(a) deer
(b) hyena
(c) wolf
(d) fox
(ix)
Mandela’s country is rich in _______.
(a) forests
and lakes
(b)
agriculture
(c) gems and minerals
(d) hills and
rivers
(x) The main
crop of Coorg is _______.
(a) rice
(b) coffee
(c) tea
(d) peanuts
3. Write very short answers to the following questions:
1x10=10
(i) What is
Coorg home to?
Ans:- Coorg
is home to evergreen rainforests, spice and coffee plantations.
(ii) Name the
tea garden where Pranjol’s father was posted as a manager.
Ans:- Dhekiabari Tea Estate.
(iii) “_____
there it is in water”. What does ‘it’ refer to here? (‘The Ball Poem’)
Ans:- Here 'it' refers to 'ball'.
(iv) Who is
the poet of the poem ‘Animals’?
Ans:- Walt
Whitman is the poet of the poem 'Animals'.
(v) In the
first stanza of the poem ‘Amanda’, what is Amanda told not to do?
Ans:- Amanda
has been told not to cut her nails.
(vi) Which
place was known as the centre of the theatre world? (‘Foot Prints without
Feet’)
Ans:- Drury
Lane was known as the center of the theater world.
(vii) Who was
following Ausable in the corridor of the French hotel?
Ans:- Fowler
was chasing Ausable down the corridor of the French hotel.
(viii) What
was people’s opinion about Horace Danby?
Ans:- Horace
Danby was a good, upstanding citizen.
(ix) Why is
the boy in ‘The Ball Poem’ upset?
Ans:- In
'The Ball Poem' the boy is upset because he has lost his ball.
(x) Why would
the poet like to turn and live with the animals?
Ans:- The
poet likes to live and interact with animals because he considers them superior
to humans.
4. Fill in the blanks with correct prepositions in Part –
A and with correct determiners in Part – B. 1x10=10
PART – A
(i) Put the
cup _______the dish.
(a) at
(b) in
(c) on
(d) over
(ii) The cows
are ______the field.
(a) in
(b) to
(c) on
(d) by
(iii) Lila
lives _______her parents.
(a) by
(b) with
(c) upon
(d) at
(iv) He is
fond _______reading novels.
(a) at
(b) in
(c) of
(d) for
(v) This shop
deals ________stationery.
(a) at
(b) in
(c) with
(d) about
PART – B
(vi) My
friend is ______M.A. in English.
(a) a
(b) an
(c) the
(d) that
(vii)
_______book you have mentioned is out-of-print.
(a) A
(b) The
(c) Many
(d) Some
(viii)
Kindness is _______great virtue.
(a) the
(b) much
(c) that
(d) a
(ix)
_______Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the world.
(a) The
(b) This
(c) That
(d) A
(x) Is there
_______sugar in the pot?
(a) little
(b) few
(c) any
(d) much
5. Answer the following questions as directed: 1x5=5
(i) Whom did
you call? (Change into Passive)
Ans:- Who
was called by you?
(ii) The
glass was not broken by the boy. (Change into Active)
Ans:- The
boy did not break the glass.
(iii)
Shillong is colder than Simla. (Rewrite n Positive degree)
Ans:- Simla is not as cold as Shillong.
(iv) He said,
“I can do it.” (Change into Indirect)
Ans:- He
said that he could do that.
(v) Rina
asked him politely not to go home then. (Change into Direct)
Ans:-
Rina said to him, “Sir, don’t go home now.”
SECTION – B
6. Give short answers to the following: 2x8=16
(i) What were
Lencho’s feelings after the hailstorm was over?
Ans:- After
the hailstorm ended, Lencho's heart was filled with sorrow. He thought that he
and his family would die of hunger that year because nothing was left due to
the hailstorm.
(ii) Why does
the postmaster send money to Lencho?
Ans:- After
reading Lencho's letter to God, the postmaster decides to maintain Lencho's
faith in God. So, he collected 70 pesos from his employees; Friends and he also
gave a part of his salary and sent the money to Lencho by writing one word
'God' as a signature.
(iii) What is
courage according to Mandela?
Ans:- By
courage, Mandela did not mean the absence of fear but the victory over it.
According to Mandela, a brave man is not one who does not feel fear, but one
who overcomes that fear.
(iv) Mention
a few adventure sports that one can enjoy at Coorg.
Ans:- Some
of the adventure sports that can be enjoyed in Coorg are river rafting,
canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking.
(v) Explain
the expression ‘quiet rage’ in the context of the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’.
Ans:- The
tiger feels very uncomfortable in the cage. He keeps spinning, growling and
growling with furious anger. He is always angry inside the cage.
(vi) What
kind of person was the bus conductor? How did he address Valli?
Ans:- The
bus conductor was a cheerful person and was fond of joking. He addressed Valli
as "Madam".
(vii) Why did
Rajvir prefer to look out of the train window instead of reading?
Ans:- During
a trip to Upper Assam, Rajveer saw a spectacular sight outside the train. The
entire landscape was filled with lush green tea gardens. Soft green paddy
fields gave way to tea bushes. Therefore, Rajveer preferred to look out of the
train window instead of reading.
(viii) Name
the pets that Belinda had besides the dragon.
Ans:- In
addition to Dragon, Belinda had Ink, a small black kitten, Blink, a small gray
mouse, Mustard, a small yellow dog.
7. Answer any two from the following: 4x2=8
(i) Narrate
how Ausable managed to make Max believe that there was a balcony attached to
his room.
Ans:- When
Ausable saw Max standing in the middle of his room with a pistol pointed at
him, he was not surprised. Instead, he hatched a secret plan to get rid of her.
He also started accusing the hotel management of not closing the balcony. He
also said that once someone had entered his room through it. Then, Max said
that he entered the room using the passkey.
Ausable, on
the other hand, paid no attention to Max. Instead, he gave the description of
the balcony to author Fowler. Furthermore, he said that his room had been part
of a larger unit. The next room had a balcony that extended below its window.
He also stressed his belief that Max had entered the room from that balcony.
Ausable
presented the entire story about the balcony as if it was a completely natural
formation. Eventually, all this convinced Max that there was a balcony attached
to his room.
(ii) What led
Horace Danby to break open the safe containing jewellery at Shot-over Grange?
Ans:- Originally,
Horace Danby was a locksmith. He was about fifty years old and unmarried.
Everyone thought he was nice and respectable. But he was not completely honest.
He was no ordinary thief. After the theft, he used the money to collect books.
One day Horace
Danby decided to break into the safe containing the jewellery at Shot-over
Grange. As per his plan, as Horace Danby prepared to rob the safe a woman
entered the drawing room. The house dog was also with him. They called it by
its name. He told Horace that he heard her sneeze from the roof of the house.
Seeing the dog with him and hearing that she had come from above the house,
Horace had no choice but to become the lady of the house.
To convince
him further, the woman threatened him to call the police. She spoke with
firmness in her voice all the time. This was enough to scare Horace. Out of
fear he lost his sanity and failed to suspect that something might be wrong
with him.
In this way
the woman succeeded in deceiving Horace Danby and walked away with the jewellery.
(iii)
Describe, after the narrator in ‘The Hack Driver’, the character of Bill.
Ans:- Oliver
Lutkins was a middle-aged man from the town of New Mullion. He was a key
witness in a trial. His presence before the judge was necessary. Therefore,
summons was issued in his name.
A hack driver
named Bill Magnuson, whose real name is Oliver Lutkins, befriends him. Bill
provided the lawyer with valuable information about Oliver Lutkins. He takes
her to Fritz's shop. He also goes to some other places in search of Latkins.
They say Latkins is a difficult man to catch. He is expert in cheating people.
He never returns people's money. He likes to play poker. But he is not bad at
heart.
During his
first day's meeting with the hack driver, the lawyer was charmed by his
friendliness and simplicity. But on his second visit he learns that the hack
driver is Lutkins who has fooled him under the pretext of friendship.
(iv) Write
about any one incident which proves that Griffin was a lawless person.
Ans:- It
is said that Griffin was a brilliant scientist, but on the other hand, he was a
chaotic person.
As his
landlord tried to throw him out, he set the house on fire and ran away without
being seen. He broke into a large London store, broke boxes and wrappers and
wore warm clothes. They even ate cold meat, sweets and coffee without paying.
They also looted a theater company. Apart from this he also stole the priest's
money.
He attacked
Mrs. Hall with her bedroom chair. When an attempt was made to arrest him, he
hurt the villagers and made the constable unconscious.
8. Write an essay on either of the following topics:
5x1=5
(i) Science
in Daily Life
Ans:-
Science
in Daily Life
Introduction: Today is called the era of science. Science makes our lives easy
and comfortable with its various inventions. It has added new happiness, new
comfort to human life.
Blessings of Science: Science is now a boon for mankind. We use the
latest inventions of science in our daily life. From morning till night,
science has provided valuable services for our ease and comfort.
On the other hand, science has made tremendous
progress. The inventions of science are indispensable for the daily life of
human beings today. Now maybe we can live a long life. Science has reduced our
sufferings and invented medicines to keep diseases away. We take medicine and
get well.
Furthermore, we can use advanced agricultural
machinery to produce more food. We can kill germs by spraying pesticides. We
can use various fertilizers for the bountiful growth of our crops. In this way
science has done many miracles for us.
Conclusion: In
conclusion, it can be said that there is no area of human life which has not
been touched by science. Science has brought man closer to man. Distances in
the field of communication have disappeared.
(ii) A Rainy
Day
Ans:-
A
Rainy Day
One day a boy was walking on the railway track.
While walking the boy saw that a railway bridge had collapsed during heavy
rain. Meanwhile he saw that a train was coming towards the bridge at high
speed. They feared that a tragic accident would occur and many people would
lose their lives. He took immediate decisions to avert the impending disaster
and save the passengers. That is why he was standing on the track and waving
his shirt to stop the train.
The train driver saw this from a distance and
blew his whistle repeatedly to keep the boy away. But the boy ignored the
whistles. Eventually the driver stopped the train and asked the boy what had
happened. Then the boy told the driver about the broken bridge. At last, the
boy was rewarded for his bravery.
Or
Develop a
short story with following hints. Give a suitable title. Two cats steal a cake
– they quarrel over their share – they ask a monkey for making two equal
divisions of the cake – cats are deceived.
Ans:-
A
Story of Two Cats
Once upon a time, two cats lived in a city. They
were very close friends. One day both of them together stole a cake from a shop
in the town. After stealing the cake, there was a fierce fight between the two
over their share.
Meanwhile, his eyes fell on a monkey sitting on
the branch of a nearby tree. He decided to ask the monkey to divide it into two
equal parts. Then the monkey agreed to do so. The monkey willingly cut the cake
into two pieces – one big and the other small. Then he ate the bigger one and
reduced the smaller one. In this way the monkey ate the entire cake in front of
them. Eventually they left from there.
9. Write a letter to your friend inviting him/ her to
your place during the summer vacation. 3x1=3
Ans:-
My dear X,
Please
accept my heartfelt love at the beginning of my letter. I am absolutely fine
now and I hope you are also doing well at home. I have interesting news for
you. All the students of our class have decided to go to Bashista for picnic
during summer vacations. Our English teacher will also be with us as a guide.
This is a very nice and ideal place for picnic.
Bashista
is a very nice and ideal place for picnic. The beauty of this place is soothing
to the eyes. We used to spend the whole day there running, singing, and
dancing. This will be very interesting. We would love if you would join us on
the day.
Please
come and don't forget to bring with you your camera which you got as a birthday
gift from your uncle.
Date:18/7/23
Yours loving friend,
Y
Or
Use the
following information to write a Report on the Prize Distribution ceremony of
your school.
Date: Monday,
15th March
Time: 11 am
Place: School
Auditorium
President of
the function: Headmaster of the school
Details of the
event: Recitations, Singing of the School Anthem, Songs by school students,
Annual Report by the Headmaster, Distribution of prizes, Address by the Chief
Guest, President’s Address, Vote of Thanks by the School Monitor.
Ans:-
The
Prize Distribution Ceremony
Dhubri: 16 March. Tomorrow at around 11 am B.N. A prize
distribution ceremony was organized in the school.
The program was inaugurated in the school
auditorium. Some chief guests were invited to the function. Our Principal
presided over the function. Many programs took place in the function like
reading, singing of the school anthem, songs by the school students, annual
report by the Principal, prize distribution, address by the Chief Guest,
address by the President etc. In the end a vote of thanks was given. School
Monitor.
10. (i) Read the following passage and answer the
questions that follow: 6
The theory of
Arab origin draws support from the long, black coat with an embroidered
waist-belt worn by the Kodavus. Known as Kuppia, it resembles the Kuffia worn
by the Arabs and the Kurds.
Coorgi homes
have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount
numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg Regiment
is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army and the first Chief of the
Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now Kodavus are the only people
in India permitted to carry firearms without a license.
The river Kaveri
obtains its water from the hills and forests of Coorg.
(a) Where
does Kaveri get its water from? 1
Ans:- Kaveri
gets its water from the hills and forests of Coorg.
(b) Who was
the first Chief of the Indian Army? 1
Ans:- General
Cariappa was the first Chief of the Indian Army.
(c) Write
briefly about the valour of the people from Coorg. 2
Ans:- Coorgi
homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are ready to tell many stories
of valor related to their sons and fathers.
(d) Why is
it believed that Coorgies are of Arab origin? 2
Ans:- The
long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt, known as the kuppiya, worn by
the Kodavas resembles the kufiya worn by Arabs and Kurds. Therefore, it is
believed that the Coorgs are of Arab origin.
(ii) Read the
following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 4
Walking is a
very good exercise. When we walk in the morning, we feel fresh and it energises
us. It is important to develop good habits and a morning walk is one habit that
we should have. When we take walks regularly in the morning everyday, our daily
routine will also be well organized. As the early morning environment is suited
for walking, we will also develop the habit of rising early.
(a) What is
a very good exercise? 1
Ans:- Walking
is a very good exercise.
(b) What
happens when we take morning walks everyday? 1
Ans:- When
we take a walk in the morning we feel fresh and it makes us energetic.
(c) Name
two benefits we derive from a morning walk. 1
Ans:- We
get two benefits from morning walk-
(i) We feel
refreshed.
(ii) It makes us
energetic.
(d) Which
environment is suitable for walking? 1
Ans:- The
morning environment is suitable for walking.
11. Translate into the language as per your MIL/ (IL)
Subject: 1x3=3
(i) Man is
mortal.
Ans: मनुष्य नश्वर है।
মানুহ মৰণশীল।
(ii) We
should respect our elders.
Ans: हमें अपने बड़ों
का सम्मान करना चाहिए।
আমি আমাৰ জ্যেষ্ঠসকলোক
সন্মান কৰিব লাগে।
(iii) Kashmir
is known as the Heaven on Earth.
Ans: कश्मीर को धरती का
स्वर्ग कहा जाता है।
কাশ্মিৰক পৃথিবীৰ সৰ্গ বুলি জনা
যায়।
Or
Write a
substance for the following:
It is easy to
acquire bad habit, such as eating too much food or eating too many sweets or
drinking too much fluid of any kind or smoking. The more we do a thing, the
more we tend to like doing it; and if we do not continue to do it, we feel
unhappy. This is called the force of habit and the fore of habit should be
fought against. Things which may be very good when only done from time to time,
tend to become harmful when done too often, too much. This applies even to such
good things as work or rest. Some people form a habit of working too much and
others of idling too much. The wise man always remembers that this is true
about himself, and he checks if he has any bad habit. He says to himself, “I am
now becoming idle” or “I smoke too much”, and then he adds, “I will get myself
out of this bad habit at once.”
Ans:- It's
easy to fall into bad habits. Things that can be very good if done
occasionally, can be harmful if done too often or too much. This also applies
to nice things like work or leisure. Some people have the habit of working too
much and some people have the habit of being idle too much. The wise man always
remembers that this is true for himself, and he checks whether he has any bad
habits.
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