ARMY PUBLIC SCHOOL, DHAULA KUAN

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION (2021-22)
CLASS X

Time: 90 Minutes Max. Marks:40

General Instructions:
1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections.
2. Section A-READING has 18 questions. Attempt a total of 14 questions, as per specific
instructions for each question.
3. Section B-WRITING & GRAMMAR has 12 questions. Attempt a total of 10 questions, as
per specific instructions for each question.
4. Section C-LITERATURE has 30 questions. Attempt 26 questions, as per specific instructions
for each question.
5. All questions carry equal marks.
6. There is no negative marking.

READING
I. Read the passage given below.

1. Maharana Pratap ruled over Mewar for only twenty-five years and during that period his glory
surpassed the boundaries of countries and time turning him into an immortal personality. He,
along with his kingdom, became a synonym for valour, sacrifice and patriotism. Mewar had been
a leading Rajput kingdom even before Maharana Pratap occupied the throne. Kings of Mewar,
with the cooperation of their nobles and subjects, had established such traditions in the kingdom
that deepened its magnificence despite the hurdles of being a small kingdom with less population.
There did come a few difficult occasions when the flag of the kingdom seemed to waver but it
once again touched the sky, thanks to the gallantry and brilliance of the people of Mewar.
2. The destiny of Mewar was always in good hands and barring a few kings, most of the rulers were
competent and patriotic. This glorious tradition of the kingdom continued for about 1,500 years
since its establishment under the reign of Bappa Rawal. Rulers like Rana Sanga and Maharana
Pratap took the kingdom to the pinnacle of fame and their reputation went beyond Rajasthan and
reached Delhi. The legendary Rana was not just a warrior but had a very strong inclination
towards writing and in fact, his self-composed poetry is read with reverence, even today. The
ambience of the kingdom was conducive to the creation of high-quality work of art and literature.
These accomplishments were the outcome of a longstanding tradition, sustained by several
generations. In fact, two generations before him, Rana Kumbha had given a new stature to the
kingdom through a lot of extraordinary work in the field of literature and art.
3. The life of the people of Mewar must have been peaceful and prosperous during the long span of
time; otherwise, such extraordinary accomplishments in these fields would not have been
possible. This is reflected in their art and literature as well as their loving nature. The hospitality
of Mewar remains incomparable, thanks to the cheerful and liberal character of its people.
4. One may observe astonishing pieces of workmanship, not only in the forts and palaces of Mewar
but also in public utility buildings. Ruins of many structures which are still standing tall in their
grandeur are testimony to the fact that Mewar was not only the land of the brave but also a seat of
art and culture. Amidst aggression and bloodshed, literature and art flourished and creative
pursuits of literature made sure that artists were not marginalised. Imagine, how glorious the
period must have been when the Vijaya Stambha(depicting the valour of the rulers of Mewar)
and the Kirti Stambha (depicting the Jain community) were constructed in the Chittor fort and the
beautiful work of our great ancient architecture was depicted through them. They reflected the
liberal administration which allowed people from other communities and kingdoms to come and
carry out construction work in Mewar. It is useless to indulge in the debate, whether the Vijaya
Stambha was constructed first or the Kirti Stambha but the fact is that both are standing side-by-
side and they reveal the equality between the rulers and the common man.
5. But the cycle of time does not remain the same and as the reign of Rana Sanga was crucial in
raising the kingdom to the acme of glory, it also proved to be the period when Mewar started
losing its hold in India. History took a turn and the fortune of Mewar, the land of the brave,
started waning. Rana tried to save the kingdom with his acumen but was unable to do so and
slowly the downfall of one of the greatest kingdoms of India began.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions by
choosing the correct option:

Q1) How did Maharana Pratap turn into an immortal personality?

(a) He ruled Mewar for a few years.
(b) His glory and fame surpassed all boundaries of Mewar.
(c) He was selfless.
(d) None of the above

Q2) What obstacles did Mewar face?

(a) Lack of cooperation of the nobility
(b) Ancient traditions of the kingdom
(c) Its small area and population
(d) The poverty of the subjects

Q3) Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to paragraph II.

Deep: I think that we all must strive to do our best in whatever field we choose for ourselves.

Tiya: Yes, you are absolutely right as __________________.

a) reaching the zenith should be our goal

b) the journey is not very important
c) victory is not everything in life
d) balance is not the key to success

Q4) Choose the option that best conveys the message in – ‘The fact is that both are
standing side-by-side’

a) the Stambhas are architecturally balanced because of each other

b) the Stambhas are not related at all
c) the Stambhas show a sense of equality between the ruler and the subjects
d) the Stambhas show the unity of all kingdoms

Q5) How has Mewar been lucky?

(a) because all the rulers of Mewar were competent
(b) because the people of Mewar were competent
(c) because most of the rulers of Mewar were incompetent
(d) because none of the people of Mewar were competent

Q6) Select the option with the underlined words that can suitably replace-acumen in
Paragraph 5:

a) He has the ability to make good judgements and take quick decisions for sound business.
b) His work is considered the worst of cinematic art.
c) Inward suffering is the best nemesis.
d) His shoes were covered with mud and dust.

Q7) Select the qualities from paragraph IV, that the author wants us to imbibe.

(1) Emotional

(2) Liberal

(3) Authoritative

(4) Aggressive

(5) open-minded

a) (1), (2) and (3)

b) (2) and (5)

c) (2), (3) and (5)

d) (4) and (5)

Q8) What does the architecture of Mewar depict?

a) The beauty of harmony

b) Nature’s creativity

c) Apartheid

d) Gender equality
 Q9) What does the writer advise, in paragraph V?

a) A stich in time saves nine

b) Change is the only permanent thing
c) Make hay while the sun shines
d) Keep someone at arm’s length

Q10) Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the idea of the IV paragraph:

a) I truly exist only when I can help my fellow beings exist alongside with me.”
― Amit Abraham
b) Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston S. Churchill
c) The most courageous act is to think only for yourself. Aloud.”
― Coco Chanel
d) It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
― E.E. Cummings

II. Read the passage given below

1. The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square
miles, which is nearly the size of the continent of Australia. The Amazon rainforest gets its life from
the majestic Amazon River, the world’s second largest river, which runs directly through the heart of
the region. The rainforest itself is simply the drainage basin for the river and its many tributaries. The
vast forest itself consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially adapted
plants and animals.

2. The forest floor is the lowest region of the forest. Since only two per cent of the sunlight filters
through the top layers to the understory, very few plants grow here. The forest floor, however, is rich
with rotting vegetation and the bodies of dead organisms, which are quickly broken down into
nutrients by decomposers such as millipedes and earth worms and then used as nutrients by the plants.

3. The understory is the layer above the forest floor. Much like the forest floor, only about 2-5 per
cent of the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the plants in the understory have large,
broad leaves to collect as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick that there is very little
air movement. As a result, plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.

4. The layer above the understory is the canopy. This is where much of the action in the rainforest
occurs. Many canopy leaves have specially adapted leaves which form ‘drip tips. Drip trips allow
water to flow off the leaves which prevents mosses, fungi, and lichens from occupying the leaves.
Leaves in the canopy are very dense and filter about 80 per cent of the sunlight. The canopy is where
the wealth of the rainforest’s fruits and flowers grow. Bromeliads, cut-like plants, provide drinking
pools for animals and breeding locations for tree frogs.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by
choosing the correct option.

Q11) The Amazon rainforest gets its life from ________.

 a) the never-ending rainfall
b) the numerous rivers
c) the world’s second largest river
d) the canals and tributaries

Q12) Select the option that is true for the two statements given below.

1) Only 2 percent sunlight filters through the top layers.

2) Very few plants grow here.

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

b) (1) is the reason for (2)
c) (1) is true and (2) is false
d) (1) contradicts (2)

Q13) Select the option that gives the correct meaning of the following statement:

Plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.

a) Pollination is very difficult there

b) Animals and insects have adapted themselves to the surroundings
c) Less air movement has restricted pollination to animals and insects
d) Pollination is not required there as it is an evergreen forest

Q14) ‘Drip-tips’ adapted by canopy leaves, are very useful as they:

(g) filter about 80 per cent of the sunlight
(ii) allow water to flow off the leaves that prevent mosses, fungi and lichens
(iii) help to grow the rainforest’s fruits and flowers
(iv) can collect as much sunlight as possible

Q15) Select the option listing what the given sentence refers to. ‘This is where much of the action
in the rainforest occurs.’

1) Most of the flowers and fruits are found here

2) Maximum sunlight is filtered here
3) All canopy leaves have adapted themselves
4) Tree frogs breed here
5) No life is possible after this layer

a) (1), (2) and (4)

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

Q16) The forest floor is rich with rotting vegetation and the bodies of dead organism
because______________.

a) less sunlight filters through it

b) the area is moist all the time
 c) enough sunlight passes through it
d) both (a) and (b)

Q17) Select the correct option: Many of the plants in the understory have large, broad
leaves__________.

a) as they are the drinking pools for the animals

b) to facilitate pollination
c) to allow germination of seeds
d) to collect as much sunlight as possible

Q18) Choose the correct option to answer the following:

According to Paragraph III, ‘Much like the forest floor, only about 2-5 per cent of the sunlight
reaches this shadowy realm.’

a) because of the thick canopy.

b) Because of less air movement.
c) Because of the latitudinal position
d) Because of its position near the equator

GRAMMAR and WRITING

GRAMMAR

III. Answer any five out of the six questions by selecting the most appropriate option for
each:

Q19) We _______ steal money from anyone.

a) may not
b) must not
c) need not
d) might not

Q20) I have ______ money but not _________ of it.

a) any, all
b) some, a lot
c) enough, a little
d) most, much

Q21) He ___________milk out the carton when mom walked into the kitchen.

a) is drinking
b) will drink
c) was drinking
 d) are drinking

Q22) Which option displays the correct change of the following to reported speech?

Disha asked Arjun, “What is your favourite cuisine?”

a) Disha asked Arjun what was his favourite cuisine.

b) Disha asked Arjun if he knew his favourite cuisine.
c) Disha question Arjun what his favourite cuisine was.
d) Disha asked Arjun what his favourite cuisine was.

Q23) Which option displays the correct change of the following to reported speech?

Ashok said to me, “Please, hand over all the documents to me.”

a) Ashok requested me to hand over all the documents to him.

b) Ashok requested me to hand over all the documents to me.
c) Ashok asked me to hand over all the documents to him.
d) Ashok requested to hand over all the documents to me.

Q24) I ________ here since I graduated from college.

a) is working
b) will be working
c) have been working
d) would work

WRITING

IV. Answer any five out of the six questions given, with reference to the context below.

You are Tanuj, a resident of Barrackpore, Kolkata. You have to write a letter to the
editor of a national daily drawing attention towards the difficulty faced by people of
the economically weaker section in government hospitals.

Q25) Select the option with the correct format that Tanuj should keep in mind while writing
the letter.

1) Receiver’s address
2) Date
3) Salutation
4) Subject
5) Sender’s address

a) (5), (2), (1), (4) and (3)

b) (4), (2), (3), (4) and (5)
c) (5), (3), (1), (2) and (4)
d) (5), (4), (2), (4) and (3)
Q26) What should be considered while drafting a formal letter?

a) causes of the problem, effects of the problem, solution of the problem

b) state the problem, causes and effects of the problem, solution of the problem
c) effect and solutions, causes of the problem, state the problem
d) it can be written in any order

Q27) Select the appropriate subject for this letter.

a) Drawing attention towards all the problems of economically weaker section

b) The Economically Weaker Section: Neglected or Exploited?
c) Government hospitals do not look after the poor people and therefore they should be shut
down
d) Inconvenience faced by poor people in government hospitals

Q28) Tanuj shares some suggestions in his letter, to address the issue. Select the option that
helps him complete these suggestions, appropriately.

In my opinion, regular inspection can play an important role in helping the people (i)_______. Also,
(ii)_________ will help people realize that government hospitals are meant to help the people during
medical emergencies.

a) (i) get proper medical facilities (ii) spreading awareness regarding the rights of citizens
b) (i) getting proper food and care (ii) cautioning the authorities
c) (i) understand their medical condition (ii) protesting and creating jams on the roads
d) (i) interact with each other (ii) making movies and singing songs

Q29) Select the tone that Tanuj should use in the letter.

a) threatening
b) firm but polite
c) authoritative
d) pleading

Q30) Select the option that completes the concluding line appropriately.

I hope that my letter will ………………

a) start a new revolution in the country.

b) lead to action against all government hospitals for ill-treating the economically weaker
section.
c) improve circulation of your esteemed newspaper.
d) bring a change in the way the economically weaker section is treated in the hospitals.

LITERATURE
This section has sub-sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions in this
section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub-sections V to IX.

V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

That evening, after I’d finished the rest of my homework, the note about the essay
caught my eye. I began thinking about the subject while chewing the tip of my
fountain pen. Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words, but
the trick was to come up with convincing arguments to prove the necessity of
talking. I thought and thought, and suddenly I had an idea. I wrote the three pages
Mr Keesing had assigned me and was satisfied. I argued that talking is a student’s
trait and that I would do my best to keep it under control, but that I would never be
able to cure myself of the habit since my mother talked as much as I did if not more,
and that there’s not much you can do about inherited traits.
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)

Q31) Mr Keesing assigned Anne an essay because____________.

a) he wanted her to improve her handwriting

b) he had given the homework of essay writing to the entire class
c) he wanted her to realize her mistake
d) he wanted to only punish her

Q32) ‘Anyone could ramble on and leave big spaces between the words’ means that _______.

a) anyone could write the essay whenever they wanted to as there was no fixed time for
submission
b) the topic was an easy one and had already been discussed in the class
c) students could shrug the work easily as Mr Keesing wasn’t too strict
d) anyone could write the essay without giving it much thought & by leaving space in between

Q33) Anne wanted to convince Mr Keesing that ___________.

a) talking wasn’t a bad thing

b) students must always talk in the class
c) he couldn’t punish students for talking in the class
d) her parents were to be blamed completely

Q34) When Anne says ‘…that I would never be able to cure myself of the habit since my mother
talked as much as I did if not more’, she means that she is _____.

a) argumentative
b) agreeable
c) stubborn
d) persuasive

Q35) Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following:
 give : receive :: inherit: ___________

a) forfeit
b) ramble
c) trait
d) cure

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an
idea: answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he
needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution:
he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and
several friends of his were obliged to give something ‘for an act of charity’.

(A Letter to God)

Q36) What could have possibly shaken Lencho’s faith in God?

a) another rainfall or hailstorm

b) no reply from God
c) poor harvest
d) his letter rewritten by him returned as it didn’t have a valid forwarding address.

Q37) Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2)

1) ‘…the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter.’

2) He needed to collect the money.

a) (1) is true and (2) is false.

b) (2) is true and (1) is false.
c) (2) furthers the meaning of (1).
d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract.

Q38) From the options given below, identify the Postmaster’s character traits in the extract.

1) selfish
2) determined
3) helpful
4) arrogant

a) (1), (2) and (3)

b) (2), (3) and (4)
c) (2) and (4)
d) (2) and (3)

Q39) Select the option which displays an example of ‘an act of charity’

a) Diana’s numerous social work b) Heena helped her friend complete her

activities made her feel closer to God.
 school project.

c) I have decided to help my parents in d) I never forget to feed my pet.

household chores.

Q40) What more did the Postmaster need than his goodwill, ink and paper?

a) prayers for Lencho and his family

b) money for Lencho
c) a suitable reply to Lencho
d) appreciation from his colleagues

VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole

Where plump deer pass.

(A Tiger in the Zoo)

Q41) What is meant by ‘lurking in the shadow’?

a) playing with the other tigers

b) hiding behind the long grass
c) looking around for a water hole
d) looking after the cubs

Q42) Why was the tiger near a water hole?

a) waiting for a prey

b) because he was thirsty
c) because it was his favourite resting place
d) because all animals stayed there

Q43) What is the figure of speech used in the fourth line?

a) simile
b) alliteration
c) oxymoron
d) enjambment
Q44) What would be the tiger’s state of mind in the given stanza?

a) contented
b) restless
c) unhappy
d) angry

Q45) Choose the correct rhyme scheme for the given stanza.

a) abab
b) abcd
c) abbc
d) abcb

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

When the train had gone, I found myself standing alone on the deserted platform. I
had no idea where to spend the night. I had no friends, believing that friends were
more trouble than help. And I did not want to make anyone curious by staying at
one of the small hotels near the station. The only person I knew really well was the
man I had robbed. Leaving the station, I walked slowly through the bazaar.
In my short career as a thief, I had made a study of men’s faces when they had lost
their goods. The greedy man showed fear; the rich man showed anger; the poor man
showed acceptance. But I knew that Anil’s face, when he discovered the theft, would
show only a touch of sadness. Not for the loss of money, but for the loss of trust.

(The Thief’s Story)

Q46) Choose the correct reason for Hari’s not boarding the train.

a) He had missed the train.

b) He hadn’t bought a ticket.
c) He couldn’t bring himself to deceive Anil and leave.
d) He had got hurt on the way to the station

Q47) State the reason for Hari’s unwillingness to stay in a hotel.

a) He didn’t have any money.

b) He didn’t wish to spend money unnecessarily.
c) He wished to meet some old accomplices.
d) He didn’t wish to attract unnecessary attention.

Q48) Choose the correct reason for Anil’s sadness when he would discover the theft.

a) He would be upset at the betrayal.

b) He would be upset for not being able to punish him.
c) He would be upset on losing the money.
d) He would be upset for not being more careful.
Q49) Why would Anil’s expression be different from the other people?

a) because he was indifferent to everything

b) because he knew that he could never trust Hari Singh
c) because he was a simple man whose trust had been broken
d) because he knew that he would not be able to find a solution

Q50) Choose the correct antonyms of acceptance.

1) opposition
2) consent
3) reception
4) refusal

a) (1), (2) and (4)

b) (3) and (4)
c) (1) and (4)
d) (2) and (3)

IX. Attempt the following:

Q51) ‘…it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations…’. The
underlined phrase means______.

a) There was a rainbow in the sky that day.

b) People were wearing colourful clothes
c) People of all races were present to witness the ceremony.
d) The South African flag had many colours.

Q52) ‘He felt certain that his wings would never support him.’ Choose the seagull’s state of
mind at that point.

a) optimistic
b) casual
c) pessimistic
d) disinterested

Q53) Why did the pilot wish to reach England as soon as possible?

1) to be with his family

2) to enjoy a good English breakfast
3) to return the hired aeroplane
4) the weather would be terrible the next day

a) (1) and (2)

b) (2) and (4)
c) (1) and (3)
 d) (3) and (4)

Q54) Wanda had a permanent seat in the last row of Room Thirteen. State the reason for it.

a) She liked sitting there.

b) All the other seats were occupied.
c) Her classmates chose to ignore her and made her feel like an outsider.
d) All her friends usually sat there.

Q55) ‘The teacher adjusted her glasses slowly and deliberately.’ Explain this conscious action of
the teacher.

a) It was her regular habit

b) She wanted the complete attention of the students.
c) She wanted someone to volunteer to read out the letter.
d) She wanted to announce the names of the winners.

Q56) Explain ‘the epistemology of loss’.

a) ignoring the loss

b) buying other things to cover up the loss
c) thinking of only the monetary loss
d) understanding the nature of loss

Q57) Choose the correct word to describe Mr Jaffers.

a) dutiful
b) lawless
c) strange
d) manipulative

Q58) Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2)

1) ‘He had become hugely fat, like a bloated sausage…’

2) Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him.

a) (1) is true and (2) is false.

b) (2) is true and (1) is false.
c) (2) is the result of (1).
d) Both (1) and (2) cannot be understood from the story.

Q59) A hemlock tree is a ____________ tree.

a) medicinal
b) poisonous
c) flowering
d) fruit bearing
Q60) What does ‘it’ stand for in the given line

‘But if it had to perish twice’

a) the cosmos
b) the heavenly bodies
c) the world
d) all living beings