KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN MUMBAI REGION

PRE-BOARD EXAMINATION 2023-24

Class- X
English-Language and Literature (184)
Time Allowed : 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:
1. 15-minute prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The Question Paper contains THREE sections READING, GRAMMAR &
CREATIVE WRITING and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

SECTION A READING SKILLS (20 MARKS)

I. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

1. Mountains have always been held in great awe by mankind. They have been a challenge to
humans. Those brave among us have always wanted to conquer them. You see, the more
incredible the mountains, the greater the thrill – a challenge to the bravery of the human race.
Climbing mountains is an experience that is hard to put into words. You are in a beautiful
environment and, when you reach the top, you feel incredible. But you also have to climb down,
which is when most accidents happen – people are tired, it gets dark, it’s harder. So, mountain
climbing is undoubtedly one of the most popular adventure sports along with being challenging
and risky for the climber.

2. Without any perceived risk, there can’t be a feeling that any significant challenge has been
surmounted. Fair, but we have to bear in mind that mountaineering is not a sport that can be
embraced without preparation. The enthusiasts must develop in themselves the spirit of
adventure, willingness to undertake hardships and risks, extraordinary powers of perseverance,
endurance, and keenness of purpose before climbing a mountain. They should also know how
to handle the mountaineering equipment. Then comes the penance of the rigorous training. This
could very well be the lifeline up there. It helps inculcate and hone survival instincts that allow
the climber to negotiate perilous situations. There are numerous institutes in India and abroad
that offer such training.

3. Mountain climbers are unanimous in agreeing that the unpredictable weather is what they
fear the most. There may be sunshine one moment and a snowstorm the other. At higher
altitudes, snow is a regular feature and being decisive about setting up camps or proceeding
further is crucial. The icy sheets after ice storms make walking treacherous, while the powdery
snow makes a mountaineer sink deep into the snow. Up there, where the intention is to embrace
Nature’s wonder, one realises that it cannot be done without facing its formidable glory. A true
mountaineer may challenge the mountain, yet is always respectful to the powerful forces of
nature.

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4. Summiting mountains carries its own health risks such as oxygen and altitude sickness
problems, frost bites, swelling of hands and feet, fluid collection in brain or lungs and
exhaustion. Yet, the gratification mountaineers feel from mastering something that is so
frightening, urges them to undertake these endeavours. We may think that the mountaineers
are fearless, experts say, “Not at all. It’s fear that keeps them so intrigued with such arduous
journeys.” Impulse and brazenness can be deadly foes. In the words of the Indian mountaineer,
Bachendri Pal, “The biggest risk … is to not to take the risk at all. Remember that.” (444
words)

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below. [1×10]
i. Why does the writer say that mountains inspire ‘awe’ in humans? (Paragraph 1)
A. They present us with opportunities for exciting sports.

B. They evoke the wish in us, to master them.

C. They inspire in us, deeds of valour.

D. They represent peace and calm, to us.

ii. Select the option that corresponds to the following relation below:
The more incredible the mountains—the greater the thrill (Paragraph 1)
A. The higher the stamina—the lower the food intake

B. The more you laugh—the lesser your illness

C. The smaller the car—the bigger the advantage

D. The heavier the luggage—the higher the penalty

iii. Select the option that displays what the writer projects, with reference to the
following:
So, mountain climbing is undoubtedly one of the most popular adventure sports (Paragraph
1)
A. doubt

B. caution

C. conviction

D. denial

iv. Complete the following with a phrase from paragraph 1.

v. The writer compares training to penance in the line —Then comes the penance of the
rigorous training. (Paragraph 2)
State 1 point of similarity between training and penance.

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vi. Based on your reading of the text, list 2 reasons why the writer says that
“mountaineering is not a sport that can be embraced without preparation”. (Paragraph
2)
1) ______________

2) ______________

vii. What connect does the writer draw out between unpredictable weather and setting
up of camps? (Paragraph 3)
viii. The writer says, “A true mountaineer may challenge the mountain, yet is always
respectful to the powerful forces of nature.” (Paragraph 3)
Select the reason the mountaineer is respectful to the forces of nature, up in the mountains.

A. survival
B. experience
C. tradition
D. directive

ix. Supply 1 point to justify the following:

While mountain climbing, an impulsive mountaineer is either disaster-prone or as good as
dead

x. Evaluate the INAPPROPRIATE reason for the feeling of exhilaration on reaching a

summit, that the mountain-climbers experience.
A. Achievement of a seemingly impossible feat
B. Spectacular panoramic view
C. Application of the inculcated survival instincts
D. Opportunity to use sophisticated mountaineering equipment

II. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

Australia’s 2019-2020 Bushfire Season was not Normal

1. Data from satellite sources assembled by the United Nations Environment
Programme’s (UNEP) World Environment Situation Room confirms that the
wildfires in Australia in the last two months of 2019 and the first six weeks of 2020
were far from normal. 2019 was the second hottest year on record since 1880, and
Australia recorded its warmest temperatures ever in December 2019.
2. “Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on
record. Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of
five Hiroshima bombs a second. One million species are in near-term danger of
extinction. Our planet is burning,” says United Nations Secretary-General António
Guterres.
3. “The trend is very clear: 37 of the last 40 years were the warmest recorded since
1880, and the six warmest years recorded were the last six years,” says Pascal
Peduzzi, Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database in Geneva.
“For those who think Australia is always burning, graphs clearly show that these
fires were exceptional.”

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 4. “This service, accessible via the UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room, is
provided for all countries at national and provincial levels. It identifies trends in
wildfire activity since 2003, when the data first became available and monitoring
began. We have sliced and diced the satellite-based data on wildfires worldwide
from 2009 to the present day. We analyse the wildfires’ data by month, type of land
cover, protected area, province and nation to produce information products,”
Peduzzi adds. (Source: UN Environment)
Choose the correct option to answer the questions based on the above passage and
graphics.
(a) What do the reports confirm about the 2019-20 Australian fires?
(i) the fires were not normal
(ii) the fires were normal
(iii) the fires were natural
(iv) data inconclusive
(b) What was the difference in the recorded temperatures in 2019 from the 1880s?
(i) 2019 recorded the wettest temperatures since 1880s
(ii) 2019 recorded the hottest temperatures ever
(iii) 2019 recorded the cooler temperatures than 1880s
(iv) 2019 recorded the warmest temperatures since 1880s
(c) What comparison has been made between the rising sea temperatures and
Hiroshima?
(i) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of three Hiroshima bombs a second
(ii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second
(iii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs an hour
(iv) none of these
(d)Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the inherent
qualities of climate in the present times.
(i) 1 and 3
(ii) 2 and 6
(iii) 3 and 4
(iv) 5 and 6
(e) Which of the following independent data source is NOT PRESENT in the given
graph?
(i) NASA
(ii) NOAA
(iii) ISRO
(iv) JMA
(f) Choose the option that lists the CORRECT statement.
(i) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Renaissance Information Database
(ii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNO’s Global Resource Information Database
(iii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Manager of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(iv) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(g) UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room has been tracking the world
temperatures since.
(i) 2003
(ii) 2013
(iii) 2000
(iv) 2001
(h) The graph compiled with data from four different sources shows that the global
surface temperatures have been _.
(i) steady

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(ii) falling
(iii) on the rise
(iv) none of these
(i) Which word in the passage means the same as “collect”?
(i) assembled
(ii) extinction
(iii) exceptional
(iv) provincial
(j) Which word in the passage is opposite to the meaning of ‘vague/murky’?
(i) assembled
(ii) clear
(iii) extinction
(iv) provincial

SECTION B GRAMMAR AND CREATIVE WRITING

3.Complete any ten out of twelve of the following tasks as directed. (10)

(i) Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option to complete the headline

The aircraft manufactured at Geneva blasted while -------------- yesterday

morning.

A. took off B. taking off C.is taken off D. lift off

(ii) Here is the conversation between a mother and her son. Complete the sentence by
reporting the son’s words correctly

Mother : Why do you feel irritated so easily when I correct your mistakes?
Son : That is because irritation is the only weapon I can use to slowyou down.

A mother while trying to correct her son asked him the reason for his quick reaction, to
which he replied --------------.

(iii) Select the apt option to fill in the blank for the given line from an
advertisement in a magazine

The adage oft quoted states that “fast food ---------------- the fast
gateway to death”

A, was B.will C. can D.is

(iv) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following
lines from a news report

Last month a tourist bus collided in a lorry and caused many casualties

OPTION NO ERROR CORRECTION

A a the
B in with
C many much

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 D caused causes
(v) Complete the given narrative by filling in the blank with the correct
Option

As the man stood on the seashore ,gazing at the vast expanse of water he was-----------------
-------- with a feeling of reverence for the creator.

A. Overwhelmed B. taken C. Covered D. Under

(vi) Fill in the blanks by using the correct form of the word in the bracket,for the given
part of a letter.

Subject: Menace caused by Drug AbuseSir

Through the columns of your daily I -------- (will) like to draw attentionto the hazards
of drug abuse among the youth.

(vii) Report the dialogue between a brother and his sister

Brother: What is your concept about a true friend?

Sister : A person who stands by you in times of sorrow and joy.

In answer to her brother’s question about true friends, the sister replies that .

(viii) Identify the error in the sentence below and write the correction

The candidate presented himself proudly before the interview board

and stated that he had been working with the core team since five years.

ERROR CORRECTION

(ix) After ten years of schooling Rema shared her memories with her mother.
Report her mother’s question

Do you cherish your classroom experiences?

(x) Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option to complete the head line on a poster
published by the Ministry of Forests and Environmental Development

WILD LIFE CONSERVATION ------------------ A MORE HUMANE

APPROACH

A. Need B. has C. needs D. get

(xi) Select the correct option to complete the dialogue between a teacher and his student

Teacher: Why do you talk continuously during classes?

Mary: I keep talking because I belong to a family of extroverts.

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 The teacher asked Mary why she could not stop talking in class.
Mary replied with a smile that she could not keep herself from talking because ---------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

A. her family was one of talkative peoples.

B. she belonged to a family of extroverts.
C. her family loved to talk in class.
D. her mother and father talked well.

(xii) Identify the error on a medicine bottle and write the correction

Benedrine Solution

Take two spoons of syrup at the morning for quick relief from joint pains.

ERROR CORRECTION

SECTION B-CREATIVE SKILLS

4.Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below (5)

A. You are Abdul Malik, a resident of Jyothi Nagar ,A/12 Silver Apartments,
Hyderabad. You have recently noticed several young children begging outside
public offices and crossroads in the city where you live in. This has disturbed you
emotionally and you decide to writea letter to the authorities about the issue.
Write a letter to the Editor of The Deccan Herald, in not more than 120 words
,drawing attention towards the harm caused to such children who are deprived of their
basic rights of food ,shelter and education. Give your suggestions on how best to
tackle this social issue and work for the betterment of such marginalised kids in
society.
OR

B You intend to join coaching classes at Success Coaching Centre situated in Chennai.
The institute specializes in teaching science to classes XI – XII. Write a letter of enquiry in 100
– 120 words addressed to the Administrator in – charge of the institute seeking clarification
about the timing, duration, staff, transport and other necessary details for joining the
institute. You are Sonia / Shiv of 2, Murthi Road, Chennai.

5. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below (5)

A. Manju Kumari is an aspiring candidate for a career with the Armed Forces. She
belongs to a family of teachers and has limited exposure to a career in the armed
forces. She conducts a research about her chances of success if this career was opted
for and notes the following points

POSSIBILITIES
Option to reach high positions
Chances of joining Military Engineering Services Intangible

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 qualities like leadership ,discipline etc
Tangible benefits like facilities /medical care/ travel discounts/ paidvacation

WEAKNESS AS A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE

Her gender may be a deterrent

Lack of exposure to people in the forces
No motivation from parents
Lack of coaching centres in her village to train herself
Fear of an uncertain and dangerous life

ADDED ADVANTAGES
The satisfaction of serving her motherland
Invitation to a life of adventure
A life full of action and thrill
Opportunity to constantly upgrade one’s own skills
Can be in communion with the best minds of the nation

THREAT
May be side lined in a male dominated field
Own safety may be at stake
A comfortable family life may not be always possible
Lack of familial support due to majority of them having chosen the career of
teaching.

Analyse her notes and write a paragraph in about 100-120 words stating why /why not a
career with the armed forces is desirable for women like Manju Kumari.

OR

B. Read the following lines from a newspaper article on the corelation between rural
migration to cities and pollution

Rural unemployment or under-employment could be the cause for large scale migration
to urban areas. Even though these migrants are able to earn better , their subjective
wellbeing might be worse due to the burden exerted on the available resources which are
put under pressure to cater to the needs of a teeming population. Such migrations are
therefore seen as driving agents of environmental changes . However the myth of an
aspiration for better living in urban areas has to be dealt with proactive measures like
opening new avenues in the rural sector .Write a paragraph in about 100-120 words to
analyse the given arguments Suggest other explanations or justifications to weaken the
given conclusion about rural migration and include proof or logical evidence that
could contradict/support the argument.

SECTION C- LITERATURE 40

Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given 5

6. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for any one of the two given.

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A. “It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion, when I
discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been taken from me, that I began to
hunger for it. At first, as a student, I wanted freedom only for myself, the transitory freedoms
of being able to stay out at night, read what I pleased and go where I chose. Later, as a young
man in Johannesburg, I yearned for the basic and honorable freedoms…….”
(i) The title that best suits this extract is ………..
(a) Freedom for everything
(b) Knowledge of freedom
(c) Significance of freedom
(d) realisation of freedom

(ii) Why do you think the speaker mentions some freedoms as ‘transitory’?
(a) The freedoms are momentary and keep changing with time
(b) The definition of freedom is constant but perspectives differ
(c) Freedom means different things to different people
(d) Freedom is not that important after a certain age

(iii) Choose the option that best fits the usage of the word ‘illusion’ as used in the extract.
(a) he was never able to get past the illusion
(b) the illusion I experienced was quite intriguing
(c) large mirror in the room creates an illusion
(d) I was living under the illusion that this is possible

(iv)The speaker says, ‘At first as a student I wanted freedom only for myself’. Why do
you think he only thought about himself?
(a) He didn’t want to think about the freedom denied to others
(b) He was being selfish and only bothered bout himself
(c) He didn’t think that freedom denied to him was him important for others
(d) He was too young to realize that freedom was denied to others as well

(v) A part of the extract has been paraphrased. Choose the option that includes the most
appropriate solution to the blanks given in the given paraphrase of the extract.
The speaker’s belief about freedom, since childhood proved false. It was not until the speaker
grew up to be a young man when it (i)…….on him that he was (ii)………of freedom. Then he
began (iii)……it.
(a) (i) desired (ii) dawned (iii)depriving
(b) (i) dawned (ii) deprived (iii)desiring
(c) (i)dawned (ii)arrived (iii) desiring
(d) (i)arrived (ii)deprived (iii)dawned

OR
B. He waited a moment in surprise, wondering why she did not come nearer, and then,
maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish. With a loud scream he fell outwards and downwards
into space. Then a monstrous terror seized him and his heart stood still. He could hear nothing.
But it only lasted a minute. The next moment he felt his wings spread outwards.
(i) Why do you think a monstrous terror seized the young seagull?
(a) he was not on the ledge
(b) he took a dive out of hunger
(c) he was in the error

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 (d) he fell in the sea

(ii) Which of the following quote is suitable for the above extract?
(a) You must be the change you wish to see in the world
(b) Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for
a lifetime
(c) A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful that a life
spent doing nothing.
(d) He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because he fears

(iii) What do you learn from the story ‘HIS FIRST FLIGHT’?
(i) self confidence (ii)motivation

HIS FIRST
FLIGHT
(iii)self reliance (iv) Importance of
familial support

(a) I and II (b) III &IV (c) I , III & IV (d)All of the above

(iv) Choose the option which does not use the word ‘soaring’ correctly.
(a) Soaring mountains, cliffs and ravines rise dramatically from this rugged
shore line.
(b) Stroll through the old town and see the Town Halls soaring medieval steeple,
one of the oldest in Europe .
(c) Here the larger houses had platforms in front of them forming terraces at
different levels soaring towards the river.
(d) Expect the unexpected massive glacier calves and breath taking wild life
soaring eagles and hump back whales.

(v) Which word ‘seized’ does not corresponds to?

(a) Liberated
(b) Annexed
(c) Captured
(d) Confiscated

7.Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given 5

A. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
But he's locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.

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He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,...

(i) Choose the image that best describes the condition of the tiger based on the given extract.

(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)

(ii) Which option correctly lists the reason for the tiger 'stalking the length of his cage'?

(a) Animals tend to cover large distances and burn a lot of their energy by hunting for prey, in
their natural habitat. Zoos deprive them of such stimulation and they are restless and bored.

(b) Animals are scared of visitors gazing at them in their unnatural surroundings. Zoos are
places where animals are far removed from the privacy of their natural habitat.

(c) Animals dislike human noises in the city and react to them aggressively. Zoos are often
located in cities or outskirts.

(d) Animals require human love and care and miss this when in captivity. Zoos are places
where they walk around mechanically to attract human attention.

iii) Which option identifies a patrolling car correctly?

(a) Option (1) (b) Option (2) (c) Option (3) (d) Option (4)

(iv) The main contrasting idea suggested in the extract is that of

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(a) strength and weakness.
(b) nature and culture.
(c) beasts and mortals.
(d) confinement and freedom.

(v) Choose the option listing the most likely reason for the tiger to ignore visitors,
according to the extract.
(a) He is scared of their constant stares.
(b) The visitors don't provide him with any food.
(c) He knows that none would help him out of captivity.
(d) The visitors don't speak to him kindly

OR
B. The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

(i) Which of the following things in the poem represent(s) 'sorrow'?

1. Crow
2. Dust of Snow
3. Hemlock tree
4. Heart
(a) Only option 1
(b) Options 1 and 4
(c) Options 2 and 3
(d) Options 1 and 3

(ii) Choose the option that lists the possible feelings of the poet prior to the experience
shared in the poem.

1. reassured 2. Disappointed 3. Curious 4. Demotivated

5. Thankful 6. Disheartened 7. impulsive

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

(iii) Choose the option showing the reason NOT corresponding with ". a Crow/ Shook
down on me/The Dust of Snow?
(a) The crow's landing on the branch of the tree.
(b) The shivering of the crow, due to the cold.
(c) The readjustment of position of the crow on the branch.
(d) The cawing of the crow hidden in the foliage.

(iv) Earlier the poet was in a mood.

(a) happy
(b) pleasant
(c) gloomy
(d) good

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(v) What is the rhyming scheme of the poem?
(a) bbba
(b)abab
(c) aabb
(d) abba

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

(1) What is Lomov's reaction when Chubukov says that he is not used to facing misbehaviour
by a young man like Lomov? (The Proposal)
(ii) What does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball? Try to explain this in
your own words.
(iii) According to the poet, what do 'fire' and ice' 'represent? Do you agree with him?
(iv) What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother? (From the Diary of the Anne Frank)
(v) What was the basic idea of the Buddha's preaching? (The Sermons at Benares)

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

(i) How did Matilda come to know about the reality of the diamond necklace? (The
Necklace)
(ii) What other interests, besides science, did Richard Ebright pursue? What opinion did Mr.
Weiherer, his social studies teacher, have about Ebright? (The Making of A Scientist)
(iii) Why did Bholi not want to go to school? (Bholi)

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

A. Does the poem 'The Trees' present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A
Tiger in the Zoo'. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for 'interior decoration' in
cities while forests are cut down, are 'imprisoned' and need to 'break out?
OR
B. Valli posed herself to be very confident when the conductor offered her help to ride the
bus. Later on she felt shy when all laughed at her. What does this tell you about Valli's
character? What do we learn from her character?

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

A. Do you think that there are certain situations in which you can be excused for acting
dishonestly? Elaborate with reference to 'A Question of Trust."
OR
B. The play, 'The Book That Saved the Earth' conveys the message that misunderstanding of
cultural differences between various races can cause confusion and conflict. Based on your
reading of the play, write how such confusion and conflicts can be checked so that peace and
harmony is maintained.
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