ANSWER KEYS

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1 Terminal Examination (2024-25)
Class: X Subject: English Language (Paper I)
Maximum Marks: 80
Time Allowed: Two hours
Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
Attempt all five questions.
The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
You are advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1 and 20 minutes in answering
Question 2.
Question 4
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A dispute had arisen. Between Banamali’s garden and Himangshu’s house there was a drainage ditch; at a
point along this ditch a lime tree had grown. When the fruits ripened, Banamali’s family servant tried to pick
them, while Himangshu’s family servant stopped him – and they began to argue so fiercely that if the insults
they rained on each other had been made of something material, the whole ditch would have been choked
with them. From this, a heated quarrel developed between Banamali’s father Harachandra and Himangshu’s
father Gokulchandra, and they went to court over the ownership of the ditch. A long verbal war began
between champion lawyers and barristers fighting on one side or the other. The money that was spent on
each side exceeded even the floods that flowed through the ditch during the month of Bhādra. In the end
Harachandra won; it was proved that the ditch was his and no one else had a claim to the fruit of the lime
tree.
There was an appeal, but the ditch and the lime tree remained with Harachandra. While the court-case was
going on, the friendship between Banamali and Himangshu was not affected. Indeed, so anxious was
Banamali not to let the dispute cast a shadow over either of them, that he tried to bind Himangshu ever more
closely to him, and Himangshu showed not the slightest loss of affection either. On the day that Harachandra
won the case, there was great rejoice in his house, especially in the women’s quarters; but Banamali lay
sleepless that night. The next afternoon, when he took his place on the patio in the garden, his face was sad
and anxious, as if he alone had suffered an immense defeat that meant nothing to anyone else. The time
when Himangshu usually came elapsed; at six o’clock there was still no sign of him. Banamali sighed
heavily and gazed at Himangshu’s house. Through the open window he could see his friend’s school-clothes
hung up on the ālnā; many other familiar signs showed that Himangshu was at home. Banamali left his
hookah and paced up and down, looking dejectedly towards the window again and again, but Himangshu did
not come into the garden. When the lamps were lit in the evening, Banamali slowly walked up to
Himangshu’s house. Gokulchandra was cooling himself by an open door. ‘Who is it?’ he said. Banamali
started. He felt like a thief who had been caught. ‘It’s me, Uncle,’ he said nervously. ‘What do you want?’
he said. ‘There’s no one at home.’ Banamali returned to the garden and sat mutely there. When it was dark,
he watched the window-shutters of Himangshu’s house being closed for the night one by one.
Lamplight inside the house shone through cracks round the doors; later, most of the lamps were
extinguished. In the darkness of the night, Banamali felt that the doors of Himangshu’s house were totally
closed to him, and all he could do was remain alone in the darkness outside. The next day he went again and
sat in the garden, hoping that today Himangshu might come. His friend had come every day for so long that
he never imagined that he might not come again. He never supposed that the bond between them could be
torn; he had taken it so much for granted, that he had not realized how totally wrapped up in it his life had
become. He had learnt now that the bond had indeed been torn, but so sudden a disaster was quite
impossible to take in.
The Divide
Rabindranath Tagore

(i) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the
options provided: [3]
1. Claim
(a) Assert
(b) Reject
(c) Provoke
(d) Desire

2. Rejoice
(a) Sullen
(b) Melancholic
(c) Delight
(d) Optimistic

3. Which word in the passage is the opposite of – „cheerfully‟?

(a) Mutely
(b) Dejectedly
(c) Anxiously
(d) Fiercely

(ii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

(a) What was the reason behind the heated quarrel between Banamali and Himangshu’s father ? [2]
When the fruits ripened, Banamali’s family servant tried to pick them, while Himangshu’s family
servant stopped him – and they began to argue so fiercely that if the insults they rained on each
other had been made of something material, the whole ditch would have been choked with them.
(b) Who had won the case in the end? [1]
In the end Harachandra won; it was proved that the ditch was his and no one else had a claim to
the fruit of the lime tree.
(c) How did the narrator describe the expenses that both the families had spent in the court case? [2]
The money that was spent on each side exceeded even the floods that flowed through the ditch
during the month of Bhādra.
(d) How did Banamali know that Himangshu was at home? [2]
Through the open window he could see his friend’s school-clothes hung up on the ālnā; many
other familiar signs showed that Himangshu was at home
(e) In what manner was Banamali treated by Himangshu’s father? What could be the reason for
such treatment? [2]
rude/cruelly (1) Banamali’s father won the case regarding the ditch.
(iii) In not more than 50 words, narrate Banamali‟s mental state after being avoided by his
best friend. [8]
Question 5
(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not
copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank
space. Example: (0) was [4]

Like most writers, Taraprasanna ___(0)___(be) rather shy and retiring in nature. To go out amongst
other people was an ordeal for him. Sitting at home and ____(1)____(write) all the time had
___(2)___(weaken) his eyesight, ___(3)___(bend) his back, and ___(4)___(give) him little
experience of the world. Social pleasantries did not come easily to him, so he ___(5)____(not feel)
very safe outside his home. Others ___(6)____(think) him a bit stupid, and they could not be
___(7)____(blame) for this. A distinguished gentleman on first ___(8)__(meet) Taraprasanna might
say warmly, ‘I cannot tell you what pleasure it gives me to meet you.’

1. Writing
2. Weakened
3. Bent
4. Given
5. Did not feel
6. Thought
7. Blamed
8. Meeting

(ii) Fill in each blank with an appropriate word. [4]

(a) All the questions are referred ______ the given extract.
(b) All her efforts went ______ vain.
(c) The boy remained silent ________ the whole period.
(d) ________ being a footballer, he is an artist.
(e) The room was filled _______ the sweet fragrance.
(f) The little boy fell _______ the bicycle.
(g) Anna is passionate ______ music.
(h) She had walked all the way ______ the monastery.

(a) To
(b) In
(c) Throughout
(d) Besides
(e) With
(f) Off
(g) About
(h) To

(iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so.
Choose the correct options. [4]

1. Gogo came back from school. Gogo felt very sick.

(a) Gogo felt very sick so he came back from school.
(b) The reason for returning back from school was his sickness.
(c) Gogo returned from school as he was very sick.
(d) Gogo came back from school because he felt very sick.

2. David is very hard working. David never gives up.

(a) David is hard working and he never gives up.
(b) David who is very hard working, never gives up.
(c) David never gives up for he is hard working.
(d) David never gives up his hard working nature.
 3. Peter does not like gossiping. Peter does not like controversy.
(a) Peter does not like gossiping and does not like controversy.
(b) Peter neither like gossiping nor controversy.
(c) Peter hates gossiping and controversy.
(d) Peter neither likes gossiping nor controversy.

4. Give me the keys. I will open the door.

(a) Give me the keys so that I can open the door.
(b) Give me the keys to let me open the door.
(c) I want to open the door so give me the keys.
(d) If you give me the keys, I will open the door.

(iv) Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. Choose the correct
options. [8]
1. Shakespeare was one of the greatest writers of all time. (Use: greater)
(a) Shakespeare is one of the greater writers of all time.
(b) Shakespeare is greater than most other writers of all time.
(c) Shakespeare is greater than all the writers of all time.
(d) Very few writers are greater than Shakespeare of all time.

2. I cannot leave the room. I need their permission. (Begin: Unless…)

(a) Unless they give permission I can leave the room.
(b) Unless they give permission, I can leave the room.
(c) Unless they give permission, I cannot leave the room.
(d) Unless they do not give permission I cannot leave the room.

3. As soon as they heard the announcement, they all became scared. (Begin: No sooner…)
(a) No sooner they heard the announcement than they all became scared.
(b) No sooner they heard the announcement then they all became scared.
(c) No sooner did they heard the announcement when they all became scared.
(d) No sooner did they hear the announcement than they all became scared.

4. The woman wrote no letters to her maid. [Begin: No letters...]

(a) Her maid was written no letters by the woman.
(b) No letters were written to the maid.
(c) No letters were written by the woman to her maid.
(d) No letters were being written by the woman to her maid.

5. Anna said to me, “Please help me solve the sums.” [Begin: Anna requested…]
(a) Anna requested me to please help her solve the sums.
(b) Anna requested me to let me help her solve the sums.
(c) Anna requested me to be helped by her solve the sums.
(d) Anna requested me to help her solve the sums.

6. The man is too weak to climb on the mountain. (Rewrite without using too')
(a) The man is very weak to climb on the mountain.
(b) The man is so weak that he will not climb on the mountain.
(c) The man is so weak that he cannot climb on the mountain.
(d) The man is so weaker that he did not climb on the mountain.

7. We should learn to eat vegetables. (Use: ought)

(a) We ought to learn to eat vegetables.
(b) We ought not learn to eat vegetables.
(c) We ought learn to eat vegetables.
 (d) We ought to learn to eating vegetables.

8. The lion attacked its prey. (Add a suitable question tag)

(a) The lion attacked its prey, didn't it?
(b) The lion attacked its prey, couldn't it?
(c) The lion attacked its prey, did it?
(d) The lion attacked its prey, won't it?