CBSE Class 10 English language & Literature 2023 Paper

Time allowed is 3 hours Maximum Marks are 80. This question paper contains 11 questions. The question paper contains three sections. Section - A : Reading Skills, Section - B : Grammar and Creative Writing Skills, Section - C : Literature.

Section - A: Reading Skills

1. Read the passage given below :

(1) If you’re like most kids, you may love snow. Not only can it get you out of school, but it’s also fun to play with. Who doesn’t love to sled and build snowmen ? Snow can also be dangerous, too. You may have heard your parents talk about how difficult it can be to drive in snow. Car accidents aren’t the only dangers created by snow. If you’re ever skiing in the mountains, you’ll want to be aware of avalanches. An avalanche is a sudden flow of snow down a slope, such as a mountain. The amount of snow in an avalanche will vary based on many things, but it can be such a huge pile that it can bury the bottom of a slope in dozens of feet of snow.

(2) Avalanches can be caused by many things. Some of them are natural. For example, new snow or rain can cause built up snow to loosen and fall down the side of a mountain. Earthquakes and the movement of animals have also been known to cause avalanches. Artificial triggers can also cause avalanches. For example, snowmobiles, skiers, gunshots and explosives have all been known to cause avalanches. Avalanches usually occur during the winter and spring, when snowfall is greatest. As they are dangerous to any living beings in their path, avalanches have destroyed forests, roads, railroads and even entire towns.

(3) Warning signs exist that allow experts to predict – and often prevent – avalanches from occurring. When over a foot of fresh snow falls, experts know to be on the lookout for avalanches. Explosives can be used in places with massive snow build-ups to trigger smaller avalanches that don’t pose a danger to persons or property. When deadly avalanches do occur, the moving snow can quickly reach over 80 miles per hour. Skiers caught in such avalanches can be buried under dozens of feet of snow. While it’s possible to dig out of such avalanches, not all are able to escape.

(4) If you get tossed about by an avalanche and find yourself buried under many feet of snow, you might not have a true sense of which way is up and which way is down. Some avalanche victims have tried to dig their way out, only to find that they were upside down and digging themselves farther under the snow rather than to the top ! Experts suggest that people caught in an avalanche try to “swim” to the top of the moving snow to stay close to the surface. Once the avalanche stops, do your best to dig around you to create a space for air, so you can breathe easier. Then, do your best to figure out which way is up and dig in that direction to reach the surface and signal rescuers.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below : 10 x 1 = 10

(i) Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option :

Avalanche can be caused by

new snow or rain.
heavy winds.
high altitude.
global warming.

(ii) Comment on warning signs exist which allow experts to predict avalanches in two sentences.

(iii) Mention two reasons which destroyed the natural scenery.

(iv) Select the option that conveys the opposite of 'massive' :

tiny
lengthy
bulky
extensive

(v) The writer will agree with one of the given statements (paragraph 4)

People caught in the Avalanche can try to swim to the top.
Put on an oxygen Mask.
Digging is not possible.
Should not come close to the surface.

(vi) Select the option that corresponds to the following relation below :

You may not have an idea of which way is up and which way is down.

The crowd will gather at Gate No. 1 and disperse from Gate No. 2.
Due to the torrential rain, there was a heavy flooding.
The guest felt uneasy and uncomfortable watching the child’s performance.
The more the effort, the bigger the gain.

(vii) The major causes which do not trigger an avalanche :

Earthquakes
Snow fall
Rain
Plastic waste

(viii) Explosives can be used in places ______ . (complete the sentence)

(ix) The word 'deadly' in the (3) paragraph most nearly means

likely to cause death
harmful
very boring
scary

(x) Select the most suitable title for the above passage :

Avalanches
Adventure with Snow
Ice Games
Calamity

2. Read the passage given below :

(1) Increasing traffic congestion every year is causing increasing air pollution, wasting time and productivity and diverse respiratory diseases. Moreover, the cost of solving or reducing traffic congestion is enormous. However, neglecting the traffic jam problem would increase the social problems among citizens.

(2) The number of vehicles has increased considerably in the city in the past five years. Due to this increase, the city roads witness frequent traffic congestions, but above all, the vehicles emitting pollutants are affecting the environment adversely.

(3) The Capital’s vehicular population saw an addition of more than five lakh vehicles last year, registering an increase of over 4%, according to the Delhi Economic Survey 2020-21.

(4) In spite of the largest road network, through metro and bus services in major cities the transport system is not being able to keep pace with the growing demand. Consequently, more and more people use their private vehicles, leading to increased congestion on the roads. In spite of these challenges people in India prefer road travel over air and other means of travel.

Citizens of Delhi/NCR have, time and again, pondered over the possibilities of how to reduce the traffic congestion in the city, especially during the peak hours. People should use public transport, the government must increase the facilities of public transport, people should avoid the unnecessary collection of vehicles and should use carpool and vehicle sharing.

(5) What is required is proper implementation of corrective measures by citizens to get an organized traffic management system.

(i) Infer one reason for the following, based on information in paragraph 1.

Reducing traffic congestion is not easy.

(ii) Select the appropriate option to complete the following sentence. The reasons for increased traffic congestion are ________.

use of private vehicles
increase in demand for cars
inability to keep pace with population control
travelling by public transport
emission of pollutants

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

(iii) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word / phrase from the paragraph 5.

organized : chaotic : : lowest : _______

Clue : Just as organized is an antonym of chaotic, lowest is an antonym of _______.

(iv) The vehicles emit pollutants which affect _______ badly.

(v) Complete the following sentence. Use of public transport will reduce ________.

(vi) Select the appropriate option which states the methods of reducing traffic congestions.

start car pooling
add electric buses
increase in public modes of transport
increase car collection points
increase taxation

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

(vii) Analyze the status of traffic between the years 2019-2022.

(viii) Give the reasons for increase in vehicular congestion.

(ix) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option.

There are _______ consequences of increasing vehicular congestion.

beneficial
adverse
implicit
explicit

(x) Substitute the underlined word with ONE WORD similar in meaning in the following sentence.

Citizens of Delhi/NCR have time and time again pondered over the possibilities of how to reduce traffic congestion.

Section - B: Grammar and Creative Writing Skills

3. Attempt any Ten of the following questions :

(i) Reena always ______ the truth.

(a) speak (b) speaks (c) will speak (d) speaking

(ii) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line :Bread and butter ______ my favourite breakfast.

(a) is (b) am (c) are (d) has been

(iii) Read the conversation between two friends Ravi and Reena. Complete the sentence by reporting Reena’s reply correctly.

Ravi : “Reena, lend me hundred rupees’.

Reena : “I don’t have it right now, but I will arrange it for you”. Ravi asked Reena to lend him hundred rupees, to which Reena replied that _______.

(iv) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line :

I can run fast when I was young.

Option no. / Error / Correction

a / was / is
b / run / ran
c / can / could
d / when / whence

(v) Complete the given narrative, by filling in the blank with the correct option :

Heena _______ from fever since last Sunday.

(a) suffered (b) will suffer (c) suffer (d) has been suffering

(vi) Fill in the blank by using the correct word in the bracket.

Anyas _______ (eat) all the chocolates kept in the tray.

(a) ate (b) eating (c) have eaten (d) eaten

(vii) Report the dialogue between a mother and a daughter by completing the sentence :

Mother : Why are you looking so worried ?

Daughter : My exams are approaching.

In response to the question of the mother, the daughter replied that ________.

(viii) Identify the error in the given sentence :

The ship Titanic and her fate continues to fascinate the imagination of the people.

Use the given format for your response : Error / Correction

(ix) Ritu and Randeep are talking. Report Ritu’s question.

Ritu - Where are you going ?

Ritu asked ________.

(x) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option, to complete the slogan :

______ smile and pass it to others.

(a) Happy (b) Short (c) Always (d) Humble

(xi) Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between Anil and Sanjeev :

Anil : Where are you going ?

Sanjeev : To the airport.

Anil : May I drop you there as I’m going in that direction ?

Anil asked Sanjeev where he was going and offered to drop him as _____.

he could be going in that direction
he would be going in the direction
he is going in the direction
he was going in that direction

(xii) Identify the error in the newspaper headline.

Attractive packages for different Tourist destination - Mizoram, Kashmir, Kerala, Goa.

Use the given format for your response : Error / Correction

4. (a) You are pained to see that in your city, there is no proper arrangement for cleaning of drains. There are heaps of accumulated garbage and stagnant water. Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner of your city complaining about the same as there is a fear of outbreak of disease. You are Alka/Ashish. (Word limit 100-120)

4. (b) The authorities have been claiming that the roads in your town have been relaid and repaired. But no such work done is seen. Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper expressing your concern at the present situation and giving suggestions to resolve the problem, in 100-120 words. You are Prabhu/Parvati of Vivek Vihar, Delhi.

5. Attempt any one from a and b given below :

(a) The chart below displays details regarding online activity for four age groups in six categories. Write an analytical paragraph for the table provided in about 100 words.

5. (b) A survey was conducted in New Delhi in over twenty schools about the different activities that interest the children in the age group of 13 to 15 years. Write an analytical paragraph in about 100 words analyzing the following information :

Section - C: Literature

6. Attempt any one of the given extracts :

(a) Let me put this more clearly, since no one will believe that a thirteen-year old girl is completely alone in this world. And I’m not. I have loving parents and a sixteen years old sister, and there are almost thirty people I can call friends. I have a family, loving aunts and a good house. No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend. All I think about when I am with friends is having a good time. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything, but ordinary everyday things.

(i) On the surface, it appears that Anne the thirteen year old girl _____.

(ii) How can we infer that the speaker felt alone in the world ?

She had a family of many people.
She had loving parents.
She had thirty friends.
She craves for a true friend.

(iii) Anne and her friends talked about _____.

their problematic parents
their financial problems
common everyday things
the commuting problems

(iv) Complete the analogy by selecting the suitable word from the text :

alone : friends : : nothing :

(v) Select the option that correctly captures the usage of the idiom 'bring myself' from the extract :

to do something willingly
to do something unwillingly
a charitable act
an involuntary act

6. (b) Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits and that the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into her furniture.

(i) Mrs. Hall tripped because ______

the floor was oily.
she was standing on a chair.
she was in a state of panic.
the door was slammed.

(ii) Mrs. Hall suspected everything in the room was put under a spell of witchcraft by ______.

(iii) Fill in the blank with one word only : Mrs. Hall was afraid that spirits had entered _______.

(iv) According to the extract, the feeling of Mrs. Hall can be best described as

(1) stunned (2) happy (3) awestruck (4) nervous (5) outraged (6) agitated

Select the correct option :

(2) and (4)
(3) and (6)
(5) and (6)
(1) and (6)

(v) 'Spirits' in the above lines means the same as

ghosts
conscience
ego
attitude

7. Attempt any one of the given two extracts :

(a)

Though to distinguish beasts of prey
A novice might nonplus,
The crocodiles you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus :
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re crocodiles.

(i) Select the appropriate option to complete the sentence, according to the extract :

Crocodiles can be identified by their _______.

(a) tears (b) attitude (c) smiles (d) attacks

(ii) State whether the following statement is True or False : Hyenas are famous for weeping.

(iii) 'Novice' in line 2 means the same as :

(a) learner (b) beast (c) tender foot (d) beginner

(iv) In this extract the poet has presented two different behavioural traits of animals. They are ______.

(v) The poet uses ‘A novice might nonplus” instead of the novice might get confused. How does this usage impact the poem ?

adds an incorrect option.
it is associated with beasts.
it rhymes and adds humour.
it simplifies the meaning.

7. (b)

He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage
He should be lurking in shadow
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.

(i) Complete the sentence appropriately. The vivid stripes refer to the ______.

(ii) Which word from the extract is the opposite of 'loud' ?

(iii) The use of the phrase 'pads of velvet' means

(a) neck (b) tail (c) skin (d) paws

(iv) State whether the following statement is True or False : The confinement of the cramped space of the cage has restricted the tiger’s steps.

(v) The tiger was lurking in shadow _________.

to catch its prey
as the cage was dark
as the velvet was quiet
as he was in a rage

8. Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each.

(a) What did Pranjol and Rajvir do during the journey ? Why ?

(b) Who read the letter sent by Lencho ? What did he do then ?

(d) How does the poem ‘The Tale of Custard The Dragon’ differ from the traditional ballad ?

(e) What does the Buddha say about the world ?

9. Attempt any two out of the three questions given below in 40-50 words each :

(a) Why does Anil not hand over Hari Singh to the police ?

(b) What opinion did Mr. Weiherer, Ebright’s Social Science teacher have about him ?

10. Answer any one of the following questions in 100-120 words :

(a) Whenever we want to achieve something, difficulties always come in our way. What did Valli have to do to go and ride in a bus ?

(b) Through the story of Kisa Gotami, what did the Buddha try to preach to the common man ?

11. Answer any one of the following questions in 100-120 words :

(a) Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl, face the challenge posed by Bishamber’s greed ?

(b) Those who are satisfied with what they have are happy in life. Those who aspire more than what they can afford ruin their life. Matilda was one such person. If she were content with her life she would have led a happy life. Elaborate on the basis of the chapter 'The Necklace.'