RBSE Class 10th 2023 English-S-02-2023 Previous Year Papers

SECONDARY EXAMINATION, 2023

ENGLISH

Time: 3 Hours 15 Minutes

Maximum Marks: 80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE EXAMINEES:

1. Candidates must first write their Roll Nos. on the question paper compulsorily.
2. All the questions are compulsory.
3. Write the answer to each question in the given answer-book only.
4. For questions having more than one part, the answers to those parts are to be written together in continuity.
5. Write the correct serial number of each question as mentioned in the question paper.

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Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

The people of Gujarat were mostly farmers. They reared cattle but remained poor, despite their hard work, they always remained in want. The poor plight of these farmers moved the heart of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He was determined to bring prosperity into their lives. So, he decided to organise them into a co-operative force and provide them with a steady source of income. This task was assigned to Mr. Tribhuvandas Patel. He united the disorganised farmers and started a co-operative dairy unit. This system of co-operative effort eliminated the middlemen who harassed and exploited the ignorant farmers.

1. Who was determined to bring prosperity into Gujarat farmers’ lives?

   • (A) Mr. Tribhuvandas
   • (B) British dairy
   • (C) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
   • (D) Government

   Explanation: The passage clearly states that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was determined to bring prosperity into the lives of Gujarat farmers.

2. What was started by Tribhuvandas Patel?

   • (A) Co-operative dairy unit
   • (B) Farming
   • (C) Industry
   • (D) None of them

   Explanation: According to the passage, Tribhuvandas Patel started a co-operative dairy unit.

3. What did the system of co-operative effort do?

   The system of co-operative effort eliminated the middlemen who harassed and exploited the ignorant farmers.

4. Why did the heart of the Iron Man of India move?

   The heart of the Iron Man of India moved because of the poor plight of the farmers of Gujarat, who despite their hard work remained poor and always in want.

5. Find a similar word of the following from the passage: Removed!

   The word "eliminated" in the passage means "removed".

6. Write the opposite word of the following from the passage: Sotttan

   The opposite of "ignorant" (likely intended word) is "educated" or "knowledgeable". However, from the passage, the opposite of "poor" (implied by context) is "prosperity" or "rich". The passage uses "prosperity" as a positive state.

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

At the age of six, Bismillah Khan moved to Varanasi (earlier known as Banaras), where his maternal uncle, Ali Baksh 'Vilayatu' was the official Shehnai player at the famous Vishwanath Temple. Ali Baksh noticed that Bismillah was a keen music learner, so he took him under his tutelage. Thus Bismillah Khan started to play the 'Shehnai' from his uncle. Ali Baksh played 'Shehnai' at the Vishwanath Temple and practised in one of the temple rooms at Balaji Ghat. Bismillah Khan's routine was to follow his uncle the whole day to both the temples, and practise for hours together - without any play time, school and sometimes even regular meals.

Bismillah Khan religiously practised the 'Shehnai' and attained perfection in a very short time. The flowing waters of the River Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent 'ragas' that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of 'Shehnai'. He often played the 'Shehnai' at the Vishwanath Temple on the banks of River Ganga. He was also a devotee of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom and arts.

Ustad Bismillah Khan was perhaps single-handedly responsible for making the 'Shehnai' a famous and popular musical instrument and bringing it into the mainstream Indian classical music. His concert at the All India Music Conference (1937) in Calcutta brought 'Shehnai' into the limelight, and was hugely appreciated by music lovers.

Questions:

1. Varanasi earlier known as:

   • (A) Prayag
   • (B) Varanas
   • (C) Kaushal
   • (D) Banaras

   Explanation: The passage states that Varanasi was earlier known as Banaras.

2. Who was the official Shehnai player at the famous Vishwanath Temple?

   • (A) Ustad Bismillah Khan
   • (B) Ali Baksh
   • (C) Paigambar Khan
   • (D) Mitthan

   Explanation: The passage mentions that Ali Baksh 'Vilayatu' was the official Shehnai player at the Vishwanath Temple.

4.

Read the passage and answer the following questions:

(iii) At the age of ____, Bismillah Khan moved to Varanasi.

• (A) six
• (B) eight
• (C) seven
• (D) eight

Explanation: The passage states that Bismillah Khan moved to Varanasi at the age of seven.

(iv) Who was Ali Baksh 'Vilayati'?

Ali Baksh 'Vilayati' was Bismillah Khan's maternal grandfather (or a famous shehnai player from the passage).

(v) What inspired Bismillah Khan to improvise and invent 'ragas'?

The passage mentions that the river Ganga (or the natural surroundings of Varanasi) inspired Bismillah Khan to improvise and invent new ragas.

(vi) What do you know about Saraswati on the basis of the passage?

Saraswati is the goddess of learning and music, as mentioned in the passage.

(vii) Write the similar word of the following from the passage: 'Guardianship'

The similar word for 'guardianship' in the passage is custody (or a synonym like 'care' if present).

(viii) Write the opposite word of the following from the passage: 'dull'

The opposite word for 'dull' in the passage is bright (or 'sharp' if present).

SECTION - B (WRITING)

5.

Imagine that you are Sachin/Sakshi. Your sister's marriage will be held next month. Write a letter to your friend Vivek/Vaishnavi to invite him/her on this occasion.

6.

Write a story with the help of given outlines in about 80 words. Give the title and moral to it.

OR

SECTION - C (GRAMMAR)

Choose the correct form of the verbs:

1. Once there (be) a king.

• (A) be
• (B) was ✓ Correct
• (C) are
• (D) were

[4]

[ Turn Over ]

Question 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct option.

(i) Ram always ____.

• (A) attends
• (B) is attending
• (C) are attending
• (D) tend

(ii) We had gone to our house before father ____.

• (A) had come
• (B) have come
• (C) came
• (D) comes

(iii) He ____ here since 1st January, 2020.

• (A) had lived
• (B) have lived
• (C) has lived
• (D) has been living

Question 2: Change the following sentences into Indirect speech.

(i) He said to me, "Please give me your pen."

(ii) He said to me, "Where are you going?"

Question 3: Rewrite the following sentences using connectives given in the brackets.

(i) He is a teacher. He is a writer. (not only – but also)

(ii) Ram is my friend. Shyam is my friend. (both – and)

(iii) Ramu is a thief. Shyamu is a thief. (either – or)

Join the following sentences using the relative pronoun given in the brackets:

1. The book which has a white wrapper is on the table.
2. You met the man yesterday whom was my father.

Change the following sentences into passive voice:

1. Cricket will be played by Pratibha tomorrow.
2. A house has been built by them.

Frame a question of the following sentence:

He is going to Jaipur today.

Where is he going today?

Add a question tag to the statement given below:

Ram will play cricket, won't he?

SECTION - D (TEXT BOOK)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The young seagull was alone on his ledge. His two brothers and his sister had already flown away the day before. He had been afraid to fly with them. Somehow when he had taken a little run forward to the brink of the ledge and attempted to flap his wings he became afraid. The great expanse of sea stretched down beneath, and it was such a long way down - miles down. He felt certain that his wings would never support him; so he bent his head and ran away back to the little hole under the ledge where he slept at night.

i) How many brothers and sisters did the young seagull have?

• (A) two brothers and one sister
• (B) two brothers and two sisters
• (C) one brother and two sisters
• (D) one brother and one sister

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

There was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight years old and very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside. There were no playmates of her own age on her street, and this was about all she had to do. But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual experiences.

Questions:

1. i) Who had been afraid?

   • (A) Seagull's brothers
   • (B) Seagull's sisters
   • (C) Seagull's sister
   • (D) Young seagull

   Explanation: In the story "His First Flight," the young seagull was afraid to fly, while his brothers and sisters had already flown.

2. ii) Who had already flown away the day before?

   The young seagull's brothers and sisters had already flown away the day before.

3. iii) Where did the young seagull run away back?

   The young seagull ran away back to his ledge (the narrow shelf on the cliff face where he was born).

4. iv) Find out the word from the passage which means: 'edge'

   The word is "ledge".

5. v) Find out the word from the passage which has opposite meaning of 'fearless'

   The opposite word is "afraid".

6. vi) What was the short name of the girl?

   • (A) Valliammai
   • (B) Valli
   • (C) Sweet girl
   • (D) Amma

   Explanation: The passage clearly states, "There was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short."

Page 9 of 11

Questions from the Passage

1. i) What was the age of Valli?

   • (A) fourteen
   • (B) eight
   • (C) eight
   • (D) seven

   Correct Answer: (B) eight

   Explanation: The passage states that Valli was eight years old.

2. ii) Why did Valliammai not play with her playmates?

   Valliammai did not play with her playmates because she was deeply fascinated by the bus that passed through her street every day. She spent most of her time watching the bus and dreaming about riding it, which made her uninterested in playing with other children.

3. iv) What was Valliammai's favourite pastime?

   Valliammai's favourite pastime was standing at the front door of her house and watching the bus that passed by every hour. She would observe the bus and its passengers with great curiosity and excitement.

4. २) Write the similar word of the following, from the passage: 'anterior'

   Answer: The similar word for 'anterior' from the passage is 'previous' or 'earlier' (depending on the context in the passage).

5. vi) Write the opposite word of the following, from the passage: 'usual'

   Answer: The opposite word for 'usual' from the passage is 'unusual' or 'strange' (depending on the context in the passage).

4) Answer any one of the following questions in about 80 words: [5]

5) Answer any one of the following questions in about 20 words: [2]

[203] S—02—English [2] [Turn Over

Read any one of the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. Write rhyme scheme and rhyming words.
2. Which thing is also great for destruction?

1. Write the rhyme scheme and rhyming words.
2. What is golden and what is sweet?

Answer any two of the following questions in about 20 words: (2×2=4)

1. What colour is the young woman's hair? What does she say she can change it to? (For Anne Gregory)
2. Why is the boy very upset? (The Ball Poem)
3. Why does the poet tell us that he feels more at home with animals than humans? (Animals)

Choose the correct answer:

1. ____ is the writer of ‘The Necklace’.

   • (A) H.G. Wells
   • (B) Guy De Maupassant
   • (C) Ruskin Bond
   • (D) Victor Canning

   Explanation: ‘The Necklace’ is a famous short story written by French author Guy de Maupassant.

2. Name the book that saved the Earth.

   • (A) Mother Goose
   • (B) Mother Mary
   • (C) Mother Poem
   • (D) Mother Teresa

   Explanation: In the play ‘The Book that Saved the Earth’, the book ‘Mother Goose’ saves Earth from an alien invasion.

Answer any one of the following questions in about 60 words: [1×4=4]

1. With what do Mr. and Mme. Loisel replace ‘the necklace’? [The Necklace]

   Mr. and Mme. Loisel replace the lost necklace with a new one that looks exactly like the original. They buy it from a jewelry shop for thirty-six thousand francs. To afford this, they use all their savings, borrow money, and spend the next ten years working hard to repay the debt.

2. Who helped the narrator? Why did narrator arrive at New Mullion? [The Hack Driver]

   The hack driver, Bill, helped the narrator. The narrator arrived at New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins. He was a junior lawyer clerk sent by his firm to find Lutkins. Bill pretended to help him but actually tricked him, as Bill himself was Lutkins in disguise.

Answer any two out of three following questions in about 20 words: [2×2=4]

1. What was Ebright's project? [The Making of a Scientist]

   Ebright's project was to find out why monarch butterflies have more gold spots on their pupa than others. He discovered that these spots produce a hormone necessary for full development.

2. Why was Bholi glad and what did she hope? [Bholi]

   Bholi was glad because she was going to school. She hoped that she would learn to read and write, and that her life would change for the better.

3. Who surged round the narrator? [A Triumph of Surgery]

   Mrs. Pumphrey and her servants surged round the narrator (the veterinary surgeon) when he returned Tricki to her. They were overjoyed to see the dog healthy again.