MBOSE Class 10 Question Paper 2019 for English Old Course

Total No. of Printed Pages—16
X/19/E (O)

2019

ENGLISH

( Old Course )

( COMPARTMENTAL CANDIDATES WITH
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT )

Full Marks : 80
Pass Marks : 24

( NON-REGULAR, PRIVATE AND COMPARTMENT WITHOUT
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT )

Full Marks : 100
Pass Marks : 30

Time : 3 hours

The figures in the margin indicate full marks for the questions
General Instructions :
(i) The candidates are advised to attempt all questions accordingly.
(ii) Marks allocated to every question are indicated against each.
(iii) Question Nos. 1 to 16 are to be answered by Compartmental
candidates with Internal marks.
(iv) Question Nos. 1 to 20 are to be answered by Compartmental
candidates without Internal marks/Non-Regular/Private
candidates.

/2 [ P.T.O.

( 2 )

SECTION—A
( Prose )

1. Choose and write the correct answer (any three) : 1×3=3

(a) The black sloth bear in the sugarcane fields was shot at by
(i) the writer
(ii) the villagers
(iii) the writer’s companion

(b) The dream that kept Maria going was
(i) tennis as a business and a sport
(ii) money
(iii) her desire to become number one in the world

(c) Vera, the fifteen-year-old niece of Mrs. Sappleton was a
very
(i) shy girl
(ii) self-possessed young lady
(iii) dignified young lady

(d) The dangers that the Arnothy family would face while
crossing the border would be
(i) wild animals and hunters
(ii) rough and slippery earth and the police
(iii) fast-moving vehicular traffic

(e) When Megan first looked down at her baby, she felt as if
she
(i) hated him
(ii) was ashamed of him
(iii) recognised him

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 3 )

2. State whether the following statements are True or False
(any three) : 1×3=3

(a) Bruno developed paralysis when he drank a bottle of
insecticide.

(b) Maria’s mother could not accompany her daughter to the
US because she did not have the money to buy a ticket.

(c) Promodini’s parents were pained by their daughter’s
disability.

(d) Megan’s pregnancy test came out negative.

(e) Framton Nuttel was relieved when Mrs. Sappleton bustled
into the room.

3. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given
in the brackets (any three) : 1×3=3

(a) All the keepers at the zoo said he was _____.
(fussing, fretting)

(b) “Of course, _____ is a motivation.”
(money, power)

(c) “I hope Vera has been _____ you?”
(scaring, amusing)

(d) “If they ask us anything .... _____!”
(Aunt Charlotte, Ovaros)

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 4 )

4. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow (any two) : 3×2=6

(a) “We all missed him greatly; but in a sense we were all
relieved.”
(i) Whom does ‘we’ stand for? 1
(ii) Whom did they miss? 1
(iii) Why did they feel relieved? 1

(b) “I called once more, Hello! Come here, my dear.”
(i) Who is the speaker here? 1
(ii) Who was the person talking to? 1
(iii) What did the person spoken to do after these words
were spoken? 1

(c) “Here they are at last!”
(i) Who spoke these words? 1
(ii) In whose presence were these words spoken? ½+½
(iii) Where had ‘they’ come from? 1

5. Answer any two of the following questions : 5×2=10

(a) Who was Megan? Why was she expelled from school? How
did she suffer after being expelled? 1+1+3=5

(b) What was the story narrated by Vera to Framton Nuttel?
How did he react when he saw the hunting party? 3+2=5

(c) What were the narrator and her parents running away
from? Why did they book their tickets only to the next
station? Where were they planning to go from Ovaros
station? Why was the narrator’s father disappointed after
speaking to the guide? 2+1+1+1=5

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 5 )

SECTION—B
( Poetry )

6. Choose and write the correct meaning from the options given
below (any four) : 1×4=4

(a) “Remember they have eyes like ours”
(i) people are not blind
(ii) we differ from others only due to language and colour
(iii) men all over are essentially the same

(b) ‘full of birds’ cries;’
(i) birds are flying everywhere
(ii) the west wind echoes with the sound of the birds’
cries
(iii) the thrushes are in song

(c) ‘ever-widening thought and action’
(i) dynamic thoughts
(ii) thoughts guided by God
(iii) extreme thoughts and views

(d) “I hear it in the deep heart’s core.”
(i) only a part of him is sensitive to the beauty
(ii) his heart is heavy with the sound he hears
(iii) the delight is infused in his being

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 6 )

(e) “list to this refrain”
(i) listen to the mother
(ii) dream as it rains
(iii) listen to the music of the rain

(f) “Weave their bright hues into woof ”
(i) the poet was spinning yarn
(ii) a series of beautiful memories
(iii) the coloured bedspread

7. Supply the missing lines in the following extracts (any two) : 1×2=2

(a) “Like ours : the land our brothers walk upon
_____________________________________________”

(b) “And a small cabin built there,
_______________________________”

(c) “And the melancholy darkness
_______________________________”

8. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that
follow (any one) : 3

(a) “Remember, we who take arms against each other
It is the human earth that we defile.”
(i) Name the poem from which the given lines have been
taken. 1
(ii) What is the name of the poet? 1
(iii) What is the meaning of the word ‘defile’ as mentioned
in this line? 1

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 7 )

(b) “Will ye not come home brother? Ye have been long away.”
(i) Who is the speaker of this line? 1
(ii) What does it seem to be telling him? 1
(iii) Where is ‘home’? 1

9. Answer any one of the following questions : 6

(a) Why does Coates Kinney enjoy the gentle falling rain on
his cottage roof ? Whom does he recall as it rains? What
does the poet mean by ‘naught in Art’s bravuras’? 2+2+2=6

(b) What kind of dwelling place does the poet imagine for
himself on the Lake Isle? Describe the sights and sounds
that attracted the poet in The Lake Isle of Innisfree. 3+3=6

(c) What message does James Kirkup give in the opening line
of the poem, No Men are Foreign? What is ‘uniform’
suggestive of ? How does he describe men of different
countries as alike? 2+2+2=6

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 8 )

SECTION—C
( Rapid Reader )

Answer either from Group—A or from Group—B

Group—A
( The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde )

10. Answer, in brief, any four of the following questions : 1×4=4

(a) Who was Mr. Guest?

(b) Who murdered Danvers Carew?

(c) Mention any one article found at the crime scene.

(d) Who was Mr. Newcomen?

(e) What impression did Mr. Utterson have of Edward Hyde?

(f) Why did Dr. Jekyll bring a mirror in his study?

11. Who was Poole? Why did he go to Mr. Utterson’s house? What
did Poole and Utterson find when they broke open the door to
Jekyll’s study? 1+2+3=6
Or

What is the transcendental drug? Describe one of the crimes
committed by Hyde after consuming the drug. 2+4=6

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 9 )

Group—B
( The Count of Monte Cristo )

10. Answer, in brief, any four of the following questions : 1×4=4

(a) Who was the last member of the Spada family?

(b) Why was Abbe Faria placed among the mad prisoners?

(c) What was the Chateau d’If ?

(d) Why was Dantes arrested?

(e) Why did Mercedes not wish to marry Fernand Mondego?

(f) Who was Andrea Cavalcanti?

11. Who was Haydee? How did she become a slave? 2+4=6
Or

How did the death of Faria help Dantes to escape from the
Chateau d’If ? How did he manage to escape to safety when he
was flung into the sea?
4+2=6

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 10 )

SECTION—D
( Grammar and Composition )

12. Rewrite the following as directed : 1×8=8

(a) We started early. We arrived at noon.
(Join the two sentences beginning with : Having ..........)

(b) Lata sings a beautiful song.
(Begin : A beautiful ...............)

(c) I asked him if he would be at home the next day.
(Begin : “Will you .................”)

(d) He saw a huge lion.
(Change into passive voice)

(e) I speak the truth. I am not afraid of it.
(Combine the two sentences using an infinitive)

(f) She loves to eat mangoes.
(Use the ‘ing’ form of the verb)

(g) “Have you finished your work?” Mr. Brown asked Sam.
( Begin : Mr. Brown ..............)

(h) Tom broke the pencil.
(Change into active voice)

13. Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions (any four) :
½×4=2

(a) Please look _____ the blackboard.

(b) The cow feeds _____ grass.

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 11 )

(c) I parted ______ him with a heavy heart.

(d) The property was divided _____ the two brothers.

(e) Everyone longs _____ peace.

(f) Take care _____ your books.

14. Make sentences with any four of the following idioms : 1×4=4

(a) by hook or by crook

(b) to bear in mind

(c) a bone of contention

(d) nip in the bud

(e) a golden opportunity

(f) bag and baggage

15. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the
questions that follow : 6

When people are too old to work, they enter the stage of life
called retirement. Even if you live a healthy, accident-free and
illness-free life, you will still get to an age when you cannot
work in a job the same way that someone younger can. When
you stop working, you stop earning money. So how does a
retired person buy the things that they need, in order to live,
when they stop earning money? In order to live comfortably
when they are old, a person needs to save some of the money
that they earn while they are still working.

Most people would like to retire by the time they reach their
late 60s. The average life expectancy in the world, according to

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 12 )

UNO is expected to rise from 65 years old to 75 years old by
2050. If people live longer, they will need to be able to pay for
their cost of living for a longer time, after they have stopped
earning money. A retirement plan is, therefore, essential, but
many leave it too late before they think about one.

If you get your first properly paid job when you are 20 years
old, and retire when you are 65, you will have worked for
45 years. A person who retires at the age of 65 and lives to the
age of 75 will need to have enough money to last them for
10 years. Everybody needs to plan for their retirement so that
they can be financially independent in their old age.

Questions :

(a) What is retirement? 1

(b) What does a person need to do in order to live comfortably
when they are old? 2

(c) What would be the average life expectancy according to
UNO by 2050? 1

(d) Why is a retirement plan essential? 1

(e) What will a person who retires at 65 but lives up to 75
need? 1

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 13 )

Or

(a) Your school is organising a picnic. As captain of your
school, write a notice for the students of your school to
join the picnic. Include the necessary details in your notice
such as place, date, timing and amount to be contributed. 3

(b) Write an advertisement inviting people to your newly
opened restaurant. 3

16. Attempt either (a) or (b) : 10

(a) Write an essay (in about 200 words) on any one of the
following topics :
(i) My favourite film
Points : Introduction—story of the film—significance—
why I liked the film—what the film has taught me—
conclusion.
(ii) Mobile Phones—A boon or a curse.
Points : Introduction—advantages—disadvantages—
personal viewpoints—conclusion
(iii) Punctuality
Points : Significance of punctuality in life—punctuality
in the school, library, social functions—punctuality
vital for national growth—conclusion

(b) (i) Write a letter to your younger brother advising him
not to mix with bad company.
Or
(ii) Write a letter to your friend inviting him/her to spend
a week with you and your family.

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 14 )

( Only for Candidates without Internal Assessment )
( Marks : 20 )

17. Answer the following in 1 sentence or 2 sentences each
(any five) : 2×5=10

(a) Why did Framton Nuttel go for a rural retreat?

(b) What was the dream that kept Maria going?

(c) Why did Promodini not go to a normal school?

(d) How did Bruno develop paralysis while at the author’s
house?

(e) What did the doctor say about Megan’s condition?

(f) Why was there complete silence in the train compartment?

18. Match the columns given below : 1×5=5

(a) Veils of morning (i) there is freedom of thought and belief
and views
(b) Naught in Art’s bravuras (ii) The Lake Isle of Innisfree
(c) Knowledge is free (iii) Coates Kinney
(d) A single body breathes (iv) And white is the May
(e) Its April, and blossom (v) men all over are essentially the same
time

X/19/E (O)/2 [ Contd.

( 15 )

19. Fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given
in the brackets : ½×4=2

(a) Apple orchards _____ there, and the air’s like wine.
( bloom/blossom )

(b) Where tireless striving _____ its arms towards perfection.
( reaches/stretches )

(c) And evening full of linnets’ _____.
(rings/wings)

(d) And a _____ dreamy fancies.
(thousand/hundred)

20. Answer either Group—A or Group—B :

Group—A
( The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde )

Answer the following in 1 sentence or 2 sentences each (any three) :
1×3=3

(a) Who was Mr. Richard Enfield?

(b) What did Dr. Lanyon witness at his consulting room?

(c) “If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers
also.” Who wrote the statement in a letter and to whom?

(d) What happened to Dr. Jekyll at Regents Park?

X/19/E (O)/2 [ P.T.O.

( 16 )

Group—B
( The Count of Monte Cristo )

Answer the following in 1 sentence or 2 sentences each (any three) :
1×3=3

(a) What was the name of Dantes’ fellow prisoner?

(b) Who was Noirtier?

(c) What was the mode of burial in the Chateau d’If ?

(d) What papers did Haydee produce to prove her identity?

HHH

X/19/E (O)/2 K9—19210