Uttarakhand Board Class 10 Sample Paper 2023 English

SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
CLASS X
ENGLISH

Time: 3 hours] [Max. Marks: 80

Note: (i) This question paper is divided into Four sections-A,B,C andD.
(ii) All questions are compulsory. Marks are indicated against each question.

Section A (Reading)

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow-

All along a 450–mile stretch of west coast America is the home of the tallest trees in the
world. Once, in this narrow hinterland of the Pacific Coast, from central California to
southern Oregon, were two million acres of these trees, the Coast Redwood. Today there are
just a few hundred acres of them in Redwood Belt‟s scattering of State Parks, protected
forest reserves amidst which are stands of the giants. About 25 miles due south of San Jose
and the heart of Silicon Valley is one of the smaller of these stands, just 40 acres in the midst
of the 4650–acre Henry Cowbell Redwoods State Park. And there I found myself one
morning not so long ago peering up to spot the tops of trees that seemed to be touching the
skies. All I got was a crick in the neck. A tip for other Escapists‟: Stick to looking at the
thick and rough-barked trunks.

But even looking at a trunk when you try to grab a view of The Giant‟s trunk from close can
be quite a challenge. The Giant, the star of the Park, has a trunk with a circumference of over
50 feet and a diameter of 17 feet. Maybe you can, but I couldn‟t take it all in. Nor could I
come anywhere near taking in the whole 275 feet of the Giant‟s height. Once the tallest
Redwood, it lost its title when a storm several years ago knocked down 75 feet of its top to
bring it to its present height. But it‟ll need the mother of all storms for its record of being the
oldest tree in the park – estimated 2000–plus years to be knocked down.

Attempt the following questions on the basis of the passage you have read:

(a) The Redwood forests are protected because of……………………… 1

(i) they are very old
(ii) they deserve the status of National Parks
(iii) they are worth a visit
(iv) all of the above

(b) The Giant‟s height once was……………… 1
(i) 265 feet (ii) 250 feet (iii) 275 feet (iv) 270 feet
(c) Why did the author get crick in the neck? 1
(d) Who was the star of Henry Cowbell Redwoods State Park? 1
(e) Find the word from the passage which means “a person who seeks distraction and relief
from unpleasant realities”. 1
(f) Find the word from the Passage which is opposite of “separate”. 1
2. Read the following passage.

Overpowering prey is a challenge for limbless creatures. Some species inject venom like
Russell‟s viper. Some others opt for an alternative non–chemical method – rat snakes, for
instance, grab and push their prey against the ground, while pythons use their brawn to
squeeze their quarry to death. But snakes can‟t be neatly divided into venomous and
non–venomous. Even species listed as non–venomous aren‟t completely devoid of
venom. The common sand boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly toxic to
birds. So the species doesn‟t hedge its bets – it constricts its prey and injects venom for
good measure. Do vipers need venom potent enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one
drop? After all, they eat only one or two at a time.

While predators try their hardest to kill most efficiently, their prey use any trick to avoid
becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to venom. For instance, Californian
ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake venom.

Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more
toxic venom. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves. Some snake
predators have partial immunity to venom. Famously, mongooses are highly resistant to
cobra venom, and with their speed and agility, kill snakes with impunity. It would be the
death of cobras as a species if they didn‟t evolve more toxic venom to immobilize
mongooses. Venom has another important role. It‟s an extreme meat tenderizer; specific
enzymes disintegrate the innards of prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun‟s warm
rays to aid digestion. Venomous snakes have an advantage: enzymes in venom digest the
meal from the inside before it rots in their guts. But I wonder if we cannot use venom in
our favor. In remote parts of India, local hospitality often involves leather–tough meat. I
chew and chew until my jaws ache. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended.
Eventually, I swallow like a python stuffing a deer down its throat and hope I don‟t
choke. If only I had venom.

On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions in 30–40 words
each:

a) Russell viper and Rat snake have different methods to attack its prey. Explain? 2
b) How does sand boa kill its prey? 2
c) There is a constant tussle between the predators of the prey. Why? 2
d) Snakes have to guard themselves against their predators as well. How do they do
this? 2
e) Find the word from the Passage which means “entirely lacking or free from”. 1

Section B (Writing)

3. Write a letter to your friend about how you spent your summer vacation at Delhi. You are
Neena/Neerajof GIC Almora. 6
OR
Write an application to your school principal requesting him to issue you a duplicate copy
of a mark sheet, because you lost original one. You are Kapil/Kavita.

4. Write a paragraph on any one of the following in about 60 words. 4
a) My School
b) Life in a Village
c) The Importance of Education
d) Mahatma Gandhi

5. On the basis of hints given below, write a paragraph in about 80 words on „A visit to Hill
station‟.
5
Hints: …….. organised a visit to……..travel by……… scenic view…..stop for
brunch…..places visited….cuisine enjoyed……got experience of….. enjoyed the visit.

Section C (Grammar)

6. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of non-finites given in the brackets:
½ x 4=2
a) I plan ………till midnight. (read)
b) They found their…………dog. (miss)
c) We intend ……….early. (move)
d) Be careful when ……………the road. (cross)

7. Combine the following pairs of sentences using sentence connectors given in the brackets-
1 x 2=2

a) Hurry up. You will miss the train. (Unless)
b) Work hard. You will pass. (If)

8. Join the following pair of sentences as directed- 1 x 2=2

a) He is a good person. I know. (Begin with 'I know....)
b) Gopal was utterly bored with his studies. He went out for a walk. (Begin with „Utterly…)

9. Fill in the blanks with correct form of verbs given in the brackets- 1 x 3=3

Air and water …………. (be) necessary for life. Air ………….. (contain) oxygen which
we inhale. We ………. (release) a gas called carbon dioxide.

10. Complete the following sentence using modals : 1 x 2=2

a) You …….. be busy today.
b) It …….. rain tomorrow.

11. a) Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences-
1 x 2=2
i. join/college/decided to/at the/I/thirty-five/age of
ii. confused teenager/not a/grown-up/was a/woman and/I

b) Transform the following sentences into passive voice 1 x 2=2

i. I gave him a book for his birthday.
ii. They called off the meeting.

Section D (Text Book)
(Prose)

12.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow-

The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union
Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it
was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of
South Africa‟s first democratic, non-racial government.
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the podium,
Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second Deputy President. Then Thabo Mbeki was
sworn in as first Deputy President. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey and uphold the
Constitution and to devote myself to the well-being of the republic and its people.

a) What was going to happen in the Union Buildings in Pretoria? 1
b) What is the name of Nelson Mandela‟s daughter? 1
c) How was this ceremony going to create difference in the world‟s history? 1
d) Find the word from the Passage which means “dais”. 1

13. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

At twelve, he was sent away for schooling in the Hindu sacred scriptures and four years
later he returned home to marry a princess. They had a son and lived for ten years as
befitted royalty. At about the age of twenty-five, the Prince, heretofore shielded from the
sufferings of the world, while out hunting chanced upon a sick man, then an aged man,
then a funeral procession, and finally a monk begging for alms. These sights so moved
him that he at once went out into the world to seek enlightenment concerning the sorrows
he had witnessed. He wandered for seven years and finally sat down under a peepal tree,
where he vowed to stay until enlightenment came.

a) To whom does „he‟ refer here in the passage? 1
b) At what age did the prince see the sufferings of the world? 1
c) What did the prince chance to see while out on hunting? 1
d) Find the word in the passage which means “wisdom”. 1

14. Answer the following questions in about 80 words.

Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter „God‟? 5
OR
What was Valli‟s deepest desire? What did she find out about the bus, and how did she
save up the fare?

15. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words.

What is the story about Kodavu people‟s descent? 3
OR
Explain the title of the play „The Proposal‟ in your words?

(Poetry)

16. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow :
“He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle‟s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!

a) Why would the tiger be snarling around houses? 1
b) Where are the houses situated? 1
c) Name the Poem and the Poet? 1
OR
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,

Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.

a) Who was Custard? 1
b) How does his nose look like? 1
c) Name the Poem and the Poet? 1

17.Answer any two of the following questions in 30-40 words each :
2x2=4

a) What is a „Dust of Snow‟? What does the poet say has changed his mood?
b) What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
c) “Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful”, why?

(Supplementary Reader)

18.Answer the following questions in about 100 words. 7

Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and
why?
OR
“Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.

19.Answer the following question in 30-40 words. 3

Why is Mrs. Pumphery worried about Tricki?
OR
“The course of Loisel‟s life changed due to the necklace.” Comment.

20. Answer the following question in20-30 words. 2

Why do you think Lutkins neighbours were anxious to meet the lawyer?
OR
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage?