Class 10 Sample Paper 2024 English (Mid Term)

MID TERM
SAMPLE PAPER
Practice Question Paper | Model Paper |
Sample Question Paper

2024-2025

Practice Paper (Mid-Term Examination)
CLASS: X

English Language & Literature

Time allowed: 3Hrs Max. Marks: 80

General Instructions:
1. 15 minutes prior reading time allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The question Paper contains THREE sections: READING, WRITING &
GRAMMAR and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

Section A: READING (20 MARKS)
1. Read the passage given below: (10 Marks)
Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. Some species
like Russell’s viper inject poison. Some others opt for an alternative non-chemical
method – rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground, while
pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can’t be
neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories.

Even species listed as non-poisonous aren’t completely free of poison. The common
Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly poisonous to birds. So the
species doesn’t take any chance—it crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra
step.
Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop?
After all, they eat only one or two at a time.

While hunting animals try their worst to kill most efficiently, their prey uses any trick
to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison. For instance,
Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison.
Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more
deadly poison. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves.

Some snake killers have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are highly
resistant to cobra poison and with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly. It
would be the death of cobras as a species if they didn’t evolve a more deadly poison

to stop mongooses.

Poison has another important role. It’s an extreme meat softener, specific enzymes
break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun’s warm rays
to aid digestion.

But I wonder if we cannot use venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local
hospitality often involves leather-tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaw ache. If I
spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like a python stuffing a
deer down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:
(1 X 10 = 10 Marks)

1. Which species injects poison as an extra step?
a) Viper
b) Cobra
c) Python
d) San Boa
2.Overpowering ____________ is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs.
a) a killer
b) humans
c) a python
d) prey
3.Poison ____________ meat.
a) enhance taste of
b) hardens
c) softens
d) breaks down
4. Californian squirrels are ____________ rattlesnake poison.
a) afraid of
b) helpless against
c) resistant to
d) indifferent to
5. While hunting animals try their worst to kill:
a) efficiently
b) easily
c) particularly

d) fearlessly

6. Russell viper and rat snake have different methods to attack prey. How?
7. How does Sand Boa kill its prey?
8. There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey. Why?
9. What makes mongoose a snake predator?
10. What difficulty does the writer face when he is entertained in the remote parts of
India?

Q2. Read the passage given below (10 Marks)
The white tiger is an offspring of Bengal tiger, which has the necessary gene for
white colouring. It has beautiful black stripes on a white coat. This species of animal
has blue eyes and a pink nose.

A pure white tiger is totally white without any stripe, which is due to the presence of
double recessive allele in the genetic code. It happens only in the Bengal tiger
subspecies, and only one in 10,000 births can have it naturally. White tigers are rarely
seen in the wild, and only twelve of them have been spotted in India since last one-
hundred years. Tigers have a life-span of 10-15 years. They are solitary animals, and
are fond of hunting at night. Their diet consists of any animals that they can catch,
and can eat up to 40 pounds of meat at one time. After such a big meal, they usually
remain away for several days from food.

They are slow runners, but good swimmers. They are poor climbers and cannot climb
a tree easily. They live in an area ranging from 10 to 30 square miles depending upon
the availability of prey, water and shelter. Habitat loss, poaching and expansion of
human population have together contributed to their becoming endangered. They are
widely hunted for their body-parts, which are used in traditional Chinese medicines.
Genetic inbreeding is another reason for their endangerment. Due to shortage in their
number, this species of animal has been subjected to inbreeding. It has resulted in
high mortality rates and severe disabilities. About 80 percent of the white tiger cubs
are born with serious birth-defects related to inbreeding, and they soon die-off.

The critical condition of this animal has attracted the attention of conservationists
worldwide. World Wildlife Federation (WWF), defenders of wildlife, and many other
wildlife organizations are working with the support of the government for the cause
of protecting them from becoming extinct. Once they become extinct, it will not be
possible to bring them back to life.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:
(1 X 10 = 10 Marks)
1. Recently, how many white tigers have been spotted in India?
a) 15
b) 14
c) 13
d) 12
2.What is the life span of a tiger?
a) 5-10 years
b) 10-15 years
c) 15-20 years
d) 20-25 years
3. The White tiger is an offspring of
a) Rajasthan tiger
b) Chennai tiger
c) Punjab tiger
d) Bengal tiger
4. Tigers are climbers and cannot climb a tree easily.
a) Expert
b) Goat
c) Poor
d) worst
5. A pure tiger is totally white without any stripes.
a) White
b) Yellow
c) Golden
d) Brown

6. What affects the tiger from remaining away for several days from food?
7. Find the word from the passage which means same as ‘hereditary’.
8. Name any two agencies working for the protection of tigers.
9. What two factors have put tigers’ species in the category of the endangered animals?
10. Why do we protect Wild Tigers from becoming extinct?

Section B: Writing & Grammar (20 Marks)
Q3. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. (5 marks)

A. You are Tarun / Tamanna living at 5454, Wazirpur, Delhi which is a
resettlement colony. You are disturbed to see heaps of garbage and rubbish all

around. Write a letter in about 100 -120 words to the Healthy Officer of your
area complaining against the unhealthy environment.
OR
B. You are Saksham / Shikha living at 35/A, Mayur Vihar, Delhi. You are
disturbed due to increase in road accidents and miss happenings. Write a letter
to the editor in about 100 -120 words of a local newspaper to showcase the
same and create an awareness among the citizens.
Q4. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below: (5 marks)

A. The chart below displays data about the online activity for the different age
groups. Write a paragraph analyzing the data.

B. Read the following excerpt from an article that appeared in the Health
magazine:
Stress is bumper-to-bumper traffic when you’re in a hurry. Chronic stress can
lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. It can dampen the immune
system, increasing susceptibility to colds and other common infections.
Write a paragraph to analyze the given argument.

Grammar
Q5. Choose the correct option. (Any 3) (3*1 marks = 3 marks)
a. Manju said, “I am going out tonight.”
i. Manju said that she was going out tonight.
ii. Manju said that she was going out that night.
iii. Manju said she was going out that night.
iv. Manju said that she will be going out that night.

b. Rajat said, “I will manage hereafter.”
i. Rajat said that he would manage hereafter.

ii. Rajat said that he will manage thereafter.
iii. Rajat said that he would manage thereafter.
iv. Rajat said that he will manage hereafter.

c. Bindya said, “We went for a summer trip.”
i. Bindya said that they had gone for a summer trip.
ii. Bindya said that they were on a summer trip.
iii. Bindya said that they went for a summer trip.
iv. Bindya said they had gone for a summer trip.

d. He said, “I have been a great mentor.”
i. He said that he had been a great mentor.
ii. He said that he was a great mentor.
iii. He exclaimed that he was a great mentor.
iv. He said that he has been a great mentor.

Q6. Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with suitable words.
(Any 3) (3*1 marks = 3 marks)

On the Annual Day celebration, the Principal delivered a lecture, “Good evening
children, you all (a) __________ be the future policymakers, hence you ought to obey
your teachers. You (b) ________ always try to win over the confidence of your
superiors. You must not leave any stone unturned and you (c) _________ not worry
about the result. Take a pledge that you (d) _________ obey and respect your elders.
a. i. can ii. will iii. should iv. may
b. i. should ii. need iii. may iv. must
c. i. will ii. does iii. do iv. need
d. i. will ii. should iii. did iv. shall

Q7. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line.
Write the error and its correction as shown in the example.
(4*1 marks = 4 marks)

Error Correction
A hurricane is the huge spinning storm that e.g. The a
forms over a warm ocean. Its 300 miles a) _________ __________
wide. It swirls in the eye, a calm area b) _________ _________
on the centre of the storm. When hurricanes reach c) _________ _________
land, they bring high winds, heavy rains, or huge
waves. d) _________ _________

Section C- Literature (40 Marks)
Q8. Read the extract and answer the following questions. (Any 1)
(5*1 marks = 5 marks)
A. Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers
were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm
had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, "A plague of
locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will
have no corn."

1. Why did no leaf remain on the trees?
a. An earthquake had occurred, leaving the field bare.
b. A meteor had struck, leaving the field bare.
c. A cyclone had struck, leaving the field bare.
d. A hailstorm had struck, leaving the field bare.
2. What was the major eject of the hailstorm on the field?
a. The corn was totally destroyed by the hailstorm.
b. Lencho’s house was totally destroyed by the hailstorm.
c. The gateway to Lencho’s house was totally destroyed by the hailstorm.
d. Lencho’s father died in fear of the hailstorm.
3. How did Lencho feel after the storm?
a. Lencho was happy after the storm.
b. Lencho was utterly unhappy and distressed after the storm.
c. Lencho was surprised after the storm.
d. Lencho was still in fright after the storm.
4. What made Lencho sad?
a. Lencho was sad as he was left with no place to live.
b. Lencho was sad as he was bankrupt.
c. Lencho was sad as he was left with no corn to sow and feed his family with.
d. Lencho was sad as he was admitted in a hospital.
5. Whose soul was filled with sadness?
a. God’s soul was filled with sadness.
b. The mayor’s soul was filled with sadness.
c. Lencho’s father’s soul was filled with sadness.
d. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness.

B. Anil made money by fits and starts. He would borrow one week, lend the next. He
kept worrying about his next cheque, but as soon as it arrived, he would go out and
celebrate. It seems he wrote for magazines—a queer way to make a living!
1. Anil made money ‘by fits and starts’ means that he
a. deemed it fit to start investing money.
b. started earning money in the recent past.
c. received money intermittently.

d. put his money to use frequently.

2. The information in the extract suggests that Anil could be a

a. salaried professional
b. freelancer
c. business man
d. volunteer

3. If borrow : : lend, then pick the ODD pair from the options below
a. give : : take
b. lose : : find
c. hop : : skip
d. buy : : sell

4. The reference to making a little money ‘this way’ refers to a way that is viewed by
most people as
a. sensible.
b. inappropriate.
c. charitable.
d. Aggressive

5. Based on your understanding of Anil in the extract, choose the option that
synchronizes with his thinking.
a. So what if I don’t have much money? Giving it to that person is important as
they could do with a helping hand.
b. I better learn how to protect my money. I think I’m being looted.
c. I earn money with such tremendous effort. Where does it all go?
d. When I become rich, I can begin to help friends then. Right now, I will spend
only on myself.

Q9. Read the extract and answer the following questions. (Any 1)
(5*1 marks = 5 marks)
A. The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
1. What is the ‘crow’ symbolic of ?
a. Sadness
b. Anger
c. Joy
d. Ugliness

2. What does the hemlock tree signify ?
a. Hatred and Anger

b. Death and Fear
c. Youthfulness and Joy
d. Mindfulness and Attentiveness

3. How did the crow change the poet’s mood?
a. Making him feel sad
b. Singing a song in melodious voice
c. Making him feel refreshed by shaking the dust of snow on him
d. Throwing some flowers on him

4. What saved some part of the poet’s day?
a. The beauty of hemlock tree
b. The crowing of the crow
c. The dust of snow
d. The beautiful surroundings

5. What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza ?
a. abab
b. aabb
c. abaa
d. abcd

B. He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.

1. Name the poem and the poet of the above stanza
a. Fog, Carl Sandburg
b. Animals, Walt Whitman
c. The Ball Poem, John Berryman
d. A Tiger in the Zoo, Leslie Norris

2.What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?
a. abab
b. abcd
c. abaa
d. abcb

3.What does the tiger hear in the zoo ?
a. He hears the sounds of his trainers
b. He hears the sounds of helpless and caged birds and animals

c. He hears the sounds of patrolling cars of the guards
d. He hears the sounds of his friends who live in the jungle

4. Which word in the stanza means ‘look intently’?
a. Stares
b. Patrolling
c. Brilliant
d. Stars

5. The rhyming words in the stanza are:
a. hears-stares
b. cars-stars
c. cares-stares
d. Stares-stars

Q10. Answer ANY FOUR of the following in about 40 – 50 words each.
(4*3 = 12 marks)
b. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human
disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious human achievement”
he speaks at the end?
c. Describe the activities of the Seagull’s family when he was failed to draw their
attention?
d. In the context of the poem ‘The Ball poem’, explain why it is important for
everyone to experience loss and to stand up after it?
e. How did Lencho comfort his family after the devastation by hailstorm?
f. Describe the theme of the poem ‘How to tell Wild Animals’ in your own words.

Q11. Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40 – 50 words each.
(2*3 = 6 marks)
a. Whom did Horace Danby see in the kitchen? How did they greet each other?
What tact did Horace apply there?
b. On the basis of your reading of the chapter ‘A Triumph of Surgery’, write the
brief character-sketch of Tricki’s mistress.
c. How did Max go out of Ausable’s room to save himself himself from the police?

Q12. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100 – 120 words each.
(1*6 = 6 marks)
a. Nelson Mandela points out some human qualities in his speech. Which of these
qualities impresses you the most? Do you think these qualities have become rare
now-a-days?
b. Anne was a sensitive and mature girl. Think of any two characters who could be
her friends or confidantes from the textbook ‘First Flight’.
Analyze the common character traits that would help in creating this special bond
of friendship.

Q13. Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100 – 120 words each.
(1*6 = 6 marks)
a. In the context of the chapter ‘A Question of Trust’, do you think Horace Danby
was unfairly punished or that he deserved what he got? Do you agree that
honesty in wrong acts is not desirable?
b. In the chapter ‘The Thief’s Story’, a thief in Hari Singh has changed into a
good human being and Anil played an important role in it. Justify it.

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