Syllabus, Design & Blue Print for Pre – Board - I 2023-24

Subject – English
Class – X

M.M.: 80 Time: 3 hours

S. No Sections Marks
1. A- Reading 20
2. B- Writing & Grammar 20
3. C- Literature 40
Total 80

Section – A (Reading) 2 Unseen passages: 20 Marks

S. No Types of Question Marks

1. MCQS & Objective type 10
2. MCQS & Objective type 10

Section – B (Grammar & Writing) 10+10=20 Marks

S. No Types of questions Marks

3. Editing (MCQS) 3
4. Reported speech 3
5. Gap gilling (MCQS) 4
6. Formal letter 5
7. Analytical paragraph 5

Section – C (Literature) 40 Marks

Whole Syllabus as per CBSE

S. No Types of questions Marks

8. RTC ques (Poem) (1x5) MCQs 5
9. RTC ques (Prose) (1x5) MCQs 5
10. Short Ques-Ans (3x4) First Flight 12
11. Short Ques-Ans (3x2) Footprints 6
12. Long que First Flight 6
13. Long que Footprints 6
 Subject - English Language & Literature
Class: X – Pre-Board – I Nov. 2023
Session: 2023-24
Maximum Marks: 80 Time Allowed: 3 hours

Roll No. ______ DAVKSAIN/ HP010/ Nov. 2023

General Instructions:
 The Question Paper contains three sections.
 Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
I. Section A (10 marks)
Reading Skills
I. Read the text carefully and answer the questions: (10 Marks)

1. Economist, ethicists and business experts persuade us that honesty is the best
policy, but their evidence is weak. We hoped to find data that would support their
theories and thus, perhaps, encourage higher standards of business behaviour. To our
surprise, their pet theories failed to stand up. Treachery, we found, can pay. There is
no compelling economic reason to tell the truth or keep one’s word. Punishment
for the treacherous in the real world is neither swift nor sure.

2. Honesty is, in fact, primarily a moral choice. Business people do tell themselves that,
in the long run, they will do well by doing good. But there is little factual or logical basis
for this conviction. Without values, without a basic preference of right over wrong, trust
based on such delusion would crumble in the face of temptation. Most of us choose
virtue because we want to believe in ourselves and because others respect and
believe us.

3. And due to this, we should be happy. We can be proud of a system in which people
are honest because they want to be, not because they have to be. Materially, too, trust
based on morality provides great advantages. It allows us to join in great and exciting
enterprises that we could never undertake if we relied on economic incentives alone.

4. Economists tell us that trust is enforced in the market place through retaliation and
reputation. If you violate a trust, your victim is apt to seek revenge and others are likely
to stop doing business with you, at least under favourable terms. A man or woman with
a reputation for fair dealing will prosper. Therefore, profit maximisers are honest. This
sounds plausible enough until you look for concrete examples. Cases that apparently
demonstrate the awful consequences of trust turn out to be few and weak, while
evidence that treachery can pay seems compelling.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.
i. According to the passage, what do economists and ethicists, want us to believe?
(a) Businessmen should always be honest
(b) Businessmen cannot always be honest
(c) Businessmen turn dishonest at times
(d) Businessmen are honest only at times

ii. What did the author find out about the theory that ‘honesty is the best policy’?
(a) It is correct on many occasions
(b) It is correct for all businesses
(c) It is a useless theory
(d) It is a theory which seems to be correct only occasionally

iii. Infer one reason for the following, based on information in paragraph 2:
Businessmen are honest in their dealings.

iv. According to the author, which of the following, is the reason for being honest in
business?
(a) It gives no immediate benefits
(b) It gives no long-term benefits
(c) It makes a person self-seeking
(d) None of these

v. Supply one point to justify the following:

The author says that one can be proud of the present situation.

vi. Supply one material advantage which the author sees in being honest.

vii. Which of the following phrases is most nearly the same in meaning as the word
‘persuade’ as it has been used in the passage?
(a) Give an assurance
(b) Give an opinion
(c) Try to convince
(d) Cheat

viii. State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE:

Economists believe that all businessmen are dishonest.

ix. Substitute the word ‘conviction’ with ONE WORD similar in meaning, in the following
sentence from paragraph 2:
Business people do tell themselves that, in the long run, they will do well by doing
good. But there is little factual or logical basis for this conviction.

x. Which of the following best describes what the author is trying to point out through
the last sentence of the passage, “Cases that…. compelling”?
(a) The consequences of business
(b) The contradictions in the real world
(c) Economists predict incorrectly
(d) The contradictions are unreal

II. Read the passage given below. 10

1. The ocean is one of the most unexplored parts of our planet, with a magnitude of
undiscovered species and mysteries. It turns out from the studies conducted over the
last few decades, this magnificent environment is under serious threat from human
intervention, with plastics set to outnumber fish by 2050.

2. Marine life, as we know it, is suffering irreparable damage from the chemical
pollution of the waters and the millions of tons of mismanaged waste dumped in the
oceans each year. The result is a planetary crisis with over 100 million marine animal’s
lives get lost every year, and the decay of the ocean’s ecosystem. Shocking Ocean
Pollution Statistics
•100 melon marine animals die each year from plastic waste alone.
• 100000 marine animal die from getting entangled in plastic yearly - this is just the
creatures we find
•1 in 3 marine mammal species get found entangled in litter, 12-14000 tons of plastic
are ingested by North Pacific fish yearly.
• In the past 10 years, we’ve made more plastic than the last century. By 2050, the
pollution of fish will be outnumbered by our dumped plastic.
• The largest trash site on the planet is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, twice the
surface area of Texas, it outnumbers sea life there 6 to 1.
• Chine is ranked #1 for mismanaged waste and plastics. However, the US is in the top
20 with a more significant waste per person contributions.
• 300 million tons of plastic gets created yearly, and this weighs the same as the entire
human population, and 50% is single-use only.
• There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waster estimated to be in our oceans. 269000
tons float, 4 billion microfibers per km2 dwell below the surface.
• 70% of our debris sinks into the ocean’s ecosystem, 15% floats and 15% lands on
our beaches.
• In terms of plastic, 8.3 million tons are discarded in the sea yearly. Of which, 236000
are ingestible microplastics that marine creatures mistake for food.
• Plastics take 500-1000 years to degrade; currently 79% is send to lands or the
oceans, while only 9% is recycled, and 12% gets incinerated.
• 1950-1998 over 100 nuclear blast tests occurred in our oceans.
• 500 marine locations are now recorded as dead zones globally, currently the size of
the United Kingdom’s surface (245000 km2)
• 80% of global marine pollution comes from agriculture runoff, untreated sewage,
discharge of nutrients and pesticides.
• 90% of the worldwide ocean debris comes from 10 rivers alone.
3. Almost 1,000 species of marine animals get impacted by ocean pollution, and we
now have over 500 locations recorded as dead zones where marine life cannot exist.
How did this happen, what is causing the most damage, find out everything above in
the marine pollution statistics roundup.

4. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating island of debris, accumulated in the
North Pacific Ocean by an extensive system of currents called gyres. It is built up from
two other waste patches, the western garbage patch near Japan and the eastern
garbage patch near America’s west coast near California and Hawaii.

5. The North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone links the east and western
garbage patches, acting as a highway for waste to move from one to the other.
Because of this, a small item of debris dropped near California can travel across to
Japan, then eventually get sucked up by these swirling garbage patch vortexes.

6. The great pacific garbage patch size is quite shocking. These patches of trash are
said to be twice the size of Texas and float on the surface but do drop several meters
into the ocean in places, which makes the correct size challenging to measure. The
world’s largest garbage site is mainly made up of microplastics creating a vast cloud,
with newer items of debris that haven’t broken down as much floating around like
chunks in a soup. The great pacific garbage patch effects on marine life are extremely
significant.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

i. In the ocean what is set to outnumber the fish by the year 2050?
(a) pollution (b) plastics
(c) human waste (d) garbage

ii. List any two reasons for the following, based on information in paragraph 2
Marine life is suffering from irreparable damage.
1. __________
2. __________

iii. The largest trash site on the planet, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is twice the
size of which city?
(a) Arizona (b) Colorado
(c) Texas (d) Florida

iv. Which country is ranked number one for mismanaged waste and plastics?
(a) China (b) USA
(c) India (d) France
v Complete the following analogy correctly with a word from paragraph 3:
slug: land :: shark : _____
(Clue: Just like a slug lives on land, similarly a shark lives in...)

vi. Which of the following is NOT a place from where 80% of global marine pollution
comes?
(a) untreated sewage
(b) agriculture run-off
(c) discharge of nutrients and pesticide
(d) factory waste disposal

vii. List one reason for the following, based on information in paragraph 5:
A small item of debris dropped near California can travel across to Japan.

viii. State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE;

700 marine locations are now recorded as dead zones globally.

ix. Substitute the word ‘irreparable’ with ONE WORD similar in meaning, in the
following sentence from paragraph 2:
Marine life, as we know it, is suffering irreparable damage from the chemical pollution
of the waters...

x. An extensive system of currents in the North Pacific Ocean is called:

(a) vortex
(b) convergence
(c) gyres
(d) debris

III SECTION B- GRAMMAR 10

Attempt ANY TEN of the following questions. 10

i. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the sentence.
The mechanic _____ the vehicle since the morning.
(a) repaired
(b) repairing
(c) has been repairing
(d) will be repairing

ii. Read the conversation between customer and shopkeeper. Complete the sentence
by reporting shopkeeper’s reply correctly.

Customer: Can I have a bottle of juice?

Shopkeeper: Sorry, we only have milk bottles.
The customer asked the shopkeeper if he could have a bottle of juice. The shopkeeper
apologized and said _____.

iii. Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line.
Genius does what it must, and talent does what it _____.
(a) can
(b) would
(c) may
(d) should

iv. Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following
line:
There are not some buses because the drivers have gone on a strike.
Option No. Error Correction

Option No. Error Correction

(a) are is
(b) the a
(c) some any
(d) have has

v. Complete the given sentence, by filling in the blank with the correct option:
I have _____ Lakshmi for the past twelve years.
(a) know
(b) knew
(c) known
(d) knows

vi. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket.
According to the news, the shower _____ (were) to take place.

vii. Report the dialogue between Meena and Neha, by completing the narration:

Meena: Tomorrow is your birthday, what do you want as a gift?

Neha: That is a lovely thought but I don’t want anything.

Meena asked Neha since the next day was her birthday, _____. Neha replied that that
was a lovely thought but she did not want anything.

viii. Identify the error in the given sentence and supply the correction.

Dawn’s favorite activity is draw sketches of her family.

Use the given format for your response.

Error Correction

ix. Transform the following direct speech into reported speech:

He said, “Has anybody been unkind to you?”

x. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option, to complete the sentence.
There _____ something wrong with the cooker today.
(a) must be
(b) should have been
(c) must have been
(d) None of these

xi. Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between Tanmay
and Astha.
Tanmay: How did you spend your vacation?
Astha: I visited Kashmir with my parents.

Tanmay asked Astha how she had spent her vacation. Astha replied that _____.

(a) she has visited Kashmir with her parents

(b) she had visited Kashmir with her parents
(c) she have visited Kashmir with her parents
(d) she hadn’t visited Kashmir with her parents

xii. Identify the error in the given sentence and supply the correction.
We can expect few more mosquitoes after continued falls of rain.

Use the given format for your response.

Error Correction

IV. SECTION B- CREATIVE WRITING SKILLS 10

1. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5

A. You are Arihant/Ananya of Ashok Vihar. Write a letter of complaint to Cabinet World
regarding the faulty cabinet that they have sold to you. Invent the necessary details on
your own.
OR
B. You are Mohammad Ali/Sahiba Ali, residing in 1545, Kirti Nagar, New Delhi. Write a
letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, drawing his attention to the deteriorating
law and order situation in the city.

2. Attempt ANY ONE from A and B given below. 5

A. The following line graph shows the average monthly temperatures in three major
cities. Write an analytical paragraph on the basis of the line graph reporting the
important information and making comparisons where relevant.

OR
B. The graph below shows fast food consumption among men and women in 2015.
Write an analytical paragraph in 100-120 words by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.

IV. SECTION C- Literature - 40

V. Reference to the Context 10

1. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. 5

1.A Inside the clouds, everything was suddenly black. It was impossible to see
anything outside the aeroplane. The old aeroplane jumped and twisted in the air.
looked at the compass. I couldn’t believe my eyes: the compass was turning round and
round and round. It was dead. It would not work! The other instruments were suddenly
dead, too. I tried the radio.
(Two Stories About Flying)

i. What was causing the plane to jump and twist in the air?
(a) air pressure
(b) wind currents
(c) black stormy clouds
(d) dead engine

ii. Infer one reason for the following, based on information in the extract:
The compass was turning round and round.

iii. The narrator couldn’t see outside the aeroplane because:

(a) it was too bright to look outside.
(b) he was too high in the clouds to see anything clearly.
(c) everything was black inside the storm clouds.
(d) there was too much lightening.

iv. State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE:

It was impossible to see anything outside the aeroplane.

v. Over which country was the pilot flying at this moment?

(a) Germany (b) Spain
(c) United Kingdom (d) France
OR

1.B It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before.
Then the soft green paddy fields gave way to tea-bushes. It was a magnificent view.
Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as
the eye could see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall sturdy shade-trees and amidst
the orderly rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures. In the distance was an ugly
building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys.
“Hey, a tea-garden!” Rajvir cried excitedly.
Pranjol, who had been born and brought up on a plantation, didn’t share Rajvir’s
excitement.
(Glimpses of India)

i. Supply one reason for the following, based on information in the extract:
Pranjol did not share Rajvir’s excitement about the view outside.

ii. Why has the building been called ugly?

(a) because it was an old building
(b) because the construction was bad
(c) because smoke was coming out of its tall chimneys
(d) because it didn’t have a good history

iii. Why did Rajvir cry excitedly?

(a) because he saw too much greenery
(b) because he saw a tea-garden
(c) because he saw a plantation
(d) because he saw an ugly building

iv. What has been called ‘magnificent’ in the extract?

v. Which of the following options tells the meaning of the word ‘billowing’?
(a) aggressively shooting upwards
(b) rolling outward
(c) moving at a great speed
(d) gathering at a place

2. Attempt ANY ONE of two extracts given. 5

2.A Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little grey mouse, she called him Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
(The tale of Custard the Dragon)

i. Who is ‘she’?
(a) Amanda (b) Belinda
(c) Wanda (d) Peggy

ii. What was the little kitten called?

(a) Mustard (b) Blink
(c) Ink (d) Custard

iii. Supply one characteristic of the dragon according to the extract.

iv. Infer one reason for the following, based on information in the extract:
The little dog was called Mustard.

v. Choose an option that is an antonym of the word ‘coward’.

(a) weakling (b) scaredy cat
(c) aggressor (d) master
OR

2.B The way a crow

Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
(Dust of Snow)

i. Complete the following analogy correctly with a word from the extract:
eider: duck :: cedar : _____
(Clue : Just like an eider is a type of duck, similarly a cedar is a type of...)

ii. Which literary device has been used throughout the poem?
(a) Simile
(b) Personification
(c) Alliteration
(d) Enjambment

iii. Where is the poet sitting in the poem Dust of Snow?

(a) Under a laburnum tree
(b) Under a hemlock tree
(c) Under a peepal tree
(d) None of these

iv. State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE:

hemlock tree is a a poisonous tree with white flowers.

v. What makes the fine particles of snow fall from the tree?
(a) Frog
(b) Crow
(c) Snake
(d) Goldfinch

VI Answer ANY FOUR of the following in about 40-50 words each. 4X 3 = 12

i. What does Chubukov at first suspect Lomov had come to his house for?
(The Proposal)

ii. How did Valli manage to leave her house?

(Madam Rides the Bus)

iii. ‘Money is external.’ What does the poet John Berryman mean by these words?
(The Ball Poem)

iv. The “yellow hair” is a symbol in the poem. Briefly support the statement with
reference to the poem “For Anne Gregory”.
v. How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring in a spark of brightness even
in adverse circumstances.?
(A Letter to God)

VII Answer ANY TWO of the following in about 40-50 words each. 2X 3= 6

i. Was there any balcony outside the window? What role does it play in the story, ‘The
Midnight Visitor’?

ii. ‘If the theory proves correct, it will be a big step towards understanding the
processes of life.’ What is the theory and who proposed it?
(The Making of a Scientist)

iii. What happened at the ball? Was Matilda’s dream fulfilled?

(The Necklace)

VIII Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words. 6

i. According to Nelson Mandela, every man in life has twin obligations. What are these
obligations? Do you agree with Nelson Mandela’s opinion about the ‘twin obligations?
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
OR

ii. How does Amanda tackle the nagging nature of her parents? Explain with examples
from the poem ‘Amanda!’. What values does it portray about Amanda?

IX Answer ANY ONE of the following in about 100-120 words. 6

i. “Oh I will, Mr Herriot. I’m sure you are right, but it is so difficult, so very difficult.”
Above statement easily shows that Mrs Pumphrey is a very loving and caring mistress
for Tricki. Explain the truth with instances from the story ‘A Triumph of Surgery’.
OR

ii. “A lawless scientist is a curse to the society.”

Discuss with reference to the story ‘Footprints without Feet’.
 Answer Key
Pre-Board - I – Nov. 2023
Class - X
Subject – English
I. (10)
1. B 2. B
3. Businessmen choose to be honest
4. D
5. People are honest without compulsion
6. It permits one to make a lot of profit in various areas
7. C 8. False
9. faith 10. B

II. (10)
1. B
2. 1. The millions of tons of mismanaged waste dumped in the oceans each year
2. The chemical pollution of the waters
3. C 4. A 5. Ocean
6. D
7. The North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone.
8. False 9. Unrecoverable
10. C

III. (10)
1. C
2. they had only milk bottles
3. A 4. C 5. C 6. Is
7. what she wanted as a gift
8. Error Correction
draw drawing
9. He asked me if anybody had been unkind to me.
10. A 11. B
12.
Error Correction
draw drawing
IV. (10)
4. Format – 1 Content – 2 Organization of ideas – 1 Accuracy – 1

5. Content – 2 Organization of ideas – 2 Accuracy – 1

V. (10)
1. A
1. C
2. Because it was dead 3. C 4. False
5. France

1. B
1. He was born and brought up that area.
2. C 3. B
4. The green view of Assam’s tea gardens
5. B

2. A
1. B 2. C
3. He was a coward
4. He was as yellow and sharp as mustard
5. C

2. B
1. tree 2. D 3. B 4. True 5. B

VI. (12)

1. to borrow some money from him

he decided not lend him money
talked to him very politely

2. after lunch Valli’s mother would take a nap

she used this time to indulge in her excursion
decided to use the same time for her 1st excursion

3. money can’t be used to replace everything

money can’t buy happiness and memories
it can’t compensate for the sense of loss suffered by a person

4. in some countries yellow and blonde hair is considered appealing in contrast

to dark hair
girls with lighter hair color are portrayed as beautiful in movies and stories
Annie’s yellow hair emphasizes her beautiful look

5. optimism can bring about a spark of brightness even in adverse situation

it was Lencho’s optimism that eventually led to getting 70 pesos
his hope finally triumphed
VII. (6)

1. No, Ausable cooked up a false story of a balcony

He said that through the balcony anyone could enter in his room
When there was a knock at the door Max got scared that he would be
caught by the police
So, he jumped down and met his death

2. Richard Ebright’s new theory was about cell life

While looking at X-ray photos of chemical structure of hormone he came
to know how cell can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA
DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls heredity &
determine the blue print for life

3. Matilda was drunk with pleasure and filled with joy

Fascinated with her charm and beauty
Officials of the ministry even desired to dance with her
She forgot everything in the victory of her glory

VIII. (6)
1. Two obligations:
family, parents, wife and children
people, community, country
in a civil & humane society each man can fulfil these obligations
but in South Africa it was impossible
I agree with Mandela as in any country where people are being
oppressed and prevented from fulfilling their obligations has to suffer a
lot
OR

2. she used to drift into the world of her imagination

where she is a mermaid, an orphan or Rapunzel
her parents are upset over her behavior
but she stays in her own world
all these portrays her in a positive light while her parents in a negative
light

IX. (6)
1. loving and caring mistress
pampered her pet, Tricki
her over indulgence proved harmful to him
when he was listless, she thought that the dog was suffering from
malnutrition
she gave him extra food and made him sick
 when he was taken to vet, she used to call dozens of times a day
she sent fresh eggs, wine and brandy for him
when Tricki got well she thanked Mr. Herriot

OR

2. a true scientist is always dedicated and concerned about the

welfare the society
but, if he is lawless, he is curse to the society
Griffin is a brilliant scientist, who made a rare discovery of making
human body invisible
but he was lawless as he misused his discovery
he was a curse and caused a lot of harm to the people around him