CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Communicative Set 5 with Solutions

Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Communicative with Solutions Set 5 are designed as per the revised syllabus.

CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Communicative Set 5 with Solutions

Time: 3 Hours
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions

• This question paper has 12 questions. All questions are compulsory.
• This question paper contains three sections.
  • Section A – Reading Skills
  • Section B – Writing Skills
  • Section C – Grammar
  • Section D – Literature
• Attempt all questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question number and part thereof in your answer sheet.
• Separate instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.
• Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Section A
Reading Skills (22 Marks)

Question 1.
Read the following passage carefully.
1. I saw ‘Jaws’, the popular shark movie, the summer it came out, in 1975, and became paranoid about sharks. Though I kept swimming, after Jaws, it was always with the vague fear that a shark’s teeth could tug on my leg at any moment. Never mind that there’d been only two shark bites since 1900 on the Connecticut coast, where I lived.

2. So, when I got this assignment for the National Geographic magazine, I decided to accept and do what I’d never wanted to do: swim with the sharks. I had to go to a place in the Bahamas known as Tiger Beach and dive with tiger sharks, the species responsible for more recorded attacks on humans than any shark except the great white. It was to be my first dive after getting certified-which meant it would be my first dive anywhere other than a swimming pool or a quarry and without a diver’s cage. Most people who got wind of this plan thought I was either very brave or very stupid.

3. But I just wanted to puncture an illusion. The people who know sharks intimately tend to be the least afraid of them, and no one gets closer to sharks than divers. The divers who run operations at Tiger Beach speak lovingly of the tiger sharks the way people talk about their children or their pets. In their eyes, these sharks aren’t man-eaters any more than dogs are.

4. The business of puncturing illusions is never just black and white. My fellow divers had hundreds of dives under their belt, and on the two-hour boat ride to the site in the morning of our first dive, they kept saying things like, “Seriously, I really can’t believe this is your first dive. “All this was okay with me until I reached the bottom and immediately had to fend off the first tiger shark I had ever laid eyes on. However, when I watched the other divers feeding them fish and steering them gently, it became easy to see the sharks in a very benign light.

5. I think it would be unfair not to mention that though tiger sharks are apex predators, they act as a crucial balancing force in ocean ecosystems, constraining the numbers of animals like sea turtles and limiting their behaviour by preventing them from overgrazing the seagrass beds. Furthermore, tiger sharks love warm water, they eat almost anything, have a huge litter, and are the hardiest shark species. If the planet and its oceans continue to warm, some species will be winners and others will be losers, and tiger sharks are likely to be winners.

Answer the following questions based on the passage above.

(i) Why did the narrator continue to fear sharks even though the actual risk was low? (Paragraph 1)
(a) He had read too many shark attack stories.
(b) His family had warned him about sharks.
(c) The movie Jaws deeply impacted his perception despite the rare shark incidents.
(d) There were constant shark sightings in Connecticut.
Answer:
(c) The movie Jaws deeply impacted his perception despite the rare shark incidents.

(ii) Complete the following with the correct option from those given in brackets.
In the line “Most people who got wind of this plan thought I was either very brave or very stupid,” the phrase ‘got wind of’ means ______________ (approved of/heard about/misunderstood/doubted). (Paragraph 2)
Answer:
heard about

(iii) Give two reasons why the narrator chose to dive with tiger sharks despite his fears. Answer in 30-40 words. (Paragraphs 2-3)
Answer:
(iii) The narrator wanted to face and overcome his fear of sharks, especially after the Jaws trauma. Also, he believed that those who knew sharks closely were least afraid, so diving would help change his perception.

(iv) What does the statement ‘puncture an illusion’ imply in this context? (Paragraph 3)
(a) To increase people’s fear of tiger sharks
(b) To test if his equipment would work underwater
(c) To challenge and overcome his preconceived fear
(d) To avoid being seen as weak by fellow divers
Answer:
(c) To challenge and overcome his preconceived fear

(v) The phrase ‘feeding them fish and steering them gently’ (Paragraph 4) symbolises ______________
(a) control over wild instincts
(b) danger in disguise
(c) The unpredictable nature of sharks
(d) forced behaviour
Answer:
(a) control over wild instincts

(vi) What would be the most suitable title for paragraph 5?
(a) Shark Extinction: A Growing Threat
(b) Tiger Sharks: Gentle Giants or Killers?
(c) How Tiger Sharks Support Marine Balance
(d) The Evolution of Shark Behaviour
Answer:
(c) How Tiger Sharks Support Marine Balance

(vii) Which phrase from paragraph 1 shows the narrator’s irrational fear despite statistical safety?
Answer:
The phrase, “Never mind that there’d been only two shark bites since 1900 on the Connecticut coast…” shows the narrator’s irrational fear despite statistical safety.

(viii) Fill in the blank by choosing the appropriate option from those given in the brackets.
Paragraph 4 includes a ______________ (warning/reflection/suggestion) about the narrator’s diving experience.
Answer:
reflection

(ix) Why are tiger sharks described as likely ‘winners’ if the planet continues to warm?
Answer:
Tiger sharks thrive in warm waters, are highly adaptable, and eat a wide variety of prey. Their resilience and high reproduction make them likely to flourish in changing ocean conditions caused by global warming.

Question 2.
Answer in 30-40 words. (Paragraph 5)

Answer the following questions based on the above table.

(i) Why is the tag ‘Play for the Nation’ more appropriate for the Khelo India Youth Games than ‘Invent to Inspire’?
Answer:
The tag ‘Play for the Nation’ fits Khelo India because it encourages youth to represent India through sports and develop national pride. ‘Invent to Inspire’ suits a tech fair better, where innovation is the focus.

(ii) Complete the following with the correct option.
The India Tech Invention Fair 2025 will be held ______________
(a) in Pune
(b) in Hyderabad
(c) in Bengaluru
(d) in Delhi
Answer:
(b) in Hyderabad

(iii) State which of the following is True.
(a) The Khelo India Youth Games are international.
(b) The Tech Invention Fair hosts physical sports events.
(c) The Junior Innovators Challenge is part of the Tech Invention Fair.
Answer:
(c) The Junior Innovators Challenge is part of the Tech Invention Fair.

(iv) What does the writer wish to convey by stating that the Khelo India Games aim to ‘build future champions’?
Answer:
It means the event aims to identify talented youth and support their journey to become top-level athletes representing the country.

(v) What might be the most likely reason for including indigenous sports at the Khelo India Youth Games?
(a) To attract older audiences
(b) To showcase traditional Indian games
(c) To replace modern sports
(d) To promote dance and theatre
Answer:
(b) To showcase traditional Indian games

(vi) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets. (1)
The Junior Innovators Challenge is intended for ______________ (school students/national athletes) to
present creative solutions to real-world problems.
Answer:
school students

(vii) If the India Tech Invention Fair focuses on innovation and design, what does the Khelo India Youth Games most likely focus on?
(a) Physical fitness and sportsmanship
(b) Coding and robotics
(c) Business and finance
(d) Health and surgery
Answer:
(a) Physical fitness and sportsmanship

(viii) What might be the most likely reason why the Tech Invention Fair spans three days while the Khelo India Youth Games last six days?
Answer:
The Khelo India Games last longer because sports events require multiple rounds, scheduling, and physical performances. The Tech Fair is mainly for showcasing inventions and can be conducted in fewer days.

Section B
Writing Skills (22 Marks)

Question 3.
Write an application, in not more than 50 words, to the Principal requesting permission to use the school auditorium for a Science Club presentation. You are Aditi Verma, Class XII-C, President of the Science Club.
Answer:
The Principal
XYZ School
New Delhi

2nd August, 20XX

Subject: Permission to use the school auditorium

Sir/Ma’am
I am Aditi Verma, President of the Science Club, Class XII-C. I request permission to use the school auditorium on 6th August for a student-led presentation on recent innovations in science. Kindly approve.

Thanking you

Yours obediently
Aditi Verma
Class XII-C

Question 4.
Write a descriptive paragraph on your role model based on the clues given below in not more than 100 words.
Name of the role model

• Why do you admire him/her
• His/her qualities that appeal to you the most- his/her traits, achievements, etc

Answer:
My father is my role model because he is the person I admire the most in my life. He is a very hardworking and down-to-earth person. Although he was bom in a very poor family, he defied all odds and became an engineer through his sheer hard work and willpower. It is due to his efforts that I can live a comfortable life. He never boasts of his success and keeps working hard.

The other quality that I like about him is that he treats everyone with respect, be it his superiors or subordinates, young or old, rich or poor. He is also calm and composed in times of difficulties and never gets knocked down due to them. He is not only a father but also a friend to me. It is he whom I consult first whenever I need any help or suggestion in my life. I wish to inculcate even half his qualities as I grow up.

Question 5.
A. Write a letter to the Tours Manager, Ashoka Tours and Travels, Bangalore, in not more than 120 words, seeking information regarding the tour packages offered by the company. You are Mr. Ajay/Anjali Mittal from Chandigarh, Punjab, who is planning to visit all the holy places of South India with your aged mother and father for a month’s time this September. You may use ideas from MCB Unit 5: Travel and Tourism.
Or
B. The main park in your locality is in a state of utter neglect. The gates of the park are broken, and the greenery has almost vanished. The employees responsible for the upkeep of the park are seldom seen doing their assigned duties. Write a letter to the Director, Horticulture Department, Meerut, complaining about the problem and requesting him to take appropriate action. You are Brij Kishore/Gopa, a resident of Kishore Nagar, Meerut. You may use ideas from MCB Unit 4: Environment. (120 words)
Answer:
A. 1/1, Mittal’s Villa
Rani Bagh-Chandigarh
Punjab-556655

12th March, 20XX

Tours Manager
Ashoka Tours and Travels
Kalasipalayam North-Bangalore
Karnataka-777777

Subject: Seeking Information about Your Tour Packages

Sir/Ma’am
This is with reference to your advertisement in the daily newspaper about the South India Pilgrim tour. I am planning to take my parents on a visit to all the Hindu temples and Churches. We also wish to visit Thekkady and the backwaters in Kerala. Kindly tell me the details regarding the places you cover in your pilgrimage packages and the mode of transport that you provide for the same. We prefer hygienic buses or cars with working air conditioners. We would be alright with a star stay. We wish to be provided with strictly vegetarian meals. Hence, kindly inform us of the details of your charges for stay, food, and travel, all separately.
Looking forward to the earliest reply.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Ajay Mittal/Anjali Mittal

Don’t confuse sentence structure in the rearrangement of sentences and miss changes in tense/pronoun while changing into reported speech.

Or

B. 37, Kishore Nagar
Meerut-25XXXX

16th March, 20XX

The Director
Horticulture Department
Meerut-25XXXX

Subject: Deplorable condition of Kishore Nagar Main Park

Sir/Ma’am
Through the medium of this letter, I wish to bring to your notice the poor condition of the main park in our locality. Sadly, the park has fallen into a miserable condition due to the utter neglect of the employees who are responsible for the upkeep of the park. They are seldom seen doing their assigned duties. It has been converted into a dumping ground for heaps of dirt. The boundary wall, as well as the main gate, is broken. It has become an easy target for encroachment and plunder. The grass and the plants have been destroyed, and there is no hint of greenery left. As a result, it has become an abode of stray animals. I request you to kindly look into the matter and ensure the restoration of the park to its original beauty.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Brij Kishore/Gopa

Question 6.
A. You are Rohini/Rahul. In today’s competitive age, the student’s main focus is academics and coaching classes for entrance examinations; so they tend to neglect participation in outdoor games. Lack of open spaces is another reason for avoiding athletics and sports. Write an article on ‘Poor Physical Fitness of School Students’ in about 150 words. Use the ideas that you may have gathered from MCB Unit 1: Health and Medicine and Unit 2: Education.
Or
B. The recent killing of Avni, the tigress that had two 10-month-old cubs, has disturbed you. You realise that human encroachment and the greed of land-grabbing companies are the cause of this. Write an article to be published in ‘The National Times’ about your concern and the need to take urgent action to stop the decline in the number of tigers in India, in about 150 words. Use the given clues along with your own ideas and those that you have gathered from Unit 4: Environment.
Clues:

• Human selfishness
• Illegal killings
• Lack of awareness
• Corrupt authorities
• Need for conservation and preservation

Answer:
A. Poor Physical Fitness of School Students by Rohini
Being physically active and fit holds utmost importance, especially among today’s younger generation, which is busy enjoying the luxuries of mobile, laptop, and TV at an alarming rate and isn’t active and spirited daily. In today’s competitive age, a student’s main focus is on academics and coaching classes, so they tend to neglect games. This is another reason for avoiding athletics and sports. Due to the non-involvement of physical activities and sports in student life, the health of the students is adversely affected. Being young, students have a lot of potential to develop a hobby that keeps their fitness regulated for a lifetime.

A healthy and fit person is capable of living life to the fullest, without any major medical or physical issues. Being healthy to a large extent is related to the physical well-being of a person. Being physically fit overhauls your personality. (It lets you perform physical activities without being tired or restless). Being physically fit also ensures you are mentally fit and stress-free. One has to include regular exercise in one’s daily routine to remain healthy and maintain physical fitness. So, a student has to lead a healthy lifestyle to experience happiness, peace enjoy an energetic and enthusiastic lifestyle.

Or

B. Decline of Tiger Population in India by Ambika Shukla
Humans are always so greedy and selfish that they are only worried about the fulfillment of their own wants. That is the primary reason why we are losing our wildlife day by day. The recent killing of Avni, the tigress that had two ten-month-old cubs, is a case in point. As the demand is rising, illegal killing of animals is increasing day by day in national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves with the connivance of local officials.

India has already lost a major tiger population due to human encroachment, illegal wildlife trade, diseases, deforestation, and loss of habitat. And the remaining population is under threat due to the lack of awareness, greed, corrupt authorities, and commercial tourism. Thus, many wild animals are now on the verge of extinction. The ecological balance has been disturbed due to the continuous killing of wild animals. The entire ecosystem of forests has been upset and destabilised due to such large-scale killings. Even local people who are dependent on forests for their livelihood are suffering. We should take urgent steps to stop the decline of endangered wildlife, particularly the tigers.

Many organisations are working in this regard to protect and preserve tigers. Awareness should be created among the public in this regard so that people should neither buy nor sell products made from parts of wildlife. Further, the culprits should be legally penalised through proper action by the concerned authorities.

Don’t make a mistake in focusing too much on the emotional aspect of the tigress’s death. Don’t forget to highlight the broader issues like illegal killings, habitat loss, and the urgent need for tiger conservation in India.

Section C
Grammar (10 Marks)

Question 7.
Fill the blanks (i)-(iii) with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.
Overeating is one of the most wonderful practices among those who think that (i) ______________ (their/then/they) can afford it. In fact, authorities say (ii) ______________ (this/that/it) nearly all who can get as much (iii) ______________ (as/is/was) they desire overeat to their disadvantage.
Answer:
(i) they
(ii) that
(iii) as

Question 8.
In the following paragraph, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word in the lines of the given paragrap,h along with the words that come before and the words that come after it in the space provided. The first one has been done as an example.

Answer:

Before	Missing	After
(a) wife	Were	Very
(b) arrived	After	Five
(c) had	Been	For
(d) and	Could	Not

Question 9.
Do as directed.
(i) Rearrange the following word clusters in the given information to make meaningful sentences.
The earthworm is the worm we know best. An earthworm wriggles like most worms do. Some worms have no legs, but they can swim. Earthworms live in the ground. The rainy/season/comes/during//large/numbers/they/out
(ii) Report the dialogues to complete the paragraphs given below.
Yashvi: How did you spend your holidays?
Saksham: I went for cricket coaching. What did you do?
Yashvi: I went for the NTSE coaching classes.
Yashvi asked Saksham (a) ______________ his holidays. Saksham said that (b) ______________ for Cricket coaching and wanted to know what she had enjoyed going for during holidays. Yashvi told him that she had gone for the NTSE coaching classes.
Answer:
(i) During the rainy season, they come out in large numbers, or They come out in large numbers during the rainy season.
(ii) (a) how he had spent
(b) He had gone

Section D
Literature Textbook (26 Marks)

Question 10.
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions briefly, for ANY TWO extracts of the three given.
A. “Do not look so startled,” he continued. They will be useful to you, and they can never be to me. But will you do one thing?
“What?”
“What do you see up there?” said Ali, pointing to the sky.
“Heaven.” (The Letter)
(i) What does ‘they’ refer to here?
(ii) How will ‘they’ be useful to the person who is being addressed here?
(iii) What does the speaker want the listener to do for him?
(iv) Which word in the extract is an antonym of ‘unproductive’?
Answer:
(i) ‘They’ here refers to five golden coins or guineas.
(ii) ‘They will be useful to the clerk Lakshmi Das as he could use them in any way he liked.
(iii) The speaker, Ali, wants Lakshmi Das should put his daughter’s letter on his grave whenever it arrives.
(iv) The word ‘useful’ in the extract is the antonym of ‘unproductive’.

B. In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
While all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white moonshine.” (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
(i) What does the phrase ‘vespers nine’ mean?
(ii) Select a line from the extract that describes the atmosphere in this stanza.
(iii) Who is the ‘It’ referred to in these lines?
(iv) Who is the speaker in these lines?
Answer:
(i) The phrase ‘vespers nine’ means ‘a fixed time every day (the evening Church service)’.
(ii) The line that describes the atmosphere in this stanza is ‘Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white’.
(iii) In these lines, ‘it’ refers to the Albatross.
(iv) The ancient mariner is the speaker in these lines.

C. They’re coming to talk over poor grandpa’s affairs. Your father sent them a Telegram as soon as we found he was dead. (A noise is heard)
Good gracious, that’s never them. (Mrs. Slater: Hurries to the door, opens it.
No, thank goodness! It’s only your father. (The Dear Departed)
(i) What is the ‘noise’ heard due to?
(ii) Why does Mrs. Slater hurry to open the door?
(iii) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘matters’?
(iv) What does the phrase ‘thank goodness’, signify?
Answer:
(i) The noise is heard due to Slater’s husband coming home.
(ii) Mrs. Slater hurries to open the door because she thinks that it is Mrs. and Mr. Jordan at the door.
(iii) The word ‘affairs’ in the extract means the same as ‘matters’.
(iv) The phrase ‘thank goodness’ identifies a sense of relief. It shows that Mrs. Slater was relaxed after seeing her husband at the door instead of Jordan’s.

Question 11.
Answer ANY FIVE of the following six questions in about 30-40 words each.
(i) What was the frog’s ulterior motive in making the nightingale add frills and trills to her songs? (The Frog and the Nightingale)
Answer:
The frog made the nightingale sing repeatedly to earn more money. He added more frills and trills to her voice so that, with time, her voice would be ruined and he would remain the sole superior singer of the bog.

(ii) What does the expression ‘Counting your chickens before they are hatched’ mean? In what context was it spoken in the chapter? (Patol Babu)
Answer:
The expression ‘counting your chickens before they hatch’ means to get excited about the outcome of something even before it has actually happened. These words were spoken by Patol Babu’s wife when he started imagining his acting career and rise to fame.

(iii) Why did Michael enjoy playing the psycho drive games? (Virtually True)
Answer:
Michael enjoyed playing the psycho drive games because the big screen with the loud volume made him feel like he was inside the game, battling it out. These games were played with a virtual reality visor and glove, which made Michael feel that he was part of the game. Further, it helped him to set up interconnectivity between the real world and the virtual world.

(iv) Analyse why John didn’t stop Lavinia from leaving him. (A Shady Plot)
Answer:
John didn’t stop Lavinia from leaving him because he was trying to conceal the ghost of Helen from her. He knew that she would faint if she saw Helen’s ghost in human shape inside the room. He thought he would explain the situation to her later, after keeping her away from the shock of encountering a ghost.

(v) Discuss how Julius Caesar was proud and overconfident. (Julius Caesar)
Answer:
Julius Caesar was proud and overconfident of his achievements. He was a great warrior and a fair leader. He paid a very heavy price because of his overconfidence and ignorance of his wife’s intuition. Had he paid attention to what his wife was saying and not been overconfident, he would not have been murdered by others.

(vi) Evaluate why the villagers and Miss Mebbin hid the fact that Mrs. Packletide had not killed the tiger. (Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger)
Answer:
The villagers and Miss Mebbin hid the fact that Mrs. Packletide had missed the shot and not killed the tiger to get the money. The villagers were getting ₹ 1000, while Miss Mebbin was also getting a financial reward.

Question 12.
Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 150 words.
A. Analyse the portrayal of time and its effects in ‘Ozymandias’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley and ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. How do poets use imagery and symbolism to convey the transient nature of power and human existence?
Or
B. Discuss the themes of ambition and the consequences of actions in ‘Patol Babu, Film Star’ by Satyajit Ray and ‘Virtually True’ by Paul Stewart. How do the protagonists in each story navigate their circumstances, and what lessons do they learn about personal aspirations and the impact of their decisions?
Answer:
A. In ‘Ozymandias’, Percy Bysshe Shelley uses the imagery of a broken statue in an empty desert to show that all human power and achievements are temporary. The once-mighty king’s statue is now in ruins, symbolising that time eventually erases all traces of human greatness. In ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, Samuel Taylor Coleridge portrays time through the mariner’s endless punishment for killing the Albatross. The haunting imagery of the ghostly ship and the dead sailors emphasises the lasting consequences of his actions. Both poets use powerful symbols—ruins in ‘Ozymandias’ and the eternal curse in ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ —to highlight that time diminishes human power and that actions can have long-lasting effects.

Shelley’s ruined statue symbolises the destruction of pride by time.
Coleridge shows that guilt has long-term effects, lasting far beyond the moment of sin.

Or

B. In ‘Patol Babu, Film Star’, Patol Babu’s ambition is to perform well, even in a minor film role. He prepares meticulously, showing that dedication to one’s craft is fulfilling in itself. He learns that genuine effort is more rewarding than fame. In ‘Virtually True’, Michael’s ambition leads him into virtual reality games, where he faces dangerous situations. He learns that excessive ambition and escaping reality can have serious consequences. Both stories highlight the importance of balancing ambition with reality. Patol Babu finds joy in hard work, while Michael realises the need to stay grounded. The protagonists learned that, while ambition can drive success, it is crucial to consider the real-world impact of their actions.