Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English with Solutions Set 11 are designed as per the revised syllabus.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 10 English Set 11 with Solutions
Time : 3 Hours
Maximum Marks : 80
General Instructions:
- This Question paper contains THREE sections-READING, GRAMMAR & WRITING and LITERATURE.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section – A
Reading Skills (20 Marks)
Reading Comprehension Through Unseen Passages
Question 1.
Read the following text. (10)
1. The funding crisis at many zoos has reopened the debate over the value of zoos and whether they should be allowed to exist at all. People who are in favour of zoos argue that they perform an essential role in conserving rare animal species. Over the past 20 years zoos have developed programmes designed to help preserve endangered species. This involves breeding animals in captivity in ‘captive breeding programmes’—and then reintroducing them into their natural habitats to replenish the number living in the wild.
2. Zoos cooperate with each other in order to ensure the success of their breeding programmes. Animals are passed from one zoo to another in order to prevent inbreeding—breeding from closely related animals.
If animals that are closely related to one another mate there is a danger that they will produce deformed offspring.
3. Supporters of zoos argue that they have an important role in educating children, millions of who visit zoos every year. Television-viewing is no substitute for encountering real animals, they argue. Zoos also carry out important research, for example, on the best conditions for rare species to reproduce. If zoos were forced to close, it would be disastrous for world conservation, zoo supporters say. And most animals in captivity would have to be killed.
4. Opponents of zoos accept that some species have been saved from extinction by ‘captive breeding programmes’, but they argue that this offers no solution to the worldwide conservation crisis. The number of animals protected by zoos is tiny compared with the overall problem. It cost millions to save the Arabian oryx from dying out; but could that amount be available for every species that is endangered? The value of zoo-breeding programmes is also questioned as some species, such as the African elephant, do not reproduce well in captivity.
5. Captive animals are often kept in poor and inhumane conditions, opponents say. In the worst zoos, animals are still displayed for the entertainment of the public. Where animals are placed in impoverished and unsuitable surroundings, they often behave in abnormal and neurotic ways. It is common for polar bears constantly to pace up and down or twist their heads and circle over and over again. This behaviour is now recognised by scientists as a sign of stress and frustration. When children visit zoos where animals are acting in neurotic and abnormal ways, they are not being educated. Instead, opponents say, they are being given inaccurate information.
Answer the following guestions, based on the passage above.
(i) What are the advantages of zoos? (1)
(a) Breeding of endangered species is done.
(b) Children are educated about wildlife in zoos.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(ii) How would closing of zoos be disastrous? Answer in about 40 words. (2)
Answer:
The closing of zoos can have a disastrous impact on world conservation. It would cause deliberate destruction of wildlife on a large scale while most animals in captivity would have to be killed.
(iii) Complete the following with a reason from paragraph two: (1)
Inbreeding can lead to deformed animals because
Answer:
animals breeded are closely related to each other
(iv) The passage includes some words that are opposites of each other. From the sets (a) – (e) below, identify a set of synonyms. (1)
(a) Rare and endangered
(b) Reproduce and breed
(c) Supporters and opponents
(d) Crisis and solution
(e) Reintroduce and replenish
Answer:
(a) and (b)
(v) Complete the sentence appropriately. Cooperation amongst zoos support Captive Breeding Programme by ………………… . (1)
Answer:
preventing inbreeding among captive animals which are closely related. As a result, the offsprings are not deformed and have a better chance of surmising.
(vi) Supply the disadvantages of zoo. Answer in about 40 words. (2)
Answer:
The various disadvantages of zoos are
- Running conservation programme is very costly.
- Captive animals are kept in very poor conditions.
- Children are getting inaccurate information about animal behaviours.
(vii) Zoos provide a chance to encounter real animals, …………….. (1)
(a) but visitors do not always see the natural behaviour of animals
(b) which gives visitors a chance to take pictures with animals
(c) which can irritate the animals in the zoo
(d) None of the above
Answer:
(a) but visitors do not always see the natural behaviour of animals
(viii) Do you think captive breeding programmes are 100% successful? Answer with reference to the above passage. (1)
Answer:
No, because such programmes are a minute solution to the worldwide conservation of wild animals.
Question 2.
Read the following text. (10)
1. Access to primary education is a basic right of every child. An effective primary education can build a solid foundation and open avenues for future success. With its profound implications on both the individual and society, primary education plays a crucial role in reducing extreme poverty and promoting social changes. The Sustainable Development Agenda acknowledges the importance of primary education in Goal 4 which stipulates that by 2030, the world should ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, including a target on universal access to primary education. Though there are varying standards, primary education is typically designed for children 6 to 11 years of age.
2. Significant progress has been made toward achieving universal primary education. Globally, the adjusted net attendance rate reached 87 percent in 2019 and about four out of five children attending primary education completed it. Additionally, over the past two decades, the number of out-of-school children was reduced by over 40 percent. However, there is still a long way to go: 58 million children of primary school age remain out of school, with the majority of them coming from marginalised groups. In addition, recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) results show that many children do not have foundational reading and numeracy skills, highlighting the massive challenge to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
3. Globally, a lower proportion of children from the poorest families attend primary education compared with their wealthier peers. While almost all children from the top wealth quintile attend primary education, only 75 percent of children from the bottom wealth quintile do.
4. Across different regions, household wealth impacts primary school completion rates differently. West and Central Africa has the largest gap of 58 percentage points in primary school completion rates between the richest and poorest quintiles. In contrast, in East Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, children from the top and bottom wealth quintiles complete primary school at more similar rates, with a gap of just 13 percentage points.
5. In the past 20 years, the number of out-of-school children of primary education age fell by more than 40 per cent, from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019. However, 54 per cent of these out-of-school children were girls. Despite this tremendous progress, the world must accelerate the pace at which the number of out-of-school children is reduced, as the total has remained stagnant since 2007.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
(i) Complete the following sentence appropriately. (1)
…………….. have the highest rates of primary education completion in the rich quintile.
Answer:
Latin America and the Caribbean and East Asia and the Pacific
(ii) Fill the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding of the passage: (1)
There was a decline of …………….. (from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019/ from
99 million in 2000 to 68 million in 2019) in the number of out-of-school children of primary education age is seen in the past two decades.
Answer:
from 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019
(iii) How is primary education critical to both an individual and a society? (2)
Answer:
Primary education is critical to both an individual and society because It can help in reducing extreme poverty and bringing out social changes. It can also help in building foundation for kids.
(iv) State one target related to primary education. (1)
Answer:
One of the targets related to primary education is promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, including a target on universal access to primary education.
(v) How much decline in the number of out-of-school children of primary education age is seen in the past two decades? (1)
Answer:
The number of out-of-school children were reduced by over 40%. From 99 million in 2000 to 58 million in 2019.
(vi) Which word can substitute the word ‘Foundational’ in the following, sentence from paragraph 2. (1)
In addition, recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) results show that many children do not have foundational reading and numeracy skills, highlighting the massive challenge to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
(a) Primary
(b) Essential
(c) Required
(d) Fundamental
Answer:
(d) Fundamental
(vii) How does the Sustainable Development Goals give importance to primary education? (2)
Answer:
The Sustainable Development Agenda acknowledges the importance of primary education in Goal 4 which stipulates that by 2030, the world should ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, including a target on universal access to primary education.
(viii) In 2019, about four out of five children attending primary education completed it suggeststhat (1)
(a) less than 80% children completed primary education
(b) almost 100% children completed primary education
(c) more than 80% children completed primary education
(d) about 80% children completed the primary education
Answer:
(d) About 80% children completed the primary education
Section – B
Writing Skills and Grammar (20 Marks)
Grammar (10 Marks)
Question 3.
Complete ANY TEN of twelve of the following tasks, as directed.
(i) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the following sentence.
Shadow puppets ………………. in China.
(a) are originating
(b) originate
(c) originated
(d) will have originated
Answer:
(c) originated
(ii) Read the given sentence from an article. Identify the error and supply the correction in the sentence.
Today, we are living in a society where information is everything and different forms of media has becoming the strapping tool of communication and connectivity.
Use the given format for your response.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
has | have |
(iii) Mayank has seen a drama which he was narrating to his friend. Report the statement from the drama. (1)
The mother said to her son, ‘Change your shoes.
Answer:
The mother asked her son to change his shoes.
(iv) Complete the sentence keeping the meaning of the statement intact. (1)
The boss said to him, “Please tell me what the old man said today.”
The boss requested him
(a) to tell him what the old man had said today.
(b) to tell him what the old man said that day.
(c) to tell him what the old man said today.
(d) to tell him what the old man had said that day.
Answer:
(d) to tell him what the old man had said that day.
(v) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line. (1)
You ……………… have a university degree to take part in this competition.
(need/mustn’t/needn’t)
Answer:
needn’t
(vi) Identify the error in the given sentence. (1)
All works of creative writing have aesthetics appeal.
Use the given format for your response.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
aesthetics | aesthetic |
(vii) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following line:
I can speak Arabic fluently when I was a child and we lived in Morocco. (1)
Option | Error | Correction |
(a) | can | could |
(b) | was | were |
(c) | lived | live |
(d) | in | at |
Answer:
(a)
Error | Correction |
can | could |
(viii) Complete the given sentence by filling in the blank with the correct option. (1)
The plane ………………. in two hours.
(a) will have taken off
(b) will be took off
(c) will take off
(d) will be taking off
Answer:
(c) will take off
(ix) Complete the narration of the dialogue between Gautami and Simran. (1)
Gautami- Wow! Your new dress is very beautiful.
Simran- Thank you. My mother gifted it to me on my last birthday.
Gautami exclaimed cheerfully and told Simran ………………… .
Answer:
that her dress was very beautiful
(x) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option.
………………… students succeeded in passing than last year.
(a) Few
(b) Fewer
(c) Little
(d) Much
Answer:
(b) Fewer
(xi) Complete the line from a self- awareness song, by filling the blank with the correct option.
I’m busy;
but not in the way
…………. people accept.
I’m busy calming my fear
and finding my courage.
I’m busy listening to my kids.
I’m busy getting in touch
with what is real.
(a) most
(b) much
(c) many
(d) must
Answer:
(a) most
(xii) Identify the error in the given sentence.
Science and technology and their fallouts do not complete human culture.
Use the given format for your response.
Error | Correction |
Answer:
Error | Correction |
their | its |
Writing (10 Marks)
Question 4.
All details presented in the questions are imaginary and created for assessment purpose. (5)
A. For the past seven days, you were late for work due to some unavoidable issues at home. Write a letter to your manager explaining the situation as why you were late for work for several days. (120 words)
Or
B. You live in a room in college which you share with another student. However, there are many problems with this arrangement and as a result you find it very difficult to study. Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college explaining the situation and requesting an earliest redressal. (120 words)
Answer:
A.
A-197, New Deluxe Apartment
Pune
14th December, 20XX
The Manager
PQR Enterprises
Pune
Subject : Reason for getting late
Sir/Ma’am
This is to inform you that I, Ajeet Chauhan, have written this letter to explain. Why I was late to the office for the last week. But first I would like to apologise to you for failing to show up at work on time during the past few days.
During the last week, I needed to take my elderly mother to a clinic in the morning as she had suffered a heart attack and needed immediate medical attention. To complicate the situation even further, my elder sister had been out of the town for almost the whole last week for some professional training, arranged by her office. Therefore, I alone had to take care of all kinds of household works, including cooking and cleaning, for my whole family.
So, my entire last week had been very hectic which caused me to arrive late at work. Rest assured that I will be at work on time from now on.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Ajeet Chauhan
Or
B. Hostel Number F
Dehradun
10th August, 20XX
The Accommodation Officer
ABC University
Dehradun
Subject : Problems with roommate
Sir/ Ma’am
This is to inform you that I, is Aisha Khurana, live in room F-202, which is shared with another student. I am writing this letter to notify you of my concerns about my current roommate, who is making my stay in the college hostel difficult. I am having unavoidable and unmanageable problems due to her activities and this is impacting my studies badly.
My previous housemate was rational, extremely cooperative and inclined to studies. However, my present roommate is completely opposite. She is always throwing parties in the room without any prior information. She also plays loud music in the late hours. As she is two years senior to me I cannot protest.
My semester exams are approaching and I would like you to shift either me or my roommate to another room. I do not mind the room type allocated to me as long as it is quiet and favourable for studies.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Aisha Khurana
Question 5.
A. The bar chart shows the scores of teams A, B and C over four different seasons.
Write an analytical paragraph on the given data in about 120 words. (5)
B. The table illustrates the proportion of monthly household income of five European countries spend on food and drink, housing, clothing and entertainment. Using the given data, write an analytical paragraph in about 120 words.
Answer:
A. Expertise of Team B
The given bar chart shows the scores of three teams, A, B and C, in four consecutive seasons. It is evident from the chart that team B scored far higher than the other two teams over the seasons, though their score decreased as a whole over the period.
In 2002, the score of team B far exceeded that of the other two teams, standing at 82 points compared to only 10 for team C and 5 for team A. Over the next two years, the points for team B decreased, dropping to 43 by 2004, but they still remained above the points for the other two teams.
However, though team A and C’s points were lower, they were rising. Team A’s points had increased by 600% from 2002 to reach 35 points by 2004. nearly equal to team B. Team C, meanwhile, had managed only a small increase over this time. In the final year, team B remained ahead of the other teams as their points increased again to 55, while team A and C saw their point decrease and drop to 8 and 5, respectively.
Or
B. Dependence on Fast food
The table shows the amount of household income that five countries in Europe spend per month on four items. Overall, it is evident that all five countries spend the majority of their income on food and drink and housing, but much less on clothing and entertainment.
Housing is the largest expenditure item for France, Germany and the UK, with all of them spending around one-third of their income on this, at 31%, 33% and 37%, respectively. In contrast, they spend around a quarter of their income on fobd and drink. However, this pattern is reversed for Turkey and Spain, who spend around a fifth of their income on housing, but approximately one-third on food and drink.
All five countries spend much less on the remaining two items viz. Clothing and Entertainment For clothing, France and Spain spend less than 10%, while the other three countries spend around the same amount, ranging between 11% and 15%. At 19%, Germany spends the most on entertainment, whereas UK and Turkey spend approximately half this amount, with France and Spain’s spending between those other three countries.
Section – C
Literature Textbook and Supplementary Reading Text (40 Marks)
Question 6.
Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. (5)
A. I found myself in the maidan and sat down on a bench. The night was chilly—it was early November-and a light drizzle added to my discomfort. Soon it was raining quite heavily. My shirt and pyjamas stuck to my skin, and a cold wind blew the rain across my face. I went back to the bazaar and sat down in the shelter of the clock tower. The clock showed midnight. I felt for the notes. They were damp from the rain. Anil’s money. In the morning he would probably have given me two or three rupees to go to the cinema, but now I had it all. (The Thief’s Story)
(i) State True or False. None of the terms (a) – (d) below, can be applied to the
question – Hari came to the maidan from the railway station. (1)
(a) A hypothesis – a proposed explanation for a phenomenon
(b) An assumption – something that is taken for granted or assumed to be true without proof
(c) A premise – a proposition that forms the basis of an argument
(d) A theory – a well-substantiated explanation for a natural phenomenon
Answer:
True
(ii) How is Hari feeling in the given extract? (1)
Answer:
Hari is feeling very doubtful for his action of stealing from Anil.
(iii) What was Hari Singh thinking while sitting in the shelter of clock tower? (1)
1. Education can one day bring me more than a few hundred rupees.
2. I cannot cook his meals, run to the bazaar.
3. I should go back to Anil for the sake of learning to read and write.
4. I cannot learn to write whole sentences anymore.
Codes
(a) 1 and 4
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4
Answer:
(c) 1,2, 3 and 4
(iv) What study was done by Hari Singh? Answer in about 40 words. (2)
Answer:
Hari Singh had made a study of men’s faces when they had lost their goods. As per his observation, the greedy man showed fear; the rich man showed anger; and the poor man showed acceptance.
Or
B. On the day of the inauguration, I was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade of the twentieth century, a few years after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before my own birth, the white skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their own land. The structure they created formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane, societies the world has ever known.
(Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
(i) The system of racial domination against the dark-skinned people was called as ………………… . (1)
(a) the policy of apartheid
(b) racial discrimination
(c) inhumane system
(d) harshest system
Answer:
(a) the policy of apartheid
(ii) Why did the speaker call that structure ‘one of the harshest and the most inhumane’? Answer in about 40 words. (2)
Answer:
The structure refers to the racial domination against the black-Skinned. The speaker calls that structure “one of the harshest and the most inhumane” because it was biased against the blacks of the country. It limited the native blacks and deprived them of even the basic of Fundamental Rights.
(iii) Fill in the blank with ONE WORD only. (1)
Mandela is filled with …………….. in the given extract.
Answer:
pride
(iv) Read the following descriptions (a) – (d) and identify which one correctly corresponds to the extract. (1)
(a) A debate
(b) A soliloquy
(c) An aside
(d) A reflection
Answer:
(d) A reflection
Question 7.
Read We given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. (5)
A.
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went. I would not intrude on him;
A dime, another ball, is worthless. Now
He senses first responsibility
In a world of possessions. (The Ball Poem)
(i) Complete the sentence appropriately. (1)
The mapd of the boy in the extract is …………….. .
Answer:
upset and grief stricken
(ii) What literary device has been used by the usage of ‘ball’ in the poem? (1)
Answer:
‘Symbolism’ has been used by the usage of the word ‘ball’.
(iii) Which ultimate grief has fixed the boy? (1)
(a) Loss of his ball
(b) Loss of his dear one
(c) Loss of his toys
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Loss of his ball
(iv) A ball is an easily available, inexpensive thing. Then, why is the boy so sad to lose it? (2)
Answer:
It is no doubt that a ball is an easily available and inexpensive item but the ball that the boy has lost is valuable to him. His memories of his younger days are associated with it because he had been playing with it for a long time. It was not an ordinary but a special ball for him.
Or
B.
If when you’re walking round your yard
You meet a creature there, Who hugs you
very, very hard, Be sure it is a Bear,
If you have any doubts, I guess
He’ll give you just one more caress. (How to Tell Wild Animals)
(i) How a bear can be recognised by you? (1)
(a) By its skin colour
(b) By its roar
(c) By its body size
(d) By its tight hug
Answer:
(d) By his tight hug
(ii) How will you judge the poet’s style of writing in the given extract? (1)
Answer:
The poet’s manner and style of writing in the given extract is humorous.
(iii) How does the poet describe the bear in the extract? (2)
Answer:
The poet describes the bear in a humourous way. He says that as soon as a bear sees a human being, it hugs him tightly. It clasps its prey very tightly with both his hands and squeezes him to death. If he is still alive, it gives him another tight hug to kill him.
(iv) Would you agree that the poet has an in-depth knowledge of the wild? Support the statement in context of the poem from which the given lines are taken. (1)
Answer:
No, the poet does not seem to have an in-depth knowledge of the animals of the wild. This is so because her descriptions are very common place. People are aware of the general features that the poet describes in the poem.
Question 8.
Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40 – 50 words. (4 × 3 = 12)
(i) What is Lomov’s reaction when Chubukov says that he is not used to facing misbehaviour by a young man like Lomov? (The Proposal) (3)
Answer:
Lomov reacts by saying that Chubukov thinks that he is a fool. He says that he cannot behave calmly and politely with Chubukov as he is making a false claim to his property. He further accuses.Chubukov of being a grabber.
(ii) Where should the tiger have been according to the poet? (A Tiger in The Zoo) (3)
Answer:
The poet thinks that the tiger should have been in the jungle, hiding in the shadow quietly moving in the long grass near the water hole to prey on the deer. He should also be on the outskirts of the jungle growling around houses and terrifying the villagers.
(iii) According to the poet, what do ‘fire’ and ice’ ‘represent? Do you agree with him? (3)
Answer:
According to the poet, ‘fire’ represents ‘desire’ and ‘ice’ represents ‘hatred’. I agree with the poet as both have the capability of destroying life. Desire like fire spreads and hatred fills one’s whole life with poison ultimately leading to death and destruction.
(iv) What tells you that Anne loved her grandmother? (From the Diary of the Anne Frank) (3)
Answer:
Anne’s statement that no one could understand her intensity of love for her grandma tells that she loved her grandmother a lot. Moreover, the touching gesture of lighting one candle for her grandmother during Anne’s birthday is also a touching reminder of her love for her grandmother.
(v) What was the basic idea of the Buddha’s preaching? (The Sermons at Benares) (3)
Answer:
The basic idea of the Buddha’s preaching was that death is the ultimate truth of life. It is that every living being has to die one day. No one can escape death. We must accept this universal truth.
Question 9.
Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions, in about 40 – 50 words. (2 × 3 = 6)
(i) How did Matilda come to know about the reality of the diamond necklace? (The Necklace) (3)
Answer:
After many years, one day Matilda met Madame Forestier, who was surprised to see the change in Matilda. Matilda told her that it was all due to her necklace. Then Madame Forestier told Matilda that her necklace was false and cheap. That is how Matilda came to know about the reality of the diamond necklace.
(ii) What other interests, besides science, did Richard Ebright pursue? What opinion did Mr. Weiherer, his social studies teacher, have about Ebright? (The Making of Scientist) (3)
Answer:
Other than science, Richard Ebright was interested in collecting rocks, coins and fossils and was also interested in star-grazing and astronomy. He was also a good debater, canoeist and expert photographer. Mr. Weiherer felt that Richard not only was interested in his experiments but also kept his mind open for other things and put in that extra effort to attain success.
(iii) Why did Bholi not want to go to school? (Bholi) (3)
Answer:
Bholi did not want to go to school because she did not know anything about school. She became frightened as their old cow, Lakshmi had been brought out of the house just like her and was later sold away. She felt that by taking her out on the pretext of sending her to school her father was going to sell her or send her away.
Question 10.
Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100 – 120 words. (1 × 6 = 6)
A. Does the poem ‘The Trees’ present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo’. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ‘imprisoned’ and need to ‘break out’?
Or
B. Valli posed herself to be very confident when the conductor offered her help to ride the bus. Later on she felt shy when all laughed at her.
What does this tell you about Valli’s character? What do we learn from her character?
Answer:
A. Yes, the poem The Trees’ presents a conflict between man and nature. According to the poem, man is responsible for the degradation of nature. He uses nature for his own benefit without thinking of its consequences.
Not only trees, but man is also endangering animals. The poem ‘A Tiger in a Zoo’ by Leslie Norris also presents a conflict between man and nature. In this poem, a tiger who should have been living free is caged.
Both plants and animals have come under the mercy of man who has no value for them. Man has not only enslaved animals but also imprisoned the trees and plants within the walls of his house. He cuts forests and uses trees as ornaments/decoration for his house. As a result, the trees revolt. The poem The Trees’, thus, presents the need of trees to break out of the enclosed spaces and live in their natural habitats i.e. forests.
Or
B. Valli posed to be very confident in front of the conductor when he offered her help to ride the bus. This shows her confidence, intelligence and careful nature. But when everybody laughed at her, she felt shy. This shows that even though she was confident, she was innocent too. Being aware of that fact that she was travelling for the first time, she was taking every precaution not to be fooled by anybody.
Although she should not have travelled alone, it was wise on her part to behave confidently. Sometimes, situations arise when a child has to travel or live alone. In such a situation, it is necessary for children to get training in order to be self-confident. She teaches us to be confident, compassionate and sympathetic towards others.
Question 11.
Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. (1 x 6 = 6)
A. Do you think that there are certain situations in which you can be excused for acting dishonestly? Elaborate with reference to A Question of TYust’
Or
B. The play, The Book That Saved the Earth’ conveys the message that misunderstanding of cultural differences between various races can cause confusion and conflict. Based on your reading of the play, write how such confusion and conflicts can be checked so that peace and harmbny is maintained.
Answer:
A. Yes, there are situations in which we can be excused for acting dishonestly. If something wrong is done unintentionally, it may be excused or pardoned with minimal punishment. However, it cannot be excused if it is carrried out with the knowledge of the action being wrong. In the story, ‘A Question of Trust’, Horace Danby intentionally robs the rich people. He robs to satisfy his love for collecting rare and expensive books which might be considered to be done with good intention. However it is not justified. Horace Danby was considered to be a good and a respected person. He had a good reputation in society even though he was thief. This intentions may not be harmful for anyone yet it cannot be pardoned at all. A crime always remains a crime and the guilty must always be punished. I think that there are certain situations on which one can be excused for acting dishonestly. Such situations must help others as well as oneself and in any case must not be harmful for anyone.
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B. It is true that cultural differences create a confusion and conflict between various races. The play, ‘The Book That Saved The Earth’ conveys this message through the character of Think-Tank. The confusion in the mind of Think-Tank occurred due to the literal interpretation of the nursery rhymes in the book ’Mother-Goose’. Think-Tank, in his decision to send his space probe on Earth, proves to be confusing for the probe team as well as himself. The probe team was not sufficiently intelligent or mature to understand Earth’s culture. Even Think Tank himself was not aware of the Earth’s culture. This leads him into a frightened and confused state. Consequently, they literally interpreted the nursery rhymes and caused misunderstanding in their minds.
To ensure that such conflicts and confusion are checked to maintain peace and harmony, mature and wise people like Noodle should be sent out to other cultures. It is only by spreading awareness, one can respect others and their cultures and also check all misunderstandings and conflicts.