FIRST MID-TERM TEST - 2025
Standard - X ENGLISH | Question Paper & Complete Solutions
Part - I ($7 \times 1 = 7$)
1) The seagull's long grey legs were stepping "daintily".
2) Herman rushed to his room and "slammed" the door.
3) His father was "preening" the feathers.
4) The lady seems "hysterical".
5) Choose the correct plural form of radius from the following.
6) Complete this sentence using the appropriate Modal:
Poongothai ______ speak several languages.
7) Fill in the blank by choosing the most appropriate prepositional phrase from the given options.
As a ______ of his hard work, he achieved the target.
Part - II
Section - 1 ($2 \times 2 = 4$)
8) Why did the young bird utter a joyful scream?
9) What wakened the mother?
10) What prompted the young seagull to fly finally?
Section - 2 ($2 \times 2 = 4$)
11)
"There's a family nobody likes to meet
They live, it is said, on Complaining Street"
- a) Where does the family live?
- b) Why do you think the street is named Complaining Street?
12)
"So let the way wind up the hill or down
O'er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy"
- a) How is the way of life?
- b) How should the journey of life be?
13)
"They growl at that and they growl at this
Whatever comes, there is something amiss"
- a) What does the word "growl" mean here?
- b) Why do they find everything amiss?
Section - 3 ($1 \times 2 = 2$)
14) Rewrite the following sentence in another voice:
The salesman answered all the questions patiently.
15) Change the following into Active Voice:
You are requested not to walk on the grass.
Part - III
Section - 1 ($1 \times 5 = 5$)
16) Narrate the extensive search operation made by the policeman in the house.
17) Describe the experience of the young seagull in "His First Flight" written by Liam O'Flaherty.
Section - 2 ($1 \times 5 = 5$)
18) What are the positive aspects mentioned in the poem, "Life"?
19) Read the following stanza and answer the questions given below:
"They growl at that and they growl at this
Whatever comes, there is something amiss
And whether their station be high or humble
They are all known by the name of Grumble"
- a) Pick out the words that are alliterated in the 1st line.
- b) Pick out the rhyming words in the above lines.
- c) What is the rhyme scheme of the above lines?
- d) Identify the figure of speech employed in the 1st and 3rd lines.
Section - 3 ($1 \times 5 = 5$)
20) Rearrange the following sentences in coherent order:
- i) Of these Ariel was the Chief.
- ii) They live in a cave made out of rocks.
- iii) Gonzalo, the lord of his court, privately places water, provisions, apparels, and books.
- iv) Prospero reaches the Island with his daughter Miranda.
- v) By virtue of his magic, he releases many good spirits from the witch Sycorax.
Section - 4 ($1 \times 5 = 5$)
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22) You are the school pupil leader. Your school organized an inter-school sports event at Nehru stadium. Write a report on the special events conducted in about 100-120 words.
Section - 5 ($1 \times 5 = 5$)
23) Quote from memory:
"So let the way wind up ................................
................................ courage of the quest"
Part - IV ($2 \times 4 = 8$)
24) Write a paragraph of about 150 words by developing the following hints:
a) Prospero - Duke of Milan - Antonio - deserted Prospero and young daughter in a boat - reaching an island - using magic power - released good spirits - Ariel serving him - raising a storm - ship landing on the island - Ferdinand loving Miranda - Alonso and Antonio repenting - regaining dukedom.
[or]
b) Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan - child specialist - interested in painting - Somu sent his pet bird Zigzag - talking 21 languages - Sleep and snore - Krishna's family pained and angry - brought the Zigzag to his clinic - began to speak - Dr. Krishnan was happy.25) Read the following paragraph and answer the questions below: ($1 \times 4 = 4$)
In China, in about 1200 B.C., people traded shells for what they wanted. Chinese people also traded metal tools for the things they wanted. For example, they traded metal knives and shovels for the things they wanted. Later in China, people made metal money. In about 100 B.C., people made money of animal skin. The first paper money was made from white-coloured deer skin. It came from China about 900 years later. In about 700 B.C., people made the first round metal coins. The coins were made of gold and silver. They looked very similar to the coins we use today. These coins came from Lydia. Lydia was located where the country called Turkey is located today. After people made coins in Lydia, people in Rome, Iran, and Greece also began making coins.
- i) What did the Chinese trade for the things they wanted?
- ii) How was the first paper money made?
- iii) Where was Lydia?
- iv) When did people make the first round metal coins?
********
Answer Key & Solutions
Part - I ($7 \times 1 = 7$)
1) b) gently (Daintily means to do something in a careful, delicate manner).
2) c) closed forcefully (To slam is to shut something with great force and noise).
3) c) dirtying (Preening means cleaning and grooming feathers. The opposite is to make them dirty).
4) d) calm (Hysterical means being in a state of uncontrolled emotion. The opposite is being calm and composed).
5) c) radii (Radius is a Latin noun, and its plural form is radii).
6) c) can ('Can' is the modal verb used to express ability).
7) b) result of ('As a result of' is the correct phrase to show consequence).
Part - II ($2 \times 2=4$ and $1 \times 2=2$)
Section - 1
8) The young bird uttered a joyful scream because it saw its mother flying towards it with a piece of fish in her beak.
9) In the story "The Night the Ghost Got In," the mother was wakened by the sound of her husband running up the stairs, whom she mistook for a burglar.
10) The young seagull was finally prompted to fly by extreme hunger and the maddening sight of its mother tearing a piece of fish just out of its reach.
Section - 2
11)
- a) The family lives on Complaining Street.
- b) The street is named 'Complaining Street' because the family that lives there is always complaining about everything.
12)
- a) The way of life can be winding, going up a hill or down, and can be either rough or smooth.
- b) The journey of life should be faced with joy, regardless of its challenges.
13)
- a) Here, the word "growl" means to complain or grumble in a low, angry tone.
- b) They find everything amiss because they have a persistently negative and complaining attitude, so nothing ever seems right to them.
Section - 3
14) All the questions were answered patiently by the salesman.
15) Please do not walk on the grass.
Part - III ($5 \times 5 = 25$)
Section - 1
16) The Police's Search Operation
In James Thurber's "The Night the Ghost Got In," the arrival of the police turned the house into a chaotic scene. A squad of policemen, including a reporter, swarmed the house, believing a burglar was inside. They conducted an extensive and clumsy search, pulling out drawers, ripping up beds, and looking behind furniture. They surrounded the grandfather's bed, unaware of his confusion. When one policeman asked the grandfather who he was, the grandfather, thinking he was a deserter from General Meade's army, grabbed a police gun and shot him in the shoulder. The chaotic search ended with no burglar found, only a bewildered family and a slightly injured officer, leaving behind a night of unforgettable confusion.
17) The Young Seagull's First Flight
In "His First Flight" by Liam O'Flaherty, the young seagull's experience is a powerful journey from fear to triumph. Initially, he is paralyzed by fear, unable to trust his wings and join his family. For twenty-four hours, he watches his parents and siblings fly, feeling isolated and starved. The turning point comes when his mother, using his hunger as motivation, flies towards him with a fish but halts just out of reach. Maddened by starvation, the seagull dives for the fish and falls into the open air. A moment of terror is quickly replaced by instinct as he flaps his wings and feels the wind beneath them. He soars, banks, and dives, screaming with joy. He has conquered his fear and embraced his true nature as a bird of the sky.
Section - 2
18) The poem "Life" by Henry Van Dyke highlights several positive aspects. It encourages living with a "forward face and an unreluctant soul," meaning we should be optimistic and willing. It advises not to hurry or stray from our goals, and not to mourn for the past or fear the future. The poem emphasizes maintaining a cheerful and hopeful heart throughout life's journey, whether it is smooth or rough. It celebrates the quest for new friendships, high adventure, and personal achievement, urging us to keep the "courage of the quest" until the very end.
19)
- a) Alliterated words (1st line): The words are "that" and "this".
- b) Rhyming words: this/amiss, humble/Grumble.
- c) Rhyme scheme: aabb.
- d) Figure of speech:
- 1st line ("They growl..."): Onomatopoeia (The word "growl" imitates the sound of grumbling).
- 3rd line ("high or humble"): Alliteration (Repetition of the 'h' sound).
Section - 3
20) Coherent Order:
- (iii) Gonzalo, the lord of his court, privately places water, provisions, apparels, and books.
- (iv) Prospero reaches the Island with his daughter Miranda.
- (ii) They live in a cave made out of rocks.
- (v) By virtue of his magic, he releases many good spirits from the witch Sycorax.
- (i) Of these Ariel was the Chief.
Section - 4
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22) Report on Inter-School Sports Event:
Inter-School Sports Meet - A Grand Success
A Report by [Your Name], School Pupil Leader
Chennai, [Date]: An Inter-School Sports Meet was successfully organized by our school at the prestigious Nehru Stadium on [Date]. The event commenced at 9:00 a.m. with a vibrant opening ceremony, attended by over fifteen schools from across the city. The Chief Guest, renowned athlete Ms. Anju Bobby George, inspired the participants with her inaugural address.
The day was filled with thrilling events, including the 100m sprint, 4x100m relay, long jump, and shot put. The highlight was the nail-biting final of the relay race, where our school team clinched the gold medal. The stadium buzzed with energy and sportsmanship. The closing ceremony saw the distribution of medals and certificates, celebrating not just the winners but the spirit of participation. The event was a testament to teamwork and athletic prowess, concluding successfully at 5:00 p.m.
Section - 5
23) Quote from memory:
"So let the way wind up the hill or down,
O'er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy:
Still seeking what I sought when but a boy,
New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
My heart will keep the courage of the quest,"
Part - IV ($2 \times 4 = 8$)
24) a) The Story of Prospero
Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, was a man devoted to the study of magic. His ambitious brother, Antonio, usurped his dukedom and set Prospero and his young daughter, Miranda, adrift in a decrepit boat. They eventually reached a deserted island, which became their home. On the island, Prospero honed his magic powers and freed many good spirits, including the airy spirit Ariel, who became his loyal servant. Years later, using his magic, Prospero raised a great storm to bring a ship carrying his enemies—including Antonio and Alonso, the King of Naples—to the island. The shipwrecked passengers landed safely but were scattered. Alonso's son, Ferdinand, met and fell in love with Miranda. After orchestrating a series of magical events to test their character, Prospero brought his enemies to a state of repentance. Forgiving them, he regained his dukedom and prepared to return to Milan with his daughter and her new love.
[or]
b) The Curious Case of Zigzag
Dr. Ashok T. Krishnan, a child specialist with a passion for painting, received an unusual pet bird named Zigzag from his friend Somu. The bird was said to be able to talk and sing in 21 languages. However, upon its arrival, Zigzag did nothing but sleep and produce loud, deafening snores that echoed through the house, disrupting the peace of Dr. Krishnan's family. Pained and angry by the constant noise, the family was on the verge of getting rid of the bird. Desperate, Dr. Krishnan took Zigzag to his clinic. There, in the midst of crying children, Zigzag suddenly woke up. It began to speak in a commanding voice, calming the children and managing the clinic with surprising efficiency. Dr. Krishnan realized the bird's true talent was not just talking, but bringing order and quiet. He was overjoyed to have finally understood the wonderful creature.
25) Reading Comprehension Answers
- i) What did the Chinese trade for the things they wanted?
The Chinese traded shells and later, metal tools like knives and shovels for the things they wanted. - ii) How was the first paper money made?
The first paper money was made from white-coloured deer skin in China. - iii) Where was Lydia?
Lydia was located where the country of Turkey is located today. - iv) When did people make the first round metal coins?
People made the first round metal coins in about 700 B.C.