10th Standard English Second Mid Term Exam 2024 - Original Question Paper with Solutions
SECOND MID TERM EXAMINATION - 2024
CLASS: 10
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
Time: 1.30 Hours
MARKS: 50
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Write clearly and legibly without mistakes and overwriting utilising the maximum time allotted for examination.
- Answers should be in your own style without changing the main core concept.
- Use only black or blue ink pen to write the examination.
SECTION I - PART-I (VOCABULARY)
I. Choose the appropriate synonyms for italicized words.
1. They continue to grapple with the changes.
- a) settle
- b) fight
- c) move
- d) stop
2. There was a great bustle.
- a) rush
- b) change
- c) noise
- d) confusion
Choose the appropriate Antonyms for italicized words.
3. One can control the computer screen with a gaze.
- a) blink
- b) look
- c) stare
- d) trace
4. I had the strength to resist.
- a) continue
- b) assist
- c) defy
- d) thwart
5. Expand the following Abbreviation WHO.
- a) World Human Organisation
- b) World Health Organisation
- c) World Health Outstation
- d) Washington Health Organisation
6. Choose the correct plural form of the word 'lorry'.
- a) lorry
- b) lorries
- c) lorriess
7. Find out the meaning of the Idiomatic phrase 'go far'.
- a) finish
- b) submit
- c) succeed
- d) visit
8. Choose the Correct form of the non-finite verb.
.............. chess is my hobby.
- a) to play
- b) playing
- c) played
SECTION-II (GRAMMAR)
9. Join the sentence using 'Relative Pronoun'.
This is Varun. His father is an architect.
Answer: This is Varun whose father is an architect.
10. Rewrite using Indirect speech.
Suganthi said, "I've just come back from my holiday in Ooty".
Answer: Suganthi said that she had just come back from her holiday in Ooty.
PART-II SECTION-A
II. Answer any two of the following questions.
11. What are the benefits of the internet to the common man?
The internet offers numerous benefits to the common man, including instant access to vast amounts of information, seamless global communication through email and social media, online education, entertainment options like streaming services, and the convenience of e-commerce for shopping and banking from home.
12. What is the future technology?
Future technology refers to upcoming innovations that will significantly change our lives. Key areas include Artificial Intelligence (AI) for creating smart systems, the Internet of Things (IoT) for connecting everyday devices, advanced robotics for automation, biotechnology for medical advancements, and 5G technology for faster, more reliable connectivity.
13. Why did Franz dread to go to school that day?
Franz dreaded going to school that day for two main reasons. Firstly, he was late for school. Secondly, he was afraid of his teacher, M. Hamel, because he had not prepared his lesson on participles and feared a scolding.
Answer any one of the following in about 100-150 words.
14. How do we use technology in our day to day lives. (or) Give an account of the last day of M. Hamel in school.
Option 1: How we use technology in our day to day lives.
Technology is deeply integrated into our daily routines, making life more convenient and efficient. We start our day with alarms on smartphones, which also serve as our primary tools for communication, news, and social interaction. At home, smart appliances like microwaves and washing machines simplify household chores. For work and education, we rely on computers, the internet for research, and video conferencing for remote collaboration. Entertainment is dominated by streaming services, online gaming, and digital music. In transportation, GPS guides our journeys, and online apps help us book cabs. Even our health is monitored by fitness trackers. From online shopping to digital payments, technology has become an indispensable part of modern life, connecting and empowering us in countless ways.
(OR)
Option 2: Give an account of the last day of M. Hamel in school.
The last day of M. Hamel in school was filled with unusual solemnity and emotion. The classroom was quiet, and even the village elders were present, sitting silently at the back, to pay their respects to the teacher who had served for forty years. M. Hamel was dressed in his finest clothes, which he usually wore only on inspection days. Instead of being strict, he was gentle and patient. He spoke passionately about the beauty and importance of the French language, calling it the "key to their prison." He blamed himself and the parents for the students' lack of learning. The atmosphere was heavy with regret and patriotism. As the church clock struck twelve, M. Hamel stood up, pale and emotional. Unable to speak, he wrote "Vive La France!" on the blackboard and dismissed the class with a gesture, marking a poignant end to his career and an era of French teaching in Alsace.
SECTION-B (POETRY)
III. Read the Poetic lines and answer the questions that follow (any two).
15. We were taken from the ore-bed and the mine,
We were melted in the furnace and the pit.
a) Who does 'we' refer to?
b) Where are they melted?
a) 'We' refers to the machines.
b) They are melted in the furnace and the pit.
16. We were melted in the furnace and the pit.
We were cast and wrought and hammered to design
We were cut and filed and tooled and gauged to fit.
a) Identify the figure of speech in the above lines.
b) Identify the rhyming words of the given lines.
a) The figure of speech is Personification, as the inanimate machines are speaking as 'We'.
b) The rhyming words are pit and fit.
17. Beneath all uniforms a single body breaths,
like ours: the land our brothers walk upon.
a) What is found beneath all uniforms?
b) Identify the figure of speech in the second line.
a) A single human body is found beneath all uniforms.
b) The figure of speech in the second line is Metaphor (the land represents our common Earth/humanity).
SECTION-C
Answer any one of the following in about 80-100 words.
18. How do machines confess they are inferior to the Human brain? [OR] What is the central theme of the poem 'No men Are foreign'?
Option 1: How machines confess they are inferior to the Human brain.
In the poem "The Secret of the Machines," the machines openly confess their inferiority to the human brain. They admit that they are merely the creations of humans, "the children of your brain." The machines state that while they can perform numerous tasks with great power and precision, they are incapable of original thought, emotion, or comprehension. They cannot love, pity, or forgive. Their functioning is based purely on the laws of physics and the programming given by humans. They make a crucial confession: they can make mistakes, and if they do, they can cause destruction. Ultimately, they acknowledge that they are just tools, powerful but soulless, and completely dependent on their human creators.
(OR)
Option 2: Central theme of the poem 'No Men Are Foreign'.
The central theme of James Kirkup's poem 'No Men Are Foreign' is universal brotherhood and the fundamental unity of all humanity. The poet emphasizes that despite differences in clothing, country, or language, all people share a common existence. Beneath every "uniform," there is a single human body that breathes the same air. Everyone walks on the same Earth, enjoys the same sun and water, and will eventually be buried in the same soil. The poet argues that war is a self-inflicted wound, as hating or fighting our "brothers" is like betraying ourselves. The poem is a powerful plea for peace and a reminder that the lines and borders that divide us are artificial, and our shared humanity is the ultimate truth.
19. Quote from memory.
From: We can pull and .................................... which we live
We can pull and haul and push and lift and drive,
We can print and plough and weave and heat and light,
We can run and race and swim and fly and dive,
We can see and hear and count and read and write!
But remember, please, the Law by which we live,
PART-III (LANGUAGE FUNCTION)
20. Prepare an attractive advertisement using the hints given below:
Gorgeous and Colorful dresses - Attractive prices - kid's wear - buy one get one Diwali offer - mega sale - No-9 Usmaan Road - T. Nagar - Chennai. [OR] Write an email to your teacher about the interesting English model that you have prepared for the literary fest.
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(OR)
Email Writing:
To: teacher_email@omtex.co.in
From: student_name@omtex.co.in
Subject: Submission for Literary Fest - English Model
Respected Ma'am/Sir,
I hope this email finds you well.
I am writing to inform you about the English model I have prepared for the upcoming literary fest. My model is a 3D diorama depicting the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'.
I have used recycled materials to create the setting of the Capulet's orchard and the balcony. The model includes miniature figures of the main characters and is accompanied by a short audio clip of the key dialogues from the scene, which can be played using a QR code attached to the model. I believe this interactive presentation will be both interesting and educational for the visitors.
I am very excited to present it at the fest. Thank you for the opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Class 10, Section [Your Section]
SECTION-D
21. A Stranger wants to go to a hospital. Write the steps to guide him to reach his destination.
Here are the steps to guide the stranger to the hospital:
- You are currently at the Bus Stand on Anna Salai.
- Walk straight along Anna Salai.
- You will see a street on your left called Nehru Street. Take the first left turn into Nehru Street.
- Walk a short distance down Nehru Street.
- The hospital will be on your right side, directly opposite the temple.
PART-IV (SUPPLEMENTARY)
Write a paragraph of about 150 words by developing hints. (any one)
22. a) True Story - Little boy named Peter - rescues his fellow men - sees a small hole - water flows like a stream - thrusts his finger - stops the leaping water - next morning - people repair the hole - thank Peter. [OR]
b) The Story is set - July 25 of 2889 - Bennett - the director - used phonotelephote with his wife - in the reporter room - gigantic signs - he got lunch - pneumatic tubes travelled - Niagara - innovative ideas - This futuristic story - possible in - of future technology.
a) A True Story
This is a true story about the courage of a little boy from Holland named Peter. One day, while walking by a dike, Peter saw a small hole from which water was trickling. He knew that even a tiny leak could grow and cause a devastating flood, endangering his entire village. Without a second thought, he thrusts his small finger into the hole, effectively stopping the flow of water. The water was cold, and as hours passed, he grew tired and numb, but he did not give up. He stayed there all night, holding back the sea. The next morning, a villager found him and quickly called for help. People rushed to the spot, praised the boy for his bravery, and promptly repaired the hole in the dike. Peter's quick thinking and selfless act saved his community, and he became a hero, a symbol of how even a small person can make a big difference.
(OR)
b) A Day in 2889
The story is set in the distant future, on July 25, 2889, and follows a day in the life of Francis Bennett, the director of a futuristic news organization. The world he inhabits is a marvel of advanced technology. Communication is instantaneous; Bennett uses a 'phonotelephote' to have a video conversation with his wife in Paris while he is at his office near Niagara Falls. News is no longer printed but projected onto clouds as gigantic signs for the public to see. Meals are not cooked but delivered instantly through a network of pneumatic tubes that also serve as the primary mode of transportation, whisking people across vast distances in minutes. The story showcases innovative ideas like weather control and advertisements projected in the sky. This futuristic story paints a picture of a world where technology has made life incredibly fast and convenient, illustrating what might be possible with the relentless advancement of future technology.