10th English Second Mid Term Test 2024: Question Paper & Answer Key
Question Paper - SECOND MID TERM TEST - 2024
Class: 10
Subject: English
Time Allowed: 1.30 Hours
Max. Marks: 50
PART - I (7x1=7)
I. Answer the following questions.
Choose the correct Synonym for the underlined words.
1. Technology is also a boon to citizens with special needs.
2. His idea of going away, made me forget all about his ruler and how cranky he was.
Choose the correct Antonym for the underlined words.
3. We look forward to a more inclusive way of learning, instead of the cloistered existence.
4. French Language is the most beautiful language in the world - the clearest, the most logical.
Choose the correct plural form of medium from the following.
6. The correct expansion of the title Mrs. is
7. Complete the following sentence with the most appropriate phrasal verb given below.
He planned to _______ everyone for a meeting.
PART - II SECTION - A (2x2=4)
II. Answer any TWO of the following questions in a sentence or two.
8. Which software helps Alisha to overcome her difficulty in typing?
9. What did M. Hamel say about the French language?
10. How does Kim help Alisha?
SECTION - B (1x2=2)
Read the following set of poetic lines and answer any ONE of the following.
11.
And now, if you will set us to our task,
We will serve you four and twenty hours a day!
12.
They, too, aware of sun and air and water,
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.
SECTION - C (1x2=2)
Answer any ONE of the following.
13. Combine the following sentences using a relative pronoun.
Kumar is my teacher. He teaches us English.
14. Rewrite the following sentence into indirect speech.
Sadhu said to Vidhu, "We are writing exam now".
SECTION - D (1x2=2)
15. A stranger wants to go to the Library. Write the steps to guide him to reach his destination.
[Image of a map showing "YOU ARE HERE", "BUS STOP", "MAIN ROAD", "BAZAAR STREET", "TEMPLE", and "LIBRARY"]
PART - III SECTION - A (1x5=5)
III. Answer any ONE of the following.
16. "Technology is a boon to the disabled". Justify.
17. Give an account of the last day of M. Hamel.
SECTION - B (1x5=5)
Answer any ONE of the following.
18. How do machines confess they are inferior to human brain?
19. Read the following stanza and answer the questions given below
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!
SECTION - C (1x5=5)
Answer any ONE of the following.
20. Rearrange the following sentences in coherent order
21. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
The next room, a broad gallery about a quarter of a mile long, was devoted to publicity, and it well may be imagined what the publicity for such a journal as the Earth Herald had to be. It brought in a daily average of three million dollars. They are gigantic signs reflected on the clouds, so large that they can be seen all over a whole country. For that gallery a thousand projectors were unceasingly employed in sending to the clouds, on which they were reproduced in colour, these inordinate advertisements. At that moment, the clock struck twelve. The director of the Earth Herald left the hall and sat down in a rolling armchair. In a few minutes, Francis Bennet had reached his dining room half a mile away, at the far end of the office.Questions:
- What was the next room devoted to?
- What was the breadth of the gallery?
- How much did the gallery bring in?
- How was advertisement done here?
- Who was the director of the Earth Herald?
SECTION - D (1x5=5)
Answer any ONE of the following.
22. You are Vikram, a member of Junior Red Cross. Design a poster to create awareness on the importance of tree plantation. Support with suitable drawings.
23. You are Raja. The street lights of your area do not work properly. As a responsible citizen, write a letter to the newspaper enlightening them about the problem and also suggest ways to brighten the area.
24. Write an email to your English teacher about your project that you have prepared for the upcoming literary festival in your school.
25. Quote from memory:
Some water................. lift and drive.
PART - IV (1x8=8)
IV. Answer any ONE of the following.
26. Write a paragraph in 160 words by developing the following hints.
Francis Bennett - phonotelephote - reporters room - four quarters of earth - Mercury - Venus - Mars - scientists - Gandini - broad gallery - thousand projectors - advertisements - Mr. and Mrs. Bennett - lunch - pneumatic tubes - aero-car - Niagara - waiting room - Earth Herald - submarine tubes - very tired.
(OR)
27. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.
Elephants are considered keystone and umbrella species as they play a key role within the environment that they live in. As elephants live in herds and require large habitable areas, they tend to change the surrounding atmosphere from forests to grasslands and help to disburse the seeds in an ecosystem that has no natural means of pollinating the area. An elephant requires around 70 to 100 litres of water every day. Therefore, the elephants in dry zones and dry seasons, dig holes in riverbeds in order to collect water and help sustain water for other species as well. The elephants' habit of clearing the path they roam has acted as natural buffer zones when forest fires take place.Questions:
- What are the elephants considered as?
- Where do they dig holes to collect water? Why?
- What acts as buffer zones during the forest fires?
- How many litres of water does an elephant require every day?
Solutions / Answer Key
PART - I
PART - II SECTION - A
SECTION - B
a) 'We' refers to the machines.
b) No, a machine cannot do any task without a human being giving it instructions or setting it to the task.
a) The need for sun, air, and water is common for all of us (human beings across the world).
b) We are fed by peaceful harvests during times of peace, but we starve during the long winters caused by war.
SECTION - C
SECTION - D
- Go straight along Bazaar Street from where you are.
- Ignore the first Right Turn. You will see a Temple on your right. Continue walking past it.
- After the temple, take a right turn.
- Walk a little further, you will reach the Main road.
- Now take the left turn and walk a little. You will find the Library on your Left side.
PART - III SECTION - A
Technology has revolutionized the lives of people with disabilities, transforming challenges into opportunities. For instance, individuals with mobility impairments can use powered wheelchairs and smart home devices to live independently. For the visually impaired, screen readers and Braille displays provide access to digital information, opening up worlds of education and employment. Similarly, for people with cerebral palsy, like Alisha in the lesson, assistive technologies like speech-to-text software (Dragon Dictate) allow them to communicate and work effectively, bypassing physical limitations. Hearing aids and cochlear implants have restored the sense of hearing for many. Thus, technology acts as a great enabler, fostering inclusion, independence, and empowering the disabled to lead fulfilling lives.
M. Hamel's last day at the school was a poignant and memorable occasion, filled with patriotism and sadness. On this day, he was dressed in his fine Sunday clothes—his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt, and a little black silk cap, all embroidered—which he wore only on inspection and prize days. The atmosphere in the classroom was unusually solemn. The village elders, including the old Hauser, the former mayor, and the former postmaster, were seated silently on the back benches to pay their respects to M. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service and to show their solidarity with their country. M. Hamel taught his last lesson with great patience and dedication. He spoke about the French language, calling it the most beautiful, clearest, and most logical language in the world. He urged his students and the villagers to guard it, as it was the key to their freedom. Throughout the lesson, he was overcome with emotion. As the church clock struck twelve, and the trumpets of the Prussians sounded, M. Hamel stood up, pale and choked with emotion. Unable to speak, he turned to the blackboard and wrote in large letters, "Vive La France!" (Long Live France!). He then dismissed the class with a gesture, signifying the end of an era.
SECTION - B
In the poem 'The Secret of the Machines', the machines acknowledge their limitations and confess their inferiority to their creator, the human brain. They state, "But remember, please, the Law by which we live, / We are not built to comprehend a lie." This shows their inability to understand complex human concepts like deceit. They can only operate on logic and facts. Furthermore, they admit they have no emotions: "We can neither love nor pity nor forgive." They function without feelings, which is a core part of human intelligence and consciousness. Ultimately, they admit they are "children of your brain," recognizing humans as their creators and masters, thereby accepting their subordinate and inferior role.
a) Rhyming words: drive-dive, light-write.
b) Rhyme scheme: aabb
c) Figure of speech in the first line: Polysyndeton (the repeated use of the conjunction 'and').
d) Alliterating words in the second line: We - weave.
SECTION - C
- (iii) Mr. Bennett woke up in a bad temper.
- (i) As soon as he awoke, he switched on his phono telephone.
- (v) The wires of the phonotelephote led to the house he owned in the Champs-Elysees.
- (iv) He saw his wife appear in the telephotic mirror.
- (ii) Her sweet voice gave a happier turn to his mood.
- The next room was devoted to publicity.
- The gallery was about a quarter of a mile long.
- The gallery brought in a daily average of three million dollars.
- Advertisement was done by using a thousand projectors to send gigantic, colored signs onto the clouds, which could be seen all over the country.
- Francis Bennet was the director of the Earth Herald.
PLANT A TREE, SAVE THE FUTURE!
Join the Green Revolution!
- 🌳 Trees give us Oxygen to breathe.
- 🌧️ They bring rain and prevent drought.
- 🌍 They reduce pollution and combat climate change.
- 🐦 They provide shelter for birds and animals.
"He who plants a tree, plants a hope."
Issued in public interest by:
Vikram
Member, Junior Red Cross
XYZ School
15, Gandhi Street,
Chennai - 600020.
15th October 2024.
The Editor,
The Hindu,
Chennai - 600002.
Subject: Non-functional street lights in Gandhi Street - Request for immediate action.
Sir/Madam,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to the poor maintenance of street lights in our area, Gandhi Street, Chennai.
For the past two weeks, most of the street lights in our locality are not functioning. This has plunged the entire street into darkness after sunset. The darkness poses a significant risk to the residents, especially women and elderly people. It has become a haven for anti-social elements, and there has been a rise in petty crimes like chain-snatching. Moreover, the absence of light makes it difficult for motorists and pedestrians to navigate, increasing the chances of accidents.
We have lodged several complaints with the local civic body, but no action has been taken so far. I suggest that the faulty lights be repaired or replaced with new, energy-efficient LED lights immediately. Regular maintenance checks should also be scheduled to prevent such issues in the future.
I hope the authorities will wake up from their slumber and take the necessary steps to restore the street lights.
Thank you,
Yours truly,
(Raja)
A responsible citizen.
To: teacher_email@omtexclasses.com
Subject: Project for the Upcoming Literary Festival
Dear Ma'am/Sir,
I hope this email finds you well.
I am writing to inform you about the project I have prepared for the upcoming literary festival in our school. My project is titled "The Influence of Shakespeare on Modern English."
For the project, I have created a detailed presentation that explores how Shakespeare's works have introduced new words and phrases into our language. It also includes a short skit based on a famous scene from 'Macbeth' to demonstrate the timeless appeal of his plays. I have also prepared a chart showcasing popular idioms that we owe to Shakespeare.
I am very excited about this project and would be grateful if you could spare some time to review it and provide your valuable feedback before the festival.
Thank you for your guidance and support.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Class 10, Section [Your Section]
SECTION - D
Some water, coal, and oil is all we ask,
And a thousandth of an inch to give us play:
And now, if you will set us to our task,
We will serve you four and twenty hours a day!
We can pull and haul and push and lift and drive.
Francis Bennett, the powerful director of the 'Earth Herald', lived a life dictated by incredible technology. His day began not with a newspaper, but with the phonotelephote, through which he managed his global news empire. In the reporters' room, journalists telecast live news from the four quarters of the earth and even from distant planets like Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Bennett's scientists, like the brilliant Gandini, worked on futuristic inventions. The business side of the 'Earth Herald' was a marvel, with a broad gallery housing a thousand projectors that beamed advertisements onto the clouds, earning millions. His personal life was just as automated; he had lunch with Mrs. Bennett through a system of pneumatic tubes.
For travel, he used a swift aero-car, capable of whisking him to places like Niagara in an instant. The 'Earth Herald' building, with its grand waiting room, was the nerve center of the world's information. After a long day of managing his vast enterprise and travelling via submarine tubes, despite all the technological assistance, Francis Bennett was left utterly very tired. The constant stream of information and decision-making proved that even in a world of supreme convenience, the human mind could be overwhelmed.
PART - IV
a) Elephants are considered keystone and umbrella species.
b) They dig holes in riverbeds to collect water because they need about 70 to 100 litres of water daily. This action is especially vital in dry zones and during dry seasons, and it also helps other species find water.
c) The elephants' habit of clearing wide paths while roaming acts as natural buffer zones during forest fires, helping to stop the spread of fire.
d) An elephant requires around 70 to 100 litres of water every day.