ENGLISH UT2 REVISION

GRADE 10

LITERATURE

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

A. Were these people pulling his leg? Was the whole thing a gigantic hoax? A meek, harmless
man like him, and they had to drag him into the middle of the city to make a laughing -tock out
of him.
 Who is the speaker?
 Why does he think that he is being made a ‘laughing stock’?
 What does the word ‘hoax’ mean?

B. Patol Babu suddenly felt that he could write a whole thesis on that one monosyllabic
exclamation. Why had he felt so disheartened when this single word contained a gold-mine of
meaning?
 Why was Patol Babu disheartened?
 Which was the word that contained a ‘gold-mine’?
 What does the word ‘monosyllabic’ mean?

C. ‘Oh yes. I must say I was quite taken aback. After so many years’.
 Who is the speaker of the above lines?
 What offer was made to the speaker?
 Which quality of the speaker is highlighted in this extract?

D. Naresh Dutt cast an appraising look at Patol Babu and gave a nod. ‘Oh yes,’ he said.
‘There is no doubt about that. By the way, the shooting takes place tomorrow morning.’
‘Tomorrow? Sunday?’
‘Yes, and not in the studio. I’ll tell you where you have to go. You know Faraday House
near the crossing of Bentinck Street and Mission Row? It’s a seven-storey office
building. The shooting takes place outside the office in front of the entrance. We’ll
expect you there at eight-thirty sharp. You’ll be through by midday.’
 Who is Naresh Babu?
  Find a word from the given extract which means the same as ‘to judge something with
respect to its worth or significance’.
 Where did the shooting take place?

E. This is only the first step on the ladder, my dear better-half! Yes –the first step that would–God
willing-mark the rise to fame and fortune of your beloved husband!’
‘Counting your chickens again before they’re hatched, are you? No wonder you could
never make a go of it .’
‘But it’s the real thing this time! Go and make me a cup of tea, will you? And remind me to
take some ginger juice tonight. It’s very good for the throat.’
The clock in the Metropolitan building showed seven minutes past eight when Patol
Babu reached Esplanade. It took him another then minutes to walk to Faraday House.
 Who is the speaker “Counting your chickens again before they’re hatched, are you”?
 Why does she make this remark?
 Explain ‘Counting your chickens again before they are hatched?’
 Find a word from the given extract which means the same as ‘ of or relating to a city and
the densely populated surrounding areas. ’

F. ‘God save thee, ancient Mariner,

From the fiends that plague thee thus!
Why look’st thou SO?’
 Who is the speaker?
 Why do fiends plague him?
 Which word in the above lines means the same as ‘to trouble’?

G. But no sweet bird did follow,

Nor any day for food or play Came to the mariners’ hollo !
And I had done a hellish thing,
And it would work ‘em woe:
 Who is the speaker?
 What is the ‘hellish thing’ done?
 Explain : “work, ‘em woe.”

H. The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,

The furrow followed free;
We were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea.
 Why is the sea called ‘silent’?
 What according to the mariners was the reason for their fate?
  Which poetic device is used in these lines?
 Deduce the meaning of ‘furrow followed free’.

I. It ate the food it ne’er had eat,

And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!
 What is ‘It’ referred to here?
 What difficulties did the mariners face before ‘it’ arrived?
 How did their fate change after its appearance?
 Did the attitude of the sailors remain the same toward ‘it’?

J. And some in dreams assured were

Of the Spirit that plagued us so;
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
From the land of mist and snow.
 What does the phrase “plagued us so” imply about the sailors' experience with the Spirit?
How does the choice of the word “plagued” affect our understanding of their suffering?
 Which poetic device is prominent in in “Nine fathom deep” and “the land of mist and
snow.” How does it contribute to the eerie atmosphere and the portrayal of the Spirit in
the poem?
 Elucidate how the extract exhumes the themes of crime and punishment.

K. “For now the postmaster understood Ali's heart and his very soul. After spending but a single
night in suspense, anxiously waiting for news of his daughter, his heart was brimming with
sympathy for the poor old man who had spent his nights in the same suspense for the last five
years.”

 What does the postmaster’s reaction to Ali’s letter suggest about his character?
 How does the author convey the theme of empathy through this extract? Or Find an
example of emotional appeal in the extract.
 Elucidate upon the term 'suspense' as used in the context of the extract.
 How does the adverb 'anxiously' draw a parallel to Ali’s personal experience?
 How does the author use contrast to highlight the postmaster’s transformation?

Short Answer Type Questions:

 1. How does Patol Babu's experience with his role as an "extra" reflect broader societal
attitudes towards age, opportunity, and respect for personal talents?
2. “Jolly good! Why, you’re quite an actor.” What are the difficulties that Patol Babu
undergo to earn these words of appreciation from the director of the film?
3. How did Patol Babu lose his job in Calcutta?
4. ‘Patol Babu was a meticulous man’. Elucidate.
5. Nishikanto’s offer stirred Patol Babu to the core. Comment.
6. Why did Mr. Mullick turn down Patol Babu’s request for a rehearsal?
7. Describe the circumstances under which the sailors hung the albatross around the Ancient
Mariner’s neck.
8. What is the “hellish thing” done by the ancient mariner? Why?
9. What might the albatross symbolize within the context of the Mariner’s journey, and how
does its presence influence the crew’s perceptions and decisions?
10. How does the setting of the ice-bound sea contribute to the atmosphere and foreshadow
the eerie events in the narrative?
11. What might be the motivations behind the Mariner’s impulsive decision to kill the
albatross, and how does this reflect on human interaction with nature?
12. How does Coleridge’s use of vivid sensory imagery in the descriptions of the sea and the
ship’s surroundings help develop the mood of isolation and foreboding?
13. In what ways does the crew’s shifting reaction to the albatross’s death reflect human
tendencies to justify actions based on changing circumstances?
14. What might the albatross around the Mariner’s neck symbolize after it is hung there by
the crew, and how does this deepen the poem’s themes of guilt and responsibility?
15. What does Ali's unwavering wait for his daughter's letter symbolize about the power of
hope and the emotional toll of separation?
16. In what ways does Ali’s relationship with the post office reflect societal attitudes towards
the elderly and their emotions?
17. How does the ending of The Letter reflect the unpredictability of life and the resilience of
the human spirit?

Long Answer Type Questions:

1. “That’s odd – the man hadn’t been paid yet. What a strange fellow!” What traits of Patol
Babu make him a strange fellow?
2. “The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, How
does Patol Babu’s experience in the story demonstrate Emerson’s idea that true reward
comes from the quality of one’s effort rather than external validation? (Hint: the advice
of Patol Babu’s mentor and guru, Pakrashi)
3. Respect for all forms of life is an essential value. Unmindful destruction of nature and its
creatures deserves just punishment. Write in 100-120 words this essential value as
brought out in the poem, ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’.
 4. “We are not punished for our sins, but by them.” — Elbert Hubbard. How does the
Mariner's experience with nature and the supernatural reflect the idea that punishment
comes not from external forces alone, but as a consequence of his own actions?
5. How does Coleridge use the supernatural to heighten the consequences of the Mariner’s
actions, and what might this suggest about the worldview of the poem?
6. In what ways does the transformation of the postmaster reflect the theme of hope, and
how does it ultimately highlight Ali's perspective?
7. "Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness." — Desmond
Tutu. How does Coachman Ali's unwavering wait for his daughter's letter embody Tutu's
idea of hope as a light in darkness?

LETTER OF ENQUIRY

i. You come across a brochure of ‘Explore Incredible India’: Join our guided tour packages to
famous tourist destinations across India. Experience the rich culture, heritage, and natural beauty.
Special discounts for school groups! You are planning a school trip and wish to explore
Incredible India tour packages. Taking cues from the MCB Unit ‘Travel and Tourism’, write a
letter to the Travel Manager requesting details on destinations, costs, and group discounts. You
are Sita/Siddharth, 48 Hill Avenue, Mumbai.

ii. You saw a billboard displaying the ‘Future Innovators Workshop’: Join our workshop to learn
about the latest innovations in science and technology. Hands-on activities led by industry
experts. Register now! You are excited to attend the workshop. Taking cues from the MCB Units
‘Education’ and ‘Science’, write a letter to the Event Organizer inquiring about the workshop
schedule, activities, and age eligibility. You are Ravi/Rina, 102 Green Park, Bangalore.

GRAMMAR

1. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket.

Time travel (i) __________ (ought to /should/ could) become a reality in the near future, (ii)
_______ (allows/ allowed/ allowing) human beings to experience the thrill of travelling back or
forward in time. However, (iii) _______ (most/ many/ much) challenges must be overcome,
such as ensuring safety and affordability for all potential time-travellers.
2. Rearrange the following jumbled words/phrases in the given dialogue to create a
meaningful sentence.
 3. Report the dialogues to complete the paragraph that follows.

4. Identify the error and supply the correction for the given historical fact.

Chess is believed to have originated in ancient India during the Gupta Empire, around the 6th
century, evolving intricately from a captivated game known as "Chaturanga".

5. There’s never _______ petrol left after Rahul uses the car.
A. much
B. little
C. many
D. a little

6. I am taking driving lessons now. Hopefully, I ___________my driving test by

November.
A. will take
B. would pass
C. will have taken
D. will be taking