Half Yearly Examination - 2024

English Language '

Class X

Time:2 Hrs + 15 min MM-80

Q-1. Write a composition (300-350 words) on any one of the following: (20)

a) Write an original short story set in an Indian village, in which an old lady,
a cow and a little boy are the main characters.
b) Your mother asked your brother and you to cook one meal together, as she
had an appointment with the doctor. Write an account of how you worked
together and what the two of you learned from the experience.
I
c) 'Should dogs be allowed inside restaurants and stores?' Express your views
I either for or against this statement.
I
I
I d) Describe a local market you visited recently with your mother. Give details
\ of the things you -saw and pought. Was the experience memorable?
e) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of
what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the
picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be
a clear connection between the pic~re and your composition.

Q.2. Select any one of the following: (10)

i) Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner of your city, bringing to

his notice the clogged drains in your locality. With the oncoming
monsoons, brief him about the problems that would be caused by such
drains and steps that might be taken for the wellbeing of citizens.
-i
!
ii) You study in a boarding school and want to tell your father h?w you would
like to spend your winter vacation when you come home. Write a letter
to him giving him a plan for your break and the reasons for the plan.
 Q.3. ~

i) Yo':11" school is organising a 'Slogan Writing' competition for

savmg the environment. Write a notice info1ming the pupils at your school
about the event.
(5)
ii) Writ~ a~ e-ma11 'to the Municipal Commissioner of your city, seeking
permission to display the slogans your students have made to save the
environment, to bring about awareness among citizens. (5)

Q 4. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It was about this time that the pigs suddenly moved into the farmhouse and took up their
residence there. Again, the animals seemed to remember that a resolution against this had been
passed in the early <;lays, and again Squealer was able to convince them that this was not the
case. It was absolutely necessary, he said, that the pigs, who were the brains of the farm, should
have a quiet place to work in. It was also more suited to the dignity of the Leader [ for of late
he had taken to speaking of Napoleon under the title of 'Leader'] to live in a house than in a
mere sty. Nevertheless, some of the animals were disturbed when they heard that the pigs not
only took their meals in the kitchen and used the drawing- room as a recreation room, but also
slept in the beds. Boxer passed it off as usual with 'Napoleon is always right!', but Clover, who
thought she remembered a definite ruling against beds, went to the end of the barn and tried to
puzzle out the Seven Commandments which were inscribed there. Finding herself unable to
read more than individual letters she fetched Muriel.
'Muriel' , she said, 'read me the Fourth Commandment. Does it not say something about never
sleeping in 3: bed?'
With some difficulty Muriel spelt it out.
'It says, ''No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets'" she announced finally.
Curiousl y e~ough, Clover had not re1nembered that the Fourth Commandment mentioned
h
~¥ee ts,. but as it was there on the wall, it must have done so. And Squealer, who happened to be
iassing at this moment, attended by two or three dogs, was able to put the whole matter 1n . .
its
proper perspective.
'" h d then comrade s' he said, 'that we pigs now sleep in the beds of the farmhouse?
1ou have ear , , . · b d ?A b d
And wh not? You did not suppose, surely, that there was ever a ru11ng against e s. e
merel y •a lace to sleep in. A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded. The rule
y means p h. h are a human invention. We have removed the sheets from the
was against sheets w ic t ,B t t
fannb. ~rl '
1 b tween blankets. And very comfortable beds they are oo. u no
OUse ~,3s' and s eep e d I can tell you comrades with all the brainwork we have to do
tnorecotnfortable than we nebe ' f ur repos'e would y~u comrades? You would not have us
nowadays. You would not ro us o o '
too tired to carry out our duties?
Animal Fal"fto\,
-...., George orwell
 i)
~or each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used
in the passage) from the options provided: .
(2)
1. Resolution
a) offer
c) motion b) discussion
d) determination
2. Dignity
a) worthy
b) honour
c).highness
d) position

ii) Which word in the passage is the opposite of 'perspective'? (1)

a) Outlook b) View
c) Position d) Cluelessness
iii) Answer the following questions briefly in your ~own words.

a) What news about the pigs had disturbed the other animals? (2)
b) How did Squealer convince all the animals about the new residence of the pigs? (2)
c) Who was addressed as 'Leader'? (1)
d) Who blindly believed in the Leader? How did he support his belief? (2)
e) Which con1mandment did Clover want Muriel to read? What did it say? (2)
iv) Answer in not more than fifty words, how Squealer justified the pigs' sleeping
in the (beds). (8)

Q 5.
(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in (4)
brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word
or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example: (0) forgetting

There was no chance of either ofus ___ (0) (forget) that peculiar ruddy
tweed suit- the very one which he _ _(I) (wear) on the first morning that
we (2) (see) him in Baker Street. We _ _ (3) (catch) the one clear
glimpse of it, and then the match _ _(4) (flicker) and went out, even as
the hope _ _ (5) (go) out of our souls. Holmes _ _ (6) (groan) and his
face _ _ (7) (glimmer) white through the darkness. "The brute! The brute!
I _ _ (8) (cry)_with clenched hands.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. (4)

(ii)
a) He insisted_ his going there.
b) She did not agree _ my proposal.
 c) Is there any proof - my stealing it?
d) My father succe eded _ in1pressing the audience.
e) The boy has special love fast-food.
t) He caugh t him _ his collar.
g) There is no bridge _ the stream.
h) Put _ the fire, please.

(iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence witho
ut using
and, but or so. Choose the correct option.
(4)
1. Dinner was over. The guests retired.
a) Dinne r was over so the guests retired.
b) As dinner was over so the guests had retired.
'c) After dinner was over, the guests retired.
d) Dinner V{as over and so the guests retired.
2.Wise men love truth. Fools shun it.
a) Wise men love truth but fools shun it.
·b) While wise men love truth, fools shun it.
c) Although wise men love truth, fools shun it.
d) Despite wise men loving truth, fools shun it.
3.Janet sold all her jewellery. She cleared her house loan arrears.
a) Janet sold all her jewellery and cleared her house loan arrears.
b) By selling all her jewellery she cleared her house loan arrears.
c) Janet sold all her jewellery by clearing her house loan arrears.
d)" By selling all her jewellery, Janet cleared her house loan arrears.

4. Private tuitions are not affordable. They are a necessary evil.

a) Although private tuitions are not affordable, they are a necessary evil.
• b) Private tuitions are not affordable though they are a necessary evil.
c) As private tuitions are not affordable, they are a necessary evil.
d) Private tuitions are a necessary evil and are not affordable.

iv) Choose the correct option to rewrite the following according to the
instructions given after each sentence.
(8)
1. It is normal for a child to eat four times a day. (Use: normally)
a) A child eats normally four times a day.
b) Normally a child eats four times a day.
c) Normally a child eat four times a day.
d) It is normally seen for children to eat four times a day.
2. The farmer took th e ducks to ke t
.
in a cart (U ' taken' instead of 'took')
) k m ar •. se
a Th e du ck s w m ar ke fb y th £
b) Th d k s w er er e ta en to e armer, m a cart.
e uc e ta ke n b a cart
e du ck s w er e ta k y the f anner to marbket, in •
c) Th en to m ar ke t
t in a ar ' y the farmer.
d) Th ~i.arm-
er w as taken b h
c
e
ta ke n . y t e duck s to market in a cart.
e) Th e du ck s w er e market.
m a cart by the farmer to

tO k' . .
m pe ra tu re , he we nt : In spite ... .)
3. A lth ou gh Rth ay ha d te wor . (Begin
a) In sp ite et to work
. emperature, Ray went rk.
perature, Ra y ·went to w~
b) In sp~te of th e tem
or k Ray had temperature.
~ In sp '.te of go in g to w
work.
In sp ite of ha vi ng te mperature, Ray went to
)
better)
la st ch ap te r in th e book is the best. (Use:
4. T he e rest.
Th e la st ch ap te r in the book is better than th
a) last.
o ot he r ch ap te r in th e book is better than the
b) N the last.
N o ot he r ch ap te r is better in the book than
c) the book.
Th e last_ ch ap te r is better than all others, in
d)
ot he r is ill ." (She told
... .)
5. Sh e sa id , "M y m
other is ill..
a) Sh e told m e he r m
r mother is ill.
b) Sh e to ld m e that he
r mother was ill.
c) Sh e to ld m e that he
i

mother was ill.

d) Sh e told to m e he r
is ... .)
in bu yi ng a fla t fo r a short stay? (Begin: It
6. W hy waste money t stay.
It is a w as te of m on ey to buy a flat for a shor
a) short stay.
It is a w as te of m on ey to buying a flat for a
b)
y a flat for a short stay.
c) It is wasteful to bu stay.
It is w as tin g m on ey to buy a flat for a short
d)
Apart ... .)
fr ien ds ex ce pt An an d helped him. (Begin:
misery, no
7. When Ravi was in in misery.
a) Apart from Anand
, no friends helped him
ry.
one helped Ravi in mise
b) Apart ofA na nd no he lp ed Ra vi when he was in misery.
no frien d . ,
c) Apart from Anand he lp ed Ra vi when he was in misery.
no fri en ds
d) Apart from Anand
unless)
yo ur go al or yo u wi ll not achieve it. (Use:
8. Focus on less you focus on your
goal.
w ill no t ~c hi ev e it un
a) You __ _
cu s on yo ur go al un less you want to miss it.
b) Fo eve it.'
es s yo u fo cu s on yo ur goal you_will not achi
) U nl
cu s on yo ur go al or yo u will not achieve it. -
:) Unless you fo