Students can refer to the following Sample Paper ICSE Class 10 English Language Set C with Answers provided below based on the latest syllabus and examination guidelines issued for ICSE English Language. All specimen papers have been prepared covering all chapters given in ICSE English Language book for Class 10. You should also refer to ICSE Class 10 English Language Solutions.
Sample Paper ICSE Class 10 English Language Set C with Answers
MODEL EXAMINATION,
Marks: 80
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
Attempt all five questions.
The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
You are advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1 and 20 minutes in answering Question 2.
Question 1 (Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.)
Write a composition (300 – 350 words) on any one of the following: [20]
a) Imagine that you are stranded in an island untouched by the influence of technology (For example: Sentinel Island). Describe the island, the people, their routine etc. How did you feel at first? What were your feelings when you had to return?
b) You had to quarrel with your best friend over a trivial matter. Narrate the entire event, the effort you made and how you finally fixed it. What did you learn from this stressful experience?
c) ‘Realists and Scientists believe that death is the end of life’. Express your views either for or against the statement.
d) Write an original short story beginning with: ‘As they looked back in the mirror they were amazed to find two completely different people smiling back at them.’
e) Study the picture given below. Write a short story or description or an account of what the picture suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it.
Question 2 (Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.) [10]
Select one of the following:
a) Write a letter to your friend about how with the inflow of Harry Potter, Narnia and other fairytales from the West, we are beginning to forget our native traditions of fairy tales and folklore. Suggest few books that will help to know and understand our culture.
b) Cricket has become an instant money-spinner. Write a letter to the President of Board of Control for Cricket in India, on how the game of cricket is increasingly being commercialized in India. Describe in detail the reasons and provide suggestions to improve the spirit of the game.
Question 3 [5+5]
a) Of late you have noticed that your friends do not read anything apart from the books prescribed in the syllabus. Disturbed by this, you have decided to start a Reading club in school.
Draft a notice to be put up on the school notice board inviting everyone to join the Reading Club.
b) Write an email to the Principal of your school seeking permission to display the notice of the Reading Club and announce this to the students. Give all the necessary details.
Question 4
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
I find that the younger generation feels that there is a magic formula, jealously guarded by the professionals and I in my writing seem to project the image of a nice guy walking the road alone, I would spill the beans if correctly approached and appealed to.
Well, there are no beans to spill; no magic formula, no hidden tricks or short cuts either. It’s hard gruel all the way and hard work over a long period of time. My own advice to aspiring youngsters will be: if you are in a hurry, better be a successful journalist than a good writer. It takes longer and greater uncertainty, to make it the other way round
Well, if any of my ill-advised young admirers still thinks that he or she would like to be a good writer – on any subject of his/her choice—I offer a few guidelines. First of all, sharpen your tools and gain mastery of their use. The basic tool for any writer is language, which entails the acquisition of a good vocabulary and adherence to those irritatingly dull and cumbersome things as spelling and grammar. Most people who write to and in the newspapers think that spelling and grammar are just frills. When you have a great story and a gorgeous idea, just bang it on the typewriter or into the computer disk and let the editor sort out the spelling and grammar.
Granting that you are a diligent learner who can correctly spell ‘sacrilege’ and ‘supersede’ and know that people sell things ‘on’ and not ‘in’ the black market and ‘pick up’ a quarrel and not ‘pick it’, is that enough to make you a good writer? Well, the answer is a monosyllabic ‘no’. From the structure of a sentence and the construction of a paragraph to the weaving of a plot and developing of a theme, writing involves a thousand little intricacies.
Well, are there any guide books throwing light on those intricacies? Not that I know of. My own little way has been to read the masters of English prose. You don’t have to condemn yourself to years of falling asleep over classics. My experience is that good writers are also fascinating writers. They use the correct word every time and put together their paragraphs and sentences deftly and beautifully. My idols in this regard are Charles Dickens (Pickwick in particular) and P. G. Wodehouse.
Read them. They are your self-chosen school. If you can’t really absorb the teaching, give up. It’s no disgrace not being a writer. In fact, you will be doing a great service to humanity. There are several inferior positions in the world in which you can excel. Such as, for instance, the Prime Ministership of India or the VJ of a chat show. After all, not all can scale the heights. Knowledge of language and knowledge of subject are two essentials for good writing. If you want to be a good science fiction writer, you must know how to write and you must know Science. A good music critic is one who can write and knows music.
Talking of music critics, I have just heard that the greatest of them all in this country, Subbudu, is about to be honoured on the completion of 50 years of music and dance reviewing. P.V. Subramanium, as his original name is, has completed 80 years and is still going strong. Subbudu has been The Statesman’s music critic for 47 years, though he has confined himself to Carnatic music and classical South Indian dance styles.
Over the years, he has been a terror to the best in the music and dance business. Since his own knowledge had often exceeded that of most artists, he could catch them erring once too often. The eminence of the artiste never overawed him. And he wrote his reviews with his pen dipped “not in ink but in acid”. Not without reason, the Tamil weekly Kumudam described Subuddu as “Carnatic’s music’s greatest unpaid advertisement”. In Tamil, he was devastatingly effective, but the reviews in The Statesman were no less readable or pungent.
a) Give the meaning of each of the following words as used in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
i) Adherence
ii) intricacies
iii) confined
b) Answer the following questions briefly, in your own words:
i) What is the author’s advice to aspiring youngsters? [2]
ii) What are the basic tools suggested for a young writer by the author? [2]
iii) Why does the author say that ‘Good writers are also fascinating writers?’ Who are his idols? [2]
iv) What do you mean by the phrase ‘spill the beans’? [1]
v) According to the author, what are the intricacies involved in writing good prose? [2]
c) In not more than 50 words, express your views on the status of Subbudu, the great music critic. [8]
Question 5
a) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets.
Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space. [4]
In each century since the beginning of the world, wonderful things (0) have been discovered (discover). In the last century, more amazing things (1) _ (find) than in any century before. In this new century, hundreds of things still more astounding (2) (bring) to light. At first people refuse (3) _ (believe) that a strange new thing can be done, then they (4) (begin) to hope it can’t be done, then they see it can be done—then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago. One of the new things people (5) (begin) to find out in the last century was that thoughts—just mere thoughts— (6) (be) as powerful as electric batteries—as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind (7) (be) as dangerous as scarlet fever germ getting into your body. If you let it stay there after it (8) (get) in, you may never get over it as long as you may live.
b) Fill in each blank with an appropriate word: [4]
i) Walking is a good exercise _ those who lead a sedentary life.
ii) The Principal was asked to preside the meeting.
iii) The teacher had been reading Gray’s Elegy morning.
iv) Tharoor made a speech replete wit.
v) Some people compare Trump _ Bolsonaro.
vi) Melania went to Slovenia in the hope meeting her uncle.
vii) The boatman saved the life of the child the risk of his own life.
viii) The old President acted _ opposition to the country’s wishes.
c) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. [4]
i) Meg wanted to toast her feet. She wanted to read ‘Ivanhoe’.
ii) Rami is looking after some children. They are terribly spoilt.
iii) The debating teams were very happy. Both were declared joint champions.
iv) Jack could not take part in the singing competition. He had a sore throat.
d) Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. [8]
i) Kamala wondered if she was in a real place or if she had fallen asleep again. (Change the narration)
ii) Fred peeped over the hedge and saw the queen of his affections picking strawberries. (Begin with: Peeping…)
iii) November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year. (Begin: No….)
iv) Some of the greatest sonnets in English were written by William Shakespeare. (Begin: William Shakespeare…)
v) The children were so enthralled that they could not keep their voices low. (Use: ‘too”)
vi) As soon as the teacher switched on the video, the students stopped talking. (Begin: Hardly…)
vii) Most of the books were taken away from the shelf when we left. (Begin: Only…)
viii) Prospero had plenty of books but he was not happy. ( Begin: In spite…)