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Page 1 of 9
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT – I, 2012
EC2-042
ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE
Class - X
Time : 3 hours
Maximum Marks: 90
Instructions:
The question paper is divided into four sections.
Section A
:
Reading
20 marks
Section B
:
Writing
25 marks
Section C
:
Grammar
20 marks
Section D
:
Literature
25 marks
SECTION - A
(Reading – 20 Marks)
1.
Read the extract given below carefully and answer the questions that
follow:
10
An angry wind stirred up ghostly dust devils as King Tut was taken from his
resting place in the ancient Egyptian cemetery known as the valley of the
Kings.
Dark bellied clouds had scudded across the desert sky all day and now were
veiling the stars in casket grey. It was 6 p.m. on 5 January 2005. The world‟s
most famous mummy glided head first into a CT scanner brought here to
probe the lingering medical mysteries of this little understood young ruler
who died more than 3,300 years ago.
All afternoon the usual line of tourists from around the world had descended
into the cramped, rock-cut tomb some 26 Feet underground to pay their
respects. They gazed at the murals on the walls of the burial Chamber and
peered at Tut‟s gilded face, the most striking feature of his mummy-shaped
outer coffin lid. Some visitors read from guidebooks in a whisper. Others
stood silently, perhaps pondering Tut‟s untimely death in his late teens, or
wondering with a shiver if the pharaoh‟s curse-death or misfortune falling
upon those who disturbed him – was really true.
“The mummy is in a very bad condition because of what Carter did in the
1920” said Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt‟s Supreme Council of
Antiquities, as he leaned over the body for a long first look. Carter – Howard
Carter, that is – was the British archaeologist who in 1922 discovered Tut‟s
tomb after years of futile searching.
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Its contents, though hastily ransacked in antiquity, were surprisingly
complete. They remain the richest royal collection ever found and have
become part of the pharaoh‟s legend. Stunning artetacts in gold, their eternal
brilliance meant to guarantee resurrection, caused a sensation at the time of
the discovery and still get the most attention. But Tut was also buried with
everyday things he‟d want in the after life; board games, a bronze razor, linen
undergarments, cases of food and wine.
After months of carefully recording the pharaoh‟s funerary treasures, Carter
began investigating his three nested coffins. Opening the first, he found a
shroud adorned with garlands of willow and olive leaves, wild celery, lotus
petals, and cornflowers, the faded evidence of a burial in March or April.
When he finally reached the mummy though, he ran into trouble. The ritual
resins had hardened, cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. “No
amount of force could more them,” Carter wrote later. “What was to be
done?”
The sun can beat down like a hammer this far South in Egypt, and Carter tried
to use it to loosen the resins. For several hours he set the mummy outside in
blazing sunshine that heated it to 149 degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing moved. He
reported with scientific detachment that “the consolidated material had to be
chiseled away from beneath the limbs and trunk before it was possible to raise
the King‟s remains.
(A)
Complete the following statements briefly
(i)
King Tut was ______________.
(ii)
The young ruler died _____________________
(iii)
Tut‟s tomb was discovered by ________________
(iv)
Carter set the mummy in the blazing sunshine to
______________.
(v)
Tut was burried along with everyday things like
______________
(vi)
Carter began investigating Tut‟s three _________________
1x6=6
(B)
Fill in the blanks to complete the paragraph by supplying only one
word for each blank.
The ancient Egyptian cemetery is known as the (a) ____________ of the
kings. A CT scan of the mummy‟s gilded (b) ________ was done to (c)
__________ the medical (d) ______________ of the young ruler.
Find the words from the passage that mean the same as
(i)
covering (Para 2)
(ii)
painting done on the walls (Para 3)\
½x4=2
(c)
2.
Read the passage given below.
1x2=2
5
Human Environment
One cannot be truly human and civilized unless one looks upon not only all
fellowmen but all creation with the eyes of a friend. Throughout India, edicts
carved on rocks and iron pillars are reminders that 22 centuries ago, emperor
Ashoka defined the king‟s duty as not merely to protect citizens and punish
wrongdoers but also to preserve animal life and forest trees.
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Ashoka was the first and perhaps the only monarch until very recently to
forbid the killing of a large number of species of animals for sport or food. He
went further, regretting the carnage of his military conquests and enjoining
upon his successors to find “their only pleasure in the peace that comes
through righteousness.”
Along with the rest of mankind, we in India – inspite of Ashoka – have been
guilty of indiscriminate disregard of the sources of our sustenance. Though
there is a concern at the rapid deterioration of flora and fauna, some of the
wild life has been wiped out, miles of forests, with beautiful old trees, silent
witness of history have been destroyed.
(A)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
3.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage complete the
statements given below from the options that follow :
(a)
A person can be truly human and civilized only when he
___________
(i)
looks at all fellow men with the eyes of a friend
(ii
looks at others with a friendly eye
(iii)
looks at all creatures with the eyes of a friend
(iv)
acts like Ashoka
According to Ashoka, the duty of a king was to ____________
(i)
protect citizens, punish wrongdoers, preserve forests and
animal life
(ii)
protect citizens forbid the killing of animals for sport or food
(iii)
protect citizens and ensure peace
(iv)
protect citizens and punish wrongdoers.
Ashoka tried to teach his successors to find ____________
(i)
peace against pleasure
(ii)
pleasure in the peace that comes through righteousness
(iii)
peace and denounce pleasure
(iv)
pleasure against peace
Despite the great Ashoka, Indians have disregarded their __________
(i)
sources of wealth
(ii)
natural resources
(iii)
wildlife
(iv)
miles of forests
„By silent witness of history‟ the author means __________
(i)
miles of forest
(ii)
flora and fauna
(iii)
wildlife
(iv)
beautiful old trees
Read the poem given below:
Autumn’s Beauty
1x5=5
5
The rain falls gently
Quenching the thirst of a landscape
Parched by the rays of the hot Summer Sun.
The song of the birds is now silenced.
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The petals of a once brilliant flower have faded.
A bright, azure sky with soft white clouds is gone,
Replaced by the grey dampness of the season.
The caressing breeze of summer
Has turned into the stormy winds of fall.
Leaves once proudly perched on the limbs of trees,
Now dance gaily through the air.
Brightly colored in the warm tones of autumn.
Children laughing merrily on their way
As they hear the crackling sound of leaves beneath their feet.
A jack – o - lantern sits in the window,
Showing a wide, toothless grin or scowling frown.
The snapping of pitch from a burning log,
The faint scene of pine filling the room,
Flames leaping about as if it were a ballet.
Performing for its audience.
The soft, comforting glow of candlelight
Bringing with it serenity and quiet thoughts
I sit in amazement watching all that is around me.
Yes, there is a God.
Only He could have made the wonders I see before me.
I will accept the solitude and indifference of winter.
So I may anticipate and appreciate.
The re-birth of spring.
(A)
On the basis of your reading of the above poem complete the following
statements by choosing the correct options from those given below:
(a)
The rain quenches the thirst ____________________
(i)
of men and animals
(ii)
of the forest
(iii)
of the dry and thirsty land
(iv)
of all creatures of the meadows
(b)
In the dry season __________________.
(i)
birds don‟t sing and flowers fade
(ii)
flowers die
(iii)
birds remain thirsty
(iv)
animals and birds remain thirsty
1x5=5
Page 5 of 9
(c)
(d)
(e)
After the rain, leaves suddenly ________________.
(i)
grow bigger
(ii)
grow greener
(iii)
start falling down
(iv)
start dancing in the air
Children also go about __________________.
(i)
dancing and laughing
(ii)
laughing and crushing leaves under their feet
(iii)
plucking leaves
(iv)
dancing and jumping
All these wonders could have been made by ______________.
(i)
men
(ii)
nature
(iii)
God
(iv)
rain
SECTION – B
(Writing – 25 Marks)
4.
You are Rohit/Reema, Cultural Secretary of St. Anthony School. Your
Principal has asked you to write a notice for the school notice board regarding
an inter class folk dance competition. This competition will be part of the
Independence Day celebrations. Write the notice in about 50 words giving
necessary details.
4
5.
Given below is a profile of Dr. Raksha Mittal, part time doctor of your school.
Write a short bio-sketch of Dr. Raksha Mittal in about 100 words. Take the
help of the hints given below:
6




Age
Height/weight
Education
Experience

Qualities
-
35 years
medium height, slim, fair, smart
M.D. (Medicine): Diploma in Child Health.
working at Ganga Ram Clinic in the morning:
8 am to 11 am
- visits school on Tuesdays and Fridays
11 : 00 am to 2 : 00 pm
- keeps the medical room clean,
soft spoken, gives small tokens to sick children
6.
Your grandfather‟s is very upset about the rising prices and keeps thinking of
his olden times when things were very cheap. You are convinced that inflation
has made life difficult for common man. Write a letter in about 120 words to
the editor of a national daily describing the difficulties faced by poor families.
7
7.
You have been awarded a special prize for being the best student teacher
under „Each one, Teach one‟ project. You worked hard during your summer
break and taught children from the slums. Draft a speech for the morning
assembly on the topic, “Role of Students in Removing Illiteracy”. Write your
speech in about 150 words.
8
Page 6 of 9
8.
SECTION - C
(Grammar – 20 Marks)
Complete the paragraph given below with the help of the options that
follow. Write the correct options against the correct blank number.
A doctor had the habit of talking to the trees (a) __________ the roadside as he
took (b) ____________ walks in the evening. He would (c) ________ to kiss the
trees lovingly and whisper kind words to (d) _________. This was an odd (e)
________ beautiful sight. It was indeed (f) _______ noble act in this wicked
world. One day he was very upset to (g) __________ one of his trees cut down.
The nature lover was so upset (h) ___________ he collapsed on the road.
(a)
(i)
on
(ii) in
(iii)
along
(iv)
with
(b)
(i)
my
(ii)
your (iii)
his
(iv)
her
(c)
(i)
bend (ii)
bent (iii)
bended
(iv)
bending
(d)
(i)
it
(ii) they (iii)
them
(iv)
those
(e)
(i)
and
(ii) but
(iii)
as
(iv)
so
(f)
(i)
a
(ii)
an
(iii) the
(iv)
this
(g)
(i)
see
(ii)
saw (iii) seen
(iv)
seeing
(h)
(i)
as
(ii)
when (iii)
what
(iv)
that
½x8=4
9.
Use the given notes to complete the paragraph given below with the help of
options that follow.
Notes:
 Annual function of the school
 Chief Minister as the chief guest
 Inauguration address by the Principal
 Prize Distribution by the Chief Guest
Last week the Annual Function of our school (a) __________. The Chief
Minister of the state (b) ____________ to grace the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The function (c) ___________ by the Principal and the Chief Guest (d) _______
prizes to the prize winners.
(a)
(i)
is celebrated
(ii)
was celebrated
(iii)
had been celebrated
(iv)
shall be celebrated
(b)
(i)
was invited
(ii)
has been invited
(iii)
is invited
(iv)
shall be invited
(c)
(i)
is inaugurated
(ii)
was inaugurated
(iii)
will be inaugurated
(iv)
has been inaugurated
(d)
(i)
will distribute
(ii)
had distributed
(iii)
distributed
(iv)
is distributing
4
10.
The following paragraph has not been edited. There is an error in each line.
Identify the error and write the correct word against the correct blank
number. Underline the correct word as shown in the example.
Error
Correction
Vijender Singh of Bhiwani, be the
be
is
first Indian boxer as bring an Olympic
(a)
_______ _______
medal to India at 2008.
(b)
_______ _______
Vijender was encouraged from his coach
(c)
_______ _______
½x8=4
Page 7 of 9
Jagdish Singh to take in professional boxing. (d)
Since Indians we are proud of him.
(e)
According from his coach, it was
(f)
discipline but hardwork that got
(g)
him victory in the international level.
(h)
______
______
______ _______
_____ _______
_______ ______
________ ______
11.
Rearrange the following jumbled words/phrases to make meaningful
sentences. The first one has been done for you as an example.
relieves and amuses/soul/laughter/the depressed
Laughter relieves and amuses the depressed soul.
(a)
an antidote/and pain/it is/to stress
(b)
for toning/a good exercise/up/it is/facial muscles
(c)
are stabilized/is improved/body functions/and blood circulation
(d)
negative laughter/at others/the only/is/laughing
1x4=4
12.
Read the conversation given below and complete the paragraph that
follows.
Customer : Can I have a bottle of juice?
Shopkeeper: Sorry, we only have milk bottles.
Customer : When will it be available?
Shopkeeper: I can give it to you tomorrow.
Customer : Thank you, then I will come tomorrow.
The customer asked the shopkeeper (a) ______________________________.
The shopkeeper apologized and said (b) ____________________________
The customer wanted to know (c) _______________________________. The
shopkeeper said that (d) _________________________. The customer thanked
him and said that he would come the next day.
1x4=4
SECTION - D
(Literature – 25 Marks)
13.
(A)
Read the extract given below and complete the statements that
follow by choosing the correct options:
The eye of a little god, four cornered.
Most of the time I meditate on the opposite wall.
It is pink with speckles. I have looked at it so long.
I think it is a part of my heart. But it flickers.
Faces and darkness separate us over and over.
(a)
The mirror bas been called „a four cornered god‟ because
_____________.
(i)
it is square shaped
(ii)
like God it watches you without bias from all four
angles.
(iii)
It reflects all that it sees.
(iv)
It never stops reflecting.
(b)
The speckles refer to _____________.
(i)
a pink object
(ii)
spots on the opposite wall
(iii)
a person with pink pimples
(iv)
pink spots in general
1x3=3
Page 8 of 9
(c)
(B)
(C)
Faces and darkness separate us because ___________________
(i)
people look into the mirror or when it is dark
(ii)
the mirror is covered
(iii)
people wear a mask
(iv)
it is night time
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow
in brief.
In a world that is supposed to be chiefly swayed by hunger and by
love Mrs. Packletide was an exception, her movements and motive
were largely governed by dislike of Loona Bimberton.
(a)
How is the world chiefly swayed by?
(b)
How was Mrs. Packletide an exception?
(c)
How was Mrs. Packletide governed?
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow
in brief:
No, if I‟m not to have him you shan‟t either. We quarrelled because
Elizabeth said she wouldn‟t take you off our hands at any price. She
said she‟d had enough of you to last a life time, and we‟d got to keep
you.
(a)
Who is „I‟?
(b)
Why is there a quarrel?
(c)
Who had got to keep the old man according to the speaker?
14.
Answer any four of the following in 30-40 words each.
(a)
Why was the narrator (Two Gentlemen of Verona) deeply touched?
(b)
How did the villagers react to the tiger‟s death?
(c)
Why did Ali give up hunting?
(d)
How was the nightingale received by the creatures of Bingle Bog?
(e)
Why are the candles and the moon called „the liars‟?
15.
Answer the following question in about 150 words.
Mr. Abel Merryweather writes a letter to a friend describing to him what
happened when he „woke up‟ and came downstairs. Write the letter in your
own words.
OR
„He no longer thought of them in terms of envelopes and postcards. He saw
the essential human worth of a letter‟. As village postmaster, write a letter to a
friend on the circumstances under which you were made to realize this truth
and how you are a changed person now.
1x3=3
1x3=3
2x4=8
8
-o0o-
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