KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, BUHBANESWAR REGION

PREBOARD EXAMINATION (2023-24) CLASS X

SUBJECT- (ENGLISH COMMUNICATIVE)
SET-2
TIME: 3 HRS MAX. MARKS 80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
1. 15-minute prior reading time is allotted for Q-paper reading.
2. The Question Paper contains FOUR Sections---READING SKILLS, WRITING SKILLS, GRAMMAR and LITERATURE.
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
4. All the questions of a particular Section are to be attempted consecutively together.

SECTION A: READING SKILLS ( 22 Marks)

Q.1 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: - 1
2
CONSUMERS’ CONFIDENCE

1 The coronavirus outbreak has badly hurt the Indian economy. And the latest survey by the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows that the pandemic has arrested consumers’ hopes in the
economy as well, at least for a year.
Data from the Reserve Bank of India showed consumer confidence collapsed last month. The
current situation index and the future expectations index were below 100, indicating that
2
consumers were pessimistic. A reading above 100 represents optimism.

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is a survey that is conducted every two months to
measure how optimistic or pessimistic the consumers are regarding their financial situation.
The current index measures the change in consumer perception of the financial situation in the
3 last year. The future expectations index (FEI) measures what the consumer thinks about his
financial situation in the coming one year. The main variables of the survey are economic
situation, employment, price level, income and spending.

This is the second time in the decade that FEI has been in the pessimism zone. In the
September 2013 round, when the country was facing a currency crisis, FEI had fallen to 90.5 -
4 the lowest India has ever recorded. In October last year, consumer confidence had dropped to
a six-year low.

“Consumer perception on the general economic situation, employment scenario and household
income plunged deeper into contraction zone, the RBI said in its release. “While expectation on
5
general economic situation and employment scenario for the year ahead were also pessimistic.

Overall consumer spending remained afloat, mostly due to relative inelasticity in essential
spending; consumers reported sharp cuts in discretionary spending and did not expect much
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improvement in the coming year.

Keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India conducted a survey
through the telephonic interviews between May 5–May 7, 2020. The survey was conducted in
7 thirteen major cities—Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, and Thiruvananthapuram.

8 The survey was conducted across 5,300 households on the general economic situation,

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employment scenario, overall price situation, and income and spending.

I Answer the following questions, based on your reading of the above passage.
(a) Coronavirus outbreak has:
(i) badly hurt the Indian economy
i (ii) affected Reserve Bank of India 1
(iii) arrested consumer’s hope in the economy
(iv) both (i) and (iii)
(b) What did the Reserve Bank of India’s data show?
(i) That consumer confidence collapsed last month
ii (ii) That FEI has been in the optimism zone 1
(iii) That CCI has been in the optimism zone
(iv) That GDP has fallen
(c) What are the main variables of the survey?
(i) Economic situation and price level
iii (ii) Employment 1
(iii) Income and spending
(iv) All of these
(d) How much has CCI recorded in March 2020?
iv 1
(i) 23.9 (ii) 115.2 (iii) 85.6 (iv) 63.7
(e) What sign does one year ahead expectation of income show as compared with
the current situation?
(i) It shows positive sentiments with a sign of deterioration compared to the last round.
v 1
(ii) It shows negative sentiments with a sign of improvement compared to the last round.
(iii) It shows negative sentiments with a sign of deterioration compared to the last round.
(iv) It shows positive sentiments with a sign of improvement compared to the last round.

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(f) What does the reading above 100 represent?
vi (i) Pessimism zone (ii) Poor financial performance 1
(iii) Optimism zone (iv) Good financial performance
(g) What is the FEI reading of May 2020?
vii 1
(i) 115.2 (ii) 63.7 (iii) 97.9 (iv) 90.5
(h) Earlier FEI was in the pessimism zone:
(i) in the September 2013 round
viii (ii) when the country was facing a currency crisis 1
(iii) in October last year
(iv) both (i) and (ii)
(i) Who conducted this survey?
ix (i) Reserve Bank of India (ii) News channel 1
(iii) Bhopal Government (iv) Delhi Bank
(j) How did this survey got conducted?
(i) Through face to face interviews
x (ii) Through telephonic interviews 1
(iii) Through online
(iv) Both (ii) and (iii)
(k) What sign does the current perception of employment show when compared to
last month’s figure?
(i) It shows the sign of optimism.
xi 1
(ii) It shows the positive sign.
(iii) It shows the sign of improvement.
(iv) It shows the sign of deterioration

(l) Which of the following statement(s) is/are NOT correct?

A. In only one out of eight surveys CSI is optimistic an FEI is pessimistic.
B. In only one out of eight surveys both the CSI and FEI are pessimistic.
C. In only one out of eight surveys both the CSI and FEI are optimistic.
D. The average CSI throughout the surveys is pessimistic, whereas the average FEI is
xii 1
optimistic
E. The average CSI throughout the surveys is optimistic, whereas the average FEI is
pessimistic
(i) Only A and B, (ii) Only C, (iii) Only D, (iv) Only E

Q.2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:- 10 Marks
The Changing Scenario of Sports in India
Sports have been one of the most loved activities in India. Almost everyone indulges in some
form of sports, from hockey, cricket, football, badminton, tennis to golf, swimming, and archery.
1 Gone are the days when different sports were mainly played for recreational purposes or to
satisfy fitness demands. The India of today plays with a competitive frame of mind. Today,
parents encourage their children to play games and earn name and fame. With the growing
demand for all sports, the need to have an athletic body has also gained importance.
The task of governing and promoting Indian sports to new heights has fallen on a number of
Indian sports associations. Sports organisations like the Indian Olympic Association and Sports
Authority of India are working towards raising the standard of Indian sports through various
2
talent promotion programmes. A host of sports academics and institutes are actively involved in
the grooming of Indian sportsmen. Moreover, there are various corporate houses coming to the
rescue of sponsor-starved games.
Indians now definitely believe in the power of sport. Indian sport is going through a makeover.
Cricket is no longer the only source of glory for the Indian masses. They can now engage in
3
other sports too. India’s recent showing at various championships across the world has
heralded a new era of sports in India.
4 Another important transformation that Indian sport is going through is the recognition and

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inception of young talent at the grass root level. This, in turn, is converted into young Indian
talent putting up a good show internationally. The question now arises, what keeps them glued
to their profession?
Firstly, there has been a remarkable change in the Indian outlook towards sports. Parents now
believe in the power of sports. Once the family decides what game to follow, there is the need
to nurture the talent and build it. Sporting academies catering to a wide array of sports have
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been instrumental in providing the basis for the country’s young talent. Financial backing from
the corporate world at the amateur level has also played a very important role in promoting
talent. The young guns are now finding more encouragement than years ago.
After being scoffed at for years, Indian sportspeople are finally getting due recognition in the
world arena. However, this is just the start and the work has to be carried further to promote
6 sports in every field of discipline. They need to promote sports, not just as a good career but as
a good business proposition too. We need the media to come to the fore-front and help re-
vitalise the sports that have gone down the popularity charts.

On the basis of your reading the above passage, answer the following questions. (1X10 =10

Complete the sentence appropriately.

i The recognition and inception of young talent at the grass-root level in India marks a 1
_________.
Based on the reading of the passage, elucidate the statement in about 40words.
ii 2
“The young guns are now finding more encouragement than years ago’’.
Arun is a young sportsman aspiring to be a famous hockey player. He approached a coach
to achieve his dream. Select the best quote that can be given to him as per the passage.
a. All men commend patience, although few are willing to practice it
iii 1
b. Pursue your dreams, not people.
c. Recognize talent, pursue it, and passionately nurture it
d. Strive to be the best member of the team.
The passage includes sets of words that are antonyms as well as synonyms. From the
sets (a) to (e) below, identify two sets of synonyms
(a)Nurture and hinder (b)Promote and obstruct
iv 1
(c)Ridicule and scoff (d)Reversion and transformation
(e) Recognition and acknowledgement
(i) A and C (ii) B and D (iii) C and E (iv) D and B
State the change that has taken place in the mindset of Indians regarding pursuing sports
v 1
on a regular basis.
Based on your reading of the passage examine the measures that are helpful for the
vi 2
Indian sports scenario in 40 words
“Customer feedback has been a cornerstone of the company since its formation.”
vii Find a word from the passage that can be used instead of the bold lettered word without 1
changing the meaning of the sentence
State whether the given sentence is true or false.
viii “Various corporate houses have been responsible for the falling standard of sports in 1
India.”

SECTION B : WRITING SKILLS (22 marks)

As parent of Meetali / Nihar from KV Varanasi (UP) write an E-mail to the Principal of
Q.3 your Vidyalaya requesting him for change of school timing due to extreme cold waves in 3
your state. (50 words)
Write a factual description of Celebration of Children’s Day in your Vidyalaya. (100
Q.4 4
words)
Recently you visited a age old temple in your locality . Though from tourism point of view
it is very important, it suffers from administrative apathy in regard to its repair
Q.5 7
maintenance and beautification. You as Prabhat /Priyanka, write a letter to the editor of
a national daily, expressing your concerns over this suggesting various measures for its

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conservation and development as a place of tourist importance. (120 words)
Ref: Travel and Tourism
Or

Write a letter to the District Magistrate of your district with a request for allocation of grant
to open a Laughter Club mentioning the needs or requirements for it. You are
Gagan/Geeta from Netaji Subhash Nagar, Bhubaneswar. (120 words)

Ref: Unit 1: Health and Medicine

Write an ARTICLE on “Lavish Indian Marriage Banquet” in about 150 words using the
following cues.
 Importance / significance of mariage in Indian life
 Wedding market the biggest one in the world
 India is the bigest armies of starving people in the world
 Show off of food items as mark of wealth, name and fame
 Satisfying sight rather than appetite
 Responsibility of the invitees to minimise wastage

Ref: Environment
Q.6 8
Write an ARTICLE on “Destabilizing Forces within a Country: Challenges to a Nation” in
about 150 words using the following cues.
 Multilingual and multireligious social set up
 Regionalism
 Communalism
 Terrorist activities
 Dogma and bigotry
 Superstition
 Exploitation
 Poverty
 Ref: National Integration
SECTION C: GRAMMAR 10 MARKS
Q.7 Do as directed
Reema: Do you know how to swim?
Radha: Yes, I know. I have learned it during this summer vacation.
A Reeme asked Radha (a) ______________________________. 2
And Radha replied positively and also added that ____________________during that
summer vacation.
i) I ________ (watch) TV when it was raining heavily. I _________ (go) to the window
B and was looking at a dog which was barking at a stranger. Use the bracketed verbs in 2
correct form
C Rearrange the jumbled words to make meaningful sentences 2
SO/SAT DOWN/MY DESK/I BEFORE/HOME / WENT/AND/BEFORE.

AND / WAITED/ SUCKED/MY PENCIL/ THE END/AT/OF/AND/I.

The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the
D 4
INCORRECT word as well as the CORRECTION at appropriate space provided..

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SECTION D: LITERATURE (26 Marks)

Q8 Read the given excerpts and answer the questions briefly, for ANY TWO excerpts, of 4+4=8
the three, given.
(A) “Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

i Who is making the above comment? 1

ii To what category does this poem belong? 1
iii Identify a poetic device used in the third line 1
Which among the following is NOT a replacement for the word ‘colossal’?-
iv 1
mammoth- titanic- midget- monumental

“When beggars die, there are no comets seen;

(B) The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes. ”

i Who is the speaker? 1

ii What is the mood of the speaker? 1
iii In what way is the speaker justified here? 1

iv The word ‘heavens’ means…… 1

‘Stupid question. With the help of a skeleton swipe-card we were soon out of the cell and racing
(C) down corridors.”

i Who does ‘we’ refer to ? 1

ii What was the stupid question ? 1

iii What is a ‘skeleton swipe-card’ ? 1
iv d Which game was Michael playing ? 1
Q9 5x2=
Answer ANY FIVE of the following questions in about 30- 40 words each
10

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How did Miss Mebbin accomplish in getting her week-end cottage? Why did she plant
i 2
many tiger lilies in her garden?

ii Give a short description of Ali. 2

Why does the narrator hesitate to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board
iii 2
Party?
Inspite of being a crowd puller, the nightingale remains a loser. How far is she
iv 2
responsible for her own downfall?

v What does the poem ‘Not Marble, nor the Gilded Monuments’ teach you? 2

vi What does the poet want to convey by saying that the snake emerges from the ‘burning 2
bowels of the earth’?

Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions in about 150 words.
Q.10 8
One has to pay for one/s thoughtless or reckless acts. Discuss the statement in the light of the
(A) poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
OR

Some people are born gentle……others develop it later? Write down your views about this
(B)
statement referring to Nicola and Jacopo and Coachman Ali.

---:The End:---

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