CBSE 10th English Sample Paper 08 Page 1

Sample Paper 08
English Language and Literature (184)
Class-X Exam 2024-25
Time Allowed : 3 Hrs. Maximum Marks : 80
General Instructions :
Read the instructions very carefully and strictly follow them :
1. This question paper comprises 11 questions. All questions are compulsory.
2 The Question Paper contains THREE sections -
Section A : Reading Skills
Section B : Grammar and Creative Writing Skills
Section C : Literature Textbook
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

SECTION A - READING SKILLS 20

1. Read the following text. 10
1. A black vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a bird that feeds on dead animals. Pilots and air
traffic experts have always seen them as a risk because of their large size and how they
fly. In Brazil, 8% of animal-related aircraft accidents in 2020 involved black vultures.
Although they are seen as symbols of death and decay, vultures play a vital role in
environments shaped by humans.
2. These birds fly in groups and when they are not flying, they sit together on large piles of
trash, looking like dirty beggars covered in feathers. With their black feathers and rough
skin, they seem to belong in the dirty surroundings. They have a wingspan of about five
feet and can fly faster than Usain Bolt at his peak. They are used to seeing humans who
work at the dump, waiting for the right moment to eat.
3. A trash pile becomes a home and feeding ground for black vultures, who evolved to eat
dead animals but now survive by eating garbage. In areas where humans do not manage
waste properly, these vultures help by eating the waste.
4. For every potential aircraft accident caused by the birds, they help by recycling millions
of tons of nutrients and other materials back into nature. They eat everything from dog
poop to fish bones. The average Brazilian household throws away 353 grams of trash
each day, and a black vulture eats about 140 grams a day. While not all trash is edible,
these birds even eat pieces of plastic bags. Their stomach acid is so strong that it can
destroy dangerous germs like cholera, brucellosis, and anthrax.
5. As the planet faces environmental issues like wildfires and the loss of biodiversity,
vultures continue to adapt and survive. Their numbers are increasing in both South and
North America, which means they will likely keep clashing with humans.

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6. In rural areas of Latin America, waste is often scattered around communities. Vultures
take care of cleaning the waste, as the city itself is unable to manage it. Considering
their help, the vultures’ ugly appearance, and the occasional aircraft collision, seem like
a small price to pay. “They are the best thing that has ever happened to the Amazon
town,” says a conservationist.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
i. In paragraph 1, why are black vultures considered a danger to airplanes? 1

ii. Complete the following with the correct option : 1

Black vultures are seen negatively because :
(a) They cause damage to the environment.
(b) They are linked with death and decay, even though they help clean the environment.
(paragraph 1)
iii. How do black vultures fit into the dump environment, and what makes them effective at
waste management? 2
(paragraph 2 and 3)
iv. Select the option that best explains the role of black vultures in recycling waste : 1
(a) They cause more problems than they solve by eating waste.
(b) They help recycle nutrients and reduce waste in areas without proper management.
(paragraph 4)
v. State whether the following statement is True or False. 1
Black vultures can break down harmful germs with their strong stomach acid.
(paragraph 4)
vi. The writer mentions that black vultures are opportunistic survivors. 1
Which of the following explains how they continue to thrive despite environmental challenges?
(A) They avoid humans and only eat in the wild.
(B) They adapt to human-created waste and find new ways to survive.
(C) They rely on animal carcasses only.
(D) They live in protected nature reserves away from human contact.
(paragraph 5)
vii. List two reasons why black vulture populations are increasing, as mentioned in the
passage. 2
(paragraph 5)
viii. Fill in the blank with the correct option : 1
According to the passage, black vultures are considered beneficial because :
(A) They have no impact on the environment.
(B) They help clean up waste in areas where humans struggle with proper waste management.
(C) They do not interfere with human activities.
(D) They only clean up animal carcasses.
(paragraph 6)

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CBSE 10th English Sample Paper 08 Page 3

2. Read the following text. 10

1. Water scarcity is a growing global concern, affecting over 2.2 billion people worldwide.
This issue is driven by factors such as population growth, industrialization, climate change,
and unsustainable water management practices. According to the United Nations, by 2030,
global water demand is expected to exceed supply by 40%.
2. Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater, accounting for approximately 70%
of global freshwater withdrawals. However, inefficient irrigation systems lead to nearly
60% of this water being wasted. Modern solutions like drip irrigation and rainwater
harvesting have shown the potential to reduce water waste by up to 30%, significantly
improving water use efficiency.
3. Climate change has further intensified water scarcity. Regions such as sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia have seen a 40% increase in the frequency of droughts over the
last 50 years, while unpredictable rainfall patterns have disrupted water availability in
other parts of the world.
4. Various solutions to combat water scarcity are being explored. These include the
development of water-efficient technologies, desalination plants, and policies aimed
at sustainable water management. Countries that have implemented stricter water
regulations have seen up to a 20% decrease in water wastage.
5. Experts agree that addressing water scarcity is critical for ensuring food security,
maintaining ecosystems, and supporting economic development. Without urgent action,
the global water crisis will continue to worsen, impacting millions more by mid-century.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

i. What does the use of the phrase “growing global concern” by the writer, in paragraph
1, suggest about the issue of water scarcity? 1
(A) The writer believes water scarcity is not a major problem.
(B) The writer is emphasizing the increasing seriousness of water scarcity.
(C) The writer is downplaying the effects of water scarcity.
(D) The writer is showing indifference to water scarcity.

ii. Select the option that is true for the assertion and reason given below : 1
Assertion : Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater globally.
Reason : Agricultural practices, particularly inefficient irrigation systems, contribute to
significant water wastage.
(A) Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation
of the assertion.
(B) Both the assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation
of the assertion.
(C) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(D) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.

iii. Identify the percentage by which global water demand is expected to exceed supply by
2030, as mentioned in the passage. 1

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iv. According to the passage, what are two major causes of water scarcity? 1

v. Read the given prompt and select the correct option in the brackets to fill in the blank : 1
The efficiency of modern irrigation systems like drip irrigation has the potential to
improve water usage.
The percentage of global freshwater withdrawals attributed to agriculture is _____
(50% / 60% / 70%).

vi. What are some of the methods mentioned in the passage that can help address water
scarcity? 1

vii. Complete the sentence suitably. 1

Water scarcity has been intensified by_____.

viii. Complete the following with a suitable reason : 1

Experts believe addressing water scarcity is crucial because _____.

ix. In the context of paragraph 5, why is it critical to address water scarcity for long-term
sustainability? 2

SECTION B - WRITING SKILLS & GRAMMAR 20

GRAMMAR 10

3. Complete ANY TEN of twelve of the following tasks, as directed.

i. Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the blank.
The story of English in India _____ between the conceptions of the language as an
idea and as an object to date.
(A) will toggle (B) have toggled
(C) had toggled (D) toggles

ii. Read the conversation between a man and his nephew. Complete the sentence by
reporting the dialogue.
Uncle : Let us go and see the Great Apollo Circus this weekend.
Nephew : The ticket is on you because you lost all the games in cards yesterday.
Uncle invited his nephew to see the Great Apollo Circus coming weekend but the
nephew reminded him since he _____ on him.

iii. Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line, from a short story.
But he was tired and weak with hunger and he _____ not rise, exhausted by the
strange exercise.
(A) could (B) would
(C) need (D) dare

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CBSE 10th English Sample Paper 08 Page 5

iv. Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following
line, from a news report: The proximate cause of the Leicester clashes was ostensibly
tension after an India-Pakistan match.
Option No. Error Correction
(A) of for
(B) was has been
(C) tension tensions
(D) An the
v. Complete the given narrative, by filling in the blank with the correct option.
In the letter, the student has written that he _____ by some senior students who
threatened him with dire consequences, if he complains.
(A) is being bullied (B) has been bullied
(C) was bullying (D) will have bullied
vi. Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given
portion of a letter :
Dear Sir
I would like to bring to your notice the unsanitary conditions in our colony. Rubbish and
garbage _____ (lie) in heaps everywhere.
vii. Report the dialogue between a student and a teacher, by completing the blanks in the
sentence given below.
Student : I’m so stressed before my board exams.
Teacher : Don’t worry. We have arranged counselling sessions to de-stress you.
When a student admitted that he was quite stressed before his board exams, his teacher
told him _____ because the school _____.
viii. Identify the error in the given sentence, from a newspaper report and supply the correction.
I expect the authorities to take action on this issue at the earliest or we would have to
raise it on social media. Use the given format for your response.
Error Correction

ix. Fill up the blank to complete the sentence with the correct options.
Rosemary often _____ to work by bus, but she _____.to work by taxi yesterday.
(A) got, went (B) went, went
(C) gets, got (D) has been going, reached

x. Identify the error in the given sentence and supply the correction.
We will fight against injustice.
Use the given format for your response.
Error Correction

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xi. Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between two people.
A : Do you enjoy having a cup of tea in the morning?
B : No, my preference for a cup of strong filtered coffee has remained rock-solid for years.
A man ‘A asked his friend ‘B’ if he enjoyed having his morning tea. His friend ‘B’
admitted that _____.
(A) her preference for a cup of strong filtered coffee has remained rock-solid for years.
(B) their preference for a cup of strong filtered coffee have remained rock-solid for
years.
(C) his preference for a cup of strong filtered coffee has remained rock-solid for years.
(D) their preference for a cup of strong filtered coffee will remain rock-solid for years.

xii. Identify the error on a traffic signboard and supply the correction, for the following
instruction.
Over speed is a knife that cut a life.
Use the given format for your response.
Error Correction

WRITING 10
Note : All details presented in the questions in writing section are imaginary and
created for assessment purpose.
4A. The insanitary conditions in your colony are causing multiple diseases. Write a letter in
about 120 words to the Municipal Commissioner bringing the problem to his notice and
request him to take urgent action in the matter. You are Deepak/Deepa of C 2/8, Ankur
Enclave, New Delhi.


O
4B. You are Rajesh/Rajni Roy of 105 C, Chatterjee Lane, Kolkata. You have received a
letter from your brother who is staying in the hostel of Shakti Mandir Public School,
Darjeeling, stating that he is being bullied by some senior students who threatened him
with dire consequences, if he complains. Write a letter in about 120 words to the Hostel
Warden requesting him to take urgent action.
5A. Children tend to become tense and nervous before the board exams. This may affect
their health and performance in the examination. Write a paragraph in about 120 words
on the ‘Need for Counselling before Board Exams’.


O
5B. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, all the schools are closed and to mitigate the academic loss,
online classes are being provided by the government and the schools. In this situation
the role of cell phones, once prohibited in schools, now has become an essential need of
the students. Write a paragraph in about 120 words on the topic “Importance of cell
phone for the students during Pandemic Covid 19.”

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CBSE 10th English Sample Paper 08 Page 7

SECTION C - LITERATURE TEXTBOOK 40

6. Read the given extracts and answer ANY ONE of the two questions given below 5
A.“It’s not my balcony,” Ausable said with extreme irritation. “It belongs to the next
apartment.” He glanced explanatorily at Fowler “You see,” he said, “this room used to
be part of a large unit, and the next room-through that door there-used to be the living
room. It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it
from the empty room two doors down-and somebody did, last month. The management
promised to block it off. But they haven’t.” Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing
stiffly not far from Ausable, and waved the gun with a commanding gesture. “Please sit
down,” he said. “We have a wait of half an hour, I think.
“(The Midnight Visitor)
i. State any one inference about the balcony spoken at length by Ausable from the given
context.
The management promised to block it off. But they haven’t.

ii. What effect does the explanation, as described in the lines below, have on Max?
Max glanced at Fowler, who was standing stiffly not far from Ausable, and waved the
gun with a commanding gesture. “Please sit down,” he said.
Choose the most suitable option.
(A) reassures (B) unsettles
(C) angers (D) confuses

iii. ‘It had the balcony, which extends under my window now. You can get onto it from the
empty room two doors down-and somebody did, last month. The management promised
to block it off But they haven’t.’
Why does Ausable explain the existence of a balcony at such great length to Fowler?
Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.

iv. Complete the following suitably.

Max told Fowler that they had to wait for a good thirty minutes for a paper to arrive.
The paper here refers to _____.

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B. “But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the
elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual
experiences.
The most fascinating of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the
nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once
coming back. The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers was a
source of unending joy for Valli”
(Madam Rides the Bus)
i. The author says that ‘Watching the street gave her many new unusual experiences.’
Which of the options given below confirms this statement?
Valli had a habit of _____.
(A) passing time as she had no friends
(B) observing people and everyday happenings
(C) eavesdropping on neighbours and visitors
(D) looking for an opportunity to hop into a bus
ii. Why was ‘The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers was a source
of unending joy for Valli?’ Answer in about 40 words.
iii. Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket.
The word ‘fascinating’ in the line “The most fascinating of all was the bus that travelled
between her village and the nearest town” indicates that Valli found the bus _____
(captivating/frightening).

iv. What does Valli’s interest in a ‘new set of passengers’ as a source of unending joy show
about her?

7. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. 5
A. He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
(Tiger in the Zoo)
i. According to the extract, the poet wishes for the tiger to be ‘sliding’ through the foliage
as this would
(A) assist in keeping the prey unsuspecting of the predator’s sound.
(B) aid in camouflaging the presence of the predator before it rushes in.
(C) help the predator pounce on the prey comfortably without getting tired.
(D) support the predator’s vision as it eyes its prey.

ii. Fill the blank with one word.

‘Shadow’ here, refers to the shadow of long _____

iii. What is the poet trying to convey in the given extract? Answer in about 40 words.

iv. Which word in the extract means the same as ‘fat’ ?

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CBSE 10th English Sample Paper 08 Page 9

B. If when you’re walking round your yard

You meet a creature there, Who hugs you
very, very hard, Be sure it is a Bear,
If you have any doubts, I guess
He’ll give you just one more caress.
(How to Tell Wild Animals)
i. How a bear can be recognised by you?
(A) By its skin colour (B) By its roar
(C) By its body size (D) By its tight hug

ii. How will you judge the poet’s style of writing in the given extract?

iii. How does the poet describe the bear in the extract?

iv. Would you agree that the poet has an in-depth knowledge of the wild? Support the
statement in context of the poem from which the given lines are taken. Answer in about
40 words.

8. Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words. 4 # 3 = 12
i. What was Lomov’s opinion about Squeezer?
(The Proposal)
ii. How did the seagull express his excitement when he saw his mother bringing food for
him?
(Two Stories About Flying)
iii. What does courage mean to Mandela?
(Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom)

iv. How does the poet suggest that you identify the lion and the tiger? When can you
do so according to him?
(How to Tell Wild Animals)
v. ‘He senses first responsibility’-What responsibility is referred to here?
(The Ball Poem)

9. Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions, in about 40-50 words. 2#3 = 6
i. Why could Tricki not be cured at home?
(A Triumph of Surgery)
ii. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? Do they
change over time?
(The Thief ’s Story)
iii. What happened to the people who tried to help the constable in catching the invisible
man?
(Footprints without Feet)

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10. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. 6
i. The most important message is that all people have the right to live in freedom just
because people may be a different religion or race, doesn’t mean that they should be
treated differently.
Prepare a set of dialogues that happened between Anne Frank and Nelson Mandela
based on ‘Diary of Anne Frank’ and ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’. You may begin like this:
Anne : I detest the world when they treat people differently on basis of their caste and
creed.
Mandela : I also faced the same discrimination in my country _____.

ii. The message of the poem ‘The Trees’ is that freedom and equality should be for all the
living organisms in the world. If you had to use the message of the given quote based on
‘The Trees’ to understand the state of the Tiger in the Zoo, how will you elaborate it?
Also, how it is relevant to both.

11. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. 6
i. The message of ‘The Question of Trust’ is that we should not trust anyone without
discovering out about that person. Analyse in detail with reference to character of
Horace in the story.

ii. The ultimate message that one can get from ‘The Midnight Visitor’ is that in any
situation we should not panic instead we should take a step and face the situation with
our presence of mind.

******

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