St.

Mary's English Medium School

Half Yearly Exam 2022-23 M. Marks- 80
Subject- Literature - English Class: X Time- 2 hours
Name-___________________________ Roll No-______________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Instructions-

◆ The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets.
◆ Answer 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 answer.

The paper has four sections.

Section A is compulsory-All questions in section A must be answered.
You must attempt one question from each of the sections B, C and D and one other question from any section of
your choice.
The intended marks for question or parts of questions are given in brackets. [].

SECTION A
(Attempt all questions from this section)
Question 1)
Read the following questions and choose the most appropriate response from the choices given below. (Please
do not copy the question-simply write out in correct serial order the appropriate word or phrase.) [16]

1. Who was the oldest among the children?

(a) Joe
(b) Kate
(c) Maggie
(d) John

2. Which word best describes Sibia?

(a) Hard working
(b) Complacent
(c) Happy
(d) All of the above

3. Which legendary character is referred to in the poem ‘The Patriot’?

(a) Minotaur
(b) Zeus
(c) Icarus
(d) Alcides
4. What shows that the patriot is not feeling guilty of his actions?

(a) He bravely faces those pelting stones on him

(b) He is fighting to get free
(c) He valiantly justifies his actions
(d) He hopes to get a reward from God
5. What was the ‘harvest’ that the patriot reaped?

(a) His path was decorated with roses and myrtles

(b) Everyone was cheering for his bravery
(c) He was sentenced to death in the end
(d) He received a standing ovation
6. What did the little match girl see before she died?

(a) Cold and bitterness

(b) Love and joy
(c) The face of her mother
(d) The face of God
7. What was the goose stuffed with?

(a) Apples and prunes

(b) Grapes and raisins
(c) Spices and fruits
(d) Potatoes and plums
8. Why didn’t Sibia notice the mosquitoes?
(a) She was shocked at being attacked by the crocodile.

(b) She was so happy to have found the blue bead.

(c) She was elated on killing a crocodile.
(d) She had spotted her mother and was in a hurry.
9. Whom does Portia consult before she left for Venice?
(a) Bellario

(b) Balthazar
(c) Bassanio
(d) Lorenzo
10. Why does Portia want to detain Bassanio for some time before he made his choice?

(a) So that she could spend more time with him

(b) She wanted to celebrate his victory
(c) So that he would choose the right casket
(d) She wanted to convey to him all her plans for the future
11. Why did Shylock think that his revenge was justified?

(a) He said that his religion propagated revenge.

(b) He believed that Antonio deserved it.
(c) He would return the villainy inflicted upon him.
(d) He stated that it was manly to take revenge.
12. Explain the meaning of the line, ‘he names the sky his own’.

a) The free bird flies high up in the sky

b) The free bird thinks that the sky belongs to him
c) The caged bird dreams of flying in the sky one day
d) The caged bird sings about the open skies.
13. What does the term ‘another breeze’ imply?

(a) A natural disaster

(b) A new opportunity
(c) An old friend
(d) A different tree
14. What is the name of the protagonist in ‘The Little Match Girl’?
(a) Maggie

(b) Ellis
(c) Katie
(d) Unnamed
15. Why was Sibia ‘born to toil’?
(a) Because she was a girl

(b) Because she was born in a poor family

(c) Because she had to pluck paper grass
(d) Because she oversaw fishing
16. What does Bassanio receive along with the ring.

a) Portia and all that belongs to her.

b) Portia as a bride.
c) Portia and no belongings.
d) Portia and land.

SECTION B
(Answer one or more questions from this section)
DRAMA
(THE MERHANT OF VENICE by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE)

QUESTION 2
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
Portia:
There are some shrewd contents in yon same paper,
That steals the colour from Bassanio's cheek:

Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world

Could turn so much the constitution
Of any constant man. What, worse and worse!
With leave, Bassanio: I am half yourself,
And I must freely have the half of anything
That this same paper brings you.

(i) Where does the scene take place? Who brings the letter from Antonio to Bassanio? [3]
(ii) How does Portia conclude that there is some bad news in the letter? What could be the bad news according
to Portia? [3]
(iii) Briefly state what Bassanio told Portia about the bond and the destruction of Antonio’s cargo ships. [3]
(iv) What did Bassanio tell Portia about the bond and the destruction of Antonio’s cargo ships? [3]

(v) What did Salerio say about Shylock’s insistence on the forfeiture of Antonio’s bond? What happens to the
bond at the end of the play? [4]
QUESTION 3
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
Shylock:

Gaoler, look to him: tell not me of mercy;

This is the fool that lent out money gratis:
Gaoler, look to him.
Antonio:
Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Shylock:
I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond:
I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause;
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs:

The duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder,

Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

(i) What does Shylock ask the jailor to do? Give two reasons to justify why Shylock was against Antonio? [3]

(ii) Give the meaning of: a) Lent out money gratis. b) Beware my fangs [3]
(iii) What does Shylock say after this extract? [3]
(iv) How does this short scene show the determination of Shylock to extract the penalty as stipulated in the
bond? [3]
(v) What justice does Shylock seek from the Duke? Describe briefly how this scene prepares the audience for
the climax of the Trial scene. [4]

SECTION C
(Answer one or more questions from this section)
PROSE-SHORT STORIES
(Treasure Trove- A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories.)

QUESTION 4
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
Where Sibia was working, wind coming across hundreds of miles of trees cooled her sweating body, and she
could look down over the river as if she were a bird. Although she did not dare stop for a moment under her
mother’s eye, her imagination took her in a swooping flight over the bright water and golden air to the banks
where she had played as a child.
(i) Where did Sibia’s imagination take her? [3]
(ii) When all the women were on their way back home, why did Sibia stay back? [3]
(iii) What had she kept in the cavelets? Why? [3]

(iv) What remarkable deed did Sibia accomplish after this? [3]
(v) Describe Sibia’s character in your own words. [4]

QUESTION 5
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The matches flared up with such a blaze that it was brighter than broad daylight, and her old grandmother had
never seemed so beautiful or so stately before. She took the little girl in her arms and flew with her high up, oh,
so high, towards glory and joy! Now they knew neither cold nor hunger nor fear, for they were both with God.
(i) Why was the little girl lighting matches? What was the situation she was in? [3]
(ii) “Whenever a star falls, a soul goes up.” Who said this and why? [3]

(iii) What description does the author give of the little girl after this? [3]
(iv) What was the reaction of the people the next morning? [3]
(v) What is the theme of the story ‘The Little Match Girl’? What do we learn? [4]

SECTION D
(Answer one or more questions from this section)

POETRY
(Treasure Trove- A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories.)

QUESTION 6
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

I go in rain, and more than needs,

A rope cuts my wrists behind
And I think by the feel of my forehead bleeds
For they fling whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my years’ misdeeds.
(i) Where is I going in the rain? What does the rain symbolize in the context? [3]

(ii) Explain the theme of fickleness of the public. [3]

(iii) Give the meaning and significance of: ‘A rope cuts both my wrists behind’? [3]
(iv) What are the misdeeds that the patriot may have committed? [3]
(v) Why does the speaker’s forehead bleed? How was he treated earlier? [4]
QUESTION 7

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

The caged bird sings
With a fearful trill
Of things unknown
But longed for still

And his tune is heard

On the distant hill
For the caged bird
Sings of freedom.
(i) What does the caged bird fear? Under what circumstances does the caged bird sing? [3]

(ii) What is meant by “fearful trill”? Why is it said to be fearful? [3]

(iii) Why does the caged bird sing of “things unknown”? [3]
(iv) What song is he singing? Why? [3]
(v) Explain the above lines in your own words. [4]