ICSE Solved Paper 2023

English Paper-2 (Literature)

Class-X
(Maximum Marks : 80)
(Time allowed : Two hour)

Attempt all seven questions.

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 or question or parts of question are given in brackets []

SECTION A (16 Marks)

(Attempt all questions from this Section)

1. Choose the correct answers to the questions from Ray Bradbury’s story, ‘All Summer in a Day’?
the given options.  [16] (a) The blazing blue sky
(Do not copy the questions, write the correct answers (b) The smell of the vegetation
only.)
(c) The silence
(i) What was the blue bead?
(d) The brilliant sunshine
(a) A piece of perforated glass
(vi) Which of the following lines tells us that the
(b) A round blue pebble
poet Wordsworth carried a mental picture of
(c) A blue marble the daffodils?
(d) A blue river rock (a) ‘Ten thousand saw I at a glance’
(ii) In H.C. Anderson’s story, what forces the Little (b) ‘They flash upon that inward eye’
Match Girl to go about selling matches on the
(c) ‘I gazed - and gazed - but little thought’
street?
(d) ‘Fluttering and dancing in the breeze’
(a) Poverty
(vii) Why, according to Maya Angelou, does the
(b) Greed
caged bird sing?
(c) The weather (a) To pass the time
(d) Desire for wealth. (b) Because he is hungry for ‘fat worms’
(iii) When Luz Long said, ‘something must be (c) To voice his protest
eating you’ he meant that Jesse Owens must be
(d) To communicate with the free bird
___________ .
(viii) The line ‘The house-roofs seemed to heave and
(a) hungry for something
sway,’ in Browning’s poem ‘The Patriot’ means
(b) troubled by something __________ .
(c) amused by something (a) ‘The roofs of the houses were swaying in
(d) ashamed of something the wind.’
(iv) “We’ll keep her a day or two longer; she is so (b) ‘The roofs were so crowded with people
weak and helpless.” that they appeared to be heaving and
Who said these words? To whom? swaying.’’
(a) Joe Thompson to his wife (c) ‘The house-roofs were lifted off due to an
(b) Jane Thompson to her husband earthquake.’
(c) William to his fellow ‘rocket-children’ (d) ‘The roofs of houses were blown away in
the heavy rain and strong wind.’
(d) The people who saw the Little Match Girl
sheltering from the cold. (ix) Identify the list in which AbouBen Adhem’s
name appeared right at the top.
(v) What was the very first thing that the children
noticed when it stopped raining on Venus in (a) Those who love God.
  Oswaal ICSE 5 Previous Years’ Solved Papers, Class – X

(b) Those who love their fellow human beings. (xv) “A Daniel come to judgement! Yea a Daniel”
(c) 
Those who were blessed by the love of Who is being described in these words? By
God. whom?
(d) 
Those who were considered saints on (a) Shylock, by Portia
earth.
(b) Bassanio, by Gratiano
(x) What special human quality does the poem
(c) Antonio, by Portia
‘Nine Gold Medals’ celebrate?
(d) Portia, by Shylock
(a) empathy
(b) jealousy (xvi) What reason does Portia give for refusing the
Duke’s invitation to dinner?
(c) rivalry
(a) She had to hurry back to Belmont before
(d) selfishness
Bassanio’sreturn.
(xi) To whom does Portia compare Bassanio as he
(b) She already felt rewarded and satisfied at
steps forward to take the casket test?
having saved Antonio.
(a) Midas
(b) Mercury (c) She was afraid of being found out.
(c) Hesione (d) She had to return to Padua that night.
(d) Hercules Ans. (i) Option (a) is correct.
(xii) _________was Portia’s faithful servant.
(ii) Option (a) is correct.
(a) Bellario
(iii) Option (b) is correct.
(b) Balthazar
(iv) Option (b) is correct.
(c) Launcelot
(d) Stephano (v) Option (d) is correct.

(xiii) Why does Portia ask Shylock if he had arranged (vi) Option (b) is correct.
for a surgeon to be present at Antonio’s trial? (vii) Option (c) is correct.
(a) 
She wanted to make sure that Antonio (viii) Option (b) is correct.
would not bleed to death. (ix) Option (c) is correct.
(b) It was mentioned in the bond. (x) Option (a) is correct.
(c) She wanted to stop Bassanio from harming (xi) Option (d) is correct.
Shylock.
(xii) Option (b) is correct.
(d) She was afraid she would faint at the sight
of blood. (xiii)Option (a) is correct.

(xiv) According to Lorenzo, a man who is unmoved (xiv) Option (b) is correct.
by music is _________ . (xv) Option (d) is correct.
(a) tone-deaf. (b) not to be trusted. (xvi) Option (d) is correct.
(c) self-absorbed. (d) not fit to live.

SECTION B
(Answer one or more questions from this Section)
DRAMA (ii) Where is her lord? Why had he left in such
(The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare) haste? [3]
(iii) Explain in your own words, the ‘secret vow’ that
2. Read the extract given below and answer the
Portia speaks of.. [3]
questions that follow:
(iv) What does Portia ask Lorenzo to do? Why does
PORTIA:
she make this request? What instructions does
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands
Portia give to her servant, a little later in the
The husbandry and manage of my house scene? [3]
Until my lord’s return: for mine own part, (v) What do we learn of Portia’s real intention from

I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow her conversation with Nerissa? Which Portia
To live in prayer and contemplation, do you prefer the modest Portia of the Casket
scene or the - businesslike Portia we meet in this
Only attended by Nerissa here,
scene?
Until her husband and my lord’s return:
Give one reason for your response. [4]
(i) Who does Portia refer to as ‘my lord’? [3]
ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE) (SOLVED PAPER - 2023)

Ans. (i) Portia refers to Bassanio as ‘my lord’. (iv) What concession does Antonio offer to Shylock?
(ii) Her lord, Bassanio, is in Venice. Bassanio had  [3]
left in such a haste because his friend Antonio On what condition does he make this offer?
had been arrested and he had to return to (v) Why is Shylock in a hurry to leave the courtroom
Venice to rescue him. after the trial?’’
(iii) The ‘secret vow’ that Portia talks means How far can Shylock be blamed for the outcome
that she is going to live a life of prayer and of the trial?
contemplation until her husband comes back Give one reason for your response. [4]
from Venice and for this purpose, she will stay Ans. (i) ‘Principal’ is the amount of money, 3000 ducats,
in a monastery. that Shylock gave to Antonio.
(iv) Portia asked Lorenzo to manage her household
Portia refuses to give the principal amount to
until her husband returns. She makes this Shylock as according to the agreement,he can
request because she, accompanied by Nerissa, only receive the penalty and not the principal
will stay in a monastery, a life of prayer and amount.
contemplation till their husbands return. A (ii) The forfeiture is the penalty, i.e. a pound of
little later, Portia instructs her servant Balthazar flesh from near Antonio’s heart.
to take the letter which she has given him and
According to the agreement, Shylock could
give it to her cousin, Doctor Bellario. Balthazar
only take ‘a pound of flesh’ from near Antonio’s
should also bring the notes and clothes that
heart assuring that not a single drop of blood
Doctor Bellario gives and take them to Venice
is dropped from his body. If Shylock took the
as soon as possible.
forfeiture, he will surely drop Antonio’s blood
(v) From Portia’s conversation with Nerissa we and then he will be sentenced to death.
learn that they both will dress up as men. The
(iii) The law of Venice also states that if a foreigner
reference to notes and clothes indicate that
tries to kill a citizen, that citizen will take half of
Portia and Nerissa will dress up as lawyers fight
his goods and the other half will be confiscated
the legal battle for Antonio against Shylock in
by the state. The life of this foreigner will be at
the court.
the mercy of the duke.
I prefer the businesslike Portia that we meet in
(iv) Antonio offers Shylock his share of half of the
this scene because this Portia is more confident
goods owed to him.
and independent enough to get things done
He makes this offer on the basis of two
when her husband is not around.
conditions, first that Shylock converts to
3. Read the extract given below and answer the
Christianity and second that after his death, he
questions that follow:
will give everything to his daughter and son-
SHYLOCK: Shall I not have barely my principal?
in-law, Lorenzo.
PORTIA: Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
(v) Shylock was in a hurry to leave the courtroom
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.
after the trial because he was not feeling well
(i) What is the ‘principal’ that Shylock asks for? [3] after hearing the proceedings in the court.
Why does Portia refuse to give it to him? Shylock can be blamed much for what
(ii) What is the ‘forfeiture’ they are referring to? [3] happened in the court as he could have easily
What danger (‘peril’) would Shylock be in if he shown mercy and forgiven Antonio. He could
took the forfeiture? also have taken 6000 ducats instead of 3000
(iii) What further hold does the law of Venice have ducats. But he chose not to show mercy and
on Shylock? [3] did not forgive Antonio.
  Oswaal ICSE 5 Previous Years’ Solved Papers, Class – X

SECTION C
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
PROSE-SHORT STORIES and it was decided that she would be left in
(Treasure Trove - A Collection the poorhouse. But later, Mr Joe Thompson
showed pity and took her to his house.
of Poems and Short Stories)
(v) Maggie can be considered as the ‘Angel in
4. Read the following extract from T.S. Arthur’s Disguise’. Maggie turns out to be a blessing in
short story, ‘An Angel in Disguise’ and answer the the Thompson home. Initially, he states the fact
questions that follow: that he plans on taking her to the poorhouse
possibly the next day. She agrees somehow, but
“What is to be done with the children?” That was after spending a day and night with the small
the chief question now. The dead mother would child, with every moment Mrs. Thompson’s
go underground, and be forever beyond all care or heart grows compassionate tending to the
concern of the villagers. But the children must not small orphan girl. Not having a child of her own
be left to starve. or any interests or things to take care of, had
(i) Describe the way in which the children’s mother led her to become less compassionate. Caring
died. What are the factors that led to her death? for the child gives her a sense of purpose and
meaning in her otherwise dull housewife’s
 [3]
life. Thus, the little girl not only changed her
(ii) How do the people of the village treat the attitude towards them but also brought light
woman before her death? How does their and joy into their home. She becomes extra
manner change after she dies? What does their careful for Maggie and gives up the idea of
behaviour tell us about human nature? [3] sending her to the poorhouse. She accepts her
as her child and carries her in her heart as well
(iii) Name the woman’s three children. State one fact
as arms. From a rude, ill-tempered and selfish
about each of them that the author mentions at
lady, Mrs. Thompson becomes a living and
the very beginning of the story. [3] compassionate person. Thompson house is
(iv) What happens to each of the children after the filled with boundless joy which they had never
mother’s funeral? [3] experienced before. Thus Maggie, becomes an
‘Angel in disguise’ for the Thompsons.
(v) Which of the three children can be considered
the ‘Angel in Disguise”? What does the term 5. Read the following extract from Ray Bradbury’s
‘disguise’ refer to in the context of this story? short story, ‘All Summer in a Day’ and answer the
How does the child’s arrival transform the home questions that follow:
she enters? [4] “Margot”
Ans. (i)The children’s mother was an excessive They stood as if someone had driven them like so many
alcoholic person who died at the threshold
stakes into the floor. They looked at each other and then
of her house. Due to excessive drinking, the
mother had a drunken fit and died. looked away. They glanced out at the world that was
(ii) The people of village treated the woman raining now and raining and raining steadily. They could
differently. The woman is ‘scoffed at’ and is not meet each other’s glances. Their faces were solemn and
‘angrily denounced’ by everyone in the village. pale. They looked at their hands and feet, their faces down.
And so she has no friends or family. (i) Who is Margot?
After the woman died, the anger of the people How does the author describe her? [3]
is replaced by pity and ‘denunciation’ by
(ii) Who are ‘They”?
‘sorrow’.
This tells us that people can change and get Where do they live?
emotionally attached to others. Though the Mention any one reality of the planet on which
people of the village did not like the woman, they live. [3]
after her death they planned a modest funeral (iii) What two words would you use to describe
for her and also looked after her children. what the children were experiencing in the
(iii) The names of the three children are John, above extract?
Kate, and Maggie. John is a ‘stout lad’, Kate Why does the mention of Margot’s name affect
is a ‘bright and active girl’, and Maggie is them in this way?[3]
‘hopelessly diseased’. (iv) What event had the children awaited eagerly
(iv) After the mother’s death, farmer Jones takes that day?
John so that he could help him with farming. What made this event special?
Mrs Ellis takes Kate as she wanted a bound
Why did this event mean so much to Margot in
girl. Initially, nobody wanted to take Maggie
particular? [3]
ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE) (SOLVED PAPER - 2023)

(v) What is the central theme of Bradbury’s story, before, has real memories of the sun, unlike her
‘All Summer in a Day”? What important lesson classmates who have seen only constant rain.
have the children learnt from this experience? As sunlight is the experience that the children
Why do you suppose the story is said to end on on Venus cherish the most, Margot becomes
a note of hope? [4] a scapegoat for the children’s frustration and
Ans. (i) Margot is a nine year old girl whose family had longing. Their jealousy of her experiences
moved from Earth to Venus when she was four leads them to a profound act of cruelty,
years old. which suggests that jealousy and deprivation,
The author describes Margot as a ‘very frail rather than outright hatred, are the engines of
girl’ who looked as if she had been lost in the bullying. The children are jealous of Margot
rain for years. She looked very pale as if the because, while they can only speculate about
rain had taken the ‘blue from her eyes’, the what sunlight is like, Margot spent her early
red from her mouth, and the yellow from her childhood on Earth. As the classroom prepares
hair. The author also describes her as an ‘old for Venus’ short period of sunlight, Margot
photograph’. writes a clever poem about the sun. Because
(ii) ‘They’ are the classmates of Margot. These only Margot remembers the sun. The children
children live on planet Venus. One fact about who inflict great harm on Margot do so not
planet Venus is that it rains heavily throughout because they personally hate her, but because
and the sun can only be seen once in seven of a very real sense of deprivation. Margot is
years. unjustly tormented for having seen the sun,
but the children are also intensely aware that
(iii) The two words that describe what the children
she has access to the thing that is most scarce
were experiencing is remorse and guilty.
and desirable to them. Ultimately, the story
The mention of Margot’s name affect them
shows that even extremely cruel bullying is
because they had locked her in the closet and
driven by more complicated motives than
so she could not see the sun.
hatred alone.
(iv) The children had eagerly waited to see the sun
Since the children had always treated Margot
that day. This event was special because on
badly, they must have felt ashamed. The
planet Venus it always rained and only after
only grounds of discrimination were because
seven years sun could be seen. That day was
Margot had actually seen the sun and the
the day when the sun would appear for two
other children hadn’t. Now, that they too had
hours.
seen the sun, they must have realised why
This event meant so much to Margot in Margot remained sad and cut off from them.
particular because she remembers the warmth They must have regretted locking her in the
of the sun and she has tried to explain to other closet and must have felt guilty that she alone
children what sun was like and what sunshine had missed witnessing the sun. The realisation
was. But the children hardly believed her. So that Margot had always been right and they
now when the sun would appear the children had been wrongly mistreating her must be
will agree that whatever Margot had told them very strong among them.
about the sun was true.
The story is said to end on a note of hope
(v) The central theme of the story “All Summer in because the children towards the end realise
a Day” is jealousy, bullying, and isolation. The that they have treated Margot wrongly and
story is about a group of children ostracizing bullied her. There is a possibility that the
and bullying a child who doesn’t fit in. Margot, children will become friends with Margot and
who moved to Venus from Earth several years treat her well.

SECTION D
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
POETRY Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
(Treasure Trove - A Collection of (i) Wordsworth uses the words, ‘wandered’ and
Poems and Short Stories) ‘lonely’ to describe himself in the opening lines
6. Read the following extract from William of the poem.
What mood do these words convey?
Wordsworth’s poem, ‘Daffodils’ and answer the
What led to a change in his mood? [3]
questions that follow:
(ii) How does Wordsworth describe the sight that
When all at once I saw a crowd, met his eyes?
A host, of golden daffodils; Give a brief description of what the poet saw.[3]
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, (iii) To what does the poet compare this sight?
  Oswaal ICSE 5 Previous Years’ Solved Papers, Class – X

How is this comparison appropriate? [3] of the real world, he revives the pleasant
(iv) What does the poet mean when he says, ‘Ten and soothing memory of the daffodils which
thousand saw I at a glance’? becomes a source of joy and inspiration for
Find two other words in the given extract that
him, and he feels his heart filled with pleasure
create the impression of large numbers.  [3]
(v) What immediate effect did this sight have on and dancing with the daffodils. So, the nature
Wordsworth? helps him cope with the solitude in his life.
How did it affect him in the long-term? What 7. Read the following extract from Maya Angelou’s
does this poem tell us about Wordsworth’s poem, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ and
attitude to Nature? [4] answer the questions that follow:
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
Ans. (i) These words create a melancholic mood. It
shows that the poet is wandering aimlessly his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
and is lonely. his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
On seeing the daffodils ‘fluttering and dancing’ so he opens his throat to sing.
in the field, the mood of the poet changes. (i) How does Angelou describe the state of the free
bird in the opening lines of the poem? [3]
(ii) The poet says that when he was wandering
lonely over valleys and hills, he suddenly saw (ii) Give a brief description of the caged bird’s

physical and mental condition. [3]
a ‘crowd’ of golden daffodils. These daffodils
(iii) Explain the phrase, ‘grave of dreams’ in your
were ‘fluttering and dancing’ on a breezy day
own words.
by the lake. It looked as if the daffodils were
What does the caged bird sing about? [3]
dancing and inviting the poet to join and enjoy
the breeze flowing in the fields. (iv) The’free bird’ and the ‘caged bird’ in the poem
represent different groups of people. Name
(iii) The poet compares this sight to the numerous
them.
stars that ‘twinkle on the milky way’. The shine
Name any one group of people that you would
of the daffodils is compared to the twinkling call ‘caged birds’ in today’s world. [3]
of the stars. The poet seems to be profoundly
(v) What does the title of poem, ‘I Know Why the
charmed by the swaying movement of the Caged Bird Sings’, tell us about Maya Angelou’s
flowers due to the breeze and he remarks that life?
the flowers seem to dance in exuberance. Mention two ways in which the world of the
(iv) The poet in the line ‘Ten thousand saw I at a caged bird differs from that of the free bird. [4]
glance’ means that at one look he could see Ans. (i) The opening lines of the poem describe the
innumerable daffodils as if there were ten actions of a free bird. It takes a jump and hovers
thousand of them. Two other words that create itself over the wind and travels along with the
the impression of large numbers are ‘crowd’ current, relishing in the sea of orange sunlight
and ‘host’. and proclaiming its freedom. Here, the ‘free
(v) The sight of the daffodils being present in large bird’ refers to the people who enjoy the right
numbers along the shore of the lake, spellbinds to take their decision in life independently and
enjoy the bliss of freedom.
the poet and he, in a quick glance guesses them
to be ‘ten thousand’. (ii) The poem highlights the plight of the caged
bird for whom freedom is a mere dream. He
The poet could not help to be happy in such
has lost the hope of flying freely in the sky
a joyful company of flowers. He says that he
with his wings wide open because his wings
stared and stared, but did not realise what
are clipped and feet are tied. He is forced to live
wealth the scene would bring him. For now, in a confined space and peep between the bars
whenever he feels “vacant” or “pensive”, to have a glimpse of the outside world. He is
the memory strikes “that inward eye” that is deprived of the joy of freedom. The only thing
“the bliss of solitude” and his heart fills with he can do is to open his mouth and sing. Here,
pleasure, “and dances with the daffodils.” Maya Angelou shares her frustration of being
This tells us that Wordsworth is very much restricted to enjoy the freedom which should
attached to the nature and that nature is an have been her right as a human being.
important part of his life. When the poet’s mind (iii) The phrase ‘grave of dreams’ means that the
is unrestrained by the disturbing elements caged bird who is a captive, knows that his
ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE) (SOLVED PAPER - 2023)

desire and dream to be free is futile. And so his to achieve all that her white counterparts were
dreams culminate into nightmares. To sing, is able to achieve. Discrimination and racism
the only freedom available to the caged bird. made up her cage, and although she sang, she
Though his heart is fearful and unmet, the felt her voice was not heard in the wide world,
bird continues to sing of liberty, something he but only by those nearest to her cage.
does not have. The caged bird’s song is not of The poem is a contrast between a ‘free bird’
sadness but of inspiration and hope. and a ‘caged bird’. The caged bird possesses its
(iv) The ‘free bird’ represents the white people and own limitations. His wings are clipped and feet
the ‘caged bird’ represents the people of the are tied.
black community. He hardly even gets a chance to see the sky. He
According to me, in today’s world, the people has been placed in a cage that prevents it from
of Afghanistan are the caged birds who are flying.
struggling for their freedom against the Despite its fear, the cage bird continues to sing
Talibans. for freedom. The bird opens his mouth to sing
(This is a sample response. Accept all relevant answer.) because his desire for freedom and his desire to
(v) The poem ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ express himself cannot be controlled. Whereas
reveals Maya Angelou’s feelings about her own a free bird thinks of another breeze so that he
dreams. She has so many dreams that have can enjoy the “sighing trees” i.e., it is free from
died because she was never given the freedom all worries and sufferings.

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