ICSE Solved Paper, 2022 Semester -2

English Paper-2 (Literature)

Class-X
(Maximum Marks : 40)
(Time allowed : One and a half hours)

Attempt all questions from Section A.

You must attempt one question from each of the Section B, C and D.
The intended marks for questions or part of questions are given in brackets [ ].

SECTION A
(Attempt all questions)
1. Choose the correct answer to the questions from the (c) The high jump
given options. (Do not copy the question. Write the (d) The running broad jump
correct answer only.) [10] (vii)  The Duke refers to Shylock as a ‘stony
(i)  What did Abou Ben Adhem see in his adversary’ in the opening lines of Act 4 of
bedroom when he awoke one night? ‘The Merchant of Venice’. What does the
(a) A fairy writing in a book of gold phrase ‘stony adversary’ mean?
(b) An angel sitting on his bed (a) An enemy made of rock
(c) A fairy sitting on his bed (b) A hard-hearted enemy
(d) An angel writing in a book of gold (c) A difficult enemy
(ii) Which of the following lines from the poem, (d) A dangerous enemy
‘Nine Gold Medals’ tells us that the poem
(viii) “My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
describes an international sporting event?
the penalty and forfeit of my bond.” Who
(a) The athletes had come from so many
countries says these words and to whom?
(b) And nine young athletes stood there (a) Portia to Antonio
determined (b) Shylock to Portia
(c) The eight other athletes stopped in their (c) Bassanio to Portia
tracks (d) Antonio to Shylock
(d) To run for the gold, for the silver and (ix)  Why does a quarrel break out between
bronze Nerissa and Gratiano in the final Act of ‘The
(iii) In the poem that Margot wrote, (in Ray
Merchant of Venice’?
Bradbury’s story, ‘All Summer in a Day’), she
compares the sun to a .............................. . (a) Gratiano admits that he had given away
the ring which Nerissa had given to him.
(a) penny (b) clock
(b) Nerissa admits that she had accompanied
(c) flower (d) lemon
(iv) “Aw, you didn’t write that!“ Who said these Portia to Venice disguised as a lawyer’s
words and to whom? clerk.
(a) Margot to one of the boys (c) Gratiano is annoyed with Nerissa for
(b) Margot to William giving away his ring to a stranger in
(c) The teacher to Margot Venice.
(d) One of the boys to Margot (d) Nerissa is angry with Gratiano for leaving
(v) Jesse Owens says that Hitler had kept him for Venice on the very day they were
(Luz Long) ‘under wraps’. What does the married.
phrase ‘under wraps’ mean? (x)  How does Lorenzo recognize Portia even
(a) Wrapped in a blanket before he sees her when the two young
women return from Venice?
(b) Gift wrapped
(a) by the clothes she wears
(c) Carefully concealed
(b) by the sound of her voice
(d) Beneath a wrapper
(c) by the perfume she uses
(vi) 
Which Olympic event was Jesse Owens
(d) by her touch
confident of winning?
Ans. (i) Option (d) is correct.
(a) The one hundred metres race
Explanation: An angel writing in a book of gold.
(b) The four hundred metres race
ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE) (SOLVED PAPER - 2022 SEMESTER-2)

(ii) Option (a) is correct. Explanation: is the answer as Shylock is a hard-

Explanation: The athletes had come from so many hearted enemy and is unwilling to show even a
countries little mercy.
(iii) Option (a) is correct. (viii) Option (b) is correct.
Explanation: penny Explanation: is the answer as Shylock prefers justice
(iv) Option (d) is correct. to mercy and is firm with his stance.
Explanation: one of the boys to Margot (ix) Option (a) is correct.
(v) Option (c) is correct. Explanation: is the answer as Gratiano agrees that
Explanation: Carefully concealed he had given the ring which Nerissa had given to
(vi) Option (d) is correct. him.
Explanation: The running broad jump (x) Option (a) is correct.
(vii) Option (b) is correct. Explanation: Lorenzo recognises Portia by the
sound of her voice.

SECTION B
(Attempt any one question from this Section.)
DRAMA and only regret for Antonio is that he would
(The Merchant of Venice by be parted from him in case of his death at the
hands of Shylock. Antonio wanted Bassanio to
William Shakespeare- Acts 4 and 5)
talk well of him to his wife.
2. Read the extract given below and answer the
(iii) Antonio does not regret paying the debt that
questions that follow:
he took on behalf of Bassanio. Bassanio had
Antonio: Commend me to your honourable wife; sought António’s help when he wanted to woo
Tell her the process of Antonio’s end; Portia.
Say how I loved you, speak me fair in (iv) Bassanio responds by saying that he loves
death; Antonio a lot that he would be willing
And, when the tale is told, bid her be to sacrifice all for him and that he values
Antonio’s life more. Bassanio says that his wife
judge
is as dear to him as his life and that he would
Whether Bassanio had not once a love, still willingly step in Antonio’s place to pay the
Repent not you that you shall lose your debt.
friend, It shows us that Antonio and Bassanio have a
And he repents not that he pays your quite close relationship. The two men clearly
debt; care very deeply for one another.
3. Read the extract given below and answer the
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
questions that follow:
I’ll pay it instantly with all my heart.
Lorenzo: How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon
(i) Who was Bassanio’s ‘honourable wife’? Why
were the two men unaware that she was this bank!
present in the room with them? [2]  Here will I sit, and let the sounds of
(ii) What did Antonio urge Bassanio to tell his music
wife?  [2] Creep in our ears:
(iii) What ‘debt’ was Antonio referring to in the (i) To whom are these words addressed? What
above extract? [3] message has just been delivered to Lorenzo?
(iv) What does Bassanio say in response to these  [2]
words of Antonio’s? What do their words tell (ii) Where is this scene set? Why are Lorenzo and
us of the nature of the relationship between his companion at this place? [2]
the two men? [3] (iii) How does Lorenzo describe the powerful effect
Ans. (i) The ‘honourable wife’ mentioned here is of music on wild animals to his companion?
Portia, Bassanio’s wife. The men are clueless  [3]
about the presence of the women mainly (iv) Portia and Nerissa arrive on the scene shortly
because they could never imagine women after this. What reason does Portia give for
being in court nor could they see through their absence from home? What does she
their disguise. They could not recognize their instruct Nerissa to do immediately after their
women well and were blinded by their own arrival? [3]
situation at hand. Ans. (i) These lines are addressed to Jessica but in
(ii) Antonio wanted Bassanio to tell his wife about general to the situation he is in just after hearing
his dear friend who was willing to sacrifice about the good news about his friends Antonio
for him and that Bassanio was greatly loved and Bassanio and that Portia is returning. He
  Oswaal ICSE 5 Previous Years’ 5 Solved Papers, Class – X

is glad and would like to enjoy the news and become modest and quiet.
instead of writing such poetic lines, the proper (iv) Portia tells Lorenzo that they had gone to pray
meaning should be explained. for the welfare of their husbands and asks
(ii) The speakers, Lorenzo and Jessica are in a Lorenzo and Jessica to keep quiet about what
grove before Partia's house in Belmont. It is a she has just shared. Portia tells Nerissa to tell
moonlight and the two lovers are in a joyful the servants to behave as though they had
romontic mood. never left and all of them to be normal. Portia
(iii) Lorenzo tells his companion that music wants to keep the act of being someone who
has enough power to tame the wildest belongs to house and as someone who had
and uncontrollable animals. These animals rescued her husband and his friend. She goes
succumb to music the moment they hear it and back to play the role she is expected to.

SECTION C
(Attempt any one question from this Section.)
PROSE-SHORT STORIES mile, and then, ever so near! In a flash, the sky
(Treasure Trove-A Collection of darkened into midnight. The gigantic sound
ICSE Poems and Short Stories) of the rain could be heard, ‘falling in tons and
4. Read the extract from Ray Bradbury’s short story, avalanches, everywhere and forever.’.
‘All Summer in a Day’ given below and answer the (iv) The children felt miserable; saddened by
questions that follow: their behavior, and their insensitivity towards
The girl standing in the open, held out her hand Margot. They understood that Margot was
“Oh look, look,“she said, trembling. speaking truth about the Sun. They also
understood the unique situation Margot was
They came slowly to look at her opened palm.
in and how she felt different from them all.
 In the center of it, cupped and huge, was a single The two hours in the Sun taught them the
raindrop, she began to cry. lesson of mutual tolerance. They had locked
looking at it. They glanced quietly at the sun. up Margot in the closet earlier, because they
“Oh, Oh” felt she did not belong to their group; she was
(i) How old were ‘they’? What had they been acting superior because she had actually seen
doing until the girl called their attention to the the Sun before she came to Venus.
raindrop? [2] 5. Read the extract from ‘My Greatest Olympic prize’
(ii) Why does the girl begin to cry when she looks by Jesse Owens given below and answer the
at the raindrop? [2] questions that follow:
(iii) Describe the dramatic change in the weather Suddenly all the tension seemed to ebb out of
immediately after the raindrop fell. [3] my body as the truth of what he said hit me.
Confidently, I drew a line a full foot in back of the
(iv) What feeling do ‘they’ experience at the end
board and proceeded to jump from there. I qualified
of the story? What had they done earlier that
with almost a foot to spare.
made them feel this way? [3]
(i) What was the ‘truth’ that Luz Long had just
Ans. (i) They, the children of Venus, were nine years
pointed out to Owens? [2]
old. They were revelling in the light and
warmth of the sun, playing, dancing, going (ii) Earlier in the narrative, Owens admits to
round and round. They ran among the trees, feeling angry. What had caused him to feel this
they slipped and fell, they pushed each other, way? [2]
they played hide and-seek and tag, but most of (iii) How did the two athletes spend their time
all they squinted at the sun till their eyes hurt; together that night? [3]
they breathed the fresh air, savoring all they (iv) What action of Luz Long’s at the finals proved
saw. They ran for an hour or more until the girl that he was a true sportsman? What made his
called their attention to the raindrop. behaviour remarkable? [3]
(ii) The girl begins to cry as the rain drop fell. It Ans. (i) When the angry Jesse Owens leaped from
meant the end of the glorious hours of the several inches beyond the take-off board for
sun. They would now have to wait for the Sun a foul, Luz Long suggested he should draw
for seven years meanwhile, it would continue a line a few inches back, and take-off from
raining heavily in the darkness on Venus for there. What mattered was he should jump
the next seven years. far enough to qualify. The truth of his words
(iii) Soon after the first drop of rain, a dramatic struck Owens that it did not matter if he was
change occurred. The sun faded behind a not first in the trials; the competition next day
mist. A cold wind blew around and a startling was what counted.
boom of thunder could be heard. Lightning (ii) Hitler had proclaimed that his performers
struck ten miles away, five miles away, then a were members of a “master race,” and would
ENGLISH PAPER-2 (LITERATURE) (SOLVED PAPER - 2022 SEMESTER-2)

outperform others. Jesse was a Negro and felt formed a truly long-lasting friendship due to
annoyed with this Aryan supremacy feelings. the tournament.
The sight of Luz Long, the German boy (iv) Despite knowing fully well that Owens
performing well at the pit further aggravated might beat him, Luz Long helped the black
his anger, and he was determined to beat him American to qualify for the final. And when
and indirectly, by beating him, he would beat Owen won the jump – the one which set the
Hitler. Olympic record of 26 feet 5-5/16 inches– Luz
(iii) Jesse Owens went to Luz Long’s room in the was at his side, genuinely congratulating him,
Olympic set up, to thank him for his excellent and shaking his hand firmly in spite of Hitler
tip that enabled him to qualify for the final. glaring from the gallery. This was a true sign
Both of them sat in the German’s quarters and of sportsman. It was remarkable as it was the
talked for two hours — about track and field, triumph of sportsmanship over narrow racist
themselves, the world situation, and many feelings.
more things. Both of them knew that they had

SECTION D
(Attempt any one question from this Section.)
POETRY towards others. The poet conveys the value
(Treasure Trove-A Collection of selflessness through this. Instead of just
of ICSE Poems and Short Stories) praying to God, one should devote himself
6. Read the following extract from the poem ‘Abou towards helping others in need. Only then we
Ben Adhem’ by Leigh Hunt and answer the can we earn the love and blessing of God.
questions that follow: 7. Read the extract from David Roth’s Poem, ‘Nine
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!) Gold Medals’ given below and answer the questions
that follow:
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace.
That’s how the race ended, with nine gold medals
(i) What does the poet mean by the words, ’may
They came to the finish line holding hands still
his tribe increase!’? [2]
And the banner above and nine smiling faces
(ii) Mention any two words which the poet uses in
Said more than these words ever will.
this poem that are no longer in common use.
Said more than these words ever will.
 [2]
(i) How exactly did the race end? [2]
(iii) Three different name lists are mentioned in the
poem. The Angel speaks of two and Abou Ben (ii) Who were ‘they’? How do we know that they
Adhem mentions the third. What are they? [3] had put in a great deal of effort to qualify for
the games? [2]
(iv) What important lesson did Abou Ben Adhem
learn during his second encounter with the (iii) Why were they holding hands and smiling
Angel? What message does the poet convey to when they reached the finishing line? [3]
us through this? [3] (iv) What did the banner over them say? Why does
Ans. (i) By the words, ‘may his tribe increase’, the the poet consider these words an appropriate
poet means to imply that good, kind, and description of this particular event? [3]
benevolent people like Abou Ben Adhem Ans. (i) The race ended with nine gold medals being
should increase in number in this selfish and awarded to the nine athletes. They came to the
unkind world. There should be more number finishing line holding hands still. There were
of selfless people like him. nine smiling faces and the banner above said
(ii) The two archaic words used in the poem that more than these words ever will.
are no longer in common use are ‘writers’ and (ii) They are the nine athletes here. The athletes
‘thou’. had come from so many countries to run for
(iii) The three different lists are the names of those the first, second and third positions. They had
who love the Lord, the names of those that spent many weeks and months in training, for
love his fellow men, and the names of whom the Olympic games.
love of God had blessed. (iii) The athletes were holding hands and smiling
(iv) The important lesson that Abou learns after which shows their friendly disposition and
the second meeting is the value of living with cooperative behavior. Though they were
his fellow men. God had blessed him for his competing against each other, they ended
compassionate nature and kind behaviour up helping the youngest one in distress. This
shows their sportsman spirit.
  Oswaal ICSE 5 Previous Years’ 5 Solved Papers, Class – X

(iv) The banner over them said ‘Special Olympics’. and kindness, came forward to help the
The poet considers these words as an youngest one and lifted him to his feet. They
appropriate description of this particular event were all awarded nine gold medals. Hence, the
since whatever happened was not ordinary; exemplary incident made the banner true to its
it was definitely special. The athletes, without name.
caring about their medals, out of compassion

