Section - A : Reading Comprehension (Seen)
1. Read the following text and answer the questions:
1.A(i) The last walk with Bapu was
(a) pleasant
(b) painful
(c) strange
(d) delightful
Answer: (b) painful
1.A(ii) According to the narrator, walking with Bapu was..
(a) quite boring
(b) a usual affair
(c) extraordinary affair
(d) meaningless
Answer: (c) extraordinary affair
1.A(iii) While walking Bapu used to carry..
(a) staff
(b) flag
(c) book
(d) bag
Answer: (a) staff
1.A(iv) The narrator comments that to walk is to make..
(a) a tiresome journey
(b) no progress
(c) rapid progress
(d) slow progress
Answer: (d) slow progress
1.A(v) According to the narrator, walk required..
(a) a lot of money
(b) vehicle
(c) one's body and energy
(d) a walking stick
Answer: (c) one's body and energy
1.B Complete the following sentences with information from the text:
1.B(i) Bapu was being carried...
Answer: on an open truck
1.B(ii) Thousands of people were eager to...
Answer: touch Bapu's feet
1.B(iii) India's recent history was both...
Answer: rough and smooth
1.C Fill in the chart with information from the text:
1.C(a) Reason: The crowd was thick.
Statement: ?
Answer: It was impossible to move.
1.C(b) Statement: Walking is making a slow progress.
Reason: ?
Answer: It is to think with clarity and closely look at all that is around you.
2. Read the poem and answer the questions:
2.A(i) The poet would be killed unless he,-
(a) takes an oath
(b) visits oakwood
(c) punishes wood cutter
(d) stops killing trees
Answer: (a) takes an oath
2.A(ii) The poet came out of the oakwood with the heart of a..
(a) human child
(b) tree
(c) stag
(d) woman
Answer: (b) tree
2.A(iii) "you do not blink an eye" - It means the poet is
(a) indifferent
(b) thoughtless
(c) dishonest
(d) clever
Answer: (a) indifferent
2.A(iv) The expression "where you were born but never grew" - is a/an...
(a) protest
(b) advice
(c) reproach
(d) praise
Answer: (c) reproach
2.B Answer the following questions:
2.B(i) What condition is set to the poet to avoid punishment?
Answer: The condition is the promise/oath that whenever he sees an oak-tree felled he will plant two oak-trees.
2.B(ii) How did the dream affect the poet?
Answer: The dream sensitized the poet about the destruction of trees and the human apathy towards the plight of trees.
Reading Comprehension (Unseen)
3. Read the passage and answer the questions:
3.A(i) Alfred Nobel invented..
(a) gravity
(b) dynamite
(c) microscope
(d) radio
Answer: (b) dynamite
3.A(ii) Nobel created a fund in
(a) 1895
(b) 1968
(c) 1872
(d) 1875
Answer: (a) 1895
3.A(iii) In the beginning the total number of awards was
(a) two
(b) three
(c) four
(d) five
Answer: (d) five
3.A(iv) Economics was added in the awards list in
(a) 1972
(b) 1968
(c) 1772
(d) 1975
Answer: (b) 1968
3.A(v) The original legacy of Nobel amounted to..
(a) nine thousand dollars
(b) nine million dollars
(c) eight thousand dollars
(d) ninety million dollars
Answer: (b) nine million dollars
3.A(vi) Nobel died on..
(a) December 10, 1895
(b) December 10, 1995
(c) December 10, 1985
(d) December 10, 1825
Answer: (a) December 10, 1895
3.B Write 'T' for True and 'F' for False and provide supporting statement:
3.B(i) Nobel preferred to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite.
Answer: False (F)
Supporting Statement: Nobel preferred not to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite.
3.B(ii) Nobel created a fund for contribution to science and invention.
Answer: True (T)
Supporting Statement: "...he created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contribution to mankind."
3.B(iii) The Americans have won more science awards than in literature.
Answer: True (T)
Supporting Statement: The Americans have won numerous science awards, but relatively few literature awards.
3.C Answer the following questions:
3.C(i) What did Alfred Nobel foresee after his invention of dynamite?
Answer: He foresaw the universally destructive powers of dynamite after his invention.
3.C(ii) Why did Nobel create a fund before his death?
Answer: Preferring not to be remembered as the inventor of something as destructive as dynamite, Nobel created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contribution to mankind.
3.C(iii) How does the award sum vary?
Answer: The awards vary from 30,000 dollars to 125,000 dollars.
3.C(iv) What plays a major role in determining the judges' decisions?
Answer: Sometimes politics plays an important role in the judges' decision.
Section - B : Grammar & Vocabulary
4. Write the correct alternative to fill in the blanks:
Bread and butter ____ (is/are/have) what Ritam usually takes in his breakfast. However that day he preferred to eat some biscuits and milk that he ____ (brought/had brought/brought) from home. A few minutes after he ____ (has seen/saw/was seen) getting down the street towards his school room.
Answer: is, had brought, was seen
5.A Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles and prepositions:
It is always spoken as ____ reproach ____ cats that they are more fond ____ their home than the people in it.
Answer: a, against, of
5.B Do as directed:
5.B(i) The river is too wide to cross. (Turn into Complex sentence)
Answer: The river is so wide that it cannot be crossed.
5.B(ii) He gave me a camera on my birthday. (Change the Voice)
Answer: I was given a camera by him on my birthday. (OR) A camera was given to me by him on my birthday.
5.B(iii) My friend said to me "Let us go out for a walk." (Turn into Indirect speech)
Answer: My friend suggested that we should go out for a walk.
5.C Phrasal Verbs:
5.C(i) Rana is searching a government job. (List: come across/ look for/ turn down/look down upon)
Answer: looking for
5.C(ii) Don't hate the poor.
Answer: look down upon
5.C(iii) I met Sahana at the bus stop.
Answer: came across
6. Vocabulary (Find words from Question 3):
6(i) useful
Answer: worthwhile
6(ii) a gift of money or property by will
Answer: legacy
6(iii) completion of a year/s
Answer: anniversary
6(iv) many in number
Answer: numerous
Section - C : Writing
7. Suppose you are the student-secretary of your School and your school is going to organize a Tree Plantation Drive in your school campus in the next month. Write a notice for the students asking them to participate in the programme.
BIRBHUM ZILLA SCHOOL
NOTICE
Sub: Tree Plantation Drive
Date: October 20, 2025
All the students of our school are hereby informed that our school is going to organize a 'Tree Plantation Drive' in our school campus on November 5, 2025. The programme will start at 10:30 am in the school playground. The purpose of this drive is to spread awareness about the importance of trees and to make our environment green and healthy.
Students willing to participate in this noble cause are requested to enlist their names to the undersigned on or before October 30. Saplings will be provided by the school authority. All participants are requested to gather at the school premises by 10:00 am on the scheduled date.
Countersigned by:
Headmaster
Birbhum Zilla School
(Signature)
Student Secretary
Eco Club
8. Write a paragraph (in about 100 words) on how coffee is made in home. [Hints: buy coffee powder - milk and sugar - pour milk in kettle - boil - put coffee powder and sugar in mug - pour boiled milk - Stir with spoon and mix the ingredients - Serve/drink]
How Coffee is Prepared
Coffee is a very popular and refreshing hot drink. The preparation of coffee at home is a simple process. At first, good quality coffee powder is bought from the market. Then, required quantity of milk and sugar are collected. Next, milk is poured into a clean kettle and it is boiled for some time. While the milk is boiling, one or two teaspoons of coffee powder and sugar according to taste are put into a cup or mug. After that, the hot boiled milk is poured into the mug carefully. Then, the mixture is stirred well with a spoon to mix all the ingredients properly. Finally, the hot coffee is ready to be served and drunk.
9. Write a story (in about 100 words) by using the following outlines. Add a title to it. [Outline: Shepherd boy tends sheep near forest - raises false alarm of wolf everyday - villagers run to save him - the boy laughs - repeats another day and day after - one day wolf really comes - nobody comes to help - wolf kills the boy - falsehood punished]
The Liar Shepherd Boy
Once upon a time, a shepherd boy used to tend a flock of sheep near a dense forest. He was very naughty. One day, to have some fun, he shouted loudly, "Wolf! Wolf! Help me!" The villagers heard his cry and ran to the spot with sticks to save him. But when they arrived, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at them. The villagers went back angry. He repeated this trick for a few days. One day, a wolf really came out of the forest and attacked the sheep. The boy was terrified and shouted for help, "Wolf! Wolf! Save me!" But this time, the villagers thought he was playing a trick again, so nobody came to help him. The wolf killed the boy easily.
Moral: Nobody believes a liar, even when he speaks the truth.