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HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION 2020-21 Time: 2 hrs. Class- X (ICSE) SUBJECT- ENGLISH LITERATURE- PAPER-2 M.M.:80 General Instruc on: 1. You will not be allowed to write during the rst 15 minutes. This me is to be spent in reading the ques on paper. 2. A empt ve ques ons in all from three text books. 3. You must a empt one ques on from each of the sec ons A, B and C, and any two other ques ons from the same books you have already compulsorily chosen. SECTION- A (DRAMA) The Merchant of Venice: Shakespear Q.1 Read the extract given below and answer the ques ons that follow: Por a: Tarry, Jew: The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the law of Venice, If it be proved against an alien That by direct or indirect a empts He seek the life of any ci zen, The party gains t the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods; the other half Comes to the privy co er of the state; And the offender s life lie in the mercy Of the duke only, gainst all other voice. i. Where are the speakers? Why? [3] ii. When does Por a say these words? What has Shylock refused in the open court? Why? [3] iii. Does Por a let Shylock have barely his principal? If not why? [3] iv. What does Por a tell Shylock of a Vene an law that has hold on him? Describe. [3] v. What opinion do you form about Shylock? [4] Q.2 Por a: They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit That they shall think we are accomplished With what we lack. I ll hold thee any wager. When we are both accoutred like young men, I ll prove be er fellow of the two, And wear my dagger with the braver grace. and speak between the change of man and boy. With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps Into a manly stride, and speak of frays Like a ne bragging youth, i. Where are the speakers? To what ques on of Nerissa, does Por a give this reply? Who are they men oned her? [3] ii. Explain but in such a habit that they shall think we are accomplished with what we lack. Where are they ? [3] [1] Cont....2- iii. For what does the speaker bet with Nerissa? How does the speaker intend to behave to jus fy their disguise? iv. What lies will Por a say to make people think that he is only twelve months out of his school? What else does she have in her mind? v. Jus fy Por a as an intelligent lady, devoted wife and a kind soul. Q.3 Arragon: How many then should cover that stand bare! How many be commanded that command! How much low peasantry would then be glean d From the true seed of honour! and how much honour Pick d from the chaff and ruin of the mes To be new varnish d! Well, but to my choice. Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves. I ll assume desert. i. Where is the speaker? Why? In which context does the prince speak these words. ii. What did he say about Merit? iii. Who should cover? Explain. iv. What does the speaker mean by low peasantry glean d and the chaff and ruin of the mes ? v. What does the speaker think of himself in this scene? What does he realize at the end of the choice? SECTION- B (POETRY) A Collec on of Poems Q.4 Read the extract given below and answer the ques ons that followI go in the rain, and, more than needs, A rope cuts both my wrists behind; And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds, For they ing, whoever has a mind, Stones at me for my year s misdeeds. i. Who is I in the above extract? Where is he? ii. What su erings of I have been re ected in the above lines? iii. What contrast has I presented in the earlier stanzas? iv. Explain: Whoever has a mind v. On what note of op mism does the poem end? Explain. Q.5 Read the given extract carefully and answer the ques ons that followThen ll the shelves with lots of books, lgnoring all the dirty looks, The screams and yells, the bites and kicks, And children hi ng you with s cksi. What were these shelves earlier occupied with? How has that object been described in the text? ii. What violent reac ons have been described above and why? iii. Explain: Ignoring all the dirty looks. iv. What promise follows the above extract? v. The poem is didac c in nature. Comment. [2] [3] [3] [4] [3] [3] [3] [3] [4] [3] [3] [3] [3] [4] [3] [3] [3] [3] [4] Cont....3- Q.6 Read the given lines and answer the ques ons that followWho in the hollow of His hand Holds all the growth of all our land- A na on s growth from sea to sea S rs in his heart who plants a tree. i. What does, His hands refer to? How do the hands bless us? [3] ii. According to the poet, how does a na on grow? [3] iii. What s rs the heart of a man who plants a tree? [3] iv. Comment upon the rhyme pa ern of the above extract. [3] v. Who takes care of the growth of our land and how? What does it reveal of him? [4] SECTION- D (PROSE) A Collec on of Short STories Q.7 Read the extract given below and answer the ques ons that follow Did I come 3000 miles for this? I thought bitterly. To foul out of the trials and make a fool of myself? i. What made the speaker of the extract bitter? Who is the speaker? Where is he? [3] ii. How did the speaker react to his poor performance? How did his anger vanish? [3] iii. Brie y describe the appearance and accent of the man who comforted and guided the speaker. [3] iv. What was the advice given to the speaker for qualifying the trials? Did it prove successful? [3] v. What does it reveal about the person who advised the speaker? Highlight the message conveyed by the story? [4] Q.8 Read the given extract carefully and answer the ques ons that follow His body con nued to be rocked with silent sobbing. Come on. boy, you shouldn t be out here at this hour. Tell me the trouble. Look up ! i. Who is talking to whom in the given extract? Where are they? [3] ii. What was the outcome of this encounter? [3] iii. The man men oned here (the speaker) experiences one more encounter the same night. What was the similarity between the two encounters [3] iv. What example from the text proves that the speaker was not a nervous or imagina ve man ? [3] v. Describe any four supernatural elements in the given story. [4] Q.9 Answer the following ques ons with reference to the lesson, : The Little Match Girl. i. What was special about the par cular evening in the story? What kind of weather was there in the evening? [4] ii. Why does the author describe the girl as a picture of misery ? [4] iii What were the beau ful visions seen by the girl? Explain their signi cance. [8] *********
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