TIME: 3 HOURS. MAXIMUM MARKS: 80
General Instructions:
Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them:
- This question paper has 10 questions. All questions are compulsory.
- This question paper contains four sections:
Section A: Reading Skills,
Section B: Writing Skills
Section C: Grammar
Section D: Literature Textbook
- Attempt all questions based on specific instructions for each part. Write the correct question number and part thereof in your answer sheet.
- Separate instructions are given with each question/part, wherever necessary.
- Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SECTION A: READING SKILLS (22 MARKS)
1. Read the following text. (12 Marks)
The Mystery of the Blue Carbuncle
1. The door flew open, and Peterson rushed in. “See what my wife found in the goose’s crop!” he held out his hand and displayed a brilliant blue stone.
2. Holmes sat up, “Peterson,” said he, “do you know what you have got?”
3. “A diamond, sir! A precious stone!”
4. “It’s the precious stone!”
5. “Not the Countess of Morcar’s blue carbuncle?” exclaimed Watson.
6. “Precisely so. I ought to know its size and shape, as I have read the advertisement about it in The Times every day lately. There is a reward of 1000 pounds for finding it.”
7 “It was lost, I remember correctly, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan,” Watson remarked.
8. “Precisely. That was on the twenty-second, just five days ago. John Horner, the plumber was accused of having it from the lady’s jewel case, and is under trial at a court now. James Ryder, attendant at the hotel, gave evidence that Horner had been alone in the Countess’s room, mending a bar in the grate, but the stone was not found either on Horner’s person or in his house.”
9. Holmes was thoughtful for a moment. Then he said, “We need to solve the sequence of events from the disappearance of the stone at the hotel to its reappearance in the crop of a goose. To do this, we must find the gentleman from whom the goose came, and the simplest way of doing that is, to put an advertisement in all the evening papers. Give me a pencil and a slip of paper.”
10. Found at the corner of Goodge Street, a goose and a black hat. Mr. Henry Baker can have the same by applying at 6:30 this evening at 221-B Baker Street.
11. “Here you are Peterson; have this put in the evening papers.”
12. “And the stone?”
13. “I shall keep the stone. Peterson, just buy a goose on your way back and leave it here with me.”
14. When Peterson had left, Watson asked Holmes, “Do you think that this man, Henry Baker, had anything to do with the theft?” 15. “I think; it is likely that Henry Baker is absolutely innocent. I shall however, be certain only when we have an answer to our advertisement.”
16. As Holmes had expected, Mr. Henry Baker came to see him at 6:30 that evening. When Holmes told him that his goose had been eaten, he was little upset, but when Holmes offered him a newly bought goose as a substitute, he accepted it gladly. This showed that he was unaware of the blue carbuncle that was in the crop of his goose.
Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.
(a) What could be the blunder that the culprit had made after stealing the blue carbuncle? (1)
(i) The blunder of hiding the gem in the crop of a goose.
(ii) The blunder of giving away the goose.
(iii) The blunder of cutting the goose.
(iv)The blunder of cooking the goose.
(b) After which paragraph of the text, would the following paragraph most likely be placed? (1)
Holmes casually asked Henry Baker, from where he had bought the goose. Baker replied that he had bought it at Alpha Inn, near the Museum.
(c) The setting of the story creates an overall mood and atmosphere of the story. What is it? (1)
(i) It creates a sense of fear.
(ii) It creates a sense of mystery.
(iii) It creates a sense of security.
(iv)It creates a sense of anger
(d) What is the first step that Holmes takes to solve the case of the stolen blue carbuncle? Write in 30-40 words. (2)
(e) Substitute the underlined word in the following sentence with another similar word/phrase. (1)
It was lost, if I remember correctly, at the Hotel Cosmopolitan.
(f) Briefly explain in 30-40 words any two elements that classify the story as mystery. (2)
(g) Complete the sentence appropriately. (1)
If the title, ‘The Blue Carbuncle’ is given to this passage, it would be an inappropriate title, as compared to ‘Mystery of The Blue Carbuncle’ because………….
(h) State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE. (1)
The blue carbuncle was stolen from a room in the Hotel Cosmopolitan.
(i) What is the most important clue that, according to Holmes, is necessary to find the solution of the theft of the carbuncle? (1)
(i) Disappearance of the stone at the hotel.
(ii) Reappearance of the stone in the crop of a goose.
(iii) Finding the gentleman from whom the goose came.
(iv) Peterson’s coming with a goose to Mr. Holmes.
(j) Complete the following appropriately. (1)
Based on the use of the phrase absolutely innocent for Henry Baker in paragraph 15, we can infer that Holmes’ opinion about Henry Bakery was that…………
2. Read the following passage. (10 Marks)
City Park Hosts Successful Community Clean-Up Drive
Mumbai, September 9, 2024: The City Park was abuzz with activity on Sunday as over 200 volunteers participated in a community clean-up drive organised by the Green Earth Initiative, a local environmental group. The event aimed to raise awareness about environmental conservation and encourage residents to take an active role in keeping their surroundings clean.
Volunteers from all walks of life, including students, professionals, and senior citizens, gathered early in the morning to clean up the park. Armed with gloves, trash bags, and a strong sense of civic duty, they worked tirelessly to collect litter, remove debris, and beautify the park’s green spaces. By the end of the day, the park was transformed, with clean walkways, vibrant flowerbeds, and clear water bodies.
The event also featured educational workshops on waste management and recycling, where participants learned how to reduce their environmental footprint. Local businessmen supported the drive by donating supplies and refreshments, while city officials commended the volunteers for their efforts.
The clean-up drive was a resounding success, leaving a lasting impact on the community and setting a positive example for future environmental initiatives in the city.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:
(A) Complete with a suitable reason. The most likely reason why the Green Earth Initiative organised the community clean-up drive was because………………. 1
(B) Fill in the blank with an appropriate word/phrase.
The term ‘resounding success’ suggests that the clean-up drive was………..and well-received by the community. 1
(C) What was the primary goal of the Green Earth Initiative’s community clean-up drive at city park?
(a) To provide a space for socialising among volunteers.
(b) To showcase the latest recycling technologies.
(c) To raise awareness about environmental conservation and engage the community in cleaning efforts.
(d) To collect donations for future environmental projects. 1
(D) Who supported the clean-up drive by providing supplies and refreshments? 1
(1) House wives
(2) Local businessmen
(3) Gardeners
(4) Schools
(5) Kids below age 19 years
Select the correct option
(a) Only 3
(b) 1 and 5
(c ) Only 2
(d) 2 and 4
(E) What was the most likely purpose of the educational workshops held during the event? 1
(F) What in the passage suggests that the community was actively involved in the clean-up drive? 1
(G) What skills are the participants expected to learn through the educational workshops on waste management? 2
(H) Explain how the Green Earth Initiative’s community clean-up drive aligns with the broader goals of environmental conservation. 2
SECTION B: WRITING SKILLS (22 MARKS)
3. You are Salma Baig of VJ School, Uttarakhand. Write an e-mail, in about 50 words, to your Principal, requesting early commencement of winter uniform usage for all. Include a valid reason.
You may copy the given template to write your e-mail. (3)
| FROM: | |
| TO: | |
| CC: | |
| DATE: | |
| SUBJECT: | |
4. You were absent from school yesterday. A new student joined the class only yesterday. Your friend gives a factual description of the new classmate. Write that description in about 100 words. (4 Marks)
5. (a) Write a letter to the Mayor of your city, addressing the issue of carelessness in transportation habits and advocating for initiatives to promote car-lessness in the community. Deliberate on the environmental, health, and social benefits of reducing reliance on cars and propose specific measures to encourage alternative modes of transportation. Also, emphasise the importance of community engagement and collaboration in achieving a more sustainable and liveable city.
Use ideas from Unit 3: Science, along with your own to write this letter in not more than 120 words. (7 Marks)
OR
(b) Write a letter to the Director of the Geological Survey advocating for concerted efforts to preserve and protect geological heritage sites. Discuss the importance of these sites and highlight the threats they face. Propose specific measures to conserve these valuable natural assets and request her for proactive action to safeguard them for future generations.
Use ideas from Unit 4: Environment, along with your own to write this letter in not more than 120 words.
6.(a) Tourism in India has been on the rise. Write an article in about 150 words, as Gaurav Taneja, a student of X-B, discussing the surge in tourism in India since 2021, highlighting the key factors contributing to its growth. Propose additional recommendations to further boost tourism and predict the trajectory of the industry for the upcoming decade.
Use the given cues, along with your own ideas and those you may have gathered from MCB Unit Travel and Tourism, to create this article. (8 Marks)
Clues:
Factors contributing to the tourism boom.
Additional recommendations to sustain and enhance tourism.
Prediction for the future of Indian tourism: Plus, and Minus.
OR
(b) Write an article, in about 150 words, as Gaurav Taneja, a student of X-B, advocating for the implementation of inclusive education practices in schools, focusing on the benefits for students with diverse learning needs. Share advantages and discuss the importance of fostering an inclusive school environment. Additionally, propose any one recommendation for policymakers and educators to promote inclusivity in the education system.
Use the given cues, along with your own ideas and those you may have gathered from MCB Unit 2: Education, to create this article.
Clues:
Benefits of inclusive education for students with diverse learning needs.
Importance of fostering an inclusive school environment.
SECTION C: GRAMMAR (10 Marks)
7. Complete the tasks A-C, as directed.
(A) Fill the blanks (i)-(iii) with the appropriate forms of the words given in the brackets. (3 Marks)
I have just heard that my mother isn’t very well, and that she (1)………. (like) to see me. The trouble is I can’t take my dog with me. (ii)……… (do) you think you will be able to look after him for a week? If you can have him, I can bring him along any time that (iii)………..(suit) you.
(B) In the following paragraph, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in the columns given below. (4 Marks)
| NO. | TEXT | WORD BEFORE | OMISSION | WORD AFTER |
| e.g. | A subject great debate | subject | of | great |
| (i) | has been the nature of dreams people experience. | |||
| (ii) | Dreams can range from mundane to the fantastic. | |||
| (iii) | They create emotions anxiety, joy, fear and anger in the dreams. | |||
| (iv) | Dreamers often feel that they experience in their dreams is very real. |
(C) Do as directed. (3 Marks)
(a) Rearrange the following underlined jumbled words in the given dialogue to create a meaningful sentence. (1)
Beth: Who is the author?
Jo: I, your sister.
Beth: JO/MY/OH/PROUD/AM/SO/I
(b) Report the dialogues to complete the paragraph that follows. (1+1)
Mother: Why are you looking so worried?
Daughter: My exams are approaching next month.
Mother: Don’t worry. You will do well.
Mother asked her daughter (i)………………………The daughter replied (ii)……………………
Mother asked her daughter not to worry, she would do well.