HBSE Class 10 English Unseen Passage Important Questions 2023 PDF

Class 10 English BSEH Solution for Important Unseen Passage Question Answer for Haryana board. CCL Chapter Provide Class 1th to 12th all Subjects Solution With Notes, Question Answer, Summary and Important Questions. Class 10 mcq, summary, Important Question Answer, Textual Question Answer in hindi are available of  HBSE Board.

HBSE Class 10 English Unseen passage Important Question with Answer for Haryana Board Solution.

HBSE Class 10 English Unseen Passage Important Questions 2023 PDF


Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :


Living on the earth is rather like being at the bottom of a sea hundreds of miles deep. Without the atmosphere there would be no people or animals, birds or fishes, trees or plants. There would be no weather, winds or rain. And there would be no blue sky, no rosy sunsets or dawns. Fire would be impossible without air, for burning is the union of oxygen with whatever is burned. Nor would there be any noise, which is the vibration of air-waves against our ear drums. By day the atmosphere serves as a great sun-shade. It protects the earth from the full force of the sun by absorbing most of its harmful radiation. But for the atmosphere the daytime temperature would rise to 230 degrees F : hotter than boiling water. By night, the air acts like a giant greenhouse. It imprisons the heat collected during the day, and prevents it from spreading into space. Otherwise the temperature at night would plunge to –300 degrees F : far colder than we could stand. Finally the atmosphere catches and burns up, by friction, practically all the million meteors that fall each day from outer space into the earth’s field of gravity. If all these meteors actually landed here, the earth’s surface would be pitted and dented like the face of the moon, which has no atmosphere to stop them. Most Important

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What is living on the earth like ?
(ii) What will happen to earth without atmosphere ?
(iii) How does atmosphere serve by day ?
(iv) How does atmosphere protect the earth from the sun ?
(v) How does air act at night ?
(vi) How does atmosphere save earth from the impact of the meteor ?


Trees give shade for the benefit of others, while they themselves stand in the sun and endure the scorching heat. They produce fruit by which others profit. The character of a good man is like that of trees. What is the use of this perishable body if it is not used for the benefit of mankind ? The more sandalwood is rubbed, the more scent it gives. The more sugar cane is peeled and cut into pieces, the more juice it produces. The more gold is burnt, the more brightly it shines. Noble people do not lose their qualities even by losing their lives. What does it matter whether man praises them or not ? What difference does it make whether riches abide with them or not ? What does it matter whether they die at this moment or their lives are prolonged ? Come what may, those who tread on the right path will not set foot on any other. Life itself is unprofitable to a man who does not live for others. To live for the sake of living one’s life is to live a worthless life. Most Important

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What do tree give us ?
(ii) To whom is the character of a good man compared ?
(iii) Who don’t lose their qualities even by losing their lives ?
(iv) When is life unprofitable to man ?
(v) What kind of a life it is, if you live life for the sake of living your own life ?
(vi) Give a suitable title to the passage.


For a student, walking is preferable to all exercises. The advantage of this mode of exercise is that it is simple. The apparatus is all at hand. You need not wait for the importation of machinery. It is in the open air that the lungs can at once receive the pure air of heaven and the eyes gaze upon hill and dale, upon trees and flowers, upon the objects inanimate and animate. The very objects of sights and sounds cheer the mind and raise the spirit. Another advantage of walking is that you can have a friend to walk with the unbend the mind with pleasant conversation. Once try the method of walking with a friend regularly for a few weeks and you will be surprised at the marvellous results. On those afternoons when study is not required, be sure to take a long walk and lay up health for days to come.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What is preferable to all exercises for a student ?
(ii) What is advantage of walking ?
(iii) What cheers the mind and raise the spirit ?
(iv) What is the advantage of walking with a friend ?
(v) What will regular walk with friend give you ?
(vi) What is the author’s advice to the people who are free ?


Language is a wonderful gift given to man. No animal possesses this gift, but they have their own way of expressing themselves. When a rabbit sees an enemy, it runs away into its hole. Its tail, which is white, bobs up and down as it runs. The other rabbits see it and they run too. They know that there is a danger. When a cobra is ‘angry, it raises its hood and makes itself look fierce. This warns other animals. When a bee has found some food, it goes back to the hive. It cannot tell the other bees where the food is by speaking to them, but it does a kind of dance in the air. Some animals say things by making sounds. A dog barks when a stranger comes near.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What is a wonderful gift to man ?
(ii) How does a rabbit express itself in case of danger ?
(iii) What does cobra do when it is angry ?
(iv) How does a bee inform about the presence of food ?
(v) How does a dog communicate ?
(vi) Use the word “possess” in your own sentence.


A fuel is a material that is burned in order to get heat and light and also to generate power. The process of burning is a chemical reaction. A material combines with oxygen from the air and gives off energy. The energy is given off in the form of heat and light. Fuels can also be classified as solid; liquid and gaseous. Wood was one of the first fuels used by man. It was the easiest to get and the cheapest. After wood started becoming scarce, it was replaced by coal. Coal contains a high percentage of carbon. Carbon is the most important ingredient in most fuels. Fuels with a high percentage of carbon burn evenly and with a hot flame. The most important liquid fuels come from petroleum. However petroleum reserves are becoming
exhausted with the passage of time.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) Why is the fuel burned ?
(ii) What is the process of burning called ?
(iii) In which form is the energy released ?
(iv) How has fuel been classified ?
(v) What does coal contain ?
(vi) Which liquid fuel is mentioned in the passage ?


Why is this enormous increase in population taking place ? Is it really due to the spread of the knowledge and the practice of what is coming to be called Death control. You have heard of birth control. Death control is something rather different. Death control recognizes the work of the doctors and the nurses and the hospitals and the health services in keeping alive people who, a few years ago, would have died of some of the incredibly serious killing diseases, as they used to be. Squalid conditions, which we can remedy by an improved standard of living, caused a lot of disease and dirt. Medical examinations at schools catch diseases early and ensure healthier school children. Scientists are at work stamping out malaria and other more deadly diseases. If you are seriously ill there is an ambulance to take you to a modern hospital. Medical care helps to keep people alive longer.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) Why is there enormous increase in population ?
(ii) What recognises the work of doctors, nurses, hospitals and health services in keeping people alive ?
(iii) What caused a lot of disease and dirt ?
(iv) What can medical examinations do at school ?
(v) What are scientists trying to do ?
(vi) How does medical care help people ?


Sarojini Naidu was educated in her early years under her father’s own care. He wanted her to become a great mathematician or scientist but she loved to dream and write poems. She was hardly eleven when she wrote her first poem. At thirteen she wrote a long poem in the manner of famous English poets. After her matriculation in India she went to England for higher education. In London she met Sir Edmund Gosse – a distinguished man of letters. He was impressed by her knowledge and intelligence. He was surprised to see that she had written poems in flawless English but felt disappointed to find that they had nothing of the east in them. They were all about English sights. From this day onwards, she devoted herself in writing verses about India.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6
(i) Under whose care did Sarojini Naidu receive her education ?
(ii) What did Sarojini’s father want to make her ?
(iii) At what age did Sarojini Naidu write the poem ?
(iv) At what age Sarojini Naidu write a long poem ?
(v) What did Edmund Gosse find in her poems?
(vi) What did she ultimately decide to write ?


Vidyasagar was a very generous and charitable man. From his earliest years he helped the poor and needy to the utmost of his power. As a boy at school he often gave some of the little food, he had, to eat to another boy who had none. If one of his school fellows fell ill, little Ishwar would go to his house, sit by his bed and nurse him. When he grew rich, hundreds of poor widows and orphans were supported by him. His name became a household word in Bengal. Rich or poor, high or low, all loved him alike. No beggar ever asked him for relief in vain. He would never have a porter at his gate, lest some poor man, who wished to see him, should be turned away.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6
(i) Who was Vidyasagar ?
(ii) Whom did Vidyasagar help from his earliest years ?
(iii) To whom did Vidyasagar support when he grew up ?
(iv) Why did his name become a household word in Bengal ?
(v) To whom did he give food at school as a boy ?
(vi) Did any beggar ask him for relief in vain ?


There is no doubt that wine is a curse. Gandhiji said that wine destroys both the body and the soul. Drinking is the mother of many evils. It is injurious to health. Alcohol shortens the life of those who drink much. Its most disastrous effect is on kidneys, liver, heart and nervous system. Drinking wine gives rise to many crimes. Some criminals make, spurious wine. Many deaths are caused by drinking such wine. It makes a man brute. It ruins man’s family life. A drunkard is not able to devote time, to his children and family. As a result his children go astray in life. He spends most of his money on wine as a result his children are deprived of proper food, education, clothes etc. There are often quarrels between the drunk husband and his wife. This has bad effect on the minds of the growing children. The government should enforce prohibition. There should be a ban on granting licenses for opening wine shops. There should be check on drinking.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) Why does the narrator call drinking wine a curse ?
(ii) What is the view of Gandhiji in this regard ?
(iii) How does drinking give rise to many crimes ?
(iv) What ruins man’s family life and how ?
(v) What should the government do ?
(vi) Find word from the passage which means ‘not genuine/false/fake’.


Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. It aims at the welfare of all people and not that of one person or a group of persons. When India became free in 1947, our great leaders decided to have a democratic form of Government in India. The Indian Constitution gives equal rights to every citizen. Every person in India has the right to equal opportunities. We have freedom of speech, and the right to property, our fundamental rights are meant for ensuring equality between every individual. Over the past years, there have been many setbacks to our democracy. The declaration of emergency in 1975 was the biggest attack on it. There are many other challenges to face as a nation. There is corruption in the country. No body thinks in terms of the nation. People like to think in terms of region, religion, race, caste and language. People have no tolerance for others’ religion, race, caste and language. Even political parties seek vote in the name of religion, race, caste, area & language. All these factors make the country weak. We should work unitedly.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What is the definition of democracy ?
(ii) What is its aim ?
(iii) What are the different fundamental rights given in the Constitution?
(iv) What was the biggest setback to Indian democracy ?
(v) What factors make the country weak ?
(vi) What should we do to make it strong ?


Subhash Chandra Bose was a great leader of India. He was born on 23rd January, 1896. People called him ‘Netaji’ because he led them to the right path. He went to jail many times. Soon he found out that more efforts should be made to make India free. The British power was getting weakened in the second world war. He thought of striking it from all sides. One day, he escaped from Kolkata in the guise of a Pathan and went to Germany. From there, he went to Japan. He organized the Indian National Army that fought many battles against the British armies. He said to his countrymen, “Give me blood and I will give you freedom.” At this appeal, hundreds of Indians abroad gave their all for the good of India. It was a bad day for India when Netaji died in an air crash. We shall always remember him as the greatest fighter for the freedom of India.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) Who was Subhash Chandra Bose & when was he born ?
(ii) How was Subhash Chandra Bose addressed by people ? Why ?
(iii) Where did he escape and how ?
(iv) What did he do to fight against British armies ?
(v) What slogan did he give to his countrymen ?
(vi) What was the response of people at his call ?


There are several reasons for a headache. Physical, emotional and mental factors, anxiety and tension are some of them. Sometimes, headache can be a signal of an underlying disease. More than medicines, Yoga therapy suits all needs. Yoga is a comprehensive mode of culturing the body and the mind. Yoga can cure some tough headaches. It includes breathing asanas, pranayamas, meditation, & devotional sessions. Yogasanas, especially the ones imitating the natural postures of animals have great tranquilizing effect without using common drugs. Pranayam checks random agitations in Pranic (energy) flows in Pranamayakosa, & stabilizes nervous system. Dhyana & Samadhi relax the mind. It changes the attitude of the sufferer from headache.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What are some of the reasons for a headache ?
(ii) What is the headache sometimes a signal of ?
(iii) What is Yoga ?
(iv) What is included in Yoga ?
(v) What effect do Yogasanas have ?
(vi) What are the advantages of Dhyana & Samadhi ?


Money has become a kind of God in the modern times. The modern generation is becoming more and more money-minded. We have become materialistic. It is true that money is very important in our life. In order to remain alive we must have money. However, money is not everything. There are many things which cannot be bought with money. There are many things which are far more precious than money. The innocent smile on the face of a child, first love in the eyes of a young man or girl or the look of gratitude on the face of an old person whom you have helped–these are things no one can buy, however rich he may be. When we spend money, we think of its gain. But there are certain fields in which the gains are in term of mental satisfaction. It means that money is not everything. Always remember that money is made for man & man is not made for money. Thus we see that there are many things which are more important than money. They are honesty, service, belief in God and helping the poor. The most important wealth is the peace of mind. The man who has it is really rich.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What is modern man’s attitude towards money ?
(ii) Is it true that money is very important in man’s life ?
(iii) Can everything in life be bought with money ?
(iv) What other gain instead of monetary gain does the narrator talk about in the passage ?
(v) Who is really rich ?
(vi) What should one always remember regarding money ?


Every civilization has its periods of progress and fall. Many civilizations of the world, like the Babylon and the Greece were once very high. But today Babylon has disappeared and the Greeks are just a pale shadow of their ancient selves. India too had its period of ascendancy. There was a time when India was called ‘A sparrow of Gold’. Our periods of history like the Gupta or the reign of Ashoka were glorious. But then came the downfall of India. Our country committed a mistake. We grew rich but not powerful. We had wealth, but no power to protect that wealth. As a result a number of invaders attacked us, looted us and then left. But some rulers came to stay, like the Muslims. They exploited the country. The coming of the British added to our woes & finished us. They took away whatever wealth was left in the country. We were at zero level economically when they left India. At present we are again rich and one of the top economies of the world. We are also powerful, no country can attack & loot us so easily now.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) What do you know about the civilization of Babylon ?
(ii) What was the fate of the civilization of Greece ?
(iii) What was India’s position in ancient times ?
(iv) What mistake contributed to the downfall of India ?
(v) What do you know about Muslim invaders from the passage ?
(vi) Who added to our woes and how ?


Terrorism is showing its ugly face all over the world. It has become very common these days. There is hardly any country which is not plagued by terrorism. Terrorism is strong in Italy, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and in fact, all over the world. India is also not untouched by it. There have been cases of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Bengal, Eastern India, Uttarakhand etc. from time to time. Terrorism means resorting to violent actions to achieve one’s legitimate or illegitimate objectives. The main objective of terrorism is to overawe the lawful authority and force it to accept one’s demands. In India, in recent times, the incidence of terrorism has increased. Most of the terrorists are misguided young men whose brains are washed and they are trained to hate their own government or authority. Sometimes they are mercenaries who are trained in enemy camps in order to spread panic in India. Our government has to spend a lot of money on special security men or commandos in order to protect the VIP’s and important public places.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) Is terrorism limited to a few countries ?
(ii) Which countries are mainly plagued by it ?
(iii) What does Terrorism mean ?
(iv) What is the main objective of terrorism ?
(v) Who are terrorists in India ?
(vi) Find word from the passage which means ‘legal’.


God created universe in the image of paradise. And there is no doubt once the world was very beautiful and could be called heaven. There were clean and sparkling rivers. There were dense jungles. In those jungles there was wildlife in abundance. The air was fresh & pure. But all this has changed. Man has polluted the whole world. The world today faces a great danger. It is the danger of environmental pollution. During the last few years there has been reckless cutting of trees all over the world. Also, there has been fast industrialization of every country. Big factories emit millions of tons of smoke every day. Then there has been great increase in the number of trucks, buses, cars and scooters. These emit poisonous gases that pollute the atmosphere.

Questions : 1 × 6 = 6

(i) How was the world (universe) created by God ?
(ii) What type of world was in earlier times ?
(iii) What was the condition of forests, rivers, wildlife and air at that time ?
(iv) Who is responsible for polluting the world ?
(v) How has the increase in the number of factories contributed to environmental pollution ?
(vi) Why is not the increasing number of vehicles good for atmosphere ?


AIIMS admitted 150 patients with alcohol –related liver failure from 2011 to 2015. Of this, the study said, 96 died within 10 days despite all possible medical intervention. Follow – up of the rest of the patients who were discharged when their condition got stable revealed that nearly 20% died within three to four months and another 20% in a year. “Once you have got acute-on chronic liver failure due to alcohol, survival is rare. Transplant, the only life-saving treatment option, is not possible immediately because three months of abstinence from alcohol is required”, said Dr. Shalimar, associate professor of gastroenterology at AIIMS. There is no medicine for alcoholism. “Abstinence is the only way to prevent liver failure and deaths caused by that. The government needs to create awareness to prevent excessive drinking.” A recent survey published in Global Heart, a reputed medical journal, showed alcohol use has gone up from 16.1% to 25.6% among urban dwellers in Delhi in the past 20 years. The increase in alcohol use in rural areas in the corresponding period is nearly four times – from 8% to 33.2% – the survey found. “We admitted 427 patients with acute – on chronic liver failure from 2011 to 2015 at the hospital. Of this, a maximum 150 (40.8%) cases were alcohol-related, followed by hepatitis B virus infection (71, 19.3%), hepatitis E (45, 12.2%), autoimmune hepatitis flare – up (17, 4.6%), antituberculosis drugs (16, 4.3%) and hepatitis A(2, 0.5%). In 67 patients (18.2%), the cause of acute liver failure couldn’t be ascertained”, he said. The AIIMS doctor added alcohol-related liver failure cases have poorer prognosis. “Most of them required ventilator supports, their blood was thinner and brain damage was higher too”, he added. Dr. S. K. Sarin, director of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), said most alcoholics are calorie – deprived. “Most infections cause leaky bowel. But in case of alcoholics, this problem is severe. Due to this, bacteria easily get into liver from the small intestine, thus aggravating organ failure status, he added. He, however, stressed the need to create awareness about harmful effects of binge drinking. Most Important

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) What happens to the patients who go to AIIMS with alcohol – related liver failure ?
(ii) What is the best treatment for patients suffering from acute on chronic liver failure due to alcohol ?
(iii) What is the best way to prevent liver failure and death due to alcohol ?
(iv) In which areas of India is the use of alcohol increasing more rapidly ?
(v) What is the effect of binge drinking ?


Trees give shade for the benefit of others, while they themselves stand in the sun and endure the scorching heat; they produce the fruit by which others profit. The character of a good man is like that of trees. What is the use of this perishable body, if it is not used for the benefit of the mankind ? Sandalwood – the more it is rubbed, the more scent does it yield. Sugarcane – the more it is peeled and cut into pieces, the more juice does it produce. Gold – the more it is burnt, the more brightly it shines. The men who are noble at heart do not lose their qualities even by losing their lives. What matters whether men praise them or not ? What difference does it make whether riches abide with them or not ? What does it signify whether they die at this moment or whether their lives are prolonged ? Happen what may, those who tread in the right path will not set foot in any other. Life itself is unprofitable to a man who does not live for others. To live for the mere sake of living one’s life is to live the life of dogs or crows. Those who lay down their lives for the sake of humanity will assuredly live forever in the world of bliss.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What do trees do for us ?
(ii) Why is a good man compared with gold ?
(iii) What lessons do trees teach us ?
(iv) What makes life profitable for a person ?
(v) What should be the ideals of a good man ?


Polythene shopping bags and wrappers are potential threat to urban environment. Once you have discarded them after use, you do not lose your link with them. They return to you in a variety of ways, though you do not realize it. For example, they choke your drains and provide breeding facilities to deadly germs. A recent study has shown that about 250 tonnes of plastic wastes come out of various colonies of major cities alone every day. This disrupts the sewer system, the essential arteries of city life. These plastic wastes choke the land mass and clog the pores of the wetlands. Unfortunately, even the villages and small towns are not free from this danger. Millions of people returning to their hometowns everyday carry their shopping in colourful bags. This pleases their family and children, who after preserving them for a time, dispose them in wells, rivers, tanks and drains. Many throw them off into the fields. They do it with a sense of pride, to show off. When their neighbours see that their men from the cities regularly bring them those good things of life, they are impressed. In Delhi, the worst offenders are the upper – income groups of the so – called posh colonies. Though educated, the residents of these affluent areas are unaware of the damage done by the plastic bags. Nearly a million children in Delhi schools carry their lunch boxes in plastic bags. They callously throw them away and cause unhealthy environment.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) When do we throw away our polythene shopping bags ?
(ii) What are the essential arteries of city life ?
(iii) What do the villagers want to convey to their neighbours by throwing the plastic bags into the fields ?
(iv) How do the school children pollute the environment ?
(v) Which word in the passage means ‘thrown away’ ?


Drug addiction is a major social evil of modern times. It has transcended all barriers of caste, colour, creed and sex. It is a problem that is eating into the vitals of society. In the beginning, a person takes a drug out of curiosity. There are some who take drugs simply for the thrill it gives them. The tragedy is that once a person gets used to taking any kind of intoxicating drug it becomes addiction. His body develops dependence on the drug. He has to steadily increase the dose. Even if at any point of his life, he realizes his folly, it becomes extremely difficult for him to give up drugs. It is like being in the clutches of a monster. It is pathetic to see a drug addict, when he does not get his usual dose. His whole body writhes in pain which drives him to madness. Besides, taking drugs is expensive. Therefore, it drives drug addicts to stealing, committing petty crimes and other antisocial activities. It is not surprising that drug addicts become antisocial elements. Drugs completely destroy their mental faculties to think clearly and to rationalize.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What harm is the evil of drug addiction doing to our society ?
(ii) Why does a person take drugs in the beginning ?
(iii) When does drug-taking become addiction ?
(iv) What happens when a drug addict does not get his usual dose ?
(v) Which word in the passage means ‘to stop’ or ‘quit’ ?


Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value, according to Food Standard Agency. The term is believed to have been coined by Michael Jacobson, Director of the Centre for Science in the public interest, in 1972. The term has since become common usage. Junk food typically contains high level of fat, salt or sugar and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate and tartrazine; at the same time it is lacking in proteins, Vitamins and fibre, among others. It is popular with suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration. It is popular with and has lots of consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, convenient to consume and lots of flavours. Consumption of junk food is associated with obesity, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and dental cavities. There is also concern about the targeting of the marketing at children. What constitutes a junk food may be confusing and according to critics, includes elements of class snobbery and moral judgement. For example, fast food such as hamburgers and French fries supplied by companies such as McDonald’s KFC and Pizza Hut are often perceived as junk foods whereas same meals supplied by more upmarket outlets such as Pizza Express or Nando’s are not despite often having the same or worse nutritional content. Other food such as Foie Gras, roast potatoes and bread are not considered junk food despite having limited nutritional content. Similarly, breakfast cereals are often regarded as healthy but may have high level of sugar, salt and fat. Many critics believe that junk food is not harmful when consumed as part of a balanced diet and some believe that the term should not be used at all.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) How is junk food perceived ?
(ii) What does junk food typically contain ?
(iii) With what is junk food associated ?
(iv) When, according to many critics, is junk food not harmful ?
(v) Find out a word in the passage which is similar in meaning to ‘seen’.


A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom.  Knowing his father could well afford it, he told him all that he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Having been angry, he raised his voice to his father and said, “with all your money, you give me a Bible ?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had beautiful home and wonderful family. He realized that his father was very old, and hence he should have gone to him. He had not seen him since the graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and reverence filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words ‘PAID IN FULL’. How many times do we miss spirit’s blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected ?

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What did the young man want from his father ?
(ii) Why did his father call the young man in his private study ?
(iii) What was the reaction of the young man to see the present ?
(iv) After many years, what did the young man realize ?
(v) Find word from the passage which means ‘raised design’.


Just by the use of colours you can balance your diet. All you need to do is to pay a little attention to the food you eat. Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet. Sweets and candy bars are generally colourful, but remember they do not contain natural colours and hence are not healthy. The key solution is a variety of naturally coloured foods. The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits. Getting more colours in your diet doesn’t mean you have to drastically change your current eating habits. Have a glass of 100% juice in the morning. Keep a mix of dried fruits on hand for a quick snack. Grab an apple or banana on your way out. Include at least two vegetables in your dinner. Get into the habit of starting your dinner with a salad. Eat fruit for dessert. Always add greens to sandwiches. Most red fruits and vegetables contain an antioxidant, which offers protection against ultraviolet rays and Cancer and helps to prevent urinary tract infections and diseases related to the circulatory system. Green vegetables not only look great but also possess excellent antioxidant properties that protect your eyes by keeping the retina in good condition and reduce the risk of cancerous tumours. Orange and yellow group contain beta – carotene, an antioxidant that improves cell communication and thereby helps to stop the spread of cancer. Blue and purple group not only adds an element of tranquility and richness to your plate, but also has an influence on the pineal gland (the third eye) and the nervous system. White group contains sulphur compounds that protect DNA and also contain flavonoids, the antioxidants that protect cell membranes. Therefore, the more colourful your diet is (all natural colours, of course), the better equipped your immune system is to cope with diseases.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) Why are sweets and candy bars not healthy ?
(ii) How do antioxidants help us ?
(iii) How do green vegetables help us ?
(iv) What improves our immune system to cope with diseases ?
(v) Find word from the passage which means ‘greatly’.


It is widely acknowledged that education contributes significantly to economic development. The developed world understood much earlier the fact that individuals with proper education have an edge over their noneducated or half – educated counterparts. In terms of literacy, India’s  achievements as compared to several Asian countries are disappointing. According to economists, the poor performance of India on the literacy field has affected the country’s economic development. India has launched an ambitious project, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, to provide primary education to all children. One of the major aims of the government has been to reduce the large number of drop-outs from the schools because it affects the economic development. Various studies by different economists have shown that investment in education promotes economic growth. In any field, illiterate workers are unskilled and untrained; their general health is very poor. Literacy as well as education can create more productive labour force having enhanced knowledge and skills which ultimately tend to boost productivity both quantitatively and qualitatively. Literacy among common people is also necessary for political stability in any country. Literacy increases the thinking power and understanding of the good or bad. When the people are literate, they can easily see through the cunningness of corrupt political leaders, thereby lessening the possibility of their being shortchanged by the latter. Furthermore, educated folks tend to show a greater tendency towards fruitfully associating themselves with the establishment. With the increased participation rate of both men and women in local self-governance institutions, people can avail the opportunity to improve their local economic factors such as roads, electricity, etc.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What is the widely acknowledge fact about education ?
(ii) What did the developed world understand about the importance of education ?
(iii) What is the ambitious project launched by our government ?
(iv) How does investment in education promote growth ?
(v) Find word from the passage which means ‘accepted’.


One of the most difficult things in life is to find a way of behaviour that is not dictated by circumstances. Circumstances and people dictate or force you to behave in a certain way. The way that you conduct yourself, the way you eat, the way you talk, your moral, “your ethical behaviour depends on where you find yourself” and so your behaviour is constantly varying, constantly changing. This is so when you speak to your father, your mother or to your servant– your voice, your words, are quite different. The ways of behaviour are controlled by environmental influences, and by analysing behaviour you can almost predict what people will do and will not do.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What is one of the most difficult things in life ?
(ii) How do circumstances affect people ?
(iii) Why is one’s behaviour constantly changing ?
(iv) What changes are made while talking to different people ?
(v) Give a suitable title to the passage.


Guru Gobind Singh, the last of ten Sikh Gurus, was a great son of India. He led India to sublime heights of glory. He brought about moral resurgence and created order out of disorderly social condition. He was a multifaceted personality. He was a poet, soldier, statesman, leader and a true socialist–all in one. He put life into the dying social order by giving it a wholly new outlook. He was a practical socialist who founded a social order based on fraternity, equality and love. In him were combined the spiritual vision, unmatched organizing capacity and a gift of politic intuition and insight. Such a rare combination of qualities would inspire the most downtrodden people to look forward to an optimistic future.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) Who was Guru Gobind Singh ?
(ii) What are the rare contribution of Guru Gobind Singh to India ?
(iii) Why does the author call him a multifaceted personality ?
(iv) Why has he been called a practical socialist ?
(v) What qualities of Guru Gobind Singh inspired the most downtrodden people to look forward to an optimistic future ?


Do not study for too long at a stretch, so long as the mind acts with ease, it may be allowed to continue working, but if we find that it moves slowly and extra efforts are needed to keep the attention fixed, it is far better to break off and take a walk or some other recreation than plodding on until one feels completely exhausted. To continue forcing the mind to work is likely to lead to injurious results and may end in nervous breakdown. Violent exercise which may cause bodily harm and weariness, is not what is wanted, for with a tired body, a little mental peace is possible. Useful exercise as a change for study should give energy, not exhaust it.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What advice does the author give regarding study ?
(ii) What danger is there in working with a tired mind ?
(iii) What advice does the writer give regarding exercise ?
(iv) When should one stop studying ?
(v) Give a suitable title to the passage.


Indeed the path Florence had chosen was full of difficulties. It was almost an unimaginable thing in those days for a woman of means to live a life of independence, but the particular profession for which she had trained herself was a disreputable one. The nurses in those days were noted for their immoral conduct. They could hardly be trusted to carry out the simple medical duties. No wonder, therefore, that Florence’s parents did not like their daughter should take up that profession. Florence, however, did not see eye to eye with them. She felt wretched. Her sadness increased. She was always sad.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What was unimaginable thing in those days for a woman ?
(ii) What profession had Florence chosen ?
(iii) Why were her parents opposed to her profession ?
(iv) What effect did her parents’ opposition have on her nature ?
(v) Give a suitable title to the passage.


For a student, walking is preferable to all other exercises. The advantage of this mode of exercise is that it is simple. The apparatus is at hand complete. You need not wait for the importation of machinery. It is in the open air that the lungs can at once receive the pure air of heaven and the eyes gaze upon hill and dale, upon trees and flowers, upon the objects animate and inanimate. The very objects of sight and sound cheer the mind and raise the spirit. Another advantage of walking is that you can have a friend to walk with an unbend the mind by pleasant conversation. Try once the method of walking with a friend regularly for a few weeks and you will be surprised at the marvellous results. On those afternoons, when study is not required, be sure to take long walks and lay up health for days to come.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What is the preferable exercise for the students ?
(ii) What is the first advantage of walking according to the writer ?
(iii) What is advantage of walking in the open air ?
(iv) How is it beneficiary to have a walk with a friend ?
(v) Does the writer recommend walk during the afternoons and if yes, why ?


Trees give shade for the benefit of others, while they themselves stand in the sun and endure the scorching heat. They produce fruit which others eat. The character of a good man is like that of trees. What is the use of this perishable body if it is not used for the benefit of mankind. The more sandalwood is rubbed, the more scent it gives. The more sugarcane is peeled and cut into pieces, the more juice it produces. The more gold is burst, the more brightly it shines. Noble people do not lose their qualities even by losing their lives. Come what may, those who tread on the right path will not set foot on any other. Life itself is unprofitable for a man who does not live for others. To live for the sake of living one’s life is to live a worthless
life.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What do the trees do for us ?
(ii) What is the correct use of human body ?
(iii) What is the result of rubbing of sandalwood ?
(iv) How can more juice be obtained from sugarcane ?
(v) What enhances the brightness of gold ?


Living on the earth is rather like being at the bottom of a sea hundreds of miles deep. Without atmosphere, there would be no people or animals, birds or fishes, trees or plants. There would be no weather, winds or rain. And there would be no blue sky, no rosy sunsets or dawns. Fire would be impossible without air, for burning is the union of oxygen with whatever is burned. Nor would there be any noise, which is the vibration of air-waves against our eardrums. By day the atmosphere serves as a great sun-shade. It protects the earth from the full force of the sun by absorbing most of its harmful radiation. But for the atmosphere, the daytime temperature would rise to 230 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than boiling water. By night, the air acts like a giant green house. It imprisons the heat collected during the day and prevents it from spreading into space.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What is living on the earth like ?
(ii) For which creatures is atmosphere needed ?
(iii) What are the other purposes for which atmosphere is needed ?
(iv) Why is atmosphere needed for noise ?
(v) How does atmosphere serve as great sun shade ?


There are several reasons for a headache. Physical, emotional and mental factors which include anxiety and tension are a few. Sometimes, headache can be a signal of an underlying disease. More than medicines, yoga therapy eminently suits any need. Yoga is a comprehensive mode of culturing the body and the mind. Using an “Integrated Approach of Yoga”, the yoga research centres have been able to cure some tough headaches. This approach includes breathing asanas, pranayama, meditation and devotional sessions. Yogasanas, especially the ones imitating the natural postures of animals, have a tremendous tranquillizing effect, without having to depend on common drugs. Dhyana and Samadhi culture relax the mind.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(i) What are some of the reasons for a headache ?
(ii) What is the headache sometimes a signal of ?
(iii) What is Yoga ?
(iv) Which approach of Yoga is used to cure tough headaches ?
(v) What are the constituents of this approach ?


Every Indian is proud of Rabindranath Tagore. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book of poems ‘Gitanjali’. Tagore’s poems contain deep, noble and significant thought. Apart from poems, Tagore also wrote plays, novels, short-stories and essays. His peculiar interest in music resulted in a special kind of music called Rabindra Sangeet. Tagore returned the title of ‘Sir’ to the British Government in protest against the Jalianwala-Bagh Tragedy. He was a man of extraordinary charm and distinction.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(1) Which book of Tagore won Nobel Prize for him ?
(A) Gitanjali
(B) Gita
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above

(2) What kind of a man was Tagore ?
(A) Extraordinary charm
(B) Distinction
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above

(3) What is the main feature of Tagore’s poems ?
(A) Deep thought
(B) Noble thought
(C) Significant thought
(D) All of the above

(4) What did Tagore write apart from poems ?
(A) Plays
(B) Novels
(C) Short-stories and essays
(D) All of the above

(5) Why did Tagore return the title of ‘Sir’ to the British Government ?
(A) Protest against Jalianwala-Bagh Tragedy
(B) Protest against Red-Fort tragedy
(C) Both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above


Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October, 1931 at Rameshwaram. He was one of the four children of Jainulabdeen and Ashiamma. He did his schooling from Sahwaitz School. After graduating from St. Joseph’s college Tiruchirapalli, he completed his professional training as an engineer from Madras Institute of Technology. His political career is marked by becoming the Scientific Advisor to Government in 1999. He reached the zenith of his career by becoming the 11th President of India on July 25, 2002.

Questions : 1 × 5 = 5

(6) When was Abdul Kalam born ?
(A) 15 October, 1931
(B) 02 October, 1931
(C) July 25, 2002
(D) None of the above

(7) Where was Abdul Kalam born ?
(A) New Delhi
(B) Mumbai
(C) Rameshwaram
(D) None of the above

(8) When did his political career start ?
(A) 1931
(B) 1999
(C) 1950
(D) 1947

(9) When did he become the President of India ?
(A) 25 July, 2002
(B) 15 August, 2002
(C) 26 January, 2002
(D) 15 October, 1931

(10) From where did he complete his graduation ?
(A) Sahwaitz school
(B) Madras Institute of Technology
(C) St. Joseph’s College Tiruchirapalli
(D) None of the above


How does television affect our lives? It can be very helpful to people who carefully choose the shows that they watch. Television can increase our knowledge of the outside world; there are high quality programs that help us understand many fields of study, science, medicine, arts and so on. Moreover, television benefits very old people, who can’t often leave the house as well as patients in hospitals. It also offers non-native speakers the advantage of daily informal language practice. They can increase their vocabulary and practice listening. On the other hand, there are several serious disadvantages of television. Of course, it provides us with a pleasant way relax and spend our free time, but in some countries, people watch the ‘boob-tube’ for an average of six hours or more a day. Many children stare at a television screen for more hours each day than they do anything else, including studying and sleeping. It’s clear that the tube has a powerful influence on their lives and that its influence is often negative. Recent studies show that after only thirty seconds of television, a person’s brain ‘relaxes’ the same way that it does just before the person falls asleep. Another effect of television on the human brain is that it seems to cause poor concentration. Children who view a lot of television can often concentrate on a subject for only fifteen to twenty minutes. They can pay attention only for the amount of time between commercials. Another disadvantage is that television often causes people to become dissatisfied with their own lives. Real life does not seem as exciting to these people as the lives of actors on the screen. To many people, television becomes more real than reality and their own lives seem boring. Also many people get upset or depressed when they can’t solve problems in real life as quickly as television actors seem to. Before a child is fourteen years old, he or she views eleven thousand murders on the tube. He or she begins to believe that there is nothing strange about fights, killings and other kinds of violence. Many studies show that people become more violent after watching certain programmers. They may even do the things that they saw in a violent show. The most negative effect of the ‘Boob-tube’ might be people’s addiction to it. People often feel a strange and powerful need to watch television even when they don’t enjoy it. Addiction to a television screen is similar to drug or alcohol addiction. People almost never believe that are addicted.

Questions: 1 × 5 = 5
(i) How can television increase our knowledge of the outside world?
(ii) How does it benefit the non-native speakers?
(iii) How does television have a powerful negative influence on people’s lives?
(iv) What are the effects of television watching on children?
(v) How does television causes people to become dissatisfied with their lives?


Can our workouts be shaped by what our friends do? That question is at the heart of an important new study of exercise behavior, one of the first to use socalled big data culled from a large-scale, global social network of workout routines. The researchers focused on running because so many of the network participants were runners. And what they found suggests that whether and how much we exercise can depend to a surprising extent on our responses to other people’s training. The results also offer some practical advice for the runners among us, suggesting that if you wish to improve your performance, you might want to become virtual friends with people who are just a little bit slower than you are. The identity of individual runners was masked, but the researchers could tally exactly how often, far and fast each had gone every day for five years. They could similarly map out how often, far and fast their friends had run on those same and subsequent days. The researchers noted immediate correlations. Friends tended to display similar training routines day to day and year to year, even if separated geographically. So the researchers next decided that they should also consider weather. Bad weather can dampen enthusiasm for exercise, the researchers reasoned, so if someone heads out in rotten weather on a day when pals elsewhere have run, the soggy runner presumably has been influenced by what their friends have been up to. Consequently, the researchers also gathered five years’ worth of data from global weather stations and cross correlated this data base with information about the runner’s daily workouts. The results clearly showed that runners do influence one another, the scientists found. Over all, if one person ran for about 10 minutes more than usual on any given day, that runner’s friends would lengthen their workout by approximately three minutes, even if the weather was discouraging. Similarly, if a friend ran faster than usual, his or her friends would tend to pick up their pace that same day. In aggregate these results indicate that, with caveats, ”Running can be socially contagious.”

Questions: 1 × 5 = 5

(i) Which workout (exercise) did the researchers study in particular?
(ii) On what does the quantity of our exercise depend?
(iii) What should we do to improve our performance in workouts?
(iv) How does weather affect exercise?
(v) What did the scientists find when they cross correlated five years of data from global weather stations?


It took three long years for my coming into existence, after the idea of a new currency was conceived. I was first conceived and named on 1st January, 1999, when eleven European countries decided to have a new money form i.e. Euro. My value was determined as per the conversion rate fixed by these countries in terms of their own currencies. On 1st January 2002, I was circulated as currency notes when twelve countries adopted me as their currency. Some countries opposed the idea of using me and initially refused to accept me. But now almost all the European countries have accepted me as valid currency. My brother Dollar who is in America, my brother Lira residing in Italy and my sister Sterling was quite jealous of me but soon they accepted my existence and started respecting me. I now enjoy a place of pride among all the currencies in the world and almost everyone accepts me freely.

Questions: 1×5=5
(a) When did Euro come into worldwide acceptance?
(b) Euro was accepted without opposition. Is this statement true or false?
(c) Name the sibling rivalries in the family of Euro.
(d) What is the present status of Euro?
(e) Find a word from the passage which means “envious”.


EDUCATION FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN
Education is the beginning of empowerment. It is a key to happy and satisfactory life for the special children, who are cruelly segregated from the society. In India, there are around 35 million disabled children but less than one percent have access to education. The most pressing need is to bestow the precious gift of education on them and let them be the bearer of torch towards the path of progress. Special children, without education, are a burden on their families as well as society. The crude discrimination between normal and abnormal children lead to severe psychological disorders, giving birth to frustration which we all know, is not healthy for any progressing nation. Several NGOs are working towards the upliftment and betterment of such children, but again a grave problem that is faced by the volunteers is lack of motivation in such children and even their families. Those who are from the well-to-do families may not find themselves in this menace but those belonging to the lower economic section feel that the effort to obtain education is simply wastage of time and energy not to say anything about money. Another factor which is hindering the path of education for such children is the lack of opportunities or facilities available in schools. Even if the parents do send such children to school, the schools themselves are sadly lacking the facilities to cater to their needs. The government has started the ‘Integrated System of Education’ that enables the disabled to study with normal children in normal circumstances with few facilities for them. Yet again we find psychological barriers amongst impaired children that they cast themselves in a hard mould. Special schools have also been established by the government and NGOs to meet specific needs of such children but their number is pitiably low as compared to the normal schools.There is an urgent need to strike at the roots of this neglect to enable the disabled.

Questions: 1×5=5

(a) Who are the ‘special children’ referred to here?
(b) Why is education important for such children?
(c) Which factors are responsible for hindering the path of education foe such children?
(d) What must be done in order to enable the disabled?
(e) Find out the word from the passage which mean the same as ‘separated’ (para 1).


Fire has been worshipped in ancient cultures worldwide. In Greek Mythology Prometheus is said to have stolen fire from heaven. He brought it down to earth for human use. Fire is the spirit of the Sun. It is the purest of all elements on earth. It clears darkness which is the region of the evil spirit. It is always moving upwards. It is compassionate when controlled, but it is merciless in destruction when out of control. Moreover it is the most human of all elements it is used in service of the human beings. An animal has no use of fire. It is used in cooking, in forging ploughs and swords, in kilns for building houses etc. It has made human cultural evolution on earth possible.

Questions: 1×5=5

(a) What did Prometheus do?
(b) What does darkness represent?
(c) How does fire act when it is under control and when it is out of control?
(d) How is it used in the service of human beings?
(e) Find the word, from the passage, which means ‘gradual development’.


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