KSEEB SSLC Class 10 English Reading Skills

KSEEB SSLC Class 10 English Reading Skills

Karnataka State Syllabus Class 10 English Reading Skills

Comprehension passages:

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions:

Once there was a man who was blind. He wished to see the whole world with his own eyes. One day his friends took him to Jesus. They said to Jesus, “Lord, this is our friend and he is blind. Please enable him to see”. Jesus took the blind man to a quiet place, away from the crowd, and touched his eyes gently. Jesus asked him, “Can you see now?” But he could only see a few movements. Jesus gently touched his eyes again. Now he could see everything: flowers, birds, trees, people and all. He shouted in happiness, “Lord, I can see, I can see!” He knelt down before Jesus and thanked him heartily.

1. What was the blind man’s wish?
2. Who took the man to Jesus? What was their request?
3. How did Jesus touch his eyes? What happened then?
4. How did the blind man thank Jesus?

Answers:

1. The blind man’s wish was to see the whole world with his own eyes.
2. The blind man’s friends took him to Jesus. Their request to Jesus was to enable the blind man see.
3. Jesus touched the eyes of the blind man gently twice. The first time, the blind man could only see a few movements. The second time, he could see flowers, birds, trees, people and everything else.
4. The blind man knelt down before Jesus and thanked him heartily.

 

2. Read the following passage and answer the questions:

The great saint Teresa wished to have a torch in her right hand and a vessel of water in her left so that with the one, she might burn the glories of heaven, and with the other, extinguish the fires of hell, and men might learn to serve God from love without fear of hell and without the temptation of heavenly bliss.

1. Who is the paragraph about?
2. Why did she hold a torch in her right hand?
3. What was Saint Teresa’s message to humanity?
4. There are words which are opposite to each other. Pick and write two pairs of words.

Answers:

1. The paragraph is about Mother Teresa.
2. She held a torch in her right hand so that she could burn the glories of heaven.
3. Mother Teresa wanted people to serve God from love without fear of hell and without the temptation of heavenly bliss.
4. Right x left
   Heaven x hell
   Burn x extinguish.

 

3. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

George Washington was the first President of the United States of America. He was born over two hundred years ago in the state of Virginia on February 22. When George was a boy, he had lots of fun exploring the woods and forests near his home. He enjoyed hunting, boating, and fishing. He lived on a farm and helped his father with the chores that needed to be done. George went to school until he was 14 years old. His favorite subject was Mathematics. George was a good, quiet boy who got along well with others.

George grew up to be a tall and strong man. He joined the military. He was a great leader and helped with many battles. He is best remembered as a leader of the continental army. He helped the Americans win the revolutionary war against Great Britain for independence.

1. How did he help the Americans?
2. Why is George best remembered?
3. Young George was fun exploring. How?
4. What did George enjoy doing?

Answers:

1. He helped the Americans win the revolutionary war against Great Britain for independence.
2. George is best remembered as a leader of the continental army.
3. When George was a boy, he had lots of fun exploring the woods and forests near his home.
4. George enjoyed hunting, boating, and fishing.

 

4. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

One day Pasha Sab was walking along the road. He stopped near a tall tree and saw a monkey on it. It was eating nuts. The tree was full of nuts. The monkey was very high up on the tree. He picked up a stone and threw it at the monkey. The monkey chattered at him and said rude words in its language. Pasha threw another stone. The monkey grew angry. Pasha threw stones continuously at the monkey. The monkey picked up a nut and started throwing at Pasha. This went on for half an hour. He got a bag of nuts. Pasha said, “Thank you very much, my dear Monkey”, so saying he sat down and ate all the nuts.

1. Why couldn’t Pasha get the nuts on his own?
2. How did the monkey express its anger?
3. What kind of a man was Pasha Sab?
4. How did Pasha express his gratitude to the monkey?

Answers:

1. Because the tree was tall and there was a monkey sitting high up on it eating nuts.
2. The monkey expressed its anger at first by chattering rude words and then by throwing nuts at Pasha.
3. Pasha Sab was an intelligent man.
4. Pasha expressed his gratitude by thanking the monkey for the nuts.

 

5. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

Once there was a slave. His name was Andrades. His master was very cruel. He treated him badly. So, the slave was sick of him and ran away into a forest. There he saw a lion crying with pain. The lion sat before him and held out its paw. There was a big thorn in it. The slave drew it out and dressed the wound. They became friends. After a few days, the slave was caught. He was ordered to be thrown before a hungry lion. Many people came to see the act of cruelty.

A lion was caught for this purpose. It was kept hungry for many days. On the fixed day, the lion was let loose on the slave. It recognised him. It began to lick his feet. All the people were surprised. The slave told the whole story. The master was pleased and Andrades was set free.

1. What made Andracles go to the forest?
2.  How did Andracles help the lion?
3. What act of cruelty did the people go to watch?
4. Why didn’t the lion kill Androcles?

Answers:

1. Andracles was sick of his master who treated him badly. So he ran away into the forest.
2. Andracles drew out the big thorn that was struck in the lion’s paw and dressed the wound.
3. People went to watch the cruel act of a slave being thrown before a hungry lion.
4. The lion recognised Andracles as the one who had healed its paw in the forest. So it did not kill him.

 

6. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

Bankim Chandra would never sacrifice justice and self-respect. The arrogance of white men never frightened him. When he was a deputy magistrate, he had a superior officer called Munroe, who was the Commissioner of Kolkata. On his morning walk, one day, Bankim Chandra met Munroe near Eden Garden. A British Officer in those days expected every Indian official to show him respect by bowing modestly before him. But Bankim Chandra just walked past him saying ‘Good morning’ politely. Munroe was enraged. That evening Bankim Chandra received an order transferring him to a far off place.

1. What did Bankim Chandra love most?
2. How did the British officers behave with their Indian subordinates?
3. What was the result of the polite ‘Good morning’ to Munroe?
4. What do you think of the incident?

Answers:

1. Justice and self-respect.
2. They behaved arrogantly.
3. Bankim Chandra was transferred to a far off place.
4. Bankim Chandra was right in not sacrificing his self-respect. Respect should be commended, not demanded.

 

7. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

Bansilal’s train was late and it reached Mumbai a little after midnight. It was his first visit to the city, and he did not know where to go. He thought he would go to a choultry where he would not have to pay rent, but he did not know how to find one at that hour. He asked a porter to get a cheap room. The porter said that if Bansilal gave him three rupees, he would take him to one. But Bansilal waved him away and walked out of the station. He wandered through the streets and asked a number of people, but could not find a room cheap enough for him. He sat down on a bench. He woke up the next morning stiff in every limb, but he smiled when he realised that it was the cheapest night’s lodging that he had ever had.

1. Why did Bansilal think of going to a choultry?
2. What did the porter tell Bansilal?
3. Why did Bansilal wander through the streets in Mumbai?
4. Where did Bansilal find the cheapest lodge?

Answers:

1. Bansilal thought of going to a choultry because he would not have to pay rent.
2. The porter told Bansilal that he would take him to a lodge if he paid him three rupees.
3. Bansilal wandered through the streets in Mumbai to find a cheap lodge.
4. Bansilal found the cheapest lodge on a bench in the open air.

 

8. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

It is an admitted fact that union or co-operation is strength; disunity is weakness. A united family, a united community, a united society, a united nation is strong; but those who are disunited or split up into factions or groups, are all weak. Take the case of a football or hockey team. If the members of the team play together and co-operate with one another, they will form a “strong team”. But if each member plays his own game, they will surely be defeated, however strong the individual players may be. The same is true of an army. To win a battle an army must work as one man. Napoleon’s motto was, “Divide and Conquer”. He tried to split up the armies fighting against him. Then he would overcome them one by one. Divided, they were weak. “United we stand; divided we fall.”

1. WhaCtvas the admitted fact about strength and weakness?
2. How will a football or hockey team be defeated?
3. How can an army win the battle?
4. What was the secret of Napoleon’s motto “Divide and Conquer”?

Answers:

1. The admitted fact was, co-operation is strength and disunity is weakness.
2. If each member of the team plays his own game, then the team will be defeated.
3. An army can win the battle if it works as one man.
4. Napoleon tried to split up the armies fighting against’him, then he would overcome them one by one.

 

9. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

A young man asked Socrates the secret of success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates told the young man to walk with him towards the river. When the water came up to their necks, Socrates took the young man by surprise and dunked him under the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and held him down. When the boy started turning blue, Socrates raised the boy’s head out of water.

The first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were underwater?” The boy replied, “Air”. Socrates said, “That is the secret of success. When you want success as intensely as you wanted air underwater, then you will have it. There is no other secret.” A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just as a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

1. What did Socrates do when the water was up to their necks?
2. How did the boy react as soon as he was out of water?
3. How did Socrates relate the secret of success with the boy’s struggle underwater?
4. Why cannot a weak desire produce great results?

Answers:

1. When the water was up to their necks, Socrates dunked the young man under the water.
2. As soon as the boy was out of water, the boy gasped and took a deep breath of air.
3. If the boy wants success as intensely as he wanted air underwater, then he would have it.
4. A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just as a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

 

10. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

King Ashoka was a kind, wise and righteous ruler. He spent all his time thinking of the welfare of his subjects. He had a strong desire to make his subjects happy. His subjects could meet him at any time and in any place. He had trees planted on either side of the road; he had wells dug by the roadside; he had rest houses built for both men and animals. He was respected by everyone.

1. What kind of a ruler was Ashoka?
2. How did Ashoka usually spend his time?
3. Write any two works of Ashoka which he did for the welfare of his subjects.
4. Pick up a sentence from the passage which shows Ashoka was liberal with his subjects. Ans.:

Answers:

1. King Ashoka was a kind, wise and righteous ruler.
2. Ashoka spent all his time thinking of the welfare of his subjects.
3. Ashoka had trees planted on either side of the road, wells dug by the roadside and had resthouses built for both men and animals.
4. His subjects could meet him at any time and in any place.

 

11. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

Once addressing a huge gathering Dayananda Saraswathi thundered, “Your ancestors were not uncivilized men living in forests. They were great men who enlightened the world. Your history is not a story of defeats. It is the story of the conquerors of the world. Your Vedic scriptures are not the songs of cowherds. They are immortal truths which shaped mighty souls like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. Arise, awake and be proud of your glorious history. Take inspiration from it to mould the present. Shame upon your modern education which fills you with contempt for your ancestors”.

1. What does Dayananda Saraswathi say about our ancestors?
2. What is history, according to Dayananda Saraswathi?
3. What are the ‘Vedas’?
4. What does the speaker advise us to do?

Answers:

1. Dayananda Saraswathi says that our ancestors were great men who enlightened the world.
2. According to Dayananda Saraswathi, history is the story of the conquerors of the world.
3. Vedas are the immortal truths which shaped mighty souls like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna.
4. The speaker advises us to arise, awake and be proud of our glorious history and to take inspiration from it to mould the present.

 

Questions based on Dialogue:

1. A dialogue is given below. Read it carefully and answer the questions that follow:

• Sita: I would like to borrow an Encyclopedia.
• Librarian: I am sorry. You can’t do that.
• Sita: Are you sure? I really need to use it.
• Librarian: It is a reference book. You’ll have to use it in the Library itself.
• Sita: (with a sigh) I suppose I don’t have a choice.

1. Sita was happy/disappointed with the choice she had to make. (Pick the correct answer)
2. Which word in the conversation means ‘to take something for a short time’?
Answer:
1. disappointed
2. borrow.

 

2. Read the following dialogue and answer each of the questions appropriately.

• Correspondent: Good morning, Jayalaxmi.
• Jayalaxmi: Good morning Sir. How are you?
• Correspondent: I’m fine. Did you expect first rank in SSLC?
• Not really. I expected to be one among the top ten.
• Correspondent: What is the secret of your achievement?
• Jayalaxmi: I’ve been regular in my studies and I never missed a class or failed to do my homework even once.
• Correspondent: What are your hobbies or special interests?
• Jayalaxmi: Collecting stamps and listening to music.

1. What is Jayalaxmi’s achievement?
2. What did Jayalaxmi expect?
Answer:
1. Jayalaxmi has got the first rank in SSLC.
2. Jayalaxmi expected to be one among the top ten.

 

3. A dialogue is given below. Read it and answer the questions that follow:

• Father: Father, I suggest we see the land.
• Grandfather : (keeps silent for a moment) No, we should not.
• Father: But, why?
• Grandfather: It is inherited. It is my prized possession.

1. What does father suggest?
2. Why doesn’t grandfather want to see the land?
Answer:
1. Father suggests that they see the land.
2. Grandfather does not want to see the land because it is inherited and is his prized possession.

 

4. Read the following conversation and answer the questions that follow:

• Manoj: What a wonderful pudding! The best I’ve ever tasted.
• Rudresh: Thanks for the compliment. The recipe is my mom’s.
• Manoj: Could you please give it to me? I’d like to try it.
• Rudresh: Certainly don’t forget to call me when you try it for proof of the pudding.

1. Which word in the conversation means a set of instructions for cooking a particular type of food?
2. Why did Manoj ask Rudresh the recipe?
Answer:
1. Recipe.
2. Manoj asked Rudresh the recipe of the pudding because it was the best he had ever tasted and wanted to try it out.

 

Interpretation of graphs/maps/diagrams:

Look at the graphs given below. Based on your observation, answer the questions that follow:

1. The following graph shows the number of visitors (in lakhs) who visited the famous glass house in Lalbagh between 2000 and 2010 as well as the number of visitors expected to visit it in the next ten years.

1. How many students visited Lalbagh in 2000?
2. In 2010, visitors were more than student visitors.
3. How many visitors are expected to visit in 2020?

Answer:

1. 2.75 lakh students visited Lalbagh in 2000.
2. overseas.
3. 23 lakh visitors are expected to visit.

 

2. The graph below describes the average number of hours spent by students on two activities (per student per week) between 1985 and 2010 and the projections for 2015. Study the information carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. In which activity did students spend their time the most in 1985?
2. Which activity has shown a downward trend since 1985?
3. In one particular year, the number of students involved in both the activities was equal. Which year was it?
4. In which activity are students expected to spend their time the most in 2015?
5. In 2000, more students spent time in than

Answers:

1. In reading.
2. Reading for pleasure.
3. In 2005.
4. In watching TV.
5. reading; watching TV.

 

3. The pie graph shows the result of a survey conducted among the teachers of New National Public School to find out whether S.S.L.C. students should be allowed to use mobile phones in the school campus. Observe the graph and answer the questions that follow:

1. What percentage of teachers said that mobile phones should never be allowed in the campus?
2. Only ______ percent of teachers were for allowing students to use mobiles without any restrictions.
3. What percentage of teachers were for restricted use of phones in the school campus?
4. What percentage of teachers were agreeable to use of mobile phones only in emergencies?

Answers:

1. 43 percent.
2. 7.
3. 50 percent.
4. 20 percent.

 

4. Given below is a bar graph showing the number of people migrating from villages to cities in the past few decades. Observe the graph and answer the questions that follow:

1. Is the graph showing a rising trend or a declining trend in the number of migrants?
2. In which year were the number of migrants the highest?
3. The decline in the migrating population during the last decade was by
4. Compared to 1990 the number of additional people who migrated in 2000 was

Answers:

1. Declining trend.
2. In 2000.
3. 40 lakhs.
4. 20 lakhs.

 

5. Study the following graph and answer the questions that follow:

The children of class X of Canara High School participate in any one of the following games – Basketball, Cricket, Volleyball, Football and Hockey. The graph shows the number of children learning each game.

1. Which is the most popular game in the school?
2. Hockey and football are less popular than basketball. (True / false)
3. How many students play only cricket?
4. Pick out the right phrase and rewrite the sentence:
   Don’t look down upon / look down with the poor.

Answers:

1. Basketball is the most popular game in the school.
2. True.
3. 35 students play only cricket.
4. Don’t look down upon the poor.

 

6. Look at the graph. It gives information about a few students who make use of the library on working days. Observe the graph and answer the question:

Who has made use of the library the most?
Answer:
Meena has made use of the library the most.

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