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Read the following passage… (English 2023 2/2/1 Q1)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2023, set 2/2/1 · 10 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English 2023: question 1

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2023, paper 2/2/1, section A, question 1, for 10 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q1 · 10 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedReading (unseen passages)

Read the following passage carefully:

1 Organic food is very popular these days. It can also be very expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as non-organic food. Parents of young children and even some pet owners, will pay high prices for organic food if they think it is healthier. But many others think organic food is just a waste of money.

2 There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals such as pesticides that stop insects from damaging crops. In many countries, foods that claim to be organic must have special labels that guarantee they're grown organically.

3 Some people think organic also means 'locally grown' and originally it was indeed true. But over a period of time organic farming has become a big business, with many organic foods now being grown by large agricultural companies that sell their products far from where they're grown. Processed food made with organic ingredients has also become more popular. At first, only small companies produced these products. But as demand overtook supply, big food companies that had been selling non-organic products for many years also began selling organic products.

4 Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is safer and more nutritious. They think agricultural chemicals can cause serious illnesses such as cancer, but there isn't much evidence proving this is true. However, recent studies have shown that eating organically-grown produce reduces your chances of developing heart diseases. Many doctors think it is more important to stop dangerous bacteria from contaminating foods. These bacteria can contaminate both organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables, and doctors recommend washing produce carefully before eating it. Meat, fish and chicken can also become contaminated so washing your hands before handling these foods is also very important.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

  1. (i)

    People are willing to pay high prices for organic food because

    1. (A)it is not easily available.
    2. (B)it helps in weight loss.
    3. (C)it is produced by small companies.
    4. (D)it does not contain agricultural chemicals.
    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    Select the option that displays what the writer projects with reference to the following: 'Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate.'

    1. (A)denial
    2. (B)confirmation
    3. (C)caution
    4. (D)acceptance
    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    Complete the following with a phrase from paragraph 3. Table: Opinion: 'Big food companies have started selling organic food products.' | Reason: (blank)

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    The writer contrasts organic food to non-organic food. State one point of comparison between the two.

    1 mark
  5. (v)

    Based on your reading of the text, list one benefit of eating organic food.

    1 mark
  6. (vi)

    What connect does the writer draw between contamination of food and washing hands?

    1 mark
  7. (vii)

    The writer says that people believe that it is safer and more nutritious to eat organic food. Select the reason for his sceptical view.

    1. (A)the price decides the popularity
    2. (B)there is no confirmed evidence
    3. (C)it is tastier
    4. (D)it is marketed by big food companies
    1 mark
  8. (viii)

    Supply one point to justify the following: 'Some people think organic also means "locally grown".'

    1 mark
  9. (ix)

    Supply one method of how we can control the contamination of organic and non-organic food.

    1 mark
  10. (x)

    List one factor that certifies food to be organic.

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2023 board paper, set 2/2/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Go back to the paragraph named in each question and find the matching line.

Hint 2

For the options, rule out those the passage never mentions.

Hint 3

For the short answers, use your own words but keep the key idea from the text.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (i) Para 2 says organic farms use no agricultural chemicals, so people think it healthier and pay more: option (D).

    1 mark

  2. (ii) The writer poses a question and calls it a debate, so he shows caution: option (C).

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Reason: because demand overtook supply.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Organic food is grown without chemicals or pesticides, unlike non-organic food (or: it costs more).

    1 mark

  5. (v) Eating organic produce reduces the chances of developing heart disease.

    1 mark

  6. (vi) Bacteria from dirty hands can contaminate both organic and non-organic food, so hands must be washed before handling it.

    1 mark

  7. (vii) The writer is sceptical because there is no confirmed evidence that chemicals cause illness or that organic food is safer: option (B).

    1 mark

  8. (viii) Organic farming was originally local, with small farms selling nearby.

    1 mark

  9. (ix) Wash produce and hands carefully before eating or handling food.

    1 mark

  10. (x) Special labels guarantee that the food is grown organically.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) D; (ii) C; (iii) because demand overtook supply; (iv) no chemicals/pesticides used; (v) lower chance of heart disease; (vi) dirty hands spread bacteria to food; (vii) B; (viii) it was originally locally grown; (ix) washing hands/produce; (x) special labels

Where the marks are

  • Each of the ten sub-parts answered correctly (1 mark each, 10 marks)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: Reading (unseen passages)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Reading (unseen passages), one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2023 board paper, set 2/2/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.