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Read the following passage… (English 2023 2/2/1 Q2)

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

CBSE Class 10 English 2023: question 2

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

Q2 · 10 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedReading (unseen passages)

Read the following passage carefully:

1 According to a new study, a vast blanket of pollution stretching across South Asia is cutting down sunlight by 10 per cent over India, damaging agriculture, modifying rainfall patterns and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk.

2 It is said, "Acids in the haze may, by falling as acid rain, have the potential to damage crops and trees. Ash falling on leaves can aggravate the impact of reduced sunlight on the Earth's surface. The pollution that is forming the haze could be leading to several hundreds of thousands of premature deaths as a result of higher levels of respiratory diseases."

3 "The haze has cut down sunlight over India by 10 per cent (so far) — a huge amount! As a repercussion, the North-West of India is drying up," Prof. V. Ramanathan said when asked specifically about the impact of the haze over India. He said, "We are still in an early stage of understanding of the impact of the haze."

4 Prof. V. Ramanathan was asked whether the current droughts in most parts of India after over a decade of good monsoons was owing to the haze. He said, "It was too early to reach a conclusion. If the droughts persist for about four to five years, then we would start suspecting that it may be because of the haze." India, China and Indonesia are the worst affected owing to their population density, economic growth and depleting forest cover.

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

  1. (i)

    Infer one reason for the following based on the information in paragraph 1: In India rainfall patterns are changing.

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    The pollution spreading across South Asia is affecting India by ________. Choose the correct option from the ones given below. (See figure: Pollution at centre linked to I Damaging agriculture, II Putting people at risk, III Modifying rainfall pattern, IV Spoiling blankets.)

    1. (A)I, II and III
    2. (B)I, III and IV
    3. (C)II, III and IV
    4. (D)I, II and IV
    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2. possibility : _________ :: suspecting : doubting

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    Select the correct option to complete the sentence. ___________ droughts were caused by the haze.

    1. (A)Strong evidence suggested that
    2. (B)Past surveys confirmed that
    3. (C)There has not been enough time to determine that
    4. (D)Superstitious people believe that
    1 mark
  5. (v)

    From the following pie chart, identify one reason each which does and does not contribute to weather disruption.

    1 mark
  6. (vi)

    Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option. Ash falling on leaves can __________ the impact of reduced sunlight on the Earth's surface.

    1. (A)worsen
    2. (B)encourage
    3. (C)diminish
    4. (D)support
    1 mark
  7. (vii)

    Substitute the word 'repercussion' with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence from paragraph 3: 'The haze has cut down sunlight over India ... As a repercussion, the North-West of India is drying up.'

    1 mark
  8. (viii)

    List any two countries which are affected due to depleting forest cover.

    1 mark
  9. (ix)

    Which of the following mean the same as 'persist' in 'droughts persist' as used in para 4?

    1. (A)destroying
    2. (B)halting
    3. (C)continue
    4. (D)blocking
    1 mark
  10. (x)

    Select the option that titles paragraphs 1–4 appropriately with reference to information in the text.

    1. (A)1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia; 2. Effects of Acid Rain; 3. Understanding Consequences of Haze; 4. Debate over Droughts
    2. (B)1. Impact of Droughts; 2. Understanding Acid Rain; 3. Effect of Haze; 4. Debate over Pollution
    3. (C)1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia; 2. Effects of Acid Rain; 3. Debate over Droughts; 4. Understanding Haze
    4. (D)1. Impact of Haze; 2. Understanding Acid Rain; 3. Debate over Pollution; 4. Effect of Haze
    1 mark

Figure in the paper: Pie chart (figure accompanying Q.2 (v)): a circle divided into nine slices with labels: Reduced sunlight, Organic farming, Ash, Depletion of forest cover, Acid rain, Good monsoon, Free cover, Aerosols, Population boom. Figure is titled as a pie chart linked to weather disruption. Also in Q.2 (ii) a linked diagram: a central 'Pollution' oval connected to four ovals: 'Spoiling blankets' (IV, upper left), 'Damaging agriculture' (I, upper right), 'Modifying rainfall pattern' (III, lower right), 'Putting people at risk' (II, lower left). See it in the official paper.

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

Re-read the paragraph named in each item.

Hint 2

For the analogy, find a word in para 2 meaning 'possibility'.

Hint 3

In the pie chart, ask whether each cause affects weather.

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) A vast blanket of pollution is cutting sunlight and so modifies rainfall.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) Pollution damages agriculture, puts people at risk and modifies rainfall; 'spoiling blankets' is not stated: (A).

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Possibility : potential :: suspecting : doubting.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) The professor said it was too early to conclude, so: (C).

    1 mark

  5. (v) Contributes: ash (or acid rain, reduced sunlight, aerosols, population boom, forest depletion). Does not contribute: organic farming (or good monsoon, tree cover).

    1 mark

  6. (vi) Ash aggravates the impact, so it worsens it: (A).

    1 mark

  7. (vii) Repercussion means consequence (or result).

    1 mark

  8. (viii) India and China (or Indonesia).

    1 mark

  9. (ix) Persist means continue: (C).

    1 mark

  10. (x) The titles in option A match the content of paragraphs 1–4: (A).

    1 mark

Answer: (i) pollution reduces sunlight; (ii) A; (iii) potential; (iv) C; (v) ash / organic farming; (vi) A; (vii) consequence; (viii) India, China; (ix) C; (x) A

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.