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Attempt any one from (A) and… (Class 10 English 2023, Q7a)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2023, set 2/5/1 · 5 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English 2023: question 7(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2023, paper 2/5/1, section C, question 7(a), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q7(a) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedThe Ball Poem

Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below.

(A) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street and then
Merrily over — there it is in the water!
No use to say 'O there are other balls':
(The Ball Poem)

  1. (i)

    What does the expression 'what, what is he to do' denote?

    1. (A)loss of the ball
    2. (B)ask the poet for another ball
    3. (C)boy's grief over the loss of the ball
    4. (D)go down the street
    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    State whether the following statement is True or False: The poet was delighted to watch the ball bouncing down the street into the water.

    1. (A)True
    2. (B)False
    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    The poet repeats the word 'what' in order to __________.

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    There is no use to say 'O there are other balls' indicates that the poet feels that it would be _________ to console the boy.

    1. (A)helpful
    2. (B)futile
    3. (C)easy
    4. (D)shameful
    1 mark
  5. (v)

    'What is the boy now, who has lost his ball.' Which feeling is expressed in this line?

    1. (A)regret
    2. (B)cheer
    3. (C)despair
    4. (D)thrill
    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2023 board paper, set 2/5/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Think about whose feelings the poet is describing.

Hint 2

The poet is sympathetic, not amused.

Hint 3

Offering a replacement ball does not remove real grief.

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) Option (C): the question shows the boy's grief and helplessness over losing his ball.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) False: the poet sympathises with the boy; he is not delighted at the loss.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) The repetition emphasises the boy's helplessness and shows what he will do / how lost he is.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Option (B) futile: consoling him with 'other balls' cannot ease his loss.

    1 mark

  5. (v) Option (C) despair: the line expresses the boy's hopelessness.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) C; (ii) False; (iii) emphasise the boy's helplessness / what he will do; (iv) B, futile; (v) C, despair

Where the marks are

  • (i) correct option C (1 mark)
  • (ii) False (1 mark)
  • (iii) emphasis on helplessness (1 mark)
  • (iv) futile (1 mark)
  • (v) despair (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: The Ball Poem (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Ball Poem, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2023 board paper, set 2/5/1: 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.