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Read the passage given below: (1)… (English 2023 2/6/1 Q2)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2023, set 2/6/1 · 10 marks · Case-based

CBSE Class 10 English 2023: question 2

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2023, paper 2/6/1, section A, question 2, for 10 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q2 · 10 marks · Case-basedCompetency-basedReading (unseen passages)

Read the passage given below:
(1) Starting Monday, the country's low-cost Mars mission with the red planet for an extended period will enter the "blackout" phase snapping communication with the satellite. From June 8 to 22 the Sun will block Mars from the Earth snapping communication with the satellite.
(2) A senior Indian Space Research Organisation official said. "This will be for the first time that there will be a communication break for such a long period of about 15 days. During this period, there will be no communication with the satellite", he added.
(3) Expressing confidence about regaining control over the satellite once the blackout phase is over, he said, "the scenario has been tested and the line of communication will be established." The spacecraft's life has been extended for another six months in March due to surplus fuel.
(4) Stating that the spacecraft has been "configured" for the blackout, the ISRO official said, "we are not sending any commands to the spacecraft now, till 8th June few hours of signals will be sent by the spacecraft that will be for about two to three hours per day". In May next year, the mission will have to go through a similar phase once again, if there is another extension of mission life when the Earth will come between the Sun and Mars.
(5) Scripting space history, India on September 24 last successfully placed its low-cost Mars spacecraft in orbit around the red planet in its very first attempt, breaking into an elite club of three countries.

  1. (i)

    Infer one reason for the following based on information in paragraph 1. The 'blackout' phase is significant _______.

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    Choose the appropriate option to fill in the blank. From paragraph 1 & 2, we can infer that there will be ________ 1. no communication with the people. 2. blackout phase. 3. satellite will get no communication. 4. moon will block the earth. 5. the communication break will be for 15 days.

    1. (a)1, 2 & 3
    2. (b)1, 3 & 4
    3. (c)2, 3 & 5
    4. (d)3, 4 & 5
    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    The communication with the satellite will break for approximately _____ days.

    1. (a)10
    2. (b)15
    3. (c)20
    4. (d)25
    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2: aroma : cooking :: _______ : space research (Clue - just like aroma is integral to cooking, similarly _____ is/are integral to Space Research.)

    1 mark
  5. (v)

    According to ISRO official till 8th July, when Sun will block Mars, _____ signal / signals per day will be sent to the spacecraft.

    1. (a)no
    2. (b)considerable
    3. (c)indefinite
    4. (d)only for few
    1 mark
  6. (vi)

    Select the correct option to complete the following sentence: The ISRO officials are _____ about their control over the spacecraft after the blackout phase.

    1. (a)doubtful
    2. (b)apprehensive
    3. (c)confident
    4. (d)jittery
    1 mark
  7. (vii)

    The spacecraft's life was extended by six months because of

    1. (a)extra fuel
    2. (b)incomplete work
    3. (c)lack of communication amongst ISRO officials
    4. (d)technical problems in its landing
    1 mark
  8. (viii)

    Read the following sentences: (A) The blackout was a sudden development. (B) Because of this, the officials are very nervous about the success of the spacecraft.

    1. (a)Both (A) & (B) are true.
    2. (b)Both (A) & (B) are false.
    3. (c)(A) is true and (B) is false.
    4. (d)(A) is false and (B) is true.
    1 mark
  9. (ix)

    Substitute the word 'nonpareil' with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence from paragraph 5. India managed to get into the nonpareil club of Mars spacecraft in orbit.

    1 mark
  10. (x)

    The word 'fascination' in the opening sentence means the same as

    1. (a)enchantment
    2. (b)boredom
    3. (c)disinterest
    4. (d)ugliness
    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2023 board paper, set 2/6/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Read each paragraph and match every question to the paragraph it names.

Hint 2

For (v), check who is sending signals to whom: is ISRO sending anything to the spacecraft?

Hint 3

For (ix), look in paragraph 5 for the word describing the 'club of three countries'.

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) The 'blackout' phase is significant because communication with the satellite will snap, as the Sun will block Mars from the Earth (June 8 to 22).

    1 mark

  2. (ii) (c) 2, 3 and 5: there will be a blackout phase, the satellite will get no communication, and the break will last about 15 days.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) (b) 15: the official says the communication break will last 'about 15 days'.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Communication (with the satellite). Just as aroma is integral to cooking, communication with the satellite is integral to space research.

    1 mark

  5. (v) (a) no: the ISRO official says, 'we are not sending any commands to the spacecraft now'.

    1 mark

  6. (vi) (c) confident: the official expressed confidence about regaining control after the blackout.

    1 mark

  7. (vii) (a) extra fuel: the spacecraft's life was extended due to surplus fuel.

    1 mark

  8. (viii) (b) Both (A) and (B) are false: the blackout was expected, the spacecraft was configured for it and the scenario was tested, and the officials are confident, not nervous.

    1 mark

  9. (ix) elite: 'India managed to get into the elite club of Mars spacecraft in orbit.'

    1 mark

  10. (x) The word 'fascination' appears in Passage 1, not Passage 2, so this is an error in the question and 1 mark is awarded as benefit of doubt. Its meaning is (a) enchantment.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) communication with the satellite snaps; (ii) c; (iii) b; (iv) communication; (v) a; (vi) c; (vii) a; (viii) b; (ix) elite; (x) benefit of doubt (a enchantment)

Where the marks are

  • 1 mark for each correct sub-part, no partial credit
  • (iv) accept satellite / ISRO / communication with satellite
  • (v) accept (a) no, as ISRO sends no commands to the spacecraft
  • (ix) elite
  • (x) error in question: award 1 mark as benefit of doubt (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 2/6/1: 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.