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Answer ANY ONE of… (Class 10 English SQP 2023-24, Q11.A)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Sample paper, session 2023-24 · 6 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 10 English sample paper 2023-24: question 11.A

From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2023-24, section D, question 11.A, for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q11.A · 6 marks · Long answerThe Necklace

Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words.

Imagine that M. Loisel, from The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, writes a diary entry, exploring the theme of class and social status, and the nature of social mobility, in the context of his own experience.

Write this diary entry, as M. Loisel, in about 120 words.

Source: official sample paper from cbseacademic.nic.in (PDF). See it in the full Sample paper 2023-24.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Write as Loisel himself, with a date and 'Dear Diary', on the day the truth about the necklace is revealed.

Hint 2

Contrast his contentment as a clerk with Matilda's longing for high society and her one night of glory.

Hint 3

End by reflecting on what the debt and the fake necklace teach about class and the illusion of rising through pretence.

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. Diary format and opening: Paris | [Date] | Dear Diary, Today Mme Forestier told Matilda that the diamond necklace we replaced was false, worth barely five hundred francs! Ten years of our lives went into repaying thirty-six thousand francs for it.

    1 mark

  2. Class and status: I was a humble clerk, content with my modest lot, but Matilda felt she was born for luxury. For one evening at the ball she rose above her class and was admired by all.

    1 mark

  3. Social mobility and reflection: when the necklace was lost we fell lower than ever. We dismissed our maid, moved to an attic and I copied documents late into the night. Society measures worth by wealth and appearance, and pretending to climb its ladder only drags one down. Real dignity lies in honesty and contentment. Signed: Loisel.

    1 mark

  4. Expression: reflective first-person tone, coherent flow, about 120 words.

    2 marks

  5. Accuracy: correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.

    1 mark

Answer: Paris | [Date] | Dear Diary, Today Mme Forestier told Matilda that the diamond necklace we replaced was false, worth barely five hundred francs! Ten years of our lives were spent repaying thirty-six thousand francs for it. I was a humble clerk, content with my modest lot, but Matilda felt she was born for luxury. For one evening at the ball she rose above her class, admired by all, yet when the necklace was lost we fell lower than ever. We dismissed our maid, moved into an attic, and I copied documents late into the night. I now see that our society measures worth by wealth and appearance, and that pretending to climb its ladder only drags one down. Real dignity lies in honesty and contentment. If only we had told the truth! | Loisel

Where the marks are

  • Content: diary format with class and status (clerk, Matilda's longing, the ball) and social mobility (loss, debt, ten years of poverty, fake necklace, reflection) (3 marks)
  • Expression: reflective first-person voice, coherence, about 120 words (2 marks)
  • Accuracy (1 mark)
  • Total (6 marks)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: The Necklace (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Necklace, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paperSample paper 2023-24: 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.