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Read the given… (Class 10 English SQP 2023-24, Q7.A)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Sample paper, session 2023-24 · 5 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English sample paper 2023-24: question 7.A

From the official CBSE sample question paper for 2023-24, section D, 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-basedFire and Ice

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given.

But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

(Fire and Ice)

  1. i

    Fill the blank with one word.

    When the speaker says that ice could also bring about the end of the world, he refers to __________, as the means for destruction.

    1 mark
  2. ii

    What does the speaker's alignment with those who favour ice, suggest?

    1 mark
  3. iii

    Which of the following best describes the speaker's attitude towards destruction caused by ice?

    1. (A)Indifferent
    2. (B)Fearful
    3. (C)Dismissive
    4. (D)Respectful
    1 mark
  4. iv

    Comment on the poet's use of language in these lines.

    2 marks

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

For (i), look at the line that begins 'I think I know enough of ...'.

Hint 2

For (iii), see which word the poet uses to describe ice's power to destroy.

Hint 3

For (iv), think about the kind of words used (simple or ornate) and what effect that has on the message.

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 word is hatred (the speaker says he knows enough of hate, so ice could also end the world; indifference or bitterness are also accepted).

    1 mark

  2. (ii) By siding with those who favour ice, the speaker suggests he has seen how coldness, lack of empathy and emotional disconnection can destroy human relationships and lives as surely as fire.

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Option D, Respectful. He calls ice's power to destroy "great" and "sufficient", which shows awe and respect for its destructive capacity, not indifference, fear or dismissal.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) The language is simple, plain and conversational, with short words and lines such as "Is also great / And would suffice". Despite this simplicity, it carries a profound message about the inevitability of destruction through both passion and hatred. The plain diction makes the idea accessible and the closing understatement more striking.

    2 marks

Answer: (i) hatred; (ii) he has seen the destruction caused by lack of empathy and coldness; (iii) D, Respectful; (iv) simple, conversational language that conveys a profound message

Where the marks are

  • Fills blank with hatred or an equivalent word (1 mark)
  • Explains what siding with ice suggests (1 mark)
  • Chooses option D (1 mark)
  • Identifies the simple, conversational language (1 mark)
  • Links the simplicity to the profound message and its accessibility (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Fire and Ice, 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.