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Answer any four of the following… (English 2024 2/5/1 Q8)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2024, set 2/5/1 · 12 marks · Short answer

CBSE Class 10 English 2024: question 8

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2024, paper 2/5/1, section C, question 8, for 12 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q8 · 12 marks · Short answerMijbil the Otter

Answer any four of the following five questions in 40–50 words each: (4 x 3 = 12)

  1. (i)

    Maxwell decides to keep an otter as a pet. Elucidate with reference to the fact that owning a pet is a life of commitment. (Mijbil the Otter)

    3 marks
  2. (ii)

    'The Tale of Custard the Dragon' is a humorous ballad. How does Ogden Nash create humour and entertainment in the poem?

    3 marks
  3. (iii)

    Justify the title of the play 'The Proposal' with reference to the characters and plot.

    3 marks
  4. (iv)

    The author says – 'During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide.' Elaborate. (Glimpses of India)

    3 marks
  5. (v)

    Do you think you can love a person for his/her inner beauty alone and not care about the physical appearance? Justify with reference to the theme of the poem 'For Anne Gregory'.

    3 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2024 board paper, set 2/5/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Pick the four sub-parts you remember best and give two clear points for each.

Hint 2

Write 40-50 words: a one-line opening, then two points from the text.

Hint 3

For (v), the poem says that only God can love Anne for herself alone; use that in your argument.

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) Keeping Mijbil began a new phase in Maxwell's life. He had to learn the otter's habits and needs. He rearranged his home and routine to suit Mijbil, and he put up with people's comments and the trouble of travelling with him. This shows that owning a pet is a real commitment.

    3 marks

  2. (ii) Ogden Nash creates humour through playful, non-standard language and rhyme. His vivid, funny images of the pirate and the animals add to it. The irony is that the 'brave' characters run away from danger while the 'cowardly' dragon Custard fights the pirate.

    3 marks

  3. (iii) The title fits because the whole play grows out of Lomov's proposal to Natalya. Instead of a romantic proposal, it becomes a bitter quarrel over the Oxen Meadows and the quality of their dogs, driven by pride and property. Only at the end is the proposal settled.

    3 marks

  4. (iv) The baker was part of the children's growing up. His jingling arrival each morning delighted them. No celebration, such as a wedding or Christmas, was complete without his bread, bangles and cakes. He was a friend, companion and guide.

    3 marks

  5. (v) Yes, one can love someone for inner beauty. Love for the soul is the truest love, and Anne's looks are temporary. In the poem, the speaker says that only God can love Anne for herself. Physical appearance should not matter.

    3 marks

Answer: Answers given for all five sub-parts (any four are required).

Where the marks are

  • Each answer has two relevant content points (2 marks) and clear organisation (1 mark)
  • (i) commitment: changes to home and routine, adjusting to Mijbil's ways, people's comments
  • (ii) humour: non-standard language, funny imagery, irony of brave characters fleeing
  • (iii) title: Lomov's proposal triggers the conflict over land and dogs
  • (iv) baker as friend, companion and guide: his musical entry, goods at every celebration
  • (v) a justified stand with two points

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: Mijbil the Otter (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Mijbil the Otter, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2024 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.