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Read the following extract and… (English 2025 2/2/1 Q6b)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2025, set 2/2/1 · 5 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English 2025: question 6(b)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2025, paper 2/2/1, section C, question 6(b), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q6(b) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedA Triumph of Surgery

Read the following extract and answer the questions.

Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat.... He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn't be long before I heard from Mrs. Pumphrey. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn't want to go for walks, didn't want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him.

(A Triumph of Surgery)

  1. (i)

    Why had the author made his plans in advance?

    1. (A)Mrs. Pumphrey was worried that Tricki would pine and die without her.
    2. (B)The author was aware of the severity of Tricki's medical condition.
    3. (C)The author knew about Mrs. Pumphrey's financial condition.
    4. (D)The author had planned his own vacation.
    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    The author firmly proposed the need to remove Tricki from the house for a specified period. Elaborate the reason for doing so in about 40 words.

    2 marks
  3. (iii)

    Fill in the blank with the correct word from the brackets.

    The word 'swooned' in the following sentence indicates almost ________ (tripped/fainted).

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    "Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught." What does this suggest about her character? Mention any one reason.

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/2/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Think about why a doctor would plan before the owner's call came.

Hint 2

Consider what was wrong with Tricki's diet and routine.

Hint 3

'Distraught' means extremely upset; what does that show about her feelings?

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 (B): Tricki was seriously ill, and the author understood how severe his condition was.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) Tricki was seriously ill, refusing food, vomiting and lying listless. Away from the house, he could be kept under close observation and receive proper medical care. Mrs Pumphrey's overfeeding and pampering were harming him.

    2 marks

  3. (iii) fainted.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) It suggests she is deeply attached to Tricki and cares for him emotionally, so she is greatly troubled by his declining health.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) B; (ii) to treat and observe the seriously ill Tricki away from overfeeding; (iii) fainted; (iv) she is deeply caring and emotionally attached to Tricki

Where the marks are

  • (i) B (1 mark)
  • (ii) two valid reasons (2 marks)
  • (iii) fainted (1 mark)
  • (iv) one reason showing her care or attachment (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from A Triumph of Surgery, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2025 board paper, set 2/2/1: 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.