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Read the following text: (1) The… (English 2025 2/5/1 Q2)

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

CBSE Class 10 English 2025: question 2

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

Q2 · 10 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedReading (unseen passages)

Read the following text:

(1) The climate and landscape in Uttarakhand vary greatly with altitude (186 – 7619 m), from the largest glaciers in the higher elevation to the subtropical forests in the lowest elevation.

(2) The lowlands along the border of U.P. are covered by the drier Terai-Savanna grasslands, the moist deciduous forest of the Upper Gangetic Plains form the Bhabhar belt. Due to the extensive agricultural practices, most of these lowland forests have been cleared. Snow and bare ice occupy the highest altitudes.

(3) This state occupies 53,483 sq.km., (1.63% of India's total land area). Out of 13 districts, Uttarkashi occupies the maximum area of 8039 sq. km., while Champawat covers the minimum area of 1634 sq. km. Uttarakhand experiences four types of seasons, namely, Monsoon (June to September), Post-monsoon (October to November), Cold weather (December to February) and Pre-monsoon (March to May). The normal annual precipitation in the state is 1446 mm. Rain usually starts at the end of April and lasts until September. The monsoon rainfall is 78% of the annual rainfall. This makes the state prone to flood during monsoon. Bageshwar receives the maximum normal annual rainfall (1872 mm). 81% falls of this rainfall occurs in the monsoon season. Haridwar receives the minimum normal annual rainfall (1107 mm).

(4) Due to the differences in topographical features, temperatures vary widely. During March and April, temperatures rise until they peak in May and June, when the mean maximum temperature in the southern and valley regions is between 34° and 38 °C, and the mean minimum temperature is between 20° and 24 °C. Temperatures can reach 42 °C in the valleys and southern half of the state and 30 °C in two-kilometre-high elevations on some days. Day and night temperatures begin to dip around the end of September and reach the lowest in January and early February. January is the coldest month, with an average maximum temperature of 20 °C and an average lowest temperature of 6 °C. The mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures range from 10° to 12 °C at altitudes of 2 km.

(https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/12/1879/) (338 words)

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above :

  1. (i)

    Fill in the blank suitably :
    The variance in climate and landscape of Uttarakhand as per paragraph 1 is marked by ________.

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    Based on your understanding of the paragraph 2, fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets.
    Most of the lowland forests are ________ (maintained/cleared) due to the ________ (large-scale/small-scale) agricultural practices.

    1 mark
  3. (iii)

    Based on the passage, which of the districts has the lowest rainfall in Uttarakhand ?

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    In the given sentence taken from paragraph 3, select the option that correctly replaces the underlined word, with its most likely Antonym.
    Rain usually starts at the end of April and lasts until September.

    1. (A)begins
    2. (B)arrives
    3. (C)ends
    4. (D)commences
    1 mark
  5. (v)

    'This makes the state of Uttarakhand prone to flood during monsoon.' Justify the statement with reference to the passage given above in 30-40 words.

    2 marks
  6. (vi)

    Which two districts have maximum and minimum rainfall in the state ?

    1. (A)Bageshwar and Chamoli
    2. (B)Nainital and Rudraprayag
    3. (C)Haridwar and Garhwal
    4. (D)Bageshwar and Haridwar
    1 mark
  7. (vii)

    Complete the given table :

    AssertionReasoning
    The temperatures vary widely in the state of Uttarakhand.________
    1 mark
  8. (viii)

    How is Bhabhar belt formed ?

    1 mark
  9. (ix)

    State which of the given statements is not true :

    1. (A)January is the coldest month, with an average maximum temperature of 20 °C and an average lowest temperature of 6 °C.
    2. (B)The mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures range from 15 to 20 °C at altitudes of 2 km.
    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/5/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Locate the matching paragraph for each question.

Hint 2

For the antonym, think of the opposite of 'starts'.

Hint 3

For (ix), compare each statement with the last lines of paragraph 4.

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 variance runs from the largest glaciers at the highest elevation to the subtropical forests at the lowest elevation.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) cleared; large-scale

    1 mark

  3. (iii) Haridwar, which gets the minimum rainfall of 1107 mm.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) Option (C) ends. It is the opposite of 'starts'.

    1 mark

  5. (v) Rain begins at the end of April and lasts until September. Monsoon rainfall is 78% of the annual total, so heavy rain is concentrated in a few months and makes the state flood-prone.

    2 marks

  6. (vi) Option (D) Bageshwar and Haridwar.

    1 mark

  7. (vii) Reasoning: temperatures vary widely because of differences in topographical features.

    1 mark

  8. (viii) The moist deciduous forest of the Upper Gangetic Plains forms the Bhabhar belt.

    1 mark

  9. (ix) Option (B) is not true. The passage gives 10° to 12 °C at 2 km altitude, not 15 to 20 °C.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) glaciers to subtropical forests; (ii) cleared, large-scale; (iii) Haridwar; (iv) C; (v) rain lasts from April-end to September, and 78% of annual rain falls in the monsoon; (vi) D; (vii) differences in topographical features; (viii) the moist deciduous forest of the Upper Gangetic Plains forms it; (ix) B

Where the marks are

  • (i) Glaciers to subtropical forests (1 mark)
  • (ii) Cleared, large-scale (1 mark)
  • (iii) Haridwar (1 mark)
  • (iv) C (1 mark)
  • (v) Rain from April-end to September (1 mark) and 78% monsoon rainfall (1 mark)
  • (vi) D (1 mark)
  • (vii) Topographical differences (1 mark)
  • (viii) Moist deciduous forest of Upper Gangetic Plains (1 mark)
  • (ix) B (1 mark)

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 paper2025 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.