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OMEGA: Yes, sir. (She reads… (Class 10 English 2026, Q6b)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 2/3/1 · 5 marks · Reading comprehension

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 6(b)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 2/3/1, 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-basedThe Book that Saved the Earth

OMEGA: Yes, sir. (She reads with great seriousness.)
Mistress Mary, quite contrary.
How does your garden grow?
With cockle shells and silver bells
And pretty maids all in a row.
OOP: Ha, ha, ha. Imagine that. Pretty maids growing in a garden.
THINK-TANK: (alarmed) Stop! This is no time for levity. Don't you realise the seriousness of this discovery? The Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining. They can actually grow crops of rare metals such as silver. And cockle shells. They can grow high explosives, too. Noodle, contact our invasion fleet.
NOODLE: They are ready to go down and take over Earth, sir.
(The Book that Saved the Earth)

  1. (i)

    What can we infer from the given statement, "This is no time for levity"?

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    Think-Tank thinks that Earthlings have reached a high level of civilisation. Why does he think so?

    2 marks
  3. (iii)

    Complete the sentence appropriately: The piece of information that Noodle provides to Think-Tank is __________.

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    What is the tone of Omega while reading the rhyme?
    1. happy 2. optimistic 3. serious 4. pessimistic 5. sarcastic
    Select the correct option:

    1. (A)Only 1
    2. (B)4 and 5
    3. (C)Only 3
    4. (D)1 and 2
    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 2/3/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

'Levity' means lack of seriousness, so look at what Think-Tank wants instead.

Hint 2

Look at what Earthlings can grow according to Think-Tank.

Hint 3

The stage direction before the rhyme tells you Omega's tone.

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) Think-Tank believes the Martians are in real danger from the Earthlings, so this is a time to be serious and not laugh.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) He thinks Earthlings have discovered how to combine agriculture and mining, so they can grow crops of rare metals like silver. They can also grow high explosives, which could be used against Mars.

    2 marks

  3. (iii) The invasion fleet is ready to go down and take over Earth.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) (C) Only 3, because Omega reads with great seriousness.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) they face danger and must be serious; (ii) Earthlings can combine farming and mining and grow metals and explosives; (iii) the invasion fleet is ready to take over Earth; (iv) C

Where the marks are

  • (i) Inference of danger or seriousness (1 mark)
  • (ii) Two valid points on their advanced civilisation (2 marks)
  • (iii) Fleet is ready (1 mark)
  • (iv) C (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Book that Saved the Earth, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 2/3/1: 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.