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Read the given extract and… (Class 10 English 2026, Q6A)

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

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 6(A)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 2/5/1, section C, question 6(A), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q6(A) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedThe Midnight Visitor

Read the given extract and answer the question.

Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read. Following him down the musty corridor of the gloomy French hotel where Ausable had a room, Fowler felt let down. It was a small room, on the sixth and top floor and scarcely a setting for a romantic adventure. Ausable was, for one thing, fat, very fat. And then there was his accent. Though he spoke French and German passably, he had never altogether lost the American accent he had brought to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. “You are disappointed,” Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder. (The Midnight Visitor)

  1. (i)

    Which of the following describes how Fowler felt on seeing Ausable for the first time?

    1. (A)excited and happy
    2. (B)indifferent and disgusted
    3. (C)surprised and disappointed
    4. (D)envious and in awe
    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    How did the hotel’s atmosphere influence Fowler’s mood?

    2 marks
  3. (iii)

    Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket: Ausable’s reaction on seeing how Fowler felt shows that he was _______. (observant/ embarrassed)

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    In what way does Ausable defy the typical spy image?

    1 mark

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 2/5/1.

Hints

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

Hint 1

Fowler 'felt let down'.

Hint 2

Ausable noticed Fowler's feelings immediately.

Hint 3

Think about Ausable's looks and accent.

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) C. surprised and disappointed: Ausable did not match Fowler's idea of a spy.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) The gloomy, musty hotel made Fowler feel let down and disappointed. It was not the romantic setting he expected for a spy.

    2 marks

  3. (iii) observant: Ausable noticed Fowler's disappointment.

    1 mark

  4. (iv) He is very fat and unimpressive, and still has an American accent, so he does not look like a typical spy.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) C; (ii) the gloomy hotel disappointed Fowler; (iii) observant; (iv) he is fat and has an American accent

Where the marks are

  • (i) Option C (1 mark)
  • (ii) Atmosphere (1 mark) and its impact on mood (1 mark)
  • (iii) observant (1 mark)
  • (iv) One way he defies the spy image (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Midnight Visitor, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 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.