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Read the following extract… (Class 10 English 2026, Q7A)

questionbuddy.in/q/cbse-10-english-2026-2-5-1-q7a-boy-now-lost-his-ball

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

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 7(A)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 2/5/1, section C, question 7(A), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q7(A) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-basedThe Ball Poem

Read the following extract and answer the questions.

What, what is the boy now who has lost his ball.
What, what is he to do.
I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street and then Merrily over – there it is in the water!”
No use to say ’O there are other balls’.

(The Ball Poem by John Berryman)

  1. (i)

    What does the repetition of the word “merrily” suggest in the context of the ball’s movement?

    1 mark
  2. (ii)

    How does this moment contrast the mood of the poem before and after the ball falls into the water? (Answer in about 40 words)

    2 marks
  3. (iii)

    Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket: The poet uses the ball as a symbol of the boy’s _______. (childhood/adventure)

    1 mark
  4. (iv)

    The line, ‘No use to say, oh there are other balls’ signifies:

    1. (A)Words of consolation are inappropriate.
    2. (B)The boy must be left alone and play with other toys.
    3. (C)The boy should not be left alone.
    4. (D)No ball will be as expensive as the one the boy has lost.
    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

Think about what 'merrily' sounds like and what feeling it carries.

Hint 2

Compare the mood of the ball bouncing with the mood once it is in the water.

Hint 3

For (iv), ask whether a replacement can comfort someone who is truly grieving.

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 repeated 'merrily' suggests the ball's carefree, playful bouncing, a happy childhood moment, and makes the sudden loss in the water more painful.

    1 mark

  2. (ii) Before the ball falls, the mood is light, playful and joyful, like the ball bouncing down the street. After it drops into the water, the mood turns sad and gloomy. The boy feels a deep sense of loss, and the poet's tone becomes serious and sympathetic.

    2 marks

  3. (iii) childhood

    1 mark

  4. (iv) (A) Words of consolation are inappropriate. The boy is grieving, and a quick offer of 'other balls' ignores the real loss he feels.

    1 mark

Answer: (i) carefree, playful childhood; (ii) joyful mood turns sad and gloomy; (iii) childhood; (iv) A

Where the marks are

  • Repetition shows playfulness or happiness (1 mark)
  • Mood before: happy or playful (1 mark)
  • Mood after: sad or gloomy (1 mark)
  • Fills in 'childhood' (1 mark)
  • Chooses option A (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: The Ball Poem (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Ball Poem, 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.