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IMPORTANT COMPREHENSION WRITING FOR CLASS 10 | ENGLISH GRAMMAR | HSLC | SEBA | ASSAM
List of important comprehension question for Class 10 | SEBA is given below -
1. English ants are nearly harmless and do little damage; but in some warmer countries ants not only do a great deal of damage but are a positive danger to living animals, even to human beings. Amongst those that do damage, the leaf-cutting ants of tropical America are perhaps are the worst. An army of these ants will strip the trees of a plantation of every leaf. The ants do not eat the leaves, but cutting them into small pieces the size of a sixpence, they carry them away to their nests where they are stored up in large chambers specially made for the purpose. [H.S.L.C. 2015]
i. How are the English ants?
Answer: The English ants are harmless ants and do not do any
damage.
ii. What do the ants do in some warmer countries?
Answer: In some warmer countries, ants do a lot of damages and become a positive danger to living animals including man.
iii. Why are the leaf-cutting ants of tropical America the worst?
Answer: The leaf-cutting ants of America are the worst because
these ants do great harm to the plantations. An army of such ants
can strip every single leaf of the trees of the plantation baring the
entire area. This baring of plantation can harm the farmers and they
have to lose their crops.
2. Marco polo is indeed one of the greatest explorers of all time. It was he who first made a route across Asia to China and first told Europeans about the court at Peking. Marco polo was the first European to describe Burma, Tibet, and India and tell others of the customs and manners of the people. He talked to the Christians living in Abyssinia in Africa and describes the cold Arctic countries of the white bear, where people rode on reindeers and in dog sleds.
i. What did Marco polo first tell Europeans?
Answer: Marco Polo first told Europeans about the court at
Peking.
ii. Where is white bear found?
Answer: The white bear is found in the Arctic countries.
iii. What did Marco polo describe about the cold Arctic
countries?
Answer: Marco polo described that white bears were found in
the Arctic countries. Their people rode on reindeers and in dog
sleds.
iv. Give the noun form of the ‘describe’.
Answer: The noun form of ‘describe’ is description.
v. Chose the correct alternatives ‘Explorer’ means
a. Rider b. Reader c. Discover d. founder
3. Day after day she watched the bus and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there. She wanted to ride on that bus. Even if just once. This wish becomes stronger and stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sight of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout in English “proud, proud” neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the word. But they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval.
i. What as the tiny wish that crept into Valli’s head?
Answer: Valli’s tiny wish was to ride on the bus that used to run
between her village and the nearby town.
ii. What did she do when the tiny wish changed to an
overwhelming desire?
Answer: When the tiny wish changed to an overwhelming desire,
she started staring at the people traveling in the bus. Valli would
disapprove of her friends who had a recent bus journey.
iii. Why did Valli use the word “proud”?
Answer: If any of Valli’s friends tried to describe the bus journey
he or she had recently, she used the word “proud” as a slang
expression of disapproval.
4. It was a fine Sunday morning. Newton was reading a book at the foot of an apple tree in his garden. All of a sudden, a ripe apple dropped down from down from the tree. He picked it up with great joy. He looked at the fruit, intently struck with wonder. The fruit had been hanging from the branch so long, why should if fall as it did? Could it fall by itself, by its own strength? It could not do he argued; for was it not a lifeless thing, having no will of its own? After deep thought Newton discovered that the cause was ‘Nature Law of Gravitation’ and that the earth is like a great magnet.
i. What was Newton doing?
Answer: Newton was reading a book at the foot of an apple tree
in his garden.
ii. What did he do with the fallen apple?
Answer: Newton picked up the fallen apple and stared it with
wonder. He thought how a lifeless object could fall down from
the tree.
iii. What was the cause that he discovered?
Answer: Newton discovered that the cause was ‘Nature Law of
Gravitation’ and that the earth is like a great magnet.
5. The first journey- what careful, painstaking, elaborate plans she had to make for it. She had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally, she had saved a total of sixty paise. How difficult it had been, particularly that day at the village fair, but she had resolutely stifled a strong desire to ride the merry-go-round even though she had the money.
After she had enough money saved, her next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge, but she managed this without too much difficulty. Every day after lunch, her mother would nap from about one to four or so. Valli always used these hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house or sometimes even vented out into the village; today, these same hours could be used for the first excursion outside the village.
i. How much money did Valli save?
Answer: Valli saved sixty paise.
ii. How did she save money for her first bus journey?
Answer: Valli spend the bucks required for the bus journey by
spending money carefully whatever stray coins came her way. She
had to resist her temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons.
She even had to overlook her strong desire to ride the merry go
round in the village fair to save the sixty paise.
iii. How did she solve the problem of slipping out of the house
without her mother’s knowledge?
Answer: Valli’s mother used to nap from about one to four or so.
Valli used these hours for her excursions. So Valli decided to use
these hours to slip out of the house without her mother’s
knowledge.
6. The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek
or Arabic descent. As story goes, a part of Alexander’s army
moved south along the coast and settled here when return
became impractical. These people married amongst the locals
and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage
and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu
mainstream. The theory of Arab origin draws support from the
long, black coat with embroidered waist-belt worn by the
Kodavus, known as Kuppia; it resembles the Kuffia worn by the
Arabs and the Kurds.
i. Of which descent are the people of Coorg?
Answer: The people of Coorg are of Greek or Arabic
descent.
ii. What is the story about the Greek origin of the
people of Coorg?
Answer: There are two different opinions of the historians regarding the descendents of Kodavu people. One theory draws that the corgi people are descendents of Greek people, whereas the other theory supported that they were of Arabic descent. As per a story, a part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and
got settled there when return became impossible.
iii. What is the theory in support of the Arab origin of the Coorgi people?
Answer: The theory of Arab origin draws support from
the long black coat with an embroidered waist belt
worn by the Kodavus which is similar to Kuffia worn by
the Arabs.
7. H.S.L.C. 2015
UNSEEN
The great advantage of early rising is that one can start one’s work
long before others. The early riser has done a large amount of hard
work before other men have got out of bed. Early in the morning the mind is fresh and no sounds or noise disturb our attention. The work done at that time is generally well done. Also, one finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air. Exercise supplies him with a good deal of energy that enables him to work hard until the evening. By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to do his work thoroughly. He does not have to hurry over any part of his work. He gets to sleep long before midnight. At that time sleep is more refreshing after a night’s sound rest, he rises early next morning in good health ready for the labor of a new day.
i. What advantage does an early riser have over others?
Answer: an early riser has a great advantage of starting one’s
work much earlier before a late riser can.
ii. Why should one take exercise in the morning and begin one’s
work so early?
Answer: Taking some exercise in the fresh morning air supply a
person with energy which enables him to work hard until the
evening. If one begins so early one has plenty of time to do one’s
work thoroughly.
iii. What are the uses of going to sleep long before midnight?
Answer: By going to sleep long before midnight helps to get
refreshing sleep. After having a sound sleep, one can rise early
and have a healthy start next day.
8. HSLC 2016, 2018
UNSEEN
Paper is one of the most important articles that we use in our day to
day life. If there had been no paper our civilization would not have
progressed so fast. Great scientists write their thoughts on paper first and then they carry out their experiments. Great engineers draw their plans on paper first and then build houses, bridges, dams, and so on. Great thoughts are written or printed on paper for everyone to read. If there were no paper we would not have all the good books that are available in the world. Without paper it would be difficult for the people of one country to know about the people of another country.
i. Mention three uses of paper.
Answer: Paper has great uses for the civilization. Scientists
work out their new inventions, engineers draw their plans
and great thoughts are either written or printed on paper.
ii. Why is paper the most essential thing for mankind?
Answer: It is the paper on which great thoughts are first
written or printed. From scientists to engineers, they put
their workings first onto the paper. Our civilization has
progressed greatly because of paper as thoughts of one
generation to the next can be transferred through paper.
In fact, paper writes the fate of the mankind, so paper is
a most essential thing for the mankind.
iii. What would have happened if there were no paper?
Answer: If there were no paper, great books could not be
made available to the people. One country could never
know about the people of another country. Even great
thoughts could never be brought into reality. It also had
hampered the works of scientists and engineers and other
thought makers.
SEEN
It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming white with some
green strips along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like
silver. Directly in front of Valli above the windshield, there was a
beautiful clock. The seats were soft and luxurious. Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So, she stood up and peered over the blind.
The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was
narrow. On one side there was the canal and beyond it, palm trees,
grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side were a deep ditch and then acres and acres of greenfield – green, green, green as far as eyes could see.
i. What was the inside of the bus like?
Answer: As the bus was a new one the overhead bars
inside the bus were shining like silver. Above the
windshield there stuck a beautiful clock. The seats
were soft and luxurious.
ii. Why did Valli stand up on the seat?
Answer: Valli had to stand up on the seat as her outside
view was cut off by a canvas blind.
iii. What could be seen outside as the bus was going
along the bank of a canal?
Answer: On one side of the canal one could see the
palm trees, grassland, distant mountains and the blue
sky. Where on the other side there was a deep ditch
and acres of green field beyond it.
9.HSLC 2017
UNSEEN
Trees help to support man’s life by supplying the atmosphere with
oxygen which is essential to life. The oxygen in the air is constantly
being used up and turned into carbon-di-oxide which is the food that plants ‘eat’. The leaves of trees in fact of all green plants absorb this carbon-di-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals. But for this, animals would soon die for lack of oxygen. Starch and other carbon compounds made in the green leaves of trees and of other green plants too, serve as food for animals. The tiny green cells of plants are wonderful laboratories which produce all the starch in the world. But for this service done by plants, all animals would sooner or later die for lack of food.
i. What is the food that the plants ‘eat’?
Answer: The food that the plants ‘eat’ is carbon-dioxide.
ii. How do the green cells of plants serve the animals?
Answer: The green cells of plants absorb this carbondi-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals.
iii. How do the leaves of trees break down carbon-dioxide
into carbon and oxygen?
Answer: The leaves of trees absorb the carbon-di-oxide
and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon
and oxygen.
SEEN
In life every man has twin obligations- obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his
people, his community, and his country. In a civil and humane
society, each man is able to fulfill those obligations according to his
own inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South Africa, it
was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfill those obligations. In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and isolated. In South Africa, a man who tried to fulfill his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his family and his home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. I did not, in the beginning, choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.
i. What was done to a man of colour in South Africa
who attempted to live as a human being?
Answer: In South Africa, a man of colour who
attempted to live as a human being was punished and
isolated.
ii. What are the twin obligations that every man has in
life?
Answer: Every man has two obligations in his life, one
to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children
and another to his people, his community, and his
country.
iii. What did the speaker find when he attempted to
serve his people?
Answer: When the speaker attempted to serve his
people, he found that he was prevented from fulfilling
his obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a
husband.
10. HSLC 2019
UNSEEN
A good book always teaches us something, in fact many things directly or indirectly if the mind is willing to learn. Books are the best companion; they also give us the best society. They help us in
establishing contact with many great men. We hear what such men said and did; through books we even see them as if they were alive. As we read, we share great thoughts with great minds, we hope and grieve with great men. The scenes in which they appeared are described for us and as we turn the pages we come to know what nobleness is. Books work as agents and help us in being better than we are. Books should, therefore, be treated as friends and guides.
i. How can books teach us?
Answer: Books teach us many things directly or
indirectly.
ii. How can one share the great thoughts through
books?
Answer: Great books are the mirrors of the minds of the great people. So, by reading their books, one can share great thoughts with great minds. It helps to experience what great men said and did, by establishing contact with many great men.
iii. Why should books be treated as friends and guides?
Answer: Books help people to know what nobleness is.
Books also helps people to improve themselves so that
they can become better than they are. So, books should
be treated as friends and guides.
SEEN
“No one really knows who discovered tea but there are many legends.” “What legends?” “Well, there is one about the Chinese Emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavor. It is said they were tea leaves.”
“Tell me another!” scoffed Pranjol. “We have an Indian legend too, Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep.” “Tea was first drunk in China,” Rajvir added, “as far back as 2700 BC! In fact, words such as tea, ‘Chai’ and ‘Chini’ are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage.”
i. How was tea drunk in Europe in the sixteenth century?
Answer: Tea came to Europe in the sixteenth century. It was
drunk more as medicine than as a beverage in Europe.
ii. What is the Chinese legend about tea?
Answer: The first legend is called the Chinese legend.
According to this legend regarding discovery of tea that one
of the Chinese emperors always used to drink water by boiling it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into water. Then the water gave a delicious flavor. It is said the leaves were tea leaves.
iii. What is the Indian legend about tea?
Answer: Indian legend tells that once upon a time there was
an ancient Buddhist ascetic named Bodhidhama in India. He cut
off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Then
the plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plans
when put into hot water and drunk vanished sleep.
11. HSLC 2020 Grammar SEBA
UNSEEN
Three-fourth of the Earth is covered by the sea which both separates and unites the various races of mankind. The sea is the great highway along which man may travel at his will, the great road that has no walls or hedges hemming in. Nobody needs to keep it in good repair with the help of pickaxe and barrel tar and steamrollers. The sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and his love of gold. The blue waters call him and bid him fare forth in quest of fresh fields. Beyond their horizon, he has found danger and death, glory and gain.
i. How much of our planet is not covered by the sea?
Answer: One-fourth of our planet is not covered by the sea.
ii. How does the sea help man?
Answer: Sea separates as well as unites the mankind. It
provides a roadway to different countries free of cost
without any boundary limit. Interestingly, the mankind has
to invest no money to repair or maintain the seaway.
iii. In what way does the sea appeal to man?
Answer: The sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and
unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and
his love of gold. By conquering the sea, the mankind can
explore fresh fields and even they can mark a glorious
victory.
 |
| Important Comprehension writing For Class 10 |
List of important comprehension question for Class 10 | SEBA is given below -
1. English ants are nearly harmless and do little damage; but in some warmer countries ants not only do a great deal of damage but are a positive danger to living animals, even to human beings. Amongst those that do damage, the leaf-cutting ants of tropical America are perhaps are the worst. An army of these ants will strip the trees of a plantation of every leaf. The ants do not eat the leaves, but cutting them into small pieces the size of a sixpence, they carry them away to their nests where they are stored up in large chambers specially made for the purpose. [H.S.L.C. 2015]
i. How are the English ants?
Answer: The English ants are harmless ants and do not do any
damage.
ii. What do the ants do in some warmer countries?
Answer: In some warmer countries, ants do a lot of damages and become a positive danger to living animals including man.
iii. Why are the leaf-cutting ants of tropical America the worst?
Answer: The leaf-cutting ants of America are the worst because
these ants do great harm to the plantations. An army of such ants
can strip every single leaf of the trees of the plantation baring the
entire area. This baring of plantation can harm the farmers and they
have to lose their crops.
2. Marco polo is indeed one of the greatest explorers of all time. It was he who first made a route across Asia to China and first told Europeans about the court at Peking. Marco polo was the first European to describe Burma, Tibet, and India and tell others of the customs and manners of the people. He talked to the Christians living in Abyssinia in Africa and describes the cold Arctic countries of the white bear, where people rode on reindeers and in dog sleds.
i. What did Marco polo first tell Europeans?
Answer: Marco Polo first told Europeans about the court at
Peking.
ii. Where is white bear found?
Answer: The white bear is found in the Arctic countries.
iii. What did Marco polo describe about the cold Arctic
countries?
Answer: Marco polo described that white bears were found in
the Arctic countries. Their people rode on reindeers and in dog
sleds.
iv. Give the noun form of the ‘describe’.
Answer: The noun form of ‘describe’ is description.
v. Chose the correct alternatives ‘Explorer’ means
a. Rider b. Reader c. Discover d. founder
3. Day after day she watched the bus and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there. She wanted to ride on that bus. Even if just once. This wish becomes stronger and stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on and off the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sight of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout in English “proud, proud” neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the word. But they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval.
i. What as the tiny wish that crept into Valli’s head?
Answer: Valli’s tiny wish was to ride on the bus that used to run
between her village and the nearby town.
ii. What did she do when the tiny wish changed to an
overwhelming desire?
Answer: When the tiny wish changed to an overwhelming desire,
she started staring at the people traveling in the bus. Valli would
disapprove of her friends who had a recent bus journey.
iii. Why did Valli use the word “proud”?
Answer: If any of Valli’s friends tried to describe the bus journey
he or she had recently, she used the word “proud” as a slang
expression of disapproval.
4. It was a fine Sunday morning. Newton was reading a book at the foot of an apple tree in his garden. All of a sudden, a ripe apple dropped down from down from the tree. He picked it up with great joy. He looked at the fruit, intently struck with wonder. The fruit had been hanging from the branch so long, why should if fall as it did? Could it fall by itself, by its own strength? It could not do he argued; for was it not a lifeless thing, having no will of its own? After deep thought Newton discovered that the cause was ‘Nature Law of Gravitation’ and that the earth is like a great magnet.
i. What was Newton doing?
Answer: Newton was reading a book at the foot of an apple tree
in his garden.
ii. What did he do with the fallen apple?
Answer: Newton picked up the fallen apple and stared it with
wonder. He thought how a lifeless object could fall down from
the tree.
iii. What was the cause that he discovered?
Answer: Newton discovered that the cause was ‘Nature Law of
Gravitation’ and that the earth is like a great magnet.
5. The first journey- what careful, painstaking, elaborate plans she had to make for it. She had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally, she had saved a total of sixty paise. How difficult it had been, particularly that day at the village fair, but she had resolutely stifled a strong desire to ride the merry-go-round even though she had the money.
After she had enough money saved, her next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge, but she managed this without too much difficulty. Every day after lunch, her mother would nap from about one to four or so. Valli always used these hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house or sometimes even vented out into the village; today, these same hours could be used for the first excursion outside the village.
i. How much money did Valli save?
Answer: Valli saved sixty paise.
ii. How did she save money for her first bus journey?
Answer: Valli spend the bucks required for the bus journey by
spending money carefully whatever stray coins came her way. She
had to resist her temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons.
She even had to overlook her strong desire to ride the merry go
round in the village fair to save the sixty paise.
iii. How did she solve the problem of slipping out of the house
without her mother’s knowledge?
Answer: Valli’s mother used to nap from about one to four or so.
Valli used these hours for her excursions. So Valli decided to use
these hours to slip out of the house without her mother’s
knowledge.
6. The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek
or Arabic descent. As story goes, a part of Alexander’s army
moved south along the coast and settled here when return
became impractical. These people married amongst the locals
and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage
and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu
mainstream. The theory of Arab origin draws support from the
long, black coat with embroidered waist-belt worn by the
Kodavus, known as Kuppia; it resembles the Kuffia worn by the
Arabs and the Kurds.
i. Of which descent are the people of Coorg?
Answer: The people of Coorg are of Greek or Arabic
descent.
ii. What is the story about the Greek origin of the
people of Coorg?
Answer: There are two different opinions of the historians regarding the descendents of Kodavu people. One theory draws that the corgi people are descendents of Greek people, whereas the other theory supported that they were of Arabic descent. As per a story, a part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and
got settled there when return became impossible.
iii. What is the theory in support of the Arab origin of the Coorgi people?
Answer: The theory of Arab origin draws support from
the long black coat with an embroidered waist belt
worn by the Kodavus which is similar to Kuffia worn by
the Arabs.
7. H.S.L.C. 2015
UNSEEN
The great advantage of early rising is that one can start one’s work
long before others. The early riser has done a large amount of hard
work before other men have got out of bed. Early in the morning the mind is fresh and no sounds or noise disturb our attention. The work done at that time is generally well done. Also, one finds time to take some exercise in the fresh morning air. Exercise supplies him with a good deal of energy that enables him to work hard until the evening. By beginning so early, he knows that he has plenty of time to do his work thoroughly. He does not have to hurry over any part of his work. He gets to sleep long before midnight. At that time sleep is more refreshing after a night’s sound rest, he rises early next morning in good health ready for the labor of a new day.
i. What advantage does an early riser have over others?
Answer: an early riser has a great advantage of starting one’s
work much earlier before a late riser can.
ii. Why should one take exercise in the morning and begin one’s
work so early?
Answer: Taking some exercise in the fresh morning air supply a
person with energy which enables him to work hard until the
evening. If one begins so early one has plenty of time to do one’s
work thoroughly.
iii. What are the uses of going to sleep long before midnight?
Answer: By going to sleep long before midnight helps to get
refreshing sleep. After having a sound sleep, one can rise early
and have a healthy start next day.
8. HSLC 2016, 2018
UNSEEN
Paper is one of the most important articles that we use in our day to
day life. If there had been no paper our civilization would not have
progressed so fast. Great scientists write their thoughts on paper first and then they carry out their experiments. Great engineers draw their plans on paper first and then build houses, bridges, dams, and so on. Great thoughts are written or printed on paper for everyone to read. If there were no paper we would not have all the good books that are available in the world. Without paper it would be difficult for the people of one country to know about the people of another country.
i. Mention three uses of paper.
Answer: Paper has great uses for the civilization. Scientists
work out their new inventions, engineers draw their plans
and great thoughts are either written or printed on paper.
ii. Why is paper the most essential thing for mankind?
Answer: It is the paper on which great thoughts are first
written or printed. From scientists to engineers, they put
their workings first onto the paper. Our civilization has
progressed greatly because of paper as thoughts of one
generation to the next can be transferred through paper.
In fact, paper writes the fate of the mankind, so paper is
a most essential thing for the mankind.
iii. What would have happened if there were no paper?
Answer: If there were no paper, great books could not be
made available to the people. One country could never
know about the people of another country. Even great
thoughts could never be brought into reality. It also had
hampered the works of scientists and engineers and other
thought makers.
SEEN
It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming white with some
green strips along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like
silver. Directly in front of Valli above the windshield, there was a
beautiful clock. The seats were soft and luxurious. Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So, she stood up and peered over the blind.
The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was
narrow. On one side there was the canal and beyond it, palm trees,
grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side were a deep ditch and then acres and acres of greenfield – green, green, green as far as eyes could see.
i. What was the inside of the bus like?
Answer: As the bus was a new one the overhead bars
inside the bus were shining like silver. Above the
windshield there stuck a beautiful clock. The seats
were soft and luxurious.
ii. Why did Valli stand up on the seat?
Answer: Valli had to stand up on the seat as her outside
view was cut off by a canvas blind.
iii. What could be seen outside as the bus was going
along the bank of a canal?
Answer: On one side of the canal one could see the
palm trees, grassland, distant mountains and the blue
sky. Where on the other side there was a deep ditch
and acres of green field beyond it.
9.HSLC 2017
UNSEEN
Trees help to support man’s life by supplying the atmosphere with
oxygen which is essential to life. The oxygen in the air is constantly
being used up and turned into carbon-di-oxide which is the food that plants ‘eat’. The leaves of trees in fact of all green plants absorb this carbon-di-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals. But for this, animals would soon die for lack of oxygen. Starch and other carbon compounds made in the green leaves of trees and of other green plants too, serve as food for animals. The tiny green cells of plants are wonderful laboratories which produce all the starch in the world. But for this service done by plants, all animals would sooner or later die for lack of food.
i. What is the food that the plants ‘eat’?
Answer: The food that the plants ‘eat’ is carbon-dioxide.
ii. How do the green cells of plants serve the animals?
Answer: The green cells of plants absorb this carbondi-oxide and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is used to make starch and the oxygen is released into the air, so replacing the oxygen used up by animals.
iii. How do the leaves of trees break down carbon-dioxide
into carbon and oxygen?
Answer: The leaves of trees absorb the carbon-di-oxide
and with the help of sunlight break it down into carbon
and oxygen.
SEEN
In life every man has twin obligations- obligation to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children; and he has an obligation to his
people, his community, and his country. In a civil and humane
society, each man is able to fulfill those obligations according to his
own inclinations and abilities. But in a country like South Africa, it
was almost impossible for a man of my birth and colour to fulfill those obligations. In South Africa, a man of colour who attempted to live as a human being was punished and isolated. In South Africa, a man who tried to fulfill his duty to his people was inevitably ripped from his family and his home and was forced to live a life apart, a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. I did not, in the beginning, choose to place my people above my family, but in attempting to serve my people, I found that I was prevented from fulfilling my obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a husband.
i. What was done to a man of colour in South Africa
who attempted to live as a human being?
Answer: In South Africa, a man of colour who
attempted to live as a human being was punished and
isolated.
ii. What are the twin obligations that every man has in
life?
Answer: Every man has two obligations in his life, one
to his family, to his parents, to his wife and children
and another to his people, his community, and his
country.
iii. What did the speaker find when he attempted to
serve his people?
Answer: When the speaker attempted to serve his
people, he found that he was prevented from fulfilling
his obligations as a son, a brother, a father and a
husband.
10. HSLC 2019
UNSEEN
A good book always teaches us something, in fact many things directly or indirectly if the mind is willing to learn. Books are the best companion; they also give us the best society. They help us in
establishing contact with many great men. We hear what such men said and did; through books we even see them as if they were alive. As we read, we share great thoughts with great minds, we hope and grieve with great men. The scenes in which they appeared are described for us and as we turn the pages we come to know what nobleness is. Books work as agents and help us in being better than we are. Books should, therefore, be treated as friends and guides.
i. How can books teach us?
Answer: Books teach us many things directly or
indirectly.
ii. How can one share the great thoughts through
books?
Answer: Great books are the mirrors of the minds of the great people. So, by reading their books, one can share great thoughts with great minds. It helps to experience what great men said and did, by establishing contact with many great men.
iii. Why should books be treated as friends and guides?
Answer: Books help people to know what nobleness is.
Books also helps people to improve themselves so that
they can become better than they are. So, books should
be treated as friends and guides.
SEEN
“No one really knows who discovered tea but there are many legends.” “What legends?” “Well, there is one about the Chinese Emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavor. It is said they were tea leaves.”
“Tell me another!” scoffed Pranjol. “We have an Indian legend too, Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep.” “Tea was first drunk in China,” Rajvir added, “as far back as 2700 BC! In fact, words such as tea, ‘Chai’ and ‘Chini’ are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage.”
i. How was tea drunk in Europe in the sixteenth century?
Answer: Tea came to Europe in the sixteenth century. It was
drunk more as medicine than as a beverage in Europe.
ii. What is the Chinese legend about tea?
Answer: The first legend is called the Chinese legend.
According to this legend regarding discovery of tea that one
of the Chinese emperors always used to drink water by boiling it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into water. Then the water gave a delicious flavor. It is said the leaves were tea leaves.
iii. What is the Indian legend about tea?
Answer: Indian legend tells that once upon a time there was
an ancient Buddhist ascetic named Bodhidhama in India. He cut
off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Then
the plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plans
when put into hot water and drunk vanished sleep.
11. HSLC 2020 Grammar SEBA
UNSEEN
Three-fourth of the Earth is covered by the sea which both separates and unites the various races of mankind. The sea is the great highway along which man may travel at his will, the great road that has no walls or hedges hemming in. Nobody needs to keep it in good repair with the help of pickaxe and barrel tar and steamrollers. The sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and his love of gold. The blue waters call him and bid him fare forth in quest of fresh fields. Beyond their horizon, he has found danger and death, glory and gain.
i. How much of our planet is not covered by the sea?
Answer: One-fourth of our planet is not covered by the sea.
ii. How does the sea help man?
Answer: Sea separates as well as unites the mankind. It
provides a roadway to different countries free of cost
without any boundary limit. Interestingly, the mankind has
to invest no money to repair or maintain the seaway.
iii. In what way does the sea appeal to man?
Answer: The sea appeals to man’s love of the perilous and
unknown, to his love of conquest, his love of knowledge and
his love of gold. By conquering the sea, the mankind can
explore fresh fields and even they can mark a glorious
victory.
