Question Bank With complete answer Class 10 English

Class 10 English CBSE – Question Bank Mock Test

Syllabus Covered:

A Letter to God, Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Two Stories About Flying, From the Diary of Anne Frank, Glimpses of India, Mijbil the Otter, Dust of Snow, Fire and Ice, A Tiger in the Zoo, How to Tell Wild Animals, The Ball Poem, Amanda!, Footprints Without Feet, A Triumph of Surgery, The Thief's Story, The Midnight Visitor, A Question of Trust.

Note: Footprints Without Feet appears twice in your list, so I have covered it once as a chapter.

SECTION A – PROSE

Chapter 1: A Letter to God

Questions 1–12

1. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?

Answer: Lencho's crops were completely destroyed by the hailstorm. He needed money to survive and sow his field again, so he wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos.

2. What did Lencho hope for before the hailstorm?

Answer: Lencho hoped for a good shower of rain because his cornfield needed rain for a healthy harvest.

3. How did the rain initially make Lencho happy?

Answer: The rain promised a good harvest. Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins because he expected them to bring prosperity.

4. What destroyed Lencho's crops?

Answer: A severe hailstorm destroyed Lencho's entire crop. The hailstones covered the field and left it looking completely devastated.

5. Why did Lencho call the hailstones a plague of locusts?

Answer: Like locusts, the hailstones destroyed everything in their path. They ruined Lencho's crops completely.

6. What was Lencho's greatest concern after the storm?

Answer: His greatest concern was that his family would have nothing to eat and that he would not have seeds to sow his field again.

7. Why did Lencho have complete faith in God?

Answer: Lencho believed that God was all-powerful and knew everything. He was certain that God would help him in his difficult situation.

8. What did Lencho ask God for?

Answer: Lencho asked God for one hundred pesos so that he could survive and sow his field again.

9. Who helped Lencho?

Answer: The postmaster and his employees collected money for Lencho. They sent him seventy pesos in an envelope signed “God.”

10. Why was Lencho not surprised to receive the money?

Answer: Lencho had complete faith in God. Therefore, he was confident that God would answer his prayer.

11. Why did Lencho become angry after receiving the money?

Answer: Lencho had asked for one hundred pesos but received only seventy. He believed that God had sent the full amount and that the post-office employees had stolen the rest.

12. What is ironic about the ending of the story?

Answer: The people whom Lencho suspected of stealing his money were actually the people who had helped him. This creates irony in the story.

Chapter 2: Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom

Questions 13–24

13. What did the inauguration of Nelson Mandela signify?

Answer: It marked the end of apartheid and the beginning of a democratic South Africa in which people of all races could enjoy equal rights.

14. Who attended Mandela's inauguration?

Answer: Many national and international leaders attended the historic inauguration, along with Mandela's family and thousands of South Africans.

15. What did Mandela say about freedom?

Answer: Mandela believed that freedom was indivisible. He understood that both the oppressed and the oppressor were deprived of true freedom.

16. What was apartheid?

Answer: Apartheid was a system of racial discrimination in South Africa under which black people were denied basic rights and treated as inferior.

17. What does Mandela mean by “an extraordinary human disaster”?

Answer: He refers to the terrible system of racial discrimination and oppression suffered by black South Africans.

18. What are the twin obligations mentioned by Mandela?

Answer: Mandela says that every person has obligations towards family and towards society or country.

19. Why was Mandela unable to fulfil his obligations as a young man?

Answer: The system of racial discrimination prevented him from enjoying freedom and forced him to struggle for the rights of his people.

20. How did Mandela's idea of freedom change?

Answer: As a child, Mandela thought freedom meant personal freedom. As he grew older, he realised that true freedom meant freedom for all his people.

21. What did Mandela learn about courage?

Answer: He learned that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over fear.

22. Who were the “great patriots” Mandela referred to?

Answer: He referred to the brave freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives and freedom in the struggle against apartheid.

23. What does Mandela mean by “the oppressor must be liberated”?

Answer: He means that hatred and prejudice imprison the oppressor morally. Therefore, the oppressor also needs freedom from hatred and injustice.

24. What message does the chapter convey?

Answer: The chapter teaches the values of freedom, equality, courage, sacrifice and forgiveness.

Chapter 3: Two Stories About Flying

Questions 25–36

25. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

Answer: He was afraid that his wings would not support him. He lacked confidence and feared falling into the sea.

26. How did the seagull's parents encourage him?

Answer: They encouraged him by calling him, scolding him and showing him how his brothers and sister could fly.

27. How did the mother seagull make him fly?

Answer: She flew close to him with a piece of fish in her beak. When he moved forward to get it, he fell off the ledge and instinctively began flying.

28. How did the young seagull feel after his first flight?

Answer: He was extremely happy and confident. He realised that he could fly and enjoyed the freedom of the sky.

29. What lesson does the seagull's experience teach us?

Answer: It teaches us that fear can be overcome through courage, confidence and taking the first step.

30. Why was the pilot flying towards England?

Answer: The pilot was flying his old Dakota aeroplane towards England to spend the holiday with his family.

31. What problem did the pilot face during the flight?

Answer: He encountered a severe storm and his compass and other instruments stopped working.

32. Why did the pilot enter the storm?

Answer: He was eager to reach home and decided to fly through the storm despite the danger.

33. What did the mysterious black aeroplane do?

Answer: The mysterious aeroplane appeared beside the pilot and guided him safely through the storm.

34. Why was the pilot surprised after landing?

Answer: The woman at the control centre told him that no other aeroplane had been flying in the sky that night.

35. What is mysterious about the second story?

Answer: The identity of the pilot of the black aeroplane is never revealed. It appears mysteriously and disappears after helping the narrator.

36. What common theme connects the two stories?

Answer: Both stories deal with fear, courage and overcoming difficulties.

Chapter 4: From the Diary of Anne Frank

Questions 37–48

37. Why did Anne Frank start writing a diary?

Answer: Anne felt that she did not have a true friend with whom she could share her deepest thoughts. Therefore, she decided to make her diary her friend.

38. What name did Anne give her diary?

Answer: Anne named her diary “Kitty.”

39. Why did Anne say that paper had more patience than people?

Answer: She felt that paper would patiently listen to her thoughts without judging or interrupting her.

40. What was Anne's relationship with her grandmother?

Answer: Anne was very close to her grandmother and remembered her with love and affection.

41. Why did Anne feel lonely despite having many people around her?

Answer: She had acquaintances and family members but felt that she could not share her innermost feelings with them.

42. What did Anne think about her classmates?

Answer: Anne considered many of them superficial and felt that she could not form a deep emotional connection with them.

43. Why was Anne's teacher annoyed with her?

Answer: Mr Keesing was annoyed because Anne talked too much in class.

44. What punishment did Mr Keesing give Anne?

Answer: He asked her to write an essay on the topic “A Chatterbox.”

45. How did Anne justify her habit of talking?

Answer: She argued that talking was a student trait and that she had inherited the habit from her mother.

46. What was the title of Anne's second essay?

Answer: Her second essay was titled “An Incorrigible Chatterbox.”

47. How did Anne finally silence Mr Keesing?

Answer: She wrote a humorous poem about a mother duck and her ducklings who were punished for talking. Mr Keesing enjoyed it and stopped giving her extra homework.

48. What kind of girl was Anne Frank?

Answer: Anne was intelligent, observant, honest, sensitive and humorous. She had a strong desire to express her thoughts.

Chapter 5: Glimpses of India

Questions 49–62

A Baker from Goa

49. Why are bakers important in Goan culture?

Answer: Bakers have traditionally been an important part of Goan life. Bread is associated with festivals, celebrations and daily meals.

50. What did the baker's arrival announce?

Answer: The baker announced his arrival through the jingling sound of the bamboo staff he carried.

51. What did the children do when the baker arrived?

Answer: The children rushed to meet him because they loved the bread and bread-bangles he brought.

52. What was the baker's traditional dress?

Answer: The baker traditionally wore a knee-length shirt called a kabai.

Coorg

53. Where is Coorg located?

Answer: Coorg, also called Kodagu, is located in Karnataka between Mysore and Mangalore.

54. Why is Coorg called a beautiful place?

Answer: It is famous for its evergreen forests, coffee plantations, hills, streams and pleasant climate.

55. What is Coorg famous for?

Answer: Coorg is famous for coffee plantations, natural beauty, brave people and rich cultural traditions.

56. What is the Kodavu community known for?

Answer: The Kodavus are known for their bravery, martial traditions and hospitality.

Tea from Assam

57. Why is Assam famous?

Answer: Assam is famous for its vast tea plantations and production of tea.

58. Who were Pranjol and Rajvir?

Answer: Pranjol and Rajvir were school friends travelling to Assam. Pranjol belonged to Assam.

59. What did Rajvir see on the journey?

Answer: Rajvir saw huge stretches of tea plantations covering the landscape.

60. What legend about tea did Rajvir mention?

Answer: One legend says that a Chinese emperor discovered tea when some leaves accidentally fell into boiling water.

61. What is another Indian legend about tea?

Answer: An Indian legend connects the discovery of tea with Bodhidharma, who threw away his eyelids, from which tea plants supposedly grew.

62. What makes Assam ideal for tea cultivation?

Answer: Its warm, humid climate, abundant rainfall and fertile soil make Assam suitable for growing tea.

Chapter 6: Mijbil the Otter

Questions 63–74

63. Why did the narrator decide to keep an otter?

Answer: He wanted a pet after his dog died and decided to keep an otter because he liked the animal.

64. Where did the narrator get Mijbil?

Answer: He got Mijbil from a man in Iraq who brought the otter from the marshes of the Tigris.

65. What was Mijbil like?

Answer: Mijbil was playful, intelligent, curious and full of energy. He loved playing with water and objects around him.

66. Why did Mijbil love water?

Answer: Mijbil was an otter and naturally enjoyed swimming and playing in water.

67. How did Mijbil entertain himself?

Answer: He played with toys, marbles, rubber balls and other objects. He especially enjoyed playing in water.

68. What difficulty did the narrator face while travelling with Mijbil?

Answer: He had to carry Mijbil in a box during the flight and was worried about how the animal would behave.

69. How did Mijbil escape from the box?

Answer: He managed to get out of the box and caused some trouble before the flight attendants discovered him.

70. How did the airline passengers react to Mijbil?

Answer: Many passengers were curious and amused by the unusual animal.

71. Why did people in London have difficulty identifying Mijbil?

Answer: Most people had never seen an otter closely and therefore guessed that Mijbil was some strange kind of animal.

72. What names did people give Mijbil?

Answer: People called him various things because they could not identify him correctly, including strange guesses about his species.

73. What does Mijbil's behaviour reveal about him?

Answer: His behaviour reveals that he was highly intelligent, playful, curious and capable of developing affection for his owner.

74. What is the main theme of the chapter?

Answer: The chapter highlights the bond between humans and animals and shows the intelligence and playful nature of Mijbil.

SECTION B – POETRY

Poem 1: Dust of Snow

Questions 75–81

75. What changed the poet's mood?

Answer: The falling dust of snow from a hemlock tree changed the poet's sad mood.

76. Which two natural elements are mentioned in the poem?

Answer: The two natural elements are the hemlock tree and the dust of snow.

77. Why is the hemlock tree significant?

Answer: The hemlock tree is traditionally associated with poison and negativity, yet it becomes a source of joy for the poet.

78. What did the dust of snow do to the poet?

Answer: It refreshed him and changed his mood from sadness to happiness.

79. What does the poem suggest about nature?

Answer: The poem suggests that even a small experience in nature can bring happiness and transform our mood.

80. What does “saved some part of a day” mean?

Answer: It means the poet's negative mood was changed and he did not waste the entire day in sadness.

81. What is the central idea of the poem?

Answer: Small and unexpected moments of beauty in nature can positively transform our mood.

Poem 2: Fire and Ice

Questions 82–88

82. What do “fire” and “ice” symbolise?

Answer: Fire symbolises desire, greed and uncontrolled passion, while ice symbolises hatred, coldness and indifference.

83. What does the poet think will destroy the world?

Answer: The poet suggests that either uncontrolled desire or hatred could destroy the world.

84. Why does the poet favour fire as a destructive force?

Answer: He has experienced desire and knows how powerful and destructive it can become.

85. Why is ice also dangerous?

Answer: Ice represents hatred and emotional coldness, which can be equally destructive.

86. What is the message of the poem?

Answer: The poem warns us against uncontrolled desires and hatred because both can cause destruction.

87. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Answer: The rhyme scheme is ABA ABCB CB.

88. What makes the poem powerful despite its short length?

Answer: Its simple language, symbolism and strong message about human emotions make it powerful.

Poem 3: A Tiger in the Zoo

Questions 89–96

89. Where is the tiger confined?

Answer: The tiger is confined in a small concrete cage in a zoo.

90. What does the tiger want to do?

Answer: He wants to move freely through the jungle and hunt his natural prey.

91. Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?

Answer: He is unhappy and frustrated by his captivity, so he has no interest in the visitors.

92. What would the tiger do in the jungle?

Answer: He would hide in the grass, move silently and hunt animals such as deer near a water hole.

93. What does the tiger's quiet movement show?

Answer: It shows his natural hunting instinct and his suppressed power.

94. Why does the tiger stare at the brilliant stars?

Answer: He looks at the stars from his cage as a symbol of the freedom that he has lost.

95. What is the central theme of the poem?

Answer: The poem contrasts freedom with captivity and highlights the cruelty of keeping wild animals in cages.

96. What message does the poet convey?

Answer: Wild animals should be allowed to live freely in their natural habitats.

Poem 4: How to Tell Wild Animals

Questions 97–103

97. What type of poem is “How to Tell Wild Animals”?

Answer: It is a humorous and playful poem that describes wild animals through exaggerated and comic situations.

98. How can you identify an Asian lion?

Answer: If you meet a large tawny animal in the jungle that roars frighteningly, it is probably an Asian lion.

99. How can you identify a Bengal tiger?

Answer: A Bengal tiger can be identified by its black stripes and yellowish body. The poet humorously says it will eat you.

100. How can you identify a leopard?

Answer: A leopard can be recognised by its spots. If it leaps repeatedly at you, it is a leopard.

101. What is humorous about the description of the bear?

Answer: The poet says that if a huge creature hugs you tightly, it is probably a bear—even though the “hug” may be dangerous.

102. How is the crocodile described?

Answer: The crocodile is identified by its tears, referring humorously to the expression “crocodile tears.”

103. What is the tone of the poem?

Answer: The tone is humorous, playful, witty and satirical.

Poem 5: The Ball Poem

Questions 104–110

104. What does the boy lose?

Answer: The boy loses his ball when it bounces away into the water.

105. Why does the boy become sad?

Answer: The ball has emotional value for him, and its loss gives him his first experience of losing something he loves.

106. Why doesn't the poet offer the boy another ball?

Answer: The poet wants the boy to learn the important lesson of accepting loss rather than simply replacing the object.

107. What does the ball symbolise?

Answer: The ball symbolises childhood memories, possessions and the emotional attachments people develop.

108. What lesson does the boy learn?

Answer: He learns that loss is a natural part of life and that one must learn to accept it.

109. What does “epistemology of loss” mean?

Answer: It means understanding and learning about loss through personal experience.

110. What is the central idea of the poem?

Answer: The poem teaches that growing up involves experiencing loss and learning to accept it maturely.

Poem 6: Amanda!

Questions 111–117

111. Who is Amanda?

Answer: Amanda is a young girl who is constantly instructed and corrected by an adult.

112. Why is Amanda unhappy?

Answer: She feels restricted because she is repeatedly given instructions about her behaviour.

113. What does Amanda imagine herself to be?

Answer: She imagines herself as a mermaid, an orphan and Rapunzel, depending on her desire for freedom.

114. Why does Amanda imagine herself as a mermaid?

Answer: She imagines herself swimming freely in the sea because she wants to escape restrictions.

115. What does the orphan image represent?

Answer: It represents Amanda's desire to be free from constant instructions and interference.

116. Why does Amanda want to live like Rapunzel?

Answer: She imagines living alone in a tower where nobody can control or disturb her.

117. What is the central theme of “Amanda!”?

Answer: The poem highlights the need for children to have freedom, understanding and emotional space.

SECTION C – SUPPLEMENTARY READER

A Triumph of Surgery

Questions 118–126

118. Who was Tricki?

Answer: Tricki was Mrs Pumphrey's pampered and overweight dog.

119. Why did Tricki become ill?

Answer: He became unhealthy because Mrs Pumphrey overfed him and gave him very little exercise.

120. Why was Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?

Answer: Tricki had become extremely fat, inactive and weak.

121. What advice did Dr Herriot give Mrs Pumphrey?

Answer: He advised her to reduce Tricki's food and give him more exercise.

122. Why did Dr Herriot take Tricki to the surgery?

Answer: He realised that Tricki needed strict diet and exercise, which he could not receive at home.

123. How did Tricki recover?

Answer: He recovered through a controlled diet, regular exercise and interaction with other dogs.

124. Why did Mrs Pumphrey send eggs and wine for Tricki?

Answer: She believed Tricki needed rich food to regain his strength.

125. Why did Dr Herriot call it a “triumph of surgery”?

Answer: It was humorous because Tricki recovered without any surgery. His recovery was due simply to proper food and exercise.

126. What does the story teach us?

Answer: Excessive pampering can be harmful. Love should be balanced with discipline and proper care.

The Thief's Story

Questions 127–135

127. Who was Hari Singh?

Answer: Hari Singh was a fifteen-year-old thief who changed his name frequently to avoid being caught.

128. Why did Hari approach Anil?

Answer: Hari wanted to gain Anil's trust so that he could steal from him.

129. Why did Anil employ Hari?

Answer: Anil agreed to employ Hari because he was kind and willing to teach him cooking and writing.

130. What did Anil promise to teach Hari?

Answer: Anil promised to teach him how to read, write and do simple calculations.

131. Why did Hari decide to steal Anil's money?

Answer: He saw a bundle of money under Anil's mattress and was tempted to steal it.

132. Why did Hari return the stolen money?

Answer: He realised that Anil's trust and the opportunity to become educated were more valuable than the stolen money.

133. What role did education play in Hari's transformation?

Answer: Education gave Hari hope for a better and honest future, making him reconsider his life as a thief.

134. Why did Anil not confront Hari directly?

Answer: Anil probably understood that Hari had stolen the money but chose to forgive him and encourage his improvement.

135. What is the main message of the story?

Answer: Trust, kindness and education can reform a person more effectively than punishment.

The Midnight Visitor

Questions 136–144

136. Who was Ausable?

Answer: Ausable was a secret agent who looked ordinary but was intelligent and highly resourceful.

137. Why was Fowler disappointed when he first met Ausable?

Answer: Fowler expected a glamorous and adventurous secret agent but found Ausable fat and ordinary-looking.

138. Who was Max?

Answer: Max was another secret agent who had come to steal an important report from Ausable.

139. What did Max have?

Answer: Max had a pistol and intended to use it if necessary.

140. How did Ausable create the story of the balcony?

Answer: He invented a story that there was a balcony outside the window which had been used by an earlier intruder.

141. What did Ausable say about the police?

Answer: He told Max that the police were coming to check the room and would soon arrive.

142. Why did Max jump out of the window?

Answer: Believing Ausable's invented story about the balcony, Max tried to escape through the window.

143. What happened to Max?

Answer: Max fell because there was no balcony outside the window.

144. What quality of Ausable helped him defeat Max?

Answer: His intelligence, presence of mind and ability to remain calm helped him defeat Max.

A Question of Trust

Questions 145–153

145. Who was Horace Danby?

Answer: Horace Danby was a respectable-looking locksmith who secretly committed thefts to finance his collection of rare books.

146. Why did Horace steal?

Answer: He stole money to buy expensive rare books for his collection.

147. What was unusual about Horace?

Answer: He was a successful locksmith and appeared respectable, but he secretly carried out burglaries.

148. What did Horace find at Shotover Grange?

Answer: He found a safe containing valuable jewels.

149. Who was the woman in red?

Answer: She was the real owner of the house who pretended to be the owner’s wife and tricked Horace.

150. How did the woman deceive Horace?

Answer: She convinced him that she needed the jewels from the safe and promised to let him escape if he opened it.

151. Why did Horace remove his gloves?

Answer: The woman told him that fingerprints would not be a problem if he removed his gloves while opening the safe.

152. Why was Horace arrested?

Answer: His fingerprints were found at the scene, and the real woman had taken the jewels while allowing Horace to be blamed.

153. What is the lesson of “A Question of Trust”?

Answer: The story shows that appearances can be deceptive and that criminals can themselves become victims of clever deception.

Footprints Without Feet

Questions 154–170

154. Who was Griffin?

Answer: Griffin was a scientist who discovered a way to make the human body invisible.

155. What was Griffin's extraordinary discovery?

Answer: He discovered a scientific method that made the human body transparent and invisible.

156. Why did Griffin become a lawless person?

Answer: Instead of using his discovery responsibly, he used invisibility for theft, escape and other selfish purposes.

157. Why did Griffin set fire to his landlord's house?

Answer: He set fire to the house because his landlord wanted to evict him.

158. Why did Griffin remove his clothes?

Answer: His clothes were visible even though his body was invisible, so he removed them to become completely invisible.

159. Where did Griffin find shelter?

Answer: He entered a large London store and secretly stayed there overnight.

160. What did Griffin steal from the store?

Answer: He stole clothes and other articles that he needed.

161. Why did Griffin go to a theatrical shop?

Answer: He went there to obtain clothes and disguises that could conceal his identity.

162. How did Griffin become visible to the people at the inn?

Answer: He wore bandages, dark glasses and a false nose, creating the appearance of a heavily disguised man.

163. Why did Griffin steal food?

Answer: Since he was invisible and had no money or proper shelter, he stole food to survive.

164. Why did Griffin steal money from the clergyman?

Answer: He entered the clergyman's room and stole money because he needed it.

165. What happened when Griffin was chased by the villagers?

Answer: He removed his clothes and became invisible, allowing him to escape from the villagers.

166. What does Griffin's character reveal?

Answer: Griffin is intelligent but morally irresponsible. His scientific discovery becomes dangerous because he uses it for selfish and criminal purposes.

167. Is Griffin a true scientist?

Answer: He is scientifically talented, but he lacks the ethics and responsibility expected from a true scientist.

168. What is the significance of the title “Footprints Without Feet”?

Answer: The title refers to Griffin's invisible presence. People could see his footprints even though they could not see him.

169. What warning does the story give about science?

Answer: The story warns that scientific discoveries can become dangerous when they are used without morality and responsibility.

170. What is the central message of “Footprints Without Feet”?

Answer: Knowledge and scientific power should always be accompanied by ethics, responsibility and concern for society.

Quick Revision: Most Important Themes

Chapter/Poem

Main Theme

A Letter to God

Faith, innocence and irony

Nelson Mandela

Freedom, equality and courage

Two Stories About Flying

Fear, courage and confidence

Diary of Anne Frank

Loneliness, self-expression and adolescence

Glimpses of India

Indian culture, nature and traditions

Mijbil the Otter

Human-animal bond

Dust of Snow

Power of nature to change mood

Fire and Ice

Destructive human emotions

A Tiger in the Zoo

Freedom versus captivity

How to Tell Wild Animals

Humour and wit

The Ball Poem

Loss and maturity

Amanda!

Freedom and childhood

A Triumph of Surgery

Proper care versus over-pampering

The Thief's Story

Trust, education and transformation

The Midnight Visitor

Intelligence and presence of mind

A Question of Trust

Deception and appearance

Footprints Without Feet

Misuse of science and morality