ICSE 10th English Language Sample Paper 09 Page 1

Sample Paper 09
ICSE Class X 2024-25
English Language
English Paper - 1
Time: 2 Hours Max. Marks: 80
General Instructions:
1. Answer to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
2. You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
3. This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
4. The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
5. Attempt all five questions
6. The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
7. You are advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1 and 20 minutes in
answering Question 2.

QUESTION 1.
(Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.)
Write a composition (300-350 words) on any one of the following. [20]

(i) Write an original short story with a happy ending titled ‘The Lazy Donkey’.

(ii) ‘Social networking has a bad effect on teenagers.’

Express your views for or against this statement.

(iii) After attending a birthday party, you were picked up by your mother in her car. Suddenly, your mother’s
car was hit by a speeding vehicle and both you and your mother got injured. Narrate your experience and
the accident.

(iv) You have returned to your city Delhi after spending five years in a foreign country; the city has changed
during your absence. Describe the changes that have affected people’s life in the city. Give your views
regarding these changes.

(v) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you..Your
composition maybe about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there
must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.

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QUESTION 2.
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.) [10]
Select any one of the following.

(i) You are studying in a boarding school and your first mid-term exam results have shown that you have done
poorly in two subjects, Maths and Science. Write a letter to your father explaining the reasons for your poor
result. Also write how you plan to do better in the term end exams as well as the Board exams next March.

(ii) Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner of your city drawing his attention to the problems created by
various hawkers of food outside your school gate. Tell him what dangers to the health of students they pose.
Suggest a solution for their rehabilitation.

QUESTION 3.

(i) Your school is arranging an Inter-School Singing Competition for patriotic songs to be sung by groups of
students on the occasion of Independence Day. Write a notice for your school notice board inviting names
of all the interested student groups so that the team to represent the school may be finalised. [5]

(ii) Write an e-mail to the Principal of one of the schools to request him/her to send a team for participation in
the competition. [5]

QUESTION 4.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Lucie, a student from the United States, has just arrived at Charles de Gaulle in Paris, the airport that
greets a million visitors to Paris every day. Paris, finally. It’s always been a dream of Lucie to live in the
city of light, the city of fine arts, of the Latin Quarter, of wine and, who knows, the city of a little love story
perhaps. She plans to study in France for one year, to get her degree in Computer Science at the University
of Versailles St. Quentin-en-Yvelines. It’s the university that offered her a scholarship to study. Plus, her
friend Josephine studies there so that Lucie can live with her in a small apartment.
She takes the RER train which brings her straight to the St Lazare Station at the city center. After arriving
there, she looks for Versailles. She boards the train and soon it’s heading into a black tunnel towards
Versailles. Lucie is a little disappointed because she has to stay in Versailles when she’d like to live in Paris.
But, she tells herself that Versailles is only a few minutes by train from the big city of Paris and, moreover,
there are several attractions in Versailles.

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The train exits the tunnel and, while passing the big city, she sees a large cemetery, the Eiffel Tower and
Montmartre with the Sacre Coeur Cathedral nearby. A few moments later she arrives at the Versailles
Station.
She has arrived. This is her destination. In front of her is the grand Chateau of Versailles where Lucie 14th,
the Sun king, had parties and lived the high life with his mistresses. To the right is the avenue St. Cloud
where the apartment that she’ll live in with Josephine is located. She is tired but joyful. She starts looking
for the address of the apartment. “All alone in a new country, knowing no one, future I’m ready!” Lucie says
to herself. Lucie has arrived at the Versailles train station.
She has already seen the Chateau of Versailles but she wants to come back later for a more in-depth visit.
But, she walks along avenue St. Loud first to find her apartment. She finds the address in front of the police
station in a little brick house. She sets her bags down in front of the gate of the little pathway that leads to
the sidewalk of the house. She rings the yellow doorbell next to ‘Josephine Gerard’. Her friend, Josephine,
whom she met on the web, opens the door. Josephine gives her two kisses. Shocked Lucie asks why she did
that. That’s how it’s done in France.
Girls give each other two kisses, guys give two kisses to girls and guys shake each other’s hands. We do all
this to say hello, Josephine says ‘Come with me’, says Josephine. “I’ll show you the apartment. It’s small
but it’s our own little place.” Silently, Lucie follows her. Awed, she looks at the apartment’s entryway. She
can’t believe her eyes when she enters the hallway and sees the walls are painted red, completely red. The
floors are wood, beautiful and possible oak. The ceiling is painted black.
On the left is an iron table with the telephone on it. She goes on and to the left is a bathroom which is
across from Josephine’s room. A little farther, to the right, is Lucie’s room. She puts all of her things in the
corner, jumps into the bed and stretches her arms and legs. “Finally at my own place”, she says to herself.

(i) For each word given below, choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options
provided. [2]
1. scholarship (line 6)
(a) grant to support a student’s education
(b) tuition fees
(c) application to support a student’s education
(d) procedure for studying abroad
2. disappointed (line 10)
(a) pleased
(b) reluctant
(c) angry
(d) displeased as her hopes have not been fulfilled

(ii) Which word in the passage means the opposite of the word ‘source’ ? [1]
(a) tunnel (b) destination
(c) cemetery (d) apartment

(iii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

(a) Why does Lucie say, ‘Finally, at my own place’, according to you? [2]
(b) How do people say, ‘hello’ in France? [2]
(c) What are the two reasons for Lucie to take admission to the University of Versailles? [2]
(d) How does Lucie console herself about living in Versailles? What is her sorrow? [2]
(e) What is Lucie ready for? [1]

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(iv) Describe the apartment in which Lucie goes to stay, right from the entry in your own words. [8]
Do not exceed 50 words.

QUESTION 5.

(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with correct form of the words given in brackets. Do not copy the
passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space. [4]
Example : I .......... (0) (meet) him by accident.
Answer : (0) met
Many fish fight with each other, especially during breeding season. However, one type of fish, found in
Thailand, is fiercer than the most. This fish .......... (1) (call) fighting fish. If two male fighting fish ..........
(2) (put) together, they will fight savagely until one of them .......... (3) (kill).
Besides their fighting habits, these fish .......... (4) (also know) for their brilliant colours. Males .......... (5)
(have) brighter colours than females. Fighting fish also .......... (6) (has) special organs above their gills
through which they .......... (7)(breathe).
Another interesting fact about the fighting fish .......... (8) (be) that the male fish blows bubbles at the water
surface. These bubbles stick together to form a raft on which female lays eggs.

(ii) Fill in each blank with an appropriate word. [4]

(a) They got _____ the house through a window.
(b) She has to complete the task _____ Monday.
(c) Please return my book _____ Sunday evening.
(d) The meeting between the head of the states will take place _____ Race Course.
(e) The fog was so thick that it was like walking _____ the clouds.
(f) Hurry up, we have to leave _____ five minutes.
(g) My immunity to common cold is low, especially _____ winter.
(h) I have given myself _____ June to find a job.

(iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. [4]
Choose the correct option.
1. Mona was not feeling well. She did not go to school.
(a) Mona did not go to school when she was not feeling well.
(b) Mona did not go to school while she was not feeling well.
(c) Mona did not go to school whereas she was not feeling well.
(d) Mona did not go to school since she was not feeling well.

2. I was doing my homework. My friend came then.

(a) I was doing my homework as my friend came.
(b) I was doing my homework and my friend came.
(c) I was doing my homework yet my friend came.
(d) I was doing my homework while my friend came.

3. He could not walk. He was badly tired.

(a) He could not walk though he was badly tired.
(b) He could not walk while he was badly tired.
(c) He could not walk as he was badly tired.
(d) He could not walk whenever he was badly tired.

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ICSE 10th English Language Sample Paper 09 Page 5

4. Mohan is illiterate. His father is illiterate.

(a) Neither Mohan nor his father is illiterate.
(b) Both Mohan and his father are illiterate.
(c) Either Mohan or his father is illiterate.
(d) Both Mohan along with his father are illiterate.

(iv) Choose the correct option to rewrite the following according to the instructions given after each sentence.
[8]
1. Pacific is the deepest ocean in the world.
[Rewrite using : ‘deeper’]
(a) Pacific is deeper than any other ocean in the world.
(b) Pacific is deeper to any other ocean in the world.
(c) Any other ocean is deeper than Pacific in the world.
(d) Any other ocean is deeper to Pacific in the world.

2. Did she invite you on her birthday?

[Rewrite beginning with : Were ......]
(a) Were you invite by her on her birthday?
(b) Were you invited by her on her birthday?
(c) Were you being invited by her on her birthday?
(d) None of the above

3. How painful the treatment of toothache is for a child.

[Rewrite beginning with : It is painful....]
(a) It is painful for a child to underwent the treatment of toothache.
(b) It is painful for a child to undergone the treatment of toothache.
(c) It is painful for a child the treatment of toothache.
(d) It is painful for a child to undergo the treatment of toothache.

4. Sweta can’t have written that ugly note.

[Begin with I am sure .......]
(a) I am sure Sweta has not written that ugly note.
(b) I am sure Sweta cannot write that ugly note.
(c) I am sure Sweta will not write that ugly note.
(d) I am sure Sweta didn’t write that ugly note.

5. The woman said to the stranger, ‘Should I help you?’

[Begin with : The woman asked .....]
(a) The woman asked the stranger if should she help him.
(b) The woman asked the stranger she should help him.
(c) The woman asked the stranger if she should help him.
(d) The woman asked the stranger she should help you.

6. I’ll let you leave the table once you have finished your meal.
[Rewrite using : can]
(a) You have leave the table once you can finished your meal.
(b) You can leave the table once you can finished your meal.
(c) You can leave the table once you have finished your meal.
(d) You can have leave the table once you have finished your meal.


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7. He is so hard-working that he can’t fail.

[Rewrite using too .... to ....]
(a) He is too hard to working fail.
(b) He is too hard-working to fail.
(c) He is too fail to hard-working.
(d) None of these

8. She will listen to you if you talk politely.

[Rewrite using; unless]
(a) She will not listen to you unless you don’t talk politely.
(b) She will not listen to you unless you talk politely.
(c) She will listen to you unless you didn’t talk politely.
(d) She will listen to you unless you talk politely.

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