CBSE

Competency-based education for CBSE

Item bank
English Class 10
September 2021

Content created by
Introduction for teachers
A bank of resources has been created to support teachers to develop and administer end-of-
class tests. These resources should be used together. You can view and download the
following resources from http://cbseacademic.nic.in
• Learning ladder for English
• Assessment specification for English
• Sample lesson plans

This document is a compilation of the sample items for English Class 10. There are 31 items.
This item bank is supported by the assessment specification, which sets out the end-of-class
assessment requirements and the learning ladder for the subject, which maps the CBSE syllabi
content to the NCERT curriculum. The item index (page 6) shows how each item maps to the
learning ladder content and the assessment objectives.

What these assessment items can be used for

You can use the bank of questions in whatever way you wish, but three main purposes have
been identified:
• Create end-of-class assessments using the items from the bank to meet the
requirements set out in the assessment specifications.
• Create end-of-topic tests using the items from the bank for when you finish teaching a
topic.
• Use individual or groups of questions from the bank to create or add to worksheets for
class and homework use.

What is in this document

You will find linked questions and single questions covering different aspects of the learning
ladder content and different assessment objectives. You can use these questions to create your
own assessments.
Each item in this document begins with the metadata (see Figure 1). The metadata gives details
of the content, assessment objective coverage and the number of marks.
There is then a section showing any source material needed, followed by the questions
themselves and finally the mark scheme for the questions.

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Figure 1: Example of metadata

How to use the assessment items

You can peruse the bank of items by flicking through this document and selecting questions you
wish to use. However, if you are assessing specific content, you can use the learning ladder to
identify this content and then use the item index (page six) to find any items which cover that
content.
Please note that not all the content will have items. The item bank is only a sample of the
questions which could be created so it may be necessary for you to write questions of your own
to fill gaps.
When you find a relevant assessment item in this document, you can copy and paste the
question(s) and any source material into a new Word document which will form the assessment
or worksheet. Other questions from the bank can be copied and pasted to this document and an
assessment or worksheet covering a range of items created. The questions can then easily be
edited in the new document using Word, and you can add any questions you write to best meet
the needs of your classes.
Once the questions have been pasted into the new document, the numbering of the items can
be changed so that they run through one, two etc. There should be no need to change the
numbering of parts (a), (b) etc., unless a question has been deleted.
You can create the mark schemes in the same way by copying the relevant section of the item
documents and pasting them into a separate Word document, forming the mark scheme. Again,
the question numbering will need to be amended. You can use these mark schemes to ensure
that the marking is standardized, particularly if more than one teacher uses the assessment.
When creating an end-of-class test, the teacher should use the assessment specification to
identify the number of marks and questions needed, the balance of content to be covered and
the weighting of the assessment objectives needed. You can then select items from the bank to
build a test that meets the assessment specification and then logically order these to allow the
students to work through the assessment. You should also add a front page with the
assessment name and details of the number of marks and the assessment length. Again, the
mark scheme can be created simultaneously, and question numbers will need to be amended.
When copying items from the bank, care needs to be taken to keep the format and style of the
items consistent, including the spacing and layout and ensuring that the number of marks
available for each question is clearly linked to the question.
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Assessment Objectives – English Reading

This document sets out the assessment objectives for CBSE English reading and their
percentage weighting for the CBSE end of year tests for the different classes from VI to X. For
classes IX and X, it includes both the reading and the literature assessments.
Class
No. Description of Assessment Objective VI VII VIII IX X
AO1 Show understanding of explicit meanings 40- 40- 40- 23 23
48 48 48
AO2 Show understanding of implicit meanings and 40- 40- 40- 23 23
perspectives 48 48 48
AO3 Comment on the effect of writers’ use of language and - - - 27 27
structure
AO4 Communicate a personal response to texts [what is 12- 12- 12- 27 27
read], supported by textual reference 16 16 16

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Item Index
AO AO AO AO Source
File Name Question ID Text type
1 2 3 4 description
Text B
Prose/literary Madam Rides
English10BM2 English10BM2 2 3 10
non-fiction the Bus
Short story
ENGLISH10HJ1a 1
English10HJ1
ENGLISH10HJ1b 2 The Tale of
Literature
Custard the
Poetry
ENGLISH10HJ12 2 Dragon

ENGLISH10HJ13 10
Text A
Information The Sermon
English10HJ2 ENGLISH10HJ2 2 3 10
speech at Benares
transcript
ENGLISH10HJ3a 1

ENGLISH10HJ3b 1
English10HJ3
Text B
ENGLISH10HJ32
1 Prose/literary Charles
a
non-fiction Darwin
ENGLISH10HJ32
2 Autobiography
b

ENGLISH10HJ33 5 5

Reader’s
English10HK1a 1
Digest: In
English10HK1b 2 Praise of
English10HK1
Text B Hitting
English10HK12 2 Prose/literary Repeat.
non-fiction Surprising
English10HK13 1 1 Travel writing benefits of’
Been there,
English10HK14 4 4 done that
love it’
Text B
The Hundred
Prose/literary
English10HK2 English10HK2 2 3 10 Dresses I By
non-fiction
El Bsor Ester
Novel
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 Text B
A long walk
English10NHD Prose/literary
English10NHD1 2 3 10 to Freedom-
1 non-fiction
Prose
Autobiography

English10NHD3a 1

English10NHD3b 1
English10NHD
3 Text B
English10NHD32 The story of
1 Prose/literary
a my life – By
non-fiction
Helen Keller
Autobiography
English10NHD32
2
b

English10NHD33 5 5

English10PD1a 1

English10PD1 English10PD1b 2
Text A Advertisemen
English10PD12 2 Information t strategies of
Advertisement Coca-Cola
English10PD13 1 1

English10PD14 4 4

English10PD33 2 NCERT textb

Text B
English10PD3 ook (First
Prose/literary
English10PD34 3 Flight) prose
non-fiction
glimpses
Short story
English10PD35 10 of India

English10PJ11a 1
English10PJ1
English10PJ11b 2
Literature How to tell
Poetry wild animals
English10PJ12 2

English10PJ13 10

Text B
From the
Prose/literary
English10PJ2 English10PJ2 2 3 10 Diary of Anne
non-fiction
Frank
Autobiography
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 English10PJ31a 1

English10PJ3 English10PJ31b 1
Text B
Fabien
Prose/literary
English10PJ32a 1 Cousteau:
non-fiction
Into the Deep
Travel writing
English10PJ32b 2

English10PJ33 5 5
ENGLISH10PM1
1
a
ENGLISH10PM1
1 Travel
b Text B
writing- Lake
ENGLISH10PM1 Prose/literary
English10PM1 1 Malawi's lost
2a non-fiction
resort –
ENGLISH10PM1 Travel writing
2 extract
2b
ENGLISH10PM1
5 5
3
English10PM2a 2
Text B Footprints
English10PM2
Prose/literary without Feet
English10PM2b 3
non-fiction – A Triumph
Short story of Surgery
English10PM2c 10
First Flight
ENGLISH10PM3 Literature
Englsih10PM3 1 Poem – The
a Poetry
Trees
English10PVN11
1
a
English10PVN11
2
b Text A
English10PVN Dance
English10PVN12 2 Information
1 Therapy
Magazine article
English10PVN13 1 1

English10PVN14 4 4
English10PVN21
1
a
English10PVN English10PVN21 Literature A Tiger in the
2
2 b Poetry Zoo

English10PVN22 2

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 English10PVN23 10
Text B
English10PVN Prose/literary Two stories
English10PVN3 2 3 10
3 non-fiction about flying
Short story
Text B
English10RCH Prose/literary A letter to
English10RCH1 2 3 10
1 non-fiction God
Short story
English10RCH3a 1

English10RCH3b 2
Text A Article by
English10RCH
English10RCH32 2 Information Sandra
3
Magazine article Blakeslee
English10RCH33 1 1

English10RCH34 4 4

English10SM1a 1
Emma
English10SM1b 1 Watson’s
Text A
speech at the
Information
English10SM1 English10SM12a 1 UN: Gender
Speech
equality is
transcript
English10SM12b 2 your issue
too
English10SM13 5 5
Text B
The Midnight
Prose/literary
English10SM2 English10SM2 2 3 10 Visitor by
non-fiction
Robert Arthur
Short story
English10SS1a 1
English10SS1
English10SS1b 2
Literature
The Trees
Poetry
English10SS12 2

English10SS13 10
Text B
Prose/literary Mijbil the
English10SS2 English10SS2 2 3 10
non-fiction Otter
novel
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 English10SS35a 1

English10SS3 English10SS35b 1
Text B
Prose/literary A Matter of
English10SS356a 1
non-fiction Fact
Short story
English10SS36b 2

English10SS357 5 5

English10SV2a 1
English10SV2
English10SV2b 2
Literature For Anne
Poetry Gregory
English10SV22 2

English10SV23 10

ENGLISH10SV3a 2
ENGLISH10S Text B
V3 Prose/literary
ENGLISH10SV3b 3 The Proposal
non-fiction
Play
ENGLISH10SV3c 10

English10VN1a 1 Prologue to
Self-
English10VN1 English10VN1b 1 Empowermen
t of Women
Text A
English10VN12a 1 written by Dr
Information
Sarla Sharma
English10VN12b 2 (Published
posthumously
English10VN13 5 5 )

English10VN2a 1
English10VN2
English10VN2b 2
Literature Amanda by
Poetry Robin Klein
English10VN22 2

English10VN23 10
Text B
Prose/literary The Hundred
English10VN3 English10VN3 2 3 10
non-fiction Dresses - II
Novel

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English10BM2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10BM2 Literature set text Prose-Madam
Rides the Bus

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10BM2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)

Madam Rides the Bus

There was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight
years old and very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the
front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside.
There were no playmates of her age on her street, and this was about all she had
5 to do.

However, for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of
the elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many
new, unusual experiences. The fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled
between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour,
10 once going to the town and once coming back. The sight of the bus filled each time
with a new set of passengers was a source of unending joy for Valli.

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 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
became stronger and stronger until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would
stare wistfully at the people who got on or 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 sights of the town to her,
15
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.

Over many days and months Valli listened carefully to conversations between her
neighbours and people who regularly used the bus, and she also asked a few
discreet questions here and there. This way she picked up various small details
20 about the bus journey. The town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty
paise one way — “which is almost nothing at all,” she heard one well-dressed man
say, but to Valli, who scarcely saw that much money from one month to the next, it
seemed a fortune. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes.

Source: First Flight textbook, Chapter 9 - https://www.cbsetuts.com/cbse-chapter-wise-

question-bank-class-10-english-first-flight-chapter-8-madam-rides-bus/

Question(s)
1 This extract is from the story Madam Rides the Bus, about a young girl’s first journey on a
bus. It is taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole story, explore how the writer presents Valli in the story.
In your answer, you should:
• describe how what you learn about her at the start of the story
• explain her eagerness for travelling on a bus
• comment on the language the writer uses to portray Villa

(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
1 This extract is from the story Madam Rides the Bus, about a young girl’s first journey
on a bus. It is taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.

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 With reference to the whole story, explore how the writer presents Valli in the
story.
In your answer, you should:
• describe what you learn about her at the start of the story
• explain her eagerness for travelling on a bus
• comment on the language the writer uses to portray Valli
Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• Watching the street gives Valli ‘many unusual new experiences.’
• Standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as other children’s games.
• She is keen to ride on that bus, even if just once.
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• This wish became ‘stronger and stronger until it was an overwhelming desire.’
• Valli would stare ‘wistfully’ at the people who got on or off the bus.
• Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes.
• Details of the conversations between her neighbours and bus passengers.
• The dialogue between Valli and the bus conductor (e.g., about his calling her ‘madam’)
• Her haughtiness: ‘I’m not a child, I tell you.’
• The description of the cow – and Valli’s sadness.
• The aunt’s view of the girl at the end of the story.

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English10HJ1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10HJ1 Literature Poetry – The Tale of
Custard the Dragon

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10HJ1a 1 1
English10HJ1b 2 2
English10HJ12 2 2
English10HJ13 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively, in MCQ or short
answer questions.
Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to analyse a poet’s
language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs students to focus on a key
aspect of the poem; bullet points are designed to support students in answering this main
question. The final sentence of the question reminds students to use references to the text to
support their response.

Source(s)
Title - The Tale of Custard the Dragon

Belinda tickled him; she tickled him unmerciful,

Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.

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 5 Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
And Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,

10 And Mustard growled, and they all looked around
Meowch! Cried Ink, and ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda

Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,

And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
15 His beard was black; one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.

Belinda paled, and she cried, Help! Help!

But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
20 And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.

Question(s)

1 (a) What kind of word is ‘mouseholed’ (line 20)? (1 mark)

A. noun
B. adjective
C. adverb
D. verb

1 (b) Identify two pieces of evidence from the first stanza that show Custard
was looked down upon.
(2 marks)

2 ‘Belinda giggled till she shook the house’. (2 marks)

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 What does it imply about Belinda?

3 How does the poet make this such an amusing poem? (10 marks)
In your answer, you may consider:
• the language used to describe the characters.
• the way the poet uses language and sounds.
• the structure of the poem.
Make references to the poem to support your response.

(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) What kind of word is ‘mouseholed’ (line 20)?

A. noun
B. adjective
C. adverb
D. verb

Answer Guidance
D-verb Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) Identify two pieces of evidence from the first stanza that show Custard was looked
down upon.

Answer Guidance
• Belinda tickled him aggressively Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
• they rudely called him Percival maximum of 2 marks.
• sat laughing in the little red wagon

2 ‘Belinda giggled till she shook the house’.

What does it imply about Belinda?

Answer Guidance

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 • that she laughed uncontrollably Award 1 mark for each point. Maximum of 2
• that she was making fun of custard marks.

Level of response
3 How does the poet make this such an amusing poem?

In your answer, you may consider:

• the language used to describe the characters.

• the way the poet uses language and sounds.
• the structure of the poem.
Make references to the poem to support your response.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each language and structure for the highest two levels.
Levels descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas
• A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 Nothing to reward 0

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Indicative content

Students may comment on the following:

Language points
• The language used to highlight slapstick/farce
• Varied sounds: laughing, giggling, growled, yelp etc.
• The description of the pirate
• The neologism ‘mouseholed’ to describe the mouse’s flight
• The words they speak: ‘Weeck!’ ‘Meowch!’

Structure points
• Comically contrived rhymes: e.g., unmerciful / Percival; Belinda / winda
• The speed of the actions leading up to the mouse’s flight
• The parade of absurd, larger-than-life characters – one after the other
• The comic impact of the final stanza

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be considered when arriving at the final mark.

For the higher levels, answers should:

• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points.
• analyse closely the ways in which the writer makes the poem amusing.

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English10HJ2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10HJ2 Literature Prose – The Sermon
at Benares

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10HJ2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)

The Sermon at Benares

The Buddha said, ‘‘The life of mortals in this world is troubled and brief and
combined with pain. For there is not any means by which those that have been
born can avoid dying; after reaching old age there is death; of such a nature
are living beings. As ripe fruits are early in danger of falling, so mortals, when
born, are always in danger of death. As all earthen vessels made by the potter
end in being broken, so is the life of mortals. Both young and adult, both those
5
who are fools and those who are wise, all fall into the power of death; all are
subject to death.”
“Of those who, overcome by death, depart from life, a father cannot save his
son, nor kinsmen their relations. Mark! While relatives are looking on and
lamenting deeply, one by one mortals are carried off, like an ox that is led to

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 the slaughter. So, the world is afflicted with death and decay; therefore, the
wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the world.”
10

“Not from weeping nor from grieving will anyone obtain peace of mind; on the
contrary, his pain will be the greater and his body will suffer. He will make
himself sick and pale, yet the dead are not saved by his lamentation. He who
seeks peace should draw out the arrow of lamentation, and complaint, and
grief. He who has drawn out the arrow and has become composed will obtain
peace of mind; he who has overcome all sorrow will become free from sorrow,
15 and be blessed.”

Source: Betty Renshaw Values and Voices: A College Reader (1975).

First Flight textbook, Chapter 10

Question(s)
1 The extract is taken from The Sermon at Benares in the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer presents Buddha’s
sermon at Benares.
In your answer, you should:
• describe Kisa Gotami’s role in the story
• explain what the sermon reveals about suffering
• comment on some of the language used in the sermon

(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

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 Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• Kisa’s only son died and initially refused to accept it.
• She asks her neighbours for medicine.
• The dialogue with the Buddha.
• The search for mustard seed.
• The description of her weariness and hopelessness.
• The darkness of the night.
• Her recognition of the selfishness of her grief.
• The symbolism of ‘ripe fruits’ and ‘earthen vessels.’
• The message is that ‘the wise do not grieve.’
• The importance of ‘peace of mind.’
• The metaphor of the ‘arrow of lamentation.’
• The impact of the final line of the sermon.

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English10HJ3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10HJ3 Text B prose/literary non-fiction
autobiography

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10HJ3a 1 1
English10HJ3b 1 1
English10HJ32a 1 1
English10HJ32b 2 2
English10HJ33 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice questions. Question 6
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 7 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.

Source(s)
Charles Darwin

This text is from an autobiography by the English naturalist Charles Darwin, written in
1876.
The voyage of the "Beagle" has been by far the most important event in my life and
has determined my whole career; yet it depended on so small a circumstance as my
uncle offered to drive me thirty miles to Shrewsbury, which few uncles would have
done, and on such a trifle as the shape of my nose. I have always felt that I owe to the
voyage the first real training or education of my mind; I was led to attend closely to
several branches of natural history, and thus my powers of observation were
5 improved, though they were always fairly developed.

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 The investigation of the geology of all the places visited was far more important, as
reasoning here comes into play. On first examining a new district, nothing can appear
more hopeless than the chaos of rocks; but by recording the stratification and nature
of the rocks and fossils at many points, always reasoning and predicting what will be
found elsewhere, the light soon begins to dawn on the district, and the structure of the
whole becomes more or less intelligible. I had brought with me the first volume of
10 Lyell's 'Principles of Geology,' which I studied attentively, and the book was of the
highest service to me in many ways. The first place I examined, namely St. Jago in
the Cape de Verde islands, showed me clearly the wonderful superiority of Lyell's
manner of treating geology, compared with that of any other author, whose works I
had with me or ever afterwards read.

15 Another of my occupations was collecting animals of all classes, briefly describing and
roughly dissecting many of the marine ones, but from not being able to draw, and
from not having sufficient anatomical knowledge, a great pile of MS. I made during the
voyage has proved almost useless. I thus lost much time, with the exception of that
spent in acquiring some knowledge of the Crustaceans, as this was of service when in
after years, I undertook a monograph of the Cirripedia.

During some part of the day, I wrote my journal and took much pains to describe
carefully and vividly all that I had seen; this was good practice.
20
Glossary
geology – a study of the materials of which the Earth is made
stratification- the arrangement or classification of something into different groups
intelligible - clear enough to be understood
MS. - manuscripts or documents Darwin wrote by hand

25
Source information: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2010/2010-h/2010-h.htm

Question(s)
1 (a) Who does the author saw gave him his first real education of mind? (1 mark)
A. his uncle
B. voyage of the ‘Beagle’
C. natural history
D. his observational power

www.britishcouncil.org 23
1 (b) Identify the synonym of the word ‘fairly’ as used in the passage, from the given
options. (1 mark)
A. Satisfactorily
B. Justly
C. Impartially
D. Equally

2 (a) What does the phrase ‘light soon begins to dawn on the district’ imply’?
(1 mark)

2 (b) How has the author’s power of observation improved?

(2 marks)

3 ‘………a great pile of MS. which I made during the voyage has (10 marks)
proved almost useless.’
Analyse the reasons why a great pile of MS proved useless to the author.
How can lack of prior knowledge and skills prevent you from achieving
your target?
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Who does the author owe to his first real training or education of his mind?

Answer Guidance
voyage of the ‘Beagle’ Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) Identify the synonym of the word ‘fairly’ as used in the passage from the given
options.

Answer Guidance
A satisfactorily Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

2 (a) How has the author’s power of observation improved?

www.britishcouncil.org 24
 Answer Guidance
The author was led to attend closely to Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
several branches of natural history

2 (b) What does the phrase ‘light soon begins to dawn on the district’ imply’?

Answer Guidance
• people start understanding Award 1 mark for each correct point.
• awareness is created

Level of response
3 ‘………a great pile of MS. which I made during the voyage has proved almost useless.’
Analyse the reasons why a great pile of MS. proved useless to the author.
How can prior knowledge and help you achieve a target? (10 marks)

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task

4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8

writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6

• Reasonably competent personal response to the task

2 • Some straightforward comment on some features of the writing 3-4

• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

• Limited awareness of the task

www.britishcouncil.org 25
 0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
• One should spend time on research before taking up any project/ not giving your 100%
may lead to time wasted without learning the skill.
• Time is precious one should utilise every bit of it to be successful in their venture/
knowledge without skill can be useless.
• Exploring helps to gain knowledge.
• Lack of prior knowledge can lead to ignorance.
• Without the required skills, it is not possible to perform any task efficiently.
• Prior knowledge of any topic helps us to face the hurdles confidently.
• Knowledge and skills go hand in hand to help a person achieve their target.
• Any other relevant point.

www.britishcouncil.org 26
English10HK1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10HK1 Reader’s Digest: In Praise of
Hitting Repeat. Surprising
benefits of’ Been there, done that
love it.’

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10HK1a 1 1
English10HK1b 2 2
English10HK12 2 2
English10HK13 1 1 2
English10HK14 4 4 8
Total marks 7 6 1 1 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 – 3 are either MCQ or short answer questions. Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit
and implicit understanding, respectively. Question 3 requires a brief personal response to an
aspect of language.
Question 4 is an extended answer question testing the ability to summarise key points in
students’ own words as far as possible within a specified word limit.

Source(s)
In Praise of Hitting Repeat. Surprising benefits of’ Been there, done that, love
it.’
By Leah Fessler

Social media feeds can quickly convince you that everyone’s life is more
interesting than yours is. On Instagram some months ago, I saw waterskiing in
Maui, hiking in Yosemite and swimming with wild pigs in the Bahamas.

www.britishcouncil.org 27
 Impulsively, I started googling flights to new places, imagining adventures. Then I
ordered food from the place I eat every week and ... felt bad about not trying
5
somewhere new.

This ‘fear of missing out’, or FOMO, is rooted in a common tic: Evolutionarily, we

are disposed to find novel experiences more exciting and attention-grabbing than
repeat experiences. That’s our fight-or-flight psychology at work. Because our
brains can’t process all the stimuli around us, so we pay attention to potentially
new things more intently. What’s more, words such as ‘repetition’ tend to be
associated with more negative emotions than words like ‘novelty’. “Classic
10 research shows that when we think about upcoming experiences, we think about
variety,” says Michael Norton, PhD. “If I ask you right now to select a yoghurt for
each day next week, you will pick your favourite flavour—say, blueberry—a few
times, but you will mix in some strawberry and peach. Because who wants to eat
that much blueberry yoghurt? Over the longer term, though, as the original
experience fades in time and memory, repetition can become more pleasurable.”

He adds, “We are simply more boring than we would like to admit.” Yet because
15 few of us have the time or money to regularly indulge in new experiences, we feel
bad about our lives’ monotony.

Recent research about repeat and novel experiences in the Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology suggests that we ought to reconsider those negative
feelings. Many of us happily listen to our favourite song on repeat or rewatch
favourite movies and TV shows.

“There’s a general belief that if you want to seem like an interesting, cultured
person, the best thing you can do is to showcase that you are open to new
20 experiences,” “That may be true, but I think we take for granted the other value of
really digging deep into one domain.”

O’Brien and his team exposed all participants to the same stimulus, including
museum visits, movies, and video games, to test this hypothesis. The researchers
found that participants said that repeating experiences were often far more
enjoyable than they had predicted across the board.

25 There is joy in repetition partly because every human mind wanders.

Consequently, we miss a substantial part of every experience.

Source information: Abridged Article from Reader’s Digest taken from the internet. By Leah
Fessler
Published Oct 18, 2020
www.britishcouncil.org 28
Question(s)
1 (a) Which two antonyms best summarise the passage? (1 mark)
i. New versus old
ii. Repetition versus novelty
iii. Common versus uncommon
iv. Fear versus adventure

1 (b) Re-read lines 6 – 10. Give two reasons we are more interested in new
experiences. (2 marks)

2 What qualities are ‘cultured people’ (line 23-25) generally thought to have?
(1 mark)

3 Re-read lines 11 – 15. Explain why repetition is considered to be negative.

(2 marks)

4 Re-read the text. (10 marks)

Summarise what the writer says about repetition and novelty in your own
words.
Write no more than 120 words.
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Which two antonyms best summarise the passage?
v. New versus old
vi. Repetition versus novelty
vii. Common versus uncommon
viii. Fear versus adventure

Answer Guidance
Repetition versus novelty Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

www.britishcouncil.org 29
 1 (b) Re-read lines 6 – 10. Give two reasons people find new experiences more
interesting.

Answer Guidance
• Fear of missing out Award 1 mark for each correct point, up to a
• A result of / part of humans’ evolution maximum of 2 marks.
• Fight-or-flight psychology
• Not possible to focus on both repeat
and new experiences
2 What qualities are ‘cultured people’ (lines 23-25) generally thought to have?

Answer Guidance
• Thought to be interesting / not boring Award 1 mark for each correct response, up
• Open to new experiences to a maximum of 2 marks.

3 Re-read lines 11 – 15. Explain why repetition is considered to be negative.

Answer Guidance
Indicates: Award 1 mark for each correct point, up to a
maximum of 2 marks.
• A lack of variety
• A lack of novelty
• Too much familiarity
• Making safe choices

Level of response
4 Re-read the text.
Summarise what the writer says about repetition and novelty.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.

The answer is marked holistically, using the following level descriptors. The need for students to
express their understanding concisely is reflected in the second part of Bullet 1. Excessively

www.britishcouncil.org 30
long responses are unlikely to go higher than 5 marks because of the loss of focus on the task
(even where a range of points are generally expressed in their own words).

Level descriptors

Level Descriptors Mark

4 • Clear understanding of the text, with mostly clear focus 7-8
• A wide range of points, expressed in own words for the most
part
3 • Text generally understood, and task generally addressed 5-6
• A range of points, generally expressed in own words

2 • Evidence of some understanding, with some focus on the task 3-4

• A grasp of some relevant points, with occasional use of own
words
1 • Little understanding of the text and/or task 1-2
• Simple points, lifted from the text

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Students should draw upon the following points:

Repetition

• People criticise themselves for not choosing something new.

• Has negative associations/connotations.
• Can become more enjoyable as the original experience was a long time ago.
• Dull / boring / monotonous.
• We like repeating our favourite activities (songs / films / tv programmes).

Novelty

• Leads to ‘fear of missing out’

• Grabs more attention
• More stimulating / exciting
• Seeking new experiences commonly regarded as what cultured people do

www.britishcouncil.org 31
English10HK2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10HK2 The Hundred Dresses I By El
Bsor Ester

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10HK2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)
First Flight, Chapter 5

Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy
and Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence. Usually, Wanda
sat in the seat next to the last seat in the last row in Room Thirteen. She sat in the
corner of the room where the rough boys who did not make good marks sat, the
corner of the room where there was most scuffling of feet, most roars of laughter
when anything funny was said, and most mud and dirt on the floor.
5

Wanda did not sit there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary, she
was very quiet and rarely said anything at all. And nobody had ever heard her laugh
out loud. Sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile, but that
was all.

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 Nobody knew exactly why Wanda sat in that seat unless it was because she came
all the way from Boggins Heights, and her feet were usually caked in dry mud. But
10
no one really thought that much about Wanda Petronski, once she sat in the corner
of the room.
Source information: First Flight textbook, Chapter 5
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HWNdK-tSGLTXG-F29HjUTd4_-I6NqABJ/view

Question(s)
1 The extract is about the main character, Wanda, in The Hundred Dresses - I.
It is taken from the First Flight textbook. (15 marks)
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer portrays Wanda.
In your answer, you should:
• describe her key characteristics
• explain how others interact with Wanda
• comment on the language the writer uses to portray Wanda

(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 The extract is about the main character, Wanda, in The Hundred Dresses - I. It is
taken from the First Flight textbook.

Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.

With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer portrays Wanda.

In your answer, you should:

• describe her key characteristics
• explain what others think of Wanda
• comment on the language the writer uses to portray Wanda

www.britishcouncil.org 33
Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).

Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not take into account spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• Wanda is new in school and country.
• Polish by birth.
• She sits alone, never talks to anyone or laughs.
• Her impoverished residence, dress and background.
• The butt of ridicule/bullying.
• Girls talking to her are not friends but bullies who pick on her.
• Have fun at her expense.
• The description of her faded blue dress.
• Description of the classroom, her fellow pupils and roars of laughter.
www.britishcouncil.org 34
 • The dialogue showing the other girls’ mockery (e.g. Peggy’s ‘most courteous manner’).

www.britishcouncil.org 35
 English10NHD1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10NHD1 A long walk to Freedom - Prose

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10NHD1 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use a starting point for
their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)

A Long Walk to Freedom By Nelson Mandela

TENTH May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days I had been pleasantly
besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects
before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil.
The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the
5 Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy,
and now it was the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the
installation of South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government.
On that lovely autumn day I was accompanied by my daughter Zenani. On the
10 podium, Mr de Klerk was first sworn in as second deputy president. Then Thabo
Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president. When it was my turn, I pledged to obey
and uphold the Constitution and to devote myself to the well- being of the Republic
and its people. To the assembled guests and the watching world, I said:
Today, all of us do, by our presence here... confer glory and hope to new born liberty.
Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must
15 be born a society of which all humanity will be proud. We, who were outlaws not so
long ago, have today been given the rare privilege to be host to the nations of the
www.britishcouncil.org 36
 world on our own soil. We thank all of our distinguished international guests for
having come to take possession with the people of our country of what is, after all, a
common victory for justice, for peace, for human dignity.
We have, at last, achieved our political emancipation. We pledge ourselves to
20 liberate all our people from the continuing bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discrimination.
Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience
the oppression of one by another.
The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement Let freedom reign. God
25 bless Africa!

A few moments later we all lifted our eyes in awe as a spectacular array of South
African jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared in perfect formation over the Union
Buildings. It was not only a display of pinpoint precision and military force, but a
demonstration of the military’s loyalty to democracy, to a new government that had
been freely and fairly elected.
30

Question(s)

1 This is an extract from Nelson Mandela's autobiography, who became (15marks)

the first black president of South Africa in 1994. It is taken from the
Long Walk to Freedom chapter in the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help answer the following
question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how Mandela presents
his feelings about his ‘long walk to freedom’.
In your answer, you should:
• describe the atmosphere of the day he became president
• explain his feelings about this historic day
• comment on the language he uses to convey his feelings

(Total marks 15)

www.britishcouncil.org 37
Mark scheme
Level of response

1 This is an extract form the autobiography of Nelson Mandela who was became the first black
president of South Africa in 1994. It is taken from the Long Walk to Freedom chapter in the
First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how Mandela presents his feelings about his
‘long walk to freedom’.
In your answer, you should:
• describe the atmosphere of the day he became president
• explain his feelings about this historic day
• comment on the language he uses to convey his feelings

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0
www.britishcouncil.org 38
Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.

• The excitement of the day

• ‘Pleasantly besieged by dignitaries’; ‘the largest gathering’
• The historic moment: ‘South Africa’s first democratic, non-racial government’
• The setting: ‘lovely sandstone atmosphere’’ ‘that lovely autumn day’
• References to Mandela’s inauguration speech
• His criticism of the apartheid past: ‘an extraordinary human disaster’
• The language of victory
• Contrasting with the language of bondage
• The speech’s closing declaration, ‘Let freedom reign’
• Description of the ‘spectacular’ aerial display
• Reflections on the historical significance of the day
• The contrast between the ‘deep and lasting wound of apartheid’ and ‘Man’s goodness’ -
between the past and future

www.britishcouncil.org 39
English10NHD3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10NHD3 The story of my life – By Helen
Keller

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks

English10NHD3a 1 1
English10NHD3b 1 1
English10NHD32a 1 1
English10NHD32b 2 2
English10NHD33 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 1 assesses explicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 2
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 3 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.

Source(s)
The story of my life – by Helen Keller

I was born on June 27, 1880, in Tuscumbia, a little town of northern Alabama.
The family on my father's side is descended from Caspar Keller, a native of
Switzerland, who settled in Maryland. One of my Swiss ancestors was the first
teacher of the deaf in Zurich and wrote a book on the subject of their education--
rather a singular coincidence; though it is true that there is no king who has not had
a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his.

5 My grandfather, Caspar Keller's son, "entered" large tracts of land in Alabama and
finally settled there. I have been told that once a year he went from Tuscumbia to
Philadelphia on horseback to purchase supplies for the plantation, and my aunt has

www.britishcouncil.org 40
 in her possession many of the letters to his family, which give charming and vivid
accounts of these trips.

My father, Arthur H. Keller, was a captain in the Confederate Army, and my mother,
10 Kate Adams, was his second wife and many years younger.

I lived, up to the time of the illness that deprived me of my sight and hearing, in a
tiny house consisting of a large square room and a small one, in which the servant
slept. It is a custom in the South to build a small house near the homestead as an
annex to be used on occasion. Such a house my father built after the Civil War, and
when he married my mother they went to live in it. It was completely covered with
vines, climbing roses and honeysuckles. From the garden it looked like an arbour.
The little porch was hidden from view by a screen of yellow roses and Southern
smilax. It was the favourite haunt of humming-birds and bees.

15 Alabama – a state in North America

smilax – a plant

Word count: 301 words

Source information : http://www.afb.org/about-afb/history/online-library/story-my-life

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify the place where Helen Keller’s ancestors came from. (1 mark)
A. Alabama
B. Switzerland
C. Tuscumbia
D. Maryland

1 (b) State the topic of the letter mentioned in Line 10. (1 mark)

2 (a) What was the effect of Helen’s illness? (1 mark)

2 (b) Explain the ‘coincidence’ referred to in line 5. (2marks)

3 Explore how Helen Keller presents aspects of her life in this extract.
(10 marks)

www.britishcouncil.org 41
 In your answer, you may comment on:
• the information she gives about herself
• the language she uses.
Use references to the extract to support your answer.
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the place where Helen Keller’s ancestors came from.

A. Alabama
B. Switzerland
C. Tuscumbia
D. Maryland

Answer Guidance
B. Switzerland Award 1mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) State the topic of the letter mentioned in Line 10.

Answer Guidance
Caspar Keller's son, Details in the text.
Award one mark for the correct answer.
2 (a) What was the effect of Helen’s illness?

Answer Guidance
The family on her father's side is Details in the text.
descended from Caspar Keller, a native Award one mark for the correct answer with
of Switzerland, who settled in Maryland. a maximum of two marks.

2 (b) Explain the ‘coincidence’ referred to in line 5.

Answer Guidance

www.britishcouncil.org 42
 She lived, up to the time of the illness Details in the text,
that deprived me of my sight and A short description of the house.
hearing, in a tiny house consisting of a
large square room and a small one, in
which the servant slept.

Level of response
3. Explore how Helen Keller presents aspects of her life in this extract.
In your answer, you may comment on:
• the information she gives about herself
• the language she uses.

Use references to the extract to support your answer.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses are marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task

4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8

writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6

• Reasonably competent personal response to the task

2 • Some straightforward comment on some features of the writing 3-4

• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

• Limited awareness of the task

0 Nothing to reward 0

www.britishcouncil.org 43
Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.

• Information about her date and place of birth

• Her Swiss ancestry
• The ‘singular coincidence’
• The metaphor of kings and slaves
• The impact of her illness ‘deprived me of my sight and hearing.’
• Descriptions of her home
• Descriptions of the garden and plants
• The porch: ‘favourite haunt of humming-birds and bees’

www.britishcouncil.org 44
English10PD1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10PD1 Advertisement strategies of
Coca-Cola

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10PD1a 1 1
English10PD1b 2 2
English10PD12 2 2
English10PD13 1 1 2
English10PD14 4 4 8
Total marks 7 6 1 1 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 – 3 are either MCQ or short answer questions. Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit
and implicit understanding, respectively. Question 3 requires a brief personal response to an
aspect of language.
Question 4 is an extended answer question testing the ability to summarise key points in
students’ own words as far as possible within a specified word limit.

Source(s)
Text A

Title: Advertisement strategies

This text gives us an insight into the advertisement of coke. It includes an interview
with two market research experts.

Big brands are often hard-pressed to do something ground-breaking when they're

already so big. So, what did Coca-Cola do to appeal to the masses? They appealed
to individuals — by putting their names on each bottle. The Share a Coke

www.britishcouncil.org 45
 5 campaign began in Australia in 2011 when Coca-Cola personalized each bottle
using the 150 most popular names in the country.

Since then, the U.S. has followed suit, printing first names across the front of its
bottles and cans in Coke's branded font. You can even order custom bottles on
Coke's website to request things like nicknames and college logos. It was a breaking
10 story across the marketing and advertising industry. Many consumers were
enchanted by it, while others were confused by it — why make a temporary item so
personal? Pepsi even released counter-ads shortly after the campaign launched.

Nonetheless, Coke received immediate attention for it. Coke fans are regular buyers,
and the company leaned into that sense of individual ownership with full force.
15
Wondering what name you'll get out of the vending machine was a fun thrill in and of
itself — even if it isn't yours, it encourages you to "share a Coke" with whoever’s
name is on the front.

1.1. What business factors or research inspired ‘Share a Coke’?

1.2.
20 LA: Our research showed that while teens and young adults loved that Coca-Cola
was big and iconic, many felt we were not talking to them at eye level. Australians are
extremely egalitarian. There’s a phrase called “tall poppy syndrome.” If anyone gets
too big for their boots, they get cut down like a tall poppy. By putting first names on
the packs, we were speaking to our fans at eye level.

25 JR: Australia is one of the world’s most developed markets, which means growth is
hard. We have a rich history of effective, innovative marketing. A few years ago, we
created “Bottle Blast”, a campaign that eventually spread to 80 markets. It defined
why people loved Coke, but it wasn’t making them buy more of it. Coke had become
too familiar, too predictable. We were given a clear challenge by the head of the
Pacific region to do something extraordinary. I remember Lucie saying, “We need to
come back with something that makes everyone sit up because of its impact …and
we only have a few weeks.”

Source information: website link: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-advertisements

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify the word from the text which means ‘influential and recognizable’:
(1 mark)
A. Egalitarian
B. Extraordinary
C. Iconic
D. Innovative

www.britishcouncil.org 46
1 (b) From paragraph 1, give two facts about the Coca-Cola company. (2 marks)

2. From paragraph 3, identify two ways that Coca-Cola encouraged the

buyers to “share a Coke”. (2 marks)

3 Explain the significance of the phrase “tall poppy syndrome” as (2 marks)

used in the text.

4 Re-read the text. (8 marks)

Summarise the strategies Coca-Cola used to sell its product.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than
120 words.
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the word from the text which means influential and recognizable.

A. Egalitarian
B. Extraordinary
C. Iconic
D. Innovative

Answer Guidance
C. Iconic (1) Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) From paragraph 1, give two facts about the Coca-Cola company.

Answer Guidance
• Put names on bottles / appealed to Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
individuals maximum of 2 points.
• Began Share a Coke campaign (in
Australia in 2011)

www.britishcouncil.org 47
 • Personalised each bottle / used 150
most popular names on bottles
2 From paragraph 3, identify two ways that Coca-Cola encouraged the buyers to “share
a Coke”.

Answer Guidance
• Targeted sense of individual Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
ownership maximum of 2 points.
• Focused on thrill/fun

3 Explain the significance of the phrase “tall poppy syndrome” as used in the text.
Answer Guidance
• It is a metaphor Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
• Used to emphasise the egalitarianism maximum of 2 points.
of Australians
• Tall poppies brought to earth / cut
down to size (however expressed)

Level of response
4 Re-read the text.
Summarise the strategies Coca-Cola used to sell its product.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.

The answer is marked holistically, using the following level descriptors. The need for students to
express their understanding concisely is reflected in the second part of Bullet 1. Excessively
long responses are unlikely to go higher than 5 marks because of the loss of focus on the task
(even where a range of points are generally expressed in their own words)

Level descriptors

Level Descriptors Mark

4 • Clear understanding of the text, with mostly clear focus 7-8
• A wide range of points, expressed in own words for the most
part
3 • Text generally understood, and task generally addressed 5-6
• A range of points, generally expressed in own words

www.britishcouncil.org 48
 2 • Evidence of some understanding, with some focus on the task 3-4
• A grasp of some relevant points, with occasional use of own
words
1 • Little understanding of the text and/or task 1-2
• Simple points, lifted from the text

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Students may draw upon the following points:

• Targeted individuals
• Personalised bottle / using 150 most common names
• Used campaigns
• It started in Australia / then the US / finally 80 markets
• Targeted sense of individual ownership
• Played on consumers’ sense of fun
• Appealed to egalitarian instincts
• Addressed fans directly / at eye level
• Used innovative marketing methods

www.britishcouncil.org 49
English10PD3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PD3 NCERT textbook (First Flight)
prose glimpses of India

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10PD33 2 2
English10PD34 3 3
English10PD35 10 10
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

www.britishcouncil.org 50
Source(s):
Coorg
Coorg is a coffee country famous for its rainforests and spices. Midway between
Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore sits a piece of heaven that must have
drifted from the kingdom of God. This land of rolling hills is inhabited by a proud race
of martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.
5 Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount
numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg Regiment is one
of the most decorated in the Indian Army, and the first Chief of the Indian Army,
General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now, Kodavus are the only people in India
10 permitted to carry firearms without a licence. The river, Kaveri, obtains its water from
the hills and forests of Coorg.
Mahaseer — a large freshwater fish — abound in these waters. Kingfishers dive for
their catch, while squirrels and langurs drop partially eaten fruit for the mischief of
enjoying the splash and the ripple effect in the clear water. Elephants enjoy being
15 bathed and scrubbed in the river by their mahouts. The most laidback individuals
become converts to the life of high-energy adventure with river rafting, canoeing,
rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking. Numerous walking trails in this region
are a favourite with trekkers. Birds, bees and butterflies are there to give you
company.
20
Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the
tree canopy. I do, however, prefer to step aside for wild elephants. The climb to the
Brahmagiri hills brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of
Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the sixty-four-acre island of
Nisargadhama. Running into Buddhist monks from India’s largest Tibetan settlement, at
nearby Bylakuppe, is a bonus.
Source information: First Flight textbook Chapter 7: Part II ‘Coorg’

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bmOQPDBFNR1cuu3swkCXdDbjBktNZ-PF/view

Question(s)
1 This extract tells you about Coorg. It is taken from the Glimpses of India chapter
in the First Flight textbook. The chapter deals with Goa and Assam as well as
Coorg.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer creates memorable
impressions of Coorg.
In your answer, you should:
• describe key features of the place
• explain what is memorable about Coorg

www.britishcouncil.org 51
 comment on the language the writers use to make Coorg memorable.
(15 marks)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 This extract tells you about Coorg. It is taken from the Glimpses of India chapter in
the First Flight textbook. The chapter deals with Goa and Assam as well as Coorg.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer creates memorable
impressions of Coorg.
In your answer, you should:

• describe key features of the place

• explain what is memorable about Coorg
• comment on the language the writers use to make Coorg memorable.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas

www.britishcouncil.org 52
 1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• The location
• Its proud people and their heritage
• Their hospitality
• The season of joy when the ‘weather is perfect.’
• The service of Coorgi for the Indian army
• Description of the scenery
• Description of the animals ‘enjoying the splash and ripple effect in the clear water.’
• The description of ‘a piece of heaven’ towards the start of the text
• The peaceful, misty, panoramic view of Coorg from the hills that ends the text.

www.britishcouncil.org 53
English10PJ1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PJ1 How to tell wild animals

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10PJ11a 1 1
English10PJ11b 2 2
English10PJ12 2 2
English10PJ13 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively in MCQ or short
answer questions.
Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to analyse a poet’s
language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs students to focus on a key
aspect of the poem; bullet points are designed to support students in answering this main
question. The final sentence of the question reminds students to use references to the text to
support their response.

Source: Class 10 NCERT English Literature and Language book ‘First Flight’
Title: How to tell wild animals
Poet: Carolyn Well
If ever you should go by chance
To jungles in the east;
And if there should to you advance
A large and tawny beast,
If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
5 You’ll know it is the Asian Lion...

www.britishcouncil.org 54
 Or if some time when roaming round,
A noble wild beast greets you,
With black stripes on a yellow ground,
10 Just notice if he eats you.
This simple rule may help you learn
The Bengal Tiger to discern.

If strolling forth, a beast you view,

15 Whose hide with spots is peppered,
As soon as he has lept on you,
You’ll know it is the Leopard.
’Twill do no good to roar with pain,
He’ll only leap and leap again.
20
If when you’re walking round your yard
You meet a creature there,
Who hugs you very, very hard,
Be sure it is a Bear.
25 If you have any doubts, I guess
He’ll give you just one more caress.

Though to distinguish beasts of prey

30 A novice might nonplus,
The Crocodile you always may
Tell from the Hyena thus:
Hyenas come with merry smiles;
But if they weep they’re Crocodiles

35 The true Chameleon is small,

A lizard sort of thing;
He hasn’t any ears at all,
And not a single wing.
If there is nothing on the tree,
’Tis the chameleon you see.

www.britishcouncil.org 55
Source: Class 10 NCERT English Literature and Language book ‘First Flight’

Question(s)

1 (a) Which of the following is not a synonym for ‘peppered’ (line 15)?
A. Dotted
B. Sprinkled
C. Coloured
D. Speckled
(1 mark)
1 (b) Identify two characteristics the writer gives of Bengal tigers.
(2 marks)
2 What contrasting emotions does the writer suggest are characteristic of hyenas
and crocodiles? Give evidence for your answer.
(2 marks)
3 How does the writer make the animals appear so comical?
In your answer, you may write about:
• the characteristics she gives the animals
• the language she uses to describe them
• the structure of the poem.
Use references to the poem to support your response.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Which of the following is not a synonym for ‘peppered’ (line 15)?
A. Dotted
B. Sprinkled
C. Coloured
D. Speckled

Answer Guidance
C. Coloured. Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
1 (b) Identify two characteristics the writer gives of Bengal tigers.

www.britishcouncil.org 56
 Answer Guidance
• Noble animal Award 1 point for each correct point, up to a
• Wild animal maximum of 2 marks.
• Black stripes against yellow
background
• Eats humans

2 What contrasting emotions do the writer suggest are characteristic of hyenas and
crocodiles? Give evidence for your answer.

Answer Guidance
• Hyenas are happy ‘with merry smiles’ Award 1 point for each correct point, up to a
• Crocodiles are unhappy - ‘they weep’ maximum of 2 marks.

Level of response
3 How does the writer make the animals appear so comical?
In your answer, you may write about:
• the characteristics she gives the animals
• the language she uses to describe them
• the structure of the poem

Use references to the poem to support your response.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each language and structure for the highest two levels.
Levels descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas

www.britishcouncil.org 57
 • A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Relating to each animal:
• Asian Lion: His loud roar may lead to the death of his prey/human being.
• The Bengal Tiger: He can easily eat his prey, so one has to be cautious of his presence.
• Leopard: He leaps at his prey very quickly, thereby killing him.
• Bear: A person cannot escape his tight hug, so one should refrain from coming near him.
• Hyena and Crocodile: Hyena’s smile and crocodile’s tears are misleading, as it acts a
warning before they attack their prey.
• Chameleon: It is known for its habit of camouflaging with the surrounding, so one should be
aware of the presence in the woods.

Students may comment on the following:

Language points:
• Colloquial language: ‘you’re dyin’’
• Direct address to the reader
• The vivid descriptions of the animals’ appearances and supposed personalities
• Onomatopoeia such as ‘roars’
• Personification: e.g. ‘greets you’; ‘hugs you’

Structure points:
• A different animal for each stanza
• Use of rhyme, sometimes forced: e.g. dyin’ / Lion
• The idea of the reader ‘roaming’, ‘strolling’, ‘walking’ running through the poem
• The idea of knowledge being imparted: e.g. ‘help you learn / The Bengal Tiger to discern.’

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be considered when arriving at the final mark.

For the higher levels, answers should:

www.britishcouncil.org 58
• Go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points
• Analyse closely the ways in which the author achieves the effect.

www.britishcouncil.org 59
English10PJ2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PJ2 From the Diary of Anne Frank

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10PJ2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)
From the Diary of Anne Frank

My father, the most adorable father I’ve ever seen, didn’t marry my mother until he
was thirty-six and she was twenty-five. My sister, Margot, was born in Frankfurt in
Germany in 1926. I was born on 12 June 1929. I lived in Frankfurt until I was four.
My father emigrated to Holland in 1933. My mother, Edith Hollander Frank, went
with him to Holland in September, while Margot and I were sent to Aachen to stay
with our grandmother. Margot went to Holland in December, and I followed in
5
February, when I was plunked down on the table as a birthday present for Margot.

I started right away at the Montessori nursery school. I stayed there until I was six,
at which time I started in the first form. In the sixth form my teacher was Mrs
Kuperus, the headmistress. At the end of the year we were both in tears as we
said a heartbreaking farewell.
In the summer of 1941 my grandma fell ill and had to have an operation, so my
10 birthday passed with little celebration.

www.britishcouncil.org 60
 Grandma died in January 1942. No one knows how often I think of her and still
love her. This birthday celebration in 1942 was intended to make up for the other,
and Grandma’s candle was lit along with the rest.

The four of us are still doing well, and that brings me to the present date of 20 June
15 1942, and the solemn dedication of my diary.
Source information: First Flight textbook, Chapter 4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CGJ5b-rywTtXnGiktnkeb36z_u-i9ayt/view rst-Flight-Book-
Chapter-4.p

Question(s)

1 This extract from The Diary of Anne Frank is taken from the First Flight textbook. It
is written by a Jewish girl while in hiding with her family from the Nazis during the
German occupation of Amsterdam in World War II.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole extract in the textbook, explore how Anne Frank
movingly conveys her thoughts and feelings.

In your answer, you should:

• describe what you learn of Anne’s situation
• explain what the diary shows us about her feelings
• comment on Anne’s use of language in her diary.
(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 This extract from The Diary of Anne Frank is taken from the First Flight textbook. It is
written by a Jewish girl while in hiding with her family from the Nazis during the German
occupation of Amsterdam in World War II.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole extract in the textbook, explore how Anne Frank
movingly conveys her thoughts and feelings.

www.britishcouncil.org 61
 In your answer, you should:
• describe what you learn of Anne’s situation
• explain what the diary shows us about her feelings
• comment on Anne’s use of language in her diary

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).

Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.

Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• Considered writing in a diary ‘a strange experience.’

www.britishcouncil.org 62
• She had never written a diary before because no one would be interested in reading about a
thirteen-year-old girl.
• She felt the need to write to relax her mind.
• Believed that ‘Paper has more patience than people.’
• Diary was a compensation to pour her thoughts as she didn’t have any real friends.
• She had the whole family but still felt lonely.
• She considered her diary as a friend so kept its name as ‘Kitty.’
• Provides sketch of her family, school life.
• The anecdote about Mr Keesing and chatterboxes.

www.britishcouncil.org 63
English10PJ3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10PJ3 Reading text B prose/literary
non-fiction Travel writing

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10PJ31a 1 1
English10PJ31b 1 1
English10PJ32a 1 1
English10PJ32b 2 2
English10PJ33 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice and short answer
questions. Question 6 assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions.
Question 7 is an extended answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal
analytical response to an unseen text.

Source(s)
Title – Fabien Cousteau: Into the Deep
In this article, the legendary French explorer Jacques Cousteau is interviewed about
the Mission 31 science expedition where he spent more than a month below the
surface in an undersea laboratory.
“The biggest hardship of scuba diving is the time when you realize that you have to go
back up to the surface,” says Fabien Cousteau, grandson of legendary ocean explorer
Jacques Cousteau. A dedicated philanthropist and environmental activist, the
aquanaut, recently spent 31 days living in the world’s only underwater marine
laboratory, 63 feet under the sea in the Florida Keys.

“For Mission 31 specifically, what was probably the most jarring part was going from a
cacophony of life, these fireworks display of life in front of your face 24/7, to piercing

www.britishcouncil.org 64
 5 the surface and finding silence and an empty sky,” he reflects. “It’s been a whirlwind,
but it’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience,” he says of the past three months
since he stepped into the global spotlight with the groundbreaking Mission 31.

Not only exploring the ocean, there was a deeper narrative to Mission 31. Three
years’ worth of scientific data was collected, with areas of study including climate
change, ocean pollution and the decline of biodiversity — all pertinent to our everyday
lives. For example, the team could provide very tangible visuals on what pollution
10
does to a coral reef system, which affects the network of biodiversity and, in turn, our
health through what we eat.

The expedition honoured the 50th anniversary of his grandfather’s 30-day Conshelf II
underwater living trials in the Red Sea in the early days of saturation diving. Cousteau
and his team lived in Aquarius (“the size of a bus”) for a full lunar cycle, with daily
15 diving trips of up to nine hours and education initiatives such as Skype classroom
sessions that reached 70,000 students worldwide.

Despite such a packed timetable, he says, “There were certainly moments when I was
elated when I would just thank my lucky stars that I was blessed enough to have my
eyes opened by the previous generations of what an amazing world this is.” He
20 surpassed his grandfather’s mission by not only staying down longer but going 30 feet
deeper and by using new communication technology, which meant that every moment
was broadcast on multiple channels globally. “It’s the first time on a Cousteau
expedition that we’ve been able to invite the world in live,” he says.

Total words: 369 (abridged from original text)

Source information: https://world-words.com/travel-article-about-fabien-cousteau/#more-3281
Link retrieved on April 1 2021

Question(s)
1
1 (a)
Which of the following is a synonym for ‘jarring’?
A. expected
B. exciting
C. important
D. disagreeable
(1 mark)

www.britishcouncil.org 65
1 (b) From lines 6 – 10, which one word shows that Cousteau experienced a
a lot of things in a short period of time?
(1 mark)
2 (a) Why do you think Cousteau’s mission was named ‘Mission 31’?
(1 mark)

2 (b) Re-read lines 16 – 20. Give two pieces of evidence that show how
challenging Mission 31 was. (2 marks)

3 Re-read the text.

Summarise Cousteau’s experiences during Mission 31.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Which of the following is a synonym for ‘jarring’?
A. expected
B. exciting
C. important
D. disagreeable

Answer Guidance
E. disagreeable Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
1 (b) From lines 6 – 10, which one word shows that Cousteau experienced a lot of
things in a short period of time?

Answer Guidance
D. whirlwind Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
2 (a) Why do you think Cousteau’s mission was named ‘Mission 31’?

Answer Guidance

www.britishcouncil.org 66
 He spent 31 days living in the underwater Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
marine laboratory (1)

2 (b) Re-read lines 16 – 20. Give two pieces of evidence that show how challenging
Mission 31 was.
Answer Guidance
• Stayed underwater for a full lunar Award 1 mark for each correct point, up to a
cycle / 31 days maximum of 2 marks.
• Diving trips were made every day
• ...and last up to 9 hours
• Skype sessions with extremely
large audiences

Level of response
3 Re-read the text.
Summarise Cousteau’s experiences during Mission 31.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task

4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8

writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6

• Reasonably competent personal response to the task

2 • Some straightforward comments on some features of the writing 3-4

• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

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 • Limited awareness of the task

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following:

• Found silence and an empty sky

• Whirlwind, but a wonderful, wonderful experience
• The expedition honoured the 50th anniversary of his grandfather’s underwater living
trials.
• Cousteau and his team lived in Aquarius (“the size of a bus”) for a full lunar cycle.
• Diving trips of up to nine hours.
• Education initiatives such as Skype classroom sessions reached 70,000 students
worldwide.
• Felt elated and thanked his stars.
• Surpassed his grandfather’s mission.
• It went 30 feet deeper.
• Used communication technology to broadcast on channels globally.

www.britishcouncil.org 68
English10PM1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10PM1 Travel writing- Lake Malawi's
lost resort – extract
Source: The Guardian

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
ENGLISH10PM1a 1 1
ENGLISH10PM1b 1 1
ENGLISH10PM12a 1 1
ENGLISH10PM12b 2 2
ENGLISH10PM13 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice questions. Question 6
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 7 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.
Lake Malawi's lost resort – extract

In this extract from Lonely Planet's “Better than Fiction”, novelist Marina
Lewycka reveals how getting lost in the African bush led her to find paradise by Lake
Malawi.

It's easy to get off the beaten track in Malawi. In fact, it can be difficult to stay on it,
as we found one early evening in July three years ago. It was that dangerous twilight
time in Malawi when road accidents are frequent. It became obvious that we weren't
5 going to get to Nkhata Bay that evening, and we'd have to stop somewhere over.
Suddenly, out of the dusk, a crooked, hand-painted wooden sign flickered across our
headlights: "Maia Beach Cafe Accommodashon".

We heard voices, coming from somewhere beyond the bushes. Two boys and an
older man appeared. They greeted us, grinning. We followed them, without knowing
10 who they were or where they were taking us. I felt alternating waves of panic and
resignation. At last, we came to a small hamlet, a man emerged from one of the
houses. We asked whether we could stay at the Maia Beach accommodation. "You
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 are welcomed," he smiled. We followed him as he set off again down a winding track.
The other man and the boys tagged along too, as did a few villagers. This beach
resort, we were told, had been created by an English couple from Birmingham. After
15 our rescuers vanished into the night, we fell into a deep sleep.

We were woken by bright sunlight…I pushed open the door of our hut and gasped at
the sheer beauty of our surroundings. After all the trauma of the previous night, we'd
landed in paradise. And, as in paradise, there were angels: a gaggle of ragged
20 smiling children had gathered at our door. At last, when we packed up our things in
the car, I found my copy of Middlemarch and the electric toothbrush were missing.
Maybe some of the angels were not so angelic but given the huge disparities in
income between them and us, it was a small price to pay.

Recently, we drove up the lake road thinking to spend a few nights at Maia
25 Beach. We stopped some passing locals to get directions. "Maia Beach?" They
shook their heads. "There is no such place around here." I remembered the terrors of
our previous visit, the dark trail through the bushes, and my heart pounding with fear
that the villagers would kidnap or rob us. That's when it occurred to me that maybe,
in their own gentle way, they actually had.

Middlemarch – a long Victorian novel

(394 Words, Abridged)

Source: ‘Better than Fiction’, Marina Lewycka, Lonely Planet,

theguardian.com/travel/2012/nov/23/lake-malawi-holiday-travel-fiction

Question(s)
1 What made the author think that they had landed in paradise?
(a) A. The bright sunlight
B. The show of hospitality
C. The location’s natural beauty
D. The hamlet’s small size
(1 mark)
1 What is the meaning of ‘disparities’ in line 26?
(b) (1 mark)

2 Identify the correct meaning of the phrase “to get off the beaten
(a) track” (line 1).

A. To avoid overcrowded and busy places

B. To follow a route that is frequently travelled
C. To move away from an unsafe path or place
D. To undertake a journey to an unfamiliar place
(1 mark)

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2 “...our rescuers vanished into the night.” (Line 17)
(b) Who are the ‘rescuers’ referred to in this quotation? (1 mark)

3 Explore how the writer conveys the writer’s thoughts and

feelings about her trip to Maia Beach.
In your answer, you should comment on:

• the language the writer uses to convey her thoughts

and feelings

• the way she organises her material.

(10 marks)
Make references to the text to support your answer.
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) What made the author think that they had landed in paradise?

Answer Guidance
C. The location’s natural beauty Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
1 (b) What is the meaning of the word ‘disparities’ in line 26?

Answer Guidance
Inequality / imbalance / differences / Award 1 mark for the correct response.
divergences Allow valid synonyms.
Accept the word in singular or plural form.

2 (a) Based on your understanding of the given passage, identify the correct meaning of
the phrase: “to get off a beaten track”.
Answer Guidance
D. To undertake a journey to an Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
unfamiliar place.
2 (b) “...our rescuers vanished into the night.” (line 17)
Who are the ‘rescuers’ referred to in this quotation?
Answer Guidance
• The older man and the two boys who Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
greeted them maximum of 2 marks.
• The man who welcomed them and
agreed to let them stay at the resort.
• A group of amused villagers who
showed them the way to the beach
resort.

Level of response
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 3. Explore how the writer conveys the writer’s thoughts and feelings about her trip to
Maia Beach.
In your answer, you should comment on:

• the language the writer uses to convey her thoughts and feelings

• the way she organises her material.

Make references to the text to support your answer.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet point) and AO4 (the second bullet point). The AOs
are evenly weighted, and responses are marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task
4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8
writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task
3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6
• Reasonably competent personal response to the task
2 • Some straightforward comments on some features of the writing 3-4
• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited awareness of the task
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following:
• The writer recalls the doubts and apprehensions faced by her on her first visit to Malawi.
• Her initial perception of the place and its inhabitants was shaped by the emotions of fear,
pity and sympathy.
• The reference to “…a crooked, hand-painted wooden sign flickered across our
headlights: "Maia Beach Cafe Accommodation".
• The words describing the pleasant aspects of staying at “Maia Beach Accommodation.”
• Touched by the scenic beauty and hospitality, the author decides to revisit the resort only
to realise that no such resort ever existed.
• The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be taken into account when arriving at the final mark.
For the higher levels, answers should:
• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanations.
• evaluate how the writer conveys her thoughts and feelings about Maia Beach.

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English10PM2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PM2 Footprints without Feet – A
Triumph of Surgery

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks Marks
English10PM2a 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)

The Triumph of Surgery

By James Herriot

This is an excerpt from the chapter named ‘The Triumph of Surgery’ written
by James Herriot wherein he narrates a humorous story about the recovery
of a pet dog named Tricki.
Within minutes, about thirty feet of gleaming black metal drew up outside the
surgery. The chauffeur opened the door, and I could just make out the figure
5 of Mrs Pumphery almost lost in the interior. Her hands were tightly clasped
in front of her; her lips trembled. “Oh, Mr Herriot, do tell me the truth. Is he
really better?”
“Yes, he’s fine. There’s no need for you to get out the car – ill go and fetch
him”.

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 10 I walked through the house into the garden. A mass of dogs was hurtling
round and round the lawn and in their midst, ears flapping, tail waving, was
the little golden figure of Tricki. In two weeks he had been transformed into a
lithe, hard-muscled animal; he was keeping up well with the pack, stretching
out in great bounds, his chest almost brushing the ground.

I carried him back along the passage to the front of the house. The
chauffeur was still holding the car door open and when Tricki saw his
15
mistress he took off from my arms in a tremendous leap and sailed into Mrs
Pumphrey’s lap. She gave a startled “Ooh!” And then had to defend herself
as he swarmed over her, licking her face and barking. During the
excitement, I helped the chauffeur to bring out the beds, toys, cushions,
coats and bowls, none of which had been used. As the car moved away,
Mrs Pumphrey leaned out of the window. Tears shone in her eyes. Her lips
trembled. “Oh, Mr Herriot,” she cried, “how can I ever thank you? This is a
triumph of surgery!”

Source information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SUQ1_Sbc_MVeiNlL2Q5_Bdige8rr9x_D/view

Question(s)
1 This extract is from The Triumph of Surgery, by James Herriot, taken from the Footprints
Without Feet textbook. The story is about the recovery of a pet dog named Tricki.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how Herriot makes the story amusing.
In your answer, you should:
• describe the term surgery, which corresponds to
its meaning in the text.
• explain Mrs. Pumphrey’s reaction after she learns
of Tricki’s recovery.
• comment on the use of humour in the given text.

(15 marks)
Use references to the text to support your answer.
(Total marks 15)

www.britishcouncil.org 74
Mark scheme
Level of response
1 What is meant by the term ‘surgery’ in the text? Why does Mrs Pumphrey proclaim
Tricki’s recovery as ‘a triumph of surgery’? Do you think the use of humour in a story
makes it more appealing to the readers? Justify with reference to the text 'A Triumph of
Surgery'.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward 0

www.britishcouncil.org 75
Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• The character of Mrs Pumphrey, who thought Tricki had been suffering from malnutrition
• Giving the dog a bowl of Horlicks to ‘build him up.’
• The reality that Tricki was a greedy dog / a glutton.
• Mrs Pumphrey spoiling her dog, giving him too much food and insufficient exercise.
• The dog’s ‘whole wardrobe’ is of ‘little tweed coats.’
• Mrs Pumphrey’s melodramatic response when told the dog would be hospitalised – she
‘almost swooned.’
• The other dogs were initially ignoring this ‘uninteresting object’, becoming later ‘an accepted
member of the gang.’
• The comic nature of the dialogue in the extract.
• The extreme nature of her relief: ‘Her lips trembled.’
• The hyperbole of a triumph of surgery.’

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English10PM3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PM3 First Flight Poem – The Trees

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10PM3a 1 1
Total marks 1

Item purpose
Question no. 1a assesses the learner’s ability to understand the explicit meaning of the text.

Source(s)
Trees
The trees inside are moving out into the forest,
the forest that was empty all these days
where no bird could sit
no insect hides
no sun buries its feet in shadow
5 the forest that was empty all these nights
will be full of trees by morning.

All night the roots work

to disengage themselves from the cracks
in the veranda floor.
10 The leaves strain toward the glass
small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof.
like newly discharged patients

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 half-dazed, moving
15 to the clinic doors.

I sit inside, doors open to the veranda

writing long letters
in which I scarcely mention the departure
of the forest from the house.
20 The night is fresh, the whole moon shines
In a sky still open
the smell of leaves and lichen
still reaches like a voice into the rooms

My head is full of whispers

25 which tomorrow will be silent.
Listen. The glass is breaking.
The trees are stumbling forward
into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
The moon is broken like a mirror,
30 its pieces flash now in the crown
of the tallest oak.

Source: First Flight (Textbook in English for class X)

Question(s)
1 (a) Which of the following best sums up the topic of this poem?
A. The creative process involved in the making of a
poem
B. The movement of the trees towards their natural
habitat
C. The plight of a patient about to be released from the
hospital
D. The sufferings perpetrated on humankind by natural
forces (1 mark)
(Total marks 1)

www.britishcouncil.org 78
Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) What does the poem focus on?

Answer Guidance
Option B The movement of the trees • Full mark for correct response.
towards their natural habitat. • No mark shall be awarded for any
other response

www.britishcouncil.org 79
English10PVN1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10PVN1 Text A - Information Magazine
article

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10PVN11a 1 1
English10PVN11b 2 2
English10PVN12 2 2
English10PVN13 1 1 2
English10PVN14 4 4 8
Total marks 7 6 1 1 15

Item purpose
Question 1 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice questions. Question 2
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 3 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.

Source(s)
Dance Therapy
This is an article on how an art form – ‘classical dance’ – can empower
and liberate people, especially the underprivileged girls.

Nehha Bhatnagar, 30, found it hard to accept that a dance tradition as spiritual as
Bharatanatyam would be limited to just a handful privileged enough to learn classical
art. After her training in Ganesa Natyalaya under gurus Saroja and Rama
Vaidyanathan, earning degrees in international relations and political science from
acclaimed institutions and touring the world performing for the who's who, this
5 bothered her.

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 Could the spirituality of classical dance and the strength of international diplomacy be
married? Was it possible to create an inclusive space for the performing arts, and
eventually art education? The genesis of Sarvam Foundation was rooted in these
10
questions. Nehha explains, “I was socially conscious and sensitive to the disparity
around us. This led me to start teaching underprivileged girls the rudiments of
Bharatanatyam.” Lucky to be from a well-to-do family, she had what it took to
succeed, in the conventional sense of the word. “I could have lapsed into a
predictable career path. But a voice within urged me to share some of my luck with
those who had none.”
15

Sarvam — ‘all’, ‘together’ or ‘everyone’ in Sanskrit — was founded in 2012 with the
purpose of bringing the classical arts to all, “from the girl child in the slum to the
corporate executive in her glass tower. New artistes, new audiences, new technicians,
new ideas — open for all, accessible to all.” What began initially as a platform to
20 curate and promote senior artistes soon transformed and expanded to the Sarvam
Plus programme, geared at teaching life skills to the underprivileged girl child through
the classical dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Kuchipudi. With the support
of a small team of like-minded people, and the blessings of friends and family,
Sarvam started its operations in the urban villages of Kishangarh and Rangpuri Pahari
surrounding Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, where Nehha lives.

25
Currently 20 girls, between the ages 10 and 16, make up the group, but the impact of
Sarvam can be measured not in numbers but in the possibilities it has shown. The
dance modules – derived from mythological texts, a woman's strength, the masculine-
feminine balance, to morality – help the girls with "skill-building, developing
confidence and enthusiasm, firing their imagination, teaching hygiene, learning about
nutrition, our heritage and discipline, exploring new avenues, and, of course, dance.
We endeavour to instil self-worth".
Total words: 388 (abridged from original text)
Source information: Article by Suchismita Ukil under the topic ‘Everyday Heroes – Dance
Therapy’ published in November 2017 issue of Reader’s Digest.
Online Source: https://www.readersdigest.in/true-stories/story-dance-therapy-124440

Question(s)

1 (a) What type of art is Bharatanatyam?

(1 mark)

1 (b) Identify the main purpose of starting the Sarvam Foundation. Give the
meaning of the word ‘Sarvam’.

www.britishcouncil.org 81
 (2 marks)

2 What does Nehha mean by saying “predictable career path” (line 12) –
and why doesn’t she take it?
(2 marks)
3 Comment on the meaning of the word ‘married’ in the passage (line 7).
Give an alternative word for ‘married’.
(2 marks)
4 Re-read the text.
Summarise how Sarvam Foundation and Sarvam Plus Programme
were started and their positive impact on underprivileged girls.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.
(8 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) What type of art is Bharatanatyam?
Answer Guidance
Classical art or Performing art Award 1 mark for either response.

1 (b) Identify the main purpose of starting the Sarvam Foundation. Give the meaning of
the word ‘Sarvam’.

Answer Guidance
• The purpose is to bring the classical Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
arts to all. maximum of 2 points.
• Meaning of Sarvam is
all/together/everyone
2 What does Nehha mean by saying “predictable career path” (line 12)? Why doesn’t
she take it?
Answer Guidance
• A predictable career path means any Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
career based on her educational maximum of 2 points.
qualification.

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 • She does not take it as she wanted to
take dance as her career as well as
service to the underprivileged.

3 Comment on the usage of the word ‘married’ in the passage (line 7). Give an
appropriate alternative word for ‘Married’.
Answer Guidance
• The word ‘married’ is used in the Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
sense of joining or combining two maximum of 2 points.
things.
• Alternative word: Joined, combined,
etc.

Level of response
4 Re-read the text.
Summarise how Sarvam Foundation and Sarvam Plus Programme were started and
their positive impact on underprivileged girls.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.

The answer is marked holistically, using the following level descriptors. The need for students to
express their understanding concisely is reflected in the second part of Bullet 1. Excessively
long responses are unlikely to go higher than 5 marks because of the loss of focus on the task
(even where a range of points are generally expressed in their own words).

Level descriptors

Level Descriptors Mark

4 • Clear understanding of the text, with mostly clear focus 7-8
• A wide range of points, expressed in own words for the most
part
3 • Text generally understood, and task generally addressed 5-6
• A range of points, generally expressed in own words

2 • Evidence of some understanding, with some focus on the task 3-4

• A grasp of some relevant points, with occasional use of own
words
1 • Little understanding of the text and/or task 1-2
• Simple points, lifted from the text
www.britishcouncil.org 83
 0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

How they were started

• Sarvam Foundation started by Nehha Bhatnagar
• Teaching the basics to the underprivileged
• She wanted to create a special place for the art using her knowledge of the art and the
world
• The mission statement
• “Bringing music to all” in the year 2012.
• Support of like-minded people led to Sarvam Plus Programme Impact it created
• She taught life skills to underprivileged girls through the classical dance forms of
Bharatanatyam, Kathak and Kuchipudi.
• Girls developed confidence / enthusiasm / imaginative skills
• Learnt about hygiene/nutrition
• Learnt about heritage
• Taught to explore new avenues
• Constant endeavour to instil self-worth

www.britishcouncil.org 84
English10PVN2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PVN2 A Tiger in the Zoo

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks

English10PVN21a 1 1
English10PVN21b 2 2
English10PVN22 2 2
English10PVN23 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively, in MCQ or short
answer questions.
Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to analyse a poet’s use
of language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs students to focus on a
key aspect of the poem; two bullet points are designed to support students in answering this
main question. The final sentence of the question reminds students to use references to the text
to support their response.
A Tiger in the Zoo

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
5 In his quiet rage.

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass
10 Near the water hole

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 Where plump deer pass.

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle’s edge,
15
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,

20
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
By Leslie Norris
Source: Class 10 NCERT English Literature and Language book ‘First Flight.’

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify the poetic device in the phrase ‘behind bars’.

A. assonance
B. rhyme
C. alliteration
D. onomatopoeia
(1 mark)
1 (b) From lines 1 – 4, give two details that you learn about the tiger.
(2 marks)
2 Explain why you think Norris says the tiger ‘should be lurking in
shadow’ (line 5).
(2 marks)
3 Explore how Norris conveys his thoughts about the tiger in the poem.
In your answer, you should:

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 ● comment on the language the poet uses

● consider the contrast made between tigers in the wild and tigers

● in captivity

● the structure of the poem.

Refer to details in the poem to support your response.

(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the poetic device in the phrase ‘behind bars’.

Answer Guidance
C. alliteration Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) From lines 1 – 4, give two details that you learn about the tiger.

Answer Guidance
• It stalks Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
• Has vivid stripes maximum of 2 marks.
• Is in a narrow cage
• Its paws are soft/like velvet
• It is angry.

2 Explain why you think Norris says the tiger ‘should be lurking in shadow’ (line 5).

Answer Guidance
• Tigers are dangerous Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
• They deliberately hide in the darkness maximum of 2 marks.
/ ready to pounce
• This is the normal/instinctive
behaviour for tigers.

www.britishcouncil.org 87
Level of response
3 Explore how Norris conveys his thoughts about the tiger in the poem.

In your answer, you should:

• comment on the language the poet uses
• consider the contrast made between tigers in the wild and tigers in captivity
• the structure of the poem.
Refer to details in the poem to support your response.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each of language and structure for the highest two levels.
Level descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas
• A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following:

Language points
• the personification of the tiger: e.g., ‘lurking’, ‘rage’
www.britishcouncil.org 88
• the adjective ‘plump’ used to describe potential prey
• the onomatopoeia of ‘snarling’
• the reference to ‘fangs’, ‘claws’ and ‘terrorising’
Structure points
• the use of rhyme: e.g., ‘cage…rage’
• the contrast between the tiger at large and the tiger in captivity
• the contrast between the tiger’s actual plight and what he ‘should’ be doing
• the impact of the final stanza: e.g., the repetition of ‘brilliant’.
The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be taken into account when arriving at the final mark.
For the higher levels, answers should:
• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points
• analyse closely the ways in which the author achieves the effects.

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English10PVN3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10PVN3 Two stories about flying

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10PVN3 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
The question assesses students’ understanding of explicit and implicit meanings of the text and
their personal responses to the given question.

Source(s)
Two Stories about Flying
I was starting to feel frightened again. But then he started to go down and I
followed through the storm.
Suddenly I came out of the clouds and saw two long straight lines of lights in front
of me. It was a runway! An airport! I was safe! I turned to look for my friend in the
black aeroplane, but the sky was empty. There was nothing there. The black
aeroplane was gone. I could not see it anywhere.

5
I landed and was not sorry to walk away from the old Dakota near the control
tower. I went and asked a woman in the control centre where I was and who the
other pilot was. I wanted to say ‘Thank you’.

She looked at me very strangely, and then laughed.

“Another aeroplane? Up there in this storm? No other aeroplanes were flying

10 tonight. Yours was the only one I could see on the radar.”

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 So, who helped me arrive there safely without a compass or a radio and without
any more fuel in my tanks? Who was the pilot on the strange black aeroplane,
flying in the storm, without lights?

Source information: First Flight textbook, Chapter 3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13VxYGml1Yq3bTY7-URdQZro4CMTQaziC/view

Question(s)
1 This extract is from The Black Aeroplane, one of two stories about flying
in the First Flight textbook. The narrator recounts his horrifying experience
while he was flying to England.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following
question.
With reference to the whole story, explore how the writer conveys the
horrific experience of flying to England.
In your answer, you should:
Describe the narrator’s experience
Explain what is so horrifying about the flight
Comment on the language used to convey the narrator’s horror.
(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 This extract is from The Black Aeroplane, one of two stories about flying in the First
Flight textbook. The narrator recounts his horrifying experience while he was flying to
England.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole story, explore how the writer conveys the horrific
experience of flying to England.
In your answer, you should:
Describe the narrator’s experience
Explain what is so horrifying about the flight
Comment on the language used to convey the narrator’s horror.

www.britishcouncil.org 91
Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).

Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• The narrator flying his old Dakota aeroplane from Paris to England.
• He was stuck by the storm.
• He saw a black aeroplane by his side that had no lights on its wings.
• The pilot looked and waved the narrator and asked to follow him.
• The narrator followed him blindly and landed safely after seeing the lights of the runway.
• The narrator was overjoyed when he saw the lights of the runway.
• He landed safely and wanted to thank the pilot.
• He was informed by the control room that there was no other aeroplane flew that time.
www.britishcouncil.org 92
• The language that captures the narrator’s shock.
• The language that conveys a sense of the narrator’s surreal experience.

www.britishcouncil.org 93
English10RCH1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10RCH1 A letter to god – Prose

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks

English10RCH1 2 3 10 15

Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)

A Letter to God
By G.L. Fuentes
It was impossible for him [the postmaster] to gather together the hundred
pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put
the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing
only a single word as a signature: God.

Despite his best efforts, he was only able to collect an amount not more than
half of what was required. He then addressed it to Lencho along with a letter
which was undersigned by God.
5

The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was
a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while

www.britishcouncil.org 94
 the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a
good deed, looked on from his office. Lencho showed not the slightest
surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence but he became angry
when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, nor could
he have denied Lencho what he had requested.
10

Next Sunday, Lencho came looking for the reply a bit earlier than expected.
The postman handed him the letter waiting to see him joyful and surprised
15 while the postmaster, feeling satisfied, oversaw it from his office. On the
contrary, the farmer got disheartened on seeing that the money was less than
what he asked for. His faith is still undeterred and he believed that God
cannot make such a mistake.

20 Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the
public writing-table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow,
caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished,
he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the
envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the
postmaster went to open it. 25.It said: "God: Of the money that I asked for,
only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much.
But don't send it to me through the mail because the post office employees
25
are a bunch of crooks.

Source information: First Flight textbook, Chapter 10

www.britishcouncil.org 95
Question(s)

1 The extract begins with the postmaster about to send money in an envelope to
Lencho. It is taken from the story A Letter to God, written by G. L. Fuentes.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how Fuentes portrays Lencho in this
story.
In your answer, you should:

• describe Lencho’s changing feelings about the rain

• explain what is surprising about Lencho’s reaction to receiving the money

• comment on some of the language used to portray Lencho.

(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 The extract begins with the postmaster about to send money in an envelope to
Lencho. It is taken from the story A Letter to God, written by G. L. Fuentes.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how Fuentes portrays Lencho in this
story.
In your answer, you should:

• describe Lencho’s changing feelings about the rain

• explain what is surprising about Lencho’s reaction to receiving the money

• comment on some of the language used to portray Lencho.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

www.britishcouncil.org 96
 Level Descriptors Mark

5 ● A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15

● Much well-selected supporting reference
● Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning

4 ● Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12

● A wide range of supporting references
● Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications

3 ● Reasonably competent personal response 7-9

● Use of supporting textual references
● Understanding of some key ideas

2 ● Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6

● Some use of textual detail
● Some grasp of key ideas

1 ● Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3

● Limited use of the text for support
● Limited evidence of understanding

0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.

● Lencho knew his fields ‘intimately’

● His crops are in desperate need of rain
● His ‘pleasure of feeling the rain on his body.’
● His use of the metaphor ‘new coins’ to describe the raindrops
● The transformation from elation to sadness
● His hope in God
● His selflessness: he will go hungry in return for the 100 pesos
● His predicament moved the postmaster
● Lencho’s feelings/emotions on counting the money
● Unsurprised given his confidence in God
● His anger: ‘much wrinkling of brow.’
● Irony and ungratefulness in his condemnation of the post office employees as a ‘bunch of
crooks’

www.britishcouncil.org 97
English10RCH3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10RCH3 Text A - What Is It with Mona

Lisa's Smile? It's You!

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

mark marks
marks marks
s

English10RCH3a 1 1

English10RCH3b 2 2

English10RCH32 2 2

English10RCH33 1 1 2

English10RCH34 4 4 8

Total marks 7 6 1 1 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 – 3 are either MCQ or short answer questions. Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit
and implicit understanding, respectively. Question 3 requires a brief personal response to an
aspect of language.
Question 4 is an extended answer question testing the ability to summarise key points in
students’ own words as far as possible within a specified word limit.

Source(s)
Text A Article By Sandra Blakeslee
What Is It with Mona Lisa's Smile? It's You!
This article explores the reason behind Mona Lisa’s smile.
For nearly 500 years, people have been gazing at Leonardo da Vinci's portrait of the
Mona Lisa with a sense of bafflement. First, she is smiling. Then the smile fades. A
moment later, the smile returns only to disappear again. What is with this lady's face?
How did the great painter capture such a mysterious expression and why haven't

www.britishcouncil.org 98
 other artists copied it? The Italians have a word to explain Mona Lisa's smile:
sfumato. It means blurry, ambiguous and up to the imagination.

But now, according to Dr. Margaret Livingstone, a Harvard neuroscientist, there is

another, more concrete explanation. Mona Lisa's smile comes and goes, she says,
because of how the human visual system is designed, not because the expression is
10 ambiguous. Dr. Livingstone is an authority on visual processing, with a special interest
in how the eye and brain deal with different levels of contrast and illumination.
Recently, while writing a book about art and the brain, an editor advised her to learn
more about art history.

15 In staring at the picture, Dr. Livingstone said she noticed a kind of flickering quality.
''But it wasn't until later when I was riding my bike home that I realized what it was,''
she said. ''The smile came and went as a function of where my eyes were.'' A
scientific explanation for the elusive smile was suddenly clear. The human eye has
two distinct regions for seeing the world, Dr. Livingstone said. A central area, called
the fovea, is where people see colours, read fine print, pick out details. The peripheral
20 area, surrounding the fovea, is where people see black and white, motion and
shadows.

When people look at a face, their eyes spend most of the time focused on the other
person's eyes, Dr. Livingstone said. Thus, when a person's center of gaze is on Mona
Lisa's eyes, his less accurate peripheral1 vision is on her mouth. And because
peripheral vision is not interested in detail, it readily picks up shadows from Mona
Lisa's cheekbones.

It is also not clear, she said, why other painters have not copied the effect more often.
To make a good counterfeit2 Mona Lisa, one would have to paint the mouth by looking
away from it, she said. How anyone can do that remains a mystery.
1. peripheral: connected with the outer edge of a particular area

2.counterfeit: replica

Word count:381
New Source information: https://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/21/science/what-is-it-with-mona-
lisa-s-smile-it-s-you.html - New York Times: Nov. 21, 2000

Question(s)
1 ( Identify the meaning of ‘bafflement’ as used in line 1.
a
A. Contentment
)
B. Wonder
C. Confusion

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 D. Enlightenment (1 mark)

1 (b) From paragraph 2, identify two facts about Dr Livingstone’s qualifications for
investigating the science behind Mona Lisa’s smile.

(2 marks)

2 From paragraph 4, give two things that happen when a person looks directly at
Mona Lisa’s eyes.

(2 marks)

3 Explain what is meant by ‘elusive smile’ (line 16).

(2 marks)

4 Re-read the text.

Summarise what you learn about Mona Lisa’s smile.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.
(8 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the meaning of ‘bafflement’ as used in line 1.
A. Contentment
B. Wonder
C. Confusion
D. Enlightenment

Answer Guidance

C. confusion Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) From paragraph 2, identify two facts about Dr Livingstone’s qualifications for
investigating the science behind Mona Lisa’s smile.

Answer Guidance

www.britishcouncil.org 100
 • She is a neuroscientist (from Harvard) Award 1 mark for each correct answer.
• She is an authority on visual Maximum of 2 marks.
processing.

2 From paragraph 4, give two things that happen when a person looks directly at Mona
Lisa’s eyes.

Answer Guidance

• Peripheral vision is on her mouth Award 1 mark for each correct answer.
Maximum of 2 marks.
• Peripheral vision picks up shadows from
cheekbones / does not pick up detail in
cheekbones

3. Explain what is meant by ‘elusive smile’ (line 16).

Answer Guidance

The smile is deceptive /difficult to Award 2 marks for a convincing

understand/ difficult to remember explanation.
Award 1 mark for a basic or partial
answer.
Award 0 marks for misunderstanding.

Level of response
4 Re-read the text.
Summarise what you learn about Mona Lisa’s smile.
Use your own words as far as possible. Write no more than 120 words.

The answer is marked holistically, using the following level descriptors. The need for students to
express their understanding concisely is reflected in the second part of Bullet 1. Excessively
long responses are unlikely to go higher than 5 marks because of the loss of focus on the task
(even where a range of points are generally expressed in their own words).

Level descriptors

Level Descriptors Mark

4 7-8
● Clear understanding of the text, with mostly clear focus
● A wide range of points, expressed in own words for the most
part

www.britishcouncil.org 101
 3 5-6
● Text generally understood, and task generally addressed
● A range of points, generally expressed in own words
2 3-4
● Evidence of some understanding, with some focus on the task
● A grasp of some relevant points, with occasional use of own
words
1 1-2
● Little understanding of the text and/or task
● Simple points, lifted from the text
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Students may draw upon the following points:

• 500 years of viewing

• The bewildered reactions
• Sense of mystery
• The appearance of a smile that comes and goes
• A result of visual processing
• Not an objectively ambiguous expression
• The science behind peripheral vision
• When looking directly into the eyes of Mona Lisa
• Few efforts by painters replicating the effect.

www.britishcouncil.org 102
English10SM1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10SM1 Text B - Emma Watson’s
speech at the UN: Gender
equality is your issue too

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks
English10SM1a 1 1
English10SM1b 1 1
English10SM12a 1 1
English10SM12b 2 2
English10SM13 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice questions. Question 6
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 7 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.
Source(s)
Gender equality is your issue too
We want to end gender inequality
This is from a speech by UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson. The
speech was delivered at a special event for the HeForShe campaign in the United
Nations Headquarters, New York, 20 September 2014.

Today we are launching a campaign called HeForShe. We want to end gender

inequality, and to do this; we need everyone involved.

I was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women six months ago. And, the
more I spoke about feminism, the more I realized that fighting for women’s rights has
www.britishcouncil.org 103
 too often become synonymous with man-hating. For the record, feminism by
definition is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and
opportunities.

5
Sadly, no country in the world can yet say that they achieved gender equality. These
rights, I consider to be human rights, but I am one of the lucky ones.

In 1995, Hillary Clinton made a famous speech in Beijing about women’s rights.
Sadly, many of the things that she wanted to change are still true today. But what
stood out for me the most was that less than thirty percent of the audience were male.
How can we effect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome
to participate in the conversation?
10
Men, I think gender equality is your issue, too. I’ve seen young men suffering from
mental illness, unable to ask for help for fear it would make them less of a man. I’ve
seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male
success. Men don’t have the benefits of equality, either.

We don’t often talk about men being imprisoned by gender stereotypes, but I can see
15 that they are, and that when they are free, things will change for women as a natural
consequence. If men don’t have to be aggressive in order to be accepted, women
won’t feel compelled to be submissive. Both men and women should feel free to be
sensitive. Both men and women should feel free to be strong. It is time that we all
perceive gender on a spectrum, instead of two sets of opposing ideals.

You might be thinking, “Who is this Harry Potter girl, and what is she doing speaking
at the UN?” I’ve been asking myself the same thing. If you believe in equality, you
20
might be one of those inadvertent feminists that I spoke of earlier, and for this, I
applaud you. I invite you to step forward, to be seen and to ask yourself, “If not me,
who? If not now, when?”
(390 words)
(Abridged speech)

Source information : https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2014/9/emma-watson-gender-

equality-is-your-issue-too

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify the synonym for ‘inadvertent’ (in line 25).

www.britishcouncil.org 104
 A. indiscriminate
B. advertised
C. unintentional
D. intentional
(1 mark)

1 (b) Provide a quotation from the extract that shows the main objective of the
HeForShe campaign. Your quotation should consist of three words.
(1 mark)

2 (a) What caught Emma Watson’s attention on the day Hillary Clinton delivered
her speech in Beijing about women’s rights?
(1 mark)

2 (b) From the text, give two illustrations of sexism impacting men.
(2 marks)

3 In her speech, Emma Watson discusses issues of gender equality.

Explore how effectively she does this.
In your answer, you should comment on:
• her use of language and tone
• the way she structures her speech.
Use references to the text to support your answer.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the synonym for ‘inadvertent’ (in line 25).

A. indiscriminate
B. advertised
C. unintentional
D. intentional (1 mark)

www.britishcouncil.org 105
 Answer Guidance
C unintentional Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) Provide a quotation from the extract that shows the main objective of the HeForShe
campaign. Your quotation should consist of three words. (1 mark)
Answer Guidance
‘end gender inequality’ Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

The stipulation of 3 words is to discourage

overly long quotations.

However, accept ‘want to end gender

inequality’.

Do not accept a quotation beginning ‘We...’

as this does not answer the question.
2 (a) What caught Emma Watson’s attention when Hilary Clinton delivered her speech in
Beijing about women’s rights? (2 marks)

Answer Guidance
• The majority of the audience was Award 1 mark for either point.
female, or less than thirty per cent of
the audience were male
• This suggests that men don’t feel
themselves part of the conversation
about ending inequality.
2 (b) From the text, give two illustrations of sexism impacting men.
Answer Guidance
• Young men suffering from mental Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
illness maximum of 2 marks.
• Unable to ask for help for fear it would
make them less of a man.
• Men are made fragile and insecure by
a distorted sense of what constitutes
male success.

Level of response
3. Explore how Emma Watson presents issues of gender equality in her speech.

www.britishcouncil.org 106
 In your answer, you should comment on:
• her use of language and tone
• the way she structures her speech.

Use references to the text to support your response.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses are marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task

4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8

writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6

• Reasonably competent personal response to the task

2 • Some straightforward comment on some features of the 3-4

writing
• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

• Limited awareness of the task

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following:

• The clear statement of the objective at the start of the speech: ‘end gender inequality.’
• Her definition of gender equality/rebuttal of ‘man-hating.’
• The use of shocking statistics when referring to the Beijing audience

www.britishcouncil.org 107
• The rhetorical question ‘How can we effect change...?’
• Focus on the perspective of men as well as women/notions of success
• The metaphor ‘imprisoned by gender stereotypes’
• Contrasting words ‘aggressive’ and ‘submissive.’
• The powerful rhetorical questions at the end/a kind of rallying call

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be considered when arriving at the final mark.
For the higher levels, answers should:

• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanations of points

• evaluate how effectively Watson communicates her ideas about gender inequality.

www.britishcouncil.org 108
English10SM2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10SM2 The Midnight Visitor
By Robert Arthur

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10SM2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s):
The Midnight Visitor
By Robert Arthur

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
5
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

10 altogether lost the American accent he had brought to Paris from Boston

www.britishcouncil.org 109
 twenty years ago.

“You are disappointed,” Ausable said wheezily over his shoulder.

“You were told that I was a secret agent, a spy, dealing in espionage

and danger. You wished to meet me because you are a writer, young

and romantic. You envisioned mysterious figures in the night, the crack
15
of pistols, drugs in the wine.”

“Instead, you have spent a dull evening in a French music hall

with a sloppy fat man who, instead of having messages slipped into

his hand by dark-eyed beauties, gets only a prosaic telephone call

making an appointment in his room. You have been bored!” The fat

man chuckled to himself as he unlocked the door of his room and

stood aside to let his frustrated guest enter.

20
“You are disillusioned,” Ausable told him.

Source: NCERT Textbook- Footprints without Feet

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cASlruvS0AUce_fva_mvtH10B4MyuIvL/view

Question(s)
1 This extract describes the first meeting of Fowler and Ausable. It is taken from
The Midnight Visitor, in the Footprints Without Feet textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer brings the three
characters to life in this story.
In your answer, you should:
• describe the situation the characters are in
• explain how the writer builds tension between the characters
• comment on the language used to describe the characters.
(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

www.britishcouncil.org 110
Mark scheme
Level of response
1. This extract describes the first meeting of Fowler and Ausable. It is taken from
The Midnight Visitor, in the Footprints Without Feet textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer brings the three
characters to life in this story.

In your answer, you should:

• describe the situation the characters are in
• explain how the writer builds tension between the characters
• comment on the language the used to describe the characters.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not take into account spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the
Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
www.britishcouncil.org 111
 • Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• Fowler was a young romantic writer
• Fowler has his own expectations of what a secret agent should look like
• Fowler had imagined a smooth-talking, smart secret agent
• He was disillusioned when he met Ausable
• Ausable does not fit that description
• Ausable was ordinary looking, fat man
• There was not an air of mystery around him
• He does not carry any weapon
• The evening began on a dull note, devoid of any mystery
• Soon the events take a curious turn
• Fowler sees a battle unfolding in front of his eyes – a battle not of physical strength but a
battle of wits
• Ausable dealt with an armed enemy spy Max very smartly and cleverly
• Ausable displayed great presence of mind and totally outwitted Max
• Fowler realises how faulty and skewed his idea of a secret agent was
• Max would fit his idea of a secret agent more, but it is Ausable who proves to be better at the
game
• Appearances can be deceptive

www.britishcouncil.org 112
English10SS1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10SS1 The Trees by Adrienne Rich

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10SS1a 1 1
English10SS1b 2 2
English10SS12 2 2
English10SS13 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively, in MCQ or short
answer questions.
Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to analyse a poet’s use
of language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs students to focus on a
key aspect of the poem; bullet points are designed to support students in answering this main
question. The final sentence of the question reminds students to use references to the text to
support their response.

Source(s)
The Trees by Adrienne Rich

The trees inside are moving out into the forest

The forest that was empty all these days
Where no bird could sit
No insect hide
5 No Sun bury its feet in shadow
The forest that was empty all these nights

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 Will be full of trees by morning.

All night the roots work

To disengage themselves from the cracks
10 In the veranda floor.
The leaves strain toward the glass,
Small twigs stiff with exertion,
Long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof
Like newly discharged patients
15 Half-dazed, moving
To the clinic doors.

(First two stanzas only)

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify the literary device used in ‘like newly discharged patients.’
(1 mark)

1 (b) From lines 1 – 7, state two consequences of the destruction of the

forest.
(2 marks)

2 From lines 8 – 13, give two ways the trees appear to be breaking free
from the house.
(2 marks)

3 How does the poet create vivid impressions of the forest and the trees
in this extract from The Trees?

In your answer, you may comment on:

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 • The poet’s description of the forest
• The ways in which the poet suggests the trees are breaking free
• The structure of this extract from the poem.
Use references to the poem to support your response.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the literary device used in ‘like newly discharged patients.’

Answer Guidance
Simile Award 1 mark for the correct answer.
1 (b) From lines 1 – 7, state two consequences of the destruction of the forest.

Answer Guidance
• No bird could sit / no birds Award 1 mark for each correct point, up to a
• No insect could hide / no insects maximum of 2 points.
• Sun could not form shadows
• The forest was empty

2 From lines 8 – 13 give two ways the trees appear to be breaking free from the house.

Answer Guidance
• Roots disengaging themselves from Award 1 mark for each correct point, up to a
cracks (in veranda) maximum of 2 points.
• Leaves straining towards windows
• Branches shuffling under roof
• Twigs exerting themselves / stiff with
exertion

Level of response
3. How does the poet create vivid impressions of the forest and the trees in this extract
from The Trees?

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 In your answer, you may comment on:
• The poet’s description of the forest
• The ways in which the poet suggests the trees are breaking free
• The structure of this extract from the poem

Use references to the poem to support your response.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each language and structure for the highest two levels.
Levels descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas
• A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Students may comment on the following:

Language points

• The significance of the trees in the forest

• The personification of the trees and efforts to go back to the forest

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• Roots disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor
• Leaves strain toward the glass
• Twigs stiff with exertion
• Boughs shuffling under the roof
• Wider symbolism (perhaps of women’s struggle to free themselves from confinement)

Structure points
• Begins with the striking idea of trees inside a home/house/garden trying to move into a forest
• List of examples of how the forest has been destroyed
• Followed by a list of the ways in which parts of trees are breaking free
• The semantic field of exertion/straining
• The impact of the simile that ends the extract (lines 14-16)

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be taken into account when arriving at the final mark.

For the higher levels, answers should:

• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points
• analyse closely the ways in which the author creates vivid impressions.

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English10SS2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10SS2 Prose - Mijbil the Otter

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10SS2 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)
Mijbil the Otter

The creature that emerged from this sack on to the spacious tiled floor of the
Consulate bedroom resembled most of all a very small, medievally-conceived,
dragon. From the head to the tip of the tail he was coated with symmetrical pointed
scales of mud armour, between whose tips was visible a soft velvet fur like that of a
chocolate-brown mole. He shook himself, and I half expected a cloud of dust, but in
fact it was not for another month that I managed to remove the last of the mud and
5
see the otter, as it were, in his true colours.

Mijbil, as I called the otter, was, in fact, of a race previously unknown to science,
and was at length christened by zoologists Lutrogale perspicillata maxwelli, or
Maxwell’s otter. For the first twenty-four hours Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly;
he was simply aloof and indifferent, choosing to sleep on the floor as far from my
bed as possible. The second night Mijbil came on to my bed in the small hours and
10 remained asleep in the crook of my knees until the servant brought tea in the

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 morning, and during the day he began to lose his apathy and take a keen, much
too keen, interest in his surroundings. I made a body-belt for him and took him on a
lead to the bathroom, where for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water,
plunging and rolling in it, shooting up and down the length of the bathtub
underwater, and making enough slosh and splash for a hippo.

Source information: First Flight textbook, Chapter 8

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R6-PKL8hAUs9epiKDN1ZuidK4bzNHY4I/view

Question(s)
1 Question 1

This extract is from Mijbil the Otter, taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer portrays the otter
and its relationship with humans.

In your answer, you should:

• describe the otter’s appearance
• explain the writer’s attitude towards the otter
• comment on the writer's language to portray the otter’s relationship with the
writer and his wife.
(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1 This extract is from Mijbil the Otter, taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help you answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer portrays the otter and its
relationship with the writer.
In your answer, you should:
• describe what happens to the otter
• explain the writer’s attitude towards the otter
• comment on the language used to portray the otter’s relationship with the writer and
his wife.

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Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not take into account spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the
Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.
• The creature resembled, most of all a very small dragon
• Coated with (symmetrical pointed) scales of mud armour
• For the first twenty-four hours, Mijbil was neither hostile nor friendly
• The writer was very fond of the animal / wanted to keep it as a pet
• Slowly the otter adjusts to this new setting
• The writer made a body belt for him and took him on a lead to the bathroom

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 …where for half an hour he went wild with joy in the water, plunging and rolling in it /
shooting up and down the length of the bathtub underwater / making enough slosh and
splash for a hippo
• Clearly, the animal loved to be in water which was its natural habitat.
• Contrasts with normal experience that no animal would like to be brought under
confinement / they remain healthy, strong and active only in their natural habitat.

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English10SS3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10SS3 Reading Text B

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks marks marks

English10SS35a 1 1
English10SS35b 1 1
English10SS356a 1 1
English10SS36b 2 2
English10SS357 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through short-answer questions. Question 6
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 7 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.

Source(s)
A Matter of Fact
by Rudyard Kipling

This extract describes how three friends on their voyage on the Rathmines witnessed
a tough situation and dealt with it.

'Coming home,' Keller repeated, leaning over the stern. I ran to his side and saw the
log-line, which till then had been drawn tense over the stern railing, slacken, loop, and
5 come up off the port quarter. Frithiof called up the speaking tube to the bridge, and
the bridge answered, 'Yes, nine knots.' Then Frithiof spoke again, and the answer
was, 'What do you want of the skipper?' and Frithiof roared, 'Call him up.'

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 By this time Zuyland, Keller, and myself had caught something of Frithiof's
excitement, for any emotion on shipboard is most contagious. The captain ran out of
his cabin, spoke to Frithiof, looked at the log-line, jumped on the bridge, and in a
10 minute, we felt the steamer swing round as Frithiof turned her. ''Going back to Cape
Town?' said Keller.

Frithiof did not answer, but tore away at the wheel. Then he beckoned us three to
help, and we held the wheel down till the _Rathmines_ answered it, and we found
ourselves looking into the white of our own wake, with the still oily sea tearing past our
bows, though we were not going more than half steam ahead.
15
The captain stretched out his arm from the bridge and shouted. A minute later I would
have given a great deal to have shouted too, for one-half of the sea seemed to
shoulder itself above the other half, and came on in the shape of a hill. There was
neither crest, comb, nor curl-over to it; nothing but black water with little waves
20 chasing each other about the flanks. I saw it stream past and on a level with the
_Rathmines_' bow-plates before the steamer lifted up her bulk to rise, and I argued
that this would be the last of all earthly voyages for me. Then we lifted for ever and
ever and ever, till I heard Keller saying in my ear, 'The bowels of the deep, good Lord!'
and the _Rathmines_ stood poised, her screw-racing and drumming on the slope of a
hollow that stretched downwards for a good half-mile.

We went down that hollow, nose under for the most part, and the air smelt wet and
muddy, like that of an emptied aquarium.
(Abridged)

contagious (line 7): spread from one person to another

beckoned (line 10): instructed someone to approach
Source information: Title: The Kipling Reader, Selections from the Books of Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling, MACMILLAN AND CO, LIMITED, ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1923
www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/16578/pg16578.txt

Question(s)
1 (a) Which person first sensed the arrival of the tide?
(1 mark)
1 (b) State what Frithiof did after talking to the skipper.
(1 mark)
2 (a) Why do you think emotion on shipboard is described as ‘most contagious’?
(1 mark)
2 (b) From lines 21 – 23, give two pieces of evidence that suggest the

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 the danger the sailors are in.
(2 marks)
3 The writer builds tension in this extract about the danger the sailors
face at sea.

Explore how the writers build the tension in this extract.

In your answer, you may comment on:
• the dramatic descriptions of the sea
• how the sailors react to the danger
• the way the extract begins and ends.

Use references to the text to support your response.

(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Which person first sensed the arrival of the tide?

Answer Guidance
Frithiof Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) State what Frithiof did after talking to the skipper.

Answer Guidance
He tore at the wheel / turned the steamer. Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

2 (a) Why do you think emotion on shipboard is described as ‘most contagious’?

Answer Guidance
• It spreads because of the sailors Award 1 mark for this point, however,
being confined to the ship. expressed.

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 2 (b) From lines 21 – 23, give two pieces of evidence that suggest the danger the sailors
are in.

Answer Guidance
• The boat ‘lifted forever and ever and Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
ever.’ maximum of 2 marks.
• Keller’s reference to the ‘bowels of the
deep.’
• His prayer ‘good Lord!’
• The hollow that ‘stretched downward
for a good half-mile.'

Level of response
3 The writer builds tension in this extract about the danger the sailors face at sea.

Explore how the writers build the tension in this extract.

In your answer, you may comment on:

• the dramatic descriptions of the sea

• how the sailors react to the danger
• the way the extract begins and ends.

Use references to the text to support your response.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses are marked holistically using the levels descriptors.
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task

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 4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8
writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some 5-6

effects
• Reasonably competent personal response to the task
2 • Some straightforward comments on some features of the 3-4
writing
• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

• Limited awareness of the task

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
• The author builds up from a calm and poised voyage.
• Initially, Frithiof senses the danger and informs the captain of the ship
• Keller could feel that the situation was anything but normal, yet could not figure it out.
• He asks a question to clear his doubts.
• Even the author senses the same.
• Frithiof turns the steamer.
• Suddenly they see the water level increasing.
• Frithiof indicates them to come to help.
• The tide was huge, and the steamer started pulling up.
• The author and his friends haven’t faced this kind of situation before.
• Initially, they show signs of fear but hold on to their nerves.
• Bravely face the danger and come out victorious.

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English10SV2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10SV2 First Flight Poem-For Anne
Gregory

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10SV2a 1 1
English10SV2b 2 2
English10SV22 2 2
English10SV23 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively, in MCQ or short
answer questions.
Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to analyse a poet’s use
of language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs students to focus on a
key aspect of the poem; bullet points are designed to support students in answering this main
question. The final sentence of the question reminds students to use references to the text to
support their response.

Source(s)
For Anne Gregory
by William Butler Yeats
“Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”

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 5 “But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”

“I heard an old religious man

But yesternight declare
10 That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”

Source information: NCERT textbook- ‘First Flight’-Chapter 9, Poem – For Anne Gregory

Question(s)
1 (a) Identify the literary device the poet uses in the word
‘ramparts’.
A. personification
B. simile
C. metaphor
D. onomatopoeia

(1 mark)

1 (b) Identify two things that the old religious man tells the poet. (2 marks)
2 In your own words, explain why Anne Gregory suggests (2 marks)
dyeing her hair.

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3 Explore how Yeats conveys ideas about beauty in this
poem.
In your answer, you should comment on:
• the conversation between the poet and Anne Gregory
• the ideas about beauty
• the language the poet uses.
Make references to the poem to support your response.
(10 marks)

(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify the literary device the poet uses in the word ‘ramparts’.
A. personification
B. simile
C. metaphor
D. onomatopoeia

Answer Guidance
C. metaphor Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) Identify two things that the old religious man tells the poet.

Answer Guidance
• The old man found a text Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
• To prove God loves the woman for maximum of 2 marks
herself
• ...and not for her yellow hair.
2 Explain why Anne Gregory suggests dyeing her hair.

Answer Guidance
• She is responding to the poet’s point Award 1 mark for each point, up to a
that men love her for her yellow hair maximum of 2 marks
• She will change how she looks to
encourage men to appreciate qualities
beyond physical appearance
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Level of response
3 Explore how Yeats conveys ideas about beauty in this poem.
In your answer, you should comment on:
• the conversation between the poet and Anne Gregory
• ideas expressed about beauty
• the language the poet uses.
Make references to the poem to support your response.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each language and structure for the highest two levels.
Levels descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas
• A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 • Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Students may comment on the following:

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Language points:

• The words used to describe her hair colour

• The symbolism of hair representing outer beauty
• The tone of the poet’s voice
• The tone of Anne’s voice
• The metaphorical use of ‘ramparts’: as a wall protects a fort, so her hair also protects her
face from being seen fully
• The melodramatic description of the men in ‘despair’

Structure points:

• Structured as a conversation between himself (stanzas 1 and 3) and Anne Gregory (stanza
2)

• The running contrast between external appearance and inner beauty (however expressed)

• The contrast between ephemeral and enduring qualities

• The final stanza resolves the central issue by stating an old religious man’s declaration that
God is the only one who is able to look beyond external beauty and identify the true self
• The effect of the use of rhyme: despair, ear, hair, there, despair, hair, declare, dear, hair. All
the words rhyme with each other.
The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be taken into account when arriving at the final mark.
For the higher levels, answers should:
• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points
• analyse closely the ways in which the author conveys ideas about beauty.

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English10SV3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10SV3 The Proposal (First Flight)

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10SV3a 2 2
English10SV3b 3 3
English10SV3c 10 10
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

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Source(s):
The Proposal

Source information: NCERT textbook (First Flight)-Class 10, Chapter 11(Excerpt from the play)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/11AI2tNQ3spuRALE_ljgHCYFHkglFsW2H/view

Question(s)
1 This extract is taken from the beginning of the play The Proposal by Anton Chekov. It is
taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to help answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the characters interact in the play.
In your answer, you should:
• describe the petty arguments between the characters
• explain the impact the arguments have on the relationships between the character
• comment on Chekov’s use of dialogue in presenting the characters.
(15 marks)
(Total marks 15)

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Mark scheme
Level of response
1 This extract is taken from the beginning of the play The Proposal by Anton Chekov. It
is taken from the First Flight textbook.

Read the extract carefully and use it to help answer the following question.

With reference to the whole text, explore how the characters interact in the play.

In your answer, you should:

• describe the petty arguments between the characters

• explain the impact the arguments have on the relationships between the character
• comment on Chekov’s use of dialogue in presenting the characters.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not take into account spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the
Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail

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 • Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 • Nothing to reward. 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted
• In the play, Chubukov is a landowner; his daughter is Natalya; Lomov is Chubukov’s
neighbour, a large and hearty, but very suspicious, landowner. Lomov wishes to ask
Natalya’s hand in marriage
• Lomov is greeted with affection by Chubukov, who even stated that he loved Lomov like
his own son and continuously
• They argue over the ownership of Oxen meadows
• Lomov is ready to show documents to prove his point and insists that his aunt’s
grandmother had given free use of these meadows
• This is the turning point where Natalya rejects Lomov’s claims and is harsh.
• Natalya accuses Lomov of being a landgrabber - they retoo stubborn to compromise and
became quarrelsome
• Chubukov then escalated the tensions by asserting that the land was theirs.
• They insulted each other’s families and abused each other until Lomov was driven out
• All three of them were immature and petty and hurled insults such as ‘intriguer’, ‘stuffed
sausage’ and ‘scarecrow’ at each other
• Chubukov even threatened to shoot Lomov. As the heated argument continued, Lomov
collapsed (he suffered from palpitations), and Chubukov and Natalya feared him dead
• During this commotion, the cordial relation between the neighbours was dampened, and
the proposal was forgotten
• Their habit of fighting over petty issues embittered their relationship
• However, good economic sense leads to the marriage, although the quarrel perhaps
continues
• Arguments over insignificant things have led to disastrous results, especially between
close family members and friends.

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English10VN1
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Content of source description

English 10 English10VN1 Prologue to Self- Empowerment
of Women written by Dr Sarla
Sharma (Published
posthumously)

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks Marks marks marks
English10VN1a 1 1
English10VN1b 1 1
English10VN12a 1 1
English10VN12b 2 2
English10VN13 5 5 10
Total marks 2 3 5 5 15

Item purpose
Question 5 assesses explicit understanding through multiple-choice questions. Question 6
assesses implicit understanding through short answer questions. Question 7 is an extended
answer response that assesses the ability to make a personal analytical response to an unseen
text.

Source(s)
Prologue from self-empowerment of women

This is written by Satish Bhasin. It is taken from the Prologue to the book ‘Self-
Empowerment of Women’ by Dr Sarla Sharma, Professor Emeritus.
It is my honourable, but sad, privilege to write the prologue for this book, SELF-
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN. It was conceived by the late Dr. Sarla Sharma,
Professor of Psychology, Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro,
North Carolina, USA. After extensive research, she came to the conclusion that
women in all societies, all over the world, are exploited by males. Dr. Sharma was
intensely anguished by the deplorable plight of women. She wrote a series of articles,

www.britishcouncil.org 136
 5 during her professional life, highlighting the pitiable condition of women, and
articulating measures to ameliorate it.
Her thoughts permeate through all her articles.

The dominant theme is THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE LIVES OF WOMEN. She

realised that women cannot depend on the mercy of men to help them. Hence,
women must learn to help themselves. Consequently, the concept of Self-
10 empowerment of women emerged. Women are entitled to pride, honour, dignity and
self-respect. But, these would not be bestowed upon them. They would have to earn
them through self-empowerment. They would have to struggle for them. She believed
that in the male-dominated, patriarchal, and chauvinistic society, women would never
get the status of equality. Hence, they would have to fight for equality, fairness and
justice. Dr. Sarla Sharma was a feminist in the noblest sense of the word. She was a
staunch advocate of the women’s fundamental freedom and human rights. She
15 wanted every woman in the world to enjoy her inalienable rights to life, liberty and
happiness to the fullest extent.

Finally, I would be remiss in my duty if I forget to emphasize that this book deals with
the human issue of utmost significance in the world. It has profound implications and
ramifications for the humanity. It is relevant for both men and women in every part of
the world. While women would be the prime movers in the mission of self-
empowerment, cooperation, assistance and commitment of men would accelerate
20
their endeavours. This would enrich the lives of both, men and women. The humanity
would prosper, the societies would flourish and the world would be a better place to
live.

Satish Bhasin, CEO

Special Steel Company of India
New Delhi, Bharat
Source information: Self- Empowerment of Women, Dr. Sarla Sharma, Jyotiparb Prakashan

Question(s)

1 (a) Identify a synonym for ‘self-empowerment.’

A. Improvement
B. Respect
C. Authority
D. Dignity
(1 mark)

www.britishcouncil.org 137
1 (b) What is meant by ‘anguished’ in line 5?

A. Disappointed
B. Angered
C. Pained
D. Embittered (1 mark)
2 (a) What does Dr Sharma believe stands in the way of equality for women?
(1 mark)
2 (b) Re-read paragraph 1. Identify two reasons why Dr Sharma wrote her book.
(2 marks)
3 Explore how effectively the writer expresses her views on both Dr Sharma
and her book.
In your answer, you should comment on:
• the words and images used to describe Dr Sharma
• how she conveys her thoughts about the theme of the book.
Use references from the text to support your answer.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Identify a synonym for ‘self-empowerment.’
A. improvement
B. respect
C. authority
D. dignity

Answer Guidance
C. authority Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

1 (b) What is meant by ‘anguished’ in line 5?

A. disappointed
B. angered
C. pained

www.britishcouncil.org 138
 D. embittered

Answer Guidance
C. pained Award 1 mark for the correct answer.

2 (a) What does Dr Sharma believe stands in the way of equality for women?

Answer Guidance
A society that is male-dominated / Award 1 mark for the correct response.
patriarchal/chauvinistic Allow the phrase male-dominated,
patriarchal, chauvinistic society.
Do not allow the answer ‘men’ on its own.

2 (b) Re-read paragraph 1. Identify two reasons why Dr Sharma wrote her book.
Answer Guidance
• Highlight the pitiable condition of Award 1 mark for each response, up to a
women maximum of 2 marks.
• Communicating ideas about how to
improve the lives of women.
Students may either lift relevant phrases or
express ideas in their own words.

Level of response
3. Explore how effectively the writer expresses her views on both Dr Sharma and her
book.
In your answer, you should comment on:

• the words and images used to describe Dr Sharma

• how she conveys her thoughts about the theme of the book.
Use references from the text to support your answer.

The descriptors relate to AO3 (the first bullet) and AO4 (the second bullet). The AOs are evenly
weighted, and responses are marked holistically using the levels descriptors.

Level Descriptors Mark

www.britishcouncil.org 139
 5 • A sustained critical analysis of the ways in which the writer 9-10
achieves her effects
• A sustained, convincing personal response to the task
4 • A well-developed and clear analysis of the ways in which the 7-8
writer achieves her effects
• Clear, well-developed personal response to the task

3 • A generally reasonably developed explanation of some effects 5-6

• Reasonably competent personal response to the task

2 • Some straightforward comments on some features of the writing 3-4

• Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed

1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2

• Limited awareness of the task

0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content

Dr Sharma

• It is ‘honourable’ and a ‘privilege’ to write the prologue

• But at the same time ‘sad’ that such a book has to be written
• Described as a ‘staunch advocate’ of women’s freedom and rights
• Her idealistic beliefs in ‘rights to life, liberty and happiness’

The theme of the book

• Women exploited by men the world over

• The ‘pitiable’ condition of women
• The need to improve the lives of women
• Women must ‘learn to help themselves / the central message of ‘self-empowerment’
• It will involve struggle to achieve equality
• ...because society is ‘male-dominated, ‘patriarchal’ and ‘chauvinistic’
• Improvement in women’s lives would ‘enrich’ lives of men also

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be taken into account when arriving at the final mark.
For the higher levels, answers should:
www.britishcouncil.org 140
• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanations of points
• evaluate how effectively the writer expresses her views about both Dr Sharma and her book.

www.britishcouncil.org 141
English10VN2
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10VN2 Poem: Reference to context
Amanda by Robin Klein

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10VN2a 1 1
English10VN2b 2 2
English10VN22 2 2
English10VN23 10 10
Total marks 3 2 10 0 15

Item purpose
Questions 1 and 2 assess explicit and implicit understanding, respectively in MCQ or short
answer questions. Question 3 is an extended response question that assesses the ability to
analyse a poet’s use of language and structure in conveying their ideas. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the poem; two bullet points are designed to support
students in answering this main question. The final sentence of the question reminds students
to use references to the text to support their response.

Source(s)
First Flight – Poem 6
Amanda
Poet – Robin Klein

Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and sit up straight,
Amanda!

www.britishcouncil.org 142
5 (There is a languid, emerald sea,
where the sole inhabitant is me—
a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)

Did you finish your homework, Amanda?

Did you tidy your room, Amanda?
10 I thought I told you to clean your shoes,
Amanda!

(I am an orphan, roaming the street.

I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)

15 Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!

Remember your acne, Amanda!
Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to you,
Amanda!

(I am Rapunzel, I have not a care;

20 life in a tower is tranquil and rare;
I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)

Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!

You’re always so moody, Amanda!
Anyone would think that I nagged at you,
25 Amanda!

Question(s)
1 (a) Who is the speaker of the above lines? Select the correct option from the
given choices

A. Amanda
B. Amanda’s mother
www.britishcouncil.org 143
 C. Amanda’s father
D. Amanda’s teacher
(1 mark)
1 (b) Identify those two habits which Amanda has been scolded for?
(2 marks)
2 Explain why the speaker of the above lines uses the word “nagged” in the
last line.
(2 marks)
3 Explore how the poet tries to produce effectiveness by repeating the name
“Amanda” in all three lines? Also, analyse the role played by the
exclamation mark after Amanda.
(10 marks)
(Total marks 15)

Mark scheme
Point-based
1 (a) Who is the speaker of the above lines? Select the correct option from the given
choices:
A. Amanda
B. Amanda’s mother
C. Amanda’s father
D. Amanda’s teacher

Answer Guidance
B. Amanda’s mother 1 mark to be awarded for picking the correct
choice.
1 (b) Identify those two habits for which Amanda has been scolded for?

Answer Guidance
For sulking and being moody 2 marks to be awarded if both the points are
mentioned in grammatically correct English.
1 mark to be awarded in case of minor
grammar errors.

2 Explain why the speaker of the above lines uses the word “nagged” in the last line.

www.britishcouncil.org 144
 Answer Guidance
The mother feels that she might be taken 2 marks to be awarded if the child covers all
in a negative sense as she is repeatedly the points. In case of minor errors or missing
scolding and reprimanding Amanda. out on a point, 1 mark to be awarded.
Hence, she gets conscious of her
behaviour towards Amanda.

Level of response
3. Explore how the poet tries to produce effectiveness by repeating the name “Amanda”
in all three lines? Also, analyse the role played by the exclamation mark after Amanda.

Levels of response
The descriptors relate to AO3.
An even balance between language and structure points is not expected. There should be at
least some comment on each language and structure for the highest two levels.
Levels descriptors
Level Descriptors Mark
5 • A perceptive analysis of language and structure in conveying 9-10
the writer’s ideas
• Well-selected references used as an integral part of the
analysis
4 • A clear analysis of language and structure in conveying the 7-8
writer’s ideas
• A wide range of references used to support the analysis
3 • A generally clear explanation of language and structure in 5-6
conveying the writer’s ideas
• Use of textual references to support an explanation
2 • Some straightforward comments on language and/or 3-4
structure features that show the writer’s ideas
• Some use of textual detail, beginning to support comments
1 • Limited evidence of a critical awareness 1-2
• Limited use of textual detail

0 Nothing to reward 0

www.britishcouncil.org 145
Indicative content

Students may comment on the following:

Language points:
• Repetition of a word or a line holds a lot of importance in poetry.
• It lays emphasis on the individuality of the character.
• The name Amanda gets affixed in the mind of a reader.
• The reader clearly understands that the poem revolves around Amanda.

Structure points:
• Use of exclamation builds sense and clarity.
• It is used to organise the writing and strengthens the structure of the poem.
• It conveys to show that the mother is surprised to see Amanda’s behaviour.
• It clearly indicates the woes of a mother on seeing her daughter behaving indifferently.

The content points here are indicative and not intended to be exhaustive. All valid and
supported points should be considered when arriving at the final mark.

For the higher levels, answers should:

• go beyond the simple logging of features and straightforward explanation of points
• analyse closely the ways in which the author achieves the effects

www.britishcouncil.org 146
English10VN3
This assessment item is designed to assess the end of class assessments for CBSE schools.

Subject Class Question reference/Filename Set text

English 10 English10VN3 The Hundred Dresses- II
First Flight

Item identity AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4 Marks

marks marks
marks marks
English10VN3 2 3 10 15
Total marks 2 3 10 15

Item purpose
This is an extended answer question that is assessed using levels descriptors and focuses
primarily on the student giving a personal response to the whole text. The question directs
students to focus on a key aspect of the text; three bullet points are designed to support
students in answering the question. An extract is provided for students to use as a starting point
for their response, but they need to refer to other parts of the text in their answer.

Source(s)
The Hundred Dresses- II
First Flight

While the class was circling the room, the monitor from the principal’s office
brought Miss Mason a note. Miss Mason read it several times and studied it
thoughtfully for a while. Then she clapped her hands.

“Attention, class. Everyone back to their seat.”

When the shuffling of feet had stopped and the room was still and quiet, Miss
5 Mason said “I have a letter from Wanda’s father that I want to read to you.”
Miss Mason stood there a moment and the silence in the room grew tense and
expectant. The teacher adjusted her glasses slowly and deliberately.
Her manner indicated what was coming – this letter from Wanda’s father – was a
matter of great importance. Everybody listened closely as Miss Mason read the
brief note.
www.britishcouncil.org 147
 10 Dear Teacher:
My Wanda will not come to your school anymore. Jake also. Now we move
away to big city. No more holler ‘Pollack’. No more ask why funny name.
Plenty of funny names in the big city.
Yours truly,
Jan Petronski

A deep silence met the reading of this letter. Miss Mason took off her glasses,
blew on them and wiped them on her soft white handkerchief. Then she put them
15 on again and looked at the class. When she spoke her voice was very low.

“I am sure that none of the boys and girls in Room Thirteen would purposely and
deliberately hurt anyone’s feelings because his or her name happened to be a
long, unfamiliar one.
Source information: First Flight Chapter 6
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VCiz2cGEzzEYj8lyCatf5PpWZ8sKwQgQ/view

Question(s)
In this extract from The Hundred Dresses – II, Miss Mason reads a note from
Wanda’s father. This is taken from the First Flight textbook.
Read the extract carefully and use it to answer the following question.
With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer presents the reactions
to the father’s letter.
In your answer, you should:
• describe what happens after Miss Mason reads the letter
• explain how Maddie and Peggy feel
• comment on the language used to show reactions to the father’s letter.
(15 marks)
(Total 15 marks)

Mark scheme
Level of response
1. In this extract from The Hundred Dresses – II, Miss Mason reads a note from
Wanda’s father. This is taken from the First Flight textbook.

Read the extract carefully and use it to answer the following question.

www.britishcouncil.org 148
 With reference to the whole text, explore how the writer presents the reactions to
the father’s letter.
In your answer, you should:
• describe what happens after Miss Mason reads the letter
• explain how Maddie and Peggy feel
• comment on the language used to show reactions to the father’s letter.

Level descriptors for question 1

Note that the first and second bullets refer to the dominant AO4 (weighted at 10 out of the 15
marks). The third bullet refers to both AO1 and AO2 (weighted together at 5 out of the 15
marks).
Mark answers holistically using the level descriptors in the table, arriving at a single mark out of
15. The student’s response must address the question to be awarded marks.
Do not consider spelling and punctuation errors. This is an assessment of the Literature.

Level Descriptors Mark

5 • A sustained convincing personal response to the task 13-15
• Much well-selected supporting reference
• Comprehensive understanding of the text and layers of
meaning
4 • Clear, well-developed personal response to the task 10-12
• A wide range of supporting references
• Clear understanding of the text and its deeper implications
3 • Reasonably competent personal response 7-9
• Use of supporting textual references
• Understanding of some key ideas
2 • Some evidence of a personal response, under-developed 4-6
• Some use of textual detail
• Some grasp of key ideas
1 • Limited evidence of a personal response 1-3
• Limited use of the text for support
• Limited evidence of understanding
0 Nothing to reward 0

Indicative content
Students may comment on the following points, though they are not required to do so; any valid
point that can be reasonably supported should be accepted.

www.britishcouncil.org 149
 • Mr Petronski was worried about his daughter being bullied at her school
• He wants to save his daughter from any kind of embarrassment
• Maddie felt ashamed of her behaviour: calls herself a ‘coward’
• She was soft-hearted and concerned
• Both the girls plan to visit Wanda
• And apologise for their behaviour
• They learn from their errors and want to be friends with her
• The ‘deep silence’ that ‘met the reading of this letter’ - and Miss Mason’s authority
• The dialogue between the two girls
• Peggy was speaking ‘gruffly’.

www.britishcouncil.org 150
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