📚 Class 10 English Half-Yearly 2026–27 — Complete Solution
SECTION A — READING SKILL
Question 1
(i) What happens when a single species becomes extinct?
Answer:
(b) It triggers a chain reaction that destabilises the system.
(ii) Why does the author mention that half of modern medicines are derived from nature?
Answer:
(c) To highlight a practical, health-related benefit of biodiversity.
(iii) How does a decline in pollinator populations directly affect humans?
Answer:
(c) It threatens global food security and increases food costs.
(iv) What does the author mean by a shift from “reactive conservation to proactive restoration”?
Answer:
(a) Moving from fixing damage after it happens to actively preventing and rebuilding ecosystems.
(v) Which word from Paragraph 1 means “very complicated or detailed”?
Answer:
(b) Intricate
(vi) State any two human activities mentioned in the passage that accelerate extinction rates.
Answer:
Two such activities are:
- Deforestation
- Industrial pollution
Urban expansion is another acceptable answer.
(vii) How do wetlands serve as a critical ecosystem service for human settlements?
Answer:
Wetlands filter pollutants from water systems and help mitigate the impact of floods, thereby protecting human settlements.
(viii) Explain the term “carbon sinks” based on your reading of the text.
Answer:
Carbon sinks are natural systems such as forests that absorb and store carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, helping regulate global temperatures.
(ix) Why is ecotourism considered more valuable than extracting natural resources?
Answer:
Ecotourism provides long-term economic benefits while preserving living ecosystems, whereas extracting natural resources can damage or destroy them.
(x) Suggest a suitable title for this passage and justify your choice in one sentence.
Answer:
Title: “Protecting Biodiversity for a Sustainable Future”
Justification: The passage explains the importance of biodiversity, its benefits to humans and the need for sustainable conservation.
SECTION B — GRAMMAR
Question 2
A. Punctuation
(i) Kamla says your parents coming.
Correct answer:
Kamla says, “Are your parents coming?”
Answer: (d)
B. Correct Form of Verb
(i) Ice ______ at 0°C.
Answer: melts
Correct sentence:
Ice melts at 0°C.
Answer: (b)
(ii) The policeman ______ me where I was going.
Answer: asked
Correct sentence:
The policeman asked me where I was going.
Answer: (c)
C. Suitable Article
______ rich should help the poor.
Answer: The
Correct sentence:
The rich should help the poor.
Answer: (c)
D. Indirect Speech
John said to me, “I hope to win this prize.”
Answer:
John told me that he hoped to win that prize.
Answer: (c)
E. Suitable Modal
We ______ obey the rules.
Answer: must
Correct sentence:
We must obey the rules.
Answer: (a)
SECTION C — WRITING SKILL
Question 3 — Option A
Letter to the SHO Regarding Theft of Car
Examination format:
House No. 25, Model Town
Jhajjar, Haryana
2 October 2026
The SHO
Police Station
Jhajjar, Haryana
Subject: Complaint regarding theft of my car
Sir/Madam,
I am writing to report the theft of my car from outside my house. My car, a white Hyundai i20 bearing registration number HR-14-AB-1234, was parked outside my residence last night.
When I came out this morning, I found that the car was missing. I immediately searched the nearby area but could not find it. I request you to kindly register my complaint and take necessary steps to trace and recover my vehicle.
I shall be grateful for your prompt action.
Yours faithfully,
XYZ
Question 3 — Option B
Story Writing: The Crow and the Pitcher
The Thirsty Crow
It was a hot summer day. A crow was very thirsty and flew here and there in search of water. At last, he saw a pitcher near a tree. He flew down and looked inside it. There was some water at the bottom, but his beak could not reach it.
The crow thought for a while. He saw some pebbles lying nearby. He picked up the pebbles one by one and dropped them into the pitcher. Gradually, the water level rose.
When the water came near the top, the crow drank the water and flew away happily.
Moral:
Where there is a will, there is a way.
SECTION D — LITERATURE
Question 4 — A. “His First Flight”
The extract is from “His First Flight” by Liam O’Flaherty.
(i) What did the seagull pretend?
Answer:
He pretended to be falling asleep while standing on one leg on the ledge.
(ii) What were his two brothers and sister doing?
Answer:
His two brothers and sister were lying on the plateau, dozing with their heads sunk into their necks.
(iii) What was his father doing?
Answer:
His father was preening the feathers on his white back.
(iv) What maddened him?
Answer:
The sight of his mother tearing and eating the fish near her feet maddened him because he was extremely hungry.
(v) Find a word/phrase from the passage that means “paid no attention”.
Answer:
“took no notice of him”
Question 4 — OR: “A Tiger in the Zoo”
(i) How should the tiger walk through the grass?
Answer:
He should be lurking in the shadow, sliding through the long grass near the water hole.
(ii) Why should the tiger lurk in the shadow?
Answer:
He should lurk in the shadow because, in his natural habitat, he would move secretly and stealthily while hunting.
(iii) Who passes near the water hole?
Answer:
The plump deer passes near the water hole.
(iv) Where should the tiger hide himself?
Answer:
He should hide himself near the water hole, in the shadows.
(v) Which are the rhyming words in this stanza?
Answer:
shadow – grass – pass – hole are arranged with the poem’s rhyme pattern; specifically, grass/pass form a rhyme.
QUESTION 5
Option A — From “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Why did Anne think she could confide more in her diary than in people?
Answer:
Anne felt that she could confide more in her diary because she did not have a true friend with whom she could share her deepest thoughts and feelings. Although she had loving parents and other acquaintances, she felt emotionally lonely. She considered her diary a patient and trustworthy friend who would listen to her without judging her.
She therefore named her diary “Kitty” and wrote honestly about her feelings, experiences and thoughts.
Question 5 — OR: Nelson Mandela
What twin obligations does Mandela mention?
Answer:
Mandela says that every person has two obligations:
- An obligation to his family, parents, wife and children.
- An obligation to his people, community and country.
According to Mandela, in a society based on racial discrimination, fulfilling both obligations freely was difficult. A person who tried to fulfil his duty towards his people had to sacrifice many personal and family interests.
QUESTION 6
Option A — A Letter to God
Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Who received the letter and what did he do?
Answer:
Lencho wrote a letter to God because his entire crop had been destroyed by the hailstorm. He had complete faith in God and believed that God would help him.
The postmaster received Lencho’s letter. He was deeply impressed by Lencho’s faith and decided to help him. He collected money from his employees and friends and sent seventy pesos to Lencho in an envelope signed “God.”
Question 6 — OR: A Question of Trust
How did Griffin steal money from the clergyman’s house? How did he escape from arrest?
Answer:
Griffin was an invisible scientist. He entered the clergyman’s house invisible and stole money from the desk.
When the clergyman and his wife heard strange noises and came to investigate, Griffin remained invisible. He moved silently around the house and finally escaped without being seen or caught.
His invisibility allowed him to commit the theft and escape from the house safely.
QUESTION 7
Option A — Dust of Snow
Write the central idea of the poem “Dust of Snow”.
Answer:
The poem conveys the idea that even a small and unexpected moment in nature can change our mood and make us feel positive.
The falling dust of snow from a hemlock tree refreshes the poet and saves the rest of his day from being wasted. The poem shows that nature has the power to heal, refresh and transform our feelings.
Question 7 — OR: The Ball Poem
What is the main idea of the poem “The Ball Poem”?
Answer:
The poem deals with the experience of loss and the process of learning to accept loss.
A boy loses his ball, which has emotional value for him. Through this experience, he learns that loss is a natural part of life and that material things cannot always be recovered. The poem teaches us about growing up, responsibility and accepting the reality of loss.
QUESTION 8
Option A — A Triumph of Surgery
Why is Dr Herriot tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
Answer:
Dr Herriot was tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest because Tricki had recovered completely at his surgery. He was enjoying the company of other dogs, exercising, playing and eating a healthy diet.
Mrs Pumphrey’s constant supply of rich food was no longer available, and Tricki became fit and active. Dr Herriot and his staff also enjoyed having Tricki around.
Question 8 — OR: A Question of Trust
Who is the real culprit in the story “A Question of Trust”?
Answer:
The real culprit is the young woman who pretends to be the owner of the house.
She deceives Horace Danby by pretending to be the lady of the house. She makes him open the safe for her and takes the jewels. Later, Horace is arrested because his fingerprints are found on the safe, while the woman escapes with the jewellery.
Thus, Horace, although a thief himself, is outsmarted by another thief.
✅ QUICK ANSWER KEY — MCQ/Objective Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Q1 (i) | B |
| Q1 (ii) | C |
| Q1 (iii) | C |
| Q1 (iv) | A |
| Q1 (v) | B — Intricate |
| Q2 A | D |
| Q2 B(i) | B — melts |
| Q2 B(ii) | C — asked |
| Q2 C | C — The |
| Q2 D | C |
| Q2 E | A — must |
⭐ Most Important Literature Revision
His First Flight: Fear → Hunger → Mother offers food → First flight → Confidence
A Tiger in the Zoo: Freedom vs captivity
Diary of Anne Frank: Loneliness → Diary as friend → “Kitty”
Nelson Mandela: Freedom → Courage → Twin obligations → Apartheid
A Letter to God: Faith → Hailstorm → Letter to God → Postmaster’s kindness → Irony
A Question of Trust: Horace Danby → Safe → Young woman → Deception → Arrest
Dust of Snow: Nature → Change of mood → Positive transformation
The Ball Poem: Loss → Acceptance → Growing up
A Triumph of Surgery: Overfeeding → Obesity → Exercise → Recovery
