Students get through the MP Board Class 10th English Important Questions General English Unseen Passages which are most likely to be asked in the exam.
MP Board Class 10th General English Unseen Passages Important Questions
Read the following passages carefully and answer the questions given after them:
(1) It is a fact universally acknowledged that means justify the end. Therefore we all must remember that one of the keys to success is to pay as much attention to the means as to the end. The duty of every human being is to help others and do something good to the world and society. Religious texts teach us that the giver and receiver both are equally blessed. It is our duty to be thankful to God that we have been allowed to exercise our power of benevolence and march in the world and thus become pure and perfect. The natural course of events dictates that every action has to reach its concluding phase. The act once performed is bound to bear fruit. No power in the universe can stop it from bringing its results. (M.P. 2017)
Questions:
Question 1.
What should be the relationship between means and end?
Question 2.
What is the secret of success?
Question 3.
Who is more blessed – the giver or receiver or both?
Question 4.
The fact is ……….. acknowledged.
(a) fully
(b) universally
(c) truly
(d) really
Question 5.
Give the noun form of ‘perform’:
(a) performent
(b) performance
(c) performation
(d) performing
(2) Yoga is the ancient system to keep a person fit in body and mind. It is basically a system of self-treatment. According to the yogic view, diseases, disorders and ailments are the result of some faulty way of living, bad habits, lack of proper knowledge and unsuitable food. The diseases are thus the resultant state of a sort of prolonged malfunctioning of the body system. Since the root cause of a disease lies in the mistakes of the individual himself. The yoga expert shows only the path and works so more than a counsellor. The yogic practice of treatment comprises three steps namely diet, proper yogic practice and proper knowledge of things about the self.
Questions: (M.P. 2011)
A. Fill in the blanks:
Question 1.
The root cause of disease lies in …………. :
(a) Mistakes of physician
(b) Mistakes of the individual
(c) Mistakes of others.
Answer:
(b) Mistakes of the individual
Question 2.
The word prolonged means:
(a) New
(b) Very old
(c) None
Answer:
(b) Very old
Question 3.
What are the main causes of diseases and disorders?
Answer:
The main causes of diseases and disorders are faulty way of living, bad habits, lack of proper knowledge and unsuitable food.
Question 4.
What does a yoga expert do?
Answer:
The yoga expert shows only the path and works so more than a counsellor.
Question 5.
What is yoga?
Answer:
Yoga is the ancient system to keep a person fit in body and mind.
(3) A young father was visiting an old neighbour. They were standing in the older man’s garden and talking about children. The young man said, “How strict should parents be with their children?” The older man pointed to a string between a big, strong tree and a thin, young one. ‘Please untie that string,’ he said. The young man untied it and the young tree bent over to one side. ‘Now tie it again, please,’ said the older man. “But first pull the string tight so that the young tree is straight again.”
The young man did this. Then the older man said, “It is the same with children. You must be strict with them, but sometimes you must untie the string to see how they are getting on. If they are not yet able to stand alone, you must tie the string tight again. But when you find that they are ready to stand alone, you can take the string away.” (M.P. 2014)
Questions:
Question 1.
Where were the men standing?
Answer:
They were standing in the older man’s garden and talking about the children.
Question 2.
What did the older man ask the young man to do with the string?
Answer:
The older man said to the young man to untie the string between a big, strong tree and a thin, young tree.
Question 3.
With whom should the parents be strict sometimes?
Answer:
The parents should be strict with the children some times.
Question 4.
Find out the opposite of the word: ‘different’ from the passage.
Answer:
Same.
Question 5.
Fill in the blanks with the correct alternative:
When the young man untied string, the young tree ………….. to one side.
(a) fell down
(b) bent over
(c) stood straight
(d) didn’t bend
Answer:
(b) bent over
(4) There was once an engine driver who was a very careful person. He always looked at the bright side of things and was fond of telling people, who were in trouble that there was sure to be some good in it whether they could see it or not. One day his train ran into another train and he was terribly injured. When he was taken to the hospital, it was found necessary to cut off one of his legs, which was badly crushed. Some days afterwards, a party of friends visited him and one said to another “I am afraid, the poor fellow will have some difficulty in seeing the bright side of this affair.” Hearing this the engine driver smiled and said “Not at all, I shall only have one boot to buy and clean in future.” Cheerfulness is better than grumbling. (M.P. 2011)
Questions:
Question 1.
The engine driver always looked at the side of things:
(a) dark
(b) dirty
(c) bright
Answer:
(c) bright
Question 2.
Antonym of ‘dirty’ is:
(a) untidy
(b) clean
(c) soft
Answer:
(b) clean
Question 3.
What kind of man was the engine driver?
Answer:
The engine driver was a cheerful person and looked at the bright side of things.
Question 4.
What was he fond of?
Answer:
He was fond of telling people if there is trouble, there will be some good in it.
Question 5.
Why was it necessary to cut-off one of his legs?
Answer:
It was necessary because in an accident he was terribly injured and the leg was terribly crushed.
(5) Once on a lonely Island in the sea there lived three people, a wise old man named Prospero, his beautiful young daughter Miranda, and their servant Caliban. Prospero and Miranda had come to the Island twelve years ago. When Miranda was only a baby, she hardly remembered having seen any human face except her father’s. As for Caliban he looked hardly human; he was more like a fish than a man.
Prospero had another servant, a magic spirit named Ariel, whom he commanded by means of his magic. Before Prospero’s arrival lived on the island a witch called Sycorax; the ugly Caliban was her son. This witch had imprisoned Ariel in the heart of a pine tree and left him there when she died. Prospero found him and released him and he became Prospero’s servant. Ariel carried out all Prospero’s commands, whether it was to raise a storm in the sea or make thunder in the air. (M.P. 2016)
Questions:
Question 1.
Miranda was the ………… of Prospero.
(i) daughter
(ii) sister
(iii) wife
Answer:
(i) daughter
Question 2.
When did they come there?
Answer:
They came there twelve years ago.
Question 3.
Who was Ariel?
Answer:
Ariel was a magic spirit.
Question 4.
What did Ariel do?
Answer:
Ariel helped Prospero by raising storm in the sea or thundering in air.
Question 5.
Find out a word from the passage that means ‘witch craft’
Answer:
Magic.
Question 6.
Find out the opposite of ‘ugly’ from the passage.
Answer:
Beautiful.
(6) Of man’s earliest invention we know very little. The first may have been the use of a stone to crack a nut. The next was possibly the use of a stick to strike an enemy. Once man found that stick and stones were useful, it was only a step further to the making of a rude weapon by fastening a stone to the end of a stick.
Man used sticks and stone long before he dared to meddle with fire; for the early man like all wild creatures dreaded the fire. Fire, of course, existed; for lightning must sometimes have set the forests ablaze just as it does today; and in those days volcanoes were much more active than they now are. The forgotten hero who first dared to tame fire to his own use was the greatest of early inventors. Once man had fire he was master of all lower creatures. (M.P. 2014)
Questions:
Question 1.
What may have been man’s earliest inventions?
Answer:
Man’s earliest inventions have been the use of stone to crack nuts and stick to strike an enemy.
Question 2.
Who was the greatest of early inventors?
Answer:
Man, the forgotten hero who first dared to tame fire to his own use was the greatest of early inventors.
Question 3.
How did the early man make his first weapon?
Answer:
Early man made his first weapon by fastening a stone to an end of the stick.
Question 4.
Find out a word from the passage which means: animals.
Answer:
Gestures.
Question 5.
In old days volcanoes were:
(a) not much active
(b) less active
(c) much more active
(d) passive
Answer:
(c) much more active
(7) The Himalayas are beautiful mountains in the north of India. They stretch for two thousand miles from Kashmir to Assam. Some of the world’s highest peaks are in the Himalayas. The highest peak is the Mount Everest. The tops of the mountains are covered with snow throughout the year. Therefore, we call them the Himalayas or the ‘abodes of snow’. There are many beautiful lakes and forests in the Himalayas. Many passes connect India with Tibet, Turkistan and Afganistan. Many rivers the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Bramhaputra and the Vyas flow from these mountains. The climate and the scenery of these mountains are so charming that people have built many hill stations there. Many visitors go to the hill stations for pleasure and relaxation. (M.P. 2002 Set B, Imp.)
Questions:
A.
Question 1.
Which word is used to express extending?
Answer:
Stretch
Question 2.
Abode means.
Answer:
Home
Question 3.
A narrow gap through mountains is called
Answer:
Pass
B.
Question 1.
Why are these mountains called the Himalayas?
Answer:
These mountains are called the Himalayas because they are covered with snow throughout the year. Thus, they are really ‘abodes of snow’.
Question 2.
Why have people built hill stations in the Himalayas?
Answer:
People have built hill stations in the Himalayas because the climate and scenery of these mountains are very charming.
Question 3.
What makes the Himalayas so charming?
Answer:
The white snow, the beautiful lakes, the forests and the holy rivers make the Himalayas so charming.
(8) India is a land of diversity. Since the ancient times people belonging to different communities, races, religions and cultural groups are living here in harmony. Toleration is a characteristic feature of India’s culture and heritage. In the past, although India did not have much of political unity but there was always cultural and emotional unity. During the British regime India was also united politically. But the foreign rulers were firm believers in the theory of divide and rule. Although they united India geographically they also created disunity among the people belonging to different communities and provinces. They promoted separatist tendencies among the people. They also instigated communal feelings between Hindus and Muslims.
Questions:
A. Fill in the blanks:
Question 1.
India is a land of …………..
Answer:
diversity
Question 2.
The characteristic feature of India’s culture and Heritage is ……………
Answer:
toleration
Question 3.
Antonym of disunity is ……………
Answer:
unity.
B.
Question 1.
How is India a land of diversity?
Answer:
India is a land of diversity because since ancient times people belonging to different communities, races, religions and cultural groups have been living here in harmony.
Question 2.
What did the foreign rulers create among the people?
Answer:
The foreign rulers created disunity among the people.
(9) There seems to be a general opinion in this country that Sardar Patel was slightly of harsh and rough temperament. Men call him the ‘Iron Man of India’. He was, no doubt, an iron man in the sense that one could rely on him for strict and efficient administration. But as a man, to those who had the good fortune of coming into close contact with him, he was kind and considerate. At times, he even became emotional where his personal friends and followers were concerned. However, it goes without saying that the Sardar had the great skill for organizing affairs. He knew the way of picking people and putting them in their proper places. Once he judged a man and found him correct, he trusted him fully and got him to do anything he wanted. (M.P. 2014, 16)
Questions:
Question 1.
What did people call Sardar Patel?
Answer:
People called Sardar Patel ‘Iron Man of India’.
Question 2.
What special skill did Sardar Patel have?
Answer:
Sardar Patel had the great skill of organising affairs.
Question 3.
For whom was he kind and considerate?
Answer:
He was kind and considerate to those who had good fortune of coming into close contact with him.
Question 4.
One could rely on him for strict and efficient:
(a) people
(b) work
(c) administration
Answer:
(c) administration
Question 5.
Find out the word from the passage which means: ‘luck’.
Answer:
Fortune.
(10) An Ideal student is one who is fully conscious of his duties and aware of his responsibilities. He paves the way for the younger generation to tread on. Students are the leaders of tomorrow. A nation can prosper and reach the zenith of glory if it has a disciplined army of students. An ideal student is intelligent and simple. According to Gandhiji, he should have the quality of “Simple living and high thinking.” An ideal student should live in accordance with the strict rules of conduct and discipline. A student without the sense of discipline is a ship without rudder. It sails a drift and never comes safe to harbour. According to Swami Vivekanand, What our country now wants are men and women with muscles of iron, nerves of steel, who can accomplish their purpose in any fashion though it means going down to the bottom of the ocean and meeting death face to face. (M.P. 2009)
Questions:
Question 1.
A student without discipline is compared to a:
(i) A ship
(ii) rudderless ship
(iii) a ship with a rudder.
Answer:
(ii) rudderless ship
Question 2.
Who are the leaders of tomorrow?
(i) Gandhiji
(ii) Vivekanandji
(iii) Students
Answer:
(iii) Students
Question 3.
Who is an ideal student?
Answer:
An ideal student is one who is fully conscious of his duties and aware of his responsibilities.
Question 4.
According to Gandhiji what qualities should an ideal student have?
Answer:
According to Gandhiji, he should have the quality of “simple living and high thinking”. An ideal student should live in accordance with the strict rules of conduct and discipline.
Question 5.
What does Swami Vivekanand say about men and women?
Answer:
Swami Vivekanand says that our country now wants men and women with muscles of iron, nerves of steel, who can accomplish their purpose in any fashion though it means going down to the bottom of the ocean and meeting death face to face.
(11) The word ‘Cobra’ is neither English nor Indian in origin, for it comes from a Portuguese word, which means simple ‘Snake’. Many of the early European settlers in India came from Portugal, speaking Portuguese and they gave the name “Cobra di Capello” to a certain kind of hooded snake that they found in this country. Subsequently the name has been given to any member of the family of snakes with hoods which are found in tropical countries.
The two types of Cobra most commonly found in Asian countries are the common Cobra and King Cobra. The hood of the Cobra is not a covering or a protection, but it is, in fact, a portion of the skin of the neck which can be raised by moving the ribs and bones underneath it. The Cobra normally raises its head and expands its hood when it is frightened or alert, the hood is not otherwise visible. Some Cobras have marks resembling rings on their heads while others are black all over. (M.P. 2009)
Questions:
Question 1.
From which language the word ‘Cobra’ has been derived?
(i) English
(ii) Hindi
(iii) Portuguese
Answer:
(iii) Portuguese
Question 2.
What distinguishes “Cobra” from all other snakes?
(i) colour
(ii) hood
(iii) tail
Answer:
(ii) hood
Question 3.
When does Cobra raise its hood?
Answer:
Cobra raises its hood when it is frightened.
Question 4.
What is the meaning of the word ‘Cobra’?
Answer:
Cobra means ‘simple snake’ in Portuguese.
Question 5.
Which are the most common types of Cobras found in India?
Answer:
The two types of Cobra found in India are the common Cobra and the king Cobra.
(12) One day a wonderful plate made of gold fell from heaven into the court of a temple. These words were inscribed on the plate. “A gift from heaven to him who loves mankind the best.” The priests invited people to the temple and told them about the gift from the heaven. All claimed that they loved mankind the best. Then each on got up and one by one narrated his own kind deeds but as soon as he touched the plate, it turned into lead. The richest man in the city got up and spoke about his charity. But as soon as he touched the plate it turned to lead. A poor farmer was also present there. He did not know about the plate. He sat in a comer quietly. People called him. He bowed to the priests and touched the plate. Shone more brightly. The priest awarded the plate to the poor farmer. (M.P. 2016)
Questions:
Question 1.
From where did the plate of gold fall?
Answer:
The plate of gold fell from heaven.
Question 2.
Who was awarded the plate?
Answer:
The poor farmer was awarded the gold plate by the priest.
Question 3.
What happened when the richest man touched the plate?
Answer:
When the richest man touched the plate it turned to lead.
Question 4.
The noun form of the word ‘invited’ is …………
Answer:
invitation.
Question 5.
The word ‘inscribed’ means ……………:
(i) to write
(ii) to read
(iii) to paint
Answer:
(i) to write
(13) City children suffer from a great disability. They have little contact with nature. They do not know the joys of living in the open air. In cities, there is no space to live. So one story is piled upon another. Their lives are so artificial that don’t enjoy the benefit of seeing the stars at night. They buy flower pots and put paper flowers or plastic flowers in them. They hang pictures of sun-rise or sun-set on the walls. Wherever one turns, one finds artificial lights during the day as well as in the night. They have lost even darkness of night which is given to man for peace and quiet thought. So the task before education is to change the whole system of values that are current in our cities. (M.P. 2012)
Questions:
Question 1.
Which disability do the city children suffer from:
(i) They are weak
(ii) They cannot play in the open
(iii) They have little contact with nature.
Answer:
(iii) They have little contact with nature.
Question 2.
Find the opposite of the word ‘natural’ from the above passage:
(i) Beneficial
(ii) Artificial
(iii) Superficial
Answer:
(ii) Artificial
Question 3.
What is the importance of night for man?
Answer:
The darkness of night given to man peace and quiet thought.
Question 4.
What is the task before education?
Answer:
The task before education is to change the whole system of values that are current in our cities.
Question 5.
How have their lives become artificial?
Answer:
Their lives have become artificial that they don’t enjoy the benefit of seeing stars at night, have plastic flowers, hang pictures of sunrise and sunset etc.
(14) Helen Keller lost her eye-sight and hearing at the age of two because of an illness. She became deaf. She also lost the ability to speak, for we learn to speak by imitating what we hear. At first, it seemed impossible that she would ever understand others or be understood by them. Hers was thus a lonely world. But she was helped by a wonderful teacher named Miss Sullivan who had herself been blind as a child but recovered her eye-sight by an operation. Miss Sullivan volunteered to help Helen and taught her to speak, read and write. Helen, later, went to a University and gained a degree. She then spent the rest of her life working to help the blind and the deaf. (M.P. 2012, 17)
Questions:
Question 1.
When did Helen Keller lose her eye-sight and hearing:
(i) A birth
(ii) At the age of two
(iii) At the age of four
Answer:
(ii) At the age of two
Question 2.
Which word in the passage means “one who is unable to see”?
(i) Deaf
(ii) Sight
(iii) Blind
Answer:
(iii) Blind
Question 3.
How do we learn to speak?
Answer:
By imitating we learn to speak.
Question 4.
How did Miss Sullivan help Helen?
Answer:
Miss Sullivan volunteered to help Helen and taught her to speak, read and write.
Question 5.
What did Helen do for the blind and the deaf?
Answer:
She spent the rest of her life working to help the blind and the deaf.
(15) Mars and Venus are two planets which are nearest to the earth. Planets have days, nights and seasons. But we do not know whether they have creatures also. We cannot see Venus as it is covered with clouds. We can see the surface of Mars. Mars was named for the “God of war” because of its red colour. The most noticeable features of the Mars as seen through a telescope are the icecaps at its North and South poles. These appear just as those on earth to a man on Mars due to the presence of redrock. It is tilted at about same angle as an earth. Low-lying areas change from blue-green in summer to brown in winter. Some astronomers have found canals on the Mars. (Imp.)
Questions:
Question 1.
Which two planets are mentioned in the passage?
Answer:
The two planets are Mars and Venus.
Question 2.
Why was Mars named for the “God of war”?
Answer:
Mars was named for the “God of war” because of its red colour.
Question 3.
Which are the most noticeable features of the Mars seen through telescope?
Answer:
The most noticeable features of the Mars as seen through and telescope are the ice-caps at its north and south poles.
Question 4.
Find out the word from the passage which means ‘Sloping position’.
Answer:
Low-lying areas.
Question 5.
Some astronomers have found on the Mars:
(i) Creatures
(ii) Canals
(iii) Camels
Answer:
(ii) Canals
(16) Milk is the best food. It has in it water, sugar, fat, vitamins and proteins. People get milk from different animals. In England, New Zealand and many other cool lands, there are cows. In hot, dry countries like Arabia and the middle of Asia there are camels. In India there are buffaloes as well as cows. In many places there are goats. The Eskimos have herds of reindeers. They live in the very cold countries of North America. People keep all these animals and get lots of milk. From milk they can make butter and cheese. It is essential that the milk we use should be pure and germ-free. Impure milk does more harm than good to the human body. (Imp.)
Questions:
Question 1.
Find out a word from the passage which is opposite in meaning for, ‘pure’.
Answer:
Impure.
Question 2.
We find camels in:
(i) cool lands
(ii) hot, dry countries.
Answer:
(ii) hot, dry countries.
Question 3.
Why is milk called the best food?
Answer:
Milk is called the best food because it has in its water, sugar, fat, vitamins and proteins.
Question 4.
Why should we use pure milk?
Answer:
We should use pure milk because impure milk does more harm than good to the human body.
Question 5.
What do we make from milk?
Answer:
We make butter and cheese from milk.
(17) Language is a wonderful gift given to man. No animal possesses this gift; but they have their own way of expressing themselves. When a rabbit sees an enemy, it runs away into its hole or burrows. Its tail bobs up and down as it runs away. The other rabbits see it and they too run away. They know that there is a danger. When a Cobra is angry, it raises its hood, and makes itself look fierce. This warns other animals. When a bee has found some food, it goes back to the hive. It cannot tell the other bees where the food is by speaking to them; but it does a kind of dance in the air. Some animals say things by making sounds. A dog barks when strangers come near.
Questions:
Question 1.
How does a rabbit react when it see an enemy?
(i) It bobs its tail up and down
(ii) It makes a sound
(iii) It shows its teeth
Answer:
(i) It bobs its tail up and down
Question 2.
Pick out a word from the passage which means ‘cautions’:
(i) Bobs
(ii) Dances
(iii) Warns
Answer:
(iii) Warns.
Question 3.
How does a rabbit give a signal of danger?
Answer:
It bobs its tail up and down.
Question 4.
How does a Cobra give a warning of attack to other animals?
Answer:
A Cobra raises its hood, it makes itself look fierce.
Question 5.
What does a dog do when strangers come near?
Answer:
A dog barks when strangers come near.