CBSE Class 10 English Reading Notes Set A

CBSE Class 10 Reading Notes (1). Learning the important concepts is very important for every student to get better marks in examinations. The concepts should be clear which will help in faster learning. The attached concepts made as per NCERT and CBSE pattern will help the student to understand the chapter and score better marks in the examinations.

1. Read the passage carefully:

 How my Life changed its Course 

1. Ever since I can remember, I always felt I was stupid, really stupid. I lost my father when I was three. Since I was a sick child, a polio victim, I lived with my grandmother in Mumbai so I could avail of the metro‘s advanced medical facilities. I remember being on the streets all day, playing or lazing around.

2. When I turned ten, my mother and my sister came to live in Mumbai too. My sister was a bright student, always securing high grades. She and my mother encouraged me to study, but I just could not bring myself to concentrate on any subject. I would get bored and feel sleepy when forced to open my books. After innumerable lectures on the importance of studying had failed, mother tried threats as well, but nothing worked, I truly believed I was stupid; no matter how much I worked, it wouldn‘t help.

3. One afternoon, as always, I was sitting under a tree in the school premises eating potato wafers when I saw a former classmate approaching me. Aditi and I had been in the same class the year before. I had failed sixth grade and had to repeat the year; Aditi had topped the class and was the brightest student of the seventh grade too. I flinched a little Aditi as I saw her walk towards me. Hi,‘ she said. Hi,‘ I replied, but not with much enthusiasm; I wanted her to leave. I continued to eat my chips. Ignoring my coldness, she sat down next to me. For five minutes neither of us spoke and then she asked, Is Devika your real sister?‘ Yes, she is, I answered.

4. So how come she doesn‘t teach you so that you too can do well? she asked. I peered at her, wondering if she was making fun of me, but all I could see on her face was earnestness. No, she is not trying to tease me, I decided. This time I answered a little more warmly, She tries to, but I don‘t like studying.‘ Why not? I‘m sure you can get good grades too,‘ she said emphatically. No, I can‘t. I have no brains. God forgot to give me brains, health or beauty. He gave me nothing.‘

5. ―That‘s not true. And anyway, health and beauty can‘t be helped, but God has given brains to everyone, we only have to learn to use it.‘ I shook my head, No, I have difficulty in concentrating, and books bore me; there is no hope for me. Please leave me alone. I am stupid, and always will be.‘ With the gentlest tone that she could muster she said, I can prove it to you that you are not stupid. Give me one chance, I will teach you to study.‘

6. Though I was softening from inside, I still held on to my low self-esteem.You‘ll be wasting your time.I cannot study, I am not as bright as you are nor lucky as my sister,‘ I said Let me try and help you, please. I will show you the right way to study. You just have to cooperate with me. Will you try?‘ Her belief in me proved more powerful than my doubts about myself. She won and I relented.

A4.1 Give reasons for the following- 

        a) The writer believed that she was stupid.

        b) The writer flinched as she saw her friend walking towards her.

        c) The writer lacked interest in her studies.

        d) The writer was not a very confident or assertive girl.

4.2 Complete the following 4 marks

        a) When she had to study she felt ------- and -----------.

        b) The writer said that God had forgotten to give her brains ----------- and ------

        c) Her mother tried to convince her to study by ________ and ----------------.

        d) -------- was the writer‘s sister and --------- was a classmate in the previous year.

4.3 From the passage find one word which means the same as - 2 marks

        a) Make a sudden movement as a result of pain, fear , surprise etc. (para 3)

        b) Find as much support, courage etc as you can (para5)

        c) Finally agree to something after refusing (para 6)

        d) To look carefully at something, to see it clearly (para 4)

Answers

4.1    a) because she could not concentrate on studies.

        b) because she did not want to talk to her.

        c) because she did not perform well.

        d) because she was not good at studies.

4.2    a) bored and sleepy

        b) health and beauty

        c) lecturing and threatening

        d) Devika, Aditi

4.3   a) flinch, b) muster c) relent d) peer

Unsolved

2. Read the passage carefully: 

1) The world‘s smallest dog, the Chihuahua or the Pocket Dog is barely 1 kg to 2 kg as an adult! The Chihuahua is named after a Mexican State, but its roots can be traced back to China. Today this breed is popular choice among the dog lovers world over and their popularity seems to be ever increasing.

2) The main advantage of this breed is that they need no particular exercise. They are quite satisfied with their walks within their house. Being small, however, does not mean that they are dull, on the contrary they are sharp, alert animals, very strong in character. They are good guard dogs due to their strong cords. They have an inherent curiosity that makes them want to know what goes on within the house.

3) For show purposes the maximum permissible weight is 0.9kg to 1.8 kg. Chihuahuas are of two types, the long coated and the smooth coated. The long coated ones have flat or slightly wavy coats. The smooth coated ones are soft textured and glossy in appearance.

4) They can be of any colour. Their heads are apple dome-shaped and in some animals, the frontal areas of the skull do not fuse! The nose is short and the ears are at an angle of 45 degrees to the head. The dogs are slightly longer than the tail and the tail is carried like a sickle that just touches the back. The body on the whole is compact and has a graceful appearance. Occasionally a tail-less dog is born but tail cropping is not an accepted practice.

5) Compared to other pups, they require little care, and only the long-haired variety needs grooming. They tend to exercise themselves within the confines of the house. This makes them prone to have overgrown nails that need regular clipping. As far as their diet is concerned, they could be fussy and choosy eaters, but then almost all toy breeds are so! They are intelligent and learn easily.

6) They are very active within the house and literally are burglar alarms. They are good with children and are loyal and devoted to the family. On the whole, the Chihuahua is quite a pet! At just six inches, it is bundle of energy. Most people are surprised seeing these animals and the general awareness of this breed is still low. However, just one hurdle remains. Because this is a pocket dog, it may pinch a few pockets.

Q1 Read the following summary of the information given in the passage and fill in each of the spaces with one word only. 

The most popular variety of (a) -------- dogs today is Chihuahua. The (b) ------- size is its greatest attraction as an adult weighs just between 1 kg and 2 kg. A walk within the house gives them (c) ----------- .Besides strength of character, they possess (d) --------- and alertness. They are always (e) --------- to know what is happening inside the house. Their strong vocal cord makes them (f) ------------ as burglar alarms.

Q2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions as briefly as possible. 

Q3 Below you can see some headings .Choose the best heading for the paragraph indicated below:

Q4 Find words/phrases from the passage (para indicated) which mean the same as the following. 

(a) intrinsic (para 2)

(b) small and strong (para 4)

Solved

3. Read the following poem carefully:

Four seasons fill the measure of the year;
There are four seasons in the mind of man:
He has his lusty Spring when fancy clear
Takes in all beauty with an easy span;
He has his Summer, when luxuriously
Spring‘s honey cud of youthful thought he loves
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high
Is nearest unto heaven: quite coves
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings
He furleth close; contended so to look
On mist in idleness- to let fair things
Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook.
He has his winter too of pale misfeature,
Or else he would forgo his mortal nature. -John Keats

Question: Choose the right option:

1) In this poem man‘s mind is compared to:

(a) seasons (b) nature (c) spring (d) winter

2) How many seasons are there in the mind of man?

(a) four (b) three (c) five (d) two

3) ‗ruminate‘ means:

(a) to think seriously (b) to chew slowly as cow do
(c) to depend on (d) to be melancholy

4) Winter, in this poem symbolizes:

(a) misfortune (b) weakness/debility (c) death (d) darkness

5) Line three in the poem describes:

(a) lust (b) youthfulness/zest/energy
(c) spring of one‘s life (d) flowering

Answers 3: 1) (b) 2) (a) 3) (a) 4) (b) 5) (b)

Unsolved

4. Read the following passage carefully: 

In acupuncture, no drug is injected into the body, so it has no adverse effects. The stimulation of acupuncture points was done so far by very thin, sharp sliver needles. The prick is almost painless. But now techniques like the use of laser beams (without using needles) are being used in which there is no prick, no pain. These are readily acceptable to children and those patients who are scared of needles. For every patient, there is a separate set of needles, which is sterilized after every use, so there should not be any fear of infection. Initially three of four courses of acupuncture treatment are given (one course is of ten days) to control asthma and usually the patient is off medicine by that time. After this, one sitting, weekly or fortnightly, is continued for some time, so as to prevent relapse. At the time of Holi or Diwali when there is a change of season, there is a tendency of relapse, so once/twice a week sittings are given during the period of three seasons, which generally results in an almost cure in children and young patients(up to the age of 25-30 years). Relapses are generally unusual. In older age groups though some damage to lungs has been done due to prolonged disease and medication, yet considerable improvement is possible resulting in decrease in severity and frequency of attacks.

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