Maharashtra Board SSC Class 10 English Sample Paper Set 4 with Answers Solutions Pdf Download.
Maharashtra Board Class 10 English Model Paper Set 4 with Answers
Time: 3 Hours
Total Marks: 80
Section I: Language Study
Question 1.
Do as Directed (Attempt Any 4):
i. Punctuate the following:
are you still hungry i asked faintly
ii. Pick out the Infinitive from the given sentence and use it in a sentence of your own: (1)
Government officials predicted that it would be impossible to relocate so many people.
iii. Identify the Type of the given sentence based on its form: (1)
Whose children are they who are dying of Ebola?
iv. Complete the given Word chain of Adjectives: (1)
attractive, e____________, ____________, ____________, ____________
v. Form two Past / Present Participles where the last letter is doubled: (1)
(A2) Do as Directed (Attempt Any 2): [04 Marks]
i. Make two sentences of your own to show the difference of Homograph: (2)
‘book’
ii. Rewrite the given sentence in Future Perfect Tense: (2)
The hermit was frail and weak.
iii. Make a word register of four words related to the given word: (2)
‘telephone’
(B) Do as Directed (Attempt Any 1): [02 Marks]
i. Rewrite the sentence as a Complex sentence: (2)
Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks with the powder rag.
ii. Change the Degree of Comparison to Positive:
His greatest contribution is the establishment of a free residential education system.
Answer:
(A) (A1) i. “Are you still hungry?” I asked faintly.
ii. to relocate – Infinitive
Kimi’s family had to relocate to Mumbai for five years.
iii. Interrogative sentence
iv. attractive, eager, realistic, cute, exciting
v. tagged, stopped
(A2) i. Grishma wanted to borrow a book from Riddhi.
Triveni asked Nahar to book tickets for the movie.
ii. The hermit will have been frail and weak.
iii. wire, receiver, number, dial tone, landline, call, ring
(B) i. After Della finished her cry, she attended to her cheeks with the powder rag.
ii. No other contribution of his is as great as the establishment of a free residential education system.
Section II: Textual Passages
(Reading Skills, Vocabulary, Grammar)
Question 2.
(A) Read the following passage and answer the questions.
(A1) Correct the following sentences based on the extract:
i. Many learned people came to the king’s court and gave the same answer to the king’s questions.
ii. Some people were of the opinion that one should let oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes.
| Once a certain king had an idea. If he always knew the right time to begin everything, if he knew who were the right people to listen to and who to avoid the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything that he would undertake and above all, if he always knew what was the most undertake. Since he was convinced that he was right in thanking this way, he had a proclamation made in his kingdom. He would give a great reward to anyone who would teach him what the right time was for every action, who the most necessary people were, and how he might know the most important thing to do. Many learned people came to the court but they all gave different answers. In replay to the first question, some said that to know the right time for every action, one must draw up in advance a table of days, months and years, and must live strictly according to it. Others declared that it was impossible to decide beforehand the right time for every action; but that, not letting oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes, one should always attend to all that was going on, and then do that was most essential. Yet others ‘said that it was impossible for one man to decide correctly the right time for every action and that the king should, instead, have a council of wise people, who would help him to fix the proper time for everything. |
(A2) Give an account of the king’s first question and the answers that people gave him.
(A3) Use the following words to make meaningful sentences:
i. undertake
ii. pastimes
(A4) Do as Directed:
i. Since he was convinced that he was right in thinking this way, he had a proclamation made in his kingdom. (Rewrite as a Compound sentence)
ii. right, advance (Add suitable suffix to the given words)
(A5) Do you think any of the answers were right? Justify.
(B) Read the following passage and do the activities.
(B1) State whether the following statements are True or False. (2)
i. The writer met the woman for the second time at a play.
ii. The writer used to live in Paris.
iii. The writer wanted the woman to invite him for a luncheon at Foyot’s.
iv. The writer mentally decided to cut out on lunch for the next two weeks, to manage his finances.
| I caught sight of her at the play and in answer to her call. I went over during the interval and sat down beside her. It was long since I had last seen her and, if someone had not mentioned her name, I hardly think I would have recognised her. She addressd me brightly. “Well, it’s many years since we first met. How time does fly ! We’re none of us getting any younger. Do you remember the first time I saw you? You asked me to luncheon.” Did I remember ? It was twenty years ago and I was living in Paris. I had a tiny apartment and I was earning barely enough money. She had read a book of mine and had written to me about it. I answered, thanking her, and presently, I received from her another letter saying she was passing through Paris and would like to have a chat with me. But her time was limited and the only free moment she had was on the following Thursday and would I give her a little luncheon at Foyot’s afterwards? Foyot’s is a restaurant and it was so far beyond my means that I had never even thought of going there. I had eighty francs (gold francs) to last me the rest of the month and a modest luncheon should not cost more than fifteen. If I cut out coffee for the next two weeks, I could manage well enough. |
(B2) Enlist from the passage evidence that proves that the author was not doing well financially.
(B3) Match the phrases in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’:
| ‘A’ | ‘B’ |
| i. to catch sight of | a. to be very expensive |
| ii. to be beyond one’s means | b. to catch the person red handed |
| c. to see something | |
| d. to be very far away |
(B4) Do as Directed:
i. She had read a book of mine and had written to me about it.
(Rewrite as a Simple sentence)
ii. If I cut out coffee for the next two weeks, I could manage well enough.
(Identify and Analyse the Clauses)
(B5) What would you do if you didn’t have enough money to take your friend out for lunch?
Answer:
(A) (A1) i. Many learned people came to the king’s court and gave different answers to the king’s questions.
ii. Some people were of the opinion that one should not let oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes.
(A2) i. The king’s first question was how one could know what was the right time was for any action.
ii. Every learned person had a different answer in their mind as some said one must make a calendar in advance and follow it strictly.
iii. Others declared that one should always focus on what was going on, and do what was most important.
iv. The rest said that it was impossible for one man to correctly decide the right time for every action and that the king should rather have a council of wise people, to help him fix the proper
(A3) i. Every leader must undertake missions for the welfare of his people.
ii. Children today have taken to new pastimes like surfing the internet.
(A4) i. He was convinced that he was right in thinking this way, so he had a proclamation made in his kingdom.
ii. rightful, advancement
(A5) No, I don’t think any of the answers were right as the wise men missed the core of the question. The king did not mean ’the right time’ in the literal sense. He wished to know the correct moment to take action and not know its exact timing. All the answers were wrong as they focused on finding that point of time, and hence didn’t satisfy the king.
(B) (B1) i. True
ii. True
iii. False
iv. False
(B2) Following is the evidence from the passage that proves the author was not doing well financially:
i. He lived in a tiny apartment and was barely earning enough money.
ii. He had never thought of going to Foyot’s because it was far beyond his means.
iii. He had only eighty francs to last him the rest of the month.
iv. He could afford to take his guest for a modest luncheon at Foyot’s only if he cut down on coffee for two weeks.
(B3) i. to catch sight of – to see something
ii. to be beyond one’s means – to be very expensive
(B4) i. Having read a book of mine, she had written to me about it.
ii. I could manage well enough – Main Clause
If I cut out coffee for the next two weeks – Subordinate Adverb Clause of Condition
(B5) If I didn’t have sufficient money to take my friend out for lunch, I would request my mother to cook up something that was nutritious, easy to make, and yet tasty for my friend. I would have helped her prepare the dishes and would also ensure that the food was up to the mark for my friend.
Section III: Poetry
Question 3.
(A) Read the following extract and do the activities.
(A1) State whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the False statements. (2)
i. A person’s words must stem from lies and deceit.
ii. The creator must direct out minds towards liberated thoughts and actions.
| Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by Thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. |
(A2) Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct alternatives. (2)
i. Narrow minded thoughts _________.
(A) create misunderstandings
(B) multiply fears
(C) divide people
ii. The poet dreams of a nation where tireless striving leads to _________.
(A) succession
(B) progression
(C) perfection
(A3) Identify and explain any one Figure of Speech in the line: (1)
“Where the dear stream of reason has not lost its way”
(B) Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format. [05 Marks)
|
The Will to Win If you want a thing bad enough If all that you dream If you gladly sweat for, fret for and plan for it and lose If you simply go after that thing that you want with all If neither cold poverty, famish or gout If dogged and grim you be size and beget it, |
You can use the following points for writing the appreciation of the given poem.
i. Title (½)
ii. Poet (½)
iii. Rhyme scheme (1)
iv. Figures of Speech (1)
v. Theme/central idea (At least 2 to 3 lines) (2)
Answer:
(A) (A1) i. False: A person’s words must stem from the depth of truth.
ii. True
(A2) i. Narrow-minded thoughts divide people.
ii. The poet dreams of a nation where tireless striving leads to perfection.
(A3) i. Metaphor – An indirect comparison has been made between the ’clarity of a stream’ and ’reason’.
ii. Personification – An inanimate object like the ’stream’ has been given the human quality of ’losing its way’.
(B) Appreciation of the poem ’The Will to Win’
The poem, ’The Will to Win’ has been written by Berton Braley. The title of the poem suggests that it is about the preconditions for success.
The poem is written in a free-verse format which is the reason why the rhyme scheme is irregular and does not have a fixed pattern. The figures of speech beautifying the poem are Alliteration, Antithesis, Climax, Inversion, Exclamation, Repetition and Tautology. An example of a Climax is “If neither cold poverty, famished or gaunt” – where the words ’cold’, ’poverty’, ’famished’ and ’gaunt’ are arranged in an increasing order of their relative importance.
The central idea of the poem highlights the criteria for achieving success. The poet believes that success is the result of persistent struggle, relentless pursuit of one’s goal and unyielding determination. One must toil without giving up and only then with the blessings of God, can one succeed.
Section IV: Unseen / Non-textual Passages
(Reading Skills, Vocabulary, Grammar and Summary)
Question 4.
(A) Read the following passage and do the activities.
(A1) Arrange the following events in the chronological order.
i. The Athenians had built the great wooden horse to trick the people of Troy.
ii. King Priam of Troy celebrated with the rest of the family.
iii. The mighty cities of Athens and Troy went to war.
iv. The city of Troy had fallen by noon.
| Long ago, the mighty cities of Troy and Athens went to war. No one could remember exactly how or why the war had started, but after ten years of fighting, neither side wanted to back down. The vast armies of Athens had sprawled out their campsites at the foot of Troy’s walls, laying siege to the poor inhabitants. Everyone was affected by this decade-long war that showed no sign of ever ending. Then one day, the men and women of Troy woke up to a pleasant surprise. They looked out their windows, expecting to see the tents and soldiers of their enemy, but instead saw nothing. The lands surrounding Troy were, for the first time in years, completely empty. At first, the Trojans were confused, but their confusion quickly turned to celebration.
The war was over! The Athenians must have given up. As King Priam of Troy celebrated with the rest of the royal family, Trojan guards rolled in a massive wooden horse that they had found sitting outside the city gates. It must be a peace offering, the Trojans decided happily. “The Athenians have left behind a gift to apologise for the trouble they have caused us.” The Trojans, however, were very, very wrong. As they celebrated their presumed victory, Athenian soldiers hid inside the wooden horse, waiting to attack. At dawn, while the city of Troy slept, the wooden horse began to creak. Some of the wooden boards slipped aside and Athenian soldiers poured out. By noon, the city of Troy had fallen and the ten- year war was over. |
(A2) Explain how the great wooden horse led to the fall of Troy. (2)
(A3) Write the synonyms for the following from the extract. (2)
i. residents
ii. opponent
iii. deceive
iv. supposed
(A4) Do as Directed:
i. Everyone was affected by this decade-long war that showed no sign of ever ending.
(Change the Voice)
ii. The Athenians must have given up.
(Pick out the Subject and the Predicate from the given sentence)
(A5) Do you think the Athenians misleading the Trojans was a fair move? (2)
(B) Write a summary of the passage given in Q.4 (A) and suggest a suitable title for it. [05 Marks]
Answer:
(A) (A1) iii. The mighty cities of Athens and Troy went to war.
ii. King Priam of Troy celebrated with the rest of the family.
i. The Athenians had built the great wooden horse to trick the people of Troy.
iv. The city of Troy had fallen by noon.
(A2) i. One morning, after a ten-year long war, the camps of the Athenians was nowhere to be seen.
ii. The Trojans believed that the Athenians had given up and left, which is why they brought in the great wooden horse that they found sitting outside the city gates.
iii. However, the Athenian soldiers were hiding inside the wooden horse waiting to attack.
iv. At dawn, the Athenian soldiers poured out of the wooden horse and attacked while the Trojans slept and by noon the city of Troy had fallen.
(A3) i. inhabitants
ii. enemy
iii. trick
iv. presumed
(A4) i. This decade-long war that showed no sign of ever ending affected everyone.
ii. The Athenians – Subject
must have given up – Predicate
(A5) Yes, the move planned by the Athenians was fair for a number of reasons. The war had been going on for a long time with no sign of ending. The Athenians were far away from home and wanted to go back soon. As they couldn’t fight the Trojans directly, they had to think of some alternative way to get inside the city. It is said that everything is fair in war. They used this to their advantage and defeated the Trojans.
(B) The Trojan Horse
The people of Troy and Athens were in a never-ending war for the past 10 years. The Athenians had laid siege to the city of Troy. One day, the Trojans couldn’t see the tents of the Athenian army at the foot of Troy’s walls and assumed that the war was over. The King and people of Troy rejoiced. Amidst the celebrations, the Trojan guards brought a wooden horse that the Athenians had left behind, assuming it to be a peace offering. However, the horse was a trap. Athenian soldiers came out of the horse at dawn and by noon Troy had fallen. This marked the end of the war.
Section V: Writing Skills
Question 5.
Letter Writing: Attempt any one of the following activities: [05 Marks]
Your school, St. Anne’s High School, 24, Napier Cross Road, Dehradun, Uttarakhand – 240 880, plans to celebrate its Annual Day on 16th December, 2021.
| A1. Informal Letter As Sharad/Shraddha Mehta, invite your mother to attend the Annual Day celebration at your school. |
OR | A2. Formal Letter As the School Captain, Sharad/Shraddha Mehta, who would be in charge of the event, invite the Commissioner of Police as the Chief Guest for the Annual Day by writing a letter of invitation to him. |
Answer:
(1) St. Anne’s High School,
24, Napier Cross Road,
Dehradun,
Uttarakhand – 240 880
15th November, 2021
Dearest Mom,
It’s been a while since I last wrote to you. I’ve been quite busy planning my school’s Annual Day along with the rest of the students and teachers.
I remember telling you the last time we spoke that my school will be celebrating the Annual Day on 16th December this year. We have been preparing for the same since the past one week. You had told me that you enjoyed attending it last year and that you would like to attend next year as well. The celebration this year is going to be all the more special as it is the golden jubilee year of the establishment of our school.
We are preparing dance performances, plays, and a speech highlighting the school’s journey. That’s not it; we have also invited the Commissioner of Police to preside as the Chief Guest for the event. He is an alumnus of our school and he would be giving a speech on his journey as a police officer, so as to inspire the young minds.
This is a special year for me too, as this is the last time I would be organising the Annual Day. This is why I’m writing to you well in advance, so that you can make all the arrangements. I truly hope you can make it.
Your loving daughter,
Shraddha
OR
(2) St. Anne’s High School,
24, Napier Cross Road, Dehradun,
Uttarakhand – 240 880
15th November, 2021
To,
The Commissioner of Police,
Police Headquarters,
Dehradun,
Uttarakhand – 240 881
Subject: Invitation to grace our school’s Annual Day as the Chief Guest
Respected Sir,
I, Miss Shraddha Mehta, am a student of class X at the above mentioned school. I also hold the position of the School Captain. On behalf of the Management, Principal, Staff and students of our school, we wish to warmly invite you to preside as the Chief Guest at the Annual Day of the school, which is scheduled on the 16th of December, 2021. It is an occasion of double celebration for us, since this year also happens to be the golden jubilee year of the establishment of the school.
We are proud that you are also a student of our school. Your success story is narrated each year, with great pride by our Principal, on Children’s Day. We are in awe of your powerful yet humble personality. Meeting you in person and hearing from you about your journey and philosophy of life would inspire many of our students to work with dedication, perseverance and sincerity, like you did. We are hopeful that you would accept this invitation and be part of our joy and celebration.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Shraddha Mehta
Question 6.
(A) Information Transfer: Attempt any one of the following activities: [05 Marks]
(A1) Non-verbal to Verbal
Study the table given below and prepare a paragraph on it.
| Alligators | Crocodiles |
| i. U shaped round snout | V shaped round snout |
| ii. Live in fresh water | Live in fresh water and saline water |
| iii. Have wide jaws; upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw | Have narrow jaws; both the jaws are of the same size |
| iv. Only upper teeth are visible when the i mouth is closed | Both the teeth are visible when the mouth is closed. |
| v. No functioning salt glands | Very functional salt glands |
| vi. Sensory pits on scales near the jaw | Sensory pits in every scale of the body |
OR
(A2) Verbal to Non-verbal
Read the following passage and make a tree diagram based on it.
A chemical group or family is a vertical column in the periodic table. Elements in the same group tend to have a shared chemistry and exhibit a clear trend in properties with increasing atomic number. The elements in group one of the periodic table (with the exception of hydrogen) arf known as the Alkali Metals while those in group two are known as Alkaline Earth Metals. The Alkali Metal group includes the elements Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidium, Caesium and Francium. The Alkaline Earth Metal group is comprised of the elements Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium, Barium and Radium. Group 18 is a family of non¬reactive chemical elements with similar properties called the Noble Gases. These include the elements Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon and Radon.
(B) Speech Writing/View-Counterview: Attempt any one of the following activities:- [05 Marks]
(B1) Speech Writing
Prepare a speech to be delivered on ‘National Reading Day’ on the theme, ‘A book holds the power to change a life’. You can use the following points:
- Great personalities who have been avid readers « Personality development through reading
- How one develops the habit of reading,
- Pledge to enrich our lives with good books, etc.
OR
(B2) View-Counterview
Write a paragraph on your View regarding ‘Participation of Youth in Democracy’.
Counterview
- Democracy is not the most just form of government
- The youth has other lucrative options
- There are few career opportunities available for them as leaders
Answer:
(A) (A1) Alligators v/s Crocodiles
The given table provides the distinguishing features between alligators and crocodiles. While alligators have a U-shaped round snout, crocodiles are found to have a V shaped snout. The next difference is based on the habitat of these reptiles. While alligators are found only in fresh water, crocodiles live in both fresh and saline waters. Alligators have wide jaws, wherein the upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw. As a result, only the teeth in the upper jaw are visible, when its mouth is closed. In crocodiles however, both the jaws are relatively narrow and of the same size. Hence, both the teeth are visible when the mouth is closed. While crocodiles have salt glands that are functional, alligators lack salt glands. The final difference between the two is based on the presence and location of sensory pits. In case of alligators, sensory pits are found on scales only near the jaw, whereas, in crocodiles, these are found in every scale of its body.
OR
(A2)
(B) (B1) Speech on ‘National Reading day’
Good evening, respected Principal, teachers and my dear friends. On the occasion of the birthday of the late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, which is celebrated as ’National Reading Day’, I, Master Roy Pandit, stand here before you all to share my thoughts on the theme, ’A book holds the power to change a life’.
History recounts the many wonders of reading. Great people like Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and many more have been avid readers. Warren Buffet, the second richest person in the world, spends almost 60% of his day reading. If given a choice between buying a book and buying expensive clothes, the Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra would rather buy a book. Bill Gates attributes his success to reading, while Shahrukh Khan, Oprah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerberg, Barack Obama, and our very own Dr. Kalam attributed their personality and power to their reading.
A book changed their lives and these lives changed the world. A teacher led them towards the love for the written word. This may have been their parent, sibling, or even an inspiration. Also, a book needs to be read, hence the reader is as essential as what is being read. Finally, though a book in its entirety may inspire one, several times some key statement or thought in the book, is like a mantra for life. It is like the beacon of hope that guides. Thus, it is said that, ’A book holds the power to change a life’.
Let’s take a pledge to enlighten ourselves with these powerhouses called books. Let’s ensure that we keep enriching our lives with good books. On National Reading Day, let’s promise ourselves that we shall forever extend our knowledge base by reading without fail.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my views with all of you.
OR
(B2) View on ’Participation of Youth in Democracy’
As we all know, democracy is a form of government where the people participate and play the key role of decision making. Democracy works best only when all the people choose their future leaders consciously. In a country where the youth constitute 70% of the population, lack of participation on their part negatively affects the entire population. A majority of today’s Indian youth don’t have the necessary knowledge of their political environment. This allows the candidates to take advantage of their ignorance and disregard them. The youth consider voting day as a holiday or choose not to vote due to their busy schedules. Taking an interest in politics and knowing the right candidate will help better the condition of our democracy.
However, simply voting is not enough and the youth should also contest the elections. Even if everybody votes, an older leader cannot capably represent the youth the way someone their own age can. Having a lot of other interesting career options also adds to their disinterest in politics. However, they need to consider how their contribution to politics would affect the nation and thus steer themselves towards a career in politics. The youth can create leadership opportunities for themselves by taking initiatives for the betterment of the society.
Hence, the youth should take an active interest in democracy because it will help them improve the country they are a part of.
Section VI: Creative Writing
Question 7.
(A) Expand the theme/News Report: Attempt any one of the following activities: [05 Marks]
(A1) Expand the Theme
Expand the following proverb:
‘Neither A Borrower Nor A Lender Be’
OR
(A2) News Report
Taking inspiration from the recently concluded ‘Gateway Literature Festival’ in Mumbai, the Youth Association in your locality conducted a ‘Regional Literature Festival’. Write a report for your local newspaper outlining this event with the headline ‘A Chance to Revel in Native Literature’.
(B) Developing a story/Narrating an experience: Attempt any one of the following activities: [05 Marks]
(Bl) Develop a story in about 80 to 100 words including a suitable title, with the following ending:
‘The king realised his mistake and vowed before his people never to be vain thereafter.’
OR
(B2) Narrate your experience of the farewell party organised by your school for all the class 10 students based on the following beginning.
‘The destination of this journey that we began from kindergarten is not far away now… ’
Answer:
(A) Neither a Borrower nor a Lender be
In today’s expensive world, owning anything apart from the bare essentials is always a task. Buying comforts require taking huge loans. This is how people fall into the habit of borrowing.
The proverb literally means that one should neither borrow nor lend money. When we borrow money from someone, we tend to spend far beyond our means. There is a possibility that the borrower may never repay the loan, thereby straining their relationship with the lender. In the same way, the lender may expect the borrower to be forever indebted to them. It is therefore essential for one to live within one’s means. This does not mean that one should not help others in times of emergency; nor does it mean that one should keep borrowing from the lender.
Thus, in order to maintain happy and healthy relationships, one should refrain from borrowing or lending money.
OR
(A2) A Chance to Revel in Native Literature
– Seema Jaiswal, Correspondent
Mumbai, 15th March, 2021
The ‘Gateway Literature Festival’ was recently conducted in Mumbai and inspired many to take a liking towards translated versions of Regional Literature. In the same way, the Sunshine Youth Association at Perry Cross Road organised, ‘Flavours of Homely Literature’, a festival of regional literary works and their translations on 12th, 13th and 14th March, 2021.
The festival was inaugurated by Ms. Kamini Phanse, a well-known literary critic and Mr. Vivek Shanbhag, author of the famed novel, ‘Ghachar Ghochar’. The dignitaries elucidated upon their take on regional literature and the new era of translations that has taken the Indian literary scene by storm. The festival was graced by the presence of many literary critics and budding authors. A ‘Fusion Workshop’ was organised, where original works and their translations were discussed in detail. The event proved to be a sensational crowd-puller with many bibliophiles and Media-personnel frequenting it. A panel discussion was organised on the last day, wherein the topic of discussion was, ‘In Remembrance of Home’.
“This festival opened up new vistas of literature for me and I sincerely await its second edition next year”, were the awe-struck thoughts of a fellow who visited the festival. The event proved to be a melody of English language with a homely touch to it.
(B) (B1) Vanity has a Downfall
Once upon a time, a vain king declared that he was the lord of everything and everyone and that all the people of his kingdom were his servants. Suddenly, a voice was heard from among the crowd. ‘All are servants of each other,’ it said. Everyone was curious to know who the disobedient one was. The king ordered that the person who said the words be summoned before him. Soon, an old, bent man was made to stand before the king. The king asked him if he was the one who spoke. The old man replied in the affirmative, bowed to the king and introduced himself. When the king asked him for an explanation, he said that he had come to the king to ask for supplying drinking water to his village which was facing a drought. However, now that he had challenged the king, he would have to reverently touch his feet as per his village’s custom.
The king looked on as the old bent man dropped his walking stick while proceeding to touch the king’s feet. He then asked the king to pick up his walking stick. The king obeyed and the old man proved that the king too had to be of service to the man.
The king realised his mistake and vowed before his people never to be vain thereafter.
OR
(B2) The Perfect Farewell
The destination of this journey that we began from kindergarten is not far away now. On the one hand, I’m excited to step out and experience college; but on the other hand, I’m also sad about leaving school. However, I knew that our teachers would not let us leave school all depressed and the farewell party organised by the school proves that right.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself! We were given a red carpet welcome when we reached the venue. The event began in the evening, with the Principal addressing the class X students and advising us to try new things in life. We were then shown a slideshow of all our class photographs as well as other candid pictures taken during various events over the years. This was followed by our teachers telling us how wonderful it was to teach us and how they would miss us when we are gone. I spoke about my journey of how the school has helped me build a good personality and made me a responsible person. Later, we all enjoyed the performances put up by the students of class IX. The dinner and the party that followed were great fun.
Towards the end of the evening, a lot of the students and teachers were teary-eyed. I, too, couldn’t stop myself from being overwhelmed by the efforts taken by our school to give us the perfect farewell.