ICSE English Literature Previous Year Question Paper 2013 Solved for Class 10
Section A – Drama
Loyalties : John Galsworthy
Question 3:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
[Lady Adela goes out into her room and closes the door]
Winsor: Look here, De Levis! This isn’t a hotel. It’s the sort of thing that doesn’t happen in a decent house. Are you sure you’re not mistaken, and didn’t have them stolen on the course?
De Levis: Absolutely. I counted them just before putting them under my pillow; then I locked the door and had the key here. There’s only one door, you know.
Winsor: How was your window?
De Levis: Open.
Winsor: [Drawing back the curtains of his own window] You’ve got a balcony like this. Any sign of a ladder or anything?
(i) Where are Winsor and De Levis at this time? Who is De Levis?
What has happened to De Levis? [3]
(ii) Who is Lady Adela? What instructions have been given to Lady Adela? [3]
(iii) Who enters the scene a short while later? What questions have been put by Winsor to the person who enters a short while later? [3]
(iv) What suggestions are given to Winsor by the person who enters a short while later?
How does Winsor react to the suggestions? [3]
(v) On whom does De Levis express suspicion for what has happened to him? What version does he give of how he thinks the deed was committed? [4]
Answer:
(i) Winsor and De Levis are in the bedroom of Winsor, at Meldon Court. De Levi s is a young rich Jew. He is a strong personality who single-handed faces the solid phalanx of English Christian society which is hostile to him. He represents his race and at the same time.he is an individual with his virtues and failings, his whims and fancies, his likes and dislikes. We learn from a brief talk between Charles Winsor and Lady Adela that De Levis is as rich as Croesus and has won two races. He is a lucky man and always wins at Bridge. He is a typical Jew, but as time passes he develops a strong individuality of his own. He has hill justification for all his actions. His cool courage and his forgiveness in the hour of his triumph place him morality far above Christians who oppose him.
De Levis comes in the bed room of Winsor. He is clad in pyjamas and wears a flowered dressing gown. Winsor is surprised at this mid-night visit of De Levis. De Levis is in a disturbed state and he tells Winsor the $ 1000 in notes have just disappeared from under his pillow. He tells Winsor that he had gone to the bath room after locking up the door of his room which opened into the gallery. He must have been away only for about fifteen minutes. He told Winsor that he had obtained this money from Kentman, a bookie, as the sale price of his mare.
(ii) Lady Adela is the wife of Chkriea Winsor. She is fair, about thirty-five, rather delicious, and suggestive of porcelain. She has a streak of Jewish blood in her veins. She is fond of games. The part she plays in the drama is not very important perhaps because she has no strongly developed individuality. She is devoted to her husband and likes company. She loves excitement and sensations. She is curious to know about Dancy’s desperate and romantic activities before Ms marriage. Her sympathy for the Jew also is ineffective and her attitude is never a determining factor pn any occasion. She does not assert herself on any matter. She says nothing which might show any difference of opinion between herself and her husband. Winsor is happy to have in Adela a loving, submissive and uncritical wife.
When De Levis comes to Winsor’s room and tells him that $ 1000 in notes have just been stolen by someone from under his pillow, Winsor is profoundly shocked to hear all this. He is very unhappy to know that the theft took place in his house. Winsor does not want that any fuss should be made about it. It is a private house and not a hotel. He thinks that if there is a house-search and a regular investigation it would bring a bad name to Meldon Court. De Levis quite naturally wants the police to be informed. Winsor tells him that a police investigation would create a big scandal. But De Levis insists on the police being informed. So very reluctantly Winsor gives instructions to his wife to ring up the police station at New Market.
(iii) The butler, Treisure who is a silent, grave man of almost supernatural conformity, enters the scene a short while later. He has been in the house since he was a child and Winsor has absolute faith in him. Treisure was called to get information regarding the valet of De Levis. Winsor makes enquiry about the loss of money from De Levis’ room. Treisure, being an old servant at Meldon Court, knows a lot about the people working there. Winsor puts different questions to Treisure. Winsor asks him who works as valet to Mr. De Levis and looks after Ms clothes etc. At this, Treisure replies with respectfully, -Robert’. Next Winsor asks him at what times he came to these rooms last. He (Treisure) tells him (Winsor) that he (Robert) came to these rooms last in normal course, about ten o’clock. Next Winsor asks him when he (Robert) went to bed. At this he replies that he sat him free at eleven. On asking that he really went to bed at eleven, be replies that all he knows is that he went away.
(iv) Winsor resents his trusted servants being suspected. Treisure is amused at the security precautions taken by De Levis. He tells them that he had kept the shoe in his box and locked up the box. He had taken out the money when he came back to Ms room after dinner and then he had put it under his pillow and gone to the bathroom. When he came back he found that the money was gone. On knowing all things about the money which was stolen, Treisure suggested Winsor that the correct thing would be to put a ring of guards round the house and not let anyone go out without searching him. This is necessary so that there may be no suspicion on the servants. But Winsor does not allow Such thing. He absolutely refuses to suspect anybody. He tells De Levis that he feels Sorry at his lost money, but to suspect at anyone and to make thorough search will bring deflune for tMs locality. Further he tells him that it is very troublesome for you. But it is equally troublesome for everybodyelse here. Winsor consoles De Levis by saying that they must try their best to get the money back him.
(v) At first De Levis expresses his suspicion at Treisure and Robert but Winsor shows his anger for being suspected at his servants. After the police inspector Dede comes, Winsor suggests that they should go to the room where the theft took place. They all go to the room of De Levis. But there is no clue regarding the theft. The inspector forms the theories about the theft. Now De Levis’ suspicion turns to Dancy. He tells the people present there that he can visualise how the whole thing muse have happened. He narrates to the people that Dancy knew that De Levis had been paid $ 1000 by Kentman that day. He was feeling cut up because Rosemary was his own mare. Dancy came while De Levis was in the bathroom. He tried the door of De Levis but found that it was locked, but he saw that the window was open. He went to his own dressing room, went to the balcony and from there he jumped to the balcony of De Levis, stole the notes and filled the pocket book with shaving papers. He wrenched the creeper on the balcony to mislead the investigation. Then he jumped back to his own balcony and went down to the hall. He told the people that the whole thing must have taken him four minutes. The space between the balconies was a little over seven feet and a person who could take a standing jump to a book case four feet high could easily take this jump. In this way De Levis narrated his intuition.
Question 4:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Mabel [utterly surprised]: Ronny! Do they want me in Court?
Dancy: No.
Mabel: What is it, then? Why are you back?
Dancy: Spun.
Mabel: Spun? What do you mean? What’s spun?
Dancy: The case. They’ve found out through those notes.
Mabel: Oh! [Staring at his face] Who?
(i) Where are Mabel and Dancy at this time1? What was Mabel doing just before this conversation? [3]
(ii) Why did Mabel say, “Do they want me in Court?” Explain the meaning of the word “spun” in the extract. [3]
(iii) What “notes” is Dancy talking about now? How does Mabel react immediately after the extract? [3]
(iv) Dancy leaves a note for his best friend towards the end of the play. What is the name of his best friend? What is written in the note? [3]
(v) What does Dancy do at the end? Why does he do that? What is your opinion of Dancy and Mabel? [4]
Answer:
(i) Mabel and Dancy are in the sitting room of Dancy’s house. Just before the conversation Mabel is seen sitting alone on the sofa. She is in distraught state as she has been reading in the newspaper about Dancy’s case. She is feeling very weak and has a bottle of smelling salts in her hand. The door opens and Dancy comes in.
(ii) When the door opens and Dancy comes in, Mabel is greatly surprised. She wants to know whether they want her presence in the court. Dancy tells her that the case has collapsed. They have found out the real thief through those notes. Mabel in her innocence asks whom they have found out. Dancy bluntly tells her “me”. Mabel is horrified. He blames her for not agreeing to go to Africa three months back. Infact the case takes an about turn and goes against Dancy. This is meant by spun. So far all are against De Levis as he cannot produce enough evidences against Dancy. Later on two of the stolen notes were traced to Dancy and the counsel threw up the brief. The court is convinced of Dancy’s guilt.
(iii) Dancy is talking about those notes which De Levis got from Kentman after selling him (Kentman) the mare. Dancy kneels down and asks for her forgiveness. She tells him that she somehow knew that he was guilty. And yet she loved him as if nothing had happened. She wanted to know why he did it. He replied that it was a crazy thing to do but he felt that he was only looting a looter. He needed the money because he has promised to pay Ricardos’ daughter a thousand pounds. Jhat morning he had a letter from her father threatening to tell Mabel everything unless the money was paid immediately. He nobly confesses that he is unworthy of her. He tells her that he may soon be arrested, prosecuted and sent to prison. Dancy says that this will be good bye then. Mabel, however, is determined to be loyal to him unto death. In case of imprisonment is enevitable, she assures him that she will wait for his return. Whatever happens she will remain loyal to him and go on loving him.
(iv) Dancy’s best friend’s name is Colford. The inspector shows loyalty to his profession. He says that he has to perform his duty, however painful it might be. He sympathises with Mabel but proceeds to search Dancy in the house, tyargaret and Colford come to . the house but are detained at the door by the constable. Dancy says from within that they can come in. They hear the lock being opened. Then there is a pistol shot. Mabel rushes into the bed-room, followed by the inspector, Margaret and Colford. They find that Dancy has shot himself. Colford and Margaret reappear supporting Mabel who faints as they lay her on sofa. Colford takes from her hand an envelope which is addressed to him. In his farewell message Dancy says that he is doing the only decent thing that he can do. In his note left after him, he asks Colford to look after Mabel.
(v) Dancy who is a desperate character, does not get Ricardos’ sweet daughter. Due to his poverty, he has to part with his mare. He is infuriated to see that the same, useless mare is sold for $ 1000 and he gets nothing. He commits theft which is obvious from almost very beginning and he is to be caught by the police at last. For what he hands over the money to Ricardos, does not happen that is his last affairs are brought to light. These and all many other things are the manifestations of Dancy’s being desperate. He is not only the most reckless person, he is loose of morals and tongue. Leaving his immoral part, Dancy’s conversation and behaviour is most ungentlemanly, undignified and unbecoming. Being ensured he, at last has to reveal everything to his worthy wife. Despite his Himalyan efforts he is unable to leave his country and escape the clutches of law. Finally this desperate Ronald Dancy commits suicide. Dancy’s suicide is characteristic of the man. When his guilt is proved and the police comes to arrest him he shoots himself through the heart. He preferred death to dishonour. To a man of his temperament a violent death is preferable to a life of disgrace. He meets death like a soldier and never wavers or flinches. In my opinion this young Jew, or Dancy who, after all, steals, lies, insults, peeps everything from his wife, deceives his friends, and yet, in spite of all, has about him a queer halo of courage and adventure. On the other hand, Mabel’s heartily love, her loyalty and dedication for her husband are worth praising. Her love for her husband does not alter with the alteration in circumstances. In spite of knowing everything, she clings to him all the more and promise’s to wait for him if he is sent jail. She says, “whatever happens, I will go on loving you.”
Section C – Prose
Animal Farm: George Orwell
Question 9:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
‘Comrades,’ he said,‘here is a point that must be settled.
The wild creatures, such as rats and rabbits- are they our
friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote. I propose this
question to the meeting : Are rats comrades?’
(i) Name the speaker. What makes the speaker say the above words? [3]
(ii) What is done immediately after the extract? What is found out? [3]
(iii) What advice does the speaker go on to give the comrades? [3]
(iv) The speaker talks about his dream later. What does he say about his dream. [3]
(v) What is the effect of the song that is sung later? How do the comradessing the song? How is the song interrupted? [4]
Question 10:
Describe in your own words ‘The Battle of the Cowshed’. [16]
To Sir, With Love : E.R. Braithwaite
Question 11:
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Denham looked at me pityingly, slipped the gloves off his large hands and casually dropped them at my feet. He had made his point. Looking quickly at the others I could read the disappointment and disgust in their faces. They thought I was afraid, scared of the hulking, loutish fellow.‘Okay, let’s go.’
(i) Who is Denhdm? Where does this incident take place?
Who was supposed to he Denham’s pair? [3]
(ii) What does the narrator realize about Denham when they begin to box?
How does the narrator defend himself? [3]
(iii) Give a brief account of another incident during the P.T. session between Mr, Bell and Buckley. [3]
(iv) Who is the Headmaster of Greenslade Secondary School? Give a physical description of the man. [3]
(v) Give an account of the conversation the Headmaster had with the narrator before he accepted the job about the way children were treated in the school. [4]
Question 12:
Give a detailed account of the first job interview Mr. Braithwaite had in the Head Office of a firm in May fair which had a vacancy for a qualified Communications Engineer. [16]