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Discursive Passage for CBSE Class 10 – 2022-23 Exam

Discursive Passage (400–450 Words) Discursive Passage for CBSE Class 10 – 2022-23 Exam. A discursive passage may include the opinion of a person which are generally argumentative, persuasive and interpretative. It allows students to arrive at a conclusion through reasoning and understanding rather than intuition. It presents a balanced and objective approach towards the subject being discussed.

CBSE Class 10th All Poems Chapter Poetic Device

Extract Based Questions Answer Part-1

CBSE Class 10 English Extract Based Questions Answer 2023 Board Exams

Section-A

Reading Comprehension

Discursive Passages

Passage-1

By Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Read the passages given below carefully.

1. Nations are built by the imagination and untiring enthusiastic efforts of generations. One generation transfers the fruits of its toil to another, which then takes forward the mission. As the coming generation also has its dreams and aspirations for the nation’s future, it therefore adds something from its side to the national vision; which the next generation strives hard to achieve. This process goes on and the nation climbs steps of glory and gains higher strength. The first vision: Freedom of India

2. Any organization, society or even a nation without a vision is like a ship cruising on the high seas without any aim or direction. It is the clarity of national vision which constantly drives the people towards the goal.

3. Our last generation, the glorious generation of freedom fighters, led by Mahatma Gandhi and many others set for the nation a vision of free India. This was the first vision, set by the people for the nation. It therefore went deep into the minds and the hearts of the masses and soon became the great inspiring and driving force for the people to collectively plunge into the struggle for freedom movement. The unified dedicated efforts of the people from every walk of life won freedom for the country. The second vision: Developed India

4. The next generation (to which I also belong) has put India strongly on the path of economic, agricultural and technological development. But India has stood too long in the line of developing nations. Let us, collectively, set the second national vision of Developed India. I am confident that it is very much possible and can materialize in 15 – 20 years’ time. Developed status

5. What does the developed nation status mean for the common man? It means the major transformation of our national economy to make it one of the largest economies in the world, where the countrymen live well above the poverty line, their education and health is of high standard, national security is reasonably assured, and the core competence in certain major areas gets enhanced significantly so that the production of quality goods, including exports, is rising and thereby bringing all-round prosperity for the countrymen.

6. What is the common link needed to realise these sub-goals? It is the technological strength of the nation, which is the key to reach this developed status. Build around our strength

7. The next question that comes to the mind is, how can it be made possible? We have to build and strengthen our national infrastructure in an all-round manner, in a big way. Therefore, we should build around our existing strengths including the vast pool of talented scientists and technologists and our abundant natural resources. The manpower resource should be optimally utilised to harness health care, services sectors and engineering goods sectors.

Questions

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.

(i) According to the author, what, from the following, a nation without a vision is?

(a) Futuristic (b) Prudent (c) Desultory (d) Belligerent

(ii) Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to the above passage.

John: The diversity of India is a gift, wouldn’t you agree? I think it adds to the glory of our nation and makes it unique in its existence.

Matt: I do agree. In fact, I think ……………. .

(a) If everyone stays isolated, that would nurture the nation’s strength

(b) Unity in diversity is what will make our nation great

(d) It separates our nation and makes India superior than all others

(iii) Choose the option that best conveys the message in – “It therefore went deep into the minds and the hearts of the masses and soon became the great inspiring and driving force…”

(a) A person is a coward because they think they are.

(b) A person is brave because their family and friends support them.

(d) A person’s valour is determined by their contribution to the world.

(iv) What qualities do the writer of the above passage displays when they talk about the necessary steps to build our nation’s strength? Choose one option from the following.

(a) Ambitious and alertness

(b) Tendency to help everyone in need

(d) Leading people by trying to do everything in their own way

(v) Select the option with the underlined words that can suitably replace ‘driving’.

(a) He was the acting force behind the new ballet company.

(b) You should never take chance while swiftly drunk riding a car.

(d) During the first year of the war, he was active in exerting force out and maltreating Union men.

(vi) What does the author advise, in paragraph 7?

(a) To strengthen the nation’s technological strength.

(b) To strengthen the nation’s defensive strength.

(d) To strengthen the nation’s educational strength.

(vii) Choose the option that lists the quote best expressing the central idea of the passage.

(a) Not merely a nation, but a nation of nations. (Lyndon B Johnson)

(b) To survive in peace and harmony united and strong, we must have one people, one nation, one flag. (Pauline Hanson)

(d) In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved. (F. D. Roosevelt)

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Discursive Passage for CBSE Class 10 – 2022-23 Exam

Passage 2

1. Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. First, it is the poorest of the poor. Only paltry sums are available for excavating and even less is available for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Second, there is the problem of illegal excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to the highest bidder.

2. I would like to make an outrageous suggestion that would at one stroke provide funds for archaeology and reduce the amount of illegal digging. I would propose that scientific archaeological expeditions and governmental authorities sell excavated artifacts on the open market. Such sales would provide substantial funds for the excavation and preservation of archaeological sites and the publication of results. At the same time, they would break the illegal excavator’s grip on the market, thereby decreasing the inducement to engage in illegal activities.

3. You might object that professionals excavate to acquire knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts are part of our global cultural heritage, which should be available for all to appreciate, not sold to the highest bidder. I agree. Sell nothing that has unique artistic merit or scientific value. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here we part company. Theoretically, you may be correct in claiming that every artifact has potential scientific value. Practically, you are wrong.

4. I refer to the thousands of pottery vessels and ancient lamps that are essentially duplicates of one another. In one small excavation in Cyprus, archaeologists recently uncovered 2,000 virtually indistinguishable small jugs in a single courtyard, even precious royal seal impressions known as ‘melekh handles’ have been found in abundance — more than 4,000 examples so far.

5. The basement of museums is simply not large enough to store the artifacts that are likely to be discovered in the future. There is not enough money even to catalogue the finds; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of a computer, sold artefacts could be more accessible than are the pieces stored in bulging museum basements. Prior to sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes. It would be unrealistic to suggest that illegal digging would stop if artefacts were sold in the open market. But the demand for the clandestine product would be substantially reduced. Who would want an unmarked pot when another was available whose provenance was known, and that was dated stratigraphically by the professional archaeologist who excavated it?

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Questions

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any five out of the seven questions by choosing the correct option.

(i) According to the author, what, from the following, is the lesson taught by the process of excavation?

(a) Archaeology is the most important branch of studies.

(b) Finding and preserving artefacts is integral to knowing more about our cultural past.

(d) Nothing should remain hidden for a very long time.

(ii) Select the option that suitably completes the dialogue with reference to the above passage.

Dev: I think in order to save the ancient findings from being sold illegally, we should sell them in open markets.

Prachi: I agree but ………………. .

(a) Only the artifacts that are not of import and are excavated in multiple quantity

(b) Not the artifacts that are of scientific or historic importance

(d) Both (a) and (b)

(iii) Choose the option that best conveys the message in – ‘Practically, you are wrong.’

(a) One must leave everything on God and have faith that all will be right.

(b) One must strive to do better in life, every step of the way.

(d) Money and success are the most important things in life.

(iv) Which of the following can be said about the people in the profession of archaeology?

(a) Collectors of artifacts

(b) Seekers of knowledge

(d) Acquire of knowledge for business purposes

(v) Select the option with the underlined words that can suitably replace ‘clandestine’. (Paragraph 5)

(a) The result of weeks of public planning now sat hidden inside the bedside cupboard.

(b) The proceeds went to fund its justifiably correct war against the Russians.

(d) Gagan became much more open and frank when asked about the lyrical contents of his songs.

(vi) Which of the following words means “a study of human activity through recovery and analysis of material culture”?

(a) Stratigraphically (b) Archaeologist (c) Archaeology (d) Excavation

(vii) Select the qualities that the author seems to exhibit, on the basis of your reading of the passage.

(1) Conniving (2) Business-minded (3) Shrewd (4) Sharp (5) Clever

(a) 1 and 3 (b) 2, 4 and 5 (c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2 and 5

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Discursive Passage for CBSE Class 10 – 2022-23 Exam

Answer & Explanation

PASSAGE-1

(i) (c) ‘Desultory’ means lacking of a definite plan or aimless.
The passage suggests that a nation without a vision is ‘aimless’, like a ship cruising without direction.

(ii) (b) The passage talks about the unified efforts of diversified people which will make India a great nation. Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

(iii) (a) “A person is a coward because they think they are”–gives the correct meaning of the given sentence.

(iv) (c) ‘Visionary’ and ‘confident’ are the qualities that the author displays while talking about taking the necessary steps to build our nation’s strength.

(v) (d) ‘Driving’ means exerting force or motivating force. Hence, the sentence in option (d) contains the words that can replace ‘driving’.

(vi) (a) According to the paragraph 7, the author advises to strengthen the nation’s technological strength.

(vii) (c) The quote in option (c) best expresses the central idea of the passage.

PASSAGE 2

(i) (b) Finding and preserving artifacts is integral to knowing more about our cultural past is the lesson taught by excavations.

(ii) (d) According to given passage, both options (a) and (b) are appropriate to complete the dialogue.

(iii) (a) The sentence in option (a) gives the same meaning as the sentence in the question.

(iv) (b) The people in the profession of archaeology can be said to be seekers of knowledge.

(v) (c) ‘Clandestine’ means secret or secretly conducted. Hence, the sentence in option (c) contains the words that can suitably replace ‘clandestine’.

(vi) (c) ‘ Archaeology’ means a study of human activity through recovery and analysis of material culture.

(vii) (b) The author seems to be business-minded, sharp and clever.