MP Board Class 10 English Half-Yearly Exam 2026-27 Target 100 Most Important Questions with Answers

Question 11 (4 Marks): Note Making & Title Generation

Passage for Note Making: “Pollution is one of the biggest threats to planet Earth. It damages our natural ecosystem and human health. Air pollution is caused by factory smoke and vehicle exhaust, leading to respiratory diseases like asthma. Water pollution arises from industrial chemical disposal into rivers, rendering water toxic for aquatic life. Soil pollution is caused by chemical fertilizers. To curb this hazard, recycling plastics, adopting green energy (solar/wind), and planting dense trees are immediate solutions.”

Answer:
Title: Environmental Pollution and Solutions
Notes:
1. Threats of Pollution:
    1.1 Damages ecosystem.
    1.2 Affects human health.
2. Types & Causes:
    2.1 Air: Factory smoke, vehicle exhaust.
    2.2 Water: Chemical disposal in rivers.
    2.3 Soil: Chemical fertilizers.
3. Prevention Measures:
    3.1 Recycle plastic products.
    3.2 Adopt solar & wind energy.
    3.3 Massive tree plantation.

Question 12 (4 Marks): Formal Letter Writing

Question: Write an application to your Principal requesting a School Leaving Certificate (SLC) as your father has been transferred to another city.

Answer:
To,
The Principal,
Government Excellence H.S. School,
Gwalior (M.P.)

Subject: Application for School Leaving Certificate.

Respected Sir,
    I beg to state that I am a regular student of Class 10th ‘A’ in your school. My father is a government employee, and he has recently been transferred from Gwalior to Indore. Our family is shifting there next week. Therefore, I will not be able to continue my studies in your prestigious institution.
    Kindly issue my School Leaving Certificate so that I can take admission to a new school in Indore. I have cleared all my library dues.

Thanking you.
Yours obediently,
Name: Aman Sharma (Class 10th ‘A’)
Date: October 18, 2026

Question 13 (4 Marks): Informal Letter Writing

Question: Write a letter to your younger brother advising him to study hard and avoid excessive use of mobile phones.

Answer:
Examination Hall,
Gwalior (M.P.)
Date: October 18, 2026

Dear Rohit,
    I am quite well here and hope the same for you. Yesterday, I received father’s letter. He mentioned that you spend a lot of time playing mobile games and scrolling social media, which is affecting your academic preparation.
    Remember, Class 10th is a milestone in your student life. Time wasted never returns. I advise you to limit your screen time and focus strictly on your study hours. Make a balanced timetable and execute it diligently.
    Convey my regards to mother and father. Hope to see excellent results in your half-yearly tests.

Yours lovingly,
Vikas

Question 14 (3 Marks): Picture Composition (Visual Prompt Description)

Prompt Scenario: Write a short paragraph on ‘Save Trees, Save Earth’ based on a general tree graphic conservation theme.

Answer: Trees are vital organs of our living planet. They act as natural purifiers by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide and releasing fresh oxygen. They prevent soil erosion, maintain the underground water table, and invite regular rainfall. Without trees, our green Earth will convert into a barren desert, causing severe global warming. Deforestation threatens wild animals and human existence alike. To protect our future, we must plant more trees, stop cutting forests, and spread awareness to ‘Save Trees, Save Earth’.

Question 15 (5 Marks): Long Composition / Essay Writing
Topic: Value of Science in Daily Life (Science: A Boon or a Bane)
Answer Summary: Modern age is the age of science. It has completely transformed human life. In transport, inventions like trains, aeroplanes, and electric cars have made travelling fast and comfortable. In communication, internet and smartphones keep us connected globally within seconds. In medicine, science has invented vaccines and cures for deadly diseases, increasing life expectancy. However, dark aspects like nuclear weapons and rising cybercrimes present it as a bane if misused. Therefore, science must be guided by morality to remain a boon for human civilization.

📝 SECTION C: GRAMMAR (Total Questions: 16-35 | 10 Marks Breakdown)

(A) Fill in the blanks (Questions 16-25)
Question 16. He is …………. M.L.A. (a / an / the)

Answer: an

Question 17. Sun rises in …………. East. (a / an / the)

Answer: the

Question 18. You …………. obey your teachers. (should / must / ought to)

Answer: ought to

Question 19. There is not …………. water in the jug. (many / much / few)

Answer: much

Question 20. I have been studying here …………. three years. (since / for / to)

Answer: for

Question 21. He died …………. cancer. (of / off / by)

Answer: of

Question 22. Look …………. you leap. (before / after / between)

Answer: before

Question 23. My father is a …………. teacher. (retire / retired / retiring)

Answer: retired

Question 24. Walk carefully …………. you will fall down. (or / and / but)

Answer: or

Question 25. The boy …………. is sitting next to me is my brother. (who / which / whom)

Answer: who

(B) Do as Directed (Questions 26-35)
Question 26. Lencho wrote a letter to God. (Change into Negative)

Answer: Lencho did not write a letter to God.

Question 27. He is very weak. He cannot walk fast. (Combine using ‘so…that’)

Answer: He is so weak that he cannot walk fast.

Question 28. Aman sings a song. (Change into Passive Voice)

Answer: A song is sung by Aman.

Question 29. If you do not work hard, you will fail. (Rewrite using ‘Unless’ in place of ‘If’)

Answer: Unless you work hard, you will fail.

Question 30. She did her duty well. (Change into Interrogative)

Answer: Did she do her duty well?

Question 31. They have played football. (Change into Past Continuous Tense)

Answer: They were playing football.

Question 32. The man is a doctor. The man is talking to my father. (Combine using Relative Clause)

Answer: The man who is talking to my father is a doctor.

Question 33. tea / is / he / taking. (Rearrange the words to make a meaningful sentence)

Answer: He is taking tea.

Question 34. She said, “I am going to school.” (Change into Indirect Speech)

Answer: She said that she was going to school.

Question 35. He is too poor to pay his school fees. (Rewrite using ‘so…that’)

Answer: He is so poor that he cannot pay his school fees.

📖 SECTION D: TEXTBOOKS & LITERATURE (Total Questions: 36-100 | 39 Marks)

(A) Objective MCQs from First Flight Prose & Poetry (Questions 36-45)
Question 36. Where was Lencho’s house situated?

(a) In a valley (b) On the crest of a low hill (c) In a city (d) Near a forest

Answer: (b) On the crest of a low hill

Question 37. How much money did Lencho ask for from God?

(a) 50 Pesos (b) 70 Pesos (c) 100 Pesos (d) 500 Pesos

Answer: (c) 100 Pesos

Question 38. According to Nelson Mandela, what is a nation’s greatest wealth?

(a) Minerals and gems (b) Its polite people (c) Its tall buildings (d) Gold mines

Answer: (b) Its polite people

Question 39. Who is the author of the story ‘From the Diary of Anne Frank’?

(a) Liam O’Flaherty (b) Anne Frank (c) Frederick Forsyth (d) G.L. Fuentes

Answer: (b) Anne Frank

Question 40. What name did Anne Frank give to her beloved diary?

(a) Kitty (b) Tommy (c) Sweety (d) Buddy

Answer: (a) Kitty

Question 41. What does the poet Robert Frost compare ‘Fire’ with in the poem?

(a) Ice (b) Desire and Greed (c) Hatred (d) Cold breeze

Answer: (b) Desire and Greed

Question 42. What has saved ‘a part of a day’ for the poet in ‘Dust of Snow’?

(a) The crow shaking down fine dust of snow (b) A walk in the city (c) Meeting a friend (d) Hot tea

Answer: (a) The crow shaking down fine dust of snow

Question 43. Where should the tiger be lurking according to Leslie Norris?

(a) In a concrete cage (b) In long shadow near water hole (c) On a village street (d) In a zoo car

Answer: (b) In long shadow near water hole

Question 44. What did the boy lose in ‘The Ball Poem’?

(a) A book (b) A ring (c) A ball (d) A toy car

Answer: (c) A ball

Question 45. Who is the structural component of ‘Glimpses of India (Part 1 – A Baker from Goa)’?

(a) Pader (b) Kabai (c) Peon (d) Postman

Answer: (a) Pader

(B) Short Answer Type Questions – First Flight Prose (2 Marks Each | Questions 46-60)
Question 46. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?

Answer: Lencho’s corn fields were ready for harvest and needed a good downpour. He believed that the rain would guarantee a rich crop, which would bring him money. Hence, he compared them to new coins.

Question 47. Who read Lencho’s letter and what did he do?

Answer: The postmaster read Lencho’s letter. To keep Lencho’s immense faith in God alive, he collected money from his employees and friends to send it back to Lencho.

Question 48. What twin obligations does Nelson Mandela mention?

Answer: Mandela mentions that every man has twin obligations: first, to his family, parents, wife, and children; and second, to his people, community, and country.

Question 49. Why was the young seagull afraid to fly?

Answer: The young seagull was afraid because it was his first attempt to fly. Looking down at the vast sea, he felt certain that his wings would not support him.

Question 50. What compelled the young seagull to finally take his first flight?

Answer: He was starving for more than twenty-four hours. When his mother brought a piece of fish near him but stopped just out of reach, maddened by hunger, he dived at the fish and fell into space, forcing him to fly.

Question 51. What did the pilot encounter inside the black clouds in ‘Black Aeroplane’?

Answer: The pilot encountered complete darkness. His compass, radio, and other flight instruments stopped working, and he lost all navigation control until a mysterious black plane appeared to guide him.

Question 52. Why did Anne Frank want to keep a diary?

Answer: Anne felt completely lonely despite having loving parents and friends. She believed she had no true, intimate friend to share her deepest secrets with, prompting her to make the diary her friend.

Question 53. Why was Mr. Keesing annoyed with Anne Frank? What assignment did he give her?

Answer: Mr. Keesing was annoyed because Anne talked excessively during his math class. As punishment, he assigned her an essay on the topic ‘A Chatterbox’.

Question 54. What is a ‘Pader’ in Goa? Why was he important to children?

Answer: A ‘Pader’ is the traditional baker in Goa. He was important to the children because he brought sweet bread-bangles which they loved to eat every morning.

Question 55. What is Coorg famous for?

Answer: Coorg is famous for its evergreen rainforests, exotic spices, and expansive coffee plantations. It is also known for its brave martial men.

Question 56. What did Rajvir see out of the train window regarding tea gardens?

Answer: Rajvir saw a vast expanse of green tea bushes stretching as far as the eye could see, with orderly rows of neatly pruned bushes and women plucking leaves.

Question 57. Why does Valli stand up on her bus seat?

Answer: Valli’s view outside was obstructed by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of the window. To see the outside world clearly, she stood up on her seat.

Question 58. What was Valli’s deepest desire?

Answer: Valli’s deepest desire was to ride on the public bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town every hour.

Question 59. Why did Kisa Gotami go from house to house? Did she get what she wanted?

Answer: Kisa Gotami went from house to house looking for medicine to bring her dead son back to life. She did not get it because no house was free from death.

Question 60. According to Buddha, how can a person obtain peace of mind?

Answer: A person can obtain peace of mind only by overcoming grief, shedding complaints, and accepting the absolute truth of mortality without lamentation.

(C) Short Answer Type Questions – First Flight Poetry (2 Marks Each | Questions 61-70)
Question 61. How does Robert Frost’s mood change in ‘Dust of Snow’?

Answer: The poet was in a sad and depressive mood. When a crow shook down the dust of snow from a hemlock tree onto him, it refreshed his mind and saved the rest of his day from being wasted.

Question 62. What do ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’ stand for in the poem?

Answer: ‘Fire’ stands for human desires, greed, avarice, and lust. ‘Ice’ stands for hatred, cold indifference, rigidity, and lack of empathy.

Question 63. How does a tiger behave in a cage versus in the wild forest?

Answer: In a cage, the tiger is helpless, angry, and stalks quietly within the limited space, ignoring visitors. In the wild forest, he roams freely, hunts near water sources, and terrifies villagers.

Question 64. What message does Leslie Norris give in ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’?

Answer: The poet conveys that wild animals belong in their natural habitats. Caging them for human entertainment is cruel and robs them of their freedom and dignity.

Question 65. What is the central idea of ‘The Ball Poem’?

Answer: The central idea is that loss is an inevitable part of life. Everyone must learn to stand up after losing material things or loved ones and grow up to face reality.

Question 66. Why does the poet say he will not ‘intrude’ or offer money to the boy?

Answer: The poet believes offering money to buy another ball is useless. He wants the boy to experience his first loss and understand the epistemology of responsibility on his own.

Question 67. In ‘The Trees’, where are the trees moving to and why?

Answer: The trees are moving out of the artificial indoor houses into the natural forest because the forest has been empty for days, and the trees want to reclaim their true home.

Question 68. What happens to the roots and leaves at night in the poem ‘The Trees’?

Answer: At night, the roots work hard to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor, and the leaves strain toward the glass windows to break free.

Question 69. Who was Custard the dragon? Why did everyone mock him?

Answer: Custard was Belinda’s pet dragon. Everyone mocked him because he was a coward who always cried for a nice, safe cage, unlike the other pets who boasted of their bravery.

Question 70. How did Custard prove his bravery when the pirate attacked?

Answer: When the pirate attacked, all the other pets fled in fear. Custard jumped up, snorted like an engine, clashed his tail, and swallowed the pirate whole, saving everyone.

(D) Short Answer Type Questions – Footprints Without Feet (2 Marks Each | Questions 71-85)
Question 71. What was the main cause of Tricki’s illness in ‘A Triumph of Surgery’?

Answer: The main cause was overfeeding by his rich mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey. Out of excessive love, she gave him cakes, chocolates, and wine, with no physical exercise, making him listless.

Question 72. How did Dr. Herriot treat Tricki at the clinic?

Answer: Dr. Herriot did not give him any medicine or surgery. He kept him on a strict water-only diet for two days, followed by normal food, and encouraged him to run and play with other dogs.

Question 73. What did Hari Singh get from Anil in return for his work?

Answer: Anil did not give Hari Singh regular wages. Instead, he promised to feed him, teach him how to read, write full sentences, cook, and add numbers.

Question 74. Why did Hari Singh come back to Anil after stealing his money?

Answer: Hari Singh’s conscience pricked him. He realized that Anil trusted him blindly. He also knew that without education, he would remain a thief, whereas Anil’s lessons could give him a respectable life.

Question 75. Who was Max? Why did he enter Ausable’s room?

Answer: Max was a rival secret agent. He entered Ausable’s room using a passkey to intercept and steal a very important report concerning new military missiles.

Question 76. How did Ausable outsmart Max without using a weapon?

Answer: Ausable fabricated a story about a non-existent balcony right beneath his window. When a sudden knock on the door occurred, he claimed it was the police. Terrified, Max jumped out of the window to his death.

Question 77. What kind of person was Horace Danby? What was his unique hobby?

Answer: Horace Danby was generally considered a good and honest citizen who made locks. However, he committed one robbery every year to fund his hobby of buying rare and expensive books.

Question 78. How did the lady in red trick Horace Danby at Shotover Grange?

Answer: The young lady pretended to be the wife of the house owner. She cleverly convinced Horace to open the safe for her because she forgot the code, leaving Horace’s fingerprints all over the crime scene.

Question 79. Why did Griffin set fire to his landlord’s house?

Answer: Griffin’s landlord disliked him and tried to evict him from the lodgings. In revenge, Griffin swallowed his invisibility drugs and set fire to the house before slipping away unseen.

Question 80. Why was Griffin considered a lawless person?

Answer: Griffin misused his scientific discovery for personal gain. He robbed a theatrical shop, stole money from a clergyman’s desk, and physically attacked innocent people while invisible.

Question 81. What roles did Richard Ebright’s mother play in his scientific success?

Answer: His mother encouraged his curiosity. She bought him microscopes, telescopes, and cameras, took him on trips, and gifted him the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’, which opened the world of science to him.

Question 82. What was the turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?

Answer: The turning point was reading ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. It invited readers to tag monarch butterflies for migration research, sparking Ebright’s lifelong interest in butterfly cell research.

Question 83. Why was Matilda (Mme. Loisel) always unhappy in life?

Answer: Matilda was born into a poor family of clerks but possessed high aristocratic desires. She wanted luxury, fine dresses, and jewels, and her simple lifestyle made her resentful.

Question 84. What ruined the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Loisel?

Answer: Matilda lost a diamond necklace borrowed from her wealthy friend, Mme. Forestier, at a ball. To replace it, they took heavy loans at high interest rates, pushing them into ten years of extreme poverty and hard labour.

Question 85. What shocking truth did Matilda learn at the end of ‘The Necklace’?

Answer: She learned from Mme. Forestier that the original lost necklace was made of fake diamonds and was worth no more than five hundred francs, whereas they spent thirty-six thousand francs to replace it.

(E) Long Answer Type Questions – First Flight & Supplementary (3 Marks Each | Questions 86-100)
Question 86. Draw a character sketch of Lencho.

Answer: Lencho is a simple, hard-working farmer, often described as an ox of a man due to his physical labour in the fields. He has absolute, unwavering faith in God. When his crops are ruined by a hailstorm, he does not lose hope but writes a direct letter to God asking for a hundred pesos. However, he is somewhat naive and lacks worldly wisdom, as he suspects the honest post office employees of stealing his money, calling them a ‘bunch of crooks’.

Question 87. Describe the value of freedom according to Nelson Mandela.

Answer: For Mandela, freedom is indivisible. He states that he was not born with a hunger to be free, because as a child, freedom meant running in fields and swimming. But as a youth, he realized that his freedom and the freedom of his black community had been brutally curtailed by apartheid. He believes that both the oppressor and the oppressed are robbed of their humanity, and true freedom means living in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.

Question 88. What is the theme of the poem ‘Amanda!’ by Robin Klein?

Answer: The poem deals with child psychology. It highlights the tension created by constant nagging and excessive parental control over young children. Amanda is repeatedly instructed on how to sit, eat, and clean her room. To escape this suffocating reality, she retreats into a vivid fantasy world, imagining herself as an orphan walking freely, a mermaid in the sea, or Rapunzel in a lonely tower. It suggests that children need space to grow naturally.

Question 89. Contrast the life of a caged tiger with his natural habitat as shown in the poem.

Answer: The poem highlights a sharp contrast. Inside the cage, the magnificent tiger is confined within concrete walls. His strength is locked behind bars, and his freedom is restricted to a few steps, leaving him helpless and depressed. Conversely, in his natural jungle habitat, he is the king. He hides in shadows, stalks deer near water bodies, and terrifies villagers with his sharp claws, epitomizing wild beauty and untamed power.

Question 90. How does the story ‘The Thief’s Story’ show that love and kindness can transform a criminal?

Answer: Hari Singh was an experienced fifteen-year-old thief. He approached Anil solely to rob him. However, Anil’s kindness, trust, and willingness to teach him to read and write transformed his perspective. Even after stealing Anil’s six hundred rupees, Hari Singh could not board the train because the desire to become an educated, respected man outweighed his greed. Anil’s unconditional trust successfully reformed a young criminal.

Question 91. Explain how Griffin’s brilliant discovery turned into a social disaster.

Answer: Griffin was undoubtedly a brilliant scientist who successfully discovered a chemical formula to make the human body invisible. Instead of utilizing this breakthrough for medical advancement or public welfare, he used it to satisfy his malicious desires. He burned down his landlord’s house, committed thefts in shops and homes, and assaulted people to evade capture. His actions demonstrate that science without social responsibility becomes a dangerous tool.

Question 92. Why did Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal? Why did Bholi later refuse to marry him?

Answer: Bholi’s parents accepted the proposal because Bishamber was a well-to-do, wealthy grocer with a big shop and a house of his own, and he did not demand any dowry initially. Later, at the wedding, when Bishamber saw Bholi’s pock-marked face, he greedily demanded five thousand rupees as dowry. Seeing her father humiliated, Bholi’s self-respect awoke. She boldly refused to marry a greedy coward, deciding instead to serve her parents and teach in her village school.

Question 93. Give a character sketch of Valli from the lesson ‘Madam Rides the Bus’.

Answer: Valli is an eight-year-old, highly mature, responsible, and self-respecting girl. She possesses strong willpower and meticulous planning skills, as seen when she saves every coin by resisting the temptation to buy toys or ride the merry-go-round. She is adventurous yet cautious, managing her secret bus trip to the town entirely by herself. She refuses help or free drinks from strangers, proving her independent character.

Question 94. What is the supreme lesson Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha) taught Kisa Gotami?

Answer: Buddha taught Kisa Gotami that the life of mortals in this world is troubled, brief, and combined with pain. Just as ripe fruits are in danger of falling, mortals face the constant certainty of death. No amount of weeping or lamentation can bring a dead person back to life. True wisdom lies in accepting death as a universal law of nature and letting go of attachment to overcome grief.

Question 95. How did the book ‘The Travels of Monarch X’ alter Richard Ebright’s life trajectory?

Answer: As a child, Ebright had collected all twenty-five species of butterflies found around his hometown and was losing interest. At that point, his mother gifted him ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. The book described monarch migrations and asked readers to tag butterflies for Dr. Urquhart. This connected Ebright to a community of scientists, prompting his award-winning cell and DNA research.

Question 96. Compare and contrast Anne Frank’s relationship with her mother versus her father.

Answer: Anne Frank shared a strained, distant relationship with her mother, felt misunderstood by her, and often clashed with her personality. In contrast, she adored her father, Otto Frank, whom she considered the most lovable father she had ever known. She felt emotionally secure with him and sought his understanding during their confinement in the Secret Annex.

Question 97. What does the ‘Loss of a Ball’ teach the little boy symbolically?

Answer: The loss of the ball serves as the boy’s first lesson in the epistemology of loss. Symbolically, the ball represents childhood days, innocent memories, and material possessions. Its loss teaches him that things will be lost in this materialistic world, and money cannot buy back emotional connections. It teaches him the resilience needed to stand up and face life’s losses.

Question 98. How did Mrs. Pumphrey’s pampered behavior nearly endanger Tricki’s life?

Answer: Mrs. Pumphrey treated Tricki like a human child, showering him with luxury. She overfed him with malt, cod-liver oil, bowls of Horlicks, cakes, and sweets. Even when the doctor advised a strict diet, she ignored it out of pity. This lack of discipline made Tricki dangerously obese, bloated like a sausage, and unable to walk, nearly costing him his life due to heart failure.

Question 99. What are the key features of the Coorgi people’s culture and heritage?

Answer: The Coorgi people are known for their fierce independence, bravery, and warm hospitality. Their culture is distinct from mainstream Hindu traditions, seen in their unique marriage rites and costumes. They wear a long black coat with an embroidered waistbelt called ‘Kuppia’, which resembles the ‘Kuffia’ worn by Arabs, supporting theories of their Greek or Arabic descent. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army.

Question 100. Write a brief note on the character transformation of Bholi from a silent dummy to a confident girl.

Answer: In her childhood, Bholi was neglected, stammered constantly, and was considered a backward child (‘a simpleton’). The turning point came when she joined the village school. Her teacher treated her with immense love, patience, and encouragement, helping her overcome her stammering and instilling a sense of self-worth. This education empowered Bholi, turning her into a confident young woman who stood up against social evils like dowry and took charge of her own life.

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