ST.
VINCENT PALLOTTI SCHOOL, BESA
SUMMER HOMEWORK 2025-26
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS : X
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Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
In general, relatives are best avoided; especially those who knew you as a child and then lost
touch before reconnecting some three or four decades later. Somehow, such people are shocked
that you have grown taller since you were five years old, have more hair and surprise, surprise,
even a moustache. Change confuses them.
They hold it against you for growing up; it is as if you must apologise for becoming an adult and
having a family and children of your own.
I wonder how Nelson Mandela or Gandhi reacted when they were reminded of their childhood
catastrophises. There is always some ancient aunt or friend of the family around for whom a fall
from a bicycle at seven or eight is more real than winning independence for your country.
“Remember when we went on a picnic, and you threw up all over the dog?” In my case, someone
is bound to bring up that stunning, unique, never-before-or-since-experienced-by-anyone-else
family story. You can’t nod weakly and hope the conversation will move on, nor get defensive
for then they will tell you everything in pitiless detail, adding bits that never actually happened
but have clung to the story over the years like barnacles under a ship.
“And what about the time you hated milk and poured it out into the potted plants when you
thought no one was looking?” Exciting stuff this. Has nothing else happened in the lives of these
people that they have to live vicariously through my childhood mishaps?
This is why grandmothers are so popular. They tell children stories about the childhood of their
aunts and uncles to be weaponized later in family gatherings.
“Don’t talk about my throwing up. Tell me auntie, about the time you got lost in a grocery store
and ate up their apples in sheer panic?” That usually changes the topic, moving it into the present
and such things as your enviable job and brilliant academic record. Euripides, the Greek
playwright got it right centuries ago: one loyal friend, he said, is worth ten thousand relatives. In
fact, distant relatives are the best, and the farther away the better.
Part of the problem we have with relatives, I suspect, is that we think they might be a version of
ourselves, but more grotesque, more crass, less sensitive, which means some of those qualities
could be within us. Will I be reminding my young nephews and nieces of their silly deeds in
childhood? Is that a way of bringing the bigshots, the CEOs, the PhD’s and the professionals
down to earth? “You might be a star today, but don’t forget I know you wet your bed as a child”!
George Bernard Shaw summed up best the relations with relatives: When our relatives are at
home, we have to think of all their good points, or it would be impossible to endure them. But
when they are away, we console ourselves in their absence by dwelling on their vices.
Questions:
1. The writer says that relatives are best avoided. Which is the least effective argument put
forward by him?
A. They are surprised by the changes that they find in you
B. Something embarrassing that you did years ago is much more interesting than what you
have achieved now.
C. Relatives are better if they do not remain in contact.
D. We have to try hard enough to make them likeable to endure them.
2. What according to the writer is a problem that we have with relatives?
A. We are similar to them but less harsh and insensitive when compared with them.
B. We do not know much about them so we cannot make any comment.
C. They love to indulge in talking about what happened unintentionally
D. We miss their presence and their interest in talking about it
3. Complete the sentence appropriately
The author’s mentioning of Euripedes refers to____________
4. The passage includes some words that are opposite to each other. From the sets below,
identify two sets of antonyms.
A. Dwell and change
B. Console and upset
C. Sheer and surprise
D. Vice and grotesque
5. Complete the sentence appropriately
The central idea of the passage according to the writer is_______
6. Which among the following do the relatives least prefer to do?
A. Take pride about the achievements of the kids.
B. Consoling the kids when they are in trouble.
C. Talk about all the embarrassing moments.
D. Using these moments as weapons to be used in the future.
7. Select option that correctly displays the emotion that the writer is going through
8. Which of the following arguments could completely change the thinking of the author?
A. Relatives are sometimes mean with their words but not all can be categorised the
same.
B. In today’s world, you would rely on someone whom you know is a part of family
rather than some unknown
C. During bad times, our family members are the ones who are beside us.
D. Providing a generalised view shows that you are judging everyone and this also
shows that you are also trying to do the same as them.
9. Fill in the blank with suitable word/ words
‘Grandmothers are popular’ as used above refers to .......
10. How does the writer decide to tackle the problem that he faces?
A. By looking at the problems that the relatives also have
B. By enduring the things that they say
C. Looking at the brighter side of the conversations.
D. Ignoring everyone and staying away from them
WRITING SKILLS:
1. A survey was conducted in the National Capital in over twenty schools about the
different activities that interest the children in the age group of 13 years to 15 years.
Write a paragraph in not more than 120 words, analysing the following information.
2. You are Rohit, owner of Shanti garments, Palika bazaar, New Delhi. Place an order for
various inner wear garments, swimwear, etc. for kids with Kindley garment factory
Ludhiana.
LITERATURE BASED QUESTIONS:
SAQS:
1. How do you explain the description of the devastation caused by the hailstorm reflects
the sadness within Lencho with the reference to “A LETTER TO GOD?”
2. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon is? Would you say he is
tactful as well as full of commonsense?
3. Why does the poet feel that he has saved some part of the day?
LAQS:
1. Are there people like the post office employees in real world? How did they help
Lencho? What would you do if you were in place of the postmaster?
2. Herriot enjoyed the lavish (costly) meal during Tricki’s stay but still, he felt compelled
(forced to do something) to inform Mrs. Pumphrey about the recovery of Tricki. Why did
he not keep Tricki for a longer time? Did he feel concerned for Mrs. Pumphrey? Was it
not in his attitude to break the trust of others? Discuss the values he possessed in 100-120
words.
3. Simple moment proves to be very significant and saves rest of the day of poet from being
wasted. Explain on the basis of the poem ‘Dust of Snow”.
4. How does the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ depict the two contrasting ideas— ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’?
Can hatred destroy us and the world? Explain bringing out values which can make this
world a better place to live in.
GRAMMAR:
1. Read the conversation between Reena and Rakesh. Complete the sentence by reporting
Rakesh’s reply correctly.
Reena : Have you seen ‘Three Idiots’?
Rakesh : I saw them yesterday in my class.
Reena asked Rakesh if he had seen ‘Three Idiots’.
Rakesh replied that ______________________
2. Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line.
My class teacher told me that I _____ work hard.
(a) shall (b) could (c) can (d) should
3. Complete the following sentence by choosing the right option.
Although...............................species of fox are reddish in colour,..........................Arctic fox
is often pure white.
(a) most/the
(b) any/the
(c) a great amount of/an
(d) None
4. Transform the following direct speech into reported speech:
He said, “Reena, do you want to buy a house in Noida?”
Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given portion of a
letter:
Subject : Increase of air pollution in South Delhi
Respected Sir/Ma’am,
I am writing to you______(bring) to your notice the increasing effect of air pollution in our
neighbourhood and in the surrounding area.
Identify the error in the given sentence, from a school magazine report and supply the
correction.
Money is certainly necessary to survive. Is money the more important part of life?
Use
the correct
given ion
format
for
your
respon
se.
error
Identify the error in the given sentence, from a school magazine report and supply the correction.
Money is certainly necessary to survive. Is money the more important part of life?
Use
the correct
given ion
format
for
your
respon
se.
error
