CBSE Class 10th English (Communicative) Sample Paper 2025-26: Download FREE PDF

Feature

Details

Released by

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

For Academic Session

2025-26

Applicable for

CBSE Class 10 Half-Yearly, Pre-Board & Board Exams in 2025-26

Subjects Covered

English (Communicative)

Medium

English and Hindi (for selected subjects)

Includes

Sample Question Paper + Detailed Marking Scheme

Availability

Downloadable in PDF format

1

Remote, icy and mostly pristine, Greenland plays an outsized role in the daily weather

experienced by billions of people, and in the climate changes taking shape all over the

planet. Think of Greenland as an open refrigerator door or thermostat for a warming world,

and it’s in a region that is warming four times faster than the rest of the globe, said New York

University climate scientist David Holland.

2

Locked inside are valuable, rare earth minerals needed for telecommunications, as well as uranium, billions of untapped barrels of oil and a vast supply of natural gas that used to be

inaccessible but is becoming less so. Many of the same minerals are currently being

supplied mostly by an Asian country, so other countries are interested. But more than the oil,

gas or minerals, there’s ice — a “ridiculous” amount, said climate scientist Eric Rignot. If that

ice melts, it would reshape coastlines across the globe and potentially shift weather patterns

in a dramatic manner. Greenland holds enough ice that if it all melts, the world’s seas would

rise by 24 feet.

3

Since 1992, Greenland has lost about 182 billion tons of ice each year, with losses hitting 489 billion tons a year in 2019. Greenland will be ‘a key focus point’ through the 21st

century because of the effect its melting ice sheet will have on sea levels, said Mark

Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. “It will likely become a bigger

contributor in the future.” That impact is perhaps unstoppable. Greenland is also changing

colour as it melts from the white of ice, which reflects sunlight, heat and energy away from

the planet, to the blue and green of the ocean and land, which absorb much more energy.

CBSE Class 10th English (Communicative) Sample Paper 2025-26: Download FREE PDF

SECTION A: READING SKILLS (22 MARKS)

1

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

12

I

c) It plays a critical role in influencing global weather and climate patterns.

1

II

an unusually large impact or importance

1

III

These resources are essential for industries like telecommunications and energy. Additionally, reliance on a single major supplier (the Asian country), makes diversifying resource acquisition crucial for economic and geopolitical stability.

2

IV

b) vast and overwhelming in quantity

[Option a) is obviously incorrect. Options c) and d) are plausible but incorrect: Option c) implies a limitation in scientific measurement, which isn't suggested in the passage. Option d) suggests difficulty in understanding the concept, whereas the passage emphasises the sheer magnitude of the ice, not the inability to comprehend it.]

1

V

a) vault, emphasising security and value

[Option a) is correct because it conveys immense worth and inaccessibility. Option b) does not convey the sense of immense value and security. Option c) also lacks the connotation of security and exclusivity. Option d) only suggests easy accessibility and bulk storage, which contrasts with the idea of resources being difficult to obtain.

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VI

d) Greenland’s Melting Ice: A Growing Concern for the 21st Century

[ Option d) is the best choice because it comprehensively reflects the paragraph's focus on ice melt, rising sea levels, changing energy absorption, and the long-term global implications, making it the most fitting title.

Option a) is too broad and doesn’t specifically focus on the main issues discussed in the paragraph. While Option b) captures part of the paragraph’s focus, it misses the critical detail about Greenland’s changing colour and its effect on energy

1

absorption, making it incomplete.

Option c) focuses only on the energy absorption aspect, neglecting the significant discussion about rising sea levels and the long-term impact of ice melt.

VII

engine and on/off switch

1

VIII

warning

[The option ‘speculative’ is incorrect in this context because Jennifer Francis’s statement in paragraph 4 is not a guess or assumption without evidence. The option ‘viewpoint’ is also incorrect as it typically reflects a personal opinion or belief, which may not necessarily be based on factual or scientific evidence. Jennifer’s statement highlights a potential outcome which is not merely her viewpoint but a scientifically supported cautionary message. Thus, ‘warning’ is the correct choice because it highlights the cautionary and predictive nature of her statement.]

1

IX

Holland uses ‘eye-watering’ metaphorically to convey the overwhelming beauty and grandeur of Greenland. While it may not literally reduce him to tears, the phrase suggests the emotional intensity and awe-inspiring nature of the experience. It highlights how Greenland's landscapes and wildlife leave a profound visual impact that is hard to fully capture.

2

CBSE Class 10th English (Communicative) Sample Paper Answer Key 2025-26: Download FREE PDF