CBSE Class 10 English 2025: Important Unseen Passages for Board Exam

The CBSE Class 10 English exam includes a section with questions based on an unseen passage. This part of the exam checks how well you understand the text. To score well, make sure to read the passage carefully, understand its meaning, and then answer the questions based on your understanding.

The unseen passages provided here are great for last-minute practice. They will help you improve your comprehension skills and boost your ability to quickly grasp information. Practicing these passages will also help you manage your time better during the exam. After practicing, review the answers to see how well you did and find areas to improve. Check out the solved unseen passages below.

CBSE Class 10 English Unseen Passages (Solved)

Passage 1

Subhash Chandra Bose passed through quarters inhabited by Englishmen and also met a large number of them in the tram cars. The British using these cars were purposely rude and offensive to Indians in various ways. The sensitive mind of Subhash revolted against such insulting and rude behavior of the British. On many occasions, there was an exchange of hot words between him and misbehaving British. Majority of the students of the Presidency College, where he studied, were free thinkers. The college continued to be a storm centre and was looked upon by the British Government “as a hotbed of sedition, rendezvous of revolutionaries” and was frequently searched by the police. The first two years of his life were greatly influenced by the group, which styled itself as the neo-Vivekananda group and Subhash developed intellectually during this period. The group generally followed the teachings of Rama Krishna and Vivekananda with special emphasis on social service as means of spiritual development and was non-aligned to a revolutionary group. The shock of the Great World War roused his political consciousness. He graduated at the age of 22 and enrolled himself for the postgraduate with experimental psychology as a special subject.

His father, however, wanted him to go to England to appear for the Indian Civil Services. In spite of his mental reservations, Subhash took it as a challenge. In England, he was greatly impressed with the freedom allowed to students at Cambridge. Every student behaved in a dignified manner. Notwithstanding his preoccupation with his studies, he displayed his public spirit and fearlessness throughout his stay in England. He and K. L. Gouba were selected by the Indian Majlis, to represent the British Government the difficulties the Indian students encountered for admission to the University Officers’ Training Corps. Though he took a harsh view of the British high handedness and racial arrogance, he did admire their qualities which exacted him. He himself behaved there in a dignified way and was of the view that Indians who go abroad, must consider themselves to be unofficial ambassadors of the country, who should uphold their country’s prestige. He was quite serious in purpose and disliked anybody wasting time on trivialities.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

(i) Who were selected by the Indian Majlis?

a) Subhash Chandra Bose and KL Gouba

b) Jawahar Lal Nehru

c) Mahatma Gandhi

d) none of the above

(ii) Majority of the students of the Presidency college were _______________.

a) radical

b) arrogant

c) unhappy

d) free thinkers

(iii) Whose teachings did the group generally followed?

a) Mahatma Gandhi

b) Rabindranath Tagore

c) Rama Krishna

d) Lala Lajpat Rai

(iv) Subhash Chandra’s father wanted him to go to England and appear for what?

a) Barrister’s exam

b) Indian Civil Services

c) Start the freedom movement

d) Judiciary exam

(v) At what age Subhash enrolled for his postgraduation?

a) 20 years

b) 25 years

c) 22 years

d) 21 years

(vi) Where is Cambridge University?

a) England

b) Germany

c) United States of America

d) France

(vii) What does 'inhabited by' mean in the passage?

a) Occupied by

b) living with

c) destroyed by

d) owned by

(viii) Identify synonym of trivial

a)Insignificant

b) simple

c) significant

d) rare

Answers:

i) (a)Subhash Chandra Bose and KL Gouba

ii) (d)free thinkers

iii) (c)Rama Krishna

iv) (b) Indian Civil Services

v) (c) 22 years

vi) (a) England

vii) (a) Occupied by

viii) (a) Insignificant

CBSE Class 10 English 2025: Most Important Unseen Passages - Download PDF

Passage 2

One day Nandu rode his horse to the village fair. On his way back he met Somendra, the merchant. The merchant was a crafty man, ready to do anything to earn some money. The villagers knew this. In fact no one knew what trick he would be up to next. Now, Nandu was poor and had no one in the world to call his own except a beautiful, white horse. He loved it more than anything else in the world. The merchant had his eye on the horse for a long time and tried to think of a way to get it for himself. Seeing Nandu, the merchant thought, Nandu is a simpleton. Let me see if I can trick him out of his horse. So he said to Nandu, You live all alone. How do you manage? What does a young boy like you need with a horse? Sell it to me and I shall make you rich in return. Nandu replied, "No I don’t want to sell my horse."

But the merchant refused to give up so easily. He offered Nandu more money. Finally, when the offer reached five hundred gold coins, Nandu paused and said. Five hundred gold coins seems like a good price. But I have a condition. If you agree to it, I shall give you my horse. "What is it?", the merchant asked impatiently. "Give me the money right now and I shall give you my horse when I have given you ten lashes." After all he would resell the horse for over a thousandgold coins in the market. He would take twenty lashes for such a gain. He agreed instantly. He ran home and got the money for Nandu and brought along his whip as well. Nandu counted the money carefully. He then took the whip and the lashes fell on the merchant’s back in quick succession. By the eighth lash the merchant was almost in tears but he told himself that there were only two lashes to go and the horse would be his. The merchant held his breath waiting for the final lashes. But Nandu had mounted his horse and was riding off. "Wait!", shouted the merchant in anger. "What about the last lashes? Where are you going with the horse? We had a deal.

Nandu stopped and said, "I agree to give you the horse only after I had given you ten lashes. But it is upsetting my horse. I’ll give you the last lashes later. Till then goodbye!" "Come back you cheat!", the merchant shouted. But the crowd that had gathered around agreed with Nandu. A deal was a deal. Till the last lash was given, the horse could not belong to the merchant. Nandu rode away richer by five hundred gold coins and Somendra waited in vain for several days for the final lash which never came.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

i)Why did the merchant offer to buy Nandu’s horse?

a) He was very fond of the horse and wanted it for himself

b) It was his way of helping Nandu who was poor.

c) The horse would be useful for carrying goods to the market.

d) He hated Nandu and wanted to deprive him of something he loved.

ii)Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage?

1. Nandu was an orphan.

2. The merchant was very persevering.

3. The merchant was fond of Nandu's horse.

a) None

b) Only 1

c) Both 1 & 2

d) All 1, 2 and 3

iii)Why did Nandu set the condition of giving the merchant ten lashes?

a) To discourage the merchant from buying his horse.

b) To demonstrate how painful a whipping was so that the merchant would never hit the horse.

c) To bargain with the merchant to offer more money.

d) To outwit the merchant who was trying to cheat him.

iv)Why did the bystanders take Nandu’s side in the argument?

1. They hoped that Nandu would give them a reward from the five hundred gold coins he had earned.

2. They were sure that the merchant would ill treat the horse and wanted to prevent that from happening.

3. They knew that the merchant was a cheat and Nandu would be miserable without his horse of whom he was very fond.

a) Only 1

b) Both 1 & 3

c) Only 3

d) None of these

v)What reason did Nandu cite for not giving the merchant the final lashes?

a) His horse was distressed by the whipping.

b) He realised that the merchant was in great pain and took pity on him.

c) He was following the advice of the people around.

d) He had changed his mind about selling his horse.

vi)Which of the following can be said about Nandu?

1. He was very cunning.

2. He needed money.

3. He was cruel to people but loved animals.

a) None of these

b) Both 1 & 2

c) Both 2 & 3

d) All 1, 2 and 3

vii)Choose the word that is synonym of “crafty”

a) skilled

b) naive

c) cunning

d) honest

viii) Choose the word that is synonym of “PAUSED”

a) Halted

b) Relaxed

c) Ended

d) Stuck

Answers:

i) (a)He was very fond of the horse and wanted it for himself

ii) (d) All 1, 2 and 3

iii) (d)To outwit the merchant who was trying to cheat him

iv) (c) Only 3

v) (a) His horse was distressed by the whipping.

vi) (a)None of these

vii) (c)cunning

viii) (a) Halted

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