CBQ Reading Worksheet II: Class IX-X | CBSE Board Exam 2025

Ace your marks in Board Exam 2025 with our Worksheets.

Reading Passage 1

(1) Organic food is very popular these days. It can also be very expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as non-organic food. Parents of young children and even some pet owners, will pay high prices for organic food if they think it is healthier. But many others think organic food is just a waste of money. 

(2) There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals such as pesticides that stop insects from damaging crops. In many countries, foods that claim to be organic must have special labels that guara grown organically. 

(3) Some people think organic also means 'locally grown' and originally it was indeed true. But over a period of time organic farming has become a big business, with many organic foods now being grown by large agricultural companies that sell their products far from where they're grown. Processed food made with organic ingredients has also become more popular. At first, only small companies produced these products. But as demand overtook supply, big food companies that had been selling non-organic products for many years also began selling organic products.

(4) Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is safer and more nutritious. They think agricultural chemicals can cause serious illnesses such as cancer, but there isn't much evidence proving this is true. However, recent studies have shown that eating organically-grown produce reduces your chances of developing heart diseases. Many doctors think it is more important to stop dangerous bacteria from contaminating foods. These bacteria can contaminate both organic and non-organic fruits and vegetables, and doctors recommend washing produce carefully before eating it. Meat, fish and chicken can also become contaminated so washing your hands before handling these foods is also very important.

---

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below : 10x1=10 

(i) People are willing to pay high prices for organic food because (a) it is not easily available. 

(b) it helps in weight loss. 

(c) it is produced by small companies. 

(d) it does not contain agricultural chemicals.

(ii) Select the option that displays what the writer projects with reference to the following :

Is organic food safer and more nutritious ? This is an important part of the debate. 

(a) denial (b) confirmation (c) caution (d) acceptance

(iii) Complete the following with a phrase from paragraph 3.

Opinion	Reason
Big food companies have started selling organic food products.

(iv) The writer contrasts organic food to non-organic food. State one point of comparison between the two.

(v) Based on your reading of the text, list one benefit of eating organic food. 

(vi) What connect does the writer draw between contamination of food and washing hands?

(vii) The writer says that people believe that it is safer and more nutritious to eat organic food. Select the reason for his sceptical view. 

(a) the price decides the popularity 

(b) there is no confirmed evidence 

(c) it is tastier 

(d) it is marketed by big food companies

(viii) Supply one point to justify the following : Some people think organic also means ‘locally grown’.

(ix) Supply one method of how we can control the contamination of organic and non-organic food. 

(x) List one factor that certifies food to be organic. 

---

Answer Key| Passage No. 1

(i) (d) – it does not contain agricultural chemicals 

(ii) (c) - caution 

(iii) because demand overtook supply

(iv) chemicals (or pesticides) are not used while growing organic food / organic food is costlier than non-organic food. 

(v) reduces chances of developing diseases(heart disease/cancer) / safer and healthier 

(vi) bacteria from dirty hands can contaminate both organic and non-organic food. 

(vii) (b) there is no confirmed evidence 

(viii) because it was initially /originally locally grown 

(ix) washing (hands/produce/food) before eating 

(x) special labels

---

Buy Your PDF Copy of all our Worksheets Here(One-Time Purchase)

Q2. Reading Passage 2

(1)According to a new study, a vast blanket of pollution stretching across South Asia is cutting down sunlight by 10 per cent over India, damaging agriculture, modifying rainfall patterns and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk. 

(2) It is said, "Acids in the haze may, by falling as acid rain, have the potential to damage crops and trees. Ash falling on leaves can aggravate the impact of reduced sunlight on the Earth's surface. The pollution that is forming the haze could be leading to several hundreds of thousands of premature deaths as a result of higher levels of respiratory diseases."

(3) "The haze has cut down sunlight over India by 10 per cent (so far) - a huge amount! As a repercussion, the North-West of India is drying up," Prof. V. Ramanathan said when asked specifically about the impact of the haze over India. He said, "We are still in an early stage of understanding of the impact of the haze."

4. Prof. V. Ramanathan was asked whether the current droughts in most parts of India after over a decade of good monsoons was owing to the haze. H t was too early to reach a conclusion. If the droughts persist for about four to five years, then we would start suspecting that it may be because of the haze India, China and Indonesia are the worst affected owing to their population density, economic growth and depleting forest cover.   

---

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below :     10x1=10 

(i) Infer one reason for the following based on the information in paragraph 1. 

In India rainfall patterns are changing.

(ii) The pollution spreading across South Asia is affecting India by ________. 

Choose the correct option from the ones given below :

(a) I, II and III 

(b) I, III and IV 

(c) II, III and IV 

(d) I, II and IV

(iii) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2. possibility : _________ : : suspecting : doubting  

(iv) Select the correct option to complete the sentence.

 ___________ droughts were caused by the haze.

 (a) Strong evidence suggested that 

(b) Past surveys confirmed that 

(c) There has not been enough time to determine that 

(d) Superstitious people believe that

(v) From the following pie chart, identify one reason each which does and does not contribute to weather disruption : 

(vi) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option.

Ash falling on leaves can sunlight on the Earth's surface. the impact of reduced

(a) worsen

(b) encourage

(c) diminish

(d) support

(vii) Substitute the word 'repercussion' with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence from paragraph 3.

The haze has cut down sunlight over India... As a repercussion, the North-West of India is drying up.

(viii) List any two countries which are affected due to depleting forest cover.

(ix) Which of the following mean the same as 'persist' in 'droughts persist' as used in para 4?

(a) destroying

(c) continue

(b) halting

(d) blocking

(x) Select the option that titles paragraphs 1 - 4 appropriately with reference to information in the text.

(a) 

1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia

2. Effects of Acid Rain

3. Understanding Consequences of Haze

4. Debate over Droughts

(b) 

1. Impact of Droughts

2. Understanding Acid Rain

3. Effect of Haze

4. Debate over Pollution

(c) 

1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia

2. Effects of Acid Rain

3. Debate over Droughts

4. Understanding Haze

(d) 

1. Impact of Haze

2. Understanding Acid Rain

3. Debate over Pollution

4. Effect of Haze

---

Answer Key| Passage No. 2

(i) vast blanket of pollution 

(ii) (a) I, II, III (iii) potential 

(iv) (c) – There has not been enough time to determine that 

(v) Does - ash/acid rain/ reduced sunlight/ aerosals / population bloom / depletion of forest cover Does not - organic farming/ tree cover / free cover/good monsoon (Does not) etc. (½ + ½) 

(vi) (a) worsen 

(vii) consequences / result 

(viii) India, China, Indonesia 

(ix) continue

(x) (a) 

1. Impact of pollution in South Asia 

2. Effects of Acid rain 

3. Understanding consequences of Haze 

4. Debate over droughts

---

To obtain Your PDF copy of all our worksheets for offline Use , PURCHASE our PDF HERE.