Reading Comprehension: CBSE Board PYQs | Class X | 2024-25
Solve the Board Previous Year Questions ( PYQs) and ace your marks in Board Exam in 2025.
Q1.Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow
(1) Held every year on 21 May, UNESCO leads the celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development highlighting not only the richness of the world's cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.
(2) A recent international emergency has proved the intrinsic value of the cultural and creative sector at generating social cohesion, educational resource or personal well-being in times of crisis. It has also underscored the sector's potential to generate economic growth, something which is too often underestimated.
(3) With the adoption in September 2015 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations, and the resolution on Culture and Sustainable Development adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2015, the message of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is more important rtant than ever. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can best be achieved by drawing upon the creative potential of the world's diverse cultures and engaging in continuous dialogue to ensure that all members of society benefit from sustainable development.
(4) Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development. Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life. This is captured in the culture conventions, which provide a solid basis for the promotion of cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is thus an asset that is indispensable for poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development.
(5) At the same time, acceptance and recognition of cultural diversity in particular through innovative use of media and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are conducive to dialogue among civilizations and cultures, respect and mutual understanding.
(6) In 2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. Next, in December 2002, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 57/249, declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, and in 2015, the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution on Culture and Sustainable Development, affirming culture's contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development, acknowledging further the natural and cultural diversity of the world, and recognizing that cultures and civilizations can contribute to, and are crucial enablers of, sustainable development.
(7) The day provides us with an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to achieve the goals of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions adopted on 20 October, 2005.
Answer the following questions based on the above passage:
(i) Based on the reading and understanding of the above passage, list 2 points to describe the purpose of UNESCO leading the celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
(a) _______
(b) _______
(ii) Select the option that corresponds to the meaning of the following sentence from para (2).
The recent international emergency has proved the intrinsic value of the cultural and creative sector at generating social cohesion, educational resource or personal well-being in times of crisis.
(A) the real worth of cultural sector at generating social cohesion during pandemics
(B) the real worth of creative sector at undermining the social cohesion during an international emergency
(C) questioning the real worth of creative sector at generating education resource during an international emergency
(D) highlighting the real worth of cultural and creative sector at generating social cohesion and educational resource during an international emergency.
(iii) Based on your reading of the passage, examine in about 40 words how Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved.
(iv) What is the tone of the writer in the given line from paragraph (4)?
Rationalise your response in about 40 words:
"Cultural diversity is an asset."
(v) The phrase 'bridging the gap' in paragraph (4) refers to:
(A) widening the differences
(B) connecting two desparate ideas
(C) supporting the bridging
(D) filling in the space between two connected things
(vi) In sets a-e below, identify two sets of synonyms.
a richness and poverty
b. intellectual and moral
C. reduction and promotion
d. essential and intrinsic
e. urgent and crucial
Options:
(A) a and c
(B) bande
(C) dande
(D) band d
vii) Complete the sentence appropriately: (
The Second Committee of UN General Assembly in 20 adopted
viii) Complete the following sentence:
________ is urgent and necessary for peace, stability and development.
Answer Key
I.
(i) To highlight richness of world’s cultures. To play essential role of inter-cultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.
(ii) (D) – highlighting the real world of cultural and creative sector at generating social cohesion and educational resource during an international emergency.
(iii) Draw upon creative potential of world’s diverse cultures, engage in continuous dialogue to ensure that all members of society benefit from sustainable development.
(iv) A positive/appreciative/optimistic statement that highlights/emphasizes on the advantages of a cultural diversity rather than viewing it as a cause of undermining the situation/cultural diversity is dispensable for poverty reduction/cultural diversity important for sustainable development (any other relevant response for tone must be accepted)
(v) (B) – 1 mark to be awarded to each child. There is error in the spelling of the word ‘disparate’ which changes the meaning of the word completely.
(vi) (C) – (d & e) essential and intrinsic Urgent and crucial
(vii) The resolution on cultural and sustainable development, affirming culture’s contribution to the three dimensions of sustainable development.
(viii) Bridging the gap between culture
2. Read the following passage based on case study and answer the questions that follow:
(1) The National Education Policy 2020 proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of education, including the educational structure, regulations and governance, to create a new system which is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st century students. According to the policy, by 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school and higher education system shall have exposure to skill education, for which a clear action plan with targets and timelines are to be developed.
(2) The policy aims to overcome the social status hierarchy associated with skill education and integration of skill education into mainstream education in all educational institutions in a phased manner. Beginning with skill exposure at early ages in middle and secondary school, quality skill education will be integrated smoothly into school and higher education.
(3) Every child will learn at least one skill and is exposed to several more. This would lead to emphasizing the dignity of labour and importance of various vocations involving Indian arts and artisanship.
(4) The development of skill capacities will go hand-in-hand with the development of 'academic' or other capacities. To achieve this objective, secondary schools will have to collaborate with Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, Local Industry, etc. Skill labs will also be set up and created in the schools in a Hub and Spoke model, which will allow other schools to use the facility. Higher education institutions will offer skill education either on their own or in partnership with industry and other institutions.
Based on your understanding of the extract, answer the questions given below:
(1) Based on the reading of the extract, list 2 objectives of NEP 2020
(6) Fill in the blank with appropriate option from those given in the brackets, based on the understanding of paragraph (4)
The statement:
"The development of skill capacities will go hand-in-hand with the developement of academic or other capacities is a/an (fact/opinion) because it is a/an judgement/objective detail) Loubjective
(ill) Select the option that corresponds to the meaning of the
statement given below: "According to the policy, by 2025, at least 50% of learners through the school and higher education system shall have
exposure to skill education."
(A) Maximum 50% learners shall have education exposure to technical
(B) Minimum 50% learners shall have exposure to technical eduration
(C) Minimum 50% learners shall have exposure to skill education
(D) Maximum 50% learners shall have exposure to skill education
Based on the understanding of the passage, complete the following statements appropriately
The benefit of the hub and spoke model will be ____
(v) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph (3):
Racism: Condemn :: _____ : Respect
VI. As per the Global Scenario which country has the maximum percentage of students in Skill Education and what can be the possible reason?
(vii) Fill in the following blank choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given below:
As per NEP 2020, skill exposure will begin at _____
(A) middle and secondary school
(B) primary school
(C) higher school
(D) senior secondary school
(viii) Justify the statement: ''The NEP will create an awareness and appreciation of Indian arts and artisanship."
Answer Key
(i)
Overcome social status hierarchy associated with vocational education.
integration into mainstream education
revision and revamping of all aspects of education
aligning aspirational goals of 21st century with education system (Any two points)
(ii) An Opinion/a subjective judgement (the combination has to be correct.) (1) (No partial credit)
(iii) (C) – minimum 50% learners shall have exposure to vocational education
(iv) It will allow other schools to use the facility of skill labs
(v) Dignity of labour/labour/artisanship
(vi) South Korea – any appropriate reason related to South Korea
(vii) (A) – middle and secondary school
(viii) any one relevant point from below
child will learn at least one skill
understand dignity of labour
appreciate Indian Arts & Artisanship
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