Question 1 - Discursive Passages (with Past Year Questions) - Reading Comprehension - English Class 10

This question asked in [CBSE SQP, 2020-21]

Read the following passage carefully: 

The choices we make on a daily basis—wearing a seat belt, lifting heavy objects correctly or purposely staying out  of any dangerous situation—can either ensure our safety or bring about potentially harmful circumstances.  You and I need to make a decision that we are going to get our lives in order. Exercising self-control, self-discipline  and establishing boundaries and borders in our lives are some of the most important things we can do. A life  without discipline is one that’s filled with carelessness.  We can think it’s kind of exciting to live life on the edge. We like the image of “Yeah! That’s me! Living on the  edge! Woo-hoo!” It’s become a popular way to look at life. But if you see, even highways have lines, which provide  margins for our safety while we’re driving. If we go over one side, we’ll go into the ditch. If we cross over the line  in the middle, we could get killed. And we like those lines because they help to keep us safe. Sometimes we don’t  even realize how lines help to keep us safe.  I’m not proud of this, but for the first 20 years of my life at work, I ignored my limits. I felt horrible, physically, most  of the time. I used to tell myself “I know I have limits and that I’ve reached them, but I’m going to ignore them and  see if or how long I can get by with it.” I ran to doctors, trying to make myself feel better through pills, vitamins,  natural stuff and anything I could get my hands on. Some of the doctors would tell me, “It’s just stress.” That just  made me mad. I thought stress meant you don’t like what you do or can’t handle life, and I love what I do. But I  kept pushing myself, travelling, doing speaking engagements and so on— simply exhausting myself.  Finally, I understood I was living an unsustainable life and needed to make some changes in my outlook and lifestyle.  You and I don’t have to be like everyone else or keep up with anyone else. Each of us needs to be exactly the way  we are, and we don’t have to apologize for it. We’re not all alike and we need to find a comfort zone in which we  can enjoy our lives, instead of making ourselves sick with an overload of stress and pressure

Question 1 ( i )

The reason why living on the edge has become popular, is because of the 

(A) constant need for something different. 

(B) population being much younger. 

(C) exhausting effort to make changes. 

(D) strong tendency to stay within our limits.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (A)

Question 1 (ii)

Choose the option that best captures the central  idea of passage from the given quotes.

(A) Option (1)  

(B) Option (2) 

(C) Option (3)  

(D) Option (4)

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 1 (iii)

Which of the characteristics are apt about the  writer in the following context: 

“I know I have limits and that I’ve reached  them, but I’m going to ignore them and see if  or how long I can get by with it.”?

1. negligent    2. indecisive    3. spontaneous   4. reckless    5. purposeless   6. patient 

(A) 2 and 5  

(B) 3 and 6 

(C) 1 and 4  

(D) 2 and 3

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 1 (iv)

Which of the following will be the most  appropriate title for the passage? 

(A) Much too soon 

(B) Enough is enough 

(C) How much is too much? 

(D) Have enough to do?

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 1 (v)

The phrase “potentially harmful circumstances”  refers to circumstances that can 

(A) certainly be dangerous. 

(B) be fairly dangerous. 

(C) be possibly dangerous. 

(D) seldom be dangerous.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 1 (vi)

Select the option that makes the correct use of  “unsustainable”, as used in the passage, to fill in the blank space. 

(A) In the long run, the  ______  officials  followed emergency procedures. 

(B) Emergency procedures were _______ by  the officials. 

(C) Officials reported an  ________  set of  events during the emergency. 

(D) Officials admit that the emergency system  is _____ in the longer run.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 1 (vii)

The author attempts to  ___________  the  readers through this write-up. 

(A) rebuke   

(B) question 

(C) offer aid to   

(D) offer advice to

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 1 (viii)

The author uses colloquial words such  as “yeah” and “Woo-hoo!”. Which of the  following is NOT a colloquial word? 

(A) hooked   

(B) guy 

(C) stuff  

(D) stress

Answer

So, the correct answer is (D)

Question 1 (ix)

What does the author mean when he says, “to  get our lives in order”? 

(A) To resume our lives. 

(B) To organize our lives. 

(C) To rebuild our lives. 

(D) To control our lives.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (B)

Question 1 (x)

Choose the option that correctly states the two  meanings of ‘outlook’, as used in the passage. 

1. A person’s evaluation of life

2. A person’s experiences in life

3. A person’s point of view towards life

4. A person’s regrets in life

5. A person’s general attitude to life

(A) (1) and (4)   

(B) (2) and (3) 

(C) (3) and (5)   

(D) (4) and (5)

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 1 (xi)

The author explains the importance of  discipline and boundaries in our lives using  the example of 

(A) road accidents. 

(B) traffic rules. 

(C) lines on the highway. 

(D) safe driving.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)

Question 1 (xii)

What is the message conveyed in the last  paragraph of the passage? 

(A) Love what you do. 

(B) Love yourself to love others. 

(C) Be the best version of yourself. 

(D) Be yourself.

Answer

So, the correct answer is (C)