Previous years’ CBSE Exam questions based on ‘unseen comprehension passages’ are given here for practice. Answers are given after the passages and these answers should only be seen after attempting the passage.
What are Case Based (Factual Passages)? Simply put, factual passages are those passages, which let the readers imagine and feel the factual qualities of a topic as mentioned in the passage. The topic can be about a place, person, thing or event. A factual passage tells the reader about the consecutive things related to the topic in detail, occurring in an orderly manner.
Case Based Passages
1. Read the passage given below: [CBSE 2021-22]
- Milkha Singh, also known as The Flying Sikh, was an Indian track and field sprinter who was introduced to the sport while serving in the Indian Army. He is the only athlete to win gold in 400 metres at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He also won gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. He represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo) He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his sporting achievements
- The race for which Singh is best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 metres final at the 1960 Olympic Games. He led the race till the 200 m mark before easing off, allowing others to pass him. Singh’s fourth-place time of 45.73 seconds was the Indian national record for almost 40 years.
- From beginnings that saw him orphaned and displaced during the partition of India, Singh became a sporting icon in the country. In 2008, journalist Rohit Baijnath described Singh as “the finest athlete India has ever produced”.
- He was disappointed with his debut performance at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. *1 returned to India, chastened by my poor performance in Melbourne. I had been so excited by the prospects of being part of the Indian Olympics team, but, hadn’t realized how strong and professional the competition would be. My success in India had filled me with a false sense of pride and it was only when I was on the track that I saw how inconsequential my talents were when pitted against superbly fit and seasoned athletes. It was then that I understood what competition actually meant, and that if I wanted to succeed on the international arena, I must be prepared to test my mettle against the best athletes in the world.”
- Then he decided to make sprinting the sole focus of his life. “Running had thus become my God, my religion and my beloved”. My life during those two years was governed by strict rules and regulations and a self-imposed penance. Every morning I would rise at the crack of dawn, get into my sports kit and dash off to the track, where I would run two or three miles cross-country in the company of my coach.”
- On how he pushed himself through the tough days of vigorous training. “I practiced so strenuously that often I was drained of all energy, and there were times when I would increase my speed to such an extent that after my rounds, I would vomit blood or drop-down down unconscious through sheer exercise. My doctors and coaches warned me, asked me to slow down to maintain my health and equilibrium but my determination was too strong to give up. My only focus was to become the best athlete in the world. But then images of a packed stadium filled with cheering spectators, wildly applauding me as I crossed the finishing line, would flash across my mind and I would start again, encouraged by visions of victory.”
Based on your reading answer any five questions from the six given below: 1×5=5
(i) What is Milka Singh known as? What realization did Milkha Singh have when he was on the track during the Melbourne Olympics?
(ii) List any two of Milkha Singh’s achievements.
(iii) What strict rules and regulations did Milkha Singh follow?
(iv) State two consequences of his hard and strenuous practice.
(v) What motivated Milkha Singh to become the best athlete in the world?
(vi) Explain the phrase ‘I would start again’ in the last sentence.
ANSWERS
1. Milkha Singh was known as ‘The Flying Sikh’.
He realised how inconsequential his talents were when pitied against superbly fit seasoned athletes. He also realised that he needed to prepare well to test his mettle against the best athletes in the world.
2. (i) The only athlete to win 400 meters at the Asian Games as well as Commonwealth Games.
(ii) Won gold in 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. His national record stood unbroken for 40 years.
(iii) He was awarded Padam Shiri for his sporting achievements.
3. Every morning he would rise at the crack of the dawn, get into his sports kit and dash off to the track, where he would run two or three miles cross-country with his coach.
4. ( i) He was drained of all energy.
(ii) He would vomit blood or drop-down unconscious through sheer exercise.
5. He was motivated by his vision of victory at a packed stadium with spectators cheering and applauding him as he crossed the finishing line.
6. ‘I would start again’ means here that he was encouraged to shun any complacency and start again with the double energy and determination to become the best athlete.
Q. Read the following excerpt from a Case Study. J.K. Rowling – A Journey. [CBSE 2022]
The story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling’s near magical rise to fame is almost as well known as the characters she creates.
Rowling was constantly writing and telling stories to her younger sister Dianne. “The first story I ever wrote down was about a rabbit called Rabbit.” Rowling said in an interview. “He got the measles and was visited by his friends including a giant bee called Miss Bee. And ever since Rabbit and Miss Bee, I have always wanted to be a writer, though I rarely told anyone so.
However, my parents, both of whom come from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage or secure a pension.
A writer from the age of six, with two unpublished novels in the * drawer, she was stuck on a train when Harry walked into her mind fully formed. She spent the next five years constructing the plots of seven books, one for every year of his secondary school life.
Rowling says she started writing the first book, Harry’ Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, in Portugal, where she was teaching English.
At first nobody wanted to publish Harry Potter. She was told that plot was too complex. Refusing to compromise, she found a publisher.
n 1997 Rowling received her first royalty cheque. By book three, she had sky rocketed to the top of the publishing world. A row of zeroes appeared on the author’s bank balance and her life was turned upside down. Day and night she had journalists knocking on the unanswered door of her flat.
Rowling’s quality control has become legendary, as her obsession with accuracy. She’s thrilled with Stephen Fry’s taped version of the books and outraged that an Italian dust jacket showed Harry minus his glasses. “Don’t they understand that the glasses are the clue to his vulnerability.”
Annual earnings of J.K. Rowling from 2010 to 2019
On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer any five of the six questions given below. 1×5=5
(i) Explain J.K. Rowling’s ‘near magical rise to fame’.
(ii) What reason did the publishers give for rejecting Rowling’s book?
(iii) What was the drawback of achieving fame?
(iv) Why was Rowling outraged with the Italian dust jacket?
(v) Find a word in the last para that means the same as ‘insecure/helpless.
(vi) According to the graph, how many years did it take Rowling to become very successful?
Answers:
(i) Jk Rowling’s near magical rise to fame is well known as the character she creates I.e. her popular characters led her to magical fame. She was on top of the world of publishing house after the book three was published and her bank balance increased tremendously.
(ii) She was told that her plot of Harry Potter was too complex.
(iii) The draw back was that she was approached day and night by journalists knocking at the door of her flat. It was becoming a nuisance and she did not respond all of them.
(iv) She was obsessed with quality and accuracy and therefore was outraged at an Italian just Jacket for showing Harry without glasses.
(v) vulnerability
(v) It took around 6 years for Rowlings to become very successful.
Q. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
India Covid-19 numbers explained
1. With novel Coronavirus spreading rapidly all over the country, there are only three states right now, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, that have less than 1,000 people infected with the disease.
2. Lakshadweep, of course, still hasn’t reported even a single case till now, the only region in India entirely free of the epidemic.
3. Otherwise, even the relatively smaller states now have significantly large spread of the disease. Goa, for example, has seen more than 7,000 of its people infected by the virus till now. Tripura has over 5,500 cases, while Manipur has more than 3,000, and Nagaland a little less than 2,500. Puducherry has more than 4,000 cases, while even Daman and Diu has over 1,300 people infected.
4. And in each of these states, the numbers are rising at a fast pace, at a rate higher than the national level. The infections had initially reached these states in the first and second week of May, when the lockdown was relaxed for the first time to enable people stuck in different parts of the country to return to their native places.
5. After a period of very slow growth, the number of cases have begun to rise rapidly in the last one month. In Goa, for example, the total number of infected people has nearly doubled in the last 15 days. Same has happened in Puducherry, as well.
6. Tuesday was one of those rare occasions when the number of active cases in the country, those who are yet to recover from the disease, went down compared to the previous day. That is because the number of recoveries, combined with the number of deaths, exceeded the new cases that were detected on Tuesday.
7. With over 52,500 new cases detected in the country, the total number of infections crossed 19 lakh, out of `which 12.82 lakh people have recovered from the disease. The number of dead is now close to 40,000.
8. The number of recoveries on Tuesday was the highest-ever for a single day. More than 51,700 people were declared to have been recovered. Three days earlier, the number of recoveries had crossed 50,000 for the first time, but in the next two days the number had fallen to much lower levels.
Choose the correct option to answer the questions based on the above passage and graphics. Do any ten.
(a) How are these three states – Meghalaya, Sikkim and Andaman and Nicobar Islands – different from the rest of India?
(i) they are the only states to have less than 1,000 people infected with novel coronavirus
(ii) they are three of the five states to have less than 1,000 people infected with novel
coronavirus
(iii) they are the only states to have less than 2,000 people infected with novel coronavirus
(iv) none of these
(b) __________ is the only region in India which is entirely free of the epidemic.
(i) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(ii) Maharashtra
(iii) Lakshadweep
(iv) Tripura
(c) What is common among Goa, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Puducherry and Daman and Diu?
(i) the numbers are rising at a fast pace at rates lower than the national level
(ii) the numbers are falling at a fast pace at rates equal than the national level
(iii) the numbers are rising at a fast pace at rates higher than the national level
(iv) none of these
(d) Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the inherent qualities of climate in the present times.
(i) 1 and 4
(ii) 2 and 6
(iii) 1 and 3
(iv) 3 and 5
(e) Which date in the graph shows the highest jump of detected cases in a day?
(i) July 30
(ii) July 31
(iii) August 1
(iv) August 2
(f) Of the 19 lakh infected cases, how many have recovered?
(i) 11.82 lakh
(ii) 13.82 lakh
(iii) 12.81 lakh
(iv) 12.82 lakh
(g) More than 51,700 people were declared to have been recovered on _______.
(i) Wednesday
(ii) Sunday
(iii) Tuesday
(iv) Monday
(h) When had the number of recoveries crossed 50,000 for the first time?
(i) two days earlier
(ii) Tuesday
(iii) three days earlier than Tuesday
(iv) none of these
(i) Which word in the passage means the same as “quickly”?
(i) rapidly
(ii) significantly
(iii) native
(iv) rare
(j) Which word in the passage is opposite in meaning to “indigenous”?
(i) rapidly
(ii) significantly
(iii) native
(iv) rare
Answers:
(a) (i) they are the only states to have less than 1,000 people infected with novel coronavirus
(b) (iii) Lakshadweep
(c) (iii) the numbers are rising at a fast pace at rates higher than the national level
(d) (iii) 1 and 3
(e) (ii) July 31
(f) (iv) 12.82 lakh
(g) (iii) Tuesday
(h) (iii) three days earlier than Tuesday
(i) (i) rapidly
(j) (iii) native
Q. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Australia’s 2019-2020 Bushfire Season was not Normal
- Data from satellite sources assembled by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) World Environment Situation Room confirms that the wildfires in Australia in the last two months of 2019 and the first six weeks of 2020 were far from normal. 2019 was the second hottest year on record since 1880, and Australia recorded its warmest temperatures ever in December 2019.
- “Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on record. Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second. One million species are in near-term danger of extinction. Our planet is burning,” says United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
- “The trend is very clear: 37 of the last 40 years were the warmest recorded since 1880, and the six warmest years recorded were the last six years,” says Pascal Peduzzi, Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database in Geneva. “For those who think Australia is always burning, graphs clearly show that these fires were exceptional.”
- “This service, accessible via the UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room, is provided for all countries at national and provincial levels. It identifies trends in wildfire activity since 2003, when the data first became available and monitoring began. We have sliced and diced the satellite-based data on wildfires worldwide from 2009 to the present day. We analyse the wildfires’ data by month, type of land cover, protected area, province and nation to produce information products,” Peduzzi adds. (Source: UN Environment)
Choose the correct option to answer the questions based on the above passage and graphics. Do any ten.
(a) What do the reports confirm about the 2019-20 Australian fires?
(i) the fires were not normal
(ii) the fires were normal
(iii) the fires were natural
(iv) data inconclusive
(b) What was the difference in the recorded temperatures in 2019 from the 1880s?
(i) 2019 recorded the wettest temperatures since 1880s
(ii) 2019 recorded the hottest temperatures ever
(iii) 2019 recorded the cooler temperatures than 1880s
(iv) 2019 recorded the warmest temperatures since 1880s
(c) What comparison has been made between the rising sea temperatures and Hiroshima?
(i) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of three Hiroshima bombs a second
(ii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second
(iii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs an hour
(iv) none of these
(d) Choose the option that lists the CORRECT answers for the following:
“Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on record.
Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima
bombs a second”. Whose statement is this?
“The trend is very clear: 37 of the last 40 years were the warmest recorded since 1880, and
the six warmest years recorded were the last six years.” Whose statement is this?
(i) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the UN President
(ii) (1) is from the UN President and (2) is from the UN General Secretary
(iii) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the Director of UNEP
(iv) (1) is from the UN General Secretary and (2) is from the UN President
(e) Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the inherent qualities of climate in the present times.
(i) 1 and 3
(ii) 2 and 6
(iii) 3 and 4
(iv) 5 and 6
(f) Which of the following independent data source is NOT PRESENT in the given graph?
(i) NASA
(ii) NOAA
(iii) ISRO
(iv) JMA
(g) Choose the option that lists the CORRECT statement.
(i) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Renaissance Information Database
(ii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNO’s Global Resource Information Database
(iii) Pascal Peduzzi is the Manager of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(iv) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(h) How can you say that the UN is concerned about the rising numbers of coal plants?
(i) UNDP Secretary General António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(ii) UN Secretary General António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(iii) UN Executive Secretary António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(iv) UN Secretary General Antony Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(i) UNEP’s World Environment Situation Room has been tracking the world temperatures since.
(i) 2003
(ii) 2013
(iii) 2000
(iv) 2001
(j) The graph compiled with data from four different sources shows that the global surface temperatures have been _.
(i) steady
(ii) falling
(iii) on the rise
(iv) none of these
(k) Which word in the passage means the same as “collect”?
(i) assembled
(ii) extinction
(iii) exceptional
(iv) provincial
(l) Which word in the passage is opposite to the meaning of ‘vague/murky’?
(i) assembled
(ii) clear
(iii) extinction
(iv) provincial
Answers:
(a) (i) the fires were not normal
(b) (iv) 2019 recorded the warmest temperatures since 1880s
(c) (ii) ocean temperatures are rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second
(d) (iii) (1) is from United Nations Secretary and (2) is from the Director of UNEP
(e) (i) 1 and 3
(f) (iii) ISRO
(g) (iv) Pascal Peduzzi is the Director of UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database
(h) (ii) UN secretary general António Guterres is calling for curbs on new plants
(i) (i) 2003
(j) (iii) on the rise
(k) (i) assembled
(l) (ii) clear
Q. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: [CBSE, 2019]
Hyderabad — The City of Nizams GOLCONDA
FORT
1. In the 16th century, when Golconda was the capital of Qutb Shahi Kingdom, it is believed that a shepherd boy came across an idol on the hill. It was then that the Kakatiya dynasty’s ruler built the fort, which is 120 m high. After it was captured by Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, the fort fell into ruins.
2. The beautiful ruins of the fort have a story to tell. They make you wonder how the fort may have looked in its days of glory and grandeur. The fort also organises a sound and light show every day and the history of this fort is narrated in such an interesting manner that even a child can understand and enjoy it. The climb to the fort is a difficult one and unless you are physically fit, you should avoid the climb and relax in the gardens below. The view from the top is breath-taking.
CHARMINAR
3. The next place is Charminar. The literal meaning of the monument is ‘four minarets’. There is a mosque on the second floor. It is said that when the state was hit by severe plague, Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, prayed to end the plague and promised to build a mosque in the very place where he was praying. Thus, Charminar came into being!
4. The walk from the bottom to the top of the monument is a little frightening, owing to the narrowness of the pathway and the steepness of the steps. Once you reach the top, the view of the crowds moving below will surely lift your spirits.
5. Make sure you visit the nearby Laad Bazaar, where there are rows of shops selling the famous Hyderabadi glass bangles and lac bangles.
SALAR JUNG MUSEUM
6. The Salar Jung Museum is the third largest museum in the country and boasts of owning the biggest one-man collection of antiques in the world. A visit to the Salar Jung Museum is a must even if you are not a fan of antique stuff. You can view the Nizam’s collection of textiles, arms, metalware, ivory carvings, Indian bronzes and carpets.
7. The main attraction is definitely the Musical Clock, made by Cook and Kelvy of England. Inside the clock is a timekeeper. Every hour, he comes out and beats a gong as many times as the time indicates. Another attraction of the museum is the Veiled Rebecca, an amazing sculpture made by the Italian sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni.
On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any ten of the following questions: (any eight)
(a) What led to the construction of the Golconda Fort?
(b) What led to the destruction of the Golconda Fort?
(c) How is the interest in the Fort kept alive?
(d) What does the word ‘breath-taking’ in para 2 mean?
(e) Why did Quli Qutb Shah build a mosque?
(f) How does one feel after reaching the top of Charminar?
(g) What is unique about the Salar Jung Museum?
(h) What else can one find in this museum apart from antiques?
(i) Name the two attractions of the Salar Jung Museum.
Answers by a topper
