ICSE 2016 English Literature Question Paper for Class 10

About this paper

This is the ICSE Class 10 Literature in English (English Paper 2) question paper from the 2016 examination, paper code T16 012. It gives two hours for writing after 15 minutes of reading time. Candidates answer five questions, at least one from each of Section A (Drama), Section B (Poetry) and Section C (Prose), and any two others. The plays are Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and John Galsworthy's Loyalties. The poems are Robert Frost's Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and Vikram Seth's A Doctor's Journal Entry for August 6, 1945. The prose questions on these pages cover a short story about Princess September, O. Henry's The Last Leaf and Orwell's Animal Farm. This copy has the questions only.

Exam

ICSE Class 10

Subject

English Literature

Year

2016

Paper code

T16 012

Time allowed

2 hours + 15 min reading

Pages

6

Answers included

No, questions only

Paper pattern

• Section A – Drama

  Questions 1–4: extract questions on The Merchant of Venice (Questions 1–2) and Loyalties (Questions 3–4), five parts each

• Section B – Poetry

  Questions 5–6: extract questions on Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and A Doctor's Journal Entry for August 6, 1945

• Section C – Prose

  Questions 7–10: an extract and an essay each on the short stories and on Animal Farm

Topics covered

• The Merchant of Venice
• Loyalties
• Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
• A Doctor's Journal Entry for August 6, 1945
• Princess September
• The Last Leaf
• Animal Farm

Questions from this paper

1. Where are Portia and Bassanio? What has just taken place that makes Portia speak these words? What was the inscription on the lead casket?
2. Name the speaker of the mercy speech. Why does the speaker appeal to Shylock for mercy, and who else in the play had appealed for mercy earlier?
3. Whom did De Levis accuse of stealing his money? What were his reasons for making this accusation?
4. In which country did the incident in 'A Doctor's Journal Entry for August 6, 1945' occur? What had caused the flashes, and what happened to his home soon after?
5. Why did Princess September put the nightingale in a cage? What reasons did she give the bird for putting it there and then keeping it there?
6. The Last Leaf explores the theme of friendship and self-sacrifice. Discuss this with close reference to O. Henry's 'The Last Leaf'.