English Olympiad Class 10 - Mock test 01
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Section 1 - Word and Structure Knowledge (30 questions)
Q1. Choose the synonym for "Ubiquitous".
(A) Pervasive
(B) Isolated
(C) Sparse
(D) Scattered
Answer: (A) Pervasive
Explanation: "Ubiquitous" and "Pervasive" both mean present everywhere.
Q2. Identify the antonym for "Mundane".
(A) Ordinary
(B) Exceptional
(C) Routine
(D) Dull
Answer: (B) Exceptional
Explanation: "Mundane" means ordinary, and its antonym is "Exceptional," meaning extraordinary.
Q3. Identify the correct spelling:
(A) Exagerate
(B) Exaggeratte
(C) Exagerrate
(D) Exaggerate
Answer: (D) Exaggerate
Explanation: The correct spelling is "Exaggerate."
Q4. Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence: "She decided to ________ her old clothes to charity."
(A) Hand off
(B) Hand down
(C) Hand over
(D) Hand in
Answer: (C) Hand over
Explanation: The correct phrasal verb is "Hand over," which means to give or transfer something to someone.
Q5. What does the idiom "Jump on the bandwagon" mean?
(A) Criticize a popular trend
(B) Join others in following a popular trend
(C) Refuse to follow trends
(D) Create a new trend
Answer: (B) Join others in following a popular trend
Explanation: "Jump on the bandwagon" means to join others in following a popular trend or activity.
Q6. Select the appropriate phrasal verb for the sentence: "He managed to ________ his fear and deliver a confident speech."
(A) Get by
(B) Get over
(C) Get along
(D) Get through
Answer: (B) Get over
Explanation: "Get over" means to overcome or recover from a feeling or obstacle.
Q7. What does the idiom "Bite the bullet" mean?
(A) Avoid facing a difficult situation
(B) Confront a difficult situation with courage
(C) Criticize someone openly
(D) Complain about a problem
Answer: (B) Confront a difficult situation with courage
Explanation: "Bite the bullet" means to face a difficult situation with courage and determination.
Q8. Complete the sentence with the correct phrasal verb: "The news about the promotion really ________ her spirits."
(A) Picked up
(B) Picked on
(C) Picked out
(D) Picked off
Answer: (A) Picked up
Explanation: "Picked up" in this context means to improve or elevate someone's mood or spirits.
Q9. What does the idiom "Hit the nail on the head" mean?
(A) Make a wrong assumption
(B) Get to the main point
(C) Avoid a difficult task
(D) Miss an opportunity
Answer: (B) Get to the main point
Explanation: "Hit the nail on the head" means to describe precisely or to identify the main point accurately.
Q10. Choose the correct phrasal verb to complete the sentence: "The student had to ________ the lecture because of a family emergency."
(A) Break off
(B) Break up
(C) Break in
(D) Break down
Answer: (A) Break off
Explanation: "Break off" means to stop or terminate something abruptly.
Q11. What does the idiom "Burn the midnight oil" mean?
(A) Waste time
(B) Work late into the night
(C) Preserve energy
(D) Sleep soundly
Answer: (B) Work late into the night
Explanation: "Burn the midnight oil" means to work late into the night, especially on a task that requires extra effort.
Q12. What is the one-word substitute for "A person who loves and collects books"?
(A) Bibliophile
(B) Philanthropist
(C) Bibliopole
(D) Philosopher
Answer: (A) Bibliophile
Explanation: A bibliophile is a person who loves and collects books.
Q13. Arrange the words to form a correct sentence: "Summer / love / I / do / the most."
(A) I do love summer the most
(B) Love I the most summer do
(C) I love the most do summer
(D) Summer love I do the most
Answer: (A) I do love summer the most
Explanation: The correct word order is "I do love summer the most."
14. What is the one-word substitute for "A person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain"?
(A) Stoic
(B) Hedonist
(C) Ascetic
(D) Epicurean
Answer: (A) Stoic
Explanation: A stoic is a person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain.
Q15. Rearrange the words to form a correct sentence: "School / she / daily / goes / to."
(A) She goes to school daily
(B) To school she goes daily
(C) Goes to school she daily
(D) She daily goes school to
Answer: (A) She goes to school daily
Explanation: The correct word order is "She goes to school daily."
Q16. Identify the correct punctuation in the given sentence: "The concert was amazing, however, I forgot to bring my ticket."
(A) The concert was amazing; however, I forgot to bring my ticket.
(B) The concert was amazing, however I forgot to bring my ticket.
(C) The concert was amazing however I forgot to bring my ticket.
(D) The concert was amazing however; I forgot to bring my ticket.
Answer: (A) The concert was amazing; however, I forgot to bring my ticket.
Explanation: The semicolon (;) is used to connect two closely related independent clauses.
Q17. Choose the sentence with correct punctuation: "After finishing the exam Maria said 'I need a break' and left the room."
(A) After finishing the exam, Maria said I need a break and left the room.
(B) After finishing the exam; Maria said, "I need a break" and left the room.
(C) After finishing the exam Maria said, "I need a break" and left the room.
(D) After finishing the exam Maria said I need a break, and left the room.
Answer: (C) After finishing the exam Maria said, "I need a break" and left the room.
Explanation: Commas are used to set off the spoken words in a sentence.
Q18. Identify the correct usage of punctuation: "The weather was cold however, we decided to go for a hike."
(A) The weather was cold; however we decided to go for a hike.
(B) The weather was cold; however, we decided to go for a hike.
(C) The weather was cold, however we decided to go for a hike.
(D) The weather was cold however, we decided to go for a hike.
Answer: (B) The weather was cold; however, we decided to go for a hike.
Explanation: A semicolon is used before 'however' when connecting two independent clauses.
Q19. Choose the correct homophone pair to complete the sentence: "The ___________ of the guitar echoed through the hall."
(A) Scent
(B) Sent
(C) Cent
(D) Cents
Answer: (B) Sent
Explanation: "The sent of the guitar echoed through the hall." - Here, 'sent' refers to the sound produced by the guitar.
Q20. Identify the homonym used correctly in the sentence: "She had to ___________ the documents before the meeting."
(A) Sight
(B) Cite
(C) Site
(D) Right
Answer: (B) Cite
Explanation: "She had to cite the documents before the meeting." - Here, 'cite' means to refer to the documents.
Q21. Choose the correct homophone pair for the blank: "The old clock was ___________ in the corner."
(A) There
(B) Their
(C) They're
(D) Threw
Answer: (A) There
Explanation: "The old clock was there in the corner." - 'There' is used to indicate a location.
Q22. Choose the correct active voice sentence: "The mysterious book was read by her in one night."
(A) She read the mysterious book in one night.
(B) The mysterious book read by her in one night.
(C) She was reading the mysterious book in one night.
(D) The mysterious book was reading by her in one night.
Answer: (A) She read the mysterious book in one night.
Explanation: In active voice, the subject performs the action. "She read the mysterious book in one night."
23. Identify the correct passive voice form: "The committee will announce the results tomorrow."
(A) Tomorrow the results will be announced by the committee.
(B) The results will announce tomorrow by the committee.
(C) Tomorrow the committee will announce the results.
(D) The committee announces the results tomorrow.
Answer: (A) Tomorrow the results will be announced by the committee.
Explanation: In passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, and the original subject may or may not be mentioned.
Q24. Rewrite the sentence in active voice: "The cake was eaten by the children."
(A) The children ate the cake.
(B) The cake eats by the children.
(C) The cake is eaten by the children.
(D) The cake was eating by the children.
Answer: (A) The children ate the cake.
Explanation: In active voice, the subject performs the action. "The children ate the cake."
Q25. Choose the correct reported speech: He said, "I will finish the project by next week."
(A) He said that he would finish the project by the following week.
(B) He said that he will finish the project by the following week.
(C) He said that he finished the project by the next week.
(D) He said that he will be finishing the project by next week.
Answer: (A) He said that he would finish the project by the following week.
Explanation: In reported speech, the future tense changes to the past tense.
26. Rewrite the sentence in direct speech: She said that they had already visited the museum.
(A) She said, "We already visited the museum."
(B) She said, "We have already visited the museum."
(C) She said, "We had already visited the museum."
(D) She said, "We will already visit the museum."
Answer: (C) She said, "We had already visited the museum."
Explanation: In direct speech, the past perfect tense remains unchanged.
Q27. Identify the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement: "Neither the teacher nor the students ____ interested in the new curriculum."
(A) is
(B) are
(C) were
(D) am
Answer: (B) are
Explanation: "Neither...nor" requires the verb to agree with the closer subject, which is "students."
Q28. Transform the sentence into a negative question: "They have completed the assignment."
(A) Have they not completed the assignment?
(B) Have completed they not the assignment?
(C) They have not completed the assignment?
(D) Not have they completed the assignment?
Answer: (A) Have they not completed the assignment?
Explanation: To form a negative question, "not" is placed after the auxiliary verb.
Q29. Identify the sentence with correct tense usage: "By the time I reached the station, the train had already left."
(A) By the time I reached the station, the train already left.
(B) By the time I reached the station, the train has already left.
(C) By the time I reached the station, the train already leaves.
(D) By the time I reached the station, the train left already.
Answer: (A) By the time I reached the station, the train already left.
Explanation: The sentence correctly uses the past perfect tense for an action completed before another past action.
Q30. Which sentence has an error in tense usage?
(A) He will have finished the project by tomorrow.
(B) She was working on the assignment when I called.
(C) We will visit the museum last weekend.
(D) They have been studying for the exams all week.
Answer: (C) We will visit the museum last weekend.
Explanation: The sentence incorrectly uses "will" with a past time reference, creating a tense mismatch.
Section 2 - Reading
Passage 1:Once in a distant land, the joy of scientific exploration was not confined to textbooks and laboratories; it was a part of everyone's daily life. People, from the youngest to the oldest, embraced the wonders of science for their own pleasure and excitement. As children, we all possessed the innate curiosity of scientists, conducting our own experiments—tasting substances, testing the force of gravity, peering under rocks, gazing at the stars, and pondering the mysteries of the night and the enigma of the sky turning blue.
However, as time passed, a change occurred. The education system, in its pursuit of academic rigor, predominantly taught science in a methodical and analytical manner, appealing more to the logical left-brain thinking. Simultaneously, societal pressures and the growing demand for practical applications of technology shifted the focus away from the intrinsic love for science.
For many youngsters, the enchantment with science began to wane. The once-inherent love for nature clashed with the requirement to dissect small animals in high-school biology classes. Students, eager to understand the intricacies of human thoughts and emotions in psychology courses, found themselves immersed in a world of rats and statistical analyses, far removed from their original expectations.
Q31. Why does the author believe that all children are scientists?
(A) Because they are amused and excited by science
(B) Because they are curious about scientists
(C) Because they are taught science in school
(D) Because they enjoy peeping into things, tasting, and wondering
Answer: (D) Because they enjoy peeping into things, tasting, and wondering
Explanation: The author mentions that children are scientists due to their inherent curiosity and actions like tasting substances and wondering about the world around them.
Q32. Why does the author suggest that the love for science fades quickly for most youngsters?
(A) Due to the reductionist, left-brain style of teaching
(B) Because of society's demands for practical applications
(C) Both A and B
(D) None of the above
Answer: (C) Both A and B
Explanation: The author attributes the fading love for science to both the reductionist teaching style and societal demands for practical applications.
Q33. What change does the passage mention regarding the teaching of science?
(A) Science is now taught more analytically
(B) Science is now taught more romantically
(C) Science is now taught more artistically
(D) Science teaching methods remain the same
Answer: (A) Science is now taught more analytically
Explanation: The passage suggests that science is now predominantly taught in a reductionist, left-brain style.
Q34. What does the author attribute the diminishing interest in high-school biology to?
(A) Lack of enthusiasm among students
(B) The avoidance of dissecting small animals
(C) A dislike for the subject of biology
(D) The focus on nature rather than practical applications
Answer: (B) The avoidance of dissecting small animals
Explanation: The author suggests that students lose interest in high-school biology due to the requirement of dissecting small animals.
Q35. Why do students enrolling in psychology courses often find themselves learning about rats and statistics?
(A) The courses lack proper curriculum planning
(B) Students have a preconceived notion about psychology
(C) Society demands a focus on practical applications
(D) The education system emphasizes analytical learning over emotional understanding
Answer: (C) Society demands a focus on practical applications
Explanation: The passage implies that societal demands for practical applications lead to an emphasis on rats and statistics in psychology courses.
Passage 2: The coral reefs, often referred to as the rainforests of the sea, are vital ecosystems supporting a diverse range of marine life. Unfortunately, these intricate and colorful ecosystems are facing significant threats due to climate change, overfishing, and pollution.
Rising sea temperatures contribute to coral bleaching, where corals lose their vibrant colors and become more susceptible to diseases. Overfishing disrupts the balance of the reef ecosystem, affecting the populations of various marine species. Pollution, including plastic waste, poses a direct threat to marine life, including the coral organisms.
Conservation efforts, including marine protected areas, sustainable fishing practices, and reducing carbon emissions, play a crucial role in preserving these invaluable ecosystems. Public awareness and education are also essential in fostering a sense of responsibility towards the protection of coral reefs.
Q36. What is the main comparison made between coral reefs and rainforests in the passage?
(A) Both are threatened by pollution
(B) Both support diverse ecosystems
(C) Both face challenges from overfishing
(D) Both are affected by rising temperatures
Answer: (B) Both support diverse ecosystems
Explanation: The passage mentions coral reefs as the rainforests of the sea, emphasizing their role in supporting diverse marine life.
Q37. What is coral bleaching?
(A) A process where corals lose their vibrant colors
(B) A method of preserving coral reefs
(C) A form of pollution affecting coral ecosystems
(D) A type of sustainable fishing practice
Answer: (A) A process where corals lose their vibrant colors
Explanation: The passage defines coral bleaching as the phenomenon where corals lose their vibrant colors.
Q38. What contributes to the disruption of the reef ecosystem mentioned in the passage?
(A) Marine protected areas
(B) Sustainable fishing practices
(C) Rising sea temperatures
(D) Public awareness
Answer: (C) Rising sea temperatures
Explanation: The passage states that rising sea temperatures contribute to coral bleaching, which disrupts the balance of the reef ecosystem.
Q39. According to the passage, what is a direct threat to marine life?
(A) Sustainable fishing practices
(B) Plastic waste pollution
(C) Marine protected areas
(D) Reduction of carbon emissions
Answer: (B) Plastic waste pollution
Explanation: The passage mentions pollution, including plastic waste, as a direct threat to marine life.
Q40. What role do conservation efforts play in preserving coral reefs?
(A) They contribute to coral bleaching
(B) They disrupt the balance of the reef ecosystem
(C) They are essential in preserving these ecosystems
(D) They have no impact on coral reefs
Answer: (C) They are essential in preserving these ecosystems
Explanation: The passage highlights the crucial role of conservation efforts, including marine protected areas and sustainable fishing practices, in preserving coral reefs.
Section 3 - Spoken and Written Expression
Q41. Ravi: Let’s go for a bike ride this weekend.
Aditi: I can’t, I have a family gathering.
Ravi: ____________________________.
(A) Why do you always have plans?
(B) Family gatherings are so boring.
(C) You can skip it this time.
(D) Bring your family along for the ride.
Answer: (C) You can skip it this time.
Explanation: Ravi suggests that Aditi can skip the family gathering this time to join the bike ride.
Q42. Arjun: I'm thinking of joining the dance class.
Priya: That's a great idea. ____________________________.
(A) Dancing is not my thing.
(B) I have two left feet.
(C) You will enjoy it for sure.
(D) I prefer painting over dancing.
Answer: (C) You will enjoy it for sure.
Explanation: Priya encourages Arjun by expressing that he will enjoy joining the dance class.
Q43. Aryan: Let's try the new Italian restaurant downtown.
Maya: I am on a strict diet. ____________________________.
(A) Italian food is not healthy.
(B) I heard the Italian restaurant is crowded.
(C) Maybe we can go next month.
(D) I've already tried that restaurant.
Answer: (C) Maybe we can go next month.
Explanation: Maya suggests that they can try the new Italian restaurant next month when she is not on a strict diet.
Q44. Raj: The concert is on Saturday night. Are you coming?
Tina: I have a project deadline. ____________________________.
(A) I'll try to finish it quickly.
(B) Weekends are for relaxation.
(C) Concerts are not my thing.
(D) I finished the project already.
Answer: (A) I'll try to finish it quickly.
Explanation: Tina expresses her commitment to the project but suggests she will try to finish it quickly to attend the concert.
Q45. Rohan: Let's plan a weekend getaway to the mountains.
Shreya: Sounds exciting. ____________________________.
(A) I don't like mountain trips.
(B) We should plan it during the summer.
(C) My car needs a service.
(D) I prefer beach vacations.
Answer: (B) We should plan it during the summer.
Explanation: Shreya agrees to the idea and suggests planning the mountain getaway during the summer.
Achiever's section
Q46. The success of a project depends __________ the effective collaboration of team members.
(A) on
(B) at
(C) with
(D) by
Answer: (A) on
Explanation: The sentence structure requires the preposition "on" to indicate dependence.
Q47. The concert was canceled ____________ the heavy rain and thunderstorms.
(A) because
(B) although
(C) despite
(D) until
Answer: (A) because
Explanation: "Because" is the appropriate conjunction to show the reason for the concert cancellation.
Q48. The scientist explained the complex theory ____________ simple terms for the students to understand.
(A) in
(B) with
(C) on
(D) by
Answer: (A) in
Explanation: "In" is the correct preposition to use when explaining something in specific terms.
Q49. It is essential for the team members to work together ____________ harmony and coordination.
(A) on
(B) at
(C) in
(D) with
Answer: (D) with
Explanation: "With" is the correct preposition to indicate collaboration and teamwork.
Q50. The new employee demonstrated great skills __________ handling challenging situations.
(A) at
(B) by
(C) in
(D) with
Answer: (C) in
Explanation: "In" is used to express proficiency or competence in a particular area.