# Paper 1: Non-Fiction
## Section A: Reading – Answers
1. *What does the first sentence suggest about Chandni Chowk?*
It portrays Chandni Chowk as a lively, energetic place throbbing with activity.
2. *Give one word from the passage that shows the area was full of activity.*
pulsed
3. *Explain how the writer uses sensory details in the second paragraph (lines
5–9).*
The writer appeals to sight, sound, touch, and smell:
- Sight: “baskets of mangoes, piles of embroidered shawls”
- Sound: “vendors shouting prices, bells clanging”
- Smell: “dripping ladle” implies sweet kulfi melting
- Touch: narrator “clutched my bag tighter”
Quotation: “bells clanging from cycle carts”
4. *What does “weaving through the crowd like a thread through fabric”
suggest about Aarav’s movement?*
- He moved smoothly and quickly ✔
5. *Why does the narrator clutch their bag tighter?*
Because the crowd feels overwhelming and a bit threatening.
6. *What does this show about how the narrator feels in the crowd?*
The narrator feels uneasy and anxious amid the chaos.
7. *Find and write one example of a simple sentence and a complex sentence
from the text.*
- Simple sentence: “The narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk pulsed with life.”
- Complex sentence: “As we stepped out of the rickshaw, a wave of sound
crashed over us—vendors shouting prices, bells clanging from cycle carts, and
the distant hum of temple chants.”
8. *Which sentence uses the present perfect tense?*
B. We have stepped into the market.
9. *Which of the following shows present continuous tense?*
A. We are navigating the crowd.
10. *Explain, using your own words, the difference between Aarav’s and the
narrator’s reactions to the crowd.*
- Aarav is confident and skilled at moving through the bustle.
- The narrator is hesitant and feels overwhelmed by the noise and crowds.
11. *Why does the narrator describe the chaos as “strangely beautiful”?*
Although the market is chaotic, the mix of colours, sounds, and traditions
creates an unexpected harmony that the narrator can appreciate once they
pause and breathe it all in.
12. *Opinion question*
Opinion 2: The narrator finds the market fascinating.
First reason: The narrator gradually appreciates the scene’s allure.
Quotation: “letting the chaos settle into something strangely beautiful.”
Second reason: They focus on historic beauty despite disorder.
Quotation: “walls whispered stories of trade, tradition, and time.”
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# Paper 2: Fiction
## Section A: Reading – Answers
1. (a) *What does the mist do in the forest?*
It envelops and conceals the trees “like a secret.”
(b) *Give one word that shows the forest was quiet.*
stillness
2. (a) *What do people say is unusual about the forest?*
That it changes shape, paths vanish and reappear, and strange lights flicker.
(b) *Give one word that shows Leena was feeling nervous.*
uneasy
3. (a) *What made Leena stop walking suddenly?*
“a bird called out a long, echoing cry that made her pause.”
(b) *Why do you think Leena’s heart “thudded” when she saw the figure?*
Because she felt shock and fear at encountering a mysterious, unmoving
cloaked figure.
(c) *What do you learn about Leena’s character from her reaction?*
She is determined and courageous—despite fear, she grips her flashlight and
presses on.
Quotation: “She gripped her flashlight tighter and kept walking.”
4. *What does “Was it leading her to safety—or deeper into the unknown?”
suggest?*
Leena is confused and unsure what to do. ✔
5. *Why does the writer use a short sentence followed by a question?*
The abrupt statements mirror Leena’s sudden halt and inner doubt,
heightening suspense.
6. *Suggest two ways the writer creates tension in paragraphs three and four.*
- Word choice: “suddenly,” “cloaked,” “beam seemed to bend” evoke
eeriness.
- Sentence structure: short, staccato sentences (“She froze. The figure didn’t
speak.”) build suspense.
7. *Do you think the writer wants the reader to feel curious or scared at the
end?*
Scared. The beam bending around the figure and the unresolved path
intensify fear of the unknown.
8. *Opinion question*
Opinion 1: Leena was brave to stay and face the unknown.
First reason: She overcomes instinct to flee.
Quotation: “She froze,” then “She hesitated” but does not run.
Second reason: She continues holding her light as a weapon of courage.
Quotation: “She gripped her flashlight tighter and kept walking.”
