ICSE Class 10

General instructions: Answer all questions. Marks are shown in brackets [ ].

Objective

1. 1.
   Which season is hinted at by the description of “moonlit avenues” and “frosty air”?

   1. A. Spring
   2. B. Summer
   3. C. Autumn/Winter
   4. D. Rainy season
   [1]
2. 2.
   How does the narrator describe the city at eight o’clock?

   1. A. Silent and empty
   2. B. Bustling and busy
   3. C. Brightly lit by street lamps
   4. D. Dangerous and chaotic
   [1]
3. 3.
   "In a city of three million, there was only one ______ left."

   1. A. detective
   2. B. fire station
   3. C. private guard
   4. D. police car
   [1]
4. 4.
   What does Mr. Leonard Mead most love to do on misty November evenings?

   1. A. Watch television
   2. B. Go dancing
   3. C. Walk through the silent streets
   4. D. Write novels
   [1]
5. 5.
   Why is Mead out walking, according to his own explanation?

   1. A. Looking for food
   2. B. Visiting family
   3. C. He walks for air and to see
   4. D. Searching for lost items
   [1]
6. 6.
   When the police car confronts Mead, how does the car’s voice sound?

   1. A. Gentle and kind
   2. B. Friendly and helpful
   3. C. Metallic and commanding
   4. D. Confused and tired
   [1]
7. 7.
   Which sequence reflects the proper progression of these moments? 1. Mead imagines an Arizona desert. 2. He whispers greetings to the vacant houses. 3. He hears a faint murmur of laughter but continues walking. 4. He recalls never meeting another pedestrian in ten years.

   1. A. 2, 3, 1, 4
   2. B. 1, 2, 4, 3
   3. C. 2, 1, 3, 4
   4. D. 3, 4, 2, 1
   [1]
8. 8.
   Identify the option that best indicates the correct connection between statements (1) and (2) from Ray Bradbury's short story *The Pedestrian*: Statement (1): Mead's walks at night are deemed suspicious. Statement (2): The future culture considers strolling "regressive."

   1. A. (1) and (2) have no relation
   2. B. (1) is the cause for (2)
   3. C. (2) is the cause for (1)
   4. D. (1) is true and (2) is false
   [1]
9. 9.
   Choose the option that orders these events correctly: 1. Leonard Mead notices the dark windows and compares them to a graveyard. 2. He decides to walk westward, toward the hidden sea. 3. He picks up and inspects a leaf under a lamplight. 4. He puts his hands in his pockets and sets off at eight o'clock.

   1. A. 4, 1, 3, 2
   2. B. 2, 3, 4, 1
   3. C. 4, 2, 1, 3
   4. D. 3, 1, 4, 2
   [1]
10. 10.
    Identify the option that best indicates the correct connection between statements (1) and (2) from Ray Bradbury's short story The Pedestrian: Statement (1): Mead envisions himself in a silent Arizona desert. Statement (2): The city’s emptiness reminds him of a barren landscape.

    1. a. (1) is true and (2) is false
    2. b. (2) is true and (1) is false
    3. c. (1) is the cause for (2)
    4. d. (1) and (2) reinforce each other
    [1]
11. 11.
    Identify the option that best indicates the correct connection between statements (1) and (2) from Ray Bradbury's short story The Pedestrian: Statement (1): Mead often picks up leaves, admiring their patterns. Statement (2): He whistles to break the nightly silence.

    1. a. (1) is true and (2) is false
    2. b. (2) is true and (1) is false
    3. c. (1) and (2) are independent of each other
    4. d. (1) is the cause for (2)
    [1]
12. 12.
    Identify the option that best indicates the correct connection between statements (1) and (2) from Ray Bradbury's short story *The Pedestrian*: Statement (1): Mead greets houses with remarks on TV channels. Statement (2): He scorns the trivial shows people obsess over.

    1. A. (1) is true and (2) is false
    2. B. (2) is true and (1) is false
    3. C. (1) results from (2)
    4. D. (1) and (2) express the same idea
    [1]
13. 13.
    Pick the correct chronological order for the following statements: 1. Mead stumbles over a sidewalk that's disappearing under grass. 2. He pauses to reflect on how deserted the streets remain. 3. He closes his eyes and imagines himself alone on a vast plain. 4. He checks his wristwatch and remarks on typical nightly TV shows.

    1. A. 4, 3, 2, 1
    2. B. 3, 4, 1, 2
    3. C. 4, 2, 3, 1
    4. D. 2, 3, 4, 1
    [1]
14. 14.
    Determine the proper arrangement of these four key actions: 1. Mead hears dogs barking if he wore hard heels. 2. He switches to sneakers to stroll quietly. 3. He sets off down the buckling sidewalk. 4. He compares flickering lights inside houses to fireflies.

    1. A. 3, 4, 1, 2
    2. B. 1, 2, 3, 4
    3. C. 2, 1, 4, 3
    4. D. 3, 1, 4, 2
    [1]
15. 15.
    Leonard Mead imagines himself in a wintry Arizona desert. Why?

    1. A. He grew up in Arizona
    2. B. The quiet, empty streets evoke a desert landscape
    3. C. He sees cacti everywhere
    4. D. He’s reading about deserts while walking
    [1]
16. 16.
    Determine the correct order of these developments: 1. "If you had a wife, you'd have an alibi." 2. Mead is instructed to get in the police car. 3. He sees that nobody occupies the front seat. 4. The policeman states Mead has "no profession."

    1. A. 4, 2, 3, 1
    2. B. 2, 3, 4, 1
    3. C. 1, 2, 3, 4
    4. D. 2, 4, 3, 1
    [1]
17. 17.
    How does Mead greet the silent houses as he walks?

    1. A. He ignores them
    2. B. He whispers questions about TV channels
    3. C. He knocks on every door
    4. D. He leaves notes in the mailbox
    [1]
18. 18.
    Select the best chronological arrangement for these final details from Ray Bradbury's short story The Pedestrian: 1. The police car heads for the Psychiatric Center. 2. Mead spots one house fully lit—"That’s my house." 3. The back seat feels like a "little black jail." 4. The empty streets remain silent throughout the night.

    1. a. 3, 4, 1, 2
    2. b. 2, 4, 3, 1
    3. c. 1, 3, 2, 4
    4. d. 3, 2, 4, 1
    [1]
19. 19.
    "Mead felt as if he were ______ in 2053 A.D., or as good as alone."

    1. A. invisible
    2. B. nobody else
    3. C. the only one
    4. D. alone
    [1]
20. 20.
    Identify the correct sequence of events: 1. The police car demands, "What are you doing out?" 2. Mead admits, "Walking for air and to see." 3. The car dismisses writing as "no profession." 4. Mead is told to "stand still" under the bright light.

    1. A. 4, 1, 2, 3
    2. B. 4, 3, 1, 2
    3. C. 1, 2, 3, 4
    4. D. 2, 4, 1, 3
    [1]