ICSE Total English Class 10 Solution : Chapter 10

Write a composition (300 – 350 words) on any one of the following: [20]

(i) Write an original story ending with, ‘They also serve who stand and wait’.

Answer:- Dr. Alex Matthews had spent thirty years saving lives as a neurosurgeon when the unthinkable happened—a routine scan revealed an inoperable brain tumor. The prognosis: six months to live. The man who had healed thousands now lay helpless in Hospital Bed 307, consumed by bitterness. “Why me?” he raged at the sterile hospital walls, rejecting visitors and cursing fate.

One rainy afternoon, an elderly chaplain named Brother Thomas entered uninvited. “I know you’re angry, Doctor,” he said gently, “but have you considered that God might need you differently now?” He placed a trembling hand on Alex’s IV pole. “The pediatric ward has a boy named Rohan with a rare autoimmune disease. His parents have no hope left… except prayer.”

Alex scoffed. “What good are prayers from a dying man?”

“More than you know,” Brother Thomas replied, leaving a rosary on the bedside table.

That night, monitors beeping around him, Alex heard a child crying down the hallway. Remembering Rohan, he hesitantly clasped the rosary. For the first time since his diagnosis, he prayed—not for himself, but for a boy he’d never met.

Days turned into weeks. Alex became the hospital’s unseen intercessor, praying for every critical case nurses mentioned. Meanwhile, miraculous bulletins circulated: Rohan’s inexplicably improving blood counts, a coma patient awakening, a transplant recipient rejecting no medications.

On Christmas Eve, Rohan—now healthy—brought Alex a crayon drawing of two stick figures: “Doctor Angel & Me.” As the child hugged him, Alex noticed his own latest scan report left unread on the tray. Brother Thomas, watching from the doorway, smiled knowingly.

When Alex finally opened the report, he wept—not from sorrow, but wonder. The tumor hadn’t shrunk… yet neither had it grown. In his final months, the dying surgeon discovered his greatest healing gift: the power of standing in the gap through prayer. As snow fell silently outside his window, Alex whispered the truth he’d proven: “They also serve who stand and wait.”

(II) ‘Look before you leap and think before you speak. Narrate an incident from your experience which brings out the truth of this statement.

Answer:- The memory of my Class X results day still makes me cringe. Holding my 92% marksheet, I let euphoria override reason and made a decision that would cost me a precious academic year.

When our school counselor distributed stream selection forms, I didn’t bother with aptitude tests or career counseling. “Science means success,” echoed my relatives’ voices in my head as I ticked the PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) combination without hesitation. My best friend Rohan’s warning – “At least check the syllabus first” – seemed unnecessary. How difficult could it be?

The reality hit within weeks. While classmates solved physics numericals with ease, I stared blankly at projectile motion diagrams. Chemistry equations resembled hieroglyphics, and calculus felt like learning Martian. My notebooks filled with half-understood concepts and frustrated doodles. Teachers noticed my struggles but assumed laziness rather than misalignment.

The first terminal exams were a disaster. My physics paper contained more red marks than answers. The chemistry practical left me humiliated when I accidentally mixed wrong reagents, creating a smelly explosion. That night, I finally opened the arts stream syllabus I’d previously dismissed – history’s narratives, political science’s logic, and psychology’s human insights resonated instantly.

Admitting my mistake required swallowing immense pride. The principal’s arched eyebrow when I requested a stream change still burns in my memory. “You do realize you’ll repeat Class XI?” she asked. My parents’ disappointment stung more than the lost year.

Those extra months in arts stream became my most rewarding. Concepts clicked naturally, my grades soared, and I discovered a passion for behavioral economics. Today, as I prepare for university, I appreciate that rash decision’s lesson: success isn’t about following crowds but understanding one’s unique capabilities.

Now when younger students ask for stream selection advice, I show them my two Class XI mark sheets – the dismal science grades and thriving arts scores – with one caution: “Measure your mind’s depths before diving in.”

(III) ‘Every family should adopt a pet.’ Express your views either for or against this statement.

Answer:- For the View :Pets bring immeasurable joy and countless benefits to households, making them invaluable additions to any family. Far more than just animals we care for, pets become beloved companions that enrich our lives in profound ways.

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While pet ownership requires commitment, the rewards transform households. Pets teach us about loyalty, joy in simple moments, and living in the present. They make our homes warmer, our lives richer, and our hearts fuller. In a world that often feels disconnected, pets remind us of life’s fundamental beauties—making them not just desirable additions to families, but essential ones.

Against the View: While pets bring joy to many households, mandating pet adoption for every family is impractical and potentially harmful. The significant responsibilities and challenges of pet ownership make it unsuitable for numerous modern families with limited time, space, or resources.

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Rather than universal adoption, pet ownership should be a carefully considered decision accounting for finances, living situation, and family capacity. Pressuring all families to keep pets leads to overwhelmed owners and neglected animals – a situation benefiting neither. Responsible pet ownership means recognizing when it’s not the right choice.

(IV) Which is your favourite movie? Describe the story, the characters and what you like about the movie.

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(v) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.

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