A Question of Trust: MCQ Guide with Answers for NCERT Class 10 English
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Added: 16.01.2026 at 13:29
Summary:
Przewodnik tworzenia MCQ do rozdz. 'A Question of Trust' (kl.10): cele, przykłady, dobre distraktory, klucze, strategie uczenia i analiza błędów. 📘
A Question of Trust — MCQs with Answers (NCERT Class 10 English, Chapter 4)
The NCERT Class 10 English book “Footprints Without Feet” holds a unique place in the Indian school curriculum. Its fourth chapter, “A Question of Trust”, not only tells an entertaining story of wit and irony but also challenges students to engage critically with characters, plot twists, and deeper themes such as honesty, trust, and deception. In the context of the CBSE examination framework, multiple-choice questions (MCQs) have become an important tool for evaluating reading comprehension, literary analysis, and language skills efficiently. This essay sets out to provide an original, practical guideline for designing and using MCQs on this particular chapter — moving far beyond rote learning to cultivate meaningful engagement and critical thinking. Drawing inspiration from the structure and needs of Indian classrooms, the essay covers question design, mapping to learning objectives, crafting effective distractors, feedback mechanisms, study strategies, and supporting technology — all tailored to the Indian educational context.
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Learning Objectives for “A Question of Trust” MCQs
Before constructing any MCQ, it is vital to identify what they should actually test. A skilfully designed MCQ set for this chapter should address the following objectives:- Factual Recall: Students must know basic facts—character names (Horace Danby), settings (Shotover Grange), and the sequence of events. - Comprehension: The ability to understand the flow of the story—is it clear why Horace acts as he does, or what motivates the lady? - Interpretation & Inference: Can students read between the lines, sense irony, or judge character intentions—especially considering the twist? - Vocabulary and Usage: Knowing contextual meanings of words (e.g., ‘burgle’, ‘safe’, ‘alibi’) as used in the narrative. - Language and Grammar in Context: Recognising verb forms, conditionals, or tense shifts as they appear in the story. - Value Judgement and Critical Thinking: Judging right from wrong, evaluating moral dilemmas, and understanding themes around trust and deception. - Application: Predicting alternative outcomes or suggesting what might have happened had the protagonist made another choice.
These objectives ensure MCQs are not limited to surface learning but require deeper, more meaningful engagement with the text.
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Question Blueprint and Mark Distribution
A balanced MCQ paper should reflect both the complexity of the text and the practical constraints of classroom time. Based on classroom best practices across Indian schools, a typical MCQ set might look like this:- Total: 25–30 MCQs, 1 mark each. - Time: 25–30 minutes.
*Distribution by Cognitive Level:* - Remembering (facts): ~30% (about 8 questions) - Understanding: ~30% (about 8 questions) - Applying/Analysing: ~25% (about 7 questions) - Evaluating/Creating: ~15% (about 4 questions)
*Topic-wise allocation:* - Plot/sequence — 25% - Characters/motives — 25% - Setting/details — 15% - Vocabulary in context — 15% - Grammar/language — 10% - Theme/ethics — 10%
This model ensures that the MCQ set is balanced, aligned to the syllabus, and suited to mixed-ability classrooms typical in India.
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Guidelines for Crafting High-Quality MCQs
The real art lies in constructing MCQs that are instructive rather than tricky, and fair yet challenging. Several guidelines must be observed:- Clarity of Question Stem: Each stem must ask one clear question—avoid unnecessary details or misleading language. - Single Correct Answer: There must be only one answer supported by the text or logic. - Distractors: The three incorrect choices should be plausible, reflecting common student misunderstandings or close-but-incorrect details drawn from the text. - Avoid “All/None of the Above” as mainstays; use sparingly and judiciously. - Limit Negatives: Use “not” type questions only if essential—and highlight the negative word for clarity. - Vary Difficulty: Not every question should be a fact recall; include subtle inference and evaluation items. - Language Simplicity: Employ vocabulary appropriate for a Class 10 reader, avoiding overly complex or culturally non-Indian expressions. - Uniformity: Keep option lengths and formats consistent, so no answer is “given away” by length/structure. - Use Context: For higher-order or inference items, quote or paraphrase passages, ensuring students answer based strictly on the text.
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MCQ Categories with Example Templates
1. Factual Recall: “Horace Danby broke into houses to...” A) Satisfy curiosity B) Gather rare books C) Impress neighbours D) Prove a point2. Sequence/Chronology: “What did Horace do immediately after breaking the glass of the safe?” (Distractor: swap order of two plausible actions)
3. Character Motives: “Why does the lady pretend to be the homeowner?” (Include an extreme moral interpretation as one option.)
4. Inference: “Which of the following is most implied by Horace’s reaction to being caught?” (Avoid answers not grounded in the story.)
5. Vocabulary in Context: “In the line ‘Horace’s alibi was water-tight’, what does ‘alibi’ mean?” (Provide close synonyms and one obviously incorrect meaning.)
6. Grammar in Use: “Choose the option that rewrites ‘Horace could have run away’ in the past perfect continuous tense.” (Options to test tense awareness.)
7. Theme Judgement: “Which value is most central when Horace trusts the lady?” (Options: trust, selfishness, pride, luck.)
8. Application/Hypothetical: “If Horace had not brought his gloves, what would have changed in the outcome?” (Options must require cause-effect reasoning.)
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Tactics for Writing Strong Distractors
- Reflect Real Student Errors: For instance, if many confuse who owns the jewels, include both plausible house owner and the real thief as options. - Partial Truths: E.g., a correct plot detail that doesn’t actually answer the question. - Similar Vocabulary: Test difference between 'alibi' and 'excuse'. - Rotate and Recycle: Use distractors from one question in a similar one to keep students attentive.---
Building Answer Keys with Explanations
A strong answer key includes not only the right answer but also a brief one-line explanation for each question, such as:> *Correct Answer: B Explanation: Horace stole mainly to buy rare books, as the story elaborates; other options are unsupported by text.*
For harder inference or vocabulary questions, briefly state why the others are temptations (e.g., the distractor “to prove a point” is unreasonable because it’s never suggested as a motive for Horace in the text).
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Student Preparation: Practical Strategies
To truly benefit from MCQ practice, students should:- First Reading: Focus on storyline; second reading, underline motives and unfamiliar words. - Annotation: Brief margin notes about who says/does what and key vocabulary. - Summarise: Draw a timeline of the plot and sketch a character web (who’s who, connections). - Vocabulary Flashcards: Use both English and mother-tongue equivalents when helpful. - Practise Under Timed Conditions: Replicate exam timing at home using 10–15 question drills, reviewing explanations after. - Exam Technique: Read the stem *before* looking at options, underline key words, and try eliminating unlikely choices first. - Reflect on Mistakes: Keep a notebook of wrong answers, noting if error was about misreading, memory, or vocabulary. - Group Practice: Exchange MCQs with classmates or quiz each other, discussing logic behind right and wrong choices.
These are techniques familiar to serious Indian exam aspirants and endorsed by CBSE toppers for English.
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Common Mistakes by Students and How to Fix Them
- Mixing Up Facts: Students sometimes confuse similar names, places, or plot turns. Remedy: Create a table of bare facts as a pre-exam quick revision. - Falling for Plausible Distractors: Remedy: Always re-read relevant story section if unsure before settling on an answer. - Misjudging Irony: Many miss that Horace, though a thief, is also a victim. Focus first on the literal events, then infer irony. - Ignoring Vocabulary Clues: Remedy: Use context to guess unfamiliar words, but double-check with flashcards. - Guessing Blindly: Remedy: If in doubt, use systematic elimination—do not skip any item.---
Formative Use of MCQs: Tips for Indian Teachers
MCQs are best used alongside other assessment modes:- Weekly Short Quizzes: 10–15 minutes after completing a chapter, focusing on basic facts and vocabulary. - Monthly Practice Tests: Cumulative, testing inference and theme as well. - Item Analysis: After marking, note which items many students got wrong; review those specifically. - Discussing Wrong Answers: Class discussion on why certain distractors were tempting sharpens thinking. - Link with Descriptive Questions: For major exams, supplement MCQs with short answer or value-based questions to give students a chance to explain reasoning. - Building a Question Bank: Tag questions by difficulty and theme, revisiting them annually so the MCQ resource stays fresh and relevant to the batch.
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A Sample Assessment Plan
- Two-Week Module: - Week 1: Read and annotate the story; prepare a timeline and glossary. - Week 2: Attempt daily 10–15 MCQ sets; at week’s end, take a 25-question mock test and discuss answer explanations. - Marking Scheme: - Full paper: 25 MCQs, 1 mark each; no negative marking. - Target: 72% (18/25) as pass benchmark. - Below benchmark: focus drills on mistake patterns.---
Technology and Resources
- Digital MCQ Platforms: Use Google Forms, Quizizz, or school platforms for instant feedback. - Flashcard Tools: Anki/Quizlet for vocabulary revision; printable flashcards in low-tech classrooms. - Error Analysis: Export quiz data to decide which question types are persistently misunderstood. - Physical Resources: Compile a printed MCQ booklet and answer key for all students, especially those with spotty internet.---
Beyond MCQs: Deeper Learning
- Student-Generated Questions: Have students compose and discuss their own MCQs—an excellent revision strategy. - Theme Debates: Split class and debate if Horace is more villain or victim. - Role Play: Enact the conversation between Horace and the lady for better grasp of motives and irony. - Follow-up Writing: For every MCQ cluster, add a mini paragraph question for deeper understanding.---
MCQ Set Quality Control Checklist
Before sharing any MCQ set with your class, always check: - Do all facts tally with the NCERT chapter? - Is each question’s language accessible to a Class 10 student? - Are all distractors possible but not actually correct? - Is there a single, unambiguous answer per item? - Are explanations brief and based on textual evidence? - Have you covered all question types and difficulty levels?---
Conclusion
When done thoughtfully, MCQs on “A Question of Trust” can do much more than test memory—they can cultivate attentive reading, promote analysis of character and theme, and prepare students for not just board exams, but confident English usage beyond the classroom. Teachers must embed MCQs within a wider learning ecosystem that includes feedback and peer discussion, while students must adopt deliberate, reflective study habits. Start by piloting a short MCQ set using these principles, discuss as a group, review item statistics, and keep refining. This is the confident, incremental path to excellence both for learning and for taming the Class 10 English exam!---
*Appendix:*
- Answer Key Template: QID | Correct Option | Explanation
1 | B | Only motive cited in text is love for rare books. 2 | C | Directly follows safe break; story confirms sequence. …
- Sample MCQ Table: QID | Skill | Stem | A | B | C | D | Correct | Difficulty | Notes
- Student Error Log: Date | QID | Error Type | Correct Answer | Misconception
By following this guide, students and teachers will be empowered to approach “A Question of Trust” MCQs not as a hurdle, but as a springboard for deeper literary and language mastery.
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