The following unseen passage with multiple choice questions talks about England and the development of the system of justice there. You will read how a society or a country walks through various phases from underdevelopment to developing and finally to a developed state. It clearly implies that “Rome was not built in a day”.
This unseen passage with MCQ was asked in CBSE Term 1 Class 10th English exam held on 11th December 2021. Students can read and solve these questions to improve their English reading and writing skills. For the objective questions to be answered correctly thorough reading is the most required prerequisite.
CBSE Class 10 Term 1 Final Paper Unseen Passage with MCQ | England System of Justice Unseen Passage
In most societies that have any glimmering of civilization, a person accused of wrong doing is given at least a nominal chance of proving his innocence. The Romans had a highly sophisticated/comprehensive system of courts and the members of their legal profession were well educated but the Saxons who followed them to rule Britain used rougher methods.
From about the sixth-century A.D.to the eleventh, the majority of the trials were in the form of cruel physical torture (carrying a piece of red hot iron, stepping barefoot and blindfold across a floor covered with red hot coals or sometimes by a gentler method of oath – swearing.
The accused was ordered to bring to the Saxon authorities, a police officer or a priest could be persuaded to swear on oath or still a number of persons who would say that the accused was of good character and thus innocent. The number of persons who swore depended on the crime. A noble / a landlord or a priest counted for up to half a dozen ordinary peasants. As almost everyone lived in small villages, where almost everyone knew everyone else and very few would risk telling a lie on oath (the people were mostly religious), the truth was generally told. If the accused could not produce enough oath helpers, he was found guilty and punished.
In the 11th century, the Normans introduced trial by battle in certain cases. The accused and accuser fought with special weapons until one was dead or surrendered. It was believed that God would know the guilty and give the innocent the power to win. The whole idea became ridiculous when both the parties were allowed to hire champions who would fight on their behalf. It seemed likely whoever could pay the more for a stronger professional fighter stood a good chance of winning and judged innocent. This may sound unfair to us but there is a parallel with a wealthy person today who can hire a costly and brilliant barrister to defend him.
In the early middle ages when England was a land of small villages remote from each other, crime tended to be basic and direct: beating up, theft, sex and murder being the main offences. But as towns and manufacturing and commerce grew, the possibilities for cheating and fraud soared. The whole organisation of society became more complex and opened the door to a world of more sophisticated wickedness. With no regular police force, spies and informers were offered rewards when they brought in criminals.
Q 1 England (or Britain) turn-by-turn came under the rule of
a. Saxons; Romans; Normans
b. Normans; Saxons; Romans
c. Romans; Saxons; Normans
d. Normans; Romans and Saxons
Show Answer
c. Romans; Saxons; Normans
Q 2 The article describes:
a. the development of the system of justice in England
b. Civilized societies and justice
c. justice v/s civilization
d. Rule of justice in England
Show Answer
a. the development of the system of justice in England
Q3 Study the following statements:
(A) Romans were proud of their judicial system.
(B) There is not much difference between the Normans and the modern system of justice.
a. (A) is right and (B) is wrong
b. (B) is right and (A) is wrong
c. both (A) and (B) are right
d. both (A) and (B) are wrong
Show Answer
c. both (A) and (B) are right
Q4 Match the following:
| (A) Romans | i. A priest to swear for the accused |
| (B) Saxons | ii. Highly paid lawyers can win a case |
| (C) Modern | iii. Educated judges and lawyers |
| (D) Normans | iv. The winner in a battle declared innocent |
a. (A) iv ; (B) ii ; (C) i ; (D) iii ;
b. (A) iii ; (B) i ; (C) ii ; (D) iv ;
c. (A) i ; (B) iii ; (C) iv ; (D) ii ;
d. (A) ii ; (B) i ; (C) iii ; (D) iv ;
Show Answer:
b. (A) iii ; (B) i ; (C) ii ; (D) iv ;
Q 5 Study the following statements:
(A) In a trial by battle money played the main role.
(B) God helps the innocent win the battle.
a. (A) is right and (B) is wrong
b. (B) is right and (A) is wrong
c. both (A) and (B) are right and (A) was the conclusion
d. both (A) and (B) are right and (A) was not the conclusion.
Show Answer:
c. both (A) and (B) are right and (A) was the conclusion
Q6 Study the following statements:
(A) Saxon system of trial was nobler than that of Romans
(B) Saxon system had two aspects – rough and noble.
(C) the rich Saxons could hire champions to argue their case.
(D) Even an innocent person would be held guilty if enough people did not swear for him.
The following are correct:
a. A and B
b. B and C
c. C and A
d. B and D
Show Answer
d. B and D
Q 7 Study the following statements:
(A) Earlier England comprised small villages each with a small population.
(B) Crimes like cheating and fraud were rare.
a. (A) is an assertion and (B) is the response
b. (B) is an assertion and is (A) is the response
c. both A and B are unrelated assertions.
d. both A and B are responses to some other assertions.
Show Answer
a. (A) is an assertion and (B) is the response
Q 8 Which of the following statements are true:
The rich have always enjoyed an advantage in the judicial system because
(A) they were physically strong so would win the trial by fighting.
(B) they could hire the strongest champion.
(C) they can hire the best lawyers.
(D) they could persuade the priest to swear on their behalf.
a. (A) and (B)
b. (B) and (C)
c. (C) and (D)
d. (A) and (D)
Show Answer:
b. (B) and (C)
Q 9 Which of the following statements are not true:
(A) In the quest for justice, the guilty often went unpunished.
(B) For 700 years from the sixth-century trial was mostly rough.
(C) swearing value of a priest was equal to a dozen ordinary peasants.
(D) Use of champions in a trial by battle finds an equivalent in modern times.
a. (A) and (C)
b. (B) and (C)
c. (C) and (D)
d. (A) and (B)
Show Answer:
b. (B) and (C)
Q10 ‘any glimmering of civilization’
Glimmering in the above expression has been used as a metaphor. Glimmering stands for
a. a slight suggestion
b. a great hope
c. some fear
d. a little confidence
Show Answer:
b. a great hope
| Disclaimer: Although due care and intelligence have been applied while selecting the answers for the passage above, the answers to the interpretation based questions may vary as per your choice and interpretation. All the answers given above are correct as per the answer key released by CBSE. |