CBSE Class 10 Footprints · Board Exam

Important Questions with Answers

57 board-pattern questions across 9 stories, each with a pointer on how to frame a full-marks answer.

Footprints Without Feet is the supplementary reader, and its long answers reward a clear grasp of plot, character and message. Here are the most frequently repeated board questions across the stories, plus the full story-wise bank with answer pointers.

Most frequently repeated

3 marksWhy is Mrs Pumphrey worried about her dog Tricki? What advice does Mr Herriot give her?
A Triumph of SurgeryHow to answer: Frame around Tricki being grossly overfed and under-exercised, listing his symptoms (listless, refusing food, bulging with fat). State Herriot's advice clearly — cut the rich food and extra meals, increase exercise — and contrast her indulgence with his sensible counsel.
6 marksThe narrator in 'The Thief's Story' calls it the most difficult moment of his life. Which moment was it, and what made it difficult?
The Thief's StoryHow to answer: Centre on Hari Singh standing in the rain after stealing Anil's money, torn between catching the train and returning. Explain the conflict: greed versus the realisation that Anil's trust and the chance to become educated were worth more than the notes. End with his decision to put the money back.
6 marksHow did Ausable foil Max's attempt to get the secret report, and what does it reveal about his presence of mind?
The Midnight VisitorHow to answer: Recount the invented story of a non-existent balcony shared with the floor below, making Max believe police were arriving and forcing him out of the window to his fall. Highlight that the balcony never existed, the knock was only the waiter, and Ausable won by wit, not force.
3 marksWhy was Horace Danby not a typical thief, and how did the woman in red trick him?
A Question of TrustHow to answer: Establish Horace as a respectable locksmith (lock-maker) who robbed one safe a year to fund his rare-book collecting and was otherwise law-abiding. Explain that the woman, posing as the lady of the house, got him to open the safe by claiming she had forgotten the combination, then framed him via the fingerprints on the gloves she made him remove.
6 marksGriffin was a brilliant scientist but he misused his discovery. Justify the statement.
Footprints Without FeetHow to answer: Acknowledge his genius in discovering invisibility, then show the misuse: setting fire to his landlord's house, theft, breaking into shops, robbing the clergyman and assaulting the Iping household. Conclude that intelligence unguided by morality made him lawless and dangerous.
2 marksWhat were the two qualities Richard Ebright's mother gave him that helped him become a great scientist?
The Making of a ScientistHow to answer: Identify the encouragement and constant companionship she provided, along with the steady supply of learning materials (microscopes, telescopes, books, lab equipment) that nurtured his curiosity. Keep it to the two key contributions.
6 marksHow are a first-rate mind, curiosity and the will to win seen in Richard Ebright?
The Making of a ScientistHow to answer: Link each quality to evidence: curiosity (collecting butterflies, tracing the purpose of the gold spots), intelligence (his cell/DNA insights), and competitive spirit (early science-fair losses teaching him to do real experiments). End by noting his eagerness to learn drove his success.
6 marksHow did the loss of the necklace change the life and character of Matilda Loisel?
The NecklaceHow to answer: Contrast her earlier discontent and longing for luxury with the decade of grinding poverty after the loss — hard household labour, ageing prematurely, bargaining with shopkeepers. Stress the cruel irony that the necklace was a fake, and how suffering transformed her.
3 marks'The Necklace' conveys that honesty is the best policy. Discuss with reference to Matilda and her husband.
The NecklaceHow to answer: Argue that had Matilda confessed the loss to Madame Forestier instead of secretly replacing the necklace, she would have learned its true value and avoided ten years of debt. Use the false pride and fear that prevented honesty as the central point.
6 marksHow did Bholi's teacher transform her life and give her a new sense of self-respect?
BholiHow to answer: Trace the teacher's kindness in helping a neglected, stammering girl gain confidence, education and self-worth. Build to the climax where an educated Bholi rejects the greedy, elderly dowry-seeking Bishamber and chooses to serve her parents and teach.
3 marksWhy was Bholi neglected by her family, and why did her father agree to send her to school?
BholiHow to answer: Explain that her pock-marked face, stammer and dull appearance made her family think she would not marry, so she was ignored. Note her father consented to schooling mainly because the Tehsildar was inaugurating the village school and refusing would have looked bad.
6 marksIn 'The Book That Saved the Earth', how did a book of nursery rhymes save the Earth from a Martian invasion?
The Book That Saved the EarthHow to answer: Describe Think-Tank misreading the nursery rhymes as encoded threats — especially 'Humpty Dumpty' and the cow jumping over the moon — and the comic misunderstanding that terrified the cowardly commander into ordering a retreat, thus saving Earth.

Chapter-wise question bank

A Triumph of Surgery The Thief's Story The Midnight Visitor A Question of Trust Footprints Without Feet The Making of a Scientist The Necklace Bholi The Book That Saved the Earth

A Triumph of Surgery

3 marksWhy was Tricki sent to Dr Herriot's surgery?
How to answer: Explain the dog's overfeeding and laziness, his listless illness, and Herriot's insistence that hospital care was needed.
6 marksHow did Dr Herriot cure Tricki without medicine?
How to answer: Describe the no-food regime, water, exercise with other dogs, and the gradual return to health — cure by lifestyle, not drugs.
3 marksWhy does the narrator call the episode 'a triumph of surgery' ironically?
How to answer: No surgery happened; the irony targets Mrs Pumphrey's misplaced gratitude and her own role in causing the illness.
3 marksWhat kind of person was Mrs Pumphrey?
How to answer: Wealthy, loving, generous but over-indulgent; support each trait with an action (cream cakes, wine, panic over Tricki).
2 marksWhat message does the story convey about caring for pets?
How to answer: Love must be sensible; overfeeding and pampering harm rather than help.

Full A Triumph of Surgery guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

The Thief's Story

3 marksWhy did Hari Singh decide to return the stolen money?
How to answer: Explain his realisation that Anil's trust and the gift of learning were worth more than the money.
6 marksHow did Anil try to reform Hari Singh?
How to answer: Cover feeding him, teaching him to cook, and especially teaching him to read and write — kindness, not punishment.
3 marksWhat kind of person was Anil?
How to answer: Trusting, easy-going, generous, careless about money; support each trait with one action.
2 marksWhy did Hari Singh not feel safe with the stolen money?
How to answer: Because he had lost something greater — Anil's trust and his chance to be educated.
3 marksHow does the writer show that Anil knew about the theft?
How to answer: Point to the damp note and Anil's knowing smile the next morning — he hints but never accuses.

Full The Thief's Story guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

The Midnight Visitor

6 marksHow did Ausable manage to get rid of Max?
How to answer: Explain the invented balcony story, the fake call to police, the knock, and Max jumping to his death — all through presence of mind.
3 marksHow was Ausable different from the spy Fowler had imagined?
How to answer: Contrast Fowler's romantic image with Ausable's fat, ordinary, unexciting reality.
2 marksWho was at the door, and how did this help Ausable?
How to answer: It was the waiter with drinks, but Ausable used the knock to make Max believe the police had arrived.
3 marksWhat is the message of The Midnight Visitor?
How to answer: Quick thinking and intelligence are far more effective than guns, glamour or physical action.
3 marksWhy was Fowler's opinion of Ausable changed by the end?
How to answer: He witnessed Ausable's cool, brilliant handling of real danger and saw that true skill is mental, not theatrical.

Full The Midnight Visitor guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

A Question of Trust

6 marksHow did the young woman trick Horace Danby?
How to answer: Explain her pretence as the house owner, the threat-and-bargain, getting him to open the safe and remove gloves, then vanishing with the jewels.
3 marksWhy was Horace Danby arrested?
How to answer: His fingerprints were all over the room because he had removed his gloves at the woman's request.
3 marksWhy does the writer call it 'A Question of Trust'?
How to answer: Horace trusted a stranger who betrayed him; the story turns on misplaced trust among dishonest people.
3 marksWhat kind of man was Horace Danby?
How to answer: Respectable in appearance, methodical, fond of rare books, but a habitual safe-robber — support each point.
2 marksWhat is the irony in the story?
How to answer: A careful, experienced thief is himself robbed and jailed, while the real thief goes free.

Full A Question of Trust guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

Footprints Without Feet

6 marksHow did Griffin become invisible, and how was his presence detected?
How to answer: Explain his scientific discovery about light, then the muddy footprints, doors opening, and other clues that revealed him.
3 marksWhy is Griffin called a lawless scientist?
How to answer: Cite his thefts, setting fire to the house, robbing the clergyman, and using invisibility only for crime and escape.
3 marksHow did the people of Iping react to Griffin?
How to answer: Describe their curiosity and growing suspicion of the bandaged stranger who paid with stolen money and behaved oddly.
3 marksWhat message does the story give about science and responsibility?
How to answer: Great scientific power without conscience or social responsibility becomes a threat to others.
2 marksHow did Griffin escape when people tried to catch him?
How to answer: He threw off his clothes and bandages to become invisible again and slipped away.

Full Footprints Without Feet guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

The Making of a Scientist

6 marksHow did Richard Ebright's mother contribute to making him a scientist?
How to answer: Describe the microscope, telescope, books, trips, the monarch book, and her constant encouragement and companionship.
3 marksWhat lesson did Richard learn from his early science-fair experiences?
How to answer: Explain that he realised real science means doing genuine experiments, not just making neat displays.
3 marksWhat qualities helped Richard Ebright become a successful scientist?
How to answer: Curiosity, a first-rate mind, competitive spirit, the will to win for the right reasons, and hard work.
3 marksHow did collecting butterflies shape Richard's future?
How to answer: It built his curiosity and led, via 'The Travels of Monarch X', to lifelong research on monarch butterflies.
2 marksWhat role did the book 'The Travels of Monarch X' play?
How to answer: It opened the world of science to him and started his serious interest in monarchs.

Full The Making of a Scientist guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

The Necklace

6 marksHow did the loss of the necklace change the life of the Loisels?
How to answer: Describe the debts, dismissed maid, cheap attic, ten years of hard labour, and the ruin of Matilda's looks and youth.
3 marksWhat is the irony at the end of The Necklace?
How to answer: Explain that the Loisels suffered for ten years to replace a necklace that was actually a worthless imitation.
3 marksWhat kind of woman was Matilda Loisel?
How to answer: Beautiful, vain, dissatisfied, fond of luxury and ashamed of her modest life — support each trait.
3 marksHad Matilda confessed the loss to Madame Forestier, how might things have differed?
How to answer: Honesty could have revealed the necklace was fake and spared the couple ruin — link to the theme of pretence.
2 marksWhat message does the story convey?
How to answer: Vanity and discontent are destructive; honesty and contentment are wiser.

Full The Necklace guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

Bholi

6 marksHow did education transform Bholi's life?
How to answer: Trace her early neglect and lack of confidence, the teacher's encouragement, her growing self-respect, and her bold decision on the wedding day.
3 marksWhy did Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber?
How to answer: Explain his greedy dowry demand and her new-found confidence and self-respect, which let her reject a grasping man.
3 marksWhat role did Bholi's teacher play in her life?
How to answer: Describe how the teacher's kindness, patience and encouragement awakened Bholi's confidence and intelligence.
2 marksWhy was Bholi neglected as a child?
How to answer: She was slow to learn after a fall and had a pockmarked face, so she was thought a backward simpleton.
3 marksHow does the story criticise the dowry system?
How to answer: Through Bishamber's greedy demand and Bholi's refusal, the story exposes dowry as shameful and degrading.

Full Bholi guide — summary, key points & FAQs →

The Book That Saved the Earth

6 marksHow did a book of nursery rhymes save the Earth?
How to answer: Explain how the Martians misread the rhymes as coded messages, how Think-Tank panicked over Humpty Dumpty and the jumping cow, and ordered a retreat.
3 marksWhat is the character of Think-Tank as revealed in the play?
How to answer: Boastful, vain, considers himself a genius, yet is foolish and cowardly — support with his reactions and orders.
3 marksHow did the Martians first react to the books they found?
How to answer: They could not recognise books — guessing they were sandwiches, then trying to listen to them before 'reading' one.
2 marksWhat role does Noodle play in the drama?
How to answer: He is the tactful assistant who flatters Think-Tank while gently steering him toward correct ideas.
3 marksWhat is the message of The Book That Saved the Earth?
How to answer: It satirises misinterpreting knowledge and false wisdom, and shows the value and power of books.

Full The Book That Saved the Earth guide — summary, key points & FAQs →