Unseen Passages — Part 1: The Discursive Passage: visual lesson, CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature

Lesson

Unseen Passages — Part 1: The Discursive Passage

CBSE Class 10 English, Section A: Reading Skills (20 marks). Two unseen passages, ten marks each. This part teaches the discursive passage; Part 2 teaches the case-based factual passage with a visual.

In this lesson you will

Use a five-step plan to read any unseen passage efficiently
Skim for the main idea and scan for details
Identify a writer's claim, reasons, counter-point and conclusion
Make inferences and name a writer's tone with evidence
Work out word meanings from context and answer 1-mark and 2-mark questions

CBSE 2026-27, Section A: Reading Skills, 20 marks.
Board question	Passage	Length	Marks
Q1	Discursive passage: a writer discusses an issue, argues a view or weighs both sides	400–450 words	10
Q2	Case-based factual passage with visual input (table, chart or similar)	200–250 words	10

Concept

What is a discursive passage?

It discusses an issue: the writer has a view and tries to convince you.
It gives reasons and examples, and often admits the other side.
Topics are everyday and wide: habits, environment, technology, education, society.
Questions test the argument, not your knowledge of the topic.

Diagram

A five-step plan for any passage

SOYL five-step plan for any unseen passage.

Reading the questions first tells you what to look for, so your first reading is already purposeful.

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