SECTION I- PROSE - (Reading Skills, Vocabulary and Grammar)
Q1 A. Read the following passage and do the activities: (10)
A1. Replace the underlined words with suitable phrases from the bracket: (2)
(let me be, do not interest, kept firmly to)
i) Books bore me.
ii) Please leave me alone .
I shook my head, ‘No, I have difficulty in concentrating and books bore me; there is no hope for me. Please leave me alone, I am stupid, and always will be.’
With the gentlest tone that she could muster she said, ‘I can prove it to you that you are not stupid. Give me one chance, I will teach you to study.’
Though I was softening from inside, I still held on to my low self-esteem. “You’ll be wasting your time. I cannot study, I am not as bright as you are nor as lucky as my sister,’ I said.
“Let me try and help you, please, I will show you the right way to study. You just have to cooperate with me. Will you try?’
Her belief in me proved more powerful than my doubts about myself. She won and I relented.
A2.i) What did the writer confess? (1)
ii) What made the writer believe that she was stupid? (1)
A3.i) Write words from the passage which mean the following: (1)
a) find as much support b) to agree with something
ii) Write the noun forms of:- i) Co- operate- ii) won (1)
A4.i) Ignoring my coldness, she sat down beside me. (Rewrite the sentence using 'and') (1)
ii) I am not as bright as you.(Change the degree of Comparison) (1)
A5. Why, do you think, was the writer not a very confident or assertive girl? (2)
Q1 B Read the following passage and do the activities (10)
B1. State whether the following statements are true or false. (2)
i) We should live our lives however short to the fullest.
ii) If things look impossible, there is no opening.
We have a hibiscus plant in our garden. Every fortnight a flower blooms on it-big, bright and tender. Through the day it smiles with the sun and dances with the wind, but as evening approaches, it starts wilting. The morning after, it withers completely and by evening it falls and becomes one with the earth again. The flower comes to life only for a day, yet it does so in full splendour. What if we too lived our life, however short, to its fullest?
We went to a rocky beach and saw the spread of the majestic ocean and the rocks alongside, carved, sculpted and shaped by the water, Water is so gentle, rock so hard, yet, as the water flows over it every day, for years, the rock gives in. It takes the shape that the water commands. Our problems are so colossal and we are so small, yet if we persist…
We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks in a concrete pavement. It left us thinking. However impossible things may look, there is always an opening...
We saw a tree bare of all leaves in the cold winter months. We thought its chapter was over. But three months passed, spring set in and the tree was back to its green majesty once again, full of leaves, flowers, birds and life. What if we too had the conviction that, however difficult things are right now, it will not remain so for ever. Remember, this too shall pass.
B2. i) What kind of rocks did the author find on the beach? (1)
ii) What do we learn from small bits of grass? (1)
B3.i) Make a word register of the natural things that you come across in the above extract- (1)
ii) Write the verb forms of: i) Completely ii) hard (1)
B4.i) We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks.(Make it interrogative). (1)
ii) It will not remain so forever. (Make it Affirmative). (1)
B5. How do you deal with the problems that you come across in life? (2)
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Q2 A) Read the following passage and do the activities : (10)
A1. Match the columns with proper collocations: (2)
,
Nearly everyone enjoys watching birds. The beauty of their forms, the immaculate colour of their feathers, the buoyancy of their fight and sweetness of their song are all a treat to behold and listen. In recent years birds- watching has become a hobby for increasingly large numbers of people particularly among the young. It is a hobby that you can take to school and continue right through life. It costs very little money. It may be one of the cheapest hobbies available to boys and girls. There is no need for any specialized degree in Ornithology, if you want to pursue your hobby of bird-watching. One can develop the art simply by carefully observing birds in their natural habitat. As a hobby it provides pleasure, gives aesthetic delight and at the same time creates a scientific attitude. Now the first question that arises before an amateur birdwatcher is when, where ,how to look for birds. Well it is difficult to imagine a square kilometer of the Indian subcontinent without birds whether it is the desert of Rajasthan or the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. Birds can be seen everywhere. Birds can be seen everywhere. There may be scarce and local sometimes, because their food happens to be scarce and local but they are never entirely absent.
A2. i) What is the above passage about? (1)
ii) Why do people like watching birds? (1)
A3 .i) Find words from the passage which means the following. (1)
1) pure and clean 2) about to float or fly.
ii) Write the adjective forms of :- i) continue ii) money (1) A4. i) It may be one of the cheapest hobbies available to boys and girls.(Change the Degree) (1)
ii) It is difficult to imagine a square kilometer of India sub continent without birds.
(Make it Exclamatory) (1)
A5. Do you think bird watching is an expensive hobby? Give Reasons for your answer. (2)
Q2 B. Read the following passage and do the activities: (10)
B1. Complete the following statements: (2)
i) Mr. Robinson looked a trifle disconcerted but ________________.
ii) I will not accept your order because_______________.
Mr. Robinson looked a trifle disconcerted but asked me how long I would be in London. I told him that I was visiting friends in the country and Scotland and would be back after four weeks or so, for a few days before talking a flight home. He pursed his lips and said, “ I am terribly sorry but much as I would like to help, I can’t do it.” I said,” Is the time too short?” To which he answered,” No it’s not that.”
“Then what’s the problem?” was my next query. “Well you see…” At which point, I turned on all my persuasive skills and invoked the name of my father. Mr. Robinson looked at me with half a smile on his face and said.” That’s it precisely. Because you are the son of an old and valued customer of ours, I will not accept your order.”
He must have seen the look of bewilderment on my face, and quickly went on to explain,” Now a days we do not do the tailoring ourselves. We send the order to Hong Kong but the finished product goes under our label. Now you know why I have decided not to sell you the suit.”
B2. i) What did the writer tell Mr. Robinson? (1)
ii ) Write all the interrogative sentences in the above passage? (1) B3. i) Write words from the passage which means: (1)
1) to be surprised 2) to force or coax someone.
ii) Write the antonyms of: 1) accept 2) finished (1)
A4.i) I was visiting friends in the country and Scotland. (Rewrite using the Present Perfect Tense) (1)
A5. Do you think Mr. Robinson was right in refusing the order ? Give reason. (2)
SECTION – II (Poetry)
Q3 A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below :- (5)
Q. 1) Match the phrases with the meanings : (1)
-2-
This is your first game, my child. I hope you win
I hope you win for your sake, not mine.
Because winning’s nice.
It’s a good feeling.
Like the whole world is yours.
But it passes, this feeling..
And what lasts is what you’ve learned.
And what you learn about is life.
That’s what sports is all about. Life
The whole thing is played out in an afternoon.
The happiness of life.
The miseries.
The joys.
The heartbreaks.
A2.i) Is the speaker talking only about the game? What else is he talking about? (1)
ii) What message does the poet want to give through the poem? (1)
A3.i) Write the Rhyme Scheme of the poem? (1)
ii) Name & Explain the Figure of Speech (1)
Because every game is life.
Q3B. Read the following extract and do the activities: (5)
B1. Complete the following by choosing the appropriate alternative. (1)
i) The poet says that all have to follows.....
a) one way. b) different paths. c) two way problems.
ii) According to the poet some have.....
a) quicker journey b) slower journey c) sometimes quicker and sometimes slower journey.
We have different journeys.
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things
but never meant to stay….
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey’s quicker,
for some the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends
we’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
together with the lord.
B2.i) What is suggested through the idea 'journey finally ends'? (1)
ii) When do we find everlasting peace? (1)
B3.i) Write the rhyming words from the above extract. (1)
ii) Name and Explain the Figures of Speech: (1)
And when the journey finally ends.
SECTION – III (Rapid Reader)
Q4) A Read the following passage and do the activities: (5)
A1. Complete the following sentence: (1)
i) The house was built by______________.
ii) The neighbour consulted______________ before signing the contract.
Nasruddin’s neighbor was a crooked man with a large, bushy moustache and he knew about his financial difficulties. He thought he could take advantage of the situation. “I want to help you, good neighbor. I will buy the house from you. Even though I don’t really have any interest in it.” The man offered a pitiful price.
Mullah Nasruddin looked delighted and drew a small piece of paper from the folds of his clothing.
“ God bless you with long life and healthy progeny for this generous gesture! The house shall be yours, as soon as we take care of this little clause in the contract.”
“What clause?” asked the neighbor, suspiciously?
“Only a vey small thing. This house was built by my father.”
“A fine gentleman he was. Always paid in cash.”
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“And you see here on the wall of the living room – there is one nail sticking out. My father never had the chance to finish hammering it in. he had a heart attack and died.”
“God rest his soul!” the neighbor looked as contrite as he could.
“I therefore request that I be allowed to keep ownership of that nail, and do whatever I want with it.”
The neighbor agreed but explained that he would have to consult his wife before signing.
His wife raised some serious objections. “Why is he going to keep a nail? What does it mean/”
“He just wants to be allowed to keep and ‘worship’ his nail from time to time. That’s all.”
A2. i) What sort of a man was Nasruddin's neighbour? (1)
ii) How did the neighbour plan to take undue advantage of Nasruddin's financial difficulties? (1)
A3. Do you feel sympathy for the neighbour? Why? (2)
SECTION – I V (Writing Skills)
Q5 A Letter Writing: (5)
A1. Your friend has written to you stating that he/she is upset that his/her holiday plans have been
cancelled. Write a letter consoling your friend.
OR
A2. Write a letter of Complaint to the municipal Commissioner regarding the increase in mosquitoes in
your area. Q5.B Report Writing/ Dialogue Writing/ Interview 10 Questions: (5)
B1. Your school has sent a notice to all classes regarding an Educational trip. Write a Dialogue between
a teacher and students where the teacher explains the importance of such excursions.
OR
B2. Prepare 10 questions to interview a Social worker on the Adult Literacy Campaign launched by him.
Q6A Information Transfer / Fact File/ Tourist Leaflet: (5)
A1. Write the following information into a paragraph :
OR
A2. Transfer the given information into a Tabular form given below.
The Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) which is located at Trombay in Mumbai, was founded by Dr. Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme. Dr. Bhabha took personal interest in designing the center because he felt with an indigenous nuclear programme, India would become a powerful nation. This center, which started on January 3, 1954, was originally called the Atomic Energy Establishment. It was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research center on January 12, 1966 after Dr. Bhabha’s death. Over the years, BARC has done work in different scientific disciplines, including medicine and agriculture. BARC ha s played a major role in increasing the share of the nuclear power programme for generating electricity and lightning up the rural areas of the country, BARC is, however, chiefly known for successfully conducting the Pokhran tests both in May 1974 and May 1998,
Q6B Speech Writing: (5)
B1. India is a land of Diversity, where people follow difficult religions, caste & creed and celebrate
various festivals. Keeping this punch line in mind, prepare a speech on the ‘Importance of Festivals’
Q7A Expand the following. (Any one) (5)
i) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
ii) The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
iii) Cut your coat according to your cloth.
**** ALL THE BEST****a
