COMMON QUARTERLY EXAMINATION - 2024
Standard IX - ENGLISH - Solved Paper
Choose the correct Synonyms of the underlined words:
1) I wanted to pursue cricket seriously.
a) play b) handshake c) follow d) give
c) follow
2) The schedule was rigorous.
a) gentle b) severe c) flexible d) easy
b) severe
3) She ran towards him with a rusty old medal.
a) worthy b) beautiful c) waste d) ancient
d) ancient (In the context of an old medal, 'ancient' or 'worn-out' is the best fit.)
Choose the correct Antonyms of the underlined words:
4) He remembered his grandmother's saying.
a) forgive b) forgot c) rendered d) told
b) forgot
5) She was only twelve or thirteen with lively eyes and long black hair.
a) active b) enthusiastic c) dull d) hopeful
c) dull
6) The stage is not very bright.
a) dull b) shining c) elegant d) sparkling
a) dull
7) Form the Anagram for the word 'SECTION'.
The anagram for 'SECTION' is NOTICES.
8) Form a new word adding a suitable suffix to the word 'danger'.
a) able b) ness c) ous d) ly
c) ous (danger + ous = dangerous)
9) Fill in the blanks choosing the correct Homophone given below: Do you know _______ we are going?
a) were b) wear c) where d) when
c) where
10) The full form of the word, won't.
a) would not b) will not c) were not d) was not
b) will not
11) Choose the most appropriate preposition given below: The cricket ball was hidden _______ the leaves.
a) among b) between c) before d) on
a) among
12) Choose the correct expansion of the abbreviation 'JRC'.
a) Journal Red Cross b) Jupiter Red Cross c) Junior Republic Cross d) Junior Red Cross
d) Junior Red Cross
13) Fill in the blank with the most appropriate prepositional phrase given below: ______ fire, break the glass to escape.
a) In case b) In case with c) In case of d) In case on
c) In case of
14) Choose the most appropriate form of the verb given below: They learned how ______ in space without gravity.
a) survive b) surviving c) survived d) to survive
d) to survive
Answer any three of the following questions:
15) When did the visitor actually hide the iron cross?
In the story "The Christmas Truce," the visitor, a German soldier, did not hide the iron cross in a malicious way. He showed it to the narrator, explaining he had won it, and then presented it as a gift of friendship and a memento of their truce.
16) What were the girls doing in the living room?
(Assuming this question refers to the story "Old Man River") The girls, Amy and the narrator's sister, were in the living room helping to move furniture and belongings to the second floor to protect them from the rising floodwaters.
17) What did Achrekar advise Sachin?
Achrekar Sir advised Sachin not to waste his time playing cricket with his friends in the colony. He told Sachin that if he practiced seriously and diligently in the nets, he could become a great cricketer, as his talent was exceptional.
18) Who came to rescue the children?
In the story "Old Man River," Jim, along with other volunteers, came in his boat to rescue the children and their families who were trapped by the flood.
Read the following sets of poetic lines and answer any three of the following:
19) "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep"
a) How are the woods?
b) Whom does 'I' refer to?
a) The woods are lovely, dark, and deep.
b) 'I' refers to the speaker in the poem, who is generally considered to be the poet, Robert Frost.
20) "And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears"
a) What does 'it' refer to?
b) How is 'it' watered?
a) 'It' refers to the speaker's anger or wrath against his foe.
b) 'It' is watered with the speaker's fears and tears.
21) "It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife will do it"
a) Can a 'Simple jab of the knife' kill a tree?
b) Why does it take much time to kill a tree?
a) No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree.
b) It takes much time to kill a tree because it has grown strong by drawing nutrients from the earth for years. Its roots are firmly anchored deep inside the earth, so it must be completely uprooted to be killed.
22) "He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake."
a) Whom does 'he' refer to in these lines?
b) Why does 'he' give his harness bells a shake?
a) 'He' refers to the speaker's little horse.
b) He gives his harness bells a shake to ask his master if there is a mistake in stopping there, as it is the darkest evening of the year and there is no farmhouse nearby.
Answer any three of the following:
23) Write the gerund/infinitive form of the verbs in the blanks:
a) _______ (swim) is a good exercise.
b) I like _______ (walk) early in the morning.
a) Swimming is a good exercise. (Gerund)
b) I like to walk early in the morning. (Infinitive)
24) Identify the dependent clauses or phrases in the following sentences.
a) I enjoy painting during my holidays.
b) We climbed up the hill to enjoy the view.
a) "during my holidays" - This is a prepositional phrase.
b) "to enjoy the view" - This is an infinitive phrase.
25) Punctuate the following sentence: she is alive someone said
"She is alive," someone said.
26) Mango is sweeter than pineapple. (Change into positive degree)
Pineapple is not as sweet as mango.
27) Rearrange the words in the correct order to make meaningful sentences:
a) the iron cross / to the / girl / gave / little / the / narrator
b) on / wall / is / cat / The / the
a) The narrator gave the little girl the iron cross.
b) The cat is on the wall.
28) Answer the following: A stranger wants to go to hospital. Guide him to reach the hospital.
(Image of a map is shown)
From where you are standing on M.G. Road, please go straight ahead until you reach the junction with Main Road. Take a right turn onto Main Road. Walk for a short distance, and you will find the hospital on your right side, directly opposite the school.
Answer any two of the following in a paragraph:
29) "Achrekar was a sincere coach" - Substantiate.
Ramakant Achrekar was undoubtedly a sincere and dedicated coach who shaped Sachin Tendulkar's career. He was a strict disciplinarian who recognized Sachin's potential early on. He made Sachin attend rigorous practice sessions every morning and evening. When Sachin once skipped an evening session to watch an inter-school match, Achrekar Sir found him and sternly told him that he shouldn't be clapping for others but working hard so that one day others would clap for him. He would place a one-rupee coin on the stumps and challenge bowlers to get Sachin out to win it, teaching Sachin concentration and technique. His foresight, tough love, and commitment to nurturing Sachin's talent prove that he was a truly sincere coach.
30) Write about the man's reminiscences of his youthful days at the old house?
(This question refers to "I Can't Climb Trees Anymore" by Ruskin Bond). The narrator revisits his old home, now owned by another family, and is flooded with memories of his youth. Standing before the house, he remembers the jackfruit tree, which he loved to climb. He recalls the "treasure" he had hidden in a hollow of the tree—an old iron cross from his grandfather. The turnstile, the stone bench, and the familiar trees all evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. He remembers his own childhood world of climbing, reading, and youthful dreams. His meeting with the young girl who now lives there acts as a bridge between his past and the present, allowing him to relive a piece of his youth and pass on its magic.
31) How did Jim prove himself as a good rescuer in the flood situation?
(This question refers to "Old Man River"). Jim proved to be a heroic and selfless rescuer during the flood. Understanding the gravity of the situation, he immediately took out his boat and began warning and rescuing people. He first went to his friend's house to help them move to safety. Then, he navigated the dangerous, swirling waters to rescue Amy's family, whose house was completely surrounded by the flood. He worked tirelessly, making multiple trips to ferry people and their essential belongings to higher ground. His quick thinking, bravery, and determination to help others in a time of crisis showed that he was an excellent rescuer.
32) Narrate in your words the hardships underwent by Sachin to become a great cricketer.
Sachin Tendulkar's journey to becoming a great cricketer was filled with immense hardship and sacrifice. As a young boy, he had an exhausting daily schedule. He would travel a long distance by bus from his home in Bandra to Shivaji Park for practice, carrying his heavy cricket kit. The bus journeys were often crowded, and he felt embarrassed carrying his large bag. He had to attend practice sessions in both the morning and the evening, which left him completely drained. He often had to wear the same set of clothes, washing them himself between sessions. The physical and mental strain was immense, but under the strict guidance of his coach, Achrekar Sir, he endured these hardships with discipline and a single-minded focus on his goal.
Answer any two of the following:
33) How does the poet bring out the pain of the tree?
In the poem "On Killing a Tree," the poet Gieve Patel brings out the pain of the tree by personifying it and using violent, painful imagery to describe its destruction. He describes the act not as simple cutting, but as a deliberate and brutal "killing." Words like "jab," "hack," and "chop" convey immense violence. The tree's bark is described as a "leprous hide," suggesting disease and suffering. The most painful part is the uprooting, where the tree's "anchoring" roots, its life source, are exposed and left to "scorch and choke" in the sun. This detailed, clinical description of its death forces the reader to feel the tree's agony and view it as a living being undergoing immense torture.
34) It is said, "The choices made by one, shapes one destiny". Ponder on the thought and write a paragraph.
The saying, "The choices made by one, shape one's destiny," holds profound truth. Life is a series of crossroads, and every decision, big or small, sets us on a particular path that defines our future. As Robert Frost illustrates in "The Road Not Taken," choosing a path that is "less traveled by" can make all the difference. This choice symbolizes individualism and courage to stray from the conventional. Choosing to work hard over taking a shortcut, choosing honesty over deceit, or choosing to pursue a passion over a secure but unfulfilling job are all forks in the road. These decisions accumulate over time, building our character, creating our opportunities, and ultimately sculpting the destiny we live.
35) Read the following stanza and answer the questions that follow:
"And I water'd it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles."
a) Pick out the rhyming words. (2)
b) What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza. (1)
c) Mention the figures of speech in the first line. (1)
d) Pick out the alliterated words in the third line. (1)
a) Rhyming words: fears - tears, smiles - wiles.
b) Rhyme scheme: AABB.
c) Figure of speech: Metaphor. The speaker's anger is being compared to a plant that is being 'watered' with fears.
d) Alliterated words: sunned, smiles.
36) Paraphrase the following stanza.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."
The speaker acknowledges that the woods are beautiful, mysterious, and inviting. He is tempted to stay and rest. However, he reminds himself that he has responsibilities and duties ("promises to keep") that he must fulfill. He has a long journey ahead of him in life before he can finally rest or die. The repetition of the last line emphasizes the length of this journey and the weight of his obligations.
Answer any one of the following:
37) Rearrange the following sentences in coherent order:
i) Stories were printed on paper.
ii) Pages were yellow and crinkly.
iii) Tommy found a real book.
iv) Pages had same words on it.
v) It was awfully funny to read words that stood still.
The correct coherent order is:
- iii) Tommy found a real book.
- ii) Pages were yellow and crinkly.
- i) Stories were printed on paper.
- v) It was awfully funny to read words that stood still.
- iv) Pages had same words on it.
38) Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
I was among the first to reach the village. My uncle accompanied me. We feared the worst, but nothing had prepared us for what we saw. Every single house, every wall, every roof had been flattened. Stone, rubble and dust were all that remained. My great grandfather had built the house. We were a small family. My father had died after an illness, just fourteen months ago. My mother took care of us. We were three children. I was the oldest. My brother Nilu was ten. Bhuli, my two-year old sister, was the baby of the family.
a) Who was the first to reach the village?
b) What happened to the houses?
c) Who built their house?
d) When did his father die?
e) Who was the baby of their family?
a) The narrator and his uncle were the first to reach the village.
b) Every house, wall, and roof had been flattened, leaving only stone, rubble, and dust.
c) The narrator's great-grandfather had built their house.
d) His father died fourteen months ago.
e) Bhuli, the narrator's two-year-old sister, was the baby of the family.
Answer any four of the following:
39) Prepare an attractive advertisement using the hints given below:
Fruits and Vegetables - organic - fresh from farms - free home delivery - 63, MRC Road, Salem
Salem Farm Fresh
Taste the Goodness of Nature!
Why settle for less when you can have the best? Get garden-fresh, 100% organic fruits and vegetables delivered straight from our farms to your doorstep!
- Purely Organic: No chemicals, no pesticides.
- Farm Fresh Daily: Harvested today, on your table today.
- Wide Variety: A full range of seasonal produce.
- Healthy & Delicious: Packed with nutrients and flavour.
** FREE HOME DELIVERY! **
Contact Us:
Salem Farm Fresh
63, MRC Road, Salem
Call: 98765 43210
40) Write a letter to your friend describing the joy of celebrating festivals in a village.
12, North Street,
Kovai.
October 25, 2024.
My dear Priya,
I hope this letter finds you in good health. I am writing to share the wonderful experience I had celebrating Pongal in my grandparents' village this year. It was truly magical and something you can't experience in the city.
The entire village felt like one big family. The celebrations began early in the morning. We woke up to the smell of fresh sugarcane and the sound of bells from the local temple. Every house was decorated with colourful kolams and mango leaves. The main event was cooking sweet Pongal in a new clay pot right in the front yard, under the open sky. As the milk boiled over, everyone shouted "Pongalo Pongal!" with so much joy. Later, we visited the temple and watched the Jallikattu preparations. The sense of community, tradition, and pure happiness was something I will never forget.
You must join me next year! It’s an experience you will cherish forever.
Yours lovingly,
Anitha
41) You are Nikil/Nikitha, school pupil leader of GHSS Trichy. Prepare a notice on behalf of your school inviting the grandparents of the students to celebrate World Elder's Day in your school auditorium on the 20th of next month.
GOVERNMENT HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, TRICHY
NOTICE
Date: 25th October 2024
CELEBRATION OF WORLD ELDER'S DAY
This is to inform all students that our school is organizing a special event to celebrate World Elder's Day and to honour the pillars of our families.
All students are requested to invite their beloved grandparents to a special function held in our school auditorium.
Date: 20th November 2024
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: School Auditorium
Let's come together to make this day memorable for our elders.
Nikil / Nikitha
School Pupil Leader
42) Look at the following picture and express your views on it, in a paragraph of five sentences.
The picture depicts a focused and traditional classroom environment. A teacher is actively engaged in teaching, pointing to a book, suggesting an interactive lesson is in progress. The students, both boys and girls, appear attentive and are listening keenly to their teacher. The classroom seems well-organized, promoting a disciplined atmosphere for learning. This image highlights the importance of the teacher-student relationship and the timeless value of classroom education.
43) Make notes or write a summary of the following passage on Vitamins.
Title: Vitamins: Functions and Importance
- 1. Diverse Functions
- 1.1. Vit A: Regulates cell/tissue growth.
- 1.2. Vit D: Hormone-like; regulates mineral metabolism for bones.
- 1.3. B-Complex: Acts as enzyme cofactors.
- 1.4. Vit C & E: Function as anti-oxidants.
- 2. Effects of Intake
- 2.1. Deficiency or excess can cause significant illness.
- 2.2. Lack of intake leads to deficiency diseases.
- 2.3. Excess of water-soluble vits. is less harmful.
- 3. Role in Health
- 3.1. Essential for maintenance of cells, tissues, organs post-growth.
- 3.2. Enable efficient use of chemical energy from food.
- 3.3. Help process proteins, carbs, and fats for respiration.
44) Identify the errors in the following sentences and rewrite them correctly:
a) He is angry on me.
b) I bought an book this morning.
c) The deer runs fastly.
d) I prefer coffee than tea.
e) My uncle is richest man in the village.
a) He is angry with me.
b) I bought a book this morning.
c) The deer runs fast.
d) I prefer coffee to tea.
e) My uncle is the richest man in the village.
45) Quote from memory: "It takes much ... of it feeding"
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it. It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
46) Write a paragraph about 150 words by developing the following hints:
a) Tommy - Margie - schools of past - book - printed - present millions of books- screens - Margie - hated - millions of books - special study room - computer teacher - read on screen - boring disliked - hated computer test papers wondered - person - teach - thinking about old school - fun they had longed for fun.
The story "The Fun They Had" contrasts the schools of the past with the futuristic education of Tommy and Margie. When Tommy finds a real, printed book, Margie is initially skeptical but soon becomes fascinated. Her school is a special room in her house with a mechanical teacher on a large screen. She finds this system boring and disliked it, especially when her computer teacher gave her test after test in geography. The idea of a human teacher and a school where children learned together amazed her. She wondered about the old schools where students read the same books, helped each other with homework, and had fun together. Margie longed for the camaraderie and joy of the old-fashioned schools, realizing that her solitary, mechanized education lacked the human connection and fun that children had in the past.
b) Old people - honest - work in their fields - the neighbours - covetous stingy old couple - borrowed - killed the dog - the dog appeared - thanking old man - made mortar - from pine tree - ground rice - turned rich treasure - wicked old couple - borrowed the mortar - rice turned into filth - broke the mortar - burnt it - dog appeared - dream - take the ashes - sprinkled on withered trees - revive - put out - flowers.
(This refers to "The Envious Neighbour"). In old Japan, there lived an honest old couple who worked hard in their fields and loved their pet dog. Their neighbours were a covetous and stingy old couple. One day, the good couple's dog led them to a spot where they found treasure. The envious neighbours borrowed the dog, hoping for the same luck, but when the dog found nothing but a dead kitten, they killed it. The spirit of the dog appeared in a dream to the good old man, telling him to make a mortar from the pine tree over its grave. When the good man ground rice in the mortar, it turned into rich treasure. The wicked couple borrowed the mortar, but their rice turned into filth. Furious, they broke and burnt the mortar. Again, the dog's spirit appeared in a dream, telling the good man to take the ashes and sprinkle them on withered trees, which would then bloom. He did so and was rewarded by the prince, but when the wicked man tried the same, the ash blew into the prince's eyes, and he was punished severely.
47) Read the following paragraph/poem and answer the questions given below:
a) Bungee Jumping Paragraph
a) What is Bungee jumping?
Ans: Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a long elastic cord.
b) Can Bungee be performed from a movable object? How?
Ans: Yes, Bungee can be performed from a movable object like a hot air balloon or a helicopter that has the ability to hover above the ground.
c) When do you think Bungee becomes thrilling?
Ans: Bungee becomes thrilling during the free-fall and the subsequent rebound, when the jumper is pulled upwards again by the recoiling cord.
d) Where is Bungee Jumping point located in India?
Ans: A preferred Bungee Jumping point in India is Jumping Heights, located in Mohan Chattu village, in Rishikesh.
b) Seasons Poem
i) How does the poet describe the spring season?
Ans: The poet describes the spring season as pretty, but also short and sweet.
ii) Which line tells you that the garden is fresh?
Ans: The line, "When you can smell the grass from your garden seat" tells us that the garden is fresh.
iii) Does the poet welcome the summer? How do you know?
Ans: Yes, the poet seems to welcome the summer, or at least its cheerful aspects. We know this from the positive phrase "with sunny smiles," despite the mention of a "blaze of heat."
iv) How is autumn in India?
Ans: According to the poem, autumn in India is a time when leaves fall down.