COMMON QUARTERLY EXAMINATION - 2024
Standard IX - ENGLISH - Question Paper with Solution
Question Paper & Solutions
Answer all the questions.
1. I wanted to pursue cricket seriously.
(a) handshake (b) gloves (c) follow (d) avoid
2. He would talk to me about the nuances of batting.
(a) subtle changes (b) agreed (c) lied (d) promised
3. He muttered to himself.
(a) public (b) mumbled (c) common (d) popular
4. It hadn't changed much.
(a) bore (b) accommodate (c) unchanged (d) adopt
5. The Jackfruit tree was my favourite place.
(a) common (b) hatred (c) important (d) different
6. A blessing rests on the house, where the shadow of the tree falls.
(a) gratitude (b) luck (c) chance (d) curse
7. Form a new word by adding a suitable suffix: relation___
(a) able (b) ful (c) ant (d) ship
8. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct homophone given in the brackets.
Palani bought ____ tickets. (to / two)
9. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct preposition.
He returned ____ the USA yesterday. (on / from)
10. Form an anagram of the following word: HEART
11. Fill in the blank choosing the correct prepositional phrase.
Saina won gold medal ____ her hard work.
(a) according to (b) in spite of (c) because of
12. Write the infinitive form of the verb in the blanks.
You promised ____ (buy) me a bicycle.
13. Identify the phrase of the following.
Texting on his phone, the man swerved into a ditch.
14. Fill in the blank with correct degrees of comparison.
Fruits are ____ (healthy) than pizza.
(a) healthyer (b) healthier (c) more healthy (d) most healthy
Answer any three of the following questions.
15. Who were Sachin's favourite players?
16. What did the visitor hide in the Jackfruit tree?
17. What did Sachin do during the thirty-minute break?
18. Why did Jim run from school?
Read the following set of poetic lines and answer any three of the following.
19. My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near.
a) Who is the speaker?
b) Why should the horse think it queer?
- a) The speaker is the poet/traveler, Robert Frost.
- b) The horse would think it queer (strange) because they have stopped in the dark woods, far from any human dwelling or destination like a farmhouse. Horses are accustomed to stopping at places of rest or shelter.
20. I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
a) Whom does 'I' refer to?
b) How did the anger of poet come to an end?
- a) 'I' refers to the poet, William Blake.
- b) The poet's anger came to an end because he expressed it to his friend. By communicating his feelings, the anger disappeared.
21. It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
a) How has the tree grown?
b) What does the tree feed from the crust?
- a) The tree has grown slowly by drawing nutrients and water from the earth.
- b) The tree feeds on nutrients from the earth's crust and absorbs sunlight, air, and water for years.
22. And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep
a) Why has the poet used the same line twice?
b) Explain 'miles to go before I sleep'.
- a) The poet has used the same line twice for emphasis. It highlights the vastness of his duties and the long journey of life ahead before he can rest.
- b) 'Miles to go before I sleep' has a literal and a figurative meaning. Literally, it means the poet has a long distance to travel before reaching home. Figuratively, it means he has many responsibilities and promises to keep before his final rest, which is death.
Answer any three of the following.
23. Gold is costlier than silver. (change into positive degree)
24. Identify the Non-Finite verb in the following sentences.
a) They want to try a new approach.
b) Trying is easy.
- a) to try (infinitive)
- b) Trying (gerund)
25. Punctuate: i ll help you she said
26. Combine the following sentence into a compound sentence.
Rani was ill. She was hospitalised.
27. Rearrange the words in the correct order.
a) a / made / I / cake / now
b) pray / will / you / I / for
- a) I made a cake now.
- b) I will pray for you.
Answer the following.
28. Your friend wants to visit the post office. Guide him to reach the destination.
To reach the post office, please follow these simple directions:
- Start from your current position and walk straight ahead to reach Trunk Road.
- Turn right onto Trunk Road and walk along the pavement.
- You will pass a hotel on your right.
- The post office is located right next to the hotel on your right side.
Answer any two of the following.
29. Archrekar was a 'Sincere coach' - Substantiate.
Ramakant Achrekar was undoubtedly a sincere and strict coach who shaped Sachin Tendulkar's career. His sincerity is evident in several actions. He recognized Sachin's potential and made him change schools to Sharadashram Vidyamandir, which had better cricket facilities. He conducted rigorous practice sessions every morning and evening. To motivate Sachin, he would place a one-rupee coin on the stumps and challenge the bowlers to get him out to win it. He did not tolerate indiscipline; he once scolded Sachin for skipping practice to watch an inter-school match, emphasizing the importance of hard work over watching others play. Achrekar would even take Sachin on his scooter to various matches across the city, ensuring he got maximum exposure. These actions show his deep commitment and sincerity in nurturing Sachin's talent.
30. How did the children handle the situation?
(Assuming this question refers to Brij and other survivors from 'A Catastrophe of an Earthquake')
The children and other survivors handled the catastrophic situation with resilience and courage, despite the immense loss and devastation. After the earthquake destroyed their village, Molthi, the survivors, including young Brij, were moved to a relief camp. Instead of succumbing to grief, they took on difficult responsibilities. Brij, a young boy, took care of two younger children who had lost their parents. The army and other rescue teams arrived to help, but the local survivors, including the children, actively participated in rescue and recovery efforts. They faced the harsh reality of their new lives with a grim determination to move forward and help each other, showcasing incredible strength in the face of tragedy.
31. Why did the narrator give the cross to the girl?
The narrator gave the iron cross to the girl, Jim's sister, as a memento of his visit and a token of his affection. After retrieving the cross from the jackfruit tree, a treasure from his childhood, he realized it no longer held the same magical value for him as an adult. He understood that its true value lay in the joy and wonder it could bring to a child. Since he was leaving and couldn't stay with the children, giving the cross to the girl was his way of leaving a part of his past and his love with them. It was a symbolic gesture, passing on a cherished memory to a new generation.
32. Write about the man's reminiscences of his youthful days at the old house.
When the man returned to his old house, a flood of memories from his youthful days rushed back to him. He fondly remembered his grandmother, who used to rock him in her arms. The most prominent memory was of the old jackfruit tree, a central part of his childhood world. He reminisced about climbing the tree and the special place it held in his heart. He also recalled the visit of a German soldier who had fought in the First World War. The soldier had given him his Iron Cross, a war medal, which the young boy had hidden in a hollow of the jackfruit tree. These reminiscences were a mix of warmth, nostalgia, and the bittersweet feeling of a past that could be remembered but not relived.
Answer any two of the following in utmost 10 lines.
33. "A Tree doesn't grow in a day" - Explain it with reference to the poem "On killing a Tree"
The poem "On Killing a Tree" by Gieve Patel powerfully illustrates the idea that "a tree doesn't grow in a day." The poet explains that a tree's life is a long and patient process. It grows slowly, "consuming the earth," and rising out of its crust. For years, it absorbs sunlight, air, and water, developing a strong, deep-rooted foundation. This slow, persistent growth gives the tree immense resilience and strength. A simple "jab of the knife" is not enough to kill it because its life source is anchored deep within the earth. This detailed description of its growth emphasizes that its existence is the result of years of nurturing by nature, making its destruction a difficult and brutal act.
34. Describe the effect of the poisonous fruit on the enemy?
In William Blake's poem "A Poison Tree," the poisonous fruit has a fatal effect on the enemy. The speaker cultivates his anger like a plant, watering it with fears and tears, and sunning it with deceitful smiles. This nurtured wrath produces a bright, tempting apple. The enemy, unaware of the poison it holds, is attracted by the apple's shine. He sneaks into the speaker's garden at night and eats the fruit. The effect is deadly. The next morning, the speaker finds his enemy lying dead, "outstretched beneath the tree," a victim of the speaker's hidden, nurtured anger.
35. Read the following stanza and answer the questions given below.
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 from the above lines.
b) Write the rhyme scheme of the given stanza.
c) Identify the figure of speech employed in the first line.
d) Pick out the alliterated words.
- a) Rhyming words: fears - tears, smiles - wiles.
- b) Rhyme scheme: aabb.
- c) Figure of speech: The first line, "And I water'd it in fears," employs a Metaphor. The abstract emotion of 'fear' is being compared to 'water' used to nourish the tree of wrath.
- d) Alliterated words: 'sunned' and 'smiles' (s sound).
Answer any one of the following.
36. Paraphrase the following stanza.
Then the matter
of scorching and choking
In sun and air
Browning, hardening
Twisting, withering
And then it is done
After the tree has been completely uprooted, the final process of killing it begins. The exposed roots and trunk are left out in the open sun and air. The harsh heat of the sun scorches it, and the lack of moisture chokes its life away. As it dries, the tree's colour changes to brown, its texture becomes hard, its shape gets twisted, and it withers completely. Only after this entire process of exposure and decay is the act of killing the tree finally complete.
37. Rearrange the following sentences in coherent order.
a) Brij searched for his sister's body.
b) The Army officer reached there after four days.
c) Molthi was destroyed by the earthquake.
d) He couldn't find it.
e) The soldiers rescued the dead bodies.
- c) Molthi was destroyed by the earthquake.
- e) The soldiers rescued the dead bodies.
- b) The Army officer reached there after four days.
- a) Brij searched for his sister's body.
- d) He couldn't find it.
38. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
When the good old man saw that the dog, whom he had lent, did not come home he went next door to ask what had become of him; and the wicked old man answered that he had killed the dog and buried him at the root of a pine tree, so the good old fellow, with a heavy heart, went to the spot, and having set out a tray with delicate food, he burnt Incense, and adorned the grave with flowers, as he shed tears over his lost pet.
Questions:
a) What did the good old man lend?
b) What happened to the dog?
c) Where was the dog buried?
d) What did the good old fellow offer at the grave?
e) Suggest a suitable title for the passage.
- a) The good old man lent his dog to his neighbour.
- b) The wicked old neighbour killed the dog.
- c) The dog was buried at the root of a pine tree.
- d) The good old fellow offered delicate food, burnt incense, and adorned the grave with flowers.
- e) A suitable title would be "The Good Man's Grief" or "The Faithful Pet's Sad End".
Answer any four of the following.
39. Prepare an advertisement on the information given below.
Laptop - Computer - Shop - systems for students - special discounts - affordable price - limited period offer - details visit www.huge.com
HUGE TECH DEALS!
ATTENTION STUDENTS!
Get the best Laptops & Computers at prices you've never seen before!
✨ Special Student Discounts on all systems! ✨
✨ Affordable Prices guaranteed! ✨
Hurry! This is a LIMITED PERIOD OFFER!
Upgrade your study game now!
For more details and to grab your deal, visit:
www.huge.com
40. You are the school pupil leader. Write a letter to the Inspector of Police requesting him to give awareness to your school children about drugs.
From,
[Your Name],
School Pupil Leader,
[Your School Name],
[School Address],
[City].
Date: [Current Date]
To,
The Inspector of Police,
[Local Police Station Name],
[Police Station Address],
[City].
Subject: Request for an awareness program on drug abuse.
Respected Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in my capacity as the School Pupil Leader of [Your School Name]. We are deeply concerned about the growing menace of drug abuse among young people and believe that timely education is the best form of prevention.
To address this serious issue, we would be extremely grateful if you or a designated officer from your department could conduct an awareness program for our students of standards IX to XII. An interactive session highlighting the dangers of drug addiction, its legal consequences, and ways to resist peer pressure would be immensely beneficial for our students.
We believe that a talk from a respected authority like you would have a significant impact. We are flexible with dates and can schedule the program at your convenience.
Thank you for considering our request. We look forward to a positive response.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
(School Pupil Leader)
41. You are the school pupil leader, your school Headmaster asked you to inform the students about a trip to Ooty for 3 days. Prepare a notice giving details such as date of journey, mode of transportation, amount, dress etc.
[YOUR SCHOOL NAME]
NOTICE
Date: [Date of Notice]
Trip to Ooty!
This is to inform all students of standards VIII to X that our school is organizing a 3-day educational trip to Ooty. This trip promises to be both fun and informative. The details are as follows:
- Destination: Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
- Duration: 3 Days and 2 Nights
- Date of Journey: [Start Date] to [End Date]
- Mode of Transportation: A/C Bus
- Cost per Student: [Amount, e.g., ₹4500] (Includes travel, accommodation, and food)
- Dress Code: Comfortable casual wear and warm clothing (sweaters/jackets) are mandatory.
Interested students must submit their names and the trip amount, along with a consent form signed by their parents, to their respective class teachers on or before [Last Date for Submission].
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
(School Pupil Leader)
42. Look at the following picture and express your views on it in about five sentences.
This picture beautifully captures the pure and unadulterated joy of childhood. The child's unrestrained laughter is infectious and reminds us of a time of complete innocence. There are no worries or burdens on this happy face, only the delight of the present moment. This image symbolizes the simple happiness that can be found in small things. It serves as a powerful reminder for all of us to cherish and find moments of such simple, heartfelt joy in our own lives.
43. Make notes (OR) Write a summary writing.
Closely connected with the conservation of water supplies is the problem of afforestation. The systematic planting of suitable trees in every possible or even in impossible areas and the development of what one can call civilized forests, as distinguished from wild and untamed jungle, is one of the most urgent needs of India. Such plantation would directly and indirectly prove a source of untold wealth to the country. They would check soil erosion and conserve the rainfall of the country from flowing away to waste, and would provide the necessary supplies of cheap fuel, and thus render unnecessary, the wasteful conversion of farmyard manure into a form of fuel.
Title: Afforestation - An Urgent Need
- Connection to Water Consrvtn.
- Afforestation linked to saving water.
- Urgent Need in India
- Systematic planting of trees needed.
- Devlpmnt. of civilized forests.
- Diff. from wild jungle.
- Benefits of Plantation
- Source of untold wealth.
- Checks soil erosion.
- Conserves rainfall.
- Provides cheap fuel.
- Positive Impact
- Prevents wasteful use of farmyard manure as fuel.
Key to Abbreviations: Consrvtn. - Conservation, Devlpmnt. - Development, Diff. - Different
Title: The Importance of Afforestation
Rough Draft:
Afforestation is connected to water conservation. It is an urgent need for India. We need to plant trees everywhere to create 'civilized forests'. This will give us wealth. It will also stop soil erosion and save rainwater. It provides cheap fuel. This stops the wasteful use of farmyard manure as fuel. So, afforestation has many benefits for the country.
Fair Draft:
The Importance of Afforestation
Afforestation, or the systematic planting of trees, is closely linked to water conservation and is one of India's most urgent needs. Developing 'civilized forests' everywhere would bring immense benefits. Such plantations would be a source of great wealth, prevent soil erosion, and conserve rainwater by stopping wastage. Furthermore, by providing a steady supply of cheap fuel, afforestation would eliminate the need to wastefully burn valuable farmyard manure. Thus, a nationwide plantation drive is essential for the country's environmental and economic prosperity.
44. Identify and correct the errors.
- He is angry on me.
- I prefer coffee than tea.
- The cat drink milk.
- He is a honest man.
- Each of the cycles are damaged.
- He is angry with me.
- I prefer coffee to tea.
- The cat drinks milk.
- He is an honest man.
- Each of the cycles is damaged.
45. Quote from memory:
Whose woods ....................
.................................. Think it queer.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
46. Write a paragraph of about 150 words by developing the following hints.
a) Margie - eleven years old - school - house - teacher - machine - computer - big screen - paper slot - test papers - homeworks - calculate marks - test after test - geography - mother - called - country inspector - repair - hope - put it together - hated schools.
b) Old couple - dog - treasure - neighbour - borrowed - killed - dug - pine tree - mortar - burnt - ashes withered - blossom - awarded - King.
Margie, an eleven-year-old girl living in the future, had a very different kind of school. Her school was a room right in her own house, and her teacher was a machine. This mechanical teacher was a large computer with a big screen that displayed lessons and asked questions. Margie had to submit her homework and test papers through a special paper slot. The machine would calculate her marks instantly. She particularly hated the geography sector, which was giving her test after test, and her performance was getting worse. Concerned, her mother called the County Inspector. The Inspector, a round little man, came and repaired the machine, adjusting the geography level to suit her age. Margie had hoped he would take the teacher away altogether. She found this type of education lonely and boring and hated her school, especially after learning about the fun old-style schools from a real book.
Once there lived a kind old couple who had a pet dog. One day, the dog led them to a spot in the garden where they dug and found a great treasure of gold coins. Their greedy neighbour, hearing of this, borrowed the dog, hoping for similar luck. When the dog led him to a spot that contained only filth, the wicked neighbour killed the dog in a fit of rage. The kind old man, heartbroken, buried his pet under a pine tree. He then made a mortar from the wood of that tree. Miraculously, when he used the mortar, the rice in it turned into gold. The envious neighbour borrowed the mortar, but for him, it produced only foul-smelling waste. In anger, he burnt the mortar. The good old man collected the ashes. He discovered that when he sprinkled the ashes on withered trees, they would instantly blossom. The King, hearing of this marvel, summoned the old man, who made a withered cherry tree blossom before his eyes. The King was delighted and awarded him with rich gifts, while the wicked neighbour was punished for his cruelty.
47. Read the passage and answer the following questions. (OR) Read the poetic lines and answer the questions.
a) Karagattam is a popular folk dance of Tamil Nadu, which involves balancing a pot on the head to musical accompaniment. The Karagam pots are decorated with a cone of flower arrangements, topped by a paper parrot. The parrot swings as the dancer swings along. Karagattam has two divisions, atta karagam and sakthi karagam. This form of dance is very popular all over Tamil Nadu. Both male and female performers participate in this dance. Acrobatics such as dancing on a rolling block of wood, moving up and down a ladder, threading a needle while bending backwards form a part of this dance.
i) What is Karagattam?
ii) Name the two types of Karagattam.
iii) How are the karagattam pots decorated?
iv) Say True or False: Only female performers participate in Karagattam.
v) When does the parrot swing in Karagattam?
b) When I went out I stole an orange
I kept it my pocket
I felt like a warm planet
Everywhere I got into an awkward situation would
Take the orange out and smell it
And immediately even dead branches, I saw
The lovely and fierce orange blossom.
Questions:
i) What did the poet steal?
ii) How did the orange feel?
iii) When would he smell the orange?
iv) How is the orange blossom described?
- Karagattam is a popular folk dance of Tamil Nadu that involves balancing a decorated pot on the head while dancing to music.
- The two types of Karagattam are atta karagam and sakthi karagam.
- The karagattam pots are decorated with a cone of flower arrangements and topped with a paper parrot.
- False. The passage states that both male and female performers participate in this dance.
- The parrot swings as the dancer swings along.
- The poet stole an orange.
- The orange felt like a warm planet in his pocket.
- He would smell the orange whenever he got into an awkward situation.
- The orange blossom is described as "lovely and fierce."
Tags: Samacheer Kalvi, 9th Standard English, Quarterly Exam 2024, English Question Paper, 9th English Solutions, TN Board Exam, English Grammar, Prose Answers, Poetry Analysis, Writing Skills, English Model Paper