SECTION – A
(Unseen Comprehension)
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :
Just by the use of colours you can balance your diet. All you need to do is to pay a little attention to the food you eat. Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet. Sweets and candy bars are generally colourful, but remember they do not contain natural colours and hence are not healthy. The key solution is a variety of naturally coloured foods. The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits. Getting more colours in your diet doesn't mean you have to drastically change your current eating Habits. Have a glass of 100% juice in the morning.Keep a mix of dried fruits on hand for a quick snack. Grab an apple or banana on your way out. Include at least two vegetables in your dinner. Get into the habit of starting your dinner with a salad. Eat fruit for dessert. Always add greens to sandwiches.Most red fruits and vegetables contain an antioxidant, which offers protection against ultraviolet rays and Cancer and helps to prevent urinary tract infections and diseases related to the circulatory system. Green vegetables not only look great but also possess excellent antioxidant properties that protect your eyes by keeping the retina in good condition and reduce the risk of cancerous tumours. Orange and yellow group contain beta – carotene, an antioxidant that improves cell communication and thereby helps to stop the spread of cancer. Blue and purple group not only adds an element of tranquility and richness to your plate, but also has an influence on the pineal gland (the third eye) and the nervous system. White group contains sulphur compounds that protect DNA and also contain flavonoids, the antioxidants that protect cell membranes. Therefore, the more colourful your diet is (all natural colours, of course), the better equipped your immune system is to cope with diseases.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Why are sweets and candy bars not healthy ?
(ii) How do antioxidants help us ?
(iii) How do green vegetables help us ?
(iv) What improves our immune system to cope with diseases ?
(v) Find word from the passage which means 'greatly'.
OR
It is widely acknowledged that education contributes significantly to economic development. The developed world understood much earlier the fact that individuals with proper education have an edge over their noneducated or half – educated counterparts. In terms of literacy, India's achievements as compared to several Asian countries are disappointing. According to economists, the poor performance of India on the literacy field has affected the country's economic development. India has launched an ambitious project, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, to provide primary education to all children. One of the major aims of the government has been to reduce the large number of drop-outs from the schools because it affects the economic development. Various studies by different economists have shown that investment in education promotes economic growth. In any field, illiterate workers are unskilled and untrained; their general health is very poor. Literacy as well as education can create more productive labour force having enhanced knowledge and skills which ultimately tend to boost productivity both quantitatively and qualitatively. Literacy among common people is also necessary for political stability in any country. Literacy increases the thinking power and understanding of the good or bad. When the people are literate, they can easily see through the cunningness of corrupt political leaders, thereby lessening the possibility of their being shortchanged by the latter. Further more, educated folks tend to show a greater tendency towards fruitfully associating themselves with the establishment. With the increased participation rate of both men and women in local self-governance institutions, people can avail the opportunity to improve their local economic factors such as roads, electricity, etc.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) What is the widely acknowledge fact about education ?
(ii) What did the developed world understand about the importance of education ?
(iii) What is the ambitious project launched by our government ?
(iv) How does investment in education promote growth ?
(v) Find word from the passage which means 'accepted'.
SECTION – B
(Writing Skills)
2. Attempt any one of the following : 5
(a) You are Deepika of G.S.S. School X.Y.Z. Write an application to the Principal of your school on behalf of your classmates, requesting him/her to organise an educational tour to Pilani museum.
(b) You are Nisha, librarian of G.S.S. School A.B.C. Write a letter to the sales manager for placing an order for the books for your school library.
3. Attempt any one of the following : 5
(a) Write a paragraph on the topic 'My favourite Teacher'.
(b) You are Rajesh, a member of the N.S.S. unit of your school. Your school N.S.S. unit has organised a blood donation camp. Write a report to be printed in your school magazine.
SECTION – C
(Grammar)
4. Attempt any twelve sentences, choosing two from each sub-part : 1 × 12 = 12
(a) Use the correct form of the verb given in the brackets :
(i) No one besides the nurse ......... (know) this secret.
(ii) There .......... (be) no leaf on the trees.
(iii) At this time tomorrow, I .......... (travel) in a train.
(b) Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles given in the brackets, wherever necessary :
(i) The proposal was accepted by .......... unanimous vote. (a/an/the/×)
(ii) The English introduced .......... English as a medium of education in India. (a/an/the/×)
(iii) He is .......... M. P. (a/an/the/×)
(c) Rewrite the following sentences in Indirect Speech :
(i) Priyanka said, "Mine is the best school."
(ii) The mother said to Ritu, "Do not waste your time."
(iii) My friend said, "Alas! My new pen has lost."
(d) Fill in the blanks with modals given in the brackets :
(i) ......... we go to see a movie today ? (Will/Would/Shall)
(ii) I go to school so that I ......... become a great man. (can/may/might)
(iii) Before marriage, he ......... drink a lot. (would/could/used to)
(e) Fill in the blanks with correct form of verbs (Gerund or Infinitive) given in the brackets :
(i) You had better ........ (stay/to stay/ staying) here.
(ii) This cloth is easy ........ (wash).
(iii) She is fond of ........ (make) stories.
(f) Punctuate the following sentences :
(i) he said to me why do you want so much money
(ii) she has done her ma in English
(iii) did mohan and kamala go to the park with their father and mother
SECTION – D
[ A : Prose Text (First Flight) ]
5. Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow. Do any two passages :
(a) But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and alongwith the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls. "It's really getting bad now", exclaimed the man. "I hope it passes quickly." It did not pass quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the corn field, on the whole valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Name the chapter.
(ii) What did the hailstones look like ?
(iii) What happened all at once ?
(iv) What did Lencho hope for ?
(v) Find a word from the passage similar in meaning to 'frozen pearls'.
(b) Finally Wanda would move up the street, her eyes dull and her mouth closed, hitching her left shoulder every now and then in the funny way she had, finishing the walk to school alone. Peggy was not really cruel. She protected small children from bullies. And she cried for hours if she saw an animal mistreated. If anybody had said to her, "Don't you think that is a cruel way to treat Wanda ?" She would have been very surprised. Cruel ? Why did the girl say she had a hundred dresses ? Anybody could tell that was a lie. Why did she want to lie ? And she wasn't just an ordinary person, else why did she have a name like that ? Anyway, they never made her cry. As for Maddie, this business for asking Wanda every day how many dresses and how many hats, and how many this and that she had was bothering her.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Name the chapter.
(ii) Who protected small children from bullies ?
(iii) What was bothering Maddie ?
(iv) What did Peggy think was clearly a lie ?
(v) Find out a word from the passage which means 'those who use their strength to frighten weaker people'.
(c) There were squawks and shrieks, and a woman stood up on her seat screaming out, "A rat! A rat!" I caught sight of Mij's tail disappearing beneath the legs of a portly white-turbaned Indian. Diving for it, I missed, but found my face covered in curry. "Perhaps", said the air hostess with the most charming smile, "It would be better if you resumed your seat, and I will find the animal and bring it to you." I returned to my seat. I was craning my neck trying to follow the hunt when suddenly I heard from my feet a distressed chitter of recognition and welcome, and Mij bounded on to my knee and began to nuzzle my face and my neck.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Name the chapter.
(ii) What did Mij begin to do on his face and neck ?
(iii) How did the woman in the aircraft react on seeing the otter ?
(iv) What happened when the author dived for the otter ?
(v) Find out a word from the passage similar in meaning to 'fat'.
6. Answer in about 100 words : 5
Give a pen – portrait of a baker in a village of Goa. (A Baker from Goa)
OR
Write the character – sketch of Anne Frank. (From the Diary of Anne Frank)
7. Answer any four of the following questions : 2 × 4 = 8
(i) Why does the postmaster send the money to Lencho ? Why does he sign the letter'God' ?
(A Letter to God)
(ii) What made the woman in the control centre look at the narrator strangely ?
(Black Aeroplane)
(iii) Why was Mr. Keesing annoyed with Anne ? What did he ask her to do ?
(From the Diary of Anne Frank)
(iv) Why was the otter named "Maxwell's Otter" ? (Mijbil the Otter)
(v) Why did the Buddha choose Benares to preach his first sermon ? (The Sermon at Benares)
(vi) Why does Chubukov call Lomov back home ? Why does Natalya accuse her father ? (The Proposal)
[ B : Poetry (First Flight) ]
8. Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow :
(I am an orphan, roaming the street.
I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Name the poem.
(ii) What does the speaker say about silence and freedom ?
(iii) What does Amanda imagine herself to be ?
(iv) How does the speaker make designs ?
(v) Find out a word from the stanza, similar in meaning to 'wandering'.
OR
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented
with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind
that lived thousands of years ago,
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the
whole earth.
Questions : 1 × 5 = 5
(i) Name the poem.
(ii) What is unique in the animal world ?
(iii) What is the attitude of the poet about animals ?
(iv) Who is unhappy over the whole earth ?
(v) Find out a word from the stanza similar in meaning to 'obsession'.
9. Answer in about 100 words : 5
How is 'The Tale of Custard the Dragon' a ballad ? Discuss.
OR
Write a brief summary of John Berryman's poem 'The Ball Poem' in your own words.
10. Answer any two of the following : 2 × 2 = 4
(i) How can we distinguish between a hyena and a crocodile ? (How to Tell Wild Animals)
(ii) What changes can be seen in the moon, during the course of the poem 'The Trees' ?
(iii) How does the poet compare the fog with
(C : Supplementary Reader )
11. Answer in about 100 words : 5
Give a brief character sketch of Horace Danby. (A Question of Trust)
OR
What changes do we find in the behaviour of Bholi in the end of the story ? Explain. (Bholi)
12. Answer any four of the following questions in about 30-40 words each : 2 × 4 = 8
(i) What was Mr. Herriot's strict advice ? Did Mrs. Pumphrey pay heed to his advice ? (A Triumph of Surgery)
(ii) Why did Hari Singh hide his real name ? (The Thief's Story)
(iii) What story did Ausable tell Max about the balcony ? Why did he tell him so ? (The Midnight Visitor)
(iv) Why was Griffin wandering the streets ? (Footprints without Feet)
(v) How did Lutkins' mother treat the lawyer ? (The Hack Driver)
(vi) Why is Bholi's father worried about her ? (Bholi)
13. Answer any three of the following : 1 × 3 = 3
(i) Who knocked at Ausable's door ?
(ii) Where was the safe in the room ?
(iii) What was the actual cost of Mme. Forestier's necklace ?
(iv) What did Bishamber demand as dowry ?