SECTION ‘A’ - READING
I. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Have you ever heard the sound of a hummingbird? They make a buzzing noise when they fly. They make this noise because they beat their wings very fast. They beat their wings up to 80 times a second. All that flapping makes a lot of noise. That's why we call them hummingbirds. Hummingbirds fly in a unique way. They move their wings so fast that they can hover. This means that they can stay in one spot in the middle of the air. They are the only bird that flies backward too. Hummingbirds need lots of energy to move as fast as they do. This means that they need to eat a lot of food. Their favourite food is nectar, a sweet liquid found inside some flowers. They drink nectar in large quantity, daily. They have to visit hundreds of flowers to get enough nectar to live. Hummingbirds use their tongues for eating, not their long beaks.
Hummingbirds help flowers too. They get pollen on their heads and bills when they feed. Flowers use pollen to make seeds. Hummingbirds spread pollen from one flower to the other. This helps flowers make more seeds. More seeds mean more flowers. More flowers mean more food for hummingbirds. Isn't it nice how that works out?
a) On the basis of your reading the above passage choose the most appropriate option and complete the sentences:
i. They are called hummingbirds because __________________________.
a. they are very light b. they sing when they fly
c. their wings make a humming sound d. they move very fast
ii. Humming birds can hover because__________________
a. they can move their wings very fast. b. they can fly backward.
c. they have a lot of energy . d. they can fly very fast.
iii. Humming birds visit hundreds of flowers because______________________
a. they need enough nectar to live b. they eat pollen.
c. they spread pollen from one flower to the next d. they plant seeds.
iv. This is the only bird that ______________________________
a. can fly faster than any other bird. b. can fly longer than any other bird.
c. can fly backward. d. cannot hover in mid air.
v. Humming birds help flowers by ____________________
a. spreading pollen from flower to flower b. spreading seeds by carrying them on their heads.
c. spreading seeds by carrying them on their bills d. all the above.
II. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
When Anne reached the school that morning all was quiet and still. The previous teacher had instructed the children to be in their places on her arrival, greet her and extend a warm welcome to her. When Anne entered the classroom the children greeted her with “shining morning faces” and bright, curious eyes. She hung up her hat and faced her pupils, hoping that she did not look as frightened and foolish as she felt and that they would not make out how nervous she was. She had sat up until nearly twelve the previous night drafting a speech with which she meant to begin her interaction with her pupils on the reopening day of school. She had revised and improved it, and then she had learnt it by heart. It was a very good speech and had some very fine ideas in it, especially about mutual help and earnest striving for knowledge. The only trouble was that she could not now remember a word of it. After what seemed a year to her . . . about ten seconds in reality . . . she said faintly, “Take your seats, please,” and sank breathlessly into her chair. While the children read their lessons Anne tried her best to relax and feel comfortable in her new school.
a) On the basis of your reading the passage answer the following questions:
1. What were the children instructed to do when Anne arrived?
2. How did the children greet her when she entered the classroom?
3. How did Anne feel when she faced the students?
4. How did she plan to begin her interaction with the students? How did she prepare for it?
5. What was the speech about? Why was she unable to deliver it?
III. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Nicholas Chorier is not an ordinary photographer. He is a kite aerial photographer. He uses a kite to hoist his camera into the skies, which dangles in mid-air and clicks photographs. As a teenager, Nicholas had two hobbies– photography and kite- flying. During a trip to India to make a photo report on kite- making, he learnt about this unique style of photography. Fascinated, he literally tied his two hobbies together for a living. Nicholas learnt to make strong kites modelled on the Japanese kites, Rokkaku that could withstand harsh winds. A beginner in his chosen field, he then set out to train himself. Today he is one of the most well–known kite aerial photographers in the world. The technique is to tie a cradle containing the photography equipment to the string of the kite and then fly it, thus launching the camera into air. From the ground, Nicholas controls the angles of the camera with a remote. An air–to–ground video link enables him to see the view from the kite’s angle. Once satisfied with the frame, he clicks a picture.
However, the job does have its drawbacks too. Once, his kite disappeared in the Yamuna River, with his expensive camera. He is especially fond of India and recently released a book, ‘Kite’s Eye View: India between Earth and Sky’.
i) On the basis of your reading the passage complete the following sentences:
a) Nicholas Chorier clicks photographs by using _____________________________________
b) The two hobbies that Nicholas tied together for a living are__________________________
c) The camera is launched into air by______________________
d) Nicholas is able to see the view from the kite’s angle with the help of___________________
ii) State whether the following statements are True or False:
a) Nicholas learnt about the unique style of photography during his trip to India._________
b) Though Rokkaku is a very strong Japanese kite yet it cannot withstand strong winds._____
c) Nicholas Chorier is one of the most well–known kite aerial photographers in India. _____
d) The aerial photographer’s trip to India also included making a report on kite –making. _____
iii) a) The synonym of the word usual from the passage is __________
b) The antonym of the word mild from the passage is _________________
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