CBSE Class 8 English Sample Class Test

CLASS: VIII

Subject: English

Read the following passage carefully:                                                                    (12 marks)

1. At 6 a.m. Jamuna Devi, also known as ‘Lady Tarzan’, tightens the strings of her bow in her house in Muturkhan village, Jharkhand. She then leads a group of fifteen women, each carrying traditional weapons and lathis. They walk towards the nearby Muturkhan forests.

2. As they walk, they sing songs that warn against the illegal cutting of trees in the forest. They are on a shift of regular patrolling where they protect trees from being cut by the timber mafia.

3. Jamuna Devi explains that ten years ago, the hilly region was actually dry and barren. Every tree over three metres tall had been chopped off illegally. She says, “In the summers, there was no shade. We had no firewood for our kitchens, no fodder for our cattle and water levels were dipping across a fifteen kilometers area.”

4. To protect the trees, twenty-five women got together to form the Van Suraksha Samiti (Forest Protection Committee) and registered with the State Forest Department in 1955. Then they divided themselves into three groups and started keeping an eye on the forest – morning, noon and night. Initially they caught many men who illegally chopped down the trees. These were usually paid labourers whom they handed over to the forest department. Due to their constant efforts, word spread that the trees in Muturkhan were not to be touched.

5. The Muturkhan forest area which had become barren now has over one lakh trees. Dr.A.Wadood, chairman of the department of Agricultural Physics and Meteorology with Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi says, “Any effort to protect the trees of the state, however big or small, is a welcome move.”

6. Due to the initiative of women like Jamuna Devi, the summers are no longer unbearable. Also, now women and children make plates from Sal leaves in their free time and earn up to `4,000 per month selling them in nearby marketplaces. As a gesture of appreciation, the forest department gave the village a school building, a concrete approach road and a Jal Minar (water tower) three years ago.

A1. Complete the following sentences:-                                                                (3X2=6 marks)

1. Jamuna Devi is also known as _____________________ because ________________________________________________________________     2 marks

2. The women were divided in three groups in order to __________________________________________________________________   2 marks

3. While they walk, they sing songs that _________________________________________________________________  2 marks

A2. Now answer the questions that follow:     (2X2=4 marks)

1.Why did they carry weapons and lathis?                                                                     2 marks

2. Who were the men they caught and what did she do to them?                                  2 marks

A3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following: - (1+1=2 marks)

1. forbidden by law or statute (para 3)- _______________

2. an introductory act or step (para 6) - _______________

Section B: Writing

B1. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Letter to Editor 8Marks

Section C: Grammar

C.1 Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given. 

Question tags ½ x4=2Marks

C.2. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given. 

Question tags 1x4=4Marks

C.3. Re-arrange the following to form meaningful sentences:1x4=4 

1. services will/ tourism in/ air taxi/ the state/ boost.

2. in increasing/cities/ they help/ connectivity/ between

3. our/ is/ full of/ talented people/ country

4. not/utilised/ potential/ fully/their/is

Section A: Reading

Read the following passage carefully:                                                                         12 marks

1. At 6 a.m. Jamuna Devi, also known as ‘Lady Tarzan’, tightens the strings of her bow in her house in Muturkhan village, Jharkhand. She then leads a group of fifteen women, each carrying traditional weapons and lathis. They walk towards the nearby Muturkhan forests.

2. As they walk, they sing songs that warn against the illegal cutting of trees in the forest. They are on a shift of regular patrolling where they protect trees from being cut by the timber mafia.

3. Jamuna Devi explains that ten years ago, the hilly region was actually dry and barren. Every tree over three metres tall had been chopped off illegally. She says, “In the summers, there was no shade. We had no firewood for our kitchens, no fodder for our cattle and water levels were dipping across a fifteen kilometers area.”

4. To protect the trees, twenty-five women got together to form the Van SurakshaSamiti (Forest Protection Committee) and registered with the State Forest Department in 1955. Then they divided themselves into three groups and started keeping an eye on the forest – morning, noon and night. Initially they caught many men who illegally chopped down the trees. These were usually paid labourers whom they handed over to the forest department. Due to their constant efforts, word spread that the trees in Muturkhan were not to be touched.

5. The Muturkhan forest area which had become barren now has over one lakh trees. Dr.A.Wadood, chairman of the department of Agricultural Physics and Meteorology with Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi says, “Any effort to protect the trees of the state, however big or small, is a welcome move.”

6. Due to the initiative of women like Jamuna Devi, the summers are no longer unbearable. Also, now women and children make plates from Sal leaves in their free time and earn up to `4,000 per month selling them in nearby marketplaces. As a gesture of appreciation, the forest department gave the village a school building, a concrete approach road and a JalMinar (water tower) three years ago.

A1. Complete the following sentences:-                                                                (3X2=6 marks)

1. Jamuna Devi is also known as ______________ because ____________      2 marks

2. The women were divided in three groups in order to _____________________________________________________________     2 marks

3. While they walk, they sing songs that ____________________________   2 marks

A2. Now answer the questions that follow:-2X2=4 marks)

4. Why did they carry weapons and lathis?                                                                 2 marks

5. Who were the men they caught and what did she do to them?                             2 marks

A3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following: -     (1+1=2 marks)

1. to maintain the order and security by passing along or through it (para 2) - ____________

2. to sink or dropping down (para 3) – ________________

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.(12marks)

1. Cycling is the best way to get in shape, enjoy the outdoors, and have fun while you’re doing it. Unfortunately, many people think bicycles are for kids and often overlook the positive physical and psychological health benefits of cycling.Cycling offers a range of economic and health benefits beginning from zero carbon emission to reducing obesity. More and more people today have begun to rediscover cycling as a conscious and sensible lifestyle choice.

2. Cycling can burn off a bar of chocolate in an hour. A quick 15-minute ride every day to workplace can stimulate circulation and relieve stress, burning 6kg of fat in a year. To fast-track fitness, cycling up an incline is a fabulous way. One must also remember that riding a bicycle is a symbol of simple living-a positive attitude towards a more fulfilling life.Scientists at Stanford University have found that cycling regularly can protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing. Researchers from Illinois University found that a five percent improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests. That’s because cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 30.

3. Cycling can be fun too. The experience of cycling through the countryside can be exhilarating. Imagine how rejuvenated you will feel cycling through mustard fields.

4. On the environment, cycling is less stressful. Cycling is also a great way to avoid traffic as one is less threatened by traffic congestion and ‘road rage’. Bicycle commuters are a happier lot. They get less sick, therefore, are more productive workers. To squeeze exercise into an already busy day, cycle to workplace. An average person can thus burn 300 to 400 calories per day. Stronger heart and lungs, increased muscle mass, and a less stressed constitution are what one gets in the bargain. Wait, there’s more. It keeps one young as it takes 10 years off one’s actual age.

A.1 Choose the correct option to answer the questions Complete the following sentences                 (1x3=3)

1. To burn the calories generated by two bars of chocolates, you need to cycle approximately for…..

   (i) 3 hours          (ii) 1 hour        (iii) 2 hours              (iv) 4 hours

2. Cycling _________________ the hill can fast track fitness

   (i) down the hill  (ii) up the hill   (iii) along the hill     (iv) at the foothill

3.Road rage means a violent conflict

   (i) With a fellow pedestrian   (ii) with a fellow driver(iii) with a fellow passenger   (iv) with a fellow trekker

A.2 Complete the following sentences:                                                                   (2x3=6)

1.Cycling leads to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests because _____________________________________________________________

2. More and more people today have begun ___________________________________

3. Cycling is also a great way to avoid traffic __________________________________

A.3 Find the words from the text which mean the following.                                                                 (1x2=2)

1. Persons who travel some distance to work on a regular basis. (Para 4)

2.Encourage or arouse interest or enthusiasm in something.  (Para 3)

A.4 Give a suitable title to the above passage.                                                             (1x1=1)

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.(12marks)

1. Cycling is the best way to get in shape, enjoy the outdoors, and have fun while you’re doing it. Unfortunately, many people think bicycles are for kids and often overlook the positive physical and psychological health benefits of cycling.Cycling offers a range of economic and health benefits beginning from zero carbon emission to reducing obesity. More and more people today have begun to rediscover cycling as a conscious and sensible lifestyle choice.

2. Cycling can burn off a bar of chocolate in an hour. A quick 15-minute ride every day to workplace can stimulate circulation and relieve stress, burning 6kg of fat in a year. To fast-track fitness, cycling up an incline is a fabulous way. One must also remember that riding a bicycle is a symbol of simple living-a positive attitude towards a more fulfilling life.Scientists at Stanford University have found that cycling regularly can protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing.Researchers from Illinois University found that a five percent improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests. That’s because cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus – the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 30.

3. Cycling can be fun too. The experience of cycling through the countryside can be exhilarating. Imagine how rejuvenated you will feel cycling through mustard fields.

4. On the environment, cycling is less stressful. Cycling is also a great way to avoid traffic as one is less threatened by traffic congestion and ‘road rage’. Bicycle commuters are a happier lot. They get less sick, therefore, are more productive workers. To squeeze exercise into an already busy day, cycle to workplace. An average person can thus burn 300 to 400 calories per day. Stronger heart and lungs, increased muscle mass, and a less stressed constitution are what one gets in the bargain. Wait, there’s more. It keeps one young as it takes 10 years off one’s actual age.

A.1 Choose the correct option to answer the questions Complete the following sentences  (1x3=3)

1. To burn the calories generated by two bars of chocolates, you need to cycle approximately for…..

    (i) 3 hours          (ii) 1 hour        (iii) 2 hours              (iv) 4 hours

2. Cycling _________________ the hill can fast track fitness

  (i) down the hill  (ii) up the hill   (iii) along the hill     (iv) at the foothill

3.Road rage means a violent conflict

  (i) with a fellow pedestrian   (ii) with a fellow driver(iii) with a fellow passenger  (iv) with a fellow trekker

A.2 Complete the following sentences:                                                            (2x3=6)

1.   Cycling leads to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests because ____________________________________

2. More and more people today have begun _____________________________

3. Cycling is also a great way to avoid traffic ____________________________ 

A.3 Find the words from the text which mean the following.                                (1x2=2)                                            

1. A person who travels some distance to work on a regular basis. (Para 4)

2. Encourage or arouse interest or enthusiasm in something.  (Para 3)

A.4 Give a suitable title to the above passage.                                                        (1x1=1)                                                                  

SECTION B - WRITING  8 Marks

B1.You are Nikhil/Niharika. You happen to read a newspaper article by Vikram Chandra on water contamination and Swachh Bharat, the Government of India’s campaign for a clean India. The article states that half of the water supply in rural areas in India is routinely contaminated with toxic bacteria. Make a diary entry

 SECTION C - GRAMMAR 10 MARKS

C1. Change the voice of the sentence                                                                    (1x5=5)

1. He speaks English.

2. Rose is baking a cake.

3.Ram broke a glass.

4.They have caught the thieves.

5. Jane will buy a new computer.

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:  

Depending on the degree of fermentation, processed tea is called White, Green, Oolong and Black. White tea is produced when two leaves and a bud are picked just before sunrise to preserve the moisture in the leaf. This tea is characterized by a delicate flavour with very little colour. It is highly priced because a day’s picking yields only about 1-2 kg per person.

1. Green tea is produced by steaming the leaves to destroy the enzymes that might otherwise ferment the leaves. The leaves are then rolled either by hand or by mechanical rollers, to bring out the juices in the leaves. The rolled leaves are then fired to dry them. The process of producing green tea is very difficult.
2. Oolong tea is partially fermented tea. It was first produced about 400 years ago in the Fujian Province at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Oolong tea is produced in many other parts of the world. Oolong tea from the Indian estates of Darjeeling is very popular.
3. The process of producing Oolong tea begins with picking of the two leaves and a bud, early in the morning. The leaves are then partially dried indoors to promote fermentation. When the leaves start turning red, they are rubbed repeatedly by hand or mechanically to generate flavour and aroma, and are finally dried over charcoal. The final stage involves blending.
4. Black tea is of two types – Orthodox and CTC. Orthodox tea has the appearance of a leaf either whole or broken. CTC tea tends to be in the form of round globules. CTC is an acronym for Crush, Tear and Curl. CTC tea is highly popular in India. Most people who drink tea prefer to go with a certain brand because of familiarity of taste and aroma. In order to maintain that kind of consistency, tea companies tend to blend teas from various sources until they arrive at their brand’s trademark features.

A1. Choose the correct answer from the options given below:                             

a. CTC stands for…

1. Control, Tear and Cook

2. Control, Tear and Curl

3. Control, Tear and Crush

4. Crush, Tear and Curl 

b. The Green tea leaves are steamed so as to

1. give it a darker green colour

2. bring out the aroma

3. make it stronger by fermentation

4. to destroy the enzymes 

c. People prefer drinking a particular kind of tea that

1. has a familiar taste

2. the aroma appeals to them

3. they like the brand

4. all of the above 

d. The final stage in the process of producing Oolong tea involves

1. blending

2. mechanically drying to generate aroma

3. drying over charcoal

4. roasting the leaves to get the red colour

A2. Complete the following sentences: -                                                               

1. White tea is highly priced because _____________________________________________        

2. Oolong tea originated ___________________________________________________       

A3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following: -   

1. Water or other liquid diffused in a small quantity as vapour (para 1)_________________

2. End the existence of (something) by damaging or attacking it (para2)__________________

3. only in part; to a limited extent (para 3)     _____________________

A4. Give the passage a suitable title.                                                        

SECTION B: WRITING

B.1 .Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Diary Entry-

Section C: Grammar

C.1. Complete the following sentences using suitable Relative Clauses.              

1. My grandmother _______________________

2. There were a lot of people at the picnic______________________

3. J. K. Rowling ______________________________

4. The beautiful and vast palace________________

5. That boy there, ________________________

C.2 In each line one word has been omitted. Write the missing word along with the word which comes before and after it. Underline the word which forms your answer.                                                        

 Chocolates lift up your mood.           (a)......................                                         

When you eat chocolate, a                 (b)......................

chemical called serotonin released    (c)........................     

in brain making you feel good.          (d).....................

But they can cause damage teeth       (e).......................

    due to the sugar content.

Section D: Literature

D.1 Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Reference to context
D.2. Short answer questions-  

D.3 Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.                                                           

 Value Based Question:          

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: 

1. Depending on the degree of fermentation, processed tea is called White, Green, Oolong and Black. White tea is produced when two leaves and a bud are picked just before sunrise to preserve the moisture in the leaf. This tea is characterized by a delicate flavour with very little colour. It is highly priced because a day’s picking yields only about 1-2 kg per person.
2. Green tea is produced by steaming the leaves to destroy the enzymes that might otherwise ferment the leaves. The leaves are then rolled either by hand or by mechanical rollers, to bring out the juices in the leaves. The rolled leaves are then fired to dry them. The process of producing green tea is very difficult.
3. Oolong tea is partially fermented tea. It was first produced about 400 years ago in the Fujian Province at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Oolong tea is produced in many other parts of the world. Oolong tea from the Indian estates of Darjeeling is very popular.
4. The process of producing Oolong tea begins with picking of the two leaves and a bud, early in the morning. The leaves are then partially dried indoors to promote fermentation. When the leaves start turning red, they are rubbed repeatedly by hand or mechanically to generate flavour and aroma, and are finally dried over charcoal. The final stage involves blending.
5. Black tea is of two types – Orthodox and CTC. Orthodox tea has the appearance of a leaf either whole or broken. CTC tea tends to be in the form of round globules. CTC is an acronym for Crush, Tear and Curl. CTC tea is highly popular in India. Most people who drink tea prefer to go with a certain brand because of familiarity of taste and aroma. In order to maintain that kind of consistency, tea companies tend to blend teas from various sources until they arrive at their brand’s trademark features.

A1. Choose the correct answer from the options given below:                             

a. CTC stands for…

1. Control, Tear and Cook

2. Control, Tear and Curl

3. Control, Tear and Crush

4. Crush, Tear and Curl 

b. The Green tea leaves are steamed so as to

1. give it a darker green colour

2. bring out the aroma

3. make it stronger by fermentation

4. to destroy the enzymes 

c. People prefer drinking a particular kind of tea that

1. has a familiar taste

2. the aroma appeals to them

3. they like the brand

4. all of the above 

d. The final stage in the process of producing Oolong tea involves

1.  blending

2. mechanically drying to generate aroma

3. drying over charcoal

4. roasting the leaves to get the red colour 

A2. Complete the following sentences: -                                                                 

1. White tea is highly priced because _____________________________________________        

2. Oolong tea originated _______________________________________________________

A3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following: -       

1. very fine in texture or structure (para 1)___________________
2. support or actively encourage  (para 4)_________________
3. knowledge of something. (para 5)      _____________________

A4. Give the passage a suitable title.                                                                   

SECTION B: WRITING

B.1.Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Diary Entry-

Section C: GRAMMAR

C.1. Complete the following sentences using suitable Relative Clauses.            

1. The Natural Museum of History_____________________________

2. Mrs. Balakrishnan, ____________________________

3. These three books__________________________________

4. The laundry service _______________________________

5. My uncle ______________________________

C.2 In each line one word has been omitted. Write the missing word along with the word which comes before and after it. Underline the word which forms your answer.                                            

Let us assume that average student       (a)..................                                         

changes the refill his ballpoint pen         (b)..................

once a month. No student uses same     (c)...................     

pen all through the year it breaks            (d)................

easily and can easily misplaced                (e).................

    or lost.

Section D: Literature

 D.1 Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

D.2. Short answer questions-   

D3. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.                                                           

 Value Based Question:    

Section A: Reading

A1. Read the passage and answer the following questions.

 DEAR DIARY

1. The first rule of diary keeping is to throw away any booklet that is ruled with equal spaces for every day, because not every day is worthy of the space allotted to it, and some are worth a great deal more. Keep your diary in a blank notebook, or type it, as I have done for the past 20 years, on loose sheets of paper to file in a ring-binder.
2. The second rule is not to write your diary every day, but wait until something interesting happens. You should write only when you wish to, which means when you want to show off a bit, grouse a bit, or drain away a disappointment.
3. It is the recipient of your confidences, pledged to secrecy. So rule three is to lock it up, or write it in Swahili.
4. Write it in the morning because sleep irons out the day’s wrinkles.  
5. And do not mention the weather, minor illnesses, or times of trains. The diary of King George V contained this entry: “It rained today, harder than yesterday: I hope it will not rain tomorrow.” This is not what dairies are for: their purpose is slowly to create a self-portrait, based on your activities, hopes, fears and relationships.
6. A diary should not be too contrived. It is not a work of literature. But it must be observant and, within limits, truthful.
7. Train yourself to notice things that most of us take for granted, such as other people’s mannerisms, dress, speech, rooms, books, gardens, as indicative in their characters- this is what will interest posterity. And remember conversations.
8. Finally, remember that Pepys and Boswell did not destroy or mutilate them before they died. To do so would have been an act of self-immolation. So do not destroy yours.   

A1.1 Write the option you consider the most appropriate.

1)      One should not write a diary in a notebook with equal spaces everyday because

1. it takes up too much space
2. some days have more to write about than others
3. every day is the same
4. it is a waste of paper 

2)      ‘Write it in Swahili’ (Paragraph 3) means

1. one should learn a new language
2. it should not be written legibly
3. it should be kept secret
4. it should not be written in English 

3)      According to the author

1. a diary is supposed to give glimpses of the writer
2. one records the weather patterns in diaries
3. other people are portrayed in diaries
4. diaries should be written at night 

4)      A diary should be written

1. like a literary work
2. as a discussion of others
3. after alert observation
4. in a completely truthful way 

5)      Destroying a diary would be like

1. erasing records
2. destroying oneself
3. destroying memories
4. forgetting events

A1.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions briefly.                                                                                                  

1. “Until something interesting happens” (Paragraph 2). Give two examples the author gives about “something interesting”.
2. According to the author, give any two topics to be avoided in diary writing. 

A1.3 Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following from the paragraphs indicated.

1. to complain about how unhappy you are (Paragraph 2)
2. created or arranged in a way that seems artificial and unrealistic (Paragraph 6)
3. all future generations of people (Paragraph 7)           

Section: B Writing Skill 

B1. You had promised to visit a friend’s home but due to some problem you cannot keep the promise. Write an email to your friend apologizing for your inability to visit him/her as promised and explaining why you cannot pay the visit.                                     

Section: C Grammar 

C1. Complete the conditional sentences with correct form (type 1, 2 and 3) 

1. If I study, I _______ the exam.
2. If you go out with your friends tonight, I (watch) ________ the football match on TV.
3. If we had listened to the radio, we (hear) ________ the news.
4. She would have come to our party if she (be / not) _________ on holiday. 

C2. Complete the following conditional clauses.                                                  

1. I would buy these shoes if they _____________________________.
2.  If he tried harder, he _____________________________________. 

C3. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.                                                                                                        

1. to be disciplined/ it is/ to have/ important/ a/ and a/ balanced life/ healthy
2. and responsibility/ discipline/ a sense of/ duty/ inculcates/ us/ in
3. walk of/ life/ necessary/ it is/ in every
4. very early/ it is important/ in life/ to instill it

Section: D Literature 

D1.Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

D.2. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given .Short answer questions-   

D3. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.                                                           

 Value Based Question:          

A1. Read the passage and answer the following questions.

 DEAR DIARY

1.The first rule of diary keeping is to throw away any booklet that is ruled with equal spaces for every day, because not every day is worthy of the space allotted to it, and some are worth a great deal more. Keep your diary in a blank notebook, or type it, as I have done for the past 20 years, on loose sheets of paper to file in a ring-binder.

2.The second rule is not to write your diary every day, but wait until something interesting happens. You should write only when you wish to, which means when you want to show off a bit, grouse a bit, or drain away a disappointment.

3.It is the recipient of your confidences, pledged to secrecy. So rule three is to lock it up, or write it in Swahili.

4.Write it in the morning because sleep irons out the day’s wrinkles.           

5.And do not mention the weather, minor illnesses, or times of trains. The diary of King George V contained this entry: “It rained today, harder than yesterday: I hope it will not rain tomorrow.” This is not what dairies are for: their purpose is slowly to create a self-portrait, based on your activities, hopes, fears and relationships.

6.A diary should not be too contrived. It is not a work of literature. But it must be observant and, within limits, truthful.

7.Train yourself to notice things that most of us take for granted, such as other people’s mannerisms, dress, speech, rooms, books, gardens, as indicative in their characters- this is what will interest posterity. And remember conversations.

8.Finally, remember that Pepys and Boswell did not destroy or mutilate them before they died. To do so would have been an act of self-immolation. So do not destroy yours.         

A1.1 Write the option you consider the most appropriate.

1) One should not write a diary in a notebook with equal spaces everyday because

1. it takes up too much space
2. some days have more to write about than others

1. every day is the same
2. it is a waste of paper 

2) ‘Write it in Swahili’ (Paragraph 3) means

1. one should learn a new language
2. it should not be written legibly
3. it should be kept secret
4. it should not be written in English 

3) According to the author

1. a diary is supposed to give glimpses of the writer
2. one records the weather patterns in diaries
3. other people are portrayed in diaries
4. diaries should be written at night 

4) A diary should be written

1. like a literary work
2. as a discussion of others
3. after alert observation
4. in a completely truthful way 

5) Destroying a diary would be like

1. erasing records
2. destroying oneself
3. destroying memories
4. forgetting events

A1.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions briefly.                                                                                                     

1. “Until something interesting happens” (Paragraph 2). Give two examples the author gives about “something interesting”.
2. According to the author, give any two topics to be avoided in diary writing. 

A1.3 Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following from the paragraphs indicated.                                                                                                 to complain about how unhappy you are (Paragraph 2)

1. created or arranged in a way that seems artificial and unrealistic (Paragraph 6)
2. all future generations of people (Paragraph 7)

     Section: B Writing Skill 

B1. A friend of yours is celebrating an important event in his/her community. Write an email to him/her extending your greetings on the occasion.                             

Section: C Grammar  

C1. Complete the conditional sentences with correct form.                        

1. If I were stronger, I ________ (help) you carry the piano.
2. If we meet him tomorrow, we _______ (say) hello.
3. If you dropped the vase, it _________ (break)
4. I ________ (earn) a lot of money, if I get that job.

C2. Complete the following conditional clauses.                                        

1. If we had switched on the light, you________________________________.
2. If we had seen you, we__________________________________________.

C3. Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences.                                                                                       

1. to be disciplined/ it is/ to have/ important/ a/ and a/ balanced life/ healthy
2. and responsibility/ discipline/ a sense of/ duty/ inculcates/ us/ in
3. walk of/ life/ necessary/ it is/ in every
4. very early/ it is important/ in life/ to instill it.

SECTION A: READING – 20 Marks

A.1 Read the passage carefully and answer the questions which follow: 12Marks

1.One day a man saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road needing help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. She looked worried in spite of a smile on his face. No one had stopped to help for the last hour. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson.” 

2.Well, all she had was a flat tyre, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles in the process. Soon he was able to change the tyre. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. The lady asked how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her . Bryan never thought twice about being paid. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty, who had given him a hand in the past .He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.” 

3. A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. The waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had an endearing smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. 

4.After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a hundred dollar bill. The waitress quickly went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, but the old lady had slipped right out of the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. The waitress wondered where the lady could be. Then she noticed something written on the napkin. She was overwhelmed as there were tears in her eyes when she read what was written : “You don’t owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you should do: Do not let this chain of love end with you.” Under the napkin were four more $100 bills.

 5. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.

 6. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan Anderson.”

There is an old saying “What goes around comes around”

 A1.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage complete the following statements:

a) Byran refused to accept any money from the old lady as ___________________

b) The old lady noticed that the young waitress was_________________________

c) The old saying “What goes around comes around”is justified in this story as_______

 A1.2  Choose the correct answer from the options given below: 

 1.Byran Anderson helped the old lady as

 a)He had nothing else to do

b)He was scared of God

c)He was a helpful person

d)He wanted money from her

 2. The old lady left the money for the young waitress because

a)She was very rich

b)She wanted to help someone in time of need

c)She was feeling sad

d)She took pity on her

 A1.3 Find words from the passage which mean the same as:  

a)Finger joint (para 2)

b)Appealing (para 3)

c)Overcome with emotion (para 4)

 A1.4 Give a suitable heading to the above passage:

A.2 Read the poem carefully and complete the summary: 

Awareness

 Broken bottles and charred pieces of glass

Wadded up newspapers tossed on the grass
Pouring of concrete and tearing out trees
This is the environment that surrounds me?

Poisons and insecticides sprayed on our food
Oceans filling with thick oil crude
All sea life destined to a slow awful doom
These are the things we are to consume?

Mills pumping out iron expelling yellow fumes
Airlines emitting caustic gases from fuels
Weapons of destruction tested at desolate sites
And this is the air that's to sustain life?

There has to be something that someone can do
Like raise the awareness to those around you
That if we don't heed the problem at hand
It's your life that's at stake, the destruction of man.

Complete the summary of the poem using suitable word/words :

Our (a)__________ is being degraded by careless disposal of  objects and cutting down of (b)___________. Food is being contaminated by poison and (c)__________and oceans are being polluted by (d)____________. Fumes from mills and  gases from airplanes lead to (e)__________pollution. Weapons of destruction are being (f)______in remote areas leading to damage to all life forms. We have to create (g)__________ regarding this alarming problem otherwise it will lead to (h)___________of mankind.

SECTION B: WRITING 

B.1Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Describing a person/event  (100  Words) 7Marks  

 B.2. Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given.

Letter to Editor-8Marks

   SECTION C: GRAMMAR  

 C.1 Fill in the blanks with appropriate question tags: 

 a) Let’s watch a movie,___________?

b) Priya isn’t present today,_______?

c) You are a student of this school,________?

 C.2 Question is not reflected as textbooks have changed. However, weightage of the question is given

Present Perfect/Present Perfect Continuous

C.3 Change the voice in the following sentences: 

 a) Save the Earth.

b) Money has been saved by us to buy a new house.

c) The new mall has been inaugurated by the Chief Minister..

d)   Please maintain silence in the examination hall.

 C.4 Rearrange the following words to make meaningful sentences :  

 (b) human travellers/ animals/ maps/ unlike/ have/ do not

 (c) to travel/ are known/ tigers and lions/ miles/ water/ in search of

 (d) the sun/ also used / they/ as/ and stars/ a compass

 C.5 Given below is a set of instructions for making strawberry smoothie. On the basis of  the instructions complete the following paragraph. 

Steps:-

a) Take  strawberry pulp and sugar

b) Mix them nicely using a mixer-grinder.

c) Add a cup of smooth yogurt and ice-cubes into this mixture.

d) Blend all the ingredients well.

e) Pour the smoothie into tall glasses.

f) Arrange a straw with a strawberry fan and serve immediately.

Strawberry pulp and  sugar  (a)_________.They  (b)__________nicely in a mixer-grinder.  Yogurt and ice-cubes (c)_____________ to this mixture. All the ingredients (d)_________ well.  The smoothie (e)__________into tall glasses. A straw (f)_________with a strawberry fan and is served immediately.