Telangana SCERT 8th Class English Guide Telangana State Unit 1C A Letter to a Friend Textbook Questions and Answers.
TS 8th Class English Guide Unit 1C A Letter to a Friend
Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
How did Suresh and Ramesh spend their childhood ?
Answer:
Suresh and Ramesh spent their childhood playing in the garden, in the moon light, swimming in the local tank in their village and listening to fairy tales told by their grand parents. They used to play gilli-danda, hide and seek and kabaddi.
Question 2.
Why did Ramesh’s family move to the city ?
Answer:
Ramesh’s family moved to the city because he and his wife got jobs in the city.
Question 3.
What change did you observe in Ramesh ?
Answer:
City life made Ramesh’s life very busy. His life has been mechanised. He has forgotten his family also. He hardly finds time to spend with his family. He works with computers, thinks like a computer and lives like a computer. The world remains unheeded. He feels life is very disgusting.
Question 4.
Do you think Ramesh is happy in the city? Why ?
Answer:
No, I don’t think Ramesh is happy in the city. He wrote a letter to his friend Suresh regretting his busy city life and recollecting his village’s happy life. Ramesh is working in a software company in Hyderabad as a Computer Programmer. He is married and has a child. He hardly finds time to spend with his family members.
Question 5.
What made Ramesh write to Suresh ?
Answer:
A vexed busy city life made Ramesh write to his friend Suresh.
He lost the sweet moments he had spent in his village along with his friend Suresh. The city life is very disgusting. The world remains unheeded. This made Ramesh remember and share their childhood days with his friend. Ramesh wrote to Suresh because he was unable to meet Suresh during his visit to Hyderabad last week.
Project Work:
Question.
Observe any five families in your neighbourhood and draw your conclusions, advantages and disadvantages of living in a joint / nuclear family.
Answer:
I observed five families in my neighbourhood. I came to the conclusion that there are many advantages of living in a joint family instead of living in a nuclear family.
In a joint family there is good support and understanding among all the family members to help one another.
To meet both ends meet, every family member can be a part of the family earnings. They can share rights and responsibilities, so as to improve themselves and their family.
In a nuclear family, if any trouble arises there is none to support. There is no moral support. One has to fight the problems alone. One loses the sweetness of human relations, the care and love.
A Letter to A Friend Summary in English
Ramesh wrote to his friend Suresh that he was unable to meet him when Suresh visited Hyderabad the previous week. He expressed his joy recollecting how they enjoyed in Manikonda village during their childhood days. He informed Suresh that he was working as a computer programmer in a software company in Hyderabad. His wife was working as a system analyst. They used to keep their child at the baby care centre. He said that they were disgusted with their work. They were living like frogs in the well. He recollected his school days. He also recollected his uncle bringing toys and aunt giving new dress to him for Dasara.
He felt sad that he missed the taste of real life.
Glossary:
1. grating : making a rattling sound
2. wrinkled : folded
3. disgusting : disliking strongly
4. unheeded : did not pay attention
Section – A : Reading Comprehension :
Read the following passage from ‘A Letter to a Friend’.
How happy we were in our school! We used to sit in the same row, did all the work together and took part in the events. I remember how Padmanabhaiah Sir, our class teacher,appreciated us when we got the first prize in District Science Fair. I remember how we went on a picnic to Koil Sagar. There we went boating. Our tour to Srisailam was memorable. Still I remember the green hills full of trees that almost touched the sky!
I remember the roaring of the Krishna River at the dam. There is nothing here! I wonder at my child’s silence. He always sits in front of the computer and plays games, never caring for anyone. I remember the happy moments when our uncle visited us. He brought toys and fruit for us. Our aunt brought me a new dress for Dasara. How we enjoyed Deepavali! Still I hear the sound of crackers, I can see the rockets flying into the sky making the night full of light! Where are those days? My child doesn’t know his uncle or aunt. For him, uncle and neighbour are the same.
Sometimes I think of our childhood days. I think of grandparents, uncles, brothers, sisters …….We missed them. We missed the joy of the family. We missed their company. We are missing many things in this busy life.
Suresh, I don’t know where those gardens have gone, those fairy tales, those fruit, those words of love and affection. We have lost our real life in this unreal world.
Anyhow I am happy that I have found time to write to you. Please come to me. Let’s remember our childhood days of joy.
(Q. 1 – 5) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Question 1.
Who does ‘we’ refer to in the opening line? ( )
A) Kumar and Shiva
B) Raghu and Mahesh
C) Suresh and Naresh
D) Suresh and Ramesh
Answer :
D) Suresh and Ramesh
Question 2.
Who was Padmanabhaiah?
A) The headmaster
B) The incharge headmaster
C) A clerk
D) The class teacher of the two friends
Answer :
D) The class teacher of the two friends
Question 3.
In the line ‘there is nothing here!’ ‘here’ refers to ……..
A) A city
B) A village
C) A town
D) A hamlet
Answer :
A) A city
Question 4.
Deepavali is ………..
A) The festival of colours
B) The festival of crackers
C) The festival of lights
D) The festival of the children
Answer :
C) The festival of lights
Question 5.
Who wrote the letter to whom ?
A) Ramesh wrote the letter to Suresh.
B) Suresh wrote the letter to Ramesh.
C) The teacher wrote the letter to the students
D) Padmanabhaiah wrote the letter to Naresh.
Answer :
A) Ramesh wrote the letter to Suresh.
(Q.6 – 10) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 5 × 2 = 10 M
Question 6.
How did Suresh and Ramesh spend their childhood?
Answer :
Suresh and Ramesh spent their time playing together in their garden happily. They played gilli-danda, hide and seek and kabaddi. They listened to fairy tales narrated by their grandfather. They went for swimming in their local tank every Sunday.
Question 7.
Why did Ramesh’s family move to the city ?
Answer :
Ramesh was educated. He went to the city in search of a well-paid job. So, Ramesh’s family moved to the city.
Question 8.
What change did you observe in Ramesh ?
Answer :
During his childhood, Ramesh would spend his time playing in the garden and open spaces. But now his life was restricted to the apartment where he had no room to play.
Question 9.
Do you think Ramesh is happy in the city ? Why ?
Answer :
No, I don’t think Ramesh is happy in the city. The reason is, he is leading a very busy life there. He missed the joy of the family.
Question 10.
What made Ramesh write to Suresh ?
Answer :
When Suresh came to the city, Ramesh was unable to meet him because he had a meeting in his office. So, Ramesh wanted to apologise to his friend for his inability to meet him. This made Ramesh write to Suresh.
Read the following poem.
The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest.
And I must seek for mine.
The moon like a flower
In heaven’s high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.
Farewell, green fields and happy grove,
Where flocks have took delight:
Where lambs have nibbled, silent move
The feet of angels bright;
Unseen they pour blessing
And joy without ceasing
On each bud and blossom,
And each sleeping bosom.
They look in every thoughtless nest
Where birds are covered warm;
They visit caves of every beast,
To keep them all from harm:
If they see any weeping
That should have been sleeping,
They pour sleep on their head,
And sit down by their bed.
(Q. 11 – 12) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 2 × 1 = 2 M
Question 11.
The evening star rises when ……..
A) the birds leave their nests
B) it is midnight
C) it is dawn
D) the sun descends in the west
Answer :
D) the sun descends in the west
Question 12.
Here, ‘bower’ represents ………..
A) A potted plant
B) A framework that supports climbing plants
C) A bouquet of flowers
D) A flower vase
Answer :
C) A bouquet of flowers
(Q. 13 – 16) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 4 × 2 = 8 M
Question 13.
What does the poet compare the moon to?
Answer :
The poet compares the moon to a flower.
Question 14.
Why do angels come down to the earth?
Answer :
The angels come down to the earth to give blessings and joy.
Question 15.
Why is the birds’ nest described as thoughtless?
Answer :
The birds’ nest is described as thoughtless because the occupants are asleep without any care.
Question 16.
Identify the figure of speech used in the line ‘In heaven’s high bower’.
Answer :
The figure of speech used in the line ‘In heaven’s high bower’ is metaphor.
Section- B : Vocabulary and Grammar :
(Q. 17 – 21) Read the following passage focusing on the parts that are underlined and answer the questions given at the end. Write the answers in your booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Laxman was a hardworking washerman ………. (17). His day always ………… (18) began early. First, he cleaned up his little shack ……….. (19), then he fed the stray ……. (20) dog he had picked up from the street. After that, he have prepared ……….. (21) a small meal for himself.
Question 17.
The plural form of the underlined word is …………
A) men
B) washermen
C) washermens
D) washermans
Answer :
B) washermen
Question 18.
The antonym of the underlined word is …………
A) ever
B) never
C) rarely
D) frequently
Answer :
B) never
Question 19.
The meaning of the underlined word is ………….
A) a palace
B) a building
C) a garden
D) a small hut
Answer :
D) a small hut
Question 20.
What part of speech is the underlined word?
A) adjective
B) pronoun
C) noun
D) adverb
Answer :
A) adjective
Question 21.
Replace the underlined part with its correct from.
A) prepare
B) prepares
C) prepared
D) has prepared
Answer :
C) prepared
(Q. 22 – 26) Complete the following passage choosing right words from those given below it. Each blank is numbered, and for each blank four choices (A), (B), (C) and (D) are given. Choose the correct answer from these choices and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Whenever you go trekking or walking ……… (22) a marsh, remember to watch ………… (23) for leeches. Leeches look ………… (24) earthworms but they are a nuisance. They cling ……….. (25) the body of a human being or an animal and (26) blood from it.
22. A) on
B) in
C) with
D) through
Answer :
D) through
23. A) at
B) out
C) but
D) closely
Answer :
B) out
24. A) as
B) like
C) at
D) into
Answer :
B) like
25. A) to
B) onto
C) on
D) at
Answer :
B) onto
26. A) take
B) absorb
C) suck
D) release
Answer :
C) suck
(Q. 27 – 31) Read the following passage. Five sentences are numbered. Each numbered sentence has an error. Find the error and write the correct sentences in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
27. ‘Who is that?’ Amma say again. ‘Who is that in a car ?’
28. ‘It’s me,’ Gopi said. ‘I had to come from Thiruvananthapuram.
29. I thought I should drop into seen you, Amma:’
30. ‘What is your Amma? What is her name?
31. Where does she lives ? Is it far from here?”‘No, it is quite near.’
Answer :
27. ‘Who is that ?’ Amma said again.
28. I had to come to Tiruvananthapuram.
29. I thought I should drop in to see you.
30. Who is your Amma?
31. Where does she live?
Section – C : Conventions of Writing :
(Q. 32) Read the following passage carefully and supply the punctuation marks (. , ? ” “) and capital letters, wherever necessary. Also correct the spelling of the underlined word. 5 M
so boss, he whispered. They acepted him placidly and he fetched some hay for each cow and then got the milking pail and the big milk cans
Answer :
“So, boss,” he whispered. They accepted him placidly and he fetched some hay for each cow and then got the milking pail and the big milk cans.
Section – D : Creative Writing :
(Question – 33) :
A) Observe the following picture and write 10-12 sentences about it. 12 M
Answer :
A young boy with his Mother at Market :
This is a picture of a fruit market. There are two fruit stalls. A young boy is at the first fruit stall. It is filled with fresh pineapples. The shopkeeper is involved in business. A balance is hanging down in the front of the stall. It seems that the lady bought some fruit and is walking towards the next stall asking her son to collect the remaining amount from the vendor. He is now collecting the same from the vendor. The second stall has mangoes and a balance to weigh them. The shopkeeper of the next stall is eagerly waiting for the customer. He is expecting that the lady will make a purchase.
(OR)
B) The school going teenagers of today can be seen talking and playing on cell phones for hours together in buses, on bikes while riding, at colleges, schools, on roads etc. Thus, students are wasting their precious time and neglecting their studies and sometimes even risking their lives and others’ lives also due to accidents.
You feel it is a bad habit.
Now, write a letter to the editor of the newspaper on the disadvantages of unnecessary use of mobiles. Give a few suggestions on controlling the usage of mobiles. You may use the following hints.
- parents supervision should be there.
- time limit
- schools and colleges should be treated as ‘no mobile zones’.
- heavy fine on use of mobiles on school / college campuses.
Answer :
XXXX,
D. No. 4-9,
Vanasthalipuram,
Hyderabad.
Dt: XX.XX.XXXX
The Editor,
The Hans India,
Hyderabad.
Sub : Disadvantages of unnecessary use of mobiles by students.
Sir,
I am a resident of Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad. I am a regular reader of your august newspaper. Through your reputed daily, I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned towards disadvantages of unnecessary use of mobiles by students.
Today’s school going students are wasting their precious time in talking and playing games on cell phones for hours together in buses, on bikes while riding, at colleges, schools, on roads etc. It is due to the mobiles that students are neglecting their studies and sometimes even risking their lives and others’ lives also in accidents.
Parents should supervise their children properly and guide them towards the right path. Limited time should be spent on using mobiles. Cell phones should be banned at schools and colleges. In case a student uses a mobile in school or college campus, he or she should be fined heavily.
I hope this column would awaken the students and motivate them towards their dream. Thanking you, Yours truly,
Prakash.
(Question – 34) :
A. Imagine you are the headmaster of Z. P. High School. Independence Day is coming up. Now, prepare a notice on the occasion of this historic event for your school notice board. 8 M
Answer :
Z. P. HIGH SCHOOL, RAJAPETA
NOTICE
Date : XX.XX.XXXX
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
All the staff members and students are hereby informed that the 68thIndependence Day celebrations begin at our school at 7: 00 a . m. on 15 th August.
The programme is as follows :
1. Students assemble at 7:00 a.m.
2. Flag hoisting at 7: 15 a.m.
(by Sri Venkaiah, a veteran freedom fighter)
3. Speeches by students and teachers
4. Prize distribution
5. Cultural activities
6. Sweet distribution
7. Speech by the Chief Guest
8. Vote of Thanks by
Mr. Rajesh, English teacher
Sd/-
Sundhar
SUNDAR
(Headmaster)
(OR)
B. Design a poster highlighting preventive measures of earthquakes.
Make use of the following points in your answer:
- What the poster is about (topic)
- Layout
- Who made the poster
Answer :
Earthquakes
The Deadliest Hidden Enemies of Man.
You cannot stop them; You cannot foretell them
But when they come, what should be done?
Take refuge in a corner of the room where you are.
- Keep away from a building if you are outside in open.
- If you are sitting at a table, immediately get under it.
- Keep away from electrical poles or live wires.
Issued in public interest by : Lion Club, Sardar Patel Road, Bathinda.
Additional Exercises :
Section – A : Reading Comprehension
(Questions 1 – 10)
EXERCISE – 1
Read the following passage from “The Tattered Blanket”.
‘Do you know my son, Gopi ?’ Amma asked him. ‘He is in Delhi… a Government officer. He has Kesariyogam…. He draws a salary of two thousand five hundred rupees. Do you know him ?
“Yes, I know him.”
“Tell him to send me a blanket. There is a cold mist in the mornings. If I catch cold it doesn’t leave me for a long time. Tell him to send a blanket, won’t you ? A red one. I had a blanket, the one he brought for me when he was studying in Madras. It is all tattered now, just a ball of knotted yarn. Tell him to send me a red blanket, will you ?” ‘I’ll tell him’, he nodded.
‘Please don’t forget to tell him. The mist is not good for me. I think I’ll stretch myself out for a bit. I have been sitting too long in the armchair. I have a pain in the neck’.
Gopi’s sister put Amma to bed and came back to the veranda.
‘You didn’t come to see Amma, did you ?’
‘Delhi is too expensive. You know I have four children to look after now. I can’t make both ends meet with my salary. And one has to keep up one’s status. It will be a great help if I can raise some money by selling my share of the family property. I came to talk it over with you.’
‘You’ll sell your land and go away with the money. I know you won’t come here anymore after that.’
‘Don’t say that. I’ll come when I get time.’
‘Your time!’
(Q. 1 – 5) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Question 1.
Who serves as a Government officer in Delhi ?
A) Amma
B) Gopi
C) Kamala
D) Vimala
Answer :
B) Gopi
Question 2.
Who is ‘I’ in the line – “I’ll come when ‘I’ get time’?
A) Gopi
B) Ramesh
C) Kamala
D) Suresh
Answer :
A) Gopi
Question 3.
‘Mist’ means ………
A) Ice
B) Snow
C) Fog
D) Rain
Answer :
C) Fog
Question 4.
What type of son is Gopi?
A) An irresponsible son
B) A responsible son
C) An ideal son
D) A true son
Answer :
A) An irresponsible son
Question 5.
The cost of living in Delhi is ………
A) expensive
B) very expensive
C) so expensive
D) too expensive
Answer :
D) too expensive
(Q.6 – 10) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 5 × 2 = 10 M
Question 6.
The mother could not remember Gopi. Do you think Gopi remembered his mother? What does it suggest ?
Answer :
Gopi did not remember his mother. He came to see her after five years. The purpose of his visit was to ask his sister to sell his share of property for getting money. It suggests that Gopi wants money but not human relationships.
Question 7.
Why did Amma want a blanket ?
Answer :
Amma wanted a blanket because there was a cold mist in the mornings. Moreover, her old blanket was tattered.
Question 8.
Explain the expression ‘make both ends meet’.
Answer :
The expression ‘make both ends meet’ means to earn just enough money.
Question 9.
Why did Gopi visit his mother ?
Answer :
Gopi visited his mother for his share of property as the cost of living in Delhi was too high. His salary of two thousand five hundred rupees was not enough to take care of his family.
Question 10.
If you were Gopi’s sister, how would you respond to his behaviour?
Answer :
If I were Gopi’s sister, I would express my anger over his selfish attitude. I would never allow him to sell his share of property.
EXERCISE – 2
Read the following passage from “A Letter to a Friend”.
This is Ramesh. I apologise for not meeting you during your visit to Hyderabad last week. Unfortunately, I had a meeting in my office. I remember how we enjoyed our childhood days in Manikonda village. Every day we played together in our garden. Our family was very big. There were twelve members in our family. I remember how we played in the moon light.0ur grandma used to give us fruits and biscuits. Our grandpa used to tell us fairy tales, about the princes, warriors and the village boys…….
Now I am working at Microsoft, a software company, Hyderabad, as a Computer Programmer. I am married and we have a child. My wife works at Dell, Hyderabad as a System Analyst. You know city life is quite busy. We start in the morning; leave our child at the baby care centre and come back in the evening with faded faces. We hardly find time to sit together. How disgusting! We work with computers, think like computers and live like computers. We have forgotten our family.
(Q. 1 – 5) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Question 1.
Who wrote this letter?
A) Ramesh
B) Paramesh
C) Naresh
D) Suresh
Answer :
A) Ramesh
Question 2.
Who had a meeting?
A) Suresh
B) Lokesh
C) Rajesh
D) Ramesh
Answer :
D) Ramesh
Question 3.
The meaning of the word ‘apologise’ is ………
A) to say thanks
B) to request
C) to say sorry
D) to blame
Answer :
C) to say sorry
Question 4.
Ramesh has …….
A) two children
B) one child
C) three children
D) many children
Answer :
B) one child
Question 5.
Where is Ramesh living now?
A) In Delhi
B) In Mumbai
C) In Chennai
D) In Hyderabad
Answer :
D) In Hyderabad
(Q.6 – 10) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 5 × 2 = 10 M
Question 6.
Who is the letter addressed to ?
Answer :
The letter is addressed to Suresh.
Question 7.
How is Ramesh related to Suresh ?
Answer :
Ramesh and Suresh are childhood friends.
Question 8.
Why was Ramesh unable to meet his friend ?
Answer :
Ramesh was unable to meet his friend because he had a meeting in his office.
Question 9.
How many members are there in Ramesh’s family now ?
Answer :
There are three members in Ramesh’s family now.
Question 10.
What is Ramesh’s wife?
Answer :
Ramesh’s wife works as a System Analyst at Dell, Hyderabad.
EXERCISE – 3
Read the following poem.
I cannot remember my mother, only sometime in the midst of my play a tune seems to hover over my playthings, the tune of some song that she used to hum while rocking my cradle.
I cannot remember my mother, but when in the early autumn morning the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air, the scent of the morning service in the temple comes to me as the scent of my mother.
I cannot remember my mother, only when from my bedroom window I send my eyes into the blue of the distant sky, I feel that the stillness of my mother’s gaze on my face has spread all over the sky.
– Rabindranath Tagore
(Q. 1 – 5) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
Question 1.
What did the poet’s mother do while rocking the cradle?
A) Dance
B) Fight
C) Sing with closed lips
D) Cry
Answer :
C) Sing with closed lips
Question 2.
Which season is mentioned in the poem ?
A) Summer
B) Winter
C) spring
D) Autumn
Answer :
D) Autumn
Question 3.
Pick out the pair of rhyming words.
A) Mother – gaze
B) my – sky
C) only – on
D) used – cradle
Answer :
B) my – sky
Question 4.
The meaning of the word ‘scent’is
A) Flower
B) Sweet
C) Perfume
D) Unpleasant smell
Answer :
C) Perfume
Question 5.
What floats in the air?
A) Shiuli flowers
B) The scent of the shiuli flowers
C) The scent of the rose flowers
D) The scent of the morning service
Answer :
B) The scent of the shiuli flowers
(Q.6 – 10) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 5 × 2 = 10 M
Question 6.
How does the poet feel the presence of his mother?
Answer :
The poet feels his mother’s presence in whatever he does and wherever he goes. He feels her presence when he is playing and when the scent of the shiuli flowers comes floating in the air. He also feels the stillness of his mother’s gaze when he looks at the blue sky.
Question 7.
What do you understand from the statement – ‘I cannot remember my mother’?
Answer :
The statement – ‘I cannot remember my mother’ tells us that the poet is unable to recall the exact face or the features of his mother because she passed away when the poet was very young.
Question 8.
Does the poem convey sadness? If yes, pick out the suggestive expressions.
Answer :
The poem conveys sadness. The expression – ‘I cannot remember my mother’ repeated in every stanza tells us that the poet is so sad that he does not remember his mother and he misses her a lot.
Question 9.
We all love our mother, don’t we? We love her because of certain qualities. Think and write about her qualities.
Answer :
A mother has unconditional love for her child. She loves her child without expecting anything in return. She is always there to take care of the child and always works for his physical and mental well being. She makes many sacrifices for her child.
Question 10.
Why is the mother great?
Answer :
The mother is great because she works 24 / 7 with no breaks. Her job requires wisdom, intelligence, patience, skill, physical labour and strength.
Additional Exercises :
(Questions 11 – 16)
EXERCISE – 1
Read the following passage.
All the housewives who went to the Kalpatharn supermarket in Bangalore had one great ambition: to be lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping. For this was what the notice just inside the entrance promised. It said, “Remember, once a week, one of our customers gets free goods. This may be your lucky day!”
For several weeks Mrs. Batliwala hoped, like many of her friends, to be the lucky customer. Unlike her friends, she never gave up her hope. Her kitchen was full of things which she did not need. Her husband failed to dissuade her. She dreamed of the day when the manager of the super market would approach her and say : “Madam, this is your lucky day. Everything in the basket is free.”
One Saturday morning, Mrs. Batliwala finished her shopping and left the super market. But soon she discovered that she had forgotten to buy powder tea. She rushed back, got the tea and went towards the cash-desk. As she did so, she saw the manager of the supermarket come up to her.
“Madam,” he said holding out his hand, “I want to congratulate you! You are our lucky customer and everything you have in your basket is free!”
(Q. 11- 12) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 2 × 1 = 2 M
Question 11.
The housewives who went to the super market were
A) rich
B) hopeful
C) lucky
D) greedy
Answer :
B) hopeful
Question 12.
Mrs. Batliwala’s friends felt
A) that she would certainly win the free offer
B) that she would never win the free offer
C) that they would each win the free offer
D) that they would never win the free offer
Answer :
C) that they would each win the free offer
(Q. 13- 16) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 4 × 2 = 8 M
Question 13.
Why did the manager hold out his hand ?
Answer :
The manager of the supermarket held out his hand in order to congratulate the lucky customer Mrs. Batliwala. She was the lucky winner of that week.
Question 14.
What did Mr. Batliwala want ?
Answer :
Mr. Batliwala wanted his wife to stop buying useless things.
Question 15.
Why did Mrs. Batliwala rush back ?
Answer :
Mrs. Batliwala rushed back to get tea because she discovered that she had forgotten to buy tea powder.
Question 16.
What message does the writer want to convey through this passage ?
Answer :
The writer wants to convey the message that greed brings grief and don’t expect anything for which you did not work.
EXERCISE – 2
Read the following poem.
I build walls
Walls that protect,
Walls that shield,
Walls that say I shall not yield
Or reveal
Who I am and how I feel.
I build walls
Walls that hide,
Walls that cover what’s inside,
Walls that stare or smile or look away,
Silent flies,
Walls that even block my eyes
From the tears I might have cried.
I build walls
Walls that never let me
Truly touch
Those I love so very much.
Walls that need to fall!
Walls mean to be fortresses
Are prisons after all.
(Q. 11 – 12) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 2 × 1=2 M
Question 11.
The poet uses “Walls” as a
A) Metaphor
B) Alliteration
C) Simile
D) Personification
Answer :
D) Personification
Question 12.
The expression ‘silent lies’ in the second stanza implies
A) Walls make one hide one’s true feelings
B) Walls lie silently around all of us
C) Walls are silent
D) Walls are liars
Answer :
A) Walls make one hide one’s true feelings
(Q. 13 – 16) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 4 × 2=8 M
Question 13.
Why is it not a good idea to have these ‘walls’?
Answer :
It is not a good idea to have these ‘walls’ because they act as a prison.
Question 14.
Walls built to protect us ultimately turn into a prison. What is it a good example of ?
Answer :
Walls built to protect us ultimately turn into a prison is a good example of paradox.
Question 15.
What are the walls in the poem made of ?
Answer :
The walls in the poem are made of hidden feelings and thoughts.
Question 16.
What happens when walls act as a protection ?
Answer :
When walls act as a protection they surrender to strong feelings.
EXERCISE – 3
Study the table carefully.
Subjects
(Q. 11 – 12) Now, answer the following questions. Each question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 2 × 1 = 2 M
Question 11.
How many marks did Gouri score in English ?
A) 150
B) 62
C) 75
D) 78
Answer :
C) 75
Question 12.
Who secured the highest score in Maths ?
A) Ankita
B) Bakul
C) Himani
D) Deepali
Answer :
B) Bakul
(Q. 13 – 16) Answer the following questions in one or two sentences in your own words. 4 × 2 = 8 M
Question 13.
What does the above table show ?
Answer :
The above table shows the percentage of marks obtained by different students in different subjects.
Question 14.
Who got better marks in Biology – Chaitanya or Himani?
Answer :
Himani got better marks (72) in Biology.
Question 15.
In which subject(s) did Gauri score the lowest marks ?
Answer :
Gouri scored the lowest marks in Hindi and Maths.
Question 16.
How many marks did Deepali score in Physics and Chemistry together?
Answer :
Deepali scored 135 marks in Physics and Chemistry.
Section – B : Vocabulary and Grammar
(Questions 17 – 21)
Read the following passages focusing on the parts that are underlined and answer the questions given at the end. Write the answers in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
EXERCISE – 1
For many of us, school holidays are the happiest ……… (17) time of the year. No exams, no teachers, yes ……….. (18) books, no lessons, no classes! But where ……… (19) if you didn’t have a school to go to? In many places around a ……… (20) world, poor children, especially girls, cannot ……… (21) attend school.
Question 17.
The comparative degree of the underlined word is
A) happy
B) happily
C) happier
D) happyer
Answer :
C) happier
Question 18.
Replace the underlined word with a suitable word.
A) new
B) no
C) knew
D) old
Answer :
B) no
Question 19.
Replace the underlined word with a suitable word.
A) what
B) who
C) whose
D) when
Answer :
A) what
Question 20.
Rewrite the underlined word with a suitable article.
A) an
B) no article
C) the
D) zero article
Answer :
C) the
Question 21.
The short form of the underlined word is
A) canot
B) can’t
C) could not
D) couldn’t
Answer :
B) can’t
EXERCISE – 2
Days passed, and the tea pluckers which (17) walked past their home always had reports about the panther. It had been seen near the workshop (18). The previous night, it was heard whimpering near the cattle shed of the school headmaster (19). Yet, no dogs disappeared (20), nor were any cattle attacked. That was a mystery (21).
Question 17.
Replace the underlined word with a suitable word.
A) whom
B) whose
C) those
D) who
Answer :
D) who
Question 18.
The underlined sentence can also be expressed as
A) It was seen near the workshop.
B) The people had seen it near the workshop.
C) The people were seeing it.
D) The people have seen it.
Answer :
B) The people had seen it near the workshop.
Question 19.
The underlined word is a
A) compound noun
B) compound adjective
C) compound preposition
D) complex noun
Answer :
A) compound noun
Question 20.
The prefix of the underlined word is ……
A) ed
B) appear
C) dis
D) mis
Answer :
C) dis
Question 21.
The synonym of the underlined word is ……
A) fact
B) file
C) secret
D) celebration
Answer :
C) secret
EXERCISE – 3
My grandfather (17) died on the day I was born, so I don’t (18) remember him at all. He is (19) a scientist studying climate change. Although my grandfather was studying the slow effects of climate change, he died from (20) one of its effects. The rest (21) of my family was at the hospital waiting for me to be born.
Question 17.
The feminine gender of the underlined word is …..
A) grandfathers
B) grandchild
C) grandmother
D) grandparents
Answer :
C) grandmother
Question 18.
The full form of the underlined word is …..
A) does not
B) doesn’t
C) didn’t
D) do not
Answer :
D) do not
Question 19.
The correct be form of the underlined word is ……
A) am
B) was
C) were
D) has
Answer :
B) was
Question 20.
The part of speech of the underlined word is ….
A) noun
B) preposition
C) pronoun
D) adjective
Answer :
B) preposition
Question 21.
The synonym of the underlined word is …..
A) relaxed
B) free
C) remaining
D) entire
Answer :
C) remaining
(Questions 22 – 26)
Complete the following passage choosing the right words from those given below it. Each blank is numbered, and for each blank four choices (A), (B), (C) and (D) are given. Choose the correct answer from these choices and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. 5 × 1 = 5 M
EXERCISE – 1
John Amos is a salesman. He …… (22) from door to door selling vacuum cleaners.
On his first day of work, he decided to sell his goods by ……. (23) on the doors of a private housing area.
“My first customer,” he thought as he ……. (24) the doorbell of the first house. A middle aged woman ………. (25) curlers in her hair opened the door. John began to ……….. (26) who he was and the product he was selling. The next minute, the door was slammed shut.
22. A) gone
B) go
C) goes
D) going
Answer :
C) goes
23. A) knocking
B) breaking
C) opening
D) closing
Answer :
B) breaking
24. A) press
B) presses
C) pressed
D) pressing
Answer :
C) pressed
25. A) from
B) with
C) besides
D) at
Answer :
B) with
26. A) explained
B) explains
C) explaining
D) explain
Answer :
D) explain
EXERCISE – 2
Going to parties can be fun and enjoyable. If you are invited to a party, do call your host up early to …….. (22) him whether you will be able to attend. If you want to ……….. (23) along someone who has not been invited along with you, you should ask for ………. (24) first. Remember to ……. (25) appropriately for the party. You will stick out like a …….. (26) thumb if you are dressed formally whereas everyone else is in T-shirt and jeans. If you are not sure of what to wear, do ask your host.
22. A) inform
B) indicate
C) invite
D) insult
Answer :
A) inform
23. A) take
B) carry
C) bring
D) acompany
Answer :
C) bring
24. A) invitation
B) attention
C) permission
D) situation
Answer :
C) permission
25. A) eat
B) dress
C) drink
D) welcome
Answer :
B) dress
26. A) sour
B) soar
C) sore
D) soul
Answer :
C) sore
EXERCISE – 3
Someone knocked on my door one night when I was reading. I opened the door and came face to …… (22) with a strange man. He was ……… (23) a pair of black spectacles and a tuxedo, ………. (24) was rather unusual, especially in this warm climate. In his ……… (25), he held a cane. It occurred ………. (26) me that I had seen this man before but I could not recall when or where.
22. A) head
B) face
C) top
D) bottom
Answer :
B) face
23. A) wearing
B) keeping
C) putting
D) looking
Answer :
A) wearing
24. A) who
B) whom
C) which
D) those
Answer :
C) which
25. A) brain
B) hand
C) wrist
D) mouth
Answer :
B) hand
26. A) for
B) to
C) with
D) from
Answer :
B) to
(Questions 27-31)
Read the following passages. Five sentences are numbered. Each numbered sentence has an error. Find the error and write the correct sentences in your answer booklet. 5 × 1=5 M
EXERCISE – 1
I remember the happy movement …….. (27) when our uncle visited us. He brought toys and fruit to us. …….. (28) Our aunt brought me a new dress for Dasara. Why …….. (29) we enjoyed Deepavali! Still I hear the sound of crackers, I can see the rockets flying into the sky making the night full of bright! …….. (30) Where are those days ? My child don’t …….. (31) know his uncle or aunt. For him, uncle and neighbour are the same.
Answer :
27. moments
28. for
29. How
30. light
31. doesn’t
EXERCISE – 2
Now I am working in ……. (27) Microsoft, a software company, Hyderabad, as a Computer Programmer. I am marriage ……. (28) and we have a child. My wife works at Dell, Hyderabad as a System Analyst. You know city life is quite lazy ……… (29). We start in the morning; leaving …….. (30) our child at the baby care centre and come back in the evening with faded faces. We hardly find time to sit together. How disgust. ……. (31) We work with computers, think like computers and live like computers. We have forgotten our family.
Answer :
27. at
28. married
29. busy
30. leave
31. disgusting
EXERCISE – 3
‘Amma is often like this this ……. (27) days. She don’t ……. (28) recognize anybody,’ Gopi’s sister explained. ‘But sometime …….. (29) her memory is quite sharp. Then she asks me if you have sent any letter. I tell her everything is fine from …….. (30) you, Vimala and the kids. What is the point of telling her that you haven’t written for as …….. (31) year? Poor thing! I wouldn’t dream of making her unhappy.’
Answer :
27. these
28. doesn’t
29. sometimes
30. with
31. a
EXERCISE – 4
I cannot remembered (27) my mother, but when at $(\mathbf{2 8}$ ) the early autumn morning the smell of the shiuli flowers float (29) in the air, the scent (30) the morning service in the temple come (31) to me as the scent of my mother.
Answer :
27. remember
28. in
29. floats
30. of
31. comes
EXERCISE – 5
I remember Why (27) we played gilli-danda, hide and seek and kabaddi. We went for swimming in our local tank on (28) every Sunday. Here we live in a (29) apartment where there is no room to play. Our flat are (30) our world, just like a well for a frog! (The world remains unheed (31.)
Answer :
27. how
28. every Sunday 29. an
30. is
31. unheeded
Scetion – C: Conventions of Writing
(Question 32)
Read the following passages carefully and supply the punctuation marks (., ! ? ” “) and capital letters, wherever necessary. Also correct the spellings of the underlined words. 5 × 1 = 5 M
EXERCISE – 1
now, ladies and gentlemen, said the magician, having shown you that the cloth is absolutely empty I will proced to take from it a bowl of gold fish.”
Answer :
“Now, ladies and gentlemen,” said the magician, “having shown you that the cloth is absolutely empty, I will proceed to take from it a bowl of gold fish.”
EXERCISE – 2
The fourth man said I noticed that those footprints were not only smaller but depper and so i concluded that the woman was pregnant
Answer :
The fourth man said, ‘I noticed that those footprints were not only smaller but deeper and so I concluded that the woman was pregnant.’
EXERCISE – 3
‘I will try to come’ said Hiramantota. And I have one favour to ask you. will you allow me to carry back to my master a speciman of the fruit of immortality which grows in these forests?
Answer :
‘I will try to come,’ said Hiramantota. ‘And I have one favour to ask you. Will you allow me to carry back to my master a specimen of the fruit of immortality which grows in these forests?’
Section – D : Creative Writing (Discourses)
(Question – 33)
A) Read the following poem:
If a tree could talk, what would it say?
“Don’t chop me down, just walk away.”
If a river could talk, what would it say?
“Don’t dump in trash, throw it away.”
If the air could talk, what would it say?
“The factories must learn to keep smoke away.”
If the animals could talk, what would they say?
“Help us to live, we wish to stay.”
If the Earth could talk, what would it say?
“Protect me by making every day Earth day!
Now choreograph the above poem. While writing the choreography script keep the following details. 12 M
Title
Theme
Instances of the theme
Locations
Characters involved
Sequence of actions
Answer:
Title of the poem : IF A TREE COULD TALK
Themes of the poem :
1) The plight of natural things
2) The appeal made by natural resources
Instances :
1) The tree pleads the wood cutter not to chop it down and just walk away.
2) The river requests mankind not to dump trash in it and throw it away.
3) The air appeals to factories that they must learn to keep smoke away.
4) The animals beg hunters to help them to live as they wish to stay.
5) The earth urges mankind to protect her by making every day, Earth day.
Setting : Forest, river, factories, earth, tree, animals, air, mankind
Sequence of actions :
Scene-1 :
The chorus enters the stage and creates the atmosphere of a forest.
A wood cutter is seen with an axe in his hand.
The tree pleads him not to chop it down and just walk away.
Scene -2 :
The chorus enters the stage and creates the atmosphere of a river.
A worker is seen with a bin of trash.
The river requests him not to dump in trash and throw it away.
Scene – 3
The chorus enters the stage and creates the atmosphere of pollution in the surroundings of factories.
A lot of smoke mixes with the air.
The air appeals to factories that they must learn to keep smoke away.
Scene -4
The chorus enters the stage and creates the atmosphere of a jungle.
A hunter is seen with a deadly weapon.
The animals beg the hunter to help them to live as they wish to stay.
Scene -5
The chorus enters the stage and creates the visual image of the earth.
People are seen destroying the ozone layer.
The earth urges mankind to protect her by making every day, Earth day.
(OR)
B. Look at the picture given below that shows children crossing a stream to attend school during flood.
Write a news report on the picture.
Answer :
Flood poses problem to school kids
(Pooja Mehra)
Alampoor, 20th November, 20XX: The incessant rain lashed Alampoor. As a result, the Tungabadra River has swollen. One of the sides of the strong reservoirs collapsed due to the power of the water. So the storage water gushed out of it into the village. The whole village was submerged under filthy rain water. The flood water blocked all the streets.
There was flood even after the heavy rain. But three school kids are least worried about the flood. In an attempt to reach school which is across the stream, they have made a small boat to cross the stream and reach school. But the terrible thing is, they are too small to understand the danger in crossing the water body. Anyway, they got a boat and are sitting on the boat too uncomfortably. Moreover, they are carrying heavy bags on their back which is not at all advisable. They are unable to look at the path ahead of them. It is too tough for them to ride. However, they are riding on and reaching the bank. They have been managing to attend school on the boat for the past two days. The innocent children’s life is at risk. Anything can happen to them at any time. They are living very dangerously.
The collector said that the state Government has already taken necessary immediate measures to redress the situation. He added that some special boats will be arranged for the students to attend their school without any difficulty. But such signs are not visible in the village.
The people of the flood-affected village are living in the grip of fear. All the parents are concerned about the safety of their children whom they love very much. The flood affected victims are eagerly waiting for instant and timely help from the Government and also welfare organisations.
(Question – 34)
A. Design a poster on the prevention of ‘pollution’. 8 M
Answer:
(OR)
B. Read the following information about Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Prize recipient. Now write a biographical sketch of Tagore.
Points to be covered : Details of the person
Date and place of birth : rich and cultured family at Jorasanko in
Kolkata – May 7, 1861
Parents : Maharshi Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Debi
Versatile qualities : writer, painter, poet, philosopher, novelist, educationist, singer, storywriter, essayist
Notable works : Geetanjali, Rabindra Sangeet, Amar Shonar Bangla, Ghare -Baire
Notable awards : Nobel Prize in literature
Demise : 7 August, 1941 in Kolkata
Answer :
Rabindranath Tagore :
Rabindranath Tagore was born in a rich and cultured family at Jorasanko in Kolkata on May 7, 1861. His parents were Maharshi Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Debi. He began writing poems from his very childhood. He was a writer, painter, poet, philosopher, novelist, educationist, singer, story writer, essayist and what not. His important works include Geetanjali, Rabindra Sangeet, Amar Shonar Bangla and Ghare -Baire. The National Anthem of India, Jana Gana Mana, was composed by this patriotic poet. In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature for English version of “Geetanjali”. This great personality passed away on 7 August, 1941 (aged 80) in Kolkata.