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SECTION A : READING
Unseen Passages
1. FACTUAL PASSAGES
Read the passages given below carefully and answer the questions that
follow :
1. California pitcher plant, cobra lily is a species of carnivorous plant. This plant is
designated as uncommon due to its rarity in the field. The name “cobra lily” comes from
the resemblance of its tubular leaves to a rearing cobra, complete with a forked leafRELIABLE
ranging from yellow to purplish-green-that resembles fangs or a serpent’s tongue. The
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small entrance to the trap underneath the swollen ‘balloon’ and the colourless patches that
confuse prey trapped inside. The cobra lily is able to survive fire by regenerating from its
roots, but despite this important role the roots are very delicate organs. The cobra lily is
unique among the three species of American pitcher plants. It does not trap rainwater in
its pitcher. Instead, it regulates the level of water inside physiologically by releasing or
absorbing water into the trap that has been pumped up from the roots. Recent studies have
indicated that Darlingtonia secretes at least one enzyme that digests the captured prey.
The cells that absorb nutrients from the inside of the pitcher are the same as those on the
roots that absorb soil nutrients. This species carefully hides the tiny exit hole from trapped
insects by curling it underneath and offering multiple translucent false exits. Upon trying
many times to leave via the false exits, the insect will tire and fall down into the trap. The
slippery walls and hair prevent the trapped prey from escaping. A remaining mystery
surrounding the cobra lily is its means of pollination. Its flower is unusually shaped and
OWNand
Dcolour
LO grows on a stalk with a length similar
complex. The flower is yellowish purple in
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to that of the stalk. While pollinator has not yet been observed in action, it is generally
expected that the pollination is either a fly attracted to the flower’s unpleasant smell or
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some nocturnal insect, as no extensive
study has been performed to observe potential
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nighttime pollinators.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
(a) What makes cobra lily unique in its genre ?
(b) How did the plant get its name ?
(c) How does it catch its prey ?
(d) Is the plant capable of surviving fire ? How ?
(e) What makes the plant unique among its genre ?
(f) How does it force its prey into the trap ?
(g) What is the mystery surrounding the cobra lily ?
(2016-9GF5BV8)
(h) How is this plant honoured ?
Ans. (a) This plant is unique in its genre due to its rarity in the field.
(b) The name “cobra lily” comes from the resemblance of its tubular leaves to a rearing
cobra.
(c) The small entrance to the trap and the colourless patches confuse the prey and it
gets trapped.
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(d) The cobra lily is able to survive fire by regenerating from its roots.
(e) Cobra lily, instead of storing rainwater in the pitcher, regulates the water levels
inside physiologically by releasing or absorbing water into the trap.
(f) Trying many times to leave, the insect will tire eventually falling down into the trap.
The slippery walls and hair prevent the trapped prey from escaping.
(g) Its means of pollination is the mystery.
(h) It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
2. The earth is occasionally hit by craggy remnants of creation known as asteroids.
About 150 are known to cross the earth’s path. These lie in a loose belt between the Mars
and Jupiter like so much rubble left over from creation. The first asteroid was too faint to
be seen by the naked eye. It was discovered by an Italian monk named Guiseppi Piazzi,
working at an observatory in Palermo, Sicily. The largest found so far is about 8 km wide.
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Slamming into the earth at roughly 26 km a second, a large asteroid could explode
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with the force of a million hydrogen bombs, lofting enough pulverised rock and dust to
block most sunlight. Cold and darkness could last for months, crippling agriculture and
probably a good part of modern civilization, leading to the deaths of billion or more people
from starvation.
“The risk is real”, Dr. David Morrison of the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration’s (NASA) Ames Research Centre in California, who was co-chairman of the
study by nearly 100 scientists, said in an interview. Dr. Morrison further says that the
asteroid threat has dawned on scientists only slowly and is hard for layman to comprehend.
But the unambiguous fact, he said, is that mankind lives in a kind of cosmic shooting gallery.
Dr. Morrison says that there are clues of the asteroids in the large number of impact
craters found throughout the solar system by robot spacecraft exploring planets. There are
numerous craters found by geologists on the earth also. Some 130 have been discovered
with the list growing by five or six a year. The largest crater, which is in Ontario, is 198
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km from rim to rim.
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New awareness of asteroid impactsE has increased the appreciation of close encounters
and mysterious events. In 1908 in the Tunguska region of Siberia a cosmic object that never
reached the earth’s surface exploded inRELIABLE
the atmosphere with a force of some 20 hydrogen
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bombs. The resulting shock waves flattened
hundreds of square miles of forest area.
(a) What is the earth occasionally hit by ?
(b) Where are asteroids found ?
(c) What has made Piazzi famous ?
(d) What have the scientists realised ?
(e) How can an asteroid cause darkness ?
(f) How old are asteroids ?
(g) Who said ‘The risk is real’?
(2016-JXZCYI0, KGMBM1P)
(h) What happened in 1908 in the Tunguska region ?
Ans. (a) The earth is occasionally hit by craggy remnants of creation known as asteroids.
(b) These lie in a loose belt between Mars and Jupiter.
(c) The first asteroid, too faint to be seen by the naked human eye, was discovered by
the Italian monk Guiseppi Piazzi.
(d) They have realised that large asteroid could explode with the force of a million
hydrogen bombs.
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SECTION B : WRITING & GRAMMAR
1. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
1. Games and sports not only help us in strengthening our physical and
mental health but also in building national identity. This should be a compulsory
subject in schools to teach students the importance of participating in national
and international games. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily on this
topic in about 100-120 words, taking ideas from the MCB unit, “National
Integration” and your own ideas.
(2016-4LIA0XZ, C4GBA30)
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Ans.
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4369, Hudson lines,
Delhi.
1st January 20.....
The Editor,
The Times of India,
10, Times House,
Darya Ganj,
Delhi.
Sub. : Importance of Games and Sports
Sir/Madam,
By means of the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the kind
DOWNLOof games and sports in our health and
attention of the readers towards the importance
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building our national identity. When Ethe players participate in sports, a team spirit is
automatically cultivated among them. It helps them understand the great feeling of
brotherhood. Besides, whenever the team
wins, they feel proud of having made their
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country come out as a winner.
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I hope, my letter would be published in the daily.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
XYZ
2. In 100-120 words, write a letter to the Editor of ‘The Daily Express’,
expressing your views and recalling ideas from the MCB unit ‘Environment’ on
the topic — Lack of pure drinking water takes a toll on many lives while we waste
(2016-4R2SAH8, UEXV94K)
it unconsciously.
Ans.
19, Vijay Nagar,
Delhi.
19th June 20.....
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The Editor,
The Daily Express,
Delhi.
Sub. : Lack of Pure Drinking Water and Its Wastage
Sir/Madam,
I would like to draw the kind attention of the readers of your daily towards the lack
of pure drinking water taking a toll on many lives while we waste it unconsciously.
Conserving the wetlands, closing the taps after using them and keeping the water bodies
free of pollutants are highly essential. Besides, children should be taught the importance
of clean water and using it without wasting it.
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I hope to see my letter published in
your daily.
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Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
XYZ
3. The aim of recent Climate Change Convention between nations would
still remain a far cry unless we prove ourselves to be conscious citizens to face
this biggest challenge of Global Warming Apocalypse. Write a letter to the
Editor of a local newspaper, taking ideas from the MCB unit ‘Environment’ and
(2016-7GNP11M)
your own ideas, in about 100-120 words.
Ans.
449, Rana Pratap Bagh,
Delhi—110007
The Times of India,
Delhi.
Sub. : Global Warming
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The Editor,
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3rd March 20.....
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Sir/Madam,
Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I would like to draw the kind attention
of the common man towards the problem of the Global Warming Apocalypse. The citizens
themselves should make conscious efforts to make use of lesser numbers of air conditioners
and refrigerators, vehicles, etc. lest the CFCs emitted by them may worsen the problem.
The increasing levels of pollution worsen the problem further.
Kindly publish the letter in the daily.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
ABC
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SECTION C : LITERATURE TEXTBOOK & EXTENDED READING TEXT
(LITERATURE TEXTBOOK)
F.4. A Shady Plot
— Elsie Brown
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I. EXTRACTS BASED QUESTIONS
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions that follow :
1. And I had never found it healthy to contradict Jenkins. Jenkins always seemed to
have an uncanny knowledge as to whenRELIABLE
the landlord or the grocer was pestering me, and
he dunned me for a ghost. And somehow
I’d always been able to dig one up for him, so
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(2015-AI-3)
I’d begun to get a bit cocky as to my ability.
(a) Why couldn’t John contradict Jenkins ?
(b) What did John ‘dig up’ for Jenkins ?
(c) What does the word ‘cocky’ mean ?
Or
(a) Who was Jenkins ?
(b) Who does ‘I’ refer to here ?
(c) What does Jenkins ask the writer to do ?
Ans. (a) Jenkins always seemed to know whenever John was pestered by the landlord
or the grocer and he “dunned” him “for a ghost” in return for money.
(b) John could always ‘dig up’ a ghost story for Jenkins.
(c) ‘Cocky’ means overly confident.
Or
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(a) A publisher
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(b) ‘I’ refers to John Hallock.
(c) Jenkins asks the writer to write a ghost story.
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2. I remained silent while she lit the
lamps, thankful that her back was turned to me.
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When I am nervous or excited there is a muscle in my face that starts to twitch, and this
pulls up one corner of my mouth and gives the appearance of an idiotic grin. So far I had
managed to conceal this affliction from Lavinia.
(a) Who is ‘she’ here ?
(b) What brings a sudden physical sort of change in the narrator’s face ?
(c) What happened to the ghost at this point in the story ?
Ans. (a) ‘She’ is John’s wife Lavinia.
(b) His nervousness or excitement brings a sudden physical sort of change in his face.
(c) The ghost had evaporated.
(2016-PSTSCXT; 2015-J0LA376)
3. “So you want me to go, do you ?” she demanded.
“Sure, yes-right away! Change of air will do you good. I’ll join you presently!”
(a) Who is ‘she’ and who is the other speaker ?
(b) Why does the other speaker want her to go away ?
(c) What does ‘air’ refer to here ?
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Ans. (a) ‘She’ is Lavinia; and the other speaker is the narrator.
(b) John wanted her to go away because he didn’t want her to see the ghost.
(c) ‘Air’ means atmosphere.
4. “You are to exert your influence. Get all your friends and acquaintances to stop
using the Ouija board, and then we’ll start helping you to write.”
(a) Who is the speaker of these lines ?
(b) Who is being addressed ?
(c) Why does the speaker lay down a condition for help ?
Ans. (a) The ghost.
(b) John is being addressed.
(c) The ghost wants John to persuade his friends to stop using Ouija board because
he was fixed and exhausted by the repeated
calls of Ouija Board party.
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5. “How should I know! I wish to ENTERPRISES
heaven I’d never seen you!” I cried. “Look what
you’ve done!”
(2015-QP0ZMGZ)
(a) Who is the speaker and who is he speaking to ?
(b) Why does the speaker wish “I’d never seen you!” ?
(c) The speaker says, “how should I know” what does ‘know’ refer to ?
Ans. (a) John is the speaker. He is speaking to the ghost.
(b) Due to the ghost, the author had lost his happiness, his peace of mind and his wife.
(c) ‘Know’ refers to the knowledge of the time when his wife would get rid of the Ouija
Board.
6. “You know the funniest thing has happened,” She whispered excitedly.
(a) Who is ‘She’ ?
(b) What is the funniest thing she is referring to ?
(c) Why is she excited ?
(2014-HJHE98Q)
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Ans. (a) Miss Hinkle.
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(b) Someone had been trying to communicate with John through Mrs. Hunt’s and
Mrs. Sprinkle’s Ouija.
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(c) She was excited because the board
spelt the name of a lady ‘Helen’ trying to
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communicate with John.
7. “Is that all you’ve got to complain about ?” Lavinia enquired.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“All right then. Go back to the kitchen. You can use the board for kindling wood.”
(a) Who is ‘you’ here ?
(b) What was the complaint about ?
(c) Why does Lavinia ask her to use the board for kindling wood ? (2014-HWK0T5C)
Or
(a) Who speaks these lines and to whom ?
(b) Which board is the speaker referring to ?
(c) What is the listener’s reaction ?
Ans. (a) Gladolia
(b) She is scared of the Ouija board and ghosts, and so wants to quit the place.
(c) She says so because she wants to get rid of the board.
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(EXTENDED READING TEXT)
THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL
Letters from 16 March 1944 — 11 April 1944
1. Why does Anne frequently escape to the attic ?
(2016-4LIA0XZ, EXV94K)
Ans. Anne was very restless. She did not know how to express her feelings. She
was living in a double room with Margot and needed some time to spend alone with
herself. That was the reason she frequently escaped to the attic. There she could be by
herself. She did not want to moan about herself but wanted to think, and understand
her own feelings.
2. What did Anne and Peter discuss on the ‘most wonderful evening’ that she had in
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the ‘Secret Annexe’ ? How did the grown-ups
react when Peter and Anne spent evenings
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together in the room upstairs ?
(2015-AGLDNTN)
Ans. On Saturday, March 18, 1944, Anne had a wonderful evening as she spent time
with Peter. After the dishes were done, Anne stood by the window in his parents’ room for
a while. Soon Peter joined her. He stood on the left side of the open window, while Anne
stood on the right. Then they talked. It was much easier to talk beside the open window
in semidarkness than in bright light. She believed that Peter too had the same feeling.
Then Peter and Anne had talked to each other so much that Anne did not feel like
repeating it in her diary. However, Anne briefly describes that they talked about the
quarrels at home and the estrangement between them and their parents. Then Anne had
told Peter about daddy, mummy, Margot and about her own self. They had also talked
about how neither of them confided in their parents, how she cried her heart out in bed,
how he went up into the loft and swore and how Anne and Margot never told everything
to each other.
OWNLdisappear into Peter’s room, they made
Whenever Van Daan and Dussel sawDAnne
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feeble remarks like calling it “Anne’s second
home” or, “Is it suitable for young gentlemen
to receive young girls in semidarkness ?” Even Anne’s mummy became curious to know
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3. Which country does Anne want ENTERPRISES
to live in, after the War ?
Ans. As days rolled by at the ‘Secret Annexe’ hideout, hopes went high and low among
its inmates. Those who were in the hideouts were assisted by the volunteers of the ‘Free
Netherlands’. But things became challenging with the news of the British invasion of
Germany. From the beginning, Anne had admired the Dutch. She had the opinion that
Dutch people were good, honest and upright and would never lose their sense of right.
Anne reveals her patriotism in every opportunity she finds. Though born in Germany, she
had moved to Holland after her father went there to join a company. Naturally, Anne was
more attached to this nation. However, when news came that German Jews who emigrated
to Holland might not be allowed to return, it aggrieved her. She loved Holland, which she
called ‘beautiful country’ and even thought that it might become her fatherland. She was
thus shocked to hear that after Hitler had gone, they would have to go back to Germany
again. Anne desperately hoped that after the invasion, once the War was over, she would
go back to school to meet her old friends and pursue her studies.
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4. Anne is confused about Peter. Explain.
(2015-PEK2Z5F)
Ans. After talking her mind out to Peter, Anne felt great. They realised how different
they were from each other, how they could simply not bear each other in the beginning.
They felt the need to be with each other to share their joys and sorrows. Anne felt more
and more wonderful in being with Peter. At the same time, she could not call it the “real
love” so as to marry him. She could not even discover whether Peter only wanted to be
a great friend, or whether she attracted him as a girl or as a sister. However she was glad
when he said that she always helped him over his parents’ quarrels. This, Anne points out,
was one step towards making her believe in his friendship. His tremendous hospitable
attitude towards her made her believe that he liked to see her. Despite becoming quite
close to him, she was always in a dilemma about him. After the initial infatuation, she
wished him to take her feelings seriously. She longed for him, but called it “overRELIABLE
exaggerated”, and then negated it, showing
her confusion.
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(2015-RJ501DO)
5. Why did Anne want to be a writer
?
Ans. Anne had a passion for writing and she wanted to be a journalist. During her
stay at the Secret Annexe, she could not pursue this passion of hers for long. The atmosphere
outside and the disturbances inside made her feel utterly miserable. Later she felt that
her work must go on. She wanted to become a journalist because she knew that she could
write well. She was aware that there was a lot in her diary entries that “spoke” a lot. She
knew that a couple of her stories were good, as for example, her fairy tale ‘Eva’s Dream’.
She also knew that she was herself the best and sharpest critic of her own work. She could
even say what she had written well and what she had not. Anne also observes that
anyone who does not write does not know how wonderful it is. Anne revealed that earlier
she used to bemoan the fact that she could not draw, but then she became happy that she
could at least write. Though she had no talent for writing books or newspaper articles, she
had the satisfaction that she could always write for herself. So much was her interest in
writing, that she found it the right tool D
for
expressing
her true feelings.
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O Peter and Anne dealt with others,
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6. What was the difference between
the
ways
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especially when they were upset ?
Ans. Anne found an opportunity toRELIABLE
talk things out with Peter. When she asked Peter
in private if he would like to spend time
with her, he agreed. As they shared their ideas,
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she came to know a lot about him. She then analysed how she and Peter differed,
especially in 1942. Now, after two years, they still could not recognise themselves as the
same any more. She realised how they could simply not bear each other in the beginning.
When they met each other, Peter had thought she was too talkative and unruly. As for
Anne, she could not understand why he did not flirt with her; but then, after two years,
she was glad that he, unlike her, had isolated himself. She then told him that there was
not much difference between her noise and his silence. Like him, she too loved peace and
quiet, and had nothing for herself alone, except her diary. They talked about how
neither of them truly trusted their parents; how Peter hesitated to confide in his parents;
and how Anne would cry in bed while he would go to the loft and swear. Eventually, he
was glad that her parents had children there; so also, she was glad about his parents’
presence there.
7. “I think it’s awfully annoying, the way they ask if you have got a headache...?”
(2015-Y9OVEQH)
What does it reveal about Margot’s character ?
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PRACTICE PAPERS
Practice Paper – 1 (Solved)
ENGLISH (Communicative)
CLASS – X
Time : 3 Hours
General Instructions :
The question paper is divided into three sections :
Section A : Reading
Section B : Writing & Grammar
Section C : Literature Textbook & Extended Reading Text
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Maximum Marks : 70
20 Marks
25 Marks
25 Marks
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Section
A : Reading
(20 Marks)
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1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :
1×8=8
Vegetable oil has been known from antiquity. No household can get on without it, for
it is used in cooking. Perfumes may be made from the oils of certain flowers. Soaps are
made from vegetable and animal oils.
To the ordinary man, one kind of oil may be as important as another. But when the
politician or the engineer refers to oil, he almost always means crude oil, the oil that drives
tanks, aeroplanes, and warships, motor cars and diesel locomotives; the oil that is used to
lubricate all kinds of machinery. This has changed the life of the common man. When it
is refined into petrol, it is used to drive the internal combustion engine. To it we owe the
existence of the motor car, which has replaced the private carriage drawn by the horse. To
it we owe the possibility of flying. It has changed the methods of warfare on land and sea.
This kind of oil comes out of the earth in crude
Because it burns well, it is used as
WNform.
DOin
LO respect. Many big ships now burn oil
fuel and in some ways it is superior to Ecoal
this
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instead of coal. Because it burns brightly, it is used for illumination; countless homes are
still illuminated with oil burning lamps. Because it is very slippery, it is used for lubrication.
Two metal surfaces when are rubbed RELIABLE
together cause friction and heat. But if they are
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separated by a thin film of oil, the friction
and heat are reduced. No machine would work
for long if it is not properly lubricated. The oil used for this purpose must be of the correct
thickness; if it is too thin, it will not give sufficient lubrication, and if it is too thick, it will
not reach all parts that must be lubricated.
(a) What is the source of crude oil ?
(b) How are perfumes and soaps associated with oils ?
(c) What is the oldest known oil ?
(d) Where do we get petrol from ?
(e) What is superior to coal and why ?
( f ) What and why is oil a good lubricant ?
(g) How can proper oiling of a machinery ensure its smooth functioning ?
(h) How can oil change our lifestyle ?
Ans. (a) Crude oil is oil that comes out of the earth in crude form.
(b) Perfumes are made from the oils of certain flowers, while soaps are made from
vegetable and animal oils.
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(c) The oldest known oil is vegetable oil.
(d) When crude oil is refined, we get petrol.
(e) Crude oil is superior to coal. As it burns well, it is a better fuel than coal.
( f ) Oil is a good lubricant due to its slippery nature. It prevents friction and heat
between two metallic surfaces.
(g) Machines lubricated with oil of correct thickness will work better and for a longer
period of time due to reduced heat and friction.
(h) Crude oil has changed our lifestyle as it led to the invention of motor cars and
diesel locomotives, and aeroplanes, etc. It has also altered the means of warfare. It also
ensures proper functioning of machinery.
2. Read the passage given below :
Social View of History
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Real history should deal, not with a few individuals here and there, but with the people
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who make up a nation, who work and by their labour produce the necessities and luxuries
of life, and who in a thousand different ways act and react on each other. Such a history
of man would really be a fascinating story. It would be the story of man’s struggle through
the ages against nature and the elements, against wild beasts and the jungle and, last
and most difficult of all, against some of his own kind who have tried to keep him down
and to exploit him for their own benefit. It is the story of man’s struggle for a living. And
because, in order to live, certain things, like food and shelter and clothing in cold climates,
are necessary, those who have controlled these necessities have lorded it over man. The
rulers and the bosses have had authority because they owned or controlled some essentials
of livelihood, and this control gave them the power to starve people into submission. And so
we see the strange sight of large masses being exploited by the comparatively few; of some
who earn without working at all, and of vast numbers who work, but earn very little.
The savage, hunting along, gradually forms, a family; and the whole household work
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together and for each other. Many households
together to form the village, and
DOWcooperate
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workers and merchants and artisans ofE different villages later join together to form guilds
of craftsmen. Gradually, you see the social unit growing. To begin with, it was the
individual, the savage. There was no society
of any kind. The family was the next bigger
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unit, and then the village and the group
of
villages. Why did this social unit grow ? It
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was the struggle for a living that forced growth and cooperation, for cooperation in defence
against the common enemy and in attack was obviously far more effective than singlehanded defence or attack.
— Jawaharlal Nehru
I. Answer the following questions :
2×4=8
(a) According to the author, what is real history ?
(b) Why is man’s struggle against man the most difficult one ?
(c) What does Nehru mean by ‘man’s struggle for a living’ ?
(d) How did the rulers control common people ?
II. Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option.
1×4=4
(a) Attractive means ____________.
(i) luxuries
(ii) fascinating
(iii) beast
(iv) submission
(b) Using someone selfishly or unfairly means ____________.
(i) exploit
(ii) react
(iii) struggle
(iv) savage
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