QUESTION PAPER : CLASS : 9
SECOND TERMINAL EXAMINATION
2014 - 2015
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
Total no. of pages : 19
NAME:______________________
CLASS/DIV : 9 F,G
ROLL NO.: __________________
MAX. MARKS : 80
DATE : _____________________
DURATION : 2 Hrs 30 Mins
Q. No.
Marks
SECTION A : (PROSE)
(READING SKILLS, VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR)
Answer all questions in section A
Q.1.A SEEN PROSE PASSAGES
1
Read the following passage and do the activities.
1
a) Fill in the blanks and rewrite the sentences.
(i) Study of amphibians and reptiles is called -------------------------.
(ii) The writer went to meet-----------------------------.
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b) Choose the word from the passage given which means
(i)The person who spoils the enjoyment of others is ---------------------(ii)The snake they had caught was the Common Krait also known
as-------------
Over the past few months I have been assisting some
young friends who are budding h e r p e t o l o g i s t s . Herpetology,
for the uninitiated, is the study of amphibians and reptiles. In
order to introduce them to 'herping' (slang for the search of herps);
I took them out to a nearby forest at night.
My friends were excited and wanted to know how many
snakes they will get to see. Not wanting to play spoilsport, I
gently broke the news to them that 'herping' was tough, arduous
work, with only chance encounters with snakes. Sure enough, we
did get to see a few frogs that night, but no snakes.
A few days later, I got a call from them- We have caught a
snake!' I went over to meet them, and sure enough, they had
caught a slender black snake with pairs of white bands across the
body. 'Who caught It and how?' I asked. One of my young friends
replied, well, we saw the snakes in our courtyard in a corner. A
great Commotion followed, we surrounded the snake, and I caught it
with my bare hands!' Whoops! The snake they had caught was the
Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus).
My young friend was fortunate. The Common Krait's bite can be
fatal. It is one of the four venomous snakes found in urban India,
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QUESTION PAPER : CLASS : 09
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along with Spectacled Cobra, Russel's Viper, and the Saw-scaled
Viper. Despite the recklessness of my young colleagues, the
whole incident taught us a lesson-most venomous snakes do
not unnecessarily bite humans the They might do so if
threatened, but otherwise, most snakes will just slither away
harmlessly.
The Krait looks very similar to the Common Wolf Snake,
which is a common, docile and non-venomous snake that often
enters homes. Kraits, too, enter homes occasionally, and people
mistakenly handle it, assuming that it is not venomous. The only
way to be absolutely certain is to examine the scales on the back
of the snake. Unlike the Common Wolf Snake, the Common Krait
has hexagonal scales along its back.
2a.
Name the four venomous snakes found in India.
b.
What did the snake that was caught look like?
3a.
1
1
In order to introduce them to 'herping', I took them out to a
1
nearby forest at night.( Rewrite as a complex sentence)
b.
4a
Fill in the correct verb
Someone -------- provoked the snake.( has/have)
1
Form adjectives from-
1
(i) Friend
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(ii) study
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b
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(i)
5
1
Give synonyms of
docile
(ii) occasionally
What lesson about snakes did the recklessness of the young friend
2
teach others?
Q1 B Read the following passage and do the activities.
1
2
Pick out words from the passage for
a) wonderful
b) to aim
c) score
d) improves
(Ria Shah caught up with tabla wizard Zakir Hussain for a chat
about music and more)
Your online presence through Facebook and your website
must help connect to you….
I am on Facebook? My office must be doing that. The Internet is
an incredible tool. I can find out what my fans want to tell me and
what they want me to fix in my presentation so that I will be dear
to them for a longer period.
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You have scored music for films “For Real” and “Mr. and
Mrs. Iyer”. Why not for more films?
It's entirely my fault. When you want to do a Bollywood film, you
have to be there with the director to finalise the song, lyrics and
recordings. In the time it takes to do one film, I do 50 concerts. I
remember when Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Hari Prasad
Chaurasia used to score for Yash Chopra's films; we would be on a
tour in Amsterdam. They would get a call and cancel concertsto get
back to Mumbai! I am hoping someone tells me: "I want you to
record a song next year in September. Can you find time?” Then I
can plan my move. I don't actively look for films scores; I do
whatever comes my way. Rahul Bose asked me to do the music for
"For Real". I was coming to India for the winter; so it worked out. I
am very lucky that only people who like my work have approached
me.
Why does music stand apart from other aspects of a film?
Music has a strong part to play in films. To me the important part
is the background score. Songs sell the movie; the background
score enhances the act. It acts as a spine for the film.
Your message for artists who dream to become like you.
I don't think anybody should become like me. One day somebody
asked my dad if I would be like him. He said, 'I hope he is better
than me. He should not be my carbon copy but something more.'
Similarly, others should strive to be better than me. If you are
accepting me as your role model and not your parents then
something is wrong. Think about it.
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2a
How does the Internet help Zakir Hussain?
1
b
What was Pandit Zakir Hussain‟s reaction to the question about
facebook?
1
1
3a
One day somebody asked my dad if I would be like him. (Pick out
the Subordinate Clause and state its function)
b
I don't actively look for films scores.( rewrite as affirmative
1
sentence)
Noun
Adjective
Verb
2
4
father
_______
____________
__________
__________
remember
Should you go about copying and emulating your parents as
5
suggested by Pandit Zakir Hussain ?
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Q II A Read the following passage and do the activities.
1
2
(i)Select the synonym of abundance from the given optionsa)not enough
b)plentifulness
c) boundary
d) frugal
(ii)Give an antonym of extinct from the given options
a)extant
b)not surviving
c)vanished
d)defunct
Endangered Animals
Africa was once filled with an abundance of wild animals. But that
is changing fast. One of these animals, the black rhinoceros, lives
on the plains of Africa. It has very poor eyesight and a very bad
temper! Even though the black rhino is powerful, and can be
dangerous, its strength can‟t always help it to escape hunters.
Some people think that the rhino‟s horn has magical powers, and
many hunters kill rhinos for their valuable horns. This has caused
the black rhino to be placed on the endangered species list.
The elephant seems to represent all that is strong and wild in
Africa. It once had no natural enemies, but is now endangered—
killed for its ivory tusks.
Imagine Africa without the powerful rhino, the gentle, intelligent
elephant, or the lightning quick cheetah. Once they are gone, they
are gone forever.
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QUESTION PAPER : CLASS : 09
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The fastest land animal, the cheetah, also lives in Africa. It, too, is
becoming extinct as people take over more and more of the land that
is the cheetah's natural habitat.
Unfortunately, it is people who cause many of the problems that
animals face. We alter and pollute their habitats. We hunt them for
skins, tusks, furs, and horns. We destroy animals that get in the way
of farming or building. And we remove them from their natural habitats
and take them home as pets.
It‟s time we realise that the world is made up of many living things,
and each thing is dependent on the others to survive. If we allow even
one species on Earth to become extinct, it has an impact on other
living things and changes our world. When we mention any
endangered wild animals, let‟s hope that we never again have to say,
"Gone forever."
2a
Which adjectives are used to describe the elephants?
b
Form nouns from
Pollute
3a)
1
1
survive
Cheetah is the fastest land animal.(change to positive degree of
1
comparison)
b)
Humans alter and pollute their habitats. We hunt them for skins,
1
tusks, furs, and horns.(rewrite using not only----- but also)
4
Why should we save all endangered animals?
2
5
How are the people causing many of the problems that animals face?
1
( write two reasons)
6
How does the author feel about the fate of endangered animals?
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QII B Read the following passage and do the activities.
1
Choose the correct answer (Write the complete sentence)
(i)
As used in paragraph 1, the word attraction most nearly means
2
A. sense
B. park
C. ride
D. vision
(ii)
As used in paragraph 2, which is the best antonym for complex?
A. impressive
B. beautiful
C. exciting
D. simple
(iii)
This passage was most likely written to
A. describe the author‟s favourite amusement park rides
B. explain the original design of Ferris wheels and how they work
today
C. describe the history of Ferris wheels and why they are so popular
D. explain the history of Ferris wheels and why the author likes them
(iv)
Using information in the passage, the reader can understand that the
tallest Ferris wheel in the world is
A. Singapore high
B. in Singapore
C. Singapore Flyer
D. Singapore rise
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QUESTION PAPER : CLASS : 09
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Everyone has a favourite attraction at an amusement park, and I
am no different. However, unlike most people who seem to prefer
roller coasters, my favourite ride is a little more gentle.
The Ferris wheel is simple and yet also quite complex. That is,
riding it is easy, but how it works is complicated. A series of carts are
attached to a wheel, which is attached to a rim. That rim rotates
vertically around an axis, and gravity keeps the carts upright. As
simple as the ride seems, only advanced engineers can make safe
and fun Ferris wheels.
What It Lacks in Thrills…
While the Ferris wheel is not as thrilling as a rollercoaster, it is still
very exciting. The fact of being high in the air makes it so much more
entertaining than a lot of rides. I mean, how often do you hang from
that high up in daily life?
Nevertheless, I have to admit, I don‟t seek Ferris wheels out
because of their excitement. Rather, I find them very relaxing. At the
top of the Ferris wheel, you get beautiful sights of the park. You also
get a sense of calm that you don‟t get in the hustle and bustle of the
park below.
Additionally, Ferris wheels are also gorgeous to look at when
they are lit up at night. In fact, the original Ferris wheel was designed
as much to be seen as to be ridden.
They Keep Reaching Higher and Higher
The first Ferris wheel was made by and named after George
Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. He designed it for the Chicago World‟s
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Fair in 1893. The largest in the world is the "Singapore Flyer.”
Today, the Ferris wheel is the most common amusement
park ride. But that does not mean you should take them for granted.
Instead, be thankful for Ferris‟ invention. The next time you‟re at an
amusement park, don‟t just look up at the impressive wheel in the
sky on your way to a newer attraction.
2a
1
Why the writer does seek out the Ferris wheel in the amusement
park?
b
Who made the first Ferris wheel and in which year?
1
3a
The Ferris wheel is the most common amusement park ride.
1
(Rewrite as an interrogative sentence)
b
I said to my friend, “Ferris wheel gives the best views of the
1
town.”(Change the voice)
4
The writer says,” But that does not mean you should take them for
2
granted.” Why the Ferris wheel should not be taken for granted even
though they are the most common ride in any amusement park?
5a
b
Pick out a word/ phrase from the passage for:
(i)
remarkable
(ii)
busy and noisy
1
Make noun from
(i)
simple
(ii)
grant
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SECTION B : (POETRY)
Answer all questions in section B
QIII
A
Read the following poem and do the activities.
1.
Name and explain the figure of speech in the following lines-
a.
„...when everything stands still‟
b.
„Your heart begins to race‟
2
Fear at The Top
by Bernard Howe
There seems to be a moment
when everything stands still.
Your heart begins to race,
as you look down the hill.
With the ski poles by your side
as you try to lose your fear.
Making one more gut check
you hope it's not too severe.
With the new snow blowing
as the wind goes whistling by.
You hope to make it down
as you turn to say goodbye
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Your adrenalin starts to pump
as you push off down the hill.
And all of your emotions build
into this heightened thrill.
Then as you reach the bottom
and your heart rate settles down.
Then you get this big smile
as you slowly turn around.
2.
What were the poet‟s feelings when he pushed off the hill and when
he reached the bottom of the hill?
2
3.
Write two pairs of rhyming words from the lines given above.
1
III B
1.
Read the following poem and do the activities.
What did nobody tell anybody?
1
Job Responsibility
Charles Osgood
But nobody told anybody that we are aware of
That he would be in charge of seeing it was taken care of.
And nobody took it on himself to follow through,
And do what everybody thought that somebody would do.
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When what everybody needed so did not get done at all,
Everybody was complaining that somebody dropped the ball.
Anybody then could see it was an awful crying shame,
And everybody looked around for somebody to blame.
Somebody should have done the job
And Everybody should have,
But in the end Nobody did
What Anybody could have.
2.
Name and explain the figure of speech in the line given below-
2
„Somebody should have done the job
And Everybody should have‟
3.
Whom do you blame for job not getting done? Why?
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IV
SECTION C : (RAPID READING)
Read the following extract and do the activities.
1.
1
He was an „A‟ class contractor well-versed with all the skills...
Well versed in the above sentence can be replaced byaware of
possessing
afraid of
Bulbul had indeed tried to explain the situation to Raja. But he
remained unimpressed. On the other hand he had thrown her a
challenge. 'Look, Sir! You get me a teacher who would demand at
least fifteen hundred rupees from Daddy for teaching me Maths
and English, I will give him the due respect, even if he cannot teach
as well. You see, the salary of my tuition master should at least be
more than what is being spent on Tiger.'
But was there any master in the town, who would ask for a
minimum of fifteen hundred per month to teach English and
Maths to a boy preparing for his Matric examinations.
Bulbul was upset over Raja‟s obstinacy. But he had logic on
his side, she thought. Daddy did have the capacity to pay that sort of
salary. He was an „A‟ class contractor well versed with all the skills
needed to corner portions of money floating about, courtesy the
five-year plans. He had spent about ten lakh rupees on weddings
of her two elder sisters. Raja was his only son. So it was hardly
difficult for him to pay fifteen hundred per month to Raja's tuition
master, more so when Raja was going to sit for his Matric
examination this year.
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But was there any tuition master who would ask for that kind of
salary? At least five hundred,no more than that...
What was the logic of Raja behind increasing his tuition master‟s
salary?
2
3. a.
How many married sisters did bulbul have?
1
b.
What was the occupation of Bulbul‟s father?
1
2.
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SECTION D : (WRITING SKILLS)
V.A.
(5)
LETTER WRITING
Write a letter to your friend who has recently lost his uncle in an
accident.
OR
You had purchased a mobile phone from the authorised dealer a
fortnight back but it has stopped working. Write a letter to the dealer
complaining about the same and asking him for a refund of money or
replacement.
V. B
REPORT WRITING OR DIALOGUE WRITING
(5)
Your school has received “the cleanest school in the city” award.
Write a report for your school magazine, Utsah as you are the school
reporter.
(Format is important) Some pointers: Date, venue, how the school
was selected for the award
OR
Two friends are discussing the influence of advertisement on the lives
of people. Write a dialogue between them, highlighting the negative
and the positive impact of advertisements, especially on school-going
and college students.
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VI. A INFORMATION TRANSFER/FACTFILE/LEAFLET
(5)
Read the following table and write a paragraph on the comparative
study between the life of people in India at the beginning of 19th
century and in the twenty-first century.
Characteristics
India in 19th century
Longevity
Less than 50 years
India in 21st
century
Around 60 years
Infant mortality
high
low
Surroundings
Open drains, unhygienic
Cleaner, covered
drains
Education
Very few had access
Available to all
Income
Barely enough to cover
People can spend
the basic needs
on things which
they desire.
OR
Prepare a tourist leaflet of a wild life sanctuary you have visited.
You may use the following points and also add points of your own
(Pointers: Name, Location, How to get there, What to see)
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QUESTION PAPER : CLASS : 09
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VI.B
Marks
(5)
SPEECH WRITING/VIEW AND COUNTERVIEW
World Laughter Day takes place on the first Sunday of May of every
year. The first celebration was on January 11, 1998, in Mumbai, India.
As you are the chosen speaker from your school, write a speech on
the „Importance of laughing‟.
OR
“Homework should be banned”( write the views of the same,
highlighting at least five points)
The following counterviews to the topic are given below:





VII
Homework encourages independent work
Homework encourages practice
Homework acts as a link between school and home work
Essential part of education
Inculcates good study habits
EXPAND( any one of the following in about 100 words)
(5)
Role of Women in Indian Society
OR
Unity in diversity
OR
Write a story starting with the line given below
.... She had found something that would mean she'd never be
poor again - but there was a catch...
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