SECTION-A
Reading Comprehension ( Seen)
1. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow :
When the family had finished tea, and gathers round the fire, the cat casually goes out of the room. True life now begins for him: He saunters down his own backyard, springs to the top of the fence, drops lightly down to the other side. He trots across and skips to the roof of an empty shed. His movement becomes lithe and pantherlike. He looks keenly from side to side and moves noiselessly, for he has so many enemies–dogs and small boys with stones.
On top of the shed, the cat arches his back and rakes his claws once or twice through the soft bark of the old roof. He stretches himself a few times to see if every muscle is in full working order. Then, drooping his head nearly to his paws, he sends across a call to his kindred. Before long they come, gliding, graceful shadows. No longer are they meek creatures who an hour ago were mewing for fish and milk. They are now grim fighters.
A. Write the correct alternative to complete the following sentences :
(i) The family gathers round the fire —
(a) after tea
(b) before tea
(c) during tea
(d) after the cat goes out
(ii) The, cat gently walks down —
(a) the top of the fence
(b) the other side of the fence
(c) the backyard
(d) the roof of the empty shed
(iii) True life for the cat lies —
(a) in the company ofthe family members
(b) in taking part in the tea
(c) in gathering round the fire
(d) out of the four walls
(iv) The cat's enemies are ———
(a) members of the family
(b) dogs and small boys with stones
(c) his kindred
(d) the panther
(v) The cat stretches himself —
(a) on top of the fence
(b) in the backyard
(c) near the fire
(d) on top of the shed
B. Complete the following sentences with information from the text :
(ii) When true life begins, the cat's movements become __________________
(ii) The cat stretches himself to_________
(iii) An hour ago, the cat and his kindred were_______________________
C . Fill in the chart :
| CAUSE | EFFECT |
|---|---|
| a) The cat is careful about his enemies | a) |
| b) | (b) some graceful shadows arrive soon |
2. Read the text and answer the questions that follow :
Once I crept in an oakwood — I was looking for a stag.
I met an old woman there — all knobbly stick and rag.
She said : ' I have your secret here inside my little bag'.
Then she began to cackle and I began to quake.
She opened up her little bag and I came twice awake —
Surrounded by a staring tribe and me tied to a stake.
A. Write the correct alternative to complete the following sentences :
(a) The purpose of the poet's creeping into the oakwood was to —
(i) look for an old woman
(ii) look for a stick and a rag
(iii) look for his secret
(iv) look for a stag
(b) The poet's secret was kept —
(i) in the old woman's little bag
(ii) in the oakwood
(iii) under the old woman's rag
(iv) with the staring tribe
(c) The old woman began to —
(i) cackle
(ii) quake
(iii) cry
(iv) smile
(d) The poet came twice awake when —
(i) he met the old woman
(ii) she began to cackle
(iii) she opened up her little bag
(iv) he crept into the oakwood
B. Answer the following questions :
(i) What did the old woman tell the poet?
(ii) What did the poet see when he came twice awake?
Reading Comprehension [ Unseen ]
3. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Madurai, 4 Feb : A lire broke out in the premises ofthe renowned Meenakshi temple here on Friday night. affecting Vasantharayar Mandapam, an ancient hall, and reducing 40 shops to ashes. The blaze was put out in the early. hours of Saturday and devotees were allowed to offer morning prayers. The Sri Meenakshi Amman temple, one of the oldest in the country, attracts thousands of devotees.
"The hall with 1000 pillars, which houses the temple and museum, has not suffered any damage ,” District collector Veera Raghava Rao, who supervised the fire-fighting operations, told reporters. He added that a special team was formed to look into the impact of the fire on the temple. There were no casualties, the collector said. A preliminary probe revealed that the fire broke out late on Friday night because of an electrical short-circuit in one of the shops situated near a 1000 pillar hall.
About 40 shops, selling puja articles and toys, were gutted in the fire and steps were being taken to clear the area of smoke, police said.
The sculptures in the hall were saved, the temple authorities said.
A. Write the correct alternative to complete the following sentences :
(i) The fire was extinguished on—
(a) Friday night
(b) Saturday morning
(c) Saturday evening
(d) Friday morning
(ii) The shops that were reduced to ashes sold—
(a) puja articles and toys
(b) electrical goods
(c) fire-crackers
(d) machine parts
(iii) The temple museum is located—
(a) in the ancient hall that is badly
(b) outside the temple damaged
(c) inside the 1000-pillar hall
(d) inside the palace
(iv) The Sri Meenakshi Amman temple attracts—
(a) hundreds of devotees
(b) thousands of devotees
(c) only a few selected devotees
(d) no devotees
(v) The fire might have been caused due to—
(a) religious dispute
(b) burning of candles and oil lamps in the temple premises
(c) an electrical short circuit
(d) a sabotage
(vi) The source of the short-circuit was—
(a) one of the shops
(b) 1000 pillar hall
(c) Vasantharayar Mandapam
(d) 2000 pillar hall
B. State whether the following statements are True or False. Write 'T' for True and 'F' for False in the boxes on the right-hand side. Provide sentences/phrases/words in support of your answer :
(i) No devotees could offer morning prayers on Saturday.
Supporting Sentence :________________
(ii) Meenakshi temple is the oldest in the country.
Supporting Sentence :_________________
(iii) No death or injury has occurred.
Supporting Sentence :________________
C. Answer the following questions :
(a) Who was Veera Raghava Rao?
(b) What happened to 40 shops?
(c) What things remained safe?
(d) What did the investigation tell about the cause of the fire?
Sectlon-B
Grammar and Vocabulary
4. Use the proper form of verbs to fill in the blanks :
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations_____________(bar) students from ____________ (wear) smart watches during the examination. Students____________ (allow) to wear only analog watches from this year.
Do as directed :
5A. Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles and prepositions:
The girl doesn't want to stay___________ from home. She insists________ returning to__________ village where she was born.
B.
(i) Loaf about less on Sundays and you will be without a headache on Monday. (Turn into a complex sentence)
(ii) Claude and I never quarelled. (Rewrite using noun form of the underlined word)
(iii) Swami said to his father, “Have you written anything about our teacher Samuel ?”
C. Choose the correct phrasal verbs from the list given below to replace the worthdes form where Write the correct phrasal verbs in the boxes on the right-hand side changing necessary. There is one extra phrasal verb in the list
(i) He will support me
(ii) Do not despise the poor
(iii) The plan failed
(List : call on, call up, stand by, fall through, look down upon)
6. Given below are the meanings of four words which you will find in Question No. 3. Find outwords and write them in the appropriate boxes on the right-hand side.
(a) reputed
(b) investigation
(c) a place where old things of historical importance are exhibited
(d) effect
Section-C
Writing
7. Write a paragraph (within 100 words) on The habit of reading books. Use the following points:
(a good habit - books : our best friend - enriches knowledge on various subjects - makes us familiar to different aspects of life - life-long source of pleasure and inspiration - gives peace of mind in a disturbed world)
8. As the captain of your school, draft a notice (within 100 words) to invite students to participate in an Inter School Quiz Competition organised by your school. You may use the following points:
(date, venue, time of the programme - topics of the competition - group division, if any)
9. Write a letter (within 100 words) to your brother advising him to attend the morning prayer/ assembly regularly at a school.