Section A
(Reading Skills,
Grammar, Vocabulary, Note – making and Summary)
Q1. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
The special school did Chaitanya a lot of good. He was now a much more
confident person, adored by his teachers, his friends and his school staff. His
speech improved and expression became clearer. His social manners became
laudable.
Academically, he was still lagging behind the expected standard of
learning but it was okey. He started developing an all- around interest in
craft, art, music, dancing and sports.
Early in 1997-98, when he returned from state level inter- school
sports, he had two prizes to his credit and a silver medal. He had won his
laurels in athletic events and the silver medal in a running race.
When I saw the prizes and read the citation Chaitanya had received, I
was stupefied, in total disbelief, then- hugged him, kissed him and cried
unabashedly to my heart’s content. That day, I cried for the first time out of
joy and a sense of being vindicated. Without practice he had competed with
approximately 1,800 children drawn from various schools all over the state. He
was subsequently selected for the marathon race, but he could not participate
due to a healthy problem.” May be next year, he would”, I assured myself. And
I, as his proud mother, would proudly chronicle his future achievements and
success to inspire other mothers of the world.
Looking back at my own life, I feel that it is the spirit with which we
can accept our life gracefully is what matters ultimately; and it is love which
nourishes us.
Questions.:
1. What does the extract focus on? (1)
2. How Chaitanya’s mother react when she saw the prizes? (2)
3. What were Chaitanya’s achievements in sports? (2)
4. How can you help a special child like Chaitanya? (2)
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) When I saw the prizes, I was stupefied. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘No sooner…… than’)
(ii) He was still lagging behind the expected standard of learning, but
it was okay. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using ‘Although’)
(iii) He started developing an all – round interest in
craft and sports. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using infinitive form of the word underlined)
6. Find out the words / phrases from the extract which mean: (1)
(i) to take part in
(ii) surprised.
B. Grammar: Do as directed: (4)
1. One of ________ most common causes of malnutrition is
________________ unhealthy lifestyle. [Fill in the blanks with appropriate
articles] (1)
2. The police ___________ Monday arrested five men ____________ cheating
city businessmen. [Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions] (1)
3. “How did you enjoy your college picnic?” said Mohini to Meena.
“It was wonderful. I can never forget it.” [Change it into
indirect speech] (2)
Q2. A. Read the following extract and answer the questions given below. (11)
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Once upon a time the animals decided they must do something
heroic to meet the problems of a “new world” so they organized
a school. They had adopted an activity curriculum consisting of
running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer
the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects.
The duck was excellent in swimming. In fact, better than his
instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor
in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after
school and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was
kept up until his webbed feet were badly worn and he was only average in
swimming.
But average was acceptable in school so nobody worried about
that, except the duck.
The rabbit started at the top of the class in running but had a
nervous breakdown because of so much makeup work in swimming. The
squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the
flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead
of the treetop down. He also developed a “charlie horse” from
overexertion and then got a C in climbing and D in running.
The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the
climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on
using his own way to get there.
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Questions:
1. What were the special features of animal school? (1)
2. Why was the duck, an excellent swimmer, average in swimming? (2)
3. Why was the experience of the squirrel miserable? (2)
4. What efforts will you take to score good marks in your examination?
(2)
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed.
(i) The duck was excellent in swimming. (1)
(Frame a Wh – type question to get the underlined part as an answer)
(ii) The duck was better than his instructor. (1)
(Change the sentence into positive degree)
(iii) The squirrel was excellent in climbing. (1)
(Mention the function of the underlined gerund.
6. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’ (1)
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A
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B
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(i) valedictorian
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(a) feeling of annoyance
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(ii) frustration
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(b) dunce
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(c) school topper
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(d) validity
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(B) Note – Making. (4)
Read the following extract and complete the tree – diagram given below:
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The brief, bright streaks of light in the night sky are known as
meteors. Those fall all the way to the ground are called meteorites.
Meteorites can be divided into three broad categories: iron, stony – iron and
stony.
Iron meteorites are mostly made of metals nickel and iron. They are
not very common. Nearly 50,000 years ago, an iron meteorite, Canyon Diablo,
which created a crater a nearly a mile wide and 6 feet deep, known as Meteor
Crater, was found in Arizona.
Stony – iron meteorites rarely land on our planet. They are made of
iron – nickel alloy mixed with non – metallic matter similar to the outer
layers of the earth. Such a meteorite weighing more than one and a half tons
was found in Huckitta, Australia in 1924.
There are three sub – types of stony meteorites. The first is the
chondrites which make up 86 percent of meteorites. Carbonaceous chondrites
are another rare type of stony meteorites. The most famous of these fell in
Murchison, Australia in 1969. It contains evidence that life on earth did not
begin here. The last type, the anchondrites are also rare. Scientists say
that such matter was once part of Mars and our own moon.
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Q3. (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
(11)
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Dairy farming is a major livehood followed by many households in rural
areas. This includes rearing milk cattle - cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep.
There is a shortage of milk in the country as consumption in both urban and
rural areas has risen sharply.
Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to marginal
farmers and agricultural labours. They play a very important role in milk
production of the country. In 1986 - 87, about 73 percent of rural households
owned livestock. According to the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94, livestock
sector prodices regular employment to about 9.8 million persons in principal
status and 8.6 million in subsidiary status, shich constitute about 5 percent
of the total work force.
The Manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for
improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gas obtained by processing dung
is used as a fuel for domestic purposes and also for running engines to draw
water from wells. The surplus fodder and agricultural by - products are
gainfully utilized for feeding the animals. Since agriculrue is mostly
seasonal, there is a possibility of finding employment throughout the year
for many persons through dairy farming.
The milk processing inductry is a small one. Only 10 percent of all
the milk produced is delivered to some 400 dairy plants. A specific Indian
phenomenon is the unorganized secor of milkmen and vendors, which handles
around 65 - 70 percent of the national milk production. They collect milk
from local producers and sell it in both urban and non - urban areas.
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Questions:
1. What is the main theme of the extract? (1)
2. How is dairy farming beneficial for farmers besides getting milk? (2)
3. What information does the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94
provide? (2)
4. How, according to you, can dairy farming improve the financial
condition of farmers? (2)
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) The gobar gas obtained by processing dung is used as fuel. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence begining with 'People…………')
(ii) The consumption of milk in both urban and rural areas has risen
sharply. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using the past perfect tense)
(iii) The milk processing inductry is a small one. (1)
(Make is a complex sentence)
6. Form the antonyms of the following words by adding perfixes. (1)
(i) fertility
(ii) possibility
B. Summary:
Write a summary of the above extract with the help of the following
points and suggest a suitable title: (4)
Dairy forming - major livelihood - income and employment source - uses
of dung - uses of surplus fodder - role or unorganised sector.
Section B: Poetry
Q4. (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
(4)
If you do not get lowered in your own eyes.
While you raise yourself in those of others
If you do not give in to gossips and lies
Rather heed them not, saying, 'Who bothers?"
You may be the person I am looking for.
If you crave not for praise when you win
And look not for sympathy while you lose
If cheers let not your head toss or spin
And after a set - back you offer no excuse.
You may be the person I am looking for.
Questions:
1. How does the poet expect us to react to winning and losing? (1)
2. What efforts would you take to be a good citizens? (1)
3. Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line.
"If you do not get lowered in your own eyes while you raise
yourself in those of others" (1)
4. Pick out the lines that express the expected reaction to rumours. (1)
(B) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (4)
What makes a nation's pillars high
And its foundations strong?
What makes it mighty to defy
The foes that round it throng?
It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand
Go down in the battle shock;
Its shafts are laid on sinking sand,
Not on abiding rock.
Is it the sword? Ask the red dust
Of empires passed away.
Questions:
(1) Why, according to the poet, are wealthy kingdoms unstable? (1)
(2) What aspects of life in India are you proud of? (1)
(3) Note down the pairs of rhyming words from the extract. (1)
(4) What purpose does the use of questions serve in the extract? (1)
