Guess Paper – 2008

Class – IX

Subject – English

M.M 100 TIME: 3 HRS

_______________________________________________________________________

This paper consists of four sections.

Section A – Reading 20 marks

Section B – Writing 30 marks

Section C – Grammar 20 marks

Section D – Literature 30 marks

Instructions:

1. Attempt all questions.

2. Do not write anything in the question paper.

3. All the answers must be correctly numbered as in the question paper and written in the answer sheet provided to you.

4. Attempt all questions in each section before going on to the next section.

5. Read each question carefully and follow the instructions.

6. Strictly adhere to the word limit given with each question. Marks will be deducted for exceeding the word limit.

SECTION A – READING

A.1. Read the passage given below: (12 marks)

1. Decision – making is a very vital part of our lives. This is because what we are today is largely a result of the decisions we took in the past. Similarly, whatever happens tomorrow will be a result of the decisions we take in the present.

2. It is not possible to reverse the wrong decisions taken in the past but it is possible to train ourselves into becoming a good decision – maker for the future. If we don’t, we’ll end up doing what we’ve always done and thus get what we’ve always got. Philosopher Walter Kaufman has called this Decidophobia.

3. All sorts of decisions – big or small, relevant or irrelevant, conscious or unconscious – punctuate our lives. Sometimes, we don’t even relies we are taking a decision.

4. Those who avoid taking a decision leave everything to chance and float along life with a ‘what will be, will be’ attitude.

5. To enhance our decision-making, we must, first of all gather as much information as possible about the issue before we make our decision. We might be heading for a failure if our decisions are based on half-baked information.

6. If you have a set of guiding principles for your life, decision-making becomes a lot easier. For example, if you value integrity and honesty and consider them to be of vital importance, you will never waver.

7. Sometimes decisions are very difficult to make, especially when the odds seem to be against us. In this case, giving ourselves a little time to decide wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Circumstances may change with time and then it may be easier to see which action is more preferable to the others.

8. Being clear about your goals can facilitate decision-making. If we know exactly where we want to be or what we want to do in the next five years or even ten, we will decide to undertake actions which will lead us to our goals. So outline your short and long term goals in black and white.

9. Action is a vital consequence of decision-making. It is the necessary follow-up. Only when we act will we get a feedback of whether our decision has been correct or not and then we can proceed in a more focused way. So it is essential to move from the world of thought to the arena of action.

A.1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage above complete the following sentences. Write the answers in your answer sheets against the correct blank number. (8 marks)

1. The course of our life is largely determined ______________________________

2. People who suffer from ‘Decidophobia’ are unable to shape their lives because

__________________________________________________.

3. The first step towards decision-making would be _________________________

4. If your value system is clearly defined then______________________________

5. In situations where __________________________________ taking a little time to decide would be the best way out.

6. Outlining your goals can facilitate decision-making because__________________

7. Decision-making is futile if it is not ____________________________________

8. To proceed in a focused way it is essential that____________________________

A.1.2. Find words/phrases from the passage which mean the same as the following from the paragraphs indicated. Write the answers in your answer sheets against the correct blank number. (4 marks)

9. to interrupt repeatedly (Para 3)

ii) not considered carefully (Para 5)

iii) to make possible or easier (Para 8)

iv) information or statements of opinion about something that provide an idea of

whether it is successful or liked. (Para 9)

A.2. Read the following poem carefully.

The Wounded Bird

(By a young girl, Geetanjali who was very seriously ill due to cancer)

I am like a wounded bird

Perched upon a bough

My fate is hanging

As if on broken twig

I flutter and fret

Like a bird

In its maiden flight

But I fall back helplessly

Because I am paralyzed

I view the world

That passes me by

With moisture in my eyes

It’s far beyond measure

What turmoil I feel inside

When the sun sinks

My heart sinks too

And a sinister feeling

Creeps up

In a cloak of darkness.

And stays with me until…..

The sifted sunrays

Embrace me

With their warmth

And make me feel alive

My heart sings

Glory to you Oh God

For granting me

Yet another day…..

To be with my Loved ones.

A.2.1 Complete the following sentences on the basis of your reading of the poem and write your answers against the correct blank number in your answer sheets.

(8 marks)

1. The mood of the poetess in the first four stanzas changes from

a) …………………………………………………………………………. to

b) ………………………………………………………………………….

2. Geetanjali feels like a bird perched on a broken twig because:

c) ………………………………………………………………………….

3. The lines that convey Geetanjali’s helplessness are:

d) ………………………………………………………………………….

e) ………………………………………………………………………….

4. For Geetanjali darkness symbolizes (f) ……………………………………. and

sunlight symbolizes (g) ……………………………………………………..

5. The poetess thanks God for:

h) …………………………………………………………………………………

SECTION B – WRITING

B.1 You are Ashok Gupta, the President of the Nina Public School Debating Club. The members of the Club wish to hold an Inter House Debate Competition on January 20, in the school auditorium in the activities period. The topic of the debate is ‘Home work should be abolished’. Each house can send 2 speakers and each speaker can speak for 3 minutes.Write a notice for the school notice board using not more than 50 words. (5 marks)

B.2 Kesab writes a letter to his father, given below. Later he decides to send A TELEGRAM. Read the letter and draft the telegram

A127, Sec-41,

Noida

September 19 2007

Dear Father

I hope this letter finds you in the best of the health. I have to inform you that the engagement of cousin Vijay is fixed for July 9 in Mumbai. Uncle wanted you to attend the same. Mother says that you can reach Mumbai on the same date right from your tour.

We will leave for Mumbai on July 8 night and will be staying at Hotel maharani at Dadar.

You can make your schedule accordingly.

See you at Mumbai.

With regards

Your loving son

kesab

B.3 Write an article for the school magazines on the introduction of the new gadgets. Take the help of the unit “Science”.( 10)

B.4 The excessive use of the fossil fuels have disturbed the ecological balance, it has resulted on the green house effect and lot of more ecological disturbances. Using your ideas and the unit “Environment” draft the letter to the editor of the paper on your views. (10)

SECTION C -GRAMMAR

C.1. Rearrange these jumbled sentences into meaningful sentences. (4 marks)

1. are / treasures / the / of / Vedas / great / knowledge.

2. scientific / in / approach / them / the / presented / regarding / is / phenomena / amazing / natural / the.

3. unfortunate / is / golden / it / forgotten / that / we / principles / by / set / them / have / the.

4. proceeding / we / towards / are / self-destruction.

C.2. Read the conversation given below carefully, then complete the sentences that follow without adding any new information. Write your answers against the correct blank number in your answer sheets. (4 marks)

The lady of the house told Jiggs, her husband a) _________________________________

Jiggs replied b) _______________________________________________. She enquired of him c) ________________________________________________________. To this, Jiggs replied d) ________________________________________________________.

C3. In the paragraph given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. Make sure that the word that forms your answer is underlined. (4marks)

The television has always very controversial. e.g. always been very

While the positive aspects the electronic a) ______________

media innumerable, their negative b) ______________

impact children cannot be denied. c) ______________

For new piece of information that d) ______________

a child learns the Discovery or National e) ______________

Geographic channel, are also f) ______________

unrealistic stunt shows parents dislike. g) ______________

Computers and TV have students to lose interest h) ______________

in studies.

C4. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the lines. Write the incorrect word and correction in your answer sheets as given below against the correct blank number. Remember to underline the word that you have supplied. (6X1/2 = 3marks)

Children love picnics and outings of their parents e.g. of……..with

though they are equally happier doing things with a) ______________

them around the house. A parent may make b) ______________

his child feels special by following some simple c) ______________

rituals. Bedtime stories, the game of cards or d) ______________

d laugh together before going to e) ______________

bed – some give children a wonderful sense f) ______________

of well-being.

C5.Complete the following paragraph by filling in the blanks with one suitable word (5marks)

Perhaps the most important aspect of a villager’s education is (a) ……… knowledge of (b) ……… to handle and understand money. The villager, (c) ……… we have seen is accustomed to exchange of goods and services rather (d) ……… to selling and buying. He is used (e) ……… acquiring and spending cash once a year, he spends large amounts at weddings, religious rites, ceremonies. This kind of spending (f) ……… does not give him (g) ……… long-term benefits is considered mandatory, and he (h) ……… unthinkably get into debt on such occasions.

SECTION D – LITERATURE

D1. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: (4 marks)

“She springs like a beam on the brow of the tide

She falls like a tear from the eyes of a bride

Lightly O lightly we glide and we sing

We bear her along like a pearl on the string”

1. Who are ‘we’? What are they doing? (2)

2. Which words in the extract show that she is not a burden for the persons carrying her? (1)

3. Name and explain the poetic device used in the last line. (1)

D2. What choice did the poet have to make in the poem “The Road not Taken”? Does he regret his choice? Why/Why not? (4 marks)

D.3. Why are Lord Ullin’s daughter and her lover trying to escape? What fate do they finally meet? Answer in about 100 words. (5 marks)

D.4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow in your answer sheets. (5 marks)

“ You told him she was feeling poorly did you? And so my brother is to be kept out of his bed, and go without his supper because you told him she was feeling poorly. There’s gratitude for you!”

a) Who is the speaker? To whom are these words addressed? (1 mark)

b) Why is the speaker in such a foul mood? (3 marks)

c) Explain – ‘There’s gratitude for you!’ (1 mark)

D.5. State any four reasons to explain why a bond had developed between Arun and the woman on Platform No.8. Your answer should not exceed 75 words. (4 marks)

D6. Imagine yourself to be perkins and in kity’s absence you feel that you are solely responsible to have ignored through out your life. You repent and want to mend your ways and definitely make up for the lost relationship. Write a diary mentioning the feelings of longing in the absence of kity

D6