Class 9 - English (Communicative) Paper (2010)- Partly Solved

Class - IX
SA-I test Paper (2010)

ENGLISH (Communicative)

Maximum Marks : 80                                                                        Time : 3 hours

The question paper is divided into four sections :
                              Section A : Reading 20 Marks
                              Section B : Writing 20 Marks
                              Section C : Grammar 20 Marks
                              Section D : Literature 20 Marks




General  Instructions :1.All questions are compulsory.
2.Marks are indicated against each question.
3.An additional 15 minutes time has been allotted to read this question paper only.

Section A

(Reading 20 Marks)

1.Read the passage carefully :

(5 Marks)

 "BREATHING UNDERWATER"

Water was extremely important to Adam windsong as he grew older because of his ability to breathe in it.  This was something he kept secret. That traumatic time when he had been surprised while perfecting his technique in the bath after his dunking  in the lake had caused torrents of tears from his mother, an almighty  row between her and his father, and the sudden arrival of an ambulance officer who had thumped his chest, pinched his nose, and breathed into his mouth with  his own, which smelled of cigarettes and pizza.  He remembered all this.   Had he not been too young to talk he would have told them all that he was perfectly okay, just practising. But it was enough to make him realise that underwater breathing was an art that was neither common nor easily understood.

Because of the secrecy involved it was not even an especially useful art.  He chose not to make his ability widely  known, and had, with  just one or two exceptions, resisted the temptation  to show off.   While a fifth  grade student at Cardigan Bay Primary School he did win the under- 11 fifty metre breast stroke event at the annual swimming Carnival by diving  in and not resurfacing until  he reached the other end, but he was subsequently disqualified  when the sports master,  IVAN  GALBRAITH,  ruled that breaststroke was not an underwater   event.  This was despite the fact that all the judges had declared Adam's swimming style and kick, at least what they could see of it from the surface, to be impeccable.

Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate option from the ones given below:

(a) Why did ambulance officer thump Adam's chest and pinch his nose ?

(i)  He believed that Adam had drowned.
(ii) He wanted to help Adam to correct his technique.
(iii)He was punishing Adam for making his mother cry.
(iv) He was teaching Adam's parents what to do in future.

(b) Approximately how old was Adam when he realised he could breathe underwater?
(i)  ten years old
(ii) five years old
(iii)older than 11 years old
(iv) younger than two years old

(c)Why did Adam keep his ability to breathe underwater a secret ?
(i) It got him into trouble with  his parents.
(ii)He realised that this skill was unusual.
(iii)It was a skill that was not particularly useful.
(iv) He did not want the ambulance officer to be called again.

(d)What happened to Adam at the Swimming Carnival ?
(i) He had first place taken away from him.
(ii) The sports master praised his swimming  technique.
(iii) He used the wrong swimming  style and lost the race.
(iv) The school cheered when he swam the whole length underwater.

(e) The word  'IMPECCABLE'  means.
(i) stylish
(ii) perfect
(iii) creative
(iv) beautiful

Answers:
(a) He believed that Adam had drowned.
(b) ten years old
(c) He realised that this skill was unusual.
(d) He had first place taken away from him.
(e) perfect

2. Read the following passage carefully:                                                                                  (Marks 5)

                                                                 "The Boat Tragedy"

The boat tragedy occurred  within  400 feet of my house. I went to see the boat, only the rear cabin was above water.  A man who stood next to me said that the boat must have sunk because there were too many people in it.  I was told that a lady saved five people from drowning.  I thought it was a courageous act someone said that the driver  was dead drunk.  Navy divers reached the scene only after 30 mts. They lifted eleven dead bodies within  half an hour. One of the onlookers said that more than 50% of the people swam to safely.  I felt that the authorities were careless. It may take at least a month to lift the boat from the water.  A man in the crowd referred to the loss of rice and other condiments which would  have been stored  in the boat by the travellers. Fortunately there were no children in the boat.

Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate option from the ones given below:-
(a)Where did the tragedy occur ?

(i)The tragedy occurred within 400 feet of the writer's house.
(ii)The tragedy occurred after 400 feet of the writer's house.
(iii)The tragedy occurred behind 400 feet of the writer's house.
(iv)The tragedy occurred after 400 mtr. of the writer's  house.

(b)How did the boat sink ?

(i)Because of authorities carelessness.
(ii) Because rice and condiments were stored in it.
(iii)Because the driver was drunk.
(iv)There were too many people in it.

(c) A lady saved how many people from drowning ?
(i) 50% of the people from the boat?
(ii) Only 5 people from drowning?
(iii) Eleven people from drowning.
(iv) Thirty people from drowning.

(d) The authorities were:-
(i) Courageous
(ii) Sincere
(iii)Careless
(iv) Dutiful

(e) What was stored in the boat ?
(i) Sacks of rice were stored.
(ii) SaiLers food and drinking water.
(iii) Rice and condiments were stored.
(iv) Only condiments were stored.

Answers:
(a) The tragedy occurred within 400 feet of the writer's  house.
(b) Because of authorities carelessness.
(c) Only 5 people from drowning.
(d) Careless
(e) Rice and condiments were stored



3.    Read the following poem carefully :                                                                       (5 MARKS)

           A CHILD'S PET
When I sailed out of Baltimore,
With twice a thousand head of sheep,
They would  not eat, they would  not drink,
But bleated over the deep.
Inside the pens we crawled each day,
To sort the living  from the dead;
And when we reached the Mersey's mouth,
Head  lost five hundred head,
That had no fear of man or sea,
Struck through the bars its pleading face,
And I stroked it.
And to the sheep-men standing near,
"You see", I said , "this one tame sheep ?"
It seems a child has lost her pet,
"And  cried herself to sleep." And
every time we passed if by, Sailing
to England's Slaughter- house;
Eight ragged sheep - men - tramps training and thieves
Would stroke that sheep's black nose.

                                  (William   H. Davis)

Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate option from the ones given below:-
(a) How many sheep were there at the start of the journey ?
(i) There were one thousand sheep at the start of the journey.
(ii) One thousand five hundred were there at the start of the journey.
(iii) Only two thousand were there at the start of the journey.
(iv) Only five hundred were there at the start of the journey.

(b) How many sheep were left at the end of the journey ?
(i) One thousand five hundred were left.
(ii) Six hundred were left.
(iii) Two thousand were left.
(iv) One thousand were left.

(c) Explain the phrase 'pleading  face'.
(i) Describe sheep's feature.
(ii) blunt features.
(iii) face which has an expression as if begging for it's life.
(iv) Expressionless face.

(d) Explain "one sheep that had no fear of man and sea".
(i) Very brave and courageous.
(ii) No fear of death.
(iii)Do not know what is going to happen.
(iv) She is little lamb and innocent like a child and therefore, it had no fear of man or sea.

(e) Words stanza I - sheep - deep Words stanza II - dead - head are the examples of :-
(i) Rhyming scheme
(ii)Refrain
(iii) Rhyming words
(iv)Simile

Answers:
(a) Only two thousand were there at the start of the journey.
(b) One thousand five hundred were left.
(c) face which has an expression as if begging for it's life.
(d) She is little lamb and innocent like a child and therefore, it had no fear of man or sea.
(e) Rhyming words

4.    Read the following passage carefully.                                                                    (5 marks)

One afternoon my neighbour's children were playing hide and seek in the street just outside the postoffice.  Young Raju, who is only five years old, found the perfect place to hide.  His sister, Radha, had shut her eyes and was counting up to ten when Raju noticed that the small metal door of the letter box had been left open.  The postman had just taken all the letters out and had gone into the post office to see if there were any parcels. Raju climbed into the letter box and pulled the door from inside so hard that it locked.  Upon realizing  what he had done, he became very frightened  and started crying.  Meanwhile, Radha was looking for him everywhere but could not find him. It was lucky she happened to stop outside the letter box and hear her brother's cries.  She immediately  ran to tell the postman who hurried  out to unlock the  metal door.  Raju was now free, but he had such a fright  that he could not stop crying.  The postman, however, soon found a way of making him laugh again.  He told him that next time he wanted to enter a letter- box, he should remember to stick a stamp on himself.

Answer the following questions by selecting the most appropriate option from those given below:
(a) What were the children playing outside the post office ?
(i) They were playing kho - kho.
(ii) The children were playing hide and seek.
(iii) They were playing football match.
(iv) They were playing cricket.

(b) Where did Raju hide ?
(i) In his house.
(ii)Behind the post-office ?
(iii) Inside the post-office ?
(iv) Inside the letter-box.

(c) How did Raju get inside the letter box ?
(i) The postman left the letter box door open, Raju climbed the letter box and got into it through the open door.
(ii) His friends locked him there.
(iii)Radha, his sister locked him there.
(iv) He himself broke the lock of the letter-box and entered in.

(d) Where was the postman ?
(i) He was inside the post-office.
(ii) He was outside the post-office.
(iii) He was behind the post-office.
(iv) He had gone to deliver the post.

(e) "Feeling of fear " which mean the same.
(i) scarcity   
(ii) fearful
(iii) fright   
(iv) coward

Answers:
(a) The children were playing hide and seek.
(b) Inside the letter-box.
(c) The postman left the letter box door open, Raju climbed the letter box and got into it through the open door.
(d) He was inside the post-office.
(e) fright

                                                           SECTION - B
                                                     (Writing - 20 Marks)

5.   Write a biographical sketch of NETAJI SUBHASH  CHANDRA BOSE using the given verbal clues.    (80 words)                                                                                           (4 marks)

              SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

(a) Date and place of Netaji's birth  January 23, 1897 at Cuttack.
(b) Early Education
(c) Higher Studies
(d) Selection in ICS
(e) Influences :
  (i) Swami Vivekananda
  (ii) Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das

   Important  positions :
   (i) President of All  India Trade Union Congress
   (ii) Mayor of Calcutta
   (iii) President of the Indian Congress.

(f)     Foundation of Azad Hind  Fauz July 5, 1943
(g)    Martyrdom - 1945 in an aircrash.

6. You are Secretary of Nehru Nagar Welfare Society, Meerut.  You have recently read the following News headlines in one of the leading news paper. As your colony people are facing severe shortage of water supply, you feel like writing an e-mail to the Editor, national daily expressing your problems and giving solutions too. The format of e. mail is given.                                                 (8 marks)


7.Rita has come across the following news clippings and feel like writing an article, for her school Magazine on the topic "Role of English in today's life." Write this article on behalf of Rita not using more than : (150 words)                                                                                                    (8 marks)



                                                                     SECTION - C                                                               (Grammar - 20 Marks)

8.Complete the following passage by choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given below. Write the answer in your answer sheet.                                                         (4 marks)

Many people make use if their free time to help others.  They are called Volunteers. Maggie goes to a zoo ___(a)___  Saturday where she is a Volunteer.  She has to get up very early and drive to the zoo. During  the winter  it is still dark and cold when she arrives  ____(b)___    her destination . Her favourite animals are the pandas  ____(c)___   were gifts from the Chinese government. She is always delighted  ___(d)___    she offers help to their keeper.

(a) (i) one   (ii) last    (iii) every    (iv) either
(b) (i) at    (ii) in      (iii) to       (iv) for
(c) (i) they  (ii) what    (iii) those    (iv) which
(d) (i) when  (ii) unless  (iii) so that  (iv) and then

Answers:
(a)    Every
(b)    At
(c)    Which
(d)    When

9. Edit the following letter by choosing the correct option from the options given below(marks 4)
23 Civil Lines
Gwalior
16th April 20XX

My dear Ravi

I thank for your letter __(a)__ told me to be your pen friend. I read it again and again and enjoyed it well I have always ___(b)___ want to write to someone in India.
My name is John and I'm  eleven. I ___(c)___ lived in Warwick  Shire which is about 30km from London.   I live with my parents and a sister Suzie who is fifteen. I also have a  ___(d)___ small brother who is three years.
I ___(e)___ visit  to a city school and I'm in standard 6. I don't like studies much. ___(f)___ But
I'm very good at rugby. Photography is my second best interest.
I ___(g)___ could stop now.  I hope you will  write me a long teller ___(h)___ ask me all about you and your family.

Yours Sincerely
John


      (i)              (ii)          (iii)                 (iv)
(a) asking        ask          tell                telling
(b) wanting     wished    desire            wanted
(c) live            living       lived             staying
(d) old             younger   youngest       older
(e) go              went         going            will  go
(f) Because     Hence       However      whenever
(g) shall          should       can               will  be
(h) told           asked         telling          request




Answers:

(a) asking
(b) wished
(c) live
(d) younger
(e) go
(f) however
(g) should
(h) telling