Practice Paper – TERM II (2021 – 2022)
Class – IX
English – Language and Literature (184)
Time: 2 hours Maximum Mark: 40
General Instructions:
1. This question paper is divided into three sections: (A) Reading section carries 10 marks, (B) Writing section carries 10 marks and (C) Literature section carries 20 marks.
2. Marks are indicated against each question.
3. Don’t exceed the prescribed word limit.
SECTION – A (READING)
Q.1. Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
1. Numerous studies have been undertaken which show that gardening offers many health-related benefits. The most obvious benefit of gardening is that it can be a great way to relieve stress. Work, family commitments, and social engagements are just some of the things that take up chunks of peoples’ lives. Planning the garden and then caring for the garden offers the gardener a simple and inexpensive way to unwind and relax. Gardening can help a person clear the mind.
2. Another health-related benefit of gardening is that when people tend to their gardens, they are getting exercise. Even an activity as simple as gardening can contribute towards weight loss. Gardening gets a person outdoors, exposed to natural air, and refocused on a pleasant activity.
3. Gardening also offers nutritional benefits to those who choose to plant a vegetable garden. Creating a vegetable garden is a way of ensuring that there is a continuous supply of fresh vegetables to consume. Vegetable gardeners know exactly where their produce is coming from and they also know exactly what chemicals were used to grow the produce. Eating more vegetables, and especially home-grown vegetables, is a simple way to ensure that a body is getting a proper balance of vitamins and nutrients.
4. And finally, some studies even report that people who are exposed to gardens and gardening recover more quickly from illnesses. It seems that for many people, gardening is just what the doctor ordered.
5. Gardening can be a creative experience as well. It’s one thing to throw some seeds down and then wait to see what grows. While gardening does not require that the participant have a degree in landscape architecture, a bit of planning will go a long way towards enhancing the beauty and the gardening experience overall.
6. And finally, the act of gardening teaches people the art of being patient. Unlike other activities, gardening does not produce instantaneous results. As such, a person who takes up gardening must wait for their rewards. Cut the flowers and vegetables, bring them inside and enjoy the sense of accomplishment that is gained from the benefit-rich activity called gardening!
a) What are the two most important health-related benefits of gardening?
The two most important health-related benefits of gardening are: It relieves stress and contributes towards weight loss
b). How does gardening help a person clear his or her mind?
Planning the garden and then caring for it helps a person clear his or her mind.
c) When does a person know about the chemicals used to grow vegetables he or she eats?
A person knows about the chemicals used to grow vegetables only when he or she grows it in the garden.
d) Which human quality is enhanced through gardening?
The human quality of being patient is enhanced through gardening
e) Identify the word in para 2 which means ‘obligation’.
1. engagement
2. unwind
3. stress
4. benefits
Q.2 Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Tourists to Jammu and Kashmir have another attraction – a floating post office on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, the first in the country. ‘Floating Post Office, Dal Lake’ – claimed to be the only one such post office in the world – is built on an intricately carved maroon houseboat, fastened on the western edge of the Dal Lake. This post office lets you avail of all the regular postal services available in the country while being afloat.
The seal used on everything posted from Floating Post Office is unique – along with the date and address, it bears the design of a boatman rowing a shikara on the Dal Lake. The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here carry a special design which has the picturesque scenery of Dal Lake and Srinagar city. These pictures reach wherever these letters are posted to and hence promote Kashmir as a tourist destination across the world. This is actually a heritage post office that has existed since British times. It was called Nehru Park Post Office before 2011. But then the chief postmaster John Samuel renamed it as ‘Floating Post Office’.
The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other a small museum that traces the philatelic history of the state postal department. It has a shop that sells postage stamps and other products. But for the locals, Floating Post office is more than an object of fascination. 1-2 crore is deposited per month in Floating Post Office by communities living in and around the Dal Lake. The lake has several islets that are home to more than 50,000 people.
The greatest fear is the recurrence of 2014 like floods in which the houseboat had gone for a toss uncontrollably pushed by the flood. Rescue teams had to anchor it using special mechanism in a nearby highland. Then it was brought back on the Dal after the water receded. The biggest boon is that at no time of the year do you need a fan in this post-office!
a. What is so special about the Floating post office on the Dal lake?
The floating post office on Dal lake is claimed to be the only such post office in the world.
b. How do the letters posted from this post office help in promoting Kashmir tourism?
Letters posted from this post office bear a picturesque scenery of Dal lake and Srinagar. They are posted to every corner of the world, thus promoting the tourism of Kashmir.
c. What is the greatest fear this post office has?
The greatest fear is the recurrence of 2014 like floods in which the houseboat had gone for a toss causing a great damage.
d. Why is the seal so unique?
The seal is unique because along with the date and address, it bears the design of a boatman rowing a shikara on the Dal Lake.
e. Which word in paragraph 4 means the same as “blessing”?
boon
SECTION -B (WRITING & GRAMMAR)
Q.3 You spent a week with your friend in his village ‘Kovlam’, near the famous beach of the same name. Taking help from the information given below and inventing your own details, make a diary entry of what you saw and experienced in ‘God’s Own Country’.
New Delhi
10th March, 20XX
Friday, 8:00 pm
Dear Diary
They say that Kerala is God’s Own Country. And rightly so. If any place can match Kashmir’s beauty and greenery, it is Kerala. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to visit Kerala. So I accepted the invitation of my friend Suresh Nambiar to spend a week at his village Kovlam. The place is about 20 miles away from Thiruvanathapuram. Kovlam is known for its world-famous beach. It is basically a fishermen’s village. The whole place is wrapped in greenery. Coconuts and palm trees stand over the sprawling green paddy fields. We used to spend a lot of time fishing in a nearby pond. We often enjoyed a boat ride in the canal. What is Kerala without the surf and the sea? So we would spend hours either strolling or taking a sea-bath or lying on the golden beach. Kerala is rich in tea, coffee, rubber plantations and spices. I was lucky to enjoy the fascinating Kathakali dance. But the thing that I can never forget in my life was the Ayurvedic oil massage in one of the local health resorts. It was really a memorable stay.
Hints: Kerala – God’s Own Country – invited by my friend to spend a week in Kerala – Christmas holidays – Kovlam village -near the famous beach – sea and surf – lush green surroundings – coconuts and palms – sprawling paddy fields-fishing- a memorable stay
OR
Complete the story with the help of the outline given below. Give a title of the story.
The celebrated archer Guru Dronacharya taught the royal princes the finer points of archery. One day he wanted to test …….
Outline: Selected a tree in forest……. placed a wooden bird on a bare branch……. were to hit the bird in the eye…… Yudhisthir stepped forward…….. “Can you see me?” asked Dronacharya. ‘Yes’ replied Yudhisthir…… asked him to put down the bow……….. each prince replied the same……. asked to retire from the competition…… finally came Arjuna ……. “Arjuna, do you see me?” asked Dronacharya. “I see only my target,” said Arjuna. Arjuna hit the bird’s eye.
Story writing
Title—– 1 mark
Fluency -2 mark
Development of the story adhering to the outline given -2 marks
Q.4 Gap filling- Fill in the blank choosing the most appropriate option.
Shad Suk Mynsiem is the most important festival of the Khasi Clans of Meghalaya. It is also celebrated by the Jaintia and Garo clans of Meghalaya. This festival (a)____________ in April every year. This (b)____________ an extraordinary celebration and is also known as ‘Move of cheerful hearts.’ This is a three-day festival and is popularly (c)___________ as the ‘Shad Phur.’ This festival is celebrated primarily in the Khasi Hills, close to Shillong.
(a) i) celebrates ii) is celebrated iii) celebrated iv) was celebrated
(b) i) was ii) will be iii) will start iv) is
(c) i) was known ii) has been knowing iii) is knowing iv) known
Q.5 Convert the dialogues into indirect sentences
Doctor: What is your problem?
Patient: I am suffering from headache.
The doctor asked the patient (i) ————————.
The patient told that (ii) ——————— from headache
(i) What his problem was.
(ii) Was suffering from headache.
SECTION -C (LITERATURE)
Q.6 Answer any three of the following questions in 30-40 words
a. What was it that haunted Jerome always?
Jerome’s toothbrush was the thing that haunted him always, making his life miserable. He would dream that he’d not put in his brush, woke up suddenly in a cold sweat, and began hunting for it. He kept forgetting, or packing and unpacking, or rush up to pick it up to his room at the last moment.
b. How is Maria’s personality a mix of contrasts?
The maturity, balanced mind and inner strength of Maria does not appear to be in accordance with her glamorous dress or her charming manner and ready smile. There seems to be some mismatch between her sophisticated outer appearance and her balanced inner-self
c. How was Bruno found by the author?
Bruno was found by the author from a sugar cane field near Mysore. His mother was shot dead by one of the friends of the author. The baby bear was riding on its back. The author took the baby bear and gave it to his wife who named it Bruno.
d. “Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign
Everyone shares the same sun, earth and air. They have the same body structure and its functioning elements. So there should be no biased attitude towards anyone
Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes Like ours:
the land our brothers walk upon
Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie”.
How does the poet prove that there are no foreign countries?
e. What is the central idea of the poem “The snake Trying”?
All creatures love their life. Like the snake in the poem, tries to save himself when he is in danger. The poet is worried for the snake and hopes that he does not get hurt. It also reveals that all human beings are not cruel
Q.7 Answer any three of the following questions in 30-40 words.
a. Why was falling of two coconut trees on the roof of Prashant’s friend’s house a blessing in disguise?
The falling of two coconut trees on the roof was a blessing in disguise because the tender coconuts from the trees kept the trapped family from starving during the fateful days that followed.
b. What were the things the author’s mother trying to save from the fire?
The author’s mother was trying to save important documents, pictures and letters of his father to keep his memories.
c. How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness?
Sue tried her best to soothe her friend Johnsy. She talked about clothes and fashion, whistled while walking to distract her mind, called the doctor and did her best to rid her friend of the illness and encouraged her not to lose heart.
d. Why did Lushkoff become embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei move to another house?
Lushkoff became embarrassed when he came to assist Sergei move to another house because he could not help in any way. He simply walked behind the wagons hanging his head and shivered in the cold.
Q.8 In adversity, people like Prashant get extraordinary determination and power to fight. Do you agree that adversity or crisis brings people closer?
Yes, it is true that some people, like Prashant, get extraordinary powers in adverse conditions. They become heroes. In the story, it was extraordinary courage and strong determination that made Prashant go to his house to seek his family. He covered his eighteen-kilometre-long journey with great difficulty. There was a leader in him, although he was a teenager. He had a special quality of taking initiatives. He helped all and one during the disaster. He organized a team of volunteers to help the victims of the super cyclone in Orissa. Adversity or crisis also brings people together. There is a bond of humanity. The victims of the cyclone in Ersama helped one another. They worked together during their resettlement. They took care of orphans and widows. Prashant managed to unite them and work for one another
OR
Love is mutual. Do you agree? Illustrate this with reference to ‘The Bond of Love’.
Love is what comes as an emotion, an affinity and an association of thoughts between two or more living beings. The story ‘The Bond of Love’ is a perfect example of how love begets love. Even the animals understand the language of love. They respond to love in equal measure. Love is mutual. The author’s wife develops deep affection for the pet bear. She nourishes him like a child and takes care of his needs. When Bruno ate poison accidentally, he was treated as if he was a family member. The love given to Bruno by the family was equally reciprocated by him too. He felt sad when he was sent to the zoo. Both the bear and his mistress fretted, didn’t take food and felt very sad. He recognised the author’s wife even after a gap of three months. This shows that love is natural to all whether it is a human being or an animal.
Q.9 Do you think the intruder was smarter than Gerrard? Why/ why not?
No, the intruder was not smarter than Gerrard. Gerrard used his presence of mind and outwitted him. He told the intruder that he was also a criminal and the police was searching for him. He befooled him and the intruder was trapped. Gerrard was cool and had patience and a sense of humour that proved him smarter. The intruder was in a hurry and he wanted to escape the punishment. He lost his reasoning and believed at the proof shown by Gerrard in support of his statements. In the end, Gerrard was successful in his plan