Class 9 English: Sample Question Paper- 2 (With Solutions) PDF Download

Class-IX

English Language And Literature (Code No. 184)
TIME: 3 Hrs.
M.M: 80

General Instructions
1. This paper is divided into two parts: A and B. All questions are compulsory.
2. Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them.
3. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Q.1. Read the passage given:

Modern food has become our enemy. We have become so slavish to taste and presentation that we eat food for its entertainment value, not for its nutritional benefit. Even as health awareness is increasing, the variety of junk and nutrition less food is also increasing. Each restaurant boasts of a new cuisine, which is a mixture of refined flour, oil and sugar. Pasta, noodles, white rice, white bread and maida based products like pizzas, burgers, naan and rumali roti are the main options in Italian, Chinese, Indian or Mexican cuisines. The vegetarian dishes are either overcooked or have a lot of corn starch and fat.
The non-vegetarian dishes are either white-sauce based or made in rich gravies.
People are trying to lose weight by eating less in the day, so that they can accommodate such foods in the night. They skip breakfast and lunch so that they can satisfy their taste buds in the night with a family dinner. Perfect health, however, cannot be achieved by a process of eating less and not eating . The idea is to nourish the body. You might achieve some weight loss but you will also lose out on your health.
Therefore, whilst embarking upon any weight loss programme, remember that health is much more than just weight loss, at the same time achieving ideal body weight in a healthy way does provide a basis for achieving perfect health.
Our weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.
All too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving, unhealthy lifestyle choices undermine our dieting efforts and emotional eating habits stop us before we get started. But there’s a better way! You can lose weight without feeling miserable. By making smart choices every day, you can develop new eating habits and preferences that will leave you feel satisfied—and winning the battle of the bulge.
On the basis of your understanding, answer ANY ten out of twelve questions that follow.

(i) We have become slave to modern food because of its :
(a) taste
(b) nutritional value
(c) presentation
(d) taste and presentation
Ans. (d) taste and presentation

(ii) Restaurants consume more ________ in their food.
(a) flour and oil
(b) sugar and oil
(c) refined flour, oil and sugar
(d) refined flour and sugar
Ans. (c) refined flour, oil and sugar

(iii) Perfect health can be achieved by ________
(a) skipping breakfast
(b) eating less
(c) not eating
(d) nutritious food in appropriate quantity
Ans. (d) nutritious food in appropriate quantity

(iv) If you eat fewer calories than you burn you ________
(a) gain weight
(b) lose weight
(c) became fat
(d) do not lose weight
Ans. (b) lose weight

(v) We can win the battle of the bulge by ________
(a) making smart food choices
(b) developing good eating habits
(c) preferring nutritious food
(d) all of these
Ans. (d) all of these

(vi) The vegetarian dishes in the restaurants.
(a) are under cooked
(b) full of corn starch
(c) are full of corn starch and fat
(d) none of these
Ans. (c) are full of corn starch and fat

(vii) Which of the following statements is false?
(a) If we eat more calories than we burn, we gain weight
(b) Our unhealthy life style helps us lose weight
(c) We should develop good eating habits
(d) Say no to nutritious food
Ans. (b) Our unhealthy life-style helps us lose weight

(viii) Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the passage :
(a) how to eat food
(b) how to enjoy food
(c) the way to remain healthy
(d) the way to starve
Ans. (c) the way to remain healthy

(ix) What is meant by ‘nourish’? (Para 2)
(a) feed
(b) grow
(c) improve
(d) love
Ans. (a) feed

(x) Select the option which means ‘undermine’. (Para 5)
(a) better
(b) weaken
(c) underestimate
(d) improve
Ans. (b) weaken

(xi) Find the word opposite in meaning to ‘happy ’. (Para 5)
(a) unhealthy
(b) satisfied
(c) miserable
(d) cranky
Ans. (c) miserable

(xii) Find the word opposite in meaning to ‘neither ’. (Para 1)

(a) variety
(b) starch
(c) gravies
(d) either
Ans. (d) either

Q.2. Read the passage given below:

Drawing one of the strongest links yet between global warming and human conflict, researchers said on March 02, 2015, that an extreme drought in Syria between 2006 and 2009 was most likely due to climate change, and that it was a factor in the violent uprising that began there in 2011.
The drought was the worst in the country in modern times, and the scientists laid the blame for it on a century-long trend toward warmer and drier conditions in the eastern Mediterranean, rather than on natural climate variability.

The researchers said this trend matched computer simulations of how the region responds to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and appeared to be due to two factors: weakening of winds that bring moisture-laden air from the Mediterranean and hotter temperatures that cause more evaporation.
Colin P. Kelley, the lead author of the study, who researched while at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and is now at the University of California, said there was no apparent natural cause for the warming and drying trend, which developed over the last 100 years when humans’ effect on climate has been the greatest.
Some social scientists, policymakers, and others have previously suggested that the drought played a role in the Syrian unrest, and the researchers addressed this as well, saying the drought ‘had a catalytic effect.’ They cited studies that showed that the extreme dryness, combined with other factors, including misguided agricultural and water-use policies of the Syrian government, caused crop failures that led to the migration of as many as 1.5 million people from rural to urban areas. This added to social stresses that eventually resulted in the uprising against Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

What began as civil war has since escalated into a multifaceted conflict, with at least 200,000 deaths. The researchers said that there were many factors that contributed to the chaos. The US military has described climate change as a ‘threat multiplier’ that may lead to greater instability.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage attempt ANY TEN questions from the twelve that follow:

(i) An extreme drought was expected in Syria in _________.
(a) 2006
(b) 2011
(c) between 2006 and 2011
(d) between 2006 and 2009
Ans. (d) between 2006 and 2009

(ii) The drought was the _________ in the country in modern times.
(a) best
(b) worst
(c) last
(d) latest
Ans. (b) worst

(iii) The reason for its appearance was _________.
(a) weakening of winds that bring moisture-laden air from the Mediterranean sea
(b) the hotter temperature that caused more evaporation
(c) both (a) & (b)
(d) None of these
Ans. (c) both (a) & (b)

(iv) _________ led to the failure of crops in Syria during that time.
(a) extreme dryness
(b) misguided water use policies
(c) misguided agricultural policies
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) all the above

(v) The antonym of ‘strengthening’ in para 3 is _________ .
(a) simulation
(b) weakening
(c) increase
(d) hotter
Ans. (b) weakening

(vi) The US military has described climate change as a _________.
(a) cause for instability
(b) cause for temperature
(c) threat multiplier
(d) All of the above
Ans. (c) threat multiplier

(vii) Crop failures led to the migration of _________ people from rural to urban areas.
(a) 2 million
(b) 1.5 million
(c) 5 million
(d) 15 million
Ans. (b) 1.5 million

(viii) Migration added to the social stresses which eventually resulted in the uprising against _________.
(a) Syrian government
(b) Bashar al-Assad
(c) Colin P. Kelly
(d) US military
Ans. (b) Bashar al-Assad

(ix) The word from the last para which means ‘total state of confusion’ is _________.
(a) multifaceted
(b) chaos
(c) emissions
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) chaos

(x) The above graph shows that majority of the people migrated to Syria in _________.
(a) 2004
(b) 2011
(c) 2014
(d) both (a) & (b)
Ans. (c) 2014

(xi) The population in rural areas in 2004 was _________.
(a) 1.5 million
(b) approx 2.5 million
(c) 2.5 million
(d) approx 1.5 million
Ans. (a) 1.5 million

(xii) The bar graph depicts _________ in-migration from rural to urban areas between 2004 and 2014.
(a) downward trend
(b) no change
(c) upward trend
(d) decreasing number
Ans. (c) upward trend

Literature

Q.3. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE by answering the questions that follow:
But because of tenant’s children, poor, Bruno, or Baba, had to be kept chained most of the time. Then my son and I advised my wife, and friends advised her too, to give Baba to the zoo at Mysore. He was getting too big to be kept at home. After some weeks of such advice, she at last consented.
Hastily, and before she could change her mind, a letter was written to the curator of the zoo. Did he want to tame bear for his collection? He replied, ‘Yes. The zoo sent a cage from Mysore in a lorry, a distance of eighty-seven miles, and Baba was packed off.

(i) Why was Baba kept in chains most of the time?
(a) He was a big animal.
(b) He was a small animal.
(c) He was naughty.
(d) The tenant’s children were scared of him.
Ans. (d) The tenant’s children were scared of him

(ii) How far was the zoo from the narrator’s place?
(a) Eighty-one miles
(b) Eighty-seven kilometers
(c) Eighty-seven miles
(d) Eighty-one kilometers
Ans. (c) Eighty-seven miles

(iii) Who advised to send Bruno to the zoo?
(a) The writer
(b) His son
(c) Friends
(d) All of the above
Ans. (d) All of the above

(iv) Find the word which means the same as ‘agreed’.
(a) Hastily
(b) Advised
(c) Consented
(d) Tame
Ans. (c) Consented

(v) The word which means the same as ‘care-taker ’ in these lines is ______.
(a) Curator
(b) Tenant
(c) Children
(d) Hastily
Ans. (a) Curator

OR

For quite a while Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven, her marks had deteriorated, and her headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist. It was then discovered that her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage. They were advised that she should be fitted with hearing aids and sent to a school for the deaf.

(i) Why did Evelyn’s headmistress advise her parents to consult a specialist?
(a) She had shown low grades
(b) Her marks had deteriorated
(c) She had become inattentive
(d) Both (a) & (b)
Ans. (d) Both (a) & (b)

(ii) The symptoms of deafness were noticed at the age of _________ in Evelyn.
(a) Ten
(b) Eleven
(c) Twelve
(d) Thirteen
Ans. (b) Eleven

(iii) The reason for her deafness was _________.
(a) Her carelessness
(b) Physical inactivity
(c) Gradual nerve damage
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) Gradual nerve damage

(iv) Trace the word that means, ‘damaged’.
(a) Conceal
(b) Impaired
(c) Urged
(d) Gradual
Ans. (b) Impaired

(v) the word which means the same as ‘hide’ in these lines is _________.
(a) Deafness
(b) Conceal
(c) Discover
(d) Damage
Ans. (b) Conceal

Q.4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANYONE by answering the questions that follow:

No,
The root is to be pulled out—
Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out-snapped out
or pulled out entirely.

(i) Where does the strength of a tree lie?
(a) In its roots
(b) In its stem
(c) In its branches
(d) All of the above
Ans. (a) In its roots.

(ii) What will happen if a tree is only hacked and chopped?
(a) It will dead
(b) It will begin to grow again
(c) It will heal
(d) None of the above
Ans. (b) It will begin to grow again.

(iii) Name the poet.
(a) Robert frost
(b) W.W.E. Ross
(c) Gieve Patel
(d) Phoebe Cary
Ans. (c) Gieve Patel

(iv) The word which means the same as ‘completely ’ in these lines is:
(a) Pulled
(b) Anchoring
(c) Roped
(d) Entirely
Ans. (d) Entirely

(v) Through this poem, the poet wishes to convey that it is _________ a tree.
(a) Easy to pull out
(b) Difficult to pull out
(c) Easy to grow
(d) Difficult to grow
Ans. (b) Difficult to pull out

OR

Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand recollections
And a thousand dream fancies
Into busy being start,
Weave their air threads into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.

(i) What does the mind of the poet fancy?
(a) Dreams
(b) Memories
(c) Thoughts
(d) All of these
Ans. (d) All of these

(ii) Who is the poet?
(a) Robert Frost
(b) Subramania Bharati
(c) Coates Kinney
(d) William Butler Yeats
Ans. (c) Coates Kinney

(iii) Trace a word from the extract that means ‘memories’.
(a) Shingles
(b) Recollections
(c) Threads
(d) Patter
Ans. (b) Recollections

(iv) The name of the poem is _________.
(a) Rain on the Roof
(b) Rain in the Roof
(c) Rain of the Roof
(d) Rain upon the Roof
Ans. (a) Rain on the Roof

(v) The poetic device used in line 5 is _________.
(a) Metaphor
(b) Assonance
(c) Simile
(d) Alliteration
Ans. (d) Alliteration

Q.5. Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the notes:

During the (i)_____ vacations, our family decided to spend  (ii)______ days at Haridwar. My mother made all the preparations for the journey. She (iii)______ some sandwiches for us to eat on the way.

(i) (a) least
(b) last
(c) latest
(d) lest
Ans. (b)
(ii) (a) a few
(b) few
(c) little
(d) many
Ans. (b)

(iii) (a) did
(b) prepared
(c) baked
(d) cooked
Ans. (b)

Q.6. Choose the correct options to fill in the blanks to complete the narration:
Mother: Rita, finish your food.
Rita: I do not want to have this food. You never give me a pizza or burger.
Mother: They are not good for health. You had pizza at your friend’s birthday party last evening.
Rita: OK, then give me French fries and shake.
Mother: If you live only on junk food, you will spoil your health.

The mother told Rita to finish her food. Rita replied  (i)____ and told her mother that she never gave her a pizza, burger. The mother said that they were not good for her health and reminded  (ii) Rita then asked her mother to give her French fries and shake. Mother warned her that if she lived only on junk  (iii).
(i) (a) she do not want to have that food
(b) she did not want to have that food
(c) she does not want to have that food
(d) she have not want to have that food
Ans. (b)

(ii) (a) that she has pizza at her friend’s birthday party the evening before.
(b) that she have pizza at her friend’s birthday party the evening before.
(c) that she had pizza at her friend’s birthday party the evening before.
(d) that she had pizza at his friend’s birthday party the evening before.
Ans. (c)

(iii) (a) she will spoil her health
(b) she would spoil her health
(c) she could spoil her health
(d) you would spoil your health
Ans. (b)

Q. 7. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option for ANY FOUR of the six sentences given below:

(i) Not only India, but also the whole world _________ Gandhiji’s achievements.
(a) recognises
(b) recognise
(c) recognising
(d) have recognised
Ans. (a) recognises

(ii) How _________ information does this brochure give?
(a) many
(b) several
(c) much
(d) little
Ans. (c) much

(iii) “Give me ______ more packet of biscuit, mother!”
(a) two
(b) few
(c) one
(d) any
Ans. (c) one

(iv) Dance therapy ______ the inner feelings of the dancer.
(a) brings out
(b) brings in
(c) bring out
(d) bring in
Ans. (a) brings out

(v) How ______ you plan your rehearsals?
(a) have
(b) has
(c) shall be
(d) did
Ans. (d) did

(vi) Several items in the room have been ______ damaged.
(a) bad
(b) badly
(c) worse
(d) severe
Ans. (b) badly

Q.8. Attempt ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words:

Write a Diary Entry describing the experience of your visit to a Flower Exhibition.
Ans.
Monday
17th June 20XX
8:00 p.m.
Dear Diary,
It is the start of the week. I am so excited. I am going to spend the entire week with my cousin, Alok. Today we went to the Flower Exhibition. It was very interesting. Alok had suggested the idea of going to the exhibition. It was an annual exhibition for professionals in floriculture and landscape design. It was a comprehensive business platform covering all sectors of the floriculture and flower business. The exhibition displayed a wide variety of exotic flowers. It also exhibited various flower species including hybrids. It was one of the country’s greatest flower show including events like Summer Garden Competition, Foliage Plants Show, Home Growing Competition, etc. The vibrant colours were totally out of this world. I look forward to attending more of such exhibitions. We bought some seeds so that we can plant these flowers at home. It was really fun. After the exhibition, we ate pizza and then headed home.
Good Night Diary!
Rajesh

OR

Write the description of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. Developing the paragraph on the hints given below:

Birth: 31st October 1975, Nadiad, Gujarat; brought up in countryside; influential leader; united 565 princely states; ordered to reconstruct Somnath Temple; health decline in 1950, died on December 15, 1950; awarded Bharat Ratna in 1991.
Ans.

Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel popularly known as Vallabh Bhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and a founding member of the Republic of India who played a leading role in the country’s struggle for independence. He was born on 31st October 1875 at Nadiad in Gujarat and brought up in the countryside. He became one of the most influential leaders. He led the task to unite India and successfully integrated the newly independent nation with those British Colonial Provinces that had been allocated to India. Approximately, 565 self-governing princely states had also been united into the Indian Nation due to his tireless efforts.

As Gandhiji embarked on the Dandi Salt March, Patel was arrested and was put on trial without witnesses, with no lawyer or pressman. On the outbreak of World War II, he supported Nehru’s decision. He also opposed the proposals of the Cripps Mission in 1942. He was one of the first Congress leaders to accept the partition of India. The fame of Vallabhbhai Patel formed the cornerstone of Patel’s popularity in the post-independence era. He fearlessly ordered to reconstruct the Somnath Temple which had been plundered in the 11th century. His other extraordinary contribution to the integration of India is the association of Hyderabad state in Indian state by military operation. Patel’s health declined rapidly through the summer of 1950 and after a massive heart attack, he died on December 15, 1950. He was awarded India’s highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1991, posthumously.

Q. 9. Write a story in about 100-120 words based on the inputs given below :
It was late at night. Anjali was about to switch off the light and go to bed when she saw a light outside the window. On close observation, she realised that it was a fire...
Ans.

A Brave Act

It was late at night. Anjali was about to switch off the light and go to bed when she saw a light outside the window. On close observation, she realised that it was a fire. She at once rushed out to confirm her thoughts. To her surprise, she saw that the kitchen of the front house was on fire. Smoke was coming out of the kitchen window. Anjali understood the situation. The members of the house were fast asleep and perhaps they were unaware of the mishap. Anjali realised that it was her turn to take quick action to save her neighbours. She could not understand what she should do at first. She ran towards the main door and rang their doorbell frantically. Their dog started barking. She unleashed him and ran back to her own house to bring her mobile phone. She quickly called the fire brigade and ran back to the house on fire. Her neighbours had woken up by that time. They were trying to extinguish the fire by throwing water on it from different directions. The fire brigade arrived within five minutes. They had to struggle for half an hour to extinguish the fire. By God’s grace, no casualty took place. Everyone from inside the house was saved. Even their pet dog was rescued. Everyone was grateful to Anjali who appeared at the scene like an angel. Anjali, too, was feeling proud of her brave and sensible act.

OR

While coming out of the bank I saw a monkey walking menacingly towards me. I panicked. The monkey snatched my bag and ran up a nearby tree. I ...
Ans.

THE MONKEY MENACE

While coming out of the bank, I saw a monkey walking menacingly towards me. I panicked. The monkey snatched my bag and climbed on a nearby tree.
I was thunderstruck. All my important documents, ATM card along with the heavy cash of Rs. 2 lakhs was inside the bag. For a moment, I could not understand what to do. I traced the monkey and found him sitting on the topmost branch of a nearby peepal tree. I wanted to chase him, but I knew that it was not an easy task. I stood there helplessly when a fruit seller appeared on the spot like an angel. I purchased two dozens of bananas from him and kept all of them under the tree on which the monkey was sitting. After a few minutes, the monkey started approaching the bananas. He also came down, leaving the bag on the branch and picked all the bananas, and ran away. My bag fell down with a thud sound. I took a sigh of relief. Thank God everything was ok and I had to bear no loss on account of that monkey.

Q.10. Attempt ANY TWO questions in 20-30  words each from (A) & (B) respectively:
(A) (i) Why was Margie doing badly in geography? What did the County Inspector do to help her?
(ii) What motivated Maria to keep going?
(iii) Why did grandfather give away Toto, the monkey?
Ans. (i) The County Inspector found that the Geography sector had been geared too quickly. He slowed it up to an average 10 years level. He found the overall pattern of Margie quite satisfactory.
(ii) Maria’s determination, mental toughness and her hunger for success to prove herself to the world motivated her to keep going.
(iii) Toto was very naughty and he troubled everyone. The other pets were not happy with him and he broke a lot of dishes, tore clothes, curtains, and wallpapers. He had become very difficult to handle and so grandfather gave Toto away.

(B) (i) How did Prashant, a teenager, help the people of his village?
(ii) Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the Pungi?
(iii) How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling of leaves?
Ans.

(i) Value Points:

• organizes small workgroups
• assigns tasks to people
• provided them with help

Detailed Answer
(i) Prashant organised a group of youths and elders into small groups and assigned different roles and responsibilities to them, he resettled the orphan children in their own communities and overall provided moral support to all villagers to start afresh.

(ii) Aurangzeb banned the playing of the Pungi in the royal residence because of its shrill and unpleasant sound. It was regarded more as a noisemaker than a musical instrument

(iii) Leaves on the other side of the window were falling one by one. Johnsy was feeling depressed. She had lost her will to get well. She thought that she would die when the last leaf fell from the creeper.

Q.11. Answer any four of the following in 40-50 words:
(A) (i) Einstein was an unusual child with no indication of his potential greatness. Comment.
(ii) How did Toto’s love for taking bath almost led to his being half-boiled?
(iii) In spite of her towering success, Evelyn Glennie does not accept any hint of heroic achievement. Explain.
Ans. 
(i) 

• Einstein’s head was larger than the usual size. He was called ‘‘Brother Boring’’ because he never mixed up with his classmates. He left school because he was not happy with the strict regimentation. 
• He loved mechanical toys and considered his sister to be a toy. The headmaster took him to be stupid and good for nothing believing that he would never succeed in life. 
• He also told Einstein’s father that whatever profession he will choose would not matter, because ‘‘he will never make a success at anything’’. This proves that Einstein was an unusual child with no indication of his potential greatness.

(ii) 

• Toto used to love taking bath in hot water. Once when a kettle was kept on fire with water to boil for tea, Toto sat in it. When the water began to boil, Toto tried getting up but found outside cold. 
• So he again sat down. He kept on hopping outside and then again inside and after some time he started enjoying this game.

(iii) 

• Evelyn Glennie had a hearing loss and was discouraged by most of the teachers but she did not give up her determination. Ron Forbes guided her to listen through her body, not ears. 
• Eventually, Evelyn learnt to open her body and mind to sound and vibrations. She scored the highest marks in the history of the Royal Academy of Music. 
• She also captured many top awards and brought percussion to the front of the orchestra. She has given pleasure to millions and in spite of this towering success, she does not accept any hint of heroic achievement and is a very simple person.

(B) (i) How was Margie’s school different from the schools that existed hundreds of years ago?
(ii) How did the prince and the swallow enable the playwright to finish his work?
(iii) Prashant acted as a hero and proved himself as a natural leader. Explain.
Ans. 
(i) 

• Margie’s school was at home. She had a mechanical teacher, tale books, no other students were there in the class and work was fed in by the mechanical teacher by punch codes. Whereas, the old schools had proper buildings, many students and human teachers gave homework and asked questions. 
• Everyone learned the same things and the books were written on paper. So, it is clearly visible that Margie’s school was totally different from the schools that existed hundreds of years ago.

(ii) The playwright was very poor. He could not buy food and firewood. It was difficult for him to write a play without food and firewood. The Prince took pity on him and decided to help him by sending the sapphires with the help of the swallow.

(iii) 

Value Points:

• a true leader
• dedicated worker
• a very organized person with excellent managerial skills
• helpful in nature

Detailed Answer

• Prashant, a 19 years old boy, decided to act as the leader of his village because he felt no one was in a condition to take the initiative to bring back life in the village after the havoc created by the storm. He organised a group of youths and put pressure on the village merchant to provide them with rice for the survivors. 
• He arranged food for the villagers, put up a polythene shelter for the orphaned children, persuaded women to work in the food-for-work programme started by an NGO, organised cricket matches for the children and encouraged adoption.

Q.12. Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words:
(A) How can you say that we all are the same? Discuss on the basis of the poem No Men are foreign.
Ans. 

• The poem clearly exhibits that all the people living on the Earth are brothers. There is nothing that can make them strange from one another. All the people on the Earth share this land which clearly establishes that we all are equal and the same. 
• No doubt, people belong to different nations, they speak different languages, they follow different religious paths even then, all of them share the common traits that all of them are human beings. 
• All the people feel pleasure and pain equally, and we put in our best efforts to produce a harvest. All of us are afraid of wars and clashes and we all wish to live in peace and tranquillity. All the natural resources are commonly shared and if we show our hatred or jealousy towards anyone, our harmony is badly destroyed. 
• So, the poet has established the true fact that all human beings living on Earth are the same.

OR

(B) Courage can lead to great things. Explain with reference to ‘Reach for the Top’.
Ans.

 Value points:

• Santosh refused to marry at the age of 16.
• though her parents put a deep pressure.
• she preferred shorts rather than Indian dresses.
• choose a rational path, left home and came to Delhi for High School.

Detailed Answer

• Santosh had the courage to stand up against established traditions. Santosh certainly had the courage to go against the traditions. She wanted to live life on her own terms. She preferred shorts to traditional attire. 
• It was the tradition in her village to get girls married off at the age of sixteen. When her parents tried to get her married, she said that if she was not allowed to carry on with her education, she would never get married. 
• She left her home and got enrolled in a school in Delhi. Her determination and hard work helped her to pave her own path to success.

Q.13. Answer ANY ONE of the following in 100-120 words:
A. How was the life of Lushkoff changed?
Ans. 

Value points:

• Sergei helps him
• he gets support
• his self-respect is promoted
• he decided to work as a notary.

Detailed Answer

• Lushkoff’s life was changed drastically when he came in contact with Sergei. Sergei taught him the value of self-respect. Olga, the cook of Sergei also helped him in changing from a spoiled, drunken beggar to a noble person. 
• Sergei also taught him the value of earning by working hard instead of begging. Lushkoff would now chop wood, shovel snow, put the wood-shed in order, beat the dust out of the rugs and mattresses. 
• For every work, he used to earn around twenty to forty copecks. Now, Lushkoff was a refined person. He had become a notary, earning at least 35 roubles a month.

OR

(B) How did the little swallow carry out the wishes of the Happy Prince?
Ans. 

• The swallow wanted to go to Egypt just like his friends who had already gone there. He had rested at the base of the statue of the Happy Prince for just a night. He postponed his trip as he had to carry a ruby to the needy playwright and another to the seamstress. 
• When the Happy Prince gave the sapphire from his eye to the match girl, he became blind. So the swallow decided to stay there and help the needy just like the Prince. 
• The swallow died carrying out the wishes of the Happy Prince in the service of the needy. In this way, it served the Prince and needy people and gave up its life serving mankind till the last minute, and froze to death in the end. It was indeed a noble-hearted bird.