Ques 1: Read the following passage carefully:
People moan about poverty as a great evil and it seems to be an accepted belief than if people had plenty of money, they would be happy, and get more out of life. As a rule there is more genuine satisfaction in life and more is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men, who are attended by servants and governesses at a later stage. At the same time I am glad to think they do not know what they have missed.
It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is, how free from
Perplexing care and social envies and jealousies, how ?loving, and united the members are in the common interest of supporting the family that I sympathize with the rich man's boy and congratulate the poor men's son. It is for these reasons that from the ranks of the poor so many strong eminent self-reliant men have always sprung. If you read the list of the "Immortals who were not born to die." You will find that most of them have been poor
(i) What is the popular motion about poverty?
(ii) Where can one get more genuine satisfaction in life?
(iii) Why does the author pity the rich man's boy?
(iv) How has the author compared rich with poor?
(v) What is his conclusion?
(vi) People moan about poverty. (Frame a wh _ type question?
(vii) Find out other words in the passage with similar meanings to:
(a) Confusion
(b) Self dependent.
Ans: (i) The popular notion about poverty is that it is a great evil.
(ii) One can get more genuine satisfaction in life in the humble cottage of the poor man.
(iii) The author pities the rich man's boy because he does not know the sweetness/ happiness and purity of honest poverty.
(iv) The author feels that genuine satisfaction is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor than in the palace of rich men.
(v) The members of a poor family are united, loving and share a common interest in being supportive to each other. The rich boy does not know these pleasures.
(vi) (a) perplexed
(b) self-reliant
(vii) What do people moan about?
Ques 2: Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Long, long ago, in a big forest, there were many trees. Among the cluster of trees, there was a very tall pine tree. He was so tall that he could talk to the stars in the sky. He could easily look over the heads of the other trees. One day late in the evening, the pine tree saw a ragged, skinny girl approaching him.
He could see her only because of his height. 'Die little girl was in tears. The pine tree bent as much as he could and asked her: "What is the matter? Why are you crying?
The little girl, still sobbing, replied, "I was gathering flowers for a garland to offer goddess Durga, who I believe, would help my parents to overcome their poverty and I have lost my way," The pine tree said to the little girl, "It is late in the evening. It will not be possible for you to return to your house, which is at the other end of the forest. Sleep for the night at this place." The pine tree pointed out to an open cave-like place under him. The little girl was frightened of wild animals.
The girl quickly crept into the cave-like place. The pine tree was happy and pleased with himself. He stood like a soldier guarding the place. The little girl woke up in the morning and was amazed to see the pine tree standing guard outside the cave.
Then her gaze travelled to the heap of flowers that she had gathered the previous night. The flowers lay withering on the ground. The pine tree understood what was going on in the girl's mind. He wrapped his branches around the nearby flower trees and shook them gently.
The little girl's eyes brightened. But a great surprise awaited her. The pine tree brought out a bag full of gold coins which had been lying for years in the hole in its trunk and gave it to the girl. With teary eyes she thanked her benefactor and went away.
(i) Answer the following questions:
(a) Why was the girl crying?
(b) Where did the pine tree want the little girl to sleep for the night?
(c) Why was the little girl disappointed when she looked at the flowers and what did the tree do to make her happy?
(d) What lesson does this short story teach us?
Ans: (i) (a) The little girl was crying because she had lost her way while gathering flowers for a garland to offer goddess Durga.
(b) The pine tree wanted the little girl to sleep in an open cave-like place under the tree itself.
(c) The little girl was disappointed because the flowers that she had gathered the previous night lay withered on ground.
(d) The short story teaches us to help others when they need it.
Ques 3: Do as directed: (a) What is meant by the word 'cluster'? (Para 1)
(A) group
(B) team
(C) class
(D) party
Ans: A
Ques 4: (b) What is meant by the word 'approaching'? (Para 1)
(A) calling
(B) touching
(C) coming close
(D) running towards
Ans: C
Ques 5: (c) What is meant by the word 'wild'? (Para 2)
(A) cunning
(B) dirty
(C) unpolished
(D) dangerous
Ans: D
Ques 6: (d) What is meant by the word 'withering'? (Para 2)
(A) shrinking
(B) shrunk
(C) colourless
(D) unhappy
Ans: A
Ques 7: You have lost your water bottle in school premises. Write a notice of about 50 words for your school notice board giving the description of the bottle. You are Sahil/Sneha a student of class of VIII of Sarvodaya School, Ramesh Nagar.
Ans: Sarvodaya School, Ramesh Nagar
NOTICE
10th August/20xx
Water Bottle Lost
I have lost my water bottle yesterday on 9th August in the school ground during recess. It is a
Milton 2 litre water bottle and purple in colour.
Anyone who finds it, is requested to return it to me. A good treat is promised.
Sneha
Class VIII
Ques 8: Write a letter to your younger sister advising her to work hard for upcoming annual exam. You are Dinesh/Divya.
OR
Last day you enjoyed the birthday party of your close friend. You had lot of fun there. Write a diary entry describing you experience.
Ans: 41, Apna Bazar
Agra
28th July, 20XX
Dear Navya,
Hope my letter finds you in high spirits. I wish you are fine and studying well in hostel. I was actually worried for you as your annual exams are approaching next month and you are busy with your Football Tournament. Take extra care of yours diet. Avoid eating junk food. Please have ample of fruits. Sleep on time and don't waste your time specially morning hours in sleeping.
Study regularly and try to pass with flying colours. Mom and Dad are also worried for you.
We all miss you. We pray for your bright future.
Yours lovingly,
Divya
OR
28th July, 2018
10.00pm
Dear Diary,
Today was hilarious day. It was Anand's birthday. We had a great fun at his birthday party. Actually the 'party was as normal as any party but it was Anand's Dad who made it wonderful. He is such a great person, very friendly, jolly natured. He has an elder-brotherly attitude. We all showed our talents one by one. I played guitar. Everyone praised me for the same. Then we had the sumptuous dinner. Anand's mother is a great cook. It was really a wonderful day.
Shubh.
Ques 9: Read the outlines of a story given below. Write it in full using these outlines and your own ideas.
Assign a suitable title to it:
Outlines:- A small boy?live with mother ? develops the habit of stealing ? Mother does not check ___develops the habit when grows ? caught ? punished.
OR
Complete the story on the basis of the given beginning:
Ramu was a porter. He was a very honest boy. One day an old man hired him to carry the luggage to his house. On reaching his home the old man gave Ramu................
Ans:
Habit of Stealing
There was a boy named Rahul who lived in a small house with his mother in the city of Karnal. When he was about 7-8 years old, he developed the habit of stealing things in his class from other children's bags and pencil boxes.
Rahul's mother, even after seeing his box, did not ask from where did he get the expensive pencils, erasers and pens. She was rather happy to see that her son never demanded such things from her.
Time passed on and gradually Rahul started stealing more things from his friends and classmates. He did not even hesitate to steal money. He started enjoying his life more than he could actually afford to, and this habit made him a perfect thief. Once when he entered one house to steal the things, he was caught red handed and was handed over to the police. He was badly beaten by the police and when he was asked that why and how did he become a thief, he blamed his mother by saying that if she had stopped him from the very childhood, he would had not be a thief.
OR
Rs. 100 for his labour. Ramu charged only Rs. 90 for that much work Since neither of them had any change, the old man told him to keep the money. Later on, in the evening, Ramu came back to return Rs. 10 to the old man. The old man was touched by the boy's honesty. He wanted to help Ramu in some way or the other. He asked him to stay with him. Ramu stayed in his house and started working as the old man's caretaker.
He looked after the members of the family, cleaned the house, did gardening, etc. The old man was very happy seeing his dedication towards work so he helped Ramu to pursue his education. After finishing all the household chores Ramu used to sit to study. He worked so hard that he finally became a police officer. Till date he is indebted to the old man for his gratitude but the reality is that it's his honesty that had made him earn this position in life.
Ques 10: Fill in the blanks with correct form of the verbs given in the brackets:
(i) The sum rises in the east and ________ (set) in the west.
(ii) I _______ (do) a lot of work yesterday in the west.
(iii) Neha _______ (like/likes) to drink milk.
(iv) Children _________ (was shouting / were shouting) when the teacher entered in the class.
Ans: (i) sets
(ii) had done
(iii) likes
(iv) were shouting.
Ques 11: Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(i) I said, "Kamini is not well."
(ii) The teacher said/'' Honesty is the best policy."
(iii) "Where is my umbrella" she asked.
(iv) Mother said to me, "Please tidy your room."
Ans: (i) I said Kamini was not well.
(ii) The teacher said that Honesty is the best policy.
(iii) She asked where her umbrella was.
(iv) Mother requested me to tidy my room.
Ques 12: Rearrange the following words / phrases to form meaningful sentence.
(i) keeps us / healthy / balanced diet / and /fit
(ii) the doctor / keeps / an apple / day / away / a
(iii) think /I / am / he / than / older / a little / is /I
(iv) never / our / objected to / the book / reading / has / he
Ans: (i) Balanced diet keeps us fit and healthy.
(ii) An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
(iii) I think I am a little older than he is.
(iv) He has never objected to our reading the book.
Ques 13: Read the following stanza carefully and answer the questions given below:
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O 'it drives all joy away under a cruel eye outworn
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
(i) What drives away all the joy?
(ii) What does 'cruel eye outworn' refer to?
(iii) How do the little ones spend the day?
(iv) Name the poem and the poet?
Ans: (i) Going to school in a summer morning drives way all the joy.
(ii) It refers to the teachers and uninspiring life at school.
(iii) The little ones spends the day sighing sadly.
(iv) The poem is 'The School Boy' by William Blake.
Ques 14: Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
He came out of the station, took a taxi and drove around the town for a while. He realized that the streets, the buildings the hotels, the bazaars, the Morabadi Hill-with none of these he had the slightest acquaintance. Would a trip to Hudroo Falls help?
(i) Who came out the station?
(ii) What did he realise after driving around the town?
(iii) What did he want to confirm after visiting the Hudroo Falls?
(iv) 'Acquaintance' means __________.
Ans: (i) Bepin Choudhary came out of the station.
(ii) After driving around the town, he realised that he had no acquaintance with anything, the streets, the buildings or the bajaars.
(iii) After visiting Hudroo Falls, he wanted to confirm whether he had really been to that place earliest.
(iv) Familiarity or fellowship.
Ques 15: Answer any four of the following questions:
(i) What did the animals do before the giant waves slammed into the coast of India and Sri Lanka?
(ii) Why did prophet and wizard not guess about the magic in the poet's eye?
(iii) How does Macavity break the law of gravity?
(iv) Why was the letter written? What was the wonderful thing that had happened?
(v) What all things did Parimal Chose tell Benin Babu to remind him of his visit to Ranchi?
Ans: (i) Before the giant waves slammed into the coast of India and Sri Lanka, the wind and domestic animals seemed to know what was about to happen. They fled to safety. Elephants screamed and ran to higher grounds, dogs refused to go outdoors. Flamingoes abandoned their low-lying breeding areas and zoo-animals rushed into their shelters.
(ii) Prophet and wizard did not guess about that magic in the poet's eyes because this was the radiance in his life and eyes due to the blessings of God.
(iii) He breaks the law of gravity as he is quicker and faster than the wind. He does not fall on the ground and probably jumps upon surfaces and disappears.
(iv) The letter was written by Jim to share with his wife a pleasant incident that had occurred during the war. In the midst of the war, the soldiers of the two enemy countries fighting the war, i.e. The British and the German soldiers came together to celebrate Christmas. They shared their foods and drinks and played with each other.
(v) Parimal Ghose told Bepin that he had been to Ranchi in 1958. He fell in Hudroo and cut his right knee. Next day he had to go to Netarhat but due to pain he couldn't and he stayed at Dinesh Mukherjee's bungalow.
Ques 16: Answer any four of the following questions:
(i) Did Sir John buy Chrismas presents on December 15? How did Dutta Da get to know about it?
(ii) Why had Velu run away from home?
(iii) What did oldest coin tell him?
(iv) What had happened in the Sappleton family as narrated by the niece?
(v) What did sisters advise the Princess to do about her bird?
Ans: (i) Yes, Sir John bought Christmas presents on December 15. Duttada got to know about it because on November 18, a special messenger on a scooter from the British Council brought in an urgent telex message for him which read that Sir John would buy Christmas presents on December 15.
(ii) Velu had run away from home as he could not stand his father beating him for one more day. His father spent all the money which Velu and his sisters earned on his drink.
(iii) The oldest coin told the writer that all coins were trying to tell him for his own good and the writer was trying to strangle them instead. It tempted him to eat hot jalebis. What if the writer spends coins in eating jalebis, wouldn't he get the scholarship next day? Sweet could be bought with for money and for money with scholarship money. So he should spend them and eat jalebis.
(iv) The narration by the girl (niece) about the Sappleton family was connected to the tragedy which happened just three years ago. The niece described how through the window, three years ago, Mrs. Sappleton's husband and her two younger brothers went off for their day's hunt and never returned.
(v) The eight sisters of Princess September pretended to be very kind and helpful. First, they advised her to have a pet bird similar to theirs. They also said they had pooled their pocket money to buy her a lovely parrot. But September refused the offer. Then they advised her to take no chances and put her new bird into the cage. That was according to them, the only way to be sure of his stay with her.
Ques 17: Answer any one of the following:
Write briefly the incident of Gather gold return to the valley.
Begin like this: My name is Gather gold. I left the valley of the Great Stone Face fifty years ago. I am now going back home. Will the people of the valley welcome me? Do they know that I am very rich?
OR
Do you think Jaya is a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour. Find instances of her courage, kind nature and humour in the text.
Ans:
My name is Gather gold. I left my home and the valley of the Great Stone Face fifty years back in pursuit of wealth.
I have been successful and earned a lot of money. I am rich now and going back to the valley. But will the people of the valley welcome me or will they condone me for leaving the home. Will they accept me and allow me to be a part of the valley.
I will try my best. May be they would respect me because of my wealth. Yes/I will tell them how rich I became and surely that would make them respect me and accept me back.
OR
Yes, Jaya is definitely a brave and sensitive child with a sense of humour. She can live alone and guide someone else like Velu.
Some examples are cited below.
COURAGE "What do you think you're doing? Grazing cows? If you stand around in the middle of the road like that, you'll be chutney?" "She walked really fast."
KIND NATURE "Chey! What do you think I am? A dog? I only take untouched food. Here, some more, catch! "She threw him a vada",
HUMOUR "If you're not careful, you'll soon be counting bars there."
"So you've been following me around without even knowing my name. Jaya."
"You think he buys it for show?"
"I don't have time to waste, like, you."
