SECTION A
READING COMPREHENSION(SEEN)
1. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
A month later a letter came for Father. After he finished reading it, his eyes looked as if he had been crying. “Do you want to know what became of your kite?” he said. Then he sat down beside us and told us the whole story.
Father had a brother and a sister. He had quarrelled with his brother and left home. Years afterwards, he felt sorry and when he went back, he found his brother had died and he couldn’t find his sister.
The letter father had just received was from his sister, Aunt Esther, mother of Dick and Muni. She was a widow who lived hundreds of miles inland. One day when Dick and Mimi were out in the woods, they discovered the kite on the top of a tree and carried it home. When their mother saw the kite patched with the letter, she turned pale. It was the very letter she had once written to her brother. Philippa was her mother’s name and Claude was her father’s. She knew who we be. So she sat down and wrote to Big Half Moon and Father received her letter.
The next day, Father went and brought Aunt Esther and Dick and Mimi with him. They have been here ever since. Aunt Esther is a dear and Dick and Mimi are too jolly for words.
A. Write the correct alternative in the given space to complete the following sentences: [1×5=5]
(a) Father received a letter –
(i) one month ago (ii) one week ago (iii) after one month (iv) after several years
Ans. ________________________________
(b) The letter was from Father’s sister –
(i) Philippa (ii) Claude (iii) Mimi (iv) Esther
Ans. ________________________________
(c) Father left home because he
(i) did not like his home (ii) quarrelled with his brother (iii) wanted a new life (iv) got a new job at Big Half Moon
Ans. _________________________________
(d) When Father went back home his brother –
(i) had already died (ii) could not be traced (iii) did not meet him (iv) welcomed him warmly
Ans. ________________________________
(e) The kite was patched with the letter written by –
(i) Philippa to Claude (ii) Esther to her husband (iii) Father to her sister (iv) Esther to her brother
Ans. _____________________________________
B. Complete the following sentences with information from the text: [1×3=3]
(i) Though Father left home, ____________________________________________________
(ii) In the woods Dick and Mimi ___________________________________________________
(iii) Esther turned pale when _____________________________________________________
C. State whether the following statements are true or false. Write ‘T’ for ‘True’ and ‘F’ for ‘False’ in the boxes given on the right-hand side. Provide sentences/phrases/words in support of your answer: [2×2=4]
(i) Aunt Esther always lived on the island of Big Half Moon. – ☐
Supporting sentence: _________________________________________________________
(ii) Claude was Esther’s father’s name. – ☐
Supporting sentence: _________________________________________________________
2. Read the poem and answer the questions that follow:
The mountain and the squirrel
Had a quarrel:
And the former called the latter, ‘Little Prig.’
Bun replied,
‘You are doubtless very big:
But all sorts of things and weather
Must be taken in together,
To make up a year
And a sphere
And I think it no disgrace
To occupy my place.
If I’m not so large as you,
You are not so small as I,
And not half so spry.
I’ll not deny you make
A very pretty squirrel track;
Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;
If I cannot carry forests on my back,
Neither can you crack a nut.’
A. Write the correct alternative to complete the following sentences: [1×4=4]
(a) The quarrel took place between the squirrel and the –
(i) Prig (ii) Bun (iii) Rabbit (iv) Mountain
Ans. _____________________
(b) All sorts of things and weather make up a –
(i) sphere and mountain (ii) year and a sphere (iii) mountain and a squirrel (iv) pretty squirrel track
Ans. ________________________________
(c) The mountain can –
(i) make squirrel track (ii) crack nut (iii) move from place to place (iv) be very energetic
Ans. _______________________
(d) The squirrel claims that the mountain is –
(i) as spry as him (ii) not as big as him (iii) not spry like him (iv) equal in size with him
Ans. ____________________________
B. Answer the following questions: [2×2=4]
(i) Why does the squirrel not consider it a disgrace to occupy his place?
Ans. ______________________________________________________________________
(ii) What examples of differing talents does the squirrel give in the poem?
Ans. ______________________________________________________________________
READING COMPREHENSION (UNSEEN)
3. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
Heavy rain battered North Bengal, throwing life out of gear and triggering multiple landslides that left tourists stranded in the hills. Torrential showers in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri districts triggered landslides causing damages to roads and bridges while halting or disrupting traffic in many places, officials said.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed four teams for relief and rescue operations across North Bengal as well as hi Sikkim. While three of the rescue teams will work in North Bengal, the remaining one will stay put in Sikkim for relief work.
Around 11 P.M. a landslide occurred at NH-10, near Birik-Dara, which connects Siliguri with Sikkim and Kalimpong. The Algarah-Lava stretch in Kalimpong was also blocked for several hours due to a landslide. Kalimpong Police deployed personnel at all important points, handling out water and snacks to stranded tourists. Civil defence volunteers were also seen providing tea and eatables to visitors stuck on the Lava-Algarah road.
Pounded by incessant rainfall for 36 hours several roads in North Bengal were blocked due to landslides, stranding locals and visitors, cutting off traffic. Siliguri-bound passenger vehicles from Sikkim were advised to take Peshok road. Meanwhile, the low-pressure system over Bihar and its neighbourhood have now developed into a cyclonic circulation, the weather office said, adding that enhanced rainfall activity was likely to continue in North Bengal over the next few days.
[Adapted from an article published in The Indian Express dated October 21, 2021]
A. Tick the right answer: [1×6=6]
(i) The three districts affected by torrential showers are Darjeeling, Kalimpong and –
(a) Coochbehar
(c) Gangtok – ☐
(b) Jalpaiguri – ☐
(d) Alipurduar – ☐
(ii) Tourists were stranded in the hills due to –
(a) bad rainfall – ☐
(c) sudden storm – ☐
(b) heavy thunderstorm – ☐
(d) multiple landslides – ☐
(iii) For rescue operations in North Bengal and Sikkim NDRF has deployed –
(a) four teams – ☐
(c) many teams – ☐
(b) three teams – ☐
(d) two teams – ☐
(iv) NH-10 is the main road linking Siliguri with –
(a) Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong – ☐
(b) Kalimpong and Sikkim – ☐
(c) Sikkim and Bhutan – ☐
(d) Sikkim and Bihar – ☐
(v) The Algarah-Lava stretch in Kalimpong was blocked for –
(a) several hours – ☐
(b) two hours – ☐
(c) three hours – ☐
(d) one hour – ☐
(vi) At important points on the Lava-Algarah road personnel providing relief were deployed by –
(a) NDRF – ☐
(b) Sikkim govt. – ☐
(c) Kalimpong police – ☐
(d) Algarah police – ☐
B. Each of the following statements is either “True’ or ‘False’. Write ‘T’ for ‘True’ and ‘F’ for ‘False’ in the boxes on the right-hand side. Also pick out suitable line(s) or phrase(s) from the passage in support of your answers: [(1+1)x3=6]
(i) Landslides have caused damage to roads and bridges in many places in North Bengal.
Supporting sentence: ___________________________________________________________
(ii) Roads were blocked in North Bengal due to landslides caused by 48 hours of incessant rain.
Supporting sentence: ___________________________________________________________
(iii) Birik-Dara experienced the landslide in the daytime.
Supporting sentence: ___________________________________________________________
C. Answer the following questions: [2×4=8]
(i) What was the effect of torrential rain in three districts of North Bengal?
Ans. ______________________________________________________________________
(ii) What does NDRF stand for? How did it respond to the disaster in North Bengal and Sikkim?
Ans. _______________________________________________________________________
(iii) How did Kalimpong Police and Civil defence volunteers try to help stranded tourists?
Ans. _______________________________________________________________________
(iv) Why does the weather office predict enhanced rainfall activity to continue for few more days?
Ans. _______________________________________________________________________
SECTION B (GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY)
4. Write the correct alternative to fill in the blanks: [1×3=3]
When I entered the house something ____________ (smelling/smells/smelt) awful. Someone ___________(had been cooking/has cooked/ was cooking) and __________ (burn/burnt/has burnt) the meal.
5. Do as directed :
A. Fill in the blanks with appropriate articles and prepositions: [1×3=3]
My neighbourhood is ……………… very interesting place. My house is located ………….. an area which has many stores and offices. The biggest store is only five minutes’ walk ……………. My house.
B. [1×3=3]
(i) The poor man carried a heavy load. (Change the voice)
Ans.
(ii) “What has he done, Father?” said Swami. (Change into indirect speech)
Ans.
(iii) The people were too stunned to speak in the beginning. (Rewrite the sentence using “so…….. ..that”)
Ans.
C. Choose the correct phrasal verbs from the list given below to replace the words underlined. Write the correct phrasal verbs in the boxes on the right-hand side changing the form where necessary. There is one extra phrasal verb in the list: [1×3=3]
(i) He continued as if nothing had happened. [ ]
(ii) She resembles her mother. [ ]
(iii) Have the factory workers withdrawn the strike? [ ]
[take after, carry out, carry on, call off]
6. Given below are the meanings of four words which you will find in the passage in Question No. 3. Find out the words and write them in the appropriate boxes on the right-hand side: [2×4=8]
(i) save [ ]
(ii) continuous [ ]
(iii) used effectively [ ]
(iv) Money or food given to those in need [ ]
SECTION – C
WRITING
7. Suppose you are the student editor of your school magazine. Write a notice (within 100 words) inviting contributions from students for the next issue of the magazine. You may use the following points: [10]
[Types of contribution (article, story, poem, drawings) – length of the writing and page to be used for submission last date of submission and whom to submit.]
8. Write a story (within 100 words) using the following hints. Give a title to the story: [8+2=10]
The hare laughs at the slow – moving tortoise – tortoise invites the hare for a race – agrees – the hare runs very fast- the tortoise falls behind – confident hare takes a nap – tortoise continues in his own speed – reaches winning post before the hare – the hare loses.
9. Write a letter (within 100 words) to your friend advising him or her to maintain Covid rules strictly. Mention wearing of a mask, use of sanitiser, frequent handwash, and maintaining physical distance as precautions against Covid. [10]
SECTION -D
(SUPPLEMENTARY)
[FOR EXTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY]
1. Write the opposites of the following words: [1×5=5]
(a) Possible _____________________
(b) Fit _________________________
(c) Active ______________________
(d) Literate _______________________
(e) Responsible ____________________
2. Frame nominal compounds from the meanings given: [1×5=5]
(a) A room for dining ____________________
(b) A chair with wheels ________________________
(c) Mill driven by wind ______________________
(d) Juice made from orange ______________________
(e) A garden for growing tea ___________________
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