icse english language paper solved

ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 1 With Answers

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

Write a composition (350-400) words on any one of the following:
Question 1(a).
Describe a person who according to you has made immense contribution to rural development in India.
Answer:
Very few people in India might have heard the name of Norman Ernest Borlaug (March 25, 1914 – September 12, 2009) who was an American biologist, humanitarian and Nobel laureate who has been called “the father of the Green Revolution”, “agriculture’s greatest spokesperson” and “The Man Who Saved A Billion Lives”. Borlaug received his B.Sc. Biology 1937 and Ph.D. in plant pathology and genetics from the University of Minnesota in 1942. He took up an agricultural research position in Mexico, where he developed semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease resistant wheat varieties.

During the mid-20th century, Borlaug led the introduction of these high-yielding varieties combined with modern agricultural production techniques to Mexico, Pakistan, and India. As a result, Mexico became a net exporter of wheat by 1963. Between 1965 and 1970, wheat yields nearly doubled in Pakistan and India, greatly improving the food security in those nations. These collective increases in yield have been labelled the Green Revolution, and Borlaug is often credited with saving over a billion people worldwide from starvation. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of his contributions to world peace through increasing food supply.

In 1961 to 1962, Borlaug’s dwarf spring wheat strains were sent for multi-location testing in the International Wheat Rust Nursery, organized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In March 1962, a few of these strains were grown in the fields of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in Pusa, New Delhi, India. In May 1962, M. S. Swaminathan, a member of lARI’s wheat program, requested of Dr. B. P. Pal, Director of IARI, to arrange for the visit of Borlaug to India and to obtain a wide range of dwarf wheat seed possessing the Norin 10 dwarfing genes. The letter was forwarded to the Indian Ministry of Agriculture headed by Shri C. Subramaniam, which arranged with the Rockefeller Foundation for Borlaug’s visit. In March 1963, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Mexican government sent Borlaug and Dr. Robert Glenn Anderson to India to continue his work. He supplied 100 kg (220 lb) of seed from each of the four most promising strains. Test plots were subsequently planted at Delhi, Ludhiana, Pant Nagar, Kanpur, Pune and Indore.

This led to high yields and the term Green Revolution was coined. High yields led to a shortage of various utilities— labour to harvest the crops, bullock carts to haul it to the threshing floor, jute bags, trucks, rail cars, and grain storage facilities. Some local governments were forced to close school buildings temporarily to use them for grain storage. In India, yields increased from 12.3 million tons in 1965 to 20.1 million tons in 1970. By 1974, India was self-sufficient in the production of all cereals. By 2000, India was harvesting a record 76.4 million tons (2.81 billion bushels) of wheat. This led to various other developments like better transportation facilities, education, increased spending on rural development. Hence, according to me Borlaug was largely responsible for rural development in India even though he was a foreigner.

Question 1(b).
Imagine that there was a road accident in your colony. Describe the scene of the accident and what you did to help the injured.
Answer:
Some days ago there was a serious accident involving a car near my village. There were about 5 passengers in the car which was commuting from Chandigarh to Amritsar. The private trucks lid off the road and dashed against a car near my village, Behram. We were working in the fields and heard the sound of the crash and rushed there. People were screaming, some in fear and others in pain. The truck was passing through a deep curve when it slid off the road and dashed into a car. It seemed the brakes had failed and the driver had lost control. I saw that the car driver’s had caught fire and he was screaming in pain. I immediately jumped into action. Despite not having fire gear, or any protective gear of any kind, I ran toward the burning car and along with several other bystanders started pulling people to safety. I asked some boys to rush to the nearby fields and bring buckets of water to douse the flames. Some of the people had fainted so we tried giving artificial respiration. We pulled out children and women by breaking the windows. Some of the victims were in pretty rough shape, but we tried to get everyone out as soon as possible. A number of the victims had been badly mutilated and there was blood everywhere. There was blood everywhere. My clothes and hands, parts of the car, the road – everything was soaked in blood. I don’t know whose blood was on whom.

I immediately rang the police helpline number and soon the police and paramedics arrived and took over. The serious cases were flown away. We helped to put the severely injured into the ambulances so that they could be rushed to the hospital. After everyone who was injured was attended to and the 2 dead bodies laid out the police thanked us and said we had saved many lives with our timely action. They said that it was only due to my efforts that a 10- month-old baby had survived the horrific car accident.

Question 1(c).
Open book examination system is better than the closed book examination system. Give your views either for or against the statement.
Answer:
There have been numerous debates on the issue whether open book examination system is better than the closed book examination system. To reach an acceptable answer one must first examine what both these systems entail.

In closed book examination you have in an open book examination, you can look at your book/ texts. A student is allowed to have a reference material with him/her while taking the examinations. Tests that require lengthy formula are usually open book examinations. Closed book examination is when a student is not allowed to open a book or have a reference materials opened while taking examinations, tests like objective type are usually closed book. Obviously both tests measure the students understanding towards particular topics of the subjects undertaken. Besides this the type of questions asked in the closed examination system are rather specific while the ones in the open examination system are a bit general/ broad and normally the student has to deduce from what he/she has learned and from anticipating what the questions require to be answered. Course books at that point, would be only serve as a guidance, not as in-depth information.

Hence the open book exam would be ideally suited to modern teaching programmers that especially aim at developing the skills of critical and creative thinking as opposed to the closed book system which is now termed as old school and relies on memory and intelligence, It appears more rigorous while testing the students capacity to cram and reproduce verbatim.

This system is appropriate only if one assumes that the central goal of school and university teaching is the “dissemination of knowledge”. This approach to education treats the information content of a subject to be the most important. In this system the teacher plays the role of facilitating the transfer of information from the textbook to the students’ minds. What the student is expected to do is to understand this information, retain it, and retrieve it during the final examination. Based on the closed book examination most of the conventional examinations only serve to test how much information the students have been able to store in their minds. In order to cope with this demand, students memories the information in class notes and textbooks, and transfer it to answer books during the examination without questioning or using their creativity. Under this system the student automatically chooses not to use his/her ingenuity and thus his mental growth appears stunted .In this type of examination, success depends on the quantity of information memorised, and the efficiency with which it is reproduced .It is a system which has outlived its efficacy and needs to be replaced with the system which caters to modem and more scientific environment. The need of the time dictates that examinations evaluate students on their mental agility and ingenuity and the open book system is conducive to this requirement.

It would not be wrong to say that the open book system is more comprehensive and rigorous as it taxes the students mental agility to disseminate and mould information according to the need of the question. The student must learn to weigh every answer and option before deciding upon the most appropriate solution. Teaching as Triggering Mental Development The open book system is an invaluable tool to test the efficacy of classroom teaching as a means to transferring information from the library or textbooks to the students’ minds. Rather, it propagates and substantiates the dictum that true teaching is teaching students how to learn. That is, teaching should equip students with the ability to acquire knowledge, to modify existing knowledge on the basis of new experience, to build and trigger mental development and this is amply applicable in an open book examination system.

Question 1(d).
Do you think that you are lucky to be born in this generation? Discuss.
Answer:
People of the previous eras might not agree but in my mind there is no doubt that we are the luckiest generations. The technological progression of the last 50 years is unparalleled by any era of time. The internet has been the biggest invention since fire and electricity; it has engulfed the human population in a whirlwind of infinite knowledge and resources. If you asked an 11 year old in today’s age to live without internet, they would have a hard time adjusting to normal things such as trees and grass. ‘Tweet’ was not a word that described an action, ‘Facebook’ were two separate words “face” and “book” and ‘app’ was not considered to be a term. The internet is our lifeline and it integrates into our daily lives. For „ decades Generation X has been using pens and papers, cassettes and VCRs and actual encyclopaedias for information. In contrast, we the Generation Y has been spoiled with flat screen TVs, iPads and Google – our ability to search and process information is largely dependent upon having an internet connection. And this is one of the greatest boons that we have been blessed with. Being used to the fast-paced technological world where a 2 minute lag on Google is the end of the world, we often forget what the learning process is actually like for someone who is alien to the current culture. We forget that they have been bereft of what we take for granted and this is what makes us luckier-the fast pace of technology at our fingertips and the luxury of utilizing it to make use of other natural resources within our reach.

We have been hand in hand with technology since we ditched our Walkman’s and installed iTunes. It has been a long haul but internet has grown up with us. Due to this fact, we are able to nostalgically remember the good old Facebook, changes in technology and political scenarios – however the flip side means that we are in an environment of constant change! But then change and flux is always welcome as it makes life more interesting and less stagnant.

Now take the example of wildlife! Wildlife watching and travelling for earlier generations was a pastime only the ‘idle rich’ could indulge in. Most of our parents and grandparents were either too poor or too busy at work or caught up in raising us! Air travel was too expensive and there were very few ‘Nature Reserves’. People of this generation are indeed lucky as we have more spare time and more spare cash, and also a sense of freedom which enables us to experience and enjoy more than the other generations.

For us it is a boon that advancement in transport facilities has made the world a global village. Now countries around the world are more accessible, wildlife conservation ‘tourism’ is becoming more and more popular. People can visit both Poles; the Titanic and even take a trip into space!

Then another issue that looms and has been confronting previous generations also is depletion of oil reserves. Oil has now been predicted to last for another 80/90 years. Will that mean the end of travel as we know it? But not to worry as luck is on our side. Alternate fuels and modes of transport have been gifted by technology to this generation.

The secret about the benefit of being born  in this generation is that it has devised solutions to problems through technology. We belong to an era of bio- diversity and an undefeatable zeal to survive all odds. We are the generation equipped to help save species for future generations. We are lucky because we are endowed with the virtues of sustainability and hope. We are indeed one of the luckiest generations.

Question 1(e).
Study the picture given on next page. Write a story or account of what the picture suggests to you .Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or may take suggestions from it; but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition.

Answer:
She woke before the alarm went off, she rolled over, smiling and decided it wasn’t too early to get up. She turned off the alarm and got out of bed, she could take her time, have a nice, long shower then a pleasant breakfast. Everything was ready; there was no need to rush today, no need to panic. Nothing could go wrong. She got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, running through the day’s events in her mind. As she stood under the water, she wondered what her life would be like.

It was still dark outside when she entered the kitchen, so the lights needed to be turned on. It was supposed to be a nice day, but she wasn’t relying on that. It was all indoors, outdoors had been suggested, but too much could go wrong.

She could hear people getting up, getting ready. They were excited too, but for different reasons. They couldn’t know what the day meant to her, they would never know. She went upstairs to her room, holding a mug of tea between both hands. She examined her dress as she sipped her drink, her wedding dress was a beautiful, traditional, red and gold in colour. Her mother bustled into the room, panicking. She shook her head slightly as her mother started rattling off what had to be done. They had already been over this, everything would be perfect. The dress was surprisingly comfortable, she had tried it on before and she had thought after a little while it would start to be too restrictive, too heavy, but no. It was perfect. She waited at the door, surrounded by her cousins and friends. She took a breath then smiled as the wedding music began to play. This was it. They stepped forward for the most important event of her life-her marriage.

Question 2(a).
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:

Write a letter to the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation complaining about the street lights of your locality that do not function and have not been repaired for long.
Answer:
7-Kailash Apartments,
Vasant colony,
M.G. Road,
Bengaluru
24th February, 2013 To
Municipal Commissioner Karnataka State Electricity Board Bengaluru
Subject: Complaint letter regardingnon-functioning of street lights.

Respected Sir,
We are totally five hundred families residing in our locality. We are facing a severe problem of faulty streetlights and laxity on the part of the Electricity Department in repairing/replacing them for the last three months in our locality.

This has led to a spate of crimes like chain snatching, eve-teasing and even thefts as the area is poorly lighted at night and this provides the miscreants with ample opportunities to indulge in nefarious activities. The locality is becoming unsafe and people are fearful to even venture out in the late evenings. Illegal activities are on the rise and it is becoming very dangerous for the residents.

I have already given many complaints to our local authority. They are always giving only empty promises and no action is being taken. It is my humble request that you look into the matter personally. If you take some prompt action I shall be very grateful.
Thanking You
Yours sincerely
XYZ

Question 2(b).
Your grandmother who lives in Bengaluru has written to you enquiring about your welfare against the background of the havoc caused by the incessant rains in your area. Write a reply to her letter.
Answer:
Dear Grandmother
Received your letter and wanted to put you at ease regarding my wellbeing. I am perfectly safe although the rains have no doubt wreaked havoc in the town of Mumbai. Most of the city is waterlogged and even the house where I live is facing leakage problems due to the incessant rain. And with the heavy downpour water gets collected over the terrace and it keeps seeping through the ceilings and creates a menace. It has caused severe damage to my household electronic items. Also this may damage the wallpaper and wood work inside the house.

The drains in the streets are blocked and this is adding to the problem as sewage is seeping onto the roads. The stench is almost unbearable in the city but thankfully the locality where I live is saved from this problem atleast. Small mercies indeed!

The mayor said this year’s flooding is some of the worst seen in years and he is hoping the City of Mumbai can find some long term solutions. More than 36,600 people have been affected by this week’s stormy weather. The water affairs department has issued a flood warning due to heavy rainfall which has soaked parts of the city. Torrential downpours have left scores of people without shelter due to flooding. The heavy downpours have cut off roads, uprooted trees, collapsed bridges, marooned farms, wrecked crops, damaged cars, flooded homes and swept away shacks.

However you must not become anxious as my house is not in the flooded areas and lam safe.
Rest I will talk when I visit you soon.
Your loving grandson
XYZ

Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
‘You-speak Spanish?’ said Thacker thoughtfully. ‘You look like a Spaniard, too’, he continued. ‘And you’re from Texas. And you can’t be more than twenty or twenty-one’
‘Have you got a deal of some kind to put through?’ Llano Kid asked Thacker
‘Are you open to a proposition?’ said Thacker.
‘What’s the use to deny it?’ said the Kid. Thacker got up and closed the door. Through the window he pointed to a two-storey white house with wide galleries.

‘In that house,’ said Thacker, live old Santos Urique and his wife. Twelve years ago they lost their child. No, he didn’t die. Some Americans filled his head with big stories about the States; and about a month after they left, the boy disappeared, too. He was eight then. The boy was seen once afterwards in Texas, it was thought, but they never heard anything more of him. Old Urique has spent thousands of dollars having him looked for. The mother was broken up worst of all. She still believes he’ll come back to her some day. On the back of the boy’s left hand was tattooed a flying eagle carrying a spear in his claws. That’s old Urlque’s coat of arms.

‘Here’s the scheme. In a week I’ll have the eagle bird tattooed on your hand. Then I’ll notify old Urique. In the meantime I’ll furnish you with all of the family history I can find out. The rest of it is simple. If they take you in only for a while it’s long enough. Old Urique keeps anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 in his house all the time in a little safe that you could open with a screwdriver. You get it and we’ll be gone.’

After two weeks Thacker dispatched a note to the intended victim informing him about his long lost son. The man and the lady arrived at the consulate. Lady Urique bent upon the young man and gave a long look of the most agonised questioning. Then her great black eyes turned, and her gaze rested upon his left hand. And then with a sob she caught Llano Kid to her heart. A month afterwards Kid came to the consulate in response to a message sent by Thacker.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Thacker. ‘You’re not being fair to me. You’ve been acting as the lost son of the couple for four weeks now. What’s the trouble? What are you waiting for?’ aksed Thacker, angrily. ‘Don’t you forget that I can upset your apple cart any day I want to?’

‘I might just as well tell you now, that things are going to stay just as they are. They’re about right now,’ said Kid. ‘The scheme’s off.’

‘What do you mean?’ asked Thacker. ‘You’re going to throw me down, then, are you?’
‘Sure’, said Kid cheerfully. ‘Throw you down. That’s it. And now I’ll tell you why. I have had no mother to speak of. But here’s a lady, this artificial mother of mine, who dotes on me. I’ve got to keep her fooled. Once the lady stood it; twice she won’t.’ ‘There’s one more reason’, he said slowly, ‘why things have got to stand as they are. The fellow I killed in Laredo had the same picture on his left hand.’

Question 3(a).
Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage .One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.

(1) Tattoed
(2) Notify
(3) Agonised

Answer:

1. A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment.
2. Inform (someone) of something, typically in a formal or official manner.
3. Expressingpain or agony;”agonizedscreams”.

Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

Question 1.
In what way could Kid look like Urique’s lost son?(Consider his age,origin and his tattoo)
Answer:
The kid could speak Spanish and looked like a Spaniard. Urique was Spanish.Besides this the Kid could look like Urique’s son if a tattoo showing a flying eagle carrying a spear in his claws was made on his left hand.This was a tattoo of Urique’s coat of arms.Moreover the kid was about twenty or twenty one which was the same age as Uriques’s son would have been as he was eight when he was lost and twelve years had passed since then. The boy had been list in Texas and the Kid was also from Texas.

Question 2.
What did Urique do after his son was lost? What was the reaction of Lady Urique then?
Answer:
Urique spent thousands of dollars to look for his son .Lady Urique was broken most of all .She believed that her son would come back some day to her.

Question 3.
What was Thacker’s intention in sending Kid to Urique’s house?
Answer:
Thacker wanted to use the Kid to steal money from Urique’s house.Urique was in the habit of keeping $50,000 to $100,000 in his house all the time and Thaker wanted the kid to open the safe and steal that money .

Question 4.
What did Thacker do after Kid had gone to Urique’s house?
Answer:
After the Kid went to Urique’s house Thacker waited for a month for the Kid to commit the robbery as planned but when nothing happened he sent a message asking the Kid to meet him.

Question 5.
How did Urique and his wife react at the consulate after meeting Kid?
Answer:
When Urique’s wife met Kid at the consulate she gave him a long look of the most agonised questioning. Then she turned to look at his left hand to see the tattoo.After that she caught Llano Kid and hugged him with a sob .She became very emotional.

Question 6.
Why didn’t Kid abide by the scheme proposed by Thacker?
Answer:
The Kid did not abide by the scheme proposed by Thacker for two reasons. Firstly he was quite happy being with Urique and his wife who doted on him and felt that it was better for him to continue living with them who considered him their son and were ready to give him everything. Secondly, he had already killed Urique’s son in Laredo and was confident that now he could safely stay with them without danger of detection.And maybe he was also a little repentant for killing their son.

Question 3(c).
In not more than 60 words, briefly state the plan made by Thacker and how it failed at the end.
Answer:
Thacker had planned to plant Kid in Urique’s house to impersonate as Urique’s son to steal money and then flee with Thacker. But his planned failed when Kid refused to do as planned and decided to continue staying with a doting mother and maybe he was repentant for killing their son.

Question 3(d).
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
An apt title would be Deceiver Deceived because of two reasons-                              .

1. Thacker who wanted to deceive Urique was himself deceived by his accomplice
2.  Kid had gone to deceive Urique and his wife about their son and rob them but ultimately was deceived into staying because of the motherly love showered upon him.

Question 4(a).
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the words given in brackets. Da not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
While-1—(teach)in the class, the teacher looked outside the window of his classroom. There he -2—(see)a none -year- old boy, shabbily—3—(dress) and —4—(shiver) with cold.The teacher called him in.The poor boy —5—(be)in tears. “I have done nothing wrong,” he said. “I was just here to listen to your lessons and learn something before—6—(go) to the store;but if you don’t want me here I won’t come back.” “Why don’t you go to school?” asked the teacher. “Because my father can’t afford to  pay the school fees every month,” sobbed the boy, “Well,let me see if you know anything.Tell me something about what I —7—(teach) in class yesterday.” The boy remembered everything and the astonished teacher said, “Don’t worry about the fees.I —8—(speak)to your father.”Later, the boy became a great scholar and an outstanding writer.
Answer:

1. teaching
2. saw
3. dressed
4. shivering
5. was
6. going
7. had taught/taught
8. will speak|

Question 4(b).
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

1. I saw Jane last summer, but since then I haven’t seen her.
2. There were old magazines lying about in his room.
3. A wooden barrier was placed across the road.
4. The child crawled under the bed in an attempt to hide.
5. They do not work properly during the festival week.
6. We walked on till we reached the bridge.
7. These souvenirs are of no value.
8. We decided against a picnic in view of the bad weather.

Question 4(c).
Combine each of the following set of sentences without using and ,but ,or so

1. Bring me the newspaper. It is in the drawing room.
Ans. Bring me the newspaper that is in the drawing room.

2. Could he give us a loan? I did not know.
Ans. I did not know if he could give us a loan.

3.Everyone opposed Edison. However, he disregarded their opinion.
Ans. Edison disregarded the opinion of everyone who opposed him.

4. My father will send my sister to college. He will also send me to college.
Ans. My father will send me as well as my sister to college.

Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the Instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

(1) Both the sons never help her in the morning. ( Begin: Neither______)
Ans. Neither of the sons help her in the morning.

(2) “If you need help, contact the travel agent.” I advised the tourists.(Begin: The Tourists    )
Ans. The tourists were advised by me to contact the travel agent in case they needed any help.

(3) Both Arun and I walked out of the meeting.(Begin: Arun walked out_______ )
Ans. Arun walked out of the meeting,so did I.

(4) My cousin is short,yet he is a good basketball player.( Use: Inspite of________ )
Ans. Inspite of being short, my cousin is a good basketball player.

(5) The government will raise the oil prices soon.(Begin: The oil prices_______ )
Ans. The oil prices will soon be raised by the government.

(6) She can only, go for the picnic if she gets better. (Use: Unless________ )
Ans. Unless she gets better she cannot go for the picnic.

(7) Didn’t I meet you in the school yesterday? (End: _______ didn’t I )
Ans. I met you in the school yesterday, didn’t I?

(8) He said, “I have not done that.” (Begin:He denied________ )
Ans. He denied having done that.

For More Resources

ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 2 With Answers

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

Write a composition (350-400) words on any one of the following:
Question 1(a).
It is said that laughter is the best medicine.Give your views in support of this statement.
Answer:
Laughter strengthens our relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. When we laugh with one another, a positive bond is created. This bond acts as a strong buffer against stress, disagreements, and disappointment. Shared laughter is one of the most effective tools for keeping relationships fresh and exciting. Sharing laughter adds joy, vitality, and resilience. Humour is a powerful and effective way to heal resentments, disagreements, and hurts. Laughter unites people during difficult times.The ability to laugh, play, and have fun with others not only makes life more enjoyable but also helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you feel better and putting that spring back in your step.

We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues.People who believe in the benefits of laughter .say it can be like a mild workout — and may offer some of the same advantages as a workout. One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.

Thus it would not be wrong to conclude that laughter has immense power to heal and renew, I and the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting  problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.

Question 1(b).
What are the advantages and disadvantages of internet?
Answer:
In the world today the internet is considered not only one of the most powerful tools but also one of the most indispensable one.However like for most things there are also two sides to the internet i.e. its advantages and disadvantages. Some people avoid the internet because they fear its disadvantages but today’s technological society must realize that it is up to them to protect themselves on the Internet, f      The internet has various advantages like immense information on everything,ability to research from the comfort of one’s home,ability to interact and get opinions,free and fast mail service,video conferencing and skype facility , easy access to international and national news etc.But on the flip side are the disadvantages like wrong information,predators waiting to lure people into dangerous situations, pornography, hackers, identity thefts, and risk of addiction to the net and wasting time, etc.

However a judicious use can overcome these disadvantages .No doubt the internet can pose a danger for children as they can easily be lured into something dangerous. Whether surfing i  the Web, reading newsgroups, or using email, children can be exposed to extremely inappropriate material. To keep children safe, parents and teachers must be aware of the dangers. They must actively guide and guard their children online. There are a number of tools available today that may help keep the Internet environment safer for children.

Another major disadvantage of the Internet is privacy. Electronic messages sent over the Internet can be easily tracked, revealing who is talking to whom and what they are talking about. As people surf the Internet, they are constantly giving information to web sites. People should become aware that the collection, selling, or sharing of the information they provide online increases the chances that their information will fall into the wrong hands. When giving personal information on the Internet, people should make sure the Web site is protected with a recognizable security symbol.

Besides humans computers are also prone to viruses. Computers are mainly getting these viruses from the Internet. Some of these dangerous viruses destroy the computer’s entire hard drive. Virus protection can remedy this.

No doubt there are terrible disadvantages of the Internet, but the numerous advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Internet is very effective and efficient in gathering huge information whether required for references or activities on any topic within seconds. It has benefited the education, travel and business sectors to a great level. It has made easy access to the online public libraries, textbooks or other resources to find relevant topics. . The most common thing the Internet is used for is research. Almost everyday, research on medical issues becomes easier to locate.

Internet is also a main source of entertainment. Downloading games, going into chat rooms or just surfing the Web are some of the uses people have discovered. Free games can be downloaded. People can interact and meet new and interesting people in the chat rooms. Internet can also be used to check out the news. Almost all local and international news can be obtained through the Internet. Sports scores are updated on the Internet as soon as the game ends. Weather is also a popular source to look up on the Internet.

Internet has made online communication very easy and simple. In Earlier days letters were the most common mode of communication but it was very time consuming.But now, we just need to connect our internet to open some social networking websites like Gmail or other accounts (Yahoo, etc.) to send messages within seconds. Internet is a global network which connects millions of computers all over the world.

It has reduced the usage of paper and paper works to a great extent by making everything computerized in the offices (governmental or non-governmental), schools, colleges, educational institutions, training centers, NGOs, universities, shops, business and industries,etc.One can book train online in just few clicks and get travel ticket through printout or get a soft copy in his/her mobile. In the internet world, one does not need to travel a long distance for his/ her meeting for business or other purposes. One can attend his/her meeting online through the use of video calling, conferencing, Skype or other such tools. It helps in getting admission online in desired school, college or universities, hiring highly skilled employees and teachers, business transactions, banking transactions, applying for driving license, money transfer, learning cooking recipes, bill payment, purchasing anything on free delivery and so many activities.

Undoubtedly the internet has many advantages to offer but it is important that one uses it judiciously. One must check the legitimacy of the information received via the net, and one must also treat it with some scepticism. It is also a good idea to use the Internet in order to stay in contact with people, as it is easy and convenient. However, online contact must not be allowed to replace physical contact. It is important to strike a balance between the two.Optimum and sagacious employing of the internet is beneficial to all members of society.

Question 1(c).
You recently visited your grandparents,who live in a town,away from the humdrum of city life.Narrate your own experience of living in the lap of nature.
Answer:
Living in a crowded urban town for most part of my life I had never enjoyed the bounties ;    of nature. It was only when 1 visited my grandparents who live in a beautiful small town of Himachal that I realised what we miss when we disengage from nature. Nestled in the hills on the banks of a beautiful river the small town seemed to me the Xanadu of Kubla Khan.Life seemed to have a pace of its own, unhurried and calm sometimes and full of activity at others. Everything in nature had its own power and uniqueness provided by God. It took many forms changing season to season and even from minute to minute such as the river water looking bright blue in the morning but by noon becoming a bright emerald green colour. The sky would change its colour all through the day from pale pink at sunrise,to dazzling blue in late morning, bright orange at sunset and purple by twilight. It would effect my mood also such as happy and hopeful at sunrise, lazy during the rain and frisky like adeer at springtime. The moonlight would seem enchanting and ethereal.In countryside, life was very peaceful and safe. I realised that people living in countryside did not have to worry much about how their life looked. They went go to work just to earn enough to support their family. Everyone was friendly and generous always willing to share everything such as fruits, foods, and clothing.

I have never written a poem but living in the lap of nature made me feels like a poet. The’ voice of fountain torrents, the sudden sight of the flowers by the lake the sloping pastures, the deep and gloomy woods, all seemed to uplift me from the mere plane of an ordinary world of physical delight to a higher plane where I could experience the sense of sublimity and total identification with something more than life. The beauties on Nature in that humble town helped me to establish a link with God. It purified he dross and the droll and made me a finer and nobler human being. I learnt to empathize with those who were not so blessed as myself with the gifts given by god like a healthy body,loving family and secure lifestyle.The time Is pent with my grandparents living amidst nature taught me the value of life and of the world God has created for us.

Question 1(d).
Write a short story which begins with “I do not believe in ghosts_________ ”
Answer:
Ido not believe in ghosts but I do know that cultures all around the world believe in spirits that survive death to live in another realm. Ghosts have been a popular subject for millennia, appearing in countless stories in haunted houses — and nearly half believe in ghosts., from the Bible to “Macbeth,” and even spawning their own folklore genre: ghost stories. Part of the reason is that belief in ghosts is part of a larger web of related paranormal beliefs, including near-death experience, life after death and spirit communication.

But according to me this is all a hoax. People have claimed to communicate with spirits for ages; in Victorian England, for example, it was fashionable for upper-crust ladies to hold seances in their parlours after tea with friends. In America during the late 1800s, many psychic mediums claimed to speak to’ the dead — but were exposed as frauds by skeptical investigators such as Harry Houdini. I believe that ghosts are just fanciful creations of our minds. All you need is some free time, a dark place and maybe a few gadgets from an electronics store. If you look long enough, any unexplained light or noise might be evidence of ghosts.

One of the reasons that people have started believing in the the existence of ghosts is the idea that the dead remain with us in spirit, and one that offers many people comfort; who doesn’t want to believe that our beloved but deceased family members aren’t looking out for us, or with us in our times of need? Most people believe in ghosts because of personal experience; they have seen or sensed some unexplained presence. So it is not that they exist but people create them as a figment of their imagination because of what they want to believe or due to fear of something.

But if one thinks logically it is not difficult to realise that ghosts do not exist.For example, are ghosts material or not? Either they can move through solid objects without disturbing them, or they can slam doors shut and throw objects across the room. Logically and physically, it’s one or the other. If ghosts are human souls, why do they appear clothed and with presumably soulless inanimate objects like hats, canes and dresses — not to mention the many reports of ghost trains, cars and carriages? Can anyone answer these logically and still believe in ghosts.

If ghosts are the spirits of those whose deaths were unavenged, why are there unsolved murders, since ghosts are said to communicate with psychic mediums, and should be able to identify their killers for the police. And so on; just about any claim about ghosts raises logical reasons to doubt it.Either ghosts exist and appear in our ordinary physical world and can therefore be detected and recorded in photographs, film, video and audio recordings, or they don’t. If ghosts exist and can be scientifically detected or recorded, then we should find hard evidence of that — yet we don’t. If ghosts exist and cannot be scientifically detected or recorded, then all the photos, videos and other recordings claimed to be evidence of ghosts cannot be ghosts. With so many basic contradictory theories — and so little science brought to bear on the topic — it’s not surprising that despite the efforts of thousands of ghost hunters on television and elsewhere for decades, not a single piece of hard evidence of ghosts has been found. Hence ,1 would only once again say that I am correct not to believe in the existence of ghosts.

Question 1(e).
Study the picture given below.Write a story or account of what the picture suggests to you .Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or may take suggestions from it;but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition.

Answer:
The Christian gospel and all the texts of the religions of the world say, “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but who ever is kind to the needy honours God.”And if one serves the righteous and even dies for the sake of the needy one does in fact die for God .But if taken in the Indian context I would say, :wrong, you die for the corrupt,ungrateful  and unconcerned bureaucrats and politicians. The government refuses to acknowledge the fact that malnutrition-related deaths are widespread in the country. The malnutrition issue has to do with unconcerned bureaucrats and politicians, the powerless poor who vote but cannot expect the rotting grain in State warehouses to be diverted to their homes and the citizen’s groups and the courts that have been unable to ensure that the 300 million undernourished must be fed on a priority basis.

Malnutrition in India has behind it a story of bad governance. More than 50 per cent of the country’s children women and men are malnourished. Western democracies introduced reforms in their governance decades ago, whereas India is not even thinking about them. Poverty and malnutrition are bad words in their dictionaries. Gone are the days of large-scale starvation deaths. Instead, we now keep people miserably alive as undernourished citizens.

Malnutrition compromises immunity and increases the vulnerability to fatal ailments. This  leaves room for governments and public health officials to argue that the cause of death was not malnutrition but poor hygiene, contaminated water, harmful cultural practices and so on.Therefore, an acceptable methodology for establishing malnutrition-related deaths is to compare two populations. If the one with a higher rate of malnutrition also has a higher child .death rate, it can be concluded that the deaths are malnutrition-related. Had malnutrition not prevailed, the rates of death would have been lower. Thus the politicians and bureaucrats need to take cognizance of malnutrition as a deadly killer in our country and not turn their faces the other side when they see a poor man dying due to poverty and malnutrition.

(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:
Question 2(a).
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper showing your concern for the lack of safety of children in the school buses and vans.
Answer:
To,
The Editor The Indian Express Kasturba Gandhi Marg ’  New Delhi
Dear Sir,
I am writing to bring to your notice the deplorable safety measures that are existing regarding school buses and vans. There is a flagrant violation of rules and regulations.Most school buses and vans are operating illegally and violate traffic rules.

Schools must be required to pay special attention to check that all legal and other formalities connected with the safety of the students are fulfilled before outsourcing transport facility to private contractors. They must keep a check on the activities of the bus staff. Infact they should run their own bus service so that they are directly responsible. Small buses and rickshaws are not safe for school children and should not be allowed.

The schools must have full say in compliance of school buses and drivers and other staff must be employed after a go-ahead from school authorities.Only trained drivers and staff must be hired.

Traffic rules and road norms must be taken seriously. Seminars and conferences regarding safety rules must be organised from time to time.

School buses carrying children are not ordinary vehicles. Whatever happens during the transportation of children daily goes a long way in forming their attitudes which is a part of the informal educational process. School administration has a special responsibility in this regard.

I hope you will take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the children and bring awareness through your newspaper.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Rajeev Patil.

Question 2(b).
Write a letter to your friend inviting him to join you in an excursion to a place of historical importance during the next holidays.
Answer:
21, Lodhi Road
New Delhi.
Dear Manali
Dear Aashu,

I hope you must be enjoying Dussehra with your family. Since long we have not met, I have a plan for meeting. I am sure you would agree to this.

I have had a desire since a long time that we should celebrate Diwali together. So why don’t we decide to meet and go to visit a historical place i.e., the Sun temple at Konark, during our Diwali holidays. We would be killing two birds with one stone; meeting and visiting a historical place.

The Sun Temple at Konark is near the sea-shore in Orissa. It is one of the most beautiful temples. It was built in the thirteenth century by king Narsimha Deva in the honour of Surya, the Sun-God. Over 1200 sculptors worked day and night and it took twelve years to complete this temple.

The temple is designed as a Chariot for Surya. It has 24 huge stone wheels. Each wheel has 8 spokes and it is being driven by seven horses. The temple has beautiful carvings of different dance styles and different animals. The horses stand for 7 days of the week. The spokes stand for 8 prahars in a day and the wheels stand for 24 fortnights of the Indian year.

Hope you agree to my suggestion. Do let me know so that I can book for our tickets and accommodation. How are your parents. Convey my regards to them. Hope to see you soon.
Your loving friend Shalini

Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
“There are always legends hanging about the old castles,” said Baroness Grucebel to the banker and his wife. “Legends are not difficult to invent and they cost nothing.” In this context, she referred to a popular belief that when one of the Cernogratz family dies all the dogs bark and wolves in the village howl the night long. And as the soul of the dying one leaves its body, a tree would crash down in the park. But for a stranger dying here, of course, no wolf would howl and no tree would fall.

“It is true,” said Amalie, the old governess.
“You seem to know quite a lot about the Cernogratz legends, Amalie,” the Baroness said sharply.
“I am a Cernogratz myself,” said the old woman, “that is why I know the family history.”

“When we became very poor,” she explained, “and I had to go out and give teaching lessons, I took another name; I thought it would be more appropriate. But my grandfather spent much of his time as a boy in this castle, and my father used to tell me many stories about it, and, of course, I knew all the family legends and stories. I thought little when I took service with you that I should one day come with you to the old home of my family.”

When the old governess had slipped away quietly to her room, there arose a clamour of disbelief.

“Most annoying,” said the Baroness, “it is the intense cold, I suspect, that breaks the old people up. It has been unusually cold this year.”

At the same moment, an outburst of angry barking came from the dogs in the castle- yard. Then they heard a long-drawn whining howl of wolves coming from the foot of the castle walls.

Moved by some impulse, the Baroness made her way to the room, where the old governess lay. In spite of the biting cold of the winter night, the window stood open. The Baroness rushed forward to close it. “Leave it open”, said the old woman in a voice that for all its weakness carried an air of command such as the Baroness had never heard from her.
“But you will die of cold. Amalie!” she said.

“Hark! What is that sound?” asked the local banker, as a noise of splitting and crashing was heard. It was a tree falling in the park. There was a moment of constrained silence, and then the banker’s wife spoke, “It is the intense cold that is splitting the trees. It is also the cold that has brought the wolves out in such numbers. It is many years since we have had such a cold winter.”

The Baroness agreed that the cold was responsible for these things. And it was the cold of the open window, too, which caused the heart failure of the old governess.

Question 3(a).
Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.

(1)Incredulous
Ans. Incredulous- unwilling or unable to believe something,disbelieving.

(2) Outburst
Ans. outburst- a sudden outbreak of a particular activity.

(3 ) Impulse
Ans. impulse- a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act, a driving or motivating force; an impetus

Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

Question 1.
What was the legend associated with the Cernogratz family?
Answer:
The legend associated with the Cernogratz family was the popular belief that when a member of the family died all the dogs in the village barked and the wolves howled all night long.And as the soul of the dying one left the body a tree would crash in the park.

Question 2.
Why did Amalie change her name?
Answer:
When the Cernogratz family became poor and Amalie had to go to work and give teaching lessons to earn money she decided to change her name as it would be more appropriate.

Question 3.
How did Amalie know the legends of the Cernogratz family?
Answer:
Amalie had heard the family legends and stories from her father who had been told by her grandfather as he had spent much of his boyhood in the old castle.

Question 4.
“When the old governess had slipped away quietly to her room,there arose a clamour of disbelief.” Give a reason for the clamour.
Answer:
There was a clamour because none of them could believe the poor.old governess, Amalie, could actually be a member of the reputed Cernogratz family who had been the original owners of the castle where the Baroness now lived .

Question 5.
What according to the banker’s wife were the consequences of the intense cold?
Answer:
According to the banker’s wife it was due to the intense cold that the wolves had come out in large numbers and were howling.She also believed that it was the bitter cold that was splitting the trees.

Question 6.
How does the death of Amalie apparently confirm that she was a member of the , Cernogratz family?
Answer:
The events that happen at the time of her death like the howling of the wolves and the splitting of the trees apparently confirm the legend regarding the death of any member of the Cernogratz family.

Question 3(c).
In not more than 60 words, state how the legend of the Cernogratz family had its origin in the natural phenomenon.
Answer:
The legend had its origin in the natural phenomenon because extreme cold makes the wood of the trees split and the wolves howl in the bitter cold just as it was popularly believed happened at the time of death of any member of the family.

Question 3(d).
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
The Cernogratz myth.This seems an apt title as myths are stories that people start believing in. Myths are generally based on some scientific facts which become popular beliefs in certain circumstances.

Question 4(a).
In the following passage,fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.

Years ago, the Clark family in Scotland had a dream. Clark and his wife worked and saved, making plans for their children and themselves …1… (tavel O to the United States. It …2… (take) years, but they had finally saved enough money and had got passports and reservations for the family on a new ship to the United States.The family was filled with excitement at the thought of going to the US. However, seven days before their departure, the youngest son …3… (bit) by a dog. The doctor …4… (hang) a yellow sheet on the Clarks’ front door to warn people of the possibility of rabies. The Clarks …5… (quarantine) for fourteen days.The family’s dreams …6… (shatter). They could hot make the trip to America as they …7… (plan). The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and the dog for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland-the mighty Titanic in which the Clarks were to travel, …8… (sink), taking hundreds of lives with it.
Answer:

1. to travel
2. took
3. was bitten
4.  hung
5. were quarantined
6. were shattered.
7. had planned
8. had sunk.

Question 4(b).
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

1. The road goes through a tunnel to the city center.
2. The President is standing beside his bodyguards.
3. We’re going to drive across the country visiting many places.
4. Temperatures fell below freezing.
5. The water flows in the pipe.
6. The police got in by breaking down the door.
7. The bell rang, and out ran the children.
8. Kevin and Diana have fallen down.

Question 4(c).
Combine each set of the following sentences without using and,but or so .

(1) She cannot , read English .She cannot write English.
Ans: She can neither read nor write English.

(2) We should obey our parents. We should honour them.
Ans: We should obey as well as honour our parents.

(3) The old man is very rich. He is not proud of his wealth.
Ans: Although the old man is very rich yet he is not proud of his wealth.

(4) He had left the country. His letter came late.
Ans: Either he had left the country or his letter came late.

Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

1. Poverty does not embarrass the family.(Begin: The family………….. )
Ans. The family does not get embarrassed by poverty.

2. My cousin earns a lot but he spends a lot. (Begin: The more…………….. )
Ans. The more my cousin earns, the more he spends.

3. You should stay at home and complete your project.( Begin: It would……………. )
Ans. It would be better if you stayed at home and completed your project.

4.The film was discontinued because of several protests. (Begin: In view…………… )
Ans. In view of the several protests made,the film was discontinued.

5. I would advise you to take permission from the principal before you go out.(Begin: You had……… )
Ans. You had better take permission from the principal before you go out.

6. Smoking is prohibited here.(Begin:No one…………. ).
Ans. No one is allowed to smoke here.

7.‘If you don’t come out,we will break open the door,’ the police threatened.(Begin:Thepolice threatened them that………… )
Ans. The police threatened them that if they didn’t open the door then they would break it open,

8. He had hardly entered the hall when the audience began to clap.(Use: No sooner)
Ans. No sooner had he entered the hall than the audience began to clap.

For More Resources

 

ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 3 With Answers

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

Write a composition (350-400 words)on any one of the following:

Question 1(a).
School students should not be allowed to use mobile phones in schools.Give your views  either for or against the statement.
Answer:
Many children these days have cell phones. You often see teenagers talking on their phones,
or, just as often, texting. It has become a part of everyday life, and a part of our society It is encouraged socially, especially among teenagers, to have a phone, and many teenagers get phones just because of peer pressure. Cell phones can be very useful, for communication between kids and parents and can be very important in emergencies. However, mobile phones in the hands of school children can also create problems sometimes.Many teenagers believe that cell phones should be allowed in school, during class but this is .wrong because they would provide distractions for students and teachers, allow for cheating on tests, and for other social reasons. If a student’s cell phone rang during class, it would obviously distract him from the class and whatever the teacher is teaching. If this continued, it could prove detrimental not only to that student’s education but also to other students.Plus, it would certainly be distracting for the teacher-trying to talk over students who are talking.

Mobile phones could also provide a means of cheating on tests. Youngsters have become adept at texting and it would be easy for kids to text each other the answers to tests during exams. Allowing cell phones in school would mean condoning cheating, allowing students to get unfair test grades, and would only prove detrimental in preparation for college and life in the real world as they would get used to using unfair means.

Another negative point is that mobile phones are impersonal and rather anti-social.If a teenager   is texting on his phone all the time he wouldn’t need to be actually talking to others, which would degenerate social skills, which are very important in life for jobs, creating good family relationships, and making and keeping friends.

If cell phones were allowed to be used throughout the school day, it would be easier for students to use technology to bully other students .They could use texting to abuse and torment other students without getting caught unless they are reported by the victim who is too scared to do anything like that.

Besides a study by Gaby Badre shows that teenagers who use their phones constantly often experience “increased restlessness with more careless lifestyles, more consumption of stimulating beverages, difficulty in falling asleep and disruptive sleep, and more susceptibility to stress and fatigue.”

One of the most common reason that parents like their kids to keep their phones with them at school is so that in the case of an emergency, their kids can call them. However, in an emergency situation, cellphones can sometimes create as many problems as they solve. Not only can cell phones escalate emergencies in school they can even cause them, students have been known to call in bomb threats in order to get out of class

Thus to sum up .allowing cell phones during school would not be a good idea because of distractions to students and teachers, a new and easy way of cheating on tests, and enhanced social problems, including loss of social skills and cyber-bullying.

Question 1(b).
Write a composition stating the simple joy, hardships and family life of a farmer.
Answer:
A farmer lives a life that is simple and full of hardships.The work is long, gruelling, and often unprofitable. His day starts early when most people in the city are still warm in their beds. He gets up early in the morning, takes his plough, and with his cattle goes to his field even before it is full daylight. He works there all day without caring of the hardships of the weather. Winter, summer or rains, it is all the same for him. We find him working on his field sowing, ploughing or reaping in biting cold as well as in the host winds of summer. Often his songs are his only solace as he tries to break the monotony of his hard labour.

It is only with the apprpach of darkness that he returns home. At the door of his humble cottage, he is greeted by his children, some young and some a bit grownup. Then he rests a while and spends some time with his family. This is the happiest time of the day for him. Now he is the king of his humble cottage.

However,in spite of his hard labour, he lives a life of extreme poverty. He is “born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt”. His crops are at the mercy of rains. Famines or floods often take away the fruits of his hard labour. Still he is contended and God fearing. When he falls ill, he finds that there are no medical facilities for his treatment. Often he dies untreated and un cared for. There are also only a few schools for the education of his children. The mud huts in which he lives often fall down during rain and his humble belonging are all ruined. Blistering summers and cruel winters are commonplace. Frequent drought spells makes farming even more difficult eats further into the farmers’ profits.

Fanners lack political power and politicians turn deaf ears to the farmers’ cries. Social problems are also prevalent. Communication is difficult in lonely far off farms and loneliness is widespread. The farmer is too busy making ends meet and looking to the needs of his family to ever really enjoy his life. He spends his time working hard day in and day out. Farm life is monotonous compared with the bustling cities.

Besides these the farmer is dependent upon weather for his crops. His profits are low and expenses often cripple him and he lives a life of penury.Farmers are faced with the growing costs to run their farms. These costs include taxes, insurance, and regular farm costs.

But his life is not only dark there is a bright side too.He enjoys fresh air and sunshine, the two great blessing of God. He gets more wholesome food than those who live in the cities. Moreover, the villagers are sympathetic to each other and extend greater co-operation to each * other in times of distress. Such fellow-felling and brotherhood are not heard in city, where even next door neighbours do not know each other.

Question 1(c).
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of competition.
Advantages: 1) Motivates people to perform better. 2) Increases efficiency. 3) Brings perfection. 4) Enhances productivity. 5) Results in better quality of work. 6) Ensures delivery of work on time. 7) Brings in higher profitability.

Disadvantages: 1) Leads to too much stress. 2) Work pressure affects the health of the competitors. 3) Team spirit gets affected as each individual remains suspicious of the other person’s motives. 4) Unhealthy competitipn leads to rivalries and friction.5) Each individual works for his own selfish motives. 6) Reduces productivity and profits.
Answer:
Competition has existed since the dawn of human civilization. It plays a major role in the survival of mankind. Competition offers lots of benefits to individuals, societies and nations. However, it not only has advantages but there are disadvantages too.

Let us first examine the advantages.The first and foremost thing is that it encourages people to be diligent and perform better. In the modem times people are working hard to be successful, to maintain positions, to get promotions and to be famous in the society. Hence to achieve these goals they work diligently and efficiently so that they can go ahead in the competition.

It is due to the diligence and efficiency of the workers that production is enhanced. Everyone tries to give his best and as a result work quality improves leading to higher production and better quality of products.

When everyone strives to work better that the other work also gets done on time as everyone tries to complete their work according to the given deadlines. It all is a chain reaction where hard-work leads to higher production, better quality and work being completed on time.

One of the main advantages of competition in the workplace is that it can create an environment where employees push each other to exceed their normal limits, which can result in increased production, both at an individual level and among the entire workforce as a whole. As individual production numbers increase, so do those of the entire team of workers who seek to outdo one another. Competition can be rewarded with bonuses or various types of rewards. Another advantage of competition is that it can spur a commitment to self-improvement. Those employees who see the bigger picture may take the competition as an opportunity to better themselves in the process of winning the competition. Self-improvement may include actions like changing work habits, be more organized, and simply performing higher quality work.

But there is a flip side too. There are numerous disadvantages also. Sometimes it becomes difficult to withstand the pressures of competition. As companies demand high quality manpower, professionals get highly tensed and selfish to maintain their positions. And competition makes people resort to unethical practices to defeat the opponent. Fierce competition may also result in a “win at all costs” attitude that may bring out the worst in some workers.

Workplace competition is not always positive. It can create unhealthy rivalries that result in workers resenting one another, which is especially true if one person or team always wins the competitions. This can result in a gap between the “haves” and “have not’s” that may prove to be unhealthy.

Competition can also create undue stress that may actually prove to be counterproductive to some worker’s efforts. Some workers don’t perform well under pressure and are actually more productive when the work environment allows for a more easy-going approach to getting work done.

Sometimes due to competition people lose the sense of comraderie and become selfish, working hard to only achieve their own selfish ends. This leads to a lack of team spirit and sharing the burden and as a result the production and quality suffer. Ever individual wants to go ahead alone and is suspicious of each other’s motives. Friction and stress are the result. In conclusion one might say that that competition is ubiquitous and success and failure are results of it. Even though it has some disadvantages, yet it promotes sportsman spirit, hard work and cooperation among individuals and nations. So it is clear that the advantages of competition far outweigh its disadvantages.

Question 1(d).
Write a short story based on ‘A Mysterious sound.’
Answer:
It was a cold dreary afternoon during my holidays and I was sitting in the living room and writing my assignment. Suddenly, I heard a dull, steady droning like that of a diesel engine idling down the street.Initially I ignored it but when it persisted I decided to see where it was coming from. I looked up out of the window into the street but there was not a single automobile that could have made the sound.I again started doing my work but the sound continued and it was disturbing my concentration. I went to the kitchen where my mother was cooking kitchen and asked, “Amma can you hear a droning sound?” “Isn’t it disturbing you?” She said she hadn’t and continued to cook. I was surprised because I could hear it clearly.

I went back but the sound seemed even more clear. It was disconcerting to say the least that no one else could hear it and there seemed no visible explanation for it. I then realised that what I was previously dismissing as some background nuisance like car traffic or vehicle malfunction or an airplane passing overhead, was something abnormal.

Once I realized that this wasn’t simply the ambient noise of living in my little corner of the world, I went through the typical stages and steps to try to isolate the sources. I assumed it may be an electrical problem, so I shut off the mains to the entire house. It got louder. I went driving around my neighbourhood looking for the source, and 1 noticed that even in the streets nobody seemed to hear it.

Exasperated, I turned my focus to scientific literature on the net and came across an article about a mysterious noise called the Hum. The Hum referred to a mysterious sound heard in places around the world by a small fraction of local population. It’s characterized by a persistent and invasive low-frequency rumbling or droning noise often accompanied by vibrations .lt was written that somewhere between 2 and 10% of people can hear the Hum, and inside isolation is no escape. Most sufferers find the noise to be more disturbing indoors and at night. Much to their dismay, the source of the mysterious humming is virtually untraceable.

It was then that I felt a severe shaking and realised that I had fallen asleep and my mother was waking me .What a relief it was to come back to reality from my dream.I had been working on a Physics assignment about sounds and had fallen asleep and dreamt it all.

Question 1(e).
Study the picture given below. Write a story or an account of what the picture suggests to you.Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it: but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition

Answer:
In the course of my duty I come across various criminals and have to deal dispassionately with them. Infact robbers,thieves and murderers surround me and as a consequence 1 have almost become a cynic and always distrust people.

Thus when recently I arrested a young 27-year-old I was not surprised that a man who was extraordinarily handsome and looked dashing enough to be a model even in his poverty ,could be a criminal. He was arrested for his alleged role in a robbery that had happened earlier. He was one of the two people involved in a purse snatching that happened in broad daylight in the vicinity of a shopping mall.

A 79-year-old woman and her grand-daughter were reportedly returning to their vehicle after leaving the mall when the old woman was suddenly approached by a man who violently grabbed her purse from her arm. She fell to the ground but the robber pulled the purse away from her,disregarding that she had hit her head on a stone and was bleeding profusely.. The man then ran to a waiting van that was driven by another man. As the girl started screaming for help the two miscreants sped away from the scene. The vehicle had not been traced as  in the panic no one had noted the number.

The victim was treated for minor injuries at the civil hospital and released later that day. However two days later, officers stopped a van after reportedly recognizing the vehicle as matching the description of the vehicle involved in the robbery. The driver a 28-year- had outstanding warrants and was arrested. Even the van was later identified as a stolen vehicle.

Evidence was found inside the vehicle that tied the driver and his friend, about whom he confessed,to the robbery. As I handcuffed the man I could not help feeling that he could easily pass as a model or actor so why had he turned to a life of crime? Maybe it was in his blood?

Question 2(a).
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:

Write a letter to the Chief Minister of your state, complaining about the lack of drinking water facilities in your area.
Answer:
To .
The Chief Minister Orissa
Subject: Lack of drinking water facility.
Sir
It is my humble request that you look into the matter of lack of drinking water in my remote village named, Jhamuri village in Orissa.I am writing to you after running pillar to post to bring this matter to the attention of the liacal administration but all my efforts have been in vain.Hence I had no option but to approach you although you must be occupied wit more pressing matters.

The water supply is very erretic and some times days pass without any fresh water. Most of the time the taps remain dry. The supply is made only two hours in the morning and one hour in the evening. Besides the water is muddy and polluted. The water pipes are old and rusty. Many residents have fallen sick. There are complaints of jaundice and loose motions after drinking this water.

Earlier the villagers would get their drinking water from their private wells. But in last two to three years, unfortunate monsoon failure and scanty rain have put us into immense trouble. Our only means of getting drinking water is from these taps .As all the villagers are poor farmers, there is little possibility of improving the situation with their private efforts. They would surely meet the cruel fate of extermination unless government takes initiative, to improve their lot and repairs or changes the pipes and installs pumps for water.

I have full confidence and hope that you will listen to my plea and take measures to improve the drinking water facility.

Yours faithfully
Ram Gopal

Question 2(b).
Write a letter to your friend describing your recent visit to a zoo.
Answer:
24, Curzon road
Mumbai Maharashtra
Dear Shirley
It has been a long time since I met you. How are you? Last weekend visited the zoo located about 20 km from my house. I really enjoyed myself. As you know A zoo is a place where various birds, animals and reptiles are kept a zoo does not contain ordinary birds and animals which we usually see in our villages and towns. It contains those birds and animals which we cannot generally see.The zoo is located on the outskirts of the town in an extensive area .Entrance to the zoo is by tickets. It is open from 10 a.m. on wards. There are separate enclosures for birds, animals and reptiles. Tigers and lions have separate well protected enclosures. After entering the zoo which has a beautiful garden in its front, one comes across the enclosures meant for birds, One can see there different kinds of parrots, pigeons, peacocks and other birds of different colours and from different countries. One can also see the ostrich, a bird which cannot fly. It is an African bird.

In the next enclosure deer of all kinds, including black bucks, a rare Indian variety, are kept, Then one goes to the enclosure of elephants and camels. Children can have joy rides on elephants and camels. Then one moves on to the artificial lake where crocodiles are kept. Next is the enclosure kept for zebras and bears.

Next comes the tiger enclosure. There are Indian tigers, brown in colour, with black stripes.                      There are also two white tigers which are a rare variety. There are a few leopards and cheetahs also. There is a separate enclosure for lions where they can be seen roaming freely.One can go in a closed safari park van and have a close look at them. We saw some hippos and also a rhino. We heard the loud roar of a lion. One tiger was in a fit of anger. The tiger was strong and handsome. I was reminded of Blake’s lines.
“What immortal hand or eye dare frame the fearful symmetry?”
There are canteens to take lunch and benches to take rest under the green woods. On the other side one can see different kinds of monkeys, chimpanzees and guerrillas which are man’s ancestors. Then comes the reptile section where different kinds of snakes are kept.

There is a separate enclosure for animals and reptiles which move during nights. The enclosure is dark and has dim light. One can see the nocturnal creatures moving about in darkness. There is a train to take one on ride all around the zoo. I really enjoyed the train ride and we ate sandwiches and chips.
We passed many happy hours in the zoo. It was a pleasing experience for all of us.When you visit me I will show you the zoo and we can enjoy together.
Hope to see you soon
Your loving friend
Reema

Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
“Why have I not been shown your mother’s letters?” asked Alicia. “Your mother,”  continued she, “invites us to make a visit to the farm. I have never seen a farm. We will go there for a week or two, Robert.”

“We will,” said Robert, with a grand air, “I did not lay the invitation before you because I thought you would not care to go. I am much pleased at your decision.”

A week passed and found them landed at the little country station five hours out from the city. Robert’s brother had come to receive them. They drove homeward. The cities were far away. And then all the voices of the soil began a chant addressed to Robert. The old  voices of the soil spoke to him. Leaf and bud and blossom conversed with him in the old vocabulary of his careless youth.

A queer thing he noticed in connection with it was that Alicia, sitting at his side, suddenly seemed to him a stranger. She did not belong to this recurrent phase. Never before she seemed so remote, so colourless and high-so intangible and unreal. And yet he had never admired her more than when she sat there by him in the rickety spring wagon.

That night when the greetings and the supper were over, the entire family, sat together in the front porch. Alicia, not haughty but silent, sat in the shadow dressed in an exquisite pale-gray tea gown.

When Robert saw his father sitting without his pipe and writhing in his heavy boots- a sacrifice to rigid courtesy-he shouted: “No, you don’t!” He fetched the pipe and lit it; he seized the old gentleman’s boots and tore them off. The last one slipped suddenly, and Mr. Robert Walmsley, tumbled off the porch backward. Tom laughed sarcastically.

“Gome out here, you rustic,” Robert cried to Tom, “and I’ll wrestle with you.”

Tom understood the invitation and accepted it with delight. Three times they wrestled on the grass. Dishevelled, panting, each still boasted of his own prowess. The rustic mania possessed Robert. He sang, he told stories that set all but one shrieking; he was mad, mad with the revival of the old life in his blood.

By and by Alicia asked permission to ascend to her room, saying that she was tired. On her way she passed Robert. He was standing at the door, the figure of vulgar comedy, with ruffled hair, reddened face and utter confusion of attire-no trace there of the immaculate Robert Walmsley, the ornament of the cultured society.

As Alicia passed in, Robert started suddenly. He had forgotten for the moment that she was present. Without a glance at him she went on up the stairs. Robert followed her. He sighed and went near the window where Alicia was standing. He was ready to meet his fate. A confessed vulgarian, he foresaw the verdict of Alicia. Dully he awaited the approaching condemnation.

“Robert”, said the calm, cool voice of Alicia, “I thought I married a gentleman. But I find that I have married someone better-a man.”

Question 3(a).
Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
(1) Recurrent
Ans. recurrent— occurring often or repeatedly.

(2) Remote
Ans. remote—– far away in distance, time, or relation: not close.

(3) prowess
Ans. prowess— skill or expertise in a particular activity or field.

Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

Question 1.
What made Alicia and Robert visit the far.
Answer:
Alicia and Robert visited the farm in response to the repeated invitations by his mother in her letters to him.

Question 2.
How was Robert welcomed in the countryside.
Answer:
The voices of the soil welcomed Robert and spoke to him. The leaves, buds and blossoms conversed with him reminding him of the words of his youth.

Question 3.
What did Robert notice in Alicia in the wagon?
Answer:
In the wagon, seated beside him,Alicia suddenly appeared a stranger to him.She did not belong to the memories connected with the countryside and seemed remote and unreal yet peculiarly he admired her more than ever before.

Question 4.
How did Robert treat his father?
Answer:
Robert realised that his simple,rustic father was uncomfortable sitting without his pipe and wearing heavy boots as a sign of courtesy to Robert’s city bred wife. So Robert decided to do away with all formality and fetched his father’s pipe and pulled the boots off his feet,

Question 5.
Show how Robert acted in a rustic manner.
Answer:
Robert wrestled on the grass with his brother Tom like a common country bumpkin. He was soon panting and looked unkempt and untidy,not at all the well groomed city gentleman.He sang loudly and told humorous stories that set all laughing .In fact he seemed to be slightly mad with the revival of his old life.

Question 6.
When Alicia was going back to her room ,how did Robert appear to her?
Answer:
Robert appeared like a clown,a compete figure of vulgar comedy, with his usually immaculate now ruffled untidily,his face reddened with the exertion of wrestling with Tom and his clothes completely in disarray. He did not even remotely resemble the Robert who was the toast of the cultured city society.

Question 3(c).
In not more than 60 words state how Robert acted like a man rather than a gentleman.
Answer:
Amidst his rustic family and surrounded by the fond memories of his country life .Robert did not behave as if he was superior to them .Rather he put his family at ease and showed them that he was still the same .He did not behave like a fake and was not ashamed to show his wife that he still belonged to his country roots and that is what made him a real man.

Question 3(d).
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
The most apt title is-A Manly Gentleman.
It is suitable because Robert proved that he was a real man and a gentleman.

Question 4(a).
 In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage,but write in the correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
___ 1___ (walk)     along a Russian street during the      famine  ,Tolstoy__ 2__ (meet) a
beggar.Tolstoy__ 3__ (check) through his pockets 4               (find) something    he might
give to the man. But they were empty. He S (‘give! away all his money earlier. „ In his pity he reached out,took the beggar in his arms,kissed him on his hollowcheeks and said: “Don’t be angry with me,my brother, I have nothing_______ 6___ give) you.”

The pale, thin face of the beggar______ 7___ (light) up. Tears ____ 8___ (shine) in his eyes,as he said, “But you called me brother-that is a gift.”

Answer:

1. Walking
2. met
3. checked
4. to find
5. had given
6. to give
7. lighted
8. shone
   

Question 4(b).
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

1.  Inflation has driven away the investors.
2. The Government proceeded against the tax evaders.
3. The Sports Day went very well this year.
4. Our teacher went over the difficult poems.
5. Our neighbours came across to help us in our difficulties.
6. Many companies are competing with each other for the contract.
7. The government came down heavily on smugglers.
8. He had to break open the lock because he had lost the key.

Question 4(c).
Combine each set of the following sentences without using and , but or so.

(1) The sum is very simple. Even a child can do it.
Ans. Even a child can do this simple sum. or
Even a child can do it because the sum is very simple.

(2) I waited long for the bus. I got tired.
Ans. The long wait for the bus tired me. or
I got tired because I waited long for the bus.

(3) I remember the school .1 studied here for ten years.
Ans. I remember the school as I studied here for ten years.

(4) My sister will always be grateful to the teacher. She helped her.
Ans. My sister will always be grateful to the teacher because she helped her.

Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each.Make other changes that maybe necessary,but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

(1) Only my uncle knew the secret.(Begin: No one—)
Ans. No one except my uncle knew the secret.

(2) He decided to walk instead of taking the bus. (Begin: Rather than—)
Ans. Rather than take the bus he decided to walk.

(3) Mr Mittal is the best tutor to teach him. (Begin: There is —)
Ans. There is no better tutor than Mr Mittal to teach him.

(4) He gave up his studies for the sake of going abioad.(Use: so that —)
Ans. He gave up his studies so that he could go abroad.

(5) This was the best drama I had ever enjoyed. (Begin: Never —)
Ans. Never had I enjoyed a better drama than this.

(6) Come what may, we will have the match tomorrow. (Begin: Whatever—)
Ans. Whatever happens we will have the match tomorrow.

(7) Many people died in China due to floods. (Begin: Floods—)
Ans. Floods killed many people in China.

(8) As Thambi knew Hindi, he had no difficulty moving around Delhi. (Use: knowledge—)
Ans. Thambi’s knowledge of Hindi helped him move around Delhi without any difficulty.

For More Resources

 

ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 4 With Answers

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

Write a composition (350-400 words) on any one of the following:

1(a)
Ans

Question 1(b).
Your municipality has decided to spend a vast sum of money on a new Olympic-size cycle track. Write an article for a local newspaper suggesting other better ways in which the money might be spent.
Answer:
22^nd September
The Daily News.
Olympic -size cycle Track-A wasteful endeavour!

A dedicated fenced cycle way comparable to a Olympic size cycle along the entire waterfront of this small beach town involves not only a major investment but also huge manpower,disruption of public life and overlooks the fact that the seafront is for family enjoyment of our glorious beach.

The question that now confronts the readers and citizens is that why would the municipality waste money on a cycle track for a very small minority of cyclists that would actually benefit from this exercise. Why waste money on an Olympic sized cycle track when the everyday , leisure cyclist / commuting cyclist is so under provisioned that it is an embarrassment ? What is the requirement to make a specific cycle path when the majority of the people want a path to skate, area where people can congregate and enjoy the waterfront. But no instead the municipality decides that we should have a £3.4m useless white elephant, a cycle track for perhaps only a handful of people .Such sporting infrastructure is hard to justify for a few moments of national pride.Even cities like Athens, Barcelona and Sydney have their fair share of empty arenas and “tumbleweed” spaces. So why do we need to follow them at such huge deficits?

The cost of upkeep of such a facility is another worry.lt would require yearly maintenance  that would incur huge financial and human resources burden on the municipality which is already in the red.Even if private companies pitch in it would still mean the diversion of valuable resources which can be better utilised for creating a much needed old age home and a multi-specialty hospital .People have to seek medical in nearby towns and the old are living in a dilapidated building which lacks basic amenities. So it is time to stop indulging in illusions. and concentrate on the reality of our Immediate needs!

Question 1(c).
Describe a day at home when everything went wrong. Explain what happened to you and how the day ended.
Answer:
The chirping birds and clear sunny day made me feel as if it was going to be the best day of my life!

But alas what a day it turned out to be! Even when 1 think back on that day my stomach starts to turn and ache. There wasn’t a thing that went well. From early morning until ,sundown the day was a total mess. Everything seemed out to get me, to trick me. It was the hardest test of my patience and perseverance.

First I stumbled over some clothes that were next to my bed. When 1 looked at the clock, it was already 7.50 a.m. God! I only had 10 more minutes before my working hour started and here, I was still on my bed! “Oh man, today will be a hard day” I murmured.

As fast as lightning, I dashed to  the bathroom. To my bad luck, no water came out from the shower! I quickly searched for water and luckily there was a pail of it outside. After I took my bath, I ran up to my room to dress up. That was the time when whatever things I needed seemed to hide away from me. I got trouble searching for keys, tie, document and my shoes! I managed to find the car keys and dashed to the car .1 drove my car as fast as I could. My mind-set at that time  was to arrive at the office as soon as possible. The traffic did not cooperate with me. There was a big traffic jam. More time     was wasted and then my car decided to play up .It just wouldn’t start. Sweat ran through my body. “Oh God, what’s more!” I screamed to myself. I had no choice. I pushed my car to the side of the road and decided to take a cab. Luckily, there was an empty cab and I arrived at the office at 8.30 a.m.
Everything’s went along normally until the end of working hours. I thought everything would end up happily ever after, but I was wrong. It hadn’t ended, yet! Just as I was about to leave my colleague told me that I had forgotten about the appointment with the board of directors. 1 ran as fast as I could to find the documents needed for the meeting. To my horror, I noticed that I had left all the documents inside my car which was now at the roadside. “Arghh!” I screamed in terror.“Wait a minute; I still have the soft copy in my PC!” I said to myself. I went to my PC and tried to print it. Stuck! Oh my god, help me! Finally it worked and I rushed. In the panic I slipped on the tiled floor and then it was all dark.I woke up in the hospital with a splitting pain in my head but also relieved that finally the day had ended as the watch on the wall showed it was well past midnight.

Question 1(d).
We all experience a situation which poses a challenge to us. Narrate an account of such an experience, describing how you met the challenge.
Answer:
What is life? Life consists of experiences, challenges, and achievements; all of which are building blocks that essentially create ones path to success. In one’s lifetime they can experience tough and difficult challenges. Sometimes these challenges become unbearable, especially when the odds are against you. However, going against all odds is something everyone is capable of. doing, and to overcome these challenges everyone needs to have a “never quit” attitude in life. My divorce was my biggest challenged had two children to raise on my own and with a song by Gloria Gaynor, “I will survive” I started my journey.

Equipped with the knowledge and the experience of hard times and a graduation in accounts degree in hand I set out to face the challenge life had thrown at me. I had recently read a book titled “Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do” by Robert H. Schuller, and it helped me put things into perspective. I got rid of the notion that I was a failure and became optimistic about everything. I first of all decided to find a house and after contacting several property dealers managed one which suited my meagre savings. It had a roof, windows, and doors. Each of the children had a pillow and a blanket and the floor was comfortable. We now had a place to call home, and I had high hope that I.would find, a job before my money ran low. Next I managed to enrol my children into a school nearby as I did not want their education to suffer.I had realised that it was education which was going to save me.

I eventually found a job in a bank and life tottered along. My children completed school and college with two degrees each. There were many days when we had no electricity, no phone, or running water. However, staying positive was always the flavor of the day and it stood me in good stead.God gave me the courage and will to survive. It was hard but painting a picture of a brighter day was more beneficial for my children to thrive. The biggest challenge was getting past self-pity and despondency at my fate but focusing on the challenge at hand pulled me out of the pit and I was able to provide a safe, stable, productive, and optimistic environment for my children.

Question 1(e).
Study the picture given below. Write a story or an account of what the picture suggests to you.Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it: but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition.

Answer:
Sport, it has been said, is not only a manifestation of animal energy of surplus strength to develop more strength; it is, in addition, a safe and wholesome outlet for the aggressive spirit in human beings. Sports foster a spirit of friendship and amity.

There is no doubt that regular participation in sports provides a healthy channel for diversion of energies. Wherever students and other youth participate in sports regularly, misdirection of youthful vigour is much less and the tendency to indulge in indiscipline and mischief is curbed. Sports helps to fruitfully utilise the surplus energy of the youth laying the foundation, for a healthy society, where people are fully aware of the need for discipline, co-operative effort, team spirit, the cult of sportsmanship, of joint devotion to the achievement of a common goal in collaboration with others. Youngsters learn to cultivate the vital quality of knowledge to work together, to become not only good winners, but also good losers. It gives credence to the adage that “the battle of Waterloo was won on the play fields of Eton”, implying that playing games and the spirit of sportsmanship help to inculcate lasting values, which make for good soldiers, good fighters and good discipline, apart from promoting 100 per cent physical fitness. Playing the game on the playground naturally instructs people to play the game of life in the right spirit, which is what matters most, not victory or defeat.

The role of sport in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through innovative partnerships is another point to moot in favour of encouraging sports.

“Sport helps empower girls and women because it changes attitudes. It helps women competitors realise their own potential and it helps others see them in a new light. When a woman athlete triumphs, she often becomes a role model for her family, her community or even her country,” said Anita De Frantz very aptly.

Thus one can conclude that society gains in many ways when sports are encouraged everywhere. It helps people to put everything in the right perspective, and then they seldom conduct themselves in an unsporting, ungentle manly and unbecoming manner. Sports inculcate the habit of respecting the judge and of observing the rules.The crime graph dips society becomes a better place to live in.

(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:

Question 2(a).
Write a letter to the Minister of Health expressing your concern about the health hazards faced by the young people working in the call centers.
Answer:
To
The Minister of Health Ministry of Health Affairs New Delhi
Subject: Concern about Health hazards faced by BPO workers.
Sir
I am writing to you to bring to your notice my concern regarding the mental, physical and psycho social health dangers faced by young people working in BPO’s.

A high proportion of workers face sleep disturbances and associated mental stress and anxiety. Sleep disturbance and anxiety is significantly more in international call centers as compared to domestic ones. The daily experience of repetitive, intensive and stressful work, results in employee “burnout”. Standardized work creates relatively uniform and repetitious activities to achieve economies of scale and consistent quality of customer service and this weakens employee autonomy and enhances the potential for management control leading to work related stress.

Besides, the stress, the working hours of call centers also cause sleep disturbances and disturbances in biological rhythm. Physical health is adversely affected because of irregular and sedentary working hours and unhealthy lifestyles. Physical disorders such as musculo skeletal disorders, digestive disorders, eye, voice and hearing problems and obesity are a consequence.

The workers in BPO’s also suffer from various psycho social problems in the form of disruptive family relations, poor recreation opportunity, vices such as alcohol and tobacco use, and faulty eating habits. Symptoms and health problems caused or aggravated by work are common.

Not only this the high salaries paid in these BPO’S adversely affects the lifestyle of these youngsters and they get attracted to drugs, sex, smoke and drink, outside foods, night life in hotels etc.

Many people feel compelled to leave the job within a short span of time especially due to the mental and physical health reasons. After leaving the job, it is very difficult to adjust with new reality. A mid-life crisis begins and this aggravates the problems.

Hence, I request you to look into this problem as it is a serious issue and needs certain measures to ensure the physical and mental health of our youth if we do not want to face a bleak future in our country. I hope you will take heed and deal with the situation.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely
Mr XYZ

Question 2(b).
You are studying in a residential school. Write a letter to your father,explaining how you are spending your time in the hostel.
Answer:
Vivekananda Hostel
Room No-57
Jamshedpur
Dear Father
My dear father

I was glad to receive your affectionate letter today. As you wanted me to tell you about my life and routine in the hostel I will describe in detail so that you do not worry about my well being.

The hostel life here is entirely different from the village life,and I am enjoying it thoroughly. It is a very good hostel and the wardens ensure our safety and health.. There are one hundred and fifty-three rooms and two halls inside the hostel premises. I share the room with two other students.We all students share a very cordial and friendly relationship.

As regards our diet we get milk, bread,eggs and biscuits at 7:30 am, the breakfast time. Then we are served lunch at 12:30 pm. The food served here if fresh and tasty. Dinner is served at 8:30 p.m and is wholesome with a choice of vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.

There is a library in the hostel and a TV room also. We play games in the evening before retiring to our rooms.There we study for some time before lights out at 11 p.m.The main doors are locked by the warden and rooms checked .At night two guards are on duty.
I am sure you must be feeling relieved now.I am busy with my studies and outdoor games too.
Convey my respect and love to every one and tell Mother I miss her home cooked food.
Your loving son
Vivek

Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
I was very much in love with Varinka-a tall, slender, graceful, and stately young lady. She held herself very erect, and carried her head high, and that together with her beauty and height gave her a queenly air.

I was at that time a very gay, lively, careless fellow, and had plenty of money too. When my love for her was at its strongest, on the last day of the carnival. I was at a ball at the military officer’s hall. I did not drink that night, because without it I was drunk with love. Varinka looked admirable. Well, I danced for the most part with her, and did not notice how time was passing.

‘Look, they are urging my father to dance’, she said to me, pointing to the tall, stately figure of her father, a colonel with silver medals, who was standing in the doorway with some ladies.

Varinka’s father was a very handsome, well-preserved old man. He had a good colour, curled moustaches and white whiskers. He was splendidly set up, with a broad military chest, and he had powerful shoulders and long slim legs. When we approached the door the colonel took the hand of his daughter, and waited for the music.

At the first sound of the music, the two began dancing. Varinka swaved gracefully beside her father, rhythmically and easily, making her steps short or long, with her little feet in their white satin slippers. All the people in the room applauded every movement of the couple. As for me I not only admired, 1 regarded them with enraptured sympathy. When I went home, I could still see her before me.

At dawn, I put on my overcoat, opened the front door and stepped out into the street. When I approached the field near Varinka’s house, 1 saw at one end of it, in the direction of the parade ground, many black objects through the mist. 1 went along in that direction in company with a blacksmith, who wore a dirty coat and an apron, and was carrying something. The soldiers in black uniforms stood in two rows, facing each other motionless, their guns at rest.

‘What are they doing?’ I asked the blacksmith, who halted at my side.

“An officer is being beaten through the ranks for his attempt to desert,” said the blacksmith in an angry tone, as he looked intently at the far end of the line.

I looked in the same direction, and saw between the files a man approaching me. He was, stripped to the waist and fastened with cords to the guns of two soldiers. He was Varinka’s father, with his rosy and white moustache.

I wondered whether the scene I had witenessed was wicked. I do not think so, since it was done with such assurance, they doubtless knew something which I did not know.

As far as my love for Varinka is concerned, it has certainly decreased from that day.

Question 3(a).
Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage.One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.

Question 1.
Carnival
Answer:
carnival – an annual festival, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade.

Question 2.
Swayed
Answer:
swayed -move or cause to move slowly or rhythmically backwards and forwards or from side to side

Question 3.
Applauded
Answer:
applauded- show approval or praise by clapping.

Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

Question 1.
Give the physical appearance of Varinka.
Answer:
Varinka was a tall,slender,graceful and stately young woman.She held herself erect and carried her head high which coupled with her beauty and height gave her a queenly look.

Question 2.
How was the father of Varinka described by the narrator?
Answer:
The narrator describes Varinka’s father was a very handsome,well -preserved, old, military man. He had a good complexion, curled moustaches and white whiskers. He had a broad chest ,powerful shoulders and long ,slim legs.

Question 3.
Describe the dance of Varinka with her father.
Answer:
Varinka danced gracefully,swaying rhythmically and easily along with her father, adjusting her steps to the music.

Question 4.
What did the narrator see one day at dawn near Varinka’s house?
Answer:
One day at dawn the narrator saw two rows of soldiers, standing motionless,facing each other with their guns at rest. At the far end of the line was a man .stripped to his waist .tied with a chord to the guns of two soldiers was being beaten .The man was Varinka’s father.

Question 5.
What explanation did the blacksmith give to describe what was happening there.
Answer:
The blacksmith explained that an officer was being beaten for his attempt to desen the army

Question 6.
What did the narrator think at the end about the scene he had witnessed.
Answer:
The narrator did not think that the scene he had witnessed was wicked because the soldiers did it with complete assurance that they were doing the right thing,so he felt they knew something he did not.

Question 3(c).
In not more than 60 words, describe the narrator’s love for Varinka and how it decreased at the end.
Answer:
The narrator was drunk on Varinka’s beauty and madly in love with her.But learning that her father was a traitor and was planning to desert decreased his love for her at the end.

Question 3(d).
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
An apt title would be “Appearances are deceptive”.
This title would be apt as it sums up that Varinka’s father and she were not as upright and praiseworthy as they appeared to an onlooker.

Question 4(a).
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form . of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage ,but write in the correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space
A reporter ___ 1__ (cali)on Thomas.A.Edison one afternoon__ 2___ (interview) himabout a substitutefor lead in the manufacture of storage batteriesthat the scientist__ 3__ (look)for. Edison informed the man that he__ 4__ (make)20,000 experiments but none of them 5 (work)“But aren’t you___ 6__ (discourage)by all this waste of effort ?’ the reporter askedamazed. “ Waste??” exclaimed Edison, “there 7 (be) no waste. I____ 8___ (discover)
Answer:

1. called
2. to interview
3. was looking
4. made
5. worked
6. discouraged.
7. is
8. have discovered.

Question 4(b).
Fill in the words with appropriate words.

1. The car crashed into a wall.
2. We are hoping for a revision in salary.
3. The company has taken over a number of small firms
4. I came across a good article in a magazine.
5.  The girl takes after her mother.
6.  I ran across George yesterday.
7.  They admire him for his courage.
8. Julie aimed the gun at the target.

Question 4(c).
Combine each set of the following sentences without using and,but or so .

(1) You must apply now.If not,your application will be late.
Ans. Either you apply now or your application will be late.

(2) I was a pleasant day. We went out for a long walk.
Ans. I was a pleasant day. We went out for a long walk. OR

As it was a pleasant day, we went out for a long walk.

(3) The swimmer did not succeed .He made every effort.
Ans. Although the swimmer made every effort yet he did not succeed.

(4) The building must be repaired. The cost does not matter.
Ans. The building must be repaired whatever the cost .

Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each.Make other changes that maybe necessary,but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

(1) There was alot of furniture in the room. (Begin: The room was …….. )
Ans. The room was full of furniture.

(2) The decision of the principal surprised us. (Begin:We…….. )
Ans. We were surprised by the decision of the principal.

(3) “You can go now, Simi” he said. (Begin: He told Simi……… )
Ans. He told Simi to go.

(4) The fireman extinguished the fire. (Use put)
Ans. The fireman put out the fire.

(5) Although he was selected for the post, he did not join the office. (Use: Despite)
Ans. Despite being selected for the post, he did not join the office.

(6) His speech was received well by the audience. (Use: went down—)
Ans. His speech went down well by the audience.

(7) She said to us, “Let us through the syllabus.” (Begin:She suggested…………. )
Ans. She suggested that we let her through the syllabus.

(8) He left London two weeks ago after completing his work. (Begin: It has been…….. )
Ans. It has been two weeks since he left London after completing his work.

For More Resources

 

 

ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 5 With Answers

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

Write a composition (350-400 words) on any one of the following:

Question 1(a).
You have gone to a circus with your friends. Describe your visit and your experience.
Answer:
The circus which had camped in our town had become the talk of the town. It had been attracting large crowds. People who had seen its show were full of praise for the daring physical feats of men and women and the antics of the tamed animals. The lions, the elephants and the hippopotamus were the great crowd pullers.

My friends and I made a program to visit the circus on a Sunday. The show began at 6.00 p.m. We reached the circus, purchased our tickets and were in our seats by 5.45 p.m. First of all some young gymnasts, both boys and a girl, showed their physical feats. The way the twisted their bodies made one wonder whether their bodies were made of flesh or rubber.

The physical movements of their bodies were greatly applauded by all. Intermittent feats by the joker made the spectators burst in to laughter. He seemed to be quite an expert but performed in a funny way just to amuse the people.

Next a girl on a wire performed in mid-air with an umbrella in her hand. The rope dancing of the Japanese girl was very interesting. The body builder or acrobat showed the control of his muscles. The throwing of sharp daggers by a man at a beautiful girl standing against a board was quite interesting.

Then came the cyclists. Their valiant and dangerous feats on wheels had everyone applauding.This was followed by the motor cyclists who ran their motor cycles simultaneously in a deep well. They called it the “well of death”. Their daring and dangerous feats kept the spectators spellbound.

Last of all were displayed the feats of animals. The monkeys rode unicycles. A bear drove a motor cycle. Then came the turn of the elephants .Their leader saluted the spectators and     played football. The show of the lions was marvellous. It really proved man’s supremacy over  the animals. The lion and the goat stood side by side.
Finally to everyone’s disappointment the show came to an end and we returned home.

Question 1(b).
“The use of polythene bags should be banned.” Give your views for or against the statement.
Answer:
There is no doubt that the current use and disposal of polythene bags, both by consumers and through waste management activities, not only create environmental problems, but also reinforce the perception of a wasteful society.

Polythene is not biodegradable. So where ever people leave them, they will stay, forever. Plastic bags as litter create a visual pollution problem, and affect our aquatic wildlife, while the heavy reliance on ‘disposable’ plastic bags raises questions of resource consumption and resource efficiency. Environmentalists rightly point out that we have “modified our environment so radically that we must now modify ourselves to exist in this new environment.” The polyethene articles affect the survival of animals and the aquatic and marine eco systems. Polythene is harmful for animals if swallowed. It can accumulate in the bowels which ultimately becomes lethal to the animal.

In most households poly bags are used to preserve food items. Reused bags may be contaminated by materials harmful to human health.

Moreover vital natural resources are used to make the plastic bags. Polythene is made from crude oil and natural gas. We are extracting and destroying the Earth to use a plastic bag for 10 minutes.

Thus we see that polythene bags are an environmental hazard. Plastic bags are now ubiquitous in our environment, and animals both on land and in water are being strangled, choked and killed by them. Plastic bags are now the fifth most common debris item found on beaches. Meanwhile, Planet Ark, an international environmental group, estimates that, worldwide, 100,000 whales, seals, turtles and other marine animals are killed by plastic bags each year. Visually also the litter of bags everywhere is a disgusting site and by not using them we could also be saving our depleting natural resources.

Question 1(c).
Write a story which justifies the theme, “A blessing in disguise.”
Answer:
There was once an old man in a village in a remote area .The man lived with his son and wife on a stud farm where they bred horses for the army. One day while they were all sleeping soundly at night the servant by mistake left the stable door open and one of the old man’s favourite stallion escaped. The stallion was an expensive horse worth a lot of money and necessary for the stud farm to make profit. The neighbours came to sympathise with the old man but he told them that there was nothing to grieve about as it was the will of god and there must be some blessing in it.

Months passed and then one day the stallion returned, accompanied by a beautiful ,rare breed of white mare. The neighbour’s heard the good news and came to congratulate the old man. But again he told them that there was no need for feeling so happy as it was god’s will and things had so happened because there was a reason for it. He neighbours were surprised at his answer and went back.

One day while his son wasriding the stallion, the horse tripped and fell breaking the son’s leg. As a result the son could no longer walk without a limp. The neighbours again came to offer their sympathies on his bad luck but his answer was the same—that it was god’s will and there must be some good in it. The neighbours felt that the old man had gone mad and went back.

Soon a war broke out in the country and all the old man’s neighbours had to join the army. The old man’s son could not join the army as he had a limp. Most of the neighbours were killed in the war but the old man was lucky to have his son alive. If he had not fallen and broken his leg he too would have had to go and fight the war and might have died.

Very often, when an event takes place that everybody thinks is good luck, the end results are disastrous. In the same way, an unlucky event can bring about happiness. Therefore, one should not lose heart if something goes wrong because it might be a blessing in disguise.

Question 1(d).
“Nothing is impossible in this world.” Narrate an incident from your experience which brings out the truth of this statement.
Answer:
I strongly believe in the adage that nothing is impossible and history bears testimony to the truth of this statement. People like Alexander ,the Great, Louis Braille, the blind educationist and Helen Keller, who was both blind and deaf have proved that the term impossible itself comprises the words ‘I’ ‘M’ Possible.

An incident from my life also proved its truth to me. 1 was born with a major handicap and was born paralysed from waist downwards. But that did not deter me from leading a normal life. Nor did it dampen the will of my parents. They encouraged me to be self-reliant and to participate in all physical and mental activities.

Since early childhood I was interested in sports but my favourite was swimming. All said that it was an impossible dream and I could never swim .But 1 did not give up. My parents spared no effort to look for doctors who would help me and finally they found a doctor who could help me to use my legs like the flapping tail of a fish. A coach started my swimming practise and after a gruelling training of about three years I participated in the World Paralympics. This is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 4.4 million athletes in 170 countries. There 1 met others like me who were ready to challenge their destiny and emerge winners.

I was the winner of the swimming championship and proved to the world and to me that nothing is impossible if one has the will and the determination to achieve one’s goals.

Question 1(e).
Study the picture given below. Write a story or an account of what the picture suggests to you. Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition.

Answer:
The menace of pick pockets is rather common in all major cities in India. If you have an iPhone/iPad, you might want to use the app called Be Safe that lets you assess “hotspots” of where pickpockets and gangs prowl, and which are the most dangerous neighborhoods.

A person might sit down in a park or lounge on a station or bus stop. Then the pickpocket sits behind the person facing the other way. They usually work in groups and will use a strange distraction method like extremely loud music to distract you. The pickpocket slides his or her hand into the person’s coat pockets and steals its contents. They are very professional, leave fast and get lost in the crowd outside.

One must be particularly aware in the colder months with heavy coats on die metro at bus stops or any crowded place. When it is crowded it is very easy for the pickpockets to slip their hands in big pockets. Do not keep valuables in exterior coat pockets or back pockets on backpacks/knapsacs, and keep your purse in front of you where you can see it.

Pickpockets will stand very close to you on the train even if it is not crowded. They can be very well dressed and extremely young girls, that look 8 or 10. They will put their bag close to yours and reach underneath with their other hand try and reach in yours.

Thieves are at this time either already in the train or even outside, and they will take advantage of the situation when the doors are closing to swiftly catch the victim’s bag and run away in the metro’s tunnels. As soon as they start running, an accomplice takes the belonging and runs in the opposite direction so that they make sure not being easily arrested. The best strategy to follow is to avoid staying close to the doors within the train. Many pickpockets do their job while it is crowded and people are about to enter the train. This is usually a moment where people are more distracted and vulnerable. So one must keep a safe distance from strangers especially at crowded places, hold bags tightly, be vigilant and keep your money in front pocket.

(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:
Question 2(a).
Write a letter to your friend describing a protest rally in which you participated recently.
Answer:
26, Curzon Road
Calcutta
West Bengal
Dear Moorthy
How are you? I am sorry for not writing to you earlier but I was busy as I had participated in a protest rally.

Let me tell you in detail about it. Ramdev had announced that he would launch a people’s anti­corruption movement called Bharat Swabhiman Andolan. Ramdev subsequently led a major protest at the Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi on 4 June 2011. He intended to highlight the need for legislation to repatriate black money deposited abroad. He demanded that such untaxed money should be declared to be the wealth of the nation and, further, that the act of caching money alleged to have been obtained illegally in foreign banks should be declared a crime against the state.

I was very impressed and decided to join the protest rally. Preparations included setting up toilet, drinking water and medical facilities, as well as a media center. 65,000 followers gathered at the Maidan. The rally started and a peaceful march was held with the police monitoring the whole set up.

I was very happy to be a small part of a big movement against the widespread corruption ! in our country. Next time I will also invite you to participate.
Do keep in touch. Regards to your parents.
Your loving friend
Deepak

Question 2(b).
You have been requested to judge a one-act play competition. However you are unable f to do so due to unavoidable circumstances. Write a letter of regret to the principal of the host school declining the invitation.
Answer:
24, Curzon road
Muzaffarpur 20th Sep, 2014
To
The Principal
XYZ School
Muzaffarnagar.

Sir,
My sincere thanks for the thoughtful invitation to judge the One-Act Play Competition being hosted by your school. However, I am sorry  that  my  travel plans  will take me away during that week, so I won’t be able to be part of the program; otherwise, I would  have been pleased to accept your invitation.

If you do not have another person in mind, you might consider inviting my colleague, who is also a professor in the university. I think you would find his insights very interesting. In any case, I wish you a very successful evening. Thank you for thinking of me.
Regards
Yours sincerely
Professor XYZ

Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
“Which flowers do you like best?” Octavian asked the children with eagerness in his voice.
“Those with all the colours, over there.” Three little children pointed to a distant tangle of sweet-pea. Childlike, they had asked for what lay farthest from hand, but Octavian trotted off to obey their welcome behest. Octavian pulled and plucked and brought a variety of flowers he could see into his bunch. Then he turned to retrace his steps, and found no trace of Olivia, his two-year-old daughter. Far down the meadow three children were pushing a cart at the utmost speed they could muster in the direction of the cowshed; it was Olivia’s cart and Olivia sat in it.

Octavian stared for a moment at the rapidly moving group, and then he started in hot pursuit, sheeding as he ran sprays of blossom from the mass of flowers that he still clutched in his hands. Fast as he ran, the children had reached the cowshed before he could overtake them. He arrived just in time to see Olivia being hauled and pushed up to the roof of the nearest cowshed.

“What are you going to do with her?” he panted. ,
“We are kidnapping her and keeping her with us,” said the boy.

“You surely wouldn’t treat my poor little Olivia in that way?” he pleaded.
“You had injured our cat,” came in stern reminder from three throats. A few days ago, Octavian’s poor helpless chickens had gone one by one to their doom, so it was in order that the cat, their destroyer had to be given a sound beating.

“I’m very sorry I did that,” said Octavian.

“We shall be very sorry when we’ve kidnapped Olivia,” said the girl. Before Octavian could think of any fresh line of appeal, his energies were called out in another direction. Olivia had slid off the roof and fallen into a dirty muck. Octavian scrambled hastily over the wall to her rescue, and at once found himself in a loose wet ground that engulfed his feet. Octavian, battling on the slippery ground, saw his daughter slowly disappearing in the engulfing slush.

“I can’t reach her in time,” gasped Octavian; “she’ll be choked in the muck. Won’t you help her?”
“But you had injured our cat,” came the inevitable reminder.
“I’ll do anything to show you how sorry I am about that,” cried Octavian.
“Will you stand in a white sheet under the oak tree for three hours holding a candle?”
“Yes,” screamed Octavian.

“All right,” came the reply from the roof, and a moment later a short ladder was pushed across to Octavian, who lost no time in propping it against the low wall. Scrambling carefully along its rungs he was able to lean across the messy ground that separated him from his slowly sinking Olivia and extract her like an unwilling cork from its slippery embrace.

That same evening when twilight was deepening into darkness, Octavian took up his position as penitent under the lone oak tree. He held in one hand a lighted candle and in the other a watch. He felt certain that three pairs of solemn eyes were watching his moth-shared vigil.

Question 3(a).
Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.

(1) Behest
Ans. behest-a person’s orders or command.

(2) clutched
Ans. clutched-grasp (something) tightly.

(3) penitent
Ans. penitent-feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong; repentant.

Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

Question 1.
What was the welcome behest which Octavian obeyed?
Answer:
Octavian obeyed the welcome behest of the three children to get them the flowers of all colours from the tangle which was the farthest.

Question 2.
Where did Octavian see Olivia first? What was happening to her when Octavian arrived at the cowshed?
Answer:
At first Octavian saw Olivia sitting in a cart which was being pushed at the utmost speed by the three children. When Octavian arrived at the cowshed the children were hauling and pushing Olivia onto the roof of the nearest cowshed.

Question 3.
What were the children going to do with Olivia? How was Octavian responsible for the children’s action?
Answer:
The children were going to kidnap Olivia and keep her with them. Octavian was responsible for the children’s action because he had injured their cat.

Question 4.
In what precarious position were Octavian as well as Olivia a little later?
Answer:
A little later Octavian found himself falling into a loose wet ground and he saw Olivia also engulfed in the wet slush.

Question 5.
State how Octavian rescued Olivia?
Answer:
Octavian agreed that he would stand under the oak tree in a white sheet holding a candle for three hours. The children pushed a ladder towards him and he propped it against a low wall and scrambled carefully along its rungs to lean across the messy ground and extract from the slush his slowly disappearing daughter.

Question 6.
What penance did Octavian do for injuring the cat of the three children?
Answer:
As penance Octavian stood that same evening under the oak tree holding a lighted candle in one hand and a watch in the other. He was to stand there in the deepening darkness for three hours as penance.

Question 7.
In not more than 60 words, explain why Olivia was held captive by the three children and how she was rescued.
Answer:
Olivia was held captive by the three children because her father had injured their cat. Octavian rescued her by promising to do penance for his action and rescued her from drowning in the slush in the cowshed.

Question 8.
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
A suitable title would be “A tooth for a tooth” because the children wanted to punish Octavian * by hurting his loved one just as he had hurt their loved cat.

Question 4(a).
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in the correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
__ 1___ (wish) to test the security system in his new fort, the king and his minister__ 2___ (disguise) themselves and reached its main gate . They______ 3__ (stop) by the guard ,who did not 4 (recognise) either of them. “We have come on an urgent business inside,” said the minister. “Kindly let us in.” “ No,I cannot ,Sir ,1 need 5 (get) the permission from the security chief,” said the guard.The minister urged the guard to let them in, and 6 (offer) him a bag full of gold coins.___ 7___ (tempt) by the money, the guard allowed the minister and the king to enter the fort. Then said the minister, ‘Your Majesty, security is not about how strong your fort is. It is about how dependable your men 8 ______  (be).”
Answer:

1. Wishing
2. disguised
3. were stopped
4. recognise.
5. to get
6. offered.
7. tempted
8. are

Question 4(b).
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

1. The firm decided to cut down on expenditure due to inflation.
2. Shakespeare drew upon folklore for the themes of his plays.
3. Unjust criticism was levelled at the school.
4. The Municipality allowed us to proceed with our building plans.
5. Heavy fines deter motorists from speeding.
6. They split our party into three groups.
7. They blamed me for forgetting the passport.
8. Compare hotel prices in Delhi with the prices in Mumbai.

Question 4(c).
Combine each set of the following sentences without using and, but or so

(1) He is tall. His brother is equally tail.
Ans. He is as tall as his brother.

(2) The thief saw me. He at once took to his heels.
Ans. As soon as the thief saw me ,he took to his heels.

(3) He did not succeed in his plan. Can you tell me the reason?
Ans. Can you tell me the reason why he did not succeed in his plan?

(4) This is an anthill. A snake lives here.
Ans. This is an anthill, however a snake lives here.

Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.

(1) Did you manage to finish the job? (Use: succeed)
Ans. Did you succeed in finishing the job?

(2) He was unable to take up the post until early the following year. (Begin: not until…)
Ans. Not until early the following year was he able to take the job.

(3) He was too young to be employed. (Begin: Had he..)
Ans. Had he been older he could have been employed.

(4) Its too late to do anything about it. (Begin : I wish …)
Ans. I wish it was not too late to do anything about it.

(5) He conducted the show like a trained artist. ( Use : as if)
Ans. He conducted the show as if he was a trained artist.

(6) In addition to an accountant we need a superintendent. (Use: not only…but also)
Ans. Not only do we need an accountant but also a superintendent.

(7) As soon as i heard a knock at the door, I switched on the light. (Use: No sooner…than)
Ans. No sooner did I hear a knock at the door than I switched on the light.

(8) Meera said to me, “Please do not forget to bring your passport tomorrow.” (Begin: I was…)
Ans. I was requested by Meera not to forget to bring my passport the next day.

For More Resources