Section A
(Reading – 20 Marks)
Q1. Read the following passage carefully: (10 Marks)
DO IT RIGHT
You hope to do several things every day. At the end of each day most of them are not done. You try using ‘to-do list’ but discover in a short while that it is not helping you much. Tasks keep adding to it In a few weeks, it starts looking like a list of things you will never do and you feel stressed about it.
Making a to-do list is not enough. It is useful only when you when you understand the key aspects of it and work on it further.
To begin with, recognise that a to-do list is only a pool of tasks. It is just a raw collection that gives you no idea of how you will get to it. To make it useful you have to define the ‘when’. Entering details about when you will do the different tasks, gives the to-do list a meaning. When you begin creating a schedule, your focus shifts to how long you have to work on each tasks to complete it. This way you are forced to be realistic about your goals.
You cannot do all the tasks on the list on the same day. So, you should learn to priorities. Rank the tasks using numbers or group them using letters of the alphabet, according to the order of importance. Now start working according to the schedule where your schedule went wrong by paying close attention to how you are spending the day.
Some of the possible reasons are:- you waste time, made mistake in assessing how much time a task would take or deal with ‘urgent’ tasks frequently. If the reason is wasting the time, learn to concentrate on your work. If you made a mistake in time assessment, prepare a more realistic schedule.
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Another way to prioritise tasks is based on the creative energy they require. Separate the tasks into creative and boring ones. This approach helps you to stay productive even during cheerless parts of the day.
Making schedule for items in your to-do list does not promise that all of them are accomplished. But you can at least be strategic about what is left behind and feel happy that you achieved what you accommodated in the finite space. This way you can begin the next day on a confident note rather than feeling helpless and frustrated about failing.
I. Answer the questions given below, on the basis of your reading of the passage:
a) What makes a ‘to-do list’ useful?
b) Why is the ‘to-do list’ described as a raw collection?
c) How do you become realistic about your goals?
d) What is ‘prioritising’?
e) What are the possible reasons for failure of accomplishing the things mentioned in the list?
f) How can ‘separating the tasks into creative and boring ones’ be helpful?
II. Fill in with one appropriate word in each blank:-
If you just _____(a)_____ on to the to-do list without understanding the key concepts the tasks become _____(b)______ . For _____(c)_____ your goals you should learn to ____(d)______ the tasks according to the order of their importance.
III. Find the opposite of the words given below, in the passage:-
(a). Relieved (para 1) (b). Distract (para 5)
Q2. Read the following passage carefully: (5 Marks)
The Case of the Disappearing Sparrows
The common house sparrows, once seen everywhere in large numbers in Mumbai has become scarce in many areas, and this is causing concern not only to bird lovers but also to scientist.
Formerly miners used to carry canaries down into the mines with them. If the canary showed the signs of distress it indicated that there were poisonous gases in the air, and the miners would immediately leave the mine.
Today, if the sparrows of Mumbai are in distress it could be a warning to human residents. The declining bird population could mean that air pollution levels in the metropolis are rising dangerously; or, since sparrows are grain eaters, it could indicate that the grains that the people are consuming contain higher dosages of pesticides than before.
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In some countries like Britain, the quality of the environment is graded according to the number of bird species found in the locality.
(a) A bird named canaries was used by miners __________ .
(i) to tell the pollution level
(ii) to make holes in the stones
(iii) to entertain them in the mines
(iv) to detect poisonous gases
(b) If the sparrows of Mumbai are in distress __________ .
(i) the residents must take it as a warning
(ii) human residents must leave the mines
(iii) the Mumbaikars must leave Mumbai
(iv) the residents must warn the authorities
(c) The declining bird population could mean that the air pollution levels:
(i) in the mines are raising dangerously
(ii) in the metropolis are decreasing dangerously
(iii) in the metropolis are rising dangerously
(iv) in the metropolis are rising safely
(d) The grains that the people are consuming contain:
(i) higher dosages of pesticides than before
(ii) higher number of pests than before
(iii) higher dosages of medicines than before
(iv) higher dosages of insecticides than before
(e) In some countries like Britain the number of bird species found in the locality is used to
show:
(i) the quality of the living standard
(ii) the quality of the food
(iii) the quality of the environment
(iv) the quality of the habitat
Q3. Read the following poem carefully:- (5 Marks)
A White Wedding card
The simple white card said
Deepthy weds Sreekumar,
Means nothing at all to you
I know. Just a card
That might come handy
As a scoop at cleaning time
On a Sunday morning
To scrape out obstinate dust Page 3 of 10
Swept out from under carpets.
To me it means
The girl I had piggy-backed
Carried around as a poodle,
Chased, caught doodling on my papers
Would take off on an October morning
To return perhaps three years later
With a Texan air and accent
To extend a pink or blue bundle
And sit under a mango tree
To tell me all about Wild West
And like the Kabuliwallah;
I’d see only her tiny fingers
Prising open the plastic petal,
Opaque banana flower petal,
Rounding pink mouth, drawing out
That single droplet of honey ---
The tendril fingers frost out
To be dabbed a deep red
At the tiny tips ---
The card meant-
Her curly hair dripping
Her long skirt dragging
She would not come any more
To sit at the foot of my bed
And break up my noon nap
Next summer break.
Neerda Suresh
(a) A white wedding card to others means __________ .
(i) just a card
(ii) a card for picking up dust
(iii) a card for sweeping under the carpet
(iv) a card for scratching
(b) The girl would bring back ‘pink or blue bundle’ means __________ .
(i) she would come back with loads of money
(ii) colourful gifts for the poet
(iii) a grandchild
(iv) a grand gift
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(c) The poetess and the girl are _________ .
(i) neighbours
(ii) friends
(iii) mother-daughter
(iv) aunt-niece
(d) Identify the figure of speech used in line 3 of second stanza __________ .
(i) personification
(ii) simile
(iii) imagery
(iv) metaphor
(e) The tone of the poetess in the poem is expressive of _____________ .
(i) regret
(ii) joy
(iii) nostalgia
Section B
(Writing – 20 Marks)
Q4. Write a notice for your school notice board in 50 words asking students to ( 4 Marks)
volunteer themselves for the adult education programme during the summer vacation.
Q5. A new movie is going to be released on the coming Friday and you are very fond ( 6 Marks)
of watching movies on the day of their release. Since your examinations are approaching you know your mother will not allow you. Construct a dialogue between yourself and your mother wherein her why she should allow you to watch the movie.
Q6. You recently read an article in the newspaper on various causes of anxiety and worry ( 7 Marks)
amongst the students appearing for various competitive examinations. Your cousin is also preparing for one of them. You decide to give him tips on how to cope with the examinations stress. Taking help from the verbal inputs given below and your own ideas. Write a letter to your cousin in not more than 150 - 170 words.
Clues:
· Manage your time effectively by working out a time table
· Maintain balance between all the subjects
· Practise regularly to build speed
· Relax and meditate
· Develop a hobby and exercise regularly
· Take failure in your stride
· Try again
· Set realistic goals
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Q7. The poor handle waste with bare hands – ‘We do it because we need money’ ( 8 Marks)
Developed world dumps 68 lakh tonne waste in India – No protection for workers
Indian wastelands endanger 5 million poor – cancer, radiation, asthama – common
These headlines from leading newspapers really disturbed you about the serious environmental and health hazards being faced by the poor people who handle/recycle hazardous waste including radioactive waste in their own homes.
Write an article on the need for the government to rethink its policy of permitting waste import for recycling to not only save millions of the poor from fatal diseases and disorders but also to curb pollution in areas with waste processing units. Give it the title : India – World’s Garbage Dump?
Section C
(Grammar – 20 Marks)
Q8. Edit the following passage by choosing the correct option from the options given (4 Marks)
below:
Stress may actually be the eating trigger that (a) ________ the most trouble. Many (b) ________ us have high levels of chronic stress, whether (c) ________ from workload, relationship troubles or (d) ________ to-do list. Our bodies respond to this stress the way our ancestors’ bodies (e) ________ triggering “fight or flight” chemicals in the brain that (f) ________ to calorie accumulation and fat storage. But the differences is (g) ________ we have plenty of food at our disposal; they didn’t. So we end up (h) ________ upgrading the size of our storage unit.
(a) (i) caused (ii) will cause
(iii) causes (iv) causing
(b) (i) on (ii) with
(iii) of (iv) in
(c) (i) it’s (ii) its
(iii) it (iv) that
(d) (i) longer (ii) long
(iii) longest (iv) longs
(e) (i) did (ii) does
(iii) done (iv) do
(f) (i) leading (ii) lead
(iii) leads (iv) led
(g) (i) that (ii) this
(iii) which (iv) so Page 6 of 10
(h) (i) ready (ii) badly
(iii) continually (iv) continuous
Q9. Read the headlines to make meaningful reports by choosing the most correct ( 4 Marks)
options from those given below :
(1) EXTINCT GIANT SHARK NURSERY DISCOVERED
The six foot long babies of the world’s biggest shark __________ in the warm shallow waters of ancient shark nursery in what is now Panama.
(i) was found (ii) is found
(iii) were found (iv) were being found
(2) R.B.I. LIKELY TO RAISE RATES
RBI __________ to hike key policy rates in view of high food inflation and uncertain crude oil prices.
(i) has been deciding (ii) had decided
(iii) will be deciding (iv) has decided
(3) COMET COLLIDES WITH THE SUN
Solar physicist of the university of Brooklyn have captured for the first time the __________ of a comet with the sun.
(i) colliding (ii) collision
(iii) colloidal (iv) collide
(4) AUTO DRIVER ROBS MAN OF TWENTY LAKHS
An auto driver who picked up a passenger from the entrance of the ICICI bank at New Delhi airport __________ him and left him unconscious near the Ring Road.
(i) was robbed (ii) rob
(iii) robbed (iv) is robbed
Q10. Rearrange the following words and phrases to make meaningful sentences. ( 4 Marks)
eg: old people / we / a feeling / should / acceptability / give / of
Ans: We should give old people a feeling of acceptability.
(a) are not / citizens / respected / senior / or cared for
(b) ill-equipped / are not only / insufficient / old age homes / also / but
(c) must / anyone else’s / place them / the society / before / interest
(d) giving them / very much needed / is important / they are / an impression / that
Q11. Edit the following passage. There is one error in each of the first nine lines. ( 4 Marks)
Write the incorrect word and the correction as given in the example against the correct blank number. Also underline the correction.
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Error Correction
The minarets of ‘Siddi Bashir’s
mosque at Allahabad are (a) ________ ___________
unique. They’re 20 metre
high and each minarets have (b) ________ ___________
three stories with carved stone (c) ________ ___________
balconies. The amazing things of (d) ________ ___________
these minarets which is joined with (e) ________ ___________
each other with a flat terrace in (f) ________ ___________
that when the top portion of one
minaret is shook, the vibrations (g) ________ ___________
travel to the second minaret and
that one too start swaying back (h) ________ ___________
and forth.
Q12. Read the instructions given below on how to use a water purifier. ( 4 Marks)
· Unscrew the lid on the body
· Remove the inner protective seal and replace it with the filter paper
· Fit the blue adaptor onto the body
· Screw back the lid
· Peel off the lower seal before use
· Hold the tap and push and filter up the tap until attached securely
Complete the paragraph given below by choosing the most appropriate options from the ones given below. Write the correct options in your answer sheet.
First of all, the lid on the body (a) ________. The inner protective seal was then removed and replaced with the filter pad. After that, the blue adapter (b) ________ onto the body and the lid was screwed back. Then, the lower seal (c) ________. Finally, the tap was held and the filter (d) ________ until attached securely on the tap.
(a) (i) is to be unscrewed (ii) should be unscrewed
(iii) was unscrewed (iv) is unscrewed
(b) (i) was fitted (ii) is to be fitted
(iii) should be fitted (iv) is fitted
(c) (i) should be peeled off (ii) is to be peeled off
(iii) has to be peeled off (iv) was peeled off
(d) (i) is pushed up (ii) was pushed up
(iii) should be pushed up (iv) was to be pushed up
