Summative Assessment I, 2011 English Communicative Class - IX. Section A (Reading 20 Marks)

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1 Summative Assessment I, 2011 English Communicative Class - IX Maximum Marks: 90 Time : 3 hours Instructions: The question paper is divided into four sections. Section A: Reading 20 marks Section B: Writing 25 marks Section C: Grammar 20 marks Section D: Literature 25 marks Section A (Reading 20 Marks) Q1. Read the following passage carefully: (10 marks) The Olympic flame or Olympic fire is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek God Zeus by Prometheus, its origin lies in ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. For the ancient Greeks, fire had divine connotations. Therefore, a fire permanently burns on an altar in Olympia. During the Olympic games which honoured Zeus, additional fires were lit at his temple and that of his wife, Hera. The modern Olympic flame is ignited at the site where the temple of Hera used to stand. Fire did not appear at the modern Olympics until The Dutch architect Jan Wils had included a tower in his design for the Olympic stadium for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and came up with the idea of having a fire burn throughout. It has been part of the modern Olympic games ever since. The idea of an Olympic flame was met with enthusiasm, and was incorporated as a symbol of Olympism. The modern torch relay was introduced at the 1936 summer Olympics in Berlin. German sports official and sports scientist Carl Dien conceived the idea of an Olympic relay for the 1936 summer Olympics in Berlin. More than 3000 runners carried the torch form Olympia to Berlin. German track and field athlete Fritz Schilgen was the last to carry the torch, igniting the flame in the stadium. The Olympic flame is nowadays ignited several months before the opening celebrations of the Olympic games at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia, Greece. Eleven priestresses, played by actors, light the fire by placing a torch in a concave parabolic mirror which concentrates rays from the sun. The torch is then transported to the host city of the upcoming Olympics by means of a torch relay. Page 1 of 10

2 Choose the correct alternative from the given options and complete the sentences. Write only the answer in your answer script: I (1) Olympic games honoured the Greek God. (2) The Olympic flames burnt on an. (3) A fire permanently burns on an altar in Olympia because. (4) Olympic flame is lighted at the. (5) The idea of an Olympic flame was met with. (6) They light the fire by placing a torch. II Fill in the blanks with one word only : The Olympic games are an (a) sports festival held every (b) years in a different country. Its purpose is to encourage (c) in games and to forge (d) among people of the world. III Find words in the passage that mean the following : (a) everlasting (b) extinguish Q2. Read the following passage carefully: (5 marks) An owl is a bird. There are two basic types of owls : typical owls and barn owls. Owls live in almost every country of the world. Owls are mostly nocturnal, meaning they are awake at night. Owls are predators - they hunt the food that they eat. Owls hunt for mice and other small mammals, insects, and even fish. Owls are well adapted for hunting. Their soft, fluffy feathers make their flight nearly silent. They have very good hearing which helps them to hunt well in the darkness. The sharp hooked beaks and claws of the owl make it very easy to tear apart their prey quickly, although owls also eat some prey whole. Owl's eyes are unusual. Like most predators, both the eyes of the owl face front. The owl cannot move its eyes. Owls are far - sighted, which means they can see very well far away... but they can t see up close very well at all. Fortunately, their distant vision is what they use for hunting, and they can see far away even in low light. Owls have facial disks around their eyes, tufts of feathers in a circle around each eye. These facial disks are thought to help the Owl's hearing. Owls can turn their heads 180 degrees. This makes it look like they might be able to turn their heads all the way around, but 180 degrees is all Page 2 of 10

3 the owl needs to see what s going on all around him. Perhaps because of the Owl's mysterious appearance, especially its round eyes and flexible neck, there are a lot of myths and superstitions about owls. Many cultures believe that owls are unusually wise. Because owls are nocturnal, some cultures associate owls with bad omens. The screech of the barn owl is considered by many to sound eerily human, like a person screaming. However, owls probably do not interact with the fates of humans at all. In fact, some owl species may become extinct because of humans. (a) Which of the following is not true about owls? (i) Owls eat small animals. (ii) Owls are able to fly silently. (iii) Owls have the best hearing of all birds. (iv) Owls have poor vision (b) The eyesight of the owl is used for. (i) flying (ii) hunting (iii) sleeping (iv) none of these (c) The purpose of this short article is. (i) to entertain (ii) to inform (iii) to persuade (iv) none of these (d) Another good title for this story can be. (i) Owls hunt at night (ii) Owls can fly silently (iii) Owls are interesting animals (iv) Owls have flexible necks (e) Which of the following is true? (i) The facial disks of the owl help them to see. (ii) Owls have a strong, bent beak. (iii) Most owls hunt for food during the day. (iv) Owls are dangerous to humans. Page 3 of 10

4 Q3. Read the following poem carefully: (5 marks) When I see birches bent left to right Across the lines of straighter darker trees, I like to think some boy s been swinging them. But swinging doesn t bend them down to stay. Ice storms do that. Often you must have seen them Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning After a rain. They click upon themselves As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored As the stir cracks and erases their enamel. Soon the sun s warmth makes them shed their crystal shells Shattering and avalanching on the snow crust Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away You d think the inner dome had fallen. Read the questions given below and write the most appropriate options in your answer sheet : (A) The birch trees were bent down by (a) the boys (b) the poet (c) the ice storms (d) their weight (B) cracks and erases their enamel refers to (a) the breaking of the ice (b) the paint peeling off (c) the cutting of the branches (d) the snapping of the branches (C) The warmth of the sun (a) causes flowers to bloom (b) makes the poet feel happy (c) melts the ice (d) reminds the poet of his childhood (D) The poet is (a) in a reminiscent mood (b) in love (c) bitter (d) angry Page 4 of 10

5 Section B (Writing 25 Marks) Q4. Meenakshi Goyal is Sports Captain of Navoday school. The sports day is to be held on March 25 th, which is just two weeks away. She has to inform House Captains that they have to submit the names of the participants to her in a week s time. Students cannot take part in more than three events excluding the relay race. Any delay or wrong information will lead to disqualification of the student. Write a notice for Meenakshi in not more than 50 words. Q5. A new movie is going to be released on the coming Friday and you are very fond 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 you convince her why she should allow you to watch the movie. (100 words) Q6. Your brother is engaged to be married in a month s time. You are highly excited about the preparations at home. Write an to your friend in about 120 words expressing your excitement and how you are enjoying being involved in some of the preparations. ( 6 marks) (7 marks) From : To : Subject : My dear Yours affectionately Shivani. Q7. Parents and children often complain of the generation gap that leads to family and social maladjustments. Write an article titled Bridge the gap in not more than 150 words. You may use the following ideas. (8 marks) Children should respect their elders understand their elders needs. lend a helping hand understand that the elders are more experienced remember that parents always want the best for their children remember that parents don t ask for much except respect and hard work in studies Page 5 of 10

6 Parents and grandparents should be patient understand that young people need their space present generation faces multifold challenges realize that life is stressful and competitive for them too understand that children s anxiety leads to mood swings Section C (Grammar 20 Marks) Q8. In the following passage one word has been omitted. Write the missing word in your answer sheet against the correct blank numbers. Disturbances in the eco-system have led (a) a significant decline in the number (b) migratory birds which used to fly across (c) Himalayas in (d) winter months to warm marshy areas around Kolkata. (a) (i) to (ii) from (iii) with (iv) in (b) (i) for (ii) of (iii) from (iv) on (c) (i) a (ii) an (iii) the (iv) on (d) (i) the (ii) some (iii) few (iv) many Q9. Complete the statements by choosing the most appropriate 4 options. Tue, Jun 1 India needs to take firm steps to rein in inflation, which (a), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday. Wholesale prices, the most closely watched inflation gauge in India, (b), strengthening the case for a rate hike by the central bank. One of the major problems that we face at present is the pressure on prices. This is to a large extent the aftermath of the drought but it needs firm action, Singh said. The Reserve Bank of India (c) since mid - March to tame inflation and analysts expect another rate hike when it reviews its policy on July 27. We will continue to monitor the situation very carefully, and take whatever corrective steps are necessary to rein in inflation, the Prime Minister said. Singh also said the economy (d) that started on April 1, after Page 6 of 10

7 growing 7.4 percent in 2009/10. He added the country must return to a path of fiscal prudence. (a) (i) continues to be a major problem (ii) (iii) continued to be a major problem continue to be a major problem (ii) may continue to be a major problem (b) (i) has risen 9.59 percent in April from a year earlier (ii) (iii) (iv) rises 9.59 percent in April from a year earlier had risen 9.59 percent in April from a year earlier rose 9.59 percent in April from a year earlier (c) (i) has hiked rates twice by a total of 50 basis points (ii) (iii) (iv) have hiked rates twice by a total of 50 basis points lifts rates twice by a total of 50 basis points Hiked rates twice by a total of 50 basis points (d) (i) expected to grow at 8.5 percent in the current financial year (ii) (iii) (iv) will be expected to grow at 8.5 percent in the current financial year is expected to grow at 8.5 percent in the current financial year was expected to grow at 8.5 percent in the current financial year Q10. Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences. Write your answers neatly in your answer sheet. (a) (b) (c) (d) had /charming/ Indira Gandhi / and / personality / powerful / a visit / good / Sabarmati Ashram /her /to / made a /impression/on her highly disciplined / at Shantiniketan / led / she /a/ life thinking / greatly / Mahatma Gandhi / affected / also/ her Page 7 of 10

8 Q11. The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the nine lines. Write the incorrect word and the correction as given in the example aganist correct blank number. Also underline the correction. Error Correction The Dead Sea Scrolls are a (a) a the oldest known manuscript of any book (b) of the Bible. Some of the scroll (c) are more than 2000 year old. (d) They are discovered in the mid (e) 1900s in caves near a northwestern (f) shore of Dead Sea in Palestine and Israel. The first group of scrolls are discovered (g) in 1847 by a group of school boys on (h) a cave. Bedouins and others has found (i) ten more caves containing ancient writings. Q12. Complete the following paragraph using suitable options from the ones given below : A young man was apprenticed to a quack. Surgery (a) by almost anyone. Crude methods of treatment (b). Many deaths (c) thus. Now, those crude methods (d) due to progress in surgery. (a) (b) (c) (d) (i) practised (ii) is practised (iii)was being practised (iv)was practised (i) is adopted (ii) were adopted (iii)are adopting (iv)were adopt (i) were caused (ii) were causing (iii)is caused (iv)was caused (i) has been discarded (ii) are discarding (iii)is discarding (iv)have been discarded Page 8 of 10

9 Section D (Literature 25 Marks) Q13. A. Read the extract and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options. (3X3=9marks) And still they row'd amidst the roar Of waters fast prevailing: Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore,---- His wrath was changed to wailing. (1) How did 'they ' row? (a) (b) (c) (d) in the middle of roaring in the water surrounding them in the middle of roaring water with the water around them (2) Why is the shore called fatal? (a) (b) (c) (d) as it shall soon see deaths as it shall be a witness to deaths as the Chieftain and his beloved will be dead soon there will be mourning. (3) Lord Ullin's anger changed to wailing as he saw. (a) (b) (c) (d) in his mind the sure death his daughter he saw the imminent death of his daughter. the Chieftain B. Read the given extract and answer the following questions. We have always touched the feet of God, elders and teachers. We consider that as a mark of respect. It is a great tradition but today the reverse has happened. (i) (ii) To which traditional Indian custom is the speaker referring to in the above? What does the speaker consider as a mark of respect in the context of the story? Page 9 of 10

10 (iii) What has happened now to this great Indian tradition? C. Read the given extract and answer the following questions. While you were upstairs, I have been thinking a lot about your Papa and mamma. You see, I am really unselfish, and then the rooms for your sister s children. (1) What is the discrepancy between what Gaston said earlier and what he says now? (2) What light does the above statement throw on Gaston s character? (3) Do you like/ dislike Gaston? Give your reasons in two or three sentences. Q14. Answer any four of the following questions in words each. 1. Do you think Chuck was a duty conscious man? How can you tell? (2X4=8 marks) 2. Do you think the reaper s song affected the poet? How can you tell? 3. Why did the narrator call her Avva a wonderful student? 4. What does the poet mean by the line I make the netted sunbeam dance? 5. `The tempest gathered o er her Explain with reference to the poem, ` Lord Ullin s daughter. Q15. Answer any one of the following questions. (8marks) You are the narrator in the story, `How I Taught My Grandmother to Read. Write a letter to your friend in about 150 words telling him why you have decided to teach Kannada language to your grandmother. OR What, according to you, does Rober Frost say in the poem, The Road not Taken? Answer relating your opinion of the poem. Page 10 of 10