ST. JOSEPH'S CO - ED SR. SEC.

SCHOOL

MID TERM EXAM 2020 - 21

CLASS - IX

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

Time: 1:30 min M.M. 40

Dt : 5th OCT 2020

General Instructions :

i) This paper is divided into two sections.

Section A - Reading, Literature Text and Grammar : 20 Marks

Section B - Writing and Literature : 20 Marks

ii) Section A- Objective , Section B - Subjective.

iii) All questions are compulsory. Internal choice is given in some questions.

iv) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary. Read these instructions very carefully and follow them.

v) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

SECTION A - READING

Q1 Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow. Attempt
any 10 questions out of 12. ( 10 Marks )

1) Our beautiful ecosystem is being systematically damaged by industrial pollution

channelled into rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna, nuclear wastes into the
world's oceans,and poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide mixed with the
ozonosphere. Besides, tropical rainforests and green pastures are disappearing
under the pressure of a proliferating population. Dams are built over the rivers like
the Narmada to change nature's well- balanced surface equations between flora and
fauna, and to supply electricity to the ever starving industrial stomach of our age .
Elephants, tigers, the wild rhinos of South Africa and many other forest creatures
have become endangered species.

2) Consumerism has created a garbage glut in the world. Consumers in

industrialised countries throw out refuse like cartons, butts of cigarettes, polythene
bags and plastic containers which mix with the waters of rivers and oceans and
fertile crop-yielding soil of the earth. It is estimated that each consumer throws out
nearly 1.5 kilogram of refuse each day, and most of it pollutes the water he drinks
and the air he breathes.

3). Some American environmentalists like Jeremy Rifkin blame the World's
population of cattle for most of the ecological ills. These creatures whom we feed
and fatten to get their meat, spoil streams and underground aquifers. Tropical
rainforest are turning into pastures for these gluttonous herds. In Saharan Africa,
the burgeoning population of cattle is denuding arid lands of fertile vegetation. In
the Netherlands, the population of pigs poses a major ecological threat. Their
manure defiles water supply with excessive nitrates and acidifies local soils.

4) Building dams over rivers is like clotting the blood of nature and stopping its
pulse beat. Scientists have proved that dams and embankments cause more floods
and do more harm than good. Flooding is a boon of nature. It cleanses and renews
river basins, expands feeding and breeding grounds of plants, fish, birds and
wildlife. Philip Williams, President of the International Rivers Network says," We
are recognising water quality and assisting in protection of the ecosystem. "
Governments must not allow construction contractors who are largely responsible
for man - made floods to plunder the timber wealth of forests.

1) In para 1, identify the creature which has not become endangered species in
South Africa?

(a) elephant (b) tiger (c) lion (d) the wild rhinos

2) Name the gas which is responsible for demaging ozonosphere.

(a) Oxygen (b) Nitrogen (c) Carbon dioxide (d) Neon

3 ) The word ' glut ' in para 2 means :

(a) large (b) surplus (c) huge (d) less

4) Which word is not similar to stomach ?

(a) belly (b) abdomen (c) consume (d) gut

5) Supply antonym for boon (para 4) :

(a) recourse (b) blessing (c) curse (d) exploit

6) Which action over rivers is clotting the blood of nature?

(a) building bridges (b) building canals (c) building reservoir (d) building dams

7) In para 3 , _______ means ' growing large' .

(a) denuding (b) turning (c) destroying (d) burgeoning

8) What does aquifers mean in para 3 ?

(a) water (b) river (c) channels for water (d) pond

9) Supply the antonym of the word gluttonous.

(a) greedy (b) voracious (c) rapacious (d) abstemious

10) What kills the ecological balance as per Jeremy Rifkin ?

(a) population of human (b) population of insects (c) population of cattle

(d) population of birds

11) What contributes most in polluting rivers and oceans?

(a) dams (b) plants (c) polythene bags (d) flowers

12). How much garbage is thrown in each day ?

(a) 1.5 kilogram (b) 2.5 kilogram (c) 1 kilogram (d) 2 kilogram

LITERATURE TEXT

Q2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions:-- ( 2.5 Marks)

Every tinkle on the shingles

 Has an echo in the heart ;

And a thousand dreamy fancies

Into busy being start,

And a thousand recollections

Weave their air- threads into woof ,

As I listen to the patter

Of the rain upon the roof.

Q i) What does 'dreamy fancies' mean ?

(a) lyrics (b) rhythm (c) imagination (d) melody

Q ii) Identify the poetic device in the ' patter ' .

(a) simile (b) onomatopoeia (c) personification (d) repetition

Q iii) What weaves the air- threads into woof ?

(a) a thousand recollection (b) an echo in the heart (c) tinkle on the shingles
(d) my mind

Q iv) What does the poet mean by an echo in the heart ?

(a) loud sound (b) noisy (c) magical sound (d) reflected sound

Q v) Identify the poetic device in ' Into busy being start ' .

(a) simile (b) metaphor (c) alliteration (d) personification

Q 3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions. ( 2.5 Marks )

He quoted Khalil Gibran to my hesitant mother, " Your children are not your
children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come
through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts."
Q i) Who is 'he' in the above lines ?

(a) Abdul Kalam (b) mother (c) narrator (d) Abdul's father

Qii) Why was Abdul's mother worried ?

(a) because he has his dreams (b) because he has to move out for higher studies
(c) because he has become insecure (d) because she does not love him

Q iii) What do you mean by longing here ?

(a) ambition (b) faith (c) courage (d) desire

Q iv) Identify the name of the lesson :

(a) My Childhood (b) The Little Girl (c) A Truly Beautiful Mind
(d) The Lost Child

Q v) As per Khalil Gibran, who have their own thoughts ?

(a) Abdul (b) children (c) mother (d) father

GRAMMAR

Q 4) Complete the paragraph that follows by filling with the most appropriate
option given : ( 2.5 Marks)

It was a rainy day. Traffic (a) _________ busy on the road. A (b) __________ hit
a car badly in the market. Five commuters were badly injured while one person
(c) _________ on the spot. The injured persons (d) _________ to the nearest
hospital. The local people (e) ________ of great help.

(a) (i) will be (ii) was (iii) is (iv) has been

(b) (i) speeding bus (ii) speeded bus (iii) sped up bus (iv) speed bus

(c) (i) was died (ii) had died (iii) died (iv) is died

(d) (i) had taken (ii) was taken (iii) were taken (iv) is taken

(e) (i) have (ii) was (iii) is (iv) were

Q 5. Fill up the given blanks choosing the most appropriate option given below:-
( 2.5 Marks)

(a) ______ weary traveller stopped at a Bedouin's tent and asked for shelter for the
night. Without (b) ______ delay, the man killed (c) ______ chicken and handed it
to (d) ______ wife for (e) ________ guest's supper.

a) (i) the (ii) an (iii) a (iv) few

b) (i) some (ii) little (iii) any (iv) no

c) (i) an (ii) some (iii) the (iv) a

d) (i) his (ii) her (iii) their (iv) there

e) (i) the (ii) a (iii) theirs (iv) their

SECTION B - WRITING

Q 6. Write a letter to your friend explaining him / her about the experience of
learning through virtual classes in about 100 to 120 words. ( 5 Marks )

OR

Write a letter to your friend describing the inconvenience created during this
pandemic and also give your suggestions about how you manage your daily life in
100 to 120 words.

Q 7. You paid a visit to an 'Old Age Home' with your friends. Using the hints
given below together with your own ideas, make a diary entry of what you saw and
experienced there in 100 to 120 words. ( 5 Marks )

Hints:- Old age home . ** Most senior citizens above 60. ** Peaceful
surroundings. **Spacious and clean rooms and baths. **Regular medical check
ups. ** A good library. ** Means of recreation. **A home away from home.

OR

Write a story with the help of following outlines in about 100 to 120 words.
Hints:- There was a storm /brewing outside / alone at home/ lights went out/
fearsome/ inverter out of order/ morning time/ hawkers/ newspapers/ felt relieved.

LITERATURE

Q 8. Answer the following questions in 20 to 30 words . Attempt any four

questions:- Two from Beehive , Two from Moments. ( 6 Marks )

Q a) Which incident changed Kezia's opinion about her father's behaviour in ' The
Little Girl ' ?

Q b) Why did Margie fail to do better in the lesson ' The Fun They Had ' ?

Q c) What does the wind symbolise in the poem ' Wind ' ?

Q d) Did the speaker take his decision haphazardly in the poem ' The Road Not
Taken ' ?

Q e) The kind- hearted stranger tried his best to calm down the lost child but
failed. Why did the child remain inconsolable in the lesson ' The Lost Child ' ?

Q f) Why did Grand father sell back Toto to the tonga driver in the lesson ' The
Adventures of Toto ' ?

Q g) Why were the two strangers the guru & the disciple, amazed 'In the
Kingdom of Fools' ?

Q 9) Answer the following questions in 60 to 80 words: Attempt any one question.

(4 Marks)

" God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something
extraordinary" says James Blades. What do you think? Write your own opinion
about it based on your understanding of the lesson ' The Sound of Music '.

OR

" There is no Mystery as great as Misery. " said the Prince. How do you justify the
statement based on your reading of the lesson ' The Happy Prince '.