Greenwood High
Aptitude Test Paper

Subject: English

Grade: 9 Time: 1 hour

Marks: 50

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Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

DEL

I leaned over the hospital bed to whisper 'hey'. Del was in the ICU at Wade Park Veterans
Hospital. I knew this was the last time I would see him alive ... the cancer had spread.

I met Delbert at the veterans' group home where I visited every week to sing and share God's
word. He was in his late 80's, with a weathered scowl fixed permanently to his face. He didn't
suffer from the mental disorders common to the other residents. Del was just very old ... in body
and mind. He had no family.

Though most of the men counted on me to visit every Sunday evening, Delbert wasn't among
them. He resented it. He didn't believe in God and let me know it every time he saw me. He
would tell me that I wasn't welcome there, of course his language was more 'crusty' than that. Del
was an old navy vet who had definitely mastered the art of cursing. I thought I knew (from my
bar-tending days) all the foul language that could be uttered ... but I was wrong.

One Sunday, things changed. I showed up at the home in a sour mood for some selfish reason.
Del met me at my car and attacked me with a profanity laced diatribe that didn't slide off so
easily this time. To his surprise, instead of ignoring him, I responded angrily, growling through
clenched teeth. "Delbert Rhinehart, I don't want to hear your nonsense today. I don't care what
you think about me coming here. I don't care that you don't believe in God .....leave me alone."
His reaction surprised me. All his anger seemed to melt away. His face softened.

He was disturbed by the thought that I no longer cared about his rejection of God. Of course, the
truth was ... I did care.

I suggested that it was time to get things right with his Maker. We found a private setting and
talked a while. I explained to Del about God's love for him and introduced him to Christ.
He prayed with me.

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In many ways Delbert had the mind of a child and he accepted Him on that level.

Week after week, I would learn what it was to know God through Delbert's eyes. That old
crustiness never disappeared. He and God got along just fine without the formality of 'church
speak'. When he prayed, it was as if he was chatting with an old navy buddy (of higher rank, of
course). Delbert and God were good friends.

One day he pulled me aside to let me know what God was 'really' like. I was anxious to hear
Del's observations. "God is as powerful as 20 atom bombs and as gentle as a baby" he said. I
treasured the words the guys at the home told me concerning faith. I often wrote them in my
Bible.

Now I was sitting in the hospital with him. His body was swollen, tubes everywhere, and under
the effects of a high dose of pain medication. "Del, it's me ....". His eyes opened a crack and he
held my hand tight. "How are you doing?" I asked. Delbert whispered to me "Every day's a
holiday, and every meal's ..a banquet".

Delbert died peacefully.

I doubt he knew his impact on my life. I liked seeing God through Del's prism.

A) Answer the following:

1) Why do you think the narrator went to the veterans’ home every Sunday? What role did
he play there? (3)
2) What was the narrator’s observation about Del after they talked privately and got things
sorted out? (3)

3) “Every day's a holiday, and every meal's ..a banquet”. Explain this line in your own
words. What do you think Del meant to put across? (3)

B) Pick out the appropriate words from the passage and fill in the blanks: (6)

1) His knuckles were white as he ______ the steering wheel, and his tall form hunched
forward.
2) The young girl ______ the letter she received from her favorite movie star.
3) Martha sat at her desk, busy with files and paper work, a ______ on her face.
4) I wish he'd spend less time with his friends and more time with me. Am I
being ______?
5) The ________ of the dodgeball knocked the kid off his feet.
6) They were _______ together as if they had known each other all their lives.

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C) Write a narrative composition on ANY ONE of the following topics in about 200
words. (15)

An encounter that changed your life

Or
Your first time away from home for the night (or longer)

D) Do as instructed: (20)

1. The coach said to the Indian cricket team, “Your fielding is not up to the mark.’’
(Change it into indirect speech) (1.5)
2. The joker was laughed at by them. (Change into active voice) (1.5)
3. The chef ordered the helper to chop the vegetables quickly. (Change into direct
speech) (1.5)
4. Did mother bake these cookies? (Change into passive voice) (1.5)
5. Open the door (Change into passive voice) (1.5)
6. As soon as I put the phone down, it started ringing again. (Join the sentences with
no sooner… than) (1.5)
7. Sanya said to Sean, “Will you play today?” (1.5)
(Change into indirect speech)
8. The contractor will have constructed the dam before the onset of rainy
season. (Change into passive voice) (1.5)

9. These traditions have been handed ____ from generation to generation (Fill in the
blanks with a suitable preposition) (1)
10. The hailstorm destroyed the standing crops. The hailstorm damaged the fruit trees.
(Join the sentences using not only… but also) (1)
11. Don’t compete ____ your cousin ____ a silly prize. (Fill in the blanks with suitable
prepositions) (1)
12. We can eat now. We can eat after the show.  (1)
(Join the sentences with either…or)

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13. I want to enroll in an university in US. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence using articles)
14. Ryan is lazy. His elder brother is very active. (Join using a conjunction) (1)
15. The mobile was kept _____ other electronic goods. (Fill in the blanks with a
suitable preposition) (1)
16. The dog jumped ______ the ring. (1)
(Fill in the blanks with a suitable preposition)