LITERATURE

This section has sub sections – V, VI, VII, VIII & IX. There are a total of 30 questions
in this section. Attempt any 26 questions from the sub sections V to IX.

V. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

“The house- the only one in the entire valley -sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height one
could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good
harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a good downpour or at least a shower. Throughout
the morning Lencho -who knew his fields intimately- had done nothing but see the sky towards
the north-east.”
(A Letter to God)

31. Based on the detail of the house‟s location, how can it best be described?
a) majestic
b) imposing
c) solitary
d) unique

32. The field of corn dotted with flowers means that

a) not a single flower was bigger than a dot
b) the flowers were scattered across.
c) the flowers were in shaped like dots.
d) the flowers had shrunk in size.

33. Lencho wished for a downpour or a heavy shower. Pick the option that correctly lists the
correct match for kinds of rain.

(1) heavy rain (i) light rain that falls in very fine drops
(2) thunderstorm (ii) very heavy rain, tropical rain
(3) drizzle (iii) it's coming down quite strong and you get very
(4) torrential rain wet very quickly
(5) downpour (iv) really heavy rain that comes very suddenly
(v) is a violent, short-lived weather disturbance
associated with lightening, thunder and strong,
gusty winds

a) 1-ii, 2-iv, 3-v, 4-i, 5-iii

b) 1-iv, 2-i, 3-iii, 4-v, 5-ii
c) 1-v, 2-iii, 3-iv, 4-ii, 5-i
d) 1-iii, 2-v, 3-i, 4-ii, 5-iv
34. Based on the given extract, what is Lencho not likely to think while looking at his field?

a) Option i
b) Option ii
c) Option iii
d) Option iv

35. Which quote supports the idea in the given extract?

a) “Farming is a profession of hope.”
b) “I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.”
c) “Farming looks mighty easy when your plough is a pencil, and you‟re a thousand
miles from the corn field.”
e) “Those too lazy to plough in the right season will have no food for the harvest.”

VI. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

“Tenth May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days I had been pleasantly besieged by
dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects before the inauguration.
The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of international leaders on South African
soil. The ceremonies took place in the lovely sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union
Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the
site of rainbow gathering of different colours and nations for the installation of South Africa’s
first democratic, non-racial government,What did the highest generals do in the event?”
(Nelson Mandela)

36. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given
extract.

i. On 10th May, Nelson Mandela sworn in as the first black Head of State, South Africa.
ii. Before 10th May, the seat of President was occupied by the white.
iii. A few international leaders came for the inauguration ceremony on 10th May.
iv. „Bright and clear day‟ refers to 10th May.
v. Anti-racist came to power without any hard struggle.
 (a) i and ii
(b) ii and iii
(c) iii and v
(d) iv and v

37. Who among the following is the narrator of this extract?

(a) The white president of South Africa
(b) The black president of South Africa
(c) The president of United States of America
(d) A common man of South Africa

38. Which word does „besieged‟ NOT correspond to?

(a) Surrounded
(b) Crowd
(c) Requested
(d) Swarm

39. Pick the option that correctly classifies the facts (F) and opinions/s (O) of the students.

(a) F – 1, 2 and O – 3, 4
(b) F – 2, 3 and O – 3, 4
(c) F – 1, 3 and O – 2, 4
(d) F – 3, 4 and O – 1,2

40. The ceremony took place in a building made of:

(a) marble
(b) sandstone
(c) bricks
(d) wood
VII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
(A Tiger in the zoo)

41. Who passes near the water hole?

(a) Fat Pig
(b) Fat Buffalo
(c) Fat Deer
(d) All of the Above

42. Where should the tiger hide to himself?

(a) behind the tree
(b) in the shadow
(c) in the house
(d) in the jungle

43. What has been personified in the poem?

(a) tiger
(b) forest
(c) zoo
(d) all of the above

44. Synonym of the word “lurking” is _______________

(a) Sleeping
(b) Running
(c) Loitering
(d) hiding

45. The Tiger goes to the water hole _______________________

a) Only to drink water
b) To have bath in the cool water
c) To cool himself in the water
d) In search of his victim who come there to drink water

VIII. Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

I awoke late next morning to find that Anil had already made the tea. He stretched out his
hand towards me. There was a fifty-rupee note between his fingers. My heart sank. I
thought I had been discovered.
“I made some money yesterday,” he explained. “Now you’ll be paid regularly.”
My spirits rose. But when I took the note, I saw it was still wet from the night’s rain.
“Today we’ll start writing sentences,” he said.
He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything. I smiled at Anil in my most
appealing way. And the smile came by itself, without any effort.
(The Thief’s Story)

46. Why did Hari Singh think that he had been discovered?
a) Because Anil woke up early.
b) Because he had made the tea.
c) Because he stretched out his hand.
d) Because when he gave him fifty-rupee note.

47. Given below are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the
statements carefully and choose the correct alternative from the following.
Assertion (A) Hari Singh‟s smile came without any effort.
Reason (R) He was given a fifty-rupee note.
a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true but R is false.
d) A is false but R is true.

48. Was Hari Singh starting to write sentences for the first time?
a) No, he went to school in his boyhood.
b) No, he knew how to write well.
c) Yes, because he had never been to school.
d) Yes, because he had to complete his homework.

49. What does the phrase “My sprits rose” mean?

a) To feel sad
b) To regret
c) To apologise
d) To feel happy

50. What did Anil plan to do with Hari Singh?

a) To start teaching him.
b) To beat him ruthlessly.
c) To hand him over to the police
d) To abuse him publicly.
IX. Attempt the following:

51. Given below are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read both the
statements carefully and choose the correct alternative from the following:

Assertion (A): Postmaster collected the money.

Reason (R): The postmaster didn‟t want to shake Lencho‟s faith.

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true and R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

52. What food did the seagull‟s mother get for it?
(a) earthworms
(b) fish
(c) insects
(d) rodents

53. Why was writing in a diary a strange experience for Anne?

A) she had never written anything before
B) she didn‟t know how to write
C) neither she nor anyone else would be interested in it later
D) Both A and C

54. What tells you that Peggy wasn‟t cruel?

(a) protected small children from bullies
(b) couldn‟t stand animals getting mistreated
(c) did not make Wanda cry
(d) all of the above

55. Assertion- (A) The poet had been in the sorrowful and depressive mood in the poem „ Dust
of Snow‟.
Reason – (R) The poet had seen a crow on a hemlock tree.

Options-
a) Both A and R are true and R is correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true and R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true but R is false
d) A is false but R is true.
56. Assertion- (A) The poet offered the boy money to buy another ball
Reason – (R) “Money is external”
Options-
a) Both A and R are true and R is correct explanation of A.
b) Both A and R are true and R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
c) A is true but R is false
d) A is false but R is true.

57. Which of the articles were used by the doctor, sent by Mrs. Pumphrey?
a) beds, cushions, coats,
b) toys, cushions, bowls
c) beds, cushions, toys
d) None of the above

58. What can you infer from the lines given below?
“But I knew that Anil‟s face, when he discovered the theft, would show only a touch of
sadness. Not for loss of money, but for the loss of trust.”

1. The thief knew a person‟s feeling by looking at his face.

2. The Thief knew that Anil would care about him and the money.
3. The Thief knew if Anil had caught him, he would have called the police and got him
imprisoned.
4. The thief knew that his action would sadden Anil.

a) Only option 2 can be inferred.

b) Options 2 and 3 can be inferred.
c) Only option 4 can be inferred.
d) Options 1 and 4 can be inferred.

59. What did Anil give to the stray dog?

a) The food that the narrator cooked
b) The narrator‟s blanket
c) His own blanket
d) His own sweater

60. With reference to the story „Footprints Without Feet‟, which of the following statements
is/are true?

1. Griffin stole the formula from the elf to become invisible.

2. Griffin stole shoes, an overcoat and a hat from a store in London.
3. At the end of the story, Griffin removed his bandages and became a headless man.
4. The boys finally caught Griffin but he tricked them again and ran away.
5. When Mrs. Hall found Griffin‟s room empty, the table came flying and dashed into
her face.

a) Only 1
b) Only 2 and 3
c) Only 2 and 4
d) Only 5