UNIT TEST -1 [2021 -2022]

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TIME: 1 HOUR CLASS IX MM: 20
Question 1: Fill in the blanks: [5]
1. The little girl burst ______ tears of joy when her kitten was found.
2. One should not put _____ with bad manners.
3. Shankar waited ______ the bus stop for over an hour.
4. The thief jumped ______ the wall and escaped.
5. Soma sat ______ her two friends during the morning assembly.
6. The mouse hid ______ the floor boards.
7. Shanti came ______ many new recipes in the cookery book.
8. The twins were tired of being mistaken ______ each other.
9. The servants waited _____ Portia day and night.
10. Mr. Oliver’s torch batteries had run _______.
Question 2: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that
follow. Do not copy the passage.
The Geography Master was absent and the boys of the First A had a free period
between three and three forty-five on Wednesday.
Somehow Swaminathan had missed his friends and found himself alone. He
wandered along the corridor of the kindergarten section. To Swaminathan, who
did not stand over four feet, the children of the kindergarten seemed ridiculously
tiny. He felt vastly superior and old. He was filled with contempt when he saw
them dabbling in wet clay, trying to shape models. It seemed such a meaningless
thing to do at school! Why, they could as well do those things resembling
elephants, mangoes and snakes, in the backyards of their houses. Why did they
come all the way to a school to do this sort of thing? Schools were meant for
more serious things like Geography, Arithmetic, Science and English.
In one room he found all the children engaged in repeating simultaneously the
first two letters of the Tamil alphabet. He covered his ears and wondered how the
teacher was able to stand it. He passed on. In another room he found an ill-clad,
noisy crowd of children. The noise that they made, sitting on their benches and
swinging their legs got on his nerves. He wrinkled his brow and twisted his mouth
in the hope of making the teacher feel his resentment but unfortunately, the
teacher was sitting with his back to Swaminathan.
He paused at the foot of the staircase leading to the senior classes – the second
and the third forms. He wanted to go up and inspect those classed which he
eagerly looked forward to joining. He took two or three steps up and changed his
mind. The Headmaster might be up there, he always handled those classes. The
teachers too were formidable, not to speak of the boys themselves, who were
snobs and bullies. He heard the creak-creak of sandals far off and recognized the
footsteps of the Headmaster. He did not want to be caught there – that would
mean a lot of unsatisfactory explanations.
He was happily surprised when he stumbled upon his own gang whom he had
thought was not at school. Except Rajam and Mani all the rest were there. They
were playing some game under the huge tamarind tree. Swaminathan joined
them with a low, ecstatic cry. Their response disappointed him. They turned their
faces to him with a forced smile, and returned to their game. What surprised
Swaminathan most was that even the genial Somu was grim. Something seemed
to be wrong somewhere.
(a) Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage: [3]
(i) Contempt
(ii) Simultaneously
(iii) Genial
(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.
(i) Why did the boys of First A have a free period? [1]
(ii) Which phrase in the passage tells you that the noise of the children irritated
Swaminathan? [2]
(iii) Why did Swaminathan change his mind about inspecting the second and third
forms? [2]
(iv) What made Swaminathan realise that something was wrong? [2]
(c) In not more than 50 words, describe what was Swaminathan’s response to the
kindergarten children and their activities. [5]

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