S.

Chand's Self-Learning English Series

Self-Learning
English Course
with Activities
7
This Series is developed to promote Learning, Speaking and Writing Correct
English as per Guidelines provided by CBSE under CCE pattern

Edited By
RITA WILSON
Former Principal Auckland House School, Shimla
Former Principal Starex International School, Gurgaon
&
Former Officiating Chief Executive & Secretary Council for the
Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), New Delhi
Authors
KALPANA AGGARWAL MILAN GOWEL
M.A., B.Ed. B.A., B.Ed.
S.R.D.A.V. Public School S.R.D.A.V. Public School
Dayanand Vihar, Delhi Dayanand Vihar, Delhi

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© 2010, Kalpana Aggarwal & Milan Gowel

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any material form (including photo copying or storing
it in any medium in form of graphics, electronic or mechanical means and whether or not transient or incidental to some other use
of this publication) without written permission of the copyright owner. Any breach of this will entail legal action and prosecution
without further notice.
Jurisdiction : All disputes with respect to this publication shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the
Courts, tribunals and forums of New Delhi, India only.
First Edition 2010
Subsequent Editions and Reprints 2011, 2012, 2013
Revised Edition 2014

ISBN : 81-219-3332-3 Code : 11C 1087

PRINTED IN INDIA
By Rajendra Ravindra Printers Pvt. Ltd., 7361, Ram Nagar, New Delhi -110 055
and published by S. Chand & Company Pvt. Ltd., 7361, Ram Nagar, New Delhi -110 055.
 PREFACE TO
SECOND REVISED EDITION
Interactive and communication skills need to be developed right from an early stage.
Keeping this in mind the CBSE and CISCE have formulated and introduced a step wise
scheme of Communicative Approach as a part of the teaching English as a language. These
books are especially relevant to Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), the
current educational programme introduced by CBSE.

The books are thoroughly revised based on the insightful feedback from schools all
over India. On the basis of the perceptive and extensive comments offered by the teachers,
learners, departmental heads, Principals and parents, the books have been produced as
revised editions that we hope will receive greater critical acclaim.

Authors

Acknowledgment
Ruskin Bond for 'The Adventures of Toto'; William Blake
for 'The Chimney Sweeper'; Tim Bete for 'The Teacher';
Joseph Furtado for 'Long Time Ago'; Longfellow for 'Rain
in Summer'; A. E. Housman for 'Loveliest of Trees'.
Although every exertion has been made to contact the
owners of copyright of the pieces published here, a few
have been impossible to trace. If they would please
contact the authors, appropriate acknowledgment will
be made in future editions.
 PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION
Communication is life. Just as healthy biological life is possible only when the brain is able
to communicate well with other parts of the body, similarly a successful social life is possible
when one is able to communicate well with other members of society.
Self-Learning English Course with Activities is a series of ten books that is especially
designed for primary & middle classes, keeping in view the latest trends of Communicative
Teaching of English Language. The aim of this series is to help the learner attain
Communicative Competence in the English language. The practice material includes
Comprehension Passages and Interactive Exercises. There are also activities designed to
stimulate children to think and develop their creative powers. Students take on a less heavy
structural load but come away with greater language ability and confidence.
Language is a means of communication. How effectively one communicates and interacts
with people reflects ones personality. Interaction and Communication skills need
development right from an early stage. Keeping this in mind the Central Board of Secondary
Education has formulated and introduced a stepwise scheme of Communicative Approach as
a part of the teaching of English as a language. Based on the guidelines, an effort has been made
to provide suitable practice material on comprehension passages and writing skills while
taking care of Grammar. Thus the old adage “Practice makes a man perfect” has been
implemented. The development of material is from the simple to the complex in a carefully
graded manner with suitable practice exercises.
We extend our grateful thanks to the entire management and editorial staff of S. Chand and
Co. Pvt. Ltd., who took great pains to get the book published in such a nice form.

The authors invite constructive feedback from teachers and users which will be thankfully
acknowledged in the future editions of the book.

Authors

Disclaimer : While the authors of this book have made every effort to avoid any mistake or omission and have used their skill, expertise and knowledge
to the best of their capacity to provide accurate and updated information. The authors and S. Chand does not give any representation or warranty with
respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this publication and are selling this publication on the condition and understanding that they
shall not be made liable in any manner whatsoever. S.Chand and the authors expressly disclaim all and any liability/responsibility to any person,
whether a purchaser or reader of this publication or not, in respect of anything and everything forming part of the contents of this publication. S. Chand
shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising out of the use of the information contained in this publication.
Further, the appearance of the personal name, location, place and incidence, if any; in the illustrations used herein is purely coincidental and work of
imagination. Thus the same should in no manner be termed as defamatory to any individual.
 CONTENTS
Comprehension of Unseen Passages and Poems

Unseen Passages
1. The Adventures of Toto 1
2. The Hockey Wizard 3
3. House Hunting 5
4. Fashion 7
5. The Papaya 9
6. Computers - a Boon or a Bane 11
7. Pollution 13
8. The Golden Gate Bridge 16
Unseen Poems
9. The Chimney Sweeper 18
10. The Teacher 20
11. Two Little Kitties 23
12. Long Time Ago 25
Grammar
1. The Sentence 27
2. Subject and Predicate 33
3. Nouns 36
4. Verbs 42
5. Modals 48
6. Agreement of the verb with the subject 54
(Concord)
7. Adjectives 58
8. Determiners 67
9. Articles 70

10. Pronouns 75

11. Prepositions 80
 12. Adverbs 86
13. Conjunctions 91
14. Finite and Non-finite Verbs 94
15. The Infinitive 95
16. The Participle 98
17. The Gerund 101
18. Tenses 103
19. Active and Passive Voice 117
20. Direct and Indirect Speech 122
21. Words often Confused 127
22. Antonyms and Synonyms 131
23. Punctuation 135
Writing Skills
I Letter Writing 139
II Essay Writing 146
III Diary Entry 150
IV Article Writing 153
V Notice Writing 157
VI Messages 161
Test Yourself
Test Paper – I 166

Test Paper – II 173

S.Chand Group
 1

Comprehension of Unseen Passages and Poems

The Adventures of Toto
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Toto was a good looking monkey.
His bright eyes sparkled with
mischief beneath deep-set eye
brows, and his teeth, which were
pearly white, were very often
displayed in a smile that frightened
the life out of elderly ladies. But his
hands looked dried up as though
they had been pickled in the sun for
many years. Yet his fingers were
quick and wicked; and his tail, while
adding to his good looks, also
served as a third hand. He could use
it to hang from a branch, and it was
capable of scooping up any delicacy
that might be out of reach of his
hands.
Grandfather had to leave Dehradun
for Saharanpur. As he had not told
grandmother that Toto was our new
pet, Grandfather decided to take
him along. A big black canvas bag was provided for Toto. This, with some straw at the bottom,
became his new home. When the strings of his bag were tied, there was no escape. His efforts to get
out only had the effect of making the bag roll about on the floor or occasionally jump in the air – an
exhibition that attracted a curious crowd of onlookers on the Dehradun railway platform.
Toto remained in the bag as far as Saharanpur, but while Grandfather was producing his ticket at the
railway station, Toto suddenly poked his head out of the bag and gave the ticket collector a wide grin.

Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

1
The poor man was taken aback, but with great presence of mind, and much to Grandfather's
annoyance, he said, 'Sir, you have a dog with you. You will have to pay for it.'
Toto was classified a dog by the ticket collector and three rupees was the sum handed over as his
fare.

A great treat for Toto during cold winter evenings was the large bowl of warm water given to him by
Grandfather for his bath. He would cunningly test the temperature with his hand, then gradually step
into the bath, first one foot, then the other until he was in the water up to his neck. Once comfortable,
he would take the soap in his hands or feet, and rub himself all over. When the water became cold he
would get out and run as quickly as he could to the kitchen fire to dry himself. If anyone laughed at him
during this performance, Toto's feelings would be hurt and he would refuse to go on with his bath.
A story by Ruskin Bond

Scooping up – pick up with a quick movement; Delicacy – expensive food.

QUESTIONS
1. What was so special about Toto's smile?
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Complete the following statements:
Toto was a ________________________ monkey whose _______________________ eyes
_________________________ with ____________________________. His teeth were
____________ _____________ . But his hands looked ____________________________
_______________________. His smile frightened __________________________ ladies.
His tail served as a _________________ hand.
3. What was the ticket collector's reaction when Toto smiled at him?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
4. Do you think the new pet would annoy grandmother?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
5. From the passage, cite an incident when Toto's feelings would be hurt.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

2 Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

 2

Comprehension
The Hockey Wizard
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

Dhyan Chand is famous as the 'Hockey Wizard' all over the world. Today's sports fans know little about
this genius who left an indelible mark on the game. Decades back, Dhyan Chand was one of world's
top sportsmen – in league with the great Don Bradman, Jesse Owens and Babe Ruth. Major Dhyan
Chand Singh was an Indian hockey player. He was part of the gold winning Indian team in three
Olympic Games. He was awarded Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour in 1956. He
got the title “Chand” or “Moon” from his first coach Punkaj Gupta, who seeing his exceptional skills, had
predicted that one day he would shine like a moon. Dhyan Chand was born on August 29, 1905. His
father Sameshwar Dutt Singh was an Indian Army Subedar, who played hockey in the army. He joined
the Indian Army at the tender age of sixteen as a Sepoy of the Punjab Regiment. Subedar – Major
Bhole Tiwari of the Brahmin Regiment noticed his dribbling skills. Tiwari himself was a good hockey
player. He recognised the talent in Dhyan and became his mentor. Tiwari laid the foundations of his
game. Dhyan with his hard work and talent became a wizard of hockey. His great control on the ball in

Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

3
the field left the spectators awestruck. Once in Tokyo, the officials broke his hockey stick to search for
a magnet inside it. They thought that there was a magnet in his hockey and so the ball stuck to it. He
said good bye to International Hockey in 1948. He became virtually synonymous with hockey, playing
numerous matches.

Indelible – cannot be forgotten; Exceptional – unusual; Awestruck – spell bound.

QUESTIONS
1. Complete the following sentences:
(a) Dhyan Chand was famous all over the world as ______________________.
(b) Dhyan's father ___________________ was _______________ in the army.
(c) The title “Chand” was given to him by _______________________ because
__________________.
(d) His mentor was _____________________________ and he laid __________
________________________________.
(e) Tokyo officials broke his stick to ________________________________.
(f) _____________________________ said good bye to International Hockey in
__________________.
2. Pick out the synonyms of the following words from the passage:
(a) Very different from others ________________________.
(b) To say something in advance / foretell ________________________.
(c) Captivated ____________________________.
3. What happened in Dhyan Chand's life on the following dates?
(a) August 29, 1905 ______________________________________.
(b) 1956 _______________________________________________.
(c) 1948 _______________________________________________.
4. Correct the following sentences and write them in the space given below :
(a) Dhyan Chand was India's top sportsman.
____________________________________________________________________
(b) Dhyan Chand got the title "Chand" from his first coach Major Bhole Tiwari.
____________________________________________________________________
(c) Sameshwar Singh recognised the talent in Dhyan and became his mentor.
____________________________________________________________________

4 Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

 3

Comprehension
House Hunting
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Mr. and Mrs. Sidiqui had been living on the
fifth floor flat in the heart of the city for the last
ten years. They were moderately well off and
had been enjoying perfect health all along in
spite of their age – both were in their late
sixties. It all started two months ago when the
old couple returned home late after attending
a party and it was raining. The next morning,
the old gentleman complained of slight fever
and headache. In spite of medical attention,
his condition gradually deteriorated so much
that he was bed-ridden. The doctor was
insistent that the couple give up living in the
city for it was essential for the invalid to
breathe the purer air of the village, if he was to get strong again.
So the wife was feverishly house hunting. Of course, she had seen innumerable houses, but there
was something wrong with all of them and none was to her fancy. Some were too large, some were
too small, some were too isolated and there were yet some that were beyond repair with cracked
ceilings, rotting woodwork, paint peeling off and part of the roofing tiles missing. It would take a
colossal sum to get them repaired and made habitable. There was yet another house she saw and
once inside she had an eerie feeling and she was certain that the house was haunted.
For the fifth day in succession, she set out on the wearisome search for a suitable house and it
brought no better results. She was so disappointed that she nearly gave up looking for anything
more. However, something impelled her to go out after lunch; and to her surprise she found exactly
what she all along wanted.

It was a double storeyed compound house about four to five years old. The house had been well
cared for and that made it attractive and inviting. There was a thick hedge surrounding the house
and the house itself was set well back, which would make it reasonably free from noise and dust.
Though the garden was a trifle overgrown with weeds, it was not too large to be unmanageable and

Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

5
she thought she could get it into shape pretty soon. Being satisfied with the external set-up, she
turned her attention indoors. Although it was empty, it smelt fresh and dry. The dining room, drawing
room, kitchen and the bed rooms were all neat and tidy and beautifully proportioned. The view from
the bed rooms was breathtakingly beautiful. She tried to remember every detail and went post-haste
to inform and convince her husband.

Eerie – strange, unnatural, ghostly; Feverishly – restlessly.

QUESTIONS
1. What was the cause of Mr. Sidiqui's illness?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Mrs. Sidiqui was house hunting because . . .
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. The wife had seen innumerable houses but did not choose any because . . .
___________________________________________________________________
4. What was mainly wrong with the many houses she saw?
___________________________________________________________________
5. What kind of feeling did the wife have when she was inside one house?
___________________________________________________________________
6. Mrs. Sidiqui was very disappointed and nearly gave up house hunting, but something impelled
her to go out and to her surprise she found . . .
___________________________________________________________________
7. The house which eventually caught her fancy was free from noise and dust because ...
___________________________________________________________________
8. She thought she could get it into shape. The bold-underlined words mean –
___________________________________________________________________
9. The view from the bed-rooms was breathtakingly beautiful. The bold-underlined words mean–
___________________________________________________________________
10. She had to make a mental picture of every detail because . . .

___________________________________________________________________

6 Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

 4
Fashion

Comprehension
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:

Fashion refers to the style and customs prevalent at a given time. Fashion is something we deal with
everyday. One certain thing in the fashion world is change. Fashion is commonly used to describe a
style of clothing worn by a large number of people in a country. However,
popular styles of furniture, homes and many other products are also
fashion. The kind of art, music, literature and sports that many people
prefer can also be fashioned. Thus, fashion reflects a form of behaviour
accepted by most people in a society.

A fashion remains popular for a few months or years and then another
fashion takes its place. A product or activity is in fashion or is fashionable
during that period of time when many people in the society accept it. After
a while, however, the same product or activity becomes old fashioned
when the majority of the people no longer accept it. A clothing style may
start as a fashion, but its use becomes a custom if it is handed down from
generation to generation. Today, wearing long trousers is a custom for
men in most countries. But changes in the colour and shape of trousers
have taken place through the years.

A fashion that quickly comes and goes is called a fad. The majority of people do not accept fads.
Some people may become involved in faddish behaviour because fads get a lot of publicity.

Today, people follow fashion for many reasons. For example, they want others to think that they
belong to a special class of society. New fashions may be adopted immediately by well known
people, including athletes, film stars and political figures. Then, other people follow these fashions so
that they can also look important. Some people think that fashionable clothes and surroundings raise
their status in life. The death of princess Diana was a severe blow to the high fashion world, where
her clothes were daily news.

People also follow fashions to make themselves more attractive. Standards of fashion change
through the years, and people decorate themselves according to the changing standards. The idea
of fashion also changes from culture to culture.

prevalent – current, popular; adopted – take on.

Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

7
 QUESTIONS
1. What does the term 'fashion' mean?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Why do certain products or certain activities become out of fashion?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Differentiate between fashion and customs.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Why do people follow fashion?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
5. Complete the following statements:
(a) ___________________________________________ is a fad.
(b) A fashion is short lived. It remains for ______________________ or ____________
and then another fashion takes its place.
(c) Reasons for which people follow fashion are;
(i) __________________________________________________________
(ii) __________________________________________________________
(iii) __________________________________________________________
(iv) __________________________________________________________

6. Find words from the passage which mean the same as given below:
(a) A trained competitor in a sport, requiring physical skill - ___________________
(b) Depicts / shows - _________________
(c) Position in society - ________________
(d) Maximum number - _________________
(e) Practice followed for years - __________________

8 Self-Learning English Course With Activities – 7

 Self Learning English Course With
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