AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

LESSONS: 1 and 2
INSTRUCTIONS:
Read the passage and answer the questions below.
Q Questions Marks
No
Passage A: The magic and mystery of Portugal’s Atlantic Coast. 10

In this extract the writer describes a visit to an unusual tourist attraction in Portugal.

In this region, north of Lisbon, the coast is only half the story. The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park
extends inland, encompassing sand dunes, vineyards, wooded hillsides and, at its centre, the
town of Sintra. Thanks to its extraordinary castles, palaces and country houses, Sintra is popular
with Lisbon day trippers. But there is so much more to the town and its surroundings.

One of the oldest properties in town, dating from the 12th century, is now occupied by an unusual
hotel, The Almaa. The Almaa’s rooms are simply furnished and its dark corridors have a touch of
spookiness, but the five hectares of garden and the old stone natural swimming pool are lovely.

Leaving the hotel, I set off for the Stone Age ruins of Adrenunes, hidden down an overgrown
track. Once a sacred site, they offer 360-degree views of the countryside, coast and, in the
distance, Cascais and Lisbon. High above them I saw the fortress on top of Sintra Mountain. Its
ramparts, snaking up the hillside like a mini Great Wall of China, were clearly visible from here.
In the mid-19th century, King Fernando II built his own summer palace, Pena, on the highest point
of Sintra. Incorporating a 16th-century convent, the palace combines Turkish-style domes with
intricate facades.

Many well-travelled nobles and wealthy businessmen made Sintra their home so you find an
astonishing mixture of styles, from the delicate carved Arabic interior of the Palace of Monserrate
to the Alpine chalet of the Countess of Elda. The most flamboyant of them all is Quinta da
Regaleira designed by Italian Luigi Manini, creator of La Scala opera house. This is a breath-
taking collection of lakes, grottoes, waterfalls, fake doors and secret tunnels that take the visitor
through an ‘underworld’ in the grounds of a vast gloomy mansion.
 AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

After such flamboyance, the utter simplicity of the Convento dos Capuchos comes as a shock.
This 16th-century monastery built of cork was home to a small number of Franciscan monks, who
shunned all comforts. At night they crawled through metre-high doors to sleep in tiny, narrow
rooms, except for one brother, Marco, who thought this arrangement was too comfortable and
chose to live in a cave away from his fellow monks for 30 years.

The layers of history, the fairy tale woods and winding forest roads lined with ancient fountains
and chapels give Sintra a magical quality. The woods are still attracting creative people. Some
are millionaires looking to convert a villa; others are penniless artists like the woodworker, João,
who is living in the forest as he builds an intricate wooden sculpture inside the crumbling walls of
an old, abandoned factory.

I found further eccentricity when I stayed at the House of the She Pine Tree, 10 kilometres outside
Sintra. Run by the d’Eca Leal family, who trace their roots to the founding of Portugal, She Pine
is part-guest house, part-museum devoted to the owner’s father, Olavo d’Eca Leal who was, in
the words of his son Tomaz, ‘an outrageous practical joker and a famous bohemian’. Olavo was
also a painter, poet and playwright who had numerous children and grandchildren and a
successful career in advertising. Tomaz, who now runs the house, has painstakingly rebuilt his
father’s collection, buying back paintings and drawings and restoring them to their rightful place
in the house. Every wall is decorated with Olavo’s artwork, family portraits and photographs.

And when your brain is full of stories of Sintra and its people, just a few miles away a blast of
Atlantic sea air on an empty beach will clear your head and make your time in that mysterious
town seem like a dream.

Answer all questions using your own words as far as possible.

1 Give two features of the area north of Lisbon that make it popular with tourists (paragraph 1, ‘In 2
this region’)

- the coast
…………………………………………………………………………………………...

- has castles and palaces

…………………………………………………………………………………………...
 AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

2 Using your own words, explain what the writer finds unusual about the interior of the Almaa 2
Hotel (paragraph 2, ‘One of the oldest …’).

The rooms were very plainly decorated and the

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

Corridors were dark.

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

3 Using your own words, explain the effect the writer achieves by describing the fortress as 1
‘snaking up the hillside like a mini Great Wall of China’ (line 11).

It means it can be seen from a distance

…………………………………………………………………………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

4 Re-read paragraph 4, ‘Many well-travelled …’ Using your own words, explain what the writer 1
means by the words underlined in each of the following quotations:

1.‘… you find an astonishing mixture of styles …’ (lines 15–16)

Surprising/ unexpected
• ……………………………………………………….

5 ‘ … from the delicate carved Arabic interior of the Palace of Monserrate to the Alpine chalet …’ 1

(lines 16–17)

Fragile/ easily broken

•..............................................................................................

6 ‘… a breath-taking collection of lakes, grottoes, waterfalls, fake doors and secret tunnels that 1

take the visitor through an ‘underworld’ in the grounds of a vast gloomy mansion.’ (lines 19–20)

Impressive/ stunning
• ...............................................................................................
 AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

7 Using your own words, explain why Marco chose to live in a cave (paragraph 5, ‘After such 1
flamboyance …’).
He thought living in the monastery room too luxurious and
.........................................................................................................................................................

Wanted to be apart from the other simple life.

........................................................................................................................................................

8 Using your own words, explain what changes Tomaz has made to the House of the She Pine 1
Tree (paragraph 7, ‘I found further … ’).
.........................................................................................................................................................

He purchased and rebuilt the collection with great care.

.........................................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................................
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

LESSONS: 3 and 4
Instructions: Read the following passage and answer the questions below.
Qn No Questions Marks
In this passage, the writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, describes his experience
on first arriving by ship in New York over 120 years ago.

(1) Of my wanderings in New York City, I hesitate to tell. I had a thousand and
one things to do; only the day to do them in, before starting a journey across
the continent in the evening. It rained with patient fury. Every now and then I
had to get under cover for a while in order to give my raincoat a rest as it began
to grow damp on the inside from this continued drenching. I went to banks,
post offices, railway offices, restaurants, booksellers, money changers, and
wherever I went a pool would gather about my feet, and those who were
concerned about the state of their floors looked at me with unfriendly eyes.

(2) The same traits struck me about the people I met; everyone I met seemed
to be surprisingly rude yet surprisingly kind. The money changer cross-
questioned me like a prosecution counsel, asking my age, my business, my
average income, and my destination, dismissing my attempts at evasion, and
receiving my answers in silence. When our business was over, however, he
heartily shook hands with me, and sent his assistant four hundred metres in
the rain to get me books at a reduced price.

(3) Similarly, in a very large bookselling establishment, a man, who seemed to

be the manager, received me in a way I had certainly never before been
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

received in any normal shop. He implied that he put no faith in my honesty,

and refused to look up the names of books or give me the slightest help or
information, on the grounds that it was none of his business. Finally, I lost my
temper, said I was a stranger in America and not familiar with American
customs; but I would assure him, if he were a customer in any bookshop in
England, he would be much better treated. This may have been an
exaggerated claim but it had the desired effect. The manager went at once
from one extreme to the other and, from that moment, he loaded me with
kindness. He gave me all sorts of good advice and addresses of those who
might help me. He even came out bareheaded into the rain to point me out a
restaurant, where I might lunch – even then he seemed to think that he had not
done enough. These examples are typical of the manners of America.

(4) I was so wet when I got back to my hotel that evening, that I found the best
thing was to shed my shoes, socks, and trousers, and leave them behind for
the benefit of New York City. No fire could have dried them before I was due
to start on the next stage of my journey and packing them in their present
condition would ruin my other possessions. With a heavy heart I said farewell
to them as they lay in a sodden heap in the middle of the floor of the hotel’s
kitchen. I wonder if they are dry by now.
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

1 What pressures was the writer under when he visited New York City (paragraph 1) 1
A. handling rainy weather with unfriendly people.
B. doing many jobs on one day in rainy weather
C. working in a stormy weather with rude people

2 What effects did the rain have on the writer (paragraph 1) 1

A. He had to find shelter as his raincoat was drenched from inside.
B. His clothes were not drying easily.
C. He was not offered any help by the citizens of New York.

3 What does the writer mean by ‘dismissing my attempts at evasion’. (lines 10–11). 1
A. avoiding my questions to him
B. pretending he did not comprehend my queries
C. ignoring my efforts to avoid the question

4 How did the manager of the bookshop at first behave towards the writer? 1
A. The manager treated the writer with suspicion thinking he was dishonest
B. He refused to let him get books.
C. He openly insulted the writer

5 How did the writer react to the manager’s behavior? 1

A. He ignored the manager.
B. He lost his temper.
A. He apologised to the manager for his intrusion.

6 What is one example of the way that the manager’s behaviour changed towards the 1
writer?
A. He offered him lunch at his expense.
B. He directed him to a restaurant.
C. He gave the writer a hat to cover his bare head.
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

7 What did the writer do with his wet clothes when he returned to the hotel? 1

A. He left his wet clothes behind on the kitchen floor.

B. He donated them to a beggar.
C. He packed them as they would not dry.

8 The word “fury” in line 2 means _______________________ 1

A. kindness
B. spite
C. anger

9 The word “customs” in line 5 in Paragraph 3 means _______________________ 1

A. traditions
B. manners
C. friendliness
10 The word “sodden” line 4 in the last paragraph means_______________ 1
A. dry
B. ugly
C. soaked
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

Lessons 5 and 6

Passage A:
Text A: My week on powdered food

The writer explains their experience of a new powdered food product called Erfoo (Earth Food).

I’ve always found lunch annoying. It interrupts work. At the office, I resent the endless canteen queues; working
from home, I object to the daily decision-making. Lunch fatigue troubled me so much that last month I decided
I’d had enough. Erfoo (Earth Food) would be the solution to my problem. According to the advertisements, this
self-proclaimed ‘future of food for our planet’ delivers ‘everything your body needs’.

Coming in a minimalistic white pouch, the meal-replacement powder blends things like rice, peas and flaxseed.
Add water, shake it up, and there’s your lunch, dinner or breakfast, or all three. I ordered a week’s supply, telling
friends about my exciting discovery. Comments ranged from outraged to encouraging (‘this makes a lot of
sense’). My mum suggested I just ate a banana.

Apparently, Erfoo is favoured by developers – people who make websites and apps. It leaves them with more
time to write code. I began fantasising about my new streamlined lifestyle: the extra work I would do, money I
could save; maybe I’d lose weight. At the very least, I would feel a bit like an astronaut.

Sadly, my first gulp of Erfoo tastes revolting. There are lumps in the mixture – I’ve accidentally made it with
room-temperature water. Chugging down the concoction, it strikes me that Erfoo doesn’t just sound like the act
of vomiting. I haven’t enjoyed my liquid meal. Afterwards, I feel full, but not as if I’ve eaten.

When lunchtime next rolls around, I’m not hungry – the thought of Erfoo doesn’t appeal. But if you’re
committed to the future of food, you know lunchtime is Erfoo o’clock.

This time I use chilled water, and a hand blender to eliminate lumps. I also add mocha flavouring. It occurs to
me that I’m now, in fact, ‘cooking’. This defeats the object of attempting to streamline the rigmarole of lunch,
but at least my second Erfoo tastes more palatable.

As the week progresses, Erfoo becomes a habit, but by day seven a new joylessness has engulfed lunchtimes. I
don’t feel like a spaceman. I feel like an idiot. The Erfoo goes to the back of a kitchen cupboard and I eat a
banana instead.
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

Read carefully Passage A, and then answer the questions.

Answer all questions using your own words as far as possible.

Give two examples of what advertisements say about Erfoo (Earth Food), according to the text (paragraph 1)

Future food
.•................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................
•
It gives everything your body needs
...................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

Using your own words, explain what the text means by:

(i) ‘Lunch fatigue’ (line 2):

.•................................................................................................................................................................
Feeling tired after eating lunch

...................................................................................................................................................................

(ii) ‘meal-replacement powder’ (line 6):

.•Its a dehydrated substance used instead of eating food

................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

(c) Re-read paragraph 2 (‘Coming in _ ate a banana.’).

Give two examples of reactions which show that the writer’s friends and family did not all think that switching
to Erfoo was a good idea.
•.................................................................................................................................................................
Comments outraged
His mum suggested he eats a banana
...................................................................................................................................................................
AY 2023-24 Subject : ENGLISH HW NUMBER: 3

Term : 1 Week-3 Date of Issue : 16th September Due date of Submission: 16th September- 23rd
September 2023

Name of the student : Year/Division : 10 EFL

Marked By: Total Marks: ………./10

(d) Re-read paragraphs 3 and 4 (‘Apparently, Erfoo is favoured by _ I’ve eaten.’).

(i) Identify two advantages the writer hoped switching to Erfoo would bring.•
Lose weight
...................................................................................................................................................................

Save money
...................................................................................................................................................................

(ii) Explain what the writer did not like about Erfoo when they first tried it.
It tastes revolting
•.................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................................

it was lumpy
•.................................................................................................................................................................

Re-read paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 (‘When lunchtime next rolls around banana instead.’).

Using your own words, explain why the writer decides not to continue with Erfoo.

He decided to not continue because the preparation takes a long time.

•.................................................................................................................................................................
I he thought that it was boring and he even added extra ingredients to
...................................................................................................................................................................
the erfoo but it still doesn’t taste good.
•.................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................