Standard 9 GSEB ENGLISH MARK: 40

TIME: 90 MINS
Q.1 Read the passage and answer the questions. 5
My beautiful watch had run eighteen months without losing or gaining and
without breaking any part of its machinery or stopping.I had come to believe it
unfailing in its judgement about the time of day; but at last, one night I let it
run down. I grieved about it as if it were a recognized messenger and
forerunner of disaster. But soon, I cheered up, set the watch by guess and
commanded my anxieties to depart. Next day I stepped into the chief
jeweller’s to set it by the exact time and l the head of the establishment took it
out of my hand and proceeded to set it for me. Then he said, “She is four
minutes slow – regulator wants pushing up.” I tried to stop him, tried to make
him understand that the watch kept perfect time. But, no, all this human
cabbage could see was that the watch was four minutes slow and? The
regulator must be pushed up a little and so, while I danced around him in
anguish and begged him to let the watch alone, he calmly and cruelly did the
shameful deed.
Questions:
(1) How had the writer’s watch run for eighteen months?
(2) What, according to the jeweller, was wrong with the watch?
(3) Who was responsible for the running down of the watch? How?
(4) What are the feelings of the writer towards the watch? How do we come to
know this?
5) Find out a word from the passage which means ‘extremely happy.’

Q.2 Read the passage and answer the question 5

In Kerala, houses are not needed for warmth, but rather for protection
from the heavy rains and the sun. Except for the bigger townhouses, most of
the houses have walls of dried mud with wooden rafters, for there is plenty of
wood available. The roofs are sloping to carry off the rain, and they overhang
the walls so as to give shade. They are thatched with coconut leaves. Most of
the houses have a veranda, also thatched. No chimneys are needed, for the
cooking is usually done in a corner of the veranda on a hearth made of bricks
and mud.
Inside, the floor is hard, shiny mud, or in the better houses, highly polished,
coloured lime or cement, which is clean and cool. On the floor there are grass
mats, often beautifully made. In the village houses there are no chairs or
tables, for most village people in South India prefer to sit on the cool floor.
The only pieces of furniture may be cupboards, often with finely carved doors.
There are no beds, for people sleep on the floor on grass mats or on
mattresses padded with cotton. Each person has a sheet and pillow, which, in
the daytime, is rolled up with the mattress and put away.
Questions:
(1) How are the walls and roofs of the houses in Kerala?
(2) Why is there no need for chimneys in the house?
(3) Which materials are used for the different parts of the houses in the
villages of Kerala?
(4) What things do the people of Kerala do to keep themselves cool?
5) Find out a word from the passage which means’ cover with straw.’

Q.3. Identify the Figure of Speech. 8

1) He used his criminal gun for this crime.

2) He soon fast asleep in their earthly bed.
3) Nobody can hurt the crown.
4) Hunter’s arrow shot he white wing.
5) The bubble rose and burst around.
6) He swore by the sun, the moon and the stars.
7) Said the mother imperturbable and calm.
8) This terrorist lies in the jail.
Q.4 Change the voice. 7

1) Saurabh wrote a letter to CM yesterday.

2) Surbhi will not help you.
3) What did you do yesterday?
4) Has he not watered the plants?
5) Why had he not posted the letters?
6) You had not attended the lecture.
7) How will you cross the river?

Q.5 As a sports President of your school, draft a notice for the school notice
board, inviting students to give their names for various sports events
to be held in the inter school sports meet. 5
Q.6. You are Kashvi Mehta/Keshav Mehta writing an E-mail to your
younger sister/brother informing him/her about the ‘Importance Of
Time’ in life. 5