SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT-I, 2015 ENGLISH Time: 3 hrs. Class VIII M.M. : 100 General Instructions : All the questions are compulsory. You may attempt any section at a time. All questions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order. This question paper consists of four sections : Section A - Reading - 20 marks Section B - Writing - 25 marks Section C - Grammar - 20 marks Section D - Literature - 25 marks Section A (Reading 20 marks) Date 23.09.2015 A.1 Read the given passage carefully. [5 1=5] Facebook is an excellent networking platform. It has been redefining one of the most beautiful relationship in the worldfriendship. How can anyone have 5,000 'friends'? A recent research reveals that our brain cannot accept more than 150 friends. For our elders, a friend was one whom you met once in a while if not everyday, instantly remembered his/her birthday, and at least knew what he/she looked like. But the Facebook has clearly thrown those definitions to the wind. Now people have befriended whom they have not even met. They don't know what they look like, leave alone a certain kind of fondness for a certain person before you consider him to be your buddy. In today's world, it is difficult to explain to the young ones that acquaintances are not friends and chatting or posting pictures on the site cannot guarantee a life long friend. When their Facebook chums are not there in their hour of need, the disillusioned youngsters will be heart-broken. Read the questions. Choose the correct option and write it. i) Which relationship is redefined by Facebook? Source: The Hindustan Times (a) parents - children (c) friendship (b) sister - sister (d) teacher student Who was a friend for our elders? (a) whom you met once in a while (c) don't know what he looks like (b) whom you meet everyday (d) with whom you go on holiday (1/7)
i iv) How are the friends of Facebook? (a) not even met them (c) not there in your hour of need (b) don't know how they look like (d) all of the above Why are youngsters called 'the disillusioned youngsters'? (a) they have more friends on Facebook (c) they have no friend on Facebook v) Which of the following word means 'acquaintance'? (b) they have false idea of friendship (d) they want to meet their friends (a) friend (b) neighbour (c) familiar person (d) classmate A.2 Read the passage carefully. Then answer each of the questions by choosing the correct option. Positive Attitude The desire to change the personality of others to suit us is just as futile as trying to change a mogra into a rose. Every individual possesses a particular set of thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. It is not just difficult but virtually impossible to change others. Studies have shown that if we change our own behaviour towards others, 80 percent of the problems we face in life, would not be there. Our ability to accept another's personality and value system reflects our attitude towards life. The story of the two friends- the mogra and the rose-sets an example. The mogra was taken by surprise when the gardener, grew a rosebush next to it. It could not help admiring the beauty of the red rose. Soon they became friends despite the thorns on the stalk on which the rose grew. If the mogra were to look down upon the rose for its thorns, they would never have become friends. The rose too could have objection to many things about the mogra. The mogra was weak. It could hardly stand against the wind and harsh weather. The rose, like a true friend, would protect the mogra by sheltering it with its sturdy branches and tough leaves. It also took great care that its own thorns did not prick the delicate body of the mogra. In short, the two friends underplayed the shortcomings of each other and lived happily ever after. a) The author of this passage is a i) doctor coordinator i motivator iv) solicitor b) The word futile means i) useful successful i pointless iv) purposeful c) Our ability to accept another's personality reflects our i) weakness attitude i magnanimity iv) tolerance d) The mogra could not help doing this i) hate the rose ignore the rose i admire the rose iv) neglect the rose e) In order to tackle 80 percent of our problems in life, we must learn to change i) our surroundings ourselves i our friends iv) others [5 1=5] (2/7)
A.3 Read the passage carefully. HELPING OTHERS IS REAL KINDNESS 1. To feel for others and to do righteous acts of help to living creatures is indeed real kindness. If one can stop a heart from breaking, if one can ease the aching in one's life or cool one's pain, he has not lived in vain. 2. To some, helping others is a matter of faith. An elderly stranger went to a hospital in Petersbrough, New Hampshire and performed countless tasks: sweeping, dusting, building ramps, removing lint from the place where clothes are washed, etc. for four months. He never revealed his identity. Only after he had left the place the hospital staff realised that he was the former Vice President of the Peninsular Railroad, a private railway company in the USA. 3. All along the route of the funeral procession of Lord Shaftesbury, a well-known social reformer of England, stood groups of people (whom he had helped in one way or the other) to pay homage to him. Thousands of people hailing from all classes of society held aloft banners with the words that he had helped them in their hour of suffering. Instances of this type are many. 4. In India saints and sages throughout the ages have preached and practised the gospel of service to the sick and the suffering, the distressed and the downtrodden. In every town in India there are a few sympathisers of the suffering who pay the tuition fees of poor students, give them books and stationery, pay sustenance allowances to needy widows and arrange their daughters' marriages, give blankets in winter and umbrellas in monsoons. Added to them are many persons who have given up their everything for the service of humanity and joined service organisations. A3.1 Complete the following sentences. Write your answer in your answer sheet. (8 1=8) (a) According to the author real kindness is and. (b) The life of a person is not in vain if. (c) The hospital staff could identify the elderly gentleman (d) Groups of people paid their homage to Lord Shaftesbury because (e) In India saints and sages have rendered their services to and. (f) In India everywhere there are people who help others by. A3.2 Find words from the passage for the following which have the same meaning as the following. Write your answer in your answer sheet. (a) virtuous, holy (para 1) (b) a group of people moving forward in an orderly line (para 3) (c) delivered sermons (para 4) (d) troubled, affiicted (para 4) (4 ½=2) (3/7)
Section B (Writing 25 marks) B.1 Avinash, a very intelligent student of your school has met with an accident and is fighting for his life in the hospital. He urgently needs blood. As the president of the Red Cross Society of your school draft a notice asking the students to donate blood to save his life. (word limit 50 words) B.2 Given below is a conversation between Rahul and Shweta. Shweta is about to leave for her college so she leaves a message for her mother. Write the message in the answer sheet given to you. (word limit 50 words) Rahul : Hello! Is this 508866? Shweta : That s right, Rahul Bhaiya. I m Shweta. How are you? Rahul : Fine Shweta, where s mom? Shweta : She has gone out for shopping. Rahul : Ok, tell her that my papers are over which I have fared well, but I can t come home as my practicals are yet to be held. The dates of the practicals are not yet announced. Shweta : Anything else, Bhaiya? Rahul : Yes Shweta, also tell her that I need two thousand rupees to purchase some books. Shweta : Rahul : Bye. Ok, I ll. Take care. B.3 You are Saksham / Sakshi. One of your friends who is living in Delhi always dreams of going abroad. Write a letter to your friend telling him why your country is the best. (word limit 120 words) B.4 You are Atul, a resident of A-2, Rohini, New Delhi. There is no bus-stop within the radius of 2.5km from the apartments causing a lot of inconvenience to residents. Write a letter to the editor drawing attention of the concerned authorities towards the problem. You may take the help of the following hints. (word limit 120 words) * difficulty to residents * to walk down both morning and evening. * chainsnatching and eveteasing Section C (Grammar 20 marks) C.1 In the following paragraph, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and that comes after, in your answer sheet. Last night / I was going to bed I / scared. This resulted in a disturbed sleep or you can say I had a / sleep. Even in the short / horrifying dreams a) b) c) d) [5] [5] [7] [8] [8 ½=4] (4/7)
disturbed me. Many times I screamed so / that my mother woke up. She was / nervous to find me screaming as I do not usually / any such thing in / sleep. e) f) g) h) C.2 The sentences given below are incorrect. Rewrite the sentences with corrections. Incorrect words are underlined. [4 ½=2] a) John is working hardly to get good marks. b) Supposing if you fail, what do you plan to do? c) After a great deal of research, the scientist made a fascinated discovery. d) This is nothing than carelessness. C.3 Rearrange the following group of words to form meaningful sentences. [4 ½=2] a) as a practitioner of ahimsa / to speak / the truth / Gandhiji promised b) residential community / modestly in / a self-sufficient / he lived c) Gandhiji wore / and shawl / the traditional / Indian dhoti d) vegetarian / simple and / food / he ate C.4 Fill in the blanks with correct form of the verbs given in the bracket. [4 ½=2] a) A number of priceless works of art in the earth quake, last week. (destroy) b) No record of the visit he claimed to have made to Japan. (exist) c) Because my visa had expired I (prevent) from re-entering the country. d) A number of films within the next few days. (release) C.5 Read the set of instructions given below and complete the paragraph that follow: [4] HOW TO ACQUIRE PEACE OF MIND stop worrying make a timely decision about your problems set your targets within the bounds of capabilities do not postpone the work you have to do today Use your spare time properly by adopting a hobby To find peace of mind, worrying should be stopped. A timely decision (a) problems. The targets (b) within the bounds of one s capabilities. The work that should be done today (c). The spare time (d) by adopting a hobby. (5/7)
C.6 Do as directed. (6 1=6) i) It is not easy to fool Alka. i iv) (Underline the finite and circle the non-finite) Please take me to the Principal s office. (Change into interrogative sentence) She tried to look cheerful feeling terrible. (despite / inspite of / although) (Choose the appropriate connector) She was writing a letter. The lights went off. (Rewrite these pairs of sentences into one sentence using an adverb clause) v) Choose the correct word. vi) a) She was very even after her sister s explanation about the incident. (confusing / confused) b) He was punished for his misbehaviour. (strictly / severely) It was an absolutely (thrill) football match. (Fill with present participle of the verb given in the bracket) Section D (Literature 25 marks) D.1 Read the following extract and choose the correct option. [3] No, you haven t darling, you put them in Mr. What s it s car. a) The name of the chapter from which the extract has been taken i) A Slight Misunderstanding i Locomotive 38, the Ojibway The Cop And The Anthem b) Who s Mr. What s it here? i) JB Boothroyd i William Saroyan R.K. Narayan c) Who s the speaker of the above sentence. i) Arthur Raju i Sheila D.2 Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : [3 1=3] For everything there is a season, A time for activity under heaven. (6/7)
a) What is the message contained in the poem? b) Write down any two sets of opposites found in the poem. c) Repetition has been used in the poem. What is the effect of repetition in the poem? D.3 Answer any five questions. [5 2=10] a) The opening paragraph introduces Locomotive 38. What does it say about him? b) How would you describe the farmer s wife? Justify with an example. c) Oh no, you must travel with us. Why did the boys change their minds in the text A Feast For Rats? d) How did Raju s wife respond to the cash he brought home? e) What were the objects Raju normally went for but had decided involved too much trouble? f) Who drove the Packard when the Indian left the hotel and went back to Oklahoma? Is the ending of the text unexpected, if so, why? D.4 Answer the following questions in about forty or fifty words. (any one) [3] a) Attempt a character sketch of the narrator in the chapter A Slight Misunderstanding. b) There are ample instances of irony in the text, Trail of the Green Blazer. What are they? What purpose does the use of irony serve? D.5 Patience is a great virtue. Imagine that you are the Sanskrit teacher of the text A Feast For Rats who boarded the train and met the boys during your journey. Write a diary entry describing your experience with them in not more than 100 words. [6] Assessment of Speaking and Listening. [10] (7/7)