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ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Class: IX ICSE

Sub: English II

Time: 2 hr MM.80

Attempt all four questions.


The intended marks for QUESTIONS OR PARTS OF QUESTIONS ARE GIVEN IN BRACKETS { }.
You are advised to spend not more than 35 minutes in answering Question 1
and 20 minutes in answering Question 2.
Question 1
( Do not spend more than 35 minutes on this question.)

Write a composition (350-400 words) on any one of the following: [25]

a) Me and my big mouth!


b) Write about a time when you were late for an important function . What lesson on punctuality
did you learn?
c) Every home should adopt a pet animal. Express your views either for or against this statement.
d) Write an original short story which illustrates the truth of the statement, One lies leads to
another.

Question 2
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following: [10]
a) Write a letter to the editor of a local news-paper telling what you think about global warming,
its effects and what people should do to prevent it from getting worse.
b) A friend of yours has been out of station for a month and there was an important
event/function held in the school while he/she was away. Write him/her a letter describing of
the event/function, and your role in it, and why your friend was missed.

Question 3
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
My husband Pele and I were staying in a holiday house overlooking the beautiful, lush rainforest of
Indonesia. The glass walls framed a fine view across the Bagon Valley to what had been the summer
palace of President Suharto.
The first morning we strolled hand in hand up a winding pathway, heading to the main building for
breakfast. But once we arrived at the dinning room, I realized we’d forgotten our money, so I
volunteered to run to the back house. Making any way down the path. I turned the last corner only to
find a giant bird, similar to an emu, standing outside our front door.

“Hey baby, what are you doing?” I cooed, moving slowly so as not to frighten it. Having a deep, abiding
fascination with all creatures great and small, I wanted a closer look. This was my first mistake.
As I came within a few meters, he took a big breath and let out a nasty hiss, stopping me in my tracks.

“That’s not very friendly.”I said clueless. He hissed again and I promptly made the second mistake of
turning and running, instead of backing away slowly. As I rounded the corner I heard his razor- sharp
claws scrabbling on the cobblestones.

“Oh!”

His steps sounded like a drum as they hit the ground, quickly coming too close for comfort. I suddenly
changed direction and headed into the trees. Dodged in and out of the foliage. I hoped my tactic would
fool him. A crash behind me indicated no such luck.

Jumping over a small bush, I found myself out in the open and not far from the dining room. Picking up
speed, I bolted over the plants and rockeries surrounding the perimeter and dashed through the gate.
When I turned to close it, the bird was nowhere to be seen.

I didn’t realize it and at the time, but I had just come face to face with a cassowary, a bird also found in
Australia’s north Queensland rainforests. Cassowary’s weigh 55 kilos or more, stand about 180
centimeters tall and have saber-like toenails that can open a human from chin to groin like a zipper and
kill humans.

“What’s wrong?” Pele asked as I stumbled back into the dinning room.

“a big bird chased me all the way from the house,” I replied.

“ what?” he asked incredulously. “ You’re scared of a bird?”

“ It’s as big as me and very mean,” I said in a rather sulky voice.

“oh, all right,” he laughed. “ I’ll come with you.”

Much to Pele’s amusement, I stayed behind him on the path and held onto the back of his shirt as we
approached the corner of the house.

“See! There it is. Look at the size of the thing!”

Pele chuckled at the hysteria in my voice. “ It’s all right,” he soothed.

Calmly and confidently he walked toward the cassowary.

“ Shoo! Go on , get out,” he said.

He made actions with arms as if it were a pigeon on a window ledge. The response of the cassowary was
the same as before: a big hiss and a step forward. “ Hmm,” said Pele and stopped, not so sure of himself.
He tried again,” Go on.” The cassowary then ran a few paces to us, hissing aggressively, so we quickly
retreated around a corner of the house. Pele picked up a rock the size of his hand and threw it hard,
hitting and the bird squarely in the chest. It didn’t budge.
“ What are we going to do?” I pleased. This time, Pele picked up a cane chair.

“ Stay behind and I’ll keep him back. When we got to the door open it.”

Again I held on to the back of his shirt and we started towards the door. This greatly displeased the
already annoyed cassowary. Charging at us he ripped at the chair with those lethal claws. Pele stopped
to steady the chair- and possibly his resolve

Pele threw the chair at the bird and slammed the door shut.

Ducking the flying cane, the bird ran straight at the glass wall, only to bounce off. But it didn’t slow down
at all. Pecking and scratching at the glass, it continued the assault with a sickening ferocity.

It was another 15 minutes before the bird weakened and slowed its attack. Thirty minutes later, we
quietly opened the door and crept back to the main building.

a) Give the meanings of the following words as used in the passage.

One word answers or short phrases will be accepted. [3]

I. Strolled
II. Fascination
III. Foliage
b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words. [12]
I. What was Pele’s wife’s first mistake when she saw the bird ?
II. How did the bird react to the lady’s third mistake?
III. What did she do after this reaction of the bird?
IV. Describe the cassowary.
V. Why did Pele find the situation amusing at first? Why did he change his attitude?
VI. Use the word “framed” in a sentence of your own such that it has a meaning different from that
used in the passage.
c) With close reference to the last paragraph of the extract and in mot more than 60 words
describe how the couple got into their room when they were together. [8]
d) Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice. [2]

Question 4

a) In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word
given in the brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or
phrase appropriate to the blank space. [4]
Example:

(0)discussed.

The other day we (0) ________(discuss) the attitudes of people in our country. Why (1)________(be)
most of them rude and aggressive? Pritam asked, Sanjana(2)_______that it (3)______(be) because there
(4)______ (be) too many people and one had to fight for everything. Nirode (5)______(insist) that it
(6)_______(be) the climate. We (7)______(be) as efficient and polite as Europeans if only our weather
(8)________(be) better.

b) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: [4]


I. Her parents live ______ New Delhi.
II. Joe’s parents are sick _____his behavior.
III. Colonel Gurmeet congratulated the soldiers_________ their victory.
IV. The planet was seen________the telescope.
V. The news of his promotion came ________the next day.
VI. He is not afraid__________the consequences.
VII. He rushed_______ the class as he was late.
VIII. The school is famous_______its sports achievements.
c) Joint the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. [4]
I. Sonia asked a riddle. I was unable to solve it.
II. John helped Thomas. Thomas will always be grateful.
III. Rajan is a great cricketer. He is also popular.
IV. Adnan sang a wonderful song. It became a hit.
d) Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. [8]
I. We had not even walked one kilometer when they stopped us. (Begin: Hardly…………………)
II. The memory is so vivid that I will never forget it. (use ‘too’ in place of ‘so’)
III. That need not happen. ( Re-write using does )
IV. Food and sleep were all we cared about. (Beging: All……………….)
V. We sat there face to face with our accuser. (Begin: There…………………………)
VI. Herbert consulted his parents before accepting the job offer. ( Begin: Herbert did not………….)
VII. Put your tools away, the children may fall over them. (Use: lest…………………)
VIII. It was the last time when he saw his wife. ( Begin: Never…………………………….)

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