Amity International School, Noida

English Revision Worksheet

Class VIII, 2015-16

SECTION A: Comprehension
I) Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

We have all seen vultures hovering over dead animals. They appear ugly with their bald heads and large flapping
wings. They are considered monstrous and are associated with death. The vulture, like about 290 other birds, is a
bird of prey. Birds of prey are also raptors. ‘Raptors‘ is a Latin word, meaning ‘to plunder’ or ‘to seize’.

Raptors are predators. The word predator sends a tingling sensation down the spine, but we must not think of
raptors as frightening or cruel. We have to remember that all creatures created by nature help to maintain the
ecological balance without which the world of nature would be chaotic. If there were no predators, then there would
be too many animals and birds, and this overcrowding would lead to lack of food for all.

Moreover, birds of prey catch only the very young or weak or the old and infirm. Healthy animals have the
mechanism to keep themselves safe from all predators, whether birds or animals.

Raptors are some of the most magnificent of birds and have bodies designed to hunt. Almost all of them have
specialised legs and sharp talons with which they can grip and pierce their prey. They have hooked beaks which are
useful for tearing the flesh of their prey. Raptors fly with great speed. No aeroplane can match the tricky
manoeuvres of these birds. Many of them, especially the vulture, have very broad, long wings which allow them to
soar and glide for long periods of time. Falcons have been known to swoop down on their prey at 150 miles per
hour.

You must have heard someone being referred to as ‘eagle-eyed’ or having the ‘eyes of a hawk’. Well, both these are
birds of prey. They have sharp eyes. They can spot their prey from great heights or from very far away. This power of
being able to focus on a prey from very far away is called resolving power. Did you know that the resolving power of
an eagle is almost eight times higher than that of the human eye.

A raptor’s day usually begins soon after dawn. They preen themselves and then flap their wings for a quick warm up,
and are ready for the hunt every day. By making a good kill on a particular day, the larger raptor can go without
hunting for two or three weeks. These predators can even do without regular meals. This helps them to survive if
there is a bad weather or lack of food. Most of these raptors like to return to their own perches after the day’s
hunting. Some have actually been known to have flown over two hundred kilometres back home.

Raptors are mainly carnivorous, bit eat all kinds of food. Their meal consists of mammals, other birds, rodents,
reptiles and insects. Some raptors swallow their prey whole, especially if the creature is small, while others are very
careful to reject the parts of the meal, that they know are indigestible.

Most birds of prey build their nests in the topmost branches of trees or on the ledges of cliffs. Where they do not
find heights, they make their nests on the ground.

Humans have proved to be the greatest enemy of these scavengers of nature. The chemicals on fields become
hazardous for these birds because small animals ingest these and when they in turn, become the food of raptors,
they contaminate the birds of prey. More dangerous than this is the destruction of the habitats of the raptors. We
must protect these birds and save them from extinction, for if their environment is under threat, ours is too.

1.1 Chose the correct answer to complete the following sentences:

A) The advantages of having the birds of prey is that

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 i) It helps maintain the ecological balance iii) They are magnificent
ii) They kill old animals and birds iv) All of these

B) Predators avoid catching healthy animals because

i) That would destroy the ecological balance iii) Safe from the predators
ii) The latter can keep themselves p iv) All of these

C) What kind of foods do raptors eat?

i) All kinds of fleshy food iii) Only small animals

ii) Only old and young birds iv) None of these

D) Why are humans held as the greatest enemy of the scavengers?

i) Because their use of chemical fertilizers prove iii) They destroy the home of these birds
harmful for the birds iv) All of these
ii) They contaminate the environment

E) We must save the raptors because

i) They maintain the ecological balance iii) They eat other unimportant animals
ii) They help us get rid of chemical fertilisers iv) They are carnivorous

1.2 Answer the following questions on the basis of your understanding of the passage:
a) Why is the name ’raptor’ appropriate for the birds of prey?
b) Why do raptors have to have sharp eyes?
c) Where do the birds make their nests?
d) What is the eating pattern of the raptors?
e) Why should these creatures be protected from extinction?
1.3 Find words from the passage that mean the same as the following:
i) Controlled skilful movements
ii) Tidy the feathers with the beak
II) Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow:

The Axe in the wood

I stopped to watch a man strike at the trunk

Of a tree grown strong through many centuries.
His quick axe, sharp and glittering, struck deep,
And yellow chips went spinning in the air-
And I remember how I liked the sight
Of poise and rhythm as the bright axe swing.
A man who fells a tree makes people watch,
A swinging axe has always drawn a crowd.

I know the answers to the chanced reproach.

How old the tree was, and how dangerous,
How it might fall, how timber in a stack.
Had more good in it than a growing tree-
Bit I saw death cut down a thousand men

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 In that tall lovely legacy of wood.
2.1Based on your reading of the poem, fill up the blanks in the following sentences:
The poet saw a man (a) _______ a very old tree with his axe. (b)_________ of woods went (c )__________
around. There was a (d) _________ in the rise and fall of the bright (e) _________. The people (f) __________
the felling of old trees on several (g) ________. They say it is a (h) ________ to life in case it falls. Secondly its (i)
________ is of great use. But to the poet, the felling of a tree means (j) ___________ a thousand men.
2.2 Find words from the poem that mean the same as the following:
a. Rebuke
b. Something coming from the past

SECTION B: WRITING
3. You recently attended a reality show on music in your city as the studio audience. Write a factual description
of the shooting experience in not more than 80 words. 4

Hints: judges- contestants- melodious singers- live music- great experience

4. Read the following conversation carefully.

Rakesh: Hello! May I speak to Mohit?
Anita : I’m sorry, he’s not at home. May I know who is calling?
Rakesh: I’m His friend Rakesh. Could you please give him a message?
Anita : Sure.
Rakesh: Please tell him that we are planning to go to the theatre tomorrow at 6 pm. I’ll get a ticket for Mohit
too. So, he should reach the Diamond theatre exactly on time. The show starts at 6:15.
Anita : Sure. I’ll convey the message.

Since Anita had to go for her tuition class, she left a message for her brother. As Anita, write a message in
not more than 50 words. 4

5. You are Minal, Captain of Heritage club of St. Paul’s Academy, Chandigarh. The club is organising an Inter
Class Heritage Quiz for students of Class VI-VIII. Write a notice in not more than 50 words inviting the
students to participate in the quiz. Give necessary details like date, time, venue, number of participants per
section, last date for registration. 4

6. You are Sania/ Sahil. The residents of your locality have been facing problems like poor street lights and bad
roads. You and the other residents approached the local councillor in this regard but without any result.
Write a letter to the editor of a national daily highlighting the problems of your locality. 8

7. Air pollution is one of the major global concerns in today’s times. Taking help from the poster given below
together with your own ideas, write an article in about 150 words for ‘The Global Times’ about the need to
protect the planet from air pollution. 8

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 8. As a reporter for ‘The Herald’ you made the following notes. Based on the notes, write a report in not more
than 150 words. 8

 Jaipur, Kaladera area: Fire- Textile factory

 No major injury- 5 workers minor burns
 Injured taken to district hospital
 Reason: ShortAmity
circuitInternational School, Noida
 Crores of goodsEnglish
destroyedRevision Worksheet 1
 Six fire tenders- four hours VIII,
Class 2015-16
to control
Literature

SECTION C: Grammar
9. Read the dialogue and fill in the blanks using reported speech.
Mike: "What are you doing here, Liz? I haven't seen you since June."
Liz: "I've just come back from my holiday in Ireland."
Mike: "Did you enjoy it?"
Liz: "I love Ireland. And the Irish people were so friendly."
Mike: "Did you go to the Wicklow Mountains?"
Liz: "It was my first trip. I can show you some pictures. Are you doing anything tomorrow?"
Mike: "I must arrange a couple of things. But I am free tonight."
Liz: "You might come to my place. What time shall we meet?"
Mike: "I'll be there at eight. Is it all right?"
Mike asked Liz (a) ____________________________________________________ and added that (b)

___________________________________________________________________. Liz explained that (c)

___________________________________________________________________. Mike wondered (d)

___________________________________________________________________. Liz told him (e)

___________________________________________________________________ and that (f)

___________________________________________________________________.Mike asked (g) _________

___________________________________________________________________. Liz replied that, that was her first

trip and that she could show him some pictures. She also enquired (h) _____________________________________.

Mike replied that he needed to arrange a few things but mentioned that he was free that night. Liz suggested that (i)
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___________________________________________________________ and also asked (j) ____________________

__________________________________. Mike replied that he’d be there at eight and asked if that was all right.

10. Read the sentences to decide whether the verbs should be singular or plural.
a) The price of these jeans ________ (is/are)very reasonable.
b) The books borrowed from the library ________ (is/are)on my desk.
c) The fans at the back of the theatre and that woman in front ________ (was, were) making too much noise.
d) The famous singer and composer ____________ (has/have)arrived.
e) Maury and his brother ______________ (go, goes) to the bowling alley every day.
f) Everyone on the bus (was, were) annoyed by the little boy running up and down the aisle.
g) Neither his father nor his mother ____________ (play/plays )tennis.
h) You should decide which one of the three choices A, B, or C best ___________ (answer/ answers) the
question best.
11. Join the following sentences with the help of the words given in the box. You might have to use a word
more than once:

When, Since, who, otherwise, so that, while, because,

a) He always did well on his English tests. His parents were not surprised that he got an A.
b) You should keep the milk in the refrigerator. It doesn't go bad.
c) He was not there. I left a message with his mother.
d) You must tell me everything. I will not be able to help you.
e) Ann ate an apple. She studied her vocabulary.
f) You seem very happy. You help other people.
g) Joe recognised the man. The man had stopped his car to help.
h) The timer goes off. Take the clothes out of the machine.
12. Fill in the blanks with possessive pronouns:
a) This telephone number belongs to Betsy. It is _____________.
b) You and I live in this house. The house is _____________.
c) My dog is bigger than your dog. The larger dog is _____________.
d) You go to Maple School. The school is _____________ .
e) Ted's baseball is over here. The baseball is _____________.
f) That skateboard belongs to Jan. The skateboard is _____________.
g) You want the last slice of pizza. The last slice is _____________.
h) Mom and dad's car is in the driveway. The car in the driveway is _____________.
13. Fill in the blanks with correct form of the pronouns given in brackets.
a) Have you seen ____ new coat? (I)
b) She has lost ______ keys. (she)
c) Can I have a look at ____ paper? (you)
d) The dog has had ______ breakfast. (it)
e) Do you know ________ name? (she)
f) What is ______ plan? (they)
g) Can you give me ________ address? (he)
h) He stood there with his hands in ____ pockets. (he)

14. Choose the correct option and fill in the gaps:

a) (Those / That) man really loves the comic book store.
b) (These / This) apples are ready to be eaten.
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 c) (Those / That) store is having a huge blowout sale today!
d) (This / Those) farmers are growing some great organic vegetables.
e) (These / That) friends of mine are very reliable.
f) (These / That) fence needs another coat of paint.
g) Make sure to tell (those / that) boy he needs to clean up after himself.
h) Did you write (these / this) song?

15. Circle the demonstrative pronoun in each sentence.

a) This is my favourite teddy bear.
b) Would you like some of these?
c) Those years at the lake were the best times of my life.
d) That is the toy I would like to buy.
e) These are absolutely delicious!

16. Choose the correct demonstrative pronoun to complete each sentence.

a) ____________________ (These/This) are the shoes I like.
b) ____________________ (This/That) car over there is the best one.
c) ____________________ (These/Those) books right here are mine.
d) ____________________ (That/Those) store across the street sells clothes.
e) ___________________ (Those/This) students over there are my friends.

SECTION D: LITERATURE
17. Answer the following questions briefly in about 35 words.
a) How did Annirudh’s father get a bump on his head?
b) Why was Shibu called to the house by grandmother?
c) Why did Uncle Janardhan suspect Chiddu to be the thief?
d) How was Chiddu punished for stealing the coconuts?
e) Where were the bangle sellers going? Briefly explain why.
f) Identify the figures of speech used in verse 2.of The Bangle Sellers.
g) Identify the rhyme schme of verse 3 of Bangle Sellers?
h) Based on your reading of the poem Bangle Sellers, briefly explain the duties of a middle aged woman.
i) Which important incident occurred in Herman’s life at the Schlieben concentration camp in Germany?
j) In the lesson The Girl with an Apple , why were Roma and her family not sent to the concentration camp?
k) In the poem Autumn’s Beauty why does the poet believe in the existence of God?
l) What changes in nature can be seen by the poetess in autumn?
Q18. Answer the following questions in about 50 – 75 words.
a) Why did Herman think that Roma was an angel in his life? Explain briefly.
b) Briefly explain how the jews were ill treated in concentration camps by the Nazis?
c) Explain why grandma did not take Anirudh to the circus.
d) Explain how Uncle Janardhan laid a trap to catch the thief ?
Q19. Value based questions. Answer the following questions in about 35 words.
(a) Which values helped Herman to survive the hardships in the concentration camp?
(b) What prompted Roma to get food for Herman at the Schlieben concentration camp?
(c) Explain which qualities of grandma impressed Anirudh.
Q20. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow
a)The caressing breeze of summer
Has turned into the blustering breeze of autumn.
1. Name the poem and poet of the given lines.

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 2. What happens to the leaves during autumn?
3. How do children enjoy the autumn season?
b)Some are meet for a maiden’s wrist
Silver and blue as the mountain mist.
1. What does “some “ refer to in the given lines?
2. Who are meant to wear them?
3. What do they signify?

Q21. Answer the following in 100 words.

a) Imagine you are Anirudh . Write a diary entry for the day your grandmother did not take you to the circus.
b) Imagine you are Chidu . Make a diary entry for the day you were sent to a reformatory.
c) Imagine you are Roma. Make a diary entry for the day you met a boy near the fence of the Schlieben
concentration camp.