LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC

PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
Maximum Marks: 80 Time allowed: Two hours

Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.

You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
The paper has four Sections.
Section A is compulsory – All questions in Section A must be answered.
You must attempt one question from each of the Sections B, C and D and one other
question from any section of your choice.
The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].

SECTION A
(Attempt all questions from this Section.)
Question 1
Read the following questions and choose the most appropriate response from the
choices given below:
1. Which of the following is not true?
a. Portia is happy that she is not too old to learn new things.
b. Portia is happier that she is not bred so dull that she can learn new things.
c. Portia is happiest when she refrains from taking Bassanio as her lord, her governor
and her king.
d. Portia is very sad and does not want to part with Bassanio after getting married.

2. The injustice done to the African-Americans can be deeply felt and understood
only _______
a. when seen in stark contrast to the Whites
b. when seen in stark resemblance to the Whites
c. when seen in stark contrast to the African-Americans
d. when seen in stark resemblance to the African-Americans

3. Which lines best suit the dramatic irony from the ‘Blue Bead’, in the lines below:
a. “I found a blue bead for my necklace, look!”
b. “Two good gurrahs gone”
c. “I did not see till I was home, that you were not there”
d. “Ay, ay, what a day”

4. The words, “In the shrill noisy village above the ford....” brings out which
imagery?
a. Visual imagery
b. Auditory imagery
c. Colour imagery
 LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC
PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
d. Onomatopoeia

5. Portia calls on Dr. Bellario, her cousin who stays in

a. Genoa
b. Belmont
c. Padua
d. Venice

6. The second stanza of the poem “Caged bird” starts with a ‘But’.Why ?
a. to show the contrast-The bird in the second stanza is not free but one who stalks
down his narrow cage.
b. to show similarity-The bird in the second stanza is not free like the one who stalks
down his narrow cage.
c. to show the rebellious attitude of the caged bird
d. both a and c

7. My eyes my lord, can look as swift as yours

You saw the mistress, I beheld the maid.
Who says these words to whom? Who is the mistress and the maid in the extract?
a. Bassanio to Antonio. Nerissa and Portia
b. Gratiano to Bassanio. Portia and Nerissa
c. Lorenzo to Salerio. Portia and Jessica
d. Gratiano to Lorenzo. Portia and Nerissa

8. The speaker says that “there’s nobody on the house-tops now”. What according to
you has changed the situation?
a. He must have either done something acceptable in the name of patriotism or
probably he was one of the victims of political machinations
b. He must have either done something unacceptable in the name of patriotism or
probably he was one of the victims of political machinations
c. both a and b
d. none of these

9. “A third cannot be matched unless the Devil himself turn into a Jew “. Which
character says this and it is a reference to whom?
a. Salarino, Shylock
b. Salanio, Chus
c. Salerio, Shylock
d. Salanio, Tubal

10. Where are the daffodils?

a. in the garden
 LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC
PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
b. beside the lake, beneath the trees
c. beneath the lake , beside the trees
d. in the valley and hills

11. Why was Maggie bedridden?

a. Her brother had pushed her
b. Two years ago she had fallen from a window
c. her mother did not look after her
d. Mrs Thompson ill-treated her.

12. What did Abou Ben Adhem see one night?

a. an angel writing in a golden book
b .he was watching television
c. stars and the moon
d. an angel writing in a diary

13. What did Luz Long and Jesse Owens not believe in?
a. Adolf Hitler
b. Master race
c. Olympic Games
d. Aryan Supremacy theory

14. Which planet had Margot come to live on?

a. Mars
b. Venus
c. Pluto
d. Mercury

15. What happened to the youngest athlete halfway through the race?
a. stumbled and staggered
b. the gun sounded
c. he shouted with joy
d. he went back

16.”With myrtle mixed in my path like mad”. What literary device is used here?
a. Alliteration
b. Simile
c. Personification
d. Repetition
 LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC
PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
SECTION B
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
DRAMA
(The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare)
Question 2
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Antonio:
But little: I am arm’d and well prepared. –
Give me your hand, Bassanio: fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom:
1. Where is Antonio? To what question does Antonio respond to as
‘but little’? What is he well prepared for? [3]
2. What is Fortune’s usual custom? How has Fortune been kind to
Antonio? [3]
3. What does Antonio instruct Bassanio to tell Portia? [3]
4. How does Bassanio respond to Antonio’s speech? [3]
5. How does Antonio end his speech? [4]

Question 3
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Antonio: Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; for here I read for certain that my
ships are safely come to road.
Portia: How now, Lorenzo! My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.
1. Where does this scene take place? What had Portia directed
Antonio to give to Bassanio just moments before the above words
were spoken? How did Bassanio react to it? [3]
2. Portia had just given Antonio, Bassanio and Gratiano a letter to
read. Who had written this letter? What does Bassanio learn about
Portia from this letter? [3]
3. What good news does Portia have for Antonio? How does he
respond to it? [3]
4. To whom does Portia refer as ‘My clerk’? What ‘good comforts’
does the ‘clerk’ have for Lorenzo? [3]
5. How was Bassanio persuaded to give away the ring Portia had
given him? What does this reveal about Bassanio’s relationship
with Antonio? [4]
 LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC
PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
SECTION C
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
PROSE - SHORT STORIES
(Treasure Trove — A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories)
Question 4
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Sibia got her arms around the fainting woman, and somehow dragged her from the water. She
stopped her wounds with sands and bound them with rag and helped her home to the Gujar
encampment where the men made the litter to carry her to someone for treatment.
1. Describe Sibia’s act of courage. How did she save the woman? [3]
2. In what manner did Sibia help the woman reach back to her
camp? [3]
3. Why did Sibia go back to the river side? [3]
4. What did Sibia find there? How did she react? [3]
5. What was the greatest triumph of Sibia that day? Why did she
ignore her heroism? [4]

Question 5
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“An angry athlete is an athlete who will make mistakes, as any coach will tell you. I was no
exception.”
1. Where is this story set? Whose perspective is being narrated here? [3]
2. Why was the speaker angry? What thoughts added to his [3]
agitation? What were the consequences of his ire?
3. Describe the speaker’s main competitor. [3]
4. What was the advice given to the speaker? Would you call it sage
advice? Why? [3]
5. What is the true spirit of the Olympic Games? In this story who
best embodies this spirit Give reasons for your answer. [4]
 LILAVATIBAI PODAR HIGH SCHOOL, ISC
PRACTICE PAPER 1
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
SECTION D
(Answer one or more questions from this Section.)
POEMS
(Treasure Trove — A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories)

Question 6
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his mouth to sing
1. Pick out the phrases from the extract that indicate the bird was
placed under restriction. [3]
2. What do the ‘free bird’ and the ‘caged bird’ symbolize? Elaborate. [3]
3. Which word from the stanza indicates a contrast? Explain the
significance of the phrase ‘grave of dreams’. [3]
4. What song does the caged bird sing about? Where is it heard?
Why is the voice of the bird fearful? [3]
5. Explain how the life of the caged bird is different from that of the
free bird. [4]

Question 7
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
I go in the rain, and, more than needs,
A rope cuts both my wrists behind;
And I think, by the feel, my forehead bleeds,
For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds.
1. Describe the scene and emotions produced in the minds of the
viewers. [3]
2. What is the atmosphere like when the patriot is being led through
the streets as a traitor? [3]
3. Explain the lines: For they fling, whoever has a mind,
Stones at me for my year's misdeeds. [3]
4. Describe the irony in the patriot’s statement – ‘I am safer so’ [3]
5. Discuss any two themes that emerge from this poem. [4]