The Vedaant International school

Half yearly Exam 2018-19

Class- 9

Subject- English

Section – 1 Reading Skill (20)

Q.1 Read the passages carefully, and answer the questions given below.

Trees are of importance not only to man but also to birds and animals. The branches of trees give shelter to
millions of birds and forest give shelter to numerous wild animals. We value trees not only for their usefulness but
also for their beauty. They have a way to refreshing the eye and also refreshing the mind. Perhaps that is why
the rishies of olden days were drawn to the forests, and they and their peoples chose to going forest homes in
company of Nature. In modern times when Rabindranath Tagore started a school, he too chose a place full of
trees and called it Shanti Niketcrn or the home of peace.
Once upon a time large areas of India were covered with forests full of numerous kinds of trees. As the population
grew, trees began to be cut down for mans use. That is how the wonderful forest described In our ancient poems
came to be destroyed, and a great part of our forest wealth was lost. Now we are trying to replace this loss, and
our government wants trees to be planted all over the country. A new festival called ‘Van Mahotsava’ has been
started for this purpose. Since trees are the country’s wealth we must consider it our sacred duty to protect them.
We should plant new trees wherever we can and look after them well.

On the basis of the reading of the passage, answer the following questions in brief:
1. How are trees important for birds and animals?
2. Why did the rishies in olden days make forests their homes?
3. Mention the reason that became the cause for the destruction of the wonderful forest.
4. How can we replace the loss of forests?
5. What is meant by ‘Shanti Niketan’? Who started it?
6. Why is Van Mahotsava organised?
7. What message do we get from the above passage?
8. Give a suitable title for the above passage.
2
The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is roughly the size of the continent of
Australia and covers an area of nearly 2.8 million square miles. The Amazon rainforest gets its life
from the majestic Amazon River which runs through the heart of the region. Amazon is also the
second largest river in the world. The rainforest is simply the drainage basin for the river and its
tributaries. The vast forest consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially
adapted plants and animals.

The forest floor is the lowest region. Since only two percent of the sunlight can filter through the
top layers to the understory very few plants grow there. The forest floor, however, is rich with
rotting vegetation and bodies of dead animals which quickly break down and get integrated into the
soil as nutrients. Tree roots stay close to these available nutrients and decomposers such as
millipedes and earth worms use these nutrients for food.

The understory is the layer above the forest floor. Much like the forest floor, only about 2 to 5
percent of the sunlight reaches this shadowy realm. Many of the plants in the understory have
large, broad leaves to collect as much sunlight as possible. The understory is so thick that there is
very little air movement. As a result, plants rely on insects and animals to pollinate their flowers.

The layer above the understory is the canopy. This is where much of the action in the rainforest
occurs. Many plants growing in this layer have specially adapted leaves with drip tips. Drip tips
allow water to flow off the leaves and thus prevent mosses, fungi and lichens from infecting the
leaves. Leaves in the canopy are very dense and filter about 80 percent of the sunlight. The
canopy is where the wealth of the rainforest’s fruits and flowers grow.

Answer the following questions.

1. Which is the world’s second largest river?

2. How important is the Amazon River for Amazon rainforests?

3. Why do very few plants grow in the understory of the rainforests?

4. Why is there very little air movement in the understory?

5. What is the layer above the understory called?

6. Find the word from the passage which means ‘grand’.

 Section – 2 Writing Skill and Grammar (30)

Q.2. While going home you came across many children on the roads at crossroads
with begging bowls in their hands. You are shocked and disgusted at this
unflattering picture of a country which boasts of being a major economy in the
world. Record your experience in your diary. (in about 100 to 150 words) 08 Marks

Q.3. Develop a story on the given outline. 10 Marks

Outline: Both servants foolish……… two friends debated…….who is more foolish? ……

Ramu or Shammu?...... decided to give a test…..Raghu told Ramu “Run back to my
house to find out if I am there or not”…….Ramu rushed home …..Raj told
Shammu….Go to your room and find out if you are there or not.” Ramu and
Shammu returned……Ramu complained…….wasted time……master could have
phoned to find himself……Shammu reported…….he was not in the room……nothing
to choose between them.

Do as directed:

Q.4 Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks with the suitable
words form the options given. (8*.5= 4)

The peacock is perhaps the most beautiful (i) ________male birds, with its long blue
neck, fan-shaped crest, and its gorgeous tail. (ii) ________feather ends in a half
moon (iii) _________ raised, the tail spreads like a fan from (iv)________a thousand
eyes (v) to gaze. Ironically, the female or peahen, is a small drab bird (vi) ________
comparison without the sweeping tail.

(i) (a) in (b) into (c) among (d) within

(ii) (a) Each (b) Every (c) Several (d) Some

(iii) (a)While (b)which (c) whose (d) when

(iv) (a) where (b) which (c) whose (d) when

(v) (a) seeming (b) seemed (c) seems (d) seem

(vi) (a) with (b) to (c) in (d) by

 Q.5 The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each of the
lines. Write the correct word and the correction in your answer sheet against the
correct blank number. Underline the word that you have supplied. (8*.5= 4)

Error Correction
Frequently, when is an air crash (a) ……………… ………………

There is mention a black box. This (b)……………… ………………

is important part of every plane.

It is basically an electronic device is used by people. (c) ……………… ………………

investigating the reasons the crash. (d)……………… ………………

There are usually black boxes one contains (e)……………… ………………

the cockpit voice recorder the other (f)……………… ………………

contains flight data. Both them (g)……………… ………………

give information about cause of the accident (h)……………… ………………

Q.6 Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences. (4)

(a) huge/network/computer/ it/ is a

(b) other/of computers/ it /connects millions/to each

(c) internet can/any two/to /the/compures/connected/ exchange information

(d) rock/popular/ institution/ climbing/is/ educational/in

Section – 3 Literature and Extended Reading Text(30 Marks)

Q. 7 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (4 marks)

Wind, come softly.

Don’t break the shutters of the windows.

Don’t scatter the papers.

Don’t throw down the books on the shelf.

There, look what you did ___ you threw them.

All down

You brought rain again.

(a) The above lines have been composed by:

(b) The poet asked the wind not to:

(c) ‘There, look what you did’ means:

(d) what did the wind tear?

Q.8 Answer any two questions from section A and two questions from section B in
about 30-40 words. (2*2+2*2=8)

Section- A : Beehive

(i) What kind of girl did the doctor want to marry and why?

(ii) What finally kills the tree?

(iii) Why do you think the poet chose the second road? What does it reveals of his
nature?

Section- B : Moments

(i) Why did the guru and disciple want to die on the stake before anybody else?

(ii) How did Prashant and youth bridge help the victims of super cyclone?

(iii) Who helps the boy when he gets lost in the fair?

Q.9 Answer one of the following questions in about 100-150 words each:
(8+10=18qamarks)

(i)Describe how Einstein was disillusioned about the America?

Or

Who is Iswaran? What sets him apart from the other domestic help?

(ii) In the poem ‘No Men Are Foreign,’ the poet suggests that our fellow humans are
‘our brothers’ and therefore, nobody is, in fact, a foreigner. However, what is your
opinion of the foreigners?
 Or

‘Adverse and difficult situations throw efficient leaders to the forefront.’ Bring out
the truth in the statement with respect to Prashant’s character and personality.
Which qualities make him an efficient and popular leader?