हिंदी

Read the Following Extract and Answer the Questions Given Below:Dairy Farming is a Major Livelihood Followed by Many Households in Rural Areas. this Includes Rearing Milk Cattle - Cows, Buffaloes,

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प्रश्न

Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
Dairy farming is a major livelihood followed by many households in rural areas. This includes rearing milk cattle - cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. There is a shortage of milk in the country as consumption in both urban and rural areas has risen sharply.
 
Dairying is an important source of subsidiary income to marginal farmers and agricultural labours. They play a very important role in milk production of the country. In 1986 - 87, about 73 percent of rural households owned livestock. According to the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94, the livestock sector produces regular employment to about 9.8 million persons in principal status and 8.6 million in subsidiary status, which constitutes about 5 percent of the total workforce.
 
The Manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gas obtained by processing dung is used as a fuel for domestic purposes and also for running engines to draw water from wells. The surplus fodder and agricultural by-products are gainfully utilized for feeding the animals. Since agriculture is mostly seasonal, there is a possibility of finding employment throughout the year for many persons through dairy farming.
 
The milk processing industry is a small one. Only 10 percent of all the milk produced is delivered to some 400 dairy plants. A specific Indian phenomenon is the unorganized sector of milkmen and vendors, which handles around 65 - 70 percent of the national milk production. They collect milk from local producers and sell it in both urban and non - urban areas.
1. What is the main theme of the extract?
2. How is dairy farming beneficial for farmers besides getting milk?
3. What information does the National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94 provide?
4. How, according to you, can dairy farming improve the financial condition of farmers?
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) The gobar gas obtained by processing dung is used as fuel.
(Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'People…………')
(ii) The consumption of milk in both urban and rural areas has risen sharply.
(Rewrite the sentence using the past perfect tense)
(iii) The milk processing industry is a small one.
(Make is a complex sentence)
6. Form the antonyms of the following words by adding prefixes.
(i) fertility x 
(ii) possibility x 
संक्षेप में उत्तर
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उत्तर

1. Ans. The extract points out how dairy farming can become the best source of income and generate employment opportunities to people. 

2. Ans. The manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields. The gobar gas obtained by processing dung is used as fuel for domestic purposes and lastly, the fuel helps to run engines and to draw water from wells. The surplus fodder and agricultural by-products are used to feed animals. In this way dairy farming beneficial for farmers besides getting milk.

3.  Ans. The National Sample Survey of 1993 - 94 provides the information that, livestock sector produces regular employment to about 9.8 million persons in principal status and 8.6 million in subsidiary status. It constitutes about 5 % of the total workforce.

4. Ans. Besides getting milk from dairy farming, it also proved to be beneficial for farmers in the number of other ways.
  • The manure from animals provides a good source of organic matter for improving soil fertility and crop yields.
  • The gobar gas obtained by processing dung is used as fuel for domestic purposes and lastly, the fuel helps to run engines and to draw water from wells.
  • The surplus fodder and agricultural by-products are used to feed animals. In this way dairy farming beneficial for farmers besides getting milk.
Because of all these reasons the financial condition of farmers would improve.
5. (i) Ans. People use the gobar gas obtained from processing dung as fuel.
   (ii) Ans. The consumption of milk in both urban and rural areas has risen sharply.
   (iii) Ans. The industry that processes milk is a small one.
6.
(i) fertility x infertility
(ii) possibility x impossibility
shaalaa.com
Unseen Passage Comprehension
  क्या इस प्रश्न या उत्तर में कोई त्रुटि है?
2014-2015 (March) Set A

संबंधित प्रश्न

During the devastating July 2005 floods that hit Mumbai, Rajen Dutia received an urgent call from a relative, Lopa Vyas late in the evening. “A friend’s mother is stranded near your home, Rajen. Can you please take her home? Her name is Rashmi,” Vyas told him.
Mumbai had come to a halt and people were trapped everywhere. Despite power failure and raging rain, Dutia stepped out and made his way to the spot, where he found Rashmi as well as a dozen other people. They were stranded in the dark, shivering in the rain. They all lived far away and had no place to go for the night.
Rajen took all of them to his one-bedroom flat, where he served them dinner and invited them to spend the night.
"By doing so," says Rajen, "I was simply fulfilling my karma, paying the universe back for the good it had done for me."

"God is kind. My daughter had just started her new job that day, and had gone for her training. She was stranded too. While she was trying to get to our relatives, she almost drowned, but a young stranger saved her. He and his friends even dropped her to my relative's place and phoned me to say she was safe. One good turn deserves another."

A2. Order
Look at the following sentences from the passage and put them in the correct sequence: (2)
(a) He took them to his one-bedroom flat.
(b) Rajen found Rashmi as well as a dozen other people shivering in the rain.
(c) Mumbai had come to a halt and people were trapped everywhere.
(d) Rajen Dutia received an urgent call.

A3

During the devastating July 2005 floods that hit Mumbai, Rajen Dutia received an urgent call from a relative, Lopa Vyas late in the evening. “A friend’s mother is stranded near your home, Rajen. Can you please take her home? Her name is Rashmi,” Vyas told him.
Mumbai had come to a halt and people were trapped everywhere. Despite power failure and raging rain, Dutia stepped out and made his way to the spot, where he found Rashmi as well as a dozen other people. They were stranded in the dark, shivering in the rain. They all lived far away and had no place to go for the night.
Rajen took all of them to his one-bedroom flat, where he served them dinner and invited them to spend the night.
"By doing so," says Rajen, "I was simply fulfilling my karma, paying the universe back for the good it had done for me."

"God is kind. My daughter had just started her new job that day, and had gone for her training. She was stranded too. While she was trying to get to our relatives, she almost drowned, but a young stranger saved her. He and his friends even dropped her to my relative's place and phoned me to say she was safe. One good turn deserves another."

A2. Order
Look at the following sentences from the passage and put them in the correct sequence: (2)
(a) He took them to his one-bedroom flat.
(b) Rajen found Rashmi as well as a dozen other people shivering in the rain.
(c) Mumbai had come to a halt and people were trapped everywhere.
(d) Rajen Dutia received an urgent call.

A3(i). Fill in the blanks :
Select the words given in the passage (1)
(i) Thousands Of pilgrims were …………….. due to the cloud burst in Uttarakhand.
(ii) The tiger was ……………… by the hunter.

(ii). Antonyms:
Select the correct antonyms for the given words from the alternatives :
(1) Please :
(a) unplease (b) displease (c) misplease
(2) Safe: '
(a) insafe (b) safeless (c) unsafe

A4(i) Tags :
Select the correct tag for the alternatives given below :
One good turn deserves another.
(a) Doesn’t it? (b) don’t it (c) does it?

(ii). Guess:
Choose the correct answer : (1)
Rajen can you please take her home? ‘Can’ indicates :
(a) Obligation (b) ability (c) permission

A5. Personal Response :
‘ one good turn
Deserves another.’
Explain with an
example of your own.


Look at the balloons. Which are the qualities inculcated in the author by her teacher? Write them. (2)

Sister Monica, however, wasn't quite as lenient as that, and spent most of the time telling me about the importance of regularity and hard work. She made me realise that success is, like genius, 99 per cent perspiration and 1 per cent inspiration. It's a lesson that has stood me in good stead.
The teachers I'm most grateful to, though, are not those who have taught me the most, but those who have simply been friends to me, believed me and believed in me. Prominent among them is Sudha Ramasubramanium-Rambo, as we used to call her. I didn't know her too well. She taught me in college, and apart from being incredible in class unless one missed class, she also believed that I actualIy had a Problem when I developed an injury (which several doctors found difficult to diagnose). Despite my missing an exam-the HSC, of all exams- she was the only person who told me to concentrate on my health and assured me that I could take the exam off the top of my head any time I wanted to.
I'm not even certain she remembers it, but at the time, it felt like one of the only rays of hope in an extremely dark tunnel. Perhaps few teachers realize how far their influence extends or how much of a difference their actions and words can make. A number of my teachers have unfortunately taught me kindness and tolerance and patience by being precisely the opposite, and quite obviously, they aren't the people I like to think about. But many of my teachers have been extraordinary people, who have not only taught me in class but also helped mould me and my character in every other way. I only hope that I live up to what their endeavors were undoubtedly mean to create.

B2.Answer
(1) What kind of teachers are disliked by the author?                                                                (1)
(2) What was Sudha Ramasubramanium's advice to the author when she was going to miss her HSC exam. ?                                                                                                                                 (1)

B3. Match :
Match the words with their appropriate meanings :                                                                     (2)

‘A’ ‘B’
(i) Prominent (a) Treatment
(ii) Incredible (b) Natural
(iii) Diagnose (c) Unbelievable
(iv) Endeavours (d) Noticeable
  (e) Efforts
  (f) Identify a disease

B.4(i) ‘Wh question’
She made me realize that success is, like genius.                                                                  (1)
(Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined part as an answer)

(ii) She taught me in college.                                                                                                (1)
(Begin the sentence with ‘I’ and rewrite).

B5. Personal Response
Do you agree that a teacher should also be your good friend? Justify your answer.                    (2)


B1. Choose
Choose the correct alternatives and complete the sentences (2)
(1) The narrator is :
(a) an astronaut
(b) an engineer studying in BITS Pilani
(c) in the team of astronauts.

(2) Armstrong said, 'That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind which means:
(a) one step on the moon means, many steps on the earth.
(b) he felt like a giant on the moon.
(c) one moon mission had opened up many avenues in science and technology for mankind.

It was late evening of July 20. 1969, when we turned up the hostel radio. I was an engineering student at BITS, Pilani. I still remember the feverish excitement that gripped us from July 16 when Apollo 11. the US space rocket, took off from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Neil Armstrong and his team of astronauts, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins, were to land on moon, for the first time in human history. We listened 'with rapt attention when Armstrong declared: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
His death on Saturday, August 25, is a moment to salute the romance of space science that Apollo 11 unleashed. It has changed forever the way we look at our planet Earth and its satellite, the moon.
Standing on powdery moondust, Armstrong put up his thumb, shut one eye and found his thumb blotting out the Earth. "It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth” he said later. "I felt very, very small." But behind that humbling realisation stood a giant truth:

The effort to explore the universe united mankind in technology and knowledge. Each moon mission, about 110 till date, provided more confidence to take on bolder projects.

B2. Complete                                                                                                                         (2)
(1) Armstrong describes the earth as ……………
(2) The effort to explore the universe has ………………
(3) Apollo 11 unleashed and changed forever ………………
(4) The author came to know about Apollo 11 mission when he …………..

B3. Solve
Solve the crossword with the clues given below. Refer to the passage for your answers:              (2)

Down :   (1) The area beyond the earth's atmosphere .
             (2) The name of the spacecraft that Armstrong travelled.
Across : (3) A person trained to travel in space.
             (4) Y A natural satellite of the earth.

B4. Begin the sentence
(i) With-For the first time .......and rewrite                                                                               [1]
Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins were, to land on the moon for the first time.
(ii) Insert 'that' appropriately and rewrite.                                                                               [1]
Armstrong found his thumb blotting out the Earth.

B5. Personal Response
Would you like to be an astronaut? Give reasons.


AI. Who said to whom 
(i) "Is he going to live, sir?"
(ii) "______ the struggle is too hard at the end ______.”

The doctor said to himself, "If my word can save his life, he shall not die.
The will be damned." He called, "Gopal, listen." This was the first time he was going to do a piece of acting before a patient, simulate a feeling and conceal his Judgement. He stooped over the patient and said, with deliberate emphasis, "Don't worry about the will now. You are going to live. Your heart is absolutely sound."
A new glow suffused the patient's face as he heard it. Be asked in a tone of relief,
"Do you say so? If it comes from your lips it must be true............ . "
The doctor said, "Quite right. You are improving ever second. Sleep in peace. You must not exert yourself on any account. You must sleep very soundly.
I will see you in the morning." The patient looked at him gratefully for a moment and then closed his eyes. The doctor picked up his bag and went out, shutting the door softly behind him.
On his way home he stopped for a moment at his hospital, called out his assistant and said, "That Lawley Extension case. You might expect the collapse any second now. Go there with a tube of .....................................'in hand, and give it in case the struggle is too hard at the end. Hurry up.”
Next morning he was back at Lawley Extension at ten. From his car he made a dash for the sick bed. The patient was awake and looked very well. The assistant reported satisfactory pulse. The doctor put his tube to his heart, listened for a while and told the sick man's wife, "Don't look so unhappy, lady. Your husband will live to be a ninety.’’ When they were going back to the hospital, the assistant sitting beside him in the car asked, "Is he going to live, sir?"
"I will bet on it. He will live to be ninety. He has turned at corner. How he has survived this attack will be a puzzle to me all my life," replied the doctor.

A2. Web
Complete the web:

A3. Personal Response 
What is your opinion about the doctor and his behaviour?


The natural life span of a domesticated horse is about 25 – 30 years, 10 years down from what it was in the wild. You can tell a horse’s age from the number of teeth he has. They get all their teeth by the age of 5, after which those teeth just get longer. Horses have close to 360 degree all round vision. The only place they cannot see is directly behind or right in front of themselves, which is why it’s dangerous to stand behind a horse. If they later I it also means that they cannot see a jump once they are about four feet from it, and have to rely on memory as to its height and shape! Each of the horse’s two eyes work independently wherever a horse’s ear points is where the horse is looking. A horse is able to sleep standing up as he is able to lock his leg muscles so that he dosen’t fall asleep. Nor do all horses in the same field ever lie down at once – one animal always stands “on look out” duty.

1) What is the life span of a wild horse?
(2) Why do the horse owners cover their horse’s eyes with blinkers?
(3) What prevents a horse from falling while asleep?
(4)
(a) Falls /shorter/ the mane/ on the/ side/ legged.[Rearrange the words to make a meaningful sentence]
(b) Form antonyms by adding a prefix :
(i) able
(ii) direct 
(5)
(a) They get all their teeth by the age of five. [Pick out the prepositions]
(b) If they feel something behind them they may kick. [Rewrite using ‘unless’]
(6) How have horses helped man through the ages?


Q1 Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

1. Too many parents these days can't say no, As a result, they find themselves raising 'children' who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn't satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators, and parents think it's time to stop the madness and start teaching kids about what's really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty, and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher ‒ and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life's disappointments. They also have a distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the workplace and in relationships.

2. Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today's parents themselves raised on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where no was a household word. Today's kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assault on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat-screen TV as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching for their credit cards.

3. Today's parents aren't equipped to deal with the problem. Many of them, raised in the 1960s and '70s, swore they'd act differently from their parents and have closer relationships with their own children. Many even wear the same designer clothes as their kids and listen to the same music. And they work more hours; at the end of a long week, it's tempting to buy peace with 'yes' and not mar precious family time with conflict. Anxiety about the future is another factor. How do well-intentioned parents say no to all the sports gear and arts and language lessons they believe will help their kids thrive in an increasingly competitive world? Experts agree: too much love won't spoil a child. Too few limits will.

4. What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving, and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has to start early. Children need limits on their behaviour because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secure structure. Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially parents act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning beyond one's own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.

(a) Answer the following:

  1. What values do parents and teachers want children to learn?
  2. What are the results of giving the children too much too soon?
  3. Why do today's children want more?
  4. What is the balance which the parents need to have in today's world?
  5. What is the necessity to set limits for children?

(b) Pick out words from the passage that mean the same as the following:

  1. a feeling of satisfaction (para 1)
  2. valuable (para 3)
  3. important  (para 4)

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

If you are addicted to coffee, and doctors warn you to quit the habit, don’t worry and just keep relishing the beverage, because it’s not that bad after all! In fact, according to a new study, the steaming cup of Java can beat fruits and vegetables as the primary source of antioxidants. Some studies state that coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in American diet, and both caffeinated and decaf versions appear to provide similar antioxidant levels.

Antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart diseases and cancer, but Vinson, a dietitian said that their benefits ultimately depend on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body. The research says that coffee outranks popular antioxidant sources like tea, milk, chocolate and cranberries. Of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most antioxidants based solely on serving size, but since dates are not consumed anywhere near the level of coffee, the drink comes as the top source of antioxidants, Vinson said.

Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease, according to some recently published studies. The researchers, however, advise that one should consume coffee in moderation, because it can make you jittery and cause stomach pains

(a) What do doctors advise us about the habit of drinking coffee?
 
(b) What are the two versions of coffee that are drunk in America?
 
(c) State any two benefits of antioxidants.
 
(d) What does Vinson say about the consumption of antioxidants?
 
(e) Name any two popular sources of antioxidants.
 
(f) How does coffee outrank dates in the level of antioxidants?
 
(g) Mention any two benefits of coffee.
 
(h) What do researchers warn us about the excessive use of coffee?


Read the following passage carefully:

Gandhiji As a Fund Raiser

Gandhiji was an incurable and irrestible fund raiser. He found special relish in getting jewellery from women. Ranibala of Burdwan was ten years old. One day she was playing with Gandhiji. He explained to her that her bangles were too heavy for her delicate little wrists. She removed the bangles and gave them away to Gandhiji.

He used to talk jokingly to small girls and created distaste for ornaments and created a desire in them to part with the jewellery for the sake of the poor. He motivated them to donate their jewellery for social usage.

Kasturbai didn’t appreciate this habit of Gandhiji. Once she stated calmly, ‘You don’t wear jewels, it is easy for you to get around the boys. But what about our daughters-in-law ? They would surely want them.

“Well!” Gandhiji put in mildly, "our children are young and when they grow up they will not surely choose wives who are found of wearing jewellery.” Kasturbai was very upset with the answer.

Gandhiji was determined to keep the jewels to raise community fund. He was of the opinion that a public worker should accept no costly gifts. He believed that he should not own anything costly, whether given or earned. Kasturbai was a female with a desire to adorn. But Gandhiji moved towards renunciation and donated every penny earned in South Africa to the trustees for the service of South African Indians.

2.1 Answer the questions given below:

(a) How did Gandhiji create a distaste for jewellery in Ranibala?
 
(b) What was Kasturbai’s apprehension about their daughters-in-law?
 
(c) What solution did Gandhiji suggest for the problem posed by Kasturbai?
 
(d) How did Gandhiji serve the community?
 
2.2 Find meanings of the words given below from the options that follow:
 
(e) incurable (para 1)
(i) unreliable
(ii) untreatable
(iii) disagreeable
(iv) unbeatable
 
(f) motivated (para 2)
(i) encouraged
(ii) emboldened
(iii) incited
(iv) softened
 
(g) upset (para 4)
(i) puzzled
(ii) furious
(iii) confused
(iv) distressed
 
(h) renunciation (para 5)
(i) giving up
(ii) disagreement
(iii) opposition
(iv) termination

Read the passage given below :

Kausani is situated at a height of 6,075 feet in the Central Himalayas. It is an unusally attractive little town. It covers just about 5.2 sq. kms. It lies to the north of Almora in Uttarakhand's picturesque kumaon region.

Kausani provides the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas. It is the most striking aspect of the place. Snow-capped peaks are spread in a stately row. They stare at you in silvery white majesty. The most famous peak on view is Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India. It is situated at a height of 25.645 feet and 36 miles away as the crow files. The other famous peaks on view are choukhamba (23,420 feet) and Trishul (23,360 feet). Then there are also Nilkanth, Nandaghunti, Nandaghat and Nandakot. On a clear day, the blue of the sky makes a splendid background to these peaks. At sunrise and at sunset, when the colour changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in your memory.

When Gandhiji visited this place in 1929, its scenic beauty held him spellbound. He named it the 'Switzerland of Indian'. He prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days, making time to write a book, 'Anashakti Yoga'. The place where he was staying was originally a guest-house of the tea estate. It was renamed 'Anashakti Ashram' after the book.

Kausani is the birthplace of Sumitranandan Pant, India's poet laureate. Its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems. Its tea gardens mingle with dense pine forests and fruit orchards. The area is also host to many fairs and religious caremonies. If Uttaranchal is the abode of gods, Kausani is God's own backyard. There is no traffic, no one is in a hurry. If serenity could be put on a canvas, the picture would resemble Kausani.

On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions :

(a) Where is Kausani situated ?

(b) What is the most striking aspect of Kausani ?

(c) Which is the most famous peak on view from Kausani ?

(d) How did Kausani influence Sumitranandan Pant ?

(e) When does the view of peaks become so memorable ?

(f)  How can we say that Gandhiji was greatly charmed by the natural beauty of Kausani ?

(g) What makes Kausani a calm and quiet place ?

(h) Why, do you think, is Kausani known as 'God' s own backyard' ?


Read the passage given below :

1. We often make all things around us the way we want them. Even during our pilgrimages we have begun to look for whatever makes our heart happy, gives comfort to our body and peace to the mind. It is as if external solutions will fulfil or needs, and we do not want to make any special efforts even in our spiritual search. Our minds is resourceful − it works to find shortcuts in simple and easy ways.

2. Even pilgrimages have been converted into tourism opportunities. Instead, we must awaken our conscience and souls and understand the truth. Let us not tamper with either our own nature of that of the Supreme.

3. All our cleverness is rendered ineffective when nature does a dance of destruction. Its fury can and will wash away all imperfection. Indian culture, based on Vedic treatises, assists in human evolution, but we are not using our entire energy in distorting these traditions according to our convenience instead of making efforts to make ourselves worthy of them.

4. The irony is that humans are not even aware of the complacent attitude they have allowed themselves to sink to. Nature is everyone's Amma and her fierce blows will sooner or later corner us and force us to understand this truth. Earlier, pilgrimages to places of spiritual significance were rituals that were undertaken when people became free from their worldly duties. Even now some seekers take up this pious religious journey as a path to peace and knowledge. Anyone travelling with this attitude feels and travels with only a few essential items that his body can carry. Pilgrims traditionally travelled light, on foot, eating light, dried chickpeas and fruits, or whatever was available. Pilgrims of olden days did not feel the need to stay in special AC bedrooms, or travel by luxury cars or indulge themselves with delicious food and savouries.

5. Pilgrims traditionally moved ahead, creating a feeling of belonging towards all, conveying a message of brotherhood among all they came across whether in small caves, ashrams or local settlements. They received the blessings and congregations of yogis and mahatmas in return while conducting the dharma of their pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is like penance or sadhana to stay near nature and to experience a feeling of oneness with it, to keep the body healthy and fulfilled with the amount of food, while seeking freedom from attachments and yet remaining happy while staying away from relatives and associates.

6. This is how a pilgrimage should be rather than making it like a picnic by taking a large group along and living in comfort, packing in entertainment, and tampering with environment. What is worse is giving a boost to the ego of having had a special darshan. Now alms are distributed, charity done while they brag about their spiritual experiences!

7. We must embark on our spiritual journey by first understanding the grace and significance of a pilgrimage and following it up with the prescribed rules and rituals − this is what translates into the ultimate and beautiful medium of spiritual evolution. There is no justification for tampering with nature.

8. A pilgrimage is symbolic of contemplation and meditation and acceptance, and is a metaphor for the constant growth or movement and love for nature that we should hold in our hearts.

9. This is the truth!
One the basis of your understanding of the above passage answer the questions that follow with the help of given options:

(a) How can a pilgrim keep his body healthy?
(i) By travelling light
(ii) By eating small amount of food
(iii) By keeping free from attachments
(iv) Both (i) and (ii)

(b) How do we satisfy our ego?
(i) By having a special darshan
(ii) By distributing alms
(iii) By treating it like a picnic
(iv) Both (i) and (ii)

Answer the following as briefly as possible:
(c) What change has taken place in our attitude towards pilgrimages?
(d) What happens when pilgrimages are turned into picnics?
(e) Why are we complacent in our spiritual efforts?
(f) How does nature respond when we try to be clever with it?
(g) In olden days with what attitude did people go on a pilgrimage?
(h) What message does the passage convey to the pilgrims?
(i) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following:
(i) made/turned (para 3)
(ii) very satisfied (para 4)


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
But even in a poverty-free world where every man and woman would earn enough to take care of themselves and their family, there would still be situations of temporary poverty due to a sudden catastrophe or misfortune, a bankruptcy or business downturn leading to failure, or some personal disease or disaster.

A poverty-free world might see a whole group of families, locations, or even regions devastated by some shared disasters, such as floods, tire, cyclones, riots, earthquakes or
other disasters. But such temporary problems could be taken care of by the market mechanism through insurance and other self-paying programmes, assisted of course by social-consciousness-driven enterprises.

There would always remain differences in lifestyle between people at the bottom of society and those at the top income levels. Yet that difference would be the difference between the middle-class and luxury class, just as on trains in Europe today you have only first-class and second-class carriages, whereas in the nineteenth century there were third- class and even fourth-class carriages - sometimes with no windows and just hay strewn on the floor.

Can we really create a poverty-free world? A world without third-class or fourth-class citizens, a world without a hungry, illiterate, barefoot under-class?

(1) What is the extract about?

(2) How will the poverty-free world take care of natural disasters?

(3) According to the writer, what would, 'the world without poverty' be like?

(4) What can we do to help the poor in our society?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) Temporary problems could be taken care of by market mechanisms.
(Rewrite the sentence beginning with 'Market mechanism ........ ')

(ii) In the nineteenth century, there were third-class carriages.
(Form a Wh-question to get the underlined part as an answer.)

(iii) There would still be situations of temporary poverty.
(Rewrite it using 'can'.)

( 6) What do the following words in the extract mean -

(i) devastated

(ii) hay


Read the following extract and answer the questions given
below:
Prominent among the urges that inspire and drive a person in life, is the mge to be a somebody. It is quite human, especially in the early stages of life, to want to do something to win laurels and admiration of all around. There's a pitfall though - the very process of becoming a somebody may subtly reduce yon to a nobody.
American poet Emily Dickinson, who lived in obscurity, has an interesting poem on this theme. "I'm nobody!" she declares, with apparent pride.
"Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?"
Why should anybody be happy about being nobody?
The poem explains :
"How dreaiy to he somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
The word 'bog' is significant. When you become a somebody, you invite adulation :
this then begins to bog you down. The moment you think you have arrived, you begin to stagnate, or, worse, your downslide begins. An endless list of writers, artists, sportsmen, politicians ..... fit this pattern of personal history.
To sustain your development in absolute terms, to become a true somebody, it is important to remain a temporal nobody. Even if destiny makes you a temporal somebody,
you should be able to see yourself as merely an agent of a superior power; no more. This requires an exercise of will. You have to constantly watch out and talk to yourself morning and evening.

(1) What is the main idea of the extract? (1)

(2) Why is it important for one to remain a temporal nobody? How? (1)

(3) What does Emily Dickinson declare with pride? Why? (2)

(4) What would you like to be in your life - Somebody or nobody? Why? (2)

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed
(i) This requires an exercise of will.
(Rewrite it using the Simple Future tense.) (1)

(ii) You have to constantly watch out and talk to yourself.
(Rewrite it using another modal auxiliary showing 'compulsion'.) (1)

(iii) You begin to stagnate.
(Rewrite it using the noun form of the word underlined.) (1)

(6) Find out the words from the extract which mean -

(i) danger  (1/2)

(ii) praise   (1/2)


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

Now, as I stood on the shore of that desolate Highland loch
I raised my voice in a surge of self-justification : ''By Heavens!
This is my opportunity. Gastric ulcer or no gastric ulcer, I will
write a novel.'' Before I could change 1ny mind I walked straight to the village and bot1ght myself two dozen penny exercise books.
Upstairs in my cold, clean bedroom was a scrubbed deal table and a very hard chair. Next morning, I found myself in this chair, facing a new exercise book open upon the table, slowly' becoming aware that, short of dog-Lati11 prescriptions, I had never composed a significant phrase in all my life. It was a discot1raging thought as I picked 11p my pen and gazed out of the window. Never mind, I would begin. Three hours later Mrs. Angus, the farmer's wife, called me to dinner. The page was still blank.
As I went dow-n to m:y milk and junket-they call this  "curds'' in Tarbert - I felt a dreadful fool. I felt like the wretched poet in Daudet's Jack whose im1nortal masterpiece never progressed beyond its stillborn opening phrase : ''In a remote valley of Pyrenees ..... ". I recollected, rather gri111ly, the sharp advice with which my old schoolmaster had goaded me to action. ''Get it down!'' he had said. ''If it ~tops in your head it will always be nothing.
Get it down.'' And so, after lunch, I went upstairs and began to get it down.

(1) What is the main idea of the extract? (1)
(2) Why did the narrator buy two dozen penny exercise books? (2)
(3) How was the narrator unprepared for writing his novel? (2)
(4) Write in brief about what you will do in your forthcoming vacation. (2)
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) I stood on the shore of that desolate Highland loch.
(Rewrite it using 'used to'.) (1)
(ii) I went down to my milk and junket.
(Rewrite it in the Past Perfect Tense.) (1)
(iii) I walked straight to the village and bought myself
two dozen penny exercise books. (Make it simple). (1)
(6) Find out the words from the extract which mean:
(i) chance  (1/2)
(ii) lake   (1/2)


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
We commemorate so many special days such as Republic Day, Independence Day, Mother's Day and so on. Well, here is one day that deserves not only a commemoration but our total dedication - Earth Day, 22 April. At Sanctuary, we live our lives like every day is Earth Day, but we all believe that it would be, fantastic to remind our relatives, friends, neighbours, teachers, and elders on this day that protecting Mother Earth can end up making us both happy and safe.
Will you do something this Earth Day? Here's a handy list of things you can do-

(1) Cut Consumption: Consume as little as possible on Earth Day. This 'is a day·when you ca!l Refuse (to buy new things), Repair and Reuse (old stuff), Recycle (what you cannot reuse), Reject (stuff that is toxic or dangerous to the environment) and Renew (your purpose and resolve to protect the planet).

(2) Cut Energy: (a) Ditch the old incandescent bulbs and shift to CFLs or LEDs (Google both to find out more). (b) Walk or use public transport, try not to use private cars to save fuel. Carpool. Cut down on trips. Use Skype· instead of traveling for meetings. (c) Switch off unnecessary gadgets. (don't just use the remote .... walk to the mains!).

(3) Cut Waste: Start a waste segregation system in your building, school or neighbourhood. Compost organic waste, sell what you can to the raddi-wallah and give him a small token of.. appreciation also for he is protecting your world. Collect unused papers from old notebooks and make new ones from them.

(4) Cut out plastic: Speak to at least five shopkeepers in your area and tell them you and your friends will only use their shops if they move away from wasteful plastic packaging, particularly thin plastic bags.

(1) What do you understand from this extract?
(2) What steps can we take to keep our environment clean?
(3) Why should we commemorate Earth Day?
(4) What is your opinion regarding shifting to CFLs or LEDs?
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) Earth Day deserves a commemoration and our total dedication.
(Use 'not only - but also'.)
(ii) Start a Waste Segregation System in your building.
(Rewrite it beginning with 'Let'.)
(iii) You can sell waste to the raddi-wallah and give him a
small token of appreciation.
(Replace the modal auxiliary by another showing 'obligation'.)
(6) What do the following words in the extract mean?
(i) resolve
(ii) toxic


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

Researchers recently announced the earth could actually withstand up to 200,000 times the current population. They arrived at this figure by calculating the amount of heat a human body emits, and only at 1·3 million billion would the earth be too hot to be habitable. And though it would feel like being ina can of sardines if that figure were ever reached, the earth is capable of comfortably sustaining a population several times the current 6·5 billion.
In fact, fertility is actually on the decline worldwide. Though the population has grown, the rate of growth has fallen sharply. Twenty years ago, the UN projected that the population would reach 11·I6 billion in 2050, today they say it will reach only 9·3 billion. Moreover, the human population will stabilize at about 11·5 billion. While this figure is almost twice the current one, it is hardly claustrophobic.
True, the demands on resources are heavy even now, but this is more due to the manner in which these resources are being used. In fact, figures show that a bigger population does not amount to greater consumption. Over 20% of the world's people in the highest-income countries account for 86% of total private consumption expenditure - the poorest 20% a tiny 1·3%. With just 5% of the world's population, the US consumes about 40% of the world's resources. Would you say the US is overpopulated?
  Concerns on the scarcity of food are equally baseless. In fact, global food production has actually kept up with population growth. If people starve in many countries it is not because food is becoming scarce; it is because those people cannot afford it.

Questions:
(1) What conclusions did the researchers arrive at?

(2) How does the writer explain that fertility is on the decline?

(3) What does the extract predict about the fear of scarcity of food?

(4) How will the population become a gift in the global market scene?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
(i) The earth could withstand up to 200,000 times the current population.
(Rewrite the sentence using the modal auxiliary showing 'certainty'.)
(ii) The earth would be too hot to be habitable.
(Remove 'too' and rewrite the sentence.)
(iii) These resources are being used.
(Rewrite the sentence beginning with, 'We ........... .')

(6) Write the antonyms of:
(i) habitable
(ii) stabilize


Read the following extract and answer the questions given
below: 

        Today, at 29, \.1.ichael has discovered the power of another good idea that has helped him rise in just a few years from teen to tycoon.He has become the fourth largest manufacturerof personal computers in America and the youngest man ever to head Fortune 500 Corporation.
             Growing up in Houston, Texas. Michael and his two brothers were imbued by their parents. Alexander and Lorraine - he anorthodontist, she a stockbroker- with the desire to learn and the drive to work hard. Even so, stories about the middle boy began to be told early.
                 Like the time a saleswoman came asking to speak to "Mr. Michael Dell" about his getting a high school equivalency diploma. Moments later. eight-year-old Michael was explaining that he thought it might be a good idea to get high school out of the way. 
               A few years later Michael had another good idea, to trade stamps by advertising in stamp magazines. With the $2000 he made, he bought his first personal computer. Then he took it apart to figure out how it worked.
             In high school Michael had a job selling newspaper subscriptions. Newlyweds, he figured, were the best prospects, so he hired friends to copy rhe names and addresses of recent recipients of marriage licences. These he entered into his computer, then sent a personalized letter offering each couple a free two-week subscription.
              This time Dell made $ 18,000 and bought an expensive BMW car. The car salesman was flabbergasted when the 17-ycar-oJd paid cash. 

(I) What details does the writer give about Dell's family in the
extract?   (1)
(2) How did Dell succeed in earning S2QOQ? (2)
(3) Why was the car salesman flabbergasted?  (2)
(41 What do you think you can learn from Dell's story? (2)
{5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instmcted:
{i) "He has discovered the power of another good idea."
(Rewrite it beginning with 'The power of another good 
idea ...... ... .'.) (1)
.(if) "If you think you have a good idea, try it. "
(Use 'Unless' .) (1)
(iii) '"This time Dell made $18,000 and bought an expensive
BMW car."     (1)
(Make it a simple sentence.)
CM Find out the words from the extract which mean :
(i) filled with a quality.    (1/2)
(ii) understand.        (1/2)


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

We often hear this statement that “many of our young people spend more time before their T.V. sets, than they do in their classrooms or with their textbooks. “A bit exaggerated though it may sound, it is nearly true and our teenagers are being considerably influenced by the electronic media, particularly the T.V. The television has become the single most powerful influence in the lives of many of our youngsters today. Too often this happens to us much before we realise it ourselves.

I am in no way trying to deny the many advantages of T.V. or minimise its manifold contributions to our world. On the other hand, I consider T.V. as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our times, bringing people closer than ever before.

Television’s use of the modern satellite technology brings today even the remotest regions of the world to us in seconds, making the world a small (global) village. As we know, television also provides us with a fuller and more impressive coverage of current events than any other media.

The T.V. does serve. In addition, as medium of education as well as entertainment. Besides, helping us to learn subjects taught in schools, college in greater depth, it enables us (National Geographic, Discovery channel etc.) to see and appreciate from close quarters (without having to go there, which is very expensive or even impossible for most of us) the wonders of God’s creation in any part of the world.

Questions: 
1. What does the passage tell us about?     (1) 
2.Write at least two advantages of T.V. from the passage.     (2)
3. What other purpose does the T.V. serve in addition to education and entertainment?     (2) 
4. Do you agree with the statement that many of our young people spend more time with their T.V. set? Justify your answer.     (2)
5. Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:
  1. Our young people spend more time before their T.V. set than in their classrooms.     (1) 
    (Rewrite it  using positive degree)
  2. The T.V. does serve as medium of education as well as an entertainment.     (1) 
    (Rewrite it using ‘not only ..... but also’)
  3. I consider T.V. as one of the greatest scientific achievements of our times.     (1) 
    (Rewrite it using the noun form of the underlined word.)  
6. Find out the synonyms of the following words from the extract.     (1) 
B. Summary: 
Write a summary of the above extract with the help of the following points and suggest a suitable title:     (4) 
Clues: T.V. - Misunderstanding - influence on youngsters - advantages - other benefits. 

Read the following extract carefully.        (4) 

I was walking around the camp, around the barracks, near the barbed wire fence where the guards could not easily see. I was alone.
On the other side of the fence. I spotted someone: a little girl with light, almost luminous curls. She was half hidden behind a birch tree. I glanced around to make sure no one saw me. I called to her softly in German, “Do you have something to eat? She didn’t understand.
I inches closer to the fence and repeated the question in Polish. She stepped forward. I was thin and gaunt, with rags wrapped around my feet, but the girl looked unafraid. In her eyes I saw life. She pulled an apple from her woolen jacket and threw it over the fence. I grabbed the fruit and, as I started to run away, I heard her say faintly, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I returned to the same spot by the fence at the same time every day. She was always there with something for me to eat - a hunk of bread or better yet, an apple.
We didn’t dare speak of linger. To be caught would mean death for us, both. I didn’t know anything about her. Just a kind farm girl, except that she understood Polish.
What was her name? Why was she risking her life for me? 
Question 
Imagine that you are the author’s brother Sam and rewrite it.
You may begin with: “Hello, I am Sam. My brother was walking around the camp .......”

Read the following passage and do the activities.

The Delhi Metro is a metro system serving Delhi and its satellite cities of Bahadurgarh, Ballabhgarh, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Noida in the National Capital Region of India. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited
(DMRC), a State-owned company with equal equity participation from the Government of India and the Government of Delhi, built and operates the Delhi
Metro. It is the second oldest metro in India after the Kolkata Metro.
The Delhi Metro is the largest and busiest metro in India, and the world’s 9th longest metro system in length and 16th largest in ridership. A member of CoMET, the network consists of eight colour-coded regular lines, with a total
length of 317 kilometres, serving 231 stations including 6 on Airport Express line and interchange stations. The system has a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using both broad-gauge and standard-gauge. DMRC operates over 2,700 trips daily. In the financial year 2016–17, the Delhi Metro had an average daily ridership of 2.76 million passengers and served 100 crore (1.0 billion) riders.
         The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was certified by the United Nations in 2011 as the first metro rail and rail-based system in the world to get “carbon credits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions” and helping in reducing pollution levels in the city by 630,000 tonnes every year. Planning for the metro started in 1984 when the Delhi Development Authority and the Urban Arts Commission came up with a proposal for developing a multi-modal transport system for the city. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was incorporated in May 1995, construction started in 1998, and the first section, on the Red Line, opened in 2002. The development of the network was divided into phases, Phase I containing 3 lines was completed by 2006, and Phase II in 2011. Phase III is scheduled to be mostly complete by 2018.

(A1) Name the following.
(a) The Government authority which built and operates the Delhi Metro -
(b) The first and the oldest Metro in India -
(c) The satellite cities nearby Delhi -
(d) The largest and busiest metro in India -

(A2) The salient features of Delhi Metro are -

(A3) Find out antonyms from the passage for the following.
(i) shortest ´ (ii) increasing ´
(iii) irregular ´ (iv) ended ´

(A4) The Delhi Metro is the largest and busiest metro in India.
(Complete the following sentences with the help of the given sentence.)
(i) No other metro................................
(ii) The Delhi Metro is larger.......................

(A5) “Transportation is the backbone of Indian economy’’ - Elaborate

(B) Read the passage given in Q. 4 (A) and write the summary of it. Suggest a suitable title to your summary.


     We were an argrarian people. And my main hobby in my early teens was to wander through paddy field to see the different kinds of birds and how they nest. On the outskirts of the paddy fields, there had been many coconut trees and black palm trees. Beautifully crafted nests of the weaver-birds thookkanaam kuruvikal-would be seen dangling from the ends of palm leaves. Hundreds of these little birds would land on the paddy to squeeze the milk from the tender rice. They would come to the fields when the young stalks come out of the rise-plants. At this stage of the paddy, my father would send me to our field with a tin drum to scare these birds away. But often I have enjoyed the sight of these little birds balancing on the tender stalks and squeezing the milk out of the green rice. When the paddy is ripe enough to harvest, flocks of parrots would land there and cut the ripe stalks with their sharp beaks and fly away with the stalks dangling in their beaks. I have always liked to see this sight also.
       The nest of parrots were neatly crafted holes in the trunks of palm trees. I continued to wonder how they made chose holes on the hard trunks until I saw the patient work of the woodpeckers. They were the carpenters and their long, sharp and strong beaks, chisels. They make the holes (in search of worms inside the weak spots of the trunks) and the parrots occupy them. If I heard the sound tak, tak, tak. I knew it was a woodpeckers chiselling a had trunk. I would go after him. It seems that the woodpecker is the only bird which can walk perpendicularly on the tree trunks! How beautiful the sight was! Its strong legs, red crest, the dark red stripe on the face and black beak and the tak, tak, tak sound used to captivate me

A1. Complete the following table :Choose two sentence that appropriately mention the theme of the passage :

(i) The extract deals with the techniques to scare the birds away.
(ii) The extract depicts how parrots make holes on the tree trunks.
(iii) The extract depicts the writer’s love towards the birds.
(iv) The extract deals with the activities of different birds.

A2. Complete the flow-chart : 

A3. Complete the following table :

A4. Vocabulary -

Match the pairs of the words in column ‘A’ with their meaning in column ‘B’ :

Column ‘A’ Column ‘B’
(i) dangling (a) connected with farming
(ii) squeezing (b) attract the attention
(iii) agrarian (c) hanging freely
(iv) captivate (d) pressing firmly

A5. Personal response - 

Suggest two measures to increase the number of birds.

A6. Grammer -

Rewrite the following sentences in the way instructed
(i) The paddy is ripe enough to harvest
(Remove ‘enough’ and rewrite the sentence.)
(ii) How beautiful the sight was!
(Rewritte as an assertive sentence)


(B) Read the extract and do the activities that follows :

“May I come in?” asked the pink lady.
“Please come in,” said my mother. “Do sit down. Do you require a room?”
“Not today, thank you. I’m staying with Padre Dutt. He insisted on putting me up. But I may want a room
for a day or two – just for old times’ sake.”
“You’ve stayed here before.”
“A long time ago. I’m Mrs. Green, you know. The missing Mrs. Green. The one for whom you put up that handsome tombstone in the cementery. I was very touched by it. And I’m glad you didn’t add ‘Beloved wife of Henry Green’, because I didn’t love him any more than he loved me.”
“Then – then – you aren’t the skeleton?” Stammered my mother.
“Do I look like a skaleton?”
“No!”, we said together.
“But we heard you disappeared,” I said, “and when we found that skeleton —”
“You put two and two together.”
“Well, it was Miss Kellner who convinced us,” said my mother. “And you did disappear mysteriously. You
were missing for years. And everyone knew Mr. Green was a philander.”
“Couldn’t wait to get away from him,” said the pink lady. “Couldn’t stand him any more. He was a ladykiller
but not a real killer.”
“But your father came looking for you. Didn’t you get in touch with him?”
“ My father and I were never very close. Mother died when I was very young, and the only relative I had
was a cousin in West Africa. So that’s where I went – Sierra Leone!”

B1. Complete - 
Complete the following sentenses :
(i) Mrs. Green couldn’t stand Mr. Green, because ________.
(ii) The relationship between Mrs. Green and her father ________.
(iii) Mrs. Green cousin lived in ________.
(iv) Miss. Kellner convinced the narrator’s mother that the skeleton was of Mrs. Green, because ______.

B2. Convert dialogue into a story :
Convert the above dialogue into a story form in about 50 words.


Read the extract and do the activities that follow:
“And that skeleton,” I asked. “ What about the skeleton in the cupboard? Did you know about it?”
“Yes, I knew about it. But I have no idea whose skeleton it was. You see, back in the twenties, when Green took over this hotel, he had one of his sudden enthusiasms and was convinced this town needed a medical school or college, and he set about preparing the ground for one. He was ready to finance the project, or part of it. And of course medical students need a skeleton. So he acquired one from the Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi. It was a medical school skeleton you found. And if you’d looked closely you'd have noticed that it was varnished.”
“Why was it varnished?” I asked.
“To help preseve it, of course. It was also articulated”
“Articulated?”
“That means the joints were connected up, so that the whole thing wouldn't fall apart. Want to be a doctor, young man?”
“No,” I said. “A detective.”
“Well, you didn't solve this case”.
“I wasn't here. And now we'll never be able to identify the skeleton.”
“Some poor woman of the streets, no doubt. Unclaimed, unwanted. But in the end you gave her a decent burial-even if she wan't a Cristian. Padre Duett is a bit embarrassed, but I've told him I don’t mind my name on the tombstone. I’ll be returning to Africa shortly, and when I die I shall have another tombstone there. Not everyone is lucky enough to have two tombstones! “

B1. True/False - (2)
State whether the following statements are true or false:
(i) The narrator wanted to be a doctor.
(ii) Mrs. Green counted herself lucky to have two tombstones.
(iii) The skeleton was varnished to preserve it for a longer time.
(iv) Mrs. Green was embarrased to see her name on the tombstone.

B2. Provide a different ending: (2)
Provide a different ending to the above given extract in about 50 words.


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

        But being named an 'AdarshGaon' is far from easy. Villages had to give a proposal after which a committee headed by Mr. Pawar inspected the villages. "The Villages had to show dedication in the struggle to fight mediocrity. They had to follow all the conditions of becoming an 'AdarshGaon'. We chose villages with a revolutionary spark, "Mr. Pawar says.

        Villages need to follow strict rules. The process begins with effective water management through the watershed technique and water auditing. taking responsibility for the village's natural resources-planting trees and stopping grazing. contributing labour for the village work, and then expanding to bring about behavioral changes in the people for harboring social change. Hiware Bazaar is free of any kind of addiction and there are no liquor or tobacco shops in the village. Vasectomy has been made compulsory, as is the pre-marital HIV test. 

        The 'AdarshGaon' model prides itself on being based on the joint decisions made by the Gram Sabha, where all the villagers are present. Even while selecting the new villages under the scheme, Mr. Pawar made sure that the decision to become an ideal village was taken by the entire village together.

        The greatest victory for Hiware Bazaar so far has been the reverse migration that the village has witnessed since 1989. As many as 93 families have come back to the village," from the slums in Mumbai and Pune," Mr. Pawar says.

Questions:

(1) What features of 'Adarsh Gaon' are given in this extract? 

(2) What is the procedure for selecting 'Adarsh Gaon'?

(3) What is the greatest victory for Hiware Bazaar?        

(4) Do you think all villages in Maharashtra should follow the ideals of Hiware Bazaar? why?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :

 i.  Mr. Pawar inspected the villages. 

    (Rewrite it using the noun form of the word underlined.)     

ii. Vasectomy has been made compulsory by the villagers.

   (Rewrite it beginning with-"The villagers........".)

iii. There are no liquor or tobacco shops in the village.

   (Rewrite it using 'neither......nor'.)

(6) Find out the words from the extract which mean: 

(i) causing a great change 

(ii) the quality of being average


Read the following extract and answer the questions given
below:
Another relative has no plans of joining this league though.
She is rather μnabashed about waking up past noon on a daily basis. To be fair, her husband is a media personality who typically arrives home from work past midnight. That does indeed give them sufficient justification to stay longer in slumber-land each morning. This practice does lead to certain oddities though. He goes for his 'morning' walk at 1 pm, heatwaves and appalled onlookers notwithstanding. They once returned from a night out only to meet the neighbour's son who was off on an early morning jog!
Early risers clearly have the edge in life. By the time most
of us wake up, they've been through their morning rituals, enjoyed their walk, had their tea and read the daily news. They're also likely to have made long-distance calls before dawn to those similarly inclined. Thus, by the time the sun warms up they're likely to have discussed all varieties of 'men, matters, and affairs' with a dozen people.
The upshot of these varying tendencies is that such extreme
contrasts often exist in the same household. Weeks pass before
the younger lot (typically late risers) and the older lot (normally early birds) come face to face. It's almost as if they live in different time zones and different countries.

Questions:
(1) What information does the extract give about the typical
routine of a media person?
(2) According to the writer, who are the early risers and the late risers?
(3) Why does the writer say that early risers clearly have the edge in life?
(4) Do you rise early or late? Why?
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:

  1. They live in different time zones and different countries.
    (Rewrite the sentence using 'not only- but also'.)
  2. That gives them sufficient justification.
    (Rewrite the sentence using the Present Perfect tense.)
  3. She is rather unabashed about waking up past noon on a daily basis.
    (Rewrite the sentence using 'infinitive' form of
    the underlined word.)

(6) Find out from the extract the words which mean:
(i) frightened
(ii) sleep


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below :

Reuben arrived at the factory. The sack buyer was about to lock up.
"Mister! Please don't close up yet." The man turned and saw Reuben, dirty and sweat-stained.
"Come back tomorrow, boy."
"Please, Mister. I have to sell the sacks now-please." The man heard a tremor in Reuben's voice and could tell he was close to tears.
"Why do you need this money so badly?"
"It's a secret."
The man took the sacks, reached into his pocket and put four nickels into Reuben's hand. Reuben murmured a quiet thank-you and ran home.
Then, clutching the tin can, he headed for the store.
"I have the money" he solemnly told the owner, pouring his coins onto the counter.
The man went to the window and retrieved Reuben's treasure. He wiped the dust off and gently wrapped it in brown paper. Then he placed the parcel in Reuben's hands.
Racing home, Reuben burst through the front door. His mother was scrubbing the kitchen range. "Here Mum!Here!" Reuben exclaimed as he ran to her side. He placed a small box in her work-roughened hand.
She unwrapped it carefully, to save the paper. A blue-velvet jewel box appeared. Dora lifted the did, tears beginning to blur her vision.
In gold tettering on a small, almond-shaped brooch was the word 'Mother'
It was Mother's Day, 1946
Dora had never received such a gift; she had no finery except her wedding ring. Speechless, she smiled radiantly and gathered her son into her arms.

(1) Why did Reuben insist on the sack buyer to buy his sacks that day only?
(2) How did the mother react when Reuben gave her the gift?
(3) In what way was Reuben's gift special to his mother?
(4) What do you plan to do on Mother's Day?
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) I have to sell the sacks.
(Rewrite it replacing the underlined part with the modal auxiliary showing 'compulsion'.)
(ii) She smiled radiantly and gathered her son into her arms. (Use 'As soon as'.)
(iii) She unwrapped it carefully.
(Rewrite the sentences using the noun form of the underlined word.)
(6) Find out the words/phrases from the extract which mean:
(i) showing joy (ii) got back


Read the following extract and complete the table given below:

Children are perpetually asking questions. As adults, we are awkward with questions. We link the act of asking questions to ignorance. It indicates that we do not know; hence, we may look stupid while asking questions. 

Children have no shame, whereas adults suffer from layers and layers of shame. Because children have no shame, they are more capable of failing at something and moving on from it. Our sense of shame makes us inhibited. So we do not try new things at work.

Children quickly make friends with strangers. Put two small kids alongside a few toys and they will start playing before they care to know about each other’s antecedents. As adults, we seek the false comfort of known relationships before we agree to play with each other.

Children freely express their emotions; adults learn to suppress their emotional side. We come to the workplace and are frequently counselled, “Do not get emotional.”

Children play. They find play in everything. Adults shun play and consider it the opposite of “serious work”. To a child, every act is an act of play.

Traits Delinking Childhood and Adulthood:

  Traits Children Adults
1

Asking Questions

Perpetually ask questions freely

(1) Feet awkward with questions

(2) ___________

2

Feeling Shame

(1) Feel no shame

(2) ____________

(1) Suffer from shame

(2) Inhibited to try new things at work

3

Making friends

(1) Quick in making friendship without knowing each other

(1) ____________

4

Expressing emotions

(1) ____________

(1) Suppress emotions.


Read the first activity, read the extract and then do all the activities:

A1. Correct the following statements with the help of the facts from the extract :

(1) Everybody in every part of the globe would have access to administration and social care services because he or she would not be able to afford them.

(2) We would avoid boom and bust cycles and be able to surmount natural disaster with great ease.

To me, a world without poverty means that every person would have the ability to take care of his or her own basic life needs. In such a world, nobody would die of hunger or suffer from malnutrition. This is a goal world leaders have been calling for decades, but have never set out any way of achieving it.

Today 40,000 children die each day around the world from hunger-related diseases. In a poverty-free world, no children would die of such causes.

Everybody in every part of the globe would have access to education and health-care services because he or she would be able to afford them. Unlike today, the state would not be required to provide free or subsidized health-care or schooling.

All state organizations created to provide free or subsidized services for the poor would no longer be required and welfare agencies, or the national welfare department. No free schools, no free hospital care, no begging in the streets.

State-run safety-net programmers would have no rationale for existence because no one would live on charity anymore. State-run social security programmers, income-support programmes would be unnecessary.

Social structures in a poverty-free world would, of course, be quite different from those that exist in a poverty-ridden world. But nobody would be at the mercy of anyone else, and that is what would make all the difference between a world without poverty and one riddled with it.

Finally, a poverty-free world would be economically much Stronger and far more stable than the world today.

one-fifth of the world's inhabitants who today live a life of extreme poverty would become income earners and income spenders. They would generate extra demand in the market to make the world economy grow. They would bring their creativity and innovations into the market-place to increase the world's productive capacity.

Since nobody would ever become poor, except on a temporary and limited basis, the economy would probably not go through extreme swings. We would avoid boom-and-bust cycles and be able to surmount man-made disasters with greater ease.

A2.

Complete the following statement :

The situation in the world without poverty would be different, because -

(1) the state need not ___________
(2) nobody __________

A3. Find out :

Find and write in the blank boxes :

One-fifth of the world's inhabitants today live a life of extreme poverty. How would they economically Stand in a poverty-free world?

They would be income earners and income spenders    

A4. Vocabulary :

Find out the words from the extract that mean the following : 

(1) calamity (2) overcome
(3) bringing new ideas (4) financially

A5. Personal Response :

Suggest at least four solutions to overcome the problems of increasing poverty.

A6. Grammar :

Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :

(1) Nobody would die of hunger or suffer from malnutrition.
(Remove the negative and rewrite.)

(2) Everybody in every part of the globe would have accessed education and health-care services.
(Rewrite the above sentences beginning with 'Education'.)


Read the following extract and answer the questions given
below:

So what is a city? It's a dense amalgamation of buildings and people. A city must provide equity and also be sustainable. As an architect who has been closely connected with Delhi and its planning, my wish list is more about the direction we need to take
so that future generations don't end up living in chaotic dysfunctional cities.

The first requirement for a city is a pragmatic plan. Many of our cities such as Delhi and Bhubaneshwar and even Port Blair in the Andamans have reasonably good master plans. Many also have City Development Plans which have been made an essential
requirement to draw funds from the government's Urban Renewal Programme (JNNURM). But they should be updated frequently based on the changing needs of its people.

And let's not forget its citizens-they need to be more proactively involved when evolving master plans. But often, there's a lack of planning and inadequate implementation systems. This applies to all essential components of city-streets, public transport system, traffic management, affordable housing, cars and parking, drainage, water supply, sewerage, and garbage. Any deficiency in these will lead to poor quality cities which won't be able to handle the pressure of increased population and changing needs.
The second requirement of a good city is good social infrastructure such as parks and places for leisure such as river and sea fronts. It needs to preserve and protect its heritage.

(1) What does a city require to emerge as a good city?

(2) What is the second requirement of a good city?

(3) What are the basic requirements to draw funds from the government's-Urban Renewal programme (JNNURM)?

(4) What suggestions will you give to make your city ideal?

(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed:

(i) It's a dense amalgamation of buildings and people.
(Rewrite it using 'as well as'.)
(ii) A city must provide equity and also be sustainable.
(Rewrite it using another modal auxiliary showing "advice".)
(iii) The first requirement for a city is a pragmatic plan.
(Frame a 'Wh' ·question to get the underlined part as an answer.)

(6) Match the words in column 'A' with their meaning in 'B':

Column A Column B
1 pragmatic 1 blend
2 amalgamation 2 fantastic
  3 realistic
  4 ancient

Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. Some species like Russell's viper inject poison. Some others opt for an alternative non-chemical method – rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground, while pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can't be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories.

2. Even species listed as non-poisonous aren't completely free of poison. The common Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly poisonous to birds. So the species doesn't take any chance – it crushes its prey) and injects poison as an extra step.

3. Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop? After all, they eat only one or two at a time.

4. While hunting animals try their worst to kill most efficiently, their prey uses any trick to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison.) For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison.

5. Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more deadly poison. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves.

6. Some snake killers have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are highly resistant to cobra poison, and with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly. It would be the death of cobras as a species if they didn't evolve a more deadly poison to stop mongooses.

7.  Poison has another important role. It's an extreme meat softener, specific enzymes break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun's warm rays to aid digestion.

8. But I wonder if we cannot use venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local hospitality often involves leather tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaws ache. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like a python stuffing a deer down its throat and hope I don't choke. If only I had poison.

2.1 Read the questions given below and answer any four in 30-40 words each.
(a) Russell viper and rat snake have different methods to attack prey. How?
(b) How does Sand Boa kill its prey?
(c) There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey? Why?
(d) What makes mongoose a snake predator?
(e) What difficulty does the writer face when he is entertained in the remote parts of India?

2.2 On the basis of your reading of the above passage fill in any two of the following blanks.
i. Overpowering __________ is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs.
a. a killer
b. humans
c. a python
d. prey
 
ii. Poison  ____________ meat.
a. enhances taste of
b. hardens
c. softens
d. breaks down

iii. Californian squirrels are  ______________  rattlesnake poison.
a. afraid of
b. helpless against
c. resistant to
d. indifferent to

2.3 Find words from the passage which mean the same as (any two)
a. Another (para 1)
a. Liquid substances released from glands (para 2)
c. Particular (para 7)

Read the passage given below:
During our growing up years we as children were taught both at home and school-to worship the photos and idols of the gods of our respective religions. When we grow a little older, we were to read holy books like The Bhagwad Gita, Bible, and Quran; we were told that there are a lot of life lessons to be learned from these holy books. We were then introduced to stories from our mythologies which taught us about ethics and morality-what is good and what is bad I also learned to be respectful towards my parents who made my life comfortable with their hard work and love and care, and my teachers who guided me to become a good student and a responsible citizen.
Much later in life, I realised that though we learn much from our respective holy books, there is a lot to learn from our surroundings. This realization dawned upon me when I learned to enquire and explore. Everything around us- the sun, the moon, the stars, rain, rivers, stones, rocks, birds, plants, and animals-teach us many valuable life lessons.
No wonder that besides the scriptures in many cultures nature is also worshipped. The message that we get is to save our environment and maintain ecological balance. People are taught to live in harmony with nature and recognize that there is God in all aspects of nature.
Nature is a great teacher. A river never stops flowing. If it finds an obstacle in its way in the form of heavy rock, the river water fights to remove it from its path or finds an alternative path to move ahead. This teaches us to be progressive in life, and keep the fighting spirit alive.
Snakes are worshipped as they eat insects in the field that can hurt our crops, thus protecting the grains for us. In fact, whatever we worship is our helper and makes our lives easy for us. There are many such examples in nature, but we are not ready to learn a lesson, Overcome with greed, we are destroying nature. As a result, we face natural disasters like drought, floods, and landslides. We don't know that nature is angry with us.
However, it is never too late to learn. If we learn to respect nature the quality of our life will improve.

2.1 Answer briefly the following questions:
(a) What are we taught in our childhood and growing up years?
(b) Why should we respect our parents and teachers?
(c) What message do we get when we worship nature?
(d) How does a river face an obstacle that comes in its way?

2.2 Choose meanings of the words given below with the help of options that follow:
(e) guided
(i) answered
(ii) advised
(iii) fought
(iv) polished

(f) explore
(i) search
(ii) frequent
(iii) describe
(iv) request

(g) valuable
(i) proper
(ii) desirable
(iii) available
(iv) useful

(h) harmony
(i) beauty
(ii) friendship
(iii) discomfort
(iv) honesty

A. Read the following passage and do the given activities:-

A1. Answer in one word or two:- (02)

  1. The Queen of the spices.
  2. The areas of cultivation of the first type of cardamom.
  3. Anyone area of cultivation of the second type of cardamom
  4. The small variety of cardamom is known for-

Cardamom, the Queen of all spices, has a history as old as the human race. It is the dried fruit of a herbaceous perennial plant. Warm humid climate, loamy soil rich in organic matter, distributed rainfall and special cultivation and processing methods all combine to make Indian cardamom truly unique in aroma, flavour, size and it has a parrot green colour.

Two types of cardamom are produced in India. The first type is the large one, which has not much significance as it is not traded in the international market. It is cultivated in the North-eastern area of the country. The second type is produced in the Southern states and these are traded in the international market. These are mainly cultivated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. As per the international market rules, only 7 mm quality was previously traded in exchanges. But later, it relaxed its norms, and now 6 mm quality is also traded in the exchanges. Special to Indian taste buds, cardamom is not only unique to our land but also to our senses. The addition of this fragrant spice can add layers of taste to your tea, food, and overall dining experience.

The small variety is known for its exotic quality throughout the world. Traditional auction markets also exist for trading in small cardamom in the country.

A2. Provide information: Indian cardamom is said to be unique in aroma, flavor, size, and colour due to -- (02)

  1. ______
  2. ______
  3. ______
  4. ______

A3. Write the synonyms for the following from the passage :- (02)

  1. unusual
  2. pleasant smell
  3. importance
  4. holding moisture

A4. Do as directed:- (02)

  1. The first type is the large one, which has not much significance.
    (Identify the subordinate clause)
  2. Cardamom is not only unique to our land but also to our senses.
    (Rewrite the sentence using ‘as well as’)

A5. Indian food is incomplete without spices. State your view. (02)

B. Write a short summary of the passage given in above and suggest a suitable title. (05)


Read the given case-based passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

 

Case study of museums

1.

We don’t go to museums. We prefer malls, cinema halls, and restaurants. Visiting a museum is best left to schools which makes it mandatory. After all, it is an academic exercise. And what entertainment can these places possibly offer? India doesn’t boast the greatest of museums, but one can’t doubt the collection of artefacts in these repositories of heritage, even for a second. Our eventful history has handed down us numerous masterpieces, but unfortunately, we don’t find them compelling enough. A cultural historian and museologist Jyotindra Jain says that the habit of going to museums has just not been inculcated in us. One of the best museums in the country, the National Museum in Delhi charges a mere Rs. 20. According to Joyoti Roy, outreach consultant, National Museum, it receives between 6,00,000 to 7,00,000 visitors each year and anything between 2,500 and 3,000 per day. The mix includes Indians, foreigners, and school students. For an Indian museum, it is an astounding figure, but still nowhere close to the footfalls museums, we consider the finest, get.

2. It has not been many days since the National Gallery of Modern Art, Bangalore, hosted A. Ramachandran’s expansive retrospective covering five decades of his artistic journey. As we sat outside the first-floor gallery after Ramachandran walked me through his sketches, sculptures, and paintings, the senior artist, a bit disappointed said, “Had an exhibition of this scale taken place abroad, people would have come in thousands.” There were about three-five visitors inside the gallery at that time. Jain, who has also helmed institutions like the Crafts Museum and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts in Delhi, puts the onus on museums. “We developed the museums but didn’t evolve the infrastructure around it. And it is the museum’s responsibility to do it. When you know, people are not going to come to you, you must go to them. Crafts Museum shares its wall with India Trade Promotion Organisation. It receives lakhs of people during the trade fair. I fought tooth and nail to get that door opened during my tenure (1984-89) so that the visitors spill over to the Crafts Museum as well. Museums need to rethink their strategies and outreach should be a major point of concern for them.”
3. In 2010, UNESCO brought out a report on the terrible conditions at India’s top eight museums, citing substandard maintenance, lighting, and signage, among other issues. The Ministry of Culture put together a 14 - point museum reforms agenda and things have moved forward since then. Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, the oldest museum in Mumbai has received 3,00,000 visitors over the past year. On average, the museum witnesses 500 visitors every day, with an average of 2,000 visitors over weekends. Not big numbers again, but impressive enough in the Indian context. And this is when the museum re-emerged after a revamp in 2008 with an extensive exhibition programme. Collaborations, screenings of movies of different genres, and workshops for adults and children contributed to the increase in the number of footfalls. The public-private partnership model of the museum is unique and can be replicated in other cases as well.
4. Robust publicity of exhibitions and creating links between different art spaces can also fetch the audience. Different art institutions located in proximity can host a series of events to be held in each one of them simultaneously. Museums also need to transform their cafes, upgrade their museum shops, and most importantly, invest in their human resource. So, what do we do until then? Let’s go and explore these storehouses of history, culture, and knowledge because unless and until we claim them, they will remain indifferent to our needs.

After studying the case study of museums, answer the following questions.

  1. What according to the author is the reason for fewer footfalls in the museums in India?
  2. What measures are suggested in the passage to multiply the visitors to the museums?
  3. What was the proposition given by A. Ramachandran during his tenure at Crafts Museum?
  4. Between the National Museum of Delhi and Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, which museum has more footfall on daily basis? Justify using statistics provided in the study.

Read the passage given below.

5

Technology is making advancements at a rapid rate but at the cost of a valued tradition - the crafts industry. The traditional crafts industry is losing a lot of its trained and skilled craftsmen. With that, the art of embellishing brass and copper utensils with fine engravings is also disappearing. The government has identified around 35 crafts as a languishing craft.

10

The speciality of handcrafted items is their design, an association with long traditions belonging to a specific region. The word ‘handcrafted’ does not imply the involvement of dexterous human fingers or an agile mind with a moving spirit anymore. Lessening drudgery, increasing production and promoting efficiency have taken precedence. The labour-saving devices are taking the place of handcrafted tools and this has jeopardized the skills of these artisans.

15

Mechanisation has made its way into everything - cutting, polishing, edging, designing etc. Ideally, the use of machinery should be negligible and the handicrafts should be made purely by hand with a distinguishable artistic appeal. However, with the exception of small-scale industries, the export units are mostly operated by machines. The heavily computerised designs contribute to faster production at lower costs.

20

Although mechanization of crafts poses a challenge to safeguarding traditional crafts, the artisans are lured with incentives in order to impart handicrafts training. Some makers do see machines as a time-saving blessing since they are now able to accomplish difficult and demanding tasks with relative ease. These machines might give a better 25finesse to these products but they don’t stand out as handcrafted. The quantity has overtaken quality in this industry.

30

A need to highlight the importance of the handmade aspect is required by both the government and private sectors, in order to amplify awareness and also support the culture of making handicrafts. A few artisans are still trying their best to rejuvenate and revive their culture and heritage but it’s an uphill task competing with the machine-made goods. A multitude of artisans have changed their professions and are encouraging their progeny to follow suit. There are others who have stayed their ground but are clearly inclined towards buying machines.

35

Nearly two decades ago, there were around 65 lakh artisans in the country. Three years ago, when the government started the process of granting a unique number to the artisans based on the Aadhaar card, 25 lakhs were identified. Loss of traditional crafts is clearly a worrying issue, but it stands to reason that forcing any artisan to follow old ways when concerns of livelihood overrule other considerations, is unfair.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

  1. What does the writer mean by calling handicrafts a ‘valued tradition’?
  2. Rewrite the following sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with a word that means the same from lines 5-15.
    If it continues, the workcation (work + vacation) trend will be a powerful boost to domestic tourism operators failing to make progress in the economic slump caused due to the pandemic.
  3. State any two reasons why artisans are choosing to work via machines rather than handcrafted tools.
  4. Why do the artisans need to be ‘lured with incentives’ to impart handicrafts training?
  5. List one likely impact of the support of government and private sectors towards the culture of making handicrafts.
  6. How does the writer justify an artist’s act of abandoning her/his traditional craft for a more lucrative option?

Read the passage given below.

 

 

 

 

5

I saw ‘Jaws’, the popular shark movie, the summer it came out, in 1975 and became paranoid about sharks. Though I kept swimming after Jaws, it was always with the vague fear that a shark’s teeth could tug on my leg at any moment. Never mind that there’d been only two shark bites since 1900 on the Connecticut coast, where I lived.
10 So, when I got this assignment for the National Geographic magazine, I decided to accept and do what I’d never wanted to do: swim with the sharks. I had to go to a place in the Bahamas known as Tiger Beach and dive with tiger sharks, the species responsible for more recorded attacks on humans than any shark except the great white. It was to be my first dive after getting certified-which meant it would be my first dive anywhere other than a swimming pool or a quarry-and without a diver’s cage. Most people who got wind of this plan thought I was either very brave or very stupid.

15

 

 

 

 

But I just wanted to puncture an illusion. The people who know sharks intimately tend to be the least afraid of them, and no one gets closer to sharks than divers. The divers who run operations at Tiger Beach speak lovingly of the tiger sharks and the way people talk about their children or their pets. In their eyes, these sharks aren’t man-eaters any more than dogs are.

20

 

 

 

25

The business of puncturing illusions is never just black and white. My fellow divers had hundreds of dives under their belt and on the two-hour boat ride to the site on the morning of our first dive, they kept saying things like, “Seriously, I really can’t believe this is your first dive.” All this was okay with me until I reached the bottom and immediately had to fend off the first tiger shark, I had ever laid eyes on. However, when I watched the other divers feeding them fish and steering them gently, it became easy to see the sharks in a very benign light.
30 I think it would be unfair not to mention that tiger sharks are apex predators. They act as a crucial balancing force in ocean ecosystems, constraining the numbers of animals like sea turtles and limiting their behaviour by preventing them from overgrazing the seagrass beds. Furthermore, tiger sharks love warm water, they eat almost anything, have a huge litter and are the hardiest shark species. If the planet and its oceans continue to warm, some species will be winners and others will be losers, and tiger sharks are likely to be winners.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

  1. Cite a point in evidence, from the text, to suggest that the writer's post-Jaws fear was not justified.
  2. State any one trait of the writer that is evident from lines 5-10 and provide a reason for your choice.
  3. People thought the writer was ‘either brave or very stupid’. Why did some people think that he was ‘very stupid’?
  4. Why does the writer say that people who know sharks intimately tend to be least afraid of them?
  5. Rewrite the given sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with another one, from lines 10-20.
    Some academicians think that reward, as a form of discipline, is a simple right or wrong issue.
  6. What does the use of the phrase ‘benign light’ suggest in the context of the writer’s viewpoint about tiger sharks?
  7. Select a suitable phrase from lines 15-25 to complete the following sentence appropriately.
    I agree the team will find this experience tough, but competing will be easier next time after they get this tournament ______
  8. Apex predators serve to keep prey numbers in check. How can we say that tiger sharks are apex predators?
  9. Analyse why having a large litter is one of the features that empower tiger sharks to emerge, winners, if global warming persists.

Read the following passage and do the activities.

A1. Choose the correct option.  (2)

  1. Thousands of birds were killed due to oil spills because ______.
    1. It suffocated them
    2. It was poisonous
    3. Birds couldn't enter the sea
    4. There was no fish to feed on
  2. The primary components of crude oil are ______.
    1. Methane and ethane
    2. Carbon and hydrogen
    3. Sulphur compounds
    4. Naphthalene
During the Gulf War, a few years back, tens of thousands of sea birds were killed due to oil spills. Do you know what makes crude oil on ocean water so deadly?
Crude oil is not used in the state it is produced at the off-shore wells. It is converted in refineries into a wide range of products such as gasoline, kerosene, diesel, fuel oils, and petrochemical feed-stocks. Before it is refined, the oil also contains potentially fatal components.
Crude oil is made up of compounds of carbon and hydrogen called hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons may be paraffin, the oil that is used as fuel in heaters and lamps or cycloparaffins (naphthenes) or aromatic compounds in varying proportions. While crudes found in the US are mostly paraffinic, these found along the Gulf Coast are naphthenic which contain sulphur compounds in varying amounts, a small amount of nitrogen and very little oxygen. Every variety of crude oil has nickel and vanadium in high concentration. Iron may be found in organic form due to the corrosion of pipes. Paraffins like methane and ethane are asphyxiants, substances that cause suffocation. The effects of cycloparaffins are more or less similar to those of paraffins but unsaturated paraffins are more noxious, than saturated ones. The sulphur present in crude oil may be toxic. The mechanism of toxic action seems to involve its breakdown to hydrogen sulphide. They will act principally on the .nervous system with death resulting mainly from respiratory paralysis. Sulphur in the form of aromatic thiophenes, benzothiophenes can damage the livers and kidneys of sea animals. Sulphur compounds like mercaptens can be very dangerous too.

A2. Crude oil may be toxic and fatal. Justify.  (2)

A3. Rewrite the sentences using one word from the passage for the underlined phrase/word. (2)

  1. Over consumption of alcohol may lead to death.
  2. The flowers displayed at the exhibition differ in properties.

A4. Identify and change the voice of the following sentence.  (1)

Tens of thousands of sea birds were killed due to oil spills. 

A5. With reference from the passage what can you do to control air pollution?  (3)


Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. The Higgs boson has been called, or miscalled, the God particle, enabling it to pass into the realm of popular scientific lore, like the discovery of the smallpox vaccine, the structure of DNA, or the theory of relativity. It would be difficult for most people to understand its significance, just as it would be to comprehend the notion of relativity, but such problems are overcome by locating science in personalities as well as cultural and national traditions. The first thing that you and I know about the Higgs boson is that it’s named after Peter Higgs, a physicist at Edinburgh University who made the discovery - although the original insight, in one of those recurrent back stories of science, was Philip Anderson’s.

2. Still, we have Higgs, and Edinburgh, and western civilisation to fall back on. The rest - “the Higgs boson is a hypothetical elementary particle predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics. It belongs to a class of particles known as bosons ...” - we needn’t worry too much about. But maybe we should worry just enough to ask, “What is a boson?” since the word tends to come up as soon as Higgs does. Is it, an ignoramus such myself would ask, akin to an atom or a molecule? It is, in fact, along with the fermion (named after Enrico Fermi), one of the two fundamental classes of subatomic particles.

3. From Bose

The word must surely have some European genealogy. In fact, “boson” is derived from Satyendra Nath Bose, an Indian physicist from Kolkata who, in 1924, realised that the statistical method used to analyse most 19th-century work on the thermal behaviour of gases was inadequate. He first sent off a paper on quantum statistics to a British journal, which turned it down. He then sent it to Albert Einstein, who immediately grasped its immense importance, and published it in a German journal. Bose’s innovation came to be known as the Bose-Einstein statistics and became a basis of quantum mechanics. Einstein saw that it had profound implications for physics; that it had opened the way for this subatomic particle, which he named, after his Indian collaborator, “boson.” Still, science and the West are largely synonymous and coeval: they are words that have the same far-reaching meaning. Just as Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec’s paintings digest the Japanese prints they were responding to so we don’t need to be aware of Japanese prints when viewing the post-impressionists, western science is pristine, and bears no mark of what’s outside itself.

4. Other Indian contributions

The last Indian scientific discovery that is universally acknowledged is zero. Indians are very strong at maths, and the only modern Indian who’s remotely part of the western mythology of science is Srinivasa Ramanujan, equally well known for his Hindu idiosyncrasies and his agonised stay in Cambridge as he is for his mathematical genius.

5. Indians can be excellent geeks, as demonstrated by the tongue-tied astrophysicist Raj Koothrappalli in the U.S. sitcom Big Bang Theory; but the Nobel prize can only be aspired to by Sheldon Cooper, the super-geek and genius in the series, for whom Raj’s country of origin is a diverting enigma, and miles away from the popular myth of science on which Big Bang Theory is dependent. Bose didn’t get the Nobel Prize; nor did his contemporary and namesake, J.C. Bose, whose contribution to the fashioning of wireless predates Marconi’s. The only Indian scientist to get a Nobel Prize is the physicist C.V. Raman, for his work on a light at Kolkata University. Other Indians have had to become Americans to get the award.

6. Conditions have always been inimical to science in India, from colonial times to the present day; and despite that, its contributions have occasionally been huge. Yet non-western science (an ugly label engendered by the exclusive nature of western popular imagination) is yet to find its Rosalind Franklin, its symbol of paradoxical success. Unlike Franklin, however, scientists were never in a race that they lost; they simply came from another planet.

Based on your reading of the passage, answer twelve out of fifteen questions that follow:

(a) What is the first thing which the narrator knows about Higgs Boson?

(b) What is Bose-Einstein statistics?

(c) How does Sheldon view Raj’s country of origin?

(d) What do Van Gogh’s paintings do to Japanese prints?

(e) Has India always got credit for its merit?

(f) What do Higgs Boson have in common with Smallpox vaccine?

  1. Both are used in medical radiography.
  2. Both are part of scientific myth and legends now.
  3. Both were met with scepticism on their discovery.
  4. Both fetched their teams a Nobel prize.

(g) Which statement is not true about Boson?

  1. They were not discovered by Enrico Fermi.
  2. They constitute one class of subatomic particle.
  3. It is named after an Indian Physicist.
  4. It was discovered by Satyendra Nath Bose.

(h) Choose the word which is an apt synonym of the word Ignoramus. (used in para 2)

  1. Idiot
  2. Intelligent
  3. Idealist
  4. Ingenious

(i) How are esoteric scientific concepts made understandable for people?

  1. By printing short introductory courses.
  2. By comparing it with other scientific discoveries.
  3. By locating science in personalities, social and cultural traditions. iv. By revising the country’s educational structure.

(j) Based on the reading of the passage, which statements are correct about Higgs Boson.

  1. They are called God’s particle.
  2. Philip Anderson’s study provided the original insight.
  3. This concept is easily understood by common people.
  4. A physicist from Edinburgh University made the discovery.
  5. It was discovered by Albert Einstein.
  1. 1, 2 & 3
  2. 2, 3 & 5
  3. 1, 4 & 5
  4. 1, 2 & 4

(k) Which field of Physics was SN Bose working on?

  1. Quantum Mechanics
  2. Electromagnetism
  3. Geophysics
  4. Acoustic

(l) Which scientist/mathematician out of the following won the Nobel prize?

  1. J C Bose
  2. C V Raman
  3. Srinivasa Ramanujan
  4. S N Bose

(m) What is Srinivasa Ramanujan known for in popular culture?

  1. Mathematical genius.
  2. For formulation of game theory.
  3. Hindu Idiosyncrasies.
  4. Troubled stay in Cambridge.
  5. For devising another explanation for chaos theory.
  1. 1, 2 & 3
  2. 1, 3 & 5
  3. 1, 3 & 4
  4. 1, 4 & 5

(n) The conclusion of third paragraph highlights that ______.

  1. Western art grants recognition to all its inspirations.
  2. Van Gogh painted Japanese prints.
  3. Western art subsumes all the influences under it.
  4. Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec are post-impressionist painters.

(o) Why did JC Bose deserve a Nobel?

  1. He was an Indian physicist.
  2. He was the only one researching on wireless.
  3. His research & findings on wireless started before Marconi.
  4. He acquired American citizenship.

Read the passage given below.

1 Ghost nets aren’t supernatural, but they are legitimately scary. A ghost net is a fishing net that’s been lost or abandoned in the ocean. They are one particularly appalling part of the global ghost fishing problem, which includes fishing gear abandoned in the water. Any net or line left in the ocean can pose a threat to marine life. Just because a net is no longer used by fishers doesn’t mean it stops working. These nets continue to trap everything in their path, presenting a major problem for the health of our oceans and marine life.
2 Ghost nets entangle sea turtles, dolphins and porpoises, birds, sharks, seals and more, apart from catching fish. The nets keep animals from moving freely, cause injuries and keep mammals and birds from rising to the surface for air. Since hundreds of animals can be caught in a single net, this threat is monumental. The ghost nets harm coral reefs too — breaking corals, exposing them to disease and even blocking the reefs from needed sunlight.
3 Ghost nets are also a major contributor to the ocean plastics crisis. Most modern nets are made of nylon or other plastic compounds that can last for centuries. According to a 2018 study in Scientific Reports, ghost nets make up at least 46 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Those abandoned fishing lines and nets that do breakdown never go away; they just become smaller pieces of plastic. Marine animals mistake this microplastic for food and eat it, which can harm internal organs, keep them from eating and expose them to toxic chemicals.
4 Exorcising ghost nets from our oceans will require commitment, cooperation and innovation. Many groups are working to remove ghost nets from the sea and are collaborating with local fishers and governments around the world to identify target areas and remove as many nets as possible. In 2015, a single World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF)-led mission in the Baltic Sea hauled up 268 tons of nets, ropes and other material.
5 To stop these nets from becoming ghosts in the first place, conservation organisations advocate for fishing gear that can be traced to its owner so anyone dumping nets can be fined and refundable deposits on nets to encourage returning or recycling rather than littering. Tools like sonar reflectors that can make ghost nets easier to find and working with small-scale fisheries to develop more sustainable fishing gear and practices are other suggestions. It is only by attacking this problem from all sides, together with conservation partners, fishers and supporters, can we banish ghost nets and protect our oceans.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

(i) Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option. (1)

Ghost nets have been named so because they ______

  1. cause much harm to the marine life.
  2. are functional though not in use by fishers.
  3. are not owned by anyone.
  4. act as a snare for all animals in oceans.

(ii) Comment on the writer’s reference to the ghost nets in paragraph one, as a health problem for the oceans. (1)

(iii) List the two ways being entangled in a ghost net is likely to impact a walrus. (1)
(Clue: Think about the type of animal a walrus is)

(iv) Select the option that conveys the opposite of ‘negligible’, from words used in paragraph two. (1)

  1. unimpressive
  2. monumental
  3. exposing
  4. threat

(v) The writer would agree with the given statements based on paragraph three, EXCEPT: (1)

  1. Most ghost nets take a few years to completely disintegrate.
  2. Ghost nets contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
  3. Most ghost nets provide nutrition to marine animals, upon disintegration.
  4. Ghost nets can curtail freedom of marine animals.

(vi) Some records share that fishing nets used to be made of common rope using natural fibres, prior to the 1960s. Based on your understanding of paragraph three, list one major advantage that these had over the fishing nets being used in present times. (1)

(vii) Why is it fair to say that commitment and innovation have to go hand-in-hand to rid the oceans of ghost nets? (1)

(viii) Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference, with respect to the following: (1)   

The writer quotes the example of the WWF-led mission in the Baltic Sea (Paragraph 4), in order to ______.

(ix) How can the solutions, suggested in paragraph five, best be described? (1)

  1. practical
  2. presentable
  3. popular
  4. prejudiced

(x) Select the most suitable title for the above passage. (1)

  1. The Scary Side of Ghost Nets
  2. Ghost Nets – A Result of Human Dominance
  3. Ghost Nets – A Menace to Marine Life
  4. Ways to Tackle the Problem of Ghost Nets

Read the passage given below.

1 It is generally accepted that leadership development should be a part of the education system's responsibility for preparing individuals to participate in a democratic and progressive society. Many schools, colleges and universities, across nations, provide their students with leadership courses, curricular programs and co-curricular programs that are designed to develop students’ formal knowledge about leadership as well as opportunities and experiences to develop students as leaders and actually practise leadership. Yet, only a handful of studies have sought to understand leader development from the students’ point of view, with students describing their own experiences and what they learned from them in their own words.
2

A 2014 descriptive study sought to understand student leadership with research through key events via the following research questions:
Research Question 1: What key events do student leaders in college, report as significantly impacting their development as a leader?
Research Question 2: What lessons do student leaders in college, report learning as a result of the key events they have experienced?
Research Question 3: Are certain key events more likely to be linked to particular lessons? Approximately 130 students were contacted and the 72 interested, were interviewed. Two members of the research team were present for each 15 – 45 minute interview. One member served as the primary interviewer while the second ran the audio equipment.
The results for lessons learned (Table 1), were varied, but there were a few that were frequently quoted.

Lessons learned Responses
Identity  
Self Identity 58
Leadership Identity 54
Professionalism 30
Balancing Roles 19
Individual Competencies  
Delegation 17
Decision Making 15
Adaptability/Flexibility 38
Resilience/Persistence/Hard Work 18
Taking Initiative 36
Accountability/Responsibility 29
Big Picture 27
Learing to Teach/Learn 18
Support Systems  
Developing and Using Support Systems 36
Being a Support System 28
Working with Others  
Communication 59
Teamwork 26
Conflict 21
Diversity 32
Inspiring and motivating others 17
Others working with others 30
Getting the job done  
Task skills 55
Environment 34
3 This study described the rich array of leadership lessons that students are learning through their experiences. It revealed that student leaders are learning foundational leadership skills and competencies that have positively impacted how to accomplish work, how to work with others and how to be both supported by and support others.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below.

(i) Does the following statement agree with the information given in paragraph 1? (1)

The researcher believes that educational institutions have ideal resources to study impact of leadership skills on young adults.

Select from the following:

  1. True - if the statement agrees with the information
  2. False - if the statement contradicts the information
  3. Not Given - if there is no information on this

(ii) Do you think the researchers of the study aimed to change the students’ outlook towards the development of leadership skills, directly or indirectly? Support your answer with reference to the text. (1)

(iii) Select the option that displays the most likely reason for including Research Question 3 in the 2014 study. (1)

In order to find out if... 

  1. learning opportunities shape students’ overall personality.
  2. leadership lessons are the result of the designed learning opportunities.
  3. all learning opportunities cater to a specific lesson.
  4. certain lessons are common in more than one learning opportunity.

(iv) Complete the sentence based on the following statement. (1)

More than 50% of the identified student respondents were keen to participate in the 2014 study.

We can say this because ______.

(v) Select the option that displays the key event designed with “Balancing Roles” (Table 1) as the objective. (1)

  1. Students will be able to debate the issue at hand, with different teams.
  2. Students will be able to manage the responsibilities of a mentor, planner researcher and presenter.
  3. Students will be able to surmount minor problems and focus on the final goal.
  4. Students will be able to explain concepts and clarify them for peers.

(vi) Complete the given sentence by selecting the most appropriate option. (1)

The 2014 study attempts to understand student leadership by focussing on ______

  1. experiences that shaped students’ overall personality.
  2. lessons gained by students as they grew up.
  3. relationship of key events with particular lessons.
  4. students in leadership roles.

(vii) The lessons for ‘Individual competencies’ had a range of responses. (1)
Give one reason why having the least number of responses for ‘Decision Making’, is a matter that needs attention.

(viii) Complete the given sentence by selecting the most appropriate option. (1)

The concluding sentence of the text makes a clear case for ______ by listing it as a core competency for student leadership.

  1. collaboration
  2. flexibility
  3. hard work
  4. observation

(ix) Complete the sentence appropriately with one/two words. (1)

In the context of “Working with Others” in Table 1, the lesson of ‘Conflict’ refers to ______.

(x) Based on the reading of the text, state a point to challenge the given statement. (1)

When theoretical knowledge about leadership suffices, it is a waste of funds by educational organisations, to organise leadership camps and programmes.


Read the following excerpt from a Case Study. J.K. Rowling - A Journey.

The story of Joanne Kathleen Rowling's near magical rise to fame is almost as well known as the characters she creates.

Rowling was constantly writing and telling stories to her younger sister Dianne. "The first story I ever wrote down was about a rabbit called Rabbit." Rowling said in an interview. "He got measles and was visited by his friends including a giant bee called Miss Bee. And ever since Rabbit and Miss Bee, I have always wanted to be a writer, though I rarely told anyone so.

However, my parents, both of whom come from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage or secure a pension.

A writer from the age of six, with two unpublished novels in the drawer, she was stuck on a train when Harry walked into her mind fully formed. She spent the next five years constructing the plots of seven books, one for every year of his secondary school life.

Rowling says she started writing the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, in Portugal, where she was teaching English.

At first nobody wanted to publish Harry Potter. She was told that plot was too complex. Refusing to compromise, she found a publisher.

In 1997 Rowling received her first royalty cheque. By book three, she had sky rocketed to the top of the publishing world. A row of zeroes appeared on the author's bank balance and her life was turned upside down. Day and night she had journalists knocking on the unanswered door of her flat.

Rowling's quality control has become legendary, as her obsession with accuracy. She's thrilled with Stephen Fry's taped version of the books and outraged that an Italian dust jacket showed Harry minus his glasses. "Don't they understand that the glasses are the clue to his vulnerability."

Annual earnings of J.K. Rowlin from 2010 to 2019

On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer any five of the six questions given below.  (5)

  1. Explain J. K. Rowling's 'near magical rise to fame'.
  2. What reason did the publishers give for rejecting Rowling's book?
  3. What was the drawback of achieving fame?
  4. Why was Rowling outraged with the Italian dust jacket?
  5. Find a word in the last para that means the same as 'insecure/helpless'.
  6. According to the graph, how many years did it take Rowling to become very successful?

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

1.

Too many parents these days can't say no, As a result, they find themselves raising 'children' who respond greedily to the advertisements aimed right at them. Even getting what they want doesn't satisfy some kids; they only want more. Now, a growing number of psychologists, educators, and parents think it's time to stop the madness and start teaching kids about what's really important: values like hard work, contentment, honesty, and compassion. The struggle to set limits has never been tougher and the stakes have never been higher. One recent study of adults who were overindulged as children paints a discouraging picture of their future: when given too much too soon, they grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with life's disappointments. They also have a distorted sense of entitlement that gets in the way of success in the workplace and in relationships.

2.

Psychologists say that parents who overindulge their kids set them up to be more vulnerable to future anxiety and depression. Today's parents themselves raised on values of thrift and self-sacrifice, grew up in a culture where no was a household word. Today's kids want much more, partly because there is so much more to want. The oldest members of this generation were born in the late 1980s, just as PCs and video games were making their assaults on the family room. They think of MP3 players and flat-screen TV as essential utilities, and they have developed strategies to get them. One survey of teenagers found that when they crave something new, most expect to ask nine times before their parents give in. By every measure, parents are shelling out record amounts. In the heat of this buying blitz, even parents who desperately need to say no find themselves reaching for their credit cards.

3.

What parents need to find, is a balance between the advantages of an affluent society and the critical life lessons that come from waiting, saving, and working hard to achieve goals. That search for balance has to start early. Children need limits on their behaviour because they feel better and more secure when they live within a secure structure.

4.

 Older children learn self-control by watching how others, especially parents act. Learning how to overcome challenges is essential to becoming a successful adult. Few parents ask kids to do chores. They think their kids are already overburdened by social and academic pressures. Every individual can be of service to others, and life has meaning beyond one's own immediate happiness. That means parents eager to teach values have to take a long, hard look at their own.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight questions from the nine given below:

  1. What is challenging for today's parents?
  2. What will be the consequence of over indulging children?
  3. Why do parents get caught in the buying blitz?
  4. How do children learn critical life lessons?
  5. What is the impact of advertisements on children?
  6. Why do children need limits on their behaviour?
  7. How do older children learn self-control?
  8. Find a word in the passage which means 'research'. (Paragraph 2)
  9. Find a word in the passage which means 'wealthy'. (Paragraph 3)

Read the passage given below:

(1) Ratan, a global brand in Dairy products, works on a business model popularly known as, 'The Ratan Model'. This model aims to provide value for money to the customers and protect the interests of farmers simultaneously.
(2) The Ratan model is a three-tiered structure that is implemented in its Dairy production: Firstly, Ratan acts as a direct link between milk producers and consumers that removes the middlemen. Secondly, farmers (milk producers) control procurement, processing and marketing. Thirdly, it is a professionally managed organization.
(3) One can understand the Ratan Model better by taking cognizance of 'Ratan's Target Audience', where it has targeted the mass market of India with no premium offerings and works on providing the best quality products at affordable prices.
(4) So Ratan formulates its pricing policy on the low cost price strategy which has attracted a lot of customers in the past and it continues to do so.
(5) Another stance used by Ratan's Target Audience is based on customer-wise targeting and industry wise targeting. This strategy divides the target audience on the following two bases :
(6)
Segment wise break down of Customer -
Based Target Audience
Customers Ratan products
Kids Chocolate, Ratan cool, Ratan milk.
Youth Ratan Pizza Cheese, Cheese spread,
Health Conscious Ratan Shakti, Ratan Lite, Butter.

The above table showcases how Ratan has a diversified customer base.

(7) Industry Based Target Audience: Ratan has segmented milk for various industries such as ice-cream manufacturers, restaurants, coffee shops, and many similar industries. Further, it has segmented butter, ghee and cheese for bakeries, snack retailers, confectioneries, and many more.
(8) The target audience study tells us that Ratan has a strong presence in both Business to Business and Businessto-Customers.
(9) Ratan's marketing campaigns and strategies are implemented in a very attractive way. For example, the story of the 'Ratan Girl' is a popular 'ad' icon. It is a hand drawn cartoon of a young girl.

Based on your understanding of the passage answer any Six out of the Seven questions given below:

  1. What does 'The Ratan Model' aim at?
  2. In dairy production how many tiers are there?
  3. Ratan acts as a direct link...? Explain.
  4. "Ratan Target audience is described as a diversified market. Explain with reference to the given table.
  5. Name the two basis on which Ratan divides the target audience.
  6. In which two spheres does Ratan have a strong presence?
  7. Which is the most loved ad icon of Ratan?

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

  1. Mankind's fascination with gold is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Egyptians held gold in high esteem. Gold had religious significance for them, and King Tutankhamen was buried in a solid gold coffin 3300 years ago. The wandering Israelites worshipped a golden calf, and the legendary King Midas asked that whatever he touched be turned into gold. 
  2. Not only is gold beautiful, but it is virtually indestructible. It will not rust or corrode. Gold coins and products fabricated from the metal have survived undamaged for centuries. Gold is extremely easy to work with. One ounce, which is about the size of a cube of sugar, can be beaten into a sheet nearly 100 square feet in size, and becomes so thin that light can pass through it. An ounce of gold can also be stretched into a wire 50 miles long. Gold conducts electricity better than any other substance except copper and silver, and it is particularly important in modern electronic industry.
  3. People have always longed to possess gold. Unfortunately, this longing has also brought out the worst in human character. The Spanish conquerors robbed palaces, temples and graves and killed thousands of people in their ruthless search for gold. Even today, the economy of South Africa's gold mines depend largely on the employment of black labourers who are paid about 40 pounds a month, plus boarding and lodging. They work in conditions that can only be described as cruel. About 400 miners die in South Africa each year.
  4. Much of the gold's value lies in its scarcity. Only about 80,000 tons have been mined in the history of the world. All of it can be stored in a vault 60 feet square, or a super tanker. Great Britain was the first country to adopt the gold standard, when the Master of the Mint, Sir Issac Newton, established a fixed price for gold in 1717. The discovery of gold in the last half of the nineteenth century in California (1848) and later in Australia and South Africa changed everything. Before the discovery there wasn't enough gold around for all the trading nations to link their currencies to the precious metal.
  5. An out-of-work prospector named George Harrison launched South Africa into the gold age in 1886 when he discovered the metal on a farm near what is now Johannesburg. Harrison was given a 12 pounds as a reward by the farmer. He then disappeared and was eaten by a lion.
  6. One of the biggest gold mining areas in the Soviet Union is the Kolyma River region, once infamous for its prison camp. The camp has gone, but in a way nothing has changed. Many ex-prisoners have stayed on to work in the mines and are supervised by ex-guards.
  7. Despite the current rush to buy gold, 75 percent of the metal goes into making jewellery. Italy is the biggest consumer of gold for this purpose, and many Italian jewellers even tear up their wooden floors and bum them to recover the tiny flecks of gold. Historically, the desire to hoard gold at home has been primarily an occupation of the working and peasant classes, who have had no faith in paper money. George Bernard Shaw defended their instincts eloquently, "You have to choose between trusting the natural stability of the honesty and intelligence of the members of the government," he said "and with due respect to these gentlemen, I advise to vote for gold."

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

  1. When was King Tutankhamen burled?      (1)
    1. 1717
    2. 1886
    3. 3300 years ago
    4. 1848
  2. Why did Egyptians hold gold in great esteem?      (1)
    1. because it is a good conductor of electricity.
    2. because of its religious significance.
    3. for lovely gold ornaments.
    4. because it is indestructible.
  3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?       (1)
    1. Gold is the best conductor of electricity.
    2. Apart from gold, copper and silver are good conductors of electricity.
    3. Gold can be easily beaten, hence it is easy to work with.
    4. Gold plays an important role in the modern electronics industry.
  4. Select the option that displays what the writer projects, with reference of the following:      (1)
    The wandering Israelites worshipped a golden calf ______.
    1. importance of religion
    2. importance of the metal
    3. good conductor
    4. can replace money
  5. How were the black labourers exploited?         (1)
  6. Complete the following with the phrase from paragraph 1:    (1)
    Opinion Reason
      King Tutankhamen was buried in
    a solid gold coffin 3300 years ago.
  7. Based on your reading of the text list 2 reasons why the writer says that,
    Not only is gold beautiful but it is virtually indestructible.      (1)
  8. Who launched South Africa into the gold age?      (1)
    1. Issac Newton
    2. George Harrison
    3. George Bernard Shaw
    4. A farmer
  9. Select the option that corresponds to the following:    (1)
    The ancient Egyptians and the modern electronic industry both hold gold in high esteem.
    1. The hardworking student came first because of his diligent practice.
    2. Honesty is underrated whereas strategy is appreciated.
    3. The vibrant colours made the interiors look luminous.
    4. The steaming food was both appetizing and tasty.
  10. Supply one point to justify the following:     (1)
    The desire to hoard gold at home has been primarily an occupation of the working and peasant classes.

Read the passage given below:

  1. Starting Monday, the country's low-cost Mars mission with the red planet for an extended period will enter the "blackout" phase snapping communication with the satellite. From June 8 to 22 the Sun will block Mars from the Earth snapping communication with the satellite.
  2. A senior Indian Space Research Organisation official said. "This will be for the first time that there will be a communication break for such a long period of about 15 days. During this period, there will be no communication with the satellite", he added.
  3. Expressing confidence about regaining control over the satellite once the blackout phase is over, he said, "the scenario has been tested and the line of communication will be established." The spacecraft's life has been extended for another six months in March due to surplus fuel.
  4. Stating that the spacecraft has been "configured" for the blackout, the ISRO official said, "we are not sending any commands to the spacecraft now, till 8th June few hours of signals will be sent by the spacecraft that will be for about two to three hours per day". In May next year, the mission will have to go through a similar phase once again, if there is another extension of mission life when the Earth will come between the Sun and Mars.
  5. Scripting space history, India on September 24 last successfully placed its low-cost Mars spacecraft in orbit around the red planet in its very first attempt, breaking into an elite club of three countries.
  1. Infer one reason for the following based on information in paragraph 1.  (1)
    The 'blackout' phase is significant ______.
  2. Choose the appropriate option to fill in the blank.    (1)
    From paragraph 1 & 2, we can infer that there will be ______.
    1. no communication with the people.
    2. blackout phase.
    3. satellite will get no communication.
    4. the moon will block the earth.
    5. the communication break will be for 15 days.
    1. 1, 2 & 3
    2. 1, 3 & 4
    3. 2, 3 & 5
    4. 3, 4 & 5
  3. The communication with the satellite will break for approximately ______ days.    (1)
    1. 10
    2. 15
    3. 20
    4. 25
  4. Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2:     (1)
    aroma : cooking : : ______ : space research
    (Clue - just like aroma is integral to cooking, similarly __ is/are integral to space research.)
  5. According to ISRO official till 8th July, when Sun will block Mars, ______ signal/signals per day will be sent to the spacecraft.     (1)
    1. no
    2. considerable
    3. indefinite
    4. only for few
  6. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence:    (1)
    The ISRO officials are ______ about their control over the spacecraft after the blackout phase.
    1. doubtful
    2. apprehensive
    3. confident
    4. jittery
  7. The spacecraft's life was extended by six months because of ______.       (1)
    1. extra fuel
    2. incomplete work
    3. lack of communication amongst ISRO officials
    4. technical problems in its landing
  8. Read the following sentences:    (1)
    (A) The blackout was a sudden development.
    (B) Because of this, the officials are very nervous about the success of the spacecraft.
    1. Both (A) & (B) are true.
    2. Both (A) & (B) are false.
    3. (A) is true and (B) is false.
    4. (A) is false and (B) is true.
  9. Substitute the word 'nonpareil' with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence from paragraph 5.    (1)
    India managed to get into the nonpareil club of Mars spacecraft in orbit.
  10. The word 'fascination' in the opening sentence means the same as:    (1)
    1. enchantment
    2. boredom
    3. disinterest
    4. ugliness

Read the following table displaying the details of five House Captains.

Name Motto Participation in activities Achievements Awards Personal Qualities Drawbacks Other notable things
Rohit "Together we can achieve greatness" Debate club, Quiz club 1st prize in Science Olympiad Best Student Diligent, confident, empathetic Sometimes tends to be overly competitive Volunteer at a local NGO
Sanya "Service before self" Social service club, Drama club 1st prize in Debate competition Best Orator Compassionate, organized, responsible Can be overly self critical at times Participated in a Model United Nations conference
Rajat "Never give up, always rise up" Sports club, Music club 2nd position in Chess competition Best Sportsperson Perseverant, team player, adaptable Can sometimes be indecisive Plays in a local band
Aryan "Success through hard work" Photography club, Science club 1st prize in a Photography competition Budding Innovator Creative, curious, detail oriented Can sometimes procrastinate Built a working model of a wind turbine for a science fair
Ananya "Strive for excellence" "Dance club, Art club 1st prize in Art competition Creative Mind Confident, hardworking, imaginative Tends to overthink things Published her own poetry collection

Answer the following questions, based on the table above.

(i) Identify the person who is likely to ask many "why" questions, and support your choice with one reason.    (2)

(ii) Which house captain is most likely to struggle the most with handling stress during the school's annual inter-house sports tournament?   (1)

  1. Rohit
  2. Sanya
  3. Rajat
  4. Ananya

(iii) Give two justifications for Sanya being the best fit to lead a school-wide initiative to promote mental health and well-being among students.   (2)

(iv) Select the correct option to fill the blank and complete the analogy.   (1)

______ : paint brush :: Rajat : tabla

  1. Rohit
  2. Sanya
  3. Aryan
  4. Ananya

(v) Based on the personal qualities of the House Captains, why is Rajat the most likely to be a collaborative worker?   (1)

(vi) Complete the given sentence with the appropriate reason, with reference to the information in the table.   (1)

We can infer that Aryan’s overall performance may be negatively impacted by his weakness in time management because ______.

(vii) Explain briefly why situation (b), from the three situations given below, showcases Ananya's motto, "Lead by example"?   (1)

  1. During a group project, Ananya assigns each team member specific tasks and sets a high standard for the project's quality. She tells them to actively participate in the project and take it to fruition.
  2. During a house debate competition, Ananya notices that a few of her house members are struggling to articulate their arguments effectively. Ananya takes the time to listen to their concerns and provides constructive feedback and support.
  3. During a fundraising event, Ananya volunteers to be in charge of organizing and coordinating the event but she frequently delegates tasks to others and attends to her school assignment while her team completes the task successfully.

(viii) Select the option that correctly matches the House Captains (a) -(c), to the trophies (i)-(v).     (1)

House Captains (a) Rajat (b) Ananya (c) Aryan

 

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)
  1. (a) - (ii) , (b) - (i) , (c) - (iii)
  2. (a) - (i) , (b) - (v) , (c) - (iv)
  3. (a) - (v) , (b) - (iii) , (c) - (ii)
  4. (a) - (iii) , (b) - (iv) , (c) - (i)

Read the passage given below:

  1. Starting Monday, the country's low-cost Mars mission with the red planet for an extended period will enter the "blackout" phase snapping communication with the satellite. From June 8 to 22 the Sun will block Mars from the Earth snapping communication with the satellite.
  2. A senior Indian Space Research Organisation official said. "This will be for the first time that there will be a communication break for such a long period of about 15 days. During this period, there will be no communication with the satellite", he added.
  3. Expressing confidence about regaining control over the satellite once the blackout phase is over, he said, "the scenario has been tested and the line of communication will be established." The spacecraft's life has been extended for another six months in March due to surplus fuel.
  4. Stating that the spacecraft has been "configured" for the blackout, the ISRO official said, "we are not sending any commands to the spacecraft now, till 8th June few hours of signals will be sent by the spacecraft that will be for about two to three hours per day". In May next year, the mission will have to go through a similar phase once again, if there is another extension of mission life when the Earth will come between the Sun and Mars.
  5. Scripting space history, India on September 24 last successfully placed its low-cost Mars spacecraft in orbit around the red planet in its very first attempt, breaking into an elite club of three countries.
  1. Infer one reason for the following based on information in paragraph 1.  (1)
    The 'blackout' phase is significant ______.
  2. Choose the appropriate option to fill in the blank.    (1)
    From paragraph 1 & 2, we can infer that there will be ______.
    1. no communication with the people.
    2. blackout phase.
    3. satellite will get no communication.
    4. the moon will block the earth.
    5. the communication break will be for 15 days.
    1. 1, 2 & 3
    2. 1, 3 & 4
    3. 2, 3 & 5
    4. 3, 4 & 5
  3. The communication with the satellite will break for approximately ______ days.    (1)
    1. 10
    2. 15
    3. 20
    4. 25
  4. Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2:     (1)
    aroma : cooking : : ______ : space research
    (Clue - just like aroma is integral to cooking, similarly __ is/are integral to space research.)
  5. According to ISRO official till 8th July, when Sun will block Mars, ______ signal/signals per day will be sent to the spacecraft.     (1)
    1. no
    2. considerable
    3. indefinite
    4. only for few
  6. Select the correct option to complete the following sentence:    (1)
    The ISRO officials are ______ about their control over the spacecraft after the blackout phase.
    1. doubtful
    2. apprehensive
    3. confident
    4. jittery
  7. The spacecraft's life was extended by six months because of ______.       (1)
    1. extra fuel
    2. incomplete work
    3. lack of communication amongst ISRO officials
    4. technical problems in its landing
  8. Read the following sentences:    (1)
    (A) The blackout was a sudden development.
    (B) Because of this, the officials are very nervous about the success of the spacecraft.
    1. Both (A) & (B) are true.
    2. Both (A) & (B) are false.
    3. (A) is true and (B) is false.
    4. (A) is false and (B) is true.
  9. Substitute the word 'nonpareil' with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence from paragraph 5.    (1)
    India managed to get into the nonpareil club of Mars spacecraft in orbit.
  10. The word 'instinct' in the passage means the same as:    (1)
    1. lack
    2. impulse
    3. inability
    4. incapacity

Read the passage given below:

(1) When we think of the game of cricket, we come to the conclusion that it is primarily a game that depends on outstanding physical activities, good hand-eye coordination, speed, skill and strength. It provides entertainment and generates strong feelings of excitement. A good match of cricket or of any other game neither adds to the existing stock of human knowledge nor reveals any secret of existence. It does not carry any deep meaning but most people, particularly the lover of sports attach deep emotions and numerous meanings to it. Games are thought of as a metaphor for life. They are supposed to teach many lessons. In fact, more is said and written about a cricket match than about scientific findings or great philosophy.
(2) This is because games, like a morality play, in which settings and rules are made by us, can easily make people test their fair and foul conduct, principles of reward and punishment, and emotions of joy and disappointment. They can make us experience the thrill of war without exposing us to its dangers. A man watching a cricket match on T.V. and munching popcorn is like a surrogate warrior. In fact, games provide us with a safe outlet for our aggressiveness.
If games become aggressive, they lose the very purpose of providing entertainment and purging us of our aggressiveness. They can calm our impatience without creating any conflict.
(3) Commentators, journalists, politicians and analysts can do a great favour to the competing teams by keeping the excitement within limits. The teams should play without being dominated by feelings of national honour and shame. Excellent performance of the players of both teams should be enjoyed and appreciated.
Winning or losing in a game should not be taken seriously. A game is fun if it is played with true spirit of sportsmanship.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

  1. Complete the sentence by choosing an appropriate option: (1)
    Most people conclude that cricket is primarily a game because ______.
    1. it is played as a match
    2. it requires two teams
    3. it includes physical activity
    4. it depends only on skill and strength.
  2. Comment on the writer's reference to 'that cricket does not reveal any secret of existence. (1)
  3. List two responses to which watching a game of cricket gives rise to. (1)
  4. Select the option that conveys the opposite of 'destroy' from words used in the passage. (1)
    1. reveals
    2. experience
    3. generate
    4. purging
  5. The writer would not agree with the given statements based on paragraph 2, EXCEPT (1)
    1. Rules of any game are made by people.
    2. Watching a cricket match makes the viewer believe that he is fighting a battle.
    3. It is necessary for a game to be aggressive in order to build excitement.
    4. A game can test people's sense of fair judgement.
  6. With reference to the passage, a spectator is compared to a 'surrogate warrior'. (1)
    Choose the option that best describes this phrase:
    1. a spectator who is paid to watch.
    2. a spectator who is in pain while watching the match.
    3. a spectator who enjoys the match as an armchair soldier.
    4. a spectator who makes judgments about reward and punishment.
  7. Why does the writer compare games to a morality play? (1)
  8. Complete the given sentence with an appropriate inference with respect to the following: (1)
    The writer says that games can calm our impatience without creating any conflict by ______.
  9. The writer advises the players that games should not become aggressive because ______. (1)
  10. Select the most suitable title for the above passage. (1)
    1. Excellent Performance by Cricketers
    2. The Benefits of Playing Cricket
    3. Cricket - The King of Games
    4. The True Spirit of Playing Games

Read the following extract and Complete the activities given below:

Love is a great force in Private life; it is indeed the greatest of all things, but love in public affairs does not work. It has been tried again and again; by the people of the Middle Ages, and also by the French Revolution, a secular movement which reasserted the Brotherhood of Man, And it has always failed. The idea that nations should love one another, or that business concerns or marketing boards should love one another or that a man in Portugal should love a man in Peru of whom he has never heard — it is absurd, unreal, dangerous. ‘Love is what is needed,” we chant, and then sit back and the world goes on as before.

The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something much less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance. Tolerance is a very dull virtue. It is boring. It is negative. It merely means putting up with people, being able to stand things. No one has ever written an ode to tolerance or raised a statute to her. Yet this is the quality which will be most needed after the war. This is the sound state of mind which we are looking for. This is the only force which will enable different races and classes and interests to settle down together to the work of reconstruction. 

The world is very full of people— appallingly full; it has never been so full before and they are all tumbling over each other.

Most of these people one doesn’t know, and some of them doesn't like. Well, what is one to do? If you don't like people, put up with them as well as you can. Don't try to love them; you can't. But try to tolerate them. On the basis of that tolerance, a civilized future may be built. Certainly, I can see no other foundation for the post-war world.

A1. Choose two correct alternatives which define the theme of the extract:     (2)

  1. Love is a greater force in private as well as in public affairs.
  2. To rebuild civilization we need tolerance more than love.
  3. Patience is the solution in any sort of confrontation.
  4. When you do not like people, nations or civilizations, you need to love them to change them.
  1.  

A2. Complete the following table with the help of the extract:     (2)

Give one merit and one demerit of ‘Love’ and ‘Patience.’

Love (i) ______
(ii) ______
Patience (i) ______
(ii) ______

A3. Write how we can build up a civilized society; with the help of the extract:   (2)

A4. ‘Love and tolerance are the true indicators of a civilized person.’ Justify.      (2)

A5. Do as directed:        (2)

  1. It has been tried again and again.
    (Identify the Active Voice of the above sentence from the given options and rewrite.)
    1. They had tried it again and again.
    2. They has tried it again and again.
    3. They tried it again and again.
    4. They have tried it again and again.
  2. It is the sound state of mind which we are looking for.
    (Identify the correct simple sentence from the given options and rewrite.)
    1. It is the sound state of mind and we are looking for it.
    2. We are looking for the sound state of mind.
    3. We are looking for it but it is the sound state of mind.
    4. The sound state of mind is looked for.

A6. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.    (2)

Column ‘A’ Column ‘B’
(i) Secular (a) feeling of great friendship and understanding between people.
(ii) Absurd (b) a society which has its own highly developed culture and ways of life.
(iii) Civilization (c) not connected with any religion.
(iv) Brotherhood (d) not at all logical or sensible.

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