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प्रश्न
Read the following passage carefully:
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(1) Rotation of crops is a universal phenomenon which is practised by most of the farmers of the tropical and temperate countries. The main objective of rotation of crops is to obtain higher agricultural returns on the one hand, and to maintain the soil fertility on the other. (2) In other words, the rotation of crops helps in making agriculture more sustainable. The importance of crop rotation is more in the areas where farmers grow two, or more than two crops in the same field in a year. Irrigation facilities have also been appreciably developed in the country during the last three decades. The availability of water to the arable land has helped in the intensification of agriculture. (3) In the areas such as Punjab and Haryana, where the Green Revolution is a big success, one soil exhaustive crop (rice) is followed by another soil exhaustive crop (wheat). Subsequently, the field vacated by wheat is devoted to either rice or maize or cotton. Thus, in one year, the farmers are harvesting three soil exhaustive crops from the same field. Such a rotation of crops may fetch more income to the farmers, but depletes the soil fertility at a faster pace. (4) A number of field studies were conducted to assess the traditional crop rotation pattern. One such field study about the changes in the rotation of crops was conducted in the village Banhera (Tanda), Haridwar district. The main rotation of crops of the village is shown in the table below. |
| Traditional Rotation of Crops (1960-65) in Banhera (Tanda) | ||||
| Year | Kharif (mid-June to mid-October) | Rabi (mid-October mid-April) | Zaid (April to June) | No. of days land left fallow |
| 1960 | Millet/fodder/rice | Gram | Fallow | 90 |
| 1961 | Fallow | Wheat | Fallow | 210 |
| 1962 | Millet/fodder/rice | Gram | Fallow | 90 |
| 1963 | Fallow | Wheat | Fallow | 210 |
| 1964 | Millet mixed with urad/fodder/rice | Gram | Fallow | 90 |
| 1965 | Fallow | Wheat | Fallow | 210 |
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:
- Fill in the blanks with the appropriate option from those given in brackets, based on your understanding of para 2.
One of the reasons that there has been an intensification of agriculture in the country is the development of irrigation facilities is a/an ______ (fact/opinion) because it is a/an ______ (subjective judgement/objective detail). - Based on your understanding of paras 1 and 2, state whether the following statement is true or false.
If proper irrigation facility is provided, higher agricultural returns can be obtained by making crop rotation more sustainable. - Justify the following in about 40 words.
Crop rotation may fetch more income to the farmers, but depletes the soil fertility at a faster pace. - Based on the table, mention the years when the land was left fallow for maximum number of days.
- The study conducted in village Banhera (Tanda) reflects that during the years 1960 to 1965, from April to June, the land was left fallow or uncultivated throughout. State any one inference that can be drawn from this.
- Select the option that correctly states the significance of crop rotation as given below:
- Crop rotation is done to obtain higher agricultural returns.
- Higher agricultural returns can be obtained by harvesting soil-exhaustive crops.
- Crop rotation demands that land should be left fallow for a few months to increase the fertility of soil.
- Better irrigation facility to the arable land has helped in the intensification of agriculture.
- If crops to be harvested are chosen wisely, crop rotation can help in maintaining fertility of soil.
- (1), (2) and (4)
- (1) only
- (3) and (5)
- (1) and (5)
- Crop rotation is helping in making agriculture more sustainable. Mention one benefit and one drawback of crop rotation. (Answer in about 40 words)
- Which of the following is the main takeaway from the study mentioned in the passage?
- The study needs to include more valid data to support the practice of crop rotation
- Crop rotation is a sustainable practice that can transform the agricultural sector.
- The impact of crop rotation on farmer’s upliftment has been thoroughly explained.
- Crop rotation is independent of the type of crops harvested and availability of water for irrigation.
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उत्तर
- One of the reasons that there has been an intensification of agriculture in the country is the development of irrigation facilities is a fact because it is an objective detail.
- This statement is True.
- This statement is inaccurate. Crop rotation is a practice designed to enhance soil fertility, not deplete it. By alternating the types of crops grown on a piece of land, different nutrients are used and replenished naturally, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and preventing the rapid depletion of soil nutrients. It helps maintain a healthy balance in the soil, leading to sustainable agriculture and potentially more income for farmers due to healthier crop yields.
- According to the table, the years when the land was left fallow for the maximum number of days are 1961, 1963, and 1965, with 210 days each of those years.
- One inference that can be drawn from the fact that the land in Banhera (Tanda) was left fallow from April to June during the years 1960 to 1965 is that this period, which corresponds to the Zaid cropping season, may not be suitable for cultivation due to reasons such as extreme temperatures, insufficient rainfall, or perhaps cultural practices allowing the land to recover. Leaving the land fallow during these months could help in restoring soil fertility and moisture, preparing it for the upcoming Kharif and Rabi cropping seasons.
- (1) and (5)
- One benefit of crop rotation is that it can enhance soil health by varying plant demands on soil nutrients, thus reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. A drawback is that it requires careful planning and knowledge of crop-specific requirements, which can be complex and labor-intensive.
- Crop rotation is a sustainable practice that can transform the agricultural sector.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Nicholas chorier is not your usual photographer. He is a kite aerial photographer. He uses a kite to hoist his camera into the skies and clicks photographs while the camera dangles precariously mid – air.
As a teenager, Nicholas had two passions – photography and kite flying. During’ a trip to India to make a photo report on kite making, he learnt about this unique style of photography. Fascinated, he literally tied his two hobbies together for a living.
Nicholas learnt to make a strong modelled on the Japanese kites, Rokkaku that could endure harsh winds. A novice in his chosen field, he then set out to train himself. Today he is one of the most well – known aerial photographers in the world.
The technique is to tie a cradle containing the photography equipment to the string of the kite and then fly it, thus launching the camera into air. From the ground, Nicholas manipulates the angles of the camera with a remote. An air – to – ground video link enables him to see the view from the kite’s vantage point. Once satisfied with the frame, he clicks a picture.
However, the job does have its pitfalls too. Once, his kite disappeared in the Yamuna river, with his expensive camera in tow.
He is especially fond of India, having made a couple of trips and taken many spectacular photos. “India is too vast and beautiful a country to be captured through the lenses in one life” he says.
He recently released a book, Kite’s Eye View: India between Earth and sky. Though it includes photographs of oft takes sites like the Taj Mahal, it shows them from a totally different perspective.
(1) What were Nicholas’s two passions?
(2) How does Nicholas take aerial photographs?
(3) What is ‘Rokkaku’?
(4)
(a) Pick out words from the passage which mean :
(i) To tolerate
(ii) Costly
(b) Nicholas has two passions. [Start the sentence with ‘Nicholas was …….using the adjective form of passion]
(a) India is too vast a country to be captured through the lenses. [Remove too ………. And rewrite] (b) Nicholas learnt to make strong kites. [Rewrite using past perfect tense]
(6) What risks do aerial photographers face?
One of the greatest advances in modern technology has been the invention of computers. They are widely used in industries and in universities. Now there is hardly any sphere of human life where computers have not been pressed into service of man. We are heading fast towards the day when a computer will be as much part of man's daily life as a telephone or a calculator.
Computers are capable of doing extremely complicated work in all branches of learning. They can solve the most complex mathematical problems or put thousands of unrelated facts in order. These machines can be put to varied uses. For instance, they can provide information on the best way to prevent traffic jams. This whole process by which machines can be used to work for us has been called 'automation'. In the future 'automation' may enable human beings to enjoy more leisure than they do today. The coming of automation is bound to have important social consequences.
Some years ago an expert on automation, Sir Leon Bagrit, pointed out that it was a mistake to believe that these machines could 'think'. There is no possibility that human beings will be "controlled by machines". Though computers are capable of learning from their mistakes and improving on their performance, they need detailed instructions from human beings to operate. They can never, as it were, lead independent lives or "rule the world" by making decisions of their own.
Sir Leon said that in future, computers would be developed which would be small enough to carry in the pocket. Ordinary people would then be able to use them to obtain valuable information. Computers could be plugged into a national network and be used like radios. For instance, people going on holiday could be informed about weather conditions. Car drivers can be given alternative routes when there are traffic jams. It will also be possible to make tiny translating machines. This will enable people who do not share a common language to talk to each other without any difficulty or to read foreign publications.
a) What is the greatest advancement in modern technology?
b) What complicated works are computers capable of doing?
c) Write one use of computers.
d) Explain automation.
e) Why can't computers lead independent lives or rule the world?
f) How would computers as translating machines help people?
g) What was the prediction of Sir Leon about computers in the future?
h) How can computers help people going on holiday?
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
The most alarming of man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrevocable; the chain of evil it initiates is for the most part irreversible. In this contamination of the environment, chemicals are the sinister partners of radiation in changing the very nature of the world; radiation released through nuclear explosions into the air, comes to the earth in rain, lodges into the soil, enters the grass or corn, or wheat grown there and reaches the bones of a human being, there to remain until his death. Similarly, chemicals sprayed on crops lie long in soil, entering living organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death. Or they pass by underground streams until they emerge and combine into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle, and harm those who drink from once pure wells.
It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth and reached a stage of adjustment and balance with its surroundings. The environment contained elements that were hostile as well as supporting. Even within the light of the sun, there were short wave radiations with power to injure. Given time, life has adjusted and a balance reached. For time is the essential ingredient, but in the modern world is no time.
The rapidity of change and the speed with which new situations are created follow the heedless pace of man rather than the deliberate pace of nature. Radiation is no longer the bombardment of cosmic rays; it is now the unnatural creation of man’s tampering with the atom. The chemicals to which life is asked to make adjustments are no longer merely calcium and silica and copper and all the rest of the minerals washed out of the rocks and carried in the rivers to the sea; they are the synthetic creations of man’s inventive mind, brewed in his laboratories, and having no counterparts in nature.
(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage make notes on it using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary-minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply a title to it.
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.
Read the following extract and answer the questions given below.
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I grew up in India in which telephones were both rare and virtually useless. When I left India in 1975 to go to the US for graduate studies, we had perhaps, 600 million residents in the country and just two million landline telephones. Having a telephone was a rare privilege: if you weren’t an important government official, or a doctor, or a journalist, you might languish in a long waiting list and never receive a phone.
Telephone were such a rarity (after all, 90% of population had access to a telephone line) that elected members of Parliament had amongst their privileges the right to allocate 15 telephone connections to whomever they deemed worthy.
And if you did have a phone, it wasn’t necessarily a blessing. I spent my high school years in Calcutta, and I remember that if you picked up your phone, you had no guarantee you would reach the number you had dialled. Sometimes you were connected to someone else’s ongoing conversation, and they had no idea you were able to hear them; there was even a technical term for it, the ‘cross - connection’ (appropriately, since these were connections that made us very cross). If you wanted to call another city, say Delhi, you had to book a ‘trunk call’ in the morning and then sit by the telephone all day waiting for it to come through; or you could pay eight times the going rate for a ‘lightning call’ = but even lightning struck slowly in India those days, so it only took half an hour instead of the usual three or four or more to be connected.
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Questions:
(1). Why were telephones a rarity before 1975? (1)
(2) What special rights did elected members of Parliament use to have? (2)
(3) How did the author differentiate between a ‘trunk call’ and a ‘lightning call’? (2)
(4) Do you think the cellphone has made us global? (2)
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed. . (3)
(i) You could pay eight times the going rate for a ‘lighting call’. (Rewrite it using modal auxiliary showing compulsion)
(ii) I spent my high school years in Calcutta. [Rewrite it using past perfect tense]
(iii) Telephones were a rarity. [Make it a rhetorical question]
(6) Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’. (1)
| Column A | Column B | ||
| (i) | Privilege |
(i)
|
means to reach or get |
| (ii) | Access |
(ii)
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remedy |
| (iii) | special right |
Read the following passage and do the activities.
Galaxies are vast clusters of thousands of millions of stars, planets, gases and dust, which are held together by gravity. There are over one thousand million galaxies, and each is a very long way from its nearest neighbour.
Galaxies were formed during the Big Bang explosion about 15,000 million years ago. When this phenomenon occurred, everything that was in the universe flew out in different directions. Scientists believe that the galaxies were formed from lumps of matter that resulted. However, the process is nowhere near complete. The universe is still expanding, galaxies are still moving away from each other, new stars are still being created.
Galaxies are classified according to their shapes. There are three main types. The most common type of galaxy is The Spiral. This has several spiral arms radiating out from the center. Spiral galaxies have a large cluster of stars in their nucleus. The second type is the Barred spiral. In this type of galaxy, the spiral arms curve away from the opposite ends of a sort of bar going through the middle of the nucleus. These contain large amounts of gas and dust as well stars. The third type of galaxy is electrical. These consist almost entirely of stars and contain very little gas or dust. Some galaxies have irregular, uneven shapes and cannot be classified.
(A1) State whether the following statements are true or false. 02
(1) The most common type of galaxy is the barred spiral.
(2) Galaxies are clusters, held by gravity.
(3) Scientists do not believe in the Big Bang explosion.
(4) Galaxies are moving from each other.
(A2) Complete the web chart. 02
(A3)
(a) Find out similar words from the passage. 01
(i) mass (ii) happenings
(b) Give the verb form of the given words. 01
(i) classified (ii) directions
(A4) Identify and name the clause. 02
Scientists believe that the galaxies were formed from the lumps of matter.
(A5) Can there be life in another galaxy? Give reasons for your answer. 02
(B) Read the passage given in Q. 4 (A) and write the summary of it. Suggest a suitable title to your summary. (05)
On this historic moment, I stand here to thank Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. India’s present epoch maker has come over here to bless the state of Maharashtra which is definitely going to last forever. On behalf of thousands of common people, I express my deep sense of gratitude to him for blessing us. We Maharashtrians love him, worship him. And once again, I wish to declare that this state of Maharashtra, recently formed, will work for the betterment of the common people of Maharashtra, but if it comes to sacrifice, whatever best and grand we have, it will be done primarily for India. This is so, because, we believe from the beginning, that Maharashtra depends on India; its greatness depends on the greatness of India. All Maharashtrians believe that both India and Maharashtra can progress only when there is oneness of interest. And, therefore, I have made this clear by bringing to your notice the significance of certain symbols, for example, the Himalayas stand for lndia and the Sahyadri, for Maharashtra. The snowy Himalayas with the highest mountain ranges symbolise India and the Sahyadri with the blackest rock structure and with 200-300 inches rainfall symbolise Maharashtra. I promise you that if the Himalayas are in jeopardy, the Sahyadri of Maharashtra will use its black rock structure like a shield to protect the Himalayas.
‘Hard labour’ is the watch word of our times. And, Panditji, you have given us the message of building Maharashtra and our nation by hard labour. We are going to inscribe this valuable message on our minds and try our best to look at your blessings and your guidance, as the blessings and guidance of an epoch maker.
A1 . Read the following statements. Find out the correct statements and write them down : (2)
(i) Both India and Maharashtra can progress if they have different interests.
(ii) Hard work is the only way to build the future of India and Maharashtra.
(iii) The sacrifice of the best and grand in Maharashtra will be made for the state of Maharashtra.
(iv) In times of great calamity the Sahyadri will protect the Himalayas, like a shield.
A2. Complete the following statements : (2)
(i) The interest of Maharashtra and that of India should be one for the progress of Maharashtra state, because ................
(ii) Maharashtra depends on India, because ................
A3.Complete the table : (2)
| The name of the mountain | Stands for | The reason |
| The Himalayas The Sahyadri |
A4. Vocabulary - (2)
Give antonyms of the following words by adding prefixes :
(i) gratitude
(ii) clear
(iii) believe
(iv) significance
A5. Personal response - (2)
Give your suggestions that will help the people to make Maharashtra prosperous.
A6. Grammar - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) India and Maharashtra can progress only when there is oneness of interest.
(Rewrite it using ‘unless’)
(ii) This state of Maharashtra will work for the betterment of the common people of Maharashtra.
(Rewrite it using modal auxiliary showing ‘obligation’)
Read the first activity, read the extract and then do all the activities:
The next year Dell enrolled at the University of Texas. Like most first-year students, he needed to earn spending money. Just about everyone on campus was talking about personal computers. At the time, anyone who didn’t have a PC wanted one, but dealers were selling them at a hefty mark-up. People wanted low-cost machines custom-made to their needs, and these were not readily available. Why should dealers get such a big mark-up for so little added value ? Dell wondered. Why not sell from the manufacturer directly to the end user ?
Dell knew that IBM required its dealers to take a monthly quota of PCs, in most cases more than they could sell. He also knew that holding excess inventory was costly. So he bought dealers’ surplus stock at cost. Back in his dormitory room, he added features to improve performance. The improved models found eager buyers. Seeing the hungry market, Dell placed local advertisements offering his customized computers at 15 percent of retail price. Soon he was selling to businesses, doctors’ offices and law firms. The trunk of his car was his store; his room took on the appearance of a small factory.
During a holiday break, Dell’s parents told him they were concerned about his grades. “If you want to start a business, do it after you get your degree,” his father pleaded. Dell agreed, but back in college he felt the opportunity of a lifetime was passing him by. “I couldn’t hear to miss this chance,” he says. After one month he started selling computers again- with a vengeance.
A1. True / False - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences stating against each of them whether they are true or false :
(i) Dell bought computers directly from the IBM company.
(ii) Dealers were selling computers at high prices.
(iii) Dell’s father wanted Dell to get his degree.
(iv) Dealers disagreed to sell the surplus stock of computers to Dell.
A2. Give reasons - (2)
Dell wanted to stait a business of selling computers because :
(i) ____________
(ii) ____________
A3. Guess : (2)
“I couldn’t bear to miss this chance,” Dell says. Guess. which chance Dell did not want to miss”.
A4. Vocabulary - (2)
Find out the words from the extract which mean :
(i) college hall of residence
(ii) large amount added to the cost price
(iii) quantity of good in stock
(iv) with great intensity
A5. Personal response : (2)
Suggest two strategies businessman to become a successful businessman.
A6. Grammar - (2)
Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) Seeing the hungry market, Dell placed local advertisement. (Make it a compound sentence)
(ii) He added features to improve performance. (Frame ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined part as an answer.)
Read the following passage and do the given activities :
A1. Fill up the blanks with virtues of dogs : (2)
(1) __________
(2) __________
(3) __________
(4) __________
| Human and dogs are inseparable for thousands of years and they are dependent on each other for protection and survival. Relationship between humans and dogs is often characterized by strong emotional bonds which run both way. Dogs are very popular as pets and companions. Dog is the ‘Man’s Best Friend’ and a family member. The dog is one of the most loyal, faithful and devotee animal. In earlier days dogs were kept mainly for hunting and guarding; now they are kept for companionship, protection and showmanship. There are millions of people all over the world who are dog lovers Puppies need more attention at the, early age. As much as possible try many methods of socialization, such as playing with them, taking them for walk, expose them to crowds, make them to obey the orders etc. |
A2. Methods of socialization of puppies are : (2)
(1) …......................
(2) …......................
(3) …......................
(4) …......................
A3. Cross out the odd man : (2)
(i) Inseparable, dependent, protection, popular.
(ii) Hunting. guarding, playing, petting.
(iii) Earlier, human, relationship, family
(iv) Often, mainly, now, emotional
A4.
(1) There are millions of people all over the world. (1)
(Pick out the determiners and write them)
(2) Puppies need more attention. (1)
(Rewrite the sentence without changing its meaning beginning with : Puppies don’t ….....)
A5. Should we ban keeping pets ? Justify. (2)
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 in a 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 11.16 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.
(1) What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
(2) What is the relationship between the population and the available resources?
(3) Why do the researchers claim that the earth is capable of sustaining a bigger population?
(4) What, according to you, are the problems caused by the increasing population?
(5) Rewrite the following sentences in the ways instructed :
(i) The earth would be too hot to be habitable. (Remove 'too'.)
(ii) Though the population has grown, the rate of growth has fallen sharply. (Rewrite it using 'but')
(iii) Moreover, the human population will stabilize at about 11.5 billion. (Make it 'less definite'.)
(6) Find out the words from the extract which mean :
(i) natural capacity to produce (ii) shortage
Read the following passage and do the given activities.
A1. State whether the following statements are true or false:
i. The narrator writes comics.
ii. Sudhir qualified as a friend.
iii. The narrator met Sudhir in Dehra.
iv. Friendship is all about disintegration.
FRIENDSHIP IS ALL ABOUT DOING THINGS TOGETHER. IT MAY BE Climbing a mountain, fishing in a mountain stream, cycling along a country road, camping in a forest clearing or simply traveling together and sharing the experiences that a new place can bring.
On at least two of these counts, Sudhir qualified as a friend, albeit a troublesome one, given to involving me in his adolescent escapades.
I met him in Dehra soon after my return from England. He turned up at my room, saying he’d heard I was a writer and did I have any comics to lend him?
“I don’t write comics”, I said; but there were some comics lying around, leftover from my own boyhood collection. So I gave these to the lanky youth who stood smiling in the doorway, and he thanked me and said he’d bring them back. From my window, I saw him cycling off in the general direction of Dalanwala.
He turned up again a few days later and dumped a large pile of new-looking comics on my desk. “Here are all the latest”, he announced. “You can keep them for me. I’m not allowed to read comics at home”.
A2. Complete the web chart with the information from the passage:
A3. Find out four compound words from the passage.
A4. Do as directed:
i. I am not allowed to read comics at home.
(Pick out the infinitive)
ii. From my window, I saw him cycling.
(Use ‘when’ and rewrite the sentence)
A5. According to you, what are the qualities of a good friend?
Read the passage given below.
Then all the windows of the grey wooden house (Miss Hilton used to live here. She expired last week.), were thrown open, a thing I had never seen before.
At the end of the day a sign was nailed on the mango tree: FOR SALE.
Nobody in the street knew Miss Hilton. While she lived, her front gate was always locked and no one ever saw her leave or saw anybody go in. So even if you wanted to, you couldn't feel sorry and say that you missed Miss Hilton.
When I think of her house I see just two colours. Grey and green. The green of the mango tree, the grey of the house, and the grey of the high iron fence that prevented you from getting at the mangoes.
If your cricket ball fell in Miss Hilton's courtyard you never got it back. It wasn't the mango season when Miss Hilton died. But we got back about ten or twelve of our cricket balls.
The house was sold and we were prepared to dislike the new owners ever before they came. I think we were a little worried. Already we had one resident of the street who kept on complaining about us to our parents. He complained that we played cricket on the pavment; and if we were not playing cricket he complained that we were making too much noise anyway.
One afternoon, when I came back from school Pal, said, "Is a man and a woman. She pretty pretty, but he ugly like hell". I didn't see much. The front gate was open, but the windows were shut again. I heard a dog barking in an angry way.
One thing was settled pretty quickly. Whoever these people were they would never be the sort of people to complain that we were making noise and disturbing their sleep.
A lot of noise came from the house that night. The radio was going at full volume until midnight when the radio station closed down. The dog was barking and the man was shouting. I didn't hear the woman.
On the basis of your understanding the above passage complete the following statements :
(a) Nobody went into Miss Hilton's house because her front __________.
(b) Her house had only two colours, (i) __________ and (ii) __________.
(c) High iron fence did not let the boys get __________.
(d) They never got it back if their __________ fell into her courtyard.
(e) The boys were ready to dislike the __________.
(f) One resident of the street always __________.
(g) New owners of Miss Hilton's house were (i) __________ and (ii) __________.
(h) A man was shouting, a dog was barking, only __________.
A. Read the following passage and do the given activities:
A1. List the benefits of Yoga (02)
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
We give undue importance to our health and the treatment of diseases. A large number of medicines treat only the symptoms of the disease, and not the root cause. In fact, the cause of many chronic ailments is still being researched. It is here that Yoga therapy comes to our assistance. Yoga emphasizes the treatment of the root cause of an ailment. It works in a slow, subtle and miraculous manner. Modern medicine can claim to save a life at a critical stage, but, for complete recovery and regaining of normal health, one must believe in the efficiency of Yoga therapy.
The Yogic way of life includes a code of ethics, regulations, discipline, combined with prayer and meditation. Even a discussion of these subjects helps one relieve mental tensions and change attitudes. Simple Asana has helped to stretch and relax the whole body and release tensions. The sincere practice of Yoga postures is beneficial, for the mind and body.
The continued practice of Yoga has a profound effect on the inner dimensions of life. Yoga aims at developing mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional facilities. Other forms of physical exercises, like aerobics, assure only physical well-being. They have little to do with the development of the soul and mind.
A2. Complete the following statement according to the passage: (02)
- One must believe in the ________
- Aerobics assure only __________
A3. Fill up the word-formation chart: (02)
| Noun | Verb | Adjective |
| development | ______ | ______ |
| ______ | believe | ______ |
A4.
- Yoga emphasizes the treatment of the root cause of an ailment.
(Frame ‘Wh-‘ Question to get the underlined part as an answer) (02) - We give undue importance to our health.
(Begin with Undue importance......) (02)
A5. Do you believe Yoga Asanas are better than physical exercises? Justify your answer.
B. Summary Writing (5)
Write a short summary of the passage given in above and suggest a suitable title.
A. Read the following passage and do the given activities:-
A1. Answer in one word or two:- (02)
- The Queen of the spices.
- The areas of cultivation of the first type of cardamom.
- Anyone area of cultivation of the second type of cardamom
- 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)
- ______
- ______
- ______
- ______
A3. Write the synonyms for the following from the passage :- (02)
- unusual
- pleasant smell
- importance
- holding moisture
A4. Do as directed:- (02)
- The first type is the large one, which has not much significance.
(Identify the subordinate clause) - 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 passage given below.
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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. |
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15
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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. |
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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.
- Cite a point in evidence, from the text, to suggest that the writer's post-Jaws fear was not justified.
- State any one trait of the writer that is evident from lines 5-10 and provide a reason for your choice.
- People thought the writer was ‘either brave or very stupid’. Why did some people think that he was ‘very stupid’?
- Why does the writer say that people who know sharks intimately tend to be least afraid of them?
- 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. - What does the use of the phrase ‘benign light’ suggest in the context of the writer’s viewpoint about tiger sharks?
- 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 ______ - Apex predators serve to keep prey numbers in check. How can we say that tiger sharks are apex predators?
- Analyse why having a large litter is one of the features that empower tiger sharks to emerge, winners, if global warming persists.
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 ______
- cause much harm to the marine life.
- are functional though not in use by fishers.
- are not owned by anyone.
- 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)
- unimpressive
- monumental
- exposing
- threat
(v) The writer would agree with the given statements based on paragraph three, EXCEPT: (1)
- Most ghost nets take a few years to completely disintegrate.
- Ghost nets contribute to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
- Most ghost nets provide nutrition to marine animals, upon disintegration.
- 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)
- practical
- presentable
- popular
- prejudiced
(x) Select the most suitable title for the above passage. (1)
- The Scary Side of Ghost Nets
- Ghost Nets – A Result of Human Dominance
- Ghost Nets – A Menace to Marine Life
- Ways to Tackle the Problem of Ghost Nets
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)
- Rohit
- Sanya
- Rajat
- 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
- Rohit
- Sanya
- Aryan
- 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)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 |
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 |
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| (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) | (v) |
- (a) - (ii) , (b) - (i) , (c) - (iii)
- (a) - (i) , (b) - (v) , (c) - (iv)
- (a) - (v) , (b) - (iii) , (c) - (ii)
- (a) - (iii) , (b) - (iv) , (c) - (i)
Read the following text.
| (1) | In recent years, there has been a surge in both group and solo travel among young adults in India. A survey conducted among young adults aged 18-25 aimed to explore the reasons behind their travel preferences and recorded the percentage variation for 10 common points that influence travel choices. |
| (2) | Among those who prefer solo travel, the most common reason cited was the desire for independence and freedom (58%), followed closely by the opportunity for introspection and self-discovery (52%). Additionally, solo travellers appreciated the ability to customize their itinerary to their preferences (44%) and the chance to meet new people on their own terms (36%). |
| (3) | On the other hand, those who prefer group travel often cited the desire for socializing and making new friends (61%) as their primary reason. Group travel also provided a sense of security and safety in unfamiliar places (52%) and allowed for shared experiences and memories with others (48%). Additionally, group travellers enjoyed the convenience of having pre-planned itineraries and organized transportation (38%). |
| (4) | Interestingly, both groups had similar levels of interest in exploring new cultures and trying new experiences (40% for solo travellers, 36% for group travellers). Similarly, both groups valued the opportunity to relax and escape from the stresses of everyday life (36% for solo travellers, 32% for group travellers). |
| (5) | However, there were also some notable differences between the two groups. For example, solo travellers placed a higher priority on budget-friendly travel options (38%) compared to group travellers (24%). Conversely, group travellers were more likely to prioritize luxury and comfort during their travels (28%) compared to solo travellers (12%). |
| (6) | Overall, the survey results suggest that both group and solo travel have their own unique advantages and appeal to different individuals, based on their preferences and priorities. |
Answer the following questions, based on given passage.
- Infer two possible ways that the survey, mentioned in paragraph (1) could be beneficial. Answer in about 40 words. (2)
- Which travel choice point of the survey would influence tour operators to incorporate group dinners, social events, and shared accommodations in their itinerary? (1)
- Freedom to customise itinerary
- Luxury and comfort
- Security and safety
- Desire for making new friends
- What do the top choices in the survey, for travelling solo and in a group suggest about young adults? (1)
- Identify the solo traveller from the following three travellers: (1)
- Reshma- I don’t want to keep hunting for rickshaws or taxis. A pre-booked vehicle is perfect.
- Nawaz-I’m happy sharing a room in a hostel. I don’t need hotel accommodation.
- Deepak-I’m not worried about my well-being, even while exploring remote areas.
- Which of the following is an example of an opportunity for self-discovery, as mentioned in paragraph 2? (1)
- Trying new cuisine
- Hiring a tour guide
- Purchasing local artifacts
- Advance booking travel tickets
- How might the differences in budget priorities between solo and group travellers impact the types of accommodations and activities offered by the travel industry in India? (2)
- Complete the sentence appropriately. The similarities in the percentage of both solo and group travellers who are interested in exploring new cultures and trying new experiences may be due to ______. (1)
- State TRUE or FALSE. (1)
The title, "Wanderlust: The Solo Travel Trend Among Young Adults in India", is appropriate for this passage.
Read the passage given below.
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Most cities, may not be prohibit hawking as a profession, but do place restrictions on the use of urban space. Therefore, a comprehensive study was conducted in 1998-99 on street vending, to provide concrete data for furthering the cause of the hawkers. Eight cities were selected - Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Imphal, Patna, Bhubaneswar and Bangalore. Three points were important while selecting respondents –hawkers were from different parts of a city; sold a variety of goods and adequate numbers of women were covered. The questionnaire was included questions on personal details, details regarding the work and the hazards faced. Table: Results of the survey
It is fair to say that hawkers cannot be removed, because apart from their own livelihood, their services benefit the common urban dweller. |
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the given questions.
- Fill in the blank by selecting the appropriate option. 1
The study aims to ______ the practice of street vending in urban spaces.
- support
- discourage
- understand
- prove
- Jagan goes door to door with his basket of goods to sell bananas in the city. What action from his end would lead to a prohibition on hawking? 1
- State TRUE or FALSE. 1
The following question could have been a part of the study survey.
What are the challenges presented by the security guards? - Complete the sentence appropriately. 1
The most preferred form of source of capital, according to the survey table, exposes the hawkers to exploitation because ______. - State a point in support for the given opinion: 1
Street vending must be legalised as a profession.
Read the following extract and Complete the activities given below:
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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)
- Love is a greater force in private as well as in public affairs.
- To rebuild civilization we need tolerance more than love.
- Patience is the solution in any sort of confrontation.
- When you do not like people, nations or civilizations, you need to love them to change them.
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)
- It has been tried again and again.
(Identify the Active Voice of the above sentence from the given options and rewrite.)
- They had tried it again and again.
- They has tried it again and again.
- They tried it again and again.
- They have tried it again and again.
- It is the sound state of mind which we are looking for.
(Identify the correct simple sentence from the given options and rewrite.)- It is the sound state of mind and we are looking for it.
- We are looking for the sound state of mind.
- We are looking for it but it is the sound state of mind.
- 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. |
