Your friend has not fared well in the recent examinations. Write a letter to him/her expressing your concern. Give him/her some advice on how to score better marks and offer to help him/her to improve his/her performance.

What social and ecological benefits of planting a tree does the poet refer to?

Whose family has been referred to earlier in the context?

Explain the phrase, that ‘shocking ghastly junk’.

What is the message of Maya Angelou’s poem?

How has Browning used allusion in the poem? Explain.

It was roses, roses, all the way,
With myrtle mixed in my path like mad;
The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.

Read the above lines and answer the question that follow.

When was the patriot welcomed?

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to complete
one by one they all turned around and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
And a banner above that said (Special Olympics)
Could not have been more on the mark.
That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

Read the lines given above and answer the following question:

Explain in your own words the meaning of the line ‘the hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk’.

What does the old man’s moral dilemma reveal in Hemingway’s short story, “The Old Man at the Bridge?

What is the conflict and twist to the short story “Heart and Hands”?

Discuss theme of kindness and compassion in “Hearts and Hands” by O. Henry?

What are examples of simile, metaphor, and personification in “All Summer in a Day”?

Write a composition (350 - 400 words) on the following:

Narrate an incident from your own experience when you helped to prepare a meal. Explain what you did and what you gained from the experience.

Your uncle has offered to get you a pet for your birthday. Write a letter to him telling him what you would like, give reasons for your choice and tell him how you Would-take care of your pet.

The traffic outside your school is very heavy and chaotic. Write a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) pointing out the danger of such heavy and chaotic traffic in a school zone. Suggest possible solutions for the problem.

You are the editor of your school magazine. You have recently attended a cultural program in your city. Write an account of this program (in approximately 300 words) using the points given below:

Date and venue — occasion — Chief Guest — other invitees — inauguration — events —other important features — highlights — reaction of audience — conclusion.

Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:

The soldier fought bravely__________ his country.

The children were delighted. The exams had been cancelled.

Choose two of the passages (a) to (c) and answer briefly the questions that follow:

Raina :

Come away from the window (She takes him firmly back to the middle of the room. The moment she releases him he turns mechanically towards the window again. She seizes him and turns him back, exclaiming) Please! (He becomes motionless, like a hypnotized rabbit, his fatigue gaining fast on him. She releases him, and addresses him patronizingly). Now listen. You must trust to our hospitality. You do not yet know in whose house you are. I am a Petkoff.

The Man: A pet what?

Raina : [rather indignantly] I mean that I belong to the family of the Petkoffs, the richest and best known in our country.

The Man: Oh yes, of course. I beg your pardon. The Petkoffs, to be sure. How stupid of me!

Raina: You know you never heard of them until this moment. How can you stoop to pretend!

The Man: Forgive me. I'm too tired to think, and the change of subject was too much for me. Don't scold me.

(i) Why did the man keep turning to the window?
(ii) Which examples of the social superiority of the Petkoff's does Raina give the man?
(iii) Which opera does Raina mention? With whom does she compare herself? What does this tell you about her?
(iv) In Raina's opinion, what should the man have done instead of threatening her?
(v) What does the man tell Raina about his father? Why does he do so?
(vi) What does the man do at the end of the scene?

Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.

When did he realise that there was something wrong?

The anthology `ISC Collection of Short Stories' includes several stories in which a woman is a central character. Which female character has awakened your admiration, sympathy or interest and why?

Give an account of how lies were against Snowball after his expulsion, in order to paint him as a traitor.

Fill in the blank with an appropriate word:

Ashok leaned ______ the wall tiredly.

Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage, but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example:
(0) started
My mother (0)__________ (start) school when she
(1)__________ (be) six and (2)____________ (stop) the
same term. She was unusual in the village as she had a father and brother who (3)_________ (encourage) her to go to school. She was the only girl in a class of boys and claims she was brighter than the boys. But every day she (4)______ (will) leave behind her girl cousins (5) (play) at home and she (6)_________ (envy) them. There (7)_________ (seem) to be no point in. (8)_______ (go) to school just!o end up doing housework.

Given on the next page is a picture of a yacht. Label the parts of the yacht using the terms given in the box

Bow	cabin	rudder	cockpit
stern	boom	mainsail	mast

Examine the subtle humour in the narration of the story that lightens the gravity of the subject matter.

There are certain words that are repeated in the poem. For example, ‘no more’ (Line 7).
Find out other similar expressions.
Explain the effect they have created in the poem.

Find out different career opportunities in the field of social work.

What do you know about Kalpana Chawla’s education? How did she become an American citizen?

Write down the significance of the following in the context of 'On to the Summit': Kerosene flavoured tea.

Discuss with your partner and choose the correct alternative.

A system where the government is elected and ruled by people is called - ________________.

State whether the following statement is true or false. Correct the false statement.

Hero-worship leads to dictatorship.

Read the first three paragraphs on Page 92. (From......... ‘One morning .............. up to ............ a discussion after hall)
Re-read the same noting down only important points.
Rewrite the important points in your own simple language, in your notebook.
Make certain that your summary is less than half the length of the original passage.

Convert the stories into dialogues and read the dialogues aloud in the class.

Imagine that you are a compere of a ‘Prize Distribution Ceremony’ of your college. Write a script for the same.

You can take the help of the following points.

Introduction – A brief introduction of the programme / function / show
Welcome speech – Welcome to all guests. Felicitation – felicitation of the guests (the principal, vice-principal, etc.).
Lighting the lamp
Welcome song
Main events
Vote of thanks

Given in a mixed order below are some good human attributes of the family. Pick out from the box and write it against the line that reflects it.

He believed, his daughter was still alive, after three years.

Prepare a formal invitation for a function you have arranged at home. It should clearly state the following points:

Who is inviting people to the function.
What the program is.
The date and time.
The venue. (The place where
A polite request to attend the function. the function will take place.)

Collect quotations on the topic ‘choice’. Example :

‘Decisions are the hardest thing to make, especially when it is a choice between where you should be and where you want to be.’

Present the quotations in a beautiful hand on card paper.

The man who came to the house gave the cross as a gift to the girl. Why did he do this? What do you think would have happened if he had taken back the cross with him?

The fly gives into flattery and becomes the spider’s prey. If you are asked to give a happy ending to the poem, how will you save the fly? Write in your own words.

Look at the image of the familiar advertisement given below. Identify the product and try to frame your own slogan.

Imagine that you have parked your vehicle (two-wheeler)/ bicycle inside the school premises. You find it missing in the evening. Write a complaint to the head of the school regarding this issue.

Create a poster for the following.

You are Raja/ Ranjani. Draft a poster to create awareness about the harmful effects of using plastics, in not more than 50 words.

“The Himalayas are the highest mountain ranges.” He knew that the Himalayas ______ the highest mountain ranges.

Find one word from the story that means

to be inquisitive c ______.

Sit in groups of five. Now, each student will tell a story. Decide which story was the best and declare a or of the group.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Jimmy Wells from Bob’s point of view?

Why did his travel companion curse and mutter?

The photographer told him to ______.

You come across an advertisement in the newspaper. A Publishing House in Chennai has brought out a paperback edition of the complete works of Khushwant Singh. You want to buy it. You are asked to send a Demand Draft for Rs.1000/- Fill in the following challan for the DD in favour of ‘X Publishing House, New Delhi’, payable at Chennai. The surcharge for Rs.1000/- is Rs.25/-.