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Class IX
ENGLISH SAMPLE PAPER
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
This paper is divided into four sections :
Section A (Reading) contains 20 marks.
Section B (Writing) contains 20 marks.
Section D (Literature) contains 20 marks.
SECTION – A
(READING)
1.
Read the following carefully
(5 marks)
Sympathy:
I lay in sorrow, deep distressed;
My grief a proud man heard;
His looks were cold, he gave me gold
But not a kindly word.
My sorrow passed I paid him back
The gold he gave to me;
Then stood erect and spoke my thanks
And blessed his charity
I lay in want, in grief and pain;
A poor man passed my way;
He bound my head, he gave me bread
He watched me night and day
How shall I pay him back again
For all he did to me?
Oh, gold is great, but greater far
Is heavenly sympathy !
Choose the correct option to answer each question:
A. What did the proud man do for the poet?
(a) He gave him some gold.
(b) He showed sympathy for him
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(c) He spoke kindly to him
(d) He took him home
B. Why does the poet say that he „stood erect‟?
(a) Because he was deep distressed
(b) Because he had got gold from a proud man
(c) Because he had paid back the gold given to him
(d) Because he had in him heavenly sympathy
C. What did the poor man do for the poet?
(a) He gave him bread.
(b) He touched his head
(c) He watched him night and day
(d) All the above
D. What, according to the poet, can‟t be paid back?
(a) Gold
(b) Charity
(c) Sympathy
(d) Bread
E. What does the poet say about sympathy?
(a) He calls it useless
(b) He calls it charity
(c) He calls it golden
(d) He calls it heavenly
2.
Read the following passage carefully:
(5 Marks)
Last summer, I spent days in the garden watching thousands of ants crawling up the trunk
of my prize peach three. I am especially proud of it; not only because it has survived
severe winters, but because it also produces occasionally luscious peaches. During the
summer, I noticed that the leaves of the tree were beginning to wither. Clusters of tiny
insects called aphids were to be found on the underside of the leaves. They were visited by
a large colony of ants which obtained a sort of honey from them. I immediately bound the
base of the tree with a sticky tape, making it impossible for the ants to reach the aphids.
The tape was so sticky that they did not dare to cross it. For a long time, I watched them
scurrying around the base of the tree in bewilderment. Even at midnight, the ants were still
swarming around the sticky tape without being able to do anything about it. I got up early
next morning hoping to find that the ants had given up in despair. Instead, I saw that they
had discovered a new route. I realized sadly that I had been completely defeated by their
ingenuity.
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Choose the correct option to answer each question :
A. Why is the narrator proud of his peach tree?
(a) Its leave are withering
(b) It produces luscious peaches
(c) Tiny insects called aphids cling to its leaves
(d) Ants obtain honey from aphids
B. Why did the narrator bind the base of the tree with a sticky tape?
(a) To help the ants climb up
(b) To help the aphids climb up
(c) To prevent the aphids from falling down
(d) To prevent the ants from climbing up
C. What did the narrator see at midnight?
(a) The ants had disappeared.
(b) The ants had reached the aphids.
(c) The ants were still hoarding around the tape
(d) None of the above
D. Next morning the narrator found that ________
(a) the ants had given up in despair
(b) the ants had discovered a new route
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) neither (a) nor (b)
3.
Read the following passage carefully:
(5 Marks)
Among the manifold misfortunes that may humanity, the lose of health is one of the
severest. All the joys, which life can give, can‟t outweigh the suffering of the sick. Give
the sick man everything and leave him with his suffering, he will feel half the world is lost
to him. Lay him on a soft silken couch, he will nevertheless groan sleepless under the
presence of his suffereing, while the miserable beggar, blessed with health, sleeps sweetly
on the hard ground. Spread his table with daintry meals and choicest drinks and he will
thrust back the hand that proffers them, and envy the poor man who thoroughly enjoys his
dry crust. Surround him with the pomp of kings; let his chair be a throne and his crutch a
world swaying scepter he will look with contemptuous eyes on marble, on gold, on purple
and would deem himself happy, could he enjoys, even were it under a thatched roof, the
health of the meanest of his servants.
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Choose the correct option to answer each question:
A. Which of the misfortunes is regarded as one of the severest?
(a) Lose of wealth
(b) Loss of reputation
(c) Loss of health
(d) Loss of character
B. What is the strongest wish of a sick man?
(a) To get all the wealth of the world
(b) To lie on a soft silken couch
(c) To get rid of his suffering or illness
(d) To eat sumptuous food
C. If a sick man is given everything along with his suffering …..
(a) He will feel extremely happy
(b) He will have no complaint against life
(c) He will feel that half the world is lost to him
(d) He will thank God
D. A miserable beggar sleeps sweetly on the hard ground because …..
(a) Of his good health
(b) He likes hard ground
(c) He can‟t sleep on a soft silken couch
(d) He hates a soft silken couch
E. What is the opposite of the word „contemptuous‟ ?
(a) Admiring
(b) Smiling
(c) Cruel
(d) Angry
4.
Read the following passage carefully:
(5 Marks)
There is an enemy beneath our feet – an enemy the more deadly for his complete
impartiality. He recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. The enemy is the
Earth itself. When an earthquake comes, the whole world trembles.
An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a
modern city, the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas
mains burst, explosions are caused and fires are started. Underground railways are
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wrecked. Whole buildings collapse. Dams burst. Bridges fall. Gaping crevices appear busy
streets. If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. If it strikes in mountain
region, avalanches roar down into the valley.
In 1968, an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively unpopulated part of the world,
only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful
quakes ever to have hit the world. Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole
of the state moved about 80 feet farther west into pacific Ocean.
Choose the correct option to answer each question:
A. Why has the Earth been called an enemy?
(a) Because it is becoming hotter.
(b) Because it is full of sins
(c) Because it causes great damage when it shakes
(d) Because it kills many people when there are floods
B. How does an earthquake strike?
(a) With a warning
(b) Without a warning
(c) With thunder
(d) With lightning
C. What happens when an earthquake strikes?
(a) Gas mains burst
(b) Dams burst
(c) Bridges fall
(d) All of the above
D. When did an earthquake strike Alaska?
(a) In 1968
(b) In 1928
(c) In 1988
(d) In 1998
E. Find in the passage a word which means „destroyed‟.
(a) Impartiality
(b) primitive
(c) Wrecked
(d) Avalanches
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Section – B
(Writing)
5.
Given below is a profile of Mahatma Gandhi. Write a short biographical sketch of
Mahatma Gandhi. You can take the help of the verbal stimulus given below: (4 Marks)
 Birth – 2 October 1869
 Gentle, loved truth
 Pactised law in India
 Fought for India‟s freedom
 Way of fighting – „Ahinsa‟
 Death – 30 January 1948
6.
You are Vivek. Write an e-mail to your friend inviting him to spend a Sunday with your
family. Base your e-mail on the following verbal input:
(8 marks)
 A Sunday of great significance
 The day when saved from drowning
 Celebrating as “Lucky Day”
 Special programme
7.
You are Ravi / Reshma. You happened to see the following lines in a newspaper.
“We all mourn and groan about the loss of the quality of life through the destruction of our
ecology, and each one of us, in our comfortable little ways, contributes daily to that
destruction. It is time now to awaken in each one of us the resp0ect and attention our
beloved mother deserves,” says ED Anser, an environmental supporter.
You decide to write an article for the school magazine titled “Save the Planet Earth”.
Write the article in not more than 150 words.
(8 Marks)
Section – C
(Grammar)
8.
Choose the correct words from the given options to complete the passage: (4 Marks)
The eggs of a koel are pale grey with brown speckles. They look (a) very more like a
crow‟s eggs. The unsuspecting crow (b) hatch the koel‟s eggs and feeds the baby koels (c)
along to her own young ones. The male koel (d) is shine black with yellowish-green and
crimson around the eyes. The female is quite (e) difference in colour; it is dull brown with
white spots andlines. Koels live in large (f) leaf trees in (g) much parts of India. These
birds (h) living on fruits and insects only.
(a) (i) to much
(ii) very much
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(iii) much more
(iv) as much
(b) (i) hatches
(ii) hatch
(iii) hatched
(iv) is hatching
(c) (i) along to hers
(ii) along with hers
(iii) along with her
(iv) with long her
(d) (i) is shone
(ii) is shiny
(iii) be shiny
(iv) be shining
(e) (i) differ
(ii) different
(iii)differently
(iv) differences
(f) (i) leaves trees
(ii) leafy trees
(iii) leave trees
(iv) leaf tree
(g) (i) too much
(ii) too
(iii) more
(iv) many
(d) (i) lived
(ii) life
(iii) many
9.
(iv) be living
Complete the sentences in reported speech choosing the correct option:
Rashmi:
I have invited four friends for dinner.
Renu:
I will also call my friends
Rashmi:
What should we serve them for dinner ?
Renu:
We can serve them Chinese food.
(a) Rashmi told Renu that _____________
(i) she has invited four friends for dinner
(ii) she will have invited four friends for dinner
(iii) she had invited four friends for dinner
(iv) she will invite four friends for dinner
(b) Then Renu said _______
(i) that she may invite her friends also
(ii) that she would also invite her friends
(iii) that she might have invited her friends too
(iv) that she must invite her friends too
(c) When Renu asked ______
(i) what they should serve them for dinner
(ii) that why they should serve them for dinner
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(4 Marks)
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(iii) that should they serve for dinner
(iv) that what they should have for dinner
(d) Rashmi replied that _______
(i) we can serve Chinese food
(ii) they could serve Chinese food
(iii) that we could also serve Chinese food
(iv) that why not serve Chinese food
10.
Mr. M. Sharma is the owner of K.P. Bakeries. He has made the following notes about a
wedding cake to be delievered to Mr. John. He asks his personal assistant to write a brief
note to Mr. John using the information from the notepad given below.
(4 Marks)
Complete the note choosing the correct options.
Mr. John – cake ready
weighs 10 kg – thick layer of chocolate
names of bride and groom written
request – collect by 5 p.m.
not responsible – any damage afterwards
Dear Mr. John
We are pleased to inform you that (a) _________ is ready. It is a cake (b) _________ with
a thick layer of chocolate on it. The names of the bride and the groom (c) ________ on the
top. Since it is a perishable item, (d) ________ to collect it by 5 p.m. this evening. We
shall not be responsible if it damaged afterwards.
Yours truly,
M. Sharma
Proprietor (K. P. Bakeries)
(a) i.
the cake you ordered
ii. You ordered the cake
iii. you order the cake
(b) i.
iv. The cake you orders
which weigh 10 kg
ii. Weighs 10 kg
iii. weighing 10 kg
(c) i.
iv. 10 kg weight
is written
ii. Have been written
iii. has been written
(d) i.
iv. Is being written
we requests you
ii. We are requesting you
iii. we requested you
iv. We request you
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Class IX
11.
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct option:
(4 Marks)
th
Hilary Clinton is (a) _________ (a / the / an / X) 67 U.S. secretary ofState. She embarked
(b) _________ (on / in / at / for) a career in law graduating from Yale law School. She (c)
_________ (has been / had been / was / was being) elected as Senator for New York State
(d) __________ (for / on / in / since) 2000. As Obama‟s Secretary of State (e) _________
(the / any / a / all) President‟s Cabinet. As the Secretary of State, she is responsible (h)
__________ (to / for / of / in) carrying out the President‟s foreign policies.
12.
Edit the passage given below by choosing an appropriate option from the given options:
(4 Marks)
In Britain, the weather is very varied. People never know (a) which it will be like the next
day. The summer is (b) warm than the winter, but even (c) at summer the average
temperature (d) was only 16o C. Sometimes the sun keeps (e) shine but at others times the
sky is covered with clouds, and it starts (f) rain. In winter, it is sometimes terribly cold,
especially in the (g) north to the country. The temperature (h) should fall below 0oC and
then there is often snow and ice.
(a) i.
when
ii. What
iii. where
iv. Why
(b) i.
warm to
ii. Warmer to
iii. warmer than
iv. The warmest
(c) i.
in summer
ii. Into summer
iii. upon summer
iv. On summer
(d) i.
be
ii. Being
iii. is
iv. Has
(e) i.
shone
ii. To shine
iii. being shine
iv. Shining
(f) i.
to rain
ii. To raining
iii. raining
iv. Is r ain
(g) i.
northern of
ii. North of
iii. north for
iv. Northern for
(h) i.
ought to fall
ii. Should have fallen
iii. can fall
iv. Is fallen
Section – D
(Literature)
13.
Read the following extracts and choose the correct option to answer each question.
Attempt any two:
(3 + 3 = 6 Marks)
(a) I shall be telling with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence :
Two roads diverged in a wood, And I –
I took the one less travelled by
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And that has made all the difference
Choose the correct option to answer each question:
(i) What would the poet be telling with a sigh?
1). How he had failed in his aim.
2). How he travelled by the two roads.
3). How his choice of the road had made all the difference.
4). How thoughtlessly he had made his choice and suffered for it.
(ii) What had made all the difference?
1). His Journey
2). His thinking
3). His choice
4). His determination
(iii) What is meant by the word „diverged‟?
1). Converged
2). Disturbed
3). Went into two directions
4). Went through a thick forest
(b) Chuck, Marcy and Duke moved house in March 1956. The people in the new suburb
where the Hoopers bought a house didn‟t know the story of Chuck and Duke. All they
knew was their new neighbour walked like a struggling mechanical giant and that he
was always pulled by a rampageous dog that acted as if he owned the man.
Choose the correct option to answer each question:
(i) When did the Hoppers move to their new house?
1). In March 1957
2). In October 1957
3). In March 1956
4). In October 1956
(ii) According to the people in the new suburb, who walked like a struggling giant?
1). Chuck
2). Marcy
3). Duke
4). None of the above
(iii) What happened with the Hoppers on the evening of 12 October, 1957?
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1). They gave a party to their friends and neighbours
2). Chuck met with an accident outside his house
3). Duke met with an accident outside his master‟s house
4). Marcy and Duke bought a new house
(c) I am not in the least surprised. It is a most delightful little place. Its appearance is
modest, but it has a charm of its own. I can tell by just looking at you that it would suit
you admirably, as you suit it, if you will permit me to say so.
(i) What is the speaker talking about in this passage?
1). About Jeanne‟s villa
2). About Juliette‟s villa
3). About Gaston‟s villa
4). None of the above
(ii) Who is the speaker talking to in these lines?
1). It is the most delightful little place
2). Its appearance is modest
3). It has charm of its own
4). All of the above
14.
Answer any four of the following questions in 3 – 4 sentences each:
(2
4 = 8 Marks)
(a) How does Wordsworth describe the Highland less?
(b) How does Juliette describe her house to Jeanne and Gaston?
(c) What comparison has Tennyson made in his poem „The Brook‟?
(d) What did Krishtakka determine to do and why?
(e) Who was marcy? What was her attitude towards Duke?
15.
Why is Gaston at first not willing to buy Juliette‟s villa? How much does Juliette demand
and how much does he offer for it?
(6 Marks)
Why was the narrator‟s grandmother upset when she had gone for a wedding to a
neighbouring village?
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