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Q.1 (A)

UNSEEN PASSAGES (SOLVED)

Read the following extract and answer the questions given below : (9 Marks)

PASSAGE 1
People moan about poverty as a great evil and it seems to be an accepted belief that if people had plenty of money, they would be happy, and get more out of life. As a rule there is more genuine satisfaction in life and more is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men, who are attended by servants and governesses at a later stage. At the same time I am glad to think they do not know what they have missed. It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is, how free from perplexing care and social envies and jealousies, how loving and united the members are in the common interest of supporting the family that I sympathise with the rich mans boy and congratulate the poor mans son. It is for these reasons that from the ranks of the poor so many strong eminent self-reliant men have always sprung. If you read the list of the Immortals who were not born to die you will find that most of them have been poor.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. 5. Ans. 6. Ans. What is the popular notion about poverty? 1 The popular notion about poverty is that it is a great evil. Where can one get more genuine satisfaction in life ? 1 One can get more genuine satisfaction in life in the humble cottage of the poor man. Why does the author pity the rich mans boy? 1 The author pities the rich mans boy because he does not know the sweetness, happiness and purity of honest poverty. (a) They do not know what they have missed. (Make it affirmative) 1 1 (b) People moan about poverty. (Frame a wh-type) (a) They are ignorant of what they have missed. (b) What do people moan about? Find two other words in the passage with similar meanings to confusing and self - dependent. 2 The word perplexed means confusing and the word self - reliant means self - dependent. How has the author compared rich with the poor? What is his conclusion? 2 The author feels that more genuine satisfaction is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men who are attended by servants and governesses. He knows first hand how sweet and happy and
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pure the home of honest poverty is. The poor man is free from social envies. The members of a poor family are united, loving and share a common interest in being supportive to each other. The rich boy does not know these pleasures.

PASSAGE 2
Character is destiny. Character is that on which the destiny of a nation is built. One cannot have a great nation with men of small character. We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living image of themselves as our Shastras have so often declared. But whether in public life or student life, we cannot reach great heights, if we are lacking in character. We can not climb the mountain when the ground at our feet is crumbling. When the very basis of our structure is shaky how can we reach the heights we have set before ourselves? We must all have humility. Here is a country which we are all interested in building up for whatever service we take up, we should not care for what we receive. We should know how much we can put into that service. That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women. Ours is a great country, we have had for centuries a great history. The whole of the East reflects our culture.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. 5. What is the passage about? 1 This passage deals with the importance of character formation in moulding the destiny of our nation. What kind of young men and women must we have? 1 We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living images of themselves as our Shastras have so often declared. How can we reach the great heights we have set before ourselves? 1 We can reach the great heights we have set before ourselves if our character is built on a strong foundation of sterling qualities. (a) We must have humility. (Use auxiliary of advice) 1 (b) We cannot reach great heights. (Add a question tag) 1 (a) We should have humility. (b) We cannot reach great heights, can we? (a) That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women. The underlined word means : 1 (i) discourage (ii) encourage (iii) frighten (iv) humour. (b) Give the adjective forms of 1 (i) humility (ii) reflection. (a) The underlined word animate means encourage in the above context. (b) (i) humility - humble (ii) reflection - reflective. Why is ours a great country ? 2 Ours is a great country with a history that goes back for centuries. Its rich cultural heritage makes it unique. It has also contributed a great deal to the world of knowledge and culture.
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PASSAGE 3
Not only was he funny-looking, but he had funny ways and notions, and a good - natured, magnetic stubbornness in sticking to them. One of his friends had asked the oracle at Delphi who was the wisest man in Athens. To the astonishment of all, the priestess had mentioned this idler, Socrates. The oracle, he said, chose me as the wisest Athenian because I am the only one who knows that he doesnt know anything. The attitude of sly and slightly mischievous humbleness gave him a terrific advantage in an argument. Pretending that he himself didnt know the answers, he would badger people with questions, and lead them to make astounding admissions. Socrates was the evangelist of clear thinking. He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic - just as 400 years later Jesus would go about the villages of Palestine preaching love. And like Jesus without ever writing down a word, he exercised an influence over the minds of men that a library of books could not surpass.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. What did Socrates preach? 1 Socrates preached logic and clear thinking. What was advantageous to Socrates in an argument? 1 The attitude of sly and slightly mischievous behaviour was advantageous to Socrates in an argument. What was the similarity between Socrates and Jesus? 1 Both Socrates and Jesus were evangelists and went around preaching. Rewrite the following sentences as instructed : 2 (a) The oracle, he said, chose me as the wisest Athenian. (Rewrite in indirect narration) He said that the oracle had chosen him as the wisest Athenian. (b) He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic. (Rewrite the sentence using the coordinating conjunction and) He went about the streets of Athens and preached logic. Match the word in Column A with their meaning in Column B. 2 A B (i) badger (a) idea (ii) evangelist (b) tease (iii) notion (c) prophet (iv) oracle (d) preacher (i) badger tease (ii) evangelist preacher (iii) notion idea (iv) oracle prophet. How will you describe Socrates in your own words? 2 Socrates was an eccentric in looks and behaviour. He was goodnatured and stubborn. He often pretended to know nothing and pestered people with his seemingly innocent questions.
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PASSAGE 4
We left Dehradun early in the morning and stopped by for breakfast at Mussouri. From Mussouri the picturesque road heads north to Yamuna bridge, then to Barkot (where one road branches to Gangotri). The road winds along the Yamuna river. through luxurious dense green vegetation to Hanumanchatti, the end of motorable road. The remaining journey has to be undertaken on foot or pony. Yamunotri is only 13 km. from Hanumanchatti. But it is better to proceed another 6 km. and have the night halt at Janakibaichatti. The journey to Yamunotri is simply breathtaking. High snowcovered peaks all around, glaciers, streams and waterfalls, vibrant green foliage, and the pristine air are a sheer delight to tired city lungs. Yamunotri, 3322 metres above sea level, is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch (meaning - monkeys tail) which is 6315 metres high.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. Where did the travellers stop for breakfast? 1 The travellers stopped for breakfast at Mussouri. Why is a part of the journey to Yamunotri to be undertaken on foot? 1 Part of the journey to Yamunotri is to be undertaken on foot because only a part of that road is motorable. What has made the journey to Yamunotri breathtaking? 1 The journey to Yamunotri is breathtaking because all around there are high snowcovered peaks, glaciers, streams, waterfalls and vibrant green foliage. The air is pristine and therefore fresh and delightful. (a) The remaining journey has to be undertaken on foot or pony. 1 (Rewrite the sentence using the appropriate form of modal auxiliary) (b) Yamunotri, 3322 metres above sea-level is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch. (Make it complex) 1 (a) The remaining journey must be undertaken on foot or pony. (b) Yamunotri, which is 3,322 metres above sea-level, is located on the western bank of the great peak of Banderpunch. (a) Vibrant green foliage. 1 (Choose the appropriate meaning for the underlined word) (i) vibrating (ii) full of life and energy (iii) shivering (iv) trembling. (ii) full of life and energy. (b) Give another word for (i) Snow-Covered (ii) Foliage. 1 (i) Snow-Clad (ii) Green Leaves. Do you think a journey of this kind is dangerous as well as pleasant? Why? 2 No, I do not think this journey is dangerous but it is certainly pleasant and delightful. It is not dangerous nowadays because the pony owners take reasonable care and the ponies are trained to carefully carry the passengers. It is totally delightful because of the breathtaking scenery and the clean, pure air.
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PASSAGE 5
The sky blazed with stars. Presently the moon rose. The sight of bear tracks in the dust - the square front paw and long back one with the shaggy claws-made him glance round uneasily. He had once seen a man who had been mauled by a bear all his face torn away. He quickened his steps. Soon, on a cliff above a river-bed, Sher Singh knew he could go no further without rest. He set Kunwar down gently. Suddenly all Sher Singhs muscles, shrinking back to their natural position, thrilled with piercing pain, he lay against a tree with his eyes shut, recovering. It was then he heard the jostle and squeal, of elephants. Below him on each side of the shallow river-bed, the elephants travelled. He could see the cows and babies and one great old tusker. He was playing his trunk to and fro to learn whatever the breeze could tell him, and suddenly he hesitated. Sher Singh chilled with fright, with Kunwar to carry, he could neither climb nor run. Prayer after prayer fled up from his frightened spirit. The tusker snorted, trumpeted, shook his head. Suddenly, he hurried on angrily up the river-bed, and all the herd with him. They disappeared.

Question & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. 5. Ans. 6. Ans. Sher Singh was walking at night time. Give two examples as evidence to this. 1 The sky blazed with stars and the moon rose. Why did Sher Singh chill with fright? 1 Sher Singh chilled with fright as he could neither climb nor run with Kunwar, and he had seen the elephant coming. What kind of story is it? 1 It is an adventurous story. (a) The sky blazed with stars. (Frame a wh-type question) 2 (b) They disappeared. (Add question tag) (a) What did the sky blaze with? (b) They disappeared, didnt they? (a) Sher Singh was tired. Give words/phrases to support your answer. (b) Write the meaning of (i) shaggy, (ii) fled 2 (a) He could go no further without rest, lay against a tree. (b) (i) long, thick and untidy hair or fibre (ii) ran away How do you come to know that Sher Singh was walking through a jungle? 2 We know it because there were bear tracks in the dust, and below the cliff on each side of the shallow river-bed, a herd of elephants were present.

PASSAGE 6
Most of us take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that one day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. So we go about our pretty task, hardly aware of our listless attitude towards life.
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The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessing that lie in sight. This observation apply to those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing. They seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration, and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill. I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.

Question & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. 5. Ans. 6. Ans. When is death unimaginable? 1 When we are in buoyant health death is unimaginable. Who appreciate the faculties and senses? 1 Only those who lack some faculty or sense appreciate them. How do people who are blessed with all senses behave? 1 People who are blessed with all senses seldom make the fullest use of their faculties, their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and appreciation. (a) We seldom think of it. (Change the voice) 1 (b) Most of us take life for granted. (Add a question tag) 1 (a) It is seldom thought of by us. (b) Most of us take life for granted, dont we? (a) Give the meaning of : lethargy, buoyant. 1 (b) State the word class of stricken. 1 (a) laziness, cheerful and optimistic. (b) Stricken - past participle of strike. What does the writer mean by most of us take life for granted ? 2 We actually do take our life for granted. It means we take our life very easily without bothering about certain important aspects in life like our health, our faculties, senses etc. We accept poor body performance, take in sights and sounds hazily, without concentration, and without appreciation.

PASSAGE 7
Once there were only a few million people living on Earth and it took a thousand years for that number to double. There are now 3,800 million Earth dwellers and the number doubles about every thirty-five years. Men have cleared away forests to make fields for growing crops. They have moved mountains to make room for roads and cities. They have built huge dams across rivers to turn valleys into lakes and they have built dykes to push back the sea and create more dry land to live on. Once everyone cheered at the progress that man made in changing his environment like this, but now many people are worried
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by the problems that such changes can bring. When the Aswan Dam was built across the River Nile in Egypt, it was meant to help the farmers by giving them water when they needed it. Unfortunately, people did not realise that much of the nourishing food for plants in the river would be trapped by the dam so the farmers crops would suffer. Also, hundreds of kilometres away at the mouth of the River Nile, less fresh water pours into the Mediterranean Sea. This means that the sea will become more salty and fewer fish will be able to live in it. When this happens, people who catch fish for their living will suffer. Problems like this are caused when men look at only one part of nature and do not realise that all nature is bound up together. If one part is changed, other parts may suffer.

Question & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. Ans. 5. Ans. Ans. 6. Ans. How many years did it take for the number of people to double? 1 It took a thousand years for a few million people living on Earth to double. What were the changes made in nature? 1 Forests were cleared, mountains were moved and rivers, valleys and the s e a was also disturbed in the environment. What did the men not realise when a dam was built across the River Nile? 1 The people did not realise that much of the nourishing food for plants in the river would be trapped by the dam and the farmers crops would suffer. (a) They have moved mountains to make roads. (Change the voice) 1 The moutains have been moved by them to make roads. (b) People who catch fish for their living will suffer. 1 (Use ing form of the verb) People catching fish for their living will suffer. (a) Write 2 pairs of homophones. 1 sea - see, by -buy. (b) Write 2 sets of collocation. 1 Earth dwellers, nourishing food. What are the earths resources used by you? 2 Solar energy, land, wind, water are the earths resources used by me.

PASSAGE 8

(March 2008)

I should be the last person to be telling school and college students to take their studies seriously. I never did so myself and scraped through my exams with an unbroken record of third divisions. In successive years at school, I distinguished myself by getting zeroes in arithmetic and just managed to get by with algebra and geometry. It was almost the same in college and for higher studies in law in England. Most students did their L.L.B. and Bar-at-Law in three years. I took five years to pass the same exams. When I returned home, my father quite rightly belittled my performances. When any of his friends asked him What did your son pass in England? he would reply, I am not sure what he passed except that he passed a lot of time.
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Students who take their studies seriously do well in their exams and get a headstart in life. You will notice that most of those who get into the best services like administrative, foreign, revenue, education, engineering, police and other posts of the bureaucracy were among the toppers in their classes. Other who do equally well or better in professions like law or medicine, have to make up by studying and working harder in later life. There are no shortcuts to success.

Question & Answers :

1. Choose the correct alternative and complete the sentence. 1 This piece of writing is ................. (a) An autobiography (b) Science fiction (c) Biography. (a) An autobiography How did the authors father feel that he had spent his time in England? 1 The authors father felt that he had wasted his time there. What is the authors conclusion about the road to success? 1 The author is trying to say that there are no short cuts to success. One needs to work hard to succeed in life. (a) There are not many alternatives. 1 (Rewrite as an affirmative sentence) There are a few alternatives. (b) When I returned home, my father belittled my performance. 1 (Rewrite the sentence using ing participle) On / after returning home my father belittled my performance. (a) Expand the abbreviations given below : (i) I.A.S. (ii) L.L.B. 1 (i) Indian Administrative Service. (ii) Bachelor in Legislative Law. (b) Complete the following with a collocation from the extract : 1 (i) .............. record (ii) ............. studies. (i) Written record (ii) Higher studies. State the advantages of hard work. 2 Hard work is the only way to success. One cannot achieve success by getting afraid of working. Dr. Kalam says, only lesser work gives trouble.

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PASSAGE 9

(Sep. 2008)

From Rameswaram to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, its been a long journey. Taking to Nona Walia on the eve of Teachers Day, President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam talks about lifes toughest lessons learnt and his mission being a teacher to the Indian youth. A proper education would help nurture a sense of dignity and self-respect among our youth, says President Kalam. Theres still a child in him though, and hes still curious about learning new things. Lifes a mission for President Kalam. Nonetheless, he remembers his first lesson in life and how it changed his destiny. I was studying in Standard V and must have been all of 10. My teacher,
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Sri Sivasubramania Iyer was telling how birds fly. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard, depicting the wings, tail and the body with the head and then explained how birds soar to the sky. At the end of the class, I said I didnt understand. Then he asked the other students if they had understood, but nobody had understood how birds fly, he recalls. That evening, the entire class was taken to Rameshwaram shore, the President continues, My teacher showed us sea birds. We saw marvellous formations of them flying and how their wings flapped. Then my teacher asked us, Where is the birds engine and how is it powered? I knew then that birds are powered by their own life and motivation. I understood all about birds dynamics.

Question & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. Ans. 5. Ans. Ans. 6. Ans. When did Nona Walia talk to the President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam? 1 Nona Walia spoke to the President Dr. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam on the eve of Teachers Day. What did the teacher draw on the blackborad? 1 The teacher drew a detailed diagram of a bird on the blackboard showing the wings, tail and the body with the head. What did Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam learn when the entire class was taken to the Rameswaram shore? 1 He learnt that birds were powered by their own life and motivation. Do as directed : (a) I was studying in Std. V. 1 (Rewirte using the present perfect continuous tense from the verb phrase) I have been studying in std V. (b) Hes curious about learning new things. 1 (Frame a wh - question to get the underlined expression as answer) What is he curious about ? (a) Give the antonyms of : (i) remembers (ii) toughest. 1 (i) forgets (ii) easiest. (b) Which words in the passage mean the following : 1 (i) fate (ii) forces that produce movement. (i) destiny (ii) motivation. What inspiration do you gain after reading about Dr. Kalams experiences as a student? 2 This passage teaches us that one must have a craving to learn more and more in life. I also learnt that by asking questions we can learn more. If we dont understand a particular concept, we must ask the teacher and not keep the doubts to ourselves.

PASSAGE 10

(March 2008)

The Ajanta caves, we were told, lay in the side of a ravine in wild and desolate country some 350 miles to the northwest, at the extreme tip of Hyderabad state where it touches the Bombay Province. Properly speaking they were not caves at all, but temples which had been excavated from the living rock by Buddhist monks. These monks had first come to the ravine somewhere in the second century before
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Christ and they had begun by hacking out the rock by hand and hurling it down into the river below. Then, probably with large mirrors to reflect the sunshine from the ravine outside, they set about the decoration of the walls, the doorways and the ceilings. They continued for the next eight hundred years, always painting and sculpturing Lord Buddha, but setting him against an idyllic background of folk tales and the everyday life of their own time. In much the same way as in the Italian Renaissance which over a thousand years later, the work was subsidised by the wealthy merchants and the princes of the surrounding countryside.

Question & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. Ans. 5. Ans. Who came to the ravines in the second century before Christ? 1 The Buddhist monks came to the ravines in the second century before Christ. What did the monks use to reflect light into the caves? 1 The monks used large mirrors to reflect light into the caves. What did the caves depict? 1 The caves depicted Buddhist folk tales and everyday life of the monks. (a) The work was subsidised by the wealthy merchants. 1 (Change the voice) The wealthy merchants subsidised the work. (b) They continued for the next eight hundred years. 1 (Rewrite as an interrogative sentence) Didnt they continue for the next eight hundred years? Complete the table given below. 2

NOUN reflection surrounding

ADJECTIVE reflecting /reflective surrounding

VERB reflect surround

6. Ans.

Would you like to see the caves? If so, why? If not, why not? 2 I would surely like to see caves. The caves are quite a mysterious feature of natural physical formation. The paintings and sculpturs on the walls of the caves are a part of our rich cultural heritages.

PASSAGE 11

(Sep. 2008)

One day, a guru foresaw in a flash of vision what he would be in his next life. So he called his favourite disciple and asked him what he would do for his guru in return for all he had received. The disciple said he would do whatever his guru asked him to do. Having received this promise, the guru said, Then this is what Id like you to do for me. Ive learned that when I die, which will be very soon, Im going to be reborn as a cat. Do you see that cat eating garbage there in the yard? Im going to be reborn as the fourth kitten of its next litter. Youll recognise me by a mark on my brow. When that cat has littered, find the fourth kitten with a mark on its brow and, with one stroke of your knife, slaughter it. Ill then be released from a cats life. Will you do this for me?
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The disciple was sad to hear all this, but he agreed to do as he had promised. Soon after this conversation, the guru did die. And the cat did have a litter of four little kittens. One day, the disciple sharpened his knife and picked out the fourth little kitten, which did indeed have a mark on its brow. Just as he was about to bring down his knife to slit its throat, the little kitten suddenly spoke. Stop ! Dont kill me ! it screamed. Before the disciple could recover from the shock of hearing the little kitten speak in a human voice, it said, Dont kill me. I want to live on as a cat. When I asked you to kill me, I didnt know what a cats life would be like. Its great ! Just let me go.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. What did the guru foresee for himself in his next life ? 1 The guru saw himself as a cat in his next life. How would the disciple be able to recognise the right kitten? 1 The disciple would be able to recognise the right kitten as it would have a mark on its brow. What preparations did the disciple make to fulfil the promise he made to his guru? 1 The disciple sharpened his knife and picked out the fourth little kitten as per his gurus instructions. Do as directed : (a) The disciple was sad to hear this. 1 (Rewrite the sentence using the -ing form of the infinitive) The disciple was sad on hearing this (b) Just as he was about to bring down his knife to slit its throat, the little kitten suddenly spoke. 1 (Rewrite using No sooner... than... and rewrite the sentence) No sooner was he about to bring down his knife to slit its throat than the kitten suddenly spoke. Frame sentences with : (i) litter (ii) vision. 2 (i) The child stopped near the litter of puppies, near his school, and kept admiring them for a long time. (ii) Every person must have a clear vision of what he wants to do in future. Why, do you think did the guru change his mind? 2 When born as a human being, the Guru must have felt that life as a human would be far superior than a creature. But once he took the birth of a cat he realised that life as an animal is far better. So he must have changed his mind.

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PASSAGE 12

(Sep. 2010)

There is something disarming about Maria Sharapova, something at odds with her ready smile and glamorous attire. And that something in her lifted her on Monday, 22 August 2005 to the world number one position in womens tennis. All this happened in almost no time. Poised beyond her years, the Siberian born teenager took just four years as a professional to reach the pinnacle.
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However, the rapid ascent in a fiercely competitive world began nine years before with a level of sacrifice few children would be prepared to endure. Little Maria had not yet celebrated her tenth birthday when she was packed off to train in the United States. That trip to Florida with her father Yuri launched her on the path to success and stardom. But it also required a heart-wrenching two-year separation from her mother Yelena. The latter was compelled to stay back in Siberia because of visa restrictions. The nine-year-old girl had already learnt an important lesson in life-that tennis excellence would only come at a price. I used to be so lonely, Maria Sharapova recalls. I missed my mother terribly. My father was working as much as he could to keep my tennis-training going. So, he couldnt see me either. Because I was so young, I used to go to bed at 8 p.m. The other tennis pupils would come in at 11 p.m. and wake me up and order me to tidy up the room and clean it. Instead of letting that depress me, I became more quietly determined and mentally tough. I learnt how to take care of myself. I never thought of quitting because I knew what I wanted. When you come from nothing and you have nothing, then it makes you very hungry and determined .... I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than that to steadfastly pursue my dream.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. Ans. 5. How many year did Sharapova take to reach the pinnacle as a professional ? 1 Sharapova took just four years to reach the pinnacle. Whom did Maria Sharapova miss terribly ? Why ? 1 Sharapova missed her mother Yelena terribly as she could not accompany her during her training phase in the United States due to visa restrictions. What penalty did Maria Sharapova have to pay, being younger than the other players ? 1 Being younger than the other players, Maria Sharapova had to face humiliation and insults from the senior players in the form of cleaning the rooms. Do as directed : (a) All this happened in almost no time. 1 (Rewrite as an affirmative sentence) All this happened very quickly. (b) I used to be so lonely. 1 (Pick out the modal auxiliary and state its function) used to - past habiltual action / past recurrent event Match the expressions in Column A with their meanings in Column B and rewrite the correct pairs : 2 Column A Column B (i) at odds with (a) started immediately (ii) glamorous attire (b) sent away (iii) heart wrenching (c) attractive and exciting clothes (iv) packed off (d) in contrast to (e) causing strong feelings of sadness (i d), (ii c), (iii e), (iv b)
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6. Ans.

What qualities of Maria Sharapova would you like to see inculcated by every sportsman in the competitive world of sports ? 2 Every sportsman must inculcate certain qualities in order to reach the pinnacle of success. He must be very brave and tough as there is cut throat competition. He must be hungry for success and must possess the 3 Ds - dedication, determination and devotion. And last but not the least must have a 'never say die' attitude.

PASSAGE 13

(Sep. 2010)

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Excellencies, Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ladies and Gentlemen. Todays real borders are not between nations, but between powerful and powerless, free and fettered, privileged and humiliated.Today, no walls can separate humanitarian or human rights crises in one part of the world from national security crises in another. Scientists tell us that world of nature is so small and interdependent that a butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon raiforest can generate a violent storm on the other side of the earth. This principle is known as the Butterfly Effect. Today , we realize, perhaps more than ever, that the world of human activity also has its own Butterfly Effect for better or for worse. Ladies and Gentlemen, We have entered the third millennium through a gate of fire. We realize that humanity is indivisible. New threat make no distinction between races, nations, or regions. A new insecurity has entered every mind, regardless of wealth of status. A deeper awareness of the bonds that bind us all in pain as in prosperity has gripped young and old. The 20th century was perhaps the deadliest in human history, devastated by innumerable conflicts, untold suffering, and unimaginable crimes. Time after time, a group or a nation inflicted extreme violence on another, often driven by irrational hatred and suspicion, or unbounded arrogance and thirst for power and resources. In response to these cataclysms, the leaders of the world came together at midcentury to unite the nations as never before.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. What are the old and yound aware of ? 1 Today the young and the old are aware of the bond that binds us all - in pain and prosperity as threats make no distinction between races, nations or regions. What is the Butterfly Effect ? 1 According to scientists, the world of nature is so small and interdependent that a butterfly flapping its wings in the Amazon rainforest can generate a violent storm on the other side of the earth. this is known as the 'butterfly effect'. The 20th century was perhaps the deadliest in human history .... What evidence do you find in the extract to support this statment ? 1
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Ans. 4.

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The two world wars are evidence of the fact that the 20th century was perhaps the deadliest in human history. Do as directed : (a) A new insecurity has entered every mind. (Pick out the verb and identify the tense) 1 has entered - present perfect tense (b) New threats make no distinction between the races. (Add a question tag) 1 New threats make no distinction between the races, do they ? Match the words given in the two boxes to make collocatiove expressions : 2 (i) suggestion (ii) behaviour (iii) misery (iv) period. untold illogical impolite indefinite

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(i) impolite suggestion (ii) illogical behavior (iii) untold misery (iv) indefinite period What message does the speaker wish to convey ? 2 Today the world is facing a great threat of mass destruction due to global warming. The speaker is trying to convey the fact that the need of the hour is unity. All nations are interdependent and an irrational behavior by any one country will have effect on the rest of the world. So all the nations must realize that we need to come together and combat this threat.

PASSAGE 14

(March 2011)

The natural life span of a domesticated horse is about 2530 years, 10 years down from what it was in the wild. You can tell a horses 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 its dangerous to stand behind a horse. If they feel something behind them, they may kick first and ask questions later ! 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 horses two eyes work independently wherever a horses 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 doesnt fall asleep. Nor do all horses in the same field ever lie down at onceone animal always stands on look out duty.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. What is the life span of a wild horse ? The life span of a wild horse is about 35 - 40 years. 1
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Why do the horse owners cover their horses eyes with blinkers ? 1 The horse owners cover their horse's eyes with blinkers since the horses have a 360 degree vision and the blinkers limit their vision only to the road ahead . What prevents a horse from falling while asleep ? 1 A horse is able to sleep standing up as he is able to lock his leg muscles so that he doesn't fall while asleep. (a) Falls shorter the mane on the side legged. (Rearrange the words to make a meaningful sentence) 1 The mane on the side leg falls shorter. (b) Form antonyms by adding a prefix : 1 (i) able (ii) direct (i) Unable (ii) Indirect (a) They get all their teeth by the age of five. (Pick out the prepositions) 1 of, by- preposition (b) If they feel something behind them they may kick. (Rewrite using unless) 1 Unless they feel something behind them, they may not kick. How have horses helped man through the ages ? 2 The earliest mode of transport was a chariot drawn by a horse. Ever since then horses have helped man in transport. They have also played a major role in migration when there were no vehicles. Even in wars, horses were preferred to elephants due do their agility and swiftness. Though in modern times the dependability on horses for transport has reduced, horses are still in use for the sake of entertainment e.g. horse racing , polo.

PASSAGE 15

(March 2011)

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 strong kites 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 wellknown kite 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 airtoground video link enables him to see the view from the kites 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.
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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, Kites Eye View : India between Earth and Sky. Though it includes photographs of off taken sites like the Taj Mahal, it shows them from a totally different perspective. Questions & Answers :
1. Ans. 2. Ans. What were Nicholass two passions ? 1 Nicholas's two passions are photography and kite flying. How does Nicholas take aerial photographs ? 1 Nicholas takes aerial photographs by tying a cradle containing the camera to the string of a kite and flying it, manipulating the angles of the camera with a remote and uses air to ground video link to see the view and then clicks the picture. What is Rokkaku ? 1 Rokkaku is a Japanese kite that could endure harsh winds. (a) Pick out words from the passage which mean : 1 (i) to tolerate (ii) costly (i) endure (ii) expensive (b) Nicholas has two passions. (Start the sentence with Nicholas was ...... using the adjective form of passion) 1 Nicholas was passionate about two things. (a) India is too vast a country to be captured through the lenses. (Remove too ....... and rewrite) 1 India is so vast a country that it cannot be captured through the lenses. (b) Nicholas learnt to make strong kites. (Rewrite using past perfect tenses) 1 Nicholas had learnt to make strong kites. What risks do aerial photographers face ? 2 The risk of losing their expensive camera or other photographic equipments is faced by aerial photographers.

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PASSAGE 16

(Sept. 2011)

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, and all of the others including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all reoaired their boats and left. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, Richness, can you take me with you? Richness answered, No I cant. There is a lot of gold and silver
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in my boat. There is no place for you here. Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, Vanity, please help me! I cant help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat, Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, Sadness, let me go with you, Oh ...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself! Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not ever hear when Love called her! Suddenly, there was a voice, Come Love, I will take you. It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder her name. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Love realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder, Who helped me? It was Time, Knowledge answered. Time? asked Love. But why did Time help me? Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. Ans. 5. Ans. What did the feelings do on hearing the announcement ? 1 On hearing the announcement, all of them left the island. Why did Richness refuse to take Love with him ? 1 As richness had a lot of gold and silver in his boat, he refused to take love with him. Come Love, I will take you. Whose voice was it ? 1 That was the voice of Time. (a) Love was the only one who satyed. (Rewrite as a negative sentence) 1 No one else but love stayed. (b) She was so happy that she did not even here. (Rewrite using too) 1 She was too happy to even hear. (a) What are the verb forms of : 1 (i) sad (ii) beautiful (i) Sadden (ii) beautify. (b) Which words/phrases from the passage mean the following : 1 (i) mended (ii) extremely happy (i) repaired (ii) overjoyed Which of the feelings mentioned in the passage, would you like to be ? Why ? 2 The feelings- Happiness, sadness and love lived on the island. I would like to be happiness as it is the ultimate wish of every living being to "be" happy.

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PASSAGE 17

(Sept. 2011)

He was a funny-looking man with a high, bald, dome-shaped head, a face very small in comparison, a round upturned nose and a long wavy beard that didnt seem to belong to such a perky face. His ugliness was a standing joke among his
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friends and he helped them to enjoy the joke. He was a poor man and something of an idler a stone-cutter by trade, a sort of semi-skilled sculptor. But he didnt work any more than was necessary to keep his wife and three boys alive. He preferred to talk. And since his wife was a complaining woman who used her tongue as an irate wagon driver uses a horse-whip, he loved above all things to be away from home. He would get up before dawn, eat a hasty breakfast of bread dipped in wine, slip on a tunic and throw a coarse mantle over it, and be off in search of a shop, or a temple, or a friendss house, or the public baths, or perhaps just a familiar street corner, where he could get into an argument. The whole city he lived in was seething with argumentation. The city was Athens, and the man we are talking about was Socrates.

Questions & Answers :

1. Ans. 2. Ans. 3. Ans. 4. Ans. What was Socrates profession ? 1 Socrates was a stone cutter and a semi skilled sculptor by profession. Where would Socrates go to get into an argument ? 1 Socrates would go to a shop, temple, a friend's house, a public bath or a street corner to get into an argument. What evoked a sense of joy in the people ? 1 Joking on Socrates' ugliness evoked a sense of joy in the people. (a) Fill in the blank with a modal auxiliary indicating habitual past : 1 He .................... get up before dawn. He used to get up before dawn. (b) He was a funny-looking man. (Rewrite as an exclamatory sentence) 1 What a funny looking man he was ! Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B : 2 Column A Column B (a) perky (i) rough or loose in texture (b) irate (ii) easy to recognise (c) coarse (iii) angry (d) familiar (iv) lively (a iv), (b iii), (c i), (d ii) Have you met people who are argumentive or funny-looking ? Where ? 2 Yes, I have met argumentative people on train or bus.

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