Vikram’s English Academy (ICSE)

ENGLISH Paper- 1
Set C
(Two hours)

Attempt all five questions

The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
You are advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1
And 20 minutes in answering Question 2.

Question 1 [20]
(Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.)
Write a composition (300-350 words) on any one of the following:
a) Describe an occasion when you experienced rejection and what you learnt from it.
b) Write a short story which ends with; ‘…he got the gleam of happiness in his eyes and won the
competition.’
c) Teenager should not be given pocket money. Give your views whether for or against the
proposition.
d) Describe an imaginary account of your visit to another planet.
e) 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 may take suggestions
from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.

Question 2 [10]
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select any one of the following:
a) Write a letter to your pen friend in London who wants to know about the festival of Diwali
and the activities associated with it.
b) Write a letter to the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation requesting him to take adequate
measures to prevent the spread of mosquito borne diseases in your area.
Question 3 [5+5]
a) You are the School Captain. You, along with the Student Council, are organizing a
Thanksgiving Party and lunch for the service staff of the school. Write a notice giving
information about the same, to the high school students.

b) Write an email to the Principal of your school seeking permission to display the notice and
requesting the use of the auditorium, and the dining hall for the event.

Question 4
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
One summer I was at a beach at Mumbai. We cousins were sitting around boating about our
adventures that day. One cousin had stolen mangoes from an aunt’s garden, another ‘borrowed’ an
uncle’s car and gone for a spin around the countryside and a third (me) had sneaked away to the Big
Banyan while the grownups were sleeping.
‘And on the way at the water tank, what do you think I saw?’ Everyone looked at me expectantly. I
enjoyed the attention and said. ‘A snake. A big water-snake.’
‘Did you kill it?’ asked the cousins.
This was the moment I was waiting for. I had become interested in snakes and took every opportunity
to preach how useful they were, and how they shouldn’t be killed. I was getting famous in our family
as the great Protector of Snakes. It felt good.
‘Kill it?’ ‘Why on earth?’ I retorted. Don’t you guys know that snakes eat rats and are very good for
the environment and also that most snakes are not poisonous. Snakes have a right to be around, just
like other animals.
Just then we heard a strange sound. Like a small steam engine or like air being let out from one of
those blow up toys. Or may be passing truck having a bad attack of puncture. Running out and
looking around, we discovered it was none of these, but a large Russell’s viper sitting in a bush,
speaking its mind. It wasn’t happy at all. Neither was I. I wished I hadn’t spoken like a protector of
snakes. The cousins looked at me, waiting for me to do something. It was awful.
Will you catch it? Asked Reema. I tried to look brave, like a snake-catcher. But fortunately, the snake
came to my rescue and suddenly shot off into the vegetation and disappeared. I got brave once more.
‘Just as well,’ I said, ‘I hate keeping snakes in captivity.’
Just then the gardener and his son came running up with a big stick and began poking about, looking
for the snake and making loud hunting sounds. I began my Snake Protector speech all over again. But
the gardener had no time for all that. He said, ‘You sleep on a bed, in a room, safe from snakes. But
we sleep on the ground in the open, during the hot months.’
I felt very small. He was absolutely right. It is one thing to be indoors at night and another to be
sharing ground space with snakes. I was still glad the Russell’s viper had escaped, but began to
understand the village person’s fear of snakes. After all, ten thousand people die of snakebite every
year in India. Most of these deaths are caused by four common dangerous snakes, often called The
Big Four; the cobra, the krait, the Russell’s viper and the saw-scaled viper.

I. Give the meaning of the following words: (2)

a) puncture
b) captivity

II. Answer the following questions:

a) What were the adventures that the cousins were boasting about? (2)
b) Why was the narrator getting famous as the Protector of Snakes? (2)
c) Mention the different strange sounds. (2)
d) How or why did the narrator become brave once more? (2)
e) What made her feel very small? (2)

III. In not more than 50 words, write a summary of how the author felt about snakes. (8)
Question 5
a. 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. [4]

(0)- decide
At times, the Mahal ladies (0) ________ (decide) to go shopping. On one occasion, I remember,
there was much excitement in the palace with everyone (1) ________ (dress) up and (2)
________ (put) their money in bags. The slaves and maids (3) ________ (bustle) about getting
palanquins and (4) ________ (call) soldiers to escort them. The soldiers (5) ________ (ride) off
first to the main bazaar and they (6) ________ (make) all the people (7) ________ (leave) so that
the Mahal women (8) ________ (can) shop.

b. Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word: [4]

i. There was a little house ____the trees.
ii. He had traded his old horses ____young ponies.
iii. He betrayed the confidence reposed ____him.
iv. The belt was studded __jewels.
v. He waved the beggar ____ with an angry gesture.
vi. They set out ____ the hill station.
vii. The fanatics want to stamp ____ liberal values.
viii. She let ____ shriek of pain.

c. Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so:
[4]
i. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal. He was a rich king.
ii. He is weak. He cannot walk.
iii.The sun set. His uncle did not come.
iv. The boy broke the bookshelf in the library. He was punished.

d. Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other
changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. [8]

i. You will lose marks and you will be punished as well. (Begin: Not only… but also)
ii. If my ears have been perfect, I would’ve heard the roar. (Begin: Had)
iii. Few poets write as well as Tennyson (Begin: Tennyson)
iv. His voice irritates me sometimes. (Begin: I….)
v. The child disappeared as soon as the bus stopped. (Begin: Hardly….)
vi. Please teach me to cycle she asked her brother. (Rewrite in direct speech)
vii. Rachel is so adamant that she will not listen to any advice. (Rewrite using ‘too’)
viii. Only a coward could commit such a crime. (Begin: None…)