January Monthly Test 2019

LYCEUM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Monthly Test – January 2019

Paper 95 marks
Subject : English Language and Literature Handwriting - 5 marks
Class : 8 ….... Total - 100 marks
Duration : 1 hour and 40 minutes Date : ........................................
Candidate's name : ........................................................... Admission no : ..........................
PART I
COMPREHENSION AND GRAMMAR
1. Read the extract of a newspaper article and answer the questions which follow.
Spiritual sanctuary in bustling Pettah

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi
Set amidst the crush of tiny and big shops in the hustle and bustle of Pettah with the
Colombo harbour as its backdrop, there is a stunningly beautiful sanctuary to where, once you
step in, serenity and tranquillity enshroud you like a mantle.
Unique are many of the facets of the Red Mosque from its very colour to the shape of
its domes, the designs of its handpainted bricks and the number of people who enter not only
to pray but also to have a look at this beauty amidst the drab and overcrowded Pettah.
The Red Mosque is known by many names – Rathu Palliya in Sinhala, Samman Kottu
Palli in Tamil and its official Arabic name of Al Masjid Al Jamiul Alfar, which adorns its
entrance arch both in English and Arabic.
This is considered to be the most crowded
mosque in Sri Lanka, with as many as 12,000
trooping in for the Friday congregational prayers.
The old building and new, now cover 50,000 sq feet
and have the capacity to accommodate as many as
16,000 worshippers.
The design and architecture of the mosque was
by H.L. Saibo Lebbe who was heavily influenced by
the style of Indian mosques and followed
IndoSaracen architecture, encompassing both Indian
and Islamic traditions.
The very first lowslung building which
adorned the land, construction of which was started
in 1908, more than a century ago, and completed the
following year, had only the ground floor and the
first floor, with intricatelycarved columns of teak
contd.....to page 2
2
Grade 8 English Language & Literature contd.....from page 1
holding up the next level and the roof. This building retained all its simple grandeur, along
with the first dome, imitating the pomegranate shape and the redwhite mix of the fruit’s
interior when halved, being the colour of choice.
The clock on the original dome brought all the way from Ukraine is still working more
than 110 years later.
More recently, 15 years ago, the Red Mosque was expanded to accommodate the
crowds which come in to pray, with six more floors with prayer halls, surrounded by seven
more pomegranateshaped domes and 49 minarets*, being built by the side of the old
building. Five entrances give access to the Red Mosque, two off the Second Cross Street for
male worshippers and one for tourists; and one each for female and male worshippers off the
Main Street.
Another extraordinary feature is its stark colour, with each brick being handpainted
white or red in four different designs – checkered, jagged, striped or spiral.
A rare feature is that the Red Mosque, unlike many others, is open to visitors and
tourists, who are politely requested to cover themselves, if in scanty attire, and walk in, with
abayas hanging just short of the entrance for their convenience.
As many as 100 tourists come avisiting daily between 9.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. The
numbers increase to 150 over the weekends and even as we chat, several foreign couples are
stepping in to be welcomed graciously.
*minaret : high, slender tower of a mosque.
(i) Answer in brief.

a) What name is written at the entrance of the mosque?

b) What is the mosque compared to?

c) At present, how many people can be accommodated in the mosque?
d) How many entrances are there in the mosque for women?
e) Can nonIslamists enter the mosque?
f) There is a contradiction (difference) disscussed in the first paragraph.
Explain the contradiction.

(2 x 6 = 12 marks)
contd.....to page 3
3
(ii) Provide evidence from the passage to prove whether the statements given below
are true or false.
a) Statement :
One of the main purposes of the article is to admire the historical value of the
mosque.
True or false ?
Evidence:
b) Statement :
There has been someone with the writer of this article explaining about/describing
the mosque.
True or false ?
Evidence:
(6 marks)
(iii) Answer in brief.

a) What are the words/phrases used in the passage to describe Pettah ? (Write two)

(2 marks)
b) Which word shows that the writer is surprised to know the fact that the clock has
been working for 110 years in the mosque?

(1 mark)
c) What two nouns used to describe the state/nature of the interior of the mosque?

(2 marks)
(iv) Pick and write two simple present tense active sentences.
a)
b)
(4 marks)
(v) Pick and write two simple present tense passive sentences.
a)
b)
(4 marks)
[Total = 31 marks]
contd.....to page 4
4
2. Fill in the blanks with suitable present tense forms.
The Stages of Tea Making
Eg: Tea is consumed by most of the people in the world.
a) The green leaves (spread) evenly on long racks and left to
dry.
b) They (roll) by a special machine.
c) They (leave) in a room to ferment which
(change) the colour and it also (give) a flavour.
d) Leaves (pass) through a hot air machine, so that there
(be) no moisture in leaves.
e) They (shift) into different grades and (pack).
f) They (export) to other countries.
[Total = 10 marks]
PART II
COMPOSITION
(i) Write an article to 'The Sunday Times' about a place of historical value. Give a suitable title
to your article.
* Write in 250 275 words.
* The title will carry 2 marks
For the teacher's use only :

CONTENT LANGUAGE
Coherence/Organization /3 Grammar /5
Vocabulary /3
Ability to describe a place,
its features, surroundings etc. /4 Spelling /3
Punctuation /2
Ability to explain the
historical value of the palace
(factuality) /4
Ability to decide on a
suitable, interesting topic /2
TOTAL /26
contd.....to page 5
5
PART III
LITERATURE
* Answer both questions.
Novel – The Village by the Sea
(Anita Desai)
(i) “I have come from Alibagh to ask you to join us. We are all concerned in this matter."
Who said this? Do you agree or disagree with Adarkar's argument on the land rights?
Bring out your point of view/argument with adequate examples/quotations from the
novel.
(13 marks)
Poem
A Poison Tree
(William Blake)
(Recommended time for this question is 5 minutes.)
(ii) Write the meaning of these lines of the poem.
(a) "I told it not, my wrath did grow."

(3 marks)
(b) "And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles."

(3 marks)
(c) The poet effectively describes how one's anger grows using a strong metaphor.
Discuss this with 12 examples/quotations from the poem. (12 15 lines).

contd.....to page 5
6

(9 marks)
For the teacher's use only :
PROSE POETRY
(Section C)
Grammar /2
/2
Vocabulary /2
Pertinence / Organisation /5 /5
Quotations / Examples /4 /2
/13 9+3+3
[Total = 28 marks]
END
Ref : MP

January Monthly Test 2019

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LYCEUM INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Monthly Test – January 2019

Spiritual sanctuary in bustling Pettah

(i) Answer in brief.

(iii) Answer in brief.

For the teacher's use only :

For the teacher's use only :

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