Class VII

English Language

MM: 50

Section A

A. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. (20)

Pushmi–pullyus are now extinct. But long ago, when Doctor Dolittle was alive, there were
some of them still left in the deepest jungles of Africa; and even then, they were very, very
scarce. They had no tail, but a head at each end, and sharp horns on each head. They were very
shy and terribly hard to catch. The African men get most of their animals by sneaking up behind
them while they are not looking. But you could not do this with the pushmi–pullyu—because,
no matter which way you came towards him, he was always facing you. And besides, only one
half of him slept at a time. The other head was always awake—and watching. This was why
they were never caught and never seen in Zoos.

Well, the monkeys set out hunting for this animal through the forest. And after they had gone
a good many miles, one of them found peculiar footprints near the edge of a river; and they
knew that a pushmi–pullyu must be very near that spot. So, they all joined hands and made a
great circle round the high grass. The pushmi–pullyu heard them coming; and he tried hard to
break through the ring of monkeys. But he couldn't do it. When he saw that it was no use trying
to escape, he sat down and waited to see what they wanted.

They asked him if he would go with Doctor Dolittle and be put on show in the Land of the
White Men. But he shook both his heads hard and said, "Certainly not!” They told him that the
Doctor was a very kind man but hadn't any money; and people would pay to see a two–headed
animal and the Doctor would get rich and could pay for the boat he had borrowed to come to
Africa in. But he answered, "No. You know how shy I am—I hate being stared at." And he
almost began to cry.

At the end of the third day, he said he would come with them and see what kind of a man the
Doctor was, first. So, the monkeys travelled back with the pushmi–pullyu. And when they
came to where the Doctor's little house of grass was, they knocked on the door. "What in the
world is it?" asked John Dolittle, gazing at the strange creature. "This, Doctor, is the pushmi–
pullyu—the rarest animal of the African jungles, the only two–headed beast in the world! Take
him home with you and your fortune is made. People will pay any money to see him."
"Yes, I'll go," said the pushmi–pullyu who saw at once, from the Doctor's face, that he was a
man to be trusted. "Excuse me, surely you are related to the Deer Family, are you not?" asked
the Doctor. "Yes," said the pushmi–pullyu—"to the Abyssinian Gazelles and the Asiatic
Chamois—on my mother's side. My father's great–grandfather was the last of the Unicorns."
"Most interesting!" murmured the Doctor; and he took a book out of the trunk.

I. Answer the following questions in your own words.

1. Why did the animals want the pushmi-pullyu to accompany them to the Doctor? (3)
2. How was the strange animal related to the Deer Family? (3)
3. Why was it so difficult to catch the pushmi-pullyus? (3)
4. How did the monkeys catch the pushmi-pullyu? (3)

II. Find words from the passage which mean the same as: (4)
1. no longer in existence
2. hard to find
3. a large box with a hinged lid for storing or transporting clothes and other articles
4. a make-believe animal with one horn

III. Explain the meaning of the following phrases from the passage in your own
words: (4)
1. sneaking up
2. break through
3. set out
4. put on show

B. Write a composition of about 200-250 words on any ONE of the following. (10)

a. Imagine you have discovered a shipwreck. Write a vivid description of it and what
thoughts came to your mind while exploring it.
b. A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
c. Legend says that that if you breathe in and out seven times in front of a mirror something
strange happens………….
d. Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it
suggests 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.
C. Choose any ONE of the following. (10)

a. A tree has fallen across the road in your locality, blocking traffic and causing
inconvenience to commuters. Write a letter to the Commissioner of the Prayagraj
Municipal Corporation requesting him to arrange for quick clearance of the road.
Or
b. Write a letter to your friend/cousin who couldn’t participate in the inter school swimming
competition because of a fractured leg.

Section B

A. Do as directed in the brackets. (5)

1. I bought a necklace studded with diamonds. (Replace the italicised phrase with the
corresponding adjective.)
2. He plunged (in/into) the water. (Choose a suitable preposition.)
3. We lost the match. (Insert ‘nearly’ in an appropriate place.)
4. The small girl was knocked down by the scooter. (Rewrite in the Active Voice.)
5. Rahul is wise prudent intelligent and tactful. (Use commas.)

B. Write the correct form of verbs given in brackets. (5)

Andhra Pradesh 1. __________ (become) the first state in India to hold a paperless cabinet
meeting, 2. _________ (set) a new trend in the power corridors of the country. The
paperless cabinet meeting 3. ______ (is) the brainchild of the Chief Minister Naidu, as
ahead of the meeting the technology savvy CM 4. _______ (ask) all the ministers not to 5.
________ (bring) any paper but just come with an iPad.

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