A Letter To God

1.Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:

It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to
fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air
was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the
pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, ‘‘These
aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent
pieces and the little ones are fives.’’

i) Pick out the example for Metaphor from the given lines.

a) Big drops of rain

b) Huge mountains of clouds

c) The pleasure of feeling

d) The man went out

ii) Lencho was ____________when the rain started falling

a) remorseful

b) dejected

c) regretful

d) delighted

iii) The humongous clouds approached Lencho’s field from __________

a) North west

b) North east

c) South west

d) South east

iv) What did Lencho compare the rain drops to?

a) mountains

b) pleasure

c) coins

d) sweets
v) Which of the following statement is not true according to the given extract?

a) Lencho’s prediction about the rain became true.

b) Lencho took shelter in his house during the rain.

c) Lencho’s hopes for a good harvest were reinforced when the rain began.

d) Lencho was overjoyed when it started raining.

Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

1.Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
10th May dawned bright and clear. For the past few days, I had been pleasantly
besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who were coming to pay their respects
before the inauguration. The inauguration would be the largest gathering ever of
international leaders on South African soil. The ceremonies took place in the lovely
sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades this
had been the seat of white supremacy, and now it was the site of a rainbow
gathering of different colors and nations for the installation of South Africa’s first
democratic, non-racial government.

1)When was the inauguration day in the story?

a.20 March

b.10 May

c.10 March

d.20 May

2)It was a celebration of South Africa's first ______ government.

a.democratic and racial

b.autocratic and racial

c.monarch and non-racial

d.democratic and non-racial

3)Where did the ceremonies take place?

a.London

b.Pretoria

c.New York
d.New Delhi

4)For decades South Africa had been the seat for:

a.White Supremacy

b.Power of Politicians

c.Equality

d.Justice

5)What does “rainbow gathering” refer to :

a.People of all races, caste, color, national and international had come together to
celebrate the glory of democratic elections.

b.People of all colors

c.Seven rainbow colors

d.People of all communities and nations

Glimpses of India
1.Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide.
He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his
selling round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The
jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet
him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were
bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the house! What we longed
for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes it was sweet
bread of special make. (Glimpses of India)

1) What according to the narrator was the reaction of the children hearing the

baker’s bamboo thud?

i.They avoid the loud noise and would turn around and sleep.

ii.They would wake up from their sleep.

iii.They would jump out of bed quickly.

iv.They would run to meet and greet him.

v.They would go to buy loaves

Choose the correct option from the following:

(a) (i) and (v)

(b) (ii), (iii) and (iv)

(c) (ii) and (iii)

(d) (iii) (iv) and (v)

2) Select the option which displays an example of ‘’jingling’

(a)The hawker pushed through the crowd in the market.

(b)The little boy ran across the road to fetch the ball.

(c)The ice-cream vendor began ringing a small bell attached to his cart on the beach.

(d)The two old women were strolling in the park

3) From the options given below, identify the attitude of the children in the extract:

(a)Frightened

(b)Restless

(c)Excited

(d)Hesitant

4) 'Not at all’ in the above extract means...

Choose one from the following to answer:

(a)Of course

(b)In every respect

(c)By no means

(d)Absolutely

5) Select the most appropriate option for (1) and (2).

(1)Paskine or Bastine were male servants of the house.

(2)The narrator ate only the sweet bread bangles.

(a)(1) is true and (2) is false.

(b) (2) is the opposite of (1).

(c)(1) furthers the meaning of (2).

(d)Both (1) and (2) cannot be inferred from the extract.

The Sermon at Benares

Read the given extract to attempt the questions that follow:
Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and
said, “Here is mustard-seed; take it!” But when she asked, “Did a son or daughter, a
father or mother, die in your family?” they answered her, “Alas! the living are few, but
the dead are many. Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” And there was no house
but some beloved one had died in it.

1)The community’s response to Kisa in the above extract was somewhat different
from before.

Why do you think that was the case?

a) They had learned from Buddha’s sermons.

b) They were able to help Kisa in some way this time.

c) They understood parental grief.

d) They liked Kisa and enjoyed talking to her.

2)Which of the following options represent the correct understanding of the word
“poor” in the

phrase “Poor Kisa Gotami”?

a) in need of money

b) weak

c) unfortunate

d) inferior

3)“Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” The tone of the speaker(s) is

a) disillusioned.

b) skeptical
c) ironic.

d) solemn.

4)Pick the option that explains — ‘...the living are few, but the dead are many.’

a) It shows the high death rate and low birth rate in the city of Benares.

b) It highlights the holy status of Benares where many Hindus go to die.

c) It throws light on the numerous loved ones the villagers had lost over time.

d) It reflects that many children had died in the village for various reasons.

5)Choose the option that appropriately completes the following:

lamentation : grief :: _______ : _______

(a) laughter : sadness

(b) discomfort : fear

(c) celebration : joy

(d) resignation: loss

Dust of Snow
The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree.

a) What did the poet do to the hemlock tree?

i) Shook it

ii) Destroyed it

iii) Laid eggs in it

iv) Build a nest in it.

b) Where do you think the poet was then?

i) At his home
ii) In the field

iii) Under the hemlock tree

iv) None of these

c) The crow and the hemlock are considered as .................. symbols of nature.

i) Positive

ii) Negative

iii) Pleasant

d) From where did the snow fall on the poet?

i) From the hemlock tree

ii) From the body of the crow

iii) From the sky

iv) From the nest of a bird

e) What is the rhyme scheme of the given stanza?

i) abab

ii)abba

iii) abcb

iv) Blank verse

Amanda
Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

Don’t hunch your shoulders,

Amanda!Stop that slouching and

sit up straight,Amanda!

(i) Select the option that fits with the

following;Slouching ; straight:: :

(a) Transparent: translucent

(b) Lazy: agile

(c) Forgetful: lively

(d) Generous: liberal

(ii) The purpose of the speaker’s words in the given extract is to

(a) Show the speaker’s power over the listener

(b) Make the listener a better human being

(c) Advice the listener as an elder

(d) Improve the listener’s posture and habits

(iii) What does the repetition of “Amanda!” at the end of each line reflect?

(a) It describes who the speaker is talking to

(b) It represents the absent-mindedness of the speaker

(c) It shows the frustration of the speaker

(d) It helps create a rhyme scheme

(iv) All the three lines above begin with---------------

(a) A taunt

(b) Concern

(c) A cool tone

(d) A nagging tone

(v) The above lines reflect that Amanda-------

(a) is an obedient girl

(b) is a carefree child

(c) does not fear the elders

(d) Both B and C