CG nA SAMASHTL las INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Academic Year 2023-24 Annual Examination Grade: IX Time: 3 Hrs Subject: English - Language and Literature (184) Marks: 80 General Instructions: 1. The Question Paper contains THREE sections - Section A —Reading Skills of 20 marks Section B - Grammar & Writing Skills of 20 marks Section C - Literature of 40 marks 2. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part. Section-A READING Reading the following text. 1 | Cardamom, the Queen of all spices, has a history as old as the human race. itis the dried fruit of a herbaceous perennial plant. Warm humid climate, loamy soil rich in organic matter, distributed rainfall and special cultivation and processing methods all combine to make Indian cardamom truly unique in aroma, flavour, size and it has a parrot green colour. Two types of cardamom are produced in India. The first type is the large one, which has not much significance as it is not traded in the future market. It is cultivated in the North-eastern area of the country. The second type is produced in the Southern states and these are traded in the future market. These are mainly cultivated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. As per the future market rules, only 7 mm quality was previously traded in exchanges. But later, it relaxed its norms, and now 6 mm quality is also traded in the exchanges. The small variety, known for its exotic quality throughout the world, is now traded in India’s commodity future exchanges. Traditional auction markets also exist for trading in small cardamom in the country. Cardamom is an expensive spice, second only to saffron. It is often adulterated and there are many inferior substitutes from cardamom-related plants such as Siam cardamom, Nepal cardamom, Winged Java cardamom, ete, However, it is only Elettaria cardamom which is the true cardamom. Indian cardamom is known in two main varieties: Malabar cardamom and Mysore cardamom. The Mysore variety contains levels of cineol and limonene and hence is more aromatic. India was the world’s largest producer and exporter of cardamom till the 1980s, By the 1990s Guatemala emerged as the leading producer and exporter of cardamom, The main harvest season of cardamom in India is between August-February. Cardamom reaches the yielding stage two years after planting. The primary physical markets of Samashti International School Page No.cardamom are Kumily, Vandenmedu, Thekkady, Puliyarmala in ena Bodynaikkannur and Cumbam in Tamil Nadu. Cardamom auctions also take place in Sakleshpur and Sirsi in Karnataka. North India is the main market for cardamom produced in the country. Normally, domestic demand goes up during the major festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra and Eid. Colour, size and aroma are the major variables that shape cardamom prices in the Indian market. Cardamom price formation in India is also influenced by the output in Guatemala as that country controls the global markets. Kerala is the main producer of cardamom and contributes up to 60% in total production. Karnataka produces around 25% cardamom of the total production. Ooty is the main Producer of cardamom in Tamil Nadu and contributes around 10-15% of the total production. Besides India, Guatemala also produces around 2,200 tonnes of cardamom. On the other hand, India produces nearly 1,000-2,000 tonnes of cardamom per year. Due to low quality of cardamom from Guatemala, it remains available at cheaper rates. Moreover, cardamom of Indian origin fetches $ 3-4 per kilogram at higher rates than the ones from Guatemala 1) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions. a) Why is Indian cardamom unique? b) What is special about the Mysore quality of cardamom? ¢) Find the word from the options given below which mean the same as: fragrance: i)herbaceous _ ii) loamy iii) aroma iv) humid d) What role does Guatemala play in the Indian market? e) Write two sentences on the harvesting of cardamom. f) Which is the best variety of Indian cardamom? Why? g) Find the word from the options given below which mean the same as: make poor in quality by adding another substance: i) adulterated ii) emerged iii) contribute iv) remain h) Which Indian state is the main producer of cardamom? Give a reason. 10 i) The larger type of cardamom produced in India is cultivated in area of the country. j) The main market for cardamom production in country is: i) South India ii) North-east India iii) North India iv) None Reading the following text. Chocolate diamonds are actually brown diamonds and compared to the well- known white diamond they aren’t worth much. Diamonds are produced in mines. The best-known diamond mines are in Australia, South Africa and Russia. The largest diamond mine was discovered in 1976 in the desert of Australia near a little creek named Lake Argyle. Diamonds are created under very extreme conditions of pressure and high temperature. It is a general misunderstanding that there exist only white colourless diamonds. Actually, diamonds exist in many different colours Of all the diamond mines in the world, almost 80% of all diamonds produced are brownish in colour, Because they were found in such large quantities compared to the other coloured diamonds, they were considered as low-valued diamonds, only good for the industrial sector. But, a famous man called Le Vian came with a marketing campaign to increase the popularity of the chocolate diamond. Instead of calling it a browndiamond, he gave it popular names like caramel, chocolate, cinnamon and cognac. Since his marketing campaign, chocolate diamonds are becoming very popular. The value of a diamond is based on its shape, brightness and colour. Because white diamonds are rare, their value is based on the fact that there are not many white diamonds around. But if you look at the shape and brightness, then the brightest diamond in this world known to men is a brown diamond. Before the development of the Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia in 1986, most brown diamonds were considered worthless for jewellery; they were not even assessed on the diamond colour scale, and were predominantly used for industrial purposes. However, marketing strategies changed in the 1980s and brown diamonds have become popular gems. The change was mostly due to the supply: the Argyle mine, with its 35 million carats (7,000 kg) of diamonds per year, makes about one third of global production of natural diamonds; 80% of Argyle diamonds are brown. The percentage of brown diamonds is lower in other mines, but it is almost always a significant part of the total production. Consequently, scientific research on the causes of brown colour in diamonds and ways to alter it has intensified. OR Taking help of the following points together with your own ideas, write a story in about 100-150 words. Give a suitable title to the story. An old rich lady becomes blind — calls in a doctor — agrees to pay large fee if cured, but nothing if not — her eyes bandaged-doctor removes something everyday — eyes cured — doctor asks for payment — lady refuses to pay — says cure not complete — doctor On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following : questions. | 10 a) What is the wrong notion about diamonds? b) Brown diamonds were considered low in value because: i) they were found in lesser quantity ii) they were found in more quantity ili) people disliked them iv) none of these c) Name the popular names given to brown diamonds by Le Vian. d) The best-known diamond mines are in e) Why are the white diamonds rare? f) Brown diamonds became popular owing to é g) Find the word from the passage that means ‘a planned set of actions aimed at achieving a particular result’. (Para 2) h) Based on shape and brightness, which is the brightest diamond known to mankind? i) The value of a diamond is based on its f i) When and where was the largest diamond mine discovered? SECTION B - WRITING AND GRAMMAR You are Manish Kumar/Radhika Goyal, president of the NGO JYOTI. Write a letter to the |5 editor of a national daily in 100-150 words highlighting the issue of garbage being accumulated in your neighbourhood for a long time and even after complaining to the Municipality they didn’t take any action so far. OR ‘As Mahi/Rohit, having visited your hometown during dussehra vacation, write a diary entry in about 80-100 words detailing the time spent there with your family members. Write a descriptive paragraph about your favourite celebrity in about 80-100 words. 5 takes the matter to court— judge asks why she does not want to pay — she says sightTrot restored ~ she cannot see her furniture — judge decides the case in her favour — Moral. 5 |1. Fill in the blanks with the instructions as given in brackets: i) Alice and her father {has/have/went/is) gone to the vi correct option] ii) Twenty shillings (make/are making/makes/will make) one p the blank with the most appropriate form of the word ‘make’ il) The story has a sudden twist (by/in/at/with) the end. [Choose the correct preposition) iv) These three men quarrelled [Fill in with the correct preposition) v) The train (leave) before he reached the station. [Use the past perfect |form of verb given in brackets} vi)! (be) white washing my house since morning, so [Use the present perfect form of verb given in brackets] 4 Il, Do the following as directed: i) He said to me, “Will you listen to such a man?" [Change into indirect speech] ii) He said that his master was writing letters. [Change into direct speech] ili) The engineers were constructing a new bridge. [Change into passive voice] iv) The cake was baked by my grandmother. [Change into active voice] llage. [Choose the sound. [Fill in (among/between/with/against) themselves. Lam feeling tired. SECTION C - LITERATURE Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. Write your | 5 answers against the correct question numbers in your answer sheet. A) “She had a scarlet cap on her head, ‘And that was left the same; But all the rest of her clothes were burned Black as a coal in the flame.” i) What happened to the old woman's clothes? a) They were lost in the wood b) They were taken away by thieves c) They were burnt black as she went up through the chimney d) They were torn by the wild animals ii) What made Saint Peter angry? a) The woman's selfishness b) The woman's pride c) The woman's kindness d) The woman's rudeness | ii) The old woman baked a cake for Saint Peter. Then why did she a) She thought it was too small for the holy man bb) She thought the cake was not tasty ¢) She thought it was too big to give away 4d) She thought the holy man wouldn't like i iv) What was the selfish woman changed into? a) Into a fox b) Into a crow c)Into aneagle —_d) Into a woodpecker v) Quote examples of alliteration used in the poem. a) tell the tales to you b) faint with fasting c) cakes that seem too small d) all OR [A Legend of the Northland] not give it to him? Samashti International School Page No. 48) “No motion has she now, no force— She neither hears nor sees, Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course; 7 ! _, With rocks and stones and trees.” [A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal] ! i) "No motion has she now, no force—” What does this line indicate? | a) Poet's beloved is no more b) Poet’s beloved is paralyzed ¢) Poet's beloved is unable to move d) Poet's beloved has become stagnant ti) “With rocks and stones and trees”-- What does this line suggest? a) Earth filled with rocks, stones and trees b) After death,the body decomposes within the earth and assimilates with it ¢) After death one’s life is beyond rocks, stones and trees d) None of the above iii) What was Lucy doing after her death? a) coming to poet’s dreams b) was disturbing c) moving here and there in the earth’s course of rotation d) all iv) What is the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’ about? . a) dedicated to the poet's beloved —_b) dedicated to questions of life and death ¢) dedicated to love d)none v) State the literary device used in ‘rolled round in earth’s diurnal course’. a) metaphor _ b) alliteration c) repetition d) anaphora 7 | Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. Write your 5 answers against the correct question numbers in your answer sheet. A) “From time to time he stands the pole on the ground, selects a flute and plays for a few minutes. The sound rises clearly above the noise of the traffic and the hawkers’ cries. He plays slowly, meditatively, without excessive display. He does not shout out his wares. Occasionally he makes a sale, but in a curiously offhanded way as if this were incidental to his enterprise. Sometimes he breaks off playing to talk to the fruit seller. | imagine that this has been the pattern of his life for years.” {Kathmandu} Questions = i) Who is the writer of this passage? ii) Who is being referred to in this passage? iil) How does he play on the flutes? | iv) What does the writer say about his attitude? | v) Find a word from the passage which means ‘too much’. | | oR 8) “1 will put up there,” he cried. “It isa fine position with plenty of fresh air.” So he | alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince.” i) Who is the speaker and what is he talking about? ii) What does ‘there’ stand for? Where was it? ili) Why was it‘a fine position’? iv) Why did the speaker descend just between the feet of the Happy Prince? V) Find a word from the given passage which means ‘to come down from something’. fice 8 |A) Answer ANY FOUR out of the following eight questions in 40-50 words each. 12 i) What was the poet’s dilemma in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ ? ii) Elaborate on ‘The Fun They Had’ as a story set in the future. Samashti International School Page No. 5each the top of the world? d regarding Kalam? Santosh Yadav to Fr" han teach us? fe change her min rt ie & Bismillah K' ns in 40-50 words each. the story ‘The iii) What has lifted Maria Sharapova & iv) What made Sivasubramania lyer’s Wi ; v) What important lesson does the life of Evelyn Glenni B) Answer ANY TWO out of the following Rae Tener aici i) How was Olga responsible for bringing a positive change | Beggar’? ii) Describe Toto’s bath ritual. iii) What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death in the story ‘The Last Leaf’? Answer ANY ONE out of the following two questions in 100-120 words. i) Describe what the poet says about the killing of a tree as given in ‘On killing a Tree’. What is the irony involved? OR ii) The author talks about two important letters that Einstein wrote - one to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the other to the United Nations. What prompted Einstein to write these letters? What impact did they make? wet ANY ONE out of the following two questions in 100-120 words. i) Describe the fire tragedy that struck Zan’s house in the story ‘A House Is Not A Home’? a OR ee were the reactions of the child on seeing the flower seller and balloon seller? ose fault resulted in the child being lost in the fair, in the story ‘The Lost Child’? 10 Justify your answer.