Worksheet

Q.1. Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Call it a blessing or a curse of Mother Nature, we must breathe in over 10,000 litres
of air in a day (more than four million litres in a year) to remain alive. By making it essential
for life, God has wished that we try to keep the air we breathe clean. Everyone can see the
food that is not clean and perhaps refrain from eating it, but one cannot stop breathing even if
one can feel the air to be polluted.
2. Several harmful and noxious substances can contaminate the air we breathe.
Generally, much is said and written about outdoor air pollution, most of which is due to
vehicular and industrial exhausts.
3. Given the fact that most of us spend over 90% of our time indoors, it is most
important to recognize that the air we breathe in at home or in offices can be polluted. It can
be a cause of ill-health. Air pollutants that are generally present in very low concentrations
can assume significance in closed ill-ventilated places.
4. Indoor air pollution can lead to allergic reactions and cause irritation to the skin, the
eyes and the nose. But as is logical to assume, the brunt of insult by pollutants is borne by the
lungs. It can lead to the development of fresh breathing problems, especially in those who
have allergic tendencies, or it can worsen the existing respiratory illnesses like asthma and
bronchitis.

5. There can be several sources of indoor air pollution. Tobacco smoke is one of the
most important air pollutants in closed places. “Passive smoking” or environmental tobacco
smoke (ETS) pollution can lead to all the harmful effects of tobacco smoking seen in the
smokers in their non-smoking companions. ETS as a health hazard has been unequivocally
proven and is also getting social recognition now. One can occasionally see signs displaying
the all-important message: “Your smoking is injurious to my health” in offices and homes.
The children of smoking parents are among the worst affected persons.
6. The next most important source of indoor air pollution is the allergens. House dust
mites (HDM) are very small insects not visible to the naked eye and are the commonest
source of allergy in the house. They are ubiquitous and thrive in a warm and moist
atmosphere. They breed very fast and are very difficult to eradicate. Modem houses present
ample breeding spaces for them in the form of carpets, curtains, mattresses, pillows, etc.
7. Pets form an important part of life for some of us. But they can add plenty of allergens
to our indoor atmosphere. Cats are notorious for doing this. Fine particles from feline fur can
remain stuck to the upholstery and carpets for a long time, even after the removal of the
animal and lead to the worsening of asthma and skin allergies.
8. Moulds, fungi and several other microorganisms thrive in damp conditions and can
lead to allergies as well as infections. Humidifiers in the air-conditioning plants provide an
ideal environment for certain types of bacteria and have led to major outbreaks of pneumonia.
It is important to regularly clean the coolers, air-conditioners and damp areas of the house
such as cupboards, lofts, etc., to minimise this risk.
9. Other indoor pollutants are toxic chemicals like cleansing agents, pesticides, paints,
solvents and inferior-quality personal-care products, especially aerosols. Very old crumbling
pipes, boilers, insulation or false roofing can also be important sources. Asbestos is a
hazardous product that can cause cancer in humans.
10. It is important to realise that the air we breathe at home may not be clean always and
we must try to eliminate the source of pollution. We should give due consideration to
ventilation.

2.1 On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer any ten of the following
questions by choosing the most appropriate option: 10x1=10
(a) The Almighty wants those human beings…………………
(i) should try to breathe clean air (ii) should not pay attention to pollutants (iii) must ignore
ETS (iv) should become passive smokers
(b) Pick the option that lists statements that are NOT TRUE according to the passage.
1. Moulds, fungi and several other microorganisms thrive in dry conditions
2. Air pollutants that are generally present in very low concentrations can assume significance
in closed ill-ventilated places.
3. Fine particles from feline fur can remain stuck to the upholstery and carpets for a long
time.
4. Tobacco smoke is one of the most important air pollutants in open areas.
(i) 1 and 4 (ii) 2 and 3 (iii) 2 and 4 (iv) 1 and 3
(c) Air conditioning plants become the cause of …………………
(i) allergies (ii) pneumonia (iii) heart attack (iv) infection
(d) Based on the graphical chart in the passage, choose the option that correctly represents the
number of deaths that took place in South East Asia and East Asia from 1990 to 2017.

(i) option 1 (ii) option 2 (iii) option 3 (iv) option 4

(e) Which countries have the least rate of deaths in the year 1990 as per the chart?
(i) East Asian (ii) African (iii) North American (iv) South Asian
(f) Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option that
lists the statements that are TRUE with respect to the household air pollution deaths from
1990 to 2017.
1. 1 million deaths took place in Sub-Saharan African countries.
2. More than 500,000 people die in South Asia.
3. Latin American countries accounts for less than 500,000 deaths.
4. North America tops the list of deaths due to household air pollution.
(i) 2 and 3 (ii) 1 and 4 (iii) 3 and 4 (iv) 1 and 2
(g) Which of the following is not a source of indoor air pollution?
(i) air conditioners (ii) animal dusts (iii) vehicle emission (iv) tobacco smoke
(h) According to the chart, which country has shown the steep decline in the death rate due to
the household pollution?
(i) Central European (ii) North American (iii) Latin American (iv) East Asian
(i) How much air do we breathe in a year?
(i) 10,000 litres air (ii) more than four million litres (iii) four million litres (iv) 90,000 litres
(j) Which word in the passage means same as ‘make impure’? (Para 2)
(i) exhausts (ii) contaminate (iii) noxious (iv) harmful
(k) Arrange the given sources of indoor air pollution in the order in which they cause harm
from higher to lower risk.
1. Allergens through dust mites 2. Pets 3. Tobacco smoke 4. Moulds and fungi
(i) 3, 1 ,2, 4 (ii) 1, 3, 4, 2 (iii) 2, 4, 3, 1 (iv) 3, 4, 1, 2

Q2 DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAPHS
Q.2. Read the following questions and answer them carefully in 100-120 words.
1. Give a description of a Roadside Astrologer in 100-120 words
2. A Book Week was organized by the local association of educational publishers in your
school. Describe the event in about 100-120 words.
3. The Department of Industries Punjab arranged an exhibition on handicrafts in the
local Nehru Garden. You attended this exhibition. Describe the event in 100-120 words.
Q3 Reported speech
1. I came across Ajay walking on the pavement of slow-moving traffic and wished him
‘hello’. He (i)………….. near New Delhi Railway Station. When I (ii) …………… for him,
he replied that he wanted a happy ride on my bike. But I shocked him by saying that I knew
walking is a good exercise and (iii) ………… to his office.

(i) (a) says that my office was

(b) clarified that his office was
(c) said that his office was
(d) told that his office was

(ii) (a) asked him what I can do

(b) asked him what I could do
(c) said him what I could do
(d) asks him what I can do

(iii)(a) said him to walk

(b) ordered him to walk
(c) advise him to walk
(d) advised him walk