Revision Question BankStd: VIII Subject: English |
1. Read the following passage and answer the following questions by choosing the correct option. (one mark each)
| When we enter the New York harbour, the first thing we see is the Statue of Liberty. What impresses us the most is its size and magnificence? Have you ever wondered how it came to be there? The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to mark the hundredth-year anniversary of American Independence. In 1869, the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi began to plan his concept for the monument.
Bartholdi chose the look of classic Greek and Roman figures. He envisioned Liberty as a strong and proud figure, one who personified not only the majestic Greek Goddesses of the past, but also the working men and women of the present. Finally, in 1884, the work was finished, and Liberty was packed into 214 crates and sent to New York City. Only one problem stood in the way. While the French had raised a lot of funds to build the statue, New York had not secured the funds to build its foundation. A New York newspaper implored people for donations. Finally, on 28th October 1886, Americans celebrated the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty. Choose the correct option. |
a. Why was the Statue of Liberty given as a gift to America by France?
i. To mark the entry into the New York harbour.
ii. To mark the hundredth-year anniversary of American Independence.
iii. To pay tribute to the working men and women of the present.
iv. To pay tribute to the majestic Greek Goddesses of the past.
b. A New York newspaper implored people for _______________.
i. well-written articles
ii. reports
iii. advertisements
iv. donations
c. What did the sculptor imagine the Statue of Liberty to be?
i. He imagined it to be a majestic Persian Goddesses of the past.
ii. He imagined it to be a strong and proud figure.
iii. He imagined it to be the majestic Japanese Goddesses of the past.
iv. He imagined it to be a figure made of silver and gold.
4. How many years after it arrived in New York was the Statue of Liberty unveiled?
a. two years
b. one year
c. three years
d. five years
5. Find the word from the passage that means the same as ‘imagined’.
a. celebrated
b. envisioned
c. personified
d. secured
2. Read the following passage and answer the questions by choosing the correct option. (one mark each)
| Some of us think that writing is only for writers. But writing is for all of us. As Julia Cameron notes in her book
‘The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life’, “I believe we all come into life as writers.” Writing can be beneficial for all of us because it can be therapeutic. One of the most powerful parts of therapy is cultivating the ability to observe our thoughts and feelings, said Elizabeth Sullivan, a licensed family therapist in San Francisco. And that’s what writing helps us do. Writing helps us track our spinning thoughts and feelings, which can lead to key insights. Writing is “speaking to another consciousness – ‘the reader’ or another part of the self. We come to know who we really are in the present moment,” she said. Writing also creates a mind-body-spirit connection, she said. “When you use your hands to pen or type something directly from your brain, you are creating a powerful connection between your inner experience and your body’s movement out in the world. We hold worries, fears and memories in our bodies, Sullivan said. When we use the body in positive ways – such as dancing or writing — we stay in the present moment, we inhabit our bodies, and we can heal ourselves, she said. |
a. Why does the writer feel that writing is for all of us?
i. Everyone has the right to write.
ii. Writing is the key to success.
iii. Writing can be beneficial to all of us.
iv. We create a powerful connection with people.
b. What is the most therapeutic quality of writing?
i. It helps the writer understand real-world scenarios.
ii. It helps the writer write good books.
iii. It helps the writer understand the world of books.
iv. It helps the writer observe his or her thoughts and feelings.
c. Writing also creates a ________________________.
i. mind-body connection
ii. spirit-mind connection
iii. mind-body-spirit connection
iv. spirit-mind connection
d. Find the word from the passage that means the same as ‘developing’.
a. cultivating
b. dancing
c. feelings
d. spinning
e. Which of the following according to the passage is not true about writing?
a. Writing helps streamline our thoughts.
b. Writing is a static activity of the brain.
c. Writing is a process of self-discovery.
d. Writing is a positive way of using our body.
3. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. (one mark each)
[A]
| “Owww!” he cries. Just then the train moves. He runs towards a bogey door. The stationmaster rushes forward to catch him. However, he disappears into the crowded train. All of them go to the police station. You are a brave pair” says a policewoman. |
a. Who is ‘he referred to?
i. the policeman
ii. the station master
iii. the imposter
iv. the ticket collector
b. Why did the man run towards a bogey door?
i. The policeman hits him with a big stick.
ii. Athhai hits him with her handbag.
iii. Shree hits him with her handbag.
iv. The station master hits him with a rod.
c. Find the word from the extract which means the same as ‘vanishes’.
i. moves
ii. runs
iii. rushes
iv. disappears
d. Which pair was the policewoman taking about?
i. the stationmaster and the policeman
ii. Athhai and the stationmaster
iii. Athhai and Shree
iv. Shree and the stationmaster
e. Why did the stationmaster rush forward to nab the man?
i. The man was trying to befriend many young girls and boys through social media.
ii. The man was trying to kidnap young girls and boys.
iii. The man had flicked Athhai’s handbag and tried to run away.
iv. The man had committed a theft so he was wanted by the police.
[B]
| When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder, lions hunker down in tall grasses, and even elephants lumber after safety. |
a. What does the falling of a tree symbolise?
i. the beginning of a new work
ii. the loss of a big tree
iii. the loss of a great person
iv. the beginning of a new life
b. In the following stanza, the speaker talks about the reaction of ______ when great trees fall.
i. nature
ii. animals
iii. birds
iv. people
c. Find the word from the extract which means the same as ‘move in an awkward way’.
i. shudder
ii. hunker
iii. lumber
iv. fall
d. The image of the ‘rocks on distant hills shudder’ symbolises the way in which __________________.
i. nature causes the rocks to rumble and break into pieces
ii. death causes an unpleasant feeling
iii. death causes people to think of good memories
iv. nature plays havoc in the environment
e. The lions which ‘hunker down’ reflect the way ______________.
i. some people react to the loss
ii. some people respect others
iii. animals behave towards humans
iv. animals react to the loss
4. Writing
a. You are Kevin Ghosh of Raipur. A few days of rainfall in the area has resulted in waterlogging in the streets of the town. This has further led to unhygienic conditions and has caused great inconvenience to the residents of the town. Write a letter to the editor of a regional newspaper highlighting the problem and its effects. Also, give some suggestions to improve the situation.
b. Write a short story in 150-200 words using the beginning cues given. The young man seemed to be very helpful. He told us that he would help us find our way out of the forest. We slowly trudged behind him towards the main road. However, to our shock we found that…
c. Give a description of an interesting character from a story that you have read in 100-120 words.
Grammar Objective
5. Do as directed. (one mark each)
1. Hardly had I stood near the pool when I noticed bubbles in the water. (Use no sooner…than)
a. No sooner did I stood near the pool did I notice bubbles in the water.
b. No sooner had I stood near the pool when I noticed the bubbles in the water.
c. No sooner did I stand near the pool than I noticed bubbles in the water.
d. No sooner did I stood near the pool than I noticed bubbles in the water.
2. He went to the shop but he didn’t buy anything. Convert to a complex sentence.)
a. He went to the shop but bought nothing.
b. He went to the shop only to return empty-handed.
c. He bought nothing after going to the shop.
d. Although he went to the shop, he didn’t buy anything.
3. The boss said to me, “Call him right now.” Choose the correct sentence in indirect speech.
a. The boss asked him to call me then.
b. The boss ordered me to call him quickly.
c. The boss told me to call him now.
d. The boss ordered me to call him right then.
4. Zubin said that he would go to Patna the next day.
a. Zubin said, “He will go to Patna tomorrow.”
b. Zubin said, “I will go to Patna tomorrow.”
c. Zubin said, “He will go to Patna the next day.”
d. Zubin said, “I will have gone to Patna tomorrow.”
5. Choose the correct sentence in passive voice.
The postman will deliver the mail before ten.
a. The mail is delivered by the postman before ten.
b. The postman will be delivering the mail before ten.
c. The mail will get deliver by the postman before ten.
d. The mail will be delivered by the postman before ten.
6. The flowers have been plucked by the children. (Change to active voice.)
a. The children had plucked the flowers.
b. The children plucked the flowers.
c. The children have plucked the flowers.
d. The children have been plucking flowers.
Grammar Subjective
Do as directed. (one mark each)
a. Rewrite the sentence in passive voice.
The wind blew away the leaves.
b. Rewrite the sentence in indirect speech.
“Do not press the red button,” said the instructor.
7. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.
a. With reference to the story ‘The Story of William Kamkwamba’, what
was the occupation of the Malawians? How was their life in the village?
b. With reference to the poem ‘when Great Trees Fall’, what happens when great souls die?
c. With reference to the story ‘The Mystery of the Cyber Friend’, describe Shree’s family background.
d. With reference to the poem ‘The Unicorn’, describe the Earth when it was in its nascent stage a long time.
8. Answer the following questions in 100-120 words.
a. With reference to the story ‘The Story of William Kamkwamba’, how did William build the wind turbine?
b. With reference to the poem ‘when Great Trees Fall’, how does the poet strike a comparison between nature and humans?
c. With reference to the story ‘The Mystery of the Cyber Friend’, what did the man do in order to trick Shree?
d. With reference to the poem ‘The Unicorn’, why do we not see unicorns today? Give reasons.
9. Answer the following questions in 80-100 words. (4 marks each)
a. With reference to the story ‘The Convict’ what were Pip’s first impressions of his parents and where had he derived these from? b. With reference to the story ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, what kind of person is Mr Utterson? Justify your answer with reference to the text.