The Queen's Language

  Read the passage given below : 1. No student of a foreign language needs to be told that grammar is complex. By changing word sequences and by adding a range of auxiliary verbs and suffixes, we are able to communicate tiny variations in meaning. We can turn a statement into a question, state whether an action has taken place or is soon to take place, and perform many other word tricks to convey subtle differences in meaning. Nor is this complexity inherent to the English language. All languages, even those of so-called 'primitive' tribes have clever grammatical components. The Cherokee pronoun system, for example, can distinguish between 'you and I', 'several other people and I' and 'you, another person and I'. In English, all these meanings are summed up in the one, the crude pronoun 'we'. Grammar is universal and plays a part in every language, no matter how widespread it is. So the question which has baffled many linguists is - who created g...

My Mother at Sixty-Six  I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realized with pain that she was as old as she looked but soon put that thought away  Q1 The figure of speech used in the above verse is (a) metaphor (b) anaphora (c) onomatopoeia (d) simile 2 What was the poet’s childhood fear? a. Losing her mother b. speeding vehicles c. Shifting to a new city d. fear of growing up 3 The phrase ‘old familiar ache’ has been used to refer to a fear, in this extract. This phrase can also be used to   a) compare physical pain with mental agony.  b) elicit someone’s unanswered queries.   c) substantiate reasons for aches and pains.  d) describe a longing one has been aware of.  4 The tone of the poet in the poem is primarily a combination of _________ and ________.  1. dauntlessness   2. apprehension   3. dejection   4. disappointment   a) 1,  2  ...

  An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum BY  STEPHEN SPENDER Read the given extracts and answer the questions by choosing the correct option 1.Far far from gusty waves these children's faces. Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor: The tall girl with her weighed-down head. The paper- seeming boy, with rat's eyes. 1 Which figure of speech is used in 'Far far from'? (a) onomatopoeia (b) pun (c) alliteration (d) irony 2 'Like rootless weeds, the hair torn round their pallor' The word 'pallor' means (a)  an unhealthy pale appearance. (b)  weeds (c) hair (d) both b and c 3 In the above verse what does the word 'these' refer to? (a) gusty waves (b)weeds (c)rat's eyes (d) the children of the slum  2.The stunted, unlucky heir Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease, His lesson, from his desk. At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream Of squirrel's game, in tree room, other t...

 On the occasion of Earth Day, you participated in various eco-friendly campaigns initiated by your school. Write an article in about 150-200 words for your school magazine giving details of these campaigns and their impact on you. You are Akshay/ Akshita of Brightland Public School   (HINTS.. – Importance of Earth Day – Eco-friendly campaigns initiated by the school – detailed description of the activities  motivation,   difficulties,   how they were overcome,  sense of achievement, satisfaction – community outreach – impact on you )     2   They may have stood the test of time but there is a growing demand for the need to protect the country’s monuments. Write an article in about 150-200 words for your school magazine on how we can conserve our built heritage. You are Akshay/ Akshita. of Graham Public School, Indore. 3    As part of an Entrepreneurship project, the commerce students of your school recently launched a product c...

( a) In each of the following items, sentence A is complete, while sentence B is not. Complete sentence B, making it as similar as possible to sentence A. Write sentence B in each case. (10) (A): All nooks and corners were checked. (B): No …………………………………… Answer: No nook or corner was left unchecked. (1) (A): He is so old that he cannot remember events of the past. (B): He is too …………………………………… (2) (A): As soon as the bell rings, the children run out to play (B): No sooner …………………………………… (3) (A): No other planet is as big as Jupiter. (B): Jupiter …………………………………… (4) (A): He is forgetful as well as careless with his work. (B): Besides …………………………………… (5) (A): It is probable that the ship will reach the shore. (B): In all …………………………………… (6) (A): She said that she would return the book to the library the next day. (B): She said, …………………………………… (7) (A): Only trained graduates need to apply for the post. (B): None …………………………………… (8) (A): His attitude towards his parents has always puzzled flic...

 Read the extracts given below and attempt the questions that follow. (1 x 4 =4) 1.On sour cream walls, donations. Shakespeare’s head,  Cloudless at dawn, civilised dome riding all cities.  Belled, flowery, Tyrolese valley. Open-handed map  Awarding the world its world. And yet, for these Children, these windows, not this map, their world, Where all their future’s painted with a fog, i. What does the expression - sour cream walls – suggest? a. Display of donated artefacts on the walls. b. Badly maintained walls. c. Wall-to-wall furniture. d. A poor choice of paint for walls. ii. The map of the world in the classroom symbolizes a. hopes and aspirations of the children. b. travel plans of the school authorities. c. a world that is unconnected to the children. d. interconnectivity within the world. iii. The expression, Shakespeare’s head is an example of a. pun. b. satire. c. parody. d. Irony. iv. In the extract, ‘future’s painted with a fog’ suggests that the (a) class...

   Q13 Answer in 120-150 words i  In the story ‘The Third Level’, Charley wanted to go to Galesburg, Illinois in the year 1894. If you had an opportunity to go to another time and place, where would you like to go? Why?  How would Sam analyse your choice of alternate time and place?   ii Imagine that you come across Louisa’s diary. What might you find in it about the third level? Compose at least one diary entry based on any of the events from the story, ‘The Third Level’. 

A. Fill in the blanks choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given in the  box.  ( 1 x 4 = 4 marks ) 1. Butterflies are abundant( a) ___________the Central African Republic . 2. It (b)____________ home to nearly 600 identified species. 3. Many butterflies are brilliantly coloured and small ____( c) some are as big as saucers. 4. Farmer Philip (d ) _____solace in collecting butterfly wings from his fields and turning  them into works of art. 5. My favourite hobby , since my childhood, is __________(e) butterflies. 1.(a ) ( i) in (ii ) from (iii) for (iv) into 2.(b ) (i) has (ii) is (iii) was (iv) are 3.(c ) (i) if (ii) therefore (iii) so (iv ) while 4.(d ) (i ) find (ii ) to find (iii) finding (iv ) finds 5.(e) ( i) catch (ii ) caught (iii) catching (iv) has been catching                                                       ...