Class VIII Ray and Martin Question Bank Page 92
Balurghat High School
English Examination
Reading Skill, Grammar, Vocabulary & Writing
Section A: Reading Skill (Seen)
Everywhere there was the same dryness, the same stiff, woody plants. I thought I saw in the distance the shadow of a figure. On a chance I headed towards it. It was a shepherd. Thirty lambs or so were resting near him on the scorching ground.
He gave me a drink and a little later he led me to his shepherd's cottage. He shared his soup with me. It had been agreed immediately that I would pass the night there, the closest village being still more than a day and a half farther on. There are four or five villages dispersed far from one another on the flanks of the hills in this area. They are inhabited by woodcutters who make charcoal.
A. True or False (1+1)x2 = 4
Write 'T' for True, 'F' for False and support your answer.
Statement T / F Supporting Statement
(i) The shepherd had more than twenty eight lambs.
(ii) The shepherd was a benevolent person.
B. Answer briefly (2x3=6)
1. How did the shepherd help the narrator?
2. Why did the narrator agree to stay at the shepherd's cottage for the night?
3. What was the livelihood of the people living in the villages on the hills?
Poem
In dreary days of snow and frost
Closer to Man will cling the Sparrow:
Old friends, although in life we're crost(Separated),
Give me the birdgive me the friend
Will sing in frostwill love in sorrow
Whate'er mischance today may send,
Will greet me with his sight tomorrow.
Their hearts to us will never narrow.
A. True or False (1+1)x2 = 4
Statement T / F Supporting Sentence
(i) Sparrow remains with man in adverse weather.
(ii) Old friends sometimes are unwilling to stand by us.
B. Answer briefly (2x2 = 4)
1. What is the name of this poem and who is the poet?
2. Explain what type of friends are spoken of by the example of a Sparrow in the poem.
C. Give the opposite meanings (1x2=2)
Word Opposite
(i) Narrow
(ii) Love
Section B: Reading Skill (Unseen)
Mother nature has been very generous to us by giving us so many resources of water rain water, rivers, lakes, melting glaciers and ground water. The demand for water is ever increasing but the supply is far from adequate.
Given the lack of water in rivers, people have been resorting to pumping out ground water for personal consumption and for farming. As a result, ground water table has fallen to alarming levels. Moreover, harmful fertilisers used for growing crops have contaminated ground water so that in many places it is not fit for drinking.
It is time to wake up. Every drop of water is a source of life. It is high time we realise that water resources are not permanent. Soon, we as a family, society and nation will be struggling to get a drop of clean potable water. We have to focus on water conservation and stop polluting our water resources.
Each one of us also needs to do our bit by avoiding use of plastic, recycling waste products and keeping our surroundings clean. Every town, every village should have an ecofriendly garbage sorting and disposal system. Every school and college should initiate programmes educating youngsters about the importance of our natural resources, especially water and air. We have to train new generations to adopt an ecofriendly way of life.
Adapted from an article published in 'The Times of India', dated June 26, 2019
A. Choose the correct answer (1x5=5)
1. The supply of water is:
(a) adequate (b) surplus (c) inadequate (d) very little
2. People have been pumping out ground water due to:
(a) lack of water in rivers (b) scanty rainfall (c) drying up of wells (d) heavy rainfall
3. The ground water table has:
(a) risen (b) dropped (c) increased (d) finished
4. Ground water is contaminated by:
(a) irrigation (b) harmful fertilisers (c) plastics (d) detergent
5. Each one of us must avoid the use of:
(a) copper (b) paper (c) plastic (d) gold
B. True or False (1+1)x3 = 6
Statement T / F Supporting Sentence
(i) People have been pumping out ground water only for farming.
(ii) Water is valuable because it is the source of life.
(iii) We should not worry about getting drinking water.
C. Answer briefly (2x2=4)
1. How has mother nature been generous to us?
2. What kinds of programmes should every school and college initiate?
Section C: Grammar and Vocabulary
1. Very few Indian cities are as big as Kolkata. (Rewrite)
2. I ___ the book for two hours. (Fill with appropriate verb form)
3. I often ___ in the woods. (wander/wonder)
4. It is not ___ for him to lift the box. (Use prefix to make antonym)
5. We ___ hate the poor.
6. "There will be a storm," said the sailor. (Change the mode of narration)
7. "May you live long," said my grandfather. (Change the mode of narration)
8. She knows my brother. (Change the voice)
9. The boy was flying a kite. (Underline phrase and state its kind)
10. At this moment it ___ hard. (Fill with suitable verb)
11. He said that he had tried to contact us. (Change into direct speech)
12. The child said to his father, "Please give me a toy." (Change into indirect speech)
13. "Oh! What a hot day it is today," said Rita. (Change into indirect speech)
Section D: Vocabulary
Find a word from the passage which means:
1. Ample
Section E: Writing Skill
1. Story Writing (10 marks, ~80 words)
Hints: A farmer finds a snake almost dead with cold → brings it home → warms it → saves its life → snake is about to bite farmer's son → farmer chases away the snake
Give a suitable title and moral.
2. Paragraph Writing (10 marks, ~80 words)
Topic: The Festivals of Bengal
Points: Introduction → different festivals in different seasons → greatest festival → social and religious festivals → conclusion
Answer
Statement,T / F,Supporting Statement
(i) The shepherd had more than twenty eight lambs.,T,"
""Thirty lambs or so were resting near him."" Thirty is more than twentyeight."
(ii) The shepherd was a benevolent person.,T,"
He ""gave me a drink"" and ""shared his soup with me,"" which shows kindness and goodwill."
B.
1. How did the shepherd help the narrator?
The shepherd helped the narrator by first giving him a drink and then later by sharing his soup with him. He also offered the narrator shelter for the night in his cottage, preventing the narrator from having to travel further in the dry, harsh environment.
2. Why did the narrator agree to stay at the shepherd's cottage for the night?
The narrator agreed to stay at the shepherd's cottage because the closest village was still more than a day and a half farther on. It was "agreed immediately" due to the significant distance to the next settlement, making it impractical and likely unsafe to continue traveling that evening.
3. What was the livelihood of the people living in the villages on the hills?
The people living in the four or five villages dispersed on the flanks of the hills were woodcutters who make charcoal.
A. True or False
| Statement | T / F | Supporting Sentence |
| : | : | : |
| (i) Sparrow remains with man in adverse weather. | T |
"In dreary days of snow and frost Closer to Man will cling the Sparrow" |
(ii) Old friends sometimes are unwilling to stand by us. | F |
"Their hearts to us will never narrow" and
Will sing in frost will love in sorrow" imply they are always willing to stand by us.
B. Answer briefly
1. What is the name of this poem and who is the poet?
The name of this poem is Summer Friend and the poet is Mary Lamb.
2. Explain what type of friends are spoken of by the example of a Sparrow in the poem.
The Sparrow is used as an example of faithful, enduring, and loyal friend. This type of friend stands by you in adversity ("Will sing in frost will love in sorrow").
Remains constant and unwavering ("Their hearts to us will never narrow").
Offers reliable comfort and a sense of continuity, regardless of the day's misfortunes ("Will greet me with his sight tomorrow").
Or
Friends who remain loyal, supportive, and close to us in difficult times, like a sparrow staying near in snow or frost.
C. Give the opposite meanings
| Word | Opposite |
| (i) Narrow | Broad / Wide |
| (ii) Love | Hate / Dislike |
Section C: Grammar and Vocabulary
1. Very few Indian cities are as big as Kolkata.
Ans: Kolkata is one of the biggest Indian cities.
2. I ___ the book for two hours. (Fill with appropriate verb form)
I have been reading the book for two hours.
(The duration "for two hours" suggests the Present Perfect Continuous Tense.)
3. I __wonder___why you often __wander_ in the woods. (wander/wonder)
("Wander" means to walk aimlessly; "wonder" means to be curious or marvel.)
4. It is ___ for him to lift the box. (Use prefix to make antonym) It is not easy for him to lift the box. (Antonym using a prefix: )
It is impossible for him to lift the box
5. We ___ hate the poor. We should not hate the poor. (A modal verb like "should not" or an adverb like "never" makes the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.)
6. "There will be a storm," said the sailor. (Change the mode of narration)
The sailor said that there would be a storm.
7. "May you live long," said my grandfather. (Change the mode of narration)
My grandfather wished that I might live long.
8. She knows my brother. (Change the voice) My brother is known to her. (Note: The verb 'know' takes the preposition 'to', not 'by', in the passive voice.)
9. The boy was flying a kite.
A kite was being flown by the boy
10. At this moment its raining hard. (Fill with suitable verb) Underline the phrase and state its kind
At this moment → Adverbial Phrase (It tells us when the action is happening.)
11. He said that he had tried to contact us.
He said that he had been trying to contact us
11. The child said to his father, "Please give me a toy."
(Change into indirect speech)
The child requested his father to give him a toy.
13. "Oh! What a hot day it is today," said Rita.
(Change into indirect speech)
Rita exclaimed that it was a very hot day that day.
Rita exclaimed with irritation that that day was a very hot day.
Rita exclaimed with irritation that it was a very hot day .
(Note: "today" changes to "that day" and the exclamation structure changes to a simple declarative statement.)
Section B: Reading Skill (Unseen)
A. Choose the correct answer
1. The supply of water is: (c) inadequate
2. People have been pumping out ground water due to: (a) lack of water in rivers
3. The ground water table has: (b) dropped
4. Ground water is contaminated by: (b) harmful fertilisers
5. Each one of us must avoid the use of: (c) plastic
B. True or False
Statement T / F Supporting Sentence
(i) People have been pumping out ground water only for farming. F "people have been resorting to pumping out ground water for personal consumption and for farming."
(ii) Water is valuable because it is the source of life. T "Every drop of water is a source of life."
(iii) We should not worry about getting drinking water. F "Soon, we as a family, society and nation will be struggling to get a drop of clean potable water."
C. Vocabulary
Find a word from the passage which means:
1. Ample: Adequate
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