SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT-I, 2015

ENGLISH
Time: 3 hrs. Class VIII M.M. : 100
Date – 23.09.2015
General Instructions :
• All the questions are compulsory.
• You may attempt any section at a time.
• All questions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order.
• This question paper consists of four sections :
Section A - Reading - 20 marks
Section B - Writing - 25 marks
Section C - Grammar - 20 marks
Section D - Literature - 25 marks

Section – A (Reading – 20 marks)

A.1 Read the given passage carefully. [5×1=5]
Facebook is an excellent networking platform. It has been
redefining one of the most beautiful relationship in the world-
friendship. How can anyone have 5,000 'friends'? A recent
research reveals that our brain cannot accept more than 150
friends.
For our elders, a friend was one whom you met once in a while if not everyday,
instantly remembered his/her birthday, and at least knew what he/she looked like.
But the Facebook has clearly thrown those definitions to the wind. Now people have
befriended whom they have not even met. They don't know what they look like,
leave alone a certain kind of fondness for a certain person before you consider him to
be your buddy.
In today's world, it is difficult to explain to the young ones that acquaintances are not
friends and chatting or posting pictures on the site cannot guarantee a life long
friend. When their Facebook chums are not there in their hour of need, the
disillusioned youngsters will be heart-broken.
Source: The Hindustan Times

Read the questions. Choose the correct option and write it.
i) Which relationship is redefined by Facebook?
(a) parents - children (b) sister - sister
(c) friendship (d) teacher – student
ii) Who was a friend for our elders?
(a) whom you met once in a while (b) whom you meet everyday
(c) don't know what he looks like (d) with whom you go on holiday

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 iii) How are the friends of Facebook?
(a) not even met them (b) don't know how they look like
(c) not there in your hour of need (d) all of the above
iv) Why are youngsters called 'the disillusioned youngsters'?
(a) they have more friends on Facebook (b) they have false idea of friendship
(c) they have no friend on Facebook (d) they want to meet their friends
v) Which of the following word means 'acquaintance'?
(a) friend (b) neighbour (c) familiar person (d) classmate
A.2 Read the passage carefully. Then answer each of the questions by choosing [5×1=5]
the correct option.
Positive Attitude
The desire to change the personality of others to suit us is just as futile as trying to
change a mogra into a rose. Every individual possesses a particular set of thoughts,
beliefs and attitudes. It is not just difficult but virtually impossible to change others.
Studies have shown that if we change our own behaviour towards others, 80 percent
of the problems we face in life, would not be there.
Our ability to accept another's personality and value system reflects our attitude
towards life. The story of the two friends- the mogra and the rose-sets an example.
The mogra was taken by surprise when the gardener, grew a rosebush next to it. It
could not help admiring the beauty of the red rose. Soon they became friends despite
the thorns on the stalk on which the rose grew. If the mogra were to look down upon
the rose for its thorns, they would never have become friends. The rose too could
have objection to many things about the mogra. The mogra was weak. It could
hardly stand against the wind and harsh weather. The rose, like a true friend, would
protect the mogra by sheltering it with its sturdy branches and tough leaves. It also
took great care that its own thorns did not prick the delicate body of the mogra. In
short, the two friends underplayed the shortcomings of each other and lived happily
ever after.
a) The author of this passage is a
i) doctor ii) coordinator iii) motivator iv) solicitor
b) The word ‘futile’ means
i) useful ii) successful iii) pointless iv) purposeful
c) Our ability to accept another's personality reflects our
i) weakness ii) attitude iii) magnanimity iv) tolerance
d) The mogra could not help doing this
i) hate the rose ii) ignore the rose iii) admire the rose iv) neglect the rose
e) In order to tackle 80 percent of our problems in life, we must learn to change
i) our surroundings ii) ourselves iii) our friends iv) others

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A.3 Read the passage carefully.
HELPING OTHERS IS REAL KINDNESS
1. To feel for others and to do righteous acts of help to living creatures is indeed
real kindness. If one can stop a heart from breaking, if one can ease the aching in
one's life or cool one's pain, he has not lived in vain.
2. To some, helping others is a matter of faith. An elderly stranger went to a
hospital in Petersbrough, New Hampshire and performed countless tasks:
sweeping, dusting, building ramps, removing lint from the place where clothes
are washed, etc. for four months. He never revealed his identity. Only after he
had left the place the hospital staff realised that he was the former Vice President
of the Peninsular Railroad, a private railway company in the USA.
3. All along the route of the funeral procession of Lord Shaftesbury, a well-known
social reformer of England, stood groups of people (whom he had helped in one
way or the other) to pay homage to him. Thousands of people hailing from all
classes of society held aloft banners with the words that he had helped them in
their hour of suffering. Instances of this type are many.
4. In India saints and sages throughout the ages have preached and practised the
gospel of service to the sick and the suffering, the distressed and the
downtrodden. In every town in India there are a few sympathisers of the
suffering who pay the tuition fees of poor students, give them books and
stationery, pay sustenance allowances to needy widows and arrange their
daughters' marriages, give blankets in winter and umbrellas in monsoons. Added
to them are many persons who have given up their everything for the service of
humanity and joined service organisations.
A3.1 Complete the following sentences. Write your answer in your answer sheet. (8×1=8)
(a) According to the author real kindness is ________and ________.
(b) The life of a person is not in vain if ________.
(c) The hospital staff could identify the elderly gentleman ________
(d) Groups of people paid their homage to Lord Shaftesbury because ________
(e) In India saints and sages have rendered their services to _______ and ________.
(f) In India everywhere there are people who help others by ________.
A3.2 Find words from the passage for the following which have the same (4×½=2)
meaning as the following. Write your answer in your answer sheet.
(a) virtuous, holy (para 1)
(b) a group of people moving forward in an orderly line (para 3)
(c) delivered sermons (para 4)
(d) troubled, affiicted (para 4)

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 Section – B (Writing – 25 marks)
B.1 Avinash, a very intelligent student of your school has met with an accident and is [5]
fighting for his life in the hospital. He urgently needs blood. As the president of the
Red Cross Society of your school draft a notice asking the students to donate blood
to save his life. (word limit – 50 words)
B.2 Given below is a conversation between Rahul and Shweta. Shweta is about to leave [5]
for her college so she leaves a message for her mother. Write the message in the
answer sheet given to you. (word limit – 50 words)
Rahul : Hello ! Is this 508866 ?
Shweta : That’s right, Rahul Bhaiya. I’m Shweta. How are you ?
Rahul : Fine Shweta, where’s mom?
Shweta : She has gone out for shopping.
Rahul : Ok, tell her that my papers are over which I have fared well, but I can’t
come home as my practicals are yet to be held. The dates of the
practicals are not yet announced.
Shweta : Anything else, Bhaiya?
Rahul : Yes Shweta, also tell her that I need two thousand rupees to purchase
some books.
Shweta : Ok, I’ll. Take care.
Rahul : Bye.
B.3 You are Saksham / Sakshi. One of your friends who is living in Delhi always dreams [7]
of going abroad. Write a letter to your friend telling him why your country is the
best. (word limit 120 words)
B.4 You are Atul, a resident of A-2, Rohini, New Delhi. There is no bus-stop within the [8]
radius of 2.5km from the apartments causing a lot of inconvenience to residents.
Write a letter to the editor drawing attention of the concerned authorities towards
the problem. You may take the help of the following hints. (word limit 120 words)
* difficulty to residents
* to walk down both morning and evening.
* chainsnatching and eveteasing
Section – C (Grammar – 20 marks)
C.1 In the following paragraph, one word has been omitted in each line. Write [8×½=4]
the missing word along with the word that comes before and that comes
after, in your answer sheet.
Last night / I was going to bed a) ________ ________
I / scared. This resulted in a disturbed b) ________ ________
sleep or you can say I had a / sleep. c) ________ ________
Even in the short / horrifying dreams d) ________ ________
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 disturbed me. Many times I screamed so / that e) ________ ________
my mother woke up. She was / nervous f) ________ ________
to find me screaming as I do not usually / g) ________ ________
any such thing in / sleep. h) ________ ________
C.2 The sentences given below are incorrect. Rewrite the sentences with [4×½=2]
corrections. Incorrect words are underlined.
a) John is working hardly to get good marks.
b) Supposing if you fail, what do you plan to do ?
c) After a great deal of research, the scientist made a fascinated discovery.
d) This is nothing than carelessness.
C.3 Rearrange the following group of words to form meaningful sentences. [4×½=2]
a) as a practitioner of ahimsa / to speak / the truth / Gandhiji promised
b) residential community / modestly in / a self-sufficient / he lived
c) Gandhiji wore / and shawl / the traditional / Indian dhoti
d) vegetarian / simple and / food / he ate
C.4 Fill in the blanks with correct form of the verbs given in the bracket. [4×½=2]
a) A number of priceless works of art ________ in the earth quake, last week.
(destroy)
b) No record _________ of the visit he claimed to have made to Japan. (exist)
c) Because my visa had expired I _________ (prevent) from re-entering the
country.
d) A number of films __________ within the next few days. (release)
C.5 Read the set of instructions given below and complete the paragraph that [4]
follow:
HOW TO ACQUIRE PEACE OF MIND
• stop worrying
• make a timely decision about your problems
• set your targets within the bounds of capabilities
• do not postpone the work you have to do today
• Use your spare time properly by adopting a hobby
To find peace of mind, worrying should be stopped. A timely decision (a) ________
problems. The targets (b) ________ within the bounds of one’s capabilities. The
work that should be done today (c) ________. The spare time (d) ________ by
adopting a hobby.

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C.6 Do as directed. (6×1=6)
i) It is not easy to fool Alka.
(Underline the finite and circle the non-finite)
ii) Please take me to the Principal’s office.
(Change into interrogative sentence)
iii) She tried to look cheerful _______ feeling terrible.
(despite / inspite of / although)
(Choose the appropriate connector)
iv) She was writing a letter. The lights went off.
(Rewrite these pairs of sentences into one sentence using an adverb
clause)
v) Choose the correct word.
a) She was very __________ even after her sister’s explanation about the
incident. (confusing / confused)
b) He was __________ punished for his misbehaviour. (strictly / severely)
vi) It was an absolutely __________ (thrill) football match.
(Fill with present participle of the verb given in the bracket)

Section – D (Literature – 25 marks)

D.1 Read the following extract and choose the correct option. [3]
“No, you haven’t darling, you put them in
Mr. What’s it’s car”.
a) The name of the chapter from which the extract has been taken
i) A Slight Misunderstanding
ii) Locomotive 38, the Ojibway
iii) The Cop And The Anthem
b) Who’s Mr. What’s it here ?
i) JB Boothroyd
ii) William Saroyan
iii) R.K. Narayan
c) Who’s the speaker of the above sentence.
i) Arthur ii) Raju iii) Sheila
D.2 Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow : [3×1=3]
‘For everything there is a season,
A time for activity under heaven’.

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 a) What is the message contained in the poem?

b) Write down any two sets of opposites found in the poem.

c) Repetition has been used in the poem. What is the effect of repetition in the
poem?

D.3 Answer any five questions. [5×2=10]

a) The opening paragraph introduces Locomotive 38. What does it say about him?

b) How would you describe the farmer’s wife? Justify with an example.

c) ‘Oh no, you must travel with us’. Why did the boys change their minds in the text
‘A Feast For Rats’?

d) How did Raju’s wife respond to the cash he brought home?

e) What were the objects Raju normally went for but had decided involved too
much trouble?

f) Who drove the Packard when the Indian left the hotel and went back to
Oklahoma? Is the ending of the text unexpected, if so, why?

D.4 Answer the following questions in about forty or fifty words. (any one) [3]

a) Attempt a character sketch of the narrator in the chapter ‘A Slight

Misunderstanding’.

b) There are ample instances of irony in the text, ‘Trail of the Green Blazer.’ What
are they? What purpose does the use of irony serve?

D.5 ‘Patience is a great virtue.’ [6]

Imagine that you are the Sanskrit teacher of the text ‘A Feast For Rats’ who boarded
the train and met the boys during your journey. Write a diary entry describing your
experience with them in not more than 100 words.

Assessment of Speaking and Listening. [10]

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