General English

Class-VIII
Q. 1-28 Choose the correct answer and write.
1. The nearest railway station and airport to Kanha Kisli is ................ .
(a) Jabalpur (b) Khajuraho
(c) Bhopal (d) Indore
2. The "Chipko Movement' was started in .............. .
(a) Madhya Pradesh (b) Chattisgarh
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Rajasthan
3. What is used for purifying the drinking water?
(a) D.D.T. (b) lime water
(c) phenol (d) chlorine tablet
4. We should never give up in .................. .
(a) hope (b) trust
(c) despair (d) promise
5. Who came to the hole to see his treasure?
(a) The neighbour (b) The robber
(c) The miser (d) The villager
6. Kanha Kisli is situated in ................... .
(a) Indore (b) Mandla
(c) Bhopal (d) Sagar
7. Who proved ungrateful to the wood cutter?
(a) The snake (b) The monkey
(c) The tiger (d) The jeweller
8. The king invited ............... to the court and asked him to draw his portrait.
(a) Tenali Raman (b) The carpenter
(c) Raja Verma (d) The Chief minister

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9. What does the poem "Another Chance" tell us?
(a) to be sad (b) to make money
(c) never give up in despair (d) to be happy
10. ................ saw the miser keeping his treasure within.
(a) The neighbour (b) The robber
(c) The friend (d) The villager

11. In the lesson " Thrills of Kanha Kisli" Dev's uncle lives in ...................

(a) Baghira log huts (b) Bamboo huts

(c) a kuchcha house (d) a pucca house

12. .................. dropped some sweet fruits for the wood cutter.

(a) The monkey (b) The snake

(c) The tiger (d) The jeweller

13. Who was Raja Verma?

(a) a minister (b) an artist

(c) a king (d) a carpenter

14. Where did the miser keep his treasure?

(a) in a hole (b) in a pot

(c) in a tree trunk (d) in a bucket

15. We wish for another chance to blot out our ................. .

(a) achievements (b) failure

(c) mistakes (d) success

16. Write rhyming words for the following words :
(i) hold ________ (ii) free ________
(iii) sleep ________ (iv) jug ________
17. Write rhyming words for the following :
(i) weep ________ (ii) wrong ________

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 (iii) three ________ (iv) rest ________
18. Write rhyming words for the following :
(i) chest ________ (ii) role ________
(iii) bold ________ (iv) treasure ________
19. Write rhyming words for the following :
(i) hold ________ (ii) measure ________
(iii) sole ________ (iv) jeep ________
20. Write the homophones for the following words.
(i) knew ________ (ii) hear ________
(iii) way ________ (iv) pain ________
21. Write the homophones for the following words.
(i) I ________ (ii) know ________
(iii) right ________ (iv) steel ________
22. Write the homophones for the following words.
(i) sun ________ (ii) sea ________
(iii) to ________ (iv) ate ________
23. Write the homophones for the following words.
(i) hair ________ (ii) son ________
(iii) wait ________ (iv) sea ________
24. Classify the words given below according to the sound 'g' as in gun and 'g' as in giraffe.
age bage cag go twig message gate giant glass fridge
leg grass bridge
25. Write one word for the following :
(i) One who cuts wood ____________
(ii) One who travels ____________
(iii) One who makes jewellary ____________
(iv) One who teaches ____________
26. Write one word for the following :
(i) one who saves other ____________

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 (ii) one who makes sculptures ____________
(iii) a sign used to represent something ____________
(iv) to walk slowly without purpose ____________
27. Write one word for the following :
(i) one who delivers letters ____________
(ii) one who travels ____________
(iii) a small area of still water,
especially one that is artificial ____________
(iv) one who teaches ____________
28. Write one word for the following :
(i) One who drives a car _________
(ii) A wild plant growing where
it is not wanted _________
(iii) One who makes shoes _________
(iv) One who makes furniture _________
Q. 29- 38 Do as directed :
29. Write the comparative and superlative degree of the following words:
(i) small ________ ________
(ii) handsome ________ ________
(iii) long _________ __________
(iv) difficult _________ __________
(v) easy _________ __________
(vi) great _________ __________
(vii) good _________ _________
(viii) hot _________ _________
(ix) poor _________ _________
(x) busy _________ _________
30. Change the following sentences according to the instructions given in brackets :
(i) Trees are valuable to all. (change into negative)
(ii) There was a poor woodcutter. (change into interrogative)

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 (iiii) The market was full of people. (change into negative)
(iv) He is a good boy. (change into interrogative)
(v) They will help her. (change into interrogative)
(vi) She is cooking the dinner. (change into negative)
(vii) Meera is cooking dinner. (change into nagative)
(viii) We should keep our promises. (change into interrogative)
(ix) The king has rewarded the poet. (change into interrogative)
(x) The market was full of people. (change into negative)
(xi) The postman was delivering the letters. (change into negative)
(xii) He is your friend. (change into interrogative)
(xiii) Birds fly in the sky. (change into negative)
(xiv) Anamika jumps high. (change into negative)
(xv) Asma was doing her homework. (change into interrogative)
31. Choose the correct form of the verb given in brackets.
(i) I don't ________ grapes. (like/liked)
(ii) She ________her work yesterday. (done/did)
(iii) She is ________to Bhopal tonight. (going/went)
(iv) Mr. Das _______in this school. (teach/teaches)
(v) Surabhi _______a song. (sings/sing)
(vi) I had _______my homework. (complete/completed)
(vii) She _______to market yesterday. (go/went)
(viii) They had ______for railway station. (left/leave)
32. Fill in the blanks with appropriate modals.
(i) ________ I come in, Sir? (can/may)
(ii) ____ you read this story for me, please? (could/may)
(iii) I am not well. I _______work for long.(can/can't)
(iv) _____I use your phone? (may/might)
(v) I _______speak English. (may/can)
(vi) It_______rain in a day or two. (might/could)

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 (vii) I ____jump over the wall when I was young. (can/could)
(viii) The sky is clear. It_____rain today. (can't/may)
(ix) ________God bless you. (can/may)
(x) I________not speak French. (can/may)
(xi) ________we come in, sir? (Can/May)
(xii) I________swim well. (can/may)
33. Rearrange the following words to make meaningful sentences:
(i) useful/are/dams/us/for/.
(ii) can/English/I/speak/.
(iii) dogs/raining/cats/is/it/and/.
(iv) purify/to/water/use/chlorine/tablets/.
(v) should/plant/trees/we/more/.
(vi) the/won/first/she/prize/.
(vii) do/where/live/you/?
(viii) sings/song/a/she/.
(ix) cure/prevention/is than/better/.
(x) important/spray/it/pesticides/is/to/.
34. Combine the sentences below using an appropriate conjuctions : (and/or/but)
(i) She is slow.
She is sure.
(ii) Hurry up.
You will be late.
(iii) Rohan's team played well.
Rohan's team won the match.
(iv) We knocked at the door.
No one answered.
(v) Man discoverd fire.
He learnt to cook.

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 (vi) He works very hard.
He gets a low salary.
(vii) Priya can come early.
Reshma can't come early.
(viii) Sanjana worked hard.
She won a scholarship.
(ix) He is thin.
He is very energetic.
(x) Give me a book.
Give me a pen.
35. Fill in the blanks with suitable helping verb from brackets.
(i) All flowers_______beautiful. (is/are)
(ii) A kite_______ being flown by a child. (is/am)
(iii) Tigers_______found in India.
(iv) Chandan________coming today.
(v) There_______ a park in front of my house. (is/are)
(vi) All men________ equal. (is/are)
36. (i) Change the following sentence into passive voice :
marry wrote a letter
(ii) Read the following sentence and punctuate it :
Where do you live
(iii) Change the following sentence into passive voice.
Asma eats an apple.
(iv) Read the following sentence and punctuate it.
the boy gave me a toy
(v) Change the following sentence into passive voice.
I play cricket.
(vi) Read the following sentence and punctuate it.
the school will open tomorrow

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37. Write the opposite gender for the words given below:
(i) king ________ (ii) ox ________
(iii) man ________ (iv) hen ________
(v) mother ________ (vi) madam ________
(vii) horse ________ (ix) aunt ________
(x) husband ________ (xi) fox ________
(xii) milkman ________ (xiii) son ________
(xiv) queen ________ (xv) lion ________
(xvi) father ________ (xvii) wife ________
(xviii) host ________ (xix) girl ________

38. Write the plural form of the following words :

(i) mango ________ (ii) chair ________
(iii) tooth ________ (iv) lady ________
(v) city ________ (vi) hen ________
(vii) calf ________ (viii) tooth ________
(ix) monkey ________ (x) ox ________
(xi) knife ________ (xii) dozen ________
(xiii) box ________ (xiv) mouse ________
Q. 39 Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words given in brackets.
1. The plural form of lady is ............... (ladys, ladies)
2. He gave me ................ one rupee note. (a, an)
3. The Nobel Prize is the ................. award in the world. (high, highest)
4. I ............. the school before the bell rang. (has reached, had reached)
5. The students are playing ................ the playground. (in, into)
6. The plural form of knife is ............................ (knives, knifes)
7. The cow is ................................. useful animal (a, an)
8. Mount Everest is the ............................... peak in the world. (high, highest)
9. The rains ..................................... before you arrived. (had stopped, has stopped)

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10. Mother is cooking food ............................. the kitchen (on, in)

11. The plural form of mouse is ................................ (mice, mouses)

12. My mother is ................................. teacher. (a/an)

13. Once there was a ...................................... woodcutter. (poorer/poor)

14. Ankit ....................................... the school before the bell rang. (has reached/had reached)

15. The book is ............................. the table. (on/in)

Q.40 : Answer the following questions in one or two sentences :

1. What is Kanha Kisli?
2. What is meant by the word 'conservation'?
3. Who was invited to draw the portrait of the king?
4. Which is the best of all virtues?
5. What is a disaster?
6. What did the villagers decide when the axemen refused to return?
7. Where did Chandra Shekhar receive his early education?
8. When and where was Kalpana Chawla born?
9. What did the axemen do when the villagers hugged the trees and shouted "Chipko,
Chipko"?
10. What is Kanha Kisli? Where is it situated?
11. Why did the workers from a factory come to the village of Gopeshwar?
12. When and where was Chandra Shekhar born?
13. Who were trapped in the well?
14. Why do the villagers migrate to cities and towns?
15. Who inspired Kalpana Chawla to fly?
16. When did Kanha National Park come into existence?
17. Who wanted Tenali Raman's help?
18. What did the villagers decide when the axemen refused to return?
19. Who was invited to the court to draw the portrait of the king?

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20. What is Gatla?
21. Where does Mayank live?
22. What does the word "Bhil" stand for?
23. What attracts the tourists in Kanha Kisli?
24. What did the villagers do when the contractors chose another forest?
25. What are epidemics?
26. What are the important dance forms of Bhils?
27. When could the woodcutter not earn any money?
Q.41 : Answer the following questions in about three or five sentences each :
1. Describe Kalpana Chawla's last space mission?
2. How did Chandra Shekhar prove his name Azad?
3. Who among the four trapped in the well proved ungrateful to the woodcutter?
How?
4. Write a short note on the 'Bhagoria Haat'.
5. How did the tiger, the monkey and the snake help the woodcutter?
6. What are the different ways to purify drinking water?
7. Why were the people unhappy with the administration of the chief minister in
"Measure for Measure"?
8. Why did Yudhisthira wish to get back Nakula?
9. Why did Tenali Raman invite the king, the queen and some courtiers to his house?
10. What is the work of "Dasohli Gram Swarajya Mandal"?
11. What were the questions put up by 'Yaksha'. Mention at least five.
12. How are human beings responsible for causing floods?
13. What were the questions put up by Yaksha? Mention at least four.
14. Describe the first space mission of Kalpana Chawla?
15. How is our life affected by floods?
16. Why did Raja Verma become close and dear to the king?
17. How did the king realize his mistake in "Measure for Measure"?

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18. What courses did Kalpana Chawla have to go through to become an astronout?
19. Why was British police able to surround Chandra Shekhar Azad?
Q.42 : Answer the following questions in about one or two sentences each : (any
three)
1. Why did the miser make a terrible clatter?
2. What is the shape of the moon according to the poem. "The Moon"?
3. Why do we wish for another chance?
4. What are the colours of the balloons which shine far away?
5. What was the only pleasure of the miser?
6. What does the balloon man hold?
7. Why do we wish for another chance?
8. When will the secret be out in the poem "A Secret"?
9. What are the colours of the balloons which shine far away?
10. Who told the secret to the tree?
11. What did the robber do with the gold?
12. What does it take to make a brand new start?
13. What do the flowers and children do till morning?
14. Where do the birdies sleep?
15. Who always comes on market days?
16. Why should we never give up in despair?
17. What did the robber do with the gold?
18. Who told the secret to the boy in the poem "A Secret"?
19. What should we hope for our future?
20. What did the neighbours ask the miser?
21. When will the secret be out in the poem"A Secret"?
22. Write a stanza of any poem from your textbook of English.

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43-50 : Write a short paragraph on ''Tree Plantation" using clues given below:
[Tree, leaves, flowers, fruits, medicines, plantation, fresh air, rain, firewood]
44. Write a short paragraph on ''Save Electricity" using clues given below:
[switch off lights, power saving lamps and devices, work during day time,
unnecessary electric decoration, well ventilated and lighted houses, automatic
electric iron]
45. Write a paragraph on ''Republic Day Celebration" in your school using the clues
given below:
[rally (procession), chief guest, flag hoisting, cultural programmes, mid day meal]
46. Write a paragraph about ''Maharani Laxmi Bai" using these clues :
[Name - Manu, Born - Kashi in 1835, Father - Moropant Tambe, Father - Moropant
Tambe, Mother -Bhagirathi Bai, Married to- Gangadhar Rao, Faught - against
Britishers, Breathed last - near Gwalior Fort]
47. Write a paragraph on ''Trees" using the clues given below:
leaves, fruits, fresh air, flower, plant, rain, medicine, firewood shade
48. Write a paragraph on ''Birthday Celebration" using the clues given below:
invite, celebrate, friends, neighbours, candle decoration, presents, dance, cake,
happy
49. Write a paragraph on ''Independence day" using the clues given below:
15th August, national flag, national song, holiday, sweets, tricolour, national
anthem, guests, freedom, country, prize
50. Write a paragraph on ''My Family" using the clues given below:
mother, cook, brother, shy, father, members, love, happy, responsibility, earn,
support, sister
Q.51-58 : Write an application to your Headmaster requesting him to issue your transfer
certificate.
OR
Write a letter to your friend inviting him to your brother's marriage party.
52. Write an application to your Headmaster requesting him to issue your transfer
certificate as your father has been transferred to Indore.
OR
Write a letter to your friend inviting him to attend your birthday party.

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53. Write an application to your class teacher requesting him to grant you a three
days sick leave.
OR
Write a letter to your friend inviting him/her to spend some days with your during
summer vacation.
54. Write an application to your Headmaster requesting him to provide you free
textbooks as you were absent on the day, they were distributed.
OR
Write a letter to your friend suggesting him some tips regarding conservation of
water.
55. Write an application to your Headmaster to grant you two days leave as you are
sick.
OR
Write a letter to your friend inviting him on your birthday party.
56. Write an application to your headmaster requesting him to issue you a new story
books from the school library.
OR
Write a letter to your father to send you Rs. 600/- as you have to buy some books
and a cricket bat.
57. Write an application to your Headmaster requesting him to grant you 4 days leave
as you are going to your sister's marriage.
OR
Write a letter to your father to send you Rs. 500/- as you have to buy an English
dictionary.
58. Write an application to your Headmaster requesting him to issue your transfer
certificate as your father has been transferred to Bhopal.
OR
Write a letter to your father to send you Rs. 500/- as you have to buy an Hindi
dictionary.
59. Write an essay on anyone of the following topics :
(1) My hobby (2) Any great leader
(3) My school (4) Any game

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 (5) Any great man of India (6) Best friend
(7) Science in our daily life (8) Importance of Computer
(9) Any festival (10) Any Indian festival
(11) Importance of Trees (12) Wonders of Science
(13) Independence Day celebration in your school

60-69. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below :
The kangaroo is an animal found in Australia. These animals were given their name by
the famous English Captain. James cook, who discovered Australia. There are many
types of kangaroos and they vary in size. The Wallaby for example, is no bigger than a
rabbit. But the great kangaroo or the Forester, stands 7 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds.
Suprisingly its body is only about an inch long when it is born. TAhese babies are carried
by the mother in a pocket of skin, in the lower half of her body.
Kangaroos, often meet in groups called mobs : In Australia's early days, such mobs
numbered thousands of kangaroos. Now a days a mob of one hundred animals in unusu-
ally large. Kangarros sleep on ground, they eat vegetables only. They live for fifteen
years.
Questions :
(a) Who gave the name Kangarroo to these animals?
(b) What is surprising about the baby of the great Kangaroo?
(c) What is a mob?
(d) Find the opposite word of the following from the passage.
smaller _____________
night _____________
61. Read the following passage carefully and write answer to the questions given below :
Just as men live in houses, birds live in nests. They build nests to lay their eggs which
need to be kept warm. Birds use many things to make their nests and they make them in
different places.
Some birds build their nests in the branches of trees or on rocks. These nests may look
unsafe but they are quite strong and comfortable. In fact, some eagles use the same nest
year after year. Swallows and martins make their nests out of mud. So they have to build
them in a safe place away from the rain. The tailor bird sews leaves together to make its
nest. Others make their nests from grass.

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 Holes in the ground are also used as nests. Birds that do not fly, such as the ostrich, dig
holes in the ground to lay their eggs, and to see that their young ones come to no harm.
The kingfisher cuts a tunnel into the river band. parrots, doves and some owls do not
build nests at all. They try to find one ready-made to take over. And the cuckoo simply
lays its eggs in another bird's nest and leaves them there for the other bird to look after.
Questions :
(a) Why do birds build nests?
(b) Which birds make their nests out of mud?
(c) What does a tailor bird do to build its nest?
(d) Find out the opposite of "uncomfortable" form the passage.
62. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below :
Abraham lincoln was the son of a poor farmer named Thomas Lincoln, His father was
not able to give him proper education, However Abraham Lincoln studied by the fire-
light till mid-night. He used coal as a pencil and flat pieces of wood as paper. However,
he did help his father in the field.
One abe, as he was called by the people, borrowed a book called "The Life of George
Washington' from a neighbour. The book prooved a turning point in his live. He made up
his mind to rise so high in life as to become stronger day by day and achieved at the end.
And one day in 1861 the people shouted with joy "Abe Lincoln is elected President".
Questions :
(a) Which book did Abe borrow from a neighbour?
(b) Whose son was Abraham Lincoln?
(c) When was Lincoln elected the president of United States?
(d) Find the opposite word of the following from thepassge.
rich ___________
start ___________
(e) Give a suitable title to the above passage.
63. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below:
Ants are the most interesting of all insects. They are like human beings in many ways.
They live in families, build their own houses and have a 'king' and a 'queen'. Each ant
has its own work to do. The very yound ants, who have just come out of their cucoons,
are generally the nurses. When they are older, and their skins are harder, they are ready to
leave the r\nest and do other kinds of work. Some of the ants hunt for food. They bring in
food for the queen and other workers, as well as for themselves.
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 Questions :
(a) Who are nurses?
(b) When do the young ants leave the nest?
(c) In what ways are the ants like human beings?
(d) Whom do the ants bring in the food for?
(e) Find out the opposite word of following from the passge.
old ___________
softer ___________
64. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it :
You know that bees hum. You also know that bees make honey. Some of you may have
been stung by a bee, but do you know why bees hum, sting or dance? On a warm
summer morning you may see numerous bees humming around from flower to flower.
They make trips to collect nectar and pollen. The nectar is the sugary syrup found at the
bottom of the flower cup. The bees visiting a particular type of flower belong to the same
nine. Like human beings, they can taste sweet sour, salty and bitter things.
Questions :
(a) What do bees collect?
(b) What is nectar?
(c) What can bees do like human beings?
(d) Why do bees make trips?
(e) Write the opposite of given words from the passage.
cold ___________
top ___________
65. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it :
A butterfly is one at the most beautiful creatures in the world. It looks beautiful because
of the brilliant colours of wings. The wings are covered with very small scales. The
scales have colours. The colours on the wings make very fine patterns. Many butterflies
have large black circles on their wings. These looks like eyes.
These ''eyes'' are very usful to the butterfly. They help them to escape from its enemies.
To catch a butterfly, a bird or a lizard aims at the ''eye", But it gets only bit of the wings.
The butterfly escapes without getting hurt. When we see a butterfly with the "eye"on one
of its wings missing, then it is sure that someone had tried to catch the butterfly but the
butterfly had escaped.
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 Questions :
(a) Why does butterfly look beautiful?
(b) How do the colours on the wings look like?
(c) Who aims at the "eye" of the butterfly?
(d) How do the "eyes" help the butterfly?
(e) Write the opposite of given words from the passage.
ugly ___________
friends ___________
66. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it :
All of us need food to live. We need food to grow and to remain strong and healthy. Food
gives us energy to work and play. We get all our food from plants and animals. We must
eat different types of food. Each type of food plays an important role in our body. There
are three main types of food that we eat. Energy giving food, body building food and
protective food.
The food items like wheat, rice, butter, milk, sugar give us energy to work. These food
items are called energy giving foods. Milk, pulses, eggs, grains help us to grow and build
our bodies so these food items are called body building foods. Fruits and vegetables
protect us from diseases. So, they are called protective foods.
Questions :
(a) Why do we need food?
(b) Where do we get all our food from?
(c) Write the name of different types of food.
(d) What are energy giving foods?
(e) Write the opposite word for the following words from the passage.
weak ___________
take ___________
67. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it :
Every Indian contributes something as for as the defence of India is concerned. But the
role which a soldier plays in defending and protecting the borders of India is really unpar-
alleled. On him depends the security and stability of the nation. A soldier is a man who
remains alert 24 hours on the borders. Even in danger he stands heroically before his
enemies.

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 A soldier faces death bravely. He devotes his life and fights for the nation. In war, he
fights bravely, but at the same time he help the civilian population. The role which Indian
soldier played during Indo-Pak war is exemplary. Our soldiers helped the civilian popu-
lation of pakistan. They offered them food and drinks and did not horm them. Thus we
can say that Indian Soldiers are the best soldiers of the world. We all are proud of them.
Questions :
(a) What is the role of an Indian soldier?
(b) What does a soldier do for his nation?
(c) What did our soldier do during the Indo-Pak war?
(d) Write the opposite word for the following words from the passage.
instability ___________
safety ___________

68. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.

Lakshmi Bai was born on November 19, 1835. When she was young, she was trained
in martial arts. She was an expert in sword fighting and horse riding.

Lakshmi Bai was married to the king of Jhansi, Gangadhar Rao. When the king died,
the British tried to capture Jhansi. But Rani Lakshmi Bai protested. She joined the
first war of Indian Independence in 1857 against the British. She fought bravely.
Lakshmi Bai died in a battle on June 17, 1858.

Questions :

a. When was Lakshmi Bai born?

b. What was Lakshmi Bai expert in?

c. Who was the king of Jhansi?

d. When did Lakshmi Bai die?

e. Find out the opposites from the passage for :

(1) old ....................

(2) last ....................

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69. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.

Television is the cheapest and most popular source of entertainment. It has become so popular
that it has surpassed cinema. One has to go out of home to see cinema, but television can be seen
in the comfort of one's home or office at any time. It provides all types of programmes for all age
groups. Through the educational programmes students get benefits. For elders it provides vari-
ous religious and informative programmes. All kinds of news keeps our knowledge up-to-date.

Moreover, if a programme is not liked, other channels can be viewed, which is not in the case of
the cinema.

Questions :

a. Which is the cheapest and most popular source of entertainment?

b. Where does one need to go to see cinema?

c. Where can the television be seen?

e. Who gets benefit from educational programmes?

f. Find out the opposites from the pasage from :

(1) costly .......................... .

(2) dislike ............................ .

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