BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL

Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

SAMPLE PAPER

FINAL Examination 2020-21

Subject- ENGLISH-Language and Literature (Code No.184)

CLASS: IX

Time: 3 hrs M.M-80

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

• This question paper is divided into two parts.

• All the questions are compulsory.

• Do not copy the questions.

• You may attempt any part first but answer serial wise.

I. Read the following passage and then choose the correct option: 10 MARKS

Meteorite Impact and Dinosaur Extinction

1.There is increasing evidence that the impacts of meteorites have had important effects on

Earth, particularly in the field of biological evolution. Such impacts continue to pose a natural

hazard to life on Earth. Twice in the twentieth century, large meteorite objects are known to have

collided with Earth. If an impact is large enough, it can disturb the environment of the entire

Earth and cause an ecological catastrophe. The best-documented such impact took place 65

million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period of geological history. This break in Earth’s

history is marked by a mass extinction, when as many as half the species on the planet became

extinct. While there are a dozen or more mass extinctions in the geological record, the

Cretaceous mass extinction has always intrigued paleontologists because it marks the end of the

age of the dinosaurs. For tens of millions of years, those great creatures had flourished. Then,

suddenly, they disappeared.

2. The body that impacted Earth at the end of the Cretaceous period was a meteorite with a mass

of more than a trillion tons and a diameter of at least 10 kilometers. Scientists first identified this

impact in 1980 from the worldwide layer of sediment deposited from the dust cloud that

enveloped the planet after the impact. This sediment layer is enriched in the rare metal iridium

and other elements that are relatively abundant in a meteorite but very rare in the crust of Earth.

Even diluted by the terrestrial material excavated from the crater, this component of meteorites is

easily identified. By 1990 geologists had located the impact site itself in the Yucatán region of

Mexico. The crater, now deeply buried in sediment, was originally about 200 kilometers in

diameter.

3. This impact released an enormous amount of energy, excavating a crater about twice as large

as the lunar crater Tycho. The explosion lifted about 100 trillion tons of dust into the atmosphere,

as can be determined by measuring the thickness of the sediment layer formed when this dust

settled to the surface. Such a quantity of material would have blocked the sunlight completely

from reaching the surface, plunging Earth into a period of cold and darkness that lasted at least

several months. The explosion is also calculated to have produced vast quantities of nitric acid

and melted rock that sprayed out over much of Earth, starting widespread fires that must have

consumed most terrestrial forests and grassland. Presumably, those environmental disasters could

have been responsible for the mass extinction, including the death of the dinosaurs.

4. Several other mass extinctions in the geological record have been tentatively identified with

large impacts, but none is so dramatic as the Cretaceous event. But even without such specific

documentation, it is clear that impacts of this size do occur and that their results can be

catastrophic. What is a catastrophe for one group of living things, however, may create

opportunities for another group. Following each mass extinction, there is a sudden evolutionary

burst as new species develop to fill the ecological niches opened by the event.

5. Impacts by meteorites represent one mechanism that could cause global catastrophes and

seriously influence the evolution of life all over the planet. According to some estimates, the

majority of all extinctions of species may be due to such impacts. Such a perspective

fundamentally changes our view of biological evolution.

The standard criterion for the survival of a species is its success in competing with other species

and adapting to slowly changing environments. Yet an equally important criterion is the ability

of a species to survive random global ecological catastrophes due to impacts.

6.Earth is a target in a cosmic shooting gallery, subject to random violent events that were

unsuspected a few decades ago. In 1991 the United States Congress asked NASA to investigate

the hazard posed today by large impacts on Earth. The group conducting the study concluded

from a detailed analysis that impacts from meteorites can indeed be hazardous. Although there is

always some risk that a large impact could occur, careful study shows that this risk is quite small.

i) In paragraph 1, why does the author include the information that dinosaurs had

flourished for tens of millions of years and then suddenly disappeared?

a. To support the claim that the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous is the best-

documented of the dozen or so mass extinctions in the geological record

b. To explain why as many as half of the species on Earth at the time are believed to have

become extinct at the end of the Cretaceous

c. To explain why paleontologists have always been intrigued by the mass extinction at the end

of the Cretaceous

d. To provide evidence that an impact can be large enough to disturb the environment of the

entire planet and cause an ecological disaster

ii) Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about the location of the

meteorite impact in Mexico?

a. The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to 1990.

b. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatán region.

c. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred.

d. The Yucatán region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site because of its

climate.

iii) According to paragraph 2, how did scientists determine that a large meteorite had

impacted Earth?

a. They discovered a large crater in the Yucatán region of Mexico.

b. They found a unique layer of sediment worldwide.

c. They were alerted by archaeologists who had been excavating in the Yucatán region.

d. They located a meteorite with a mass of over a trillion tons.

iv)According to paragraph 3, all of the following statements are true of the impact at the

end of the Cretaceous period EXCEPT:

a. A large amount of dust blocked sunlight from Earth.

b. Earth became cold and dark for several months.

c. Large quantities of nitric acid were produced

d. New elements were formed in Earth’s crust.

v) The phrase “tentatively identified” in para 4 is closest in meaning to-

a. identified after careful study

b. identified without certainty

c. occasionally identified

d. easily identified

vi) Paragraph 5 supports which of the following statements about the factors that are

essential for the survival of a species?

a. The most important factor for the survival of a species is its ability to compete and adapt to

gradual changes in its environment.

b. The ability of a species to compete and adapt to a gradually changing environment is not the

only ability that is essential for survival.

c. Since most extinctions of species are due to major meteorite impacts, the ability to survive

such impacts is the most important factor for the survival of a species.

d. The factors that are most important for the survival of a species vary significantly from one

species to another.

vii) According to the passage, who conducted investigations about the current dangers

posed by large meteorite impacts on Earth?

a. Paleontologists

b. Geologists

c. The United States Congress

d. NASA

viii) The word “consumed” in para 3 is closest in meaning to-

a. changed

b. exposed

c. destroyed

d. covered

ix) The word “pose” in para 1 is closest in meaning to-

a. claim

b. model

c. assume

d. present

x) The word “excavating” in para 3 is closest in meaning to-

a. digging out

b. extending

c. destroying

d. covering up

xi) A word from para-1 which is an antonym of ‘conservation’ is

a. collide

b. catastrophe

c. evolution

d. extinction

xii) A word from para-2 which is an antonym of ‘scarce’ is

a. diluted

b. abundant

c. enveloped

d. None of the above

II. Read the following passage and then choose the correct option: 10 MARKS

1. India's average temperature has already increased by around 0.7 degree Celsius during the 1901-2018 period due to Greenhouse gas emissions and by the end of 2100 it is expected to rise by approximately 4.4 degree Celsius warns the first-ever climate change assessment report by the Indian government. 2. The report Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region prepared by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) warned that the rapid changes in the temperature would mean increasing stress on India's "natural ecosystems, agricultural output and freshwater resources, while also causing escalating damage to infrastructure." This ultimately means a serious impact on "country's biodiversity, food, water, energy security and public health.” 3. It said that several regions in India are global biodiversity hotspots with numerous endemic species of plants and animals and with the "climate changing more rapidly than the usual, they may face increasing threats on account of these changes."

4. The MoES report cautioned that by the end of 2100, the "frequency of summer (April-June) heat waves over India is projected to be 3 to 4 times higher" and the "average duration of heatwave events is also projected to approximately double." According to the report, the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) of the tropical Indian Ocean has also risen by one degree Celsius, on average, during 1951-2015. 5. The rise in temperature is playing havoc with India's rainfall which is significant for India's agriculture sector. The report noted that the summer monsoon precipitation (June to September) over India has declined by around six per cent from 1951 to 2015, with notable decreases over the Indo-Gangetic Plains and the Western Ghats. It stressed that the overall decrease of seasonal summer monsoon rainfall during the last 6-7 decades has led to an increased propensity for droughts over India. 6. "In particular, areas over Central India, South-West coast, Southern peninsula and North-Eastern India have experienced more than two droughts per decade. The area affected by drought has also increased by 1.3 per cent per decade over the same period. Climate model projections indicate a high likelihood of an increase in the frequency, intensity and area under drought conditions in India by the end of the twenty-first century," said the MoES report.

On the basis of your reading answer any ten of the following questions. (i) According to the passage, what is the cause of the rise in Temperature?

(a) Emission of Greenhouse gases (c) Over exploitation of the natural resources (b) Destruction of the natural ecosystems (d) All of these (ii) Which organisation warned about the rapidly changing temperature?

(a) Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (b) Ministry of Human Resource

(c) United Nations Environment Assembly (d) Climate Change Assessment (iii) What did the report Assessment of Climate Change highlight?

(a) Increase in burning of the fossil fuels. (b) Increasing stress on India's natural ecosystems. (c) A serious impact on public health. (d) Increased heat wave.

(iv) What is threatened by the rapidly changing climate?

(a) Global biodiversity hotspots (b) Country's biodiversity is (c) Infrastructure (d) Both a and b are correct (v) How will the temperature rise affect the summer heat waves?

(a) Its frequency will increase but its duration would decrease. (b) Its frequency and duration will decrease. (c) Its frequency and duration will increase. (d) Its intensity and frequency will increase (vi) According to the given passage, the SST of the tropical Indian Ocean has

(a) reduced (b) risen (c)remained the same (d) fluctuates (vii) In the line “....a serious impact", the word "impact" DOES NOT refer to

(a) influence (b) force (c) collision (d) effect (viii) Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the social and economic impact of climate change.

1. Less capacity to work 2. Increase in carpooling 3. Discovering cures 4. Loss of local species of flora and fauna 5. Loss of land 6. Increase in luxuries (a) 1 and 2

(b) 3 and 4 (c) 5 and 6 (d) 1 and 6 (ix) How has the rise in temperature affected precipitation?

(a) It had reduced (b) It has increased (c) It had started fluctuating (d) It has no effect (x) According to the passage, which region's rainfall was adversely affected?

(a) The Indo-Gangetic Plains and the Western Ghats (b) The Eastern Ghats (c) The North-Eastern states (d) Kerala (xi) Choose the option that is NOT TRUE for the given passage.

(a) There is a threat to the biological hotspots. (b) The climate change has deeply impacted Indian rainfall patterns. (c) Droughts have reduced in the country. (d) The Greenhouse emissions are expected to rise by 4.4 degree Celsius. (xii) What warning has the MoES issued for the 2100 India?

(a) That the country's biodiversity will be reduced by 50%. (b) That the intensity of the heat waves is projected to triple. (c) That rainfall is going to drastically decline. (d) That there will be an increase in the intensity and frequency in drought.

LITERATURE(10 marks)

III Read the extracts and attempt ANY ONE by answering the questions that follow:

5 MARKS

(A)

“Along the sand

he lay until observed

and chased away, and now

he vanishes in the ripples

among the green slim reeds.

(i)What does the term ‘ripples’ in the above stanza mean?

(a) muddy water

(b) green weeds

(c) waves in the water

(d) in the sea

(ii) Name the poet.

(a) James Kirkup

(b) W.W.E. Ross

(c) Robert Frost

(d) Coates Kinney

(iii) Who is being referred to in the above lines.

(a) The poet

(b) The other animal

(c) The dangerous snake

(d) The harmless snake

(iv)What happened to ‘he’ after being observed?

(a) He disappeared

(b) He started shouting

(c) He kept quiet

(d) He was followed by a stick

(v) Where does ‘he’ finally vanishes?

(a) In the sand

(b) among the green slim reeds

(c) Behind the ripples of water

(d) In the grass

OR

(B)

“When the humid shadows hover

Over all the starry spheres

And the melancholy darkness

Gently weeps in rainy tears.”

(i)What does the term ‘humid shadows hover’ in the 1st line mean?

(a) Shadows in the air are humid

(b) Clouds are dark in colour

(c) Shadows are visible

(d) Clouds full of rain can be seen in the air

(ii) Name the poet.

(a) James Kirkup

(b) Y B Yeats

(c) Robert Frost

(d) Coates Kinney

(iii) The figure of speech used in the second line is______.

(a) personification

(b) alliteration

(c) transferred epithet

(d) repetition

(iv)Who is weeping in the given stanza?

(a) The poet sheds tears

(b) The darkness shed tears in the form of rain.

(c) Only a

(d) None of the above

(v) The term ‘melancholy darkness’ is an example of_______?

(a) Transferred Epithet

(b) Onomatopoeia

(c) Alliteration

(d) Simile

IV. Read the extracts and attempt ANY ONE by answering the questions that follow:

5 MARKS

(A)

When I used to come to your house to chop wood she used to begin: ‘Oh, you sot, you!

Oh, you miserable creature! There’s nothing for you but ruin.’ And then she would sit

down opposite me and grow sad, look into my face and weep.‘Oh, you unlucky man!

There is no pleasure for you in this world and there will be none in the world to come.

(i)Who is the speaker of the last line?

(a) Anton chekhov

(b) Lushkoff

(c) Sergei

(d) Olga

(ii) Where is the conversation taking place?

(a) In Lushkoff’s house

(b) Outside the notary’s office

(c) At the ticket window of a theatre

(d) In the balcony of a movie hall

(iii) Why has the following been said- ‘There’s nothing for you but ruin’.?

(a) because the person was lazy

(b) because the person was a drunkard

(c) because the person did not want to work at all

(d) All of the above

(iv) What does the word ‘sot’ here mean?

(a) a habitual liar

(b) a habitual drunkard

(c) a lazy person

(d) none of the above

(v)Who is the speaker speaking to?

(a) Sergei

(b) Lushkoff

(c) Olga

(d) The cook

OR

(B)

I’m glad you’re pleased to see me. I don’t think you’ll be pleased for long. Put those

paws up!

(i)Who is the speaker?

(a) Narrator

(b) Gerrard

(c) Intruder

(d) None of the above

(ii) Where is the conversation taking place?

(a) In the intruder’s house

(b) In Gerrards’s house

(c) In the garden outside

(d) In the kitchen

(iii) Why is ‘the speaker’ so sure that ‘his listener’ won’t be pleased for long?

(a) because he intends stealing everything from the house

(b) because the speaker plans to kill him and steal his identity.

(c) because he will get the other person arrested

(d) None of the above

(iv) What does the word ‘paws’ mean here?

(a) feet

(b) arms

(c) hands

(d) all of the above

(v)Who is the speaker speaking to?

(a) Gerrard

(b) Intruder

(c) Douglas James

(d) None of the above

GRAMMAR

V. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct option: 10 MARKS

(i) The Council __________ made its decision.

(a) have

(b) has

(c) have had

(d) having

(ii) Which tense is used to show the completion of an action by a certain time in the future?.

(a) simple future tense

(b) both c and d

(c) future perfect continuous tense

(d) future perfect tense

(iii) The quality of products __________ over time.

(a) are degrading

(b) have been degrading

(c) were degrading

(d) none of the above

(iv) Now that I have finished college and have a job, I realize that living at home _____

drive my parents and me crazy.

(a) should

(b) could

(c) must

(d) all of the above

(v) I know that everyone _______ save a little extra money, but it is hard with so many bills

to pay.

(a) must

(b) have to

(c) could

(d) ought to

vi)The History teacher says, "Magellan was the first navigator to come around the world."

a)The History teacher said that Magellan was the first navigator to come around the world.

b)The History teacher tells that Magellan were the first navigator to come around the world.

c)The History teacher says that Magellan was the first navigator to come around the world.

d)The History teacher says that Magellan is the first navigator to come around the world.

vii) My friend said to me, “Has your father returned from Calcutta?”

a) My friend said to me that my father has returned form Calcutta.

b)My friend asked me if my father had returned from Calcutta.

c) My friend told me that his father has returned from Calcutta.

d)My friend enquired me if his father has returned from Calcutta.

viii)Everybody says, "They have spoken the truth."

a) Everybody tells that they have spoken the truth.

b)Everybody says that they have spoken the truth.

c)Everybody said that they have spoken the truth.

d)Everybody says that they had spoken the truth.

ix) North Korea still .................. a vast police state that.................. a network of concentration

camps spanning throughout the country.

a)was maintaining / has included

b) had maintained / would include

c) is maintaining / had included

d) maintains / includes

x) We could barely get any information at the airport. _______ people seemed to have_______

idea about the flights.

a) only a few/some

b) A lot of/any

c) Many/any

d) Few/no

PART-B-(40 MARKS)

WRITING SECTION-10 MARKS

LITERATURE SECTION-30 MARKS

VI. Develop a short story (100-120 words) with the help of the given starting line. Give a

suitable title to your story. (5 marks)

(A) Finally, today, the d day has arrived. I had been waiting for this very moment. Initially it

seemed _______________________

OR

(B) I stopped my scooter in front of an old and dilapidated building. A haggard, skinny old

man with drooping shoulders came towards me. “Don’t go in, Sir”, he whispered. “It is

dangerous…”

VII. (A)The Indian farmer is a vital element of the nation’s economy and the backbone of our

society. Write a paragraph in about 100-120 words for your school magazine on the topic.

OR

(B)You are Nidhi/ Neeraj, the music teacher of St. Joseph Convent School, Kanpur. You need

some musical instruments for the school. Place an order with the Sales Manager, Music Gallery,

Civil Lines, Kanpur.

VIII. Answer ANY TWO questions in 20-30 words (two each from A and B)

2x4=8marks

A (any 2)

(i) Which country did Maria Sharapova belong to? Why did she leave for the U.S.A.?

(ii) How did the butter episode in the story ‘Packing’ cause nuisance?

(iii) How did Bruno and the author’s wife react when they met at the Mysore zoo

B (any 2)

(i) How was the Happy Prince a blessing for the seamstress?

(ii) Where were Prashant and his friends during the two days of the super cyclone? How were

they able to survive?

(iii) Why did the author visit his old school and how did his teachers encourage him?

IX. Answer ANY TWO questions in 40-50 words (two each from A and B) 3x4=12marks

A (any 2)

(i) How has the poet differentiated the roots before and after being pulled out ?

(ii) ‘But it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man’. With reference to this lesson elaborate on the

regular teacher as compared to the man.

(iii) Do you think Kezia was wrong in tearing the papers of her father? Elaborate on her

character with regard to the mentioned episode.

B (any 2)

(i) Why was Jhonsy constantly counting the leaves of the creeper outside her window? Elaborate.

(ii) Why has “Packing’ been termed as a humorous story? Elaborate.

(iii) Write how Prashant’s relief efforts show particular sensitivity towards the women and

children in the camp.

X. Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in 100-120 words: 5x1=5marks

(i) The lives of Santosh Yadav and Maria Sharapova have much in common to prove that

determined and consistent hard work paves the way to success. Identify the points of comparison

and contrast in the lives of these two great players.

OR

(ii) In the play ‘If I were You’ circumstances play a big role in helping Gerrard outsmart the

intruder. Give reasons for your answer.

XI. Answer ANY one of the following questions in 100-120 words-5x1=5marks

(i) Actions speak louder than words. How do the events of the story ‘The Beggar’ prove the truth

of this statement.

OR

(ii) How is the title ‘The Last Leaf’ justified with reference to Behrman’s last painting?

Blue Print

Class IX

English

Skill

Tested

Objective

Type

answer

(1 mark)

Short

answer

questions

(20-30

words)

2 marks

Long

answer

questions

(40-50

words)

3 marks

Long answer

questions (100-

120 words)

5 marks

Total

Marks

(80)

Reading

skills

20

-

-

-

20

Creative

writing

skills and

Grammar

10

-

12

10

32

Literature

Textbook

10 08

-

10

28

Total

marks

40

2X4=8

3X4=12

5x4=20

80