CBSE Board Class 9 English Core Sample Papers 2010

Sample Paper – 2010
Class – IX
Subject –English Core


Instructions
1. Answer all questions.
2. All answers must be written in the space provided on the paper.
3. Please do not write anything in the margins.
4. Any answer written in the space meant for rough work will not be marked.

Section A (Reading)

A.1 The Centipede

The little creature
with hundred feet
was on its journey
to where
only it know
My civilised foot
dressed in polished leather
came down upon it
ever so gently –
there was only a soft sound
signifying
the end
of a creature of God
my maker.
I looked to see
if my sole was soiled
and walked away.

      -   Chandak Chatterjee
A.1.1 Below you see a page from the poet’s diary which summarizes the events in the poem. Fill in each blank with one work only. (5 marks)
  Today I had an important meeting. So I dressed in my best clothes and (a) __________ my shoes until they were shining. On my way to the meeting, I stepped on a centipede, a                                   (b) ___________ little thing with so (c) ___________ legs. I wonder where it was going. I wasn’t walking fast so I couldn’t have stepped very heavily on it, but there was a soft sound and I knew I had killed it. I checked immediately to see if there was any (d) ___________ on my shoes; I was worried about my appearance at the meeting. Still, it seemed strange that the                        (e) __________ who made me should also have made such a tiny creature.
(a) (i)   rubbed       (ii)   polished (iii)      washed       (iv)     cleaned
(b) (i)   tiny            (ii)   poor (iii)      very            (iv)     small
(c) (i)   a hundred  (ii)   many (iii)      much          (iv)     little
(d) (i)   thing          (ii)   dirt (iii)      soil             (iv)     sole
(e) (i)   creatures   (ii)   God (iii)      man            (iv)     shoes

A.2 Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow : (5 marks)
CONSERVATION PIECE
The countryside must be preserved
(Preferably miles away from me.)
Neat hectares of the stuff reserved
For those in need of flower or tree.

I’ll make do with landscape painting
Film documentaries on TV
And when I need to escape, panting,
1. The poet feels that the countryside should be preserved for _________.
  (a) the rich people
  (b) those who love flowers and trees
  (c) those who want to increase the green cover on this planet
  (d) those who want to make TV documentaries
2. When the poet feels the need for fresh air, he prefers to ___________.
  (a) start painting landscapes (b) run towards the sea
  (c) watch fil documentaries (d) take a stroll
3. The poet would rather watch film documentaries than ___________.
  (a) run towards the sea (b) take a stroll for leisure
  (c) paint landscapes (d) none of the given
4. The poet doesn’t like the countryside because ____________.
  (a) he prefers watching documentaries
  (b) he doesn’t like country people
  (c) he is allergic to the grass over there and starts sneezing
  (d) he doesn’t love nature
5. Here, the ‘countryside’ refers to a place in a ____________.
  (a) country          (b)      city (c) town           (d)     village

A.3 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words / groups of words in the passage are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.    (5 marks)
Believe it or not but once a wonderful plate of gold fell from heaven into the court of a temple at Banares. On the plate these words were inscribed: “A gift from Heaven to him who loves best.” The priest at once made a proclamation that everyday all those who would like to claim the plate should assemble at the temple to have their kind deeds judged.
Everyday for a whole year all kinds of holy man, hermits, scholars and nobles came and related to the priests their deeds of charity. The priests heard their claims. At last they decided that the one who seemed to be the greatest lover of mankind was a rich man who had every year given all his wealth to the poor. So, they gave him the plate of gold. But when he took it in his hand, it turned to worthless lead. When he dropped it in his amazement on the floor, it became gold again.
For another year claimants came and the priests presented the heavenly gift three times. But the same thing happened, showing that Heaven did not consider these men worthy of the gift.
Meanwhile a large number of beggars came and lay about the temple gate, hoping that the claimants who came would give them alms to prove that they were worthy of the golden plate. It was a good thing for the beggars because the pilgrims gave them money but showed no sympathy, nor even a look of pity.
At last a peasant who had heard nothing about the plate of gold came near the temple. He was so touched by the sight of the miserable beggars that he wept.
1. The gift from Heaven was meant for those who ______________.
  (a) were scholars (b) were highly religious and loved God best
  (c) gave money to the poor (d) loved others in the best way
2. For which of the following was the proclamation made by the priest?
  (a) To find the richest person in town.
  (b) To find the rightful owner of the plate.
  (c) To judge the worth of the plate.
  (d) To invite the person who could twin the plate into lead.
3. The rich man dropped the plate to the floor as he was _____________.
  (a) not interested in possessing it (b) afraid of holding it
  (c) curious to see it turning to lead (d) surprised to see it turning to lead
4. Why did the beggars stay near the temple gate? They _______________________.
  (a) wanted to prove their claim on the golden plate
  (b) had come to pray in the temple
  (c) knew that the visitors would give them alms
  (d) wanted to have a glimpse of the golden plate
5. Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME in meaning of the word ‘judged’.
  (a) useful (b) promising
  (c) successful (d) deserving

A.4  Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. (5 marks)
One of the most frightening stories in all literature is Daniel Defoe’s ‘A Journal of the Plague Year’, which was published in 1722. Although somewhat fictionalised, it is extensively documented and is a realistic picture of the terror which can grip a city attacked by plague.
All the world knew of the fury of small pox plagues’ A Persian physicist distinguished small pox from measles in 900 AD and its ravages were recorded many centuries earlier. Asia and Africa had repeated bouts of small pox; Europe’s population was decimated by the killer in 1614; and England’s great epidemic, from 1666 to 1675, left a frightful toll in its wake. The New World did not escape - in fact, some historians feel that the small pox epidemics decimated the Indians and made them vulnerable to the white man’s conquest.
1. ‘A Journal of the Plague Year’ is important because ______________.
  (a) it brought to the world the fury of plague
  (b) it explains why Indians were defeated by Europeans
  (c) it gives well documented true picture of attack of plague
  (d) it has recorded after-effects of plague for many centuries
2. ‘The New World did not Escape’ means _______________.
  (a) the old world was a safer place than the new
  (b) neither the old nor the new world could fight plague
  (c) plague continued to attack the modern world
  (d) the new world discovered effective and suitable medicine for plague
3. A Journal of the Plague Year was published in which of the following years?
  (a) 1666 (b) 1722
  (c) 1717 (d) 1675
4. What is the significance of the year 900 AD?
  (a) Asia and Africa had repeated bouts of small pox.
  (b) Small pox was identified from measles.
  (c) Chinese technique was introduced in Persia.
  (d) None of the given
5. What can be considered as a shortcoming of the book, ‘A Journal of the Plague Year’?
  (a) It has most frightening horror stories.
  (b) It has recorded bouts of smallpox of Asia and Africa only.
  (c) It has some element of a story of literature.
  (d) It reflects the western point of view only.

Section - B (Writing)

B.1 Harish had the conversation given below with a client who wanted to speak to his boss Mr. Sharma. Since he was going out immediately afterwards, he left a message for him. Read the conversation and write out the message is not more than 50 words.
Put the message in a box.   (5 marks)
Mr Asif :   Hello, could I please speak to Mr Sharma?
Harish :   I’m afraid he is not in at the moment. He won’t be back till after lunch. Could I be of help to you?
Mr Asif : Yes, please. This is Asif from Garment Designers Fabricators here. I would like to meet him to discuss the new project our firm plans to take up with your firm. When can I do so?
Harish :  He will be in office all day tomorrow. You could come at 10 in the morning. Would that be all right?
Mr Asif : Yes, that will be fine, thank you.

B.2 Vishal Mehra of Class IX is a theatre enthusiast and is interested in entering an inter-school play competition being held to celebrate the Independence Day of India. His teacher has told him the school could enter the competition if he finds enough volunteers before 10 July to take care of all the work – acting, directing, costumes, props, lights, etc.
He decides to write a notice for the notice-board asking for participants and volunteers. Write out the notice in not more than 50 words. Give the notice an appealing heading.
Put your notice in a box.   (5 marks)

B.3 John writes a page of his diary recording his first experience of a public examination. Below are listed his experiences. Using these notes, write out a page of his diary is not more than 200 words.     (5 marks)
Notes
Nervous feeling - praying to God. lots of noises around - students rushing towards examination hall - finding the correct seats - condition of the examination hall - receiving the question paper - instructions from the examiner - reading of the paper - beginning to write - revising - rewriting - finishing in time.

B.4 The fact that many of the young children of today live and grow up in unhygienic surroundings, ill nourished and illiterate, upsets you. Write a letter to the newspaper editor on the problems faced by them and suggest ways of rehabilitating them so that they, too, can have a better future. Write the letter in not more than 150 words.  (5 marks)

Section C (Grammar)

C.1 The following passage has not been edited. There is one error in each line. W rite the incorrect word and the correction in your answer sheet as given in the example. Underline the word that forms your answer.    (5 marks)
     Incorrect Correct
In Britain, the whether is varied.  e.g. whether weather
People never know which it will be like  (a) ____________ ____________
the next day. The summer is warm than  (b) ____________ ____________
the winter, but even at summer the average  (c) ____________ ____________
temperature was only 16oC. Sometimes  (d) ____________ ____________
the sun keeps shine, but at other times the  (e) ____________ ____________
sky is covered with clouds, and it starts rain.  (f) ____________ ____________
In winter, it is sometimes terribly cool,  (g) ____________ ____________
especially in the north to the country.  (h) ____________ ____________
The temperature fells below 0oC and  (i) ____________ ____________
then their is often snow and ice.  (j) ____________ ____________

C.2  Complete the following dialogue by filling in the blanks with appropriate form of verbs given in brackets. Write your answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. The first one has been done for you.   (4 marks)
Ashok :  Hello, Hari. I hope I have not kept (keep) you waiting for long.
Hari :  In fact, I (a) ______________ (arrive just). I (b) ______________ (die) to tell you a piece of great news. Meena and Shyam (c) ____________ (fix) their wedding for the 10th of this month.
Ashok :  Oh! I (d) _____________ (not believe) it. Tell me exactly how the two came so close to each other.
Hari :  It (e) ______________ (be) a long time back, at some chance meeting. Meena                    (f) ___________ (have) to attend a meeting but due to a traffic jam she was late. And while she (g) ___________ (hurry) up the stairs, she (h) _____________ (collide) with Shyam. And that was the beginning.

C.3  Read the dialogues given below. Based on your reading, complete the following reporting. Write the answers in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. Do not add any new information.    (5 marks)
Customer : Waiter, this soup is not so tasty as it was yesterday.
Waiter :  But sir, it is impossible.
Customer : What do you mean?
Waiter :  This is the same soup as you took yesterday.
A customer in a restaurant complained that (a) ____________ as it (b) ____________. The waiter told (c) __________. When the customer asked (d) ____________, the waiter replied that (e) ________.

C.4 Look at the newspaper items below. Then use the information in the headlines to complete the paragraphs. Write your answer in the answer sheet against the correct blank number. The first one has been done for you.   (4 marks)

WOMAN, CHILD KILLED IN ROAD MISHAP - SIX INJURED:
A woman and a child were killed on the spot and six persons were injured, two of them seriously, when a tempo in which they were travelling fell into a Khud near Lalpani.

CHILD CRUSHED, BROTHER SERIOUSLY INJURED:
An eight year old child was crushed to death under a train while his five-year old brother            (a) ________ when they were crossing the railway line near the local station on Thursday evening.

BANKMEN GIVE FREE HAWAI CHAPPALS FOR LEPERS:
Lepers, living in the Neel Kamal Society of the city, (b) ___________ on Thursday by the employees of State Bank of India. The Bankmen were celebrating the 42nd anniversary of their branch.

SHOPKEEPER ARRESTED, FINED:
Ganpatram, a shopkeeper of Saraspur, (c) __________ by the police on Tuesday for selling adulterated wheat flour. Later he was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate by whom he was fined Rs 5000/-

FIRE DESTROYS GOODS WORTH Rs 25 LAKH:
Goods (d) ______________________ when two houses in Tilak Nagar caught fire yesterday. The cause of fire which rendered four families homeless, could not be known.

C.5 Look at the words and phrases below. Rearrange them to form meaningful sentences to complete the dialogue which follows. Write each sentence in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. The first one has been done as an example. (4 marks)
tennis / let’s / of / a game / have
(a) drawing / examination / near / my / is
(b) do not / mine / worry / I / about
(c) get a degree / don’t pass / you / if / can’t / you
(d) to you / do / good / what / will / B.A.
Rajesh : O man, shut your old books. Let’s have a game of tennis.
Alay :  I am sorry, I can’t. You know (a) ____________ and I want to study.
Rajesh : Oh! hang all examinations! (b) _____________. What is the use of them any way?
Alay :  Well, (c) ______________. And I have set my heart on becoming a B.A.
Rajesh : And pray (d) _______________? There are lakhs of B.A.’s but they have no jobs.
Alay :  But my aim is to gain knowledge and develop my mind.

Section D (Literature)

D.1  Read the extract and answer the questions that follow : (4 marks)
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances:
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
Questions :
(1) Name the poem and the poet.
(2) What does the poet compare the world to?
(3) What does the poet say about the men and women in the world?
(4) To what does the poet compare the exits and entrances of a stage?

D.2 Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow : (4 marks)
Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
Questions :
(1) Which road did the poet take?
(2) Which road, according to the poet, had better claim to be travelled by?
(3) Which points of similarity did the poet find between the two roads?
(4) Name and explain the figure of speech in the first line.

D.3  Describe the condition of the flat when Perkins reaches his flat. What are the feelings generated in him at the sight.   (4 marks)

D.4 Imagine you are Mathilde Loisel of the story ‘The Necklace’. You have lost the diamond necklace of your friend Madame Forestier and have paid her for it. Write a letter to another friend of yours called Mrs Smith how you have managed to pay for the lost necklace and advise her what she should learn from your tragedy.   (5 marks)

D.5 Read the following extract from ‘Mirabai’ and answer the questions that follow : (3 marks)
“She scribbles verses, and does not care for things that please me.”
Questions :
(1) Who speaks these lines and to whom?
(2) What are the two qualities of the person spoken about that are a source of displeasure to Rana?
(3) Give two qualities of the person spoken about which appeal to you.