CBSE Sample Paper ( Reading Passage )

QUESTION PAPER CODE 1/1/1

 SECTION A (Reading) 15 Marks

1. Read the passage given below: 8

 (1) The hopping kangaroo is a familiar sight in every snapshot relating to Australia. Members of the kangaroo family can be as small as a rat or as big as a man. Kangaroos are found mainly in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Kangaroos which are big-footed marsupials that evolved in Australia use their short front legs like arms. The man-sized kangaroos of Australia are capable of speeding up to 88 km/hr for short distances, their means of locomotion being their powerful hind legs, which carry them over the ground in jumps of 9 m or more at a time.

(2) Weighing around 70 kg they have an average lifespan of around six to eight years and a maximum lifetime of 20 years. When bothered by predators kangaroos often head for the water, standing submerged to the chest, and 2 attempting to drown the attacker by holding him under water. Another defensive technique is to get their back to a tree and kick at their adversary with their clawed hind feet, sometimes with sufficient force to kill a man. Normally shy animals, they alert other kangaroos to danger by beating on the ground with their hind feet. This loud alarm signal carries over a long distance.

(3) The tail is important for kangaroos. It holds them in balance and supports them when they sit or fight against other kangaroos. The kangaroo uses its short legs as arms. With them it scratches itself, cleans its fur and holds branches when it eats leaves. Kangaroos are marsupials and the females carry newborns in a pouch in front of their abdomens. The babies are born small and climb up into the safety of the pouch. There for the next 225 days or so, they eat, sleep and grow. Once they reach full development they leave the pouch. A young kangaroo that leaves the pouch is called a 'joey'. To keep from getting too hot the kangaroos take naps in the afternoon and do most of their grazing at night. But the best stay-cool secret of these creatures is the spit bath ! Kangaroos drool and lick saliva all over their faces and bodies to cool down.

1.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, complete the following sentences with appropriate words / phrases.                                                    1×8=8

 a) When followed by predators kangaroos submerge __________________ and _____________ .

 b) The powerful hind legs help kangaroos to ____________________.

 c) Kangaroos are mainly found in Australia and are ____________________ _____________.

 d) They use their front legs to ____________________________________ ______________ .

 e) Kangaroos warn others of danger by _______________________.

 f) The secret of kangaroos to stay cool is ______________________ .

g) They use their tails to ______________________________ . 

h) Before becoming 'joeys' the young ones stay in the __________________ and ________________.

Reading Passage

Q1. Read the following passage.                                                                        (12marks)

The secret of Leonardo Da Vinci’s talent and Pablo Picasso’s success may have been their dyslexia. The two men both suffered from ‘word blindness’ that affects as many as one in 12 children—but it seems it can also bring the keen spatial awareness that makes the difference between a jobbing painter and a master of art.

The finding, by Middlesex University psychologists, could help explain the brilliance of some of the greatest artists of all time and the timelessness of works such as the Mona Lisa.

The researchers put 41 men and women through tests to assess their visuo-spatial ability. Although we tend to think of the skill in terms of map-reading and parking, the ability to process 3D information accurately is also key to art and design.

Around half of those taking part were dyslexic, and so had trouble learning to spell, read and write. The dyslexic men did better than the other men on many of the tests, including recalling the direction of the Queen’s head on a postage stamps and reproducing designs using coloured blocks.

They were also faster and more accurate at navigating their way around a ‘virtual town’ on a computer screen, the journal Learning and Individual Differences reports.

The researchers said there could be several explanations for the findings, including dyslexics developing an enhanced sense of space to compensate for problems with language.

Condition helps process 3D information better, Dr Nicola Brunswick said Also, many dyslexic people prefer to work out problems by thinking and doing rather than by speaking. This could help dyslexic men develop the kind of skills they need to succeed in the artistic and creative worlds.” However, the dyslexic women had no better spatial awareness than the other women, perhaps reflecting that the ability to manipulate 3D images tends to be more of a ‘male’ trait.

Although the idea that dyslexia brings with it a special understanding of space has been floated before, this study is the first to find firm evidence for it.

Dr Brunswick said: “A lot of tests in this area in the past have been “paper and pencil” tests but these aren’t good tests of real-world ability.

“Now we have real evidence to indicate that dyslexic men are better in this area. Artists known or believed to have suffered from dyslexia include Da Vinci, Picasso, Rodin and Andy Warhol. Da Vinci, who is also thought to have suffered from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, wrote his notes backwards, from right to left. Picasso had trouble reading and struggled at school.                                                 ------ Daily Mail

2.1 On the basis of your reading the above passage answer the following questions briefly.       (2X4=8marks)

a.    What did Da Vinci and Picasso suffer from? How is their problem a boon for some  

children?

b. In which areas was the performance of dyslexic men better than others?

c. Why do dyslexics succeed in artistic and creative fields?

d. What were the findings about dyslexic women?

2.2 Answer the following by choosing the correct options.                       (1X4=4marks)

      a)  From the following options choose the word from the passage which means the  

           same as ‘finding’.

           i) manipulate  ii) reflecting   iii) navigating   iv) struggling

      b) From the given options choose the word which is the synonym of   

          ‘brilliance’.

          i) glittering    ii) intense    iii) ability    iv) genius

     c) Choose the word which is the antonym of ‘Compensate’

         i) diminish     ii) deprive   iii) damage  iv) lose

    d) Choose the word   from  the passage which is the opposite of ‘ diminished’

        i) enhanced   ii) strengthened   iii) weakened   iv) intensified

Virtually True

Questions and Answers:

    Q1. According to the newspaper what had happened to Sebastian Shultz?

Ans:  Sebastian Shultz was a 14 year old boy from South London who was badly injured in a motorway accident six weeks ago. When he had been brought to the hospital, doctors described his condition to critical but stable. Despite doctor’s efforts, the boy did not regain consciousness and remained in the state of coma. Everyone had lost hope when suddenly he came out of the coma. His recovery was a miracle.

     Q2.  ‘Dad’s nutty about computers: What evidence is there to support the statement?

     Ans. Michael’s father was crazy about computers. He visited the Computer Fair along with Michael and bought computer of Pentium 150 Mh_z⁴processor, with 256 of RAM, a 1.2 Gb hard disk drive and 16 speed CDROM, complete with speakers, printer, modems and scanner. He was also very fond of gadgets and gizmos. He bought some interactive psycho drive games for his son.

    Q3.  In what way did the second game seem very real?

    Ans. The second was DRAGON QUEST. When Michael reached Princess Aurora she squealed “my hero” and  “rescue me now”. It  seemed very real. He  felt that he was really walking in the Dragon’s castle where they were being pursued by the dragon and he not only heard but could also feel and smell the dragon’s hot breath.

    Q4. The last game has tanks, jeeps, helicopters, guns and headings would you put this and the other games under?

    Ans. The last game ‘warzone’ was set in an unknown war zone. Everything in the game seemed real, with tanks, jeeps, helicopters and  guns. Even the rescue by a helicopter appeared authentic. The other games too were the same. This game in particular and all other games can be put under the category of ‘psycho drive games’.

    Q5. What was Michael's theory about how Sebastian had entered the games?
    Ans. Michael's theory was that probably at the time of the accident Sebastian  was using his computer to play one of the psycho drive games. He was plugged on to the com when his head banged in the accident. The computer had saved his memory in its own. Thus, Sebastian had entered the games but could not come out of it.
    Q6. How was Sebastian's memory stored on Michael's disk? How did Michael discover that?
   Ans. When Sebastian had met with an accident, he was playing on of the psycho drive games and his memory was saved in the computer and he went into coma. 
     Michael discovered later while playing the games that the game disk in which Sebastian's memory was saved had got stolen while he was in the hospital and Michael  had ended up buying those games at the Computer Fair.
    Q7.  Why did Michael fail in rescuing Sebastian Shultz the first time?

    Ans. In the first game Michael was confused about what he had to do in the game. The presence of another sheriff confused him further. He and Sebastian t tried their best to escape from Black eyed Jed and his men. There was a chase and both of them dived out of a window in the saloon and managed to sit on a horseback. But the men following them shot at them. A bullet hit Sebastian and he died.

     Q8. The second attempt to rescue Sebastian Shultz too was disastrous. Give Reasons.

    Ans. Michael’s attempt to rescue Sebastian the second time in the game Dragonquest also failed. The boys managed to flee from the tower by cutting the long plaits of the princess and tying them together to make a rope. But the dragon followed them closely. They could hear, feel and smell it. While they were headed towards the dungeons, the dragon caught up with them and attacked Sebastian. Michael tried to save but it was in vain. 
     Q9. Why did the news of the ‘miracle recovery’ shock Michael?

    Ans. The news article mentioned that a fourteen year old boy called Sebastian Shultz, who had gone into a coma after being involved in a motorway accident had miraculously recovered. When he saw the picture of Sebastian, he realized that it was the same boy he had met in the pschyo drive games and  had rescued him. Michael was shocked and couldn’t understand how he could have met Sebastian if he had been in coma during that period.
     
    Q10. What help did Sebastian Shultz ask Michael for? How did he convey this message ?

     Ans. Sebastian was playing a pscho drive games when the accident took place. As a result his memory got trapped in the computer. He met Michael when Michael played those games. He wanted Michael to rescue him. He sent a message to Michael which appeared on his printer.

Ozymandias

Extract based questions and answers

Read the extracts and answer the questions:

1.            1.   Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

       of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

       The lone and level sands stretch far away.

      a) The ‘colossal wreck’ here refers to the remains of the statue of King Ozymandias.

      b) Name the poetic device in line 2 of the extract.

      Ans. The poetic device in line 2 is Alliteration. Boundless and bare

c)    What is the meaning of the word decay?

Ans. It means to decompose/disintegrate

2.    And on the pedestal these words appear:

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look upon my works, ye Mighty and despair!”

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

a)    What so these lines tell us about Ozymandias?

Ans. Ozymandias is an arrogant king. He believes that he is  most powerful.

b)    Explain the irony of the words written on the pedestal.

Ans. Ozymandias was very proud of his achievements but none of these could withstand the ravages of time.

c)    What message do these lines convey to us?

Ans. These lines convey that all human success is temporary and transitory. With time

        everything will be destroyed 

Ozymandias

Answers to text book questions:

Ozymandias

1.    “The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed”. Whose hand and heart has the poet referred to in this line?
Answer: The sculptor’s hands and heart of Ozymandias are referred to in this line. It was the sculptor whose hands had skilfully portrayed the expression and the inner most emotions of Ozymandias while making the statue.

2.    “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings”. Why does Ozymandias refer to himself as King of Kings? What quality of the king is revealed through this statement?

Answer: Ozymandias was an arrogant King. He believed himself to be the most powerful king, superior than the kings that is why he refers to himself as King of Kings. This statement shows that the king must be very proud of his achievements.

3.    Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Who is Ozymandias referring to when he speaks of ye Mighty? Why should they despair?

Answer: Ozymandias is probably referring to the other kings. He wants to be awestruck by his works and feel despair at his achievements.

4.    Bring out the irony in the poem.

Answer: There is situational irony. The once powerful king had a grand statue built so that he would be immortalized and everyone looking at it would be impressed by his greatness. But with the passage of time the statue was shattered into pieces; lying against the backdrop of mighty nature. The king was forgotten.

5.    “Nothing beside remains”. What does the narrator mean when he says these words?

Answer: Apart from the trunkless legs on the pedestal and a shattered visage, no remains of the once colossal statue can be seen in the vast desert. By saying this, the narrator tries to highlight that with the passage of time everything is destroyed.

6.    What is your impression of Ozymandias as a king? 

Answer: Ozymandias was an arrogant, boastful and aggressive king who considered himself to be superior and incomparable in regard to his achievements. He built a colossal statue of himself so that he was immortalised, but he did not take into account the fact that with the passage of time everything in this world gets decayed and destroyed.

7.    What message is conveyed through the poem ?

Answer: The poem conveys that all human success, glory and achievement is transient and temporary. With the passage of time everything is destroyed and only thing that is permanent is nature.

Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Extract based questions and answers

Read the given extracts and answer the questions that follow :

1 “He holds him with his glittering eye

   The wedding guest stood still

   And listens like a three-year old child :

   The mariner hath his will”.

(a)  Why did the mariner hold the wedding guest ?

Ans. The mariner held the wedding guest to narrate his story to him.

(b)  Why was the guest unable to move ?

Ans. The guest was unable to move because he was completely under the control of     
        the glittering eyes of the ancient mariner.

(c)  Name the poetic device in the above stanza ? Explain it.

Ans. The poetic device is simile. It means that the wedding guest stood helplessly like a  

        child and listened to the story of the ancient mariner.

2.   And now the storm-blast came, and he

      was tyrannous and strong

      He struck with his O’ertaking wings

      And chased us south along.

a)    Name the poetic device in line 1.

Ans. The poetic device used is personification. The storm blast has been personified. It 
        has been given the qualities of being cruel/harsh and strong.

b)    Explain ‘O’ertaking wings’.

Ans The storm has been personified as a huge bird and the enormous waves of the 
       ocean during the storm have been compared to its ‘O’ertaking  wings.   

c)    What effect did it have on the ship?

Ans. The ship was pushed in the southward direction.

3. And I had done a hellish thing,

    it would work' em woe ;
    For all averred, I had killed the bird

    That made the breeze to blow.
    Ah wretch ! said they, the bird to slay,

    That made the breeze to blow !

    (a) ‘I’ in the above lines is the Ancient Mariner.

    (b) The figure of speech used in the second line is Alliteration

    (c) What hellish thing had the speaker done ?

    Ans. The ancient mariner had shot the innocent albatross with his cross bow.

4. And some in dreams assured were

    Of the spirit that plagued us so;
    Nine fathom deep he had followed us

    From the land of mist and snow

   (a) Some in the above lines refers to the other sailors on the ship.

   (b) The mariners felt that the ship was being followed by the spirit of the albatross

   (c) Why was the spirit following them?

   Ans. It was following them to avenge its death.

5. In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,

    It perched for vespers nine
    Whiles all the night through fog-smoke white,

    Glimmered the white Moon-shine.

    (a) Who is it in the above lines?

    Ans. ‘It’ in the above lines is the albatross.

    (b) Vespers nine refers to the fixed time at which the albatross appeared everyday

    (c) It was a boon for the sailors because after its arrival the weather conditions changed            and the ship was able to move out of the area.

6.  At length did come an albatross,

    Through the fog it came,

    As if it had been a Christian soul,

    We hailed it in God’s name.

(a)  Why were the mariners relieved to see the albatross?

Ans. The mariners had been stuck in the ice for a long period of time and had not seen any living creature. It was the first sign of life and therefore gave them hope that they might survive.

(b)  Identify the figure of speech in the above stanza.

Ans. Simile – As if it had been a Christian soul

© How did the mariner react at the sight of the albatross?

Ans. They considered it to be a good omen and welcomed it .

7. Day after day, day after day,

    We stuck nor breath nor motion;

    As idle as a painted ship

    Upon a painted ocean.

(a)  Who was stuck and where?

Ans. The Ancient Mariners and the other sailors were stuck in the middle of the sea.

(b)  What is the effect of the repetition in the first line?
Ans. The repetition emphasizes that the ship had been stuck for a long period in the     
         middle of the sea. There was no movement at all.

      © How does the narrator communicate the idea of being becalmed?

      Ans. The idea of being becalmed is communicated by comparing the ship and the sea to               a painting of the ship and the sea.

8. With sloping masts and dipping prow’

    As who pursued with yell and blow

   Still treads the shadow of his foe,

   And forwards bends the head,

   The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,

   Southwards aye we fled.

(a)  What is the storm described as? What is the ship personified as?

Ans. The storm is described as an enemy who is very powerful. The ship is personified as a man running away from his enemy who is pursuing him.

(b)  Explain: ‘Still treads the shadow of his foe’

Ans. Walks in the shadow of his enemy and cannot get away from from him. The ship             was in the shadow of the storm unable to get away from it.

© Explain: ‘Dipping prow’

Ans. Prow is the front part of the ship . It was submerged in the water as the ship was              bent forward.
9. Ah! well a-day! what evil looks

Had I from old and young!

Instead of the cross, the Albatross

About my neck was hung.

     a)    Who are ‘old’ and ‘young’?

     Ans. The sailors on the ship.

     b)    Why are the people casting evil looks?

     Ans. They are casting evil looks on the ancient mariner because they hold him responsible for all their miseries.

c)    Why is the ‘cross’ removed from the mariner’s neck? What does it indicate?

Ans. Punishment

     d)     Why is the dead Albatross hung around the sailor’s neck? What does it indicate?

Ans. Eternal damnation. A constant reminder of evil deed the ancient had committed by

        by killing the albatross.  

Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Part II

Part II

11. Answer the following questions briefly

(a) In which direction did the ship start moving? How can you say?

Answer- The ship started moving northwards. This can be said because The sun was rising from the right hand side and setting on the left.

(b) Why does the mariner say that 'no sweet bird did follow'?

Answer- The mariner says that no sweet bird did follow with reference to the albatross,  which followed them a few days back, and now is dead.

(c) How did the other mariners behave towards the Ancient Mariner at first? How many times did they change their mind about the Ancient Mariner? What does this tell us about their character?

Answer- The other mariners rebuked him at first for killing the albatross, which had made the breeze to blow. They said that his action would cause them unhappiness and suffering However, when the weather became pleasant, they changed their mind immediately and  praised the ancient mariner for killing the bird which brought the fog and mist. This shows how fickle and confused the mariners were.

(d) How did the sailing conditions change after the ship had moved out of the land of mist and snow? What or who did the mariners blame for this change?

Answer- The sailing condition changed for the worst after the ship had moved out of the land of mist and snow. Their ship was stuck in the silent sea. The breeze dropped down, making the sails drop down as well. The ship came to a standstill. The mariners blamed the ancient mariner for this change because he had killed the albatross and its spirit had followed the ship to avenge its death.

(e) What is indicated by the line 'The bloody sun, at noon,/Right up above the mast did stand,/No bigger than the moon'?

Answer- This line indicates the excessive heat of the sun, which shone above the mast at noon. The metaphor ‘bloody sun’ conveys that the sun was not welcome.

(f) How does the mariner describe the fact that they were completely motionless in the middle of the sea?

Answer- The stanza “Day after day, day after day,/We stuck, nor breath nor motion,/As idle as a painted ship/Upon a painted ocean,” portrays a still picture of the sea and the ship.

(g) What is the irony in the ninth stanza? Explain it in your own words.

Answer- The ship was surrounded by the water on all sides. The sailors were in the middle of so much water yet they did not have single drop of water to drink. They were facing complete drought.

(h) What is the narrator trying to convey through the description of the situation in the tenth and eleventh stanza?

Answer- In these stanzas, the mariners in their delirium have imagined that the sea is decaying and creatures are crawling in the slimy water of the sea. At night the creatures or insects which emit light seemed to be doing a death dance and the sea water appeared green, blue and white boiled like a witch's oil.

(i) What or who did the mariners feel was responsible for their suffering?

Answer- The mariners feel that the spirit of the albatross had followed the ship to avenge its death and is the reason for their suffering. Thus, they blamed the ancient mariner for killing the albatross.

(j) Describe the condition of the mariners as expressed in the thirteenth stanza.

Answer- The mariners were thirsty but they didn't have water to quench their thirst. Their tongue had become completely dry at the root. They couldn't speak because they felt if their throats were choked with soot.

(k) Why did the mariners hang the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner?

Answer- It was the evil act of the ancient mariner that had brought them misery and suffering. So, as a punishment the mariners hung the albatross around the neck of the Ancient Mariner as a constant reminder of his guilt.