English II cl 8 (Annual Exam 2014)

SARPANG LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL

SARPANG: BHUTAN

ANNUAl EXAMINATION 2014                                                                

English II                                                                                            Writing Time: 2Hours

Class: VIII                                                                                           Total Marks:  100                                            

READ THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY:

1. Do not write the first fifteen minutes. This time is to be spent reading the questions. After having read questions, you will be given two hours to answer all questions.

2. Answers must be written neatly in the answer sheets provided.

3. In this paper, there are three sections: A, B and C. Each section has two sets of questions, Set I and Set II. Set I comprises of Question no. 1a and 1b and Set II corresponds to Question no. 2 across all sections. You must attempt one set of questions from each section.

4. You must attempt three sets of questions in all. Your choice must include one Set II question (question no.2) from any section.

5. Do not attempt questions from two different sets. Your choice is strictly between the two sets of questions provided for each section.

6. Read the directions to each question carefully   and write all your answers in your answer sheets.
7. Remember to number your answer. Write down the Section, Set and Question number before writing your answer.
8. Once the examination begins, you will not be allowed to ask questions, speak with others, or move around.
9. Remember to write quickly but neatly.
10. Do not leave the examination hall before you have made sure that you have answered all the required questions.

DO NOT forget to write your name, roll number, class/section and the name of your school on the Answer Sheet(s).

SECTION A

SHORT STORY – 35 MARKS

Direction: From the two sets of questions under this genre, choose ONE SET and write your responses in your answer sheet. Read the extract given below and answer the question based on the story from which the following extract has been taken.

“I thought I might make the old man happier by first making him a little unhappy. I recollect to this day how I found him waiting in his sock feet in his big old easy chair by the fire.”

Set I

Question 1a. (15 marks)

Direction: Each question below is followed by FOUR responses. Choose the correct answer or response that best fits the given question and write it in your answer sheet.

1.      The title of the story from which the above extract is taken is

i.                    The Nest       ii. Which Way?    Iii. The Red Sweater       iv. In the Jaws of Alligator

2.      The story is written by

i.                    Karleen Bradford      ii. Robert Jacks      iii. Bel Mooney      iv. Mark Hager

3.      As a person, the boy in the story could be best described as

i.                    Smart     ii. Indifferent         iii. Sympathetic         iv. Self-conscious

4.      Mr. Gentile is a

i.                    Shopkeeper        ii. Salesman         iii. Manager          iv. Cobbler

5.      The word ‘creek’ in the story is a

i.                    Lake     ii. Path         iii. Stream        iv. Building

6.      A word from the story which means ‘strange’ is

i.                    Jerked       ii. Curious        iii. Wheedled        iv. Considered

7.      What puzzled the boy when he informed the old man his shoes couldn’t be fixed?

i.                    The glow in the eyes of the man.

ii.                  The puzzled look on the old man’s face.

iii.                The old man accepting the old shoes back.

iv.                The old man waiting in his sock feet for his shoes.

8.      The boy wanted the red sweater with ‘the proud elk with the great horns’ because

i.                    the other boy was wearing it.

ii.                  his mother gave him some money.

iii.                he had never seen such a beautiful sweater before.

iv.                he had collected some amount of money in his money cup.

9.      Which of the following best conveys the message of the story?

i.                    If you sacrifice a new sweater for someone, you will get it back.

ii.                  If you want something very much you have to fight for it.

iii.                If you are good to others, it comes back to you.

iv.                Make hay while the sun shines.

10.  Which of the following contains an old English usage?

i.                    ‘Tell him to fix’ em while you wait,’ he called.

ii.                  He went back and pulled down a shoe box.

iii.                ‘Can’t be fixed no more,’ he said.

iv.                ‘Nothing left to sew the soles to.’

11.  In which time of the year is the story taking place?

i.                    Spring      ii. Summer       iii. Autumn      iv. Winter

12.  The boy in the story avoided hurting his mother’s feelings by

i.                    not asking his mother for money.

ii.                  helping his mother in her daily work.

iii.                first checking to see if his mother had money.

iv.                getting money from the old man for lending a hand.

13.  What do you think ‘the proud elk with great horns’ in the sweater symbolizes?

i.                    Love       ii. Desire        iii. Failure        iv. Success

14.  The overall mood of the story is

i.                    depressing        ii. romantic        iii. cheerful           iv. exciting

15.  The shopkeeper gives the shoe worth $4.50 and a pair of socks in exchange for the sweater and a dollar and a quarter because he

i.                    has learnt to give from the boy.

ii.                  was a good friend of the old man.

iii.                knew the old man liked the shoes.

iv.                got the money as well as the sweater in exchange.

Question 1b. (20 Marks)

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly in your own words. Write the number of the question on your answer sheet and beside it your answer.

1.      Who are the main characters in the story?  (2)

2.      How did the old man get the sweater for the boy?  (3)

3.      What problem or conflict can you find in this story? Support your answer with details from the text.  (5)

4.      Summarize the story in not more than five sentences.  (5)

5.      Do you like this story? Why? Give two reasons to support your answer.  (5)

Set II   (35 marks)

Question 2.

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly in your own words. Write the number of the question on your answer sheet and beside it your answer.

1. Explain at least two themes that the story contains.   (7)
2. Explain the following sentences in your own words.   (7)

“I remembered my mother saying the sunshine always seemed brighter just after a dark storm, and how she said dark hollows were good places to look at the stars from, and how happy you could get just after a streak of sorrow,”

3. Write two descriptions of the old man? Support your answer with evidences from the text.  (7)
4. Write one paragraph in continuation to the story, picking up from where the story ends. Use the old man’s point of view.   (7)
5. Is the title of the story a good one? Why? Give two reasons. If you were asked to give another title for this story, what would it be? Why?    (2 + 5)

SECTION B

ESSAY-35 MARKS

Direction: Read the essay given below carefully. From the two sets of   questions on

                  this text, choose one set and write your responses in your answer sheets.

Books and Reading

Happy is the man who acquires the habit of reading when he is young. He has secured a life-long source of pleasure, instruction and inspiration. So long as he has his beloved books, he would never feel lonely. He always has a pleasant occupation of leisure moments, so that he never feels bored. He is the possessor of wealth more precious than gold. Ruskin calls books, ‘Kings’ Treasures’ –treasures filled, not with gold and silver and precious stones, but with riches much more valuable than these - knowledge, noble thoughts and high ideals. Poor indeed is the man who does not read, and empty is his life. The blessings which the reading habit confers on its possessor are many.

Provided we choose the right kind of books, reading gives the highest kind of pleasure. Some books we read simply for pleasure and amusement- for example, good novel. And good novels and books of imagination must have their place in everybody’s reading. When we are tired, or the brain is weary with serious study, it is a healthy recreation to lose ourselves in some absorbing story written by a master hand.

But to read nothing but books of fiction is like eating nothing but cakes and sweetmeats. As we need plain wholesome food for the body, so we must have serious reading for the mind. And here we can choose according to our taste. There are many noble books on history, biography, philosophy, religion, travel and science which we ought to read, and which will give us not only pleasure but an education. And we can develop a taste for serious reading, so that in the end it will give us more solid pleasure than even novels and books of fiction.

Nor should poetry be neglected, for the best poetry gives us noble thoughts and beautiful imagination clothed in lovely and musical language.

Books are the most faithful of friends. Our friends may change or die; but our books are always patiently waiting to talk to us. They are never cross, peevish, or unwilling to converse as our friends sometimes are. No wonder a reader becomes a ‘book-lover’. 

Set I

Question 1a: 15 Marks

Direction: Each question below is followed by four responses. Choose the correct answer or response that best fits the given question and write it in your answer sheet.

1.      According to the essay, a man is happy who has

*reading habits.               * wealth.                   *money.               *writing habits.

2.       The man would never feel lonely and bored because of

*his good friends.                         *wide-ranging books.

*listening to music.                       *games and sports.

3.      Noble thought and beautiful imagination can be sought from the books of

*novel.              * religion.                   *philosophy.                   * poetry.

4.      In which paragraph is book compared to friend?

*first paragraph.                            * second paragraph.

*fourth paragraph                        *last paragraph.

 5.   The book-lover is the possessor of wealth more precious than

            *copper             *brass.              *gold.                      *silver.

6.      Reading gives the highest kind of  pleasure if we read

            *expensive kind of books.                              *cheapest kind of books.

            *renowned kind of books.                               *righteous kind of books.

7.       “Kings’ treasures” in the passage means

           *an education and pleasure.

           *gold, silver and precious stones.

           *knowledge, noble thought and high ideal.

           *life-long source of pleasure, instruction and inspiration.

8.      The word in the passage which means something that is interesting and keeps 

      our attention is

         *pleasure.                           *absorbing.                *recreation.               *pleasant.

9.      The opposite of the word “peevish” is

          *Pleasant                      * ill – natured               *ill – tempered                        * irritable

  10. Which one of the statements is NOT CORRECT?

          *the person who reads more books secured a life-long pleasure.

          *the blessing which the reading habit confers is less.

          *some books are read simply for pleasure and amusement.

          *books are the most faithful of friends.

   11. We need to develop a taste for serious reading so that we can

          *select the right kind of books.                    *understand about the articles.

          *understand about the author.                      *get solid pleasure.

12. Which paragraph talks about the importance of poetry?

          *first paragraph                         * second paragraph

          *fourth paragraph                     *last paragraph

13. When we are tired, or the brain is very weary with serious study, it is healthy recreation to admit ourselves in

        *soothing music or song.                        *absorbing story of master hand.

        *sleeping in a comfortable bed.              *casual walk with friends.

14. This essay consist of

        *two paragraphs.                         *three paragraphs.

        *four paragraphs.                        *five paragraphs.

15. The man who reads only fiction is compared with eating 

          *meats and fruits.                           *cakes and sweetmeats.

          *sweets and vegetables                   *apples and oranges.

Question 1b.                                                                                     (20 marks)

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly in your own words. Write the   number of the question on your answer sheet and beside it your answer.

1. Why would a man never feel lonely of books?             (2)

      2. What do you understand by “kings’ treasures”? Explain in your own words. (3)

3. Why is it important to choose a wide range of books? Explain briefly.           (5)

4. Write five things that you learned from this essay?                                          (5)

5.      If you are asked to choose one book from the books such as- novel, fairy tales, history, biography and philosophy, which one would you select? Why?     (5)                                                                                                      

Set – II

Question: 2. (35 Marks)                                                                                                                                

Direction: Answer the following questions briefly in your own words .Write the number of the question on your answer sheet and beside it your answer.

1. Reading gives the highest kind of pleasure, Do you agree or not? Why? (7)             

2. Read the last paragraph and explain in your own words in two paragraphs. (7)                                                                                                      

3. If you are asked to choose between reading and playing which one would you choose? Why?                                                                                                       (7)

4. Why do we need to choose right kind of books? Explain briefly.            (7)

5. Is the title of the essay suitable? Explain why you think so?                    (7)

SECTION- C  (POETRY- 30 MARKS)

   Direction: Read the poem given below carefully. From the two sets of questions on

                   this text. Choose one set and write your responses in your answer sheets.

The Owl and the Pussy Cat

       The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea

              In a beautiful pea-green boat.

        They took some honey, and plenty of money

               Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

         The Owl looked up to the stars above,

                And sang to a small guitar,

          ‘O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love’

          What a beautiful a Pussy you are,

                         You are,

                          You are!

         What a beautiful Pussy you are!’

Pussy said to the Owl, ‘You elegant fowl!

            How charmingly sweet you sing!

       O let us be married! too long we have tarried:

            But what shall I do for a ring?’

        They sailed away, for a year and a day,

             To the land where the Bong-Tree grows,

         And there in a wood a Piggy-Wig stood,

              With a ring at the end of his nose,

                               His nose,                      

                               His nose!

        With the ring at the end of his nose.

‘Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling

         Your ring?’ said the Piggy, ‘I will’.

   So they took it away, and were married the next day

          By the Turkey who lives on the hills.

 They dined on mince, and slices of quince,

        Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

 And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand

         They danced by the light of the moon,

                           The moon

                           The moon

 They danced by the light of the moon.

                                             -Edward Lear     

Set I

Question 1a. (10 marks)

Direction:  Each question below is followed by four responses. Choose the correct answer or response and write it in your answer sheet.

1.      The Owl and the Pussy-Cat were on the way to

*market.                      *town.                   *sea.                 *village.

2.      For the journey, they took

       *some honey and plenty of money.                           *plenty honey and money.

       *some clothes and foods.                                                       * plenty honey and small guitar.

3. The Owl sang the song to the

*poet.                  *pussy-cat.                  *piggy-wig.                        *reader.

     4. Who proposed the owl?

          *Pussy-Cat.                      *Turkey.                  *Doggy.                     *Piggy-Wig.

5. They sailed together for

            *half year and two days.                       * one year and a day.

            *two years and a day.                            *one year and two days.

6. Where the Bong-Tree grows lived

           *an owl.                  *a pussy-cat.                    *a piggy-wig.                   *a turkey.

7. The cost of the ring is

*half shilling.                                              *two shilling.

                *one and half shilling                                  *one shilling.

8. His blood-red eyes turned as skies when I looked at him. What figure of speech is used in the above line?

*onomatopoeia.            *metaphor.              *simile.             *apostrophe.

9. The couple dined

*with farmer’s wife.                                *with turkey.

*alone.                                                     * with piggy-wig.

10. The poem has

           *happy ending.             *funny ending.              *terrible ending.             *sad ending.

Question1b. (20 Marks)

Direction:   Answer the following questions briefly in your own words. Write the number of the question on your answer sheet and beside it your answer.

1.       Name the poet and the title of the poem.           [2]

2.      How did they prepare for the journey? Explain. [5]

3.      How did the Owl express her feeling to the Pussy-cat? Explain in your own                   words.   [5]

4.  Write down three pairs of rhyming words from the poem.      [3]

5. Why did they go to the land of Bong-Tree? Explain briefly.         [5]                                                    

Set II

Question 2 :( 30 Marks)

Direction:  Read the following questions carefully and write your answers in your answer sheet.

1. What lesson did you learn from the poem? List three lessons.   (2+2+2)

 2. Is the Pussy- Cat courageous to express his feelings to the Owl? Support your answer by three examples.                                                                  (2+2+2)                                                             

  3. If you were the piggy-wig, would you sell the ring to them? Why or why not? Give three                                                                

       reasons.      (2+2+2)      

  4. Who is your favourite character from the poem? Why?  Give three reasons.(2+2+2) 

   5. Do you like the poem? Why? Give three reasons.         (2+2+2)