KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN

REGIONAL OFFICE VARANASI

SESSION ENDING EXAM - 2017-18
Class - VIII Max. Marks - 80
Subject - English Max. Time – 02:30 Hrs

General Instructions:
1. This question paper is divided into three sections:
Section A Reading 20 Marks
Section B Writing & Grammar 30 Marks
Section C Literature 30 Marks
2. This question paper consists of 13 questions
3. All questions are compulsory.
4. Write your answers in the answer script provided to you.
5. You may attempt any section at a time.
6. All questions of a particular section must be attempted in the correct order.

SECTION – A (READING) 20 MARKS

Q.1. Read the following passage carefully.

MOHAMMAD RAFI
Mohammad Rafi was the most sought after, enduring and profound male playback singer
in Hindi films. He was estimated to have sung more than 30,000 songs (including album
songs) in his 37 years of career. He made his first appearance as playback singer in the
Hindi Film 'Pahle Aap' (1944). His last song was from the film 'Aas-Paas'.
Mohammad Rafi hailed from Kotla Sultan Singh village in Amritsar of Punjab. Over the
years, he had received distinction and praise for his remarkably deep and profound voice
and had sung all types of songs : ghazals, bhajans, patriotic songs, romantic duets and
solos, both in classical and modern tunes. He had sung in practically every language
though he sang mostly for the Hindi films.
There was hardly any music director who had not made use of Rafi's voice. There was not
a single leading man of the Hindi films, in particular to whom Rafi had not lent his voice. But
in spite of remarkable popularity, he was modest and led a quiet personal life.
Rafi received the film fare Best Singer Trophy six times. He also received, apart from
numerous awards, the honour of 'Padama Shri' (1967).
Mohammad Rafi passed away in 1980 at the age of 55.
On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following
questions: (1 x 8 = 8 MARKS)
Questions:
a. Who was Mohammad Rafi?
b. How many songs was he estimated to have sung?
c. In which movie he made his debut as a playback singer?
d. He sung his last song in the movie ______________.

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 e. What types of songs did he sing?
f. In which language he sung most of his songs?
g. How many times did he win the film fare best singer award?
h. When did Mohammad Rafi pass away?
Q.2. Read the following passage carefully:
A Patriotic Pilgrimage
1. Zumbo, our sturdy Gorkha driver, seemed to be in love with his voice. When he was not
telling us what to see in Sikkim, he was reeling off Hindi songs, old ones mostly.
2. It was unusually warm in Gangtok that morning. Zumbo took no time speeding past the city
limits and was soon climbing towards Nathu La pass. The roads became narrow, winding
and sometimes, slushy; at times it became part of the cavernous cliff edges. There was a
pattern in Zumbo's singing. It became loud every time the road became a weathered
ribbon.
3. Nathu La, one of the three trading posts between India and China, and which connects
Sikkim with Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, is just 54 km
from Ganngtok. But it's the treacherous climb, to over 14,150 and one-chilling weather that
makes the drive to Nathu La thrilling.
4. Throughout the winding road, we had for company boisterous waterfalls, heavy misty and
snow-covered peaks in the distance. When we crossed the 15 th Mile Sikkim police
checkpost, we stopped for a while. It was cold and a hot cup of tea did wonders. A few
bends later I was snapped out of my reverie. "Shaab, that's the Kyongnosla Alpine
Sanctuary," Zumbo said, pointing to a board on a slope. "This is home to the red panda
and the blood pheasant (the state animal and bird respectively). And you have a whole lot
of invaluable herbs and plants."An icy breeze wafted in from the lowered car window,
forcing me to pull it up instantly.
5. At certain parts the road was being widened. Workers, in that biting cold, were going
about their work with zeal. "This is going to be a highway connecting Gangtok to Lhasa
and beyond, to Mansarovar. It will be complete in three years time," Zumba told me. Apart
from the occasional Army truck, a stray dog or porters with loads strapped to their backs,
there was hardly any movement on the road.

2.1 On the basis of the reading of the reading of the passage, answer the following
questions in brief: (2 x 4 = 8 MARKS)

a) Mention any two characteristics of Zumba.

b) Apart from the occasional army truck, what did the narrator observe on the road to
Nathu La?
c) How were the roads towards Nathu La?
d) How does the driver descrive the Jyongnosla Alpine Sanctuary?

2.2 Find the words from the passage which means the same as: (1 x 4 = 4 MARKS)
a) Repeatedly speaking (Para 1)
b) Joins (Para 3)
c) At once, immediately (Para 4)
d) Enthusiasm (Para 5)

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 SECTION -B (WRITING AND GRAMMAR) 30 MARKS

Q.3. Write an application to the principal of your school asking for four day leave. Mention
the reason as well. (4 MARKS)

Q.4. On your birthday your father gave you a surprise gift, a digital camera which you
always dreamt to have. Now, it was a reality to make you happy. Write a diary entry
expressing your joy. (5 MARKS)

OR
Write an article on the topic 'Importance of Value Education'.

Q5. Develop a story in about 200-250 words using the outline given below. Also give a
suitable title. (10 MARKS)

A 12 years old boy living with parents -- parents poor --father works in a garage and
mother, a maid -- yet they give proper education to the son -- time passes -- son becomes a
doctor -- grows very rich and famous -- starts his own family -- father becomes old -- leaves
job -- gets very ill -- asks his son for money for treatment -- cruel reply by son -- denies to
help his father -- throws poor parents from his house -- after few days goes to attend a
meeting -- meets a 10 years old girl selling balloons -- during day-studies at night -- son
feels very ashamed -- realizes his mistake -- starts taking care of his parents -- moral.

Q.6. Fill in the blanks choosing the most appropriate option from those given below.
(1 X 6 = 6 MARKS)
The tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh (a) ......................... on 13 April 1919 when about 25,000
people (b) ..................... to hear their leaders. The British General Dyer (c) all the exits and
(d) ........................... his soldiers (e) ......................... fire at the peaceful (f)..........................
A large number of men, women and children were killed and wounded. This brutality made
the people more determined to achieve their goal of independence.

(a) (i) happens (ii) happening (iii) happened (iv) happen

(b) (i) had assembled (ii) is assembled (iii) assembled (iv) assembling
(c) (i) blocked (ii) had blocked (iii) blocking (iv) blocks
(d) (i) order (ii) ordered (iii) has ordered (iv) ordering
(e) (i) to open (ii) to opening (iii) opening (iv) opened
(f) (i) gather (ii) gathering (iii) gathered (iv) to gather
Q.7. Read the conversation between a resident and postman and complete the dialogue in
a suitable way. Choose the most appropriate option from those given below:
(1 X 3 = 3 MARKS)

Resident : Sir, is there any letter for me?

Postman : Yes, there is a registered letter for you.
Resident : Will you please hand it over to me?
Postman : (Very gladly) But you have to acknowledge the receipt.

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 The resident asked the postman(a) ....................... The postman told that (b)
..................... The resident asked him (c) ...................... At this the postman gave it
gladly but told him that he had to acknowledge the receipt.

Q.8. Rearrange the following phrases to form meaningful sentences: ( ½ X 4 = 2 MARKS)

(a) is/an/a/device/electronic/computer

(b) perform/it/miracles/can/think/people/so

(c) accept/can/and/information/it/store

(d) operation/perform/and/logical/can/mathematical/it

SECTION - C (LITERATURE) 30 MARKS

(HONEYDEW AND IT SO HAPPENED)

Q.9. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: (1 X 4 = 4 MARKS)

A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing,

Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.
(a) Which cricket we are talking about in the above lines?
(i) A game (ii) A name (iii) An insect (iv) None of the above
(b) Give a rhyming word of ring in the above lines-
(i) ring (ii) Bing (iii) Spring (iv) Summer
(c) Find a word in the above stanza which means 'get used to'.
(i) Gay (ii) Accustomed (iii) Silly (iv) Spring
(d) What did the cricket find in his cupboard?
(i) That it was empty (ii) that it had food (iii) that it had fruits (iv) that it had clothes

Q.10. Read the poem and answer the questions given below: (1 X 4 = 4 MARKS)

Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,

Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz!' said the Kangaroo.
(a) Choose a word which rhymes with 'bold' in the above lines?
(b) Who speaks boldly?
(c) What is roo-Matiz?
(d) Name the poem from which this extract is taken.
OR

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 When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away,
The rime was on the spray;
(a) Where did the poet go?
(b) How far was the place?
(c) Give a rhyming word for 'away' in the above stanza?
(d) Write the meaning of rime.

Q.11. Answer Any four of the following questions in not more than 30 words.
(02 x 04 = 08 Marks)
(HONEYDEW)

(a) What did the writer tell Prof. Hawking's assistant on the phone?
(b) What is the belief about 'chuchunders'?
(c) How does the grasshopper spend his summer?
(d) Describe the 'Great Stone Face'.
(e) Why did the poet wish to meet Ernest?

Q.12. Answer the following questions in not more than 30 words. (02 x 04 = 08 Marks)

(IT SO HAPPENED)

(a) Who was the better swimmer? How do you know?

(b) Why had Framton Nuttel come to the rural retreat?

(c) What was Duttada's secret ambition?

(d) What is Duttada expected to do when he returns from London?

Q.13. Value Based Question (04 Marks)

Based on your understanding of the poem, "The Ant and the cricket", write a paragraph on
why it is important to make use of your present to preserve your future?

OR

Based on your understanding of the chapter 'Jalebis', write a paragraph on why it is

important not to hide anything from your elders even if you have committed blunders.

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