Directorate of Education, GNCT of Delhi

Practice Paper – MID TERM (2022 – 2023)

Class – IX

English- Language and Literature (184)

Time: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions:

1. This Question Paper contains THREE sections- READING, WRITING & GRAMMAR and
LITERATURE.

2. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.

SECTION – A – READING (20 marks)

Q1. Read the passage given below:

Ann Davison, the first woman to sail single-handedly to the Atlantic Ocean, was all set to begin her journey of
hopes, aspirations and journey of troubles, when she received a gift pack. It was a Christmas gift from her
friends. It contained greeting cards and small gifts that, instead of cheering her, made her feel more lonely. Ann
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few Americans to become a pilot. Her marriage to Frank
Davison had changed her life. They had bought a motorsailer named Reliance. Ann lost her husband in a
tragedy with ‘Reliance’. After that she got a job and a boat ‘Felicity Ann’ which created in her the desire to sail
across the Atlantic Ocean.

That day, the boat was making only a half knot. So, she ran the engine for a while and this improved her spirits.
She decided to run it a little every day, while the ocean was calm. It kept the engine from corroding and the
sound was good for her morale. She was waiting for a little wind to blow. But, there was a squall. She gave up
trying and instead of getting nervous, she consoled herself by reading poetry in the cabin and discovering
memory games. In the afternoon, a little desirable wind blew and she could cover a short distance towards her
goal. The lowering mark of fuel in her boat was alarming her. She knew she would not be able to sail everyday.
Squalls had actually filled in her way more than calms. She kept her morale high, calculated miles and days.
She knew she was only about seven hundred miles from Barbados.

Now, she was experiencing fatigue though the twin staysails were working again and she was slowly heading
towards the goal. She suspected that it was due to the deficiency of vitamin, though she had faithfully taken her
vitamin tablets. As a consequence, she decided to head for Barbados, the nearest West Indies island, though she
had originally planned for Antigua.

This was also due to her mental depression which was another big concern. She struggled a lot to sail to the
North-West reefing and changing sails constantly, usually in the middle of the night. Now, there was one more
reason for Ann Davison to worry about. She had crossed the estimated sixty-day mark for her voyage. And the
store of both food and water was going to be short. She tried heavy ropes to make Felicity Ann steer better.

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But, the ropes got tangled up as the directions of squalls were changing constantly. She had to pull the ropes
into cockpit and untangle them. This exhausted her even more and her eyes were getting so swollen that her
eyesight was getting poorer. Finally, on 18th January, weak and dispirited, she made out a faint shape on the
horizon, the mountainous outline of Barbados.

On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions. (10x1=10)

i) What did Ann Davison receive as a Christmas gift?

a. Christmas cake and a small gift

b. A letter and a Christmas cake
c. Greeting card and a small gift.
d. A box of chocolates

ii) Even though Ann Davison single-handedly sailed to the Atlantic ocean, she had a passion for :

a. Sailing
b. Aviation
c. Water sports
d. Bike riding

iii) What created a desire in her to sail across the Atlantic Ocean?

a. Ann getting a job and a boat ‘Felicity Ann’

b. Ann buying a motorsailer named Reliance
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d. Ann starting a new job as a sailor

iv) Which of the following was alarming Ann when she was sailing?

a. Lowering mark of fuel

b. Leakage of fuel
c. The coldness of weather
d. The tides in the water

v) Find a word from para 2 which means the same as : Anxious

a. Corroding
b. Nervous
c. Alarming
d. Consoled

vi) While waiting for wind to blow, how did Ann console herself?
vii) Why do you think the author says, “the sound was good for her morale”?
viii) What did Ann Davison do when squall struck and she could not sail any more?
ix) Why did Ann Davison decide to head for Barbados although she had originally planned for Antigua?
x) What exhausted her even more?

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Q2. Read the passage given below:

For millions of people in India, river Ganga is the most sacred river. It is considered as mother and goddess. It is
also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live on the banks of its course and depend on it for their daily needs.
River Ganga is the third largest river in the world by the amount of water that flows through it. It is the longest
river in India.

The river water of Ganga is used for irrigation, transportation and fishing. The Gangetic plain formed by the
river Ganga is one of the most fertile lands on earth. This is why almost 10% of the world population lives here
and earns its livelihood. The Ganga, in India, is the most worshipped body of water. The irony here is that in
spite of being the most worshipped river, it
it is also the dirtiest one. It carries metals thrown out by tanneries,
waste produced by industries and urban waste from different cities. All this has made river Ganga the fifth most
polluted river in the world. Another major reason that adds to the Ganga river pollution is the coal-based power
plants on its banks which burn tons of coal every year and produce a lot of fly ash. This ash mixed with
domestic wastewater is released into the river.

This bad situation calls for an urgent need to make efforts to reduce pollution and revive river Ganga. To
achieve these objectives, the Government of India has started a programme named “Namami Gange
Programme”. The main pillars of this programme are sewage
sewage treatment, river surface cleaning, afforestation,
riverfront development and public awareness. The importance of the success of “Namami Gange Programme”
can be seen through the following lines: Ganga dies, India dies. If Ganga thrives, India thrives. No Ganga, No
India.

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On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer the following questions : (10x1=10)

i) The pollutants that make river Ganga very dirty are:

a. effluents from industries
b. urban waste from cities
c. metals discharged from tanneries
d. all of the above.
Vc
ii) The Ganga water is used for __________.
a. Irrigation only

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 b. Transportation only
c. Fishing only
d. all of the above

iii) The Namami Ganga project has been started by __________.

a. an NGO
b. people of India
c. Government of India
d. local bodies.

iv) Most people in India consider river Ganga as __________.

a. Mother
b. Goddess
c. River
d. Both 1 and 2

v) As per data given in the graph, the state Uttarakhand spent less amount in year__________ on cleaning
the river Ganga.
a. 2015-16
b. 2018-19
c. 2016-17
d. 2017-18

vi) As per data given in the graph, in which year maximum number of kilometers were covered to clean
river Ganga?
vii) What percentage of the world population lives near river Ganga?
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cleaning river Ganga by Bihar?
ix) Name any two main pillars of the “Namami Gange Programme”?
x) What is special about the Gangetic plain formed by the river Ganga?

Section B – Writing Skills & Grammar (20 marks)

Q 3. You, along with your family, recently visited the city of Jaipur, famous for its Hawa Mahal, the palace and
forts. Shopping in Jaipur is also exciting as there are many things to buy. Write a descriptive paragraph about
your visit in 100-120 words. A picture is given below for reference. 5

OR

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This year you visited your village/hometown and stayed with your grandmother for two months. She took good
care of you. You admire her for her kind and hardworking nature. Describe your grandmother in 100 -120
words.

Q 4. Complete the following story and give it a title also- (100-120 words) 5

Once there was an old man. He had four sons. They always quarreled with one another. One fine
day……………………………
OR

You are Rohan/Raima studying in class IX. You went on a morning walk and saw a boy drowning in a pond.
You saved the boy. The crowd appreciated you. Write a diary entry for this incident.

Q. 5 The following sentences are in Direct Speech. Convert them into Indirect speech by choosing the
right option. (ANY THREE) (3 x 1 =3)

i) The salesman said, “Are you interested in the scheme?”

a. The salesman said that if I was interested in the scheme.
b. The salesman said that if I were interested in the scheme.
c. The salesman asks if I am interested in the scheme.
d. The salesman asked me if I was interested in the scheme..

ii) Monica said, "I have finished my homework."

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a. Monica said that she had finished her homework..
b. Monica said that she had finished my homework.
c. Monica said that she has finished her homework.
d. Monica said that she has finished my homework.

iii) Mathew said, "I will go to school next year."

a. Mathew said that he would go to school the year before.

b. Mathew said that he would go to school the following year..
c. Mathew said that he would come to school the year before.
d. Mathew said that he would come to school the year after.

iv) Rahul said, “I will come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.”

a. Rahul said that he will come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.
b. Rahul said that he would come tomorrow afternoon to take my book.
c. Rahul said that he would come the next day afternoon to take his book..
d. Rahul said that he would come the next day afternoon to take my book.

Q6. Complete the paragraph given below by filling in the blanks. Choose the correct option from those
that follow. (3 x 1 =3)

It was a rainy day. Traffic (a)………… busy on the road. A (b)…………. hit a car badly in the market. Five
commuters were badly injured while one person (c)……………………..on the spot. The injured persons (d)
_______ to the nearest hospital. The local people were of great help.

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(a) (i) will be (ii) was (iii) is (iv) has been
(b) (i) speeding bus (ii) speeded bus (iii) sped up bus (iv) speed bus
(c) (i) was died (ii) had died (iii) died (iv) is died
(d) (i) will be taken (ii) were taken (iii) would be taken (iv) was taken

Q7. The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line. Write the incorrect
word and the correction in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. First one has been done
as an example. (4 x 1 = 4)

Incorrect Correct

The sarpanch was a chief guest. The sweets e.g. a the

were distributed among the two teams i) ______ ______
which have reached the finals. Rural sports ii) ______ ______
events are promising in terms of identify iii) ______ ______
sports talents. The government may hold such iv) ______ ______
events to encourage the rural children and youth.

SECTION C – LITERATURE (40 marks)

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the questions that follow : (5 x 1 = 5)

As a five-year old, Bismillah Khan played gillidanda near a pond in the ancient estate of Dumraon in Bihar. He
would regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’, at the end of which he would
earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kg, a prize given by the local Maharaja. This happened 80 years ago, and the
little boy has travelled far to earn the highest civilian award in India — the Bharat Ratna.

i. Bismillah Khan, when he was five-old :

a. Played shehnai for the first time in Bihar
b. Used to play gillidanda near a pond in Dumraon
c. Used to play gillidanda in Patna
d. Used to go to the school of music

ii. What reward would he get for singing Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’ in the temple :
a. The Bharat Ratna
b. A big laddu weighing 1.25 kg
c. Rs. 1.25 lakh
d. 1.25 acres of land

iii. ‘This happened 80 years ago’ means:

a. Bismillah khan was born
b. He would earn a big laddu for playing gillidanda
c. He, as a five-year old, would earn laddu weighing 1.25 kg for singing Bhojpuri ‘Chaita’

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 d. He had been awarded the highest civilian award in India - The Bharat Ratna

iv. Find a word from the above passage which is the opposite of the word ‘modern’
a. Civilian
b. Ancient
c. Nearby
d. Estate

v. What does the phrase “the little boy has travelled far” mean?
a. He has earned a respectable name for himself
b. He has travelled to a far off location
c. He has moved from one city to another
d. He has been continuously travelling

OR

Toto was a pretty monkey. His bright eyes sparkled with mischief beneath deep-set eyebrows, and his teeth,
which were a pearly white, were very often displayed in a smile that frightened the life out of elderly Anglo-
lndian ladies. But his hands looked dried-up as though they had been pickled in the sun for many years.

i. Name the chapter from which this extract has been taken:
a. Iswaran the Storyteller
b. The adventures of Toto
c. The misadventures of Toto
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d. Toto, the monkey

ii. Toto’s smile was __________

a. Pretty
b. Dangerous
c. Frightening
d. Mischievous

iii. The word ‘sparkled’ in the passage can be replaced with :

a. Looked
b. Dried up
c. Frightened
d. Twinkled

iv. What would happen when Toto smiled?

a. It scared the children of the house
b. It scared the elderly of the house
c. It scared the elderly anglo-indian ladies
d. It scared the elderly anglo-indian families

v. How does the author describe Toto’s hands ?

a. Shriveled

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 b. Spicy
c. Smooth
d. beautiful

Q9. Read any one of extracts given below and answer the questions that follow: (5 x 1 = 5)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth

i. The composer of the above lines is :

a. Robert keat
b. William wordsworth
c. Robert frost
d. P. B. Shelly

ii. What happened to the road?

a. The road is broken
b. The road split into two different paths
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bent
d. The poet travelled both the roads

iii. The forest is yellow because_______

a. The floor is painted
b. The leaves are yellow
c. The branches are yellow
d. The sky was yellow

iv. What does the poet feel sorry for?

a. Because he wanted to travel one road
b. Because he was tired of travelling
c. Because he could not travel both the roads
d. Because the roads were not good

v. What does “Both” in line 2 refer to?

a. The poet and a companion
b. The road and the poet
c. The two roads
d. The road and the vehicle

OR

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 When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a bliss to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed
And lie listening to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!

i. The sound made by the falling drops of rain is _____

a. Melancholy
b. Hover
c. Patter
d. Overhead

ii. ‘Humid shadows’ stand for _____

a. Shadowy clouds
b. Waterless clouds
c. Water-laden clouds
d. Relief features

iii. Which line shows that the poet is happy when it rains:
a. ‘andhere
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b. ‘Gently weeps in rainy tears’
c. ‘what a bliss to press the pillow’
d. ‘when the humid shadows hover’

iv. What is the rhyming scheme of the given stanza?

a. Abab
b. Abcb
c. Abcd
d. Abbd

v. What does the poet want to do when it rains?

a. To lie down and relax
b. To get wet in the rain
c. To sip hot coffee and relax
d. To do nothing

Q10. Answer the following questions briefly: (40-50 words) ANY FOUR (4 x 3=12)

i. Why did the County Inspector’s visit disappoint Margie?

ii. Why did Kezia’s grandmother send her to the drawing-room every Sunday afternoon?

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iii. In the story “The Snake and the Mirror”, when does the narrator finally realize that he was a “poor, foolish
and stupid young man”?

iv. What is the central idea of the poem ‘Wind’?

v. In the poem “ The Lake Isle of Innisfree”, what kind of life does the poet wish to lead?

Q11. Answer the following questions briefly : (40-50 words) ANY TWO (2 x 3=6)

i. In the story “Iswaran the Storyteller”, do you think Mahendra was a fussy man? Give reasons for your answer.

ii. What were the two strange things the guru and his disciple found in the kingdom of fools?

iii. Why do you think the child wept more bitterly than ever when the stranger lifted him in his arms?

Q12. Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in 100-120 words. 6

Life in cities is so busy and mechanical that people desire to go to the places which are peaceful and close to
nature. Elaborate in context of the poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”

OR

“Cruel and harsh attitude is not enough to inculcate values and discipline among the children “. Justify this
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Q13. . Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in 100-120 words. 6

The author, the Grandfather and the Grandmother display quite a number of values in the lesson “The
Adventures of Toto”. Who would you like to be when you grow up? Elucidate.

OR

Compare and contrast the character sketches of ‘The Guru’ and ‘The Disciple’ in the chapter “ In the Kingdom
of Fools”

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