CBSE Board

Class IX English Language and Literature

Sample Paper – 3
SA II

Maximum Marks: 70 Time – 3 hours

The question paper is divided into the following sections.

Section A: Reading 20 marks
Section B: Writing & Grammar 25 marks
Section C: Literature 25 marks

SECTION A
(READING - 20 marks)

Q1. Read the following passage carefully: [8]

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, 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.
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 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.
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
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.

I. Answer the following question based on the information in the passage.

a) The life span of Kangaroos range around ___________.
b) They head for the water when _________________.
c) The height of a Kangroo ranges from that of a ___________ to that of a ____________
d) They are big footed ____________ evolved in Australia.
 e) _______________________ is capable of speeding up to 88 km/hr for short distances.
f) The kangaroos are known to generally be _____________ by nature.
g) They take naps in the afternoon to ________________________.
h) They use their __________________ as arms.

Q2. Read the following passage carefully: [12]

We often have parents cribbing about how difficult it is to manage children these days. Too
many parties, excessive extravagance, too much pocket money, less attention towards
studies……… in fact an unending list of woes. But why is this the case these days?
Have parents ever given it a thought? Putting a child in a good school or in a good college,
buying them a motorcycle or a car, giving them lots of pocket money and letting them do just what
they feel like will never be the end of this problem. There is more to it. The basic need of a growing
child is love, attention, companionship which should be first given at home. It is not true that once
the child grows up, he or she should not be cared about. The right amount of independence should
be given, their individuality should be respected and they should be treated on a par with adults.
Problems with children have started increasing nowadays. Years ago these problems were
not as complex as they are today. These days, we have more nuclear families than joint families.
There are too many reasons for it. The younger generation complains of losing their independence
while the older generation cribs about the generation gap. Too many expenses to meet and
different lifestyles led by each one! But what about the generations before us? Our grandmothers
also lived in joint families, but they had nothing to crib about. There was perfect harmony between
generations. May be people were not as independent-minded as they are today.
With extreme economic pressures, it becomes essential for both the husband and wife to
work to cover exorbitant house rents, children’s education, expenses of keeping a servant and high
living standards. In the commercial world full of competition and the theory of the survival of the
fittest, one hardly has time for oneself and one’s children. This often makes children rowdy. In a
joint family, even if the parents are not there, grandparents make up for their absence. Though a
nuclear family has its positives, there are a couple negatives to them too. A school going girl once
said that she was left all by herself after she came back from school as her parents were out
working and had no time. So, the problem is not only with the working parents. The main problem
is neglecting a child.

I. Answer the following question based on the information in the passage. [5]
1. What should parents question themselves?
2. What is the basic need of a growing child?
3. Where should the first needs of a child be fulfilled?
4. What is a common misconception about growing children?
5. What are there too many reasons for?

II. Identify words from the passage which mean the same as the ones listed below. [4]
1. troubles
2. Squandering
3. togetherness
4. disregarding
III. State the meanings of the phrases underlined in the following sentences. [3]
1. They should be treated on a par with adults.
2. There are too many expenses to meet.
3. The theory of the survival of the fittest…

SECTION B
(WRITING & GRAMMAR– 25 MARKS)

Q3. Write a letter to the municipal officer complaining about the wastage of water
occurring at a in your vicinity. [5]

Q4. Write a short story in about 150- 200 words ending with the following. [10]
She heard the knock and she screeched …

Q5. Complete the passage using the hints in the brackets: [3]
People today (a) _________ (is) well acquainted with the tradition of speech through images. Images
are growingly replacing the use of words in communication. One such set (b) _________
(preposition) images created for this purpose is called the Emoji. (c) _________ (determiner) word
emoji which originally means pictograph is formed by the combination of two words "picture"
+"character" (moji). Commonly referred to as smileys, there are ideogramic characters belonging
to various categories. They include facial expressions as well (d) _________ (conjunction) other
character (e) _________ (similar to) images of commonly (f) _________ (see) and used elements in our
surrounding like images of animals, food items, places, instrument, constructed structures, etc.

Q6. The following passage has not been edited. There is ONE error in each line. Write the
incorrect word and the correction as given in the example. [4]
Incorrect Correct
a) The children stared to the Taj Mahal which ______ ______
b) is a amazing structure and one among ______ ______
c) the Seven Wonders of the world. He was an ______ ______
d) architecural marvel of immense glory. It ______ ______
e) exhibits the diligence of these who worked ______ ______
f) day in and day though to create this rare ______ ______
g) piece of magic. All the children josled for their ______ ______
h) positions to getting photographed in front of the Taj Mahal. ______ ______

Q7. Rearrange the following words and phrases to make meaningful sentences. The first
one has been done as an example. [3]
It was a victory that all of us cherished for a long time.

Eg. feared by / snakes are / in our / worshipped / and / many / country

Ans. Snakes are worshipped and feared by many in our country.

1. the little / pressed / boy / all the floors / of / the buttons / in the lift
 2. the driver / when / red light/ they / showed / the / approached / the car
3. shone / narrow / from / down the / the light / stairs/ the hallway

SECTION C
(LITERATURE – 25 MARKS)
Q8. Read the given extract and answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. [3]

A slumber did my spirit seal;

I had no human fears:
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.

No motion has she now, no force;

She neither hears nor sees;
Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,
With rocks, and stones, and trees.

1. The word ‘diurnal’ means

i. constant
ii. heavenly
iii. common
iv. earthly

2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is

i. a-a-b-b
ii. a-b-a-b
iii. a-b-b-a
iv. a-b-c-a

3. The poet uses the above lines to imply that

i. Lucy is no more
ii. Lucy is in a deep sleep
iii. Lucy is separated from society
iv. Lucy lives a secluded life

Q9. Answer the following questions in about 30 – 40 words each. [8]

1. How did the villagers find grain to eat after the storm?
2. What did the doctor say about Johnsey’s health after examining her?
3. Describe the beggar who Sergie met?
4. Describe the catastrophe pertaining to a shoe lace in an airplane as narrated by the tourist.

Q10. What was the big surprise that Gerrard gave the intruder? [4]
Q11. Why did everyone break down in tears when the song ‘Two lovely black eyes;’ was
sung? [10]

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 CBSE Board
Class IX English Language and Literature
Sample Paper – 1 Solution
SA 2

SECTION A
(READING - 20 marks)

Q1. I.
a) The life span of Kangaroos range around six to eight years .
b) They head for the water when they are bothered by predators.
c) The height of a Kangaroo ranges from that of a rat to that of a grown man.
d) They are big footed marsupials that evolved in Australia.
e) The man-sized kangaroo of Australia is capable of speeding up to 88 km/hr for short distances.
f) The kangaroos are known to generally be shy by nature.
g) They take naps in the afternoon to prevent getting too hot.
h) They use their short front legs as arms.

Q2. I.
1. Parents should question themselves why their children are getting too involved in social life
while neglecting their studies and responsibilities.
2. Love, attention and companionship are the basic needs of a growing child.
3. The first needs of a child should be fulfilled at his or her home.
4. A common misconception about growing children is that they should not be cared for after
they grow up.
5. There too many reasons for people living in nuclear families rather than joint families.

Q2. II.
1. troubles - woes
2. Squandering - extravagance
3. togetherness - companionship
4. disregarding - problems

Q2. III.
1. They should be treated on a par with adults.
The phrase ‘on a par with’ means ‘on an equal level with someone’.

2. There are too many expenses to meet.

The phrase ‘to meet’ means ‘to pay’.

3. The theory of the survival of the fittest…

The phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ means ‘nature’s process of eliminating the weak elements in
the world’.
 SECTION B
(WRITING & GRAMMAR– 25 MARKS)

Q3.
S. Kumar,
Rose Hill Society,
102, 1st Floor,
R. Naik Marg,
Borivali (W), Mumbai 400 015
25th December 2015

The Municipal Officer,

Water Department, D Ward,
S. K. Tilak Road,
Borivali (W), Mumbai 400 015
Subject: Wastage of water in the locality
Dear Sir,
I would like to inform you that I have noticed a lot of water being wasted in and around my
society on a regular basis. At a time when our city is facing a drought like situation, this kind of
carelessness should not be overlooked.
The water tank of our society fills around 6PM and overflows for about another hour till the
municipal water supply remains on. This happens whenever the water supply is switched on. The
people too, leave the taps in their houses flowing without any reason. If they are stopped from
doing so, they justify their actions by stating that they receive water only for two hours in a day.
Such mindset needs to be changed. They need to be made aware that their actions have a severe
impact on the society at large. We the common people can only share merely knowledge with
others. This problem can be solved only when someone in authority takes a forceful step towards
it.
I therefore request you to look into the matter and take the necessary steps at the earliest
so that such actions do not continue and further wastage of water is prevented.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,
S. Kumar
Q4.
She heard the knock and she screamed. She had never had a near death experience, but this surely
accounted for one. The scenes replayed in her mind. All she could think about was to save her life.
She did not dare turn; even if she wanted to she could not. A cold sweat broke out on her brow as
she tried to think of the safest hideout in the house. There was no point trying to escape. The
house had only one exit. As soon as she felt some life in her feet, she ran with all her might into the
bedroom, all this while the knocking continued. There was an eerie silence for a few moments and
she almost felt safe again. Suddenly she saw a shadow and the bedroom door opened. The one she
did not lock. And then there was a voice, somewhat familiar and strangely amused, "Thriller films
are not meant for you dear".

Q5.
a) are
b) of
c) The
d) as
e) like
f) seen

Q6.
Incorrect Correct
a) The children stared to the Taj Mahal which to at
b) is a amazing structure and one among a an
c) the Seven Wonders of the world. He was an he it
d) architecural marvel of immense glory. It architecural architectural
e) exhibits the diligence of these who worked these those
f) day in and day though to create this rare though out
g) piece of magic. All the children josled for their josled jostled
h) positions to getting photographed in front of the Taj Mahal. getting get

Q7.
1. The little boy pressed the buttons of all the floors in the lift.
2. The driver showed the car when they approached the red light.
3. The light from the hallway shone down the narrow stairs.
 SECTION C
(LITERATURE – 25 MARKS)
Q8.
1. The word ‘diurnal’ means constant.
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ii) a-b-a-b
3. The poet uses the above lines to imply that Lucy is no more.

Q9.
1. On the fourth day after the storm Prashant organised the elders and youth who together
persuaded the Merchant. He heeded to their requests and they thus returned to their shelters
with grains of rice.
2. The doctor came in the afternoon and examined Johnsy. He then told Sue that Johnsey had
found her will to live. She would therefore soon recover from her illness.
3. The beggar whom Sergie met had dull drunken eyes. He also had a red spot on each of his
cheeks. He wore an overcoat which was fawn coloured and ragged.
4. The tourist once bent down to tie his shoe lace while travelling in an airplane. At the same time
the person sitting ahead of him pushed back is seat to its maximum recline. Thus the tourist
got stuck in a crash position.

Q10.
Gerrard gave the intruder a big surprise by telling him that he wasn’t really a respectable man
himself. He had committed some crime. The police found one of his fellow men who tipped them
off regarding his whereabouts. He showed the intruder his packed bags and told him that he was
expecting some trouble that evening and was therefore prepared to leave using a disguise as soon
as possible.

Q11.
While on the sea, the three men in the boat began discussing illnesses and as the discussion grew
the possibility of one of them falling fatally ill on their trip was one matter mentioned. This caused
all of them to become a gloomy. J thought of lighten the mood which was gripping them. He
therefore suggested that they should all sing a comic song. George took up the initiative and began
singing ‘Two lovely black eyes’. Neither he nor his companions noticed that the song he chose also
had a sad tone to it. Soon each one of them joined in the singing and the mournful strain grew in
strength. Though he was a bad singer, everyone was surprised by the extent of sadness that
George could draw out of it through his singing. The song once again weaved a web of gloominess
around them and by the time they reached the chorus they could not take any more of the sadness
and all of them broke down in bitter sobs. There was no real reason for their sadness apart from
the song they sung which drew out the emotions of depression and sorrow within them.

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