202110715-PERFORM-STUDENT-WORKBOOK-ENGLISH-G07-FY_Optimized

practice workbook english Grade 7 Name: Roll No: Section: School Name:

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This practice book is designed to support you in your journey of learning English for class 7. The contents and topics of this book are entirely in alignment with the NCERT syllabus. For each chapter, a concept map, expected objectives and practice sheets are made available. Questions in practice sheets address different skill buckets and different question types, practicing these sheets will help you gain mastery over the lesson. The practice sheets can be solved with the teacher’s assistance. There is a self-evaluation sheet at the end of every lesson, this will help you in assessing your learning gap.



TABLE OF CONTENT • Assessment Pattern: 40 Marks • Assessment Pattern: 80 Marks • Syllabus & Timeline for Assessment Page 1: Unit 1: 1.1 Three Questions Page 2: Unit 1: 1.2 The Squirrel Page 5: Unit 2: 2.1 A Gift of Chappals Page 6: Unit 2: 2.2 The Rebel Page 9: Unit 3: 3.1 Gopal and the Hilsa Fish Page 10: Unit 3: 3.2 The Shed Page 13: Unit 4: 4.1 The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom Page 14: Unit 4: 4.2 Chivvy Page 17: Unit 5: 5.1 Quality Page 18: Unit 5: 5.2 Trees Page 21: Unit 6: 6.1 Expert Detectives Page 22: Unit 6: 6.2 Mystery of the Talking Fan Page 25: Unit 7: 7.1 The Invention of Vita-Wonk Page 26: Unit 7: 7.2 Dad and the Cat and the Tree Page 29: Unit 8: 8.1 Fire: Friend and Foe Page 30: Unit 8: 8.2 Meadow Surprises Page 33: Unit 9: 9.1 A Bicycle in Good Repair Page 34: Unit 9: 9.2 Garden Snake Page 37: Unit 10: 10.1 The Story of Cricket Page 40: 1. Parts of Speech Page 47: 2. Types of Phrases Page 54: 3. Nouns, Gender and Number Page 63: 4. Pronouns and Types Page 71: 5. Adjectives Degrees of Comparison Page 78: 6. Articles and Determiners Page 86: 7. Subject Verb Agreement Page 93: 8. Auxiliaries and Modals Page 102: 9. Finite and Non-Finite Verbs Page 108: 10. Sentences-Simple, Complex and Compound Page 114: 11. Conditional Clauses Page 120: 12. Tenses Page 130: 13. Prepositions Page 139: 14. Phrases and Clauses Page 146: 15. Speech Page 154: 16. Voice Page 161: 17. Connectors and Conjunctions Page 169: 18. Figures of Speech







ASASSESSESSMSMENENT TPAPTATTTEERRNN MMaarrkkss:: 4400 GradGera7d/eE7ng/ lEisnhglish Beginner Paper: (Easy: 50%, Medium: 40%, Difficult: 10%) Proficient Paper: (Easy: 40%, Medium: 40%, Difficult: 20%) Easy Question: Remembering questions directly from the text or from the given exercises. (Mostly from content of book or end of chapter exercise). Medium Difficulty Question: In-depth understanding of questions, not necessarily from the text. (Slightly modified concepts or end of chapter questions). Difficult Question: Question involving creativity like story writing, analysis question like character analysis, justification of title or extracts (mostly requires creative and thinking skills).

ASASSESSESSMSEMNETNTPAPATTTTEERRNN MMaarrkkss::8800 Grade 7 / English Grade 7 / English Beginner Paper: (Easy: 50%, Medium: 40%, Difficult: 10%) Proficient Paper: (Easy: 40%, Medium: 40%, Difficult: 20%) Easy Question: Remembering questions directly from the text or from the given exercises. (Mostly from content of book or end of chapter exercise). Medium Difficulty Question: In-depth understanding of questions, not necessarily from the text. (Slightly modified concepts or end of chapter questions). Difficult Question: Question involving creativity like story writing, analysis question like character analysis, justification of title or extracts (mostly requires creative and thinking skills).

SYLLABUS FOR ASSESSMENT Grade 7 / English CHAPTERS PT-1 TE-1 PT-2 TE-2 1. 1.1 Three Questions ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 1.2 The Squirrel ✓ ✓ ✓ 2. 2.1 A Gift of Chappals ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 2.2 The Rebel ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3. 3.1 Gopal and the Hilsa Fish ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ 3.2 The Shed ✓ ✓ ✓ N.D ✓ ✓ ✓ 1. The Tiny Teacher ✓ 2. Bringing up Kari ✓ ✓ 3. The Desert ✓ ✓ Grammar ✓ ✓ 1. Parts of speech ✓ ✓ 2. Types of phrases ✓ ✓ RWT: Reading Comprehension ✓ 1. Unseen passage 03 ✓ 10. Sentences-Simple Complex and Compound ✓ RWT: Writing Task ✓ 1. Formal Letter 4. 4.1 The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom ✓ 4.2 Chivvy ✓ 5. 5.1 Quality 5.2 Trees ✓ N.D ✓ 4. The Cop and the Anthem ✓ 5. Golu Grows a Nose ✓ Grammar 3. Nouns, Gender and Number ✓ 4. Pronouns and Types ✓ 5. Adjectives Degrees of Comparison ✓ RWT: Writing task 1. Story writing Literature G: Articles 6. Articles & Determiners-kinds 9. Verb - finite and non-finite (gerund, participle infinitive) 7. Subject Verb agreement (rules in detail) 6. 6.1 Expert Detectives 6.2 Mystery of the Talking Fan 7. 7.1 The Invention of Vita-Wonk 7.2 Dad and the Cat and the Tree 8. 8.1 Fire: Friend and Foe 8.2 Meadow Surprises

SYLLABUS FOR ASSESSMENT Grade 7 / English CHAPTERS PT-1 TE-1 PT-2 TE-2 N.D 6. I Want Something in a Cage ✓ ✓ 7. Chandini ✓ ✓ 8. Bear Story ✓ ✓ G: ✓ ✓ 8. Auxiliaries, and Modals in detail (obligation, permission..) ✓ ✓ 11. Conditional clause ✓ ✓ 13. Prepositions -commonly confused pairs, using since and for, preposition to talk about time, place ✓ ✓ and reason, prepositional phrases (functioning of ✓ ✓ adjectives and adverb) ✓ ✓ 14. Phrases and clauses 12. Tenses ✓ ✓ RWT: Writing Task ✓ ✓ Diary Writing ✓ Grammar ✓ 15. Speech - recap of rules, Reported Speech ✓ (interrogative, exclamatory..) ✓ 16. Voice ✓ 9. 9.1 A Bicycle in Good Repair ✓ 9.2 Garden Snake ✓ 10. The Story of Cricket ✓ N.D A Tiger in the House ✓ Grammar ✓ An Alien Hand ✓ G: Subject-Verb agreement 17. Connectors and Conjunctions 18. Introduction to figure of speech - Simile, metaphor, alliteration, personification RWT: Written task Persuvasive Essay G: Grammar (revision) RWT: Reading Comprehension Unseen Passage Periodic Test-1 Assessment Timeline Term 1 Exam 22nd July to 12th August Periodic Test-2 23rd September to 21st October Term 2 Exam 16th December to 13th January 1st March to 30st March

LESSON WISE PRACTICE SHEETS (This section has a set of practice questions grouped into different sheets based on different concepts. By answering these questions you will strengthen your subject knowledge. A self-evaluation sheet is provided at the end of every lesson.)



1.1 Three Questions Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: “Remember then; there is only one time that is important and that time is “Now”. It is the most important time because it is the only time we have any power to act:” “The most necessary person is the person you are with at a particular moment, for no one knows what will happen in the future and whether we will meet anyone else. The most important business is to do that person good, because we were sent into this world for that purpose alone.” (i) Which is the most important time and why? (ii) Who is the most important person? (iii) What do we not know about? (iv) What is the most important business? (v) Why should we do good to a needy person? Extract 2: The king went up to the hermit and said. “I have come to you. wise hermit to ask you to answer three questions. How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I need most? And what affairs are the most important?” The hermit listened to the king but did not speak. He just spat on his hands and began digging again. “You are tired.” said the king. “Let me take the spade and work in your place.” “Thanks,” said the hermit, giving the king his spade. Then he sat down on the ground. (i) Whom did the king go to and why? (ii) How did the hermit react to the questions? (iii) “You are tired.” Who was tired—the king or the hermit? (iv) What did the king offer to the hermit? (v) What did the hermit do when he heard of the king’s offer? 1

1.2 The Squirrel Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: Read the stanza given below and answer the questions that follow. He wore a question mark for tail, An overcoat of gray, He sat up straight to eat a nut. He liked to tease and play, And if we ran around his tree, He went the other way. (i) Name the poem and the poet. (ii) Who is ‘he’ in the poem? (iii) What does the overcoat of gray refer to? (iv) Where does a squirrel live? (v) Why does the squirrel go away when one goes near him? 2

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the 6. He thought that the animal he was carrying questions that follow. on his shoulders might really be some sort of 1. Once, there lived a priest in a small village. He was ghost, because it transformed itself from the very innocent and a simple minded person. Once goat into a dog, from a dog into a dead calf and he was rewarded with a goat for his services by from dead calf into a donkey. The priest got a wealthy man. The priest happily hung the goat frightened to such an extent that he threw the over his shoulder and began the journey towards goat on the roadside and ran away. The three his home. tricksters laughed at the innocent priest. They 2. On the way, three cheats saw the priest, caught the goat and were happy to feast on it. carrying the goat. All of them were lazy and One should not be carried away by what others wanted to cheat the priest so that they could say. Don’t be fooled by those who want to take take away the goat. They discussed the matter advantage of you. amongst themselves and devised a plan to get the goat by fooling the priest. After deciding the 1. Complete the following sentences. plan, they got separated from one another and a. The first cheat asked the priest why _______ hid themselves at three different places on the __________________________________. way of the priest. b. Hearing the words of the third thug, ______ 3. As soon as the priest arrived at a lonely place, ___________________________________. one of the cheats came out of his hiding place c. The three tricksters caught the goat _______ and asked the priest in a shocking manner, “Sir, __________________________________. what are you doing? I don’t understand why a holy man like you need to carry a dog on your 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence shoulders?” The priest was surprised to hear each. such words. He screamed, “Can’t you see? It’s a. What did the three cheats do after deciding not a dog but a goat, you stupid fool”. The cheat a plan? replied, “Sir, I told you what I saw.” The priest b. Why did the priest think that the goat was a was angry but started his journey once again. ghost? 4. The priest had barely walked a distance, when c. What do we learn from this story? another cheat came out of his hiding place and asked the priest, “Sir, why do you carry a dead 3. Find suitable words from the passage which calf on your shoulders? You seem to be a wise mean the same to the following. person. Such an act is pure stupidity on your a. thought of (Paragraph 2) part”. The priest yelled, “How can you mistake b. hardly (Paragraph 4) a living goat for a dead calf?” The second cheat c. converted (Paragraph 6) replied, “Sir, you seem to be highly mistaken. Either you don’t know how a goat looks like or II. Read the following passage and answer the you are doing it knowingly.” The second cheat questions that follow. went away smiling. The priest was confused 1. Sports are vital in one’s life as they help in but continued to walk further. making a person healthy and active. They 5. Again the priest had covered a little distance also help to refresh our mind and in building when the third cheat met him. The third cheat confidence and team spirit. Sports are very asked laughingly, “Sir, why do you carry a important and everyone should play at least donkey on your shoulders? People will laugh one sport in their life. They help in making a at you”. Hearing the words of the third thug, person physically fit. the priest became really worried. He started 2. There are many kinds of sports that one can thinking, “Is it really not a goat? Is it some kind choose from. There are many outdoor games of a ghost?” like cricket, football, badminton, table tennis, basketball and many other games which have many benefits. These kinds of games involve physical activities, thus making us physically fit and also help in building team spirit. One gets an experience of losing and winning as well and learn how to deal with success and failure. Hence, playing any game can help us a lot. 3

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) 3. Apart from the outdoor games, there are many indoor games as well like chess, carom which also help a person to boost his confidence and one learns how to work in a team of two. 4. Playing different kinds of games and sports help in one’s personal development. There are a lot of games that one can choose from depending on one’s interest and energy level. Playing games and sports help to build the physical strength. They also make us alert. The other important aspect is that from playing games and sports we also learn how to handle difficult situations. They help us to think out of the box by opening up our mind to think of new ideas and solutions for various things. Apart from all these benefits, for students, they are the best way to get a break from day to day life and divert your mind for a while, which in return is useful. 5. Sports also results in improvement of confidence for some students who may not be good in studies. Studies have shown that sports help in improving academic performance too, by building up the confidence of a child. It also serves as the best icebreaker for fresh students and helps them to make friends. Therefore, looking at all the merits of sports, the schools should include sports environment with proper facilities, dedicated instructors and time to help their students follow sports. 1. Complete the following sentences: a. Playing indoor games can help us to _________________________________________. b. ________________________________________ help in one’s personal development. c. Sports serves as the best icebreaker for fresh students and ______________________. 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence each. a. Mention any two benefits of playing outdoor games. b. How do sports and games help us to think out of the box? c. What do studies say about the role of sports and games in improving one’s academic performance? 3. Find suitable words from the passage which mean the same to the following. a. Very important (Paragraph 1) b. increase (Paragraph 3) c. committed (Paragraph 5) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. You are Ram Prakash, Monitor of class VII A in Blooming Buds Public School, Hyderabad. Write a letter to the principal of your school asking him/her to arrange for extra classes for Science subject. Give reasons why you need this. (Word limit: 100-120 words) II. Today your grandparents left after staying with your family for over six months. Express how you are feeling in a diary entry. (Word limit: 100-120 words) 4

2.1 A Gift of Chappals Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: A smiling Rukku Manni threw open the door. Ravi and Meena rushed out, and Ravi pulled Mridu into the house. “Wait, let me take off my slippers”, protested Mridu. She set them out neatly near a pair of large black ones. Those were grey, actually, with dust. You could see the clear marks of every toe on the front part of each slipper. The marks for the two big toes were long and scrawny. (i) Who opened the door? (ii) What did Ravi do? (iii) Where did Mridu set her slippers? (iv) How were the marks on the large black chappals? (v) Give the meanings of the following words in English: a. neatly b. scrawny Extract 2: Mridu and Meena followed Ravi out. The beggar was already in the garden making himself quite at home. He had spread his upper cloth under the neem tree, and was leaning against its trunk, apparently prepared to take a little snooze while he waited for the alms to appear. ‘Go away!’ said Ravi sternly. ‘My Paati says it’s time you found another house to beg from!’ (i) Who followed Ravi out? (ii) Where was the beggar at that time? (iii) What did the beggar spread under the neem tree? (iv) What was the beggar doing under the neem tree? (v) Give the meanings of the following words in English. a. snooze b. apparently 5

2.2 The Rebel Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: When everybody is greeting the rain, The rebel regrets the absence of sun. When everybody goes to the meeting. The rebel stays at home and reads a book. When everybody stays at home and reads a book. The rebel goes to the meeting. (i) When does the rebel regret the absence of sun? (ii) What does the rebel do when everybody goes to the meeting? (iii) When does the rebel go to the meeting? (iv) Give synonyms of the word ‘regret’. 6

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the given rise to great towns, questions that follow. large_______________________. 1. Man, as a living being, is much weaker than 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence many other living beings. He does not have each. strength of an elephant, nor the speed of a. What has man achieved with the help of his a horse. But he has one thing which other superior intelligence? living beings don’t have, which is superior b. Give an example of use of water power in intelligence. With the help of this, he has India as given in the passage. learnt to catch and use great natural forces as c. Give any two benefits of discovery of wind, water, fire, steam and electricity for his electricity in our lives as given in the own ends. He has made these powers as his passage. servants. 3. Find suitable words from the passage which 2. Long ago, man invented sails. He used the mean the same to the following. winds to carry him in the ships across the sea. a. Greater (Paragraph 1) By means of windmills, he forced the wind, b. produce (Paragraph 2) too, to grind his corn, raise water by pumps c. caught (Paragraph4) and drain wet land. In the same way, he II. Read the following passage and answer the makes water drive the machinery in mills and questions that follow. factories. Before the discovery of the power 1. Ali is a fisherman who lives in Kovalam, a of steam, most of the mills in England were fishing village on the east coast in the city of driven by the power of water. Today in America, Chennai. His day begins at dawn when it is the great Niagara Falls are used to generate still chilly and dark. While he gets ready, his electricity. In India, the Cauvery Falls generate wife Leela prepares coffee and cooks a simple electric power which is carried to Mysore and rice meal of fish and vegetable for breakfast. Bangalore ninety miles away. After eating a hurried meal, he heads for the 3. At a very early stage, man discovered the useful beach, where his boat is tied. His friend, Ishak, power of fire. He used it to cook his food, to also arrives to help him, and soon they get to keep him warm and to melt metals. Fire also work, checking their fishing-nets, bait and sails gives man steam - the great power resource before setting out to sea. of the world. The discovery of the power of 2. As the first rays of the sun peep over the hills, steam led to the invention of the steam engine. they set off in their boat and sail out to sea. The From it, have come the railway engines, the chilly, refreshing breeze brushes against them steamship and the big factories with its steam- and they shiver a little. As the sails fill with air, driven machineries. This has given rise to great the boat moves swiftly over the water. Soon, towns, large industries and the widespread they are in the middle of the glimmering sea, trade and business of the world. and they begin to let down their nets. The sky 4. Finally, man has captured and learnt to use looks beautiful at sunrise with orange, gold, lightning. As the nineteenth century was the pink and blue tints. They feel glad the day will age of steam, this is the age of electricity. We be sunny and bright and hope to get a good have electric light, electric heating and cooking catch. and refrigerating. We speak to each other at a 3. Now and then, they pull their nets into the distance by the electric telephone. Electricity boat. Sometimes the nets are loaded with fish, drives trains and cars for us, and makes prawns and crabs, but, at other times, they everything possible. are empty. By noon, they start rowing back to shore. Working in the hot sun is a tough job. As 1. Complete the following sentences. they reach the shore, their families await them a. Man has one thing, which other to help sort out the fish and prawns which are living beings don’t have, which is, of different types or sizes. _________________. 4. Then, when their baskets are filled with their b. Man used fire to ______________________ catch, they are ready to meet the men who ___________________ and to melt metals. come in lorries to buy the fish and prawns c. The discovery of steam has 7

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) and send them to the markets in the big towns to be sold. In the afternoon, Ali sits under a shady tree and repairs his nets. He also spends some time attending to his vegetable plot behind his hut. Evening comes and this is the happiest time of the day for him as he can now relax with his family. 1. Complete the following sentences: a. While Ali gets ready for his work, his wife Leela ________________________________. b. _____________________________________, the boat moves swiftly over the water. c. Evening is the happiest time of the day for Ali because __________________________ 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence each. a. Who is Ali and where does he live? b. How does the sky look like at sunrise? c. Whom does Ali meet when the baskets are filled with the catch? 3. Find suitable words from the passage which mean the same to the following. a. Rushed (Paragraph 1) b. quickly (Paragraph 2) c. mends (Paragraph 4) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. You are Ruhani Sharma, a student of ABJ Public School, Nizamabad. Write an application to your principal asking him/her to sanction you medical leave for two weeks. Give reasons why you need the leave. (Word limit: 100-120 words) II. Assume that you are the school prefect of Bosco Public School, Kannur. Write a letter to your principal complaining about the bad quality of food served in the school cafeteria. You are Sudhanshu Malik of Class VIII A. (120-150 words) 8

3.1 Gopal and the Hilsa Fish Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: The courtier fell silent with downcast eyes. The king felt guilty. “I’m sorry. I lost my temper. It is the season for hilsa-fish and no one ... not even Gopal can stop anyone from talking about hilsa-fish not even for five minutes! (i) Why was the courtier silent? (ii) What made the king feel guilty? (iii) What did the king say to the courtier? (iv) What did Gopal say when he heard what the king had said? (v) Write meanings of the words: a. downcast and b. guilty. Extract 2: “Your majesty, you seem to have forgotten something.” “Forgotten something?” Strangely enough no one seems to be interested in hilsa-fish today from the market to the palace and in the court, not a soul has spoken a word about hilsa-fish.” (i) What had the king forgotten? (ii) Who is the speaker in these lines? (iii) Why was nobody interested in speaking about hilsa-fish? (iv) Was the king impressed with the speaker? (v) Write opposites of the words: a. forgotten b. interested. 9

3.2 The Shed Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: I know that there isn’t really a ghost. My brother tells lies to keep the shed for his den: There isn’t anyone staring or making strange noises And the spider has been gone from his web since I don’t know when. I’ll go into that shed one day soon. But not just yet... (i) Why doesn’t the brother want the poet to go to the shed? (ii) What does the poet think? (iii) Does the poet know when the spider left its web? (iv) Why does the poet postpone his visit to the shed? 10

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence questions that follow. each. 1. Black clouds gathered above us, but we were a. Why couldn’t the narrator and his friends too intent on playing football. We hoped that take a shelter under the tree? the clouds would go away so that we could b. What made the cycling difficult for the continue playing. Our hopes were ruined narrator? when suddenly heavy rain began to pour. In a c. Why did the narrator feel very small few seconds, we were all soaked to the skin. vulnerable and even afraid? To make matters worse, lightning flashed dangerously close to us. The deafening thunder 3. Find suitable words from the passage which and loud wind did not help either. mean the same to the following. 2. We ran towards a large tree under which we a. loud (Paragraph 1) had parked our bicycles. The tree provided b. very violent (Paragraph 3) some shelter from the rain and we were c. weak (Paragraph 4) interested to remain under it. However we knew that it was dangerous to stay under a II. Read the following passage and answer the tree during a thunderstorm. So we got on our questions that follow. bicycles and pedalled off. 1. I had never encountered an elephant at 3. There was no other shelter available nearby. close quarters until my visit to an Elephant So I decided to go home. Since I was already Relocation Centre. I observed their behaviour completely wet, I might was well to go home and how they interact with their trainers instead to seeking shelter. It was just about and each other. I think their intelligence is the fiercest storm I had ever been in. The amazing. Elephants are highly intelligent with driving rain made cycling difficult as I could thinking capabilities, can learn skill. They not see more than a couple of metres in front also experience various emotions like pain, of me. A car flashed past me. It was too close suffering, sadness, depression and grief. They for comfort. Perhaps the driver did not even love to lie in mud and with grainy sand. As see me. So I thought it was better to stop their skin is sensitive to the sun, the mud and somewhere before I got hit by another car. sand act as sunscreen and protect them from 4. Luckily I found a bus-stop with a roof. I hurried the sun’s harsh rays. In the cool, clear stream, gladly under the roof even though I had to the elephants exhibit their playful nature by share it with a dozen other people who were spraying water. also soaked to the skin. It was a bit of a squeeze 2. The Elephant Training Center in Kuala Gandah, but no one complained. For an hour, the storm Pahang, is the headquarters for the Malaysian lashed everything around us. We were silent Elephant Translocation Team. It was set up in spectators to an awesome display of power 1974. Wild elephants are close to extinction by nature. To see that, I felt very small and in Malaysia and the team has managed to vulnerable, even afraid; but I could do nothing increase the elephant’s population from 500 but watch. Finally the rain slowed down to a to 1200 in the past 20 years. In 25 years, they drizzle and the wind died down. I could still have successfully relocated 400 elephants. At hear distant thunder but the worst of the storm the centre, there are five elephants ranging in was over. So happily I got on my bicycle and age from 6 to 50 years old. These five are the pedalled home. working elephants specially trained to assist in translocation projects. For this, only female 1. Complete the following sentences. elephants are kept and trained as their attitude a. The narrator and his friends hoped that the is more suitable for translocation work. clouds ______________________________. 3. In Malaysia, the elephant is a symbol of b. The narrator decided to go home since ___ conservation. Due to widespread development, ____________________________________ the habitat of elephants has been destroyed . because of plantations, estates and villages. c. A car flashed past the narrator too close for This is where the translocation team comes in. comfort because perhaps ______________. The centre is often called to relocate elephants from unwelcome territories to national parks. 11

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Wild elephants do become afraid, angry and confused at being captured and chained. Thus the centre’s elephants are brought to give moral support to them. This they do by touching the trunk of the wild elephant, providing comfort and calm in a slow and delicate process. 4. It may seem cruel to have the elephants in heavy chains but a spokesman says that it is unavoidable. The trip to the national parks may take hours and is very stressful for the elephants. It is vital to move the elephants to their new home as soon as possible as they may die out of sadness and hopelessness. 1. Complete the following sentences. a. The author observed the behaviour of the elephants_____________________________ b. Female elephants are preferred to assist in translocation projects because ___________. c. It is vital to move the elephants to their new home else ___________________________ 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence each. a. Why do you think the writer says that the elephant’s intelligence is amazing? Give two possible reasons. b. What is the specific duty of the five working elephants of the Elephant Training Centre? c. What has led to the reduction of the elephants’ natural habitat? 3. Find suitable words from the passage which mean the same to the following. a. Sorrow (Paragraph 1) b. grief caught (paragraph 3) c. captured unkind (paragraph 4) cruel PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. Write a diary entry describing “My favourite time of the day”. (Word limit: 100-120 words) II. You have been witness to an accident on the road in front of your house. You were shocked and shaken. Write a diary entry expressing your emotions. (Word limit: 100-120 words) 12

4.1 The Ashes That Made Trees Bloom Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: Then the covetous old fellow, with a spade, and the old crone, with a hoe, began to dig; but there was nothing but a dead kitten, the smell of which made them drop their tools and shut their noses. Furious at the dog, the old man kicked and beat him to death, and the old woman finished the work by nearly chopping off his head with the sharp hoe. They then flung him into the hole and heaped the earth over his carcass. (i) What did the old fellow and the old crone use to dig the ground? (ii) Why did they shut their noses? (iii) What did the old man do with the dog? (iv) Who finished the work by chopping off the dog’s head? (v) Give the meanings of the following words in English: a. covetous b. furious Extract 2: The old man awoke and went at once to his wicked neighbour’s house, where he found the miserable old pair sitting at the edge of their square fireplace. in the middle of the floor, smoking and spinning. From time to time they warmed their hands and feet with the blaze from some bits of the mill, while behind them lay a pile of the broken pieces. (i) Where did the old man go early in the morning? (ii) Where was the miserable pair sitting? (iii) What were they doing? (iv) What lay behind them? (v) Give synonyms for the following words in English: a. wicked b. edge 13

4.2 Chivvy Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: Sit up Say please Less noise Shut the door behind you Don’t drag your feet Haven’t you got a hankie? Take your hands out of Your pockets. (i) Give two ‘Dos’’ given in the stanza. (ii) Who says these things generally? (iii) What do such instructions teach? (iv) State one ‘don’t’ and one question given in the stanza. 14

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the not just jump in. Instead, learn as much as you questions that follow. can, take in basic tips and tricks and take baby 1. We all have different kinds of hobbies to spend steps. Else all your attempts at gardening are our leisure time. Hobbies can be both relaxing bound to fail. You will find that when given and useful. Different people have different proper attention, a garden can soothe your hobbies. Some common hobbies enjoyed soul and gardening can calm and please you. by plenty of people are philately, swimming, 1. Complete the following sentences. photography and gardening. A hobby not only a. We all _______________________________ relaxes us, but also provides us with boosts of energy. ________________ our leisure time. 2. Gardening requires quite a bit of manual labour b. ____________________________________ on the part of the gardener. For this reason, some people doubt if it can relax you as a ________ is that it can be done anywhere. hobby. However, for people who like gardening, c. Gardening allows us to connect with ______ it can be relaxing just to feel the soil on your palms or getting quiet moments or even help __________________________________. you create beauty. By its very nature, gardening 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence is a slow process. Therefore there is no quick satisfaction here. Instead, it yields its best each. results when you take time over it and pay a. Name from the passage, any two hobbies attention to details. The attempt takes time and energy on your part, but the end result is enjoyed commonly by people. beautiful to the senses. b. What doubt does some people have 3. Gardening also allows you to be in the presence of nature even if that presence is a small potted regarding gardening as a hobby? plant. As the plant grows and thrives, you feel c. What is the advice lent by the passage for satisfaction from a job well done. The hours that you put into your garden yield beautiful those people who don’t have any prior results that please and satisfy your mind, experience in gardening? lowering stress and allowing your mind to 3. Find suitable words from the passage which relax. mean the same to the following. 4. If you decide to take up gardening as a hobby a. free time (Paragraph 1) and have no prior experience with it, it is best b. previous (Paragraph 4) for you to research gardening. You can do c. efforts (Paragraph 6) this with the help of books on gardening and online websites. Also keep in mind that caring II. Read the following passage and answer the for different plants can be easy or difficult, questions that follow. depending upon the plants. New gardeners can 1. Mary was a young girl. She had a negative get confused quite easily. However, following attitude towards life so she used to get a few basic tips helps enormously in growing annoyed with everything. Once, when she felt your garden. that life was unbearable and told her father 5. The best part about having gardening as a that if she was able to manage and solve one hobby is that it can be done anywhere. If you problem, another one followed quickly. Her have a yard, you can garden there. If your living father consoled her and took her to the kitchen. space is small you can arrange a few potted He asked Mary to take a potato, an egg and two plants and take care of them. spoons of tea leaves. Mary was surprised, and 6. Gardening is a great hobby for everyone from asked her father, “Do you want me to cook?” students to working professionals to people “No,” her father said. who are retired. It allows you to connect with 2. He then took three vessels and poured one your environment and with nature. However, cup of water in each vessel. The vessels were it is important to remember that you should placed on the stove. Once the water started to boil, he dropped the potato in a vessel, egg in the second one and the tea leaves in the third one. “Why are you doing all these things?” Mary asked, really annoyed with her father. “Just wait fifteen minutes,” said her father. The impatient daughter managed to wait for around 15 minutes. 15

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) 3. Father removed the potato from the pot and placed in a plate. He did the same with the eggs. He filtered the tea decoction using a cup. Now, he placed the two plates, one with the potato and the other with the egg, and the cup of tea in front of Mary. He asked Mary, “What do you see?” “Potato, egg and a cup of tea,” said Mary. “No, you are wrong,” said her father. “Look at it closely and answer me.” Mary replied the same. “Now touch it and answer me.” 4. The potato was cooked and was soft, the egg was boiled hard, and the tea carried a nice aroma. Mary couldn’t find the correct answer. Her father said, “The potato was so hard and strong before it was boiled; now it has turned soft and smooth. Also, the egg was delicate but after boiling it became hard. Sip the tea. It is delicious!” 5. Mary asked, “What does it mean father? I don’t understand!” “Each object responded differently to water. Each object was put under the same kind of circumstances, faced similar adversities, but reacted differently. The potato, when put in boiling water, became very weak. The soft egg became very hard when we put it in boiling water. And the tea leaves are unique. It changed the water itself, giving it a unique flavour and aroma! It gave something new.” Mary understood that we can create something new and unique even when we experience adversities. 1. Complete the following sentences. a. Mary had a negative attitude towards life __________________________________. b. The potato was cooked and was soft, the egg __________________________________. c. Father removed the potato from the pot ___________________________________. 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence each. a. Why did Mary feel that her life was unbearable? b. What did the father do after the water started to boil? c. What did Mary learn out of this whole experience? 3. Find suitable words from the passage which mean the same to the following. a. Intolerable (Paragraph 1) b. angry (Paragraph 2) c. situations (Paragraph 5) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. Complete the story and provide a suitable title to the same.  Ganesh-sent by father to bank-deposit cheque-sat down on a row of chairs-not many people-heard someone shout behind-looked around-two gunmen carrying handguns-telling to get down on the floor-Ganesh obeyed quickly-too stunned-heard harsh voices-sound of someone being hit-death threats-from corner of eye-sight of a pair of moving boots-felt fear-robbers making escape-two figures running out of the bank door-security guard ran out of bank-levelled his gun at the motorcycle with the robbers-deafening shot-robbers fell down on the road-out of the bank watching real-life action-guard then picked up bag-police arrived-too shocked to do anything-went back home. II. You are Tushar, studying in class VII C of Bright Kids Academy, Bangalore. Write an application to your principal requesting him or her to grant you fee concession as the financial condition of your parents is not good. (Word limit: 100-120 words) 16

5.1 Quality Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: It was over a year before I was again in London. And the first shop I went to was my old friend’s. I had left a man of sixty I came back to one of seventy-five, pinched and worn, who genuinely, this time, did not at first know me. “Do you wand any boods?” he said. “I can make dem quickly, id is a slack dime.” (i) How long did the author remain out of London? (ii) Where did the author go after his arrival in London? (iii) How old was the bootmaker when the author went out of London? (iv) What did the bootmaker ask the author? (v) Give the meanings of the following words in English: a. pinched b. slack Extract 2: ”Ah!” he said. “poor old man starved himself. Slow starvation, the doctor called it! You see he went to work in such a way! Would keep the shop on; wouldn’t have a soul touch his boots except himself. When he got an order it took him such a time. People won’t wait. He lost everybody. And there he’d sit going on and on. I will say that for him—not a man in London made a better boot. But look at the competition! He never advertised! Would have the best leather too and do it all himself. Well there it is. What could you expect with his ideas?” (i) According to the doctor, what caused Mr. Gessler’s death? (ii) Why did he lose his customers? (iii) What was the opinion of the speaker of these lines (new owner of the shop) about Mr. Gessler? (iv) What type of leather did Mr. Gessler use to make boots? (v) Give the meanings of the following words in English: a. starve b. competition 17

5.2 Trees Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: Do Trees are to make cool shade in summer. Trees are to make no shade in winter. Trees are for apples to grow on, and pears: Trees are to chop down and call. “TIMBER-R-R!” Trees make mothers say, “What a lovely picture to paint!” Trees make fathers say, “What a lot of leaves to rake this fall!” (i) How do trees help us in summer? (ii) Why do trees make no shade in winter? (iii) For what purpose do we use timber? (iv) “What a lovely picture to paint!” Who says this and why? 18

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the 1. Complete the following sentences. questions that follow. a. One night, they saw a firefly ____________ 1. Before several centuries, there was a very large, ______________________________ dense and dark forest. A group of monkeys b. catch the firefly and it escaped. __________ arrived at the forest. As the winter season ______________________________ started, the monkeys struggled hard to survive c. One monkey shouted at the owl _________ the freezing cold nights. They were hunting for ______________________________ fire to get warm. One night, they saw a firefly and considered it a dab of fire. All the monkeys 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence in the group shouted ‘Fire, Fire, Fire, Yeah we each. got fire!’ a. What happened as the winter season 2. A couple of monkeys tried to catch the firefly started? and it escaped. They were sad as they could b. What did the monkeys do after catching a not catch the fire. They were talking to few fireflies? themselves that they couldn’t live in the cold c. What did the monkey finally realise if they didn’t get the fire. The next night, again and what step did they take to protect they saw many fireflies. After several attempts, themselves? the monkeys caught a few fireflies. They put the fireflies in a hole dug in the land and tried 3. Find suitable words from the passage which to blow the flies. They blew the flies very hard mean the same to the following. without knowing the fact that they were flies! a. Reached (Paragraph 1) 3. An owl was watching the activities of the b. ran away (Paragraph 2) monkeys. The owl reached the monkeys and c. protected (Paragraph 4) told them, ‘Hey those are not fire! They are flies. You won’t be able to make fire from it!’ II. Read the following passage and answer the The monkeys laughed at the owl. One monkey questions that follow. replied to the owl, ‘Hey old owl you don’t know 1. Mahatma Gandhi, honoured as the father of anything about how to make fire. Don’t disturb India, was a very special person. This story us!’ The Owl warned the monkeys again and illustrates one of the reasons for him to be asked them to stop their foolish act. ‘Monkeys, called ‘Mahatma’ (great soul). you cannot make fire from the flies! Please hear 2. Once, Gandhi was on a mission to collect my words.’ The monkeys tried to make fire from funds from various cities and villages for an the flies. organization to help the poor. He went to 4. The Owl told them again to stop their foolish several places and finally reached Orissa. He act. ‘You are struggling so much, go take your organized a meeting in Orissa. There, he gave shelter in a nearby cave. You can save yourself a speech to the public, requesting them to give from the freezing cold! You won’t get fire!’ One him funds for the organization. At the end of his monkey shouted at the owl and the owl left the speech, a very old woman with bent back, torn place. clothing, white hair, and shrunken skin got up. 5. The monkeys were simply doing the foolish She requested the volunteers to allow her to activity for several hours and it was almost reach Gandhi. However, the volunteers stopped midnight. Finally, they became tired and her. She did not give up. She fought with them realized that the words of the owl were correct and reached Gandhi. and they were trying to blow a fly. They 3. She touched the feet of Gandhi. Then she took sheltered themselves at the cave and escaped out a copper coin kept in the folds of her saree from the cold. and placed it at his feet. Then the old lady left the stage. Gandhi very carefully took the coin. The treasurer of the organization for the poor asked Gandhi for the copper coin, but he refused to give it. 4. “I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees,” said the treasurer. “Yet you won’t trust me with a copper coin!” Gandhi said, “This copper coin 19

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) is worth much more than those thousands. If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn’t mean much.” 5. Yes, the coin might have been the only thing that the poor old woman possessed. She did not even have proper clothes and could not afford good food. Still she gave everything she had. That is why Gandhi regarded the coin as very precious. Offering help when we have nothing or very little makes it more valuable. 1. Complete the following sentences. a. Mahatma Gandhi, __________________________________, was a very special person. b. ___________________________________nothing or very little makes it more valuable. c. ________________________________________________to allow her to reach Gandhi. 2. Answer the following questions in a sentence each. a. What does this story illustrate to us? b. What did the lady do after she touched Gandhi’s feet? c. Why did Gandhi regard the coin as very precious? 3. Find suitable words from the passage which mean the same to the following. a. Shows (Paragraph 1) b. assignment (Paragraph 2) c. owned (Paragraph 5) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. Yesterday it was your first day in the school. You made new friends and the teachers were extremely good to you. You liked the infrastructure of your new school very much. Write about your feelings and experiences in form of a diary entry. (120-150 words) II. Complete the story with the clues given. a fine day-Mansa’s birthday-woke up-sure to see a present on the dining table-for the past 15 years- parents would place the present next to her glass of milk-slipped pictures of the mobile phone into his parents’ briefcases-nothing on the table-morning wishes-talked as if nothing special-mother reminded to clean her room-ran out of house-don’t want her parents to see her expression-disappointed-ran out-fine weather-bright sun-chirping of birds-walked with a spring to home-set about tidying her room-lying on her table-a set of illustrated encyclopaedia-message-better than a mobile phone-message-hope you are not disappointed-loved the present-thanked her parents. 20

6.1 Expert Detectives Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: ‘I know I’m right, stupid; I told him. ‘By the way Seven, did you see his scars? I couldn’t, it was too dark, but I bet he got them during a shoot-out with the police or something.’ ‘Mummy told us quite clearly they were bum scars.’ Nishad said firmly. (i) ‘I know I’m right, stupid.’ Who spoke these words and to whom? (ii) Who does ‘I’ stand for in the opening sentence? (iii) What does Maya call Nishad? (iv) What is Nishad popularly known as? (v) Why does the speaker not see the scars on Mr Nath’s face? Extract 2: ’Ramesh told me something very strange Maya,’ Seven added. ‘Almost every Sunday, he carries two lunches to Mr Nath’s room and the same man is with him each time. He’s tall, fair, stout and wears spectacles. Ramesh says his visitor talks a lot, unlike Mr Nath who hardly speaks.’ (i) What did Ramesh tell Seven? (ii) ‘Ramesh told me something very strange.’ Who spoke these words and to whom? (iii) Describe the man who shares lunch with Mr Nath. (iv) Is Mr Nath very talkative? (v) Give the meanings of the following words: a. strange b. unlike 21

6.2 Mystery of the Talking Fan Extract 1: Once there was a talking fan — Electrical his chatter. I couldn’t quite he what he said And I hope it doesn’t matter Because one day somebody oiled His little whirling motor And all the mystery was spoiled— He ran as still as water. (i) Name the poem and the poet. (ii) Why is the chatter of the fan called electrical? (iii) What stopped the chatter of the fan? (iv) What is the silent running of the fan compared to? (v) Give two pairs of rhyming words from the stanza. 22

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and answer the him. At the end of the month, she got the painter’s questions that follow. bill At the bottom of it were the words. Three Wages for work would reinforce occupational hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance-Rs/60- stereotyping by freezing women into their with this note after 5pm. I charge Rs 20/- and hour traditional roles. Unless women and men are instead of 10/- paid equally in the labour force and their is no division of labour based on sex, women’s Choose the correct option to answer each work in the home will have no value. Since question. itsnot clear what constitutes housework, and 1. Who was Miss Hall we know housework standars vary greatly, it would be difficult to kow how to reward it. a. An old lady b. A beautiful actress Pay for housework might place homemakers (mainly wives) in the difficult position of having b. A great writer d. An ugly women their work assessed by their husbands. while in the case of single homemakers , it is not 2. Why did Miss Hall rent a flat in the city? clear who would do the assessing . Wages for housework, dereived from spouse payments a. because she was very beautiful overlook the contribution women make to the society by training children to be good citizens b. Because she did not want to go back to her and assume that their work is only beneficial house every night to their own families. Finally, payment for housework does not address itself to the basic c. Because she was afraid of going alone reason why women with family responsibilities work to increasefamily income over that which d. Because she was a successful actress the employed husband/father makes. Also, single women with family responsibilities work 3. What did she do to make her house look nice? because they are the family breadwinners. a. She got the rooms painted Complete the following: 1. Wages for housework would freeze women... b. She bought new curtains 2. At present, the various members of the labourforce are paid... c. She bought a new house 3. The housework of wives would be assessed by... 4. Women with family responsibilities work to... d. She kept a servant in the house 5. Single women work because... 4. Why did she give the painter two tickets? II. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. a. She thought the painter would work thus better b. She wanted to help the pooer painter c. The painter had no money to buy ticktes for himself d. The painter wanted to see her show 5. What is the opposite of better? a. Best b. Bad c. Worse d. Worst Miss Hall, a beautiful actress, had her home in a small town but she did not want to go back there everynight. So she rented a flat in the center of the city. It was an old flat and needed repair. The walls looked shabby and and the old paint on them are peeling off. So the actress placed an order for some beautiful furniture and also hired a man to paint the rooms. She was a great actress and it was very difficult to get tickets for her show. She decided to give the painter two free tickets for her show. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. The painter took the tickets without saying anything and she heard no more about 23

PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. You are Sumit of 7A, Ravi Apartments, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi. You have lost your leather wallet containing your examination admit card while travellng by bus from Sarita Vihar to Punjabi Bagh. Write a notice innot than 50 words to be published in ‘The City Times’. II. Imagine that you are Kusum living in Sikandra. Write a letter to your younger sister Rekha advising her to take care of her health. You may touch upon the following points: • your happiness at her good performance in the examination • worries about her poor health • importance of sound health • your suggestions to imporve health 24

7.1 The Invention of Vita-Wonk Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: But there’s no time to tell you about them all now, Charlie. Let me just say quickly that in the end, after lots of boiling and bubbling and mixing and testing in my Inventing Room, I produced one tiny cupful of oily black liquid and gave four drops of it to a brave twenty-year--old Oompa-Loompa volunteer to see what happened. (i) “But there is no time to tell you about them all now.” Who spoke these words and to whom? (ii) What did Mr Wonka produce in the end? (iii) Where did Mr Wonka perform the experiment? (iv) Who did Mr Wonka give the oily black liquid to? How old was he? (v) Give the meanings of the following a. produce b. tiny Extract 2: Mr Wonka said, “So once again I rolled up my sleeves and set to work. Once again, I squeezed my brain, searching for the new recipe. I had to create age ... to make people old ...old, older, oldest .... “Ha-ha” I cried, for now the ideas were beginning to come. “What is the oldest living thing in the world? What lives longer than anything else?” “A tree.” Charlie said. (i) Why did Mr Wonka roll up his sleeves? (ii) Why did Mr Wonka squeeze his brain? (iii) What do you understand by ‘create the age’? (iv) What was Charlie’s answer to Mr Wonka’s question? (v) Give the meanings of the following a. sleeves b. squeeze 25

7.2 Dad and the Cat and the Tree Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: But Dad landed wallop Back on the Deck. Mum said. “Stop it. You’ll break your neck!” “Rubbish!” said Dad. Now well try plan C. Easy as winking To a climber like me!” Then he climbed up high On a garden wall Guess what? He didn’t fall! (i) Why is Mum afraid? (ii) What does Dad think of himself? (iii) What did he do? (iv) Did Dad succeed with plan C? 26

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following poem and attempt the that the great drum of Osebo, the Leopard questions that follow: would make the ceremony truly magnificent. How doth the little busy bee Osebo was the most powerful animal on earth. Improve each shining hour, He would not willingly give up his great drum. And gather honey all the day Nyame reflected upon it, but he could not From every opening flower! imagine a way to get the drum. He arranged How skilfully she builds her cell! a meeting of all the animals and announced How neat she spreads the wax! that he needed the great drum of Osebo for And labors hard to store it well his mother’s funeral. The animals trembled With the sweet food she makes. with fear at the thought of challenging Osebo. In works of labor or of skill, Finally, Elephant said he would try to get the I would be busy too; drum, but he failed. Then Lion tried and failed. For Satan finds some mischief still Antelope, Crocodile, and Bear could not get For idle hands to do. the drum either. In books, or work, or healthful play, 2. When Turtle said, “I will get the drum,” the Let my first years be passed, other animals laughed at him. Turtle had a That I may give for every day soft back, and moved as slowly as he does Some good account at last. today. However, he was not at all worried 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: about the challenge. So, moving very slowly, The poet wonders how the __________ Turtle finally arrived at Leopard’s home. Osebo improves each __________ by gathering called out, “Have you come to try to steal my honey all the day from every __________. drum, too?” She skilfully builds __________, spreads 3. “No,” said Turtle, “but all this talk of drums __________, works hard to store it well and has increased my curiosity. I am to see just makes honey out of it. The poet aims to how great your drum is.” When Osebo showed remain busy too in __________. Otherwise Turtle his drum, Turtle accepted that it was, __________ will find some __________ for indeed, a great drum. Then he said, “But idle hands to do. The poet want to spend his Xiamen’s drum is larger. It is so large he can first years in __________ play and wishes crawl inside it.” to give some good account at the end of 4. Osebo objected in an aggressive voice, __________. claiming that his drum was certainly as large. 2. Answer the following questions in brief: To prove it, Osebo climbed inside. Once a. How does the bee spend the whole day? Osebo was inside the drum, Turtle plugged b. Why does the poet call the bee to be skilful? its opening. He then tied the drum to his back c. What does the bee gather from the every and slowly dragged it back to Nyame. The opening flower? animals were astonished at Turtle’s success. d. Why do you think the poet also aspires to 5. Turtle presented the drum to Nyame with be as busy as the bee? Osebo inside it. In exchange for his freedom, e. What does the poet want to achieve at the Osebo offered the drum to Nyame as a gift. As end of each day? he hurried away, Osebo felll into the Sky God’s 3. Find the words which mean the same as fire and scorched himself in many places, following leaving dark spots on his hide. As a reward, a. work hard b. devil Nyame offered Turtle anything he desired. c. people who do not do any work Fearing the other animals, Turtle asked for a hard cover to protect his back. And to this day, II. Read the following passage and attempt the the turtle always travels with a hard shell on questions that follow: its back. 1. When Nyame, the Sky God lost his mother, he wanted her funeral to a grand one. He knew 27

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrases from the passage. a. The other animals laughed at the turtle when he claimed to get the drum because he _______________ ________________________________ b. The animals when Nyame, the Sky God sought their help in getting Osebo’s drum. c. To prove that his drum was as large as Xiamen’s drum. 2. Answer the following questions in brief: a. How did Nyame, the Sky God intend to make his mother’s funeral ceremony, a grand occasion? b. What did Turtle say when Osebo showed Turtle his drum? c. What did the Turtle do when Osebo crawled inside his drum? d. How did Turtle get his hard shell? 3. Find the words which mean the same as following: a. Outstanding (paragraph 1) b. interest (paragraph 3) c. burnt (paragraph 5) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. You are Madhu of class 7 A of Sunrise Public School, Hyderabad. Write a letter of complaint to the Principal of your school against a classmate who tries to bully you. II. Write an essay describing the various advantages of habit of reading among the youngsters. Write your composition in 120-150 words giving appropriate arguments in favour of your topic. 28

8.1 Fire: Friend and Foe Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: The discovery of fire and its uses helped early man to cope with nature better and gradually adopt a settled mode of life. Fire is still worshipped in many parts of the world. Fire is indeed a friend but as we know, it can be a dangerous enemy once it gets out of control. (i) What helped early man to cope up with nature better? (ii) How had fire helped early man? (iii) What is still worshipped in many parts of the world? (iv) If fire is a friend, how can it be an enemy? (v) Give the meanings of the following words: a. discovery b. gradually Extract 2: The second way of putting out a fire is to prevent oxygen from reaching it. No supply of oxygen means no fire. Small fires can be put out or ‘smothered’ with a damp blanket or a sack. This stops oxygen reaching the burning material. Sometimes, carbon dioxide is used to extinguish fire. It does not allow oxygen to reach the burning material. The third way of putting out a fire is to remove the heat. If the temperature can be brought down below the flash point, the fuel stops burning. (i) What happens if we prevent oxygen from reaching the fire? (ii) How can we put out small fires? (iii) How does a sack help to put out small fires? (iv) How does carbon dioxide help to put out fire? (v) Pick out from the passage, words which mean the same as: a. suffocated b. put out 29

8.2 Meadow Surprises Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: Explore the meadow houses The burrows in the ground. A nest beneath tall grasses. The ant’s amazing mound. (i) Name the poem and the poet. (ii) What is there in the ground? (iii) Where is the nest? (iv) Whom does the amazing mound belong to? 30

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and attempt the and Irvine, the two men who had reached the questions that follow: highest point, lost their lives. Various other 1. In India, thousands of pilgrims go to the attempts have been made to conquer Everest mountain every year to visit famous temples. but without success. In the meantime, the School pupils and college students also climbers turned their attention to other peaks make expeditions to historical places in the like Nanda Devi and Kanchenjunga. mountains and have to do a good deal of 7. 1953 was the most glorious year in the history climbing to reach the top. They enjoy the of mountaineering. That year John Hunt led exercise immensely. But all this is far from his team and two of the climbers in the team, mountaineering in its true sense. Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, 2. Mountaineering in the modern sense has been set foot on the peak. The highest mountain defined as “the ascent of high mountains for peak in the world has been conquered, but sports and adventure.” However, churches, mountaineering goes on, in its true sense of monasteries and temples have been built sport and adventure. on high mountaintops for countless ages. 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrases Mountaineering for sport and adventure has from the passage. developed into a fine art in the nineteenth a. Pilgrims go to mountains to visit century. 3. The Swiss have always been expert mountain famous temples and school and college climbers, and some of their achievements students go to mountains to visit in the Alpine ranges have earned them _____________________________. admiration of the world. Other European b. Mountaineering in the modern nations have also not been slow and many sense has been defined as teams from England and elsewhere have been _________________________ going to the Swiss Alps year after year. c. During the 1924 expedition, 4. As might be expected, the great Himalayas ________________, the two men who had in India have presented a challenge of their reached the highest point, lost their lives. own to expert mountaineers throughout the 2. Answer the following questions in brief: world. They present far greater difficulties a. Who have been considered as expert and problems than the Alps. The climbers mountain climbers in the world? have to make their way through ice and snow, b. Mention any one difficulty which the great and across dangerous glaciers; snowstorms, Himalayas in India present than the Alps. blizzards and avalanches. Another difficulty c. What are the things which are essential is that the climbers have to carry supplies of to be carried during any mountaineering oxygen with them and the additional weight expedition? slows down their progress. d. Why is the year 1953 counted as the 5. Every expedition has to be planned very most glorious year in the history of carefully. The party must carry enough stock mountaineering? of woollen clothes, fur gloves and caps, food 3. Find the words which mean the same as supplies, medicines and other necessities. following: Nowadays, even cameras and scientific a. Greatly (paragraph 1) b.  powerful (paragraph instruments form part of the equipment. 5) 6. Many attempts have been made to conquer c. famous (paragraph 7) the mighty peaks of the Himalayas. In 1924, II. Read the following passage and attempt the an expedition came almost within reach questions that follow: of the summit of Mount Everest. Standing 1. Once, the boss visited Shamnath’s house on more than 29,000 feet above sea level, Mount his invitation. Shamnath and his wife made Everest is the highest peak in the world. an elaborate arrangement in their house to The 1924 expedition had to finally give up host the guests. The guest was to arrive in the as they could go no further on account of evening. The officer would be accompanied by terrible snowstorms and blizzards. Malory a few other people. When Shamnath finished 31

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) arranging everything for the reception of the guest, he faced one problem. It was his mother. Both the husband and wife thought of certain plans to avoid her during the officer’s visit. 2. The wife wanted to send the mother to the neighbour but the husband wanted the old mother not to be even seen in nearby vicinity. The mother was uneducated and she came from a rural background. She had no sophistication in the modern sense of the term but she was simple, tolerant and accommodating. 3. Shamnath wanted to exhibit a sense of upper class by serving dinner to his guests. The husband and the wife had a desire to hide all their odd things among which their mother is one. They treated the mother as an odd thing in the house and tried to put her out of sight of the guests. The mother, on the other hand, was very happy that some guests were going to be hosted by her son. Thus the story depicts the change in the attitudes of the two generations. 4. But the boss met the old mother by chance. He treated her with respect and politeness. The mother impressed the guest too by her simple and innocent manner. The odd thing was changed into a subject of interest. The story centres round an action which cannot be praised. The son and his wife presented a dinner party for the boss and friends hosted by Shamnaths. They tried to present an aristocratic and sophisticated atmosphere in their home to impress the guests. They worked to make their house look orderly and beautiful. But they neglected their mother in order to receive the guests. 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrases from the passage. a. Shamnath and his wife treated the mother ______________________ and tried to put _____________ ____________________ . b. The boss treated Shamnath’s mother with _______________________and the mother impressed him by her _______________________________. c. The odd thing is changed into a subject of interest. The odd thing here refers to ________. 2. Answer the following questions in brief: a. What is the problem faced by Shamnath and his wife during the reception of their guest and did they want to resolve it? b. Why weren’t Shamnath and his wife want the mother to be seen by the guests? c. What change in the attitudes of the two generations is depicted by the story? d. Describe the action which the author wants to criticise through his story. 3. Find the words which mean the same as following: a. Surrounding area (paragraph 2) b. displays (paragraph 3) c. cultured (paragraph 4) PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. Write a story beginning with the line: “By evening, Reena was running a high fever ...” II. You were late to school one day and was reprimanded by your school principal. Express your feelings in the form of a diary entry. 32

9.1 A Bicycle in Good Repair Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: He said: “This front wheel wobbles.” I said: “it doesn’t if you don’t wobble it. “ It didn’t wobble, as a matter of fact—nothing worth calling a wobble. He said: “This is dangerous; have you got a hammer?” I ought to have been firm but thought that perhaps he really did know something about the business. I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. When I came back, he was sitting on the ground with the front wheel between his legs. He was playing with it, twiddling it round between his fingers; the remnant of the machine was lying on the gravel path beside him. (i) Did the front wheel wobble? (ii) Why did the narrator say ‘I ought to have been firm? (iii) Why did the narrator go to the tool shed? (iv) What was the narrator’s friend doing when he returned from the shed? (v) Write the meanings of the given words: a. remnant b. wobbles Extract 2: I said, ‘Watching you do this is of real use to me. It is not only your skill that fascinates me it is your cheery confidence in yourself, your inexplicable hopefulness, that does me good.’ Thus encouraged, he set to work to refix the gear-case. He stood the bicycle against the house and worked from the offside. Then he stood it against a tree; and worked from the on side. Then I held it for him, while he lay on the ground with his head between the wheels and worked at it from below and dropped oil upon himself. Then he took it away from me and doubled himself across it till he lost his balance and slid over on to his head. (i) What does the narrator mention about his friend? (ii) What encouraged the narrator’s friend? (iii) To which game do the terms ‘offside’ and ‘on side’ refer? (iv) What dd the narrator’s friend drop upon himself? (v) What happened to the narrator’s friend when he doubled himself across the bicycle? 33

9.2 Garden Snake Reading Comprehension Extracts Extract 1: So when he wiggles in the grass I’ll stand aside and watch him pass. And tell myself. “There’s no mistake. It’s just a harmless garden snake! (i) Name the poem and the poet. (ii) Which line shows a complete change in the child’s attitude? (iii) What wiggles in the grass? (iv) What will the poet do the next time he sees a snake? 34

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passage) I. Read the following passage and attempt the uproot your kingdom, as you have uprooted questions that follow: this plant.” 1. Many years ago, a king ruled over a large 5. The prince understood the wise words of the kingdom. He was a pious king. He ruled wisely sage. He realized his mistakes and resolved and fairly. His kingdom was flourishing. His to mend his ways. He bowed down at the subjects were honest and kind and loved and sage’s feet and said, “O Holy one, from today respected the king. However, the king was not onwards, I will not give my father a cause happy. The cause of his unhappiness was his to worry. You have shown me a true path. I son, the future king of the kingdom. The prince shall try to become a just and kind king as my was brought up with great love and care. As father”. So from that day, the prince mended a result, he had turned into an ill-mannered his ways. He became a dutiful person who and irresponsible lad. He did not respect his ruled his kingdom fairly and wisely. father. Neither did he possess any quality 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate phrases that a prince should have. He was cruel to the from the passage. subjects and showed disrespect even to his a. The king wanted to teachers. The king was greatly worried about him. improve_______________, so he decided 2. Years passed and the prince showed no signs to take him to____________. of improvement. The king was growing old. b. One day, the sage called the prince and He worried about the future of his kingdom. asked him to _____________and eat them One day, he heard about a wise, old sage He because ______________. decided to take the prince to him. The sage c. Finally the prince _______________ asked the king to leave the prince under his and became a dutiful person care for some days. Leaving his son with the who_________________. sage, the king went back to his kingdom. 2. Answer the following questions in brief: 3. The sage observed the prince for a few days. a. How has the king been described in this One day, he called the prince to him and said, story? Mention any two traits of his. “Dear prince, the young ‘Neem’ plant that b. What were the characteristics of the prince you see over there, is full of wisdom. Please which were the cause of the king’s worry? go and pluck some of its leaves and eat them. c. What was the prince’s reaction after he ate You will then become as wise as your father. the neem leaves? Then you will not get any scolding from him d. The prince understood the wise words of and everybody will respect you as they respect the sage. What was the wisdom given by your father”. The prince obeyed the sage. He the sage to the prince? plucked some leaves. Hardly had he bit the 3. Find the words which mean the same as leaves that he started vomiting. He grew angry following: and said, “The leaves are very bitter. You told a. Prosperous (paragraph 1) me that they are full of wisdom. These leaves b. dig-up (paragraph 4) cannot contain any wisdom; I must destroy c. decided firmly (paragraph 5) the plant, so that no other person ever tastes it again”. So saying, the prince pulled out the II. Read the following poem and attempt the plant and threw it into the nearby river. questions that follow: 4. The sage smiled said, “Dear prince, you have When Mother reads aloud, the past destroyed this plant because it was bitter. Seems real as every day; Just think about the bitterness inside you. I hear the tramp of armies vast, walk noisily Your father is such a gentle and kind king. I see the spears and lances cast, Everybody loves and respect him. But he is I join the thrilling fray (fight); worried because he thinks that his kingdom Brave knights and ladies fair and proud will not flourish under you. You have made I meet when Mother reads aloud. more enemies than friends. You have no When Mother reads aloud, far lands sweetness in your voice. Your enemies will Seem very near and true; I cross the deserts’ gleaming sands, (shining) 35

PRACTICE SHEET - 1 (PS-1) Or hunt the jungle’s prowling bands, Or sail the ocean blue. Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud, I scale, when Mother reads aloud. (climb. When Mother reads aloud, I long For noble deeds to do... To help the right, redress the wrong; It seems so easy to be strong, So simple to be true. Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd (images) My eyes, when Mother reads aloud. 1. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words: When poet’s mother reads him the stories, the _______ seems real as every day. He is able to hear the tramp of _______vast, see the _______ and _______ cast. He is able to join the _______. He also meets the _______and _______, fair and _______. He goes to far _______. He crosses the deserts’ _______ sands or hunt the jungle’s _______or sail the _______. He scales the _______, whose peaks, the cold _______ shroud. The poet longs to do _______. He wants to help the _______, _______ the wrong. It seems so easy to be _______ and so _______ to be true. Lots of vision rush to his _______ when he listens to the stories read by his _______. 2. Answer the following questions in brief: a. In the line “The past seems real as every day”, how does the past seem real to the poet? b. Which far lands does the poet refer to in his poem? c. Explain the line “Far heights, whose peaks the cold mists shroud”. d. Mention any two noble deeds the poet longs to do when he hears the heroic tales from his mother. 3. Find the words which mean the same as following: a. Massive b. devil c. people who do not do any work PRACTICE SHEET - 2 (PS-2) Writing: I. You are Prakash Kumar of Class 7 A. Yesterday you spoke to your teacher in an offensive manner due to which she/he was hurt. Write an apology letter to your teacher with a promise that you will not repeat this ever. II. Write a short essay on Why Fast Food should be avoided in 120-150 words. 36