Important Announcement
PubHTML5 Scheduled Server Maintenance on (GMT) Sunday, June 26th, 2:00 am - 8:00 am.
PubHTML5 site will be inoperative during the times indicated!

Home Explore Functional English Grammar IX and X

Functional English Grammar IX and X

Published by Laxmi Publications (LP), 2022-12-27 09:02:40

Description: Functional English Grammar IX and X

Search

Read the Text Version

Comprehensive FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION

WIN A CASH AWARD OF ` 500.00 It has come to our notice that some booksellers are fraudulently selling fake/duplicate copies of some of our fast selling titles. In our sincere efforts to provide you with our genuine books and to protect you against these counterfeit books, Laxmi Publications (LP) has put a Hologram on the cover of some of its fast selling titles. The Hologram displays a unique 3D Litho, multi-level, multi-colour effect from different angles. It has the following eleven levels of flat graphics merged together. The 3D Depth artwork seems to be ‘under’ or ‘behind’ the Hologram and gives the illusion of depth unlike the fake Hologram on the fake/duplicate books. Presently, only some titles have got the Holograms. In this case, Comprehensive Functional English Grammar and Composition for Class IX & X has got the Hologram. If you or any of your friends ���anywhere in India/abroad any book of this Edition without the LP Hologram, he/she is requested to write to us at M/s LAXMI PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD., 113, Golden House, Gurudwara Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002, giving the name and address of the bookseller from where he/she purchased this book, together with the photocopy of the cover and the 4th page on which the name of the printer is printed, he/she will be sent a cash award of ` 500.00. How to decide if the book is genuine or fake? 1. The above information may or may not be printed. 2. The counterfeit edition of the book may have no LP Hologram or if it has, it will be without the illusionary depth as described above. What is the harm in purchasing duplicate books? — Poor quality of paper and printing which affects your eyes. — No royalty to authors who are scholars and have put their hard labour in writing the book, thus depriving them of their intellectual rights. Warning : Selling or buying pirated books is an offence. Legal action shall be taken against the bookseller(s) and student(s) or whoever found guilty of such an offence in any way.

Comprehensive FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION For Classes IX & X Based on the latest syllabus issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education by S.K. KHANDELWAL & R.K. GUPTA ★ READING ★ WRITING ★ GRAMMAR ★ LISTENING ★ SPEAKING LAXMI PUBLICATIONS (P) LTD (An ISO 9001:2015 Company) BENGALURU • CHENNAI • GUWAHATI • HYDERABAD • JALANDHAR KOCHI • KOLKATA • LUCKNOW • MUMBAI • RANCHI NEW DELHI

Comprehensive FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION—IX & X © by Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd. All rights reserved including those of translation into other languages. In accordance with the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, translated into any other languages or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise. Any such act or scanning, uploading, and or electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the copyright holder’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained from the publishers. Printed and bound in India Typeset at Excellent Graphics, Delhi ISBN 978-81-318-0845-0 Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties. The advice, strategies, and activities contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. In performing activities adult supervision must be sought. Likewise, common sense and care are essential to the conduct of any and all activities, whether described in this book or otherwise. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable or assumes any responsibility for any injuries or damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website if referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers must be aware that the Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. All trademarks, logos or any other mark such as USP, Amanda, Golden Bells, Firewall Media, Mercury, A-Cube, Laxmi appearing in this work are trademarks and intellectual property owned by or licensed to Laxmi Publications, its subsidiaries or affiliates. Notwithstanding this disclaimer, all other names and marks mentioned in this work are the trade names, trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. & Bengaluru 080-26 75 69 30 & Chennai 044-24 34 47 26 & Guwahati 0361-254 36 69 Branches & Hyderabad 040-27 55 53 83 & Jalandhar 0181-222 12 72 & Kochi 0484-405 13 03 & Kolkata 033-40 04 77 79 & Lucknow 0522-430 36 13 & Ranchi 0651-224 24 64 Published in India by C— Printed at: R.K. Printers, Delhi Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd. (An ISO 9001:2015 Company) 113, GOLDEN HOUSE, GURUDWARA ROAD DARYAGANJ, NEW DELHI - 110002, INDIA Telephone: 91-11-4353 2500, 4353 2501 www.laxmipublications.com [email protected]

Contents Preface Pages Syllabus ... (vii) ... (viii–xiv) PART A 2 READING SKILLS 3–52 (1–86) ... 3 How to Attempt Comprehension ... 22 53–86 Part A: Discursive Passages ... 53 ... 68 •  Type I (Passages 1 to 6)    For Practice (Passages 7 to 18) ... 87 Part B: Case-Based Passages ... 138 ... 148 •  Type II (Passages 1 to 6) ... 163    For Practice (Passages 7 to 14) ... 172 ... 182 PART B ... 188 WRITING ... 210 (87–208) ... 215 ... 223 1. Letter Writing ... 248 2. E-mail ... 272 3. Stories ... 297 4. Diary Entries ... 306 ... 334 5. Descriptive Paragraphs (Person/Place/Event/Situation) ... 362 6. Speeches 7. Analytical Paragraphs PART C FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR (209–430) 1. The Sentence 2. The Verb 3. Tenses 4. Modals 5. Active and Passive Voice 6. Subject–Verb Concord 7. Reported Speech 8. Clauses and Their Functions 9. Determiners and Articles (v)

(vi) ... 386 ... 404 10. The Preposition ... 417 11. Transformation of Sentences 12. Dialogue Writing ... 432 ... 439 INTEGRATED EXERCISES ... 446 (431–466) ... 452 ... 457 1. Gap Filling ... 460 2. Sentences Reordering 3. Editing—Errors 4. Editing—Omissions 5. Editing—Short Paragraphs 6. Sentence Transformation Assessment of Speaking and Listening 467–498

Preface The authors and the publishers are delighted to present the new edition of Functional English Grammar and Composition. It is an opportunity for them to thank the teachers and the students who have so well received the book that a new edition is being published in such a short time. What is it that makes this book so unique ? In fact, the same topics have been discussed in a few other books also. It is the simple and methodical nature in which these topics have been presented. As a result, I am sure, you will find each sentence in the composition section as short and simple as it can possibly be and it is what the students find so unique and helpful. You will find the same style throughout the book. It will help the students learn the subject even without the outside help. Each aspect of English Grammar has been dealt in great detail. Yet while doing so, the importance of examination has been kept in mind. So every chapter contains questions that have been asked and are likely to be asked in the examination papers. The grammar section has been followed by the integrated exercises so that students can test their total understanding of grammar in each question. In the end, seven practice papers on grammar are given. Two papers are solved and the rest are for practice. Too much reading of grammar alone can be sometimes not very interesting. The book, therefore, begins with chapters on Reading and Writing. Reading section has been divided in two parts namely—Discursive and Case-based. It is hoped that it will be more useful for the teachers and the students. The writing section has also been revised and improved. It need not be said that these two are equally important from examination point of view. The suggestions for the further improvement of the book will be thankfully received. —AUTHORS (vii)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Code No. 184) SYLLABUS (2022–23) CLASS–IX SECTION WISE WEIGHTAGE Sections A Reading Skills (40 periods) B Writing Skills with Grammar (40 periods) C Literature Textbooks and Supplementary Reading Text (50 periods) Section A Reading Skills Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage 20 Marks I. Discursive passage of 400-450 words (10 marks) II. Case-based passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 200-250 words (10 marks) (Total length of two passages to be 600-700 words) Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked to assess inference, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and vocabulary Section B III. Grammar 10 Marks • Tenses • Modals • Subject – verb concord • Reported speech o Commands and requests o Statements o Questions • Determiners The courses at the secondary level seek to cement high professional grasp of grammatical items and levels of accuracy. Accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed through Gap Filling/ Editing/Transformation exercises. Ten out of 12 questions will be attempted. (viii)

(ix) IV. Creative Writing Skills 10 Marks This section will have short as well as long writing tasks including compositions. I. Writing a Descriptive Paragraph (word limit 100-120 words) on a person/event/ situation based on visual or verbal cue/s. One out of two questions is to be answered 5 marks II. Writing a Diary Entry/Story on a given title in 100-120 words. One out of two ques- tions is to be answered 5 marks Section C V. Reference to the Context 40 Marks I. One extract out of two from Drama / Prose II. One extract out of two from Poetry (5 + 5 = 10 Marks) VI. Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked to assess inference, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and vocabulary. Short & Long Answer Questions I. Four out of Five Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words from the book BEEHIVE 4 × 3 = 12 marks II. Two out of Three Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words from the book MOMENTS 3 × 2 = 6 marks III. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from BEEHIVE to be answered in about 100-120 words to assess creativity, imagination and extrapolation beyond the text and across the texts. This can also be a passage-based question taken from a situation/ plot from the texts. 6 marks IV. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from MOMENTS on theme or plot involving interpretation, extrapolation beyond the text and inference or character sketch to be answered in about 100-120 words 6 marks Prescribed Books: Published by NCERT, New Delhi BEEHIVE Prose 1. The Fun They Had 2. The Sound of Music 3. The Little Girl 4. A Truly Beautiful Mind 5. The Snake and the Mirror 6. My Childhood 7. Reach for the Top 8. Kathmandu 9. If I Were You Poems 1. The Road Not Taken 2. Wind 3. Rain on the Roof 4. The Lake Isle of Innisfree 5. A Legend of the Northland

(x) 6. No Men Are Foreign 7. On Killing a Tree 8. A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal MOMENTS 1. The Lost Child 2. The Adventures of Toto 3. Iswaran the Storyteller 4. In the Kingdom of Fools 5. The Happy Prince 6. The Last Leaf 7. A House Is Not a Home 8. The Beggar 3. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS – II (WORKBOOK FOR CLASS X) – Units 1 to 6 and Units 8, 10 & 11 • NOTE: Teachers are advised to: (i) encourage classroom interaction among peers, students and teachers through activi- ties such as role play, group work etc. (ii) reduce teacher-talk time and keep it to the minimum, (iii) take up questions for discussion to encourage pupils to participate and to marshal their ideas and express and defend their views. Besides measuring learning outcome, texts serve the dual purpose of diagnosing mistakes and areas of non-learning. To make evaluation a true index of learners’ knowledge, each language skill is to be assessed through a judicious mixture of different types of questions. INTERNAL ASSESSMENT Listening and Speaking Competencies 30 Periods Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills will be for 05 marks. It is recommended that listening and speaking skills should be regularly practiced. Art-integrated projects based on activities like Role Play, Skit, Dramatization etc. must be used. Please refer to the Circular no. Acad-33/2020 dated 14th May 2020 at the http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2020/33_Circular_2020.pdf for details. Guidelines for the Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills are given at Annexure I. Note from the Publisher: Students have to consult the respective syllabus for the other information.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Code No. 184) SYLLABUS (2022–23) CLASS–X SECTION WISE WEIGHTAGE Sections A Reading Skills (40 periods) B Writing Skills with Grammar (40 periods) C Literature Textbooks and Supplementary Reading Text (50 periods) Section A Reading Skills Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage 20 Marks I. Discursive passage of 400-450 words (10 marks) II. Case-based passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 200-250 words (10 marks) (Total length of two passages to be 600-700 words) Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked to assess inference, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and vocabulary. Section B III. Grammar 10 Marks • Tenses • Modals • Subject – verb concord • Reported speech o Commands and requests o Statements o Questions • Determiners The courses at the secondary level seek to cement high professional grasp of grammatical items and levels of accuracy. Accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed through Gap Filling/ Editing/Transformation exercises. Ten out of 12 questions will be attempted. (xi)

(xii) IV. Creative Writing Skills 10 Marks This section will have short as well as long writing tasks including compositions. I. Writing a Descriptive Paragraph (word limit 100-120 words) on a person/event/ situation based on visual or verbal cue/s. One out of two questions is to be answered 5 marks II. Writing a Diary Entry/Story on a given title in 100-120 words. One out of two questions is to be answered 5 marks Section C 40 Marks V. Reference to the Context I. One extract out of two from Drama / Prose. II. One extract out of two from poetry. (5 + 5 = 10 Marks) Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked to assess inference, analysis, interpretation, evaluation and vocabulary. VI. Short & Very Long Answer Questions 30 Marks I. Four out of Five Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words from the book FIRST FLIGHT 4 × 3 = 12 marks II. Two out of Three Short Answer Type Questions to be answered in 40-50 words each from FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET 2 × 3 = 6 marks III. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from FIRST FLIGHT to be answered in about 100-120 words each to assess creativity, imagination and extrapolation beyond the text and across the texts. This can be a passage-based question taken from a situation/plot from the texts. 6 marks IV. One out of two Long Answer Type Questions from FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET on theme or plot involving interpretation, extrapolation beyond the text and inference or character sketch to be answered in about 100-120 words. 6 marks Prescribed Books: Published by NCERT, New Delhi FIRST FLIGHT Prose 1. A Letter to God 2. Nelson Mandela — Long Walk to Freedom 3. Two Stories about Flying 4. From the Diary of Anne Frank 5. Glimpses of India 6. Mijbil the Otter 7. Madam Rides the Bus 8. The Sermon at Benares 9. The Proposal (Play) Poems 1. Dust of Snow 2. Fire and Ice 3. A Tiger in the Zoo 4. How to Tell Wild Animals 5. The Ball Poem

(xiii) 6. Amanda! 7. The Trees 8. Fog 9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon 10. For Anne Gregory FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET 1. A Triumph of Surgery 2. The Thief's Story 3. The Midnight Visitor 4. A Question of Trust 5. Footprints without Feet 6. The Making of a Scientist 7. The Necklace 8. Bholi 9. The Book That Saved the Earth 3. WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS – II (WORKBOOK FOR CLASS X) – Units 1 to 4 and Units 7 to 11 Note: Teachers are advised to: (i) encourage interaction among peers, students and teachers through activities such as role play, discussions, group work etc. (ii) reduce teacher-talking time and keep it to the minimum, (iii) take up questions for discussion to encourage pupils to participate and to marshal their ideas and express and defend their views, and (iv) follow the Speaking and Listening activities given in the NCERT books. Besides measuring learning outcome, texts serve the dual purpose of diagnosing mistakes and areas of non-learning. To make evaluation a true index of learners’ knowledge, each language skill is to be assessed through a judicious mixture of different types of questions. INTERNAL ASSESSMENT Listening and Speaking Competencies 30 Periods Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills will be for 05 marks. It is recommended that listening and speaking skills should be regularly practiced. Art-integrated projects based on activities like Role Play, Skit, Dramatization etc. must be used. Please refer to the Circular no. Acad-33/2020 dated 14th May 2020 at the http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2020/33_Circular_2020.pdf for details. Note from the Publisher: Students have to consult the respective syllabus for the other information.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Code No. 184) Class-IX (2022-23) Marks: 80 Sections Competencies Total marks Reading Comprehension Conceptual understanding, decoding, analyzing, 20 inferring, interpreting and vocabulary Writing Skills and Grammar Creative expression of an opinion, reasoning, justifying, illustrating, appropriacy of style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency. 20 Applying conventions, using integrated structures accuracy and fluency Language through Literature Recalling, reasoning, appreciating, applying literary conventions illustrating and justifying etc. Extract relevant information, identifying the central theme 40 and sub-theme, understanding the writers’ message and writing fluently. Total 80 For the details of Internal Assessment of 20 marks, please refer to the circular no. Acad-11/2019, dated March 06, 2019. ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (Code No. 184) Class-X (2022-23) Marks: 80 Sections Competencies Total marks Reading Comprehension Conceptual understanding, decoding, analyzing, 20 inferring, interpreting and vocabulary Writing Skills and Grammar Creative expression of an opinion, reasoning, justifying, illustrating, appropriacy of style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency. 20 Applying conventions, using integrated structures accuracy and fluency Language through Literature Recalling, reasoning, appreciating, applying literary conventions illustrating and justifying etc. Extract relevant information, identifying the central theme 40 and sub-theme, understanding the writers’ message and writing fluently. Total 80 For the details of Internal Assessment of 20 marks, please refer to the circular no. Acad-11/2019, dated March 06, 2019. (xiv)

SECTION A: READING SKILLS

How to Attempt Comprehension A passage of comprehension puts to test your reading as well as writing skills. Step 1 As you start reading a passage, you are likely to come across new words. Do not be frightened. Try to guess the meaning with the help of context and move ahead. Read the complete passage. Spend a minute thinking about what you have read. Step 2 Now read the questions one by one. Step 3 You will find that generally the answer to the first question will be in the first few lines. After that the next few lines will help you get the answer of the second question and so on. Underline those lines where you have found the answer. Step 4 As far as possible write your answers in your own words. It does not mean that you cannot borrow the words from the passage. It only means that as far as possible; do not copy the whole sentences. However, it is better to write even the whole sentences borrowed from the passage than not to write at all. In case of MCQs, find out the most appropriate answer and write it in your answer sheet. Step 5 If you do not know the answer to the questions on vocabulary, try to get their meaning from the context in the passage. • CBSE frequently changes types of questions to be asked in Reading Section. • Students are advised to consult the latest syllabus prescribed by the CBSE, for a proper study. 2

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES TYPE I Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow. PASSAGE 1 1. Everybody wants to succeed in life. For some, success means achieving whatever they desire or dream. For many it is the name, fame and social position. Whatever be the meaning of success, it is success which makes a man popular. 2. All great men have been successful. They are remembered for their great achievements. But it is certain that success comes to those who are sincere, hardworking, loyal and committed to their goals. 3. Success has been man’s greatest motivation. It is very important for all. Success has a great effect on life. It brings pleasure and pride. It gives a sense of fulfilment. It means all-around development. Everybody hopes to be successful in life. But success smiles on those who have a proper approach, planning, vision and stamina. A proper and timely application of all these things is bound to bear fruit. One cannot be successful without cultivating these certain basic things in life. It is very difficult to set out on a journey without knowing one’s goals and purposes. Clarity of the objective is a must to succeed in life. A focused approach with proper planning is certain to bring success. Indecision and insincerity are big obstacles on the path to success. 4. One should have the capability, capacity and resources to turn one’s dreams into reality. Mere desire cannot bring you success. The desire should be weighed against factors like capability and resources. This is the basic requirement of success. The next important thing is the eagerness, seriousness and the urge to be successful. It is the driving force which decides the success. It is the first step on the ladder of success. 5. One needs to pursue one’s goals with all one’s sincerity and passion. One should always be in high spirit. Lack of such spirit leads to an inferiority complex which is a big obstruction on the path to success. Time is also a deciding factor. Only the punctual and committed have succeeded in life. Lives of great men are examples of this. They had all these qualities in plenty which helped them rise to the peak of success. 3

4 READING SKILLS 6. Hard labour is one of the basic requirements of success. There is no substitute for hard labour. It alone can take one to the peak of success. Every success has a ratio of five percent inspiration and ninety-five percent perspiration. It is the patience, persistence and perseverance which play a decisive role in achieving success. Failures are the pillars of success as they are our stepping-stones and we must get up and start again and be motivated. (444 words) (CBSE 2018) Word-Notes: Achieving—getting. Sincere—honest. Loyal—faithful. Committed—pledged. Motivation—incentive. Fulfilment—accomplishment/ completion/satisfaction. Vision—idea in mind. Stamina—strength/vitality. Application—use. Bound—certain. Cultivating—developing. Certain—some. Focused—with all attention directed. Indecision—hesitation. Resources— means. Urge—desire. Ladder—stairs. Pursue—chase. Passion—emotion. Inferiority—smallness. Complex—mental state. Plenty—large quantity. Substitute—alternative. Inspiration—motivation. Perspiration—hard work. Persistence—determination. Perseverance—constancy. Pillars—columns. Set I 1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer any four of the following questions in 30–40 words each: (a) To whom does success come certainly? (b) What are the basic things in life we need to achieve success? (c) What did great men have in plenty to rise to the peak of success? Give any two examples. (d) What is the one basic requirement of success? (e) Explain: “Failures are the pillars of success.” 2. On the basis of your reading of the passage, fill in any two of the following blanks with appropriate words/phrase: (a) ______ plays a decisive role in achieving success. (b) Goals have to be pursued with ______ and ______. (c) Ratio of success is ______ inspiration. 3. Choose the correct option: (a) The word ‘stamina’ in para 3 means the same as (i) motivation (ii) development (iii) endurance (iv) pride (b) The word ‘factors’ in para 4 means the same as (i) agents (ii) brokers (iii) qualities (iv) stewards

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 5 Answers 1. (a) Success comes certainly to those who are sincere, hardworking, loyal and committed to their goals. (b) Basic things that we need to achieve success in life are—proper approach, planning, vision and stamina. A proper and timely application of these things is sure to bring success. (c) There are three things which the great men who rise to the peak of success have in plenty. These are—sincerity, passion and a high spirit. Mahatma Gandhi and Narendra Modi are two shining examples of this. (d) Hard work is the one basic requirement of success. (e) Failures are pillars of success. It is so because the failures indicate our shortcomings and mistakes. When we rid ourselves of these things, we achieve success. It is, therefore, right to say that failures are the pillars of success. 2. (a) Hard work (b) sincerity; passion (c) ninety-five percent perspiration and five percent 3. (a) (iii) endurance (b) (iii) qualities Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. What is that everybody likes to have in life? (a) Sincerity (b) Vision (c) Hard work (d) Success 2. What is the best thing that the success gives to its achiever? (a) Popularity (b) Fame (c) Motivation (d) Position 3. What is the most important thing we need for being successful? (a) Pleasure and pride (b) A proper approach (c) Clarity of aim (d) Capacity and resources 4. What do we need most to turn our dreams into reality? (a) Desire (b) Capacity (c) Sincerity (d) Hard work 5. What, according to the author, is the greatest requirement for success? (a) Hard work (b) Punctuality (c) Commitment (d) Inspiration 6. The greatest hurdles on way to success are (a) failures (b) indecisions (c) low spirits (d) poverty Answers 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (c) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (b)

6 READING SKILLS Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. Whatever be a man’s reason for trying to succeed, one thing is certain. Successful men become _________. 2. Success which brings pleasure and pride, has always been a great _________ force in the lives of the successful. 3. Urge to be successful is not enough. It must be accompanied with a proper _________. 4. Punctuality and commitment are the two __________ for getting success. Complete the following: 5. Fame: famous : : Popularity: _________ 6. Loyal: loyalty : : Successful: _________ 7. Application: apply : : Cultivation: _________ 8. Reality: real : : Capability: _________ 1. popular Answers 3. plan 2. motivating / inspiring 5. popular 4. great / essential qualities 7. cultivate 6. success 8. capable PASSAGE 2 It is an indisputable fact that the world has gone too far with the innovation of new technologies such as mobile phones, the internet and so on, due to which people are able to tour the cosmos virtually sitting at one place using their smart devices or other technological gadgets. Though mobile internet access is oftentimes hurried and short, it can still provide common internet features like alerts, weather data, emails, search engines, instant messages, and game and music downloading. Due to the easy access of smart phones, communication has been very effective and instant. People are able to convey their message all around the globe to their loved ones without spending hefty sums of money. Adults are always fond of such gadgets and they always welcome and adopt such new technology readily. Further, young people have been able to broaden their minds and improve their skills by doing research on the Internet. For instance, they use smart phones to look up any new word they come across. As we know that most of the universities

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 7 have online teaching provision and smart phones assist the students to complete their assignments on time. The mobile phone has been a lifesaver for a lot of people in case of an emergency. Likewise, use of smart phones can be of vital importance in preventing crimes in the society by providing information to the security forces in time. Nonetheless, for the young the use of mobile phone can be like an addiction and they can misuse it. Young people are also prone to getting involved in undesirable activities on the Internet. This might have adverse effect on their academic performance. Therefore, young people should always be monitored and made aware of its bad outcomes. Also a major contributor to its popularity is the availability of prepaid or pay as you go services from a phone shop or an online store. This allows subscribers to load text or airtime credits to their handsets by the use of their credit cards, debit cards or by buying a prepaid card from the network they subscribe to. This plan also doesn’t commit a particular customer to a contract. If prepaid card is not that appealing to you, then you can opt to subscribe using the pay by month plan. (381 words) (CBSE 2018) Word-Notes: Indisputable—undeniable. Innovation—invention. Cosmos— universe. Virtually—(computing) by the use of computer software that makes something appear to exist using virtual/reality technology. Gadgets—tools. Effective—forceful. Instant—quick. Hefty sums—much amount. Adopt— accept. Provision—facility. Assignments—the assigned task. Providing— giving. Addiction—the condition of being unable to stop or check oneself from doing something. Prone—apt/tending. Adverse—bad. Outcomes—results. Set I 1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer ANY FOUR of the following questions in 30–40 words each: (a) How are smart phones helpful in communication? (b) What are the benefits of mobile phones for the young generation? (c) How can mobile phones be considered lifesavers? (d) Mention any two demerits of mobile phones. (e) How is a prepaid card useful to mobile phone users? 2. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer ANY FOUR of the following: (a) In para 1, synonym of ‘innovation’ is ______. (i) production (ii) sincerity (iii) invention (iv) prevention

8 READING SKILLS (b) Mobile internet can provide access to: (i) telegram (ii) emails (iii) schools (iv) university (c) Grown-ups should ______ the use of new technology by the young people. (i) reject (ii) criticise (iii) monitor (iv) accept (d) Meaning of the word ‘adverse’ in para 4 is: (i) positive (ii) negative (iii) admirable (iv) unguided (e) According to the passage, one can opt for ______ plan if prepaid plan doesn’t suit. (i) yearly (ii) weekly (iii) monthly (iv) daily Answers 1. (a) Smart phones have made the communication effective and instant. People today are able to communicate with their friends and relatives all around the globe at a low cost. (b) Young generation has found their mobile phones very useful. It helps them to improve their knowledge and skills. Most of the universities have online teaching provision. The young get these lessons on their mobile phones and complete their assignments. (c) Mobile phones can be lifesavers in an emergent situation. In emergency when there is no help, we can call our friends and police. (d) Addiction of anything is bad and mobile phones are no exception. The young may misuse it. Sometimes, they get involved in undesirable activities on the internet. Then, because of this addiction the academic performance suffers. (e) A prepaid card allows a customer to load text or airtime credit to his handset by the use of his credit card, debit card or by buying a prepaid card from the network he subscribes to. 2. (a) (iii) invention (b) (ii) emails (c) (iii) monitor (d) (ii) negative (e) (iii) monthly Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. Mobile phone is a product of ____________. (a) internet (b) virtual conferences (c) the cosmos (d) new technology 2. Music downloading has been made possible because of ____________. (a) alerts (b) emails (c) internet (d) search engines

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 9 3. An indisputable fact is that ____________. (a) people like new innovation (b) everyone loves to tour cosmos virtually (c) mobile phones have made communication easy and cheap (d) all universities have online teaching provisions 4. Which of the following groups adopts the new technology first? (a) Adults (b) Students (c) The young (d) Universities 5. Students are helped in doing research by ____________. (a) phones (b) the internet (c) online teaching (d) assignments 6. How can smart phones help the police? (a) The criminals use mobile phones. (b) The police can catch the criminals by their phones. (c) People can inform police about the criminals on their phone. (d) Mobile phones themselves get vital information about the criminals. Answers 1. (d) 2. (c) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (c) Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. Communication has become quick because of ____________. 2. Virtual ____________ means seeing places with the help of some technological gadgets sitting at home. 3. Mobile phones can be ____________ by the young. 4. ____________ service is very popular with the mobile phone users. Complete the blanks 5-8 in the same way as given below: Example: Technology: technological 5. Ability : ____________ 6. Hurry : ____________ 7. Gadget : ____________ 8. Ease : ____________ 1. mobiles Answers 3. misused 2. tour 5. able 4. Prepaid 7. gadgetry 6. hurried 8. easy

10 READING SKILLS PASSAGE 3 ROCK CLIMBING (1) Rock climbing is a fascinating adventure sport today and first gained popularity in the UK, Europe and later in India. Rocks and mountains always pose a challenge to the human sense of adventure and rock climbing is mastering the techniques of climbing on exposed rocks of any height and gradient. It is an independent mountain sport activity as well as an important part of mountaineering. In mountaineering history, the first record of climbing says that Antoine de Ville led a team of climbers to Mt. Aiguille (6,228 ft.) in the Alps in 1492. Thereafter, a few more climbing records are found between the 16th and 18th centuries. But rock climbing as an activity began more or less at the beginning of the 9th century in the Alps and then spread to other European countries and was later started in India by the British. (2) One can gain confidence, personal satisfaction, immense pleasure and develop tremendous physical and mental stamina, endurance and will power through this sport. There is no age bar or special qualification for rock climbing but it requires basic physical fitness, knowledge of techniques or guidance of a trained/experienced climber/instructor and good equipment for safety. (3) Today, advanced climbing techniques and better climbing paraphernalia have been introduced. Rock climbing gained popularity as one of the weekend outdoor activities in the country after the first successful expedition to Mt. Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Many government and private training adventure clubs/youth organisations sprang up all over the country to promote outdoor activities. Nowadays, rock climbing is popular in educational institutions too for character building of the youngsters. (4) The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF), the mountaineering headquarters of India based in New Delhi, took birth in 1958 with the aim to coordinate mountaineering and trekking activities, organise and support expeditions and supervise the functioning of the mountaineering institutions in the country. The IMF has played a major role in promoting mountaineering and climbing activities in the country. Recently, different state tourism departments and corporations also initiated a plan to make adventure tourism a big money-spinner by including this activity. (5) India has vast potential in rock climbing and other adventure activities like heli-skiing, river rafting, paragliding, mountain biking, kayaking and trekking to suit everyone’s interests.

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 11 (6) Mighty Himalayas, Aravalli Mountains, Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats, Vindhya Hills and Chhota Nagpur hills are excellent venues for such adventure activities. (403 words) (CBSE 2017) Word-Notes: Fascinating—attractive. Gained—got. Gradient—ascent or descent/slope. Immense—great. Tremendous—very high. Endurance—the capacity to suffer. Paraphernalia—equipment. Initiated—started. Money- spinner—money producer. Vast—high/great. Potential—possibility/promise. Set I On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions: 1. Short Answer Questions: (a) When did rock climbing begin as an independent adventure activity and who introduced it in India? (b) What are some of the prerequisites and benefits of rock climbing? (c) How did Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing’s conquest of Mt. Everest promote rock climbing as a sport? (d) What are the three major aims of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF)? 2. Choose the correct option: (a) The word in paragraph 1, which is opposite of ‘boring’, is (i) adventure (ii) challenge (iii) fascinating (iv) sport (b) The word in paragraph 2, which means the same as ‘great’ or ‘endless’, is (i) immense (ii) satisfaction (iii) climber (iv) safety (c) The word in paragraph 3, which means the same as ‘equipment’, in an activity is (i) technique (ii) paraphernalia (iii) organisations (iv) institutions (d) The phrase in paragraph 4, which means ‘something that brings a lot of profit’, is (i) foundation (ii) activities (iii) corporations (iv) money-spinner Answers 1. (a) Rock climbing began as an independent adventure activity at the beginning of the 9th century in the Alps. In India the British started it. (b) The prerequisites of rock climbing are basic physical fitness, knowledge of techniques or the guidance of an expert instructor.

12 READING SKILLS The benefits of rock climbing are the gain of confidence and immense pleasure. This sport develops great physical and mental stamina. (c) The conquest of Mt. Everest made rock climbing popular as one of the week- end outdoor activities. Many government and private training centres sprang to promote rock climbing. (d) The three aims of IMF are—to coordinate mountaineering and trekking activities, to organise and support expeditions and to supervise the functioning of the mountaineering institutions in the country. 2. (a) (iii) fascinating (b) (i) immense (c) (ii) paraphernalia (d) (iv) money-spinner Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. When did rock climbing begin as an activity? (a) 1492 (b) 16th century (c) 18th century (d) 9th century 2. Who started rock climbing activity in India? (a) The British (b) Antorian de Ville (c) IMF (d) Sherpa Tenzing 3. The credit for popularising the outdoor activities in India goes to __________. (a) Antoine de Ville (b) Conquest of the Alps (c) Conquests of Everest (d) Conquest of the Alps 4. Students are also taught rock climbing for __________. (a) personal satisfaction (b) stamina building (c) character building (d) pleasure 5. Where are the headquarters of IMF? (a) Europe (b) Italy (c) Chhota Nagpur (d) Delhi 6. What is the additional benefit of modern day adventure tourism? (a) Stamina (b) Money (c) Pleasure (d) Confidence. Answers 1. (d) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (b)

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 13 Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. Rock climbing as a sport became popular in ____________ and ____________ before it became popular in India. 2. People of any age with good ____________ and ____________ stamina can enjoy rock climbing. 3. It was after 1953 that common people become interested in ____________. 4. It was in the year 1958 that ____________ was established. Complete the following: 5. Climbing: climb : : Fascinating: ____________. 6. Height: high : : Activity: ____________. 7. Advanced: advancement : : Introduced: __________. 8. Indian: India : : English: ____________. 1. UK, Europe Answers 3. rock climbing 2. physical, mental 5. fascinate 4. IMF 7. introduction 6. active 8. England PASSAGE 4 1. Anger is usually defined as a strong feeling of hostility, displeasure, indignation, rage or annoyance. It is an emotional state that is accompanied by physiological and biological changes including an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as increase in the levels of one’s energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. An angry mind often loses its capacity to think properly. 2. Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (such as a co-worker or classmate) or event (a traffic jam, a cancelled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings. 3. Anger in a limited quantity is considered to be good as it gives one an opportunity to unleash negative feelings. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats. A certain amount of anger is needed to fight, defend and justify ourselves in society. Hence anger in small quantities is needed for our survival,

14 READING SKILLS like it is justified to get angry when one feels that one’s rights have been denied. But excessive anger can lead to destructive results including violent actions. 4. Anger can range anywhere from mild irritation to wild, uncontrollable fury. Anger leads people to behave in an impulsive and rash manner which in turn can lead to strained relationships in the public as well as private sphere. 5. One of the most commonly used anger management methods includes breathing exercises. A number of anger management courses are available nowadays to help one control one’s anger. It always helps to have someone from whom one can seek help and talk. It is important to learn how to express one’s anger assertively rather than aggressively. One can also substitute the thought that makes one angry with more pleasant thoughts. Nowadays mental health professionals and psychologists are also available to help people control their anger. (325 words) (CBSE 2017) Word-Notes: Hostility—enmity. Indignation—strong displeasure. Rage— violent anger. Annoyance—bother. Physiological—pertaining to physiology (the scientific study of the normal functions of living beings). Adrenaline—a substance produced in the body when you are angry, afraid or excited. It makes the heart beat faster and increases your energy. Noradrenaline—a neurotransmitter that is similar to epinephrine, acts to constrict blood vessels and dilate bronchi and is used especially in medical emergencies to increase blood pressure. Brooding—thinking. Trigger—start. Unleash—to let a strong force, emotion etc. Adaptive—able to change when necessary. Excessive—very much. Strained—stretched. Sphere—area. Assertively—positively. Aggressively—in attacking manner. Set I 1. Based on your reading of the passage, answer the following questions: (a) What are the effects of anger on our body and mind? (b) What are the causes of angry feelings? Write any four. (c) Why is anger in a limited quantity good? Give two reasons. (d) Write a few lines on the range or types of anger. 2. Choose the correct option: (a) The word in the passage which means the same as ‘enmity’ is (i) hostility (ii) anger (iii) rage (iv) hormones (b) The word which means ‘particular’ in the passage is (i) coworker (ii) brooding (iii) traumatic (iv) specific

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 15 (c) The word in the passage which means the opposite of ‘strong’ is (i) normal (ii) excessive (iii) mild (iv) violent (d) The word in the passage means the opposite of ‘calmness’ is (i) exercise (ii) violent (iii) anger (iv) courses Answers 1. (a) Anger has adverse effects on both body and mind. It causes physiological and biological changes. It increases heart rate and blood pressure as also levels of our energy hormones. It makes our mind indignant and violent. (b) Angry feelings can be caused by both external and internal events. They can be caused by a person or an event. Worry about personal problems or brooding over the enraging events of the past can cause them. Strained relationships can also cause anger. (c) Anger in limited quantity can help us to unleash negative feelings. It may help us fight, defend and justify ourselves in society. Thus it is needed for our survival. It is right to feel angry when our rights are denied to us. (d) Anger can range anywhere from mild to wild. It can be irritation, displeasure, indignation, annoyance, wrath or wild fury. 2. (a) (i) hostility (b) (iv) specific (c) (iii) mild (d) (iii) anger Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. What causes an adverse change in our physiology and biology at the same time? (a) Anger (b) Hospitality (c) Displeasure (d) Indignation 2. Heart rate and blood pressure increase because of __________. (a) adrenaline (b) noradrenaline (c) hormones (d) anger 3. A co-worker, a classmate, a traffic jam and a cancelled flight are the examples of __________. (a) an internal event (b) an external event (c) a biological change (d) a physiological change 4. Troublesome old memories which cause anger are the examples of __________. (a) blood-pressure (b) a specific person (c) internal events (d) a co-worker 5. Anger in small quantities can be __________. (a) good (b) traumatic (c) enraging (d) destructive

16 READING SKILLS 6. What causes the violence? (b) Anger in limited quantity (a) Negative feelings (d) The threat to our rights. (c) Great anger Answers 1. (a) 2. (d) 3. (b) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (c) Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. We lose our capability to think properly when we are ____________. 2. Anger causes an ____________ in energy hormones. 3. It is natural to be angry when our rights are __________ to us. 4. Impulsive and rash behaviour is generally a result of __________. Complete the following: 5. Usually: usual : : Commonly: __________. 6. Defined: definition : : Caused: __________. 7. Flight: fly : : Annoyance: __________. 8. Negative: negate : : Destructive: __________. 1. angry Answers 3. denied 2. increase 5. common 4. anger/fury 7. annoy 6. cause 8. destroy PASSAGE 5 1 During our growing up years we as children were taught—both at home and school—to worship the photos and idols of the gods of our respective religions. When we grew a little older, we were to read holy books like the Bhagwad Gita, the Bible and the Quran; we were told that there are a lot of life lessons to be learnt from these holy books. We were then introduced to stories from our mythologies which taught us about ethics and morality—what is good and what is bad. I also learnt to be respectful towards my parents who made my life comfortable with their hard work and love and care, and my teachers who guided me to become a good student and responsible citizen. 2 Much later in life, I realised that though we learn much from our respective holy books, there is a lot to learn from our surroundings. This realisation dawned upon me when I learnt to enquire and explore. Everything around us—the sun,

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 17 the moon, the stars, rain, rivers, stones, rocks, birds, plants and animals—teach us many valuable life lessons. 3 No wonder that besides the scriptures, in many cultures nature is also worshipped. The message that we get is to save our environment and maintain ecological balance. People are taught to live in harmony with nature and recognise that there is God in all aspects of nature. 4 Nature is a great teacher. A river never stops flowing. If it finds an obstacle in its way in the form of a heavy rock, the river water fights to remove it from its path or finds an alternative path to move ahead. This teaches us to be progressive in life, and keep the fighting spirit alive. 5 Snakes are worshipped as they eat insects in the field that can hurt our crops, thus protecting the grains for us. In fact, whatever we worship is our helper and makes our lives easy for us. There are many such examples in nature, but we are not ready to learn a lesson. Overcome with greed, we are destroying nature. As a result, we face natural disasters like droughts, floods and landslides. We don’t know that nature is angry with us. 6 However, it is never too late to learn. If we learn to respect nature, the quality of our life will improve. (396 words) (Foreign 2017) Word-Notes: Ethics—the branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles. Surroundings—the world around us. Scriptures—holy books. Ecological— concerned with the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and to their environment. Aspects—forms. Obstacle—hindrance. Alternative— alternate. Progressive—in favour of new ideas, modern methods and change. Overcome with—won over by. Set I 1. Answer the following questions briefly: (a) What are we taught in our childhood and growing up years? (b) Why should we respect our parents and teachers? (c) What message do we get when we worship nature? (d) How does a river face an obstacle that comes in its way? 2. Give the meanings of the words given below, as used in the passage, with the help of the options that follow: (a) guided (Para 1) (i) answered (ii) advised (iii) fought (iv) polished (b) explore (Para 2) (i) search (ii) frequent (iii) describe (iv) request

18 READING SKILLS (c) valuable (Para 2) (i) proper (ii) desirable (iii) available (iv) useful (d) harmony (Para 3) (i) beauty (ii) friendship (iii) discomfort (iv) honesty Answers 1. (a) In childhood and growing up years, we are taught to worship the photos and idols of our respective religions. (b) Our parents make our life comfortable with their hard work, love and care. The teachers guide us to be good students and responsible citizens. So we should respect our parents and teachers. (c) The message of nature-worship is to save environment and maintain ecological balance. (d) The river fights to remove the obstacle from its path or finds an alternative path to move ahead. 2. (a) (ii) advised (b) (i) search (c) (iv) useful (d) (ii) friendship Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. What was the first thing growing children were taught? (a) Languages (b) Religion (c) Arithmetic (d) Nothing. 2. What taught the children ethics and morality? (a) Worship of idols (b) Holy books (c) Mythology (d) Parents 3. Who helped the children to be responsible citizens? (a) Religion (b) Holy books (c) Parents (d) Teachers 4. What happened when the author learnt to enquire and explore? (a) He became a good student. (b) He became a religious man. (c) He was able to learn from surroundings. (d) He saw moon and stars. 5. What does nature worship teach us? (a) God can be seen in nature. (b) The scriptures are great. (c) We must worship idols. (d) We should be responsible citizens. 6. Which part of nature teaches us to fight the obstacles? (a) The sun (b) The stars (c) The moon (d) The rivers

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 19 Answers 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (c) 5. (a) 6. (d) Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. Children are taught to worship according to their __________. 2. Children learn about ethics and morality from __________ stories. 3. We learn valuable lessons from our __________. 4. A flowing river teaches us to be __________. Complete the following: 5. During: duration : : Growing: __________ 6. Respectful: respect : : Comfortable: __________ 7. I: my: : We: __________ 8. Responsible: responsibility : : Ecological: __________ 1. religion Answers 3. surroundings 2. mythological 5. growth 4. progressive 7. our 6. comfort 8. ecology PASSAGE 6 1. Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. Some species like Russell's viper inject poison. Some others opt for an alternative non- chemical method—rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground, while pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can’t be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories. 2. Even species listed as non-poisonous aren't completely free of poison. The common Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly poisonous to birds. So the species doesn't take any chance—it crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step. 3. Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop? After all, they eat only one or two at a time. 4. While hunting animals try their worst to kill most efficiently, their prey use any trick to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison. For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison.

20 READING SKILLS 5. Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more deadly poison. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves. 6. Some snake killers have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are highly resistant to cobra poison, and with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly. It would be the death of cobras as a species if they didn’t evolve a more deadly poison to stop mongooses. 7. Poison has another important role. It’s an extreme meat softener; specific enzymes break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun’s warm rays to aid digestion. 8. But I wonder if we cannot use venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local hospitality often involves leather-tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaws ache. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like a python stuffing a deer down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison. (338 words) (CBSE 2019) Word-Notes : Overpowering—controlling, cl eas djuk@ijkftr djukA Prey—victim, f'kdkjA Secretion—substance, lkz oA Immunity—resistance, izfrj{kkA Set I 1. Read the questions given below and answer any four in 30–40 words each: (a) ‘Russell’s viper and rat snake have different methods to attack prey.’ How? (b) How does Sand Boa kill its prey? (c) ‘There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey.’ Why? (d) What makes mongoose a snake predator? (e) What difficulty does the writer face when he is entertained in the remote parts of India? 2. On the basis of your reading of the above passage fill in any two of the following blanks: (i) Overpowering ....... is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. (a) a killer (b) humans (c) a python (d) prey (ii) Poison ...... meat. (a) enhances taste of (b) hardens (c) softens (d) breaks down (iii) Californian squirrels are ...... rattlesnake poison. (a) afraid of (b) helpless against (c) resistant to (d) indifferent to

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 21 3. Find words from the passage which mean the same as: (any two) (a) Another (para 1) (b) Liquid substances released from glands (para 2) (c) Particular (para 7) Answers 1. (a) When Russell’s viper attacks its prey, it injects poison. On the other hand, rat snakes catch and push their prey against the ground. (b) Sand Boa crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step. (c) A hunting animal wants to kill its victim as quickly as possible while the victim wants to defend itself. So there is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its victim. (d) The mongooses are highly resistant to cobra poison and they have great speed and agility. This makes a mongoose a snake predator. (e) In remote parts of India, the author is given leather tough meat to eat. He is not able to chew this meat and so has to swallow it like a python. 2. (i) (d) prey (ii) (c) softens (iii) (c) resistant to 3. (a) alternative (b) secretions (c) specific Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. Which group of creatures finds it difficult to control their prey? (a) Birds with wings (b) Creatures without limbs (c) Animals that can’t smell (d) Creatures that are domestic 2. Pythons kill their prey by __________. (a) poison (b) catching and pushing (c) crushing their prey (d) using their teeth 3. What do vipers eat? (a) Snakes (b) Birds (c) Insects (d) Rats 4. How does Sand Boa kill its prey? (a) By poison (b) By crushing (c) By pushing (d) By crushing and poisoning 5. What makes it difficult for hunting animals to kill their prey? (a) Immunity developed by their prey (b) Lack of poison

22 READING SKILLS (c) Not enough muscle power (d) Weakness of body 6. Which animal is famous for killing snakes? (a) Mongoose (b) Sand Boa (c) Russel’s Viper (d) Californian ground Squirrels. Answers 1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (d) 4. (d) 5. (a) 6. (a) Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. Preying is difficult for creatures without __________. 2. No snake is completely free of __________. 3. Snakes hunt but they may themselves become a __________ sometime. 4. Mongooses are the famous killers of __________. Complete the following: 5. Inject: injection : : Divide: __________ 6. Poison: poisonous : : Power: __________ 7. Favour: favourable : : Agility: __________ 8. Creature: create : : Competition: __________ 1. limbs Answers 3. prey 2. poison 5. division 4. snakes 7. agile 6. powerful 8. compete EXERCISE FOR PRACTICE PASSAGE 7 1. Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value, according to Food Standard Agency. The term is believed to have been coined by Michael Jacobson, Director of the Centre for Science in the public interest, in 1972. The term has since become common usage. 2. Junk food typically contains high level of fat, salt or sugar and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate and tartrazine; at the same time it is lacking in proteins, vitamins and fibre, among others. It is popular among

PART A: DISCURSIVE PASSAGES 23 suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration. It is popular as it has lots of consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, convenient to consume and has lots of flavours. Consumption of junk food is associated with obesity, heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and dental cavities. There is also concern about the targeting of the marketing at children. 3. What constitutes junk food may be confusing and according to critics, includes elements of class snobbery and moral judgment. For example, fast foods such as hamburgers and French fries supplied by companies such as McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, are often perceived as junk foods whereas same meals supplied by more up-market outlets such as Pizza Express or Nando’s, are not despite often having the same or worse nutritional content. Other foods such as Foie Gras, roast potatoes and bread are not considered junk food despite having limited nutritional content. Similarly, breakfast cereals are often regarded as healthy but may have high level of sugar, salt and fat. Many critics believe that junk food is not harmful when consumed as part of balanced diet and some believe that the term should not be used at all. 4. Should a child start consuming junk foods exclusively, as opposed to having a balanced diet, his intake of high-protein-vitamins-roughage diet would substantially decrease and intake of milk and healthy fruit juices would likely to be replaced by soft drinks. This would potentially lead to a deficiency of calcium, milk being a rich source of calcium, resulting in weakening bones. Some type of chips that are said to be “junk foods” may actually be. (379 words) (CBSE 2016) Set I Answer the following questions briefly: 1. How is junk food perceived? 2. What does junk food typically contain? 3. With what is junk food associated? 4. When, according to many critics, is junk food not harmful? 5. What has snobbery to do with junk food? 6. Why is junk food popular? 7. The word ‘nutritional’ in para 1 means ‘______’. (a) nourishing (b) healthy (c) useful (d) fatty 8. The word ‘deficiency’ in para 4 means ‘______’. (a) growth (b) shortage (c) decrease (d) increase

24 READING SKILLS Set II Answer the following questions choosing the best of the given options: 1. The phrase ‘Junk food’ was called so first by __________. (a) Food Standard Agency (b) Michael Jacobson (c) Centre of Science (d) Common man 2. Junk food contains ingredients which are __________. (a) healthy (b) nutritional (c) much fat (d) proteins 3. Healthy food does contain __________. (a) monosodium glutamate (b) tartrazinc (c) high level of sugar (d) proteins 4. Good healthy food is famous for __________. (a) cheapness (b) lots of flavours (c) obesity (d) vitamins 5. Junk food is most popular among __________. (a) children (b) women (c) adults (d) the old 6. Junk food is associated with __________. (a) vitamins (b) protein (c) fibre (d) heart-disease Set III Fill in the blanks in the following sentences: 1. It was in 1972 that the term ‘Junk food’ was used by Michael Jacobson for __________. 2. Proteins, vitamins and fibre are found in food which is __________. 3. Junk food is popular because it __________ little. 4. Junk food marketing targets at __________. 5. Some snobs differentiate between the same food depending upon the company that __________ it. Complete the following: 6. Marketing: market : : Confusing: __________. 7. Snobbery: snob : : Judgement: __________. 8. Preparation: prepare : : Consumption: __________.

SECTION B: WRITING • As the CBSE keeps on changing the syllabus/style of writing tasks almost every year, we are giving here various types of writing tasks. • Students are advised to consult the latest syllabus prescribed by the CBSE for their examination for a proper study. 1. Letter Writing 2. E-mails 3. Stories 4. Diary Entries 5. Descriptive Paragraphs (Person/Place/Event/Situation) 6. Speeches 7. Analytical Paragraphs 87

118 WRITING M/s Rainbow Shoes Heeng Ki Mandi Agra Dear Sirs, Sub.: Cancelling order We have been your regular customers for a long time. We placed a bulk order for the supply of shoes of different kinds on 10th November, 2022. The order was to be executed before 20th of Feb. 2023. However, we received no consignment even after the expiry of a month. Nor did we hear anything from you. After sending three reminders, we received your reply on 24th of February. You expressed your helplessness as the workers in your factory were on strike. You assured us that the order would be executed within next 15 days. We condoned the delay keeping in view our previous good business relations. We are constrained to inform you that the said order (dated 10th November, 2022) for supplying shoes, be treated as cancelled. We needed the supply of shoes before the opening of schools for the next session in Delhi. The month of March is the peak season and we have the maximum sale of children’s shoes in this month. The season is already over. Therefore, we don’t need any further supplies in the near future. I hope the cancellation of the said order will not affect our cordial business relations in future. Yours faithfully Sohan Lal (Sales Manager) Word-Notes: Bulk—big. Consignment—shipment. Expiry—passing away. Assured— convinced. Condoned—forgave. Constrained—compelled. 4. TO THE EDITOR 1 Road-Accidents Accidents in big cities is a common phenomenon. Unfortunately, hardly anyone comes to the rescue of road victims because of the fear of harassment by the police. Now that the Supreme Court has issued guidelines stating that people who take road victims to a hospital will not be questioned or detained, there is no reason why bystanders/passersby should hesitate to help road victims and thus discharge their duty as responsible citizens. Write a letter in 100–120 words to the editor of a national daily, requesting him to make people aware of Supreme Court guidelines and urge them to help people in distress. You are Shom/Shobha, 24, Raj Nagar, Kanpur. (CBSE 2017) Answer 24, Raj Nagar Kanpur March 3, 2023 The Editor The National Times New Delhi

LETTER WRITING 119 Dear Sir, Subject: Helping the victims of road accidents Accidents on our roads are not something rare. In fact they are becoming more and more common day by day. This is very painful indeed, but what is more painful is the general apathy of the people towards the unfortunate victims, which is increasing almost in the same proportion. Hardly anyone comes to the rescue of the injured who indeed require urgent help. One important reason for this lack of sympathy is the fear of the police. Instead of appreciating the persons who rise to the occasion, the police harass them with an avoidable enquiry. Now the Supreme Court of India has taken cognisance of the matter. It has issued guidelines that the people who take road victims to hospital, will not be questioned or detained on baseless grounds. So, now there is no reason why anyone should hesitate to help road victims and discharge his/her duty as a responsible citizen. I request you to help me make people aware of this fact by publishing this letter in your reputed newspaper. Yours truly Shom/Shobha Word-Notes: Rare—uncommon. Apathy—coldness. Harass—bother constantly. Cognisance—notice. 2 Two main parks in your locality have suffered from neglect on the part of local authorities. They have virtually been taken over by undesirable elements. As a result the residents have stopped going to the parks. Write a letter in 100–120 words to the editor of a local newspaper expressing your concern about the problem the neglect has created and suggest measures to reclaim the parks for children. You are Gautum/Gauri, 2, Gobind Enclave, Meerut. (CBSE 2018) Answer 2, Gobind Enclave Meerut July 3, 2022 The Editor The Meerut Times Meerut Dear Sir, Subject: Neglect of parks in Gobind Enclave Kindly allow me to attract the attention of the city authorities to the deteriorating condition of the main parks in Gobind Enclave. There are in fact two parks in our locality but both these are parks in name only. They have been virtually taken over by undesirable elements. A part of each garden has been taken over by gamblers who gamble there all day. Then there are beggars and pickpockets who trespass on the parks from time to time. As a result the residents have stopped going to the parks. I request the authorities to rid the park of these undesirable elements and reclaim the park back for the residents of the Enclave.

120 WRITING Yours truly Gautam/Gauri Word-Notes: Deteriorating—degrading. Virtually—almost. Trespass—encroach. Rid—free. 3 Wastage in Marriages You feel concerned about the wastage of every kind on the occasions of our marriages. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper about it in 100–120 words. You can take the help of the hints given below: (CBSE 2016) • Wastage of time • Wastage of food • Leftover food thrown on the roads and in gutters • Need to avoid all kind of wastage Answer 8, Jahangirpuri Ranchi January 3, 2023 The Editor The Times of India Patna Sir, Subject: Wastage in our marriages Marriages are gala occasions when hundreds of people come to enjoy together. But must our enjoyment end in the wastage of time and money? Preparations for an Indian marriage start weeks or even months before the D-day. Relatives are engaged in buying dresses and ornaments. The hotels and guest houses are booked much in advance. The marriages have generally three important functions—all of which cost lacs of rupees. The first is the engagement or the ring ceremony. The second is the Ladies’ Sangeet and the third but the most important is the solemnisation of the marriage. In each of these functions, a variety of dishes are served. People fill their plates but seldom do they empty them completely. Much of the food is thrown into the bin basket which finds its way on to the roadside and in the gutters. Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I want the society to understand the condition of our poor country and instead of wasting their own time and money in this manner, they can help by spending the same in the service of those who need it. Yours truly L. Kumar Word-Notes: Gala—festive. Solemnisation—celebration. Esteemed—held in great respect, admired.

LETTER WRITING 121 4 Saving Natural Beauty Write a letter to the editor of a national daily in about 100–120 words expressing your views on the topic ‘Saving the beauty of nature is in the hands of even the common man’.  (CBSE 2016) Answer 47, Karol Bagh Amritsar February 3, 2023 The Editor The India Times Chandigarh Sir, Subject: Saving the beauty of nature is in the hands of even the common man Each of us likes to enjoy the beauty of nature. Yet few of us try to save it. Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper, I would like to make a few suggestions about how each of us can do that. We often go to public parks for recreation. The green grass and beautiful flowers refresh our body and mind. While people go to the parks, sometimes they take their food and snacks with them. When they leave the place, they leave behind polythene pieces and broken food. The polythene endangers the grass while the broken food attracts insects and even dogs. If we take care and take away our broken food and polythene bags away from the place, we can help save the beauty of nature. We can also help save nature if we grow some plants in our neighbourhood. They will not only look beautiful but also protect the environment. Yours truly Ravin Das Word-Note: Endangers—harms. 5 Rubble and Debris in Metro Cities Metro cities have to face continuous digging throughout the year. Places are dug up but never repaired or made even. Rubble and debris are lying without any reason at every nook and corner. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in about 100–120 words highlighting the problems it creates for the common man. Also suggest practical ways to overcome such problems. You can take the help of the following clues. (CBSE 2016) • Rubble, debris, stones cause accidents • Injuries to pedestrians and children • Lead to blockage and clogging • Stern measures and deadlines for builders and other agencies Answer 41, Ashok Vihar 3 Hyderabad March 3, 2023

122 WRITING The Editor The Indian Express Hyderabad Sir, Subject: The rubble and debris in the city The amusing or if you permit me to say, the irritating thing about the administration of our country is that we do here everything with the intention of helping the common man but it ends only in creating more trouble for him. There are roads with potholes. These roads have to be mended. There are new sewer lines to be laid for the common man. The roads have to be dug. You can find numerous other occasions such as for water, electricity or telephone when the roads have to be dug. All this creates not only bad roads but also a lot of rubble and debris on the roadside. The result is that the common man’s cycle or scooter is hit against it and the man is injured. Why can’t the authorities do their work quickly? Why can’t they take care that nobody is hurt? Such things happen because the builders and other such agencies have no fear of the law. The solution is to take stern measures against them wherever they are at fault. Yours truly Lalit Mohan Word-Notes: Rubble—rubbish. Debris—fragments. 6 Tourism There is a need to improve existing conditions and provide new and better facilities to attract tourists from within the country and abroad to historical places in the state. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily suggesting measures of improvement in about 100 to 120 words. (CBSE 2016) Answer 7, Kamla Street Chennai April 3, 2022 The Editor The Hindu Chennai Sir, Subject: Attracting tourists to the state Our state has many places of tourist interest. To improve tourism, we do not need to create more places of interest. We need to do three things. First, we should make tourism a very comfortable thing. In doing so, we must also remember that most tourists are not very rich. So we must create methods of good yet cheap transport and hotels. Second, we must properly advertise our places of tourist interest. For this, we can contact advertising agencies. Third, but the most important is the security of the tourists. Ill-treatment of one tourist prevents a hundred from visiting a site, however attractive it might be.

LETTER WRITING 123 Yours truly Meena Word-Notes: Ill-treatment—bad behaviour. Prevents—stops. 7 Man-made Disasters You are Sonam/Samarjeet, residing at C2-15, Motibagh, New Delhi. Write a letter in about 100–120 words to the Editor of a national newspaper on the consequences of climatic changes due to various man-made reasons. Take ideas from the points given below. (CBSE 2016) (a) Deforestation (b) Environmental pollution (c) Thoughtless use of nature Answer C2-15 Motibagh New Delhi 3 May, 2022 The Editor The Pioneer New Delhi Sir, Subject: Man-made disasters Environmental degradation is the biggest problem of the day. The resulting climatic changes are frightening. Global warming at some places and floods at many others have become routine. The reasons are not far to seek. Deforestation is the main culprit. Trees have been cut with impunity. This has caused not only an increase of impure gases in the atmosphere but also in the erosion of soil. The number of vehicles on the road have also contributed a lot to environmental pollution. In brief, it is the thoughtless use of natural resources that has caused the climatic changes. Let us all remember what Indira Gandhi once said, ‘‘We have not inherited the earth from our forefathers, we have borrowed it from our children.’’ Yours truly Sonam/Samarjeet Word-Notes: Degradation—the process of something being damaged or made worse. Routine—common. Culprit—(here) cause. 8 Road rage You are concerned about increasing incidents of road rage. Write a letter to the Editor of the Indian Times, expressing your views in about (100–120 words). You are Vines/Somya. Take help from the hints given below. (CBSE) road rage—a serious social problem—incidents increasing—people have highly inflated ego and are impatient—violation of traffic rules—congesting on roads— stressed life

124 WRITING Answer 14, Gulabi Bagh Madurai 3rd March, 2023 The Editor The Indian Times Madurai Sir, Sub.: Road rage Accidents on our roads have become common. Road rage has become a serious problem also. Accidents can have various causes but road rage is a human problem only. One wonders why our people get so enraged on account of small things. Essentially some of us have an ego problem. The other day one young man got enraged because the car ahead was not giving him side to overtake. When eventually, he was able to do so, he stopped his car and began to quarrel with the other car-driver. The quarrel got so hot that one of the two shot at the other man who died on the spot. This is nothing but highly inflated ego and impatience. No doubt violation of traffic rules and congestion on the road are adding fuel to fire. The stressful life has its part too. Through this letter I implore my brothers to be more patient and relaxed while driving. Yours truly Somya/Vines Word-Notes: Enraged—angry. Eventually—at last. Inflated—increased, big. Congestion—crowd. Implore—ask someone to do something. 9 Cruelty towards Animals You are Srishthi/Satish, an animal lover. You feel strongly about cruelty towards animals. You wish to spread the message ‘Live and let live’. Write a letter to the Editor of The Indian Times, expressing your views on the cruelty towards animals using the hints given below. (CBSE) to believe in the principle of co-existence of man—to care for animal world—but very selfish—overburdens, cages, teases, sells and even kills—tortures them to amuse himself—animals have equal rights to live—we have to change our attitude and outlook Answer 15R Kunch Vihar Ludhiana November 8, 2022 The Editor The Indian Times Chandigarh Sir, Sub.: Live and let live

LETTER WRITING 125 Kindly allow me some space in your newspaper to spread the message ‘Live and let live’. Many of us behave very cruelly to animals. In fact their brutality will bring even a brute to shame. The cruelty towards animals can be seen in different ways. Some people who still use horses and donkeys as beasts of burden overburden them. The more cruel are those who put the birds and animals in cages for their amusement. Some people tease and annoy the animals for fun. Many others use them as business commodities. They sell or even kill them. There are still a few very rich people who kill them in the forest even illegally. I wish all humans to think about the principle of coexistence. It has been now scientifically proved that human beings cannot survive without animals. Yours truly Satish/Srishthi Word-Notes: Commodities—articles. Coexistence—living in peace with each other. Survive—remain alive. 10 Child Labour You are Shivam/Shivi, residing at C-126, Vashistha enclave, Ludhiana. You have read a report in a magazine mentioning that there are 12 million child workers in the country. It is a national problem. Write a letter in about 120 words to the Editor, ‘The Indian Express’, giving your views on why child labour exists and how it can be abolished. (CBSE) Answer C-126, Vashistha Enclave Ludhiana July 5, 2022 The Editor The Indian Express Chandigarh Sir, Sub.: Child labour According to a recent report in a magazine, there are 12 million child workers in the country. It is a national problem but the national government doesn’t think so. Apart from lip-service and a law which is never implemented nothing has been done. Some social organisations have been doing their bit but their efforts have not produced desired results. The root of the problem is poverty. In a poor family every hand has to earn. So they cannot do without child labour. Merely not allowing the children to work will not do. The government should look after their meals, clothing and education. The social organisations which work to implement the law should be helped by the government. Yours truly Shivam/Shivi Word-Notes: Lip-service—speaking. Implemented—exercised.

126 WRITING 11 Outdoor Gyms Outdoor gyms installed by the D.D.A. in many parts of the city have become very popular among the people. You are Sohan, a resident of Gopal Nagar. You want that an outdoor gym should also be installed in your area. However, repeated written requests to the authorities have not yielded a positive response. Write a letter in 100–120 words to the Editor, The Daily Times, drawing attention of the authorities to your request.  (CBSE 2019) Answer Gopal Nagar New Delhi 8 August, 2022 The Editor The Daily Times New Delhi Sir, Subject: Outdoor gym Yours is a prominent newspaper of this area. I know that you have solved quite a few issues of local residents. I am a resident of Gopal Nagar. It is very heartening to see that the D.D.A. has installed outdoor gyms in parts of the city. These gyms are very popular and the residents make full use of them. Inspired by this, I have written requests to the authorities to instal an outdoor gym in Gopal Nagar also. However, my repeated letters of request have not yielded any positive response. I am, therefore, using some space in your newspaper to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the matter. Yours truly Sohan Word-Notes: Prominent—chief. Heartening—pleasant. Installed—put up. Yielded— given. 12 Clean Ganga Project The Govt. of India has spent crores of rupees to clean the Ganga River under the “Clean Ganga Project” with no fruitful results. It is a matter of concern for everyone. Write a letter in about 120 words to the editor of a national daily drawing attention to this problem. You are Apoorv/Apoorva residing at 6441, Ram Vihar, Kanpur. (CBSE) Answer 6441, Ram Vihar Kanpur January 10, 2023 The Editor The Times of India Kanpur Sir, Sub.: Clean Ganga Project


Like this book? You can publish your book online for free in a few minutes!
Create your own flipbook