CBSE Sample Papers for Pre-Mid Term Exam Class 9 Communicative English – Paper 1
Periodic Assessment 1
Suggested Syllabus
Reading Skills
Question 1:
A factual passage of 300-350 words with 8 very short answer type questions.
Question 2:
A discursive passage of 350-400 words with 4 short answer type questions and 4 very short type questions for vocabulary.
Writing Skills with Grammar
Question 3:
Diary and Article Writing
Question 4:
Writing a short story
Question 5:
Gap filling
Question 6:
Editing and omission
Question 7:
Sentence reordering or sentence transformation
Literature Textbook and Extended Reading Text
Question 8:
One out of two extracts from prose and poetry with 4 very short answer type questions (How I taught my Grandmother to Read, A Dog named Duke, The Brook and The Road not Taken)
Question 9:
Four short answer type questions (How I taught my Grandmother to Read, A Dog named Duke, The Brook and The Road not Taken)
Question 10:
One out of two long answer type questions (How I taught my Grandmother to Read, A Dog named Duke, The Brook and The Road not Taken)
Question 11:
One out of two very long answer type questions Gulliver’s Travels – Chapter 1 to 13 Three Men in a Boat – Chapter 1 to 6
Sample Paper 1
Strictly based on the Latest Scheme Of Assessement, the latest Syllabus and Design of the Question paper released by the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi effective from academic year 2017-18.
SECTION A : READING (20 MARKS)
Question 1:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: [8]
- Remember when neat, legible writing was a prized skill. Before the digital age, when employees were valued for flowering script? Now employees can go weeks without scribbling anything more than a telephone number on a post-it note. But that does not mean your scrawl does not matter anymore—writing analysis is an increasingly popular way to screen job applicants.
- “When used correctly, graphology can give a good indication of a person’s personality structure, their abilities, ability to grow and develop, and perhaps most importantly, their integrity, ” says graphologist Margaret White, who uses her skills to assess job applicants for recruiters.
- But while recruitment-graphology is growing, employers are reluctant to admit they use the technique. Why? Handwriting analysis is often viewed with scepticism and companies appear to be afraid that this sentiment will discredit the professionalism of their company.
- The British Graphology Institute would certainly agree that the optimum use of graphology in recruitment is in conjunction with other method. “Psychometric tests are fine, but they can be manipulated, as people can change their answers depending on what they think the company wants to hear, ” says a spokesperson. “But used in conjunction with graphology you can double check that one validates the other. ”
- In any case, it seems writing is getting better. Handwriting is impossible to fake, as opposed to CVs, which tend to be increasingly ‘embroidered, ‘shall we say. A person might be able to fool me for a few lines, but their true style will show pretty quickly—particularly if they ’re writing about something they ’re interested in.
- As companies become ever more aware of the costs of recruiting, it looks likely they will be open to a number of new screening processes. And graphology certainly looks set to remain one of the ways in which job applicants are taken on, or written off.
— Catherine Quinn
(a) What can graphology give us when it is used correctly? [1]
(b) What was the opinion about handwriting before the digital age? [1]
(c) What does Margaret White do for recruiters? [1]
(d) Why are companies not eager to reveal their use of graphology? [1]
(e) Give one important use of graphology which makes it better than psychometric tests. [1]
(f) What are companies still looking for? [1]
(g) Explain what the writer means by CV’s are increasingly “embroidered”. [1]
(h) How can you “double check” while recruiting people? [1]
Question 2:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : [12]
People travelling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea or air. Hardly anyone can positively enjoy sitting in a train for more than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. It is almost impossible to take your mind off the journey. Reading is only a partial solution, for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night when you really wish to go to sleep, you rarely manage to do so.
Long car journeys are even less pleasant, for it is quite impossible even to read. On motor-ways you can at least travel safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater part of the journey is spent on narrow, bumpy roads which are crowded with traffic. By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilised comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food — always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not, and you are likely to get sea-sick, no form of transport could be worse. But sea-journey takes a long time and few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays.
Aeroplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and even hardened travellers are intimidated by them. They also have the grave disadvantage of being the most expensive form of transport. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort.
The real escapist can watch a free film show and sip a hot or cold drink on some services. An aeroplane offers you an unusual breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However, you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain : you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled. You will not have to spend the next few days recovering from a long and ardous journey.
(a) Do you think it is right to decide the mode of transport before travelling a long distance? Why? [2]
(b) Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. What does it mean? [2]
(c) Why is it difficult to read during long car journeys? [2]
(d) What are the two disadvantages of travelling by air? [2]
(e) Give the verb form of ‘validation ’ [1]
(f) From an adverb from the word ‘quick’. [1]
(g) Find out the word in the paragraph 3 which means the same as ‘having doubts’. [1]
(h) Find out the word in the paragraph 4 which is the antonym of ‘least’. [1]
SECTION B : WRITING AND GRAMMAR (30 MARKS)
Question 3:
Today when you were on your way to school, a woman walking just in front of you dropped her purse. She did not realise she had dropped it. What did you do? Write a diary entry about the incident. [8]
Question 4:
Write a short story in about 200-250 words with the given outline. [12]
A man searches for his old guru — prays to God — dreams of finding him near a river bank—next morning goes there — gets success — sees his Guru as a fisherman — feels ashamed—does not recognise and moves — faints due to heat — fisherman picks him up — takes to safe place — when he wakes up, man realises his mistake—touches Guru’s feet — feels ashamed of himself.
Question 5:
Morning walk is (a) _________ great blessing. It has its own values. It is a tonic (b)________ both the body and the mind. The morning is (c)__________ fresh. One breathes pure oxygen in one’s lungs, he becomes strong. He (d)__________ a lot of energy for day’s work. There is peace (e)___________ freshness all around. There is always beauty. There is greenery all around. It (f)__________ the walkers.
Question 6:
The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correct word in the answer sheet against the correct blank number.
Question 7:
Rearrange the following jumbled up words into meaningful sentences. [3]
(a) knew / father / nobody / who / was / his
(b) died / mother / his birth / his / soon / after
(c) pillars / there / human life / man / of / woman / and / are / two
SECTION C : LITERATURE TEXTBOOK AND EXTENDED READING TEXT (30 MARKS)
Question 8:
Read one of the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow : [4]
After hearing what happened next in ‘Kashi Yatre’, she would join her friends at the temple courtyard where we children would also gather to play hide and seek. She would discuss the latest episode with her friends. At that time, I never understood why there was so much of
debate about the story.
(a) What is ‘Kashi Yatre‘?
(b) Who would discuss the latest episode with her friends?
(c) Who did not understand the discussion and why?
(d) Who was the protagonist of the novel?
I come from haunts of coot and hern;
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
(a) Who does ‘I’ refer to? What is the figure of speech used in the first line?
(b) From where does the brook originate?
(c) What does the word ‘bicker’ mean? Why does the poet use it?
(d) Explain ‘I make a sudden sally’.
Question 9:
Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words : [8]
(a) Why was the grandmother so upset when her granddaughter went away to attend a wedding?
(b) What did the writer do when her grandmother touched her feet?
(c) How does the brook behave on its way to the river?
(d) What does the brook avoid and pass by?
Question 10:
Answer one of the following questions in about 100-120 words : [8]
Suppose you are the grandmother. Write your diary entry after you performed Saraswati Pooja on Dassara at your residence.
OR
The brook appears to be a symbol for life. How does the poet draw a parallel between the journey of the brook and the life?
Question 11:
Answer, one of the following questions in about 150-200 words : [10]
How was Gulliver made a prisoner? What efforts did he make to free himself? What was the result?
OR
Describe the diversions provided by the emperor of Lilliput to entertain Gulliver.
OR
The writer becomes lyrical when he agrees with George about rest and a complete change. Describe it in your own words.
What does it tell you about him?
OR
“There is no poetry about Harris.” Do you agree with the writer? Is he of a more poetical nature? Give reasons.
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