Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 9 English with Solutions Set 8 are designed as per the revised syllabus.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 9 English Set 8 with Solutions
Time: 3 Hrs.
Max. Marks: 80
General Instructions
Read the instructions very carefully and strictly follow them.
- This question paper is divided into three sections.
- Section A Reading Skills
- Section B Writing and Grammar
- Section C Literature Textbook
- This question paper has 11 questions. All questions are compulsory.
- Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section – A
Reading Skills (20 Marks)
Question 1.
Read the following passage carefully. (10)
(1) Severe polarisation damages all institutions essential to democracy. It routinely undermines the independence of the judiciary, as politicians attack the courts as biased or pack them with loyalists. It reduces legislatures either to gridlock or to a rubber stamp function. In presidential systems, it frequently leads to the abuse of executive powers and promotes the toxic view that the President represents only his or her supporters, rather than the country as a whole.
(2) Perhaps most fundamentally, polarisation shatters informal but crucial norms of tolerance and moderation-like conceding peacefully after an electoral defeat-that keep political competition within bounds. These consequences generate a vicious cycle of rising polarisation. Attacks on the judiciary for example, only diminish its capacity to arbitrate conflict and heighten distrust between the opposing sides.
(3) Polarisation also reverberates throughout the society as whole, poisoning everyday interactions and relationships. Turkey is a particularly jarring example: almost eight out of ten people there would not want their daughter to marry someone who votes for the party they most dislike. Nearly three-quarters would not even want to do business with such a person. Partisan conflict takes a heavy toll on civil society as well, often leading to the demonisation of activists and human rights defenders. More seriously still, divisions can contribute to a spike in hate crimes and political violence: India, Poland and the United States have all seen such increases in recent years.
(4) The more we looked at the experiences of other divided democracies, the more we realised that U.S. polarisation stands out as unusual. It has several distinctive features and unfortunately, all of them spell trouble for U.S. democracy.
(5) In the first place, polarisation in the United States isn’t primarily the result of polarising politicians stoking divisions, as in most other countries. It has deep societal roots and is the outcome of a profound sociocultural struggle between contending conservative and progressive visions of the country. Consequently, U.S. polarisation is not something that political leaders can easily reverse, even if they want to.
(6) Intense partisanship has gripped the United States for an unusually long time and thus become ingrained in social and political life. Today’s divisions date back at least to the 1960s and have been steadily intensifying for over fifty years. Most other current cases of polarisation are more recent in origin.
(7) A final distinctive and perhaps even unique feature of U.S. polarisation is the powerful alignment of ethnicity, ideology, and religion on each side of the divide-what we call the ‘iron triangle’ of U.S. polarisation. In most other countries, just one or two of those three identity divisions is at the root of polarisation; in the United States, all three are. As a result, America’s polarisation is unusually encompassing and sharp. While partisan warfare hasn’t eroded democracy in the United States to the same extent that it has in, say, Bangladesh or Turkey, it is testing our democratic guardrails in serious ways.
Answer the following questions based on the above passage.
(i) Why is severe polarisation described as a damaging force for democratic institutions in paragraph 1? (1)
Answer:
Severe polarisation is described as a damaging force because it undermines the independence of the judiciary, causes legislative gridlock or turns legislatures into mere rubber stamps and can lead to the abuse of executive power, weakening all institutions essential to democracy.
(ii) According to paragraph 1, severe polarisation leads to all of the following EXCEPT (1)
(a) The judiciary is being packed with loyalists
(b) Legislatures turning into opposition-favouring bodies
(c) Gridlock in legislatures
(d) Abuse of executive powers
Answer:
(b) Legislatures turning into opposition-favoring bodies
(iii) Complete the following by selecting the correct option from those given in bracket. (1)
Polarisation shatters informal but crucial norms of __________ (tolerance/expediency), as described in paragraph 2.
Answer:
tolerance
(iv) Select the option that is True from (A)-(C) according to what the phrase ‘vicious cycle of rising
(A) Each cycle of polarisation leads to further weakening of democratic norms and institutions.
(B) Polarisation naturally resolves itself with no impact on institutions.
(C) Polarisation leads to increased unity among rival political groups.
Answer:
(A) Each cycle of polarisation leads to further weakening of democratic norms and institutions.
(v) Complete the analogy by selecting one of the two corred options (a), (b). (1)
Partisan conflict : demonisation of activists : __________ : __________
(a) polarisation : gridlock in legislatures
(b) polarisation: peaceful political transitions
Answer:
(a) polarisation : gridlock in legislatures
(vi) Why is the ‘iron triangle’ of US polarisation considered unique compared to other countries? (Paragraph 7) (2)
Answer:
The ‘iron triangle’ of U.S. polarisation is considered unique because, unlike in most countries where only one or two identity divisions (ethnicity, ideology, religion) are aligned, in the United States all three are aligned on each side of the divide, making U.S. polarisation unusually deep and encompassing.
(vii) What are the main ideas of paragraph 5 and paragraph 7? (1)
I. The roots of US polarisation are deep and longstanding.
II. ¡n the US, all major identity divisions are aligned in the polarisation.
III. Politicians are the primary cause of US polarisation.
IV. US polarisation can be easily reversed by leadership.
Select the correct option.
| Options | Main Idea of Paragraph 3 | Main Idea of Paragraph 4 |
| (a) | I | II |
| (b) | III | IV |
| (c) | IV | I |
| (d) | II | III |
Answer:
(a) I, II
(viii) Why is it important for society as a whole (not just leaders) to address polarisation, according to the passage? (2)
Answer:
It is important to address because polarisation has deep societal roots that affect everyday relationships, business and civil society, making it impossible for political leaders alone to resolve; societal efforts are needed to restore tolerance, trust and democratic norms.
Question 2.
Read the following passage carefully. (10)
1. Cybersecurity has become a significant threat in today’s digital world, where both individuals and businesses depend on interconnected systems to operate, store data and communicate.
A single breach can escalate quickly, compromising sensitive information and systems.
2. In recent years, major security incidents-like the Log4j vulnerability and breaches affecting email services, password managers and ride-sharing apps-have caused global concern, exposing user data and leading to financial loss and identity theft. Businesses risk losing customer trust, revenue and system functionality, especially in the case of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
3. While larger companies are investing more in security training, two-factor authentication and staff, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) struggle to balance cybersecurity with limited resources. A survey of over 550 SMB leaders found that 54% are more concerned about cybersecurity than the previous year. Top concerns include lack of time for security management (25%), data loss/theft (23%), ransomware (12%) and DDoS attacks (10%).
4. Alarmingly, the survey revealed that 38% of SMBs have zero employees dedicated to cybersecurity and 42% have just one. Only 17% have 2-4 employees and less than 3% have five or more. The chart below illustrates this clearly, highlighting a widespread lack of dedicated cybersecurity staffing in smaller businesses. These insights underscore the urgent need for scalable and affordable cybersecurity solutions tailored to the needs of small enterprises.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage.
(i) Why did the survey focus specifically on small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)? (Paragraph 4) (1)
This is so because these businesses __________
(a) have the most advanced cybersecurity systems
(b) are least likely to be targeted by cyberattacks
(c) face significant risk but limited resources for cybersecurity
(d) reported zero data breaches in recent years
Answer:
(c) face significant risk but limited resources for cybersecurity
(ii) Identify the phrase in paragraph 1 that conveys the idea that a single breach can spread rapidly to other systems. (1)
Answer:
The phrase conveys this idea is, “can quickly multiply and give malicious actors access to a wide range of systems and data”.
(iii) Complete the following by selecting the correct option. (Paragraph 3) (1)
Startups may find it hard to invest in cybersecurity because maintaining strong protection requires spending on __________ (systems/promotions).
Answer:
systems
(iv) What does the writer mean by ‘devastating’ in reference to security breaches for small businesses? (Paragraph 3) (1)
Answer:
‘Devastating’ in this context means that a breach could severely harm or shut down the business entirely due to data loss, financial damage or lost customer trust.
(v) Complete the following with the correct option. (1)
When the writer says ‘many small businesses find it challenging to dedicate staff and time to maintaining their security systems’, it implies that
(a) cybersecurity tasks are usually outsourced
(b) businesses feel cyberattacks are unlikely
(c) SMBs lack both the human and time resources for adequate protection
(d) all employees in SMBs are trained in security
Answer:
(c) SMBs lack both the human and time resources for adequate protection
(vi) One likely reason 38% of SMBs reported having zero dedicated cybersecurity employees is __________ (Paragraph 6) (1)
Answer:
they may lack the budget or personnel to hire staff solely for security roles.
(vii) How do Tack of time’ and ‘data theft’ relate to each other? (Paragraph 5) (2)
Answer:
Lack of time to manage security increases vulnerability, making data theft more likely.
(viii) Explain how dedicated cybersecurity staffing, as shown in the chart, reflects the broader security concerns mentioned in the passage. (Chart + Paragraph 6) (2)
Answer:
The chart shows that most SMBs have very few or no staff dedicated to cybersecurity, with 38% having none and 42% having only one. This aligns with the concerns raised in the passage, where businesses cite limited time and resources as major challenges. The shortage of security-focused staff makes them more prone to breaches, ransomware and data theft.
Section – B
Grammar and Creative Writing Skills (20 Marks)
Grammar
Question 3.
Complete any ten of the following twelve tasks, as directed. (10 × 1 = 10)
(i) Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket. (1)
Over the recent years alcoholism __________ (become) a leading cause of death of the young adult population in the U.S.A.
Answer:
has become
Don’t make mistake while referring to actions that started in the past and continue to the present (e.g., ‘Over the recent years’), the present perfect tense (has/have + past participle) should be used.
(ii) Identify the error and supply correction for these sentences. (1)
Could you do something for me? I have left mine blue bag on the table in the drawing room. Please go to my house and get it from my mother.
Use the given format for your response.
| Error | Correction |
Answer:
| Error | Correction |
| Mine blue | My blue |
(iii) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the sentence. (1)
Teacher said, “The school will remain closed tomorrow.”
The teacher said that __________
(a) the school will remain closed the day after
(b) the school would remain closed the day after
(c) the school would remain closed tomorrow
(d) the school remains closed the next day
Answer:
(b) the school would remain closed the day after
(iv) Read the following conversation carefully. (1)
Sahir Can I go and play, father?
Father Have you finished your homework?
Sahir No father, but I can finish it afterwards.
Select the option to complete the reporting of the above dialogue.
Sahir asked his father if he could go and play. His father asked him if he had finished his homework.
Sahir replied that __________
(a) he had not but he could finish it afterwards
(b) he has not but he could finish it afterwards
(c) he had not but he can finish that afterwards
(d) he had not but he can finished it afterwards
Answer:
(a) he had not but he could finish it afterwards
(v) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction. (1)
Celebrities advertising products is nothing new, in fact, it has been part of our lives for years. Back in the 2000’s, you couldn’t sit thorough a commercial break without seeing the teen pop icon of that time.
| Options | Error | Correction |
| (a) | lives | life |
| (b) | thorough | through |
| (c) | icon | star |
| (d) | seeing | see |
Answer:
| Option | Error | Correction |
| (b) | thorough | through |
(vi) Convert the below sentence into reported speech. (1)
He said,”I will give her a new frock.”
Answer:
He said that he would give her a new frock, about
(vii) Fill in the blanks with the correct option to complete the sentence. (1)
Once there was a King who only thought himself, __________ (about/to)
Answer:
about
(viii) Renewable energy sources from naturally replenished sources or processes of (1)
Earth, such as the Sun, wind and water.
(a) derives
(b) is derived
(c) are derived
(d) derived
Answer:
(c) are derived
Don’t make mistake in matching plural subject ‘sources’ for a singular one and incorrectly matching it with a singular verb like ‘derives’.
(ix) Complete the given sentence by filling the blank with the correct option. (1)
Wimbledon is the only major Tennis Tournament on grass. But that’s not the only reason why it is so special.
(a) that is played
(b) is playing
(c) plays
(d) had been played
Answer:
(a) that is played
(x) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option to complete the sentence. (1)
Next weekend, I my proficiency exam, so I have finished more or less 300 questions so far.
(a) am going to have
(b) am having
(c) will having
(d) will have
Answer:
(d) will have
(xi) Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb. (1)
‘Have you a car, Mary?’ (get)
Answer:
got
(xii) Fill in the blank to complete the sentence. (1)
Despite the material donations from the local shops, the school still needs more improvements such as video players, cassette players and computers.
Answer:
Writing
Note : All details presented in the questions are imaginary and created for assessment purposes.
Question 4.
Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below. (5)
(A) You went to attend the birthday party of your friend Mohit at his home. The party was well organised and the arrangements were superb. Look at the clues given in the box and write a descriptive paragraph about your impression of the party in 100-120 words.
- party at home
- music playing in party hall
- cake on Mohit’s face
- enjoyed good feast
Answer:
Today I went to a grand birthday party for one of my friends. We all enjoyed Mohit’s birthday so much! When I reached his house, music was playing loudly in the party hall. Mohit and his parents were delighted to see me! Many of our common friends had already arrived. Mohit was wearing a dazzling outfit! His father had bought him a lovely cake which had a picture from his childhood on it. We all wished Mohit ‘Happy Birthday’ when he cut the cake. After that, one of my friends and I smeared cake on Mohit’s face and had a joyful time.
He looked so funny! The stage was then set for dancing. Everyone danced to loud and popular songs. All of us danced with Mohit too! At the end, we enjoyed a delicious feast. I can never forget this great day! It was one of the most memorable days of my life!
(B) Write a short descriptive paragraph on the famous Indian scientist Sir CV Raman in 100-120 words on the basis of the following inputs
- born on 7th November, 1888 in Madras
- physician by profession
- worked in the field of light scattering
- the discovery is known as ‘Raman Effect’
- won Nobel Prize in 1930 for his discovery
- elected ‘Fellow of the Royal Society’ in 1924
- in 1954 India honoured him with its highest civilian award ‘Bharat Ratna’
- breathed his last breath on 21st November, 1970
Answer:
Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was bom on 7th November 1888 in Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu. He was a renowned Indian physicist known for his pioneering work on light scattering. He discovered the phenomenon where light changes its wavelength when passing through a transparent material, known as the Raman Effect, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. Raman was knighted in 1929 and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1924, which he resigned from in 1968. He received many honorary doctorates and memberships and was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1954. To commemorate his discovery, National Science Day is celebrated every year on 28th February. He passed away on 21st November 1970.
Question 5.
Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below. (5)
(A) Complete the story in 100-120 words which begins as follow
“Long, long ago there was an old man in a village. He was very interested in yoga. On a certain day he saw some yoga teacher conducting yoga classes in the field …
Answer:
Long, long ago, there was an old man in a village. He was very interested in yoga. One fine day, he saw a yoga teacher conducting yoga classes in the field. He walked up to him, hoping to learn from him. When the old man approached the yoga teacher, the teacher looked atiiim and mocked him. “You are too old and fragile to learn yoga,” he said. The old man was disappointed.
However, he took the refusal as a challenge and started learning yoga by himself. After two months, he was able to perform the asanas perfectly. He went back to the teacher and performed the asanas in front of him.
The yoga teacher apologised for being arrogant and decided that he and the old man would now teach yoga together.
(B) You are Naresh/Naina. You happened to go to your friend’s place in a crowded bus today.
Record your experience in 100-120 words in the form of a diary entry.
- bad experience
- board the bus
- so hot
- pushing each other
- thirty hours
- sigh of relief
Answer:
Sunday, 14th Aug, 20XX
11:00 p.m.
Dear Diary
Today, I had a very bad experience. I wanted to go to Patel Nagar to meet my best friend, Nandini. So, I went to the nearby bus stand to board the bus. I had to wait a long time for the bus. It was so hot and I was sweating profusely. The bus finally arrived after more than half an hour.
When the bus came, it was, unfortunately, jam-packed. I somehow managed to get inside. People were constantly pushing each other to get some space to stand. With great difficulty, I secured a place in the comer of the bus and purchased a ticket. I held on to the railing with one hand and used the other to take care of my belongings. Those thirty minutes on the bus felt like thirty hours! When my stop finally came, I got off the bus and breathed a sigh of relief!
Naina
Section – C
Literature Textbook (40 Marks)
Question 6.
Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (A) or (B). (5)
(A) Margie was scornful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.” Margie always, hated school but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.
(i) What do you think is the opposite of the word ‘scornful’ as given in the following line.
‘Margie was scornful’. Choose the most suitable option.
(a) Appreciative
(b) Handy
(c) Contemptuous
(d) Probable
Answer:
(a) Appreciative
(ii) Select the option that correctly categorises I-V into emotion and action words.
I. scornful
II. hated
III. sorrowfully
IV. giving
V. shaken
| No. | Emotion | Action |
| (a) | I, II and III | IV and V |
| (b) | II, IV and V | I and in |
| (c) | I, III and IV | II and V |
| (d) | I, II and V | III and IV |
Answer:
(a) I, II, III and IV, V
(iii) Fill in the blank with the correct option from the bracket.
Margie was not doing well in subject __________ (Geography/History).
Answer:
Geography
(iv) What is the meaning of ‘mechanical teacher’?
Answer:
‘Mechanical teacher’ means automated, personalised learning machines made to adapt to individual learning style.
(v) State whether the following statement is True or False.
Margie’s mother had to send for the County Inspector as Margie was very ill and feverish.
Answer:
False
(B) “Kind sir, have pity; turn your attention to a poor, hungry man! For three days I have had ^ nothing to eat; I haven’t five copecks for a lodging. “I swear it before God. For eight years I was a
village school teacher and then I lost my plac’e through intrigues. I fell a victim to calumny”. It is a year now since I have had anything to do”.
(i) Who is ‘I’ in the given extract?
(a) Sergei
(b) Olga
(c) Lushkoff
(d) Sergei’s friend
Answer:
(c) Lushkoff
(ii) What do the pauses indicated by the punctuation (exclamation, semi-colon and dash) in the lines ‘Kind sir, have pity; turn your attention to a poor, hungry man! For three days I have had nothing to eat; I haven’t five copecks for a lodging -1 swear it before God’, convey?
I. Urgency and emotional appeal
II. Deliberate exaggeration for effect
III. A sense of breathlessness and desperation
IV. Dramatic pauses to gain sympathy
V. Casual storytelling tone Select the correct option.
(a) I, III and IV
(b) Only II
(c) III and V
(d) Only I
Answer:
(a) I, III and IV
(iii) Fill in the blank with the correct option from the bracket.
The word ‘calumny’ in the extract means __________ the of false statements (making/breaking).
Answer:
making
(iv) What does the speaker do to make the listener trust him?
Answer:
The speaker states that he had been a school teacher in a village in order to make the listener trust him.
(v) State whether the following statement is an Opinion or Fact.
The beggar could have found a different means to earn instead of begging.
Answer:
Opinion
Question 7.
Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (A) or (B). (5)
(A) And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
(i) What route did the poet choose in the end? Why?
Answer:
The poet chose the route less travelled by. He believed that even though the path most people took was probably easy, the poet didn’t wish for a conventional life. He wanted a life different than others.
(ii) Fill in the blank with one word.
Here ‘both’ represents __________ and choices.
Answer:
roads
(iii) What emotions are most appropriately conveyed by the lines
‘Oh, I kept the first for another day! / Yet knowing how way leads on to way, /1 doubted if I should ever come back’?
I. Uncertainty
II. Regret
III. Optimism
IV. Longing
V. Acceptance
Select the correct option
(a) I, II and IV
(b) II, III and V
(c) I, IV and V
(d) I, II and V
Answer:
(d) I, II and V
(iv) “No step had trodden black” indicates
(a) clean
(b) unused
(c) strange
(d) unique
Answer:
(b) unused
(v) State whether the following statement is True or False.
The poet is doubtful about ever getting the chance to come back to this moment again.
Answer:
True
(B) And he said, “You are far too selfish To dwell in a human form,
To have both food and shelter,
And fire to keep your warm.
Now, you shall build as the bird do,
and shall get your scanty food
By boring, and boring, and boring,
All day in the hard, dry wood”.
(i) Why does the poet call the listener selfish?
Answer:
The poet was hungry and asked the listener for some food. The listener reluctantly offers to bake him a cake but later retracts from her offer and keeps the cake for herself. The poet then calls her selfish as she did not give him even the smallest of cakes.
(ii) Complete the following suitably.
The word ‘Boring’ in the extract does not correspond with __________
Answer:
to be dull
(iii) What tone and emotions are most appropriately conveyed by the speaker’s words:
‘You are far too selfish All day in the hard, dry wood’?
I. judgement
II. authority
III. cruelty
IV. warning
V. punishment
Select the correct option.
(a) I, II and IV
(b) II, III and IV
(c) I, IV and V
(d) I, IV and V
Answer:
(a) I, II, V
(iv) Who is ‘he’ in the given extract?
(a) St. Francis
(b) St. Peter
(c) St. John
(d) St. Vincent
Answer:
(b) St. Peter
(v) Find words in the extract that rhyme with ‘farm’ and ‘swell’.
Answer:
(a) warm-farm
(b) dwell-swell
Question 8.
Answer any four of the following five questions in 40-50 words each. (4 × 3 = 12)
(i) ‘Einstein was a world citizen.’ Comment.
Answer:
Einstein was a world citizen because of the responsibility he showed towards humanity irrespective of natural borders. He proposed the formation of a world government to the United Nations that would work for world peace. He also campaigned to end the arms race and used his popularity to promote peace and democracy.
(ii) How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music? When was her deafness first noticed?
Answer:
Evelyn was seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music. Her mother noticed her deafness for the first time when she was eight years old as she was waiting to play the piano. When her mother called out her name, Evelyn did not move at all. This made her mother realise that she had a hearing problem.
(iii) What did Saint Peter ask the old lady for? What was the lady’s response?
Answer:
Saint Peter asked the old lady to give him one of her baked cakes so that he could satisfy his hunger. The lady tried to bake smaller cakes for him but finally did not give him anything.
(iv) What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’ in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’? What makes it bleed?
Answer:
‘Bleeding bark’ refers to the area on the tree trunk where it has been hit with an axe. It ‘bleeds’ because the sap in the tree flows out when a woodcutter damages the tree by cutting and chopping it.
(v) Kalam’s childhood was a secure one both materially and emotionally. Comment.
Answer:
Kalam called his childhood a secure one because he had loving and caring parents who gave love and guidance to him. They took care of his physical and emotional needs. They provided him with all the necessities, in terms of food, medicine or clothes.
Question 9.
Answer any two of the following three questions in 40-50 words each. (2 × 3 = 6)
(i) Did the boy in ‘The Lost Child’ wait for the answer after pleading for sweets? Why?
Answer:
No, the boy in ‘The Lost Child’ didn’t wait for an answer from his parents after pleading for sweets because he knew that his parents would say that he was greedy and would refuse to buy sweets for him.
(ii) Why was Grandfather pleased even though Toto had escaped from the closet? What does this tell us about his character?
Answer:
The Grandfather was pleased at Toto’s intelligence as he had managed to get free from the peg he had been tied to. This reveals the fact that Grandfather was a true animal lover and enjoyed the antics of the monkey.
- Grandfather admired Toto’s cleverness.
- Valued wit and intelligence over inconvenience.
- Showed affection and love for animals.
(iii) Why did Lushkoff agree to chop wood for Sergei?
Answer:
Lushkoff agreed to chop wood for Sergei because of shame and guilt. He was trapped in his own words because he had told Sergei that he had to beg because he could not find any work. In reality, Lushkoff had taken to begging as he was lazy and did not want to do any work.
Question 10.
Answer any one of the following two questions in 100-120 words each. (6)
(i) Do you think a liberal environment in the school helps in learning in a better way? Why did Albert Einstein leave school at the age of 15?
Answer:
Yes, I think that a liberal environment in the school helps in learning in a better way. ATiberal environment allows free thinking. In such an environment, one can think and work according to our own wishes. It also helps in developing new and creative ideas as we aie not bound by rules. We learn more when we are allowed to learn according to our capacity. So, better learning takes place when the environment in the school is liberal and student-friendly.
Albert Einstein went to a high school in Munich. He was good at studies and scored good marks in all the subjects. However, he did not like the strict discipline or the regimented environment in the school. He often had arguments with his teachers. He was unable to adjust himself in the constricted environment properly and felt suffocated there. So, at the age of 15, he left the school.
(ii) Do you agree that schools today are better than the schools in the story ‘The Fun They Had’. Give reasons as per your choice.
Answer:
Yes, the schools are better than the schools in the story. In the story ‘The Fun They Had’, schools of the future are portrayed as mechanical and isolated, with each child learning alone at home through a robot teacher and tale books. While this system offers personalised attention, flexible timings, and saves time and money, it lacks the essential element of human connection. Unlike mechanical teachers, human educators understand emotions, provide empathy and offer moral guidance. Modem schools are better because they allow students to interact, solve problems together and develop social skills vital for personal growth. Social contact plays a crucial role in a child’s development, which machines cannot provide. Thus, while technology has benefits, human teachers and real classroom experiences remain irreplaceable and essential in today’s education system.
Question 11.
Answer any one of the following two questions in 100-120 words each. (6)
(i) Grandfather is an animal lover. Whenever he comes across any attractive animal, he buys it at any cost. Do you think it is advisable to keep a monkey like Toto as one of the pets in the house? Why or why not?
Answer:
As described in the chapter ‘The Adventures of Toto’, the grandfather had a great love for animals. He had his own private zoo where he kept a variety of pets including a rabbit, squirrel, tortoise, goat, donkey and a monkey named Toto. Out of all the animals, Toto was the biggest nuisance in the house. He often tore curtains and clothes, scratched the wallpaper and even broke utensils by throwing them. He always tried to create problems for the other animals.
Though it is good to show love for animals, having a pet like Toto is not advisable. Such an animal may pose a threat to children or even adults in the family. It may also break valuable and costly items in the house. Moreover, most animals are happiest in their natural surroundings and keeping them captive is cruel. We must not keep or capture them for our selfish motives. It is therefore better to allow animals to live in their natural habitat rather than confining them as pets to satisfy our emotional needs.
(ii) The painted leaf became a symbol of hope and life for Johnsy. Discuss how Behrman’s final act made a difference to Johnsy’s life. What lesson does the story teach us about selflessness and sacrifice?
Answer:
Johnsy, a young artist, was suffering from pneumonia and had lost her will to live. She believed she would die when the last leaf on the ivy vine outside her window fell. Her friend Sue tried to keep her spirits up, but Johnsy remained hopeless.
Behrman, an old painter who lived in the same building, heard about Johnsy’s belief. On a stormy night, when the last leaf fell, Behrman secretly painted a realistic leaf on the wall. That painted leaf gave Johnsy hope and helped her recover. She thought the leaf had survived the storm and realised she had been foolish to give up. Behrman caught pneumonia after being out in the cold and died. His final act of painting the leaf saved Johnsy’s life. It was his masterpiece, created not on canvas but through courage and sacrifice. The story teaches us that true greatness lies in selfless acts of kindness. Behrman’s silent sacrifice shows that even small, unnoticed actions can bring hope and save lives.