ICSE Class 10, 9 English Language Practice Papers – 8 With Answers
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Write a composition (350-400 words) on any one of the following:
Question 1(a).
“Public Examination at school level should be abolished.” Give your views either for or against the statement.
Answer:
Public Examination are held at school level to test the progress of the students in their academic performance. The Oxford Dictionary defines examination as “a formal test of a person’s knowledge or proficiency in a subject or skill.”
In India we have the school board exams at the secondary level and they are public exams. When the time for public examination arrives, educators and parents work together in order to help the students to achieve the best possible result. This is because the government has set an achievement target for schools to reach. Schools that achieve the targets are awarded as the best school in the country with the highest ratings. This boosts the parents’ or guardians’ confidence to send their child to that school so he or she can also achieve good results.
Many people believe that taking public examination is just another stepping stone for students before moving on to higher education and help their parents to know their performance in schools.
Another reason in favour of not abolishing public is that school plays important role in educating and producing well-adjusted young people who can contribute to our labour market. The nation needs qualified people to work in different fields. Otherwise, the nation cannot progress. Preparing students to sit for public exams is one of these roles.
Exams, including school and public, is a good way of assessing students’ level and ability. The examination results show whether the students are good or weak academically. If they are, weak, teachers and parents can help the students in the subjects they are weak in. Moreover, academically weak students can pay more attention to non-academically areas such as sports, music’s and arts. They can choose a career in these disciplines.
Moreover, exams show what subjects the students are better at. Schools put students in the Science or Commerce or Arts stream based on the results. However, if exams are abolished, there is no way to find out the students’ inclinations. So, exams enable schools to find out the students’ strengths and weakness. When preparing for examinations, students are forced to revise their lessons. In the past, if they had failed, they will study harder for the second time.
Yes there are some disadvantages like the stress on the students and parents and the dependency on judging the intellect of students only on the basis of their results in exams but if proper measures are taken these can be dealt with .Overall one can say that public exams should not be abolished.
Question 1(b).
You have to represent your school in an Inter – school basketball tournament .Describe your excitement on being selected in the team, the competition and your feelings on having won laurels for your school.
Answer:
I had worked hard at practicing for selection into my school team and was pleasantly surprised when the results were declared as not only was I selected but also made the captain of the school basketball team which was going to play in the inter-school basketball tournament. It was a new, exciting and interesting experience.
But I also realized how much work and responsibility goes into being a team captain. I had always looked up to my captains and wanted to be just as good an athlete, and as cool. Team members rely on the captains. As captain, I now had to deal with the pressures and stress that went along with the role. I knew 1 was going to learn a lot.
I quickly realized that my position entailed a lot of responsibility, which was new to me. Not only was I in charge of scheduling and running practices, but I also held a major role in making sure each girl was getting what she wanted out of her team experience. That’s a lot to deal with, but I really wanted to succeed and make the everyone proud. I realized that I was not only my team’s leader but also their role model. If I acted lazy, complained about assignments, or arrived late to practice, the players would copy me. Becoming a captain made me change. Another significant lesson I learned was how to take charge and manage a group of people. I quickly learned that sometimes being nice doesn’t work, and when you want to accomplish something you can’t always have fun. You have to work hard to grow as an athlete.
And my hard work paid good dividends .The team played well and remained united even when they could have earned points individually, they preferred to operate as a united group. The result was that we won the tournament. Our excitement knew no bounds. The girls lifted me’ in the air and then the cheers and clapping’s of our schoolmates were resounding in the grounds. It was a proud moment when I was called to receive the trophy and my school principal shook hand with me amidst clicking cameras. I along with my team-mates posed for numerous photographs and we were local celebrities. Next day in school we were honoured and faculty and staff congratulated us in winning laurels for our school.
Question 1(c).
Write an original or imaginative story which brings out the truth of the statement, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”
Answer:
Once upon a time there was an Imam who had heard of a person who everyone thought was very pious, honest, noble and God-fearing. In fact, he had earned a lot of fame because of his good deeds. The Imam was keen to meet him, so he went to his place, and found a huge crowd of disciples sitting there. In a glance he realized they were all ignorant, simple hearted folk.
Suddenly, the pious man left the crowd and went outside. The Imam followed him to observe his greatness himself. The man stopped at a bakery and picked up two loaves of bread and hid them under his cloak when the baker was not looking. The Imam giving him the benefit of doubt, thought he must have prepaid for them or would pay him later, but then the reason for hiding them from the baker left him wondering. Then he saw the man stop at a fruit seller’s shop and pick up two mangoes, hide them under his cloak and walk on.
The man then handed over the loaves of bread and the mangoes to a poor and sick beggar. The Imam went to the man and accosted him and asked him the meaning of his actions.
The man looked at him boldly, and said “You are the Imam.” ‘I admit that you are the progeny of the Holy Prophet and as such, worthy of respect, but I’m afraid you are not only ignorant but foolish as well.” Have you not read in the Holy Quran, “Every good deed will be multiplied by ten, whereas, an evil deed will be counted as one.” Now listen. I stole two loaves of bread and two mangoes. I committed four sins. On the other hand, I gave all four to an ailing beggar. Multiply four by ten and you get forty good deeds. I scored four sins and forty good deeds. If I subtract the sins from the good deeds, I still score thirty six good deeds. It is as simple as that! Now tell me, was your question foolish or not?’
The Imam was shocked and said, “You seem to have missed the Verse in the Holy Quran that says, “Allah accepts the deeds of only those who fear God.”
This simple mathematics is enough to reveal your miscalculations. You have admitted four sins yourself. You then distributed the property of others, stolen by you, as charity and alms. Four more sins have been added to your account making them eight, and not one, single good deed.’ Saying this, the Imam walked away, leaving the man, with a little knowledge, dumbfounded.
Hence it is true that personal interpretations and explanations, without sufficient knowledge and understanding, lead, not only oneself, in the wrong direction, but also continue misleading others.
Question 1(d).
Some people are more wasteful than others. Describe the environmentally irresponsible behaviour of some groups (e.g., fast food restaurant owners, chemical factory owners, students) and discuss possible remedies to improve the situation.
Answer:
Money isn’t everything – or is it? To most corporations, making a profit is goal number one – but some of those companies take it way too far, sacrificing the health of the planet and its inhabitants for a bigger bank balance. Far too many corporations turn a blind eye to the consequences of their destructive, exploitative practices. The worst of them are committing atrocities that go beyond the realm of objectionable into criminal, dumping toxic chemicals without regard to public health and employing child labour. They’ve committed crimes that are BOTH environmentally and socially irresponsible.
We can take the example of a reputed company like Nestle. More than 40% of the world’s chocolate comes from Cote d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) in Africa, where tens of thousands of children are estimated to be working in dangerous conditions on cocoa farms. Nestle uses cocoa harvested by slave labour. It was only when Senator Thomas Harkin (D-Iowa) led an investigation and introduced legislation that would require chocolate sold in the US to be labelled “slave-free” did the company act. Nestle promised that by July 2005 they would find a way to certify chocolate as not having been produced by any underage, indentured, trafficked or coerced labour, but since then, they have achieved very little.
Nestle’s bottled water business is also a major cause for concern. Nestle controls one-third of the US market and sells 70 different brand names of bottled water including Arrowhead, * Deer Park, Perrier and Poland Spring. The company buys up pristine springs in some of the most beautiful natural spaces in America and builds huge factories on the sites, releasing pollution into the air and drawing enormous amounts of water out of the springs.
And, while the company claims an environmentally friendly ethic, saying it would never harm an aquifer, that’s exactly what they have done in places like Mecosta Country, Michigan, damaging the watershed with excessive withdrawals, reaping huge profits and leaving the locals to deal with the consequences.
The possible solution lies in the hands of the governments which should take stringent measures to punish wrongdoers and pass strict laws to curb such malpractices. Moreover awareness must be created amongst the people to report such irresponsible acts of the companies at the earliest. The management of the companies must also be counselled to act responsibly and not be just driven by profits.
Question 1(e).
Study the picture given below. Write a story or an account of what the picture suggests to you. Your composition maybe about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; but there must be a clear connection between the picture and the composition.
Answer:
Education is the fundamental right of every girl child and it is imperative that every mother fights for and ensures that her daughter receives the education she deserves. Every girl child will one day become a mother and thus the chain of education for women will gain impetus.
Educated women are capable of bringing socio-economic changes. Education will empower women to come forward and contribute towards the development and prosperity of the country.
Primary education is now a fundamental right. When a woman (or a girl) is ensured of her rights, the society at large is ensured of its sustainability. So long as women remain backward and economically dependent on men, the helpless condition of them cannot be changed. Economic empowerment and independence will only come through proper education and employment of women.
Educated women are now looked upon with dignity and honour. They become a source of inspiration for millions of young girls who make them their role-models.: Educated women are more informed of their rights for justice. It would eventually lead to decline in instances of violence and injustice against women such as dowry, forced-prostitution, child-marriage, female foeticide, etc.
Women education is a pre-requisite to alleviate poverty. Women need to take equal burden of the massive task of eliminating poverty. This would demand massive contribution from educated women. There cannot be much social and economic changes unless girls and women are given their rights for education.
Educated and progressive women will ensure that India is educated and progressive. An educated mother, wife or sister will educate the future generations of India and lead to a more enlightened and globally aware youth which will forge a place for the country in the fiercely competitive world.
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select one of the following:
Question 2(a).
Write a letter to the postmaster of your town, complaining to him about the non-delivery of parcel you sent to your friend a week ago.
Answer:
To Whom It May Concern:
The Postmaster
Central Post Office
M.G. Road
Aligarh
U.P.
Missing/damaged parcel Ref. No: PD 1456
Date of Delivery/Expected Delivery: 24th Sep,2015.
Sir,
This is to bring to your notice that I had sent a parcel to my friend in Chennai on the 15th of Sep2015 but it has come to my attention that my parcel has been lost/misplaced in transit and my friend has not received it till now. It was urgently required by my friend and has caused him great inconvenience. I had insured the parcel for Rs. 1000 . As the package has not been delivered on time I expect to be paid the full compensation available on the item as soon as possible.
I am extremely disappointed in The Express Delivery Service as I have used your company on a regular basis for important packages over the last 4to 5 years but I have noticed a steady decline in the quality of service as of late. I have encountered various problems over the last 6 months with this most recent one, quite frankly, being the most frustrating and severe.
This recent experience will force me to seek out alternative methods for sending all future packages and parcels with one of your competitors unless I am shown an improvement in the. quality of service. Hoping for a positive solution.
Yours sincerely
Mr A.P. Dhiman
CEO Appu Fabrics
Mob-000099988
Question 2(b).
Write a letter to your younger sister advising her to read newspapers regularly impressing upon her the need to do so.
Answer:
24, Daryaganj
Fatehbad
Orissa
My dear Raj ini,
I am very glad to learn that you have stood second in your class in the last annual examination. Accept my heartfelt congratulations and I hope and pray that you always get success in ail your future endeavours.
However, I have learnt that you are lagging in your current affairs paper and this has given me great pain. As an elder sister I would advise you to read the newspaper regularly to keep abreast of the current news. Undoubtedly you are a brilliant student. But, don’t you know that bookish knowledge is not enough for your ultimate success in life? If you want to keep pace with the current world you must have general knowledge. And newspaper is the storehouse of such knowledge. Truly speaking, it is the mirror of the world. If you look through the newspaper, you can see the overall picture of the world. Moreover, to do well in interviews for any job you must read the newspaper. In a word, you cannot imagine a conscious life and better career without reading the newspaper.
So, I advise you to start reading newspaper immediately side by side with your academic study.With hope of your brighter future and hope you will follow my advise.
Your living sister
Suraiya
Question 3.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Answer:
Luckily she reached him just in time to catch him in her arms, but as soon as she had done so, she almost let him fall in her astonishment. It was neither a drunken man nor a hunchback, but a child of ten in an overcoat, who was crying and who said in a weak voice: “I beg your pardon, madame. If you only knew how hungry and cold I am!”
“Poor child!” she said, putting her arms around him. And she carried him off with a happy heart.
Tall Fanny opened her cupboard and took out a box of biscuits, some coffee powder and a few lumps of sugar in a cup. With that and some water out of a jug she concocted a sort of broth, which he swallowed revenously, and when he had done he wished to tell his story, which he did, yawning all the time.
His grandfather, who had been a painter had died about a month ago, but before his death he had said to him: “When I am gone, little man, you must go to Paris, for you have an aptitude for painting, and only there can you hope to become an artist and my brother who lives there will help you.”
But when he got to Paris the dead man’s brother had left the place six months before; nobody knew where he had gone, and so the child was alone.
The next day he dined together with Fanny at a common eating house on money that she had borrowed, and when it was dark she said to the child
“Wait for me here, I will come for you at closing time.” She came back sooner, however, about ten o’clock. She had twelve frances which she gave him.
An hour later, however, she was arrested by the /police.
And the child began his wretched vagabond life in the streets again with only the twelve francs to depend on.
Fifteen years later, the newspaper announced one morning that the famous Fanny Clariet, the celebrated queen of frail beauties, for whom three men had committed suicide, had been shut up in a lunatic asylum.
“No, certainly not!” Francois Guerland, the painter, said to himself when he read the notice of it in the papers. “No, the great Fanny shall certainly not end like that.” For it was certainly she; there could be not doubt about it.
Now the time had come for him to pay his debt and he paid. It. Francois Guerland took her out of the asylum, installed her in a splendid apartment and went to live with her there.She did not recognise in him the poor little lad on whom she had taken pity in the days gone by, not did he remind her of the circumstances.
Question 3(a).
Give the meaning of the following words as used in the passage.One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
(1) Concocted
Ans. concocted— create or devise (a story or plan)
(2) Vagabond
Ans. vagabond- a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job.
(3) Installed
Ans. installed- place (someone) in a new position maybe of authority.
Question 3(b).
Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.
Question 1.
Describe the physical and mental state of the child when he first met Fanny.
Answer:
When he first met Fanny the child was extremely hungry and cold and lost in the strange town of Paris where he was all alone without money or a home to call his own.
Question 2.
How did Fanny take care of the child when he was helpless?
Answer:
Fanny although poor and destitute herself took pity on the ten year old boy and took him to her room where she gave him some biscuits to eat and a broth of water, coffee and sugar to drink. She also listened to his sad story of how he was lost in Paris all alone. She even fed him at a common eating place the next day and then gave him twelve francs to survive on before she was arrested by the police.
Question 3.
What had the child’s grandfather advised him? Why?
Answer:
The child’s grandfather had advised him to go to Paris and seek the help of his younger brother to become a painter as he had an aptitude for painting and his grandfather was sure that one day he would become an artist.
Question 4.
Why was the child disappointed when he reached Paris?
Answer:
He was disappointed because his grandfather’s brother had left Paris six months ago and no one knew where he had gone so the child was alone in a new city with none to help him.
Question 5.
Why was Fanny said to be famous? Why was she kept in a lunatic asylum?
Answer:
Fanny was said to be famous because she was an iconic frail beauty for whom three men had committed suicide. She was kept in a lunatic asylum as she had gone mad and could not be left on her own.
Question 6.
How did Francois Guerland take care of Fanny in the end?
Answer:
Francois Guer land was grateful to Fanny who had helped him when he was destitute and helpless in Paris. So he repaid his debt by putting her up in a splendid apartment and living there with her. He did not ever remind her of the circumstances in which they had met and she never recognised him as the boy she had befriended.
Question 3(c).
In not more than 60 words state how much Francois was indebted to Fanny and how he repaid his debt.
Answer:
Francois never forgot the kindness Fanny had shown to him when he was a lonely and hungry child lost in Paris. So when he read that Fanny was being admitted to a mental asylum he decided that she did not deserve a lonely and uncared for life .He set her up in a splendid apartment and went to live with her although she never recognised who he was.
Question 3(d).
Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.
Answer:
A suitable title would be, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” This idiomatic title justifies the friendship of Francois and Fanny who helped each other when there was no one to help them.
Question 4(a).
In the following passage, fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage , but write in the correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Harish, a young taxi driver claimed that a monster had_____ 1__ (attack) him while he was___ 2__ (drive) along a lonely road. The monster________ 3__ (be) five tall, had red eyes and a hairy body. After____ 4__ (chase)the taxi for a kilometre, he had jumped on its roof and scratched the face of the driver. Many people said that they believed in the ____ 5__ (exist) of the monster and the newspapers called the monster the monkey -man. Ninety policemen set out to_____ 6__ (catch) the monster and the local television offered Rupees ten thousand to anyone who would get him dead or alive. The monkey man___ 7__ (become) so popular that crowds came to Delhi to see him.No one has____ 8___ (find) him. As everyone knows, monsters may or may not exist, but they are
Answer:
- attacked
- driving
- was
- chasing
- existence
- Catch
- became
- found
Question 4(b).
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:
- I’ve got no savings to fall back on.
- Did she thank Mike for the lift
- His timely help saved us from bankruptcy.
- A scientist has come up with a new invention.
- Students need heroes to look up to.
- The Beatles had a great influence on their generation.
- There’s usually an advantage in playing at home.
- There are over ten thousand people in the stadium.
Question 4(c).
Combine each set of the following sentences without using and ,but or so
(1) The burglars fled across the border. They would otherwise have been caught.
Ans. If the burglars had not fled across the border, they would have been caught.
(2) The contractor was not reasonable .He refused to make any compromise.
Ans. The contractor was not reasonable because he refused to make any compromise.
(3) The soldier got the President’s award .He saved the lives of many people.
Ans. The soldier got the President’s award because he saved the lives of many people.
(4) My holidays are over. I have to return to school
Ans. I have to return to school because my holidays are over.
Question 4(d).
Rewrite the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence.
(1) They are unhappy although they are rich.(Use: In spite of)
Ans. In spite of being rich they are unhappy.
(2) I have never seen so big an apple as this.(Use: bigger)
Ans. I have never seen a bigger apple than this.
(3) You can go for an outing provided you come Jiome early.( Begin: You can’t go………… )
Ans. You can’t go for an outing if you do not come home early.
(4) All the students in our class were promoted. (Begin: None of…………… )
Ans. None of the students of our class failed.
(5) You need not do it just now. (Begin: There is………… )
Ans. There is- no need to do it just now.
(6) It would be sensible to call the fire brigade, before the fire destroys everything.(Begin: We had ……… )
Ans. We had better call the fire brigade, before the fire destroys everything.
(7) You never know where you are with people like that, do you? (Begin: One …………….. )
Ans. One never knows where you are with people like that, do you?
(8) He is inviting all his friends. (Begin: Each……………… )
Ans. Each of his friends is being invited by him.
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