Practice Worksheet 2024

For Half-Yearly Examination

Answer the following in 40-50 words

1. Who did M. Hamel blame when Franz was unable to answer a question on
French participles?
2. Why does Anees Jung say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious
web?
3. What was the content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla?
4. How did 'The World' help Charley to confirm his doubts regarding the
existence of a third level?
5. What happened on the seventh day after Dr Sadao had typed the letter?
6. “We‟ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with” said [Link]. Refer to the
context and explain what he wanted to convey to his students.
7. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
8. When Gandhi got the wholehearted support of the lawyers, he said, „The
battle of Champaran is won‟. What was the essence behind his statement?
9. Did the astrologer's prophecy come true at the end of the story? How? (Tiger
King)
10. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
11. What surprises awaited Franz as he entered the classroom?
12. What is the impact of the burning of fossil fuels? (Journey to the End of the
Earth)
13. Why does Derek (Derry) not like being with people? (On The Face Of It)
14. What can be inferred from Rajendra Prasad’s recorded upshot of the lawyer
consultations, at Motihari? [Reference - The senior lawyer replied, that they
had come to advise and help him; if he went to jail there would be nobody to
advise and they would go home. What about the injustice to the
sharecroppers, Gandhi demanded.] (Indigo)
15. Douglas uses sensory details to create a vivid image of the unfortunate
experience in the pool. What might be the impact on the reader if the narration
were more informative than sensory? (Deep Water)
16. How does the setting of the remote forest location in 'The Rattrap' contribute
to the overall tone and mood of the story?
17. Answer the question in the context of the following lines from ‘The Enemy’.
“Stupid Yumi,” she muttered fiercely. “Is this anything but a man? And a
wounded helpless man!” In the conviction of her own superiority, she bent
impulsively and untied the knotted rugs that kept the white man covered.
Explain the superiority Hana is convinced about.
 18. What does the play ‘On the Face of It’ suggest about the importance of
empathy in overcoming prejudice and stereotypes?
19. “You realise the true value of a thing only on losing it.” Comment on this
statement in the light of the story, The Last Lesson.
20. State the common issue faced by most of the aged in the current times, with
reference to the poem My Mother at Sixty-six.
21. What do we come to know about the author of Lost Spring, Anees Jung,
through her interactions with Saheb and Mukesh?
22. How did the Tiger King acquire his name?
23. Give two reasons why, according to Pablo Neruda, is ‘keeping quiet’
essential to attaining a better, more peaceful world. (Keeping Quiet)
24. If the Christmas spirit is about selflessness, forgiveness and becoming
'better' versions of ourselves amongst other things, Edla Willmansson is the
epitome of this spirit. Justify with two points of evidence from The Rattrap.
25. Why, do you think, was the Maharaja in danger of losing his throne?

Answer the following in 120-150 words

1. In the story, ‘The Third Level’ by Jack Finney, Charley is obsessed with
finding the third level. In an attempt to thrash out whether this obsession is a
good quality or a harmful one, Charley’s wife expresses her thoughts in a
diary entry. As Louisa, Charley’s wife, write this diary entry. Support your
response with reference to the story.
You may begin this way:
I have been married to Charley for a few years now and I have always known
him to be an intelligent man with an imaginative mind. However, his recent
obsession with finding the Third Level has …

2. The prose selections, Deep Water and Indigo, bring out the importance of
overcoming fear, in order to be able to lead our lives successfully. Imagine
yourself to be a motivational speaker who has to address high school
students. Write this address in 120 – 150 words elaborating on occurrences
from the two texts to inspire your audience and to convince them about the
importance of overcoming fear.
You may begin like this …
Good morning, students! We all know what it’s like to be afraid. Fear is our
body’s natural response to a perceived threat or danger. But when …
3. On returning home, Tishani Doshi writes her thoughts reflecting on how her
decision to enrol for the Students on Ice programme has been the single most
important decision of her life that has completely transformed her. Imagine
yourself to be Tishani and express these thoughts.
You may begin like this: I can’t thank my stars enough for having cashed in on
the opportunity of..........

4. How does Keats’ poem, A Thing of Beauty appeal richly to the senses,
stimulating the reader’s inner sight as well as the sense of touch and smell?
Write your answer in about 120-150 words.

5. Biographies include features of non-fiction texts – factual information and

6. The servants of Sadao and Hana reflect a particular mindset of the general
public in society towards the thinking and broad-minded human beings.
Elaborate with the help of the story „The Enemy”.

7. Optimism in one‟s attitude helps deal with all the challenges in life. Prove the
statement by referring to the character Mr. Lamb from the chapter “On the
Face of It‟

8. Mukesh is not like the others. His „dreams loom like a mirage amidst the dust
of streets that fill his town Firozabad‟. Justify the statement in the light of
contrast in the mindsets of Mukesh and the people of Firozabad. (iii)The
childhood experience of terror of Douglas made him stronger and more
determined. Elucidate the above statement supporting it with evidences from
the text