DAV GIRLS SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, CHENNAI-86

PERIODIC TEST II –2020-21

CLASS: VIII ENGLISH TIME: 2 ½ HOURS

DATE: 13.01.2021 MARKS: 80

General Instructions:

This Question Paper is divided into four sections

 Section A: Reading (20 marks)
 Section B: Writing (10 marks)
 Section C: Grammar (10 marks)
 Section D: Literature (40 marks)

SECTION – A (READING) (20)

I. Read the following passage carefully.(12)

In 2014, Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi were the joint winners of the Nobel Peace
Prize.

Malala, a Pakistani activist had openly demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education
and was shot in the head by an extremist. She luckily survived and continued to campaign for
female education in Pakistan. Kailash Satyarthi’s work to end child labour is just as important.

This social reformer who fought against Child Labour and advocated Universal Right to
Education, raided several factories with his team and liberated more than 81,000 children from
exploitation and slavery.

It is not easy to end child labour in poor countries. In countries such as Nigeria and Ethiopia,
the economic condition of the family is so bad that children are forced to work, their families
need their child’s income. If the child earns less in a given time, they would have to earn
longer.

The result is that fewer kids are enrolled in school, because they are too busy working.

Child Labour is a global problem and the result of several factors such as poverty, social and
Economic backwardness and lack of decent work opportunities for adults.

In their bid to make more profits, some shopkeepers and factory owners employ children so
that they make them work harder for lesser wages.

If we have to reduce the level of child labour, the parents should be provided with resources so
that they can make the choice to keep children out of the factory or field and send them to
school instead. A number of countries have introduced cash transfer schemes that pay
families with kids attending school. Mexico’s Opportunidades programme gives as much for
keeping the girl in the ninth grade as two-thirds the amount a girl would earn in the labour
force. The program has reduced child labour rates by as much as a quarter. Providing free
school meals is another approach to increase enrollment and improve learning.

On the basis of your reading of the passage, complete the following sentences. (12)

1. Malala was shot because ____________.

2. According to the passage, the reasons for child labour are _______ ,
___________ and _______________.

3. Child Labour is common in countries ______________.

4. Kailash Satyarthi saved thousands of children from _____________.

5. _____________has shown positive results in bringing down child labour.

 : 02 :

6. Children are also employed because .

a). They can be made to work more.

b). They can be paid less.
c). They are easily threatened.
d). All of the above.

7. The word similar in meaning to “aggressive activity for a specific purpose” is -----------.

a). Enrolment.
b). Campaign.
c). Exploitation.
d). Miserable.

8. The word opposite in meaning to “local” is .

a). Poverty.
b). Locality.
c). Universal.
d). Common Place.

9. The word opposite in meaning to “liberation” is .

a). Labour.
b). Several.
c). Freedom.
d). Slavery.

10. The word similar in meaning to “take advantage of someone” is .

a). Exploitation.
b). Raided.
c). Global.
d). Bonded.

II. POETRY COMPREHENSION (8)

Read the poem and answer the questions that follow:

THE COLD WITHIN

Six humans trapped in happenstance

In dark and bitter cold,
Each possessed a stick of wood-
Or so the story’s told.

Their dying fire in need of logs,

The first woman held hers back,
For, of the faces around the fire,
She noticed one was black.

The next one looking across the way

Saw not one of his church,
And could not bring himself to give
The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes.

He gave his coat a hitch,
Why should his log be put to use,
To warm the idle rich?

The black man’s face bespoke revenge

As the fire passed from sight,
For all he saw in his stick of wood
Was a chance to spite the white?
 : 03 :

The logs held tight in death’s still hands,

Was proof of human sin,
They did not die from the cold without-
They died from cold within.
JAMES KINNEY

Answer the following questions:

1. What did each of the six humans possess? (1)

2. How could they survive the bitter cold? (1)
3. What did the second person do and why? (2)
4. The last line, “They died from cold within” means,
a. They died due to the intense cold.
b. They died due to the harsh climatic conditions.
c. They died because each person was indifferent to the other.
d. They died because each person was jealous of the other. (1)

5. Pick out the correct answer from the given options

The word “happenstance” means,
(a) Luckily (b) snare (c) coincidence (d) something strange (1)

6. The word opposite in meaning to “spite” as used in the poem is, (1)
(a) Annoy (b) hurt (c) bespoke (d) compassion

7. The word similar in meaning to “hitch”, as used in the poem is

(a) move something with a jerk (b) push something down
(c) pull forward (d) stretch (1)

SECTION – B (WRITING) (10)

III. You are Varun/Vaishali. The main road leading to your locality has three open
manholes causing frequent accidents at night especially during the rainy season.

Write a letter to the Editor of a National Newspaper highlighting the plight of the residents of
your locality. (6)

IV. Given below are the clues of a visit to a Book Fair organized by Sunrise International
School.

Use the information to write a descriptive paragraph titled ”VISIT TO A BOOK FAIR“ in about
100-150 words. (4)

Students and 5 teachers - books on various subjects - avail 10% discount.

SECTION C – GRAMMAR (10)

V. Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences. (2)
1. Bird / in the / at / largest / world / the / fly / all / can’t
2. Are / impossible / ostriches / it / so / them / that / to fly / big / is / for

VI. Identify the Clauses in the following sentences and state their kind. (2)

1. I asked her whether she wanted something to drink.

2. Fruit that is grown organically is expensive.

VII. Change into Reported Speech. (4)

Policeman: Why did you park your car here? Don’t you see, it is a “no parking” zone?
Driver: Sorry Sir ! The engine broke down.
Policeman: Come to the police station. Bring your car also.
Driver: I can’t start the car. I will obey, but the engine won’t.

The policeman asked the driver (a) ------------ and if he didn’t see that it was a “no parking”
zone. The driver felt sorry and explained (b) -----------. The policeman ordered the driver
(c) ---------- car also. The driver said that he couldn’t start the car. He further added that (d) -----.
 : 04 :

VIII. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Identify
the error and write the correction in your answer sheet. (2)

Incorrect Word Correct Word

Although their is no proof that salt is a cause of (a) --------------- ----------------
highly blood pressure or hypertension, there (b) --------------- ----------------
are studies who indicate that reducing salt (c) --------------- ----------------
intake lower blood pressure. (d) --------------- ----------------

SECTION D – LITERATURE & POETRY (40)

IX. Read the following extracts and answer the following questions. (4+4=8)

1. “That tall pine makes a bearing.”

a) Who is the speaker? What was he trying to do? (2)
b) Explain the phrase “makes a bearing.” (1)
c) Name the author. (1)

2. “Oh! It drives all joy away;

Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.”

1. “It” in the first line refers to ------------- (4)

2. Why are the little ones in dismay?
3. Explain the phrase, “under a cruel eye.”
4. Name the poem.

X. Answer any five of the following questions. (2x5=10)

1. What was Mrs. Sappleton’s opinion of Mr. Nuttel?

2. Jody did not want Mill-Wheel with him for two reasons. What were they?
3. Whose offer does the young man finally accept in the poem, “The Last Bargain” and why?
4. Mention any three things Parimal Ghose knew about Bepin Babu.
5. What did the poet see when the jet sprang into the sky?
6. “Who hath dared wound thee?” said the giant. Why did he say these words?

XI. Answer the following questions. (3x4=12)

1. What was it about Mount Everest that the author found irresistible?
2. On one occasion the children said, “How happy we are here! “Later they said,
“How happy we were there!” What were they referring to?
3. Why was Dr. Paresh Chanda puzzled after examining Bepin Choudhury?
4. What was not clear to Zulfikar Ghose when the jet rose beyond ten thousand feet?

XII. Answer any one of the following. (5)

How did Jody help the fawn drink milk from the gourd?
(OR)
What does Major Ahluwalia feel about the summit within? What did his experience as an
Everester teach him?

XIII. Answer any one of the following. (5)

Explain the circumstances which led to the release of the bird.

(OR)
What had happened in the Sappleton family according to Vera?

==============