Heritage International school

SECTION A
Reading Skills 20 marks

1. Read the following passage carefully:

1. Organic food is very popular these days. It can also be very expensive. Some organic food
costs twice as much as non-organic food. Parents of young children and even some pet
owners, will pay high prices for organic food if they think it is healthier. But many others
think organic food is just a waste of money.

2. There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not
use agricultural chemicals such as pesticides that stop insects from damaging crops. In many
countries, foods that claim to be organic must have special labels that guarantee grown
organically.

3. Some people think organic also means ‘locally grown’ and originally it was indeed true. But
over a period of time, organic farming has become a big business, with many organic foods
now being grown by large agricultural companies that sell their products far from where also
become more popular. At first, only small companies produced these products. But as
demand overtook supply, big food companies that had been selling non-organic products for
many years also began selling organic products.

4. Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate. Many
farmers and consumers believe it is safer and more nutritious. They think agricultural
chemicals can cause serious illnesses such as this is true. However, recent studies have
shown that eating organically grown produce reduces your chances of developing heart
disease. Many doctors think it is more important to stop dangerous bacteria from
contaminating foods. These bacteria can contaminate both organic and non-organic fruits and
vegetables, and doctors recommend washing produce carefully before eating it. Meat, fish
and chicken can also become contaminated so washing your hands before handling these
foods is also very important.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:
10x1=10

(i) People are willing to pay high prices for organic food because

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 (a) it is not easily available.

(b) it helps in weight loss.

(c) it is produced by small companies.

(d) it does not contain agricultural chemicals.

(ii) Select the option that displays what the writer projects with reference to the following:

Is organic food safer and more nutritious? This is an important part of the debate.

(a) denial

(b) confirmation

(c) caution

(d) acceptance

(iii) Complete the following with a phrase from paragraph 3.

Opinion Reason

Big food companies have started selling organic food products.

(iv) The writer contrasts organic food with non-organic food. State one point of comparison between
the two.

(v) Based on your reading of the text, list one benefit of eating organic food.

(vi) What connect does the writer draw between the contamination of food and washing hands?

(vii)The writer says that people believe that it is safer and more nutritious to eat organic food. Select
the reason for his sceptical view.

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 (a) the price decides the popularity

(b) there is no confirmed evidence

(c) it is tastier

(d) it is marketed by big food companies

(viii) Supply one point to justify the following :

Some people think organic also means ‘locally grown’

(ix) Supply one method of how we can control the contamination of organic and non organic
food.

(x) List one factor that certifies food to be organic.

2. Read the following passage carefully:

1. According to a new study, a vast blanket of pollution stretching across South Asia is cutting
down sunlight by 10 per cent over India, damaging agriculture, modifying rainfall patterns
and putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk.

2. It is said, “Acid in the haze may, by falling as acid rain, have the potential to damage crops
and trees. Ash falling on leaves can aggravate the impact of reduced sunlight on the Earth’s
Surface. The pollution that is forming the haze could be leading to several hundreds of
thousands of premature deaths as a result of higher levels of respiratory diseases.”

3. “The haze has cut down sunlight over India by 10 per cent (so far) - a huge amount! As a
repercussion, the North-West of India is drying up,” Prof. V. Ramanathan said when asked
specifically about the impact of the haze over India. He said, “We are still in an early stage of
understanding the impact of the haze.”

4. Prof. V. Ramanathan was asked whether the current droughts in most parts of India after over
a decade of good monsoons was owing to the haze. He said, “ It was too early to reach a
conclusion. If the droughts persist for about four to five years, then we would start suspecting
that it may be because of the haze.” India, China and Indonesia are the worst affected owing
to their population density, economic growth and depleting forest cover.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer the questions given below:

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 10x1=10

(i) Infer one reason for the following based on the information in paragraph 1:

In India rainfall patterns are changing.

(ii) The pollution spreading across South Asia is affecting India by ________.

Choose the correct option from the ones given below:

(a) I, II and III

(b) I, III and IV

(c) II, III and IV

(d) I, II and IV
(iii) Complete the following analogy correctly with a word/phrase from paragraph 2.

possibility: _________ : : suspecting : doubting

(iv) Select the correct option to complete the sentence.

___________ droughts were caused by the haze.

(a) Strong evidence suggested that

(b) Past surveys confirmed that

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(c) There has not been enough time to determine that

Superstitious people believe that

(v) From the following pie chart, identify one reason for each which does and does not contribute to
weather disruption:

• Depletion of forest cover: Reducing Forest areas can affect local and global climates,
contributing to weather disruptions.

Does not contribute to weather disruption:

• Organic farming: This practice is typically environmentally friendly and does not contribute
to weather disruption.

(v) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option.

Ash falling on leaves can __________ the impact of reduced

(a) worsen

(b) encourage
(c) diminish

(d) support

(vii) Substitute the word ‘repercussion’ with one word similar in meaning in the following sentence
from paragraph 3.

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The haze has cut down sunlight over India ... As a repercussion, the North-West of India is drying
up.

(viii) List any two countries which are affected due to depleting forest cover.

• India

• Indonesia

(ix) Which of the following means the same as ‘persist’ in ‘droughts persists’ as used in para 4?

(a) destroying

(b) halting

(c) continue

(d) blocking

(x) Select the option that titles paragraphs 1-4 appropriately with reference to information in the text.

(a) 1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia

2. Effects of Acid Rain

3. Understanding Consequences of Haze

4. Debate over Droughts

(b) 1. Impact of Droughts

2. Understanding Acid Rain

3. Effect of Haze

4. Debate over Pollution

(c) 1. Impact of Pollution in South Asia

2. Effects of Acid Rain

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 3. Debate over Droughts

4. Understanding Haze

(d) 1. Impact of Haze

2. Understanding Acid Rain

3. Debate over Pollution

4. Effect of Haze

SECTION B
Grammar and Creative Writing Skills 20 marks
3. Attempt any ten of the following twelve questions: 10x1=10

(i) The teacher motivated the students by letting them know that if they _________ submit their
assignments by the end of the day, they might get an opportunity to watch the match.

(a) did not

(b) must

(c) would

(d) were

(ii) Read the conversation between a coach and his player. Complete the sentence by reporting the
player’s reply correctly.

Coach: Will you be able to report for morning practice during the summer break?
Player: Sir, I will report every morning at 7 a.m. sharp.
The coach while talking to the player asked him whether he would be able to report for morning
practice. The player affirmed __________.

(iii) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line from a daily newspaper:

The cars were stopped _________ going any further due to a traffic diversion.

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 (a) to

(b) from

(c) within

(d) by

(iv) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following traffic
advisory:

Whoever drove a motor vehicle without a safety belt or carries passengers without seat belts will be
fined.
Option No. Error Correction

(a) drove drives

(b) or nor

(c) without within

(d) fined celebrated

(v) Complete the given narrative by filling in the blank with the correct option:

Not only did Mayank work hard to win the trophy, _________ helped the juniors to improve their
skills.

(a) he as well as

(b) but he also

(c) and he also

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 (d) just as he

(vi) Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word given in the brackets.

The names of the applicants were ________ (list) in the report and submitted to the manager.

(vii) Complete the sentence with the appropriate option.

Two-thirds of the students _________ present at the inaugural function.

(a) is

(b) being

(c) was

(d) were

(viii) Identify the error on a shop and supply the correction.

World Wide Travels Pvt. Ltd. Beaspur, Sewana

For travel information, contact the twenty-four hour help-desk

Use the given format for your response.

Error Correction

(ix) Select the correct option to complete the narration of the dialogue between Ajay and his friend.

Friend: Ajay, did you buy a zoom lens with your camera?
Ajay: No, I did not. I ran out of money.

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Ajay's friend asked Ajay whether he had bought a zoom lens with his camera. Ajay replied that he
had not because _________.

(a) he was running out of money

(b) he has ran out of money

(c) he have run out of money

(d) he had run out of money

(x) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option.

His brother along with his friends ________ leaving for the stadium.

(a) are

(b) has

(c) is

(d) were
(xi) Complete the given narrative by filling in the blank with the correct option :
The residents promised to _________ the President of the association in his demand for proper
garbage disposal systems.

(a) stood by

(b) stand by

(c) stand against

(d) stood for

(xii) Fill in the blank with the correct option :

The number of people attending this evening annual function is ______________than that of the
previous year’s.

(a) fewer

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(b) few

(c) less

(d) much

4. Attempt any one from (A) and (B) given below: 5

(A) You are Mohit/Mohita of E-46, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi. You came across news articles about the
neglect of elders in today’s society. Disturbed after reading the articles, you decide to write a letter to
the editor of ‘The Hindustan Times’ stressing the need to sensitize children to the plight and
loneliness of the elders and to inculcate in them the values of caring and sharing. You can also
express your views on strengthening family values. Write your letter in 100 120 words.

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