SSLC 2024-25
First Terminal Examination
Total Scores: 80 English Time: 2:30 hours
Questions 1 to 5. Read the passage taken from ‘Project the Tiger’ and answer the questions that
follow. (Each question carries 1 mark)
Every animal in a Hollywood film is well-trained. It is not difficult to train a horse or a dog. But have you ever heard
of trained ravens? Not just one or two, but nearly a hundred of them? Even this was made possible in Hollywood,
when the creator of some of the best suspense films in the history of cinema, Alfred Hitchcock, decided to make a film
called Birds. In the story, birds from all over the world start attacking humans. Hitchcock needed a variety of birds,
but what was required in the largest number was ravens. Notices were placed in the press all over the United States,
asking people to contact the filmmaker if they knew how to get hold of trained ravens.
Someone replied within a few days. He was asked to bring his birds, and he arrived with almost a hundred
trained ravens. Admittedly, their training had not gone very bad. That is to say, they could not do anything that might
be seen as extraordinary. But if as many as fifty ravens are told to perch quietly in a row on a specified spot, and if
they obey this command instantly, isn't that pretty impressive?
1. Who is the suspense filmmaker mentioned in the above passage?
2. What is the story of film ‘Birds’ by Alfred Hitchcock?
3. How was the training of ravens?
4. Why did Satyajit Ray said isn’t that pretty impressive?
5. Pick out a word from the passage which means ‘to land and stay on a branch’?
Question 6 to 10. Read the lines from ‘Blowin’ in the wind’ by Bob Dylan and answer the questions that follow.
(Each question carries 1 mark)
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, and how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it is washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see?
6. What does the word ‘road’ refer in the poem?
7. Why does the poet say that answer is blowin’ in the wind?
8. Pick out a line from the song which means ‘neglecting others sufferings’?
9. What is the irony used in white dove imagery sleep in the sand?
10. Who is referred to as people and man in the song?
11. Read the following lines from “Lines Written in Early Spring” by William Wordsworth and write a short
appreciation of the poem. (5)
Lines Written in an Early Spring
I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sate reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And 'tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
Read the following passage carefully.
It was a cold and windy night. My friend and I had met after a long time. We decided to take an auto
rickshaw to go to our house. It started raining so none of the auto rickshaws stopped for us, except one. The
driver asked us where we wanted to go and we told the place. Without saying anything about the fare, he
said, 'Please get in!' We thanked him and got in. Since it was very cold, I asked the driver to stop at any
small restaurant or a tea shop. We wanted to have a cup of hot tea. The driver stopped near a small
restaurant. We ordered tea, and asked the driver to join us. The driver refused. My friend asked, 'Will you
not take tea from this shop?' The driver replied, 'No Sir, I don't feel like having tea now." I was really
surprised at his behaviour and told my friend not to compel him. In 15 minutes, we reached our house. We
paid the fare and the driver thanked. On an impulse, I stopped him and asked why he refused to drink tea
with us at the restaurant. He thought for a moment and replied, 'Sir, my son passed away this noon in an
accident. I don't have enough money for his funeral. So I took a vow not to drink even water, until I earn
enough money for my son's funeral. That's why I didn't drink tea when you offered.' We both were shattered
and offered him moremoney for his son's funeral. He politely refused, 'Thank you for your generosity sir. In
one or two hours, if I get one or two more customers, I will earn the money I need.' And he left the place.
12. When does the incident take place?
13. Why did the narrator ask the driver to stop the rickshaw?
14. Pick out the sentence which tells you about the climate.
15. Why did the driver refuse to have tea with the narrator?
16. Why didn't the driver accept the extra amount given by the narrator?
Answer any one of the following not exceeding 120 words.
17. Narrator of ‘Adventures of a Bunyan Tree’ thrilled by the fight between cobra and mongoose. These
events were narrated to his friend next day. Prepare a likely narrative. (7)
18. A single banyan tree creates such beauty and harmony. How will it be if we have such beauty
everywhere? What should we do for the conservation of nature? Prepare a write-up.
Answer any two of the following not exceeding 60 words.
19. Doctor in the snake and the mirror was frightened by snake in his hand. After that incident he decided to
write his thoughts on diary. Prepare the same. (5)
20. Imagine that the English Club of your school has decided to conduct a seminar on the topic ‘Save the
Earth.’ Prepare a notice proclaiming the subject and inviting all the teacher and students. (5)
21. Ray needed a tiger for his new film. He decided to hire a tiger from Bharat Circus. Prepare a
conversation between Ray and Manger. (5)
Answer any three of the following (22 to 26) not exceeding 80 words.
22. Prepare character sketch of homeopath doctor in snake and the mirror. (6)
23. The boy was very much thrilled of his acquaintance with the squirrel. He wrote a letter to his friend
telling him about his new friend. Help him to complete the letter. (6)
24. Prepare a review of ‘My Sister’s Shoes’ by Majid Majidi (6)
25. Satyajit Ray’s first attempt to shoot the scene with a tiger walking sedately turns futile. This news leaks
into the media and appears in the next day’s newspaper. Draft the news report. (6)
26. Prepare a short profile of Ruskin Bond, an Indian author of British descent, with the help of the details
given below. (6)
Birth: 19 May 1934, in Kassuli, Punjab States Agency, British India.
Nationality: Indian
Occupation: Author
Works: ‘The Room on the Roof’, “The Angry River”, “Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra”.
Awards: Sahitya Academy Award, Padma Shri: in 1999 for children’s literature contributions. Lifetime
Achievement Award: in 2017
27-31. Read the facilities of cities given below and answer the questions that follow (1x5=5)
City Park Stadium Shopping complex
Mumbai 55 39 100
Indore 40 18 65
Chennai 45 30 73
Delhi 65 33 86
Bangalore 40 20 45
27. Which city has the most number of parks?
28. Which city has the least number of stadium?
29. Which city provides the best facility for shopping?
30. What are the two cities having the same number of parks?
31. Which city is not good for players?
32. Read the conversation between Ali and Zahra in the film script ‘My Sister’s Shoes’ and complete
the conversation suitably.
(5)
Zahra : …………(a)…………………. ?
Ali : I lost your shoe in the market.
Zahra : You are joking, ……(b)………….?
Ali : No dear, I am serious.
Zahra : I will tell this matter to dad.
Ali : If you tell dad, ……(c) ………………….
Zahra : Ok. Then how can I go to school without wearing shoe?
Ali : You had better ………(d)………………..
Zahra : ……………(e)…………………….
33. Read the following passage and use the phrasal verbs given in brackets to fill in the blanks. (5)
Satyajith Ray needed a tiger to shoot a scene for his film. He ...........(a)........... everywhere for the tiger.
Somebody .............(b)............ a plan to look in a circus. One day he ............. (c) .............. to a circus
company to ................(d)............ its manager. Then he ................(e).............. the details of shooting with
him.
( put forward , set out , put across , look for , come across , set aside )
34. Edit the passage
Grandfather had never see (a) white squirrels before, and we gazing (b) at them in wonder. We was
(c) puzzled for some time, but when I mentioned the white rats (d) frequent visit to the tree,
grandfather told my (e) that the rat must be the father.
35. Read the following conversation.
Satyajit Ray: Why did you bring two tigers?
Mr Thorat: I decided to play it safe.
a. Satyajit Ray asked Mr Thorat _____________________________________.
b. Mr Thorat replied _______________________________________________.
36. Identify the noun phrase in the subject position from following sentences.
a) The beautiful Christmas tree in front of the house came to his memory.
b) Ali and Zahra were reading their text book.
c) Mongoose killed cobra.
