DWARKA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SEC-12, DWARKA, NEW DELHI CLASS-VIII SUBJECT :ENGLISH - SAMPLE PAPER HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION General Instructions: The question paper is divided into three sections. All questions are compulsory. The marks have been assigned against each question. The handwriting should be neat and clean. M.M.: 80 Time-3hrs Section A: Reading 15 Marks Section B: Writing 15 Marks Section C: Grammar 25 Marks Section D: Literature 25 Marks SECTION A (READING) Q1. Read the passage and answer the following questions: (10marks) India is a unique country. Many religions co-exist peacefully in India. Nowhere in the world, have so many religions co-existed so freely. India is a secular country. It means here everyone has a right to follow one s own religion, faiths and beliefs. Every religious festival is joyously celebrated in India. All Indians live together harmoniously. Church bells, the call of prayer from a mosque, recitation of Vedic prayer from temple, Guruvani from Gurudwara, etc. are the common chanting one may hear with the chirping of birds, when the day advances with rising Sun. In a community a gurudwara, mosque, temple and church are very common. All religions are very different from one another. Only superficially they differ in their symbols, sounds and colour but they have something in common. All religions teach us to love one another and be better human beings. Pandit Jawarhar Lal Nehru has said, India is held together by strong but invisible threads. All religions bring people together. They inculcate the feeling of oneness. We are proud of this tradition of religious harmony. All religions teach us that we should speak truth, love one another and follow non-violence. We should follow the path of peace and compassion. Hatred, cruelty, injustice and inequality have no place in any religion. Religion must not divide but unite us as a member of a wider family. Unity in diversity is the message of India. I. Read the passage carefully and Choose the correct options of the given questions : 1. What do you mean by the word ` secular? (1) a. Unique country c. harmony b. To follow one s own rules d.to follow one s own religion
2. What may be the common sounds you hear in the morning? (1) a. Chirping birds c. call of prayer b. Church bells d. all of these 3. Which of these statement is not correct? (1) a. India is a secular country b. All religions teach us to love one another. c. India is held together by weak threads. d. Religions must not divide but unite. 4. What feeling do all religions inculcate in us? (1) a. The feeling of oneness c. the feeling of being human b. The feeling of nearness d. none of these 5. `Unity in diversity is the message of India. Why? (1) Ans. II. Answer the following questions 1. Find the synonyms and antonym of the word `belief. (1) 2. What was said by Pandit Jawarhar Lal Nehru and why? (2) 3. What are the values taken by you from this passage? (2) Q2. Read the given poem carefully : (5 marks) Celebrate Life The young man could never Match the steps of others. As he always lagged behind He had lost respect for himself. He told his father that he was sad As he was nothing but just a failure. His father replied, My dear son, Just remember! Everyone is different. Every plant does not become a tree Some stay dwarfed as a bush forever Some grow tall like a giant on the earth But their death is the same whatever What if you could not receive What you wanted to achieve Don t think of failure or success. You tried so hard, you really did strive Be proud of the effort and just celebrate life On the basis of your reading and understanding of the poem, choose the correct option: 1. What was the problem of the young man? a. He was better than others. b. He could never match others.
2. Why had he lost respect for himself? a. He always was the first. b. He always lagged behind 3. Why was the young man sad? a. He felt he was a failure. b. He felt everyone was stupid. 4. What did the father reply? a. Everyone is the same. b. Everyone is different. 5. What should the son think of instead of success or failure? a. Be proud of being lazy. b. Be proud of the effort he had put in. SECTION-B (WRITING) (15M) Q3 You are Anne Vice Captain of your school. Your school is organizing a picnic for students of class VI VIII. Write a notice in about 50 words for notice-board inviting the students to join the picnic. Include the necessary information. (4M) Q4 PratibhaPatil as appointed as the first woman President of independent India. Taking her and other examples of Kalpana Chawla, Kiran Bedi etc Write an article on the topic Girls in the Twenty First Century. (Word limit : 120-150 words) (6M) Q5.You are Rima/Ryan. Write a letter to the health officer expressing your views on problems caused by street dogs in your colony in about 150 words. (5 M) OR Rising Violence among youth is a cause of concern. A recent survey listed the reasons for this trend. With the help of reasons mentioned below, Write a report based on the same. [5 marks] growing needs peer rivalry pressure teenage problems SECTION-C (GRAMMAR) (25M) Q6.Read the following sentences and rewrite them as directed below : (5x1 = 5 marks) a. Do they have a house in Delhi?. (change into past tense) b.everyone knows about my sister s generosity. (Change into present perfect) c.i am studying English grammar for two years. (change into interrogative form) d. I pluck the flowers. (Change into past continuous tense) e. I was helped by my friends.( change into simple future tense)
Q7.Read the given sentences carefully and Mention whether they are Simple, Compound Or Complex. (2.5M) a. I planted the flowers because I like flowers. b. My English teacher asked me a question, but I didn t know the answer. c. Since we were hungry, we stopped at a restaurant on the way. d. Although he was unwell, he went to school. e. When the teacher entered the class, it was very noisy. Q8. Fill in the blanks with personal, demonstrative, possessive or reflexive pronouns. (any five) (2.5M) a. Which are the kinds of films that you like? b. I hurt while chopping vegetables. c. would you like to have? d. These pens are. e. She loves to wear ethnic neckpieces and that is. f. His name is Samuel Boaz and is from Delhi. Q9 identify the adverbs in the following sentences.(any four) (5x ½ = 2.5 M) 1. He completes his work faster than Keat. 2. Sam speaks well. 3. The birds were chirping merrily. 4. Keith is highly impressed with his performance. 5. Barking dogs seldom bite. Q10. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of adjectives given within brackets. (5x ½ = 2.5 M) a.kevin played (bad) than Samira yesterday. 2.Dogs are (intelligent) than humans. 3.Henry is the (brave) in the class. 4.i have seen the (large) squirrel in the woods. 5. my mother bought an (expensive) ring. Q11 Fill in the blanks with appropriate modal verbs: (5x ½ = 2.5M) a. He (will/shall) help you in your work.. b. It s a library. You (shouldn t/cannot) talk loudly. c. One (Should/Could) board the bus carefully. d. It (might/shall) start raining b the end of the week. e. It s very cold today. Do you think it (will/may)snow tonight? f. (May/shall) I take your pen?
Q12 Mention whether the verbs used in the sentences are finite or infinite verbs. (2.5 M) a.lets go swimming this weekend. b.are you going to speak to me? c.interested students may apply for the captain post. d.i don t like crying children e.it s about to rain heavily. Q11 Change the following sentences into Passive Voice. (5 M) 1. They have given the permission. 2. I was reading a book. 3. Who has written this novel? 4. They drove the car. 5. Has she completed the work? SECTION-D LITERATURE (25) Q12. Give the meanings for any three words: (3x1 = 3marks) a) tormentedb) belfryc) coweringd) groaned e) exhorts f) departing Q13. Read the following extracts and answer the following questions: (4x1 =4M) Success is failure turned inside out The silver tint of the clouds of doubt. And you never can tell just how close you are, It may be near when it seems so far, So stick to the fight when you re hardest hit- It s when things seem worst that you must not quit. i. Identify the name of the poem and poet. ii. What does `the silver tint of clouds of doubt mean?
iii. What do you understand by the above lines? iv. Write any poetic device of the passage along with example. Q14. Answer any four questions in about 60-80 words: (4x2 = 8M) 1. write about Sindhutai 2. What are the name of three sisters? 3. What kind of land was Gondwana? 4. Why was the witer unhappy about his fact? 5. Write a brief summary about `Lazy Afternoon. Q15 Long answer and questions (any two) (2x3 = 6 M) 1. How did the writer s sister betray her? 2. Write the summary of Day Break 3. what did you learn from the poem Don t Quit?. 4. write the qualities of Miss Pushpa TS. Q16.Write the meanings of the given idioms : (4x1 = 4 M) a) use your loaf b) on and off c) lemon d) go fly a kite