8th English Periodic Test II (2018-19)

8th English Periodic Test II – Set B:(2018-19)

School Name: Venkateshwar Global School, Sector 13, Rohini, Delhi 110085 India
Time: 3 hour
M.M. 80 marks
Date: 13/09/2018
Class: VIII

General Instructions:

1. The question paper is divided into three sections.
   Section A: Reading : 20 Marks
   Section B: Grammar & Writing Skills : 30 Marks
   Section C: Literature : 30 Marks
2. All questions are compulsory.
3. You may attempt any section at a time.
4. All questions of that section must be attempted in the correct order.

Section – A (Reading) (20 marks)

Read the following passage carefully: (12 marks)

Creative children usually possess strong creative needs; Their interests are unexplainable and are naturally deeply  hidden in them. These children are inquisitive, show interest in explaining things of fancy and test novel ideas that strike them. They do not accept ideas without questioning and verifying them. Creative children in most schools in India feel neglected. Many children are unable to withstand pressure from parents and teachers, to be like other children in the school. Parents, in particular, want their children to fare well in studies secure good marks and grads. In these days of competition they force them to get along with the schoolwork and prevent these children from using their creative abilities. We often hear from the parents of gifted children that they would be happy to see their children as higher achiever. Even the teachers in the schools admit that their aim is to reduce variations among the children in their classroom.

Creative children look up the school and teachers for guidance and encouragement.  Teachers should feel that creative children are of great value and they can become assets to the institutions. Creativity is the ability which is most valued in all societies. Constant encouragements given by the school helps these children in exhibiting their inborn abilities and skills. The creative child’s hidden talent can be identified from an early age itself. His / Her choice of friends, hobbies, activities and dresses exhibits his/her inborn abilities. Creative and gifted children can master fundamental skills with minimum levels of training and they need help in understanding their strengths. These children believe that they are pursuing what they presume to be rally worthwhile. If there is a teacher who can play the positive role of a facilitator, to kindle their creativity at an early age, wonderful results can be achieved. The school environment provides positive stimulus in exciting the creativity among these children.

The school counsellor (if any) may also help parents to orient their attitude towards these children. No doubt the curious questioning of these children is very inconvenient to the parents. Now-a-days many parents do intentinally prevent these children to learn on their own. One of the dominant personalty traits among the creative children is independence. Independence in doing what they believe. These children possess the skills of improvisation and are always opened to new experiences. These children are not able to make something out of nothing. The act of creation involves a reshaping of a given material, either physically or mentally. A non authoritarian, preferably pervasive, stimulating school environment is a positive input in nurturing ceativity.

Teachers must set challenging tasks and encourage pupils towards working for unusual solution. Guiding children systematically to test new ideas is also very essential. Teachers should encourage the acquisition of new knowledge from diversified areas to develop constructive criticism. If the creative child is to maintain his creativity and continue to grow, he would need help from his parents and teachers for understanding and accepting his unique talents.

Question: 1. (A). On the basis of your reading above passage answer the following questions briefly: (8 marks)

1. What is the major problem faced faced by creative children in today’s times?
2. How are children with creative instinct a valuable asset for their schools and society?
3. What is the role of teachers in nurturing the talent of creative children?
4. What is one of the dominant personality traits in creative children?

(B). Complete the following sentences as briefly as possible: (4 marks)

1. Creative children are inquisitive and __________________.
2. A child’s choice of ________________ helps to identify his hidden talent.
3. In times of competition, parents in particular ________________.
4. The synonym of the word ‘attainment’ (para 4) is __________.

Read the following passage carefully:     (8 marks)

US nutrition experts have come to the conclusion that watching too much TV was one the main reasons why children in USA were over weight. Wilhelm Dietz, a nutrition scientist at the National Centre for the Prevention of chronic diseases in Atlanta, Georgia, said that tests carried out at several schools in Massachusetts and at a clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had shown clearly that children soon shed their excess pounds when they stopped spending so much time in front of the TV set.

The tests involved studying the eating and TV-watching habits of 1,295 schoolchildren in the sixth and seventh grades. It was found that overweight children who reduced the time they spent watching TV by 20 hours per week, lost up to 20 per cent of their body weight in four months, and were able to maintain their new slimmer outline. By comparisons, another group of children who simply did more physical exercise during the same period lost only 13 per cent of their weight and after a degree of initial success, quickly put it back on again. Presenting the results of the studies in New York, Wilhelm Dietz said that parents tended to underestimate the amount of time their children spent motionless in front of television sets, in many cases, they did not even know that their children were sitting chained to a TV programme at kindergarten or a friend’s house, for example.

Paediatricians recommend that children should not watch TV for more than one to two hours per day. “The more TV they watch, the more they tend to eat the things that are advertised on TV, ” said Dietz. Unfortunately, it usually meant high-fat snacks, potato crisps or chocolate. “The more TV children watch, the more lethargic they are,” said Dietz. He recommends that parents implement a kind of bonus strategy to encourage their children to adopt better habits, such as allowing them half an hour of TV for every hour they spend playing outdoors. And said Dietz, on no account should they have a television set in their bedrooms.

Question: 2. (A). On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions briefly: (5 marks)

1. What can happen with excessive TV viewing by children?
2. How can effective weight loss be achieved?
3. What should children do according to paediatricians?
4. What should the parents do to keep a check on their children?
5. What does Wilhelm Dietz have to say about the children becoming obese?

(B). Find the word or group of words from the passage which mean the same as follows: (2 marks)

1. undervalue (para 2)
2. to execute (para 3)

(C). The antonym of the word- ‘dearth’ (para 1) is ______________. (1 mark)

Section – B: (Grammar and Writing) (30 marks)

Question: 3. Read the following hints and frame a story in about 200 words. Remember to give a suitable title and moral to your story. (10 marks)

Gauri had enough that day, she was fed up of being bullied by her own peer group. This time she had to gather up the courage to speak against the constant bullying or it would continue forever. She geared up to face he bullies that day and entered the classroom boldly when………

Question: 4. You were passing by a street today, when you overcame this girl picking up rags and looking for food in the dustbins. You were disturbed by the entire incident and pledged to help her in every possible way. Write disturbed by the entire incident and pledged to help her in every possible way. Write a diary in about 100-120 words, on how you felt and what do you plan to do for the girl and other children like her. (8 marks)

Question: 5. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each of the lines. Write the incorrect word and the correct word in your answer sheet against the correct blank number. Do not copy the passage. (3 marks)

Question: 6. Choose the correct prepositional phrases from the brackets and fill in the blanks: (4 marks)

Please pass me the magazines lying (a) _____________ (there/ on the table/ and the newspapers). It’s been a long time that I have read something good. Can you also bring me a cup of coffee from (b) ______________ (the coffee machine/ inside the kitchen/ the tray over there)? This is may favourite book. It’s about a thief who was once caught hiding (c) ______________ (quietly/ in a room/ and stealing). No one knew (d) _____________ (and were sleeping/ about his presence/ where he was). He has stolen almost everything and has hidden it all (e) ____________ (cleverly/ under the bed/ carefully). He thought of stealing a mobile phone which was lying (f) ____________ (away from him/ beside the pillow/ as it was new). As soon as he tried, it started to ring and he was caught. Well, I guess I know the whole story so there’s no point reading it again. Keep it (g) ____________ (here or there/ in the bookshelf/ somewhere) and cook something good to eat (h) ____________ (when you go out/ before you go out/ and go out).

Question: 7. Rearrange the following words and phrases to form meaningful sentences: (3 marks)

e.g. nectar / bees / miles / many / in search of / fly
Bees fly many miles in search of nectar.

1. a / we/ been / planing / have / go / to / on / trip / school
2. packed / we / our / bags / have / are / and / set / go / to
3. record / I / in / my / will / the / all / memories / camera / definitely

Question: 8. Choose the suitable phrasal verbs and fill in the blanks. (2 marks)

1. Einstein ___________ (dropped in / dropped out / gave in) from school.
2. He __________ (put down / let down / turned down) the offer, even thought I offered him a lot of money.

Section – C: (Literature)         (30 marks)

Question: 9. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (4 marks)

” It sounds to him like her mother’s voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.”

1. What happens to the blacksmith as he hears his daughter sing?
2. Why does the poet thank the blacksmith at the end of the poem?
3. What is the figure of speech used in this stanza. Give an example of the same from the stanza.
4. Briefly differentiate between the physical and emotional characteristics of the blacksmith.

Question: 10. Answer the following questions in about 80-100 words: (8 marks)

1. ‘Raksha, the mother wolf immediately grew fond of Mowgli’. What was it that about the man’s cub that she was ready to fight her own pack for him?
2. The hitch-hiker was filled with contempt when he heard the word ‘pickpocket’ for himself. Which word would he prefer instead and why?
3. Throw light upon on the physical and mental state of Phatik in Calcutta.
4. “Even thought Annette’s waltz were selling now, she was quite dispirited”. Elaborate.

Question: 11. Answer the following question in about 150 words: (8 marks)

‘Family does not always mean to be of the same blood’. Throw light upon this statement in context with the lesson ‘Mowgli’s Brothers.’

Long Reading Text    (10 marks)

Question: 12. On the basis of your reading of the Supplementary Reader- ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ answer the following questions in about 150 words:

1. Write the character sketch of your favourite character.  (5 marks)
2. ‘Pap was a frightening sight for his own son’. Elucidate the statement and also highlight the incidents that followed when Huck saw the heel imprints in the snow one day.  (5 marks)