English Pre Board Paper 1

Read the passage given below:

(1) The hopping kangaroo is a familiar sight in every snapshot relating to Australia. Member of the kangaroo family can be as small as a rat or as big as a man. Kangaroos are found mainly in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. Kangaroos which are big-footed marsupials that evolved in Australia use their short front legs like arms. The mansized kangaroos of Australia are capable of speeding up to 88 km/hr for short distances, their means of locomotion being their powerful hind legs, which carry them over the ground in jumps of 9 m or more at a time.

(2) Weighing around 70 kg they have an average lifespan of around six to eight years and a maximum lifetime of 20 years. When bothered by predators kangaroos often head for the water, standing submerged to the chest, and attempting to drown the attacker by holding him under water. Another defensive technique is to get their back to a tree and kick and their adversary with their clawed hind feet, sometimes with sufficient force to kill a man. Normally shy animals, they alert other kangaroos to danger by beating on the ground with their hand feet. This loud alarm signal carries over a long distance.

(3) The tail is important for kangaroos. It holds them in balance and supports them when they sit or fight against other kangaroos. The kangaroo uses its short legs as arms. With them it scratches itself, cleans its fur and holds branches when its eats leaves. Kangaroos are marsupials and the females carry newborns in a pouch in front of their abdomens. The babies are born small and climb up into the safety of the pouch. There for the next 225 days or so, they eat, sleep, and grow. Once they reach full development they leave the pouch. A young kangaroo that leaves the pouch is called a 'joey'. To keep from getting too hot the kangaroos take naps in the afternoon and do most of their gazing at night. But the best stay-cool secret of these creatures is the spit bath! Kangaroos drool and lick saliva all over their faces and bodies to cool down.

1.1 On the basis of your reading of the above passage, complete the following sentences with appropriate words/phrases.

a) When followed by predators kangaroos submerge __________ and __________.

b) The powerful hind legs help kangaroos to __________.

c) Kangaroos are mainly found in Australia and are __________.

d) They use their front legs to __________.

e) Kangaroos warn others of danger by __________.

f) The secret of kangaroos to stay cool is __________.

g) They use their tails to __________.

h) Before becoming 'joeys' the young ones stay in the __________ and __________.

Read the passage given below:

1. It is rare to find someone with a good technical and communication skills. You can get far ahead of your colleagues if you combine the two early in your career. People will judge, evaluate, promote or block you based on your communication skills. Since habits form by repeating both goods and bad forms of communication, learn to observe great communicators and adopt their styles and traits in written and verbal forms. The art of listening and learning from each and every interaction is another secret recipe. Develop the subconscious habit of listening to yourself as you speak and know when to pause.

2. Learning what not to say is probably more important than learning what to say. As your career develops, you will realize that the wise speak less. Speak when you have value to add, else refrain. Poorly constructed e-mails with grammatical errors are acceptable between friends, but they should be seriously avoided while communicating formally with your seniors. Avoid any communication in an emotional state when you might say things you will regret later. One unnecessary word uttered at the wrong time or place can ruin a relationship, career or even your life. Such is the power of words. If such a thing happens, you should immediately apologise, else it may haunt you for life.

3. Another problem to overcome is speaking too fast, since our minds are working faster than our speech, we are inclined to speak fast. This does not necessarily mean that the person hearing it will get it any faster. On the contrary, it is always the reverse. So slow down, think before you speak. 'When I get ready to speak to people', Abraham Lincoln said, 'I spend two-thirds of the time thinking what they want to hear and one-third thinking what I want to say.' Adding humour and wit is also essential. But realize that not all jokes are funny and observe certain boundaries. Never say anything that could offend. Remember you are not a comedian who must offend as many people as you can to be witty.

2.1 Answer the following question briefly.

a. Why is it necessary to have good communication skills?
b. How can communication skills be developed?
c. What according to the writer should be avoided while communicating?
d. Why should you be careful when you tend to be humorous?

2.2 Choose the most appropriate meanings of the given words from the options provided.

a. evaluate
(i) estimate
(ii) assume
(iii) punish
(iv) evolve

b. trait
(i) treaty
(ii) trail
(iii) quality
(iv) liberty

c. utter
(i) flatter
(ii) speak
(iii) rot
(iv) unique

d. haunt
(i) hunt
(ii) chant
(iii) trouble
(iv) avoid

The youth of different states should be given a chance to meet one another through national meets and other programmes. Taking ideas from the MCB unit, National Integration and your own ideas write an article in 100-120 words on the topic, Youth and National Integration You are Ram/Rama.

You are Sumit, a student of class X. Your father has been transferred to another city resulting in a change of school for you. You have been attending your new school for a week now. Write a diary entry in 50‒60 words on your thoughts and feelings about your old school and new school.

In the tension-ridden world of today, it is very important that we live a healthy life with nutritious food and proper exercise. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper in about 120 words on how a healthy mind in a healthy body can bring about peace and happiness in life. You are Ram/Rama, 15 Pant Nagar, Agra.                                                       

a)     (i) There    (ii) Their      (iii) Every     (iv) An

b)     (i) under    (ii) over       (iii) above    (iv) in

c)     (i) is          (ii) was         (iii) are       (iv) have 

The following paragraph has not been edited. There is one error in each line.
Write the error and its correction as shown in the example.

Error Correction

One day a wonderful plate full in gold    e.g    in            of

fell from Heaven into a courtyard of   (a) _________ ___________

a temple at Benaras; so on the         (b) _________ ___________

plate these words were inscribe.       (c) __________ ___________

'A gift from Heaven to he who          (d) __________ ___________

loves better'. The priests at once     (e) __________ ___________

made a announcement that every     (f) __________ ____________

-day at noon, all which would like     (g) _________ __________

to claimed the plate should come.     (h) _________ __________

Read the extract given below and answer briefly the questions that follow:


The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answered it.

(a) Who is the speaker? Who are 'you'?

(b) How did Caesar pay for being ambitious?

(c) What argument did the speaker give to show that Brutus was wrong in his judgement of Caesar?

What was the incident of the Frost King? How did it affect Helen?

Bring out the importance of the diary in Anne's life.