11.

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
At least, that was what I thought then. Now I knew that Sebastian Shultz, the boy from the game, really did exist. I’d seen the proof in the newspaper.
(a) What had Michael thought earlier?
(b) Why is Sebastian Shultz called ‘the boy from the game’?
(c) What had Michael seen in the newspaper?

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
'Shall Caesar send a lie?
Have I in conquest stretch’d mine arm so far,
To be afraid to tell graybeards the truth?
Decius, go and tell them Caesar will not come’.
(a) Why has Decius come to Caesar’s place?
(b) What message does Caesar give him?
(c) Who are the ‘Graybeards’ referred to here?

Why had Michael and his father gone to the computer fair?

Why does Lavinia feel that the Ouija Board would help her husband?

How did the mariners reach the land of ice and snow?

How does Brutus convince the Romans that Caesar deserved his death?

Read the following passage carefully:                                                           
“Mum!” I shouted. “Are you okay?” I saw her little tent shuddering in the gale and listened closely for her response. Her voice was almost casual, “Oh, yes, I’m fine” That‘s my mother. It was the first night of our cycling trip through the interior of Iceland – a region so remote and inhospitable that for centuries, according to legend, it was abandoned. The weather was decidedly hurricane-like, but Mum wasn’t concerned. Months ago, I told her about my plan to pedal across Iceland. “It will be really difficult,” I said. “The roads are unpaved and often washed out, and the wind is blowing constantly – sometimes so hard that it pushes you off the road.” There was silence for a moment. Then she asked, “Can I come?” “Sure,” I replied. “But like the rest of us, you have to train to do two 160 kilometres a day back-toback,” “Wow,” she said, “I could never do that,” I had more faith in my mother’s physical abilities than she did. I’d seen her raise six children and put in long hours doing physical labour on our small farm. “Sure you can,” I told her, “Start tomorrow.” What really concerned me was what I perceived to be her frustrating humility: I thought her too self-deprecating about her attractiveness just because she had not completed college. I felt she underestimated her attractiveness just because she was not the type to wear make-up or fancy clothes. As I had grown into adulthood, the life I’d chosen seemed light-years away from Mum’s quiet existence, still caring for her children and her children’s children. Sometimes, on a visit home, I’d describe some recent trip I’d taken, and her blue eyes would shine with interest.
So, I couldn’t help thinking this trek might revitalise Mum, who had started to slow down in her 50s. It might spice up what I saw as her humdrum life. And it might be a boost to her tentative and retiring persona. Mum trained furiously, months in advance. As the trip roster was pared down to Mum, my good friend Allen and me, she stood as the most dedicated. Soon she was riding 80–100 kilometres per day, and was as strong a rider as Allen or I.

1.1 Based on your reading of the passage, complete the following sentences.
(a) The narrator describes the roads across Iceland as …………..
(b) The narrator had faith in his mother’s physical abilities as ……………
(c) The training to take the adventure trip on cycle included …………..
(d) In his adulthood, the narrator realised that his life was ………..
(e) Descriptions of his trips always …………
(f) The narrator was sure that the trip would ………….
(g) The narrator and his friend were sure about Mum’s preparation when ………..

1.2 Find words from the passage that mean the same as the following.
(a) noticed/become aware of
(b) to give new life
(c) hesitant/not certain

Read the following passage carefully:
From the danger of losing one leg due to a knee injury to winning an Olympic bronze medal, Yogeshwar Dutt has come a long way. The freestyle wrestler’s story is one of passion for the sport and his perseverance and solid determination in realising his dream. Thanks to him, Bhainswal Kalan, a village some 20 kilometres away from Sonepat in Haryana, has become very popular now. Yogeshwar has qualities of a champion, and virtues like humility, respect for others and extending a helping hand to the needy, which make him even more endearing. His dream of winning an Olympic medal was not fulfilled in Beijing in 2008. Going through the injuries was a difficult period for him. The Mittal Champions Trust helped him when he had the knee injury. His intense desire to win a medal worked as a healing agent to all has injuries, he trained hard and God listened to his prayers. After 2008, his sole target was the 2012 Olympics. He wanted to participate in more and more competitions, but he was pulled down by injuries in 2009 and that robbed him of nearly one year. After that, he could not reduce his weight too often to take part in various events. All the time the Olympics was there in his mind. Even when he was injured he thought of winning an Olympic medal. His back injury was a problem, but he got over it. His friends and family backed him a lot. His brother and friends shared his responsibilities and allowed him to focus on wrestling with a free mind.

Based on your reading of the passage, choose the right answers from the given options to complete the following sentences.
(a) A quality necessary for a champion is …...............
i. perseverance
ii. determination
iii. passion
iv. each of the above

(b) Yogeshwar Dutt lost almost a year in 2009 because of ….................
i. injuries
ii. worship
iii. loss of weight
iv. the villagers

(c) The problem that did not trouble Yogeshwar was ….............. injury.
i. eye
ii. knee
iii. back
iv. head

(d) Even during his long and lonely stays abroad, ………… kept him motivated.
i. his parents
ii. the thought of the Olympic medal
iii. his injuries
iv. the thought of his responsibilities

(e) Yogeshwar Dutt was able to give his best as ……………….
i. he did not have to think of his responsibilities
ii. he participated in the Olympic games
iii. he was sure to get a medal
iv. he had an intense desire to win a medal

You are Sanchita/Sachin, 15, Mall Road, Delhi. Write a letter in 120–150 words to a friend telling him about the award ceremony for felicitating the toppers of your school.                    

Develop the following into a readable story in 120–150 words:
It was dark when we got down from the train. The place was totally strange to us. Gopi who had promised to be at the station was nowhere in sight…………….