CHAPTER 4 - Questions & Answers

ASSIGNMENT

Change the words in brackets to either the Present Perfect or the Present Perfect Continuous:

1. We have been students in this school for the last five years.

2. My brother has recently entered the university.

3. Miriam has been fasting since sunrise.

4. He has not visited us since 1999.

5. We have been doing a tense exercise for the last few minutes.

6. I have been waiting for him since half past eight and I shall wait only for another five minutes.

7. The President has just announced the good news.

8. He has already written a letter to his father.

9. He has been talking for two hours and soon he will have to stop.

10. Now that I have finished reading Oliver Twist, I shall read the Bible.

ASSIGNMENT

Study the topics given below. See which category of essays seems to appeal to you most. Jot down your response in your notebook. Time and practice may prove that your true strength lies in a particular direction.

(i) The advantages and disadvantages of living in a city.
Answer: Argumentative Essay

(ii) Your first day at your present school.
Answer: Narrative / Descriptive Essay

(iii) The destructive forces of nature (such as earthquakes and floods).
Answer: Factual / Reflective Essay

(iv) The world as it appears to a dog.
Answer: Impressionistic / Imaginative Essay

(v) Choose any two films, one that you liked and the other that you disliked. Explain why you liked the first and disliked the second.
Answer: Critical / Argumentative Essay

(vi) Your reflections on going through your family album.
Answer: Reflective Essay

(vii) Instructions on keeping a bicycle in a good running order.
Answer: Factual Essay

(viii) Effects of fame on child artists.
Answer: Reflective / Argumentative Essay

D. PRACTICE PAPER-4

Question 1

Write a composition (300 - 350 words) on any one of the following:

(i) Write a story based on the following: a studious girl — dependence on others — important project — lesson learnt.
Answer: [Sample Outline] Riya was a highly studious girl who always relied heavily on her classmates for notes and ideas. When assigned a major science project, she assumed her partner would do the heavy lifting. However, her partner fell ill a day before the submission. Forced to research and build the model alone overnight, Riya realized the immense value of self-reliance. She presented successfully the next day, learning that true confidence and growth come exclusively from independent effort.

(ii) Narrate the thrill of a unique experience in your life. You may write about your first flight, a journey to a distant place, or an achievement that filled you with excitement and joy. Explain why this experience remains unforgettable for you.
Answer: [Sample Outline] My first airplane flight was a breathtaking blend of anxiety and exhilaration. As the massive engines roared and the plane accelerated down the runway, I felt pushed back into my seat. Suddenly, we were airborne, and the sprawling city below shrank into a miniature model. Breaking through the dense clouds to see the golden sun up close was an unforgettable spectacle that filled me with absolute wonder and a newfound perspective of the world.

(iii) 'The youngest siblings have everything easy.' Express your views either for or against this statement.
Answer: [Sample Outline] I argue against the statement that youngest siblings have everything easy. While they may arguably receive more leniency from parents, they often struggle to be taken seriously and live in the towering shadows of their older siblings' achievements. They face constant, unfair comparisons and have fewer opportunities to develop early independence, proving that their path comes with its own unique and demanding set of challenges.

(iv) It is believed that teenagers are misunderstood as their feelings and opinions are dismissed as childish or overindulged. Describe an incident that supports this belief.
Answer: [Sample Outline] Last year, I proposed organizing a dedicated mental health awareness week at our school. Initially, my teachers dismissed the idea, assuming teenagers were just being overly dramatic and improperly influenced by social media trends. It took weeks of persistent data presentation and maturity to convince them otherwise. This incident perfectly highlighted how adult prejudices often hastily invalidate the genuine, thoughtful, and serious concerns of adolescents.

(v) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition.
Answer: [Sample Outline] The picture depicts a rural Indian woman drawing water from a traditional handpump, surrounded by brass and steel pots. It powerfully suggests the daily, arduous routine of rural life, where basic amenities require immense physical labor. Despite the hard work, her vibrant sari and calm demeanor reflect resilience and a deep connection to the simplicity and ongoing struggles of a traditional, hardworking lifestyle.

Question 2

Select any one of the following:

(i) Write a letter to the District Magistrate of your area complaining about the absence of a proper system for waste disposal in your area. Suggest measures to ensure effective segregation and timely collection of household waste.
Answer: [Sample Letter]
To,
The District Magistrate,
[City Name].
Subject: Absence of a proper waste disposal system.
Respected Sir/Madam,
I am a resident of [Area Name] writing to urgently bring to your attention the dire state of waste management in our locality. Garbage is currently dumped openly, posing severe health hazards. I request you to implement a strict system for the effective segregation of wet and dry waste at the source and ensure its timely daily collection by municipal trucks. Immediate action is needed to prevent disease outbreaks.
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]

(ii) You had lied to your friend. Write a letter to him/her apologising for your action, explaining the circumstances that led you to lie and acknowledging the hurt it caused.
Answer: [Sample Letter]
Dear [Friend's Name],
I am writing this with a heavy heart to sincerely apologize for lying to you about my absence at your birthday party. I told you I was sick, but the truth is I had completely forgotten the date and made conflicting commitments. I realize how much this must have hurt you, especially coming from a close friend. I deeply regret my dishonesty and promise never to betray your trust again.
Yours lovingly,
[Your Name]

Question 3

(i) Your school is organising a Food Festival to celebrate the rich diversity of Indian cuisines and to encourage students to showcase their culinary skills. Write a notice to be put up in your school informing students about the event.
Answer: [Sample Notice]
FLAVOURS OF INDIA!
Annual Food Festival
On 15th August 2026
From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
At the School Playground, [School Name]
All students from Classes VIII to XII who wish to showcase their culinary skills must register their names with the Home Science teacher on or before 10th August.

(ii) Write an email to a celebrity chef inviting him/her to inaugurate the Food Festival and to give awards to the winners.
Answer: [Sample Email]
To: chef.sanjeev@email.com
Subject: Invitation to inaugurate School Food Festival
Dear Sir,
Our school is organizing a 'Flavours of India' Food Festival to celebrate diverse Indian cuisines and showcase our students' culinary talents. We would be highly honoured if you would be our Chief Guest, inaugurate the festival, and give away the awards to the winners.
The event will be held on 15th August 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at our school playground. We look forward to your presence with us. A line in confirmation would be much appreciated.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]

Question 4

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
(i) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options provided:

1. carriage (line 5)
(a) coach (b) stance (c) frame (d) support
Answer: (b) stance

2. malady (line 12)
(a) ailment (b) fitness (c) design (d) vigour
Answer: (a) ailment

(ii) Which word in the passage means the opposite of the word 'pleasant'?
(a) habiliments (b) fatal (c) morbid (d) veracity
Answer: (c) morbid

(iii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words.

(a) What does the narrator suggest about the relationship between clothes and diseases?
Answer: The narrator humorously suggests that clothes have a powerful influence on the wearer's health and mind. Specific damaged conditions of clothes act like "diseases" that infect the wearer, causing psychological and physical distress that requires scientific analysis and treatment.

(b) Explain the first symptom of disease in trousers that is most frequently found in the growing youth.
Answer: The first symptom is a "lacuna" or a yawning gap between the bottom of the trousers and the top of the boots, which causes the youth to feel acute humiliation and a morbid fear of being mocked.

(c) What relief is suggested for the disease that affects the trousers of youngsters?
Answer: The suggested relief is wearing knee-high boots, which cover the gap.

(d) What disease of the waistcoat does the author describe? Why is it described as harmless?
Answer: The author describes an affliction caused by the repeated spilling of porridge on the waistcoat. It is considered harmless because the patient (the wearer) is completely mentally indifferent to it.

(e) Why does the narrator treat the loss of buttons as a serious surgical case?
Answer: The loss of buttons is treated as a surgical case because it acts like internal fractures causing growing uneasiness. This leads the patient to adopt the temporary "string habit" or use sealing-wax to hold clothes together, which can dangerously become an unhealthy permanent fixation.

(iv) How has the narrator humorously described common clothing problems as serious diseases? Answer in not more than fifty words.
Answer: The narrator humorously describes clothes suffering from medical diseases that afflict their wearers. Trousers endure humiliating gaps above boots. Overcoats suffer "Glistening" from old age. Waistcoats catch harmless porridge spills. Hats experience depression-inducing "Loss of Fur," while "Loss of Buttons" acts as fractures leading to the addictive "string habit."

Question 5

(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space.

Bu-ceph'a-lus was a horse in the royal stable of King Philip of Macedonia. It was so vicious that the grooms could do nothing with it, and the king angrily ordered it taken away. Prince Alexander cried, "What a horse, they are losing for want of skill and spirit to manage him!" "Young man," retorted his father, "you find fault with your elders as if you could manage the horse better." "And I certainly could," the boy boldly declared. The king forgot his anger and said, "If you fail, what forfeit will you pay?" "The price of the horse," replied the boy stoutly. Everybody laughs; but Alexander was neither boasting nor jesting. He noticed something that not one of the others had marked, namely, that the horse was annoyed by his own shadow, which was constantly moving before him. Alexander took firm hold of the bridle and turned the horse toward the sun and leaped upon his back. He let the horse gallop about as much as he chose, then he rode quietly up to his father. Philip did not laugh at him then, but kissed him and said, "Seek another empire, my son, for that which I shall leave you is not worthy of you."

(ii) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

(a) A procession by farmers held up the traffic today.

(b) The storm almost lifted me off my feet.

(c) I am looking forward to the arrival of my friend from London.

(d) The police were called in to control the situation.

(e) You should not interfere with my work.

(f) Do not run down your friends.

(g) The court turned down his petition.

(h) Kindly desist from doing harm to my son.

(iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. Choose the correct option.

1. The weather will improve. Then we shall go for a picnic.
(a) If the weather will improve, then we shall go for a picnic.
(b) When the weather improves, we shall go for a picnic.
(c) Unless the weather will improve, we shall go for a picnic.
(d) No matter the weather will improve, we shall go for a picnic.
Answer: (b) When the weather improves, we shall go for a picnic.

2. You copied my essay. Do you deny this?
(a) Do you deny this you have copied my essay?
(b) Did you deny having copied my essay?
(c) Do you deny this you copied my essay?
(d) Do you deny having copied my essay?
Answer: (d) Do you deny having copied my essay?

3. I had left my house. Your phone call came afterwards.
(a) I had left my house after your phone call came.
(b) Your phone call came after I had left my house.
(c) Your phone call came before I had left my house.
(d) Your phone call came afterward I had left my house.
Answer: (b) Your phone call came after I had left my house.

4. He might not be sure about it. In that case, he would not agree to it.
(a) Besides he is sure about it, he would not agree to it.
(b) Unless he is sure about it, he would not agree to it.
(c) Despite he is sure about it, he would not agree to it.
(d) Nonetheless he is sure about it, he would not agree to it.
Answer: (b) Unless he is sure about it, he would not agree to it.

(iv) Choose the correct option to rewrite the following according to the instructions given after each sentence.

1. I was in such a terrible state that I will never forget. (End: ... state I was in.)
(a) I will never forget what a terrible state I was in.
(b) I would never forget what a terrible state I was in.
(c) I will never be forgetting what a terrible state I was in.
(d) I could never forget what a terrible state I was in.
Answer: (a) I will never forget what a terrible state I was in.

2. Money has become too important to be neglected. (Use: so ... that)
(a) Money has become so important that it is neglected.
(b) Money has become so important that it cannot be neglected.
(c) Money has become so important that it cannot get neglected.
(d) Money has become so important that it is to be neglected.
Answer: (b) Money has become so important that it cannot be neglected.

3. As soon as she saw the intruder, she started shouting. (Begin: No sooner...)
(a) No sooner she did see the intruder than she started shouting.
(b) No sooner had she seen the intruder, then she started shouting.
(c) No sooner did she see the intruder than she started shouting.
(d) No sooner did she see the intruder when she started shouting.
Answer: (c) No sooner did she see the intruder than she started shouting. (Wait, looking at original options closely: (c) is "No sooner did she see the intruder than she started shouting.", and (d) is "No sooner did she see the intruder when she started shouting." - The correct choice based on grammar rules for "No sooner...than" is (c). I have corrected this answer accordingly in the source text).

4. Besides being wealthy, he is wise. (Use: not only ... but also)
(a) He is being not only wealthy but also wise.
(b) He is not only wealthy but also wise.
(c) He is not only wealthy but also wise. (Note: duplicate option in text)
(d) Not only he is wealthy but also wise.
Answer: (b) He is not only wealthy but also wise.

5. She ate her breakfast and then went to school. (Begin: Having...)
(a) Having eaten her breakfast, she went to school.
(b) Having eaten her breakfast, she had gone to school.
(c) Having ate her breakfast, she went to school.
(d) Having gone to school, she ate her breakfast.
Answer: (a) Having eaten her breakfast, she went to school.

6. They ought to help the poor and the needy. (Begin: The poor and the needy...)
(a) The poor and the needy ought to for help by them.
(b) The poor and the needy ought to help them.
(c) The poor and the needy ought to be helped by them.
(d) The poor and the needy ought to be helped by them. (Note: duplicate option in text)
Answer: (c) The poor and the needy ought to be helped by them.

7. His family is preparing for his visit to Spain. (Begin: Preparations...)
(a) Preparations are done for his visit to Spain by his family.
(b) Preparations have been done by his family for his visit to Spain.
(c) Preparations are being made by his family for his visit to Spain.
(d) Preparations are being made by his family to visit Spain.
Answer: (c) Preparations are being made by his family for his visit to Spain.

8. There is no point in talking to him if he is being stubborn. (Begin: What is...)
(a) What is the point to talking to him if he is not being stubborn?
(b) What is the point of talking to him if he is not stubborn?
(c) What is the point in talking to him if he is stubborn?
(d) What is the point in talking to him if he is being stubborn?
Answer: (d) What is the point in talking to him if he is being stubborn?