CLASS VIII GOING TO IXDESIGNED BY:MRS.REKHA BERRY

WINTER ASSIGNMENT OF ENGLISH

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 1.Students are required to complete the project work and to submit the concerned in the form of spiral booklet.2.The project work of English carries good weightage in pre mid term exams for the session 2018 – 19.3.The project work must be completed with enthusiasm and high competitive spirits.4.Most innovative assignment will be given a special reward.5.Students can seek the help of their parents and may even scroll net for the completion of assignment.6.READING ACTIVITY :- You have to give reasons why you liked the concerned author and what you learnt from their his works. Give some of his quotes in writing.

READING

SECTION

Q.1 (A) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below : (9 Marks)PASSAGE 1People moan about poverty as a great evil and it seems to be an accepted belief that if

people had plenty of money, they would be happy, and get more out of life. As a rule there is more genuine satisfaction in life and more is obtained from life in the humble cottage of the poor man than in the palace of rich men, who are attended by servants and governesses at a later stage. At the same time I am glad to think they do not know what they have missed. It is because I know how sweet and happy and pure the home of honest poverty is, how free from perplexing care and social envies and jealousies, how loving and united the members are in the common interest of supporting the family that I sympathise with the rich man’s boy and congratulate the poor man’s son. It is for these reasons that from the ranks of the poor so many strong eminent self-reliant men have always sprung. If you read the list of the “Immortals who were not born to die” you will find that most of them have been poor. Questions & Answers : 1. What is the popular notion about poverty? 2. Where can one get more genuine satisfaction in life ? 3. Why does the author pity the rich man’s boy? 4. (a) They do not know what they have missed. (Make it affirmative) (b) People moan

about poverty. (Frame a wh-type) 5. Find two other words in the passage with similar meanings to ‘confusing’ and self -

dependent. 6. How has the author compared rich with the poor? What is his conclusion?

PASSAGE 2 Character is destiny. Character is that on which the destiny of a nation is built. One cannot have a great nation with men of small character. We must have young men and women who look upon others as the living image of themselves as our Shastras have so often declared. But whether in public life or student life, we cannot reach great heights, if we are lacking in character. We can not climb the mountain when the ground at our feet is crumbling. When the very basis of our structure is shaky how can we reach the heights we have set before ourselves? We must all have humility. Here is a country which we are all interested in building up for whatever service we take up, we should not care for what we receive. We should know how much we can put into that service. That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women. Ours is a great country, we have had for centuries a great history. The whole of the East reflects our culture.Questions & Answers :1. What is the passage about?2. What kind of young men and women must we have?3. How can we reach the great heights we have set before ourselves?.4. (a) We must have humility. (Use auxiliary of advice) 1 (b) We cannot reach great

heights. (Add a question tag)?5. (a) That should be the principle which should animate our young men and women.

The underlined word means : (i) discourage (ii) encourage (iii) frighten (iv) humor. (b) Give the adjective forms of (i) humility (ii) reflection. 6. Why is ours a great country ?

PASSAGE 3Not only was he funny-looking, but he had funny ways and notions, and a good

- natured, magnetic stubbornness in sticking to them. One of his friends had asked the oracle at Delphi who was the wisest man in Athens. To the astonishment of all, the priestess had mentioned this idler, Socrates. “The oracle,” he said, “chose me as the wisest Athenian because I am the only one who knows that he doesn’t know anything.” The attitude of sly and slightly mischievous humbleness gave him a terrific advantage in an argument. Pretending that he himself didn’t know the answers, he would badger people with questions, and lead them to make astounding admissions. Socrates was the evangelist of clear thinking. He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic - just as 400 years later Jesus would go about the villages of Palestine preaching love. And like Jesus without ever writing down a word, he exercised an influence over the minds of men that a library of books could not surpass.Questions & Answers :1. What did Socrates preach?

2. What was advantageous to Socrates in an argument? .3. What was the similarity between Socrates and Jesus?

4. (a) “The oracle,” he said, “chose me as the wisest Athenian.” (Rewrite in indirect narration) (b) He went about the streets of Athens preaching logic. (Rewrite the sentence using the coordinating conjunction “and”) 5. How will you describe Socrates in your own words?

Touch not a single boughIn youth it sheltered me,And I’ll protect it now.‘T was my forefather’s hand

That placed it near his cot;There, woodman, let it stand,

Thy axe shall harm it not!When but an idle boy

I sought its grateful shad;In all their gushing joy

Here ,too ,my sisters played.My mother kissed me here,

My father pressed my handForgive this foolish tear,But let that oak stand!

My heart – strings round thee clingClose as thy bark, old friend!Here shall the wild bird sing ,And still thy branches bend.Old tree! The storm still brave!

And woodman leave the spot;While I have a hand to save,

Thy axe shall harm it not—George Pope Morris

(Multiple Choice Questions)1 Choose the most appropriate option:

The poet wants the woodman to spare the tree because:(A) it yields valuable fruit(B) the poet’s father told him strictly, not to touch the tree( C) the tree has been the poet’s companion(D) he doesn’t want thatThe tree was planted by the poet’s:(A) mother (B) father (C) grandfather (D) forefathersThe poet’s father pressed his hand as a gesture of:(A) affection (B) kindness (C) anger (D) negligenceThe poet will guard the tree with his:(A) eye (B) hand (C) heart (D)negligence5 The poet spent a lot of time:(A) in the shade of the tree in his boyhood (B) in watering tree(C) in looking at the tree (D) in thanking the tree‘Gushing joy’ means to:(A) laugh loudly (B) shout loudly (C) scream loudly (D) try to be happyThe word ‘bough’ means:(A) branch (B) tree (C) huge tree (D) garden

Type — II (Gap-Filling)2.2 Complete the summary of the poem by filling the gaps with appropriate words.The poet urges the woodman not to(a) …………………………… his oak tree. He warns him against ( b) ………………………..even a single bough of the tree. The poet remembers how the tree had ( c) ………,………… him in his youth. So, he decides to (d) …………………….. it now. The tree was planted by the poet’s (e) …………………….near his cot. The poet recalls how he enjoyed the shadow of the tree and his (f) …………………….. used to play under it. His mother would (g) …………………….. him and father used to reassure him by (h) …………………………………his hand. The poet feels that his heart is deeply attached to the tree as its (i) …………………. • Birds sing here and the tree has bravely faced all the (j)……………………… The poet once again warns the woodman against cutting the tree.

WRITING

SECTION

DIRECT AND INDIRECT SPEECHSentences are given in the direct speech. Change them into the indirect speech.1. He said, “I have got a toothache”.2. Manu said, “I am very busy now”.3. “Hurry up,” she said to us.4. “Give me a cup of water,” he told her.5. She said, “I am going to college.”6. She said to me, “Thank you”7. Raju said, “Gautam must go tomorrow”.8. Geetha says, “My father is an Engineer.”9. He said, “I have passed the physical test.”10. She said to me, “You are my only friend.”11. ‘I love you,’ he told me.12. ‘Where are you going?’ James asked Mary.

Notice writingYou are Ram / Rani of Carmel

School, Shornur. Write a notice to

be put up on the school notice

board regarding the upcoming

Annual Day Celebration in your

school. You are Supriya / Suraj of DAV

Public School, Nerul. As the

Student Coordinator of the Green

Drive initiated by your School to

mark the occasion of the World

Wildlife Day on 3rd March, draft a

notice urging the students to

preserve the forests and wildlife.

ARTICLE WRITING

1.The Personality Development Club of your

school has invited entries for an Article

Writing competition on the topic “How To

Become Confident?’. Write your entry for the

competition in about 150 words.

2.The Adventure Club o your

school has invited articles for it’s

page in the school magazine on the

topic “Importance of Camping for

School Students”. Write your

article in about 150 words.

LETTERS

1.You celebrated the New Year Eve

at a hill town or city. Write a letter

in about 200 words to your friend

describing your experience.

2.Your school recently arranged a

trip to an amusement park/a

museum. You enjoyed the trip very

much. Write a letter to your cousin

briefly describing your experience.

STORY WRITINGOn the basis of these beautiful thoughts

together with your own ideas write short

stories in about 200-250 words.

1. We must learn to live together as

brothers or perish together as fools.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. Success is not the key to happiness.

Happiness is the key to success. If

you love what you are doing, you

will be successful.- Albert

Schweitzer

3. No act of kindness, no matter how

small, is ever wasted.

4. If opportunity doesn't knock, build

a door. Milton Berle

1.As the best NCC cadet of your

battalion, you have been selected to

represent your state in the Republic Day

Parade in New Delhi. Write a short diary

entry describing your and your parent’s

feelings on this remarkable achievement.

2.Suppose you are forced o join a

boarding school much against your

wishes. Write a short diary entry

describing how you feel about the

situation.

DIARY ENTRIES

GRAMMAR SECTION

CLAUSESFor each of the following exercises, draw a circle around any phrases within each sentence. Likewise, underline any clauses within each sentence. Some phrases are nestled within a clause, so sections of some sentences may have both a circle around them and a line underneath them.•The singer who won the competition was born in England.•Planning her trip frugally, Maria was able to take a vacation with a very small budget.•Shawn won the singing contest because his vocals were flawless.•The examples given by the professor were not an accurate representation of reality; real life does not always follow theories and guidelines.•During her senior year of college, Torrey discovered what it meant to fall in love.•Every student in the class, recognizing the signs of the professor’s anger, glanced to the floor waiting for the outburst to occur.•The best place for pizza is in the heart of Chicago, where Chicago-style pizza is abundantly available and delectably delicious.•Despite hearing several explanations, I am still not sure why Paul did what he did.

ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICEEach sentence given below is in the active voice. Change it into passive

voice.1. He sings a song.…………………………………………… .2. The boy killed the spider.…………………………………………… .3. Help him.…………………………………………… .4. Farmers sow maize in the rainy season.…………………………………………… .5. Are you writing a letter?…………………………………………… ?6. The workers were digging a canal.…………………………………………… .7. I will finish the job by the end of this week.…………………………………………… .8. Have you finished your job?…………………………………………… ?9. They have informed him of his mother’s death.…………………………………………… .10. They took all the necessary precautions.……………………………………………

MODALSComplete the following sentences using appropriate modal auxiliary verbs. The meaning you need to express is indicated in the brackets.1. ………………….. we visit Ajanta and Ellora? (Making a suggestion)a) Will b) Shall c) Either could be used here2. ………………… you come with us? (Asking a question)a) Will b) Shall c) Either could be used here3. …………………. he play for our team? (Asking a question about future possibility)a) Will b) Shall c) Either could be used here4. ……………….. they advertise the post? (Asking a question about future possibility)a) Will b) Shall c) Either could be used here5. ………………….. I get a prize if I stand first in the examination?a) Will b) Shall c) Either could be used here6. The Captain said, ‘players ………………… assemble at the College at 4 P.M.’ (obligation)a) Shall b) will c) Either could be used here7. He said, ‘The scoundrel ……………….. thrashed.’ (necessity)a) shall be b) will be c) Either could be used here8. I ……………….. not be unfair to him. (duty)a) Should b) would c) Either could be used here9. We ………………. all work for the common good. (duty or necessity)a) Would b) should c) Either could be used here

Choose the more natural-sounding option:1. Why ________ I care about your problems?

A. can B. should2. Tom and Rebecca give their daughter a lot of presents. They ________ really love her.

A. can B. must3. We ________ go out to that new Italian restaurant tonight.

A. should B. must4. Everyone who crosses the border ________ show his/her passport.

A. must B. should5. P1: When is Tom coming? P2: He's on his way. He ________ be here any minute.

A. must B. should6. P1: ________ my friend sleep over? P2: Yes, but he'll have to get permission from his parents.

A. Can B. Should7. ________ you always be so mean to everyone?

A. Can B. Must

TENSESFill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb.1. The policeman ——————- the thief red-handed.a) Catch b) Caught c) Is caught d) Catching2. Students at a number of schools ——————- from their classes in protest against the high-handedness of the administrative staff.a) Stay away b) Stayed away c) Has stay away d) Had stay away3. The whole day yesterday the boys ——————– to the cricket commentary.a) Listen b) Will listen c) Has listened d) Listened4. A bomb scare ——————– a delay of the flight.a) Caused b) Cause c) Was caused d) Had caused5. The stadium ———————– with dance, music and song as troupes from across the country presented a panorama of colors and costumes.a) Had reverberated b) Would reverberate c) Reverberate d) Reverberated6. Jim Corbett —————– animals, but he —————- several man-eaters.a) Loved, would kilb) Loved, killed c) Loved, had killed d) Love, kill7. I ———————– French from my friend who ——————– in France.a) Learn, lives b) Learnt, lives c) Learn, lived d) Had learnt, lives8. Last year they ——————— a high wall around the house.a) Build b) Built c) Was building d) Had build9. I ——————— a number of detective novels when I was a child.a) Read b) Was read c) Had read d) Have read

10. Last week some wicked people ———————- brown sugar into the town but they were arrested.a) Smuggle b) Smuggled c) Have smuggled d) Are smuggling

11. In the morning, he —————– a torn shirt but in the evening he changed it.a) Is put on b) Had put on c) Has put on d) Was put on12. When I —————– to the hospital, the doctor —————– the operation.a) Went , had performed b) Had gone, performed c) Went, performed d) Go, performed13. After —————— into the bus we discovered that we ——————– the wrong one.a) Got, boarded b) Getting, had boarded c) Get, boarded d) Getting, board14. I —————— the assignment before the bell ——————a) Had finished, rang b) Finished, had rung c) Had finished, had rung d) Finish, will ring15. John ———————- to join the medical college, but he ——————– to get admission.a) Wanted, had failed b) Had wanted, failed c) Had wanted, had failed d) Want, failed

Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. Mahatma Gandhi