Time: 54
minutes Mid-term Test-I Full Marks: 30
Grade: IX English Set-B Pass Marks: 12
Candidates are required to respond to these tasks in
neat and tidy manner. Overwriting and scribbling will be considerably
penalised. Attempt all questions
1. Read the text
below and do the tasks that follow. [14]
Marie Curie was
one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband,
Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and
studied uranium and other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie’s amicable
collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.
Marie was born
in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At an
early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great
exuberance for learning prompted her to continue with her studies after high
school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the university
in Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to receive a higher education, she
defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university,
where she earned her master’s degree and doctorate in physics.
Marie was
fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists
of her day, one of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895
and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A
short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn
wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured
heartbreaking anguish. Despondently she recalled their close relationship and
the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she had two
young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress.
Curie’s feeling of desolation finally began to
fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the
Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at the
world-famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for
isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from
her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about her work.
Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to
revealing the mysteries of the physical world.
A. Write the words
from the text as indicated in the brackets. [4]
i.
remembered (synonym) iii. bore (synonym)
ii.
sorrow (antonym) iv. concealing (antonym)
B.
State whether the following statements are true or false. [5]
i.
The Curies’ friendly collaboration helped to unravel the
secrets of their life.
ii.
Pierre had a bright mind and a lighthearted personality.
iii. She had great
enthusiasm for learning Chemistry and Biology.
iv. Marie was never
disenchanted with her work despite a deadly illness.
v.
Illuminating the mysteries of the physical worlds was eating
a piece of cake for Marie Curie.
C.
Give short answer to the following questions: [5]
( i)
What impelled Marie to further her studies?
( ii)
What was Marie’s contribution to the field of science?
( iii) Why was she
lucky to have studied at the Sorbonne?
( iv) What qualities
of Marie’s character are revealed in this text?
( v)
In what way can we be inspired by Marie Curie's life?
2. Reproduce the following sentences as indicated in the brackets. [2]
(i)
He forbade me to shout. (Affirmative)
(ii)
I hate being repeatedly told what to do at home. (Active
Voice)
3. Rewrite the following sentences choosing the correct option from the
brackets. [3]
(i)
Provided she _____ her ways, she won't suffer. (mend/mended/mends)
(ii)
Who is the wisest man_____ our country? (of/in/for)
(iii) None, but the honest_____ respect. (deserves/will deserve/deserve).
4. Write a formal
message of condolences at the death of Shanti Waiba at the age of 97 in a plane
crash. [5]
5. Write a short
story using the given outlines. [6]
Many
mice in a deserted house….an old cat live there too…each day a mouse go
missing…the mice suspect the cat…plan for a meeting…all mice put forth their
ideas….none effective....at the end a young mouse say, "Let's bell the
cat."…all happy…suddenly an old mouse ask "But Who'll bell the
cat?"…. all silent ….. moral.
The End
