Section A: READING
20 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
(Solved)
1. Read the following passage carefully:
(8 marks)
MOVIES NOW IS NO.1 ENGLISH MOVIE CHANNEL
Mumbai: Movies Now, launched by the Times Television Network in December 2010 to give the urban
audience an experience of superlative quality viewing of Hollywood movies in high definition (HD),
continues to hold the No.l position in the English movie channel category.
The HD experience, introduced by Movies Now, has redefined the way viewers watch English movies in
India, making it the preferred English Movie channel. The channel has been successful in dethroning
decade old established players like Star Movies and HBO by holding the position at the top of the
charts for 26 weeks now.
Speaking on the six months milestone, Vineet Jain, chairman, Times Television Network Ltd, said:
“It has been our constant endeavour to offer an unmatched viewing experience to the urban Indian
audience and we are pleased that our audience have accepted us with such enthusiasm.”
The channel has not only created waves with its unique proposition, but transformed the entire
category, with an exponential increase in reach and a phenomenal increase in the time spent per
viewer for the category.
Movies Now has brought in l0 million additional viewers to the category which has grown from 46
million to 56 million, according to TAM, after the channel’s launch. The time spent by viewers in the
category has gone up from an average of 43 minutes to 55 minutes, according to TAM. Movies Now
leads in viewership in 22 out of the 26 weeks since inception.
Movies Now brings the best of Hollywood to India through its exclusive licensing deals with major
Hollywood studios for some of the most loved Hollywood films like Die Hard, True Lies, Rocky,
X-Men, Ice Age, Speed, iRobot, to name a few.
Source: The Times of India
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
On the basis of the reading of the passage, answer the following questions in brief: (1 × 8 = 8 marks)
1. What is Movies Now? Where was it launched?
2. Why was it launched in India?
3. What position does it hold in the English movie channel category?
4. Who is Vineet Jain? How did he express himself while speaking on the six months milestone?
5. Based on paragraph 4, describe the success of Movies Now.
6. What is the opinion of TAM about the success of Movies Now?
7. What does Movies Now do for the Indian viewers?
8. Name some of the most loved Hollywood films.
Answers
1.Movies Now is the English movie channel. It was launched in December 2010.
2. It was launched in India to give the urban audience an experience of superlative quality of Hollywood
movies in HD mode.
3. It holds the No. 1 position in the English movie channel category.
4. Vineet Jain is the chairman, Times Television Network Ltd. While speaking on th six months milestone,
he said that Movies Now provides unmatched viewing experience to the urban Indian audience.
5. This channel has created a wave with its unique proportion. It has transformed the entire category.
6. According to TAM, Movies Now has brought in 10 million additional viewers to the category. It leads
in viewership in 22 out of the 26 weeks since the beginning.
7. It brings the best of Hollywood to the Indian viewers.
8. Die Hard, True Lies, Rocky, X-Men, Ice Age etc.
10
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
2. Read the following passage carefully:
(12 marks)
Pahom was a hard-working, honest peasant, but he had no land of his own. “Even though, we have
tilled mother earth since childhood,” he would often say to his family, “we peasants will always die
as we are living. If only we had our own land, it would be different.”
Very close to Pahom’s village, there lived a lady who owned an estate of about three hundred acres.
One winter Pahom came to know that she was going to sell her land. He also heard that a neighbour
of his was buying fifty acres and that the lady had agreed to accept one half of the price in cash and
to wait a year for the other half.
“We must also buy atleast twenty acres,” he said to his wife. “Life is becoming worthless without land
of our own.”
So Pahom and his wife put their heads together and thought of a way to buy it. They had laid by
one hundred roubles. They sold a colt and borrowed some money from a relative and thus scraped
together half of the money needed to purchase the land. Having done this, Pahom chose a farm of
forty acres and went to the lady and bought it.
Now Pahom was a hard-working peasant. It was not difficult for him to raise a good harvest that
season. Within a year, he managed to pay off his debts. So, he became a landowner, ploughing and
sowing his own land, making hay in his own land and feeding his cattle on his own pasture. Whenever
he went to plough his fields his heart would fill with joy. The grass that grew and the flowers that
bloomed there, seemed to him unlike any that grew elsewhere.
Then, one day, Pahom happened to meet a peasant who had come from beyond the Volga river where
he was working. One word led to another and the man went on to say that much land was for sale
there. “It was so good,” he said, “that the rye sown on it grew as high as a horse and so thick that
five cuts of a sickle made a sheaf.”
Pahom’s heart was filled with desire. “‘Why should I suffer in this narrow hole” he thought,” if one
can live so well elsewhere?” So Pahom sold his land and homestead and cattle, all at a profit, and
moved his family to the new settlement. Everything the peasant had told him was true and Pahom
was ten times better off than he had been —He bought plenty of arable land and pasture and could
keep as many heads of cattle as he liked.
Source: How Much Land Does A Man Need by Leo Tolstoy
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
I. QUESTIONS
(2 × 4 = 8 marks)
On the basis of the reading of the passage, answer the following questions in brief:
1. Who was Pahom? What was it that he always regretted?
2. What did he come to know one day? What did he decide?
3. How did he manage to buy a farm of forty acres?
4. Why did Pahom sell his land and homestead? Was it a wise decision?
II. VOCABULARY:
(1 × 4 = 4 marks)
1. Pick out a word from the above passage that means the same as ‘grassland for grazing cattle’.
2. Give the opposite of ‘accept’ in para 2.
3. Give another word for ‘peasant’.
4. Give the noun form of ‘high’.
Answers
I. 1.Pahom was a hard working and honest peasant. He always regretted because he had no land of
his own.
2. One day Pahom came to know that the lady was going to sell her land. He decided to buy at least
twenty acres of land.
3. He sold a colt and borrowed some money from a relative to buy a farm of forty acres.
4. Pahom sold his land, homestead and cattle to make hay in his own land and feed his cattle in his
own pasture. Yes, it was a wise decision.
II. 1.pasture
3.farmer
READING
2.reject
4.height
11
Section A: READING
20 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
Name: Marks:
Class: Section:
Roll No.: Date:
Grade:
Teacher’s Sign
1. Read the following passage carefully:
(5 marks)
India has done well from globalisation. No historic transformation can occur with only gains and
no losses, on which more below. But on net reckoning, India, like many other developing countries,
has gained. Despite the dire predictions of radical theories of imperialism, the old Ricardian theory
of comparative advantage has asserted itself, albeit in a dynamic form. Today, it is the developed
world that is haunted by the spectre of free trade, not the developing world.
However, the benefits of globalisation have accrued only to one part of India: the India of IT parks
and financial markets, businessmen and traders, corporate leaders and executives and, yes, also
the white-collar workers in new corporate hubs like Gurgaon, Whitefields or Rajerhat, and their
blue-collar counterparts in the smart new factories. Let us call this globalised India.
Then there is the other India: Bharat as we once used to call it. The India of small farmers, of
tribals clinging to their disappearing forests in Orissa, of landless Dalits living in the shadow of
upper caste atrocities, of shivering Bihari workers building roads in the frozen deserts of Ladakh.
It is another world, till recently untouched by globalisation.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Now answer the following questions by choosing the correct options given below:
1. India and other developing countries
(a)have made losses due to globalisation
(c)have been ruined by globalisation
(b)have not welcomed globalisation
(d)have been benefited by globalisation
2. A suitable title for this passage can be
(a)‘Globalisation in developing countries’
(c)‘The Two Faces of India’
(b)‘Globalisation in India’
(d)‘Poverty in India’
3. The benefits of globalisation have not reached
(a)the small farmers and tribals
(c)the factories
(b)the financial markets
(d)the businessmen
4. A historic transformation always
(a)causes more gains than losses
(c)has some gains and losses
(b)causes more losses than gains
(d)causes as many gains as losses
5. The word dire means
(a)dreadful
(b)obvious
(c) unexpected
(d)direct
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READING
15
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
What are the modes of expenditure in your family? Ask your parents and then make an assessment
of the expenses. Where do you think can you cut some expense?
2. Read the following passage carefully:
(5 marks)
This is a great lesson for all of us to learn, that in all matters the two extremes are alike. The
extreme positive and the extreme negative are always similar. When the vibrations of light are
too slow we do not see them, nor do we see them when they are too rapid. So with sound; when
very low in pitch we do not hear it, when very high we do not hear it either. Of like nature is the
difference between resistance and non-resistance. One man does not resist because he is weak, lazy,
and cannot, not because he will not; the other man knows that he can strike an irresistible blow
if he likes; yet he not only does not strike, but blesses his enemies. The one who from weakness
resists not commits a sin, and as such cannot receive any benefit from the non-resistance; while
the other would commit a sin by offering resistance.
Source: What Religion Is by Swami Vivekananda
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Now answer the following questions by choosing the correct options given below:
1. Explain : “........ in all matters the two extremes are alike”.
(a)Powerful men always gain success.
(b)The characteristics of all human beings are same.
(c)Boys and girls are equally talented.
(d)The extreme positive and the extreme negative are alike.
2. When the sound is very high in pitch we
(a)hear it easily
(b)fail to hear it
(c)fail to think anymore (d)feel dizziness
3. When the vibrations of light are too rapid we
(a)fail to see them
(b)see them easily
(c)sweat
(d) none of the above.
4. What differentiates a man who resists from a man who does not resist?
(a)His nature
(b)His laziness
(c)His weakness
(d)His strength
5. The word irresistible means
(a)tied so closely that it cannot be separated
(b)so valuable that it cannot be replaced
(c)so strong that it cannot be stopped
(d)that cannot be changed back to its original form.
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
1. What should be one’s religion? Think about it and write your opinion.
2. Do you resist anything? If yes, why and how?
3. Read the following passage carefully:
(5 marks)
A LETTER TO A TEACHER
He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also
that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader.
Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend. It will take time, I know; but teach him, if you
can that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found. Teach him to learn to lose and also
to enjoy winning.
In school, teach him it is far more honourable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own
ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong. Teach him to be gentle, and tough with the tough.
16
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon.
Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all that he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good that comes through.
Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach
him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain
to the highest bidders, but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul.
Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat
him gently, but do not cuddle him because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the
courage to be impatient, let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime
faith in himself because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind.
This is a big order, but see what you can do. He is such a fine little fellow, my son!
—Abraham Lincoln’s letter to his son’s teacher
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Now answer the following questions briefly:
1. Why did Abraham Lincoln write this letter to his son’s teacher?
2. “A dollar earned has so far more value than five found”. What does the phrase ‘a dollar earned’
mean here?
3. What does Abraham Lincoln allow his son to do and what not to do in the fourth paragraph?
4. What does Lincoln mean when he says, ‘This is a big order’?
5. Find a word from the above passage that means the same as ‘of high quality’.
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
What are the qualities that make a person a true human being? Arrange a discussion on it and note
down all the qualities.
4. Read the following passage carefully:
(5 marks)
“King Lear had three daughters, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia. Lear was a very old man, over eighty
years of age. He was weary of ruling his kingdom and needed peace and quiet. He decided to give
up his throne but first, he wanted to hear how much his daughters loved him.
READING
17
Lear first questioned his eldest daughter, the wife of the Duke of Albany. Goneril declared, “I love
you with all my heart and I shall always love you so.” Lear was pleased. He gave her a third of his
kingdom.
Lear then questioned his second daughter Regan, the wife of the Duke of Cornwall. She declared,
“My only happiness is in loving you. My love for you will never change.” Her answer pleased the
old king, and he gave her a third of his kingdom also.
It was then the turn of Cordelia who was his favourite. She just stood there and said nothing.
Cordelia had been sickened by sisters’ words. They had flattered their old father to get his stand.
She could not deceive or flatter. So she answered the king sincerely, saying, “You are my father.
You have brought me up, but I cannot say like my sisters, that my love for you will never change
nor can I give you all my love. When I marry, I shall give much of my love to my husband.”
When Lear heard this, he was wild with disappointment and anger. “Ungrateful, heartless child!”
he called her, “You are no longer my daughter. I disown you. Your share of my kingdom, I give to
your sisters.”
Lear then summoned his son-in-laws and gave to each of them one half of his kingdom and kept
for himself only the name of king and a hundred knights to attend him.”
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Now answer the following questions briefly:
1. Why did King Lear decide to give up his throne?
2. What did the King want to hear before dividing his kingdom among his daughters?
3. Why did Cordelia feel hurt by her sisters’ words?
4. Why did the King disown Cordelia?
5. What did the King keep for himself?
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Read the above story aloud. Other students will listen to it carefully. Now ask them a few questions
related to the story.
18
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Section B: PART I — WRITING
15 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
(Solved)
1. You have been to a sightseeing trip to Nainital recently. Make a diary entry of your experiences in about 100-120 words.
(5 marks)
Ans. 20 May, 20××
10:20 p.m.
The middle section of our school decided to go to Nainital for a sightseeing trip. About one hundred
students including myself joined the trip. We had hired two buses. We were very excited to see
lakes in the city. We reached there in the evening. We spent night at a hotel. In the morning we
all got ready in time and went out for sightseeing. We heard the songs of birds. There were a large
number of tourists there. We took photos of birds, trees, and lakes. We splashed water of the lake
on one another while boating. We sat on the lushgreen grass. We chatted leisurely, and took tea
and snacks. Suddenly Rohit, my classmate, began to dance. We all joined him one by one. It was
a great time. We spent at least four hours there in joy and peace. I can’t forget those hours.
Or
Write an article in about 100-120 words on the topic: ‘Values Associated with the Joint
Family System’.
(5 marks)
Ans.
VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT FAMILY SYSTEM
India has always been the single country which adored joint family system. There has been a custom
in the Indian society to look after the aged and give them enough respect. But it is unfortunate that
joint families are speedily breaking up. There are several reasons behind it, for example, urbanisation, half-employment, price-rise, etc. But no one can deny the fact that joint family system has
some values which cannot be found anywhere. These values include love, patience, forebearance,
sympathy, tolerance, gratitude, compassion and so on. We learn the quality of perseverance while
growing up in the joint family. We learn to take care of the aged people. Joint family system teaches
us how to stand in tough times. Whenever, we come across adverse situation, all the members of
the family stand by us and give us enough confidence and courage to overcome the situation.
2.Develop the following outline into a readable story in about 150-200 words.
(10 marks)
Grasshopper played and sang all through spring and summer .............. ant worked ceaselessly
.............. stored enough food .............. in winter grasshopper had nothing to eat .............. went
to the ant for food .............. the ant asked why he had no food .............. sent him back.
Moral: ...................................................................... .
Ans. There was a grasshopper who never took things seriously. He played and sang all through spring
and summer because he had no dearth of food in those seasons. He ate to his heart’s content
and enjoyed days happily. He used to laugh at ants whenever he saw them busy in collecting and
carrying food. He said to them, “It is the time for merrymaking. Come on, and join me. Together
we will enjoy”. The ants replied, “We are storing food for the winter. Go and do the same”. The
grasshopper didn’t pay attention to their advice. Finally, winter came and the brightness of summer disappeared. Food was getting scarce day by day. It was the advent of grasshopper’s tough
time. He found it difficult to get food for himself. One day when he was on the verge of starvation,
he decided to go to the ant to beg food. He knocked at the door and said to the ant, “I’ve nothing
to eat. Please give me some food”. The ant said, “You spent days of summer and spring in merry
making. Now you spend the winter in dancing. I won’t give you anything to eat. You must face the
dire consequences of your laziness”. Saying so the ant closed the door noisily on his face.
Moral: Save today’s surpluses to fulfil the needs of tomorrow.
WRITING & GRAMMAR
53
Section B: PART I — WRITING
15 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
Name: Marks:
Class: Section:
Roll No.: Date:
Grade:
Teacher’s Sign
1. Ranjana visited Udaipur during the winter break. After she came back home she writes a
letter to her friend Shadhna, describing what she saw and liked. Your letter should not exceed
150 words. You may use the following clues:
(6 marks)
Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan ............... known as city of lakes ............... famous for Rajput
era palaces ............... the Lake Palace covers the entire island in the Pichola Lake ...............
also known as the Venice of the East ............... Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar
Lake and Swarup Sagar Lake are some of the most beautiful lakes. Most of the palaces have
been turned into luxury hotels.
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2. Look at the picture of Mother Teresa. Describe the action and emotions displayed in the
picture. What does Mother Teresa symbolise and how has she touched the hearts of one and
all either directly or indirectly? Use your ideas to write an interesting and touching article
for the newspaper as a tribute to her after her death. Your answer should not exceed 120
words.
(5 marks)
WRITING & GRAMMAR
55
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3. Recently you and other students of your class have been to sight-seeing trip to a lake. After
you returned your teacher asked you to write a report about the same. Your report must not
exceed 80-100 words.
(4 marks)
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56
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Section B: PART II — GRAMMAR
10 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
(Solved)
1. Complete the following passage by choosing the correct options from those given below:
(½ × 6 = 3 marks)
The flood situation remained grim in most of north India (a) .............................. Uttar Pradesh and
Bihar being the worst (b) .............................. . More than a hundred people (c) ..............................
since the start of the monsoon and thousands of people rendered homeless. Standing crop
(d) .............................. in several districts and livestock of many villages (e) .............................. away.
Most rivers in east and southeast of Uttar Pradesh (f) .............................. above the danger mark.
(a) (i)by
(ii)from
(iii)within
(iv)with
(b) (i)affected
(ii)affecting
(iii)affect
(iv)affects
(c) (i)have died
(ii)has died
(iii)died
(iv)have been died
(d) (i)is damaged
(ii)has damaged
(iii)has been damaged
(iv)damaged
(e) (i)has swept
(ii)has got swept
(iii)was swept
(iv)swept
(f) (i)flow
(ii)flowing
(iii)is flowing
(iv)are flowing
Answers
(a)(iv)with
(b) (i) affected
(c) (i)have died
(d)(iii) has been damaged
(e) (ii)has got swept
(f)(iv) are flowing
2. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the incorrect
word and the correction. Also underline the correct word that you have supplied:
(½ × 8 = 4 marks)
India is a big but important
(a)...............
................
country because it is an ancient
(b)...............
................
background. Its history starts by
(c)...............
................
a Harrappan civilisation and many
(d)...............
................
emperor ruled in India. There are
(e)...............
................
much historic places and every historical
(f)...............
................
place shows a individual aspect of
(g)...............
................
(h)...............
................
culture and history. There are a lot of famous
historical building, but the Taj Mahal
in Agra, is one of the most important.
Answers
(a)but and
(b) is has
(c)by from
(d) a the
(e)emperor emperors (f) much many
(g)a an (h) building buildings
WRITING & GRAMMAR
119
3. Re-arrange the following words/phrases to make meaningful sentences: (1 × 3 = 3 marks)
(a)has its flag/ each and every/ world/ country/ the/ of
(b)has/ India/ a national flag/ too/ which/ a great history/ has/ attached to it
(c)struggle for freedom/ national flag/ our/ reminds us/ our/ of
Answers
(a)Each and every country of the world has its flag.
(b)India too has a national flag which has a great history attached to it.
(c)Our national flag reminds us of our struggle for freedom.
120
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Section B: PART II — GRAMMAR
10 Marks
UNIT ASSIGNMENT 1
Name: Marks:
Class: Section:
Roll No.: Date:
Grade:
Teacher’s Sign
1. Complete the following passage by choosing the correct options from those given below:
(½ × 6 = 3 marks)
Confucius laid great stress on good character. He preached (a) .............................. people
should respect their parents. He held a prominent place (b) .............................. philosophers
and religious reformers. The syllabus (c) .............................. his teaching was a wide one which
(d) .............................. morals, family duties, social reforms and personal relationship. He knew
(e) .............................. languages and arts. He has written about his experiences in life in a book
(f) .............................. Chin Chinking.
(a)(i)because
(ii)since
(iii)that
(iv)which
(b)(i)in
(ii)within
(iii)amidst
(iv)amongst
(c)(i)of
(ii)on
(iii)from
(iv)for
(d)(i)included
(ii)include
(iii)including
(iv)includes
(e)(i)many
(ii)more
(iii)much
(iv)most
(f)(i)entitle
(ii)entitled
(iii)entitles
(iv)entitling
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2. In the passage given below one word has been omitted in each line. A slash (/) has been given
where the word is missing. Write the missing word in the space provided:(½ × 8 = 4 marks)
Gangtok, / capital of Sikkim, appears
(a) ..........................................
like any other town / urban India,
(b) ..........................................
WRITING & GRAMMAR
121
but it / the surrounding places that
are worth visiting. One of / most
interesting places in Yumthong, known / being
as beautiful as Switzerland. Situated at /
altitude of 12,000 feet, it is
well-known / its hot springs. It is
desirable / visit Gangtok at least once in life.
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
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(g) ..........................................
(h) ..........................................
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3. Rearrange the following words/phrases to make meaningful sentences. (1 × 3 = 3 marks)
(a)many/ India/ ethnic groups/ is/ with/ country/ a
(b)many languages/ there/ sects/ beliefs/ are/ religious/ and/ here
(c)great variations/ runs through/ inspite of/ a common stream/ diversities/ the
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ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Section C: ASL SKILLS — LISTENINGTime: 1 Hour
20 Marks
ASSIGNMENT 1
(Solved)
TASK 1
You will hear the details of a recipe. Read the notes below, then listen to the audio track and
fill in the blanks. You will hear the recording twice.
Recipe for a Plum Cake(4 marks)
•You must (1) ................................ the oven before anything else.
•Number of ingredients (2) ................................ .
•The (3) ................................ serves to give flavour to the cake.
•The mixture has to be (4) ................................ before the batter is mixed with it.
.........................................................................................................................................................
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Answers
(1)Preheat
(2)9
(3)Vanilla
(4)Homogenous
TASK 2
You will hear two friends talking about an adventurous journey they are about to take.
Read the statements below then listen to the conversation and choose five of the options, A to
H, which are correct.
You will hear the recording twice.
A:The two friends are Sahil and Tarun.
B:The idea of the adventurous journey came from Sahil.
C:Both of them are worried about where they will get the money from.
D:The plan is to go wherever the road leads them to.
E:One of the friends is worried about the parents’ reaction.
F:They plan to sleep and eat in the best of places wherever they go.
G:The first friend is more convinced about the journey than the second one.
H:The first friend will have to look for another companion.
(5 marks)
.........................................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................................
Answers
A:True
B:True
D:True
E:True
G:True
TASK 3
You will hear five extracts of people talking about books. Read the statements below, then
listen to the extracts and match each statement A to G to each speaker, 1 to 5. There are two
statements you do not need.
You will hear the recording twice.
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A:feels
B:feels
C:feels
D:feels
E:feels
F:feels
G:feels
an added bonus is the musical score and special effects they have!
books should neither be bought nor read.
reading a book is one of the best things in the world.
every book has something to teach
she is a bookworm.
books are best gifts.
books are meant to adorn the libraries
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Answers
Speaker 1-C
Speaker 2-F
Speaker 3-A
Speaker 4-E
Speaker 5-D
TASK 4
You will hear Prime Minister Nehru’s speech announcing Mahatma Gandhi’s death. Read the
questions below, then listen to the extract and choose A or B or C for each question.
You will hear the recording twice.
(6 marks)
1.The light has gone out and there is darkness everywhere because ................................ .
(a) someone switched it off
(b) the Father of the Nation was no more
(c) there was a power cut
2.For that light represented ................................ .
(a) the living and the eternal truths
(b) the eternal truths
(c) solace to innumerable hearts.
3.A ................................ has put an end to his life.
(a) conman
(b)madman
4.The first thing
(a) none of us
(b) none of us
(c) none of us
(c)layman
to remember now is that ................................ .
dare misbehave because he is sad
dare misbehave because he is upset
dare misbehave because he is angry
5.Nothing would displease his soul so much as to see that we have indulged in ................................ .
(a) any violence
(b) any crime
(c) any struggle
6.In his death he has reminded us of the big things of life, the living truth, and if we remember that,
then ................................ .
(a) it will be well with us
(b) it will be well with India.
(c) it will be well with us and with India
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Answers
1.(b) the Father of the Nation was no more
3.(b)madman
5. (a) any violence
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2. (a) the living and the eternal truths
4. (c) none of us dare misbehave because he is angry
6. (c) it will be well with us and with India
ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
TRANSCRIPTION FOR LISTENING ASSIGNMENT 1
This is the assessment of listening skills for class 8 students.
There are 4 tasks for completing this test. The first one is the details of a receipe, the second is a
conversation between two friends, the third is a set of opinion and the fourth is a speech.
You will listen to all the tasks one by one and complete the worksheets given to you.
Please listen to the text carefully:
TASK 1
You will hear the details of a recipe. Read the notes below, then listen to the audio track and
fill in the blanks.
You will hear the recording twice.
You will need 1 cup refined flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 3 tablespoon
chopped raisins, ½ cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and a few
drops of Vanilla essence to bake a plum cake.
Preheat the oven to 160° C.
Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
Add walnuts and raisins and mix well.
Cream the butter and sugar in another bowl.
Add the eggs and lemon zest as you mix continuously.
When the mixture becomes homogeneous, add the flour and baking soda to make the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake in the oven for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Remove from oven let it cool.
Listen to the recipe again.
[Repeat the above text in bold]
TASK 2
You will hear two friends talking about an adventurous journey they are about to take.
Read the statements below then listen to the conversation and choose five of the options, A to
H, which are correct.
You will hear the recording twice.
Friend 1 : Hello Tarun. How are you?
Friend 2 : Hey, Sahil. I am fine. You?
Friend 1 : I had a great idea last night.
Friend 2 : Really? Tell me about it.
Friend 1 : Let us take a study leave for a year…
Friend 2: And?
Friend 1 : Let us undertake a journey – a nationwide journey.
Friend 2 : Wow! That sounds nice! Where will we go? How will we travel?
Friend 1 : We can buy a second hand van and go.
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Friend 2 : Go where?
Friend 1 : Nowhere in particular.
Friend 2 : But, we need to plan the journey? The hotels, the food and–most of all–money? This will
cost us a lot of money, my friend.
Friend 1 : We plan nothing. We just go, wherever the road leads us to. Like birds, we will fly in the free
sky.
Friend 2 : And where do we sleep? What do we eat?
Friend 1 : If we can’t find a place, we sleep in the car. And, as for food, we can eat anywhere. It is not
necessary to go to fine dining joint!
Friend 2 : This sounds good… but I am a little scared. We don’t have that kind of money?
Friend 1 : We will use what we have.
Friend 2 : And when the money finishes? What will we do?
Friend 1 : We will earn money?
Friend 2: How?
Friend 1 : By singing songs, doing odd jobs, helping people with daily chores…
Friend 2 : I don’t believe this! Are you out of your mind?
Friend 1 : Why? You don’t like the idea?
Friend 2 : No, no. The idea is fantastic. But… have you thought what our parents will say? I mean, I
am all for it. It would be, like, living in total freedom.
Friend 1 : I don’t get it. You are with me or not? Will you come, or I look for another companion?
Friend 2 : I am with you, man… a hundred times with you…but…
Friend 1 : No, ifs and buts then. Let’s go!
Listen to the conversation again.
[Repeat the above text in bold]
TASK 3
You will hear five extracts of people talking about books. Read the statements below, then listen
to the extracts and match each statement A to G to each speaker, 1 to 5.
There are two statements you do not need.
You will hear the recording twice.
Speaker 1: Reading a book is one of the best things in the world. It transports you in a world of
its own, peopled by its kind of people. The situations, though normal, are completely
unique! The more interesting the read, the better it is. And then, you get plenty of
insights to deal with your own problems and live in your own situations however
difficult they may be.
Speaker 2: I love to gift books to everyone. However, I never see the glee in their eyes when they receive
a present for me. “Oh no! Not another book!” is the unsaid expression on their faces. But,
it doesn’t bother me for I know that sooner or later they will get down to read a book. And,
when they will do that, there will be no stopping them.
Speaker 3: Reading books is a complete waste of time and money for me. Nowadays movies and TV
serials are being made based on the books, so why read them. Just sit in front of the TV or
in the cinema hall and watch it. An added bonus is the musical score and special effects
they have!
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ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII
Speaker 4: I once met a girl who was into reading books so much that she called herself a bookworm.
She said that like the worm, she also gets into the book and relishes the words contained
in its page. Paragraph after paragraph, page after page, eight hours a day, she read a
book. H
er plight helped me make a resolve – I shall never become a book reviewer, come
what may!
Speaker 5: Reading a book is a good habit but one must also know which one to read. It will not do to
pick up just any book and start reading. Every book has something to teach. It can be good
or bad. So, it becomes absolutely necessary for us to pick up those books that can teach
us something positive and constructive.
Listen to the extracts again.
[Repeat the above text in bold]
TASK 4
You will hear Prime Minister Nehru’s speech announcing Mahatma Gandhi’s death. Read the
questions below, then listen to the extract and choose A or B or C for each question.
You will hear the recording twice.
Friends and Comrades,
The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere. I do not know what to tell you and
how to say it. Our beloved leader, Bapu as we called him, the Father of the Nation, is no more. Perhaps
I am wrong to say that. Nevertheless, we will never see him again as we have seen him for these many
years. We will not run to him for advice and seek solace from him, and that is a terrible blow, not to me
only, but to millions and millions in this country. And it is a little difficult to soften the blow by any other
advice that I or anyone else can give you.
The light has gone out, I said, and yet I was wrong. For the light that shone in this country was no
ordinary light. The light that has illumined this country for these many years will illumine this country
for many more years, and a thousand years later, that light will be seen in this country and the world
will see it and it will give solace to innumerable hearts. For that light represented something more than
the immediate past, it represented the living, the eternal truths, reminding us of the right path, drawing
us from error, taking this ancient country to freedom.
All this has happened when there was so much more for him to do. We could never think that he was
unnecessary or that he had done his task. But now, particularly, when we are faced with so many
difficulties, his not being with us is a blow most terrible to bear.
A madman has put an end to his life, for I can only call him mad who did it, and yet there has been
enough of poison spread in this country during the past years and months, and this poison has had an
effect on people’s minds. We must face this poison, we must root out this poison, and we must face all
the perils that encompass us, and face them not madly or badly, but rather in the way that our beloved
teacher taught us to face them.
The first thing to remember now is that none of us dare misbehave because he is angry. We have to
behave like strong and determined people, determined to face all the perils that surround us, determined
to carry out the mandate that our great teacher and our great leader has given us, remembering always
that if, as I believe, his spirit looks upon us and sees us, nothing would displease his soul so much as
to see that we have indulged in any small behaviour or any violence.
So we must not do that. But that does not mean that we should be weak, but rather that we should,
in strength and in unity, face all the troubles that are in front of us. We must hold together, and all
our petty troubles and difficulties and conflicts must be ended in the face of this great disaster. A great
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disaster is a symbol to us to remember all the big things of life and forget the small things of which we
have thought too much. In his death he has reminded us of the big things of life, the living truth, and if
we remember that, then it will be well with India…
Listen to the speech again.
[Repeat the above text in bold]
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ASSIGNMENTS IN ENGLISH PLUS VIII