X-Class English Question Bank: Our World through English

By Vikram Editorial Board

X-Class English Question Bank Contains excellent Model. Student Sure get assurance for high marks

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9788189992538

Book preview

1. Personality Development

Textual Questions

Look at the pictures and answer the questions.

I. What qualities have made these persons great ?

Ans. The above shown three persons are physically disabled. In spite of disabled, they have achieved their goals with tremendous will power, dedication and determination.

A) Sudha Chandran : She was a Bharathanatyam dancer. While going to her annual pilgrimage in a car, she got an accident and lost her right leg. The leg was amputated eight centimetres below the right knee. She returned to dance with an artificial leg and succeeded her goal.

B) Stephen Hawking : He was a research scholar in Phics and worked on Black holes. He invented Hawking Radiation. But he was suffered from incurable diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis which weakens his muscles.

C) Helen Keller : She was a great social worker. When she was six months child, she was attacked fever and lost her speech, eye sight and hearing impaired. But after, she came back with all her efforts towards the society.

2. What qualities do you think a person requires to become successful ?

Ans. A person requires a strong determination, dedication and will power to become successful.

Reading - A

Attitude Is Altitude

Gist :

Nick Vujicic, 26 has no arms and legs, born in Melbourne, Australia but lives in Los Angels. He learnt football, golf, swimming and surfing. He has a small foot on his left hip, it helps him to balance and enables him to kick. He calls it chicken drumstick.

When Nick was born his father was shocked and left the hospital. His mother couldn’t bring herself to hold him until he was four months old. His mother was a nurse and she did everything right during pregnancy but she still blamed herself. At the age of 18 months his father left him in water to give courage and to learn swimming. After that he learnt football and skateboarding.

Nick’s father was a computer programmer and accountant, taught his son how to type with his toe at just 6 years old. His mother invented a special plastic device which helps him to hold pen / pencil to write. Despite the risks his parents decided to join him in the mainstream school. Nick has an electric wheel chair for mobility, and a team of carers to help him. One day he was deeply depressed, when he was 8. He went to his mother and told her that he wanted to kill himself. He hated God for giving the shape. At the age of 13 he read a newspaper article about a disabled man who had managed to achieve great things and help others. He realized and thanked God for giving the shape. He received the Australian Young Citizen of the year award in 1990 for his bravery and perseverance.

Once he was in a car, a girl at traffic lights was giving him the eyes. He decided to give a 360 degrees in the car seat and made her surprise. On his way in travelling in 2008 to Hawaii, he met a surfing master Bethany Hamilton, who had no arm bitten by a shark when she was 12. He learnt surfing and did 360 degrees spin on his board, a feat that covered Surfer Magazine within 48 hours, no one has ever done that in the history of surfing.

He gave a message that If I fail, I try again, and again. If you fail, are you going to try again? Keep trying until you reach the goal. He concluded with If I can encourage just one person then my job in this life is done.

Glossary

skateboard (n) : a short narrow board with small wheels at each end, which you stand on and ridea sport

Surf(v) : to take part in the sport of riding on waves on a surfboard

torso(n) : the main part of the body, not including the head, arms or legs

chicken drumstick(n) : the lower part of the leg of a chicken or other bird that is cooked and eaten as food

club(n) : a heavy stick with one end thicker than the other

Propeller(n) : a device with two or more blades that turn quickly and cause a ship or an aircraft to move forward

Adversity(n) : a difficulty or unpleasant situation

Perseverance(n) : the quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim despite difficulties

Additional Glossary

evangelical (adj) : belonging to a Christian group that emphasizes the authority of the Bible and the importance of people being saved through faith

distraught (adj) : extremely upset and anxious

pebbles : smooth, round stones that are found in or near water

modest : not intended to attract attention

league : a group of people or nations who have combined for a particular purpose.

distraught : extremely upset and anxious

bullying : frighten or hurt a weaker person

triumph : a great success, achievement or victory

strengthen : make stronger

convictions : the fact of having been found guilty

freak : a person who is considered to be unusual because of the way they behave.

CCE Model Formative Assessment (FA) & Summative Assessment (SA)

Comprehension

Textual Comprehension

I. Answer the following questions.

1. ‘I call it my chicken drumstick’, joked Nick. What does ‘it’ refer to? How does it help him ?

Ans. Nick has a small foot on his left hip, it helps him balance and enables him to kick. He called it his chicken drumstick. He had a very low centre of gravity. So, he had got pretty good balance.

2. ‘His parents decided not to send him to a special school’. Was Nick happy about his parents decision? Why or why not ? What do you think about this decision ?

Ans. Nick’s parents decided not to send him to a special school. Nick was not happy about their decision. If they sent to the special school, he would not be learnt anything. If they sent to the general school, he would be able to try as other pupils. They thought in the similar way and sent him to the general school, his parents took a right decision. He overcame with all hurdles with firm dedication, determination and willpower.

3. How did Nick’s parents help him to become independent ?

Ans. Nick’s parents helped Nick much to become an independent. From the early days they did their best to make him independent. His father put him in water at the age of 18 months to give him courage and learn to swim and taught him how to type with his toe at just 6 years. After that he succeeded to play football and skateboarding. His mother invented a special plastic device to hold a pen and a pencil.

4. Pick out the symptoms of Nick’s depression. Do you think his depression was normal or something unique about him ? Give reasons for your opinion.

Ans. Nick was deeply depressed when he was eight years old, he went to his mother crying and told her, he wanted to kill himself. He hated the God for giving the physical disability. Brushing his teeth with a wall mounted brush, washing his hair with pump action soap, eating, writing with his drumstick foot and holding a panting brush with mouth. All these regular activities at the early stage became impossible for Nick. Yes, all these things were unique tasks for Nick. At the early stage bearing these things impossible.

5. Which incident in this text is funny ? What makes it funny ?

Ans. Once Nick was in a car, a girl at traffic light was giving him an eye, she could see only his head. He decided to do a 360 degree spin in the car seat and freaked her. Her face was like wooooooah! This was the funny incident in the article and the woman’s expression made it funny.

6. What made Nick choose Bethany Hamilton to learn surfing ?

Ans. Challenges in our lives are to strengthen our convictions. They are not there to run us over, with his challenge Nick chose Bethany Hamilton to learn surfing. She was also a physically handicapped woman, who was the best surfer in Hawaii, knew about the difficulties of physically disabled persons. He utilized the opportunity to have a very low centre of gravity, had a good balance and spin 360 degrees and saved his life. Within 48 hours the surfer magazine covered the feat that ‘No one has ever done that in the history of surfing’.

7. Which aspect Nick’s physical condition helps him to do 360 degree spin ?

Ans. The torso physical condition gave him a better opportunity to have a very low centre of gravity and had a pretty good balance. That helped him to do 360 degree spines on the board.

8. What are the distinct features of this text ? List them.

Ans. It is a self motivated text. The distinct features are, it gives new hope, courage and inspiration for life those who are physically handicapped. Not only for them but those who are enthusiastic in doing brave things.

9. What do you learn from the life of Nick Vujicic ?

Ans. Nick Vujicic was a self motivated and a brave man. He read the newspaper and inspired. He hated the God when he was eight years old. After reading the newspaper, he thanked God for giving an opportunity to give hope to others. He learnt to swim at 18 months and learnt to type at six. The physical disability may not be an obstacle to get success.

II. Given below are some of the statements made by Nick Vujicic . Which of these are substantiated by Nick’s life ?

If you can’t get a miracle, become one.

I realized why God had made us like this – to give hope to others.

I wanted to concentrate on something good that I had.

I tell people to keep on getting up when they fall and to always love themselves.

If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done.

Ans. If you can’t get a miracle, become one: For making miracles physical disability may not obstruct. He had a small foot on his left hip it helped him balance and enabled him to kick. With small foot he typed, wrote with pen and pick things up between his toes.

I realized why God had made us like this – to give hope to others: When Nick was 13, he read a newspaper article about a disabled man who had managed to achieve great things and help others. With this inspiration he practiced and became successful in doing things himself, play football, golf, swim and surf in water.

I wanted to concentrate on something good that I had: Once he looked at in the mirror and said to himself. ‘You know what the world is right that I have no arms or legs, they will never take away the beauty of my eyes’. He decided to concentrate on something he had and got successful in his life.

I tell people to keep on getting up when they fall and to always love themselves : Nick explained that if he failed, he would try again and again. He posed a question, If anyone failed, are they going to try again? The realization is as good as the human spirit can handle. He strongly urges to do the things with strong will power.

If I can encourage just one person, then my job in this life is done: He is self motivated and has given a good message to the people who strong enough to do the things with strong dedication, determination and will power. His intension was to encourage the people with his life.

Additional Similar Type Questions

1. Why did Nick opt only sports and games ?

Ans. Nick attracted to sports and games, despite of physical handicapness he achieved his academic career. He wanted to give a new hope to physically attracted and physically handicapped people also.

2. How did Nick utilized the chicken drumstick in water games ?

Ans. Nick had a small foot on his left hip, it helped him in balance and enables him to kick. It worked as a propeller to move forward in the water. He spinned 360 degree on the board with the help of the chicken drumstick. The feat brought him to the cover page of Surfer magazine.

3. Is there any medical explanation for Nick’s disability ?

Ans. No, Nick’s mother was a nurse and she did everything right during pregnancy, but this disability came without any medical explanation a rare occurrence called Phocomelia.

4. How did Nick’s father help him to get success ?

Ans. Nick’s father was the care taker of his success. He put in water at 18 months to give him courage to learn how to swim, he taught his little son how to type with his toe at just 6 years old.

5. What kind of equipment did Nick use in his career ?

Ans. Nick used a special plastic device to hold a pencil and pen, had an electric wheelchair for mobility, a wall mounted brush, washed his hair with pump action soap.

6. How did Nick console himself ?

Ans. Nick, once looked at himself in the mirror and said to himself you know what the world is right that I have no arms or legs, but they never take away the beauty of my eyes, With that intention he made history in the world.

7. Why did Nick get Australian Young Citizen of the year award ?

Ans. Nick hoped challenges in his life are those to strengthen his convictions. That is not there to run him over. He received the award for his bravery and perseverance.

8. Who was Bethany Hamilton? How did she help Nick in surfing ?

Ans. While Nick was travelling through the world in 2008, he happened to meet Bethany in Hawaii, was the master of Bethany Hamilton. Her arm was bitten by a shark when she was 12. She taught Nick how to surf, with firm determination, dedication and self discipline. He learnt surfing and made 360 degrees on the board . Within 48 hours Surfer Magazine covered the news and published No one has ever done that in the history of surfing.

9. What was the message of Nick ?

Ans. Nick’s message was that if any one fails, try again and again until the goal is reached, the human spirit can handle much worse than we realize, and keep on getting up when they fall and to always love themselves.

Vocabulary

Textual Comprehension

I. Look at the list of adjectives in the box. Which of them describe Nick Vujicic. Tick Them.

Pick out from the text the examples that support these attributes.

II. Given below are the words that describe the positive attitude or negative attitude of a person. Discuss them with your partner and put a tick mark against the positive qualities and cross against the negative qualities.

III. Tick the right word / expression which is nearest in meaning to the word underlined in each sentences given belo.

I. Water sports aren’t Nick’s only thing - he also plays golf with a club tucked under his chin.

(a) kept (b) pushed (c) covered (d) tied Ans :( b)

2. His distraught mother couldn’t bring herself to hold him until he was four months old.

(a) angry (b) careless (c) shy (d) anxious Ans : (d)

3. Despite the risk of bullying, his parents insisted Nick attended mainstream.

(a) discrimination (b) humiliation (c) negligence (d) beating Ans : ( b)

4. Nick, who was teased and bullied, had an electric wheelchair for mobility, and a

team of carers to help him.

(a) socialising (b) movement (c) travel (d) safety Ans : ( b)

5. Nick managed to pull through to become an international symbol of triumph over

adversity.

(a) disability (b) poverty (c) difficulties (d) opposition Ans :( c)

6. The changes in our lives are there to strengthen our convictions.

(a) feeling (b) practices (c) beliefs (d) characters Ans :( c)

IV. Read the following descriptions about persons and fill in the blanks with the words that match with these descriptions.

(boorish , extrovert, meticulous, suave, placid, obnoxious, compassionate, timid, introvert, malicious)

1. Ashok is a very unpleasant and rude fellow. I don’t talk to him. He is __________. (boorish)

2. Srinu is very confident, elegant and polite. But sometimes he does not appear to be sincere. He is __________________. (suave)

3. Sujatha is quiet and calm. She doesn’t like to spend time with others. She is interested in her thoughts and feelings. So she is an ____________________. (introvert)

4. Ramesh is very sensitive. He always shows sympathy on people who are suffering. He is _______________________ . (compassionate)

5. My neighbour is such a person that he has a feeling of hatred for others. He desires to hurt other’s feelings. He is _________________________. (malicious)

6. My father pays careful attention to every detail. He makes thorough planning for everything in our home. He is ______________________ . (meticulous)

7. Prem is an extremely unpleasant person. He always tries to offend people. He is_________. (obnoxious)

8. My mother is very calm and peaceful. She doesn’t get excitement or irritation easily. She is_______________. (placid)

9. Rahul is a very lively and confident person. He enjoys being with his friends. He is an __________ . (extrovert)

10. Sridhar is always afraid of speaking in the class. He is ______________ . (timid)

Grammar

Textual Comprehension

I. Defining and Non-defining Relative Clauses.

Let us read the following sentences.

1. The woman who taught him surfing had been bitten off by a shark.

2. Nick, who was teased and bullied, had an electric wheel chair for mobility…..

What difference do you notice between sentence (1) and (2)? In sentence (1) the relative clause defines the woman. It is a Defining Relative Clause. In sentence (2) the Relative Clause adds extra information about Nick. This is a Non-defining Relative Clause.

A Non-defining Relative Clause is preceded and followed by a comma or a hyphen.

e.g. : The brave 26 year old – who is mainly torso – plays football and golf, swims and surfs.

I. Read the text again and identify some more Defining and Non-defining Relative Clauses.

Ans.1. A small foot which helps him balance and enables him to kick.

2. Nick, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, but now lives in Los Angeles.

3. A decision, which may have been the best they could have made for him.

4. Nick, who later achieved a degree in Financial Planning and Real Estate.

5. A disabled man, who had managed to achieve great things and help others.

II. Read the following sentences and circle the Non-defining Relative Clauses and put a comma / a hyphen wherever necessary.

1. The meeting which was held in the town hall was a great success.

2. The people who live in glass houses must not throw stones.

3. Teachers who have taught Abhiram say that he is an exceptionally creative student.

4. Napoleon who won the French honour died at St. Helena.

5. Silk sarees which are made in Banares are popular all over the world.

Ans. 1. The meeting, which was held in the town hall, was a great success.

2. The people, who live in glass houses must not throw stones.

3. Teachers, who have taught Abhiram, say that he is an exceptionally creative student.

4. Nepolean, who won the French honour, died at St. Helena.

5. Silk sarees, which are made in Banares are popular all over the world.

III. Complete the sentences with Defining or Non-defining Relative Clauses.

1. This is the peaceful place ______________. (which is now a large noisy town)

2. ‘Mahaprasthanam’ is a popular book _________. (which is one of the best volumes in India)

3. Suresh _____________ has left the school just now. (who)

4. Is this the street _________________________. (which leads to Public Garden)

5. The express _________ has just arrived. (which runs between Chennai to Hyderabad)

6. The place _________________ has been closed to traffic. (which)

7. This is a famous engineering college ________ . (whichi studied in ten years ago)

8. My sister____________ has secured a job as an engineer in BHEL. (who)

9. The theatre _____________________ was designed by Mr. Rao. (which)

10. Viswanath is one of the outstanding directors in Telugu film industry ______.(who received Padma Bhushan)

Writing

Textual Comprehension

1. Writing a biographical sketch.

A biographical sketch is an account of the life and activities of an individual. It includes information about the person’s name, place of residence, education, occupation, life and activities and other important details. It is written by another person. If a person writes an account of his/ her own life, it is called an autobiography.

Given below in the table is the biographical information about Stephen Hawking. Based on this information write a biographical sketch.

Reading - B

Every Succes Story is also a Story of Great Failures

Gist :

Failure is the highway to success. Tom Watson rightly said if anyone wants to succeed, he must double failure rate. In any history, we find great failures behind it. People don’t see

the failures, they see only one side of the picture that’s the success. Abraham Lincoln failed since 21 years to 51 years. At the age of 52 he was elected president of the United States. In 1913, Lee De Forest, the inventor of the triode tubes, was charged by the district attorney for using fraudulent means to mislead the public into buying stocks of his company. He was publicly humiliated. A New York Times editorial on December 10, 1903, questioned the wisdom of Wright Brothers who were trying to invent a machine, heavier than air that would fly. One week later at Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers proved their invention.

Colonel Sanders, at age 65, has 100 dollars. He prepared a recipe and went out for selling. He knocked more than thousand doors before getting his first order. Walt Disney, a cartoonist faced many rejections from newspaper editors, who said he had no talent. One day a minister at a church hired him to draw some cartoons. While drawing, a small mouse infested shed near the church. He inspired after seeing the small mouse, it became his favourite cartoon that was Mickey Mouse.

One day a partially deaf four years boy came home with note your Tommy is too stupid to learn. His mother read the note and decided to teach herself. That boy invented the electric bulb, was Thomas Edison. He failed 10000 times, but finally succeeded. Henry Ford forgot to put the reverse gear in the first car, but finally he established a manufacturing unit. Finally, Socrates revealed the secret of success by ducking the young man in water.

A burning desire is the starting point of all accomplishment. Just like a small fire cannot give much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.

Glossary

overcome(v) : to defeat or succeed in controlling or dealing with something

detour(n) : a road or route that is used when the usual one is closed

Triodes tube (n): A triode is an electronic amplification tube having three active electrodes. Invented in 1906, the triode vacuum tube was the first electronic amplification device. This invention founded the electronic age, making possible amplified radio technology and long-distance telephony.

Lee de Forest (n) : an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. He invented the Auden, a vacuum tube that takes relatively weak electrical signals and amplifies them. He is one of the fathers of the electronic age, as the Audion helped to usher in the widespread use of electronics. He is also credited with one of the principal inventions that brought sound to motion pictures.

fraudulent (adj) : intended to cheat someone, usually in order to make money illegally

Colonel Sanders (n) : Colonel Harland David Sanders was an American businessman and restaurateur who found the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) chain restaurants.

beat-up (adj) : old and damaged

Walt Disney (n): an American animator, film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist, well known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. He created some of the world’s most well-known fictional characters including Mickey Mouse.

infest(v) : to exist in large numbers in a particular place, often causing damage or disease (especially of insects or animals such as rats).

Henry Ford (n) : an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. He did not invent the automobile but he developed and manufactured the first automobile that many middle class Americans could afford to buy.

Lee I acocca (n) : an American