Surya Public School

Lucknow

ANNUAL EXAMINATION (2025-2026) SET - 2

Class 09 - English Lang & Lit. (184)
Time Allowed: 3 hours Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions:
Read the instructions very carefully and strictly follow them :
1. This question paper comprises 11 questions. All questions are compulsory.
2. The question paper contains THREE sections -
Section - A : Reading Skills
Section - B : Grammar and Creative Writing Skills
Section - C : Literature Text Book
3. Attempt questions based on specific instructions for each part.
Section A Reading
1. Read the following passage carefully : [10]
1. With the growing focus on sustainable living, the importance of kitchen gardens in urban
regions has garnered greater acknowledgement. One significance of kitchen gardens in
urban areas is their role in promoting food security. Rapid urbanization has led to increased
distances between food production centres and urban settlements, resulting in longer food
supply chains and a decrease in the freshness and nutritional value of food.
2. By having a kitchen garden, urban dwellers can grow their own fresh produce at home,
making good use of empty tins, old utensils, and clay flower pots, ensuring a constant supply
of nutritious food for themselves and their families. This activity not only saves money and
time but can also provide a healthy, practical, and environmentally friendly hobby for the
whole family.
3. Not only do kitchen gardens contribute to food security, but they also play a crucial role in
environmental sustainability. Traditional agricultural practices often involve the use of
synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and intensive irrigation methods, which may have adverse
effects on the environment. However, kitchen gardens promote organic farming, reducing
the use of harmful chemicals and preserving soil health.
4. In addition to fostering a sustainable environment, kitchen gardens provide numerous
health benefits to urban dwellers. The availability of fresh and organic produce from the
garden ensures a higher intake of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, promoting
better overall health and well-being.
5. Furthermore, kitchen gardens have proven to be an effective tool for education and
community development. They provide an opportunity for individuals to reconnect with
nature and learn about the basics of agriculture. Besides providing fruits and vegetables,
gardening provides an aesthetic and therapeutic exercise that helps relieve stress. The
physical activity involved in tending to a garden helps individuals stay active, reducing the
risk of obesity and related health issues.

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 6. By involving children in gardening activities, they can develop an appreciation for the
environment and learn essential life skills. Moreover, kitchen gardens can also serve as a
platform for community engagement, fostering social interactions and promoting a sense of
belonging among urban residents.
7. Despite the numerous benefits of kitchen gardens, establishing and maintaining one in
urban areas can be challenging. Limited space, lack of sunlight, and soil quality issues are
common obstacles that urban gardeners face. However, innovative solutions such as vertical
gardening, hydroponics, and rooftop gardens have emerged to overcome these challenges.
8. It is imperative to provide support and resources to encourage urban gardening initiatives as
this can transform urban areas into sustainable havens where residents not only live but
thrive in harmony with nature.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage :
I. What does the writer's use of phrases like 'in urban regions kitchen gardens have garnered
great acknowledgement' suggest about kitchen gardening today? (Paragraph 1) (1 Mark)
(A) It has reduced inflation.
(B) It is an expensive hobby.
(C) It provides nutritious food.
(D) It does not minimize adverse effects on the environment.
II. Complete the following with a suitable explanation. (1 Mark)
Growing a kitchen garden is cost effective because _________ . (Paragraph 2)
III. Identify two differences between the methods adopted in traditional farming and kitchen
gardens. (Paragraph 3) (2 Marks)
IV. Substitute the underlined word with the correct word from Paragraph 4. (1 Mark)
The local residents' nurturing of their surrounding flora and fauna helps to create awareness
about civic responsibilities.
V. Tending to a kitchen garden has many health benefits. Explain in about 40 words.
(Paragraphs 4 and 5) (2 Marks)
VI. Select the option that best reflects the concept that kitchen gardening is an effective
educational tool for children. (Paragraph 5) (1 Mark)
(A) It contributes to effective community development.
(B) It helps develop sensitivity and appreciation for nature.
VII. What hurdles do kitchen gardeners face ? Mention any two. (Paragraph 7) (1 Mark)
VIII. State whether the following statement is True or False : (1 Mark)
Kitchen gardening should be practised by everyone living in the cities.
2. Read the following passage carefully: [10]
1. Among the most visible effects of environmental global warming are rising seas around the
world: since 1880, the global mean sea level (GMSL) has increased by 20 cm. There's no easy
way to halt or reverse this change. Earth's oceans and ice sheets respond slowly to changes
in the heat they receive from the atmosphere. They hold onto heat for decades to centuries.
st
As a result, sea levels globally will continue to rise well beyond the 21 century.
2. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that it is very likely that
the climate-induced sea level will affect much of the world's coasts in the coming decades.

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 An estimated 800 million people will experience impacts of high tide flooding. In many
coastal settings, even a small increase in baseline sea level can increase the frequency and
magnitude of flooding during high tides, storm surges and extreme weather.
3. The direct impact of all this will be on communities, infrastructure, natural resources and
biodiversity on all the world's coastline. It is already unavoidable that many communities will
be displaced and forced to migrate as climate refugees. The need for counter measures
against the adverse impacts of climate change is imperative.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage:
i. What message does the use of the phrase 'visible effects' by the writer, in paragraph (1) send
to the reader? (1 Mark)
ii. Select the option that is true for the assertion and reason given below. (1 Mark)
Assertion: There is no way to reverse the rising global mean sea level.
Reason: The oceans hold onto heat for centuries.
(A) Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation of
the assertion.
(B) Both the assertion and the reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation
of the assertion.
(C) The assertion is true, but the reason is false.
(D) The assertion is false, but the reason is true.
iii. Identify the word that indicates that the writer anticipated an approximate number of people
who would face the impact. Paragraph (2) (1 Mark)
iv. The effects of human footprints on the environment are ________. (1 Mark)
(A) devastating
(B) reversible
(C) adaptable
(D) temporary
v. Read the given prompt and select the correct option in the brackets to fill in the blank. (1
Mark)
In the coming decades almost ________ (350, 800, 900) million people will suffer the
consequences of high tide.
vi. Earth's oceans and ice sheets respond slowly to changes in the heat they receive from the
atmosphere. Explain. (1 Mark)
vii. Complete the sentence suitably
The sea level globally will continue to rise because ________. (1 Mark)
viii. Complete the following with a suitable reason.
Frequent flooding in coastal settings can increase when ________. (1 Mark)
ix. In the context of the last paragraph, who are climate refugees and why are they called so? (2
Marks)
Section B Grammar
3. Complete ANY TEN of twelve of the following tasks, as directed [10]
(a) Fill in the blank by using the correct form of the word in the bracket, for the given [1]
portion of a letter:

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 To ensure that this project gains strength, schools may ________ (organize) puppet shows
and street plays.
(b) Identify the error and supply the correction, for the following: [1]

Delhi Government
BENEFITS OF RAINWATER HARVESTING
Help cater to the potable water need of the ever-growing population
Stop the rapid fall for Groundwater
Help maintain Green Cover

Use the given format for your response.

error correction

(c) Read the conversation between a driver and his passenger. Complete the sentence by [1]
reporting the passenger's reply correctly.
Driver: Do the bus timings suit you?
Passenger: Yes, if I catch the 9 a.m. one, I reach office on time.
The driver was trying to figure out whether the bus timings were convenient to the
passenger. The passenger clarified that ________.
(d) Ritu bumped into an ex-colleague (Gautam) at a party. They discussed their current job [1]
profile. Report what Gautam asked Ritu.
Do you work from home?
(e) ________ of what he said was very sensible. [1]

a) Many b) Much

c) A few d) Some
(f) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following [1]
line, from a news report:
These exams open doors to higher education, improve employment opportunities and
increase option.

Option no. Error Correction

A these this

B open opens

C to for

D option options

(g) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line on a save the environment [1]
poster:
Keep the environment clean. Do not litter.
You ________ follow rules.

a) must b) may

c) will d) should
(h) While my parents ________ in the shopping centre, a thief ________ into their car for the [1]

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 radio.

a) have shopped / breaks b) are shopping / was breaking

c) were shopping / broke d) shopped / has broken

(i) Select the correct option to fill in the blank for the given line, from a business magazine. [1]
A wise man ________ have money in his head but not in his heart.

a) should b) needn’t

c) will d) must
(j) Complete the line from a self-awareness song, by filling the blank with the correct [1]
option.
I ________ a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who ________ the sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?
A. breathe, has
B. breathed, has
C. breathed, had
D. breathe, had
(k) Collecting match-boxes ________ one of his favourite pastimes. [1]

a) have b) is

c) has d) are
(l) Select the option that identifies the error and supplies the correction for the following [1]
line:
World leaders should work to establish peace of the world so that human and
economic resources could be used to meet the pressing demands of mankind.

Option No. Error Correction

(a) of in

(b) so that although

(c) could shall

(d) meet met

a) Option (c) is correct. b) Option (a) is correct

c) Option (d) is correct. d) Option (b) is correct

Section B Writing
4. Marital art is for self defense and discipline. Write paragraph supporting or tearing down the [5]
statement with proper reasoning and facts.
OR
Write a descriptive paragraph, about the house of your dreams. You can invent your own details.
5. Write a Diary Entry about your experience in a blind school. [5]
OR

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 Write a story in about 150 - 200 words which begin as the following:
It was the birthday of the grandmother. She was turning 75 on that day.........
Section C Literature
6. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. [5]
(a) Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: [5]
“Here, Olga,” he said, “take this gentleman into the wood-shed and let him chop wood.”
The scarecrow of a beggar shrugged his shoulders, as if in perplexity, and went
irresolutely after the cook. It was obvious from his gait that he had not consented to go
and chop wood because he was hungry and wanted work, but simply from pride and
shame and because he had been trapped by his own words. It was obvious, too, that his
strength had been undermined by vodka and that he was unhealthy and did not feel
the slightest inclination for toil. Sergei hurried into the dining-room. From its windows
one could see the wood-shed and everything that went on in the yard. Standing at the
window, Sergei saw the cook and the beggar come out into the yard by the back door
and make their way across the dirty snow to the shed. Olga glared wrathfully at her
companion, shoved him aside with her elbow, unlocked the shed, and angrily banged
the door.
i. Which of the following is NOT a reason why the beggar agreed to go and chop wood
in the woodshed? (1)
A. He was hungry and wanted work.
B. He was physically fit and eager for toil.
C. He had been trapped by his own words.
D. He was motivated by pride and shame
ii. What were the physical and emotional conditions of the beggar that became
apparent as he headed to the woodshed? (1)
iii. Read the following descriptions (a)-(c) and identify which one correctly corresponds
to the extract: (1)
a. The beggar willingly went to the woodshed, eager to find work.
b. The beggar reluctantly went to the woodshed due to pride and shame.
c. Sergei observed the scene from a window, detached from the situation.
iv. Put yourself in Olga's shoes. How would you handle the situation with the reluctant
beggar who has been asked to chop wood? Explain your approach. (2)
(b) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. [5]
I took off my black coat, white shirt and not-so-white vest and hung them up. I opened
the two windows in the room. It was an outer room with one wall facing the open yard.
It had a tiled roof with long supporting gables that rested on the beam over the wall.
There was no ceiling. There was regular traffic of rats to and from the beam. I made my
bed and pulled it close to the wall. I lay down but I could not sleep. I got up and went
out to the veranda for a little air, but the wind god seemed to have taken time off. I
went back into the room and sat down on the chair. I opened the box beneath the table
and took out a book, the Materia Medica. I opened it at the table on which stood the
lamp and a large mirror; a small comb lay beside the mirror.

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 a. What item from the room does the narrator NOT interact/engage with during this
passage? (1)
a. The lamp
b. The mirror
c. The book (Materia Medica)
d. The veranda
b. Why does the narrator describe the wind god as having "taken time off" when he
goes out to the veranda for air? Answer in about 40 words. (2)
c. If an actor were to enact this extract, what aspects of his performance should he pay
attention to while modulating his voice to convey the character's feelings and
surroundings effectively? (1)
d. Which phrase would correctly substitute 'made my bed', in the given sentence from
the extract.
I made my bed and pulled it close to the wall. (1)
7. Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two, given. [5]
(a) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. [5]
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves, no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
a. 'Both' refers to ________. (1)
b. What is the centric idea of the given stanza? (1)
c. What is the emotion that the poet expresses in the given lines? (1)
i. remorse
ii. anger
iii. content
iv. sorrow
d. Why does the poet doubt his coming back? Explain in 40 words. (2)
(b) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow. [5]
A slumber did my spirit seal
I had no human fears
She seemed a thing that could not feel.
The touch of earthly years.
a. What has sealed the poet's spirit? (1)
b. What is the reason for the absence of typical human fears in the poet's mind?
Answer in about 40 words. (2)
c. How does the poet feel in the given lines? (1)
i. cheerful
ii. depressed
iii. enraged

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 iv. petrified
d. The rhyming scheme used in the given stanza is ________. (1)
8. Answer ANY FOUR of the following five questions, in about 40-50 words [12]
(a) What kind of toys attracted the attention of Einstein when he was a child? Why? [3]
(b) Write the central theme of the poem Rain on the Roof. [3]
(c) What characteristics did Kalam inherit from his parents? [3]
(d) How does the writer pass his time in Kathmandu Bazaar? [3]
(e) Who came knocking at the door of the old woman? Why was he there? Write your [3]
answer in the context of A Legend of the Northland.
9. Answer ANY TWO of the following three questions, in about 40-50 words. [6]
(a) What efforts did Sue make to keep Johnsy cheerful? [3]
(b) 'A month later, I was at my house watching them rebuild it. But this time it was [3]
different.' How was it different?
(c) Why Mahendra had to keep moving from one place to another? Write your answer in [3]
the context of Iswaran the Storyteller.
10. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words [6]
(a) How did Evelyn succeed in pursuing her interest in music? [6]
(b) What type of a social system was there is in the village when Santosh was born? Write [6]
your answer in the context of Reach for the Top.
11. Answer ANY ONE of the following two questions, in about 100-120 words. [6]
(a) Sometimes wisdom lies in being tactful. It was the guru's wisdom and knowledge that [6]
led him to become the king of the kingdom. Elaborate with reference to In the
Kingdom of Fools.
(b) The spring season is a festive season that brings people together: The Lost Child. Write [6]
about the qualities of the stranger who tried to soothe and help the lost child.

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