Model Test Question-58
SSC English First Paper
Question with Answer
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Part A : Reading Test (Marks-50)
Read the passage carefully and answer the questions following it. Unit-14: Lesson-14(A)
I took my lonely way up the high cliffs. It was all dark and miserable. I was trying to keep up my cheerful spirits. But Lucy’s last question, “Are you quite, quite sure that the letter really came from your Chief?” kept coming back again and again to my mind.
I knew the meeting place. It was a large cliff standing above the angry sea. I walked slowly up and down along the cliff edge. It was all dark and quiet except for the mysterious sound of the waves. A trembling ran through me.
Soon I heard the low voice of some men, coming from the hillside. I thought they were the Chief and his party. So I hastened up to them and said, “Good evening, gentlemen!”
But there was no answer. After a sharp and clear whistle, I was seized by a dozen strong hands at once. So sudden was the attack that before I could strike a blow or pull out my sword, I was pinned to the ground and disarmed. The smugglers!
“We’ve got the fellow at last!” cried several voices at once. Then followed a stream of curses, “Murder him!” “Cut him into pieces and through him to the fishes!” And so on.
“Stop!” cried out the voice of one who no doubt was their leader. “First make sure he’s the man we want.”
My hands were now safely bound, and all resistance was impossible. A red light flashed full on my face.
“He’s the fellow we want!” They all cried. By the light of the lamp, I could see that all those strong built men were in sailor’s clothes. They were all armed, their faces being covered.
Then I was mercilessly beaten and knocked down. Someone put a gun at my head.
“Stop!” cried the leader. “Shooting is too easy a death for a man like him. Hang him over the cliff.” There were roars of laughter, mixed with “Yes! Yes!” Then the leader said, “All right, but before we do that, let’s here if he has anything to say in his defence.”
With despair in my heart I said, “I have done nothing but my duty to the King without fear.” All was in vain, as the smugglers were too angry to listen to me.
Then came the ultimate verdict from the leader, “Alfred Harvey, you are a very tough customs officer. Your punishment cannot be anything less than death.” Then he turned to his men. “So tie him to the neck and heels, and throw him to the fishes.”
I made a great effort to break the ropes on my wrists, but they were too strong to break. The men led me to the edge of the tall cliff, beneath which roared the sea.
1. Choose the best answer from the alternatives. 1×7=7
a. Many of the customs officers were given — to hear and see nothing.
i) money ii) prize iii) book iv) advice
b. Most of the — would take part in smuggling.
i) porters ii) drivers iii) sailors iv) doctors
c. His station was on the — coast near the town of Dover.
i) south ii) east iii) west iv) north
d. The hiding place was a cave — the surface of a chalk hill.
i) 40 feet below ii) 30 feet below iii) 20 feet below iv) 45 feet below
e. His chiefs praised him as he was —.
i) honest ii) very honest and dutiful
iii) dutiful iv) truthful
f. The hiding place was a cave — the surface of a chalk hill.
i) 40 feet below ii) 30 feet below iii) 20 feet below iv) 45 feet below
g. His chiefs praised him as he was —.
i) honest ii) very honest and dutiful
iii) dutiful iv) truthful
Answer: 1. a. (i) money; b. (iii) sailors; c. (i) south; d. (i) 40 feet below; e. (ii) very honest and dutiful.
2. Answer the following questions. 2×5 = 10
a. Why were the officials bribed?
b. Did most sailors take part in smuggling in those days?
c. Where was his station?
d. Shat did he do once in a stormy night?
e. Why did his chiefs praise him?
Extra Practices
f. When did he become the riding officer?
g. What enabled him to marry?
h. When did he receive warnings?
i. What was the hiding place?
j. What were his chiefs talking?
Answer: 2. a. The officials were bribe to hear and see nothing illegal.
b. Yes, in those days most sailors took part in smuggling.
c. His station was on the south coast near the town of Dover.
d. Once in a stormy night, he successfully led his team to a secret place where the smuggled goods were stored.
e. His chiefs praised him for his being honesty and dutifulness.
f. He became the riding officer for some years of good work.
g. A good salary enabled him to marry.
h. On several occasions when he did his duty properly, he received warnings.
i. The hiding place was a cave forty feet below the surface of a chalk-hill in the south of England.
j. His Chiefs were talking of raising his rank further.
3. Fill in each gap with a suitable word of your own based on the information in the text. 0.5×10=5
At that time (a) — was an (b) — and dutiful (c) — officer. There were (d) — government (e) — to check the (f) — trade. But many (g) — them were (h) — . They are told to (i) nothing and not to (j) — anything.
Answer: 3. (a) there; (b) honest; (c) customs; (d) many; (e) officials; (f) unlawful; (g) of; (h) bribed; (i) hear; (j) see.
4. Complete the table below with information from the passage. 1×5=5
Charles Dickens, the most popular of all English novelists was born at Port sea on the 7th February 1812. He was the second son of John Dickens. In 1817 the family of Dickens moved to Catham, near Rochester, Dickens joined the local school. Dickens’ family moved to Camden Town a poor locality of London in 1822. In February 1828 his father was arrested for debt and taken to the marshal sea prison. He was released after three months on receipt of a legacy. Dickens joined his family in London. His parents found a job for him Warren’s Backing factory. After leaving the factory Dickens studied at a private academy called Wellington House Academy between 1824-1826. Dickens left school when he was fifteen years old. He took up a job as a junior clerk in a firm of solicitors. At the age of twenty he learned shorthand and became a parliamentary and newspaper reporter. A year later Dickens took to original writing. He started writing sketches for various journals in 1834 under the pen name Boz. His first book ‘Sketches by Boz’ appeared in 1836.
At the age of twenty four by means of the publication of his ‘Pickwick papers’ he found himself famous as the most popular novelist England had ever known.
In 1836 Dickens had married a twenty one year girl-Catherine Hogarth. Dickens visited America in 1842. His the Old Curiosity Shop had become popular there Dickens became the undisputed monarch of English fiction by 1850. In 1846 Dickens became the editor of the Daily News but resigned after seventeen numbers. He published David Copperfield in monthly serials between May 1849 and November 1850. His death was sudden and dramatic. On the 9th June 1870 he had a stroke at dinner, he died the next afternoon leaving behind the unfinished work “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”
Person\Facts | Action\Achievement | Place\Institution | Time |
Dickens | (a) ¾ | port sea | (b) ¾ |
Dickens | (c) ¾ | 1824-1826 | |
Dickens | (d) ¾ | (e) ¾ | 1842 |
Answer: 4. (a) birth, (b) 1812, (c) studied, (d) visited, (e) America.
5. Write a summary of the passage in no more than 90 to 100 words. 10
Answer: 5. The most popular of all English novelists, Charles Dickens was born at port sea. After releasing of his father from prison. Dickens joined his family in London. Dickens started working at Warren's Backing factory. After leaving the factory, he started studying at a private academy. He started writing sketches for various journals. He first published 'Pickwick Paper'. He also published 'David Copperfield.' His death was sudden and dramatic.
6. Match the parts of sentences given in column ‘A’ and column ‘B’ to write five complete sentence. There are more parts of sentences in column ‘B’ than required. 1×5=5
Column A | Column B |
a. Natural calamity has made | i. are religious. |
b. River erosion has engulfed | ii. for their security. |
c. Many farmers have migrated to towns | iii. in search of living. |
d. Most of the farmers | iv. the farmers solvent. |
e. The farmers use chemical fertilizers | v. to grow more food. |
vi. the farmers poor. | |
vii. many lands of many farmers. |
Answer: 6. (a + vi) : Natural calamity has made the farmers poor.
(b + vii) : River erosion has engulfed many lands of many farmers.
(c + iii) : Many farmers have migrated to towns in search of living.
(d + i) : Most of the farmers are religious.
(e + v) : The farmers use chemical fertilizers to grow more food.
7. Read the following sentences and put them in correct order. 1×8=8
(a) She had exhausted all her pocket money once in buying some gifts.
(b) But she had no money left.
(c) Queen Victoria was taught economical habits when she was a girl.
(d) She was not permitted to exceed it.
(e) She thought it would be just the very thing for him.
(f) Suddenly she remembered she should but gift for another cousin.
(g) She had a set allowance for pocket money.
(h) She saw a box marked half crown.
Answer: 7. c → g → d → a → f → h → e → b
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