VISION INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

ICSE 1st TERMINAL EXAMINATION (2021-22)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
English Paper - 1
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Maximum Marks: 40
Time allowed: One hour (inclusive of reading time)
ALL QUESTIONS ARE COMPULSORY.
The marks intended for questions are given in brackets [ ].
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Select the correct option for each of the following questions.

Instructions :
1. Answer script must bear the Name of the Student, Class, Section and subject of
Examination at the top of the first Page.
2. All the pages should be numbered properly (clearly visible) and PDF file should be created in
the order of the page number.
3. The answer script should be converted and uploaded as a single PDF file only, using any
PDF converter.
4. Delay in submission of answer script may lead to cancellation of the paper for that student.

Question 1:

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

Curious as the Mantis or Praying insects are, their present appearance has probably
come about through a continuous series of minute changes which enable them to
obtain their prey (which consists chiefly of other insects) with greater ease. They
are heavy and clumsy on the wing, and sometimes they are wingless. These insects
have discovered that by imitating the colour and characteristics of their
surroundings they have a better chance of capturing their prey.

The foliage-dwelling mantises have acquired a vivid tint of green, with perhaps
yellowish and brownish markings, which enable them to lie unnoticed on a leaf or
green twig till some unwary insect comes their way; and there are other, banded or
spotted species, which are usually found amongst flowers.
Have you ever watched a mantis hunting? Only the two hind pairs of legs are used
for walking. On them he heaves over very slowly so that the movement is scarcely
noticeable; and then, just as his centre of gravity is almost lost, out shoots a leg
with amazing swiftness. Another gradual heaving over of the body, and another
lightning movement of the leg. And so he advances step by step until the prey is
within reaching distance of the mantis’s terrible forelegs. There is no escape from
those forelegs once they close round a lesser insect.

Each of the forelegs is equipped with sharp spiky teeth or spines, set backwards
like a saw. The position in which these legs are held is one of prayer (hence its
name), but peaceful prayer is the last thing the mantis has in mind. He tears his
victims to pieces, and feeds upon them while they are still struggling.

The mantis uses his camouflage to deceive his prey, and also to protect himself
from dangerous enemies. There is also a type of camouflage known as warning
colouration. The banded krait affords a good example of this type of colouration. It
is a fairly large snake, sometimes reaching a length of six feet, and marked all
along the length of its body with alternate rings of black and pale yellow. Another
species, the red-headed krait, has a black body and bright scarlet head and tail.
Both snakes are dangerously poisonous, but the primary purpose of their venom is
to paralyse their prey. It is of little use as a weapon of defence, because its action is
slow. A man bitten by a krait may die some hours afterwards, but at the time he is
bitten, he has plenty of time in which he can kill the snake before the venom starts
having an effect on him. The same is true of any fairly large animal that attacks a
krait. It is therefore to the snake’s advantage to proclaim its dangerous nature and
so discourage larger animals from attacking.

Many kinds of wasps are striped with yellow and black, a pattern that advertises
their ability to sting. And there are striking examples of warning colouration
among certain tropical frogs, which have glands secreting a poison likely to cause
the death of any animal that tries to eat them. Some of the frogs are brightly
patterned with black and red, or black and yellow. One of them, a South American
variety, is in fact used by the aborigines to make poison.
(a) For each of the word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the
passage) from the options provided: [3]

(i) advances :

1. progression

2. moves forward

3. rises

(ii) equipped :

1. armed

2. provided

3. patterned

(iii) proclaim :

1. predict

2. pronounce

3. declare

(b) What important discovery has the praying mantis made? [2]

1. Imitation of the colour and characteristics of their surroundings gives them a

better chance of capturing their prey.

2. Imitation of the colour and characteristics of their prey gives them a better
chance of capturing them.

3. Imitation of the colour and characteristics of their surroundings gives them a

better chance of camouflaging into the surroundings.
(c) Which special camouflage enables the mantises to lie unnoticed till some insect
comes their way? [2]

1. leaf- like appearance.

2. green, yellowish and brownish markings.

3. brown markings like twigs.

(d) How do the mantises hunt? [2]

1. The mantises use their hind legs and move very slowly. Then they shoot their
legs swiftly. Once they come closer to the lesser insect, they grab them with
their forelegs.

2. The mantises use their forelegs and move very slowly. Then they shoot their
legs swiftly. Once they come closer to the lesser insect, they grab them with
their hind legs.

3. The mantises use their hind legs and move very slowly. Then they shoot their
legs swiftly. They repeat this until they are close to their prey. Once they come
closer to the lesser insect, they grab them with their forelegs.

(e) What gives the praying mantis its name? [2]

1. The spiky teeth or spines, set backwards like saw looks like a praying hand.

2. The peaceful prayer-like appearance of the insect.

3. The position in which their legs are held is like someone in a prayer.
(f) How do we come to know that the mantises are brutal insects? [2]

1. They have sharp, spiky teeth or spines with which they brutally slice their
prey.

2. They tear their victims and eat them alive.

3. They strangle their victims with their spiky spines.

(g) Which lesser animals and insects use warning colouration? [2]

1. The praying mantis, the banded krait, wasps, tropical frogs.

2. Wasps, kraits, tropical frogs

3. Mantis, krait, wasp, frog

(h) What information do we get about the kraits? Which of the following
combination of sentences best summarizes the answer? [5]

1. The banded krait is a large snake, almost six feet long and has alternate rings of
black and pale yellow all over its body. The red- headed krait has a black body
and bright red head and tail. They use their venom to paralyse their prey but the
effect of their poison is quite slow. They use this trick of poisoning their prey in
order to discourage animals from attacking them.

2. The banded krait is a large snake, having alternate rings of black and pale yellow
all over its body. The red- headed krait has a black body and bright red head and
tail. They use their venom to paralyse their prey but the effect of their poison is
quite slow. They use this trick of poisoning their prey in order to discourage
animals from attacking them.

3. The banded krait is a large snake, almost six feet long and has alternate rings
of black and pale yellow all over its body. The red- headed krait has a black body
and bright red head and tail. They use their venom to paralyse their prey. They use
this trick of poisoning their prey in order to discourage animals from attacking
them.
Question 2:
(a) Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the words provided after the
passage: [4]

Big Ben is the name of the bell which (i)__________(chime) every hour.
The bell (ii)________(name) after Sir Benjamin Hall, the man who
(iii)________(give) the task of (iv)_______(haul) the bell up the clock
tower. The clock has four faces and (v)_________(keep) accurate time. It
can (vi)__________(adjust) by the removal or addition of coins on a tray
(vii)_________(attach) to the clock’s pendulum. One interesting thing about
the clock is that when the light shines above the belfry at night, it
(viii)________(mean) that the House of Commons is still in session.

(i) 1. chimed
2. chimes
3. chime

(ii) 1. was named

2. named
3. is named

(iii) 1. is given
2. given
3. was given

(iv) 1. hauling
2. will haul
3. to haul

(v) 1. will kept

2. keeps
3. kept
 (vi) 1. adjusting
2. adjusts
3. be adjusted

(vii) 1. attached
2. attach
3. attaching
(viii) 1. mean
2. means
3. meant

(b) Choose the correct option to fill in the blanks : [4]

(i) There is always a demand ________ good tailors.

1. of
2. for
3. about

(ii) It took Ahmed many months to get ______ the loss of his friend.
1. over
2. on
3. with

(iii) She turned _________ the generous offer made by the manager.
1. out
2. in
3. down

(iv) This shop deals _______ imported pens.

1. in
2. with
3. for
 (v) It is one of the best collections I have come __________ .
1. into
2. across
3. about

(vi) We will back ________ our local leader.

1. with
2. out
3. up

(vii) Most quarrels can be resolved __________ negotiation.

1. through
2. by
3. with

(viii) They have laid _______ some money for their old age.
1. apart
2. aside
3. down

(c) Choose the correct option to join the following sentences without using ‘and’,
‘but’ or ‘so’ : [4]

(i) The child helped her mother to make breakfast. She washed the tomatoes.
1. The child washed the tomatoes in order to help her mother to make
breakfast.
2. The child washed the tomatoes so that she could help her mother to make
breakfast.
3. Besides washing the tomatoes, the child helped her mother to make
breakfast.

(ii) Seema took her brother out. He kept crying.

1. Though Seema took her brother out he kept crying.
2. Though Seema took her brother out, he kept crying.
3. Although Seema took her brother out, yet he kept crying.
(iii) We heard you scored well in the exam. We came to congratulate you.
1. Because we heard you scored well in the exam, we came to congratulate
you.
2. Since we heard you scored well in the exam we came to congratulate you.
3. Since we heard you scored well in the exam, we came to congratulate you.

(iv) I went to the minister. He recommended me for the post.

1. The minister I went to, recommended me for the post.
2. I went to the minister and he recommended me for the post.
3. As I went to the minister, he recommended me for the post.

(d) Read each sentence with its instructions. Choose the correct answer from the
options provided beneath each: [8]

(i) As soon as he sees his classmates, he starts smiling.

(Begin: No sooner………………..)
1. No sooner does he sees his classmates, than he starts smiling.
2. No sooner does he see his classmates, than he starts smiling.
3. No sooner did he see his classmates, than he started smiling.

(ii) Children should study hard to pass the examination.

(Use : ‘so that’)
1. Children should study so hard that they may pass the examination.
2. So that they pass the examination, children should study hard.
3. Children should study hard so that they may pass the examination.

(iii) She said to her brother, “Please teach me to cycle tomorrow.”

(Begin: She requested her brother to…………...)
1. She requested her brother to teach her to cycle tomorrow.
2. She requested her brother to teach her to cycle the next day.
3. She requested her brother to teach me to cycle the next day.
(iv) Has Alia written to you?
(Begin: Have you…………….)
1. Have you been written to by Alia?
2. Have you been written to by Alia.
3. Have you being written to by Alia?

(v) Anil was wrong to lose his temper.

(Begin: Anil ought…………….)
1. Anil ought not lose his temper.
2. Anil ought not have lost his temper.
3. Anil ought not to have lost his temper.

(vi) The peasants regarded him as a thief and called him a villain.
(End:.................................the peasants.)
1. He was regarded to be a thief and called a villain by the peasants.
2. He was regarded as a thief and called a villain by the peasants.
3. He was considered as a thief and called a villain by the peasants.

(vii) Father will send you a message if his flight is cancelled.

(Begin: Should…………………….)
1. Should his flight be cancelled, father will send you a message.
2. Should the flight be cancelled, father will send you a message.
3. Should father send you a message if his flight be cancelled?

(viii) She doesn’t know when her grandfather expired.

(Begin: She doesn’t know how…………………..)
1. She doesn't know how long before her grandfather had expired.
2. She doesn’t know how long ago her grandfather had expired.
3. She doesn’t know how long her grandfather had expired.

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