ICSE IX | English

Sample Paper – 1

ICSE Board
Class IX English Language
Sample Paper- 1

Time: 2 hours Total Marks: 80

General Instructions:
1. Answers to this paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
2. You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
3. The time given at the head of the paper is the time allotted for writing the answers.
4. Attempt all questions
5. The intended marks of questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].
6. You are advised to spend not more than 35 minutes in answering Question1 and 20
minutes in answering Question 2.

Attempt all questions from this section

Question 1
(Do not spend more than 35 minutes on this question.)

Write a composition (350 - 400 words) on any one of the following: [25]

(a) “Men and women should be treated as equal.”

(b) You had to stay one night in a five-star hotel after a rail accident cancelled the train
you were going to board. Share your experience at the hotel.

(c) It is better to allow children to work than to encourage their begging on streets.

(d) Study the picture given below. Write a short story or description or an account of
what the picture suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the
picture or you may take suggestions from it; however, your composition must have a
clear connection with the picture.

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Sample Paper – 1

Question 2
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)

Select one of the following: [10]

(a) Children are not allowed to play in the compound of your society as car owners are
afraid that they might damage the vehicles.
Write a letter to your society’s secretary requesting him to allot a separate area for
parking. Give reasons for your request and explain why it is important for children to
play nearer to their homes.

(b) You were rewarded by an elderly woman whom you helped one day on your way home
from school. Write a letter to your cousin brother/sister describing your experience. Be
sure to include details of the reward that you received.

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Sample Paper – 1

Question 3
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

The Lord was the creator of good teachers. It was His sixth day of ‘overtime’ and He knew
that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers who would touch the lives of so
many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, “You are taking a
long time to figure this one out.””Yes,” said the Lord,” but have you read the specs on this
order?”
TEACHER: Teacher must stand above all students to be at their level. He must be able to do
180 additional things which are not related to their taught subject. Teacher must have to
run on coffee. He must be able to communicate as per his vital knowledge to all students
daily. Teacher must have more time for others than for herself/himself.
“Six pair of hands,” said the angel, “that’s impossible!”
“Well,” said the Lord, “it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the three pairs of eyes
that are presenting the most difficulty!”
The angel looked incredulous, “Three pairs of eyes…on a standard model?”
The Lord nodded His head, “One pair is to see whether a student for what he is and not
what others have labeled him as. The Second pair is the pair of eyes which is at the back of
the teacher’s head to watch what should not be seen, but what must to be known. The eyes
in the front are only to look at the child as he/she ‘acts out’ in order to reflect.
“Lord,” said the angel, “this is a very large project and I think You should work on it
tomorrow.”
“I can’t,” said the Lord, “for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I
have one that comes to work when he/she is sick teaches a class of children that do not
want to learn has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own
understands the struggles of those who have difficulty never takes the students for
granted”
The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating.
“It is too soft-hearted,” said the angel.
“Yes,” said the Lord, “but also tough, you cannot imagine what this teacher can endure or
do, if necessary”.
“Can this teacher think?” asked the angel.
“Not only think,” said the Lord, “but reason and compromise.”
The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the
teacher’s cheek.
“Well, Lord,” said the angel, Your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that You were
putting too much into this model. You cannot imagine the stress that will be placed upon
the teacher.”
The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teacher’s cheek. It shone
and glistened in the light.
“It is not a leak,” He said, “It is a tear.”
“A tear? What is that?” asked the angel, “What is a tear for?”

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Sample Paper – 1

The Lord replied with great thought, “For the joy and pride watching a child accomplishes
even it’s the smallest task to do. It is done for the loneliness of children who have a hard
time to fit in it to compassionate feelings of their parents. This has been done when a
teacher had to leave the class and to say good bye to his students and get ready to welcome
a new class.”
“My, “said the angel,” The tear thing is a great idea…You are a genius!!”
The Lord looked somber, “I didn’t put it there.”

(a) Give the meaning of each of the following words as used in the passage. One word
answers or short phrase will be accepted. [3]
(i) tremendous
(ii) vital
(iii) compromise

(b) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(i) When were teachers created by God and why is this creation a huge responsibility?
[2]
(ii) State the specifications for a teacher? [2]
(iii) What is most difficult according to God? Why does a teacher
want three eyes? [2]
(iv) What is the reason for the teacher’s tear? [2]

(c)
(i) Write a summary of the given passage in your own words [8]
(ii) Give a fitting title for your summary and justify the choice of the title. [2]

Question 4
(a) Do as directed. [4]
1. Why did the teacher take an extra class? (Change the voice)
2. “Did you collect your book from the librarian?” Rohit asked Sana. (Rewrite in the
indirect speech)
3. He snatched the leash from her and pushed Willy into the cage. (Rewrite using not
only… but also)
4. The officer was too tired to save himself from the gun shots. (Rewrite using so…
that)
5. This is one of the best films I have seen about espionage. (Rewrite in the positive
degree)
6. Though he was a skilled artist, he was poor and unemployed. (Rewrite using
despite)
7. As soon as the match got over the crowd dispersed. (Rewrite using hardly had)
8. As soon as we sat down for dinner, it started thundering. (Rewrite using no sooner
…than)

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Sample Paper – 1

(b) Fill up the following blanks by using the correct form of verb given in the
brackets. Do not copy the paragraph write only your answer of the blank. [5]

Every year in January, Ishan would go back to his home country ………1……… (visit) his
family. An engineer working in Dubai, Ishan ……… 2……… (live) away from his family to
earn good money. He used to get a fortnight’s leave once a year, during which he ………
3 ……… (come) back to India and his people. Fifteen days ……… 4 ……… (be) too less a
time to come home and gather memories that would last for an entire year. His old
parents always ……… 5 ……… (pray) for their only son’s safety and waited for those
fifteen days of the year.

(c) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and,
but or so. [5]
(i) She has learnt calligraphy. She is yet to get her certificate as a professional
calligrapher.
(ii) Ratan stayed back in the cottage. Her master wasn’t feeling too well.
(iii) She worked extra hours. She wanted to buy a bicycle for her son on his birthday.
(iv) Gunjan opened her backpack. She found the food packets missing.
(v) Ashwin reached college late. He had to accompany his grandfather to the clinic in
the morning.

(d) Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions. [10]

1. Mili was first scared to see that huge Afghan sitting _________ the corner.
2. Jhilmil was asked to go _________ the house when her teacher entered through the
gate.
3. Rukmini looked _________ her son who was playing with the older children in the
garden.
4. The servant didn’t come back _________ seven months.
5. I am _________ Sikkim but have been living in Delhi for a long time now.
6. Shortly _________ the party, Kumar came home.
7. The curfew was imposed _________ all parts of the state after the riots.
8. The war orphans were resigned _________ their fate.
9. The soldiers were rescued ___________ the pit after six days.
10. Of the things _______ this room, I like that antique frame the most.

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