Read the passage given below:

Kausani is situated at a height of 6,075 feet in the Central Himalayas. It is an unusually attractive little town. It covers just about 5.2 sq. km. It lies to the north of Almora in Uttarakhand’s picturesque Kumaon region.

Kausani provides the 300-km wide breathtaking view of the Himalayas. It is the most striking aspect of this place. Snow-capped peaks are spread in a stately row. They stare at you in silvery white majesty. The most famous peak on view is Nanda Devi, the second highest mountain in India. It is situated at a height of 25,645 feet and 36 miles away as the crow flies. The other famous peaks on view are Choukhamba (23,420 feet) and Trishul (23,360 feet). Then there are also Nilkanth, Nandaghunti, Nandaghat and Nandakot. On a clear day, the blue of the sky makes a splendid background to these peaks. At sunrise and at sunset, when the colour changes to a golden orange, the scene gets etched in your memory.

When Gandhiji visited this place in 1929, its scenic beauty held him spellbound. He named it the ‘Switzerland of India’. He prolonged his two-day stay to fourteen days, making time to write a book, ‘Anashakti Yoga’. The place where he was staying was originally a guest-house of the tea estate. It was renamed ‘Anashakti Ashram’ after the book.

Kausani is the birthplace of Sumitranandan Pant, India’s poet laureate. Its natural surroundings inspired many of his poems. Its tea gardens mingle with dense pine forests and fruit orchards. The area is also host to many fairs and religious ceremonies. If Uttaranchal is the abode of gods, Kausani is God’s own backyard. There is no traffic, no one is in a hurry. If serenity could be put on a canvas, the picture would resemble Kausani.

On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:

A. Where is Kausani situated?

B. What is the most striking aspect of Kausani?

C. Which is the most famous peak on view from Kausani?

D. How did Kausani influence SumitranandanPant ?

E. When does the view of peaks become so memorable?

F. How can we say that Gandhiji was greatly charmed by the natural beauty of Kausani?

G. What makes Kausani a calm and quiet place?

H. Why, do you think, is Kausani known as ‘God’s own backyard’?

Read the passage given below:

1. I rested for a moment at the door of Anand Bhawan, on Market Road, where coffee-drinkers and tiffin-eaters sat still at their tables, uttering low moans on seeing me. I wanted to assure them, ‘‘Don’t mind me, you hugging the cash box — you are a coward, afraid even to breathe. Go on, count the cash, if that is your pleasure. I just want to watch, that’s all. If my tail trails down to the street, if I am blocking your threshold, it is because I’m told, I’m eleven feet tip to tail. I can’t help it. I’m not out to kill — I’m too full. I found a green pasture full of food on my way. I won’t attack until I feel hungry again. Tigers attack only when they feel hungry, unlike human beings who slaughter one another without purpose or hunger.’’

2. To the great delight of children, schools were being hurriedly closed. Children of all ages and sizes were running helter-skelter, screaming joyously, ‘‘No school, no school. Tiger, tiger!’’ They were shouting and laughing and even enjoying being scared. They seemed to welcome me. I felt like joining them. So, I bounded away from the restaurant door. I walked along with them, at which they cried, ‘The tiger is coming to eat us; let us get back to school!’’

3. I followed them through their school gate while they ran up and shut themselves in the school hall securely. I climbed up the steps of the school, saw an open door at the far end of a veranda, and walked in. It happened to be the headmaster’s room. I noticed a very dignified man jumping on the table and heaving himself up into an attic. I walked in and flung myself on the cool floor, having a special liking for cool stone floors.

4. As I drowsed, I was aware of cautious steps and hushed voices all around. I was in no mood to bother about anything. All I wanted was a little moment of sleep; the daylight was very bright.

On the basis of your reading of the above passage, answer the following questions:

A. How did the diners at Anand Bhawan react on seeing the tiger?

B. When do tigers attack? In this context, how are human beings different from tigers?

C. Why were children happy and even enjoying being scared?

D. What did the headmaster do on seeing the tiger? What did the tiger like to do in the headmaster’s office?

E. Identify the word which means the same as ‘hugging’. (Para 1)

(i) counting

(ii) hiding

(iii) rubbing

(iv) holding tightly in the arms

F. Identify the word which means the same as ‘delight’. (Para 2)

(i) pleasure

(ii) fear

(iii) sorrow

(iv) nervousness

G. Identify the word which means the same as ‘dignified’. (Para 3)

(i) tall

(ii) honourable

(iii) terrified

(iv) tired

H. Identify the meaning of the word, ‘bounded’. (Para 2)

(i) walked

(ii) jumped forward

(iii) walked with heavy steps

(iv) ran lazily

The recent increase in crimes against people of the Northeast, especially in the cities, has highlighted the growing problem faced by the community. Fear of violence continues to worry them. Write a letter in 100-120 words to the Editor of The Times of India expressing your concern over the recent death of a young student resulting from a racial comment against people from Northeast. Suggest what steps the government should take to solve this problem. You are Aanchal/Aryan, a resident of A-12, East of Kailash, N. Delhi.

Hints: racial comments, attacks – rude behaviour, hurt feelings of our own fellow citizens – disharmony – dents the image of

our country – steps to solve this problem.

One of the key messages of the Prime Minister’s Independence Day speech was ‘Clean India’. The Government has taken an initiative for cleaning the river especially ‘The Ganges’. The Government has also urged the people of India to realize the dream of ‘Clean India’. Write an article in 100-120 words mentioning the measures people can take for a cleaner and greener India.

Complete the story in 150-200 words which starts like this:

“It was a quiet, cold and dark night like it usually is in winter when all retire to bed early. Suddenly at the dead of night, a shriek jerked the people in the building out of their beds. It was distinctly the voice of …………”