Q4 of 12 Page 1

Write a short story, in about 200-250 words, with any one set of the cues given in the boxes below. Give a suitable title to the story.

Jasmine, Ali and two other friends decided to go on a picnic to a beach. They packed their bags and were quite excited. They reached the picnic spot and came across a small child who was crying ………..


OR


On October 4, we all were decorating our house to celebrate the most long-awaited festival, Diwali. My heart was filled with excitement to meet my father after a long gap of six years. But a call from the army headquarters left us stunned…

A Beach Picnic


Jasmine, Ali and two other friends decided to go on a picnic to a beach. They packed their bags and were quite excited. They reached the picnic spot and came across a small child who was crying. They went towards that child and asked him what he wanted. He was so young that he could barely explain anything. As we turned around to look for his parents the child suddenly disappeared. We asked people around if they had seen a child or his parents or someone else with him. No one had a clue. They were shocked to see the child disappear.


They looked around for some time but found no trace of the child. They were worried and surprised at the same time. The water was gleaming like a sapphire and gentle waves touched their feet as they ran on the soft yellow sand. They spread a sheet on the sand and took out snacks and drinks. They then enjoyed playing Frisbee when Jasmine tried to catch it she came across a bottle within which she found a letter. She brought this to the notice of Ali and her other two friends. They opened the bottle and saw that the paper said ‘HELP’. They looked around but nobody in trouble could be spotted. Everyone was quite happy and enjoying their beach picnic. They immediately decided to inform the coast guard. The coast guard did not react and said that it could be a prank since nobody was in trouble. So next they informed the nearest police about whatever had happened.


The police came to the beach and first questioned the coast guard for being inattentive. Then they investigated the matter and concluded that it could be a case of kidnapping. They took the matter in their hands and investigated. We left the beach and returned to our home. A few days later we were informed by the police that the child was found with another family who took him away since he was alone and his parents were also found in a place near the beach where they were locked after being looted.


OR


The Phone Call


On October 4, we all were decorating our house to celebrate the most long awaited festival, Diwali. My heart was filled with excitement to meet my father after a long gap of six years. But a call from the army headquarters left us stunned. It was my father over the phone who said that he would not be returning to us this Diwali because of some emergency on the borders. He sounded much tensed and hurriedly left the phone connected. I continued to ask him what was wrong and kept pleading him to try to come back to us soon but we got no reply from the other side. All I could hear was firing, bombing and people shouting. My heart started beating faster and I couldn’t decide what I would say to mom and my younger sister, Yamini.


I rushed to my mother and as tears rolled down my eyes I tried to explain to her all that happened over the phone. Yamini was at the neighbour’s place playing with other children and we decided not to tell her anything. I switched on the TV and turned to a news channel to find that there was a mob attack at the Army Headquarters and all the reporters said was they could hear constant firing and bombing with no clue of what was happening inside. I could see the expression on my mother’s face intensifying. She couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. I decided that I couldn’t be weak and cry at this moment because I was the only one who had to console mother and give her strength. I told her that father is a hero and he will come back safe. In this tough situation sitting back at home all we could do was pray to God. We did the Diwali puja and prayed to God to keep my father and all other members of their team safe. I remembered my grandmother telling me stories of war, of lives sacrificed and families torn apart because of war, of children unable to feel the warmth of the love of a father who had to be on duty, to fight for freedom and the nation’s independence. All those stories and the emotions evoked and came back to me today. Little do people realise the sacrifice of soldiers who give their entire life to their nation. Today we feel safe in our homes only because of the constant dedication of these heroes.


We somehow spent a few hours praying to god. Finally the news channel confirmed the news that no loss of life was reported and all the attackers were killed. We took a sigh of relief. Sometime later we got a call from dad and he said that he was fine and admitted to the hospital due to some injuries. He also said that as soon as he would be discharged he would take the next flight to reach us. Yamini also returned back home uninformed of the entire happenings. We lit diyas all around the house and celebrated Diwali.


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2

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Politeness has been well defined as benevolence in trifles. It is the desire to put those whom we meet perfectly at their ease, and save them from every kind of petty discomfort and annoyance. The limited part of benevolence called politeness requires only an inclination to make them happy temporarily, while they are in our presence, and when this can be done without any sacrifice on our part or only with a slight sacrifice of personal comfort.


2. Politeness is said to be one of the important characteristics of civilised person. Politeness is the art of choosing among your thoughts. It must be implemented in every walk of life. When we deal with people elder to us we are polite. But, an honest polite person is polite with everyone, people of lower status, workers and even children. Not only with humans but also with animals we must be polite as they are our helpers.


3. Politeness is a skill. Like any other skill, you can master it with practice. The greatest enemy of politeness is ego. To be a polite person, you have to sacrifice your ego. It is difficult for an egoist to be polite. You have to imply politeness in your thinking, speech and actions. Actions work more than words. Polite actions will give fine results. Politeness will reduce your stress and boost you to be productive. Apart from your present benefits, you protect your future. Being polite makes you mentally healthy. In our daily life we come across many incidents with people nearby and ourselves.


4. Different rules of behaviour have to be observed, accordingly as we are in the street or in the drawing- room, at home or at school, in the company of friends or of strangers. There is also to be considered the great diversity of social etiquette which distinguishes one country from another.


5. Politeness, besides being a duty that we owe to others, is a valuable possession for ourselves. It costs nothing, and yet may in many cases bring much profit. The great advantage of this excellence of conduct was very clearly expressed by Dr. Johnson, when he said that the difference between a well-bred and an ill- bred man is that one immediately attracts your liking, the other your dislike. (378 words)


(Abridged from:https://www.shareyouressays.com/3444/563-words-short-essay-on-politeness and https://syedasrarahmed.blogspot.in/2012/02/importance-of-politeness.html)


2.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer any four of the following questions in about 30-40 words each


a. Why is politeness called as limited part of benevolence?


b. List some of the persons we should be polite to?


c. Why is it difficult for an egoist to be polite?


d. What are the benefits of being polite?


e. Which are the rules of behaviour to be observed?


2.2 On the basis of your reading of the passage, fill in any two of the following blanks with appropriate words/phrases.


a. Politeness is an art of choosing.


b. An honest polite person is polite with.


c. To others, we.


2.3 Find out the words that mean the same as under. Attempt any two of the following:


a. insignificant (Paragraph 1)


b. manners (Paragraph 4)


c. civil (Paragraph 5)

 3

You are Sonal/ Samkit of Vidyanjali Public School, Lucknow. You have seen an advertisement in “The Times of India” related to new batches of “Astronomy Club” initiated by National Science Centre, Lucknow starting from the coming fortnight .You wish to join the Club. Write a letter to the Director, enquiring about the venue, duration, fee- structure, activities, transportation etc. Invent other necessary details (100-120 words)

OR


You are the In-charge of the Medical Section of Gyanodaya Public School, Nehru Vihar, Alwar. Your stock of medicines is about to finish .Write a letter to the Director of Jambo Medicare, Delhi, ordering medical items like glucose, crocin, bandages, tincture ,pain-healers, ointments etc. Ask for discount on bulk order .Invent other necessary details. (100-120 words)

 5

Fill in any four of the following blanks choosing the most appropriate option from the ones given below. Write the answers in your answer –sheet against the correct blank numbers.

 6

In the following passage one word has been omitted in each line .Write the missing word, in any four sentences of the given paragraph, along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in the space provided .