Unseen Passage for Class 9

Read the following passage carefully. 

COLOURFUL NUTRITION

(1) Just by the use of colours, you can balance your diet. All you need to do is to pay a little attention to the food you eat. Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet. Sweets and candy bars are generally colourful, but remember they do not contain natural colours, and hence, are not healthy. The key to good health is a variety of naturally-coloured foods. The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits. Getting more colours in your diet doesn’t mean you have to drastically change your current eating habits. Have a glass of 100% juice in the morning. Keep a mix of dry fruits at hand for a quick snack. Grab an apple or a banana. Include at least two vegetables in your dinner. Get into the habit of starting your dinner with a salad. Eat fruits for dessert. Always add greens to sandwiches.

(2) Most red fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which offer protection against ultraviolet rays and cancer, and helps prevent urinary tract infections and diseases related to the circulatory system. Green vegetables, along with being appealing, possess excellent antioxidant properties that protect the eyes by keeping the retina in good condition and reduce the risk of cancerous tumours. The orange and yellow group of fruits and vegetables is rich in betacarotene, an antioxidant that improves cell communication, and thereby, helps stop the spread of cancer. The blue and purple group adds an element of richness to the plate, besides influencing the pineal gland (the third eye) and the nervous system. The white group contains sulphur compounds that protect the DNA and flavonoids, an antioxidant that protects cell membranes.

(3) Therefore, the more colourful your diet, the better equipped your immune system would be to cope with diseases.

Question. Why are sweets and candy bars not healthy?
(a) Because they are colourful
(b) Because they are sweet and sour
(c) Because they do not contain natural colours
(d) Because they are bitter in taste

Question. Study the given visual input carefully and choose the option that correctly matches Column A with Column B.
Column A Column B
1. Green A. For skin and stomach body detox
2. White B. For the liver
3. Orange C. For skin health and elasticity
4. Yellow D. For the immune system
(a) 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-C
(b) 1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B
(c) 1-D, 2-A, 3-C, 4-B
(d) 1-D, 2-B, 3-A, 4-C

Question. The key to good health is:
(a) a variety of naturally-coloured foods
(b) sweets and candy bars
(c) a glass of juice
(d) dinner with a salad

Question. How should the dinner be started?
(a) With fruits
(b) With a salad
(c) With water
(d) With something sweet

Question. Which statement from the following is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?
(a) The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits.
(b) Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet.
(c) The blue and purple group is rich in beta-carotene.
(d) Include atleast two vegetables in your dinner.

Class 9 English Unseen Passage

Read the following passage carefully.

SPICE OF LIFE

(1) Spices bring to mind the images of tempting cuisines, fascinating voyages, and the bitter struggle for independence. Expressions like ‘variety is the spice of life’ and ‘sugar and spice and all things nice’ explain how spices play upon the literary abilities of men of letters.

(2) To the Orientals, spices are indeed the soul of their food. In the western world, spices evoke dreams of exotic tropical islands, exciting expeditions, and the rise and fall of empires. Columbus went westwards in 1492, from Europe, to find a sea route to the land of spices, but found the New World. Eight years later, Vasco da Gama went around Africa and touched Kozhikode, on the south-west coast of India. Long before that, Arabs started trading with the orient through land routes. During the 13th century, Marco Polo experienced attraction towards spices through his travels. The European conquests and trade arrangements in India and the East Indies also have a lot to do with spices.

(3) Thousands of years ago, the great masters of Ayurveda, notably, Sushruta and Charaka, discussed in detail the use of spices for culinary and medicinal purposes. Enterprising soldiers of fortune carried the knowledge of spices to Egypt. There the soldiers used the spices and aromatic herbs in food, medicine, and cosmetics, and for embalming. The conquest of Egypt and Asia by Alexander the Great made spices an article of commercial value in the Mediterranean countries, and central and northern Europe. There are reports of pepper being used in the preservation of meat and to mask the unpleasant odour of stale meat available after long winter storage.

Question. To find a sea route to the land of spices, Columbus went westwards from:
(a) America
(b) Europe
(c) Egypt
(d) Russia

Question. How are black peppers useful?
(a) They help to mask the unpleasant odour of the stale meat.
(b) They help relieve indigestion.
(c) They help in the preservation of meat.
(d) All of these

Question. Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?
(a) Enterprising soldiers of fortune carried the knowledge of spices to Egypt.
(b) To the Arabs, spices are indeed the soul of their food.
(c) Sushruta and Charaka, discussed in detail the use of spices for culinary and medicinal purposes.
(d) In the western world, spices evoke dreams of exotic tropical islands.

Question. Why do spices fascinate people?
(a) Because they look attractive
(b) Because they reduce the literary abilities of men of letters
(c) Because they are of little commercial value
(d) Because they bring to mind the images of tempting cuisines and fascinating voyages

Question. Which of the following spice can ease hiccups?
(a) Clove
(b) Turmeric
(c) Black pepper
(d) Mint

Discursive Passage for Class 9

1. The road to success is not straight; there is a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends, caution lights called family, and you will have flats called jobs. But, if you have a spare called determination, an engine called perseverance, insurance called faith, and a driver called God, you will make it to a place called success! In spite of all our planning and preparation, unexpected challenges are certain to arise. The bumps in the road are unavoidable, but you’ll never get to your destination if you aren’t willing to drive over them. The difference between a disaster and triumph lies in whether or not you’re prepared and willing to weather the storm. If you’re ready, those bumps will become stepping-stones.

2. The key thing to realize is that working harder is same as working smarter. How do you work smarter? You just need to have the right skills. People want improved circumstances and better life without an improved self. They want victory without paying the price or making efforts. It really cannot happen without the other. Any improvements that have not been generated by improving yourself are superficial and short-lived. If you want to have a better future, you have to change yourself. Stop worrying about the various challenges that will come your way. Just believe in yourself and use them as stepping-stones.

3. “Success” is getting whatever you want out of life without violating the rights of others. It is not an accident. Success is the result of our attitude and our attitude is a choice. Hence success is a matter of choice and not chance. Today success represents a holistic and positive attitude to life. Attitude is everything. Success is not restricted within some kind of brick and mortar premises. It assumes the individuality of a complete act executed with perfection; material achievements do not define life. We don’t remember sports stars for the products they endorse but the spirit of achievement they represent. In the abundance of positive attitude underline the grandeur of a truly rewarding rich life.

4. Success can be measured from two standpoints—the external and the internal. Externally it is the measure of a job well done and recognition. Internally it is the feeling of achievement and wholeness derived from the completion of a task or fulfillment of desire.

Question. Success can be measured from true standpoints — the external and the internal.
The external measure is the measure of:
(a) a job well done
(b) recognition
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. If we want to have a better future, we have to:
(a) change ourselves.
(b) stop worrying about the various challenges.
(c) believe in ourselves.
(d) All of these

Question. The internal measure of our success is the feeling of achievement:
(a) from the completion of a task.
(b) from the fulfilment of desire.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. In order to work smarter, we must have:
(a) improved circumstances.
(b) right skills.
(c) better life.
(d) All of these

Question. According to the passage, success can be achieved by working:
(a) tirelessly
(b) frantically
(c) diligently
(d) quickly

Question. In para 1, ‘unexpected challenges’ refers to:
(a) financial problem
(b) health problem
(c) lack of time
(d) All of these

Question. Select the option that makes the correct use of ‘destination’ as used in the passage.
(a) We will reach our destination by 6 o’clock.
(b) She is working hard to reach her destination.
(c) Shimla is her favourite destination.
(d) The cinema hall is the largest entertainment destination in the city.

Question. The word ‘attitude’, as used in para 3 means the same as:
(a) pose
(b) position
(c) viewpoint
(d) posture

Question. “If you are ready, those bumps will become stepping-stones.” Through this sentence the writer tells us to:
(a) ignore ups and downs while working to achieve our goal.
(b) work with a proper plan to achieve our goal.
(c) focus only on our goal and ignore all responsibilities.
(d) take all challenges with strong determination.

Question. Which one of the following quotes captures the central idea of the passage?

(a) Option 1
(b) Option 2
(c) Option 3
(d) Option 4

Short Unseen Passage Class 9 with questions and answers

1. Overpowering prey is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs. Some species like Russell’s viper, inject poison. Some others opt for an alternative non-chemical method – rat snakes, for instance, catch and push their prey against the ground, while pythons use their muscle power to crush their prey to death. But snakes can’t be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories.

2. Even species listed as non-poisonous aren’t completely free of poison. The common Sand Boa, for instance, produces secretions particularly poisonous to birds. So, the species doesn’t take any chance – it crushes its prey and injects poison as an extra step.

3. Do vipers need poison powerful enough to kill hundreds of rats with just one drop? After all, they eat only one or two at a time.

4. While hunting, animals try their best to kill most efficiently while their prey use any trick to avoid becoming a meal, such as developing immunity to poison. For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison.

5. Competition with prey is not the only thing driving snakes to evolve more and more deadly poison. Snakes also struggle to avoid becoming prey themselves.

6. Some snake killers have partial immunity to poison. Famously, mongooses are highly resistant to cobra poison, and with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly. It would be the death of cobras as a species if they didn’t evolve a more deadly poison to stop mongooses.

7. Poison has another important role. It’s an extreme meat softener; specific enzymes break up the insides of the prey. Normally, a reptile depends on the sun’s warm rays to aid digestion.

8. But I wonder if we cannot use venom in our favour. In remote parts of India, local hospitality often involves leather-tough meat. I chew and chew until my jaws ache. If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended, I swallow like python stuffing a deer, down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison.

Question. What difficulty does the writer face when he is entertained in the remote parts of India ?
Answer. served with leather tough meat which is difficult to chew ; unable to chew or spit out as hosts might get offended.

Question. Russell viper and rat snake have different methods to attack prey. How?
Answer. Russell’s viper injects poison/venom whereas rat snakes grab and push their prey against the ground.

Question. How does Sand Boa kill its prey?
Answer. Sand Boa produces secretions particularly toxic to birds; crushes its prey and then injects poison as an extra step.

Question. There is a constant tussle between the hunting animal and its prey? Why?
Answer. while hunting animals try their worst to kill most efficiently ; their prey use any trick to avoid becoming a meal , such as developing immunity to poison/venom ; hunters and prey keep evolving themselves.

Question. What makes mongoose a snake predator?
Answer. mongooses-highly resistant to cobra poison; with their speed and agility, kill snakes fearlessly.

Question. Another (para 1) 
Answer. alternative

Question. Liquid substances released from glands (para 2) 
Answer. secretions

Question. Particular (para 7) 
Answer. specific

Question. Californian squirrels are ______ rattlesnake poison     
(a) afraid of
(b) helpless against
(c) resistant to
(d) indifferent to

Question. Overpowering _______ is a challenge for creatures that do not have limbs.     
(a) a killer
(b) humans
(c) a python
(d) prey.

Question. Poison ____________ meat.   
(a) enhances taste of
(b) hides
(c) softens
(d) breaks down

Case based factual Passage for Class 9

Read the passage given below : 

(1) Tourists to Jammu and Kashmir have another attraction – a floating post office on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, the first in the country. ‘Floating Post Office, Dal Lake – claimed to be the only one such post office in the world – is built on an intricately carved maroon houseboat, fastened on the western edge of the Dal Lake.

(2) This post office lets you avail of all the regular postal services available in the country while being afloat. The seal used on everything posted from Floating Post Office is unique – along with the date and address. It bears the design of a boatman rowing a Shikara on the Dal Lake. The special feature of this post office is that letters posted from here carry a special design which has the picturesque scenery of Dal Lake and Srinagar city. These pictures reach wherever these letters are posted to and hence promote Kashmir as a tourist destination across the world.

(3) This is actually a heritage post office that has existed since British times. It was called Nehru Park Post Office before 2011. But after that the chief postmaster John Samuel renamed it as ‘Floating Post Office’.

(4) The post office’s houseboat has two small rooms – one serves as the office and the other a small museum that traces the philatelic history of the state postal department. It has a shop that sells postage stamps and other products.

(5) But for the locals, Floating Post office is more than an object of fascination. Rupees 1-2 crore is deposited per month in Floating Post Office by communities living in and around the Dal Lake. The lake has several islets that are home to more than 50,000 people.

(6) The greatest difficulty was is the recurrence of 2014 like floods in which the houseboat had gone for a toss uncontrollably pushed by the flood. Rescue teams had to anchor it using special mechanism at a nearby highland. Then it was brought back on the Dal after the water receded. The biggest boon is that at no time of the year, you need a fan in this post-office!

Question. What is the greatest fear of the Post office?
Answer. The greatest fear of the post office is floods recurrence of floods.

Question. Find the word from the passage which means the same as “attraction”.
Answer. Fascination

Question. Where is floating post office situated?   
Answer. Floating post office is situated on Dal Lake in Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir).

Question. Who renamed the post office as “Floating Post Office”?
Answer. The Chief Post Master, John Samuel named the post office as “Floating Post Office”.

Question. In which year flood struck floating post office?   
(a) 2014
(b) 2004
(c) 1994
(d) 1894

Question. The monthly deposits per month in Floating Post office is ` ____________.   
(a) 4-5 crore
(b) 3-4 crore
(c) 2-3 crore
(d) 1-2 crore

Question. The seal bears the design of     
(a) Aeroplane
(b) Bus
(c) Ship
(d) Shikara

Question. Floating Post office is fastened on which edge of the Dal Lake?   
(a) Eastern
(b) Northern
(c) Western
(d) Southern

Unseen Passage for Class 9 with answers

Read the passage given below and complete the sentences that follow : 
A sparrow is a small bird which is found throughout the world. There are many different species of sparrows. Sparrows are only about four to six inches in length. Many people appreciate their beautiful song. Sparrows prefer to build their nests in low places – usually on the ground, clumps of grass, low trees and low bushes. In cities they build their nests in holes and nooks in buildings. They rarely build their nests at high places. They build their nests out of twigs, grasses and plant fibres. Their nests are usually small and well-built structures. Female sparrows lay four to six eggs at a time. The eggs are white with reddish brown spots. They hatch within eleven to fourteen days. Both the male and female parents care for the young. Insects are fed to the young after hatching. The sparrow use their large claws for scratching seeds. Adult sparrows mainly eat seeds. Sparrows can be found almost everywhere, where there are humans. Many people throughout the world enjoy watching these delightful birds.The sparrows are some of the few birds that engage in dust bathing.  Sparrows will first scratch a hole in the ground with their feet, then lie in it and fling dirt or sand over their bodies with flicks of their wings. Many birds, particularly game birds and sparrows, take dust baths as part of their regular preening. The dust helps dislodge parasites and absorbs excess preen oil so feathers are not heavily coated. Birds that do not bathe in water are more likely to use dust baths frequently, but many birds use both types of bathing. They will also bathe in water, or in dry or melting snow. Water bathing is similar to dust bathing, with the sparrow standing in shallow water and flicking water over its back with its wings, and also ducking its head under the water. Both activities are social, with up to a hundred birds participating at one go, and is followed by preening and sometimes group singing.

Question. What is the length of sparrows?
Answer. The length of sparrows is about four to six inches.

Question. The eggs are white with __________ spots.
Answer. reddish brown

Question. In how many days do their eggs hatch?
Answer. Their eggs hatch in eleven to fourteen days.

Question. The word ‘Species’ means __________.
Answer. kinds

Question. What is a social activity of the sparrows?   
(a) Singing
(b) Dancing
(c) Flying
(d) Bathing

Question. Who takes care of the young?   
(a) Male sparrow
(b) Both male and female sparrows  
(c) Female sparrow
(d) None of them

Question. Female sparrows lay __________ eggs at a time.   
(a) 2-3
(b) 3-4
(c) 4-5
(d) 4-6

Question. The chief food of adult sparrow is :   
(a) grains
(b) worms
(c) seeds
(d) fruits

Unseen Passage for Class 9 with questions and answers pdf

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 
The difference in the ways of thinking and perception in the people of two different generations, which results in behavioural differences and sometimes, conflict among them is usually called generation gap. Generation gap is generally seen in the family between parents and their children. It is not only because of the gap in age, but also because of the way parents react to a particular situation. Children being very young and immature do not understand the way of thinking of their parents. In many cases, the parents, even if they are matured, do not empathize with the changing values and thinking pattern of the modern world. This creates a communication gap between these two generations. Generation gap between parents and children is mostly caused by parents themselves. They do not talk openly to their children and do not take part in solving their problems. This behaviour gives the impression about parents being authoritative persons, because they only dictate without understanding the problems faced by their children. As a result, the children become mentally isolated from their parents. Some parents become so busy with their work that they don’t spend quality time with their family, which makes them completely unaware of how their children are growing, what kind of mentality is being developed in them, and so on. This ultimately creates a gap between them. They only realize it when it is too late. Changes in technology have led to the generation gap in this modern world. Children tend to spend most of their time with their digital devices and are so busy with social media, that they do not discuss their problems with their parents. The internet provides solutions to most of the worldly problems. So children, instead of contacting their own parents, seek the help of internet in case of any problem, thus again reducing the communication, leading to a generation gap between them. The generation gap has greatly increased these days because the time is changing fast and people find it difficult to cope up with this change. To overcome this problem, parents should show interest in all matters of their children and deal with them positively instead of just scolding them and leaving them alone to deal with their problems. Giving time to the children, having open communication, and allowing the child to feel free and not in any kind of pressure, will eventually reduce the generation gap to a tolerable extent.

Question. What causes the gap between the parents and their children ?
Answer. The gap between the parents and children is caused firstly, due to the difference in the ways of thinking, which leads to misunderstanding. Secondly, due to the way parents react to a particular situation and immaturity on the part of children to understand various situations. Parents don’t empathize with changing values.

Question. How has advancement in technology led to the generation gap ?
Answer. Children spend most of their time with digital devices and there is no communication with parents.

Question. What steps need to be taken to bridge this gap ?
Answer. Parents should show interest in all the matters of their children, should have open communication, should allow children to put forth their views and should show positivity.

Question. Why is generation gap there in the families?
Answer. There is generation gap due to age gap and the way the parents react to a particular situation.

Question. Why do children view their parents as dictatorial ?
Answer. Parents often do not talk openly to their children. They usually dictate without understanding the problems faced by their children.

Question. What is the antonym of the word, ‘solutions’ ?
(a) difficulties
(b) irritations
(c) problems
(d) decisions

Question. What is the antonym of the word, ‘reduce’ ?
(a) tear
(b) expand
(c) open
(d) abridge

Question. Most of the parents don’t spend ___________ time with their family.
(a) free
(b) quality
(c) weekend
(d) leisure

Question. What is meant by the word, ‘particular’ ?
(a) specific
(b) usual
(c) normal
(d) instant

Question. What is meant by the word, ‘isolated’ ?
(a) bound
(b) grown
(c) separated
(d) unconcerned

Unseen Passage for Class 9 with questions and answers

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow : 
I know poverty and misery and I quite appreciate by personal experience what it is to be poor, what it is to have no clothes, what it is to have no books, what it is to struggle through life, what it is to walk through the streets without an umbrella, without conveyance along miles on dusty roads. I have been through it all and I can understand the difficulties that most of you graduates have to face today. I am speaking from a long experience of 60 years. Please do not imagine that all the 60 years were milk and roses. To be able to accomplish something, I want to tell you that you have to go through such experiences. I admit, success in life is not always to the intelligent or the strong, and it is to some extent a bit of a gamble, but nonetheless, those who got their minds right and those who know their job sooner or later, will sooner perhaps than later make their way in life. But they should not be disappointed if they do not, they have to face up life and take it as they find it. What I say is this that the great things in life are not really great things in life. What I love is to enjoy the common things of life. I am happy that I am still able to sleep at night provided I have three miles walk in the evening. I am still able to enjoy a good lunch or a good dinner. I am still able to look at the blue sky and like it. I still like to walk in the open fields and like the smell of the Ragi or the Jowar. We think that happiness consists in going to pictures and seeing thrilling films and techni-color dramas. Not at all, the great things in life are the God-given things which cost nothing. What you need is the desire to appreciate them. If you have your minds and hearts open, you have around you things which give you joy. There is the butterfly jumping about in flourishing colours on all sides. Look at the wonderful things that God has given for our enjoyment. We have to love nature and appreciate nature and appreciate her wonderful gifts, of nature’s marvellous ingenuity, its resourcefulness, and infinite variety. It is the same thing that has inspired me all my life.

Question. How does C.V. Raman’s speech inspire us ?
Answer. In his speech, C.V. Raman told us the easiest way to enjoy life, we should enjoy the common things of life, love and appreciate nature, appreciate its wonderful gifts, marvellous ingenuity, resourcefulness, and infinite variety.

Question. What instances, quoted by C.V. Raman in his speech, show that he was a nature lover ?
Answer. There is the butterfly jumping about in flourishing colors on all sides, look at this wonderful thing that God has given for our enjoyment.

Question. According to C.V. Raman, where can we seek real happiness and where can it not be found?
Answer. We can seek happiness in all the God-given things which cost nothing. Happiness can never be found in artificial things like going to pictures and seeing thrilling films.

Question. How had C.V. Raman’s childhood beendifficult ? 
Answer. During his childhood, C.V. Raman had no clothes, no books, no conveyance. He had to walk along miles even without an umbrella.

Question. Why has life been termed as a gamble ?
Answer. Life has been termed as a gamble as it is not sure that the intelligent or the strong would certainly succeed in life.

Question. prosperous
(a) rich
(b) flourishing
(c) wealthy
(d) fortunate

Question. exciting
(a) joyful
(b) funny
(c) exhilarating
(d) thrilling

Question. nonetheless
(a) but
(b) and
(c) still
(d) although

Question. despair
(a) disappointment
(b) hopelessness
(c) misery
(d) distress

Question. endless
(a) unlimited
(b) continuous
(c) infinite
(d) unreachable