Unseen Passage for Class 8

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 I 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. 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. 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. For instance, Californian ground squirrels are resistant to Northern Pacific rattlesnake poison.

3. 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. 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. 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.

4. 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 a python stuffing a deer down its throat and hope I don’t choke. If only I had poison.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. The narrator chews and chews the leather-tough meat until his jaws ache, for fear of:           
(a) his hosts
(b) his guests
(c) pythons
(d) choking

Question. Which of the characteristics is apt about the writer in the context: “If I spit it out or refuse, our hosts would be offended”?         
(a) Reckless
(b) Compelled
(c) Patient
(d) Negligent

Question. Select the option that makes the correct use of ‘driving’, as used in para 3.           
(a) Don’t talk while driving your car.
(b) He is driving his sheep into a field.
(c) Hunger is driving him to speak lie.
(d) He is driving his team efficiently.

Question. Which one of these statements is NOT TRUE about mongoose?     
(a) A mongoose runs faster than a snake.
(b) A mongoose is killed by a cobra.
(c) A mongoose cannot kill a cobra.
(d) A mongoose can kill any snake.

Question. Snakes strive to evolve a more deadly poison, so that:     
(a) their prey have no chance to remain alive.
(b) they can stop mongooses.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. Some snake killer’s have partial immunity to:     
(a) dangerous bacteria
(b) dangerous virus
(c) poisonous air
(d) poison

Question. Hunting animals try their worst to kill their prey. What does their prey do to avoid becoming their meal?       
(a) It develops strength to fight with them.
(b) It develops immunity to poison/venom.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. “But snakes can’t be neatly divided into poisonous and non-poisonous categories.” Choose the term which best matches the statement.     
(a) Over-confidence
(b) Certainty
(c) Dilemma
(d) Ignorance

Question. Which one of these animals is NOT a reptile?   

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

Question. Choose the option that correctly states the meanings of ‘offended’, as used in para 4.         
1. disgusting
2. upset
3. wrong
4. displeased
5. unlawful
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 3 and 5
(d) 4 and 5

Class 8 English Unseen Passage

1. Although everybody has a creative spark, the potential is not always fully utilized. How does one recognize those who are developing their creative energies to the fullest extent? Mad painters and tormented poets are only comic stereotypes of the creative personality. The essential traits of creativity are found among a wide variety of less conspicuous creators, people in all walks of life. Unfortunately, the structure of our social and educational environment does not always promote its growth.

2. Generally speaking, creative people often believe their purpose in life is to discover and implement the interrelatedness of things, to make order out of disorder. They also see problems where others see none and question the validity of even the most widely accepted answers. Creative persons are compulsive problem seekers, not so much because they thrive on problems, but because their senses are attuned to a world that demands to be put together, like a jigsaw puzzle scattered on a table.

3. Several tests now in use reveal that highly creative people are much more open and receptive to the complexities of experience than less creative people. The creative temperament has a tendency to break problems down into their most basic elements and then reconstruct them into whole new problems, thereby discovering new relationships and new solutions. Highly creative people aren’t afraid to ask what may seem to be naive or silly questions. They ask questions like, “Why don’t spiders get tangled up in their own webs?” and, “Why do dogs turn in circles before lying down?” Such questions may seem childlike, and in a way they are.

4. Unlike children, creative people appear to have vast stores of patience to draw upon. Months, years, even decades can be devoted to a single problem. The home that encourages inquisitiveness contributes to creative development. The teacher who stresses questions rather than answers and rewards curiosity rather than restricting it, is teaching a child to be creative. To be extremely intelligent is not the same as to be gifted in creative work. The Quiz Kids are often referred to as geniuses. They would undoubtedly score high in memory functions. But it is doubtful whether they are also fluent in producing ideas. Contrary to popular myths that glorify youth, more creative achievements are likely to occur when people grow older. While memory may falter with age, creativity is ageless. Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any eight out of the ten questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. “They thrive on problems” means:            
(a) they are afraid of problems.
(b) they create problems for others.
(c) they tackle problems vigorously.
(d) they create problems for themselves deliberately.

Question. “Although everybody has a creative spark, the potential is not always fully utilized.” It means that some people:      
(a) are too lazy to use their full potential.
(b) are demotivated by society to use their full potential.
(c) are not aware about their latent creative potential.
(d) are reluctant to use their full potential.

Question. The antonym of ‘inquisitiveness’ as used in para 4 is:       
(a) curiosity
(b) fear
(c) uninterested
(d) intelligence

Question. Creative people’s purpose in life is to:           
(a) discover the interrelatedness of things.
(b) discover and implement the interrelatedness of things.
(c) make order out of disorder.
(d) All of these

Question. Select the option that makes the correct use of ‘receptive’ as used in the passage, to fill in the blank space.     
(a) She was in a coma, totally …………………. .
(b) They were …………………. to the complexities of experience.
(c) He is a cold, unfeeling and …………………. man.
(d) A healthy diet creates a body …………………. to disease.

Question. Highly creative people:             
(a) always hesitate to ask silly questions.
(b) never hesitate to ask silly questions.
(c) are introvert.
(d) None of these

Question. What is/are the characteristic(s) of a creative person? He/she is:         
(a) imaginative
(b) curious
(c) a problem seeker
(d) All of these

Question. Creative people are:         
(a) problem seekers.
(b) attuned to a world that demands to be put together.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. Which quote captures the central idea of para 4?             
1. An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. — Edwin Land
2. The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. — Albert Einstein
3. You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. — Maya Angelou
4. Everything you imagine is real. — Pablo Picasso
(a) Option 1
(b) Option 2
(c) Option 3
(d) Option 4

Question. The word ‘attuned’ as used in para 2 does NOT mean the same as:     
(a) accustomed
(b) aware
(c) unknown
(d) adapted

Unseen Passage for Class 8 with Answers

Natural calamities generally bring death and disaster on a large scale. Tsunami waves, earthquakes, floods, droughts and epidemics have taken a heavy toll of human lives, particularly the children. The children who survive these disasters suffer the most. They are condemned to lead a life full of misery, insecurity, want and fear. Only the concerted efforts of the Government and the agencies involved in disaster management can help them lead normal lives again. (Img 24)

The natural calamities have tragically affected the lives of about 15000 children in recent years in India. The tsunami waves and earthquakes created havoc on a large scale. About 5430 children became homeless due to the tsunami and 5438 were the victims of the earthquakes. Floods displaced 2602 and droughts affected 2035 children. Epidemics affected 1313 children. Out of these figures, 1093 children live constantly in general fear; 110 children have withdrawn socially; 20 children have become deaf and 16 of them can’t speak any more. More than 450 children can’t sleep at night while 1164 can’t concentrate on anything. The tragedy is that 21 of them have become blind, 43 asthmatic and 276 are still in shock. 566 suffer from frequent headache and stomach ache. About 850 children fear water and sound and 117 have refused to go to school.

Disaster management programmes have not proved up to the mark and up to the task. The Government and the concerned agencies should provide comprehensive aids and help to the survivors, particularly the children. They must provide nutritious food, clothes, shelters and medical aids to them. All efforts should be made to wipe out the scars left by these disasters.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. Natural calamities generally cause:             
(a) epidemics
(b) death and disaster on a large scale
(c) earthquakes
(d) floods

Question. What can make the lives of the children, affected with various disasters, normal?         
(a) The concerted efforts of the government.
(b) The concerted efforts of the agencies involved in disaster management.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. Who should be responsible for providing the disaster affected children with nutritious food, clothes, shelters and medical aids?             
(a) The Government
(b) The concerned agencies
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Question. As per the histogram, the most disastrous natural calamity for children is:       
(a) Earthquake
(b) Tsunami
(c) Flood
(d) Drought

Question. The number of children suffering from frequent headache and stomach ache is:           
(a) 839
(b) 1,164
(c) 110
(d) 566

Question. Which of these are the examples of natural calamities?     
(a) Floods
(b) Tsunamis
(c) Earthquakes
(d) All of these

Question. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the statements that are TRUE.         
1. Some people are hugely benefited by a natural calamity.
2. Natural calamities can have a life altering impact on people.
3. Natural calamities cannot have any adverse impact on environment.
4. Fortunately, there is no economy losses due to any natural calamities.
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 5
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 2 and 4

Question. Who among the following are the worst sufferers of natural calamities?       
(a) Elderly people
(b) Youth
(c) Children
(d) Adults

Comprehensions for Class 8 English with Solutions

The UN’s 2017 International Year tells that sustainable tourism is an important tool for development, most importantly in poor communities and countries. Today sustainability — environmental, social, and economic – is increasingly recognised as the benchmark for all tourism business. As noted by the UN World Tourism Organisation, 57% of international tourist arrivals will be in emerging economies, by 2030. The various ‘Tourism Terms’ are defined as follows: Based on data collected by a survey by Travel Bureau, the following market profile of an ecotourist was constructed :

Age: 35 – 54 years old, although age varied with activity and other factors such as cost.
Gender: 50% female and 50% male, although clear differences based on activity were found.
Education: 82% were college graduates, a shift in interest in ecotourism from those who have high levels of education to those with less education was also found, indicating an expansion into mainstream markets.
Household composition: No major differences were found between general tourists and experienced ecotourists.
Party composition: A majority (60%) of experienced ecotourism respondents stated they prefer to travel as a couple, with only 15% stating they preferred to travel with their families, and 13% preferring to travel alone. (** experienced ecotourists = Tourists that had been on at least one “ecotourism” oriented trip.)
Trip duration: The largest group of experienced ecotourists—(50%) preferred trips lasting 8-14 days.
Expenditure: Experienced ecotourists were willing to spend more than general tourists, the largest group (26%) .
Important elements of trip: Experienced ecotourists top three responses were: (a) wilderness setting, (b) wildlife viewing, (c) hiking/trekking.
Motivations for taking next trip: Experienced ecotourists top two responses were (a) enjoy scenery/nature, (b) new experiences/places.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. In the market profile of an ecotourist, the information on gender indicates that:         
(a) female ecotourists were more than the male ecotourists.
(b) the activity preferences were varied in females and males.
(c) the choice of things to do on a trip were quite similar for both the genders.
(d) male ecotourists were frequent travellers.

Question. In the line “……… recognised as the benchmark”, the word “benchmark” does not refer to:   
(a) a basis for something.
(b) the criterion required.
(c) the ability to launch something new.
(d) a standard point of reference.

Question. Choose the option that lists the correct answers for the following:           
1. Asha Mathew, an NRI, loves animals and wishes to travel to places that safeguard their rights and inculcate awareness of their rights. What kind of tourist is she?
2. Gurdeep Singh from UK is an environmental scientist and has always chosen to travel to places that are examples of a symbiotic relationship between man and nature. What kind of tourist is he?
(a) (1) is an ecotourist and (2) is a geotourist.
(b) (1) is an ethical tourist and (2) is a geotourist.
(c) (1) is a sustainable tourist and (2) is a pro-poor tourist.
(d) (1) is a geotourist and (2) is a responsible tourist.

Question. The survey clearly showed that the age range of ecotourists:             
(a) remained the same for the choice of tourist attractions to visit.
(b) changed with the monetary requirements for the trip.
(c) fluctuated due to male-female ratio.
(d) was constant across various features of the trip.

Question. According to the survey, one of the most powerful driving forces leading experienced ecotourism to invest in new trips was:             
(a) setting up work stations in new places.
(b) the chance to go camping in the wild.
(c) competing with other ecotourists as frequent travellers.
(d) the opportunity to travel to new places.

Question. Choose the option that lists statement that is NOT TRUE.                 
(a) Economically backward countries will benefit from sustainable tourism.
(b) The tourism business currently recognises sustainability as an important factor.
(c) Emerging economies will receive negligible international tourists in the near future.
(d) The sustainability factor in tourism is a significant means for development.

Question. The World Tourism Organisation of the UN, in an observation, shared that:               
(a) emerging economies of the world will gain 57% of their annual profits from International tourists.
(b) countries with upcoming economies shall see maximum tourist footfall from all over the world in the next decade.
(c) a large number of international tourists in 2030 will be from developing countries.
(d) barely any tourist in the next decade shall travel from an economically strong nation to a weak one.

Question. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the inherent qualities of geotourism.         
1. showcases adventure sports
2. promotes landscape appreciations
3. promises luxurious travel includes being environmentally responsible
5. believes in commercialising forests
6. initiates donations for the underprivileged
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 5 and 6
(c) 2 and 4
(d) 3 and 5

Solved Unseen Passage for Class 8 English

More than 87,000 healthcare workers have been infected with Covid-19, with just six states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, West Bengal and Gujarat — accounting for three-fourths (around 74%) of the case burden and over 86% of the 573 deaths due to the infection, official data showed. Maharashtra alone, with the highest number of over 7.3 lakh confirmed Covid cases so far, accounts for around 28% of the infected healthcare workers and over 50% of the total deaths, according to the data. While Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had tested over one lakh healthcare workers each till August 28, Karnataka reported only 12,260 infected healthcare workers

— almost half the burden in Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu reported 11,169 cases that included doctors, nurses and Asha workers. The three states together accounted for 55% of the total cases among health workers. Risk to frontline workers can jeopardise India’s Covid fight.

— The three states also reported the highest number of deaths in healthcare professionals, though with a wide gap between Maharashtra and the other two. While Maharashtra reported 292 deaths among healthcare workers, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had 46 and 49 deaths, respectively. (Img 22)

A large number of infections and even deaths of healthcare workers in particular states is being viewed with concern by officials and public health experts, who say risks to frontline workers can jeopardise India’s fight against the pandemic.

The issue, discussed in a review meeting headed by the cabinet secretary on Thursday, saw the Centre cautioning states about the need to protect a crucial resource. The possible factors responsible for high infections, officials said, were lax infection control in hospitals and the need for stringent containment measures in areas where health professionals reside to safeguard them.

Despite the high number of cases, the government has received only 143 claims since April under the ` 50 lakh Covid-19 insurance scheme for healthcare workers engaged in Covid mitigation activities.

Official sources said the wide gap between the number of deaths and claims could be because all the casualties may not be eligible under the scheme. Besides, the claims are a bit slow in coming as families of the dead take time to apply and do the required paperwork.

‘Solidarity with health workers cannot be met with mere words of encouragement but by concerted efforts to strengthen the health workforce. Safety net for their families should be provided including a term insurance cover of over ` 2 crore, with the government as sole guarantee,’ said Giridhar Babu, epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India. ‘Protecting healthcare workers is of paramount importance to make sure we have a large enough force to take care of patients who need their services.’ said Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Hospitals, who said such workers may be at risk because of a large number of asymptomatic patients and lack of proper use of PPEs.

Based on your understanding of the passage, answer any six out of the eight questions by choosing the correct option.

Question. ‘Healthcare workers’ refers to:       
(a) doctors
(b) nurses
(c) Asha workers
(d) All of these

Question. Which state of India is on the top in terms of confirmed COVID-19 cases?       
(a) Karnataka
(b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Delhi
(d) Maharashtra

Question. How many claims has the government received since April 2020 under the ` 50 lakh COVID-19 insurance scheme for healthcare workers engaged in COVID-19 alleviation activities?             
(a) 49 claims
(b) 51 claims
(c) 46 claims
(d) 143 claims

Question. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that lists the factors responsible for high infection in healthcare professionals.             
1. Careless infection control in hospital
2. Negligency by healthcare professionals
3. Lack of stringest containment measure
4. The lack of healthcare professionals
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 and 4

Question. How many healthcare workers, infected with COVID-19, were there in Karnataka till August 2020?                 
(a) 11,169
(b) 12,260
(c) 1,07,100
(d) 15,213

Question. Choose the option that lists statement that is NOT TRUE.             
(a) Maharashtra was the worst sufferer of Covid-19.
(b) Karnataka had less number of Covid-19 cases as compared to Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
(c) The deaths of healthcare workers are disregarded by officials.
(d) Most of the families of deceased healthcare workers received ` 50 lakh under Covid-19 insurance scheme.

Question. On how many healthcare workers COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Punjab?           
(a) 1,127
(b) 994
(c) 13,141
(d) 2,029

Question. In the line “… risks to frontline workers”, the term ‘frontline workers’ does NOT refer to:         
(a) healthcare workers
(b) police
(c) cleanliness workers
(d) teachers