English Questions and Answers - Class 8 Mid Term Exams Term 1 2023 Set 8

QUESTIONS

Read the passage below. It contains blank spaces numbered 1-15. For each blank space, choose the best alternative from the choices given.

A normal market place..........................1..........................me of so much about our lives. At the market, there are many people...........................2..........................of them are buyers..........................3..........................others are sellers.

Furthermore, it is not..........................4..........................to find that in that,..........................5..........................there are also those who are neither buyers. ..........................6..........................sellers and they cannot be stopped from ..........................7..........................the market. They harmlessly walk from one corner of the market to the other talking about  ..........................8..........................and that to the people they ..........................9.......................... They do not intend to steal or even con anybody there. When they feel they have had,..........................10..........................they peacefully walk away, leaving you, ..........................11..........................whether they did achieve their aim or not. 

For your case, you know ..........................12......................... what you want, where to get it..........................13......................... how to go about the issue. Once you reach the seller, you choose the ..........................14......................... of what you want and pay for it. You too, leave the market place peacefully, to enable others remaining to ..........................15......................... with their business. Simply put, we should always do just what we need and avoid what does not concern us.

1.                              
   1. tells
   2. reminds
   3. shows
   4. teaches
2.                      
   1. Some
   2. Any
   3. All
   4. Most
3.                        
   1. then
   2. as
   3. therefore
   4. while
4.                  
   1. common
   2. usual
   3. strange
   4. funny
5.              
   1. crowd
   2. gathering
   3. mob
   4. gang
6.                
   1. or
   2. and
   3. but
   4. nor
7.                    
   1. leaving
   2. entering
   3. checking
   4. locating
8.              
   1. all
   2. these
   3. this
   4. those
9.                  
   1. see
   2. know
   3. meet
   4. think
10.                  
    1. much
    2. less
    3. more
    4. enough
11.                
    1. thinking
    2. laughing
    3. wondering
    4. imagining
12.                  
    1. exactly
    2. only
    3. just
    4. thus
13.                  
    1. or
    2. and
    3. as
    4. then
14.                  
    1. most
    2. better
    3. portion
    4. best
15.              
    1. decide
    2. discuss
    3. continue
    4. plan

In questions 16 and 17, select the alternative that means the same as the underlined sentence.

16. As soon as we heard the bell, we entered the classroom.
    1. We entered the classroom just as the bell was ringing.
    2. The bell was ringing when we entered the classroom.
    3. The bell rang and immediately we entered the classroom.
    4. We were entering the classroom when the bell rang..
17. Nowadays we hardly use oxen to plough.
    1. Nowadays we rarely use oxen to plough.
    2. Nowadays we sometimes use oxen to plough.
    3. Nowadays we occasionally use oxen to plough.
    4. Nowadays we never use oxen to plough.

In questions 18 and 19, choose the alternative that can best complete the given sentence.

18.  If the teacher found us making noise in class,
    1. he must punish us
    2. he would have punished us
    3. he could punish us
    4. he would punish us.
19. However hard they trained, they
    1. outran Tom
    2. defeated Tom
    3. were faster than Tom
    4. could not outrun Tom

For questions 20 and 21, choose the words that can best replace the underlined words.

20.  Buying of geometrical sets for candidates is not optional.
    1. good
    2. necessary
    3. compulsory
    4. advisable
21. There are fine particles of dust on the table. 
    1. thick
    2. a little
    3. less
    4. minute

For questions 22 and 23, choose the best arrangement of the sentences to form a sensible paragraph.

22.                          
    1. First on the programme was entertainment.
    2. We saw three cars enter through the school gate.
    3. The climax of the occasion was listening to the guest-of-honour's speech.
    4. In a short while, the head teacher received the visitors.
       1. (ii), (iv), (i), (iii) 
       2. (ii), (iii), (i), (iv)
       3. (ii), (i), (iii), (iv)
       4. (ii), (iv), (iii), (i).
23.                    
    1. When drought starts, the dry seeds drop and stay till next rains.
    2. In just a few days they flower and the seeds mature up.
    3. Desert plants grow to maturity very fast.
    4. The moment the first rains fall, the seeds sprout and grow.
       1. (iii), (i), (iv), (ii)
       2. (iii), (ii), (iv), (i)
       3. (iii), (i), (ii), (iv)
       4. (iii), (iv), (ii), (i).

Read the passage below and answer questions 24 and 25.

Four learners were discussing the crops and vegetables they grow at home. Mercy said they grow maize and beans while Kantona said they cultivate tomatoes, beans and onions. Kiprop listed wheat, pyrethrum and Irish potatoes while Walter had tomatoes, millet and bananas. All the four mentioned carrots except Kiprop when it came to sweet potatoes. Only Kantona and Mercy did not mention kales.

24. Who among the learners grow the least number of crops?
    1. Kiprop
    2. Mercy
    3. Walter
    4. Kantona
25. Which of the following group of plants was not grown by any of the learners?
    1. Carrot, beans and kales.
    2. Beans, sweet potatoes and carrots 
    3. Kales, Irish potatoes and wheat. 
    4. Bananas, millet and kales

Read the passage below and then answer questions 26 to 38.

I was going to untie the goats from the shrubs near the river when I bumped into Keti and Lewa. The moment I saw what they were carrying, my mind changed. In Keti's hand was a dead hare and it looked as if it had just been killed. I moved closer to them and confirmed that the animal was alive just about half an hour ago. Sharing that small carcass among the three of us was out of question due to its size. We had quick consultation among ourselves and I wasn't persuaded to drop the task I was going to do. They assured me it would be a matter of minutes and each of us would carry something home.

We had not gone far when Lewa suggested that we keep the 'load' up some tree to easen our movement. We obliged and started walking to the bushes where we knew hares were plenty. We scared away two in a short while but one didn't seem to be agile enough. We decided to track it as the other one had gone away at lightning speed. We managed to form a circle round where it had hidden. We accurately located the specific thicket it had gone into. With each of us ready for it with our weapons in hand, we closed in. The moment it attempted to escape, two clubs landed on it almost at ago and we celebrated as it threw its last kicks.

In our greed for the third prey, we decided to take this second one up the tree for storage. We left for a different direction where we expected to hunt down more hares, even antelopes. We were talking of each of us carrying home two or three carcasses when gradually, the sky above our heads started turning grey and trees swaying from one side to the other. This is when I remembered about the goats!

We broke into a run to the tree which had our treasure, one on top of the other but the moment we reached there, we stopped in our tracks. Up the tree was a fierce-looking leopard but no sign of either of our catch. This time round we didn't consult but took off helter-skelter and as if that's the signal the weather had been waiting for, heavy droplets of rain started pounding our heads. For once I realised hares can curse their killers.

When I reached where the goats were supposed to be, I got another shock. There was no sign of even one. I walked home in semi-darkness, worried, wet and shivering. I found the goats in their enclosure and guessed what had happened. No one talked to me as I made my way towards the fireplace, my clothes still dripping.

26. The meeting between the writer and his friends happened 
    1. as per their plan
    2. in the usual manner
    3. by coincidence
    4. promptly.
27. By saying his mind changed, the writer means that he
    1. forgot what he was going to do
    2. changed the initial engagement 
    3. became slower than he could be
    4. decided to do something else.
28. How do you think the writer confirmed that the hare had just been killed?
    1. He saw it on the hare's skin.
    2. He knew the time when hares get killed easily.
    3. Both him and his friends had watches.
    4. Probably from the hare's temperature.
29. What was the agreement reached in the consultation?
    1. They would engage in another round of hunting.
    2. Each person would go home with a portion of the meat.
    3. Hunting was more important than untying the goats.
    4. Everybody must do the same thing.
30. By suggesting that they keep the dead hare up the tree, Lewa
    1. wanted them to locate it easily afterwards
    2. forgot that some meat-eaters climb trees
    3. believed it would give them good luck while hunting
    4. was playing a trick on his friends.
31. The second hare that the boys killed
    1. was bigger in size than the rest they had seen
    2. decided not to escape with the other
    3. is likely to have been unwell
    4. had not been confronted by hunters before.
32. The phrase 'closed in' as used in the passage means the boys
    1. closed the spaces between them
    2. became very careful as they moved on
    3. knew the opening through which the hare could escape
    4. went closer to where the hare was.
33. As the boys left after keeping the second carcass
    1. they had high hopes of success
    2. none of them knew if they would succeed
    3. they knew what would soon happen to them
    4. they expected to kill just one more hare.
34. What was the first sign to the boys that they would fail?
    1. Their change of hunting destination.
    2. The bad weather.
    3. The number of carcasses each wanted.
    4. The manner in which they stored the second carcass.
35. The writer remembered about the goats when
    1. the rain started falling
    2. it started becoming dark
    3. the weather started changing
    4. they reached the new hunting grounds.
36. The phrase 'helter-skelter' as used in the passage means the boys ran
    1. in no particular direction
    2. at a very fast speed
    3. together almost at the same speed
    4. while making a lot of noise.
37. The boys did not consult when they reached the tree because
    1. the rain had started falling heavily
    2. they were no longer interested in the carcass
    3. they expected to see what they saw
    4. they sensed danger.
38. In the end, we learn that
    1. someone had untied the goats
    2. the writer was still wet when he reached the house
    3. the writer was scolded for disobedience
    4. the boys decided never to go hunting Again.

Read the passage below and then answer questions 39-50.

Anxiety is a mental health condition that overwhelms you with feelings of stress and worry. It can come due to certain triggers like emotional traumas or just hook itself onto any fears you may have; like not being able to provide for your family even when you have a secure, well-paying job.

When you're struggling with anxiety, it's not enough: to just tell yourself to stop being worried. It needs daily, unintentional habits that slowly help those seious feelings fade, along with therapy or medication in extreme cases. Anyone who has deal with this struggle of having an exaggerated fight or flight response to everything knows how molly, physically and exhausting it is.

An anxious brain usually jumps from one thought to another, mal ing it hard to know exactly how you are feeling and why you are feeling the way you do. You could be able to have some clarity which is like a mini therapy session. If you buy a diary or a journal, you can specifically use it to offload your emotions every day. You will see there is so much power in writing down how you feel.

Deep breathing exercises can also be of good use. It has amazing benefits for mental health. It will slow down your heart rate, which is a quick remedy when you're experiencing an anxious episode. Another good thing about deep breathing is that you can do it anywhere and the results are almost immediate.

You should do it first thing in the morning before rushing to check your social media and make it a part of your daily activities to keep you calm throughout the day. If you take time to analyse your emotional response, you will see some trends when it comes to triggers. There are times when anxiety comes up without any direct cause but in many cases, you can note that certain situations make you feel worse. If you meditate every day, you could effectively read just your mind to become calm. If part of you is constantly worried about everything, it needs to be reorganized and you can do that by bringing more positive issues into your life.

Daily life can be stressing too. There is so much happening all the time and we are always busy with work and home life. Another great technique you can try out is taking walks a few times a week or every day if possible. Being outdoors in a calm environment will help you feel better and the action of taking a walk is quite refreshing. This is something you can look forward to for both physical and mental well-being.

39.  Avoiding anxiety is only possible if one 
    1. stops thinking completely
    2. decides to forget his problems at once
    3. provides all the needs of the family
    4. can control the fears or emotional traumas.
40. What is the main cause of anxiety?
    1. Fear, emotional stress or other factors.
    2. Failure to get a well-paying job.
    3. Having history of mental health problems.
    4. Too many family problems.
41. How would one avoid problems associated with anxiety?
    1. Assuring yourself that all would be well.
    2. Visiting your doctor for daily medication.
    3. Thinking deeply about the causes.
    4. Changing behaviour or routine and medication if necessary.
42. The complete withdrawal of anxiety
    1. can never be achieved completely
    2. happens only to a few individuals 
    3. is procedural and gradual
    4. depends on when the victim wants it cleared.
43. Which of the following words would best describe an anxiety victim?
    1. Calm
    2. Nervous
    3. Perplexed
    4. Curious.
44. The easiest way to lower your level of anxiety is to
    1. keep comparing your problems with other people's
    2. simply ignore it until it fades away
    3. call a meeting of other victims like you
    4. record it as a daily activity.
45. How does deep breathing help reduce anxiety? It
    1. lowers the speed of your heartbeat
    2. expands the breathing system organs
    3. allows the anxiety-causing elements to go
    4. regulates the pumping of blood.
46. Why should one do deep breathing exercises before checking on social media?
    1. Social media has news that could affect the breathing system.
    2. Every person breathes in a similar way.
    3. The time frame one uses on social media is not known.
    4. It's the only exercise that anybody can do.
47. Majority of the causes of anxiety
    1. have no known triggers
    2. stem from situations one finds himself in
    3. are known only after it fizzles out 
    4. could leave the victims confused.
48. The phrase 'look forward to' as used in the last paragraph means to
    1. regulate 
    2. improve
    3. revive
    4. anticipate.
49. How can you reduce being constantly worried?
    1. Lessening the daily duties you do.
    2. Thinking positively about issues affecting you.
    3. Talking to people who are often worried.
    4. Staying indoors and hardly socialising.
50. The best title for this passage would be 
    1. How mental stress affects people.
    2. The importance of deep breathing exercises.
    3. Activities that can reduce your anxiety.
    4. The power of keeping a diary or journal.

COMPOSITION

You have 40 minutes to write your composition.

Below is the beginning of a story. Write and complete the story making it as interesting as you can.

Whenever we saw him coming to our home, we knew that the day would be great. However, that day when he came.........

MARKING SCHEME