CBSE Class 6 English The Haunted House

SECTION-A

A. Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow:
The Haunted House
The house on the corner is haunted,
I know, cause I've been there,
It's not that I am terribly brave,
But Martin gave me a dare.
I opened that front door quietly,
I tiptoed along the dark hall,
Rats scurried away in the darkness,
Cobwebs and dust covered all.
I saw something move ahead of me,
I heard a horrible moan,
The air grew chilly round me,
I let out a terrified groan.
I couldn't move for a moment
My feet were fixed to the floor,
My heart was beating a tattoo,
I fumbled around the door.
A shape floated slowly towards me,
Two burning eyes glowed in the gloom,
"Don't come near me!" I shouted,
And rushed headlong from the room.
I know that the house is haunted,
You see I've been there,
If you venture inside that door,
I'm telling you beware!
(Therese Burgess)

A.1. (i) Why did the child go inside the haunted house?
Answer: The child went inside the haunted house because his friend Martin gave him a dare to do so.
In simple words: The narrator went inside because of a dare.

Exam Tip: Always look for specific reasons mentioned in the opening lines of a poem.

A.1. (ii) What did the child see as he entered the house?
Answer: As the child entered the house, he saw rats scurrying away in the darkness, cobwebs and dust covering everything, something moving ahead of him, and later a floating shape with two burning eyes.
In simple words: He saw rats, dust, cobwebs, a moving shadow, and a glowing-eyed shape.

Exam Tip: Sequence the events chronologically when describing what the character encounters.

A.1. (iii) Which animals did the child see in the house?
Answer: The child saw rats scurrying away in the darkness inside the house.
In simple words: He saw rats running away.

Exam Tip: Scan the text for specific creature names to avoid missing details.

A.1. (iv) Why couldn't the child move at first?
Answer: The child couldn't move at first because he was paralyzed with fear upon hearing a horrible moan and sensing something terrifying approaching him, making him feel as though his feet were glued to the floor.
In simple words: He was too scared to move.

Exam Tip: Relate psychological fear to physical reactions described in poetry.

A.1. (v) Write your own lines to replace the first stanza of the poem.
Answer:
That spooky mansion on the hill,
I visited it late at night,
I did not do it of my free will,
My friends provoked me out of fright.
In simple words: Create four new rhyming lines with a similar rhythm about entering a scary place.

Exam Tip: Ensure your replacement stanza matches the AABB or ABCB rhyme scheme and syllable meter of the original.

A.2. (i) My heart was beating a tattoo.
Answer: Beating rapidly and strongly due to fear or excitement (like a drumbeat).
In simple words: Heart beating very fast.

Exam Tip: Use context clues from the poem (fear in a haunted house) to deduce idiomatic meanings.

A.2. (ii) My feet were fixed to the floor.
Answer: Unable to move or walk because of extreme shock or fear.
In simple words: Stuck in place.

Exam Tip: Understand figures of speech and hyperbole used in poetry.

A.2. (iii) and rushed headlong from the room.
Answer: Running forward hastily and without hesitation in a rush to escape.
In simple words: Running away quickly.

A.2. (iv) glowed in the gloom.
Answer: Shone brightly amidst darkness or partial obscurity.
In simple words: Shining in the dark.

Exam Tip: 'Gloom' refers to near-complete darkness.

A.2. (v) fumbled around the door.
Answer: Searched clumsily and nervously with one's hands to find or open the door.
In simple words: Searching blindly and nervously for the door.

Exam Tip: 'Fumble' implies uncoordinated physical movement caused by panic.

SECTION-B

B.1. You are Sabita, the sports secretary of your school. Put a notice for your classmates to participate in the skating competition to be held on next Sunday in the school campus.
Answer:
DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, INDIRAPURAM
NOTICE
15th October 2023
SKATING COMPETITION
This is to inform all students that our school is organizing an Inter-House Skating Competition for Classes VI to VIII on next Sunday, 22nd October 2023, in the school campus from 9:00 AM onwards. Interested students must give their names to their respective sports teachers latest by 18th October 2023. Participants must bring their own skating gear and safety equipment.
Sabita
(Sports Secretary)
In simple words: Write a formal notice in a box giving details about a skating event and registration.

Exam Tip: Always enclose notices in a rectangular box and include essential details: Name of Institution, NOTICE heading, Date, Title, Body (What, When, Where, Who), and Signature with Designation.

B.2. A wrist watch was found in the school playground. As the Head Body of the school, write a notice to be put up on the school notice board.
Answer:
DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, INDIRAPURAM
NOTICE
16th October 2023
FOUND! FOUND! FOUND!
A wrist watch was found lying near the swings in the school playground yesterday during the recess period. The owner of the watch can claim it from the undersigned after providing proper identification details and proof of ownership within two days.
Aarav Sharma
(Head Boy / Head Girl)
In simple words: Draft a notice to return a lost watch to its rightful owner.

Exam Tip: For 'Lost' or 'Found' notices, specify the item, place, date, and how the owner can claim or return it.

SECTION-C

C.1. Change the voice of the following sentences:
(i) He killed the snake.
Answer: The snake was killed by him.
In simple words: Object becomes subject in passive voice.

Exam Tip: Change past tense active verbs (killed) to past passive form (was killed).

C.1. (ii) I have completed the work.
Answer: The work has been completed by me.
In simple words: Present perfect passive uses 'has/have been' + past participle.

Exam Tip: Keep the tense consistent when converting from active to passive.

C.1. (iii) They made him king.
Answer: He was made king by them.
In simple words: The object 'him' becomes the subject 'He'.

C.1. (iv) I shall not keep you waiting.
Answer: You shall not be kept waiting by me.
In simple words: Future tense passive uses 'shall/will be' + past participle.

Exam Tip: Ensure proper modal auxiliary agreement with the new subject ('You').

C.1. (v) The farmers are ploughing the fields.
Answer: The fields are being ploughed by the farmers.
In simple words: Present continuous passive uses 'is/are/am being' + past participle.

Exam Tip: Do not omit the 'being' helper verb in continuous tense transformations.

C.2. Complete the passage with either the active or the passive forms of the verbs given in the box.
Box words: block, rush, leave, cause, carry away, sweep, cut
Damage worth millions of rupees (a) _________ by a storm which (b) _________ across coastal areas of Orissa. The army (c) _________ into service. Many people (d) _________ at about 150 kms. an hour in some places. Roads (f) _________ by fallen trees. Electricity lines (g) _________ and thousands of homes (h) _________ without electricity.
Answer:
(a) was caused
(b) rushed (or swept)
(c) was called / was rushed
(d) were carried away
(f) were blocked / were cut
(g) were cut
(h) were left
In simple words: Fill in the blanks with correct active or passive verb forms from the box.

Exam Tip: Read the context carefully to determine if the subject performs the action (active) or receives the action (passive).

C.3. Change the voice of the following passage:
Raju killed a snake with a stick. He threw it in a pond nearby. He played cricket for some time. Then he plucked some flowers to make a garland. He put the garland on Lord Krishna's statue.
Answer:
A snake was killed with a stick by Raju. It was thrown in a pond nearby by him. Cricket was played by him for some time. Then some flowers were plucked by him to make a garland. The garland was put on Lord Krishna's statue by him.
In simple words: Convert every sentence in the story from active voice to passive voice.

Exam Tip: When changing a whole passage, convert each sentence one by one while keeping narrative flow.

Vocabulary Enhancement - 7

V.1. Choose the correct meanings from the box and write them against the foreign words, given below.
Box: first prize, other way around, happy trip, existing condition, title (gentleman), annually, whatever will be will be
(i) bon voyage (French) __________________
(ii) que sera sera (Italian) __________________
(iii) grand prix (French) __________________
(iv) status quo (Latin) __________________
(v) signor (Italian) __________________
(vi) per annum (Latin) __________________
(vii) vice versa (Latin) __________________
Answer:
(i) bon voyage (French) - happy trip
(ii) que sera sera (Italian) - whatever will be will be
(iii) grand prix (French) - first prize
(iv) status quo (Latin) - existing condition
(v) signor (Italian) - title (gentleman)
(vi) per annum (Latin) - annually
(vii) vice versa (Latin) - other way around
In simple words: Match foreign phrases with their correct English meanings.

Exam Tip: Learn common foreign loanwords and phrases frequently used in English literature.

Proverb Time - 7

P.27. Great oaks grow from little acorns. - All great and successful ventures begin in a small way.
P.28. Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade. - Nothing is achieved without effort.
Answer: The proverbs and their meanings have been correctly matched as presented.
In simple words: Proverbs teach us important life lessons about hard work and humble beginnings.

Exam Tip: Understand the moral and metaphorical meaning behind common proverbs.