CBSE Class 9 English Passage Worksheet

Section-I

Read the following Passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

School used to be all about writing, whether it was the exercise books we wrote in or the notes we passed around. But not anymore. Now it’s all about typing. Learning your QWERTY is almost as important as learning your ABC. So, when my daughter came home last year with cursive handwriting homework, I was nonplussed. Cursive writing was originally developed to make it easier for children to write with a quill. By joining up the letters, it kept the quill on the parchment and minimized ink blots. But my daughter writes with a laptop. I explained as much to her teacher at the next parents’ day.But the teacher explained that research suggests that the process of writing information down on paper, by hand, has a more direct effect on the formation of memories in the learning process than typing. Taking notes in class is still the most effective way to learn. It’s a better way to store the skills for written language in a child’s brain than pressing keys.She went on to say, “But that doesn’t mean that one should ditch computers.

Children should be taught to touch-type early on. She just feels that learning is aided by the physical act of writing. Authors often write their first draft by hand. Whether it’s to do with the pace of thought, or some kind of stimulation the physical act has, we don’t know. But it’s a fact.” The French would doubtless agree. They love their handwriting. Teachers in France believe that fluency with a pen ‘unlocks the mind’ and they spend more time on writing than reading between the ages of three and eight.

We teach children the formation of letters and the appropriate joining strokes. But after a few years we leave them on their own devices, just as the written workload starts to increase. That’s when the bad habits set in.But as proper writing becomes rarer, spending some time improving your handwriting is a good investment. In the future, sending a handwritten letter will be a display of affluence and class, which is why the sale of fountain pens is reviving.

Briefly answer the following questions: 

Question. Today handwriting is not given much importance as_____________________.
Answer. children are using the computer from a very early age.

Question. The author was nonplussed when his daughter came home with cursive handwriting homework as he felt that _______________________________.
Answer. handwriting was not important as she used a computer.

Question. The teacher felt differently because ______________________________.
Answer. research had proved that it enhanced the learning process as it led to the formation of memories.

Question. Cursive writing was introduced as it ________________________________.
Answer. kept the quill on the paper preventing the formation of ink blots Ans 5) we tend to ignore it as the work load increases.

Question. Although children are taught to write at an early age, they do not have legible handwriting when they grow older as _ .
Answer. we tend to ignore it as the work load increases.

Question. Learning your QWERTY means _________________________ .
Answer. learning to use the computer.

Fill in the blanks with one word only: 

The point the author is trying to make here is that the importance of the computer cannot be (a) ____________ , but handwriting is (b) ______________ important as, not only does it (c) ____________ the learning, it also displays (d) ____________ .
Answer. a) ignored b) equally c) enhance d) class

Find a word in the passage that means the following:
a) taken aback
b) feather
Answer. a) nonplussed
b) quill

Read the following Passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

By the time our delayed train reached and I disembarked with my father and baby Lavanya, it was well past midnight. It was cold, dark and foggy. My husband, Manas, who was to receive us, was nowhere in sight, Soon the platform became deserted. Then, a burly man approached us and offered to carry our bags. He wasn’t wearing the usual porter’s red shirt and tag, and though I was wary, my father decided to hire him. Leaving Lavanya and me with the man, my father went to look for Manas. I took a closer look at the man and felt apprehensive. He was big and hairy, his face was pock-marked and his eyes looked bloodshot. Just then Lavanya, who had been sleeping in my arms, awoke, and turned to look at the porter. He gave her a playful smile and held out his arms. I thought she’d start crying and held her closer. But she smiled back and twisted herself out of my arms into his. Now I was really scared. What if he ran away with my baby? He must have sensed my fear and, even before I reached out to take Lavanya back, he handed her to me. Turning around, he mumbled that though everyone was scared of him, yet my innocent baby had accepted him. His eyes had tears in them. I didn’t know what to say.

At that moment my father returned with Manas. The man picked up our bags and walked towards the car park. As we followed him, I asked Manas to pay him a little extra. But, having put our luggage in the car, the man refused to take payment from us. Coming up to me, he placed his hand on my baby’s head for a moment as if to say, ‘God bless you!’ and walked away.

Answer the following questions 

Question. The author was apprehensive when a man approached her as
a) he was drunk with bloodshot eyes
b) he was scary looking
c) her father was not with her
d) her husband was nowhere in sight
Ans: b

Question. The man refused payment because
a) the money offered was less
b) the baby had come to him
c) he sensed the woman’s fears
d) he was not a porter
Ans: d

Question. The man handed the baby back to the lady as
a) he realized that she was scared
b) his eyes had suddenly filled up with tears
c) he feared the baby would start crying
d) she reached out for the baby
Ans: a

Question. This incident made the author realize that one should
a) not judge people by their appearances
b) only take the services of a regular porter
c) not be scared of strangers
d) not allow strangers to handle their children
Ans: a

Question. ‘Apprehensive’ means
a) fearful
b) appreciative
c) sad
d) happy
Ans: a

Answer the questions given below: 

Question. The father also ‘wears many faces’ as he
a )wants to hide his feelings
b) wants to imitate others
c) wants to wear a portrait smile
d) doesn’t like the face he has
Ans: a

Read the poem carefully:

Once Upon a Time
Once upon a time, son,
they used to laugh with their hearts and laugh with their eyes:
but now they only laugh with their teeth,
while their ice-block-cold eyes search behind my shadow.

There was a time indeed
they used to shake hands with their hearts:
but that’s gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.

‘Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’:
they say, and when
I come again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thrice-
for then I find doors shut on me.

So I have learned many things, son.
I have learned to wear many faces

like dresses – homeface,
officeface, streetface, hostface,
cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile.

And I have learned too
to laugh with only my teeth
and shake hands without my heart.
I have also learned to say,’Goodbye’,
when I mean ‘Good-riddance’:
to say ‘Glad to meet you’,
without being glad; and to say ‘It’s been
nice talking to you’, after being bored.

But believe me, son.
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!

So show me, son,
how to laugh; show me how
I used to laugh and smile
once upon a time when I was like you.

Gabriel Okara

Question. The father yearns to laugh like
a) a child
b) other people
c) his son
d) he used to when he was young
Ans:d

Question. The father appeals to his son as
a) his laughter does not reflect his feelings
b) he has forgotten how to laugh
c) he doesn’t laugh any more
d) he is old and can no longer laugh like a child
Ans:a

Question. The poem clearly conveys that
a) appearances are deceptive
b) people are actors
b) children teach adults
d) when you grow up you have to relearn things
Ans: a

Question. The human behaviour being discussed here is
a) dishonesty
b) friendliness
c) hypocrisy
d) benevolence
Ans: hypocrisy

Complete the passage by selecting the correct option :

The city police (a) ________ decided to (b) ________ stern action against drivers (c) _________ attempt to overtake (d) _____________ the left (e) _____________ city roads. All drivers who (f) _________ this rule will be punished. The first offence will (g) _________ penalty. The second will incur (h) _________ of the driving license.

a) (i) had (ii) has (iii) have (iv) is
Answer. has

b.(i) take (ii) taking (iii) too (iv) taken
Answer. take

c.(i) whose (ii) who (iii) which (iv) those
Answer. who

d.(i) in (ii) to (iii) over (iv) from
Answer. from

e.(i) in (ii) over (iii) on (iv) by
Answer. on

f.(i) vitiate (ii) violate (iii) violent (iv) violence
Answer. violate

g.(i) inviting (ii) invitation (iii) invite (iv) invited
Answer. invite

h.(i) cancelling (ii) cancellation (iii) cancel (iv) cancelled
Answer. cancellation

Section-II

Complete the conversation by choosing the correct option from those given below: 

Tourist: Hello. I wish to know the tours your company offers.
Travel agent: Hello, Sir. Could you tell me which (a) _____________________?
Tourist: Bangalore and Mysore. Travel agent: (b) _________________________________ Sir?
Tourist: No, I prefer a 3 – 4 day trip.
Travel agent: Please go through this brochure and see what you like.
Tourist: Thank you. (He goes through the brochure and asks) (c) ________?
Travel agent: Rupees eight thousand, Sir.
Tourist: (d) _________________________________ include travel expenses?
Travel agent: No Sir, we provide only accommodation.

For (a)
(i) places you would like to visit.
(ii) places you are liking to visit.
(iii) places you are likely to visit.
(iv) places you are to visit.
Answer. places you would like to visit.

For (b)
(i) For a week
(ii) From a week
(iii) For how long
(iv) For how many days
Answer. For a week

For (c)
(i) Tell me the cost of the trip
(ii) What should be the cost of the trip
(iii) What would be the cost of the trip
(iv) Cost please
Answer. What would be the cost of the trip

For (d)
(i) Should that
(ii) Could that
(iii) Would that
(iv) Can that
Answer. Would that

The following passage has not been edited. There is ONE error in each of the nine lines. Write the incorrect word and the correction as given in the instance 

Error Correction eg. Singapore is located in a highest strategic highest highly area in South-East Asia.
It lay on an 21)…………… …………..
important trade route. Trade was its life 22) …………… . …………
line. It is a major port. Goods from every 23)………… ……………
East Asian countries flow in Singapore 24) …………… ……………
on their way for ports in Western Asia, 25) …………… ……………
Africa and Europe. From a Singapore docks 26) …………… …………..
ships carry rubber, copper, timber and spices 27)…………… …………..
sail to other countries. Other ships bring out 28) …………… ……………
manufactured goods and machinery from the industrial countries of the world
Answer. a) lies b) is c) all d) through e) to f) the g)carrying h) industrial

Complete the following passage by filling ONE word in the blank: 
The Annual Sports Day function of Agra Public School was (a) ___________ with great enthusiasm. The Director of Sports was the chief guest (b) ______________ the occasion. He was (c) __________ by the principal and staff, as well as the Head boy and Head girl. The prizes were given (d) ________ by the chief guest’s wife.
Answer. a) held/ celebrated b) on c) welcomed/greeted/received d) away

Rearrange the following words and phrases to make meaningful sentences 
Eg.feared by / snakes are / in our / worshipped / and / many / country Ans. Snakes are worshipped and feared by many in our country.

1. of the / are venomous / only / 300 out / species / 2700 known
2. which is / yellow liquid / water / snake venom / 90% / is a
3. expelled / poison gland / that is / it is / from the / a substance
4. of thick / are / connective / these glands / made / tissue

Answer.
1.Only 300 out of the 2700 known species are venomous
2. Snake venom is a yellow liquid which is 90% water
3. It is a substance that is expelled from the poison gland
4. These glands are made of thick connective tissue