D.N. City Sr. Sec.

School
Annual Examination (2025–2026)
Class: VIII Subject: English
Time: 3 Hours Maximum Marks: 80
Note: All questions are compulsory. Handwriting should be neat and clean.

Section–A: Reading Skills (15 Marks)

Q.1. Read the passages given below and answer the questions: (10 + 5)

Passage 1
In the ancient city of Nalanda, students from distant lands gathered to study philosophy, astronomy, medicine,
and literature. The university was not just a collection of classrooms; it was a living community where ideas
flowed as freely as the river nearby. Teachers encouraged debate, and students often spent nights under
lantern light, arguing about the mysteries of the stars or the meaning of justice. Knowledge was considered
sacred, and learning was seen as a lifelong journey rather than a race to finish.
One day, a young scholar named Dev arrived, carrying only a few scrolls and a burning curiosity. He was
amazed to see that the library stretched endlessly, filled with manuscripts written in many languages. At first,
Dev felt overwhelmed, but his mentor reminded him that wisdom was not measured by how much one read,
but by how deeply one understood. Slowly, Dev learned to balance study with reflection, and he discovered
that true learning was not about memorizing facts but about connecting them to life.
Centuries later, Nalanda was destroyed in a fire, and countless manuscripts were lost. Yet the spirit of Nalanda
survived, reminding future generations that education is more than books—it is the courage to question, the
patience to listen, and the humility to grow.
(1) Where was Nalanda located, and what subjects were taught there?
(2) How did the university function as more than just classrooms?
(3) What activities did students engage in during the nights?
(4) Why was knowledge considered sacred in Nalanda?
(5) Who was Dev, and what did he carry when he arrived?
(6) What advice did Dev's mentor give him about wisdom?
(7) How did Dev change his approach to learning over time?
(8) What tragic event happened to Nalanda centuries later?
(9) What qualities does the passage suggest are essential for true education?
(10) In your opinion, how can modern schools learn from Nalanda's example?

Passage 2
The Sahara Desert, covering over 9.4 million square kilometres, is the largest hot desert in the world,
sprawling across North Africa. This vast expanse of sand and rock spans across several countries, including
Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, and Tunisia. The Sahara is known for
its extreme temperatures, with scorching hot days and freezing cold nights. The desert is also famous for its
massive sand dunes, some of which reach heights of over 180 meters.
Despite the harsh climate, the Sahara is home to a surprising variety of plants and animals that have adapted to
the extreme conditions. The desert is also rich in natural resources, including oil, natural gas, and minerals
like copper and iron. The Sahara has played a significant role in the history of Africa, with many ancient trade
routes crossing through the desert.
In recent years, the Sahara has been expanding, with desertification affecting many countries in the region.
This has led to a loss of fertile land and has had a significant impact on the people living in the area. Efforts
are being made to combat desertification and to promote sustainable development in the region.
(1) What is the Sahara Desert known for?
(2) How many countries does the Sahara Desert span across?
(3) What are some natural resources found in the Sahara Desert?
 (4) How have plants and animals adapted to the Sahara's climate?
(5) What is a significant environmental issue affecting the Sahara Desert?

Section–B: Writing Skills (15 Marks)

Q.2. Answer any one of the following: (5)

(a) Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper complaining about the indiscriminate use of loudspeakers in
marriage ceremonies.
OR
(b) Write a letter to your brother advising him to take necessary measures to improve his health.

Q.3. Answer any one of the following: (5)

(a) Write a paragraph on the topic: "Global Warming".

OR
(b) Write a paragraph on the topic: "Importance of Education".
OR
(c) Write a paragraph on the topic: "Increasing Obesity in Children".

Q.4. Your school is going to publish the annual magazine next month. Write a notice for the notice board of
your school inviting students to submit write-ups. (5)

Section–C: Grammar (28 Marks)

Q.5.

(a) Fill in the blanks with appropriate collective nouns:

(i) A __________ of wolves attacked the stag.
(ii) A __________ of bees was visible at a distance.
(2 Marks)
(b) Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs given in brackets:
(i) Shhhhh! Be quiet! Avni ________________ (sleep).
(ii) I ________ (call) you last night after dinner, but you ________________ (be, not) there. Where were
you?
(2 Marks)
(c) Change the following sentences into Passive Voice:
(i) She is carrying a bag.
(ii) He received the gift.
(iii) Have you bought the ticket?
(3 Marks)
(d) Fill in the blanks with suitable articles:
(i) He found _____ umbrella on the road.
(ii) _____ Earth is the only planet where human beings live.
(iii) Honesty is _____ great quality.
(3 Marks)
(e) Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions:
(i) He has already gone __________ the mall.
 (ii) There is a bridge __________ the river.
(2 Marks)
(f) Fill in the blanks with suitable modals:
(i) It __________ rain during the night.
(ii) He __________ run for 3 kilometres at a stretch.
(2 Marks)
(g) Identify the adverbs and state their kinds:
(i) He works quietly.
(ii) The theatre was completely full.
(2 Marks)
(h) Fill in the blanks to form correct conditional sentences:
(i) If I __________ the test, I won't have to study at the weekend. (pass)
(ii) If we win the match, we __________ a grand party. (have)
(2 Marks)
(i) Change the following into Indirect Speech:
(i) Krish said, "I am very busy now."
(ii) The old man said to the boy, "Please help me."
(2 Marks)
(j) Vocabulary:
(i) Write Antonyms of: permanent, tame, obedient
(ii) Write Synonyms of: need, intelligent, important
(2 + 2 = 4 Marks)
(k) Pick out the appropriate word from the brackets:
(i) Please keep __________, the doctor is inside. (quiet / quite)
(ii) I don't want to talk about that __________. (incident / incidence)
(2 Marks)
(l) Fill in the blanks with suitable conjunctions:
(i) The room is still messy __________ I didn't clean it.
(ii) He was feeling unwell, __________ I offered him my seat.
(2 Marks)

Section–D: Literature (22 Marks)

A. Prose – Honeydew
Q.6. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: (4)
He was afraid that it might kick and bleat at sight and smell of its mother. He skirted the clearing and
pushed his way into the thicket. It was difficult to fight through with his burden. The fawn's legs
caught in the bushes and he could not lift his own with freedom. He tried to shield its face from
prickling vines. Its head bobbed with his stride. His heart thumped with the marvel of its acceptance
of him.
(a) What might the fawn do at sight and smell of its mother?
(b) What was his burden?
(c) What was his problem?
(d) What was posing a problem to the fawn's face?

Q.7. Answer any four of the following questions: (4 × 2 = 8)

 (a) What is the main idea of the poem "On the Grasshopper and Cricket"?
(b) What, according to the writer, did his experience as an Everester teach him?
(c) Why does Jody want to bring the fawn home?
(d) What is the scientist's message for the disabled?
(e) For how many days does it rain without stopping? What does the author do on these days?

B. Poetry
Q.8. Read the stanza carefully and answer the questions that follow: (4)
The poetry of the Earth is ceasing never: On a lone winter evening, when the Frost Has wrought a
silence, from the stone there shrills The cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever, And seems to one in
drowsiness half lost; The grasshopper's among some grassy Hills.
(1) What brings silence in winter?
(2) Who sings the poetry of the Earth in this season?
(3) Does the warmth of the cricket's song ever decrease?
(4) Name the poem.

C. Supplementary Reader – It So Happened

Q.9. Answer any three of the following in 20–30 words: (3 × 2 = 6)

(a) What pulled the princess out of her gloom?

(b) What did Hafeez Contractor have nightmares about?
(c) Why didn't he eat all the jalebis he had bought?
(d) Who was the better swimmer? How do you know?

*** End of Question Paper ***