Class 7 English: Unseen Passages Type II

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow :

Passage 1
I had given those boots up when one evening they came. One by one I tried them on. In shape and fit, in finish and quality of leather they were the best he had ever made. I flew downstairs, wrote a cheque and posted it at once with my own hand.
A week later, passing the little street, I thought I would go in and tell him how splendidly the new boots fitted. But when I came to where his shop had been, his name was gone.
I went in very much disturbed. In the shop, there was a young man with an English face.
“Mr. Gessler in ?” I said.
“No, sir,” he said. “No, but we can attend to anything with pleasure. We’ve taken the shop over.”
“Yes. yes,” I said, “but Mr. Gessler ?”
“Oh !” he answered, “dead.”
“Dead ! But I only received these boots from him last Wednesday week.”

Questions

1. What did the author do on receiving the boots ?

2. Why did the author go to the shop ?

3. Why was the author disturbed ?

4. Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘upset’.

Answers:

1. The author tried the boots on his feet. Then, he wrote a cheque and posted it.

2. The author went to the shop to see Mr. Gessler. He wanted to tell him how good
the boots were.

3. The author was disturbed when he did not find Mr. Gessler’s name on the shop.

4. ‘Disturbed’.

Passage 2
Long ago, there were no firemen. When fire broke out, everybody became a firefighter. People formed human chains (they still do if required) and passed buckets of water from a well or a pond to the blaze. Now there are laws about building construction which ensure that space is left between buildings to reduce the fire risk. Every new building, especially a public place, must ensure observance of fire prevention norms. Bands of firefighting workers with special equipment, known as fire brigades, are there to put out fires. Firefighters are highly trained people. They possess many skills. They cut off electricity supply, knock down dangerous walls, spray water and other materials to bring fire under control.
They are also trained in first aid so that they can help people suffering from bums.

Questions

1. Why is the space left between buildings ?

2. Which is the new law which governs the constmction of a new building in a public place ?

3. What are the firebrigades ?

4. Why are the fire-fighters trained in first aid ?

5. Find a word in the passage which means the same as ‘assure’.

Answers:

1. The space is left between buildings to reduce the risk of fire.

2. According to this law, a new building in a public place must observe fire prevention rules.

3. The firebrigades are the groups of trained fire-fighters with special firefighting equipments.

4. The firefighters are trained in first aid to help people suffering from bums.

5. ‘Ensure’.

Passage 3
Then they dragged him out of doors, taking a spade and hoe with them. No sooner had the dog got near a pine tree growing in the garden than he began to paw and scratch the ground, as if a mighty treasure lay beneath.
“Quick, wife, hand me the spade and hoe !” cried the greedy old fool, as he danced with joy.
Then the covetous old fellow, with a spade, and the old crone, with a hoe, began to dig; but there was nothing but a dead kitten, the smell ofwhich made them drop their tools and shut their noses. Furious at the dog, the old man kicked and beat him to death, and the old woman finished the work by nearly chopping off his head with the sharp hoe. They then flung him into the hole and heaped the earth over his carcass.
The owner of the dog heard of the death of his pet and, mourning for him as if he had been his own child, went at night under the pine tree.

Questions

1. Who dragged whom out of the door ?

2. Why did the man dance with joy ?

3. Why was the dog killed ?

4. Find a word in the passage which means ‘cutting’.

Answers:

1. The greedy old man and his wife dragged the dog out of the door.

2. The man danced with joy thinking that he was going to get a hidden treasure.

3. The dog was killed by the old man and his wife. They killed the dog because they felt that the dog had cheated them.

4. ‘Chopping’.

Passage 4
For example, we can take away the fuel. If the fire has no fuel to feed on, no burning can take place. We often let a fire die out simply by not adding more fuel to it.
The second way of putting out a fire is to prevent oxygen from reaching it. No supply of oxygen means no fire. Small fires can be put out or ‘smothered with a damp blanket or a sack. This stops oxygen reaching the burning material. Sometimes, carbon dioxide is used to extinguish fire. It does not allow oxygen to reach the burning material.
The third way of putting out a fire is to remove the heat. If the temperature can be brought down below the flash point, the fuel stops burning. You blow on a burning matchstick or a candle to put it out. In doing so, you remove the hot air around the flame bringing down its temperature below the flash point, and the candle goes out. Sometimes, water is sprayed on a fire. It absorbs heat from the burning fuel and lowers the temperature. The blanket of water also cuts off the supply of oxygen, and the fire is extinguished.

Questions

1. How do people commonly extinguish a fire ?

2. How does a damp blanket help in putting out a fire ? –

3. What is a flash point ?

4. Find a word in the passage which means ‘suffocated’.

Answers

1. People generally extinguish a fire by stopping to add more fuel to it.

2. A damp blanket stops the flow of oxygen to the fire. The fire cannot bum without oxygen and so the damp blanket helps in putting it out.

3. A flash point for an object is the temperature on which it bums.

4. ‘Smothered’.

Passage 5
The Hermit said, “If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday and had not dug these beds for me, you would have gone away. Then that man would have attacked you and you would have wished you had stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds. And I was the most important man, and to do me good was your most important business. After¬wards, when the man ran to us, the most important time was when you were caring for him, because if you had not dressed his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business.”

Questions

1. What had the listener done to the Hermit ?

2. What would have happened if he had not helped the Hermit ?

3. What, according to the Hermit is the most important time ?

4. Find a word in the passage which means the same thing as ‘job’.

Answers

1. The listener had pitied the Hermit’s weakness and dug the beds for him.

2. If the listener had not pitied and helped the Hermit, he would have gone away. In that case he would have been killed.

3. According to the Hermit, the most important time is the ‘present time’.

4. ‘Business’.