Regular practice of 8th Standard English Question Paper Kerala Syllabus Set 3 helps students overcome exam fear and perform better.
Kerala Syllabus Class 8 English Model Question Paper Set 3
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Max. Score: 40
Instructions:
- 15 minutes is given as cool off time.
- This time is to be used for reading the question paper.
- You are not supposed to write anything during the cool off time.
- Attempt the questions according to the instructions.
Questions 1-3: Read the excerpt from “Talking of Science” and answer the questions that follow. “ Dr. Ajith Parameswaran is giving answers to some questions put to him by the interviewer. (3 × 1 = 3)
Curiosity is essential for a good scientist. It drives the quest for knowledge. Children naturally ask questions, but adults often do not bother. It is because they don’t care or they don’t want to appear ignorant. Scientists must retain the child-like curiosity and admit their ignorance. This alone can drive them to discover the truth. Creating new knowledge requires a strong understanding of what is already known. Newton said, “If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” School education prepares us for this.
Question 1.
How does curiosity help a good scientist?
Answer:
Curiosity helps a good scientist it drives his quest for knowledge.
Question 2.
What are the two things scientists must do?
Answer:
The two things scientists must do are retaining child like curiosity and admitting their ignorance.
Question 3.
Newton said, “If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” It means:
A. He stood on the shoulders of tall people.
B. The giants helped him to climb on to their shoulders.
C. He used the knowledge of the earlier scientists to improve.
D. He wasn’t able to see properly as the giants were standing in front of him.
Answer:
C. He used the knowledge of the earlier scientists to improve.
Questions 4-6: Read the following excerpt from “A Tale of Two Gifts” by O. Henry and answer the questions that follow. (3 × 1 = 3)
At seven, Jim’s dinner was ready for him. Jim was never late. Della held the watch chain in her hand and sat near the door where he always entered. Then she heard his step in the hall and her face lost colour for a moment. She often said little prayers quietly, about simple everyday things. And now she said: “Please God, make him think I’m still pretty.” The door opened and Jim stepped in. He looked very thin and he was not smiling. Poor fellow, he was only twenty-two and with a family to take care of! He needed a new coat and he had nothing to cover his cold hands.
Question 4.
Was Jim always late to come home after work?
Answer:
No, he wasn’t. Jim was never late.
Question 5.
When Della heard Jim’s step in the hall, her face lost colour for a moment. What was the reason for that?
A. Jim always scolded her.
B. She had cut off and sold her hair.
C. Jim had come very late.
D. Jim did not like her.
Answer:
B. She had cut off and sold her hair.
Question 6.
How old was Jim?
Answer:
He was only 22 years old.
Question 7.
Read the following poem “The Astronomer” by Rabindranath Tagore. Write a paragraph summarising the ideas contained in the lines. (1 × 4 = 4)
I only said, “When in the evening the round full moon gets
entangled among the beaches of that Dadam tree, couldn’t somebody catch it?”
But dada laughed at me and said, “Baby, you are the silliest
child I have ever known. The moon is ever so far from us, how could anybody catch it?”
I said, “Dada, how foolish you are! When mother looks out of
her window and smiles down at us playing, would you call her far away?”
Still dada said, “You are a stupid child! But, baby where
could you find a net big enough to catch the moon with?”
I said, “Surely you could catch it with your hands.”
But dada laughed and said, “You are the silliest child I have
known. If it came nearer, you would see how big the moon is.”
I said, “Dada, what nonsense they teach at your school! When
mother bends her face down to kiss us, does her face look very big?”
But still dada says, “You are a stupid child.”
Answer:
The poem is a conversation between a small child and his dada. The child asks his dada why somebody could not catch the moon when it gets entangled among the branches of the dadam tree in the evening. Dada says the boy is foolish to ask such a question because the moon is so far away from us and no one catch it. But the boy says dada is foolish. He asks when the mother looks out of her window and smiles down at us playing, would he call her far away.
Dada wanted to know how they will find a net big enough to catch it. The boy says you could catch it with your hands. Again dada says if the moon came nearer they would see how big it was. The boy then asks his dada when mother bends her face down to kiss us, does her face look very big?” Dada Says the boy is very stupid. The poem tells us about the innocence of the children.
Questions 8-10: Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow. (3 × 1 = 3)
The Importance of Trees
Trees are essential to life on Earth. They provide oxygen, which we breathe, and help maintain the balance of the atmosphere. Trees also act as carbon sinks, absorbing harmful carbon dioxide from the air. In addition to this, trees provide shelter and food for a variety of animals, from birds to insects. Forests, made up of many trees, are vital for maintaining the water cycle and preventing soil erosion. Without trees, the environment would become unbalanced, affecting all living things. As urbanization increases, it is important to remember the value of trees and work towards preserving and planting more to safeguard our planet’s future.
Question 8.
Why are trees important for life on Earth?
Answer:
Trees important for life on Earth because they provide oxygen, which we breathe, and help maintain the balance of the atmosphere.
Question 9.
Trees act as carbon sinks by:
A. producing carbon dioxide .
B. by maintaining the water cycle.
C. by giving leaves and fruits to people, animals and birds.
D. by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide from the air.
Answer:
D. by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide from the air.
Question 10.
Trees are essential to life of earth because:
A. they provide oxygen.
B. they help maintain the balance of the atmosphere.
C. they are needed for cooking purposes.
D. they produce beautiful flowers.
Choose one answer from the following:
i) A and C are correct.
ii) B and D are correct,
iii) C and D are correct.
iv) A and B are correct.
Answer:
iv) A and B are correct.
Questions 11-13: Answer either A or B. (3 × 4 = 12)
Question 11.
[A] In “A Prescription for Life” we see Jerome going to a doctor, who is his friend, and the doctor giving him a prescription. The prescription read “A balanced diet, with water every two hours. A 10-mile walk every morning. To bed sharp at 11 o’clock every night. Don’t stuff up your mind with things you don’t understand”. Tell the story in your own words, using the hints given below.
(Hints: Jerome goes to British museum to learn about an illness – medical encyclopaedia – thinks he has all the diseases – goes to doctor – prescription – goes to pharmacy – read the prescription – goes home happily)
Answer:
One day Jerome wanted to learn something about hay fever and so he went to the British Museum to get the information from the books there. There he read the medical encyclopaedia which dealt with all kinds of diseases. When he read about the symptoms of hay fever he felt that he had all those symptoms. Then he looked at some other diseases and their symptoms. He felt that he had all those diseases in him. This made him worried and he decided to consult the doctor for help. The doctor was his friend.
When the doctor asked him what the disease that bothered him, he said that if he went on talking about all the diseases he had, the doctor would die before he finished his explanations. He said he had all the diseases except housemaid’s knee. The doctor examined him and gave him a prescription. Jerome took the prescription to the pharmacy. The chemist read the prescription and told him that he was not running a cooperative store or a family hotel, Jerome then took the prescription back and read it for the first time. It was some commonsense advice on proper diet, drinking plenty of water, regular exercise, and going to bed early. Jerome left the pharmacy feeling quite happy and decided to follow the doctor’s advice.
OR
[B] Irony is the contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs. How does the author O. Henry bring a touch of irony to the story “A Tale of Two Gifts”?
Answer:
Jim and Della are a young couple and they love each other deeply. ‘They are poor and therefore they can’t afford to buy expensive gifts for each other. But they want to give the partner an appropriate Christmas gift. Della has beautiful hair and Jim has a precious watch. Della thinks the best gift for Jim is a golden watch chain so that he can wear it proudly in public. Jim thinks the best gift for Della is some fine combs so that she can wear her hair elegantly. Della sells her beautiful hair to get the golden watch chain. Jim sells his watch to get the combs for Della’s hair. The irony is that the gifts are currently useless for them. But by sacrificing their most valuable possession they have shown how deeply they love each other.
Question 12.
[A] The narrator in the story “The Engine Trouble” by R.K. Narayan, tries to convince the municipal chairman to buy the road engine. Prepare the likely conversation between them.
Answer:
Narrator : (Enters the Office of the Chairman) Good Morning, Sir.
Chairman : Yes, Good Morning. What can I do for you?
Narrator : I’m the owner of the road engine parked in the gymkhana grounds.
Chairman : Oh, you are the owner. Didn’t you get the notice to remove it from there? We need the grounds for the upcoming cattle show.
Narrator : Sir, I had been looking for a road engine driver. But I could not find any. They say there is not a single road engine driver within 50 miles around.
Chairman : That is not my problem. I want you to remove the road engine immediately.
Narrator : Sir, I have a suggestion. The municipality has many roads to maintain. It will be good if the municipality has a road engine of its own. I will sell you the road engine at a very cheap price.
Chairman : What nonsense are you talking? Do you think the municipality wants to have a road engine of its own? It has only a few kilometres of road to maintain. For that we don’t need a road engine of our own.
Narrator : But, Sir, if you have ……
Chairman : Stop talking and don’t waste my time with your ifs and buts. I want you to remove the road engine from the gymkhana grounds in a couple of days.
Narrator : Sir, but …….
Chairman: I told you I don’t want to hear your ifs and buts. If you don’t remove that in two days’ time I will complain to the police to arrest you and charge you for blocking the use of the grounds for conducting different programmes.
Narrator : Don’t complain, Sir. I will remove it somehow.
Chairman : It is good for you to do that. Remember, in two days’ time.
Narrator : Okay, Sir!
(The Narrator goes out cursing the Chairman.)
OR
[B] Mr. Student is perplexed by the story of Teresa’s imaginary lover and her unusual letters. Later, he understands that Teresa had invented the imaginary lover because she was terribly lonely. He felt ashamed of his prejudices and misjudgements. He tells one of his close friends detailing his experiences. What does he say?
Answer:
Yuri, I want to tell you of something new I learned about human predicament. Opposite my room lives Teresa. She is tall and strong, with bushy dark brown hair and a large coarse face. She has dark eyes. She speaks with a bass voice. She also had a bad reputation. I was so prejudiced against her that I never left my door open when I knew she was in her apartment.
She once came to me and said she wanted me to write a letter to her lover Boles. She dictated it to me and I wrote it. She came back to me after some days and told me I should write another letter as a reply from Boles. I got annoyed and told her she is a liar and there is no one called Boles. She went away quite sadly. So I went to her room and had a discussion with her.
I then realised her plight. She was lonely and she invented this lover. When she makes some people read the letter written by her and the reply she supposedly gets she feels happy that there is someone to love her. I felt empathetic and I agreed to write the reply also. I continued doing that. Teresa repaid for my services by mending the holes in my socks, shirt and others items of clothing. We have become god friends now. Things are fine between Teresa and me and we are happy.
Question 13.
[A] What does Nehru mean by “noble mansion of free India” in his speech “A Tryst with Destiny? What are your dreams for our country and for the world?
Answer:
By “noble mansion of free India”, Nehru means an India where there is no gap between the rich and the poor, no intolerance, no fanaticism, and no blind love of some people for their region or language. He wants India to be a sovereign, democratic, secular nation where all the citizens live in peace, harmony and prosperity. He envisages a nation where there is unity in diversity, where there is brotherhood among the various religious, linguistic and regional groups.
My dream for the country and for the world is to have peace and harmony among people. My dream is for a world where there are no wars, no hunger, no poverty and no intolerance. I dream of world where people live like family members, loving one another without any discrimination of caste, creed, colour, language or region.
OR
[B] Nehru in his speech calls all citizens to live and work together on the path to prosperity. Imagine you share his vision with one of your friends through a letter. Write the likely letter.
Answer:
XV/24 M.G. Road
Kottayam – 686006
12 October 2025
Dearest Rosy,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits.
I recently read Nehru’s speech A Tryst with Destiny” which he made on the eve of our independence in the Constituent Assembly. The words of Jawaharlal Nehru, especially his appeals for national unity and a shared commitment to building the future of India were superb. I thought of sharing this vision with you, as I know you are keen on our country’s growth.
Nehru very clearly says that India’s progress depends entirely on all of us living and working together. He wanted India to be a nation where every citizen regardless of their religion, region or language— focuses on the prosperity for all the people.
Nehru was against all kinds of communalism and provincialism which divide people. He extolled our unity in diversity. There are problems facing India – poverty, ignorance, disease and lack of modernity. As children of Mother India we should work hand in hand to overcome the problems and make India one of the best countries in the world.
There are three most important things we ought to be if we are to achieve progress and prosperity. They are working with dedication, practising tolerance and empathy, prioritizing the Nation. So let’s make a pledge in our homes, workplaces, and communities to make a democratic, secular, prosperous modem India.
With love and affection, and ebullient hope and optimism,
Yours lovingly,
Joe
Question 14.
You studied “Little Things Matter” by A.P.J. Abdulkalam, who was the 11th President of India. Using the hints given below write his brief profile. (1 × 4 = 4)
(bom 15.10.1931 in Rameshwaram – scientist, statesman and 11th President – after presidency, teaching and public service – ISRO project director – missile man of India – Pokhran II nuclear tests in 1998 – received many awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour – died while delivering a lecture at the IIM in Shillong.)
Answer:
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was bom on 15 October 1931, in a poor Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram. He was inspired to pursue science and engineering despite humble beginnings. He was an Indian scientist, statesman, and the 11th President of India (2002-2007). After his presidency, he returned to a life of teaching and public service until his death in 2015.
As Project Director at ISRO, he was instrumental in developing India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). He played a crucial role in the development of India’s ballistic missile and launch vehicle technologies, earning him the title “Missile Man of India”. He was also a key figure in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 and served as the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister. He was the President between 2002 and 2007.He has received many awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour. He passed away on 27 July 2015, while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong.
Questions 15-17: Here are some headlines that appeared in the Indian Newspapers in the morning of August 15,1947, after Nehru had made the “A Tryst with Destiny” speech. Read the news headlines and answer the questions that follow. (3 × 1 = 3)
| NATION WAKES TO NEW LIFE |
| INCESSANT STRIVING TASK OF THE FUTURE |
| WILD SCENES OF JUBILATION IN DELHI |
| PANDIT NEHRU TO BE PREMIER |
Question 15.
Which of the headlines is the most specific?
Answer:
The headline that is the most specific is PANDIT NEHRU TO BE PREMIER.
Question 16.
Which is the headline that shows the happiness of the people?
Answer:
The headline that shows the happiness of the people is WILD SCENES OF JUBILATION IN DELHI.
Question 17.
“Incessant Striving Task of the Future” refers to:
A. Pandit Nehru’s work as PM.
B. The troubles the British will have to face in India.
C. The hard work of the leaders behind the Independence Movement.
D. The hard work we have to do to make India a prosperous nation.
Answer:
D. The hard work we have to do to make India a prosperous nation.
Question 18.
Fill in the blanks using the appropriate forms of the phrasal verbs given in brackets.
After waking up early, I had to a)……. the partment b) ……. my keys. I finally c) ……. the
search and realized they were in my backpack all along.
(figure out, run round, break down, put on, look for, put up with, call oft)
Answer:
a) run round,
b) looking for,
c) called off
Question 19.
Edit the following passage: Errors are in bold. ( 4 × 1/2 = 2)
To my utter surprise she took me her house. She asked me to wash my face. She made me a) to sit down. Then she heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made the cocoa and set the table. She asked me to eat with her. She did not b) asked me anything about where I lived, or my people or anything else that would c) embarass me. She told me about her job. She made me eat as if I were his son. When we finished eating she gave me ten dollars to buy the blue suede shoes I wanted.
Answer:
a) sit down,
b) ask,
c) embarrass,
d) her
Question 20.
Complete the conversation between Mrs. Jones and Roger in “A Tale of Two Gifts” by O. Henry. (3 × 1 = 3)
Della: Mrs. Sofronie, will you buy a) ______?
Mrs. Sofronie: Remove b) ______
Della: How much will you pay me?
Mrs. Sofronie: c) “______”.
Answer:
A) my hair?
b) remove your cap.
c) Twenty dollars