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Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it certain words are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
Many years ago, when oak trees now past their prime were about as large as elderly gentlemen's walking sticks, there lived in Wessex a yeoman's son, whose name was Hubert. He was about fourteen years of age, and was as remarkable for his candor and lightness of heart as for his physical courage, of which, indeed, he was a little vain.
One cold Christmas Eve his father, having no other help at hand, sent him on an important errand to a small town several miles from home. He travelled on horseback, and was detained by the business till a late hour in the evening. At last, however, it was completed; he returned to the inn, the horse was saddled, and he started on his way. His journey homeward lay through the Vale of Blackmore, a fertile but somewhat lonely district, with heavy clay roads and crooked lanes. In those days, too, a great part of it was thickly wooded.
It must have been about nine o'clock when, riding along amid the over-hanging trees upon his stout-legged cob, Jerry, and singing a Christmas carol, to be in harmony with the season, Hubert fancied that he heard a noise among the boughs. This recalled to his mind that the spot he was traversing bore an evil name. Men had been waylaid there. He looked at Jerry, and wished he had been of any other color than light gray; for on this account the docile animal's form was visible even here in the dense shade. "What do I care?" he said aloud, after a few minutes of reflection. "Jerry's legs are too nimble to allow any highwayman to come near me. "
"Ha! ha! indeed," was said in a deep voice; and the next moment a man darted from the thicket on his right hand, another man from the thicket on his left hand, and another from a tree-trunk a few yards ahead. Hubert's bridle was seized, he was pulled from his horse, and, although he struck out with all his might, as a brave boy would naturally do, he was overpowered. His arms were tied behind him, his legs bound tightly together, and he was thrown into the ditch. The robbers, whose faces he could now dimly perceive to be artificially blackened, at once departed, leading off the horse.
As soon as Hubert had a little recovered himself, he found that by great exertion he was able to extricate his legs from the cord; but, in spite of every endeavor, his arms remained bound as fast as before. All, therefore, that he could do was to rise to his feet and proceed on his way with his arms behind him, and trust to chance for getting them unfastened. He knew that it would be impossible to reach home on foot that night, and in such a condition; but he walked on. Owing to the confusion which this attack caused in his brain, he lost his way, and would have been inclined to lie down and rest till morning among the dead leaves had he not known the danger of sleeping without wrappers in a frost so severe.
So he wandered further onwards, his arms wrung and numbed by the cord which pinioned him, and his heart aching for the loss of poor Jerry, who never had been known to kick, or bite, or show a single vicious habit. He was not a little glad when he discerned through the trees a distant light. Towards this he made his way, and presently found himself in front of a large mansion with flanking wings, gables, and towers, the battlements and chimneys showing their shapes against the stars.
1. What was the important errand on which Hubert was sent, by his father ?
(1) To get some food for them to eat
(2) To buy fodder for their animals
(3) To go fight the robbers
(4) To buy Christmas gifts
(5) Not mentioned in the passage
2. How was Hubert traveling to a small town several milers from home ?
(1) By car
(2) On a pony
(3) On a horse
(4) On foot
(5) By train
3. In the passage a line is said, “A great part of it was thickly wooded”. What does the word it denote ?
(1) The horse
(2) The inn
(3) The journey
(4) The lonely district
(5) None of these
4. While traveling back towards his home, what did Hubert recall when he heard a noise in the trees ?
(1) That he had forgotten to buy something very important.
(2) That the area he was travelling through had evil history.
(3) That the area was haunted by ghosts.
(4) That his horse is tired and can travel no more.
(5) None of these
5. Why was Hubert not afraid even when he recalled something to make him worry ?
(1) He thought of God and drew courage from him.
(2) He thought and hoped to be home very soon.
(3) He knew how to fight the robbers.
(4) He felt relief knowing that his horse is too quick to allow any one near him.
(5) He knew that he is too alert and powerful compared to the robbers.
6. What did the men who came out of trees do to Hubert in Vale of Blackmore ?
(1) He was pulled from his horse.
(2) The men laughed at Hubert.
(3) The men tied his legs and arms.
(4) The men shook his hands.
(5) The men congratulated him on being courageous.
7. Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME is meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Vain
(1) futile
(2) fair
(3) hand some
(4) courageous
(5) shy
8. Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME is meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Thicket
(1) thick
(2) mountain
(3) shrubbery
(4) house
(5) cottage of mud
9. Choose the word which is most nearly the OPPOSITE in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Candor
(1) frankness
(2) sincerity
(3) openness
(4) guilelessness
(5) deception
10. Choose the word which is most nearly the OPPOSITE in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
Overpower
(1) bear down
(2) vanquish
(3) surrender
(4) drown
(5) conquer
Answer. 1. (3) 2. (3) 3. (4) 4. (2) 5. (4) 6. (1) 7. (1) 8. (3) 9. (5) 10. (3)
