Comprehension Test (Unseen) No.1 for Class-XII, WBCHSE

Read the following passage:
  When Sue awoke from an hour’s sleep the next morning, she found Johnsy with dull, wide-open eyes staring at the green shade.

“Put it up; I want to see,” she ordered, in a whisper.

Wearily Sue obeyed.

But, lo! After the beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that had endured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against the brick wall one ivy leaf. It was the last on the vine. Still dark green near its stem, but with its edges tinted with the yellow of decay, it hung bravely from a branch some twenty feet above the ground.

“It is the last one,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would surely fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today, and I shall die at the same time.”

“Dear, dear!” said Sue, leaning her worn face down to the pillow, “think of me, if you won’t think of yourself. What would I do?”

But Johnsy did not answer. The loneliest thing in the world is a soul when it is making ready to go on its mysterious, far journey. The fancy seemed to posses her more strongly as one by one the ties that bound her to friendship and to earth were loosed.

The day wore away! And even through the twilight, they could see the lone ivy leaf clinging to its stem against the wall. And then, with the coming of the night, the north wind was again loosed, while the rain still beat against the windows.

When it was light enough, Johnsy commanded that the shade be raised.

The ivy leaf was still there.

Johny lay for a long time looking at it. And then she called to Sue, who was stirring her chicken broth over the gas stove.

“I’ve been a bad girl, Sudie,” said Johnsy. “Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how wicked I was. It is a sin to want to die. You may bring me a little broth now, and some milk with a little port in it, and – no, I will sit up and watch you cook.”

Ah hour later she said: “Sudie, someday I hope to paint the Bay of Naples.”

[Adapted from The Last Leaf by O. Henry]

[Word notes: livelong =very long; ivy =a climbing plant with smooth, shiny, evergreen leaves; vine =a climbing plant; worn =looking tired; tint =give a shade of colour; port =strong sweet wine]

A)     Complete each of the sentences which follow, choosing the correct answer from the alternative given: 1x7=7 
i)        Awakening from sleep, Sue saw Johnsy – a) still sleeping b) gazing at the shade c) glaring at the window-sill. 
ii)       Here the word ‘shade’ refers to – a) soul after death b) a screen or cover that blocks or moderates light c) darkness. 
iii)     That night, Sue slept for – a) only a few hours b) several hours c) an hour only. 
iv)     “It will fall today...” Here, the word ‘It’ refers to – a) the green shade b) the ivy leaf c) the vine. 
v)      “I thought it would surely fall during the night." The night mentioned in the line was – a) calm and quiet b) stormy c) hot and humid. 
vi)     Lying for a long time, Johnsy was looking at the – a) green shade b) last ivy leaf c) wall. 
vii)   Johnsy wanted to take “a little broth” because she wanted to – a) die peacefully b) start living afresh c) make a journey to a far country. 

B)      Answer the questions which follow (each in about 20 words):    2x4=8 
i)        How was the ivy leaf? 
ii)       What did Johnsy think after seeing the ivy leaf? 
iii)     How did Sue react to Johnsy’s thought? 
iv)     What lesson did Johnsy learn from the leaf finally? 

C)      Rearrange the following sentences in their proper order:     5 
i)        She saw that Johnsy was staring at the green shade. 
ii)       Sue put the shade up. 
iii)     Sue got up in the morning. 
iv)     Johnsy saw that the ivy leaf was hanging from a branch. 
v)      Johnsy ordered Sue to raise it up.

Answers:

A)

(i) --b) gazing at the shade.

(ii) -- b) a screen or cover that blocks or moderates light.

(iii) -- c) an hour only.

(iv) -- b) the ivy leaf.

(v) -- b) stormy.

(vi) -- b) last ivy leaf.

(vii) -- b) start living afresh.

B)

i)        The ivy leaf was the last on the vine. It was dark green near its stem, but its edges were tinted with the yellow marks of decay. 
ii)       Johnsy thought that the ivy leaf would surely fall during the night and she would die at the same time. 
iii)     Sue felt very sad. She appealed to Johnsy to live for her and to consider what would happen to her if she lost hope. 
iv)     Finally, Johnsy learnt the lesson that she was very wicked. It was a sin on her part to want to die. She should live afresh.

(C) The proper order of the given sentences is ---- (iii), (i), (v), (ii), (iv).