Unseen Passage For Class 8 English With Answers

Unseen Passage for Class 8

(1) High-altitude climbing is still a very dangerous task inspite of the availability of oxygen masks and other protective equipment, which modern climbers take along with them. These, of course, are indispensable accessories of climbing, but more important than these is the stamina of the climber, which ultimately determines the success of his attempt to climb. Throughout his journey, death is his constant companion, which he can keep at a distance only with his superb presence of mind. He has to tread every inch of the ground with utmost care, for a false step may not only strike him a fatal blow, but also bring disaster to the whole expedition. That is why, all expeditions invariably take with them Sherpas who are experienced climbers and who have a thorough knowledge of the nature of the terrain.

(2) The primary objective of a mountaineering expedition is to get to the top of a high mountain, which in the past has withstood all attempts to conquer it. But if an expedition does not reach its destination it should not be presumed that the expedition is a complete failure. Sometimes, operations are temporarily suspended because of bad weather, loss of some valuable equipment or sudden death of a member of the party. Every big expedition includes men who are interested in botany, biology, geology, and various other branches of science, and these men carry with them equipment for recording their observations related to the weather, the terrain, and the different forms of life in the higher altitudes. Other scientists, explorers, and expeditioners utilise the fruits of the earlier expeditioners’ observations. Thus, every unsuccessful expedition contributes to the success of later expeditions. The British expedition led by Colonel Hunt would have found the way to Everest much more difficult had not earlier expeditions armed them with useful knowledge about the death-dealing weather which they had to encounter in the vicinity of the summit.

On the basis of your reading of the given passage, choose the correct option.

Question. Why is the death rate of climbers more than that of Sherpas?               
(i) Because Sherpas climb with all the necessary equipment for protection
(ii) Because Sherpas have thorough knowledge of the nature of the terrain
(iii) Because Sherpas have superb presence of mind
(iv) All of these

Question. The primary objective of a mountaineering expedition is to:       
(i) get to the top of a high mountain
(ii) contribute to the success of later expeditions
(iii) get a thorough knowledge of the nature of the terrain
(iv) feast the eyes on the distant landscape

Question. Why was it easy to find the way to Everest for the British expedition led by Colonel Hunt?     
(i) Because the expedition was temporarily suspended due to bad weather
(ii) Because they recorded their observations related to the different forms of life in the highest altitudes
(iii) Because in the past they withstood all attempts to conquer the expeditions
(iv) Because earlier expeditions armed them with useful knowledge about the deathdealing weather.

Question. If an expedition does not reach its destination, it should not be:         
(i) suspended
(ii) financed
(iii) observed
(iv) presumed as failure

Question. Which of the following factors determine the success of the climbers? 
(i) The experience of locals
(ii) Rich private organisations
(iii) The experience of ordinary people
(iv) Every earlier unsuccessful expedition 

Class 8 English Unseen Passage

COLOURFUL NUTRITION

(1) Just by the use of colours, you can balance your diet. All you need to do is to pay a little attention to the food you eat. Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet. Sweets and candy bars are generally colourful, but remember they do not contain natural colours, and hence, are not healthy. The key to good health is a variety of naturally-coloured foods. The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits. Getting more colours in your diet doesn’t mean you have to drastically change your current eating habits. Have a glass of 100% juice in the morning. Keep a mix of dry fruits at hand for a quick snack. Grab an apple or a banana. Include at least two vegetables in your dinner. Get into the habit of starting your dinner with a salad. Eat fruits for dessert. Always add greens to sandwiches.

(2) Most red fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which offer protection against ultraviolet rays and cancer, and helps prevent urinary tract infections and diseases related to the circulatory system. Green vegetables, along with being appealing, possess excellent antioxidant properties that protect the eyes by keeping the retina in good condition and reduce the risk of cancerous tumours. The orange and yellow group of fruits and vegetables is rich in betacarotene, an antioxidant that improves cell communication, and thereby, helps stop the spread of cancer. The blue and purple group adds an element of richness to the plate, besides influencing the pineal gland (the third eye) and the nervous system. The white group contains sulphur compounds that protect the DNA and flavonoids, an antioxidant that protects cell membranes.

(3) Therefore, the more colourful your diet, the better equipped your immune system would be to cope with diseases.

On the basis of your reading of the given passage, choose the correct option.

Question. Why are sweets and candy bars not healthy?         
(i) Because they are colourful
(ii) Because they are sweet and sour
(iii) Because they do not contain natural colours
(iv) Because they are bitter in taste

Question. How should the dinner be started?       
(i) With fruits
(ii) With a salad
(iii) With water
(iv) With something sweet

Question. Study the given visual input carefully and choose the option that correctly matches       
Column A with Column B.
Column A Column B
1. Green A. For skin and stomach body detox
2. White B. For the liver
3. Orange C. For skin health and elasticity
4. Yellow D. For the immune system
(i) 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-C
(ii) 1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B
(iii) 1-D, 2-A, 3-C, 4-B
(iv) 1-D, 2-B, 3-A, 4-C

Question. The key to good health is:                 
(i) a variety of naturally-coloured foods
(ii) sweets and candy bars
(iii) a glass of juice
(iv) dinner with a salad

Question. Which statement from the following is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?         
(i) The deeper the colour, the greater the benefits.
(ii) Nutrition experts strongly recommend adding colours to your diet.
(iii) The blue and purple group is rich in beta-carotene.
(iv) Include atleast two vegetables in your dinner.

Unseen Passage for Class 8 with Answers

Read the following passage carefully. 

THE IDITAROD TRAIL

(1) In the early 1920s, settlers came to Alaska looking for gold. They travelled by boat to the coastal towns of Seward and Knik, and from there, by land, into the gold fields. The trail they used to travel inland is known today as the Iditarod Trail, one of the National Historic Trails designated by the Congress of the United States. The Iditarod Trail quickly became a major thoroughfare in Alaska, as the mail and supplies were carried across this Trail. People also used it to get from place to place, including the priests, ministers, and judges who had to travel between villages. In winter, the settlers’ only means of travel down this trail was via dog sleds.

(2) Once the gold rush ended, many gold-seekers went back to where they had come from, and suddenly, there was much less travel on the Iditarod Trail. The introduction of the airplane in the late 1920s meant dog teams were no longer the standard mode of transportation, and of course, with the airplane carrying the mail and supplies, there was less need for land travel in general. The final blow to the use of the dog teams was the appearance of snowmobiles.

(3) By the mid-1960s, most Alaskans didn’t even know the Iditarod Trail existed, or that dog teams had played a crucial role in Alaska’s early settlements. Dorothy G. Page, a self-made historian, recognised that only a few people knew about the former use of sled dogs as working animals and about the Iditarod Trail’s role in Alaska’s colourful history. To raise awareness about this aspect of Alaskan history, she came up with the idea to have a dog sled race over the Iditarod Trail. She presented her idea to an enthusiastic musher, as dog sled drivers are known, named Joe Redington Sr. Soon Page and the Redington were working together to promote the idea of the Iditarod race, and in 1967, the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race became a reality.

On the basis of your reading of the given passage, choose the correct option. 

Question. Why did Dorothy G. Page come up with the idea to have a dog sled race over the Iditarod Trail?      
(i) To use sled dogs as working animals
(ii) To encourage dog sled drivers
(iii) To raise awareness about the Alaskan history
(iv) All of these

Question.  What was the final blow to the use of the dog teams?       
(i) The appearance of railways
(ii) The appearance of airplanes
(iii) The appearance of mobiles
(iv) The appearance of snowmobiles

Question.  ‘suddenly, there was much less travel on the Iditarod Trail.’ Why?             
(i) Because of the introduction of airplane
(ii) Because many gold seekers went back to where they had come from, once the gold rush ended
(iii) Because only few people knew about the Iditarod Trail
(iv) Because mails and supplies were carried via dog sleds

Question.  Which of the following statement is NOT TRUE about the Iditarod Trail?       
(i) People used the trail to get from place to place.
(ii) The Iditarod Trail is one of the National Historic Trails designated by the Congress of United States.
(iii) In winters, the trail was not used much by the settlers.
(iv) The trail became a major thoroughfare in Alaska.

Question. The first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race became a reality in:       
(i) 1920
(ii) 1967
(iii) 1897
(iv) 1960

Comprehensions for Class 8 English with Solutions

FAST FOOD VS GOOD HEALTH

(1) Children are bombarded with well-crafted TV ads of fast-food chains and other purveyors of high-fat, high-sugar meals and snacks. A recent study reported that two to six-year-olds, who watch television, are more likely to choose food products advertised on TV than children who do not watch such commercials. These highly-effective advertising campaigns, combined with a physically inactive lifestyle, have produced a generation of kids who are at a high risk for obesity-associated medical conditions.

(2) The major health threat is the early development of Type 2 diabetes (adult onset), particularly in children with a family history of the disease. Doctors are reporting a surge in young adolescents developing Type 2 diabetes, which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, limb amputation, and blindness. People who develop diabetes in adolescence face a diminished quality of life and shortened life span, particularly if the disease progresses untreated. It’s a scary prospect for our children, but in many cases, obesity and diabetes are preventable.

(3) When children are spending most of their free time sitting in front of televisions and computers, they are not running, jumping or engaging themselves in any sport which would keep their weight down. Parents need to set limits on the time their children are engaged in passive activities. Paediatricians recommend restricting children to one to two hours per day of TV and computer usage, though older children may need additional time for learning activities.

(4) Parental involvement remains the most important key to the children’s healthy diets. Programs to educate parents about nutrition are essential. Fast foods should be consumed only in moderation. Care-givers, who are often busy and harried, must avoid the temptation to whisk their kids into fast food restaurants or to pick up fast food for dinner. Changing eating habits and lifestyles is not easy, but the health benefit for the children is a wonderful payoff for the parents who are willing to take on the task.

On the basis of your reading of the given passage, choose the correct option. 

Question. According to the passage, what is not easy?       
(i) Educating parents about nutrition
(ii) Restricting children from watching television
(iii) Engaging children in passive activities
(iv) Changing eating habits and lifestyles        

Question. What are children bombarded with on TV?     
(i) Animated movies
(ii) Well-crafted ads of fast foods
(iii) Music shows
(iv) Comedy programmes

Question. What have produced a generation of kids who are at a high risk for obesityassociated medical conditions?       
(i) Highly-effective advertising campaigns
(ii) Physically inactive lifestyle
(iii) Both (i) and (ii)
(iv) Neither (i) nor (ii)

Question. How can parents set limits on the time their children are engaged in passive activities?       
(i) By restricting the TV and computer usage of their children to one to two hours a day.
(ii) By making the children join a sports club.
(iii) By restricting their sports activities.
(iv) By making them study for longer hours.

Question. What is recommended for children by paediatricians?         
(i) Restrict children to one to two hours per day of TV and computer usage
(ii) Moderate the consumption of fast food
(iii) Involve children in healthy eating habits
(iv) All of these

Solved Unseen Passage for Class 8 English

A TEA A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

(1) After water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world. Its popularity has survived thousands of years and has played an important role in many cultures. It is enjoyed both hot and cold, as a refreshing drink, as part of a ceremony, or as a tonic to improve health.

(2) The drink of Asia for hundreds of years, tea is believed to have been brought to Europe by the Dutch. Today, from remote Ladakh in India to Buckingham Palace in London, tea is synonymous with cheer. It is rightly said that there will be no agreement on a perfect cup of tea. Though for tea drinkers, the brew is addictive, the preferred method of preparation and taste differs from person to person and region to region. From traditional black teas, to the newer, and extraordinarily healthy white teas, and recognisable flavoured teas, such as Earl Grey, to exotic blends such as Rooibos Love, there is a flavour and a blend for everyone. Today, many varieties of tea and tea brands are available in the market. An innovation is the tea-bag that is easy, quick, and less messy than the traditional way of brewing tea. Green tea is popular in China and the Far East.

(3) In Japan, the tea ceremony is a traditional way of greeting guests and is a social occasion. Unlike the tea we are familiar with, green tea is not drunk with sugar or milk. It is an olive-coloured liquid served in porcelain cups. In Morocco, green tea is infused with freshly-plucked mint. (4) Some scientists believe that tea prevents tooth decay because it is a rich source of fluoride. Tea is also a folk remedy for stomach upsets and flu. In addition, tea is said to have antioxidants that fight cancer and also has anti-ageing properties that fight the free radicals in our bodies. Research suggests that drinking tea reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer, and lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. A welcome thought for inveterate tea drinkers: tea is the new apple-a-day to keep the doctor away.

On the basis of your reading of the given passage, choose the correct option.

Question. Choose the statement which is NOT TRUE according to the passage.       
(i) Tea is believed to have been brought to Europe by the Dutch.
(ii) In Morocco, green tea is infused with milk.
(iii) Tea is also a folk remedy for stomach upsets and flu.
(iv) Tea’s popularity has survived thousands of years.

Question. What does the line, “Tea is synonymous with cheer” mean?     
(i) Tea makes people cheerful.
(ii) Tea means cheer.
(iii) ‘Cheer’ is a type of tea.
(iv) Tea is the synonym of cheer.

Question. How is tea served in Japan?     
(i) Earthen pots
(ii) Porcelain cups
(iii) China dish
(iv) None of these

Question. What are the benefits of drinking tea? Choose the correct option from the following.         
(1) Lowers cholestrol
(2) Reduces the risk of heart disease
(3) Prevents hairfall
(4) Fights cancer
(5) Keeps the liver healthy
(i) (1) and (5)
(ii) Only (4)
(iii) Only (2)
(iv) (1), (2) and (4)

Question. Which type of tea is popular in the Far East?     
(i) White tea
(ii) Flavoured tea
(iii) Black tea
(iv) Green tea