Unseen Comprehension Passage Class 8 (2023- 24 Data)

unseen passages

PASSAGE –1

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that fo llow –
                                                                          “Why Do Birds Sing ?”
Why do birds sing? You might assume that birds sing because they are happy. While birds might be happy, they sing in order to communicate. One reason they sing is to stake a claim on territory. Birds sing to warn other birds to stay off their property. For example, a robin might stake a claim on a piece of land which measures about 200 feet wide by 200 feet long. This amount of land provides enough worms for the robin to feed its family. A bird maintains singing perches around the outside edges of its territory. The perches are high in the trees, so other birds can see and hear it. Birds also sing to find a mate. The length and complexity of the mating song gives information about the fitness of the bird. Healthy birds can sing longer, more complicated songs. Birds call to one another in shorter vocalizations in order to warn of danger and to locate one another. Birds sing instinctively. Young birds learn to perfect their songs by listening to adult birds and interacting with other birds. Birds in a local area might learn variations in the basic song which help them recognize other members of their group.

1) Why do birds sing?
A. To locate one another        B. To warn other birds       C. To find a mate         D. All of the above

2) Birds perch very high so …?
A. other birds can hear them                       B. other birds can see them

C. they can hide there                                   D. Both A and B are correct.

3) The health of a bird can be determined…
A. by the length of its song                           B. by the complexity of its song.
C. by the volume of its song                         D. Both A and B are correct.

4) Shorter bird vocalizations are …
A. territorial songs           B. mating songs           C. warnings             D. None of the above

5) Young birds perfect their songs by …
A. natural instinct               B. listening and interaction        C. practice            D. Both B and C are correct

6) Fitness is …
A. health.               B. danger                C. a song                      D. a warning.

7) What help does a basic song do ?
A. recognize other members                             B. Maintain health
C. Increase the length of their song                 C. Communicate with one another .

ANSWER
1. All of the above 2. Both A and B are correct
3. Both A and B are correct 4. warnings.
5. listening and interaction 6. a warning.
7. . Communicate with one another

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PASSAGE -10

Read the following passage carefully:

Children need to learn to take care of themselves to handle the stress of schools. They need guidelines on ways to be calm, return to the present moment, handle their emotions, and realize that their emotions are not always in their control. This guideline is what we call mindfulness training. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of stopping and becoming aware of what we are thinking and doing. In other words, it is introspection. The more mindful we are of our thoughts, speech, and actions, the more concentration and clarity we develop. This allows us to have a greater understanding of a situation. Teachers and parents should become role models for young people. Through mindful practices such as mindful breathing and mindful walking, they should be able to stop, look deeply, and be calm to see the root and consequence of an event, action, or situation with understanding and peace. If teachers can do this, children will follow suit. Similarly, we should learn how to handle our anger without venting frustration on our children. We must reach out and help diffuse the violence within ourselves. Mindfulness can be incorporated into schools and classrooms. For example, a mathematics teacher who attended several retreats at Plum Village, a retreat center in France established by me, used to throw chalk at his students when he got angry. After he practiced mindfulness for a while, he transformed dramatically. He shared the practice with his students, who enjoyed practicing with him and made good progress. Soon every class in the school adopted my techniques. We should practice mindful meditation collectively, because looking deeply into our situation is not an individual matter. We must combine our individual insights into collective wisdom. Students need deep relaxation to overcome the stress of contemporary life. There are several exercises that can help children practice mindfulness, such as practicing with a bell, pebble meditation, deer relaxation, touching the earth for children, snack meditation, and embracing strong emotions. In snack meditation, for instance, students and teachers sit together in a circle and enjoy eating together in silence. The children are taught to wait to begin eating until everyone has a snack and a drink. The teacher can direct the conversation to look deeply into the snack, or just ask a few questions and then let the students share and ask questions.


1.1.Complete the following sentences.Write your answer in the answer sheet:
(i)Mindfulness meditation is ………… ………… doing.
(ii)Teachers and parents have to …………………………………
(iii)We have to learn how to handle our anger………………………………………..
(iv)After , he practiced mindfulness …………………………………..
(v)Students need deep relaxation……………………………………..;.
(vi)In snack meditation , students and teachers sit ………………………………………
(vii)Further , the teacher can direct. ……………………

(i)Causing tension or worry (ii)the action of thinking deeply in silence (iii) rest and enjoyment.

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