CLASS VIII
READING
WORKSHEET
Read the following passage to answer ANY TEN of given twelve questions.
Keshav and Yash lived in neighbouring villages. Once, a fair was held nearby and they set off from their
homes hoping to do some business there. Keshav filled his sack with cheap cotton, overlaid it with a layer of
fine wool, and set off for the fair. Meanwhile Yash, collected some old clothes, put a layer of sheer cotton
on top and made his way to the fair. Each stopped to rest under tree and got to talking. “I have the finest
wool in my sack,” boasted Keshav. Not to be outdone. Yash said, “I have cotton of the most superior quality.
The two struck a deal. They would exchange their goods and since wool was more expensive, Yash would
pay Keshav an extra rupee. But Yash had no money on him. So after agreeing to pay Keshav later, they went
home, laughing at each other’s folly. It did not take them long to discover that they had been duped. The
next day, Keshav landed at Yash’s house, “You cheat! Give me my rupee at least.” Yash was untroubled by
Keshav’s word, “Of course. But first help me find the treasure at the bottom of this well. We can divide it.”
So Keshav went into the well. But each time Yash, hauled up the bucket Keshav had filled, he said, “Oh! No
treasure here. Try again.” Keshav soon realised he was being used as free labour to clean the well. So he
gave a loud shout, “Here is the treasure! Watch out it’s heavy!” Yash was amazed that there actually was
treasure in the well. As soon as he pulled up the bucket, he threw away the rope so that Keshav could not
come up. But, what did he find in the bucket? Keshav covered in mud! They began fighting again. Soon it got
too dark to continue and they left for their homes.
But Keshav did not give up easily. He arrived at Yash’s house a few days later. Yash stopped him and told his
wife, “I will pretend to be dead. Keshav will have to give up.” But when Keshav heard Yash’s wife wailing,
rushed out to gather the villagers. “My friend has died. Let’s take his body of cremation.” Yash’s wife got
scared, “Go away. I shall arrange for cremation Myself!” But the villagers thought she was too grief stricken.
Once they reached the cremation ground, Keshav told the villagers, “It is getting dark. I shall watch over him
during the night.” When the villagers had left, Keshav said to Yash, “Stop pretending. Give me my money!”
Now, a gang of thieves came upon them and seeing one figure seated on the funeral pyre and another
standing next to him talking, they assumed them to be ghosts and dropped their bag of stolen goods and left
at top speed. The two, saw the bag full of gold and silver ornaments and divided it between themselves.
Keshav made sure he got an extra gold coin and the account was settled at least!
I. What made the two young men decide to visit the fair?
a) They thought they could get jobs and support themselves.
b) They wanted to trade their goods at the fair and earn some money.
c) To sell the produce they had grown for a handsome profit
d) Being unemployed they thought they could entrain people at the fair.
e) Not clearly mentioned in the passage
II. What were Keshav and Yash quarrelling about?
a) The cost of wool
b) The interest on the loan Yash had taken
c) Dividing the thieves’ treasure equally
d) The money Yash owed Keshav
e) The wages for digging the well
III. Why were the two men happy despite not going to the fair?
a) They had managed to buy whatever they needed on the way
b) They had got a good deal in exchange for a rupee
c) They had become fast friends and had made a lot of money in the bargain.
d) Each thought he had got the better deal and had swindled the other.
e) None of these
IV. Why did the villagers gather at Yash’s house?
a) Yash’s wife was very upset seeing Keshav and her husband arguing
b) To help Yash’s wife carry Yash’s body home as night had fallen
c) To give Yash’s wife the news of her husband’s death
d) They wanted to keep watch over Yash’s wife during the night
e) Villagers gathered to cremate Yash.
V. Why did Yash request Keshav to go down into the well?
a) He knew Keshav was smart and would clean it thoroughly
b) He was in search of treasure that he had buried.
c) To trick Keshav into cleaning it.
d) His wife had refused to help him.
e) To make Keshav earn the extra gold coin.
VI. Which of the following can't be said about the two young men?
1. They were lazy and made their wives work.
2. They were a match for each other in shrewdness.
3. They were dishonest and tried to swindle each other.
a) only 1
b) only 1 and 3
c) only 2 and 3
d) all 1, 2 and 3
e) none of these
VII. Why did Keshav get an extra gold coin from the thieves’ treasure?
a) as payment for digging the well
b) it was the amount Yash owed Keshav for protecting him from the thieves.
c) as repayment of the rupee that Yash owed him
d) it was his idea to spend the night at the cremation ground
e) he had proved to be cleverer than Yash
VIII. What was Keshav’s reaction to Yash’s presumed death’?
a) He immediately sent for the villagers to comfort Yash’s wife.
b) He was very upset because he realised that he would never recover his money.
c) He paid for all Yash’s funeral arrangements.
d) He could not be consoled and kept watch over Yash’s body all night.
e) He knew Yash was pretending and decided to trick him too.
IX. What frightened the thieves?
a) The sight of what they through were the spirits of the dead.
b) The realisation that the villagers would soon return.
c) Someone had discovered their hiding place.
d) Their loot had been stolen by other thieves.
e) The villagers had lit a funeral pyre for them.
X. Which of the following is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?
a) Keshav was persevering by nature.
b) There was no treasure buried in Yash’s well.
c) Keshav guarded Yash’s body because he knew thieves lived there.
d) Yash’s wife supported her husband in his crooked dealings.
e) Neither Keshav nor Yash could be trusted to keep his word.
XI. Choose the word that is most SIMILAR in meaning to TOP.
a) Height
b) Lid
c) Finest
d) Upper
e) Maximum
XII. Choose the word that is most SIMILAR in meaning to STRUCK.
a) Reached
b) Impacted
c) Slapped
d) Attacked
e) Occurred
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