English Reading Skills Passage -2

Answer

Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:

It was a morning that seemed to have been specially crafted for celebration. The air was calm, the sun’s warmth just right, and the sky stretched out in a delicate shade of pale blue, kissed by a faint golden mist that hinted at the season’s early summer charm. The garden was already alive with activity. The gardener had been up since first light, tending to every detail. The freshly mown grass glistened in the soft sunlight, while the neat, dark patches where daisies had been removed gave the lawn an almost polished look. In full bloom, the roses stood proudly as if they knew their role as the garden stars. Hundreds of flowers had unfurled overnight, bowing gracefully on their green stems, as though touched by some heavenly presence.

The hustle of preparation had begun inside the house, even though breakfast was still being served. The marquee team had arrived, ready to set up the grand tent. “Where should the marquee go this time, mother?” Laura leaned forward with a curious tilt, but her mother simply waved a hand.

“Oh, don’t ask me! This year, I’m leaving everything to you. Forget I’m your mother; I’m merely an honored guest at this event.” Her laugh was light and carefree as if she truly meant to let go of the responsibility.

Meg, however, was in no state to take charge. She lounged at the breakfast table, her damp hair wrapped in a colorful scarf, the loose curls still clinging stubbornly to her cheeks. With a steaming coffee cup in hand, she looked entirely uninterested in overseeing anything.

“You’ll have to manage it, Laura,” Jose chimed in, breezing into the room in her usual flamboyant style. Her silk robe fluttered behind her like butterfly wings, her energy as vivid as her outfit. “You’re the creative one after all,” she added with a knowing smile, leaving Laura no choice but to rise to the occasion.

1. Answer any ten of the following questions: (1×10=10)

(a) How was the morning described in the passage?

(b) What activities was the gardener involved in?

(c) How did the roses appear in the garden?

(d) Why did Laura’s mother refer to herself as “merely an honored guest”?

(e) Why was Meg unwilling to take charge of the marquee setup?

(f) How did Jose’s appearance reflect her personality?

Change the following words as directed and make sentences with the changed words:

(g) Glisten (Change to noun) (h) Creative (Change to adverb) (i) Flamboyant (Change to noun)

Change the following sentences as directed:

(j) “Where should the marquee go this time, mother?” (Rewrite the sentence in indirect speech)

(k) The gardener had been up since first light, tending to every detail. (Make it passive)

(l) “Forget I’m your mother; I’m merely an honored guest at this event.” (Make it complex)

Solution

(a) The morning was calm, sunny, and beautiful, with a pale blue sky and golden mist.

(b) The gardener mowed the grass, swept the lawns, and made the garden look clean and shiny.

(c) The roses appeared bright, fresh, and full of bloom, as if touched by a heavenly presence.

(d) Laura’s mother wanted the children to take responsibility and enjoy the event while she acted as a guest.

(e) Meg was unwilling because she had just washed her hair and was relaxing with a coffee.

(f) Jose’s silk robe and confident style reflected her lively and vibrant personality.

(g) The glistening of the grass made the garden look magical.

(h) Laura creatively managed the marquee arrangements.

(i) Jose’s flamboyance made her stand out in every event.

(j) Laura asked her mother where the marquee should go that time.

(k) Every detail had been tended to by the gardener since first light.

(l) She asked them to forget that she was their mother because she wanted to be treated as merely an honored guest at the event.