MODEL TEST (English 1st Paper)
Class: IX-X
Subject: English 1st Paper
Full Marks: 50 | Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Read the text below and answer the questions that follow:
May Day or International Workers' Day is observed on May 1st all over the world today to commemorate the historical struggle and sacrifices of the working people to establish an eight-hour workday. It is a public holiday in almost all the countries of the world.
Since the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries
in Europe and the US, the workers in mills and factories had been working a long shift, fourteen or even more ho urs a day. On
May 3rd, 1886, police fired into a crowd of strikers near the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company in Chicago, killing at least one striker, seriously wounding five or six others and injuring a number of them. The events of May 1, 1886, are a reminder that workers will continue to be exploited until they stand up and speak out to gain better working conditions, better pay and better lives.
Questions
1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives: $1 \times 7 = 7$
What does the word "commemorate" in the text mean?
i) To forget past events
ii) To honor the memory of an event
iii) To criticize a historical moment
iv) To start a revolutionary movement
Before May 1886, workers used to work — hours a day.
i) exactly 8 hours
ii) less than 10 hours
iii) 14 or even more hours
iv) 6 to 8 hours
The phrase "long shift" refers to —.
i) flexible working schedule
ii) prolonged work hours
iii) changing work locations
iv) night duty only
Where did the tragic police firing take place?
i) London
ii) New York
iii) Chicago
iv) Washington D.C.
The word "exploit" is best defined as —.
i) taking unfair advantage of someone
ii) offering fair wages
iii) inspiring workers to work hard
iv) organizing a labor strike
The May Day movement originally demanded a workday of —.
i) 10 hours
ii) 12 hours
iii) 8 hours
iv) 6 hours
What is the main objective of observing May Day internationally?
i) To promote industrial growth in Western countries
ii) To honor the sacrifices of workers for fundamental rights
iii) To observe a leisure holiday with family
iv) To protest against modern industrial automation
2. Answer the following questions in your own words: $2 \times 5 = 10$
(a) Why is May Day observed globally today?
(b) Describe the working conditions of factory workers prior to the May 1886 strike.
(c) What happened on May 3rd, 1886, near the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company?
(d) What essential lesson do working people learn from the historic events of May Day?
(e) Do you think workers are still exploited in modern times? Give reasons for your opinion.
3. Fill in the blanks with suitable words (without clues): $1 \times 5 = 5$
May Day holds immense significance in the history of labor rights. Before 1886, working people were forced to (a) ______ under inhuman conditions for long hours. The historical sacrifice made by the Chicago workers paved the (b) ______ for securing reasonable work shifts. Today, this day is celebrated to (c) ______ their noble contributions. It reminds us that unity is necessary to (d) ______ against any form of exploitation. Unless workers remain (e) ______ of their rights, they may face unfair treatment.
4. Match the phrases from Column A, Column B, and Column C to form 5 meaningful sentences: $1 \times 5 = 5$
| Column A | Column B | Column C |
| (a) May Day stands as | i. a historical symbol | P. for an eight-hour daily shift. |
| (b) The workers in Chicago | ii. protested demanding | Q. of unity and sacrifice for labor rights. |
| (c) Police fired indiscriminately | iii. at the peaceful strike | R. to demand better pay and facilities. |
| (d) The struggle started | iv. resulting in severe injuries | S. near the harvesting machine factory. |
| (e) Workers today continue | v. to raise their voices | T. and loss of human life. |
5. Rearrange the following sentences in correct order to make a coherent paragraph: $1 \times 8 = 8$
(a) The strike was organized to demand an 8-hour workday instead of 14 hours.
(b) May 1st is officially recognized as a public holiday in almost every country.
(c) At least one striker died instantly on the spot during the attack.
(d) On May 1, 1886, thousands of factory workers went on strike in Chicago.
(e) The sacrifice of these brave martyrs is remembered with deep respect every year.
(f) Two days later, a rally near the McCormick plant was brutally attacked by police.
(g) Since then, May Day has become an international symbol of workers' rights.
(h) Before this historic movement, working conditions were extremely harsh and oppressive.
6. Write a summary of the passage in your own words (50–70 words): $10 \times 1 = 10$
ANSWER SHEET & EVALUATION GUIDE
1. Answers to MCQs
(a) ii) To honor the memory of an event
(b) iii) 14 or even more hours
(c) ii) prolonged work hours
(d) iii) Chicago
(e) i) taking unfair advantage of someone
(f) iii) 8 hours
(g) ii) To honor the sacrifices of workers for fundamental rights
2. Answers to Short Questions
(a) May Day is observed globally to honor and remember the historical struggle and sacrifices made by workers in 1886 to establish a standard eight-hour workday.
(b) Prior to May 1886, factory workers endured extremely harsh conditions, working exhausting shifts of 14 hours or more per day under poor pay and strict enforcement.
(c) On May 3rd, 1886, police fired into a crowd of striking workers near the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, killing at least one worker and injuring several others.
(d) The primary lesson is that workers will continue to face exploitation unless they unite, stand up, and speak out for their legal rights, reasonable hours, and proper working conditions.
(e) Yes, in many modern informal industries and sweatshops, workers still face low wages and unsanitary conditions. Strict enforcement of labor laws and continuous vigilance are essential to protect them.
3. Answers to Fill in the Blanks
(a) toil / work
(b) way / path
(c) honor / commemorate
(d) protest / fight
(e) aware / conscious
4. Answers to Matching Sentences
(a) + i + Q: May Day stands as a historical symbol of unity and sacrifice for labor rights.
(b) + ii + P: The workers in Chicago protested demanding for an eight-hour daily shift.
(c) + iii + S: Police fired indiscriminately at the peaceful strike near the harvesting machine factory.
(d) + iv + T: The struggle started resulting in severe injuries and loss of human life.
(e) + v + R: Workers today continue to raise their voices to demand better pay and facilities.
5. Answer to Rearrange Sequence
Correct Order: h $\rightarrow$ d $\rightarrow$ a $\rightarrow$ f $\rightarrow$ c $\rightarrow$ e $\rightarrow$ g $\rightarrow$ b
Full Paragraph:
Before this historic movement, working conditions were extremely harsh and oppressive. On May 1, 1886, thousands of factory workers went on strike in Chicago. The strike was organized to demand an 8-hour workday instead of 14 hours. Two days later, a rally near the McCormick plant was brutally attacked by police. At least one striker died instantly on the spot during the attack. The sacrifice of these brave martyrs is remembered with deep respect every year. Since then, May Day has become an international symbol of workers' rights. May 1st is officially recognized as a public holiday in almost every country.
6. Model Summary
"May Day commemorates the historic 1886 struggle of Chicago factory workers who protested against grueling 14-hour work shifts. Despite facing violent police suppression, their sacrifices successfully established the standard eight-hour workday worldwide. Today, celebrated as an international public holiday, May Day serves as an enduring symbol of unity and a reminder for workers to continuously speak out against exploitation and demand fair workplace rights.
