University of Mumbai 2008 Certification English I - Question Paper

the small boat across the river when the current was so strong.
Sita was not afraid of being left alone but she did not like the look of the
river.
That evening it began to rain again. Big pellets of rain were scarring the
surface of the river. But it was warrn rain and Sita could move about in it. She
was not afraid of getting wet, she rather liked it. In the previous month, when the
monsoon shower had arrived, washing the dusty leaves of the tree and bringing up
the good smell of the earth, she had exulted in it, had run about shouting for joy.
She was used to it now, even a little tired of the rain, but she did not mind getting
wet. It was steamy indoors and her thin dress would soon dry in the heat from the
kitchen fire.
She walked about barefooted,b areleggedS. he was very sure on her feet.
Her toes had grown accustomedto gripping all types of rocks, slippery or sharp,
and though thin, she was surprisingly strong.
Black hair, streaming across her face. Black eyes. Slim brown arms. A
scar on her thigh: when she was small, visiting her mother's village, a hyena had
entered the house where she was sleeping, fastened on to her leg and tried to drag
her away but her screams had roused the villagers and the hyena had run off.

she moved about in the pouring rain, chasing the hens into a shelter
behind the hut. A harmlessb rown snakeofl ooded out of its hole, was moving
across the open ground. sita took a stick, picked the snake up with it, and dropped
it behind a cluster of rocks. she had no quarrel with snakes. They kept down the
rats and the frogs. She wondered how the rats had 1st come to the island _
probablyi n someone'sb oat or in a sacko f grain.
she disliked the huge black scorpions who left their waterlogged
dwellings and tried to take shelter in the hut. It was so easy to step on 1 and the
sting could be very painful. she had been bitten by a scorpion the previous
monsoon and for a day and a night she had known fever and great pain. sita had
neverk illed residing creaturesb ut now, whenevers hef ound a scorpion,s hec rushed 40
it with a rock! when, finalry, she went indoors, she was hungry. She ate a few
parchedg rama ndw armedu p someg oat'sm ilk.
Grandmother woke once and asked for water and Grandfather held the
brasst umblert o her lips.
The roof was leaking and a small puddle formed on the floor. Grandfather 45
kept the kerosenela mpsa light. They did not needt he light but somehowit made
them feel safer.

It rained all night.

Earning:   Approval pending.