Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)

Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9

Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

Instructions:
1. Duration of the test is 60 minutes.
2. Total marks are 100.
3. Questions paper contains 50 Questions.
4. The question numbers
• 1 to 9 belong to “Mental and Logical Ability”
• 10 to 21 belong to Mathematics
• 22 to 33 belong to Science
• 34 to 45 belong to English and
• 46 to 50 are “Scholars Section”
5. Each question carries negative marking.
6. Please leave the question in case you are not sure about answer.
7. Un- attempted questions do not attract negative marking.
8. Answers are to be given on a separate OMR sheet.
9. Rough work can be done anywhere in the booklet but not on the OMR sheet/loose paper.

Section-1, Mental and Logical Ability 3. If CAFE is coded as 3165 and HIDE is coded
(1 mark for correct answer. 0.25 mark will be deducted as 8945, how will you encode HEAD?
for wrong answer)
1. Find the missing term(?). a) 5816
1, 5, 14, 30, 55, ? b) 9156
c) 8154
a) 140 d) 8514
b) 95
c) 91 4. In a queue, Reena is the last person while
d) 88 Amit is 7th from the start. If a person
exactly between Reena and Amit is on the
2. If Riya says - “Devika’s father Raj is the only 23rd position from the start, how many
son of my father-in-law Mahesh”, then how people are there in the queue?
is Bindu, who is the sister of Devika related
to Mahesh? a) 36
a) Grand-daughter b) 39
b) Sister c) 38
c) sister-in-law d) 37
d) None of these

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 1 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

5. How many triangles are there in the 9. 583 is related to 293 in the same way as 488
following figure? is related to____

a) 378
b) 487
c) 291
d) 581

a) 31 b) 25
c) 29 d) 20 Section-2, Mathematics
(2 marks for correct answer. 0.50 mark will be
6. Rohit ranks seventh from the top and deducted for wrong answer)
twenty-eighth from the bottom in a class.
How many students are there in the class? 10. Two adjacent sides of a parallelogram are
15 cm and 10 cm. If the distance between
a) 58 b) 16 15 cm sides is 8 cm; find the distance
c) 2934 d) 27 between 10 cm sides.

7. One evening before sunset Meeta and Rahul a) 12 cm

were talking to each other face to face. If b) 25 cm
Rahul’s shadow was exactly to the right of c) 11 cm
Rahul, which direction was Meeta facing? d) None

a) Data is inadequate 11. A park, in the shape of quadrilateral ABCD,

b) West has ∠C = 90o, AB = 9m, BC = 12m, CD = 5m
c) South and AD = 8m. Find its area
d) North
a)
8. Count each 8 in the following sequence of
numbers that is immediately followed by 2,
b)
if 2 is not immediately followed by 3. How
many such 8’s are there?
c)

d)
a) 7 b) 5
c) 2 d) 4

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 2 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

12. If AB || CD || EF, PR || ST,

if SRD = 30° and AQP = 70°, 16. If, then
then RST is equal to
find the value of

in terms of c and d only.

a) 170 degree a)
b) 100 degree
c) 140 degree
b)
d) None of these

13. If p + q = 2, then the value of c)

p3 + q3 + 6p2 + 5q2 + 6pq is ___

d)
a) 23 b) 15
c) 18 d) 19 17. The rates of simple interest in two banks X
and Y are in the ratio 5:4. A person wants to
14. Ramesh purchased a second-hand motor deposit his total savings in two banks in
bike from his close friend Mohan for Rs. such a way that he received equal half
4000 on credit. If he pays the simple interest yearly interest from both. He should deposit
for the first year at the rate of 5% and for the saving in banks X and Y in the ratio
the second year at the rate of 15%. a) 4:5 b) 2:4
a) Rs. 4800 c) 3:2 d) 3:4
b) Rs. 3930
c) Rs. 2530
18. Which of the following is Euclid's third
d) Rs. 6980 postulate?
a) A circle can be drawn with any center
15. The ratio between a two-digit number and
and any radius.
the number obtained on reversing its digits
b) All right angles are equal to one
is 4:7. If the difference between the digits of
another.
the number is 3, find the number.
c) Any straight-line segment can be
a) 40 extended indefinitely in a straight line.
b) 36 d) A straight-line segment can be drawn
c) 26 joining any two points.
d) 32

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 3 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

19. 55 goats can graze a field in 16 days. How 23. Read the given statements and mark the
many goats will graze the same field in 10 correct option.
days?
a) 88 b) 67 Statement 1: Smell of burning incense stick
c) 77 d) None spreads all around due to the diffusion of its
fumes into the air.
Statement 2: Ammonium chloride is
20. Which point on x-axis is equidistant from
sublimable in nature.
(7,6) and (-3, 4)?

a) Both statements 1 and 2 are true but

a) (1,0) b) (2,0)
statement 2 is not the correct
c) (3,0) d) (-5,0) explanation of statement 1.
b) Both statement 1 and 2 are false
21. If x = a (b - c); y = b (c - a); z = c (a - b), c) Both statements 1 and 2 are true and
statement 2 is the correct explanation
then is equal to
of statement 1
d) Statement 1 is true and statement 2 is
false.
a)

24. Which of the following statements is

b) correct? (consider velocity << speed of light)

c) a) Kinetic energy of a system cannot be

changed without changing its
momentum.
d)
b) A system cannot have energy without
having momentum
Section-3, Science c) Momentum of a system cannot be
(2 marks for correct answer. 0.50 mark will be changed without changing its kinetic
deducted for wrong answer) energy
d) Kinetic energy of a system can be
22. Tripling the speed of a motor car multiplies changed without changing the
the distance required for stopping it by momentum

a) 3 b) 6
c) 2 d) 9

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 4 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

25. Which of the following statements is 29. Which one of the following is a mixture of
incorrect? gas in liquid?
a) Simple tissue is made up of similar cells a) Aerated water
whereas complex tissue is made up of b) Air
two or more than two types of cells. c) Alloys
b) Phloem is responsible for transporting d) Kerosene oil
food produced from photosynthesis.
c) The matrix of cartilage consists of 30. When linear momentum of a body becomes
fibrous tissue n times, its kinetic energy becomes
d) Blood consists of only erythrocytes and
leucocytes whereas lymph consists of a)
plasma and platelets. b)
c)
26. Which of the following is in liquid form at d)
room temperature?
a) Bromine b) Mercury 31. Which of the following statements is not
c) None of these d) Both A and B correct?

27. A stone of mass 1 kg falls to the earth from a) Some metals react with acid to give salt
a height of 10m. The kinetic energy of the and hydrogen
stone when it is 4 m above the ground is b) All metal oxide reacts with water to
a) 588 J b) 98 J form salt and acid
c) 5.88 J d) 58.8 J c) All metal carbonates react with acid to
give a salt, water and carbon dioxide
d) Some non-metal oxides react with
28. A married pair adopted a male child. A few
water to form and acid
years later, twin boys were born to them.
The blood group of the couple is AB positive
32. If specific heat of a substance is infinite, it
and O negative. The blood group of the
implies
three sons is A positive, B positive, and O
positive. The blood group of the adopted
a) Heat is taken in
son is
b) No change in temperature takes place
a) B positive
whether heat is given out or taken in.
b) Cannot be determined from the given
c) Heat is given out
information
c) O positive d) Nothing can be decided
d) A positive

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 5 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

33. In which of the following conditions the 37. Question: I've lost one of my gloves. I
distance between the molecules of ________ it somewhere.
hydrogen gas would increase?
a) cooling the hydrogen a) must be dropping
b) Increasing the volume of the container b) must have dropped
of hydrogen gas c) must have been dropping
c) Adding more hydrogen gas to the d) must drop
container without increasing the
volume of the container 38. Identify the type of pronoun for the word
d) Increasing pressure on hydrogen underlined below.
contained in a closed container
The moment which is lost is lost forever.
Section-4, English
(1.5 marks for correct answer. 0.25 mark will be a) Demonstrative pronoun
deducted for wrong answer) b) Relative pronoun
c) Distributive pronoun
34. ___________ we are working we are happy d) Indefinite pronoun
and healthy.
a) As far as 39. Choose the most appropriate indirect
b) In case narrations of the given sentences:
c) Nevertheless
d) As long as Amit said, “What a fascinating toy it is!“

35. What does the phrase "Utopian Scheme' a) Amit said what a fascinating toy it was.
mean? b) None of the above
a) High Thinking c) Amit exclaimed that it was a very
b) Great plan fascinating toy.
c) Impracticable Plan d) Amit said that it was a fascinating toy.
d) none of these
40. My grandmother walks extremely slowly.
36. Point out the nouns in the following The adverb "extremely" modifies
sentence.
It was Edison who invented the phonograph. a) Verb
a) Edison, phonograph b) Noun
b) Edison, invented c) Adverb
c) It, was d) None of these
d) None of these

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 6 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

41. Identify the mood of the verbs underlined in 44. Fill in the blank with verb forms by choosing
the given sentence. one of the given options:

Have you found your book? I would fly if I ___________ wings.

a) Objective mood a) had

b) Imperative mood b) am having
c) Indicative mood c) were having
d) Subjunctive mood d) have

42. Identify the sentence with the correct order

of adjectives. 45. Identify the parts of speech for the
underlined word of the given sentence.
a) I like that old black big really antique
scooter which is always parked at the I have something else for you.
end of the street
b) I like that black old big really antique a) Noun
scooter which is always parked at the b) Pronoun
end of the street c) Adjective
c) I like that big black old really antique d) Adverb
scooter which is always parked at the
end of the street
Section-5, Scholars Section
d) I like that really old big black antique
(5 marks for correct answer. 2 marks will be
scooter which is always parked at the
deducted for wrong answer)
end of the street
46. The length of a rectangle is decreased by
43. Choose the correct meaning of the following
50% and its width is increased by 50%.
proverb.
What impact does this have on the area of
the rectangle?
"A broken clock is right twice a day."
a) The area does not change.
a) A new god will appear
b) The area decreases by 25%.
b) The new era will start
c) The area increases by 3/4
c) even a person who's not very smart can
d) The area decreases by 75%.
sometimes be correct by accident.
d) None of these

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 7 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

47. Chords AB and CD of a circle are parallel to Harmful: Food spoiling, production of
each other and lie on opposite sides of the antibiotics
centre of the circle. If AB = 36 cm, CD = 48
cm and the distance between the chords is b) Useful: Curd preparation, citrus canker,
42 cm; find the radius of the circle. production of antibiotics
Harmful: Food spoiling, vaccine
a) 40 cm
b) 30 cm production.
c) 24 cm c) Useful: Vaccine production, curd
d) 44 cm preparation.
Harmful: Food spoiling, citrus canker,
48. The expression
(a + b + c)2 + (a + b – c)2 + (a – b + c) 2+ production of antibiotics.
(b + c – a)2 equals ____. d) Useful: Production of antibiotics, curd
a) (a2 + b2 + c2) preparation, vaccine production.
b) 4(ab + ac + bc)
Harmful: Food spoiling, citrus canker.
c) 4(a2 + b2 + c2)
d) 2(a2 + b2 + c2 + ab + bc + ac)
50. Basement membrane is made up of:
49. Some of the Microorganisms are useful for
Production of antibiotics, food spoiling,
us while some of them are harmful. From curd preparation, vaccine production,
the given list sort out useful and harmful citrus canker

actions of microorganisms.
a) Endodermal cell
a) Useful: Citrus canker, vaccine b) Cell product of epithelial cell
production, curd preparation. c) Epidermal cell only
d) None of these

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 8 of 9

 Indian School Talent Search Exam (ISTSE)
Sample Paper (Paper Based Exam) – Class 9
Total Questions: 50, Total Marks: 100

Answer Key
1-C 2-A 3-D 4-B 5-C 6-C 7-C 8-D 9-A 10-A
11-B 12-C 13-D 14-A 15-B 16-B 17-A 18-A 19-A 20-C
21-B 22-D 23-A 24-A 25-D 26-D 27-D 28-C 29-A 30-B
31-B 32-B 33-B 34-D 35-C 36-A 37-B 38-B 39-C 40-C
41-C 42-D 43-C 44-A 45-C 46-B 47-B 48-C 49-D 50-B

Copyright © https://istse.org Page 9 of 9