GRADE - 9

Practice questions -Competency Assessments

MATHEMATICS
Q1 Ram has a total of 108 tapes and CD's in his collection. He has 3 times as many tapes as
CD's. How many more tapes does he have than CD's?

A. 72 B. 54
C. 36 D. 27

Q2 The sum of two numbers is 7. The sum of their cubes is 217.

What is the product of the two numbers?

A. 6 B. 7
C. 42 D. 126
Q3 Which of the following rational numbers does NOT have a recurring decimal
expansion?

A. 8/3 B. 5/8
C. 7/15 D. 12/9
Q4 The sides of a triangle are 3 cm, 7 cm and 8 cm.

What is the length of its shortest altitude?

A. 3/2 cm B. 3√3/2 cm
C. 12√3/7 D. 4√3 cm
Q5 The average score of Anup and three of his friends in a Maths test is 42. If the average
score of his 3 friends is 45, what is Anup's score?

A. 33 B. 40 C. 43 D. 47
Q6 Look at the given below polynomial.

23t9

What is the degree of the polynomial and the coefficient of t9?

A. degree: 9, coefficient: 8 B. degree: 9, coefficient: 1

C. degree: 1, coefficient: 9 D. degree: 8, coefficient: 9
Q7 Which of these is DEFINITELY a factor of (125k3 - m3)?

A. (25k2 - 5mk - m2) B. (25k2 + 5mk - m2)

C. (25k2 - 5mk + m2) D. (25k2 + 5mk + m2)
Q8
.

A. -1/100 B. 1/100
C. 4/25 D. 100
Q9 A right circular cone of base radius 10 cm, has a volume of 100π cm3.

What is the vertical height of the cone?

A. 1 cm B. 3 cm
C. 10 cm D. 30 cm
Q10 For a right-angled isosceles triangle, the ratio of the length of hypotenuse to the
length of any of its sides

A. is always fixed and equal to √2:1.

B. is always fixed and equal to 1:1.
C. is always fixed and equal to 2:1.
D. varies with the change in length of its other sides.
Q11 Manu is celebrating his birthday. His sister has arranged for a cake with some candles
on it.

There are two types of candles, thin and fat, each type representing some number of
years. Each thin candle represents 1 year. If Manu is 50 years old, how many years does
each fat candle represent?

A. 3 B. 10 C. 15 D. 45

Q12 Isosceles triangle PQR is symmetrical about axis m.

What is the measure of angle XPR?

A. 35° B. 55° C. 70° D. 77.5°

Q13

A. √2 B. 2 C. 4 D. 8
Q14 A conical cup can hold exactly 3 times the volume of sand that a cylindrical cup holds.
What can be said about the volume of the cylindrical cup?

A. It will be 3 times the volume of the conical cup.

B. It will be 1/3rd the volume of the conical cup.
C. It will be 9 times the volume of the conical cup.
D. It depends on the rate at which sand is filled.
Q15 A website has rated the last 5 movies of Vidhu Vinod Chopra on a scale of 10. The
rating of the movie 'Mission Kashmir' is missing.

It's known that the average rating for those 5 movies is 8 stars. What could have been
the rating for the movie 'Mission Kashmir'?

A. 9 stars B. 8 stars C. 7 stars D. 6 stars

Q16 On which number line is the position of √6 shown correctly?

A.

B.

C.

D.
Q17 A conical cup can hold exactly 3 times the volume of sand that a cylindrical cup holds.
What can be said about the volume of the cylindrical cup?

A. It will be 3 times the volume of the conical cup.

B. It will be 1/3rd the volume of the conical cup.
C. It will be 9 times the volume of the conical cup.
D. It depends on the rate at which sand is filled.
Q18 In a 5-match cricket series, Laxman had an average score of 42 runs per match from 4
matches and Rahul had an average score of 37 runs per match from 5 matches. Who
scored more runs in the series and how many more?

A. Laxman scored 5 runs more.

B. Laxman scored 25 runs more.
C. Rahul scored 17 runs more.
D. Rahul scored 23 runs more.
Q19 In the figure below, PQ, QR and RP are chords of the circle with centre O.

If ∠POQ :∠QOR :∠ROP = 3 : 2 : 4, what is the measure of ∠OQR?

A. 40°
B. 50°
C. 60°
D. 80°
Q20 A, B, and C are three poles whose heights are as shown.

(Note: A is the tallest pole and B is the shortest pole.)

The average height of the three poles CANNOT be

A. more than the height of C

B. less than the height of B
C. equal to the height of C
D. between the heights of A and C
 ENGLISH
"Read the given passage and answer the questions below"

Biscuits
A girl was waiting for a train at Central Station. She decided to buy a book to pass the time. Along
with the book, she bought a packet of biscuits. Then she found a seat in a corner of the main hall
where she could read her book in peace.

She placed the packet of biscuits on the seat between her and a man who was reading a newspaper.
When she took the first biscuit, the man took one too. She was shocked, but did not say anything and
carried on reading her book. She thought to herself, "I don't believe this! If I was a bit braver, I would
say something."

Whenever she took a biscuit, the man took one too. They continued taking biscuits until there was
only one biscuit left in the packet. The girl waited, wondering what the man was going to do. The man
took the last biscuit, divided it in two and offered her half.

Shocked, she threw her book into her bag and stormed away in a huff. She found another seat on the
other side of the main hall and composed herself. When her anger had subsided, she reached into her
bag for the book. It was then that she noticed her own unopened packet of biscuits at the bottom of
her bag.

Q1 What was the girl doing at the beginning of the story?

A. She was waiting at the train station.

B. She was about to leave the train station.
C. She was talking to a man at the train station.
D. She was buying a newspaper at the train station.
Q2 Near the middle of the story, the girl thinks to herself, “I don't believe this!” What is it
that the girl does not believe?

A. That she was not brave enough.

B. That a stranger would take the biscuits without permission.
C. That she could not concentrate on the book.
D. That the stranger did not try to make polite conversation with her.
Q3 Imagine that the girl and the man from the story met again a few minutes after the end
of the story. What might the girl say to the man?

A. Thank you, I would like to have some more of the biscuits.

B. Sorry, I did not offer you any of my biscuits.
C. Thank you, where are you going to?
D. I am sorry to have behaved rudely to you.
Q4 When did the girl realise her mistake?

A. when she changed her seat

B. when she sat one seat away from the man
C. when she found her biscuit packet
D. when she was reading the book

Q5 Choose the most appropriate title for this passage.

A. My Bizarre Journey B. Railway Station

C. Packet of Biscuits D. My train journey
Q6 She was shocked, but did not say anything and carried on reading her book.

Which of the following means the SAME as the underlined word in the above sentence?

A. sad B. mean
C. surprised D. doubtful
Poem
Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow.

I have nightmares, I tell you, believe me

of a time when butterflies stop dancing around trees.
When the sun won’t sparkle on the distant sea,
When play-time won’t scrape my knees.

When birds won’t give their secret wink,

When dragons and fairies become forgotten tales,
When the baby mouse won’t look so pink,
When I would stop looking for a trail of snails,

When the flying saucers become an ordinary cup,

I’ll forget I was sad about growing up.

Q7 "...I’ll forget I was sad about growing up."

Why does the poet say this?

A. because of responsibilities and duties B. because of ageing and dying

C. because of a loss of imagination D. because of a loss of freedom
Q8 When will the child forget that he/she was afraid of growing up?

A. when baby mice begin to appear pink B. when cups appear ordinary
C. when birds disappear D. when flowers don't sparkle
Q9 "When the flying saucers become an ordinary cup..."

Which of the following means the OPPOSITE of the underlined word?

A. average B. standard
C. distinctive D. prevailing
Q10 Who is having nightmares?

A. a child B. a man
C. a woman D. an animal
Q11 Why does the poet think that dragons and fairies will be forgotten?

A. because she will not have the time to read anymore

B. because she will be too busy to pay heed to them
C. because she will realise they are make-believe
D. because she will not be allowed to play around them anymore

"Read the given passage and answer the questions below"

Boat Builders of Chellanam

Xavier doesn't remember when he made his first boat. He was probably a teenager when he learnt
the craft from his father more than four decades ago. Xavier's Kerala has changed over the decades.
"Those days, every family in Chellanam used to make boats," he remembers, looking wistfully at the
small canal that borders his house and flows past the village. Now, there are only a handful of people
making a living through this industry in Chellanam.

A parakeet screeches close by the bright orchids that bloom near his shed. Planks of wood and coir
rope lie around the unfinished boats. A boat takes nearly a month to build - planks of local wood called
aanjili are tied with ropes of coir, then coconut fibre is used to stuff into the gaps. Rubbing the wooden
planks with fish oil makes them waterproof. A finished boat or vanji, as this country boat is called, is
about twelve feet long and three feet wide.

The country boats or vanjis were a lifeline for the locals - for kids to go to school, vegetable vendors
selling produce, fishermen... almost every house had a boat. "It is not the same anymore. Most of the
villagers have left for towns. Only fishermen want our boats nowadays," says Xavier. He and his team
make about five boats a month, and earn a few thousand rupees.

Q12 Now there are only a handful of people making a living through this industry in
Chellanam.

When we use 'a handful of people' we mean to say '___________________'.

A. many people B. few people

C. weak people D. strong people
Q13 Which words tell us that without the vanjis people in Chellanam would have found it
difficult to manage their lives?

A. making a living through this industry

B. the villagers have left for towns
C. Vanjis were a lifeline for the locals
D. lie around the unfinished boats
Q14 The word 'locals' includes ___________________.

A. only students
B. only students and merchants
C. only students, merchants and fishermen
D. all the people who lived in Chellanam

Q15 From the third paragraph, we come to know that Xavier seems to ____________________ the
change in situation.

A. have accepted B. have respected

C. be annoyed at D. be amazed at
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.

Charlie Brooke
We have no intention of carrying our reader on step by step through all the adventures and deeds of
Charlie Brooke. It is necessary to hasten over his boyhood, leaving untold the many battles fought,
risks run, and dangers encountered.
He did not cut much of a figure at the village school—though he did his best, and was fairly
successful—but in the playground, he reigned supreme. At football, cricket, gymnastics, and,
ultimately, at swimming, no one could come near him. This was partly owing to his great physical
strength, for, as time passed by he shot upwards and outwards in a way that surprised his companions
and amazed his mother, who was a distinctly little woman—a neat graceful little woman—with, like
her stalwart son, a modest opinion of herself.
As a matter of course, Charlie’s school-fellows
almost worshipped him, and he was always so
willing to help and lead them in all cases of danger
or emergency, that “Charlie to the rescue!” became
quite a familiar cry on the playground. Indeed it
would have been equally appropriate in the school,
for the lad never seemed to be so thoroughly happy
as when he was assisting some boy less capable than
himself to master his lessons.
About the time that Charlie left school, while yet a
stripling, he had the shoulders of Samson, the chest of
Hercules, and the limbs of Apollo. He was tall also—over six feet—but his unusual breadth deceived
people as to this till they stood close to him. Fair hair, close and curly, with bright blue eyes and a
permanent look of grave benignity1, completes our description of him.

Q16 What is the similarity between Charlie Brooke and his mother?

A. They have a humble view of themselves.

B. They closely resemble each other.
C. They are popular amongst their friends.
D. They are interested in all outdoor activities.
Q17 "He did not cut much of a figure at the village school..."

What does the underlined phrase above imply?

A. being judged based on appearance B. accusing someone else falsely

C. taking on a task too big for him D. creating an impressive image
Q18 "...in a way that surprised his companions and amazed his mother..."

What was the reason behind everyone's surprise and amazement?

A. Charlie's stunted development B. Charlie's helping attitude

C. Charlie's considerable growth spurt D. Charlie's below par performance in class
Q19 "Some men are endowed with exceptional capacities"
Replace the underlined word with one of the following.

A. evoked B. equipped
C. endured D. exalted
Q20 "like her stalwart son"

Identify the sentence which uses the underlined word correctly.

A. It was the same stalwart expression that had disturbed him twice before.
B. The bike's front wheel was still turning lazily, twisted at a stalwart angle.
C. The stalwart parents attended their children’s hockey game despite the rain.
D. There was only one source everyone consulted and overtime it became stalwart.
 SCIENCE
Q1 The image below shows an example of a habitat corridor that connects wildlife habitats
that are otherwise separated due to human activities.

Which of these is the MOST significant ecological function of a habitat corridor?

A. maintaining biodiversity
B. decreasing soil erosion
C. increasing access to rare plant species
D. facilitating the escape of threatened species from the area
Q2 The image below shows a man holding a gift box.

Is he applying a force on the gift box? How do you know?

A. No, because the box is not moving.

B. No, because he is not pulling or pushing the box.
C. Yes, because he has to apply a force to balance the weight of the box.
D. Yes, because the box experiences an upward force due to its buoyancy in air.
Q3 Kanika built a circuit as shown below. The bulb did not glow.

She conducted the following two experiments to check why the bulb did not glow.
1) She used the same wires, bulb and battery but replaced the pure water with
ordinary tap water.
2) She replaced the wires, bulb and battery but retained the pure water.

What was the hypothesis that Kanika was probably trying to check?

A. Pure water does not conduct electricity.

B. The wires are not attached correctly.
C. Electricity does not flow in liquids.
D. The bulb does not work.
Q4 Arjun places a pencil at a distance of 1 metre from two plane mirrors as shown in the
figure.

An image of the pencil formed in mirror P, will form its own image in mirror Q. How far
will this image be from mirror P?

A. 1 m B. 3 m C. 5 m D. 6 m
Q5 Observe the setup given below.

What should be changed in the setup so that the

object gets coated with copper?

A. The terminals of the battery must be reversed.

B. Common salt should be added to the solution.
C. The solution should be heated.
D. (No change is required.)
Q6 Kishore is standing behind a wall and facing mirror A. Another mirror named mirror
B is fixed on the other side of the wall to help him see what is there on the other side
of the wall as shown in the image below.

Based on this arrangement, which object(s) will Kishore be able to see on mirror A?

A. cat only B. cat and table lamp only

C. bed and table lamp only D. all- cat, table lamp, and bed
Q7 The following graph gives the projected remaining years that fossil fuels will be
available for, based on known reserves and annual production levels in 2015.

Which of the following factors is/are

likely to change the above predictions?

1) discovery of new fossil fuel

deposits
2) increase in the rate of consumption
of fossil fuels
3) increase in the number of power
plants using renewable sources of
energy

A. only R B. only P and Q

C. only Q and R D. all - P, Q and R
Q8 Shown below is the distance-time graph for four different bodies P, Q, R and S.

On which of these bodies was a net force DEFINITELY applied?

A. only P and Q B. only P and R

C. only Q and R D. all- P, Q, R and S
Q9 Observe the reactions given below. The compounds of different metals are in aqueous
solutions.

Based on the above reactions, which of the following is the MOST reactive metal?

A. Al B. Mg
C. Zn D. Cu
Q10 Which of the objects shown below reflect light?

A. only Q B. only P and Q

C. only P, Q and S D. all - P, Q, R and S
Q11 Salim uses a funnel to fill bottles with water from a tap as shown below.

What could be the function of the clip between the funnel and the bottle?

A. to keep a gap for air to exit as water fills the bottle

B. to prevent the neck of the bottle from getting wet
C. to let air enter the bottle and mix with the water
D. to prevent water from flowing out of the bottle
Q12 Which of the following processes in nature involves water undergoing a chemical
change?

A. cloud formation B. photosynthesis

C. transpiration D. evaporation
Q13 The figure here shows a container of water with its height marked in centimeters.

Which of the following graphs correctly shows the relationship between the pressure
due to water on the inside wall of the container and the height as marked on the
container?

Q14 Blankets made from acrylic, a synthetic fibre, are used nowadays to keep warm in
winter instead of blankets made from natural wool.

Which of the following is likely to be true about both acrylic and woollen blankets?

A. They melt on burning.

B. They trap air between their fibres.
C. They take the same time to dry after washing.
D. They take the same amount of time to decompose.
Q15 In many reptiles, the sex of an individual organism is determined not by sex
chromosomes, but by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated.

For example, in a certain species of turtles, every egg incubated above 31 oC gives rise
to a female. Eggs incubated below 28 oC give rise to males and those incubated at
intermediate temperatures give rise to a varying proportion of males and females.

Based on the given information, which of the following is most likely to be TRUE about
this species of turtles?

A. Its population can be affected by global warming.

B. Its population will never have an equal number of males and females.
C. Some of the young females of the organism will not be able to lay eggs.
D. Some of the eggs will not hatch if the incubation temperature is too high or too low.
Q16 Asha saw bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass vessel when it was heated on the
stove as shown here.

This is how she explained her observation - "The flame is at the bottom of the glass
vessel, hence the water heats up faster and forms water vapour at the bottom of the
vessel."

Which of the following should she do to verify her explanation?

A. lower the flame at the bottom of the vessel

B. heat the water while stirring continuously
C. heat the vessel from a different direction
D. heat water in a shallower glass vessel

Q17 It is believed that one of the effects of global warming will be the melting of the polar
ice caps.

Which of these is MOST LIKELY to be the result of this?

A. oceans becoming less salty B. increase in the number of plants

C. decrease in the amount of soil erosion D. lakes and wells becoming highly salty

Q18 Oxygen and hydrogen can be combined to form water.

This shows that water is a/an __________ .

A. atom B. mixture
C. element D. Compound
Q19 Given below are a few activities carried out by agricultural farmers.

1. adding fertilizer or manure to the soil

2. removing the husk to feed cattle
3. removing weeds from the field

Which of the above help(s) to increase the amount of nutrients available to the crop
plant?

A. only 1
B. only 1 and 2
C. only 1 and 3
D. all of the above
Q20 A person in space, where there is no air, is likely to_____________

A. see things as well as hear sounds.

B. see things but not hear sounds.
C. hear sounds but not see things.
D. neither hear sounds nor see things.
 SOCIAL SCIENCE
Q1 The poster shown here BEST relates to _________.

A. water harvesting B. organic farming

C. soil conservation D. slash and burn cultivation
Q2 19th-century Bengal is often regarded as the period of Bengali renaissance, mainly
because of the _____________________.

A. region's rapid industrial growth

B. rapid socio-cultural and religious reforms in Bengal Province
C. spread of English education among all the sections of society
D. first war of independence in India which was started in the heartland of Bengal
Q3 The Golconda Fort in Hyderabad has been declared as a protected heritage site by the
Government of Andhra Pradesh. They also organize sound and light shows that give
information to the public about the history of the Kakatiya dynasty that founded the fort
and the Qutb Shahi dynasty that later controlled it.

By protecting the monument, the Government of Andhra Pradesh is adhering to

____________.

A. the directive principles B. the fundamental rights

C. the fundamental duties D. the Right to Information act
Q4 Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information
by the government of any country.

Shown below is the prevalence of censorship and surveillance in different countries of

the world. The degree of censorship increases with the intensity of the shading of the
country. (The countries with no shade have no data available regarding the prevalence
of censorship.)

In a democratic system, which of the following mediums of communication is MOST

LIKELY a challenge for the government to implement censorship laws?

A. movies B. internet
C. textbooks D. newspapers
Q5 This map represents the northern part of India's Bihar state. It is mainly trying to
highlight the ______________________________.

A. drastic shifts of river Kosi in the northern plains of Bihar

B. fencing of the Indo-Nepalese border by the Border Security Force
C. formation of a river delta in the flood plains in the region of North Bihar
D. formation of a new mountain range in the plains of Bihar due to tectonic movements
Q6 Shown here is an abandoned chimney in Ahmedabad.

This chimney was part of Ahmedabad's major industry that had prospered in the 18th
century during the period of the industrial revolution in Europe. The chimney MOST
LIKELY belonged to a/an ________.

A. steel plant B. textile mill

C. oil refinery D. automobile plant
Q7 Which of the following statements is true with regards to the executive branch of the
government?

A. Policies implemented by the executive branch of the government are permanent and
irreversible.
B. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members cannot be part of the executive branch of the
government.
C. The President and Vice President are the most powerful people within the executive
branch of the government.
D. The executive branch of the government consists of a political wing which is more
powerful than the non-political wing.
Q8 Discrimination can happen on the basis of several factors like race, colour, caste, etc.
Three examples of discrimination faced by groups are given below:

P) Jews in Nazi Germany

Q) African-Americans in North America
R) Scheduled Tribes in India

What motive is likely behind the discrimination highlighted in the above examples?

A. nationalism B. gender inequality

C. ethnic and racial purity D. religious communalism
Q9 Reeta has made the following sketch, which she wants to upload on her social media
account with a suitable caption.

Which of the following captions would be BEST suited for this picture?

A. Brightening nature through the light of a bulb!

B. Follow the direction of the wind!
C. Wind energy to the rescue!
D. No waste, only recycling!
Q10 After 1880, the pace of colonisation by European nations increased MAINLY as a
consequence of __________.

A. territorial expansion by the Chinese in Asia

B. the conquest and discovery of India
C. the development of the Silk Road
D. rapid growth of mechanisation
Q11 A secular state is or claims to be officially neutral in matters of religion.

Which of these is a characteristic of the state's role in secularism in India?

A. the encouragement of a lack of belief in religion

B. the absence of laws concerning religious issues
C. the banishing of religious symbols from the public sphere
D. the reform of religious laws if they hinder fundamental rights
Q12 A report on dowry states: ''One of the most common justifications for dowry is that,
despite existing laws, a daughter does not get any share of her father’s property so, in
her marriage, she gets gifts in cash and kind. Whereas this may be true in many parts of
the world, in India, dowry is property which passes from the bride’s family to that of the
groom's family.''

Which of the following problems concerning dowry in India does this statement focus
on?

A. A woman does not have genuine control over the use and distribution of dowry.
B. There are variations in the prevalence of dowry based on geography and class.
C. Dowry laws are likely to be misused when the police make automatic arrests.
D. Dowry in India is not limited to any specific religion.
Q13 Shown below is the map of Delhi which is divided into 70 units.

These units are Delhi's ____________.

A. gram panchayats B. revenue districts

C. Lok Sabha constituencies D. Vidhan Sabha constituencies
Q14 Scientists want to estimate the number of people who will be displaced by dams built
in the future in a region.

Along with a relief map, a map showing the __________ of population in the region would
be the most useful for this task.

A. density B. growth
C. sex ratio D. rural-urban distribution

Q15 In democratic countries what is the function of having more than one political party?

A. to represent different opinions in the national legislature

B. to limit political corruption
C. to prevent political demonstrations
D. to encourage economic competition
Q16 One of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, this dance originated in northern India.
It has its roots in the nomadic poets of northern India who performed stories from
religious scriptures. In the 16th century, with the coming of the Mughals, this dance form
was influenced greatly by Islamic culture.

Which of the following dance forms could it be?

A. Odissi B. Kathak
C. Kathakali D. Kuchipudi
Q17

.
The above map is most likely to be titled __________.

A. Princely States Opposing the Quit India Movement in 1942

B. Anglo-Maratha Wars During 1775 to 1818
C. French Settlements During 1501 to 1739
D. Centres of the Rebellion in 1857
Q18 This 1890s advertisement for soap uses the theme of the ''White Man's Burden''.

What idea about colonization was reinforced by this British advertisement?

A. Colonization was seen as the best way to make profits by using local labour.
B. Colonization was seen as a noble enterprise that helped other backward nations to
progress.
C. Colonization was considered a huge responsibility that only strong-willed people could
undertake.
D. Colonization was considered easier if the local people had freedom and access to the same
things as the colonizers did.
Q19 The Indian government is divided into three branches--executive, legislative, and
judicial. Each branch can check the other branches to keep them balanced.

Which of the following is an example of a judicial check over the executive branch?

A. The Rajya Sabha states that it will not pass a bill.

B. The Supreme Court states that a presidential order is unconstitutional.
C. The High Court states that it has overruled the District Court magistrate's decision.
D. The opposition states that the central government's welfare schemes are not satisfactory.
Q20 This book is about the effects of El Niño which is capable of disrupting weather around
the world.

The El Niño is probably ________________.

A. an ocean phenomenon B. a volcanic eruption

C. a tropical thunderstorm D. an earthquake