SUPER TEST ASSIGNMENT-1

Time allowed: 2½ Hrs.
Maximum Marks: 55

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SECTION A-READING (15 MARKS)

Read the following passage carefully.

THUMBS-UP
ENGLISH-V
(7 Marks)

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How many of you put up your thumbs to indicate something good or positive? Well, this is a common habit with most of us, but the thumbs-up is not a recent practice. It started long ago in ancient Rome.

In ancient Rome, slaves, prisoners, and criminals fought in the central arena with a sword or an axe to entertain Romans. These fighters were called gladiators. In most of the contests, the gladiators died.

When a gladiator was defeated but not dead, the crowd that was watching the fight had to decide whether he should be killed or spared. The crowd gave a signal with their thumbs. Thumbs-up meant that the gladiator should be allowed to live. Thumbs-down meant that he should be killed. The practice of such fights ended, but that of thumbs-up still continues.

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On the basis of your reading of the passage, complete the following statements as briefly as possible. (5 Marks)

(a) The purpose of the gladiator fight was ________.