Department of Education

Division of Pampanga
BARUYA HIGH SCHOOL
Lubao

MONTHLY TEST IN ENGLISH GRADE 8

I. Directions: Read the following passage and answer the questions that
follow. Refer to the text to check your answers when appropriate.
Chess is called the game of kings. It has been around for a long time. People have
been playing it for over 500 years. Chess is based on an even older game from
India. The chess we play today is from Europe. Chess is a two-player game. One
player uses the white pieces. The other uses the black pieces. Each piece moves in
a special way. One piece is called the king. Each player has one. The players take
turns moving their pieces. If a player lands on a piece, he or she takes it. The game
ends when a player loses his or her king. There are a few more rules, but those are
the basics.
Some people think that chess is more than a game. They think that it makes the
mind stronger. Good chess players use their brains. They take their time. They think
about what will happen next. These skills are useful in life and in chess. Chess is
kind of like a work out for the mind.
You don't always have lots of time to think when playing chess. There is a type of
chess with short time limits. It's called blitz chess. In blitz chess, each player gets
ten minutes to use for the whole game. Your clock runs during your turn. You hit the
time clock after your move. This stops your clock. It also starts the other player's
clock. If you run out of time, you lose. Games of blitz chess are fast-paced.
Chess is not just for people. Computers have been playing chess since the 1970s. At
first they did not play well. They made mistakes. As time went on they grew
stronger. In 1997, a computer beat the best player in the world for the first time. It
was a computer called Deep Blue. Deep Blue was big. It took up a whole room. By
2006 a cell phone could beat the best players in the world. Chess sure has come a
long way. Don't you think so?
1. What is the author's purpose in writing the second paragraph?
a. To explain the rules of chess
b. To compare different types of games
c. To talk about game pieces
d. To persuade people to play chess
2. Which is not a reason that chess is a good workout for the mind according to the
text?
a. Good chess players think about what will happen next.
b. Good chess players take a lot of risks.
c. Good chess players take their time.
d. Good chess players use their brains.
3. How long have people been playing chess?
a. Over 100 years
b. Over 500 years
c. Over 1000 years
d. Over 5000 years
4. Where did the game that chess is based on come from?
a. Europe
b. America
c. India
d. All of these
5. Which best describes the main idea in the fourth paragraph?
a. This paragraph argues that players should think less.
b. This paragraph explains how blitz chess is played.
c. This paragraph explains time clocks work.
d. This paragraph describes many different ways to play chess.
6. How does a game of chess end according to the text?

a. One player takes all of the other player's pieces.

b. One player makes it to the end of the board.
c. One player becomes king.
d. One player loses his or her king.
7. Which happened first?
a. Computers did not play chess well.
b. Deep Blue won an important game.
c. Cell phones got good at playing chess.
d. Deep Blue took up a whole
room.
8. How is blitz chess different from regular chess?
a. Each player has two kings.
b. Players are blindfolded.
c. Players only have ten minutes to play.
d. Players start from a random
position.
9. If it's your turn in blitz chess, what happens when you hit the clock?
a. Both your clock and the other person's clock keep running.
b. The other person's clock stops running and yours starts.
c. Both clocks stop running.
d. Your clock stops running and the other person's clock begins.
10. When did a computer first beat a strong human player in chess?
a. 2006
b. 1997
c. 1970
d. 1976
II-A.Choose the appropriate word to complete the meaning of the ffg.
idioms.
11. (Its) raining cats and dogs
It's raining cats and dogs, so
a. watch out for falling animals
b. make sure you take an umbrella
c.
keep your pets inside
12. (like) water off a duck's back
Many people claim that insults or negative comments are like water off a duck's
back, but in reality, many of them are
a. pleased by such things
b. upset by such things
c. unaffected by
such things
13. a night owl
Cassandra is a night owl, so she doesn't usually get up until about
a. 11 a.m.
b. 11 p.m.
c. 7 a.m.
14. a queer fish
People used to say Uncle Charlie was a queer fish because he
a. talked to himself
b. didn't like fishing
c. loved swimming
15. a whale of a time
Ollie said he had a whale of a time at the jazz festival and he
a. wishes he hadn't gone b. wants to go again next year c. probably won't bother
going again
B. Rearrange the letters to make a word associated with the elements of
the short story.
16. ECAARRTH
_________________
21. IPNOT FO WIVE ________________
17. OPTL
_________________
22. XMAILC
________________
18. NCFICLOT
_________________
23. NODEMEUETN ________________
19. HMETE _________________
24. NGISIR TIONAC ________________
20. GITSNET _________________
25. NXITISOPEO
________________
C. Encircle the letter you think best answers the question.
26. In a plot of the story, the logical arrangement of events is presented .It has five
essential parts except,
a. denouement b. exposition
c. atmosphere
d. climax
27. Setting is one of the elements of a short story. It refers to the time and location
in which a story takes place. It may be the following except,
a. mood
b. climax
c. atmosphere
d. social condition
28. Which of the following is considered one of the elements of a short story?
a. character
b. denouement
c. exposition
d. climax
29. What element of the story shows the logical arrangement of events, with a
beginning ,middle and end?
a. exposition
b. character
c. plot
d. conflict

30. The author may reveal a character in several ways.

a. his/her physical appearance
b. what he/she says, thinks and does
c. what he/she does or does not do d. his/her views and opinions
31. The following are examples of coordinating conjunctions, except,
a. and
b. but
c. for
d. while
32. Which is synonymous to mood or atmosphere in the story ?
a. climax
b. denouement
c. setting
d. character

33. Conflict is the opposition of forces. It may be a conflict between man versus ,
a. man
b. circumstances c. society
d. internal
34. The point of view is defined as the angle from which a story is told except,
a. first person
b .innocent eye
c. omniscient
d. static
III. Read each sentence carefully and choose from the word pool the
character traits inferred in the following lines. Write your answer at the
end of the statements. Choose your answers from the word pool.
Honest
orphaned
good-natured
ambitious
Hardworking proactive adventurous
grateful
Industrious
naturalist
35.
Makato had no brother nor sister to take care of him. His father and mother
died._____
36.
He never idled, fed the pigs, and cleaned the forests._________
37.
He never complained and was satisfied. ____________
38.
He did every kind of work, like carrying heavy things.__________
39.
He tried his luck in a far-off land.__________________
40.
Makato thought about what he liked to do in the future.__________
41.
He picked up the shell and handed it to the king._______
42.
He planted the ground with more seedlings._________
43.
He knelt down and gave the king lettuces.____________
IV. 44-50. Correct Citation Format. Look carefully at each possible
answer and decide which is the correct format for each reference.
Book
A Physics and chemistry of the solar system. San Diego: Academic Press. Lewis, J.
S. 1997.
B. Lewis, J. S. 1997. Physics and chemistry of the solar system. San Diego: Academic
Press.
C. Physics and chemistry of the solar system. Lewis, J. S. 1997.
D. Lewis, J. S. Physics and chemistry of the solar system. San Diego: 1997.
Journal Article
A. Journal of Environmental Management, 2004, pp. 245-260: Feasibility versus
sustainability in urban water management. Starkl, M. and Brunner, N.
B. Starkl, M. and Brunner, N. Feasibility versus sustainability in urban water
management. Journal of Environmental Management 71(3).
C. Feasibility versus sustainability in urban water management. Starkl, M. and
Brunner, N. Journal of Environmental Management 71(3), 2004.
D. Starkl, M. and Brunner, N. 2004. Feasibility versus sustainability in urban water
management. Journal of Environmental Management 71(3), pp. 245-260.
Web Document
A. Overton, M. 2002. Agricultural revolution [Online]. London: BBC. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/society_culture/industrialisation/agricultural_revolution
_01.shtml [Accessed: 25th August 2005].
B. BBC. Agricultural revolution [Online]. Overton, M. 2002.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/society_culture/industrialisation/agricultural_revolution
_01.shtml [Accessed: 25th August 2005].
C. Overton, M. Agricultural revolution [Online]. London: BBC. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/society_culture/industrialisation/agricultural_revolution
_01.shtml.
D. Overton, M. 2002. Agricultural revolution [Online]. London: BBC. [Accessed: 25th
August 2005].