CREST English Olympiad Class 9 Previous Year Paper

Q.1

Fill in the blank with a suitable option:

My wife is always _______ when she gets a headache and becomes angry at me for no reason at all.

Q.2

Fill in the blank with a suitable option:

My friend says that she doesn't _______ that I have been home since morning.

Q.3

Choose suitable prepositions for the blanks in the given sentence:

Suzanne, who lives _______ that metro station, came over to take her car from the parking where people hurried _______.

Q.4

Choose the correct set of conjunctions to fill in the blanks:

The kids are usually afraid during their first day in school, ______ their parents are allowed to sit with them. The parents can stop coming ______ the kids are comfortable, ______ they can continue to come the entire term ______ they wish to do so.

Q.5

From the given options, choose the correct quantity noun for the given sentence:

I used my binoculars to see if I can also find a fleet of _______.

Q.6

We know our art teacher will not take any classes now.

Q.7

Fill in the blank with a suitable word from the given options:

I'm sorry, but I _______ what you said that day.

Q.8

Rearrange the given sentences into a meaningful sequence. The first and last sentences are already aligned for you:

1: In the New Thought philosophy, the Law of Attraction is the belief
P: Negative experiences into a person's life.
Q: That positive or negative thoughts bring positive or
R: Both made from pure energy, and that through the process of like energy
S: The belief is based on the idea that people and their thoughts are
6: Attracting like energy a person can improve their own health, wealth, and personal relationships.

Q.9

Read the following passage and answer the question:

Each year, the world uses 2.5 billion kilograms of pesticides — chemicals linked to serious health issues, including cancer, and damage to the nervous system, skin, and eyes. While conventional pesticides boost crop yields — essential as the global population nears eight billion — their harmful side effects demand safer alternatives.

A breakthrough comes from scientists in Brazil and Spain, led by Diego V. Anjos, who analysed over 50 studies across 17 crops — including cotton, mango, cauliflower and sweet potato — grown in the UK, US, Australia and Brazil. Their findings? Ants are as effective as chemical pesticides at controlling pests — sometimes even better.

Ants’ protective power is strongest in shaded areas, where they reduce pest populations nearly twice as much. They also thrive in biodiverse farms with mixed crops. One caveat: ants 'farm' aphids for their sugary honeydew, which can increase aphid numbers. But researchers note this doesn’t outweigh their overall benefit — and suggest planting nearby sugar sources could divert ants from aphids.

This isn’t new: China has used yellow citrus ants for pest control in orange groves for 1,700 years. Elsewhere, Thai farmers deploy ducks to eat pests — proving nature offers time-tested solutions.

Replacing synthetic pesticides with biological controls like ants promises major advantages: reduced human and environmental harm, lower costs, and support for biodiversity, not its reduction.

In short, ants aren’t just insects — they’re tiny, efficient, eco-friendly farmhands. Harnessing them could revolutionise agriculture — sustainably.

According to the article, whose presence is increased by ants?

Q.10

Fill the appropriate response to complete the sentence:

Mary: "Your advice this morning was much appreciated. It has changed my life."
Anna: "_______"