SAMPLE
PAPER
Sub: ENGLISH (Core) Maximum Marks: 100
Class: XII Time allowed: 3 hours
General
Instructions:
(i)
This paper is divided into three
sections: A, B and C. All the sections are compulsory.
(ii)
Separate instructions are given with
each section and question, wherever necessary. Read these instructions very
carefully and follow them faithfully.
(iii)
Do not exceed the prescribed word
limit while answering the questions.
SECTION A – (Reading)
30
1. Read the following passage carefully
and answer the questions that follow: 12
1. Many of us believe that “small” means
“insignificant”. We believe that small actions and choices do not have much
impact on our lives. We think that it is only the big things, the big actions
and the big decisions that really count. But when you look at the lives of all
great people, you will see that they built their character through small
decisions, small choices and small actions that they performed every day. They
transformed their lives through a step-by-step or day-by-day approach. They
nurtured and nourished their good habits and chipped away at their bad habits,
one step at a time. It was their small day-to-day decisions that added up to
make tremendous difference in the long run. Indeed, in matters of personal
growth and character building, there is no such thing as an overnight success.
2. Growth always occurs through a
sequential series of stages. Here is an organic process to growth. When we look
at children growing up, we can see the process at work: the child first learns
to crawl, then to stand and walk, and finally to run. The same is true in the
natural world. The soil must be tilled and then seed must be sowed. Next, it
must be nurtured with enough water and sunlight and only then will it grow,
bear fruit and finally ripen and be ready to eat.
3. Gandhi understood this organic process
and used this universal law or nature to his benefit. Gandhi grew in small
ways, in his day-to-day affairs. He did not wake up one day and find himself to
be the “Mahatma”. In fact, there was nothing much in his early life that showed
signs of greatness. But from his mid twenties onwards, he deliberately and
consistently attempted to change himself, reform himself and grow in small way
every day. Day-by-day, hour-by-hour, he risked failure, experimented and learnt
from mistakes. In small and large situations alike, he took up rather than
avoid responsibility.
4. People have always marvelled at the
effortless way in which Gandhi could accomplish the most difficult tasks. He
displayed great deal of self-mastery and discipline that was amazing. These
things did not come easily to him. Years of practice and disciplined training
went into making his successes possible. Very few saw his struggles, fears,
doubts and anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them. They saw the
victory, but not the struggle.
5. This is a common factor in the lives of
all great people: they exercised their freedoms and choices in small ways that
made great impact on their lives and their environment. Each of their small
decisions and actions added up to have a profound impact in the long run. By
understanding this principle, we can move forward, with confidence, in the
direction of our dreams. Often when our “ideal goal” looks too far from us, we
become easily discouraged, disheartened and pessimistic. However, when we
choose to grow in small ways, taking small steps one at a time, performing it
becomes easy.
(a) Answer
the following: 1x4=4
(i)
The main idea in the first paragraph is
that
a. Big
things, big actions and big decisions make a person great
b. Small
actions and decisions are important in one’s life
c. Overnight
success is possible for all of us
d. Personal
changes are not important
(ii)
What does the writer mean by saying ‘chipped
away at their bad habits’?
a. Steadily
gave up bad habits
b. Slowly
produced bad habits
c. Gradually
criticized bad habits
d. Did
not like bad habits
(iii)
Which of the following statements is
true in the context of the third paragraph?
a. Gandhi
became great overnight
b. Gandhi
showed signs of greatness in childhood itself
c. Every
day Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way
d. Gandhi
never made mistakes
(iv)
What is done by great people to
transform their lives?
a. They
approach life on a day-by-day basis
b. They
build character in small ways
c. They
believe in performing every day
d. All
of these
(b) Answer
the following: 1x6=6
(i)
How do small actions and choices impact
our lives?
(ii)
Describe organic process of growth
through an example from the text.
(iii)
What according to the author is the
‘universal law of nature’?
(iv)
How did Gandhi accomplish the most
difficult tasks effortlessly?
(v)
Which things about Gandhi’s life were
not seen by most people?
(vi)
How can we achieve our ‘ideal goals’?
(c) Pick
out words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following: 2
(i)
intentionally/purposely (para 3)
(ii)
of deep significance/far reaching (para
5)
2. Read the following passage carefully
and answer the questions that follow: 10
1. South India is known for its music and
for its arts and rich literature. Madras or Chennai can be called the cultural
capital and soul of Mother India. The city is built low in pleasant contrast to
ghoulish tall structures of Mumbai and Kolkata. It has vast open spaces and
ample greenery. The majestic spacious Mount Road looks like a river, wide and
deep. A stroll on the Marina beach in the evening with the sea glistening in
your face is refreshing. The breeze soothes the body; it refreshes the mind,
sharpens the tongue and brightens the intellect.
2. One can never feel dull in Chennai. The
intellectual and cultural life of the city is something of a marvel. Every
street corner of Chennai has a literary forum, a debating society and music,
dance and dramatic club. The intelligent arguments, the sparkling wit and
dashing irony enliven both the political and the literary meetings. There is a
young men’s association which attract brilliant speakers and equally brilliant
listeners to its meetings. It is a treat to watch the speakers use their
oratorical weapons. Chennai speakers are by and large sweet and urbane, though
the cantankerous, fire-eating variety is quite often witnessed in political
campaigning. The more urbane speakers weave their arguments slowly like the
unfolding of a leisurely Karnataka raga.
3. Music concerts and dance performances
draw packed houses. There is hardly any cultural family in Chennai that does
not learn and patronize music and dance in its pristine purity. Rukmani Devi Arundale’s
‘Kalakshetra’ is a renowned international centre. It has turned out hundreds of
celebrated maestros and dancers who have brought name and glory to our country.
Karnataka music has a peculiar charm of its own. It has the moon’s soft beauty
and moon’s soft pace. Thousands of people flock to the temple ‘maidans’ to get
drunk with the mellifluous melodies of their favourite singers. They sit out
all night in the gruelling heat, swaying to the rhythm of ‘nadaswaram’ and
rollicking with the measured beats of ‘mridangam’. M.S. Subbulakshmi is
considered to be the nightingale of the South.
4. The Gods might descend from heaven to
see a South Indian damsel dancing. There are several varieties of South Indian
dance – Bharat Natyam, Mohini Attam, Odissi, Kathakali etc. Age cannot wither
nor custom stale its beautiful variety. Bharat Natyam is the most graceful and
enchanting dance form whereas Kathakali is most masculine and virile. South
Indian dances combine voluptuousness with purity. Here every muscle and fibre
of the body vibrates into life, and as the tempo increases, a divine flame-like
passion bodies forth as if making an assault on heaven.
5. South Indian dress, particularly of the
males, is puritanically simple. There you cannot distinguish a judge from an
‘ardali’ by their dress. South Indian ladies too look charming and graceful in
their colourful Kanjeevaram and Mysore silk saris.
6.
South Indian cuisine, especially ‘dosa’,
‘idli’and ‘vada’ are so delicious that now we can enjoy them almost everywhere
in India as well as in some foreign countries. The Madras ‘idli’, which was a
favourite of Gandhiji is served with ‘sambhar’ and coconut ‘chutney’.
(a) Answer
the following: 1x2=2
(i)
South India is known mainly for its
a. tasty
food
b. traditional
music, art and literature
c. scenic
beauty
d. delicate
and precise ways
(ii)
South Indian dances are special because
a. Gods
come from heaven to see them
b. there
aren’t many varieties of dance
c. they
are pure as well as sensuous
d. they
make an assault on heaven
(b) Answer
the following: 1x6=6
(i)
How does the breeze on Marina beach
affect the author?
(ii)
How do we know that music is very
important for the people of South India?
(iii) What is the common connection between
language, music and dance of South India?
(iv)
What makes Karnataka music charming?
(v)
Enumerate the features of Bharat Natyam
and katahakali form of dance.
(vi)
What is Kalakshetra renowned for?
(c) Pick
out words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following: 2
(i)
ill-tempered and quarrelsome (para 2)
(ii)
smooth and sweet (para 3)
3. Read the passage carefully and answer
the questions that follow: 8
1. Whether
work should be placed among the causes of happiness or among the causes of
unhappiness may perhaps be regarded as a doubtful question. There is certainly
much work which is exceedingly irksome, and an excess of work is always very
painful. However, work is not, to most people, more painful than idleness.
There are in work, all grades; from more relief of tedium up to the profoundest
delights according to the nature of the work and the abilities of the worker.
2. Most
of the work that most people have to do is not interesting in itself but even
that work has certain great advantages. To begin with, it fills a good many
hours of the day without the need of deciding what one shall do. Most people,
when they are left free to fill their own time according to their own choice,
are at loss to think of anything sufficiently pleasant to be worth doing. And
whatever they decide on, they are troubled by the feeling that something else
would have been more pleasant here. To be able to fill leisure intelligently is
the last product of civilization and at present very few people have reached
this level. Moreover the exercise of choice is tiresome in itself. Except to
people with unusual initiative, it is positively agreeable to be told what to
do at each hour of the day, provided the orders are not too unpleasant. Most of
the idle rich suffer unspeakable boredom. At times, they may find relief by
hunting big game in Africa or by flying around the world, but the number of
such sensations is limited, especially after youth is past. Accordingly, the
more intelligent rich men work nearly as hard as if they were poor.
3. Work,
therefore is desirable, first and foremost as a preventive of boredom, although
uninteresting work is as boring as have nothing to do. With this advantage of
work, another associated advantage is that it makes holidays much more
delicious when they come. Provided that a man does not have to work so hard as
to impair his vigour, he is likely to find far more zest than an idle man would
possibly find.
4. The
second advantage of most paid work and some of unpaid work is that it gives
chances of success and opportunities foe ambition. In most work, success is
measured by income and while our capitalistic society continues, this is
inevitable. However dull work too becomes bearable, if it is a means of
building up a reputation. Continuity of purpose is one of the most essential
ingredients of happiness and that comes chiefly through work.
(a) On
the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes using headings and
sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations, where necessary. 5
(b) Write
a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words using the notes made and
also suggest a suitable title. 3
SECTION B – (Advanced Writing Skills) 30
4. Your school, A.P. Residential Academy,
Alipur, Vijayawada is organizing a Public Awareness Exhibition on drug
addiction among youth. Design a poster in not more than 50 words, to bring home
the importance of living a life free of drugs. You are Vinay/Vineeta.
OR
You are Namita/Navin. You have come out successful in
Class XII examination. You have decided to throw a party for your classmates.
Draft an invitation in not more than 50 words, giving details of venue, date
and time.
5. You are Amit/Amita staying at Sunrise
Apartments, Dalhousie Road, Dehradun. The main road leading to this colony has
three open manholes causing frequent accidents at night. The streetlight is
also not available. Write a letter to the editor of a leading national daily
expressing your concern about the apathy of the authorities towards this
situation. Also suggest ways to mobilize city dwellers with the help of school
children. 6
6. Last week, the newly built auditorium of
your school was inaugurated. As Deepak/Deepti Saha, the head boy/girl of the
school, write a factual description of the auditorium in 150-200 words. 10
OR
You had attended a workshop on
personality development for the students. Many eminent personalities had been
present. Write a report in 150-200 words on how the workshop proved to be
beneficial. You are Rajesh/Rajshree.
7. You are an active member of the Animal
Lover’s Club of your school which works for preventing cruelty to animals.
Write an article in 150-100 words for your school magazine emphasising the need
to co-exist peacefully with animals. You are Zaheeda/Zahir of Prominent Public
School, Hyderabad. 10
OR
Over the past few years there has been a
constant rise in coaching institutes and private tuition centres all over
India. Write a speech in about 150-200 words highlighting the exploitation done
by these institutes by showing dreams to the young minds. You are Gurjeet
Kaur/Gurjeet Singh, Class XII of Chandigarh Public School, Chandigarh
SECTION C – (Text
Books and Long Reading Text) 40
8.
Read the following extract and answer
the questions that follow: 4
I looked again at her, wan pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear
but all I said was, see you seen, Amma
and all I did was smile and smile and
smile .........
(a)
Name the poem and the poet. 1
(b)
Who looked pale, wan and why? 1
(c)
Explain “as a late winter’s moon”. 2
OR
Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a
bad example.
With ships and sun and love tempting
them to steal –
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped
holes
From fog to endless night.
(a)
Why is Shakespeare wicked? 1
(b)
What is the condition of the children as
described in these lines? 2
(c)
Explain “From fog to endless night”. 1
9.
Answer any four of the
following in about 30-40 words each: 4x3=12
(a)
How does M. Hamel prove to be an ideal
teacher?
(b)
Why did Edla still entertain the peddler
even after she knew the truth about him?
(c)
Mention the hazards of working in a
bangle industry.
(d) Why does Dr. Sadao mutter the words “My
friend” while treating the American prisoner of war? What is ironical about his
words?
(e)
What did Jo want Roger Skunk’s mother to
be punished for?
(f)
Why did Zitkala-Sa not want her hair to
be cut short?
10.
Answer any one of the following
in 120-150 words: 6
Though Rajkumar Shukla was an illiterate
peasant; he was resolute and was able to bring a change in the lives of the
people of Champaran. Taking hints from the text and events, describe how even
simple persons can ignite a spark of grand success.
OR
A big boy pushed Douglas into the deep
end of the swimming pool which could have led to his death. Concerns regarding
bullying and ragging persists in many teenage groups. Quoting examples from the
text, discuss the problem of bullying and its effects on the victims. Also
suggest ways to deal with this problem.
11.
Answer any one of the
following in 120-150 words: 6
Do you think Sophie is
over-ambitious and Jansie more practical? Discuss.
OR
How is Derry’s and Mr. Lamb’s behaviour
and attitude different towards people because of their physical impairment?
12.
Answer any one of the
following in 120-150 words: 6
How does the author bring in natural
elements into the novel “Silas Marner”?
OR
The ending of the novel “The Invisible
Man” is happy and just. What is your reaction when Griffin gets killed and Marvel
gets to keep all the stolen money?
13.
Answer any one of the
following in 120-150 words: 6
Eppie is a character who remains highly
predictable in her reactions. Prove this with reference to her character
traits.
OR
Why did Kemp turn out differently than
Griffin, though both were scientists?
*****
No comments:
Post a Comment