Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 English with Solutions Set 10 are designed as per the revised syllabus.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 English Set 10 with Solutions
Time : 3 hours
Maximum Marks : 80
General Instructions:
- The Question paper is divided into three sections: Section A: Reading 26 marks, Section B: Writing Skills and Grammar 23 marks, Section C: Literature 31 marks.
- All questions are compulsory.
- You may attempt any section at a time.
- Allquestions of that particular section must be attempted in the correct order.
Section-A
Reading (26 marks)
Question 1.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: (10 marks)
1. We live in an age of wonders and miracles. It has been called the ‘Age of Science’ and different aspects of our life that changed in the preceding centuries have been attributed to science. This is completely true, but it is only one side of the coin.
The flip side is that as we have advanced more in the field of technology, something fundamental to humanity has been left behind. Values such as empathy and concern for our fellow human beings are gradually being eroded due to the onslaught of our ever-evolving lifestyles, aided by the marvels of technological advancements
2. Take the example of the Internet. On one hand, access to information and knowledge at the click of a button is a veritable boon to everyone (especially students) and this has made our lives much simpler. On the other hand, it has severely limited actual contact with teachers, friends’ and elders. Thus, the learning that a person gains is incomplete as he or she cannot easily take the advice that another person can give on the basis of knowledge and practical experience that is at his or her disposal.
3. Today, a small child can access and navigate the Internet with an ease that still astounds those from the older generation. But what is even more astounding is the neglect of the basic human traits of friendship, relationships and family values.
Owing to all the technological advancements and the gadgets available today, children often miss out on the most enriching childhood experiences such as playing outdoor games with friends, which apart from being immensely enjoyable and physically exhilarating, also develop traits such as teamwork and discipline at an early age.
4. But now when the concept of friends is gradually being limited to virtual friends on social networking sites, one shudders to think of the implications for the personality development of a child because the time spent with computers or mobile phones for entertainment can never really substitute for the holistic benefits of outdoor play. Such examples can be found in plenty.
5. Now if we compare the hustle and bustle of modern city life and the peace and calm of a rustic village life, we can see that in cities, life is a race with a variety of factors. It is a race that everyone tries their level best to win, but nobody actually wins as it never ends.
6. As for me, I think this age of rapid development has created at least as many problems as it has solved, if not more. The reason is that the basic goal of life, which should be the pursuit of happiness, has now been replaced by the pursuit of money. Money and happiness are considered analogous in our present society, but they actually are not so. In this mindless pursuit of money, nobody has time now to appreciate the beauty of life, which consists not of multi- billion-dollar skyscrapers, but a simple act of kindness to someone in a time of need.
7. So there is an urgent need to stop for a moment and think about where we are actually heading, is it development or destruction? Do we have to wait until people have grown so much apart from each other that we cannot see the suffering of our own species due to our mindless greed, or can we still mend our ways?
8. To answer this question, I will take the help of that most magnificent of human feelings-hope. I sincerely wish that we, as the most intelligent species on earth, would take our fair share of responsibility and sincerely think about the path we should follow. Though mankind will possibly last for a long time thanks to its determination and sheer ingenuity, we have to make sure we do not lose our humanity somewhere along the way.
A. On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the following questions by choosing the most
appropriate option. (1 x 6 = 6)
1.1 According to the passage, it is like one side of the coin to say that life has changed owing to science as
(a) age of science has brought wonders and miracles.
(b) different aspects of life have changed due to science.
(c) there is another side of the coin to look at.
(d) this side of coin is true and sufficient to look at.
Answer:
(b) different aspects of life have changed due to science.
1.2. Which of the following is not true about the internet?
(a) It provides an easy access to information and knowledge.
(b) It has made our lives simpler.
(c) It has limited actual contact with teachers and friends.
(d) It can easily give advice based on personal experience.
Answer:
(d) It can easily give advice based on personal experience.
1.3. Internet hampers the holistic growth of a child by
(a) encouraging human traits of friendship, society and family
(b) enriching childhood experiences of outdoor games.
(c) providing virtual friends and gadgets.
(d) developing teamwork and discipline.
Answer:
(c) providing virtual friends and gadgets.
1.4. According to the passage, true happiness lies in
(a) simple acts of kindness.
(b) rapid development.
(c) multi- billion-dollar skyscrapers.
(d) pursuit of money.
Answer:
(a) simple acts of kindness.
1.5. The word Veritable’ in para 2 means:
(a) Actual
(b) Big
(c) Latest
(d) Perfect
Answer:
(b) Big
1.6. Antonym of holistic is
(a) Agonistic
(b) Individualistic
(c) Optimistic
(d) Pessimistic
Answer:
(b) Individualistic
B. Answer the following questions as briefly as possible. (1 x 4 = 4)
2.1. It has severely limited actual contact with _________.
Answer:
teachers, friends and elders
2.2. Money and _________ are considered analogous in our present society but they actually are not so.
Answer:
happiness
2.3. We cannot see the suffering of our own species due to our _________.
Answer:
mindless greed
2.4. I will take the help of that most magnificent of human feeling _________.
Answer:
hop
Commonly Made Errors:
- While answering questions related to Unseen Passages/Comprehensions, most students do not read the passages properly. Reading the passages properly is very essential.
- Students need to keep in mind that the answers should be brief, relevant and be in their own words, while following the words in the passages carefully.
- While answering, the students should verify the spellings of the difficult words from the passages themselves, if they are not sure of them in the first place.
Before answering multiple-choice questions, students should read the questions thoroughly and then the given options. Some options can be tricky and need careful attention. - Lastly, before moving on to the next question and just before the final submission of the answer-script, revise the answers carefully. This will help you to find out and eliminate any errors that you have overlooked earlier.
Answering Tips:
- The passages should be read silently and with full concentration.
- Grasping the context of the passages is important.
- The passages should be read silently and with full concentration.
- Grasping the context of the passages is important.
- New or difficult words should be deciphered in the context of their use in the passages.
- Answers should be in complete sentences.
- All answers should be written sequentially.
- If a student cannot answer a question, or a part of a question, then it is unwise to continue spending time on it. It is advisable to leave the question for the time being, answer the rest of the questions and then go back to the unanswered question.
- While answering an unseen passage or comprehension, you might be aware of the source as you might have read it earlier. In that case, please do not get carried away in writing things beyond the scope of the passage. That will not fetch you extra marks. Please stick to the passage!
- All spellings and answers related to seen/unseen passages or comprehensions are found within the scope of th passages; so, it is important to concentrate in them.
- Lastly, there is no need to panic. Answering questions correctly is more important than answering all questions. So, adequate time should be given to answer each question properly.
Question 3.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follows : (8)
1. In life, you’ll always come across situations where there will be someone else who’s better than you, especially when there is no one quality or standard that people can be judged on. There will always be someone who looks better, has more money or is more intelligent than you. How you choose to approach these situations, of course, depends on the perspective you take.
People in themselves aren’t intimidating, it’s the opinions you form about them that make you feel so. Rather than judging people on a single attribute and getting intimidated, be comfortable with who you are and approach other people as complete individuals rather than a bundle of good or bad attributes.
2. The key to not letting others intimidate you is to know your own worth. Don’t let your sense of if be defined by what others think of you or how you compare yourself to them. Know what you are and be comfortable in your skin. Instead of feeling threatened and letting your ego in the way, you could benefit a great deal by being around people who might be better than you in some ways. Respect others for what they are and use these opportunities to learn from the strengths and virtues of others.
3. Don’t get bogged down by what you don’t have or can’t do. We all have limitations. Learn to accept them and focus on your strengths. A lot of times, we come under pressure from what people we believe to be more popular and influential than us, in a bid to fit in with them. However, at times like these, it’s important for you to stay true to yourself and say ‘no’ when you’re expected to do something that makes you uncomfortable.
4. Your first response to an intimidating person or situation would probably be to avoid them altogether. However, avoidance only goes on to increase your anxiety. Confront these situations head on, with more and more practice, you’ll start finding these situations easier to deal with.
Always keep in mind that everybody has flaws and everyone has his/her own share of struggles, even if you aren’t able to spot them. Our self¬esteem gets lowered when we focus too much on our weaknesses and neglect what we get right. Change this pattern and start giving yourself credit for your strengths and successes.
(a) On the basis of your reading the passage, make notes using recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary. Use a format you consider suitable, supply a suitable title to it. (5 marks)
Answer:
(a) Laughter – A PRICELESS MEDICINE
1. Physical changes in body:
- strengthens immne system
- boosts energy
- dimnshs pain
- protects from stress.
2. Benefits of laughter.
- makes life more enjyble
- helps solve problems
- connects with others
3. Laughter – An Integral Part of life
- makes one creative
- helps to balance prspctive
- makes one more relaxed & positive
| Key to Abbreviations | ||
| S. No. | Abbreviation | Word |
| 1 | immne | immune |
| 2 | dimnshs | diminishes |
| 3 | enjyble | enjoyable |
| 4 | prspctive | Perspective |
| 5 | & | and |
(b) Make a short summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3 marks)
Answer:
Summary
Laughter is a priceless medicine which is easy to use. It brings many physical changes in the body. It strengthens the immune system, boosts our energy, diminishes the pain and protects us from stress. There are many benefits of laughter. It makes life more enjoyable and helps us to solve our problems in a positive manner. Laughter should be made an integral part of life to connect us to others. It also helps in making our life more relaxed. Laughter and humour takes a person to a higher place where they can enjoy a balanced perspective.
Commonly Made Errors:
- The most commonly made mistakes include not reading the passage thoroughly and not paying attention to i details. This leads to unclear understanding of the context.
- The next big mistake is not noting the ‘key-words’ in the passage. Identification of key-words is important to decide the main thrust of the passage and bring out the summary.
- While substituting words for phrases and clauses, the appropriate form of the word should be used. For example, if the substitution requires the adjectival form of a word, then using the noun or the verb form can be fatal.
- Punctuations are very important in summarisation or precise writing. They should be used prudently.
- Spellings and grammar should be checked for during the note-making stage so that no corrections need be j implemented during the summary or precis writing.
- While providing a Title for the summary/precise, students should relate it to the context of the passage. Too much emphasis on making it catchy might lead to making the blunder of it being not related to the context.
Answering Tips:
- While answering questions related to Note-making and Summary (Precis Writing), ills important to read the passages properly and grasp their meanings. 1f need be, the passage should be read and re-read a number of times to ensure that every part of it is clear to the student.
- Next, it is important to underline the important points in the passage. With practice, this can be done at the same time as the passage is being read.
- The underlined portions should be summed up as separate bulleted points.
- Thereafter, the students should read the bulleted points so that they are sure that those points are adequate in providing the gist of the passage. There should not be any ambiguity or lack of darity in meaning anywhere.
- While summarizing the bullets, one should be mindful to shorten the sentences as much as possible by substituting clauses and phrases with words conveying similar meanings.
- Beginners are also advised to calculate the average number of words written by them in each line and then to calculate the number of lines required to write the precis or summary based on the average words per line.
- The average word-limit per sentence should be between five to ten words.
- Students are advised to draw columns with pencil such that the total number of cells in the table so formed exactly match the maximum permissible words in the summary. Then they should write one per cell to achieve the maximum word limit.
- Lastly, students should ensure correctness of spellings, contextual use of substituting words and grammatical correctness.
Section – B
Writing Skills and Grammar (23 marks)
Question 4.
Draft a poster on ‘Kids Carnival’. (3 marks)
OR
Imagine that a career counselling session is being organised by Mr. E K. Puri in Hotel Ashoka, New Delhi. Draft a poster in 50 words for the same.
Answer:
Answering Tips:
- The language of the Notice should always be in Direct Speech and in Passive Voice.
- If the Notice is from any authority like the government or the management of some organisation, then the language should not be authoritative. It should be firm, yet polite. It should not directly ‘call out’ people.
- The words chosen should be simple and the communication should be clear.
Question 5.
Orient Export House, Delhi needs a receptionist for their office. Draft a suitable advertisement to be published in the classified columns of the newspaper in not more than 50 words. (3 marks)
OR
On behalf of the principal of your school, draft a classified advertisement inviting applications for some postsof teachers lying vacant and to be filled soon.
Answer:
SITUATION VACANT
WANTED a young, graduate smart Receptionist for a leading export house with typing speed 40 w/pm, short hand speed 100 w/pm. Preference to those who can handle computer. Salary negotiable. Apply with complete bio-data by 20th December to Secretary, Orient Export House, T. Nagar, Delhi. Ph: 011-XXXXXXXX
Commonly Made Errors:
- Missing out one or more of the value points.
- Spellings and grammar errors lead to communication of incorrect messages.
- While trying to make the title catchy, students end up stitching together words used in the wrong context and thereby making up a meaningless title.
- Also, spellings are tweaked sometimes to emphasise upon an idea or to attract the attention of the reader. However, often students fail to achieve the desired effect and end up simply making a spelling mistake.
Answering Tips:
- While making a poster, it is important to keep in mind what it is all about and whether the created poster gets across the idea clearly or not.
- Next, it is important to design the poster properly. So, one needs to experiment with the font size, style and colour, as well as the layout.
- Venue, date and time should be mentioned in such a manner that they do not escape peoples’ attention.
- Lastly, students should ensure correctness of spellings, contextual use of substituting words and grammatical correctness.
OR
SITUATION VACANT
Required 2 PGTs in Maths against permanent post. Only experienced and highly qualified candidates with good communication skills need to apply. Salary according to experience and professional achievements. Attend Walk-in interview with resume and attested testimonials on Wednesday 6th March 20XX at 10:00 AM in Principal’s office. For more details contact Manager, XYZ School, Nehru Nagar, Agra at 94121XXXXX
Principal
Question 6.
You are Ronak / Rani of class XI. Your teacher has asked you to deliver a speech on the topic ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’ in the morning
assembly. Write the speech in not more than 150-200 words. (5 marks)
Answer:
“Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” – (G.B.Shaw).
An old proverb says, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” This means that cleanliness comes next to Godliness in importance. Good morning to one and all present. Today girl/boy of XI B, got the golden opportunity to express his/her views on the topic ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness’.
Cleanliness of the body is necessary for physical health. Dirt and disease go together. Disease causing germs breed and thrive in dirt; and the epidemic diseases which sweep over a country and carry off thousands, are generally the results of the dirty habits and surroundings of the people. Not only the regular washing of hands and face, but the frequent and thorough bathing of the whole body, and wearing clean clothes, are conditions of good health.
To keep our house and neighbourhood clean is our utmost obligation as it is the only remedy available for national health and hygiene. Dirt and refuse are the causes of sickness and suffering, which ultimately give rise to diseases and epidemics.
Plagues and epidemics that set in are caused by filthy and insanitary hygienic conditions. So, it is a prime duty of every citizen to ensure that public places and our surroundings are not littered. A great percentage of our population lives below the poverty line. Slums in metropolitan areas are inhabited by these poor people, most of them have migrated from villages. Unable to earn a decent means of living, they live in huts having no proper sanitation or drinking water.
The uneducated people need to be instructed in civics and cleaning surroundings. Cleanliness of body leads to the cleanliness of mind, and thereby to the soul.
Thank you
OR
Value Based Education
Today I, Kuber of class XI have got the golden opportunity to express my views for the motion,
‘Value based education is the only remedy for decreasing the crime rate.’
Hon’ble Chairman, Respected Judges and Dear Friends! There can’t be two opinions on the fact that ‘value-based education is the only remedy for decreasing crime rate among the educated folk.’
Sir, there is no doubt that education has been made compulsory up to the secondary level in India. However, value based education to all still remains a distant dream. Education has been practically reduced to the job of providing degrees. These degrees do help them in getting jobs in the market. However, our education system doesn’t help young men and ladies to build up their characters and morals. The result is disastrous.
Our schools, colleges and universities are producing a huge army of irresponsible and uncivilised young brutes. Crime among the educated young men have been rising at an alarming rate. Robberies, chain-snatching, even teasing and thefts haven’t remained the monopoly of professional uneducated criminals anymore.
Question 7.
You are Kamakshi/Kuber. You have been selected to represent your school in an All India School Debate
Competition organised by the Rotary Club, Bengaluru (South). The topic for the debate is : In the opinion of this house, value-based education is the only remedy for decreasing crime rate amongst the educated folk.’ Write a debate in not more than 120-150 words For or Against the motion, giving arguments for your stands.
OR
“Private cars should be banned in the congested commercial areas of the cities.” Write a debate in 120-150 words either for or against the motion.
Answer:
Many educated young men have joined their ranks.
Sir, the need of the hour is for value-based education. Moral education should be made a compulsory subject in all schools. Nationalism, patriotism, devotion and dedication to our country and its people, should be the guiding principles of our education system. Only a comprehensive and value-based education can help in the character building, moral and spiritual upliftment of the educated folk. It will certainly bring down the crime rate in them.
Thank you.
OR
Private Cars should be Banned
Respected Judges and teachers,
Today, I stand before you to present my views for the motion on the topic ‘Private cars should be banned in the congested commercial areas of the cities’.
There is no end to the number of vehicles being driven around the city each day. Traffic jams have become a rather common problem and have only increased in the last ten years. In my opinion, allowing private cars in congested commercial areas only adds to the problem. Long traffic jams do not only mean consumption of extra fuel but also more number of people suffering from respiratory diseases due to pollution.
I strongly feel if people take public transport to work or hire a cab or car-pool and drive vehicles which run on CNG, the problem of constantly rising pollution and heavy traffic jams can be reduced drastically. The Earth belongs to all of us and it is our duty to safeguard it and keep it clean for our future generations. Thus, first step towards protecting our environment would be to stop abusing the available amount of petroleum and avoid creating pollution.
Thank you for patiently listening to my views.
Question 8.
Transform the following sentences by combining them using relative clauses. (1 x 3 = 3)
(1) He found the book interesting. It had been given to him by his friend.
Answer:
He found the book interesting which had been given to him by friend.
(2) She blushed deeply. This was at my mentioning the matter.
Answer:
She blushed deeply when I mentioned the matter.
(3) John locked up Delilah in a coal-cellar. He knew it would be impossible for her to escape from there.
Answer:
John locked up Delilah in a coal-cellar from where he knew it would be impossible for her to escape.
Question 9.
As soon as I saw the elephant, I knew certainly that I ought not (a) ……………. him. But at the moment I (b) …………… round at the crowd that had followed me and were eager (c) …………….. fun and meat. The crowd (d) ……………… the road for a long distance on either side. (1 x 4 = 4)
(a) (i) shoots (ii) is shooting (iii) shot (iv) shoot
(b) (i) glances (ii) glanced (iii) is glancing (iv) will be glancing
(c) (i) follow (ii) follows (iii) following (iv) had followed
(d) (i) has blocked (ii) had blocked (iii) will be blocked (iv) blocks
Answer:
(a) (iv) shoot
(b) (ii) glanced
(c) (iv) had followed
(d) (ii) had blocked.
Section – C
Literature (31 marks)
Question 10.
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 3 = 3)
A. The sea holiday was her past, mine is her laughter.
Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.
(a) Why are ‘both wry’?
(i) Both were happy moments which cannot be relived.
(ii) Both poef s mother and her cousin were dead.
(iii) Both photograph and cardboard were torn.
(iv) Both poet and her mother were not talking to each other.
Answer:
(i) Both were happy moments which cannot be relived.
(b) Which figure of speech is used in ‘laboured ease of loss’?
(i) Alliteration
(ii) Transferred Epithet
(iii) Personification
(iv) Oxymoron
Answer:
(iv) Oxymoron
(c) Who is ‘her’ in the above lines?
Answer:
‘Her’ is poet’s mother who is no more.
OR
B. Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore, could not be,
Was that the day!
(a) Which concepts are not found in geography books? (1)
(i) Gravity
(ii) Force
(iii) Hell and Heaven
(iv) Constellations
Answer:
(iii) Hell and Heaven
(b) What is ‘that day’ in the poem? (1)
(i) The day poet loses his book
(ii) The day poet loses his pencil
(iii) The day poet loses his car
(iv) The day poet loses his childhood
Answer:
(iv) The day poet loses his childhood
(c) Find the word in the extract which means ‘comprehend’. (1)
Answer:
realised
Commonly Made Errors:
- The most commonly made errors pertain to grammar and spellings
- The second most commonly made errors pertain to the wrong perception and expression of the poetic devices. One must first explain what a poetic device is, such as simile, metaphor, allusion and so on, and then explain their usage in the context of the poem.
Answering Tips:
- Read the poem thoroughly-more than once, if necessary-to grasp the gist of each stanza
- Do not rely on paraphrases
- Note the use of words and expressions
- Find out the context of the poem
- Try to understand meanings of words in context. Remember, poetic meaning of a word may be different from the actual meaning. Also, sometimes certain words may undergo such poetic modifications for the sake of rhythm, which is not generally seen in prose.
Question 11.
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 3 = 3)
A. My grandfather’s portrait hung above the mantelpiece in the drawing room. He wore a big turban and loose-fitting clothes. His long, white beard covered the best part of his chest and he looked at least a hundred years old. He did not look the sort of person who would have a wife or children. He looked as if he could only have lots and lots of grandchildren.
Question 1.
From which story have these lines been taken?
(A) My grandfather
(B) My grandmother
(C) The Portrait of a Lady
(D) A Photograph
Answer:
(C) The Portrait of a Lady
Question 2.
Which of these characteristics of the grandfather are shown by the photograph?
(A) Wore loose clothes
(B) Had a long beard
(C) Looked older than his age
(D) All of these
Answer:
(D) All of these
Question 3.
This chapter is primarily about the author’s _________.
(A) grandfather
(B) grandmother
(C) mother
(D) children
Answer:
(B) grandmother
OR
B. The first leg of our planned three-year, 105,000 kilometres journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen – American Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler – to help us tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern Indian Ocean.
Question 1.
From which lesson have these lines been taken?
(A) Round the World in 80 days
(B) Replica of a Journey
(C) We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together
(D) Photograph of a Journey
Answer:
(C) We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together
Question 2.
Whose journey are the narrators trying to replicate?
(A) Captain Thames Cook
(B) Captain James Cook
(C) Captain James Crawford
(D) None of these
Answer:
(B) Captain James Cook
Question 3.
The narrators are preparing for the journey across in these lines.
(A) Cape Town
(B) Africa
(C) America
(D) Indian Ocean
Answer:
(D) Indian Ocean
Question 12.
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.
A. One day back there in the good old days when I was nine and the world was full of every imaginable kind of magnificence, and life was still a delightful and mysterious dream, my cousin Mourad,who was considered crazy by everybody who knew him except me, came to my house at four in the morning and woke me up tapping on the window of my room.
Question 1.
What is the name of the narrator?
(A) Aram
(B) Mourad
(C) Zorab
(D) Vazire
Answer:
(A) Aram
Question 2.
What was Mourad doing?
(A) Sitting on a black horse
(B) Sitting on a white horse
(C) Sitting on a huge elephant
(D) Sitting on a camel
Answer:
(B) Sitting on a white horse
Question 3.
What was Mourad fond of?
(A) Nature
(B) Tribal beliefs
(C) Adventures
(D) Education
Answer:
(B) Tribal beliefs
Question 4.
Which word in the passage is an antonym of ‘unimpressive’?
(A) Imaginable
(B) Magnificence
(C) Mysterious
(D) Tapping
Answer:
(B) Magnificence
OR
B. Do you still know me?’ I asked.
The woman looked at me searchingly.
She had opened the door a chink.
I came closer and stood on the step.
‘No, I don’t know you.’
‘I’m Mrs S’s daughter.’
Question 1.
What is the name of ‘the woman’?
(A) Mrs. S
(B) Mrs. Dorling
(C) Mrs. Draker
(D) Mrs. Sen
Answer:
(B) Mrs. Dorling
Question 2.
Around whose address the story evolves?
(A) The author
(B) Mrs. Dorling
(C) Mrs. Marconi
(D) Mrs. Draker
Answer:
(B) Mrs. Dorling
Question 3.
What was the address of that woman?
(A) 26, Marconi Street
(B) 32, Dorling Street
(C) 46, Marconi Street
(D) 59, Dorling Street
Answer:
(C) 46, Marconi Street
Question 4.
Who is the author of these lines?
(A) MargaMinco
(B) A. J. Cronin.
(C) J. B. Priestley
(D) Patrick Pringle
Answer:
(A) MargaMinco
Question 13.
Answer the following questions in 40-50 words each. (3 x 3 = 9 marks)
(a) What opinion did the grandmother form of the English school in the city?
OR
Give a brief description of the narrator’s boat. How had the narrator equipped and tested it?
(b) Why do you think the father appears helpless in the poem ‘Father to Son’?
OR
Describe the scene when goldfinch with her family starts chirruping to the maximum.
(c) The Tale of Melon city is full of irony. Give any two examples from the poem.
OR
How does Mrs. Dorling react when the narrator said, “I am Mrs. S daughter”?
Answer:
(a) The grandmother didn’t like the English school in the city. She was sad as they didn’t teach anything about God and scriptures at the school. Nor was she interested in Science. She hated music lessons given in the school.
OR
The narrator’s boat was called ‘wave-walker’. It was a beautiful 23-meter-long, 30-ton wooden hulled ship. It had been professionally built. They had spent months fitting it out and testing in the roughest weather they could find.
(b) The father is unable to understand what his son loves to do. He is not in a position to advise him as there is hardly any intimacy between them. They speak like strangers, otherwise there is silence around them. The son has his own dreams and plans which the father does not appreciate.
OR
When the goldfinch starts chirruping to the maximum, the scene becomes musical. Glittering and trilling is heard all round. The whole tree seems to be trembling and thrilling because the tree has become like a live engine of great power.
(c) ‘The Tale of Melon City’ by Vikram Seth is full of ironical instances. The poem begins with a ‘just and placid’ king ordering the construction of an arch. After the construction, the king went there and his crown struck the arch. He felt disgraced and ordered death sentence for the person responsible for it. The circumstances took such a turn that he himself got hanged.
OR
Mrs. Dorling held her hand on the door as if she wanted to prevent it from opening any further. Her face showed no sign of recognition. She kept staring at the narrator without uttering a word.
Question 14.
Answer any one of the following questions in about 120-150 words: (6 marks)
What problems did Howard Carter face in regard to King Tut’s mummy? What did he do to solve them?
OR
How does the rain describe herself in the poem ‘The Voice of the Rain’?
Answer:
At last Howard Carter, the British archaeologist, discovered King Tut’s burial chamber and his gold coffin in 1922. When he opened the last coffin, he found that the ritual resins had hardened. It had cemented Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. He tried to loosen it by putting the mummy in the scorching sunshine. But it did not happen.
Then he said the material had to be chiseled away from beneath the limbs and trunk. It was to be done before it was possible to raise the King7s remains. Carter defended it saying that the thieves would rip the mummy apart to remove the gold. So his men removed the mummy’s head and severed nearly major joint. Then they reassembled the remains on a layer of sand. They put the mummy in a wooden box.
OR
The rain calls itself the poem of earth. It is everlasting and perpetual. It is something that cannot be touched. It originates from the land and the deep sea. Then it rises upward to heaven where it changes its forms into a cloud, yet remains the same in quality. From the sky it pours down on earth to wash the dry thin particles and dust layers of the earth. The rain helps the unborn seeds to sprout. These seeds lay hidden and unborn under the layer of earth. Rain gives back life to its origin making it pure and beautiful.
Question 15.
Answer the question in about 120-150 words : (6 marks)
Describe the narrator’s experience of early morning ride with his cousin Mourad in the story ‘The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse.’
OR
There lies a great difference between textbook medicine and world of practicing physician. Discuss.
Answer:
It was summer. Early one morning the narrator’s cousin Mourad came to his house. He was sitting on a beautiful white horse. He invited the narrator to enjoy a ride. The narrator got ready and leaped onto the horse behind Mourad. In less than three minutes they were in the open. The horse began to snort. They let the horse run as long as it felt like running. Then, Mourad asked the narrator to get down as he wanted to ride alone. The narrator agreed on the condition that Mourad would let him also try to ride alone. Mourad kicked his heels into the horse.
The horse stood on its hind legs, snorted, and began to run. Mourad made the horse run across a field of dry grass to an irrigation ditch. He crossed the ditch on the horse. Five minutes later he returned. Now it was the narrator’s turn to ride alone. When he got onto the back of the horse, it ran down the road to a vineyard instead of running across the field to the irrigation ditch. It began to leap over vines. It had hardly leaped over seven vines when the narrator fell off. The horse kept running, and then disappeared. It took Mourad half an hour to trace the horse and bring it back.
OR
There lies a great difference between text book medicine and the world of practicing physician. Text book medicine is purely a science whereas treating a patient is an art. The world of practicing physician requires a different set of skills and knowledge. Text book medicine no doubt provides the conceptual framework for treatment but no doctor can treat a patient without the use of his or her intuitive practices. In the story ‘Birth’, the way Andrew brings back life in the still born child is a testimony to this fact.
The nurse at first dumps the child thinking it to be dead. But Andrew takes a chance and the miracle happens. He, in the beginning, applies his text book knowledge but the child does not recover. He does not lose heart. He applies his own intuitive method and the miracle then happened. Treatment is science and beyond. It is both a science and an art. The story ‘Birth’ is a realistic fiction. In other words, the elements of the story have been taken from real life experiences and woven in the fabric of fiction.
Text book medicine may give a physician information regarding the symptoms of an ailment and the treatment to be administered to the patient but he cannot rely on it. While practicing he has to bring in several innovations keeping in view the complexity of the case. We observe that Andrew rightly diagnosed from the symptoms that the child was suffering from Asphyxia Pallida.
It was a case of suffocation or unconsciousness caused by lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, accompanied by paleness of the skin, weak pulse and loss of reflexes. He knew treatment also and gave it to the child, but the child did not respond. Then, he used an innovation and the child recovered. A practicing physician has to use his mind along with his knowledge of text book medicines.
Commonly Made Errors:
- The most commonly made errors pertain to grammar and spellings
- The second most commonly made errors pertain to the wrong interpretation of the plot-structure and the character sketches.
- Mixing up the names of the different places, i.e., mentioning the wrong place in the context of the wrong event.
Answering Tips:
- Read the story thoroughly-more than once, if necessary-to grasp the gist.
- Do not rely on paraphrases.
- Note the character traits of both the major and the minor tharacters.
- Find out the context of the story. This will help to understand the sub-themes.
- Focus on the narrative style of the story.