Students must start practicing the questions from CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 English with Solutions Set 4 are designed as per the revised syllabus.
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 11 English Set 4 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. The Food Bill is still in the works but has provoked a furious debate on the lack of grain storage facilities, rotting of grains and whether they should be distributed free to the hungry masses. Waking up to the fact that no food security programme can be effective without proper storage, the government is now planning to upgrade existing warehousing facilities and also add new ones. However, between food security and large scale storage, there is a missing link that needs to be taken note of: storage at the farm level. No one can deny the importance of decentralised storage; at least 25-30 percent grains in the country are stored at the farm level.
2. However, it’s not as if there hasn’t been enough thrust on this issue: there are State Institutes to look into the storage problems.
3. Yet, policy-wise we did have a sound start: the Save Grain Campaign, which was initiated 43 years ago, was supposed to do what we are floundering on now. Through this campaign, the centre was to initiate and train states in warehousing and storage of grains. The centre wanted the states to take it up on a large scale but the latter did not want any “added responsibility.” Finding no takers, the campaign was withdrawn in 2008.
4. “Around 15-20 percent food grain loss occurs in large storage godowns. Along with investment in large storage capacities, we must encourage farm-level storage. This can be in the form of refining and improving the local/indigenous storage technologies and providing technical and financial support at that level,” says M.B.Chetti, Dean, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka.
5. He and many experts like him suggest that if we want to leapfrog in storage capacity at the farm-level (since setting up large storages is time-consuming and expensive), new technologies like vacuum packaging could be the answer. They assure quality as well as a chance to store grains almost anywhere and that it can be done in villages by trained persons.
6. “Alternatively, we have to go for cold storage facilities for food grains, which is very costly since it involves electricity supply”, says Chetti. “Instead, vacuum packing,” say experts,” helps preserve grains and seeds for long periods without any deterioration in quality. In fact, an experiment was carried out in the university on the usefulness of the packaging system (using chilli) and the results were satisfactory. The available technology offers a seven-layer packing to preserve quality for long periods of time and once sealed, climatic changes have no effect on it. Elimination of oxygen from the pack helps in extending shelf life.”
7. “At present only three-layer plastic films are manufactured in India. The seven-layered film needs to be imported. But the import duty is high,” says Mohan Bajikar,” of course, such technologies are expensive, but then delivering to the hungry isn’t enough-quality must be ensured.”
8. Food policy analyst Devinder Sharma, however, says “Expensive solutions like Silos and ware housing are not the answer to procurement and storage problems.” Instead, he says, “Local production, local procurement and local distribution” is the answer, something like what Chattisgarh has been doing.
It procures paddy directly from farmers, buying it through cooperative societies and procurement centres at the village level.” To store,” he adds, “the government can add a small godown next to each panchayat ghar.”
9. Whichever way we look at it, decentralised storage cannot be left out of the loop if we want to ensure food security and reduce stock losses.
A. On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer the questions given below. (1 x 10 = 10)
Question 1.
The necessity of proper storage has been realized because:
(A) there is lack of grain storage facilities.
(B) grain is lying in the open and rotting.
(C) no food security is possible without it.
(D) masses are hungry and without grain.
Answer:
(C) no food security is possible without it.
Question 2.
Decentralised storage stresses upon:
(A) storage at farm level.
(B) storage at block level.
(C) storage at district level.
(D) storage at state level.
Answer:
(A) storage at farm level.
Question 3.
The ‘Save Grain Campaign’ was withdrawn after 43 years because:
(A) the centre did not spare funds.
(B) proper training in warehousing was lacking.
(C) the states did not show any interest.
(D) the states did not want any added responsibility.
Answer:
(C) the states did not show any interest.
Question 4.
The most cost-effective solution for storage of grain is:
(A) cold storage facilities.
(B) decentralised storage.
(C) setting up large warehouses.
(D) vacuum packaging.
Answer:
(C) setting up large warehouses.
Question 5.
Experts reject silos and warehousing because:
(A) these are very costly solutions.
(B) local storage and distribution is more effective.
(C) these are inadequate for storage.
(D) these fail to reduce stock losses.
Answer:
(A) these are very costly solutions.
Question 6.
The word ‘facilities’ in para 6 means:
(A) aptitude
(B) dexterity
(C) conveniences
(D) buildings for a particular purpose.
Answer:
(C) conveniences
Question 7.
What should we do if we want to leapfrog in storage capacity at farm-level?
(A) Set up large storages with state funds
(B) Use new technologies like vaccum packaging
(C) Involve state governments in the storage systems
(D) Use cold storage facility
Answer:
(B) Use new technologies like vaccum packaging
Question 8.
Find the words from the passage which are similar in meaning:
(i) improve (Para 1)
(ii) native (Para 4)
Answer:
(i) upgrade
(ii) indigenous
Question 9.
What is the alternate to large storage godowns?
(A) Small storage godowns
(B) Cold storage facilities
(C) Farm-level storage
(D) Seven-layer packing
Answer:
(C) Farm-level storage
Question 10.
What are the advantages of vacuum packing?
(A) It helps preserve grains and seeds for long periods.
(B) It can be done in villages by trained persons.
(C) It can be done without any technical and financial support.
(D) It eliminates oxygen and bacteria.
Answer:
(A) It helps preserve grains and seeds for long periods.
Question 2.
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 8 = 8)
1. Life on our planet earth began with the sea; it is the birth place of life on the earth. The earth is the only planet of the solar system so far known which contains plenty of water and this water has made our earth colourful, pulsating with life of a vast variety.
2. At present sea occupies about 70 percent of the earth’s surface. In the southern hemisphere it occupies more area than that in the northern. About 97 per cent of the total water on the surface of the earth is found in the seas and the remaining three per cent, which is generally fresh, in lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.
3. Sea has given food and shelter to countless creatures. It is a potential source of protein. In 1900 the world population was only 150 crore (1500 million), now it is more than 560 crore and it is increasing at a very fast rate. As a result there is a terrible hunger in many parts of the world. In Africa, Asia and South America, millions of people do not get enough to eat. Many die of malnutrition. Sea, if used scientifically and judiciously, can meet most of our demands.
4. Plankton or algae mostly constitutes the plant life. Some are tiny microbes which cannot be seen by the naked eye but they are found in abundance in the sea.
5. These marine plankton form the basis of entire sea life. Like plant plankton there are also animal plankton, the smallest living creatures of the sea. These animal plankton feed on plant plankton and small fish. Thus, there is an unbroken chain of life in the sea. Arctic and Antarctic seas abound in plankton and algae and so in fish also. Blue whales, the largest living creatures of the world, are also found here in great number.
6. Some countries have developed sea farming to a great extent. The Japanese and Hawaiians relish eating sea plants but it is not in other countries though some use them to feed their cattle or as manure in their fields. The fact is that sea plants contain rich nutrients not found in other vegetarian food. It is good that even in our country some scientists have developed some recipes for curries, jams etc. to be made from algae.
7. But we must remember one thing that sea, is not to be exploited indiscriminately. For example, man in his greed has hunted whales and some other sea creatures so recklessly that some of their species have either become extinct or are on the verge of extinction. Now nations or the world have realized their folly and have taken some joint decisions.
For example, one such decisions is that the size of the holes in fishing nets should be big enough to let baby fish escape through. Otherwise, killing of large quantities of very young fish would have an adverse effect on the fish population. In the same way, another decision is for the protection of blue whales.
Answer the following questions choosing the appropriate option.
Question 1.
Freshwater refers to the water of _______.
(A) Sea
(B) Lakes, rivers, ponds etc.
(C) Rainwater
(D) Processed water
Answer:
(B) Lakes, rivers, ponds etc.
Explanation: About 97 per cent of the total water on the surface of the earth is found in the seas and the remaining three per cent, which is generally fresh, in lakes, rivers, ponds, etc.
Question 2.
There is a terrible hunger in many parts of the world due to:
(A) Overpopulation
(B) High pollution level
(C) Global warming
(D) Industrialisation
Answer:
(A) Overpopulation
Explanation: In 1900 the world population was only 150 crore (1500 million), now it is more than 560 crore and it is increasing at a very fast rate. As a result there is a terrible hunger in many parts of the world.
Question 3.
Blue whale, the largest living creatures of the world, are found in great number in:
(A) Indian Ocean
(B) Pacific Ocean
(C) Mediterranean Sea
(D) Arctic and Antarctic Sea
Answer:
(D) Arctic and Antarctic Sea
Explanation: Arctic and Antarctic seas abound in plankton and algae and so in fish also. Blue whales, the largest Iiving creatures of the world, are also found here in great number.
Question 4.
The countries which have developed sea farming to a great extent are:
(A) Japan and Hawaii
(B) China and India
(C) Malaysia and Singapore
(D) Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Answer:
(A) Japan and Hawaii
Explanation: Some countries have developed sea farming to a great extent. The Japanese and Hawaiians relish eating sea plants but it is not in other countries though some use them to feed their cattle or as manure in their fields.
Question 5.
The size of the holes in fishing nets should be big enough to let
(A) Big fish stay in
(B) Water flow out
(C) Baby fish escape through
(D) More fish enter
Answer:
(C) Baby fish escape through
Explanation: The size of the holes in fishing nets should be big enough to let baby fish escape through.
Question 6.
Sea plants contain rich nutrients not found in _______.
(A) Other plants
(B) Other vegetarian food
(C) Non vegetarian food
(D) Milk and milk products
Answer:
(B) Other vegetarian food
Explanation: The fact is that sea plants contain rich nutrients not found in other vegetarian food.
Question 7.
Find a word from the passage which means the same as ‘wisely’. (Para 3)
(A) judiciously
(B) scientifically
(C) countless
(D) terrible
Answer:
(A) judiciously
Question 8.
Find a word from the passage which means the same as ‘unfavourable’. (Para 7)
(A) indiscriminately
(B) adverse
(C) exploited
(D) recklessly
Answer:
(B) adverse
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.
- 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!
Question 3.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow: (8)
1. The mynah perhaps needs to make some apology for his yellow stockings, since such mustard-coloured understandings are not usual among small birds, pertaining rather to the rapacious tribe, and being thus a badge of anything but respectability. But the mynah at ones for his yellow legs, feet and face, by the exceedingly decorous plumage which covers the rest of him; no objection can be to his black hood, or the sober chocolate of his body colour, or to the plain black, diversified with white, of his quills and tail.
2. Nevertheless as a starling our present subject is a rather big and showy bird, being certainly equal in looks to any of his relatives in Calcutta, none of which bear the shot silk sheen of green and purple which adorns the home starling, also a visitor to India, for this starling or mynahs are in great force in the East, which is their true home, and the common mynahs is a good type of the clan.
3. Bold, vigorous and pushing, he secures to himself a large share of all the good things in the way of insects and fruit that may be going, and is a bird of remarkably all round abilities, though not particularly graceful in his movements. On the ground he runs and walks well, hopping when he wants to put an extra spurt, albeit there is a swing in his gait which is not particularly elegant. No doubt, however, he is proud of this, as it is a family character; geese, which do not suffer from excessive modesty, have a similar style of going, are known to bare doubtable pedestrians in their quiet way.
4. Mynah, unlike other ground birds, is nimble and active in a tree as well; and his flight, though not remarkably fast, is tolerant enough for ease and he feels sufficient confidence in it to occasionally attempt a little insect- catching on the wing, when his quarry has got away from him on foot. When he flies, he tucks up his long yellow shanks to his breast, showing conclusively that birds which stow their legs this way when on the wing do so by custom, not for convenience, for from their size one would think that he would do better to stow them astern like the paddy bird and other waders.
(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. (5 marks)
Answer:
1. Description of mynah :
- sober choc. body colour
- yellow legs, feet & face
- black hood
- black & white quills & tail
- bold and vigrus.
2. Feeds on :
- insects
- fruit
3. Movements :
- not graceful
- runs & walks well on ground.
- hops to put extra spurt
- swing in gait
4. Flight of mynah :
- remrkbly fast
- confident
- tucks yellow shanks to breast
- a custom
- not for convenience
| Key to Abbreviations | ||
| S. No. | Abbreviation | Word |
| 1 | choc | choc |
| 2 | vigrus | vigrus |
| 3 | remrkbly | remrkbly |
| 4 | & | And |
(b) Make a short summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3 marks)
Answer:
Summary
The mynah is a bold and vigorous bird. The body colour of quills mynah is sober chocolate with yellow legs, feet and face. He has a black hood and black, diversified with white, quails and tails. A mynah feeds on insects and fruits. His movements are not graceful. He can run and walk well on ground. He has a swing in his gait and sometimes hops to put an extra spurt. The flight of a mynah is not remarkably faster though he seems full of confidence. He tucks his yellow shanks to breast when flying. It is done by custom and not for convenience.
Commonly Made Errors:
- The most commonly made mistakes include not reading the passage thoroughly and not paying attention to 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 precis writing. They should be used prudently. w Spellings and grammar should be checked for during the note-making stage so that no corrections need be implemented during the summary or precis writing.
- While providing a Title for the summary/precis, 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), it is important to read the passages properly and grasp their meanings. If 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 clarity 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 (23 marks)
Question 4.
Indian Institute of Foreign Language is going to start a course in various foreign languages. Draft an advertisement for the classified columns of a newspaper giving details of the same (word limit 50 words) (3 marks)
OR
You want to launch a tuition centre for classes from class X to XU. Draft a classified advertisement with all relevant details.
Answer:
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE
IIFL announces the commencement of its courses in Japanese, French and German. Duration – 3 months. Eligibility – Senior Secondary. Excellent faculty. Computerised training. Incentives for early birds. Send in your applications by 1st June, 20xx or contact Secretary #9350556655
Answering Tips:
- 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!
OR
TUITION CENTRE
Excellent coaching available for English, Science and Maths for students of class X to XII, digital class facility, experienced faculty, problem-solving sessions, regular tests, affordable fees. For more details contact SD classes 969xxxxxx
Question 5.
Draft a poster for the abolition of Child Labour. Invent necessary details in 50 words. (3 marks)
OR
Design a poster on ‘SAVE THE EARTH’ on behalf of the Pollution Control Board, Rajasthan State.
Answer:
Question 6.
Private cars should be banned in the congested commercial areas of the cities.” Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion. (5 marks)
OR
‘The policy of reservation of seats for admission to the professional courses is good for the deprived sections of society.’ Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
Answer:
Private cars should be banned in the congested commercial areas of the cities:
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, the first step towards protecting our environment would be to stop abusing the available amount of petroleum and avoid creating pollution.
Thank you for listening to my views patiently.
OR
Policy of Reservation in Professional Courses:
Respected Chairperson, honourable judges and all present, I stand before you to express my views against the motion that the policy of reservation of seats for admission to the professional courses is good for the deprived sections of society.
India is a country with dimensions and diversities. Accordingly, the Indian Constitution has adopted an egalitarian, secular and casteless society where injustice done to any class shall not be tolerated. But the report of the Mandal Commission reveals that millions of actual weaker sections of the society are still suffering from atrocities and caste-based inequalities. So, it is evident that some special privileges of reservation have proved to be a boon for some and bane for others. Even then the ‘reserved’ sections grumble that they have been made to suffer.
Here, I want to ask whether reservation is fair to those of the general categories. In fact, it is a bane for those meritorious students. On the contrary, the so-called downtrodden or deprived sections enjoy the privilege. The non- deserving candidates are admitted into technical and professional colleges, but the deserving candidates are unable to get admission because they belong to the ‘higher classes’ of society.
In my opinion, it would be more suitable to provide opportunities for all the needy or deserving candidates without any discrimination and without the reservation of seats based on caste, creed, clan or colour. In fact, this reservation system creates division and fragmentation among the castes. It is nothing but a consolidation of vote banks by the politicians at the expense of deserving candidates. Hope that you have all been convinced by my arguments.
Thank you
Question 7.
Human activities are leading to serious environmental changes globally. It is going to cause much trouble for the future generation, write a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly. Do not exceed the word limit of 120-150 words. (5 marks)
Answer:
Influence of Human Activity on the Environment
Respected Principal, teachers and my fellow students, good morning to all. Today, I, ABC of class XI, am going to present my views on the topic, Influence of Human Activity on the Environment.
Improvements in agriculture, health and medicine have produced a dramatic rise in the human population. This increase in population size leads to an increase in pollution and higher demand for the world’s resources. Humans are using up the earth’s resources, including fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels in cars and power stations produces carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere and causes the temperature of the earth to rise.
This leads to disruption of the weather patterns and natural calamities such as drought and floods occur. Some weeds may thrive on the extra carbon dioxide while other plants are killed. Sulphur dioxide dissolves in rain producing Acid Rain. Acid rain damages trees and pollutes rivers and lakes. In many countries people are chopping down forests to provide timber to create space for agriculture for the growing population. This deforestation causes several problems such as the greenhouse effect, soil erosion and extinction of species.
To grow more crops, too much fertiliser is added and when it then rains, the fertiliser finds its way into rivers and lakes. This causes the water plants to grow and as there is competition for light, some will die. Use of pesticides also causes pollution. Pesticides kill insects that will damage crops.
They also kill harmless insects or can get washed into rivers and pollute the water. They may even end up in the food chain. Thus, human activities have caused a lot of damage to our environment and it is high time to adopt organic farming, grow trees and use alternative energy sources.
Thank you
Question 8.
Fill in the blanks with the correct options given below. (1 x 4 = 4)
Growth gets retarded if the environment in which we live (i) ……………. polluted The pollution (ii) ……………. us today. We (iii) ……………. the environment that (iv) ……………. us. Slowly we are gliding towards an unhealthy environment.
(i) (a) is (b) being (c) was (d) was being
(ii) (a) threatens (b) threatened (c) is threatening (d) was threatened
(iii) (a) pollute (b) polluted (c) is polluting (d) was polluted
(iv) (a) sustain (b) sustains (c) sustained (d) is sustaining
Answer:
(i) (a) is
(ii) (c) is threatening
(iii) (a) pollute
(iv) (b) sustains
Question 9.
Rearrange the following words or phrases to make Meaningful sentences: (1 x 3 = 3)
(a) a/lover/is/animal/passionate/he
Answer:
He is a passionate animal lover.
(b) campaigned / birds / he / caged / free / to
Answer:
He campaigned to free caged birds.
(c) the class / at once / ordered / you / are / to leave
Answer:
You are ordered to leave the class at once.
Section – C
Literature (31 marks)
Question 10.
Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow: (1 x 3 = 3)
Then with the eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite
(a) Identify the sound words in die poem.
(i) Whistle
(ii) Chirrup
(iii) Whisperings
(iv) All of the above
Answer:
(iv) All of the above
(b) What does ‘infinite’ refer to?
(i) Space
(ii) Sky
(iii) Tree leaves
(iv) Water
Answer:
(ii) Sky
(c) Who launches away?
Answer:
She is a goldfinch.
OR
I would have Him prodigal,
returning to His father’s house, the home he knew,
Rather than see him make and move
(a) Why does father see his son as prodigal?
(i) Because the son is arrogant
(ii) Because the son lives somewhere else
(iii) Because the son does not consult his father
(iv) Because the son is extravagant
Answer:
(iv) Because the son is extravagant
(b) What would poet like in the end?
(i) To see his son doing what he likes
(ii) To see his son reconciling with him
(iii) To see his son coming back to his house
(iv) To get all his money back from his son
Answer:
(iii) To see his son coming back to his house
(c) Identify the poem and the poet.
Answer:
Father to Son by Elizbeth Jennings
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. We protested. But she ignored our protests. She lay peacefully in bed praying and telling her beads. Even before we could suspect, her lips stopped moving and the rosary fell from her lifeless fingers.
Question 1.
Who is ‘we’ here?
(A) Author and his wife
(B) Author and his family
(C) Author and his friends
(D) The village people
Answer:
(B) Author and his family
Question 2.
What had happened to her?
(A) Lost consciousness
(B) Went into delirium
(C) Died
(D) None of these
Answer:
(C) Died
Question 3.
What does ‘telling her beads’ mean?
(A) Chanting hymns
(B) Talking to beads
(C) Distributing beads
(D) Arranging beads as in a necklace
Answer:
(A) Chanting hymns
OR
B. By late afternoon we had reached the small town of Hor, back on the main east-west highway that followed the old trade route from Lhasa to Kashmir. Daniel, who was returning to Lhasa, found a ride in a truck so Tsetan and I bade him farewell outside a tyre-repair shop.
Question 1.
How many tyre punctures had they suffered?
(A) One
(B) Two
(C) Three
(D) Five
Answer:
(B) Two
Question 2.
Where was Daniel headed to/towards?
(A) Lhasa
(B) Kashmir
(C) Lake Mansarovar
(D) Salt Lake
Answer:
(A) Lhasa
Question 3.
What type of place was Hor?
(A) Happy and decorated
(B) Rich and plentiful
(C) Grim and miserable
(D) Not mentioned in the story
Answer:
(C) Grim and miserable
Question 12.
Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 4 = 4)
A. That afternoon my uncle Khosrove came to our house for coffee and cigarettes. He sat in the parlour, sipping and smoking and remembering the old country. Then another visitor arrived.
Question 1.
What was the name of the other visitor?
(A) Mourad
(B) Aram
(C) JohnByro
(D) Zorab
Answer:
(C) JohnByro
Question 2.
What was the mood of the other visitor?
(A) Happy
(B) Halt
(C) Unpleasant
(D) Passed
Answer:
(B) Halt
Question 3.
What was the other visitor thinking about?
(A) His surrey
(B) To postpone everything
(C) His legs
(D) To build the arch again
Answer:
(D) To build the arch again
Question 4.
What was the visitor’s profession?
(A) Horseman
(B) Elizabeth Jennings
(C) Sailor
(D) Shirley Toulson
Answer:
(D) Shirley Toulson
OR
B. The chief of builders was led out
He passed the King.
He gave a shout.
‘O King, it was the workmen’s fault’
‘Oh!’ said the King and called halt.
Question 1.
The chief of builders was summoned because
(A) he was to be punished
(B) he was responsible for the king losing his crown under the arch
(C) he had broken the crown
(D) Both (A) & (B)
Answer:
(D) Both (A) & (B)
Question 2.
Which word in these lines has the same meaning as ‘stop’?
(A) Fault
(B) Halt
(C) Led out
(D) Passed
Answer:
(B) Halt
Question 3.
Later, what suggestion did the wisest man give to the king?
(A) Not to punish anyone
(B) To postpone everything
(C) To hang the arch
(D) To build the arch again
Answer:
(C) To hang the arch
Question 4.
These lines have been written by _______.
(A) Markus Natten
(B) Elizabeth Jennings
(C) VikramSeth
(D) Shirley Toulson
Answer:
(C) VikramSeth
Question 13.
Answer the following questions in 40-50 words each.
(a) Explain ‘Terribly transient feet’.
OR
Why is rain compared to music?
(b) What do you think made Rajendra realize that facts can be stranger than fantasies?
OR
Why is January 5,2005 significant in Tutankhamun’s Saga?
(c) How was the narrator convinced that she had made no mistake and had reached the right address?
OR
How did the workmen escape being hanged?
Answer:
(a) The sea has not changed much with the passage of time. It is in sharp contrast to short, transient and temporary life and existence of human beings.
OR
The poet compares the rain with music. The poet watches the falling showers of the rain. The showers are falling very lightly producing a soft music. Like music, rain too is life giving and inspirational. It spreads love and joy.
(b) Professor Gaitonde presented two totally different written accounts of the Battle of Panipat as contained in Bhau-Sahebanchi Bakhar. The one he had come across in the other world described how Vishwas Rao narrowly missed the bullet. The account which he had in the familiar world described that Vishwas Rao was hit by the bullet.
OR
On this date for the first time, Tutankhamun was removed from his tomb and taken to CT scanner brought there to probe the lingering mysteries surrounding the young ruler.
(c) When the woman who opened the door gave no sign of recognition, the narrator thought she was perhaps mistaken and had rung the wrong bell. When she saw the woman wearing her mother’s green knitted cardigan, she was convinced that she had made no mistake and reached the right address.
OR
When the chief of builders blamed the workmen for the incident, the King stopped the proceedings of hanging for a while. Then he decided to have all the workmen hanged. The workmen argued that the size of the bricks was wrong. The King decided to hang the masons instead. Thus, the workmen escaped being hanged.
Question 14.
Answer any one of the following questions in about 120-150 words : (6 marks)
Describe how the common bond of friendship was broken when the narrator’s parents called them in the city.
OR
What impression do you form of the author, Nick Middleton, on the basis of reading ‘Silk Road?’
Answer:
The narrator and his grandmother had developed a unique relationship in the village. He was completely dependent on her. But soon, a turning point came in their relationship. His parents called them to the city. He went to an English school by bus. The grandmother’s role was now marginalized. She couldn’t accompany him to school as she did in the village.
Nor could she help him in his studies. She had no knowledge of English and Science. She hated music. She was very sad that they gave lessons in music at the school. She rarely talked to him after that. The narrator went to university. It separated them. They now saw less of each other. In the end, she accepted her loneliness quietly. She didn’t show any emotion when he left for abroad. So, she accepted this separation without any complaints or regrets.
OR
The author is bald headed gentleman who knows English. He was keen on performing Kailash Kora. He undertook the hazardous journey to Mount Kailash for this purpose, he hired Tsetan’s car and took Daniel as companion for escorting him upto Darchen. He seems to be a lover of adventure one who is not at all afraid of taking risks. This is evident from his assent to take a short-cut through high mountain passes involving the risk of slipping on snowy roads.
He is a keen observer of men and manners. He has a sharp eye for details. He describes the hilly people quite sensitively. He gives a graphic account of difficulties faced during ascent. His headache and loss of sleep was caused by cold and high altitude. His observations about lake Manasarovar and Hor reveal the difference between legend and reality. He dislikes dirt and shabbiness.
He faces communication problem after Tsetan leaves and before he meets Norbu. However, he waits and takes correct decisions. He approves of Norbu’s practical suggestion to hire yaks to carry luggage. In short, he is a sensitive and likeable fellow.
Question 15.
Answer the question in about 120-150 words: (6 marks)
What impression do you form of cousin Mourad in the story “The Summer of the Beautiful white Horse”?
OR
What did the narrator learn about Mrs. Dorling from her mother?
Answer:
Mourad was a young boy of thirteen. He belonged to the Garoghlanian family of Armenia. Their whole tribe was poverty-stricken. In spite of abject poverty, their family was famous for honesty. Mourad was quite adventurous and had a crazy streak in him. He enjoyed being alive more than anybody else. Mourad loved horse riding. He had a way with a horse.
He had tamed the horse by his affectionate behaviour and the horse was no longer wild. It obeyed Mourad faithfully. His love for the horse was evident in the last scene. While parting, he put his arms around the horse and patted it. He also had a way with dogs. The dogs of John Byro followed him around without making a sound. He was kind too. He treated a young robin which had hurt its wing. He was proud of his family for honesty.
OR
The war was going on. The narrator visited home for a few days. She immediately noticed that something about the rooms had changed. Various things were missing. She looked at her mother questioningly. Then her mother told her about Mrs. Dorling. The narrator had never heard of that woman. Obviously, she was an old acquaintance of her mother, whom she had not seen for years. Since then, she had been coming to their house regularly.
Every time she left the place she took something with her. She took all the table silver cutlery set, then the antique plates and several other precious things. She herself explained that she wanted to save all their nice things because they would lose everything in case they had to leave the house. The narrator’s mother never doubted her intention. She rather felt obliged to Mrs. Dorling for taking all the trouble while carrying their things.
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 characters
- Find out the context of the story. This will help to understand the sub-themes
- Focus on the narrative style of the story.