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CBSE Class 12 English Question Paper 2020 (Series: HMJ/4) with Solutions
Time allowed: 3 hours
Maximum Marks: 80
General Instructions:
-
The question paper comprises three Sections – A, B and C.
Section A – 20 marks
Section B – 30 marks
Section C – 30 marks - There are 10 questions in the question paper. All questions are compulsory.
- There is no overall choice. However, an internal choice has been provided in one question in Section A, four questions in Section B and three questions in Section C. Make your choice correctly.
- However, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever necessary.
- Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
SET I Code No. 1/4/1
SECTION A
READING 20
Question 1.
Read the passage given below: 12
Donated Organs and their Transportation
1. Once an organ donor’s family gives its consent and the organs are matched to a recipient, medical professionals are faced with the onerous challenge of transporting organs while ensuring that the harvested organ reaches its destination in the shortest possible time. This is done in order to preserve the harvested organs and involves the police and especially the traffic police department.
2. The traditional method of transporting organs by road is referred to as a “green corridor”. This process entails police escorting an ambulance, so as to move around traffic – usually a specific traffic lane is chosen and all signals on the route stay green to ensure it to reach its destination in the shortest possible time. A ‘green corridor’ is a route cleared and cordoned off by the traffic police to ensure the smooth and steady transportation of harvested organs, on most occasions, to those awaiting a life-saving transplant. Organs tend to have a very short preservation time, such as the heart which has to be harvested and transplanted within four hours or the lungs which can be preserved for only six hours once they are harvested.
3. The first green corridor in India was created by Chennai Traffic Police in September 2008 when they accomplished their task of enabling an ambulance to reach its destination within 11 minutes during peak hour traffic. That organ saved a nine-year-old girl whose life depended on the transplant.
4. Similarly, such green corridors have been created by traffic police of various cities such as Pune, Mumbai, Delhi NCR etc. Personnel are stationed at selected points to divert, control and clear the traffic giving way to the ambulance. Apart from this, a motorcade of police vehicles accompanies the ambulance ensuring that it does not face any problems. Delhi Traffic Police provided a green corridor from IGI Airport to Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Vasant Kunj for transportation of a liver. The distance of 14 kms was covered in 11 minutes.
5. Experts point out the lack of a robust system to transport organs to super-speciality hospitals in least possible time. National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), the country’s apex orgarf”donation agency, is now framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs and will send a report to the Union Health Ministry. “Cadaver organs have a short life and so transplant should be done within a few golden hours, “Director (NOTTO) expressed, “Therefore, we are preparing a proposal for airlifting organs at any given moment.”
6. Most states do not have enough well-trained experts to retrieve or perform transplant procedures. Also, there is an acute shortage of advanced healthcare facilities to carry out a transplant. So, it is referred to other big centres in metropolitan cities. Organs retrieved from Aurangabad, Indore, Surat, Pune are sent to Mumbai as these cities do not have super-speciality healthcare centres, informed officials.
7. “In India, about fifty thousand to one lakh patients are suffering from acute heart failure and need heart transplant at any point of time. In a private set-up, a heart transplant costs ₹15-20 lakhs, which is followed up by postoperative medication of about T30,000 per month lifelong.”
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer any five of the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options: [1 × 5 = 5]
(a) The first green corridor in India was created in:
(i) New Delhi
(ii) Chennai
(iii) Mumbai
(iv) Pune
Answer:
(ii) Chennai
(b) The organization which is framing a proposal to airlift cadaver organs is:
(i) Union Health Ministry
(ii) Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
(iii) National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
(iv) State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
Answer:
(iii) National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation
(c) The onerous task the author is talking about in para 1 is:
(i) finding organ donors.
(ii) finding doctors capable of performing transplants.
(iii) to carry the harvested organ in the shortest possible time.
(iv) to arrange the requisite facilities for the transplant.
Answer:
(iii) to carry the harvested organ in the shortest possible time.
(d) Most of the people do not go for the heart transplant as
(i) it is very risky.
(ii) it is very painful.
(iii) it may cause death of the recipient.
(iv) the cost is prohibitive.
Answer:
(iv) the cost is prohibitive.
(e) Most states refer organ transplant cases to big hospitals because
(i) they don’t have well-trained experts.
(ii) the patients don’t trust local doctors.
(iii) the state hospitals are very crowded.
(iv) they don’t have a pool of harvested organs.
Answer:
(i) they don’t have well-trained experts.
(f) Heart retrieved from a body is alive only for _____ hours.
(i) Two
(ii) three
(iii) four
(iv) five
Answer:
(iii) four
1.2 Answer the following questions briefly: [1 × 5 = 5]
(a) What is a ‘green corridor’?
Answer:
(a) A ‘green corridor’ is a route cleared and cordoned off by the traffic police to ensure the smooth,and steady transportation of harvested organs.
(b) Why is smooth transportation of the retrieved organ necessary?
Answer:
(b) Smooth transportation of the retrieved organ is necessary as harvested organs tend to have a very short preservation time.
(c) What opinion do you form of Chennai Police with regard to the transportation of the harvested heart?
Answer:
(c) The Chennai police carried out a noble and remarkable task which helped in saving the life of a nine-year-old girl.
(d) What does the author mean by ‘a few golden hours’?
Answer:
(d) ‘The cadaver organs have a short limited period of time which is referred to as ‘A few golden hours’.
(e) How much does a heart transplant cost a patient in a private hospital?
Answer:
(e) A heart transplant costs a patient ₹15-₹20 lakhs in a private hospital, which is followed by post operative medication of about ?30,000 per month lifelong.
1.3 Pick out the words from the passage which mean the same as the following: [1 × 2 = 2]
(a) save (para 1)
(b) achieved /carried out (para 3)
Answer:
(a) save (para 1) – preserve
(b) achieved/carried out (para 3) – accomplished
Question 2.
Read the following passage: [8]
1. How does television affect our lives? It can be very helpful to people who carefully choose the shows that they watch. Television can increase our knowledge of the outside world; there are high-quality programmes that help us understand many fields of study, science, medicine, the different arts and so op. Moreover, television benefits very old people, who can’t leave the house, as well as patients in hospitals. It also offers non-native speakers the advantages of daily informal language practice. They can increase their vocabulary and practice listening.
2. On the other hand, there are several serious disadvantages of television, of course, it provides us with a pleasant way to relax and spend our free time, but in some countries people watch television for an average of six hours or more a day. Many children stare at the TV screen for more hours a day than they spend on anything else, including studying and sleeping. It’s clear that TV has a powerful influence on their lives and that its influence is often negative.
3. Recent studies show that after only thirty seconds of television viewing, a person’s brain ‘relaxes’ the same way that it does just before the person falls asleep. Another effect of television on the human brain is that it seems to cause poor concentration. Children who view a lot of television can often concentrate on a subject for only fifteen to twenty minutes. They can pay attention only for the amount of time between commercials.
4. Another disadvantage is that television often causes people to become dissatisfied with their own lives. Real life does not seem so exciting to these people. To many people, television becomes more real than reality and their own lives seem boring. Also many people get upset or depressed when they can’t solve problems in real life as quickly as television actors seem to.
5. Before a child is fourteen years old, he or she views eleven thousand murders on the TV’. He or she begins to believe that there is nothing strange about fights, killings and other kinds of violence. Many studies show that people become more violent after viewing certain programmes. They may even do the things that they see in a violent show.
(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using Headings and Sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Supply a suitable title to it. [4]
(b) Make a summary of the above passage in about 80 words. [4]
Answer:
(a) Title: Television : A Boon or Bane Notes: ‘
1. Adv. of Television:
1.1 helpful when shows chosen carefully
1.2 increases knowl. of outside world
1.3 high-qual. prog. Increases understanding in
1.3.1 study
1.3.2 science
1.3.3 medicine
1.3.4 different arts
1.4 Beneficial for
1.4.1 old people
1.4.2 patients in hosp.
1.5 Offers non-native speakers
1.5.1 daily informal lang. practice
1.5.2 vocabulary increase
1.5.3 listening practice
2. Disadv. of Television:
2.1 When people watch more television
2.2 -ve impact on children
2.2.1 neglect their studies
2.2.2 compromise on sleep
2.2.3 causes poor concen.
2.3 makes people dissatisfied with life
2.3.1 real life appears boring
2.3.2 causes depression when no fast sol. to prob.
3. Encourages violence in children:
3.1 they witness many murders on television
3.2 feel nothing strange about violence
3.3 start imitating violent actions
|
List of abbreviations used:
Adv. – advantages knowl. – knowledge qual. – quality prog. – programmes hosp. – hospital lang. – language Disadv. – disadvantages – ve – negative concen. – concentration sol. – solution prob. – problems |
(b) Summary: Television has both positive and negative impacts on our lives. If we choose carefully the shows we watch, it can increase our knowledge on a variety of subjects. It entertains old people and patients in hospitals. But it has serious disadvantages also especially among children who neglect their studies, compromise on their sleep and lose concentration when they get glued to the television. Adults too become dissatisfied because real life is not as exciting as reel life. Television shows encourage violence because children feel it is quite normal and there is nothing strange about it.
SECTION B
WRITING SKILLS 30
Question 3.
At Rohini, in Delhi you have a three-bedroom flat with all modern amenities. It is fully air-conditioned and has power backup. For the sale of this flat draft a suitable advertisement in not more than 50 words to be published in a local daily. Give all the necessary details. Your contact number is 9911223344. [4]
Answer:
|
FLAT FOR SALE
Three-Bedroom flat for sale at Rohini, in Delhi, completely equipped with all modern amenities, fully air-conditioned and power back-up, on second floor of safe and gated society, parking for two cars, close proximity to metro station and market. For further details CONTACT on 9911223344. |
Or
You are Secretary, Social Service League of your school. Design a poster to be displayed in your colony and in a local hospital premises inspiring people to make a pledge to donate eyes and other organs of their bodies. [4]
Answer:
Question 4.
You are Tapas/Tapasya of A-150, Mount Road, Chennai. You have seen an advertisement in the newspaper, ‘The Chennai Times’ for the post of Manager (Accounts) in Sundaram Westside, Chennai. Apply for the post with your complete biodata. (120-150 words)[6]
Answer:
A-150, Mount Road Chennai
25th February, 20 xx
The Advertiser
M/S Sundaram Westside
Chennai
Subject: Application for Post of Manager (Accounts)
Sir
This is in response to your advertisement in the Daily Times dated 15th January, 20xx for the post of Manager (Accounts) in your reputed firm.
I wish to apply for the same.
Attached herewith is my brief resume and I would be too happy if I am considered for the above-mentioned position in your esteemed company.
Resume
Name : Tapasaya
Father’s Name : Mr. Tapas
Date of birth : 18th April, 1990
Permanent Address : A-150, Mount Road, Chennai
Contact No : 9812345678
Marital Status : Unmarried
Educational Qualification : Passed Senior Secondary School Examination, CBSE Board from Central School, Chennai in the Commerce stream with 89% aggregate.
B.Com. (Hons.) from Delhi University with aggregate 74%. Post Graduation Degree—M.Com. from Delhi University with 70% aggregate.
Work Experience : Presently working as a manager in Accounts Department with Expo India Ltd. for the past four years.
Languages Known : Hindi, Tamil & English
Hobbies : Reading, Music and Travelling
Reference : 1. Mr. Sumit Nath, Accounts Head, Expo India Ltd.
2. Mrs. Anita Kaul, Senior Lecturer, Delhi University.
I would be happy to come for a personal interview as and when required.
Thank you
Tapasya
Or
Write a letter to the Editor, ‘The Indian Times’, Jaipur highlighting the need to tap the sports talent at a young age by sports teachers, coaches etc. so that it does not go unrecognized. Thus we shall have a large pool of young talented sports persons who can be groomed. You are Poorva/Paras 78, Inderpuri, Jaipur. (120-150 words) [6]
Answer:
78, Inderpuri
Jaipur
1st December, 20xx
The Editor
The Indian Times
Jaipur
Subject: Need to Tap Sports Talent at a Young Age
Sir
Through the medium of the columns of your esteemed newspaper I wish to highlight the need to tap the sports talent at a young age so that it does not go unrecognized.
This can be done at the school level itself by the sports teachers and coaches. They can closely monitor the aptitude and skills a child possesses for a particular sport and groom him accordingly. To realize the full potential of a child needs the complete commitment on the part of the students and the encouragement and guidance of the teachers and the parents who need to understand the value of pursuing a sport diligently.
By grooming children and tapping their sports talent from a young age, we shall have a large pool of young and talented sports persons. With this intention the government of India has formulated a talent identification programme, The National Sports Talent Search Scheme. The need of the present times is to create good infrastructure for sports and nurture talent from an early age.
I hope you will publish my letter in your newspaper so that public awareness can be created in this matter.
Yours Sincerely
Paras
Question 5.
‘No detention policy for classes sixth to eighth is academically very unsound.’ Write a debate in 150-200 ivords either for or against the motion. [10]
Answer:
The policy of no detention till Class VIII has had a delirious impact on the learning outcome in schools. There is little check on the fact that whether or not a student has even acquired bare minimum knowledge before he or she is promoted to the next class. Good Morning Everyone, I …….., have come to speak in favour of the motion, ‘The policy of no detention till class VIII is not in the interest of students’.
The situation often arises wherein students do not fail till Class VIII and then do not pass in class IX. The poor results of this policy are visible in Class IX. I feel this policy is resulting in a decline in the standard of education. Children are showing a lackadaisical attitude towards their studies. The basic drive to excel is missing in students as a result of such leniency. Parents are also less concerned as they are sure their wards will not be held back in the class even if they do not fare well. Students do not work as hard as they should and take their studies for granted. Though this policy was implemented with the objective of reducing stress on children, one cannot ignore the fact that the quality of education has to be maintained and the aim of education has to be achieved. Children with weak foundation reach Class IX, and are unable to perform in higher classes as their basics are not clear. It is thus a serious concern that all attempts of educating children upto Class VIII is proving to be a waste in terms of time and money.
Life in general is extremely competitive, so let us not forget a little bit of pressure is always beneficial in the long run so there is certainly an urgent need to rethink about continuing this policy.
Thank You!
Or
‘As per last census, the literacy rate in India was around 74%. In our day-to-day life, we find people who cannot even read or write. Looking at the gravity of the situation you decide to deliver a speech in your school morning assembly on the topic, “Each One, Teach One’. Write your speech in 150-200 words. You are Vinitha/Bejo. [10]
Ans.
Good morning Respected Principal Ma’am, Teachers and Dear Friends!
As per the last census, the literacy rate in India was around 74 percent. But in our day-to¬day life we come across people who can neither read nor write. Seeing the gravity of the situation, I, Vinitha have come before you all to speak on the topic, “Each One, Teach One.’ Illiteracy is still a major blot on India, even after more than seventy years of our achieving independence. The removal of illiteracy needs to be tackled on a priority’ basis and we students can play an important role in achieving this target. Since we ourselves are in the process of receiving education, we are in the best position to extend our services to educate the illiterate people.
It is we ‘students who need to carry forth the lamp of knowledge by participating in events like, “Each One, Teach One’. If each one of us resolves to teach an illiterate person during the vacations or whenever we get time, we will do our bit to eradicate illiteracy in the long run. If we all get together in the move to educate people, that day is not far when India will join the league of nations who have attained full literacy rate.
To conclude, I would like to say that if the Each One, Teach One initiative is taken up by us we will be contributing our bit towards eliminating illiteracy.
Thank You!
Question 6.
A programme on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ was organized in your school on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. Posters were prepared and pasted in the colony near your school. A procession was taken out. School premises and its surroundings were cleaned by the students. Public was advised to make the mission successful. Write a report on the programme in 150-200 words. You are Srinivasan/Latha. [10]
Answer:
Swachh Bharat Mission
By: Latha/Srinivasan
A programme on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ was organized in our school on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. The aim of this event was an effort on the part of our school to contribute our bit towards the vision of ‘Clean India’ as initiated by our Prime Minister. Students prepared posters and pasted them in the colony near our school. They also prepared placards which they carried when a procession was taken out. Our school premises and the adjacent colony were cleaned by the students and our teachers. The public was also advised by student volunteers to make this mission successful. Eminent environmentalists also graced this event with their presence and reiterated the importance of cleanliness, which is also essential for the environmental development. Our Principal too expressed her views towards our moral responsibility to keep our surroundings clean. Each time we cannot shrug off our shoulders and curse the government and the civic authorities for the litter and dirt around us. It is high time we ensure the use of dustbins and make sure that we do not strew litter.
Or
The Word ‘father’ is synonymous with strict discipline etc. but it is not completely true. The father fulfills his responsibilities affectionately for the family. Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic, ‘Role of father in the family’. You are Dhruv/Deepa.
Answer:
Role of Father in the Family
By: Deepa/Dhruv
The Word ‘father’ is synonymous with someone who is a strict disciplinarian, but this is not completely true. The father is also a person who fulfills his responsibilities, affectionately for his family.
Fathers are usually looked up as providers and protectors of the family. It is observed that children who lack a father’s presence in their life do not possess a sense of emotional strength, a feeling of security and self-esteem and decision-making skills. These are the kind of qualities that come from a father’s active presence.
Moreover, children who perceive their’father as supportive feel a greater sense of social acceptance and psychological development. Fathers introduce their children to a wider variety7 of methods in dealing with the challenges of life and also teach them the objectivity and consequences of choosing between right and wrong. He is the pillar of strength and support and a great role model for his children.
Thus, a father is generally every boy’s biggest hero and every girl’s first love. No wonder, evety boy wants to grow up to be like his father and every girl hopes to meet someone who would be even half as wonderful as her father.
SECTION C
LITERATURE: TEXTBOOKS 30
Question 7.
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow each of them. [4 + 4 = 8]
(a) He couldn’t have addressed a more dazed and silent audience – no one knew what he was talking about and his accent defeated any attempt to understand what he was saying.
(i) Identify the chapter. Who is ‘he’? [1]
(ii) What was ‘he’ in real life? [1]
(iii) How did the audience react to his speech? [1]
(iv) Why was his speech not a success? [1]
(b) Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
Of a corpse and realised with
pain
that she was as old as she
looked ………….
(i) Where was the poet driving to? Who was sitting beside her? [1]
(ii) What did the poet notice about her mother? [1]
(iii) Which thought made the poet feel painful? [1]
(iv) Name the figure of speech used in the expression : ‘her face ashen like that of a corpse’.[1]
Answer:
(a)(1)The chapter is Poets and Pancakes. ‘He’ refers to Stephen Spender, the visitor at Gemini Studios.
(ii) Stephen spender was an English poet and editor.
(iii) The audience was rather baffled and dazed by his speech. They remained silent because no one knew what he was talking about.
(iv) His speech was not a success as no one could understand what he was saying because he had an incomprehensible accent.
(b) (i) The poet was driving to Cochin airport from where she would head to her home. Her mother was sitting beside her.
(ii) The poet noticed that her mother’s face was looking ashen, like that of a corpse.
(iii) The thought of her mother’s old age and decaying health made the poet feel painful.
(iv) Simile.
Question 8.
Answer any five of the following questions in 30-40 words each. [2 × 5 = 10]
(a) What explanation did the children offer the writer for not wearing footwear? Did she agree to it? (Lost spring)
(b) How did Douglas’ experience at the beach in California affect him? (Deep Water)
(c) Why has Raj Kumar Shukla been described as being resolute? (Indigo)
(d) How will ‘Keeping Quiet’ protect our environment?
(e) How did Charley ‘reach’ the third level of the Grand Central Station?
(f) What is common between Derry and Mr. Lamb?
(g) Why was Dr. Sadao not arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy?
Answer:
(a) One child tells the author that his mother did not bring his shoes down from the shelf. Another child says that even if she did he would throw them off. A third . child who has never owned a pair of shoes all his life, wants them. The author feels one explanation to stay barefoot is lack of money, but then she wonders if this is an excuse to explain away their perpetual state of poverty or it is a tradition for those people to stay barefoot.
(b) When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in California. They had stood together on the turf and though Douglas had hung on to him, yet the waves knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried under water. His breath was gone and he was frightened. There was terror in his heart at the overpowering force of the waves.
(c) Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the poor sharecroppers who were being exploited by the English landlords but Gandhiji said he had appointments in various parts of India. Shukla started following Gandhiji everywhere the latter went and for weeks he never left Gandhiji’s side thus establishing his resoluteness.
(d) When we keep quiet and refrain from activity, we will not indulge in chemical and nuclear wars that cause total destruction by releasing toxic gases in the environment. These will destroy all greenery and life on earth making it a dead planet.
(e) One night, Charley worked late at his office. He was in a hurry to get to his apartment, so he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. There, he ducked into an arched doorway, heading for the subway and got lost. He began walking down the steps to a tunnel, entered a corridor from where the tunnel turned sharp left and went down a short flight of stairs and came out on the third level at Grand Central Station.
(f) Both Derry and Mr. Lamb are victims of a physical disability. One side of Derry’s face is burnt by acid and Mr. Lamb has a tin-leg. They both suffer from a sense of loneliness and alienation that they experience on account of their physical impairment.
(g) Dr. Sadao had fulfilled his duty as a loyal citizen by informing the old General of the American soldier’s presence in his house. The old General had promised Dr. Sadao that he would send his private assassins to kill the soldier. But it was the General who forgot his promise of sending his private assassins. So, he was not arrested on the charge of harbouring an enemy. Moreover, the General needed Dr. Sadao for his personal treatment.
Question 9.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words: [6]
Why did the Crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler feel after betraying the Crofter?
Answer:
One dark evening when the peddler was walking along the road he knocked on the door of a cottage to seek shelter for the night. To his surprise, he was welcomed by an old man, the crofter, who lived alone in the cottage. The lonely Crofter was happy to find a man whom he could talk to. He served the peddler supper, gave him tobacco and played a game of cards with him. The old crofter then went to the window and took down a leather pouch. He counted three ten kronor notes and put them into the pouch. This provided a big bait for the peddler who was tempted to steal the notes. He stole the money and thus committed a breach of trust. So he betrayed the confidence reposed in him by his host. As the peddler walked along with the crofter’s money in his pocket, he felt quite pleased with his own smartness. He realised that he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public highway and so he turned off the road, into woods.
Or
Educating children is the responsibility of society. Justify the statement in view of ‘The Last Lesson.
Answer:
It is the responsibility of society to educate children. This statement is aptly justified by the chapter, The Last Lesson wherein M- Hamel reproaches and blames the society, including himself, for the lack of learning on part of the students. When Frank gets mixed up in saying the rule of the participle, Mr Haprel tells him that he will not scold him for putting off learning till the next day as they all had a great deal to reproach themselves with. Their parents were not anxious enough to have them learn the language. They preferred to put them to work to earn extra monev. He himself had often sent them to water his flowers instead of making them learn their lessons and had given them a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. So they, as a society, had been irresponsible in ensuring education of the children.
Question 10.
Answer of the following in 120-150 ivords: [6]
What was the prediction of the astrologers regarding the ultimate fate of the Tiger King? How did it come to be true? Describe with reference to the story.
Answer:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, who was also known as the Tiger King tried to go against what was destined in his fate. The result was tragic and ironical. The chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of the king’s death and he should specially be wary of the hundredth tiger. The vain king banned hunting of the tigers in the State by everyone except himself and was able to kill ninety-nine tigers. He thought he had killed the hundredth tiger also but somehow the bullet missed its mark and the hundredth tiger survived. Then, on his son’s birthday the king bought him a wooden tiger which he felt was a perfect gift for his son. One sharp tiny sliver of the wooden tiger pierced the king’s right hand and the infection spread all over his arm causing his death. It was indeed ironical that despite killing all the tigers in his kingdom the king did finally become the victim of the hundredth tiger and the astrologer’s prediction did come true.
Or
What are phytoplankton? How are they important to our ecosystem? (Journey to the End of the Earth)
Ans. The microscopic phytoplankton are tiny forms of plant life on the sea. They nourish and sustain the entire southern ocean’s food chain. They are single-celled plants and use the energy of the sun to assimilate carbon supplying oxygen and synthesis compounds. Depletion of the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful rays of the sun adversely affects the activities of the phytoplankton. Any further depletion in the ozone layer will hamper their activity which, in turn, is bound to affect the growth of marine animals and birds and even the global carbon cycle. Thus to save the big organisms, the small organisms need to be cared for because even minor changes have huge repercussions.
SET II Code IMo. 1/4/2
Note: Except for the following questions, all the remaining questions have been asked in Set I.
Question 6.
The number of private vehicles is increasing in the cities. It leads to traffic jams and a rise in air pollution levels. The only solution seems to be that people start using public transport. Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic, ‘Importance of Public Transport’. You are Sanjith/ Ranjitha. [6]
Answer:
The importance of Public Transport
By: Ranjitha
Increase in: the number of private vehicles in the last two decades has led to an unprecedented rise in air pollution, traffic jams, lack of parking space, road rage, etc. One of the solutions to this problem lies in the use of public transport.
Use of public transport reduces travel by private vehicles. Public transport is beneficial as it not only eases congestion on roads but also saves fuel, money and energy. When people use public transport they reduce their carbon footprint and conserve energy by eliminating travel that would otherwise have been made in a private vehicle. It also gives people energy, efficient choices and reduces overall greenhouse gas emissions without reducing the mobility that is so vital to our nation’s economic growth. To encourage more people to use public transport the authorities need to improve local train and bus services. Funds need to be allocated to make public transport services accessible and more reliable. A bus with as few as 7-8 passengers is more fuel efficient than an average single occupant car. The recent odd-even rule for cars started by Chief Minister of Delhi was initiated to encourage the use of public transport and thereby reduce pollution caused by traffic. The authorities are working hard to make public more aware of how useful, efficient and less damaging to the environment the use of public transport is.
Or
Teachers’ Day was celebrated in your school. The function was presided over by the State Education Minister. A variety programme was organized. Five retired teachers were honoured. Write a report in 150-200 words on the function. You are Pritam/Nirmala.
Answer:
Teachers’ Day Celebrations
By: Nirmala
Teachers’ day was celebrated in our school on 5th September. It was an effort on the part of our school management to make our teachers feel special on this day (also the occasion of Dr. S Radhakrishnan’s birthday) for their valuable contribution to the society.
The function was presided over by the State Education Minister, Mr. Sandeep Kumar. A cultural function of song and dance was organized by the students, much to the delight of our teachers. The highlight of the programme was that five of our retired teachers were specially invited for this occasion and were honoured for their exemplary services. Thereafter, the Chief Guest gave a speech wherein he spoke about the noble profession of teaching and thanked the teachers for their valuable contribution in building the future of our nation. Our Principal gave a vote of thanks, expressing her gratitude to the Chief Guest for his presence and to the teachers for their dedicated services.
The entire celebration had an atmosphere of fun an gaiety. It was indeed our privilege to do something special for our extra-ordinary teachers.
Question 8.
Answer any five of the following questions in 30-40 words each: [2 × 5 = 10]
(a) How did the Crofter entertain the peddler?
(b) What was Sophie’s first choice of job after completing her school? How did she hope to succeed in her aim?
(c) Mention any two difficulties faced by the bangle sellers of Firozabad.
(d) What are the probable causes of the passing cars to stop near the roadside stand?
(e) Describe the scene at the threshing floor observed by Bama on her way back from school.
(f) Dr. Sadao and servants were only partly loyal to their country. Comment.
(g) How did Jo want the story to end?
Answer:
(a) Instead of the sour faces which normally met the peddler, the crofter who was an old and lonely man received the peddler most warmly and offered him generous hospitality. He gave him porridge for supper and the two smoked tobacco and played cards. The crofter also shared his confidences with the peddler.
(b) Sophie’s first choice of job after completing school was that she was going to have a boutique. To fulfill her aim she thought she would be a manager to begin with so that she could save enough money and then start her own boutique.
(c) Through the story of the bangle-makers of Ferozabad, the author expresses her concern over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle-making. Extreme poverty, hard work and dismal working conditions result in the loss of the childhood of children who are in this profession. The working conditions of all bangle-makers are pathetic and miserable. They work in high temperature, badly lit and poorly ventilated glass furnaces due to which child workers especially are at risk of losing their eyesight at an early age. The stinking lanes of Ferozabad are choked with garbage and humans and animals live together in these hovels. There is no development or progress in their lives with the passage of time. They have no choice but to work in these inhuman conditions. Mind-numbing toil kills their dreams and hopes. They are condemned to live and die in squalor, subjected to a life of poverty and perpetual exploitation.
(d) The rich city people simply drove past in their cars without even noticing or stopping at the roadside stand. Even when they did stop for a moment it was to criticize and complain about the peeling paint of the stall, of the wrongly painted signboards, the N and S turned wrong and that the beauty of the countryside has been marred.
(e) On her way back from school, at the threshing floor Bama saw an elderly man from the street carrying a small packet. It contained something to eat for the landlord. He held out the packet by its string without touching it, then bowed low to the landlord and extended the packet towards him without touching it. It was believed that they belonged to the low caste so they must not touch the packet.
(f) Dr. Sadao and his servants were .only partly loyal to their country. Dr. Sadao did not let the soldier die even though he was an enemy, an enemy, an American and immediately decided to operate upon him. Later, he helped the soldier to escape. Even though his servants left Dr. Sadao’s house because of the American’s presence there, they did not report him to the authorities and resumed their duties without saying anything once the soldier had left.
(g) A child’s perspective is different from an adult’s perspective. For Jo, Roger Skunk’s mother is wicked and stupid and she feels rather annoyed with her for making Roger smell bad again. She wanted a happy ending to the story and so she insists that her father should tell her the story where the wizard should hit mommy in the end.
Question 9.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words: [6]
The order from Berlin created a great enthusiasm in the school. Comment.
Answer:
The order from Berlin created a great enthusiasm in the school among the students, the village elders and their teacher. In honour of the last French lesson M. Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes, which he otherwise wore only on inspection and prize days. He had new copies for his students with France, Alsace written on them. He explained every thing to the class with a lot of patience. The old men of the village were sitting on the back benches of the class to express their gratitude towards their teacher and show their respect for the country that was no longer theirs. Even Franz felt that his books were his old friends, that he could not give up. Everyone in the class set to work quietly and with enthusiasm, regretting their earlier indifference towards their language.
Or
How did Gandhiji use satyagraha and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his goal?
Answer:
Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought against the injustice of the cruel British landlords who extorted money from the poor sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all the facts and met the Commissioner. The commissioner tried to threaten Gandhiji and advised him to leave from there. But Gandhiji was undeterred. He decided to launch a peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. This led to spontaneous demonstrations in Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the Britishers and the government was baffled. Despite earlier hesitations, the prominent lawyers declared their unconditional support to Gandhiji. Finally, Gandhiji’s peaceful and non-violent civil disobedience bore the desired results. The indigo share-croppers at Champaran secured justice and the landlords agreed to refund 25 per cent of the compensation money.
SET III Code No. 1/4/3
Note: Except for the following questions, all the remaining questions have been asked in Set I and Set II.
Question 6.
Due to heavy rainfall the river near your town started overflowing its banks. As a result your town was flooded. It led to a great loss of life and property. Many N.G.O.s came forward to help the people with food, shelter and medicines. Write a report in 150-200 words for a local newspaper on the tragedy and rescue efforts. You are Raghav/Ritika. 10
Answer:
Flood Calamity
By: Raghav
22nd September, 20xx Coonoor: Due to incessant and heavy rainfall the river, near our town in Coonoor district of Kerala started to overflow. As a result our town was almost completely submerged under water.
These recent floods have led to great loss of life and property. Almost three hundred people have lost their lives and thousands have been rendered homeless. To carry out the relief operations several teams of the Disaster Rapid Action Force along with the Fire Brigade personnel were heavily deployed in the affected areas. More than ten thousand people were evacuated from the low-lying areas of our town and relocated to safe-shelters where many NGOs came forward to help the victims with food and medicine. Infact, it was heartening to see that the entire nation came forward to help the people affected by the floods.
The State Government has announced a relief of ? 10 lakhs for the families of those who have lost their lives and ? 4 lakhs for these-who have been rendered homeless. The Chief Minister has appealed for assistance from the Central government to rehabilitate the affected people.
Or
Teachers are regarded as nation builders. They are responsible for developing the character of students and transforming them into responsible citizens. Write an article in 150-200 words on the topic, ‘Role of the Teacher in Society’. You are Gaurav/Gauri
Answer:
Role of the Teacher in Society
By: Gauri
Teachers are regarded as nation builders. They are responsible for not only educating the children but also for developing their character and transforming them into responsible citizens.
Teachers’ role in society is both valuable and significant. They play an important role in shaping the future of the country so they can be called the custodians and architects of our future. Teachers are mentors and guides who work with a vision and passion to build positive and inspired future generations, and thus design society on a local and global scale. Teachers also act as the support system that could sometimes be lacking in a child’s life. They are the ultimate role models for students. Good teachers always have compassion for their students and appreciation for their achievements. Through their encouragement they increase the productivity and creativity of their students.
Teaching is referred to as a noble profession and teachers are truly the backbone of the society. We must always be grateful to our teachers who have given a positive and well meaning definition to our life.
Question 8.
Answer any five of the following questions in 30-4.0 words each: [2 × 5 = 10]
(a) Why did Rudyard Kipling dislike being interviewed? Give two reasons.
(b) Why is Sophie attracted to Danny Casey?
(c) For Saheb, how was work at the tea stall different from rag picking?
(d) What is the colour of ‘sour cream’? Why has the poet used these words to describe the classroom walls? (An Elementary Classroom in a Slum)
(e) Why was Dr. Sadao not sent to the battlefield??
(f) Why did the landlord’s man ask Bama’a brother on which street he lived?
(g) “Why was Evans not ready to remove his hat?
Answer:
(a) Rudyard Kipling disliked being interviewed because he considered it immoral, a crime and an assault which needed to be punished. He even regarded interview as being cowardly and vile and felt no respectable man should give an interview or ask for it.
(b) Danny Casey is an Irish football prodigy and Sophie is attracted to him because like most youngsters she idolizes and hero-worships him. So she envisions her meetings with the football star and also gives vivid details of their meetings.
(c) Even though Saheb is paid 800 rupees and gets all his meals, he does not like working at the tea stall. He has lost his carefree look because he is no longer his own master. The steel canister Saheb carries seems heavier than the plastic bag that he would carry so highly over his shoulders as a ragpicker. The bag was his own whereas the canister belongs to someone else.
(d) The colour of ‘sour-cream’ is an off-white or a pale yellow. The poet has used this to describe the worn classroom walls in order to highlight its neglect. The sour-cream colour of the wall echoes the equally neglected state of the children whose lives are confined within these walls.
(e) Dr. Sadao was a skilled and reputed surgeon who was in the process of perfecting an invention of rendering wounds totally clean. Moreover, he was treating the old General who could need an ‘operation. So he was not sent to the battlefield as his valuable services could be needed at any time in his hometown.
(f) The landlord’s man asked BamaVbrother on which street he lived in order to find out his caste. During those times, when untouchability was prevalent, each caste lived in a particular street and by inquiring about the street where one lived, helped to determine his caste.
(g) Evans was determined to make his escape-plan a success and so he had clipped his hair short ‘to pass off as McLeery later. Jackson dis-approved of his dirty “bobble ‘ hat” and asked him to remove it. Evans immediately thought of a ploy to avoid recognition by telling Jackson that the hat had always brought him good luck. So the police officer agreed to his request.
Question 10.
Answer the following question in 120-150 words: [6]
The play ‘On The Face of It’ depicts the unusual behaviour of the people towards the physically disabled which makes them feel lonely. Comment.
Answer:
The lesson ‘On the Face of It’ aptly depicts the loneliness and sense of alienation experienced by Derry and Mr. Lamb on account of a disability.
The bond that unites Mr. Lamb and Derry is the loneliness and alienation they experience on account of their physical disabilities. Mr Lamb lost a leg in the war and has a tin leg while Derry has an acid burn on one cheek which gives him an ugly appearance. The actual pain and inconvenience caused by a disability is often much less than the sense of estrangement and alienation felt by a disabled person. But, unlike Derry, Mr. Lamb always maintains a positive attitude towards life and is a downright extrovert.
Mr. Lamb inspires Derry by telling him not to focus on the shortcomings of life and his handicap and instead he should try to enjoy the blessings of life. He tells him to be thankful to God for two arms, two legs, two eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain and advises him to be friendly with everyone around him.
Mr. Lamb’s inexplicable words of wisdom inspire Derry and towards the end of the story we see him rushing back to Mr. Lamb’s garden to adopt the attitude and path that have been shown by him. Derry’s long conversation with Mr. Lamb helps him overcome his inferiority complex and poor self-esteem.
Or
If we want to study and examine the Earth’s past, present and future, Antarctica is the place to go to. Comment.
Answer:
A visit to Antarctica will help us to understand where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. It will also suggest a lot of future possibilities, probably for even a million years later. By visiting Antarctica we get an opportunity to study about the future climatic changes easily and more effectively. We also come to know about the repercussions of the various environmental changes. It also gives us the realization of the appearance of the ‘future world’. The ice-cores of Antarctica hold more than half-million- year-old carbon records which are very crucial for the study of the past, present and future of our planet. All this will also help us to understand our planet better and also give qs ideas to save our planet.