Bihar Secondary School Question Bank | Bihar Board Class 12th English Question Bank 2012-2023 | BSEB Class 12th English Notes (1)

2011 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) She …………. (meet) me long ago.

(b) He……….. (write) now.

Answer – (a) met, (b) is writing, (c) shall

2. Change the following sentences into Passive Voice.

(a) I don’t harm anyone.

(b) Who has done it

Answer – (a) No one is harmed by me.

(b) By whom has this done.

3. Use the following idioms and phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly :

(a) from pillar to post

(b) get rid of

Answer– (a) From pillar to post-He moved (ran) from pillar to post for his admission in the college but could not succeed.

(b) Get rid of- We must get rid of bad habits.

4. Combine the following simple sentences into one complex coordinative sentence each :

(a) I went home. I talked to my parents.

(b) I missed the bus. I was late.

Answer – (a) I went home and talked to my parents.

(b) I missed the bus because I was late.

5. Translate the following sentences into English:

(a) पौ फट चुकी है।

(b) सूरज पूरब से निकल चुका है।

(d) उन्होंने काम करना शुरू कर दिया है।

(e) कुछ किसान अपने खेतों पर जा चुके हैं।

Answer – (a) It is early morning.

(b) The sun has arisen in the east.

(d) They have begun to work.

(e) Some farmers have gone to their fields.

6. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Once Amar Singh, the General of Shah Jahan’s army was passing through a desert. He saw a thirsty man dying out of thirst. Amar Singh gave him “Amar Singh, you saved my life. I am a Pathan named Narshahwaj Khan. I will shed my blood for you and your family if needed.” The Pathan proved true to his word. When Amar Singh was killed treacherously and his dead body was captured by Shah Jahan, Narshahwaj Khan came with his army and fought to the vast army of Shah jahan. He with his entire army was killed in the battle. But, he immortalised the tale of gratitude friendship.

Questions:

(a) Who was Amar Singh and who was Narshahwaj Khan?

(b) How did Amar Singh save his life?

(d) What moral do you get from the above passage?

Answer – (a) Amar Singh was the General of Shah Jahan’s army and Narshawaj Khan was a ‘Pathan’.

(b) Amar Singh saved his (Narshawaj Khan) life, by giving him water to drink. who was dying out of thirst.

(c) When Amar Singh was killed treacherously and his dead body was captured by Sahjahan, Narshahwaj Khan came with his army and fought to the vast army of Shahjahan. He was killed in the battle.Thus he sacrificed his life.

(d) We shouldn’t be ungrateful. We must even sacrifice our lives to keep-up our promises as Narshahwaj did.

7. Write an essay in about 100-150 wards on any one of the following:

(a) My Hobby

(b) The book I like most

(d) Book Fair

(e) Hostel Life 10

Answer – (a) My Hobby

Reading poetry is my hobby and delight. Poetry expresses the best that is there in the Reading poetry is my hobby and delight. Poetry expresses the best that is there in the world of man and nature. And, a poet uses the best and choicest words and phrases to express what he sees, feels and experiences. As a famous English poet, Shelley, has said, poetry is “the record of the best and happiest moments of the happiest and best minds.” So, while it affords us highest kind of pleasure, it also educates us. Poets not only paint a picture of the world as it goes, they also present an ideal world. Their world sets an ideal before us. So, poets are the best educators of mankind. That is why I have got a passion for poetry. When I read it, I go into a world of joy from which I do not feel like coming out.

(b) The book you like st

I have read many books. But I have liked one book the most of all. It is the ‘Gita’. It is a religious book of the Hindus. But my liking for it is not based on religion only. It has a very rich philosophy. It teaches us that man should work hard. He should not worry about the result. God certainly rewards us for our work. Good work always leads to good results. So, a man should only mind his work. He should leave the rest to God. I like this philosophy very much. The ‘Gita’ teaches us about the immortality of soul also. I get peace of mind by reading this book.

(c) Television

Television is a device with a small screen. It telecasts programmes that are relayed by T.V. stations or satellietes. We are able to see the pictures and hear the sound too.

It is a small talking. Every home with a T.V. set has almost become a mini theatre. It has really changed the life style of the people. We enjoy watching and matched trough live telecast. Childreen are fond of watching T.V. It is a wholesome educative entertainment. It widens the faculties of understanding, fellow feelings and mutual love and cooperation.

(d) Book Fair

A book fair is a place where books of various kinds are brought for sale and display. It is a very popular fair. In fact, a book fair is considered to be an occasion of great festivity to the book-lovers. It is usually held in the winter season on an open place in most of the major cities of the country. The main thing about a book fair is not sale but display of books on different subjects. The leading publishers of the country set up stalls of their recent publications as well as old ones. Various kinds of novels, poetical works and science fictions are mainly available in a book fair. A festive look prevails all around. Last year, I paid a visit to the Ekushey Boimela, the most popular book fair held in the premises of bangle academy. My personal impression about a book fair is that it can play an important role in developing the habit of reading books among the people. It is a device to spread culture, education and knowledge. It changes our outlook on life and widens our domain of learning.

(e) Hostel life

Life in hostel is one of the most memorable experiences that one must feel it. It is likely that, it takes you away from the home to real world situation and teaches you lot. However, it gives a exposure in the the real world, every life has its prone and cons.

There are several benefits of be a part of hostel life. First, you can be more frankly.

Like you gain more confidence to talk with anybody either with your elders or with your younger. You get mental growth. Second you learn how to be independent and decision maker, you take every little decision of your life and learn that decision was right or wrong. By improving this quality you learn how to solve big problem of life. Lastly, in hostel life there are lot of fun and games as all this belong to same age group. So you can find field which includes your talent and interest which you never know before. So, sportsmanship and physical growth will improve.

To sum up, hostels are boons that are staying away from homes. It gives them a platform for lodging and boarding and helps them to concentrate on their studies.

8. Make a precis of the following passage and give a suitable title :

No one on this earth is as servant serves the entire family. He given joy to every member of the family. So, he is a very important person of the family. Whenever we give him as wages for his service is negligible. Service is precious but we can’t do the job what a servant does even if we are paid hundred times of what he is paid. Labourers are the creators of food, cloth and house on this earth. Without them this world can’t move. Therefore, servants and labourers should be honoured. We must not exploit them. Unfortunately, such thought does not exist in the minds of the people. We avail the services of servants and labourers but do never honour them. If a servant is given honour and a word of love, he would irrigate the family with his blood. If labourers are given due honour and facility, they would make this earth pleasant with their sweats.

Answer – Title: Importance of Servant

A servant is very important and part and parcel of a family He serves the whole family. No one can repay his services. We cannot weigh his service in terms of money. We only avail their services but never honour them. If we love them the earth will be a pleasant place.

9. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) You ….. not rag the newcomers.

(b) He ….. join this job.

Answer – (a) should, (b) may, (c) must

10. Turn the following sentences into indirect speech:

(a) The saint said, “Happiness lies in content”.

(b) He said to us, “Are you going away today?”

Answer – (a) The saint said that happiness lies in content.

(b) He asked us if we were going away to day.

11. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) Who does not need wealth? (Into

(b) This news is too good to be true.

Answer – (a) (i) Everyone needs wealth. (ii) There is no one who does not need wealth.

(b) This news is so good that it cannot be true.

GROUP-B

12. Name the poets who wrote the following lines:

(a) He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.

His power of lavitation would make a Fakir stares.

(b) I think she was the most beautiful lady

That ever was in the West Country.

Retiring back a while sufficed at what they are, but never forgotten.

(d) But thinke that wee

Are but turn’d aside to sleepe;

They who one another keepe

Alive, ne’r parted bee.

(e) Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness.

Answer – (a) T.S. Eliot

(b) Walter de la Mare

(d) John Donne

(e) Rupert Brooke

13. Write in short, the summary of any one of the following poems:

(a) Song of Myself

(b) Snake

(d) Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe.

Answer – (a) Song of Myself

The poem ‘Song of Myself’ has been composed by Walt Whitman. He was the most individualistic literary figure that America has ever produced. He tells about himself in this poem. The poet enjoys himself and sings for the self. But he is not different from others. He tells himself that every atom of his blood belongs to his soul. He always assumes everything which is right. He also says that every atom of blood is the same in all human beings. He wanders with his pain which grows when a spike comes and touches the skin. Whatever he says, comes from his heart. He says that everyone in this world comes one by one. He always keeps feelings or thoughts in mind either good or bad. He is ready for every danger in his life. He accepts that life is not a bed of roses. It is full of difficulties and happiness as well. It is a finest gift given by God. Here there are too many people who fight for the religion and the religious festivals. That is not good. Everyone should think that there is nothing in life. So always be happy and try to make others happy.

(b) Snake

David Herbert Lawrence wrote the poem ‘Snake’. He has described about a snake in this poem. He said that one night when he felt thirsty he came out to drink water but as soon as he came out he saw a black cobra which also came to drink water. It was too hot that night. The snake was looking good, silent and peaceful. It came out from a carobtree only to drink water. To see its politness the poet didn’t fear at first but his sense of humour felt him that he should kill the snake at any cost. But the snake was too peaceful to hit. After some time the poet decided to hit the snake. He went to pick up a stick to hit the snake. He hit the snake speedily and the snake felt pain. While the latter part of his body was hit by a stick (a piece of wood), moves its body and went into the hole of ground (earth). The poet didn’t want to kill him but he was afraid that if he didn’t kill him, he was to be killed by the snake. The poet felt sorry on his act, because its (snake’s) look was simple and innocent. It seemed to him like a king in exile and he wanted to see him again.

(c) An Epitaph

Walter de la Mare is the poet of the poem ‘An Epitaph’. It is tomb of a dead body, where lies a beautiful lady. He wants to tell about a beautiful lady which is in the Epitaph. She was the most beautiful lady that was ever born in the West Country but when she was dead her beauty vanishes. Her beauty passes. When she died, everything is cleared about herself. The poet loved her so much that when she was dead he was weeping bitterly. When the poet listened about his beloved he remembered her. He used to sit beside her epitaph where she was laid down. So the poet wants to say that if a person loved someone so much he will never leave him alone, because he is just facing the problems.

(d) Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe

The poet is expressing his tender feelings and delicate passions towards his beloved in a rhythmic tone. The metaphysical undertones contained in the stanzas has a perennial appeal. The poet is assuming his beloved weari the fathom of love and dedication by giving the analogy of sun’s journey in the backdrop of human destiny. The poet uses hyperboles to bring home the power of love. The poet also undercovers the perpetuity of love in the wake of failings of human life. The poet ruefully narrates the fragility of life and certainty of death and takes of renouncing his beloved desires to undertake journey speedier than sun.

14. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B :

List – A List – B

(a) John Donne (i) Snake

(b) John Keats (ii) Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe

(d) Kamala Das (iv) Macavity : The Mystery cat

(e) D.H. Lawrence (v) To Autums.

Answer – (a) → (ii); (b) → (v); (c) → (iv); (d) → (iii); (e) → (i)

GROUP-C

15. Name the authors of the following prose pieces :

(a) The Child is Born

(b) The Earth

Answer – (a) Germaine Greer, (b) H.E. Bates, (c) Anton Chekhov

16. Write in short, the summary of any one of the following pieces:

(a) The Artist

(b) A Pinch of Snuff

Answer – (a) The Artist

‘The Artist’ is a fascinating Japanese short story written by Shiga Naoya a celebrated Japanese writer. In this story the writer describes how a budding artist of twelve years old only is misunderstood by elderly people and how his talent is damaged.

Seibei a school going boy becomes unusually interested in gourds. He buys long symmetrical gourds. He makes a neat hole at the top and extracts the seeds. He fills the hole with tea-leaves lest it gives unpleasant gourd smell. He then, polishes it with the wine left over by his father in the glass.

However, Seibei got a rude shock when he was caught-polishing a small gourd in the ethics class by one of his teachers. His gourd was confiscated and later given to an old porter of the school. The teacher not only chided him in the school, but he followed him to his house. He warned seibei’s mother that such things should not be repeated.

Seibei now turns to painting. He is chided for this also. He bears his agony alone. He has no complaints against his father or teacher. But the fact remains that the gourds he treated has artistic value.

The story is interesting. It has been nobly planned. It has artistic coherence and therefore it is an organic whole.

(b) A Pinch of Snuff

The short story “A Pinch of Snuff” is initially taken from “contemporary Indian short stories in English”.

The narrator receives Nanukaka, and comes along with him at his residence. From there he drove Nanukaka to the North Block to meet the minister. They return back being disappointed as the meeting could not be materialised. Again on the persuation of Nanukaka they go to Sohanlal Rati Ram, the party Boss in Delhi. Nanukaka cleverly manages to hold a long talk with him. He also gives Sohanlal false assurances about his son’s posting in Balance Ministery through the ambassdor Hazrat Barkat Ali. They return back in happy mood. The next morning again Nanukaka insists him to meet welfare minister. A princely outlandish luxary car is being arranged fram a show-room furnishing false imformation to them.

The main idea of this short story depicts the fradulant act of Nanukaka, who does not hesitate to tell a lie for his selfish ends and to achieve his mission. Due to his falsehood he could meet the minister very soon. The writer becomes surprised to see Nanukaka’s ability in deceiving people by manipulation.

This story also delivers message that cunning and crafty people like Nanukaka become successful in their wrong and immoral acts, befooling others. Simple, pious and morally high people have to suffer much because of their goodness. The accuracy and the profound comedy of malgaonkar’s narrative has built up reader’s excitement. “A pinch of Snuff” means snuff to be taken in small quantity.

(c) How Free in the Press

Dorothy L. Sayers in her essay ‘How Free Is The Press’ describes the extent of freedom the press enjoys in England. The author says that there can be no free people without free press to be a universal truth. It need not be discussed. Censorship during war must be treated as an exception.

The author, then, ventures to say that there is full freedom of press in Great Britain in ordinary or normal time. The press can and does criticise the policies of the government. It can attack the political character of a Minister and politician. It can conduct a compaign for a cause and force the government to implement it. As such, sometimes the government has to bow down to unhealthy demands.

However, the press may be free from government but there are factors that influence the press to give up its freedom partly. The Press or newspapers cannot survive without advertisement. As such, the press is very much conscious not to displease them. The press constitutes its policy as the powerful advertisers wish. Again, the Newspapers are usually owned by big business magnets. The policy of the newspaper is shaped by the interests of their owners. Above all these things, the editors or editorial boards have their own views.

Thus, the author clearly points out that although government tries not to curtail the freedom of press but other factors do influence the freedom of the press.

17. Complete the following sentences on the basis of your textual reading:

(a) The most important and difficult steps were taken before the dawn of ……….

(b) I was waiting on the platform when the train ………..

Answer – (a) History, (b) Came in

GROUP-D

18. Write a note on the future of English in India.

Or, Write a note on Modern English.

Answer – The modern age has emerged as an era of development of science and technology combined with a deepening sense of globalization. it is also true that English is being spoken by a large number of the world population. As such being a common language being spoken in almost all countries it has also emerged as the language of trade and commerce, consequently, an individual needs to learn to communicate himself to others in not other language than English which could assure him a livelihood. Hence one cannot do without English in the modern age as it has become as essential for survival amidst cutting competitions as oxygen in for existence.

Or,

Some of the salient features of Modern English may very well be understood by the following facts :

(i) English, over the years has established in international link language.

(ii) It has become a power house of literary activity.

(iii) Today it occuies the most important rank as the official language.

(iv) The development of Modern English has fulfilled the technological English internationally.

In India too we are greatly dependent on Modern English for official, social and commercial purposes.

19. Write a brief note on the Indian English.

Or, Name any three Indian writers in English.

Answer – English played a very important role in the past as it helped Indian writers to acquire the latest knowledge from the western countries. it worked in linking different partsof our country and helped to bring people of different regions together.

It was English that gave the dimension of a National Movement to our freedom struggle. Today science brings the world closer. Thus, it is important for Indians to learn English in this age of globalisation.

Or,

Name of the three Indian writers in English are as here under:

(i) Ravindra Nath Tagore (ii) Sarojini Naidu (iii) P. K. Narayan

20. Name the authors of the following works :

(a) Arms and the man

(b) King Lear

(d) Untouchable

(e) The Rape of the Lock.

Answer – (a) G.B. Shaw

(b) William Shekespeare

(d) Mulk Raj Anand

(e) Alexander

2012 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Translate the following sentences into English :

(a) बाघ जंगली जानवर होता है।

(b) राम और रहीम एक-दूसरे की मदद कर रहे हैं ।

(d) इस कमरे से बाहर निकलो ।

(e) तुम्हारा गाँव यहाँ से कितनी है ?

Answer – (a) Tiger is a wild animal.

(b) Ram and Rahim are helping one another.

(d) Come out of this room.

(e) How far is your village from here (this place)?

2. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following :

(a) A Cricket Match

(b) My Favourite Film

(d) The Winter Season

(e) My hobbies

Answer– (a) A Cricket Match

Last Sunday, a cricket match was played between our school and Ara High School. Each team played 40 overs. The match started at 10 a.m. We won the toss. We decided to bat first. Mohan and Gopal were our openers. Mohan made 30 runs and was out. Now Raja came into bat. He did not play well. He was out for a duck. The next four players made 60 runs. Our team was out for 120 runs. Now it was the turn of Ara High School. They had good openers. They made 60 runs. Their third batsman was a hitter. He made 30 runs. But the other players were soon out, one after the other. Their team could make only one hundred runs. We won the match by 20 runs. It was really a very interesting match.

(b) My Favourite Film Actor

My favorite Indian icon is the actor Aamir Khan. I have always been a fan of his ever since I saw his first movie, ‘Qayamat se Qayamat Tak’. From being a chocolate hero Aamir went on to do more meaningful roles. What I like most about him is that he is a thinking actor.

In 2001, he acted in ‘Lagaan’. The film was a hit and received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards. It won high praise at several international film festivals and received many Indian awards, including the National Film Awards. Khan himself won his second Film fare Best Actor Award.

‘Taare Zameen Par’ won the 2008 Film fare best Movie Award as well as a number of other awards. The film established him as a competent filmmaker. To me, Aamir Khan is the living embodiment of the idea that if you are passionate about what you do, you can become the best at it. This is why he is my favorite Indian icon.

(c) Computers

Computer is a modern tool which has made life very easy and simple. It has capability to complete more than one task in small time. It is able to do work of many human beings alone within less time. It is the utility of highest efficiency. The first computer was a mechanical computer which was created by the Charles Babbage. A computer works successfully using its hardware and fully installed application software. Other accessories of the computer are keyboard, mouse, printer, CPU and UPS.

The data which we put into the computer using device is called input data and device as input device and data which we take outside using printer or other device is called as output data and device as output device. The input data gets changed into the information which can be stored and changed anytime. Computer is very safe tool for data storage which is being used in various fields. We can shop, pay our electricity bill, water bill, video chat, messaging, e-mail messages anywhere in the world and lots of online activities using internet.

(d) The Winter Season

Winter is the coldest season of the year. December and January are chiefly the winter months. During winter, cold winds blow from the north. Thick fog often hides the sun, and cold becomes severe.

The poor people suffer during the winter for want of warm clothes. They are seen basking in the sun, or sitting around the fire, to keep their body warm. People wear warm clothes and use blankets, quilts, etc. to protect themselves from severe cold. Winter is a pleasant season for those who can afford warm clothes.

In winter, various fruits like orange, grapes, apples and vegetables like cabbage, turnips, cauliflower, radish tomato, etc. grow in abundance in India. Winter is the sowing season for wheat, barley and a few other crops. Winter gives us various kinds of seasonal flowers, dalais, roses and many other beautiful flowers.

(e) My Hobby

3. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) ………….you climb a palm tree?

(b) We …… obey the laws of the country.

Answer – (a) Can you climb a palm tree?

(b) We ought to obey the laws of the country.

Or, We must obey the laws of the country.

4. Change the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) The old man said to me, “Do you know me?”

(b) You said, “Madhur, you have finished your work in time.”

Answer – (a) The old man.asked me if I knew him.

(b) You asked madhur; if he had finished his work in time.

5. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) He is too pround to beg. (Remove ‘too

(b) Ashoka was one of the greatest kings.

Answer – (a) He is so proud that he cannot beg.

(b) Very few kings were so great as Ashoka.

6. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) Who wrote this novel ?

(b) You can teach them.

Answer – (a) By whom was this novel written?

(b) They can be taught by you.

7. Use the following Idioms and Phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out the meaning clearly :

(a) look after

(b) give up

Answer – (a) Look after (to take care): A mother looks after her children.

(b) Give up (to stop doing someting): We must give up bad habits.

8. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each:

(a) Mohan worked hard. He felt tired.

(b) The sun rose. The stars disappeared.

Answer– (a) Mohan felt tired as he worked hard.

(b) The stars disappeared and the sun rose.

9. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :

For the majority of people all the world over science is a doctrine about the nature of the universe. That is, they think of the theories of science. No doubt, theories are a necessary part of science. However, they are only a part, and not the important part, either. Moreover, there are hardly any theories that are constant; they always change. Theories are necessary but they are makeshifts. A prevailing theory is given up when a better one turns up. Theoretical activity alone does not constitute science. Science is also a way of doing things, a practical activity.

Questions:

(a) What is the popular view of science?

(b) What does the writer say about scientific theories?

(d) What according to the writer, is science?

Answer – (a) The popular view of science is “Science is a doctrine about the nature of the universe.”

(b) Theories are a necessary part of science.

(d) According to the writer, “theoretical activity alone does not constitute science. Science is also a way of doing things, a practical activity.

10. Make a precis of the following passage and give a suitable title:

Educated women can serve the country in various capacities. The education of children depends mainly upon women. They can teach as well as amuse. They can do research work in art. literature, philosophy and science. Women can also render social service whenever there is flood, famine, earthquake or some natural calamity. It is also during war that they can be of utmost utility to their nation. The defence of the country is a matter of great importance to all and women should share the burden with men. They can gét training in use of guns and rifles and as drivers and pilots, and fight to defend the borders and liberty of their country.

Answer – The Role of Educated Women

There are several ways of educated women to serve the nation by educating children, undertaking research work in literature, art, science, and Philosophy and rendering social-service in natural calamities like flood, famine and earthquake. There utmost contribution to the country is also important during war.

11. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) He ….. (leave) for Delhi two days ago.

(b) If it rains, I….. (stay) at home tomorrow.

Answer – (a) He left for Delhi two days ago.

(b) If it rains, I shall stay at home tomorrow.

GROUP-B

12. Write the summary of any one of the following poems :

(a) The Soldier

(b) Ode to Autumn

(d) Fire-Hymn

Answer – (a) The Soldier

The Soldier’ is a war sonnet written by the poet Rupert Brooke. The poem has a patriotic approach. The thoughts of a soldier towards his mother-land with his immense desire to sacrifice his life is also reflected in the poem.

The poet admires England and expresses his gratitude to it. The poet is describing about some foreign land, which is the part of England and on which he will be buried after his death. He wants a peaceful country and there would be no war between the two countries. According to him the surroundings of England is just like heaven as he says, ‘under an English heaven’.

(b) Ode to Autumn

John Keats was a great lover of Nature. In the poem ‘Ode To Autumn’ he describes the beauty and characteristic spirit of Autumn in a series of memorable pictures. There he reveals the principle of beauty in nature in the autumn. New leaves and fruits grow on trees. There is neither heat of summer nor bitterly coldness of winter. Nature looks beautiful everywhere. Wind blows friendly. Birds sing in a fine tune. People are happy. They can do their work easily in this season. Mostly they have good health. It makes a person perfect. The sun conspires with the autumn slightly. Its rays make the fruit fleshy, fat and tasty. Everywhere in the nature remains calm and cool.

(c) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

The poet Thomas Stearns Eliot has composed ‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ which is the description about his tame cat. He tells that his cat is very clever. It (cat) is very tall and thin. It is called hidden pass due to its smartness. Its powers of levitation would make a fakirstare. It always do crimes such as drinking milk, breaking glass. It goes everywere fearlesly in a mysterious way. The poet says that when it does crime it never remains there. It cheats everyone but never leaves anything back. It’s not like other cats. It is a smart cat and it does always mysterious things. It always did m. es and crime but never be presented there. It attracts every body. It attracts the poet from its personality. No other cat is like Macavity. It is a light poem composed in a satirical rhythm.

(d) Fire-Hymn

The poem ‘Fire Hymn’ is composed by the poet ‘Keki’ N. Daruwala who is the recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, Commonwealth poetry Award. He wrote poems in a totally impressionistic recording of subjective responses. In this poem he tells us about a burning ghat. The ghat was almost burnt but some portion of it was half burnt. Red light showed their way. The sky seemed like a red ball. The sky was full of smoke which came out from the fire. Many animals were killed and some of them were half cooked. The smoke swallowed everything and at last it turned into ashes, which were grey in colour. The poet says that he will never forget this fire. He further adds that he had not witnessed such huge fire for the last twenty years i.e. when he consigned his first born child to the flames. He says that he might have committed some mistake. So, he beg apology for the same. He did such things, for which he is really very sorry. The poet also shows his half burnt fingers. This was the fire which destroyed everything.

13. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B :

List – A List – B

(a) Walter de la Mare (i) The Soldier

(b) John Keats (ii) Fire-Hymn

(d) Keki N. Daruwala (iv) Song of Myself

(e) Walt Whitman (v) To Autumn

Answer – (a) → (iii); (b) → (v); (c) → (i); (d) → (ii); (e) → (iv)

14: Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) For he seemed to me again like a king,

Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,

Now due to be crowned again.

(b) I who have lost

My way and beg now at strangers doors to

Receive love, at least in small change?

Think not of them, thou hast they music too.

(d) If I should die, think only this of me:

That there’s some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England.

(e) I celebrate myself, and sing myself,

And what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

Answer – (a) D.H. Lawrence

(b) Kamala Das

(d) Rupert Brooke

(e) Walt Whitman

GROUP-C

15. Summarise any one of the following pieces:

(a) The Earth

(b) India Though a Traveller’s Eyes

Answer – (a) The Earth

“The Earth’ is a remarkable tale of H. E. Bates. In this story Johnson was a tenant farmer. He had some land and a simple minded son Benjy. He was worried about him. On the advice of the doctor, he got him some hens to keep him engaged in work. he does not know about the hens and their eggs to be sold in the market. His father opened a pass book for him.

Benjy in course of time, knew all the tricks of the trade. He deposited a lot of money in his account. He purchased the land that belonged to Sanders. When he was about forty he married Florence against the wishes of his parents. Gradually he became indifferent to his parents and finally drove them down into the town from his home. This became the tragedy of Johnson due to much trust on his simple minded son.

(b) India Though a Traveller’s Eyes

In this piece Pearl S Buck says that she had been fascinated with India since her childhood. She thought of the Indian people as memorable and passionate. When she came to India, she met both the young intellectuals in the cities and the peasants in the villages. The social and political life in India was in a ferment. The British rulers were preparing to go to the Second World War. Indians did not want to help the British in the War because they had not kept their promise to grant freedom to India after the First World War. When they found that Germany and Japan represented barbarism, they decided to support the British who symbolized civilization. They postponed their plans for freedom until the war was over.

Pearl S Buck says that India’s Freedom Movement under the leadership of Gandhi was unique. It was a bloodless revolution. The author admits that the American War of Independence shrinks in size when it is compared with the Indian Independence Movement. According to her, India taught humanity the lesson of non-violence.

The author found that the people of India were unhappy under the British rule. There were thousands of young intellectuals trained in English schools in towns and cities. Most of them were jobless. They were dissatisfied with the political system.

When the author visited rural India, she was shocked to see the miserable condition of the peasants. She discovered that the Indian peasants were poorer than the Chinese. Only the Russian peasants under the rule of Czar were as poor as the Indian peasants. The author was disturbed when she saw the children of the Indian villages. Their poor health and sad looks demonstrated how cruelly the British rulers had exploited the Indian peasants. According to the author, the greatest quality of the Indian people was that they could make great sacrifices for idealism.

Thus, Pearl S Buck has presented a vivid picture of India as she understood it during her visits.

(c) Indian Civilization and Culture

Mahatma Gandhi is his essay “Indian Civilization and Culture” has described the importance of Indian civilization. He talks of the sound foundation of Indian civilization which has successfully withstood the test of time.

The western civilization cannot match it. It is so because Indian civilization elevate the moral being whereas the western civilization is weded to materialism.

Mahatma Gandhi considers Indian civilization to be the best in the world. He points out that while Roman and Greek civilization perished, Indian civilization continues to exist. The western countries charge that India is unwilling to change and therefore they consider it to be a great demerit.

Mahatma Gandhi raises Indian working with hands and feet instead of machine. It keeps our moral fibre in order. The author strongly disapproves promotion of materialism in life as it breeds vice.

Mahatma Gandhi is not against of what is good in other’s civilization. He is in favour of absorbing the good things from other country’s civilization. So, the Indian civilization is unparrells and can not be beaten in the world. The seeds sown by our ancestors were deep-rooted and had developed miraculously in a big tree with many of its branches spread over the heart of India.

The present essay is significant. The style of the essay is very fine. The words used in this essay are so simple that we can understand this essay very easily.

16. Complete the following wysentences on the basis of your textual reading:

(a) I shall be told that it is neither numbers nor multiplicity of pleasures that make……..

(b) The distinguishingcharacteristic of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of ………..

Answer – (a) the glory of man (b) human wants

17. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) Ideas That Have Helped Mankind

(b) Bharat is My Home

Answer – (a) Bertrand Arthur William Russell

(b) Dr. Zakir Hussain

GROUP-D

18. Name the authors of the following works:

(a) As you Like It

(b) The Old Man and the Sea

(d) Train to Pakistan

(e) The Wasteland.

Answer – (a) William Shakespeare

(b) Earnest Hemingway

(d) Khushwant Singh

(e) T.S. Eliot

19. Name any five Indian English novelists.

Or,

Name any five English dramatists.

Answer – Five Indian English novelists are :

(i) Bankim Chandra

(ii) Mulk Raj Anand

(iii) Nayan Tara Sahgal

(iv) R.K. Narayan

(v) Khushwant Singh

(vi) Raja Rao.

Or,

Five English dramatists are:

(i) John Heywood

(ii) William Shakespeare

(iii) John Lily

(iv) Christopher Marlowe

(v) George Peele

(vi) George Bernard Shaw

20. Write a short note on English as a world Language.

Or,

Write a short note on Indian English Poetry.

Answer – English is an International language not because it is read and spoken by the largest number of people but also because it is read and spoken by the largest number countries. Almost all the former colonies of Britain have English as an important language. India being a colony of British empire has English as an important language.

Or,

English poetry in India began to be written, as early as the early part of the 19th century. Henry Lois Vivian Derozio, Kashi Prasad Ghosh, Manmohan Ghosh, Toru Dutt were the pioneers. Their major concerns were partriotism and the glorious past of India. Sarojini Naidu, also known as the “Nightingale of India”, wrote a good number of poems, such as: ‘Village Song’ ‘Songs of Radha’ and ‘Soul’s prayer’, reveal the real heart of India, Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate, in ‘Gitanjali’ and Aurobindo Ghosh in Savitri made moral and spritual quest. Their poetry was an attempt to restore the lost glory of India. Indian poetry in English matured and began to express modern Indian sensibility in the later part of 20th century when poets like Nissim Ezekiel, A.K. Ramanujam, P. Lal, Keki N. Daruwala, Pritish Nandi, Arun Kolatkar and Kamala Das transformed Indian poetry in English.

2013 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Make a precis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title:

Science has made the world a better place to live in. There is almost no end to the benefits that science has conferred on us. All the same, the work of science is no unmixed blessing. It has created new problems that threaten man. Science has to attend to the problems threatening man. It has to take up the problems of social life too. It has to work for freedom from war and various social and economic evils. Science can deal with these human affairs. There would be happiness and good feeling all round if we applied the scientific attitude to all our affairs. Properly using science and cultivatng the scientific spirit man can control his destiny.

Answer – Title: Significance of Science

Though science is a blessing and a curse together, it has greated us with many benefits. For happiness and good feelings of main kind, it has to work for freedom from war and towards various social and economy evils, leading to control human-destiny .

2. Translate the following sentences into English :

(a) गाय उपयोगी जानवर होती है।

(b) क्या तुम्हें तैरना आता है ?

(d) जल्दी करो ।

(e) स्टेशन यहाँ से कितनी दूर है ?

Answer– (a) Cow is an useful animal.

(b) Do you know swimming? Or, Do you know how to swim?

(d) Make haste. Or, Do at once.

(e) How much far the station is, from here?

3. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following:

(a) A Cricket Match

(b) My Aim in Life

(d) Evils of Dowry

(e) A Visit to a Place of Historical Importance.

Answer – (a) A Cricket Match

(b) My Aim in Life

My aim in life is to become a doctor. A doctor can earn money as well as honour. He can serve the sick. He can serve his country in a big way. India needs a large number of doctors. Our villagers suffer from many diseases. But there are few doctors in villages. I want to become a doctor and serve in the villages. My aim will be not to earn money but bring hope to the poor and the suffering people. Thus by serving people, I will be serving God also.

(c) Importance of Sports

Games and sports are an integral part of a student’s life. A student should study hard to be successful in competitive examinations. But, he should also play games and sports to enjoy the health and vigor of life.

Along with bookish learning, a student should spend his time on games and sports. There are many people who give importance only to bookish knowledge. Indeed, there is often no provision for games at all.

There are many benefits of games and sports in education. Outdoor games such as football, cricket, badminton, tennis, etc. have many benefits. The participation in any one of them is not a fruitless or frivolous pursuit. They may not ensure any immediate gain. They may tell upon the health for the time being and may also affect education temporarily. But the outdoor games gradually build up a healthy body and make the mind energetic.

(d) Evils of Dowry

Marriage is such a happy occasion that everyone looks forward to it. But it is a shame that the dowry system widely prevalent in India mars the happiness of this occasion in many cases.

It is high time the present generation, young boys and girls as well as the society opposed this system and stood up for equality of both sexes to remove the blot of dowry system from the face of our society.

Dowry is a good custom and practice for those who can afford it. But for the poor, it is a curse. The government has enacted many laws to check its misuse. Officially speaking, no parent or family can demand dowry. But still it continues to cast its baneful grip on society.

The young men and young women should rise to face this malady and root it completely. Mere laws cannot wipe out this slur on fair name of mother India where the women occupy a place of pride. Education has already weakened its vicious hold. More and voluntary organizations should come forward to better the lot of women in India. And the removal of dowry system should be the top on the agenda of social reform both in cities and in villages.

(e) A Visit to a Place of Historical Importance

During the last spring holidays. I went to Agra. There I visited the Taj. It is built outside the city on the bank of the Yamuna. A large gateway of red stone provides the entrance. The Taj is a large and beautiful building. It stands on a raised platform. In the middle of the platform there is a splendid white dome. At its four corners there are four stately towers. Underneath the white dome are the marble tombs of Mamtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. These tombs were once inlaid with precious stones. The Taj is surrounded by a garden on its three sides. On the fourth side, the river Yamuna grazes it. No words can describe its beauty.

4. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

We had read a lot about Victoria Falls and had long dreamt of taking a close look at this awe-inspiring and magnificent spectacle of nature. At last the dream came true. I was standing on a huge rock on the edge of the Rain Forest. A vast panorama of magnificent shapes and colours stretched in front of me. Looking down I saw the grey mist rolling up from the abysmal depth. Hundreds of dragon flies were diving in and out of the falling rain like flying emeralds.

Right in front of me, on the other side of the abyss, I saw the Zambesi sliding over the mile-long edge of the precipice. The sight was frightening, but it was also beautiful. One loves to see the mass of water tumbling down. But the spectator is blinded by the spray and deafened by the roar.

Questions:

(a) What are the two adjectives which best describe the Victoria Falls?

(b) What is the forest near the Victoria Falls called?

(d) Why does the author describe the Falls as ‘frightening’ and ‘beautiful’?

Answer – (a) The two adjectives are (i) due inspiring and magnificent. (These two are used to glorify the colourful and attractive site of the Victoria falls.) and (ii) frightening because of its sliding over the mile long edge leading to the gulf and vast cavity.

(b) The forest near the Victoria falls is called “Rain Forest”.

(d) The author describes the falls as frightening as well as beautiful and colours.

5. Change the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) I said to him, “I don’t trust you.”

(b) The girl said, “Mother, will you give me one hundred rupees tomorrow?”

Answer – (a) I told him that I didnot trust him.

(b) The girl asked her mother if she world give her one hundred rupees the next day.

6. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) He is too honest to accept a bribe.. (Remove ‘too’)

(b) What a beautiful flower it is!

Answer – (a) He is so honest that he cannot accept a bribe.

(b) It is a most beautiful flower.

Or, He is cleverer than any other boys.

7. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) I often ……… (spend) my holidays with my parents.

(b) They………. (live) here since 2005.

Answer– (a) I often spend my holidays with my parents.

(b) They had been living here since 2005.

8. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) I know him.

(b) She was writing a letter.

Answer – (a) He is known to me.

(b) A letter was being written by her.

Or, My watch has been stolen by some one.

9. Use the following idioms and phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly.

(a) fall flat (b) take after (c) bring up.

Answer – (a) Fall flat (Have no effect): His advice fell flat on his sons.

(b) Take after (to resemble): Nibha takes after her mother

10. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each :

(a) He finished his work. He left for home.

(b) The boy got a prize. He was very glad.

Answer– (a) The work being finished, he left for home.

Or, He left for home after he had finished his work.

(b) The boy was very glad when he got a prize.

Or, The soldiers were seized with panic finding their captain (being) killed.

11. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) One ……… do one’s duty sincerely.

(b) ……. you drive a car ?

Answer– (a) One should do his duty sincerely.

(b) Could you drive a car?

GROUP-B

12. Write the summary of any one of the following poems :

(a) Ode to Autumn

(b) The Soldier

(d) Now the Leaves are Falling Fast

Answer– (a) Ode to Autumn

(b) The Soldier

(c) My Grand Mother’s House

In this poem, Kamala Das says that she received intense love and affection in her grandmother’s house during her childhood. There was an extraordinary bond of love between her and her grandmother. Her life was very happy there. She enjoyed great freedom there. After the death of her grandmother, the house looked desolate. Snakes started moving among the books kept in the house. The poetess was too young to read those books.

Now she is living far away from her grandmother’s house. The memories of her childhood spent in her grandmother’s house haunt her. She wishes to go there in search of love, freedom and happiness which she enjoyed there during her childhood. She was proud of living in that house. She is dissatisfied with her present life which is devoid of love and freedom. She feels lonely and frustrated. She tries to seek love at strangers’ doors. She thinks that she has lost her way. She longs for real love which is rare in the modern life.

(d) Now the Leaves are Falling Fast

‘Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast’ has been written by Wystan Hugh Auden. It is a song of a beautiful season. It is a simple poem about Nature. The poem dwells upon the season that when this season comes the leaves start to falling fast. Leaves leave its branches and some small branches start to come out. When leaves come down from their branches, they cover the ground. All the trees are covered with snow and it’s a very beautiful sight. The poet, wants to say that in this season all the branches of trees become leafless. The wonderful bird Nightingle becomes dumb to see this season. He wants to do something from his hands but it becomes freeze, lonely on the separate knees.

13. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List B :

List – A List – B

(a) Walt Whitman (i) Fire-Hymn

(b) W.H. Auden (ii) Song of Myself

(d) Keki N. Daruwala (iv) Now the Leaves are Falling Fast

(e) Rupert Brooke (v) An Epitaph

Answer – (a) → (ii); (b) → (iv); (c) → (v); (d) → (i); (e) → (iii)

14. Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) Where are the songs of spring? Aye, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.

(b) O how feeble is man’s power,

That if good fortune fall.

Cannot adde another houre,

Nor a lost houre recall!

And what I assume you shall assume.

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

(d) Dead in hundreds at the back

Follow wooden in our track,

Arms raised stiffly to reprove

In false attitudes of love.

(e) If I should die, think only this for me;

That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England.

Answer – (a) John Keats

(b) John Donne

(d) Wystan Hugh Auden

(e) Rupert Brooke

GROUP-C

15. Summarise any one of the following pieces:

(a) Indian Civilization and Culture

(b) Ideas that have Helped Mankind

Answer– (a) Indian Civilization and Culture

The western civilization cannot match it. It is so because Indian civilization elevate the moral being whereas the western civilization is weded to materialism.

Mahatma Gandhi raises Indian working with hands and feet instead of machine. It keeps our moral fibre in order. The author strongly disapproves promotion of materialism in life as it breeds vice.

The present essay is significant. The style of the essay is very fine. The words used in this essay are so simple that we can understand this essay very easily.

(b) Ideas that have Helped Mankind

Bertrand Russel in the essay, “Ideas That Have Helped Mankind” has thrown light on growth of human civilization which gradually came into being. It took a long time to take the shape which we find around us.

All, what we achieved is not the outcome of a day or a week. The factors which helped the mankind to reach the recent stage bears importance. Thousands of years back human race was uncivilized and leading the life of wild animal. In those days they were living in jungles and caves like other wild animals. It was also due to their superior mental set-up. It laid the foundation of their domestic life.

The author narrates about the diversity of enjoyments. He explains that animals did not have the pleasure of music, poetry, science, football etc. which the human beings enjoy. It means, our intelligence had definitaly enabled us to get a much greater variety of enjoyment than to animals. But the author realises that it is neither number nor multiplicity of pleasures which made the glory of the man. It was rather our intellectual and moral qualities, and we know more than animals is a fact. The ideas that helped most to the mankind and concorned with him may be divided into two kinds-(i) those that contributed to knowledge and technique and (ii) those that were concerned with morals and politics. The art of writing was introduced in the last of pre-historic inventions of mankind. Writing gradually developed and it took thousands of years to become whatever it is in the present form.

16. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) Bharat is My Home

(b) A Pinch of Snuff

Answer – (a) Dr. Zakir Hussain

(b) Manohar Malgoanker

17. Complete the following sentences on the basis of your textual reading :

(a) Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man

(b) I shall be told it is neigher numbers not multiplicity of pleasures that make …..

Answer – (a) The path of duty

(b) The glory of man

GROUP-D

18. Name the authors of the following works:

(a) Pride and Prejudice

(b) Paradise Lost

(d) The Merchant of Venice

(e) The Gitanjali

Answer – (a) Jane Austen

(b) John Milton

(d) William Shakespeare

(e) Ravindra Nath Tagore

19. Write a short note on Indian English novel.

Or,

Write a short note on English as a world language.

Answer – The Indian novel in English is part of the Indian literature. It reflects the social political and cultural ambience of the time. The first Indian novel in English was “Raj Mohan’s wife” written by Bankim Chandra in 1864. The three great novelists during Indian movement for freedom under Mahatma Gandhi, represented the three aspects of Indian life. Mulk Raj Anand wrote social novels. His novel ‘Untouchable’ is an attempt to abolish the evil of untouchability. “The Guide” of R. K. Narayan and “the serpent and the rope” and “Kanthapura’ of Raja rao are immortal words. some other prominant Indian English novelists are-Nayan Tara Sahgal, Kamala Markandaya, Khushwant Singh, K.S. Duggal, Manohar Malagonkar, Chamanwahab, Amita Desai, Amita Ghosh, and Vikram seth and many other Indian English novelist.

Or,

English is an International language not because it is read and spoken by the largest number of people but also because it is read and spoken by the largest number countries. Almost all the former colonies of Britain have English as an important language. India being a colony of British empire has English as an important language.

20. Name any five Indian English poets.

Or,

Name any five English dramatists.

Answer – Five Indian English poets are :

(i) Kashi Pd. Ghosh

(ii) Toru Dutt

(iii) Sarojini Naidu

(iv) Ravindra Nath Tagore

(v) A.K. Ramanujan

(vi) Keki N. Daruwala

(vii) Pritish Nandi

(viii) Kamala Das

Or,

Five English Dramatists are:

(i) Thomas Sackville

(ii) John Lily

(iii) Willian Shakespeare

(iv) George Peele

(v) Charistopher Marlowe

(vi) Ben Jonson

(vii) George Bernard Saw

(viii) T.S. Eliot.

2014 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each :

(a) I shall never do it again. I am determined.

(b) He was tired. He sat rest.

Answer– (a) I am determined not to do it again.

(b) Getting tired he sat for some rest.

2. Change the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) Manju said to Mohan, “I am not so tall as you are.”

(b) The teacher said, “Stars twinkle in the sky.” 3

Answer – (a) Manju told Mohan that she was not as tall as he was.

(b) The teacher said that stars twinkle in the sky.

3. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) He never ………. (tell) a lie.

(b) My friend……… (go) to Delhi last week.

Answer – (a) tells

(b) went

4. Use the following idioms and phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly :

(a) at times

(b) as long as

Answer – (a) At times: At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things.

(b) As long as : As long as, You feel penitent about it. I will forgive you.

5. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) We are too slow to catch the train.

(b) Sachin is the best player of the team.

Answer – (a) We are so slow that we cannot catch the train.

(b) Sachin is better than any other player of the team.

6. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) You ……. as well do it.

(b) We ……. follow the traffic rules.

Answer– (a) may

(b) must

7. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following:

(a) Work is Worship

(b) Kindness to Animals

(d) The Use of Electricity

(e) An Indian Fair.

Answer – (a) Work is Worship

God sent man to this earth with certain work to do. So, if he works sincerely, he worships God. A man works for himself or family or society or nation. Some people are lazy. They do no work honestly. Such work doesn’t bring fruitful result. It does not bring success, and such work does not belong to the category of worship. On the other hand, sincere effort, dedicated work, always results sweet. It brings success and solace. This is the type of work that comes under the category of worship. Both, work and worship, intend to end suffering, and bring pleasure and peace to man.

(b) Kindness to Animals

Kindness and justice to animals is an essential part of human virtue. They deserved kindness because they are dumb and helpless and cannot plead their own cause. Cruelty to animal is often due to the thoughtlessness and lack of imagination.

Work animals and draught animals are often subjected to hard continuous labour. Often they are underfed. Beating, whipping and bruising draught animals are common. Even young animals are put to work. After exploiting them, they are cruelly killed in old-fashioned and unhygienic slaughter houses. It makes one shudder to think what tortures sheep and oxen have to undergo at the hands of cruel men in slaughter houses. Transportation of animals without food and water on foot is common.

(c) A Picnic

Picnic is a source of pleasure. Everybody has a fascination for enjoying picnic. I was waiting for an opportunity to enjoy a picnic last month. I got an opportunity to enjoy a picnic. I and some of my friends had a picnic at Sonargaon. On that day, we hired a bus and started our journey early in the morning. We took necessary utensils and materials with us. We reached our destination at 10 a.m. Some of my friends began to cook lunch for us. But, I, Sumon, Azad and Parvej went out for sightseeing of Sonargaon. We had a bath in a nearby pond. We took part in swimming competition that was very charming. At about 2 p.m, we felt very hungry and we had our lunch. After having finished our lunch my friend Muhin amused us with his music. We started to come back at about 6 p.m. It was really a pleasant picnic.

(d) The Use of Electricity

Electricity is a great boon of Modern Science. Electricity has removed darkness from the world and has illuminated every sphere of human activity. Today life without electricity is almost impossible. The television, radio, grinder, tape-recorder, heater all that we are using at home are running only by electric power.

Electricity is used in various fields of human activity. The importance of electricity in various fields in which electricity works are discussed below-

Engineering: All engineering and technical activities depend on electricity. Building certain materials and welding all depend on electricity. As a matter of fact an engineering workshop needs electricity every moment.

Communication and transport: Modern man today is enjoying all the facilities of transport and communication and these are possible only through electricity.

Surgery: Modern treatment of many diseases is surgical. Hundreds of patients are undergoing surgical operations and these operations are impossible without electricity. The operation theatre will not be opened if there is not electricity.

(e) An Indian Fair

Some of the important Hindu festivals are Holi, Diwali, Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. In Bihar Chhath is a great festival. Chhath is a worship of the sun. The sun gives us light and also life. So, the Hindus regard the sun as a god and worship him.

Holi, too, is a religious festival. It is day of victory of good over evil. Holi comes to produce a feeling of social equality.

Muslim festivals, too, teach the same great lesson. The Id comes after Ramzan. Ramzan is a month of fast and prayer. The Id comes to ask us to lead a pure and holy life. It teaches another lesson, too. There is no Id in life without Ramzan.

The Christmas, the Buddha Jayanti and the Mahavir Jayanti are the birthdays of great prophets. Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ.

All the festivals whether they are observed by Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains or Sikhs are socially and culturally significant.

8. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) They are pulling down the wall

(b) Please help me

Answer – (a) The wall is being pulled down.

(b) You are requested to help me.

9. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The best way of understanding our civilization is to take an ordinary sort of day in the life of an ordinary sort of man, myself, for instance, and to see what he does. My house is in London. I get up in the morning when an alarm clock rings on the table at my bed; it goes by clock work and is quite a complicated machine. I get into a hot bath, the water for which has been heated by gas. The gas is supplied to me by the Gas Board for the area in which I live, it is part of a national system. The water is supplied by the City Water Board. After bathing I shave; the water for my shave comes from a kettle which has been heated by elecricity. So far as I am concerned, what happens is very simple. I put a plug in the wall and press the switch and the electricity does the rest. I use a safety razor the blade of which, made of very finely tempered steel, has been cut, together with millions of other blades, by a machine. The clothes which I put on have also been spun and woven largely by steam or electricity-driven machines.

Questions:

(a) Which place does the writer belong to?

(b). What makes him wake up in the morning ?

(d) What is the blade he uses made of?

Answer – (a) The writer belongs to London.

(b) His alarm clock makes him wake up in the morning.

(c) The water for his shave is heated by electricity. for this he puts a plug in the wall and press the switch and the electricity does the work.

(d) The blade he uses is made of very finely tempered steel.

10. Translate the following sentences into English:

(a) तैरना अच्छी कसरत है।

(b) हल्ला मत करो।

(d) मुझे कार चलाना नहीं आता है।

(e) वे लोग समय पर नहीं पहुँच पायेंगे।

Answer– (a) Swimming is a good exercise.

(b) Don’t shout

(d) I do not know how to drive car.

(e) They will not reach on time.

11. Make a precis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title?

Science has affected our life in innumerable ways. It has revolutionized transport and communications and thus made the world smaller. It has also made the world a better place to live in. We have well-lighted cities with good sanitation. Science has provided all kinds of substances and machines and sources of power. There is almost no end to the benefits that science has conferred on us. All the same, the work of science is no unmixed blessing. It has created new problems. Scientific industry is recklessly exploiting the new materials on the earth. Science has rendered life in cities less healthy. The overcrowding in cities, the air pollution largely because of smoke, cheap food deficient in vitamins-these are all dangerous to health. Again, people in big cities are denied sunlight, fresh air and exercise. Science has to attend to all these problems.

Science has also to take up problem of social life itself. It has to work for freedom from war and various social and economic evils. Science can deal with these human affairs. There would be fewer follies, happiness and good feeling all round if we applied the scientific attitude to all our affairs. Properly using science and cultivating the scientific spirit man can control his destiny.

Answer – Title : The uses and abuses of science

Science has changed the complexion of the world. It has revolutionized our life. The distance of time and space has been eliminated. So the whole world has become a global village. It has made well-lighted cities and provides all kinds of machines through industries for our comforts. But on the other hand it has polluted cities and has made us apart from social life instead of making change its evils.

GROUP-B

12. Name the authors of the following works:

(a) Tom Jones

(b) Coolie

(d) The Guide

(e) The Merchant of Venice

Answer – (a) Tom Jones – Henry Fielding

(b) Coolie – Mulk Raj Anand

(d) The Guide – R.K. Narayan

(e) The merchant of Venice – Shakespeare.

13. Write a short note on English as a world language.

Or,

Write a short note on English as the second language of India.

Or,

The English left India but left English language behind them. They did this in fact for our good and without even realizing it.

English is the language which bound together during the freedom struggle and has helped us become a country to reckon with in the current era. It has made our future bright as it is a global language and did it a language in which Indians strive to make themselves proficient. The future of English in India is bright. Because India is a developing county, it is only English literature that can bring different people belonging to different regions and speaking different language on one platform. So it must be the second language of India.

14. Name any five English novelists.

Or,

Name any five Indian English novelists.

Answer – English Novelists:

(a) John Bunyan

(b) Richardson

(d) Emily Bronte

(e) D.H. Lawrence

Or,

Indian English Novelists:

(a) R.K. Narayan

(b) Mulk Raj Anand

(e) Kamla Markanday

(d) Anita Desai

GROUP-C

15. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B :

List – A List – B

(a) D.H. Lawrence (i) My Gransmother’s House

(b) Kamala Das (ii) Now the Leaves Are Falling Fast

(d) W.H. Auden (iv) The Soldier

(e) Rupert Brooke (v) To Autumn

Answer – (a)→(iii); (b) → (i); (c) → (v); (d) → (ii); (e) → (iv)

16. Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) I harbour for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard, Nature without check with original energy.

(b) Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?

Was is perversity, that I longed to talk to him?

Was it humility, to feel so honoured?

I felt so honoured.

My way and beg now at strangers’ doors to

Receive love, at least in small change?

(d) Here lies a most beautiful lady,

Light of step and heart was she;

I think she was the most beautiful lady

That ever was in the West county.

(e) Cold, impossible, ahead

lists the mountain’s lovely head

Whose white waterfalls could bless

Travellers in their last distress.

Answer – (a) Walt Whitman

(b) D.H. Lawerence

(d) Walter de la Mare

(e) W.H. Anden

17. Write the summary of any one of the following poems :

(a) Song of Myself

(b) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

(d) Fire-Hymn.

Answer – (a) Song of Myself

(b) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

(c) Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe

(d) Fire-Hymn

GROUP-D

18. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) Indian Civilization and Culture

(b) Ideas That Have Helped Mankind

Answer – (a) Mahatma Gandhi

(b) Bertrand Russel

19. Complete the following sentences on the basis of your textual reading :

(a) I believe that the civilization India has evolved is not ………

(b) I can only assure you that I enter that office in spirit of …….

Answer – (a) I believe that the civilization India has evolved is not to be beaten in the world.

(b) I can only assure you that I enter this office in a spirit of prayerful humility and total dedication.

20. Summarise and one of the following pieces:

(a) A Pinch of Snuff

(b) India Through a Traveller’s

Answer – (a) A Pinch of Snuff

The short story “A Pinch of Snuff” is initially taken from “contemporary Indian short stories in English”.

(b) India Through a Traveller’s Eyes:

The prose is written by Pearl S. Buck. India had always been part of the background of my life, but I had never seen it whole and for myself until new. Yet the stories that our Indian family doctor and his wife told me when I was child had woven themselves into my growing dreams, and I had long read everything that I could find about that country. From my father I had learned of it through buddhism and the life history of the Lord Buddha. What did I go to India to see? Not the Taj Mahal, although I did see it and by moonlight, not Fatehpur Sikri, although I did see it, and not the glories of empire in New Delhi, although I did see them. I want to India to see and listen to two groups of people, the young intellectuals in the cities and the peasants in the villages. Thus, Pearl S. Buck has presented a vivid picture of India as she understood it during her visits.

(c) Bharat is My Home

‘Bharat is My Home’ is an extract from the speech Zakir Hussain had delivered in 1967 after taking the oath as president. In his speech he pledges to be loyal to the nation and work for its welfare and serve for the Indian culture also.

To begin with, he admits that he is overwhelmed by the faith of the people in him and electing him as the president of Bharat. He pays a glowing tribute to Dr. Radhakrishnan his predecessor. Dr. Radha Krishnan who was a great scholar. He explained the Indian Philosophical thought to the world.

He (Zakir Hussain) says that the whole of Bharat is his home and all people are members of his big family. As head of the family he will honestly try to make his home strong and beautiful, founded on justice and equality.

2015 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) She is too slow to finish her work on time.

(b) Suraj is speaking to a policeman.

Answer – (a) She is so slow that she cannot finish her work on time.

(b) Is Suraj speaking to a policeman?

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) ……. you live long!

(b) Where ………… we go?

Answer – (a) May you live long

(b) Where should we go?

3. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each :

(a) He gave up trying. He failed thrice.

(b) The whole family was happy. He had stood first.

Answer – (a) Getting failed thrice he gave up trying.

(b) The whole family was happy when he stood first.

4. Change the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) He said to me, “Will you be three tomorrow?”

(b) Shweta said to her father, “I have not done it.”

Answer – (a) He asked me if I would be there the next day.

(b) Shweta told her father that she had not done that.

5. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following:

(a) Friendship

(b) Rising prices

(d) Failures are the pillars of success

(e) Might is right

Answer – (a) Friendship

Friendship is one of the most precious gifts of life. A person who has true friends in life is lucky enough Friendship makes life thrilling. It makes life sweet and pleasant experience. Friendship is indeed, an asset in life. True friendship is a feeling of love, sharing and caring. True friendship knows no boundaries or demarcations of caste, creed, race and sex. Friendship is both good and necessary. Man cannot live all alone. He is a social being. He needs someone to share his joys and sorrows. Generally, it is only the people of the same age, character and background, mentality, etc., who can understand him and understand his problems. Friends are needed for support and for sharing. Friendship is an elixir which is essential for a happy life.

We need to select our friends very carefully. We have to remember the maxim “All that glitters is not gold”. In the same manner, we must not be moved by apparent show of friendship.

Lasting friendship is indeed, a blessing. Good friends are great pillars of life. They help us to stand tall and erect in life.

(b) Rising prices

Price rise is a world phenomenon today and inflation is affecting every section (rich and poor) of society. Everything was within the reach of man until a few years ago. Today there is no limit to the price rise of all kinds of items.

In the pre-independence days, a clerk got only Rs. 60 per month, but now he gets about a ten thousand. Pays have gone higher, but the employs are not satisfied. The prices of clothes are also high and often some people don’t even have any money to buy these to cover themselves with.

The government goes about imposing taxes after taxes on the citizens. This leads to a lot of money going into the national expenditure and into the pockets of corrupt leaders and the officials. Black marketing is another result of these heavy taxes and people begin to conceal their actual income. The government should impose taxes on hoarders and rich people. Production of agricultural goods should be increased along with industrial goods. Their prices should be fixed.

The finance minister plans the budget every year and we often find a fluctuation in the prices. They soar but never come down. This is a problem that has to be tackled at all levels and the common man needs some relief from the continuously rising prices.

(c) Unity is Strength

The story of the farmer and his quarrelling sons is well known to everybody. The sons could easily break each stick separately. But when the sticks were tied into a bundle, nobody could break the bundle. From such an example, they learnt the lesson, that union is strength. The principle of ‘unity is strength’ is the primary basis of peace and happiness of a society and the nation.

At first, a man making their own families lives separately. The peace and happiness of a family would depend on the unity among the members of the family. Observance of the principle of “Unity is Strength” is required every member to stand by the other in time of real need.

It is very sad that we do not follow this principle in our personal lives. We indulge in quarrel with our relatives and this encourages our enemies to take advantage of this situation which brings our ruin. If we continue quarrelling and do not try to be united with one another one day may come when we will be completely ruined.

(d) Failures are the pillars of success

Human life is a combination of laughter and tears, joy and sorrow, success and failures. If we struggle in life we succeed in our mission. But, success does not always come easily. Several times, success is preceded by failure. But, to a man of courage, it works as inspiration. It gives him fresh energy for determination and dedication. It is this sense of determination and dedication that brought man to this space age. Failures are natural phenomena. They do come. But, they work like pillars of success. They lay the foundation of success in the true sense of the term.

(e) Might is right

The term ‘Might is right’ means that powerful people can do whatever they wish to do, even if their decisions are wrong. There is no one to challenge their decisions.

‘Might is right’ is an ancient principle. All the decisions of a powerful ruler were considered to be final verdict.

He might be called king or duke, but his rule would be one-man rule. No man can defeat others all alone. And, it is not possible for one man to exercise complete sovereignty. That is why in some places and in some ages, we have, instead of the rule of one man, rule by a handful of men.

In the middle ages, in Europe, the king himself was only the first amongst these Lords who were called barons. Here, we have the sover-eignty of the upper classes over the common people, the rule of the many by one king or by a few powerful men with king at their head.

Even when there are dictatorships, the dictators have to depend on the support of the common people and to work for them. If they fail to do so, they are bound to be over-thrown. That is an indirect tribute to the power and excellence of democracy

6. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) Who will help me?

(b) They cannot do it?

Answer – (a) By whom will I be helped ?

(b) It cannot done by them.

Or, His foolishness was langhed (by the people).

7. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) I………. (learn) English for last ten years.

(b) She…..(sing) this evening.

Answer – (a) I have been learning English for last ten years.

(b) She sings this evening.

8. Use the following idioms and phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly :

(a) in a fix.

(b) from pillar to post.

Answer – (a) In a fix: Rahul is in a fix to help Anup in his work.

(b) From pillar to post : He moved from pillar to post for his admission in the college.

9. Translate the following sentences into English:

(a) हमेशा सच बोलो।

(b) मैं उसे जानता हूँ

(d) वह एक अच्छा तैराक है।

(e) क्या तुम्हें अंग्रेजी बोलना आता है ?

Answer– (a) Always be truthful. Or, Alway speak truth.

(b) I know him.

(d) He is a good swimmer.

(e) Do you know to speak English?

Or, Do you know how to speak English.

10. Make a precis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title:

I do not, I repeat, enjoy seeing animals, forced to perform unnatural movements which they cannot possibly enjoy. I am prepared to believe that animals are treated by their trainers with real bindness and affection. But that is not the point. The Nazis enjoyed forcing their human victims to crawl about naked and on all fours. Ought we really to enjoy seeing animals dressed in crinolines and straining with trembling limbs to maintain an erect position? The thoughtless laughter, even of adults. which greets and encourages these performances fill one with sadness.

Answer – Title: Reality of Circus

The performance of the trained animals enjoyed and greated by the visitors cannot deny the cruel act and inhuman practice of their trainers. The straining with their trembling limbs fill one with sadness.

11. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the question that follow:

Happiness, after all, is an inner state of mind. It is little dependent on outside environment. Happiness has very little to do, for instance, with whether you are rich or not rich. Some of the most miserable persons I have come across in my life are the rich people. It is true that poverty makes one miserable in a very acute way. But my point is that it is not wealth but coordination of one’s thought and action which removes inner conflict. It is in that way integration of personality is achieved.

Questions:

(a) What does the writer say about happiness?

(b) What has happiness to do with wealth?

(d) How is integration of personality achieved?

Answer – (a) The writer says that happiness is an inner state of mind and is little dependent on outside environment.

(b) Happiness has not much to do with wealth. It does not relate to whether you are rich or poor.

(c) It is observed that some rich people are the most miserable persons, inspite of much wealth, which they possess. As such in true sense happiness persists in coordination of ones thought and action and not in wealth. These are inner conflicts.

(d) Integration of personality is achieved not by wealth but by the help of co-ordination of thought and action, which removes inner conflict.

GROUP-B

12. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B:

List – A List – B

(a) Walt Whitman (i) An Epitaph

(b) K.N. Daruwala (ii) Sweetest Love I do not Goe

(d) John Donne (iv) Song of Myself

(e) Walter do la Mare (v) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

Answer – (a) → (iv); (b) → (iii); (c) → (v); (d) → (ii); (e) → (i)

13. Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) If I should die; think only this of me;

That there’s some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England.

(b) He hath no desire, nor sense

Nor halfe so short a way

Then fears not mee.

Think not of them, thou has thy music too

(d) Macavity’s a ginger cat! He’s very tall and thin;

You should know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken

(e) I swore to save fire

From the sin of fort getfulness .

Answer – (a) Rupert Brooke

(b) John Donne

(d) T. S. Eliot

(e) Keki N. Daruwala

14. Write the summary of any one of the following poems :

(a) My Grandmother’s House

(b) Snake

(d) To Autumn

Answer – (a) My Grand Mother’s House

(b) Snake

(c) The Soldier

(d) To Autumn

GROUP-C

15. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) A Marriage Proposal

(b) A Pinch of Snuff

Answer – (a) A Marriage Proposal – Anton Chekhov

(b) A Pinch of Snuff – Manohar Malgaonkar

16. Complete the following sentences of the basis of your textual reading :

(a) This means that cheap daily paper which goes everywhere and has the most ………..

(b) India has always been part of my ………. in my life.

Answer – (a) influence

(b) background of

17. Summarise any one of the following pieces:

(a) A Child is Born

(b) Ideas that Have Helped Mankind

Answer – (a) A Child is Born:

A child is born is written by germaine greer. A child is born in many societies human still go forth from their mother’s houses at marriage to live with a mother-in-law and the wives of their husband, brothers. It is a truism of anthropology that such woman do not become members of their family until they have borne a child. If a girl is lucky and her parents are a live, she goes to her mother’s house for the last months of her pregnancy and about the first three month of the baby’s life. When the baby is born it is an occasion of joy for the whole family.

(b) Ideas that have Helped Mankind

(c) The Earth

GROUP-D

18. Name the authors of the following books :

(a) Tom Jones

(b) In Memoriam

(d) Arm and the Man

(e) Macbeth

Answer – (a) Tom Jones – Henry Fielding

(b) In Memoriam – Alfred Tennyson

(d) Arm and the Man – E.M. Foster

(e) Macbeth – William Shakespeare

19. Write a short note on Modern English.

Or,

Write a short note on the future of English.

Answer– Some of the salient features of Modern English may very well be understood by the following facts :

(i) English, over the years has established in international link language.

(ii) It has become a power house of literary activity.

(iii) Today it occuies the most important rank as the official language.

(iv) The development of Modern English has fulfilled the technological English internationally.

In India too we are greatly dependent on Modern English for official, social and commercial purposes.

Or,

The English has future in this country also because India is economically a rising country. All recent inventions and discoveries are found in the books of English. we cannot do anything without English.

English has future in India also because of globalisation. Market economy has created international trade and marketing. The knowledge of English is indispensable in such a situation. English has generated employment in India. Thousands of call centres require employees who have knowlege of English. Thus, the English in India is bright.

20. Name any five English poets.

Or,

Name any five English dramatists.

Answer– Name of Five English Poets are:

(a) Walter De La Mare

(b) W.B. Yeats

(d) John Keats

(e) Rupert Brooke

Or,

Five English Dramatists are:

(i) Thomas Sackville

(ii) John Lily

(iii) Willian Shakespeare

(iv) George Peele

(v) Charistopher Marlowe

(vi) Ben Jonson

(vii) George Bernard Saw

(viii) T.S. Eliot.

2016 (A)

ENGLISH

GROUP-A

1. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning :

(a) He is too selfish to be a friend.

(b) Can a man live forever?

Answer – (a) He is so selfish that he cannot be a friend.

(b) A man can’t live forever.

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) They …… do this work.

(b)…………. you live long!

Answer – (a) can

(b) may

3. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each :

(a) He was pleased. He had won a prize..

(b) I know him. He is not a thief.

Answer – (a) Having won a prize, he was pleased.

(b) I know that he is not a thief.

4. Change the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) He said, “How will you do it?”

(b) “You have all done it very badly,” remarked the teacher.

Answer – (a) He asked (me) how I would do it.

(b) The teacher remarked that I had a done it very badly.

5. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following:

(a) Leisure

(b) Might is right

(d) Newspaper

Answer – (a) Leisure

We know leisure. But we are unaware of the value of leisure. It is very important for everybody and everything that works. We can’t always work like machines. Even machines stop working with leisure. They need oiling and repairing. It means leisure gives mental and physical freshness. It removes the dullness of life. It is required to lead happy and healthy life.

In our country we are unable to understand the value of leisure. We don’t know how to make the right use of time. People are often overworked. But there are many people who have too much leisure. Most of the farmers remains idle for most part of the year. In towns, people sometimes have no leisure. They are used like machines. It is because poverty forces them to go on working. This is not good either for the body or for the mind.

Thus, we can say that leisure plays a pivotal role in our life. It gives us joy. Really holidays are as important as working days. We must use our leisure hours for pleasure and comforts. It is in our leisure hours that we can enjoy our life.

(b) Might is right

The term ‘Might is right’ means that powerful people can do whatever they wish to do, even if their decisions are wrong. There is no one to challenge their decisions.

‘Might is right’ is an ancient principle. All the decisions of a powerful ruler were considered to be final verdict.

(c) Unity is Strength

(d) Newspaper

No one can deny the importance of newspapers to us. They are the best source of information. They keep us informed about what is happening around us, in our country and abroad. We get news from radio and television too. But radio and television have their own limitations. Because of time limit, they cannot give us news in detail, as newspapers do. Besides, newspapers also publish articles and essays by eminent writers and thinkers, which supply us food for thought. Newspapers are also one of the conditions for the successful functioning of democracy. They point out the mistakes of a government. They arouse and create public awareness and opinion. Thus, they serve as watchdogs of democracy. No democracy can survive without newspapers.

(e) Examinations

The examination is very important in the life of a student. It is a way of judging the merit of a student, too. It often makes a student serious, anxious and nervous. It keeps him busy most of the time. A student glances through the pages. He reads and revises important and expected questions for his examination. How to pass the examination is the common concern of all.

The students who develop the habit of reading their subjects late are not share of success. They try to read a lot. But they find that things are slipping out of their memory. They often lose their patience. They do not have their mental peace. Whenever the news goes, the students pay serious attention to the leaked out questions. They begin to run here and their for answers to those questions. many of them turn religious-minded as their examinations draw closer and closer. They begin to worship gods and goddess for their success. They become seasonal visitors to temples, notes and other things before their examinations. A student should never get nervous. He should keep his mind fresh. It is because a fresh mind is always sure of success in the examination.

6. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) Mother told me a story.

(b) We offered her a chair.

Answer – (a) I was told a story by mother.

(b) She was offered a chair.

7. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) Who…… (kill) Caeser ?

(b) I …………. (come) just now.

Answer – (a) killed

(b) have come

8. Use the following Idioms and Phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly :

(a) bring up

(b) to get rid of

Answer – (a) Bring up — Parents bring up their children.

(b) To get rid of — India should get rid of corruption.

9. Translate the following sentences into English:

(a) वह कहाँ जा रहा है ?

(b) वह मेरी अच्छी दोस्त है।

(d) वह खुश है।

(e) उसने मुझे हँसाया।

Answer – (a) Where is he going?

(b) She is my good friend.

(d) He is happy.

(e) He made me laugh.

10. Make a precis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title :

In India we are most particularly concerned about the primary necessities of life of our people. We are concerned with clothing, shelter and housing, for our people with education, health and so on. Unless you have these primary necessities, it seems futile to talk about the life of the mind or the life of the spirit. You cannot talk of God to a starving man, you must give him food. One must deal with primary necessities, it is true. Nevertheless, even dealing with them one has to leave some kind of ideal or objective in view. If that ideal or objective in view somehow becomes less and less connected with growth of the human mind, then there must be something wrong.

Answer – Title: Primary Necessities of People

People have three primary necessities-food, clothes and house. Health, education and so on are also required to lead happy and healthy life. Without them, we can’t talk of life, mind and spirit. We can’t talk of a starving man. We must provide him food.

11. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

It is the fashion now-a-days to dismiss God from life altogether and insist on the possibility of reaching the highest kind of life without the necessity of a living faith in living God. I must confess my inability to drive the truth of the law home to those who have no faith in and no need for a power infinitely higher than themselves. My own experience has led me to the knowledge that fullest life is impossible without an immovable believe in a Living Law in obedience to which the whole universe moves. A man without that faith is like a drop thrown out of the ocean bound to perish. Every drop in the ocean shares the majesty and has the honour of giving us the ozone of life.

Questions:

(a) What is the fashion now-a-days?

(b) What does the author say about fullest life?

(d) How is a man without faith?

Answer – (a) The fashion now-a-days is to miss God from life and insist on the possibility of reaching the highest kind of life without a living faith in living God.

(b) The author says that the fullest life is impossible without an immovable belief in a living law in obedience to which the whole universe moves.

(c) The author tries to explain the image of a drop in the ocean that each and every drop has its own importance. Without a drop, we can’t imagine and ocean as our body without a cell.

(d) A man without faith is inable to drive the truth of the law home to those who have no faith in and no need of power. Infinitely higher then themselves.

GROUP-B

12. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B :

List – A List – B

(a) Rupert Brooke (i) An Epitaph

(b) Walter de la Mare (ii) Fire Hymn

(d) John Keets (iv) Snake

(e) D.H. Lawrence (v) The Soldier

Answer – (a)→(v); (b) → (i); (c) → (ii); (d) → (iii); (e) → (iv)

13. Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) Yester night the Sunne went hence

And yet is here today

He hath no desire no sense

Nor halfe so short a way.

(b) I celebrate myself and sing myself

An what I assume you shall assume,

For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.

Lifts the mountain’s lovely head

Whose white waterfall could

Travellers in their last distress.

(d) An where the water had dripped from the taps in a small clearness

He sipped with his straight mouth

Softly drank through his straight gums,

into his slack long body silently..

(e) Here lies a most beautiful lady,

Light of step and heart was she,

I think she was the most beautiful lady

That every was in the West Country.

Answer – (a) John Donne

(b) Walt Whitman

(d) D.H. Lawrence

(e) Walter de la Mare.

14. Write the summary of any one of the following poems:

(a) Now the leaves are Falling Fast

(b) Fire hymn

(d) To Autumn

Answer – (a) Now the Leaves are Falling Fast

(b) Fire-Hymn

(c) Snake

(d) To Autumn

GROUP-C

15. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) How Free is the Press.

(b) I have a Dream

Answer – (a) Dorothy L. Sayers

(b) Martin Luther King Jr.

16. Complete the following sentences on the basis of your textual reading :

(a) We are dazzled by the …….. progress that western science has made.

(b) The very word ……… reminds me of the variety of hue that is Indian lifevarious as our own American human scene.

Answer – (a) Material

(b) Colour

17. Summarise any one of the following pieces:

(a) Indian Civilization and Culture

(b) A child is Born

Answer – (a) Indian Civilization and Culture

The western civilization cannot match it. It is so because Indian civilization elevate the moral being whereas the western civilization is weded to materialism.

Mahatma Gandhi raises Indian working with hands and feet instead of machine. It keeps our moral fibre in order. The author strongly disapproves promotion of materialism in life as it breeds vice.

The present essay is significant. The style of the essay is very fine. The words used in this essay are so simple that we can understand this essay very easily.

(b) Child is Born:

(c) The Artist

The story is interesting. It has been nobly planned. It has artistic coherence and therefore it is an organic whole.

GROUP-D

18. Name the authors of the following words:

(a) The Gitanjali

(b) The Wasteland

(d) In Memoriam

(e) Othello

Answer – (a) Rabindra Nath Tagore

(b) T.S. Eliot

(d) Lord Tennyson

(e) William Shakespeare

19. Write a short note on Global English.

Or,

Write a short note on the future of English.

Answer – Today English is considered to be a global language because it is spoken and used all over the world. There is hardly any country in the world which does not use it as a means of expression and communication. Naturally, it has become the language of international trade, commerce, science, technology, diplomacy and the internet. It is the official language of the world forums like the UNO, the IMF, the Commonwealth and the SAARC. Rapid growth of globalization of economy during the last decade has enhanced the importance of English.

Or,

20. Name any five English poets.

Or,

Name any five Indian English writers.

Answer – Five English poets are:

(i) Chaucer – The Canterbury Tales

(ii) Langland – Piers Plowman

(iii) Spenser – The Faerie Queene

(iv) Milton – The Paradise lost

(v) Dryden – Mac Flecknoe.

Or,

(i) Raja Rao

(ii) Kamala Das

(iii) Sarojini Naidu

(iv) R.K. Narayan

(v) Dr. R.K. Sinha.

2017 (A)

ENGLISH

1. Read carefully the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

My belief is that if the Nazi won, culture would be destroyed in England. In th earlier war, Germany was just a hostile country. Germany and England were enemies, but they both belonged to the same civilization. In the Nazi war, Germany is not merely a hostile country, she is a bad ideology. She stands for evil ideas. Germany is not against culture. She does believe in art and literature. But she has made a blunder as she has allowed her culture to become government. All evils proceed from this blunder. In England our culture is not governmental. It is national; it springs naturally out of our was of life. It has developed slowly, easily, lizily.

Questions:

(a) What is the author’s ‘belief’?

(b) Which country dos the word ‘she’ refer to?

(d) How has culture in England developed?

Answer – (a) The author’s ‘belief’ is that if the Nazi won, culture would be distroyed in England.

(b) The word ‘she’ refers to the country ‘Germany’.

(d). In England, culture has developed slowly, easily and lazily.

2. Make a precis of the following passage and suggest a suitable title:

Abraham Lincoln, who became the. 16th president of the USA, was an extraordinary man. His remarkable achievement was his astute leadership in the American civil war. He succeeded in preserving the Union, abolished slavery, strengthened the federal goverment, and modernized of economy. Largely self-educated, Lincoln became a lawyer. As president, he was responsible for many enactments of far-reaching political and social consequences. He explored the true nature of democracy and, therefore, fought valiantly for the suppressed people. Conscientious and sensitive, Lincoln opposed slavery. His liberal politics. however, did not find favour with the racist people. He was unfortunately assassinated in 1865.

Answer – Title : Abraham Lincon as President

As the 16th president of the USA, Abraham Lincon, and extraordinary man achieved his glorious leadership into the American civil war. He succeeded in preserving the union, abolished salavery, strengthened the federal government and modernized the economy.

3. Choose the correct tense forms of the verbs given in brackets and fill in the blanks with them :

(a) Mary came in while her husband….. (write) a letter.

(b) He ……. (live) when I reached his house.

Answer – (a) was writing

(b) had left

4. Change the following sentences into passive voice :

(a) John is reading the Bible

(b) The police caught the thief

Answer – (a) The Bible is being read by John.

(b) The thief was cought by the police.

5. Use the following Idioms and Phrases in sentences of your own so as to bring out their meaning clearly:

(a) Hard and fast

(b) A black sheep

Answer – (a) A student should follows hard and fast rule.

(b) Ravan was not a block ship.

6. Combine the following sentences into one sentence each :

(a) The boy died at the age of nine. A serious disease was the reason for his death.

(b) I have bought a book. It is very expensive.

Answer – (a) The boy died of a serious disease at nine.

(b) I have bought a book which is very expensive.

7. Fill in the blanks with suitable modal auxiliary verbs:

(a) The students …… obey their teachers.

(b) ……… you help me, please?

Answer – (a) must

(b) could

8. Turn the following sentences into indirect speech :

(a) You will say, “I do not waste time”?

(b) She said, “I had appeared at the examination.”

Answer– (a) You will say that you do not work time.

(b) She said that she had appeared at the examination.

9. Transform the following sentences as directed without changing the meaning:

(a) The car is too expensive to be bought.

(b) Their glory can never fade.

Answer – (a) The car is so expensive that it can’t be bought.

(b) When car their glory fade?

10. Translate the following sentences into English:

(a) हमलोग सामाजिक प्राणी हैं।

(b) साहित्य समाज का दर्पण है।

(d) दयानन्द महान सुधारक थे ।

(e) हमें उनपर गर्व है।

Answer – (a) We are social animals.

(b) Literature is the mirror of society.

(d) Dayanand was a great reformer.

(e) We are proud of him.

11. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the following:

(a) The game of cricket

(b) Pollution

(d) Science and its advantages

(e) A visit to historical place

Answer – (a) The game of cricket

Cricket is an outdoor game mostly liked by the children and they dream to become a good cricketer in their young age. It is played using a bat and a ball in the big open field. It is the played in between the two competitor teams having 11 players. It is played in the field having a centre of rectangular 22-yard long pitch. It is used by the batsman to take a turn while batting and attempting to get score runs as an innings.

The one member of opposite team called bowler delivers a ball to the member of another team called batsman. Bowler attempt to hit the ball away from the bat in order to take a wicket of batsman. A batsman continues his batting until he gets out by the bowler after doing some fault. Whoever team starts batting, continues the batting until his ten batsmen become out or one batsman has completed the specific number of overs of six balls.

(b) Pollution

Pollution is the mixing of some harmful or poisonous materials into the natural resources available on the earth. It affects the ordinary living of the living things on this planet by disturbing the natural life cycle. Pollution can be of many types like noise. pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, etc. Air pollution is increasing day by day because of the growing number of automobiles, release of poisonous gases, smoke from industrial companies, finely dissolved solids, liquid aerosols, etc in the atmosphere. The air we breathe every moment causes several lungs disorders.

In this way soil and water pollution is also cause by the mixing up of the sewage water (having germs, viruses, harmful chemicals, etc) in drinking water, some dangerous agrochemicals such as pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, organic compounds like ether, benzene, some radioactive materials including radium and thorium, solid wastes (industrial ashes, rubbish, garbage), etc. We need to follow all the control measures implemented by the government to check its harmful effects.

(c) Democracy

Democracy means government by the people. They do this by electing their representatives to the government. All adult citizens of a country have the right to vote in a democracy. This vote is extremely important because it determines the kind of government that comes in power.

The role of the citizens becomes extremely important in a democracy. They have to be aware of their rights and know what they should expect from their elected representatives. The citizens should be aware of the problems of their region as well as of the whole country. Only then can they understand whether the government is taking the right steps for their welfare or not. For this reason it is important to acquire knowledge about current events and policy making through newspapers, radio and television as well as public meetings.

Democracy also means that all citizens are free to express their opinion in public. They can freely criticize the government, if they feel that it is not discharging its duties properly. They can even oppose its policies, but peacefully, without resorting to violence or breaking the laws. The government on the other hand is expected to give due consideration to the views of the people speaking out against it. It cannot take steps to prevent them because that would be undemocratic.

(d) Science and its advantages

We live in an age of science. We feel the influence of science at every moment in almost every sphere of life. Indeed, modern civilization is based on the gifts of science. Wherever we cast our eyes, we see the achievement of science is industry, commerce, medicine, communication, etc.

Advantages : Science has minimized our hardship and has increased pleasures and comfort. Now it cures our maladies, shortens distances, bridges gulfs and brings comforts and lifts up the veil of nature’s mystery.

The quick means of travel has made the world a very small place to live in. The computer, the greatest gift of the 20th century, has relieved man from manual and mental labor to a great extent. After his day’s work in his workplace when he feels bored, he may watch his TV which gives relief to his tired nerves. Through telephone he speaks to his distant friends or consults his physician. He can get the benefit of modern drugs or surgery, which is the products of science.

(e) A visit to historical place

The schools closed for autumn break. Our school arranged a trip to Agra. We started the next day by the Taj Express. We were very eager to see Taj Mahal. We had already read about this wonder of the world. After enjoying a comfortable journey of two hours, we reached Agra and then the historical monument, the Taj Mahal. We were spell-bound to see the beauty of the Taj. It appeared to me like a dream in marble. Shahjahan built Taj Mahal in the sweet memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. We saw the graves of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Our guide explained to us each part of this monument in detail. We also paid a visit to the Red Fort of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. We were very happy to see these historical places. This trip was very educative and entertaining.

GROUP-B

12. Name the poets who wrote the following lines :

(a) When thou weep’st, unkindly kind.

My life’s blood doth decay.

(b) And when the foreign office find a treaty’s gone astray, or the Admiralty lose

some plans and drawings by the way.

Light of step and heart was she.

(d) Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too.

(e) Whose white waterfall could bliss.

Traveers in their last distress..

Answer – (a) John Donne

(b) T.S. Eliot

(d) John keats

(e) W.H. Anden

13. Match the poets given in List-A with appropriate titles from List-B:

List – A List – B

(a) Rupert Brooke (i) Snake

(b) Keki N. Daruwala (ii) Now the leaves are falling fast

(d) Kamala Das (iv) The Soldier

(e) W.H. Auden (v) My Grand Mother’s House

Answer – (a)→(iv); (b) → (iii); (c) → (ii); (d) → (v); (e) → (ii)

14. Write the summary of any one of the following poems :

(a) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

(b) The Autumn

(d) An Epitaph

Answer – (a) Macavity: The Mystery Cat

(b) The Autumn

John Keats was a great lover of Nature. In the poem ‘Ode To Autumn’ he describes the beauty and characteristic spirit of Autumn in a series of memorable pictures. There he reveals the principle of beauty in nature in the autumn. New leaves and fruits grow on trees. There is neither heat of summer nor bitterly coldness of winter. Nature looks beautiful everywhere. Wind blows friendly. Birds sing in a fine tune. People are happy. They can do their work easily in this season. Mostly they have good health. It makes a person perfect. The sun conspires with the autumn slightly. Its rays make the fruit fleshy; fat and tasty. Everywhere in the nature remains calm and cool.

(c) Song of Myself

(d) An Epitaph

GROUP-C

15. Read the following sentences and state whether they are true or false :

(a) There must have been a time when homosapiens was a very rare species.

(b) The ways of managing childbirth in traditional societies are not many and varied.

Answer – (a) True

(b) False

16. Name the authors of the following prose pieces:

(a) I have a Dream

(b) The Earth

Answer – (a) Martin Luther King, Jr.

(b) H.E. Bates

17. Write the summary of any one of the following pieces:

(a) How Free is the Press

(b) Ideas that have Helped Mankind

Answer – (a) How Free in the Press

Thus, the author clearly points out that although government tries not to curtail the freedom of press but other factors do influence the freedom of the press.

(b) Ideas that have Helped Mankind

GROUP-D

18. Name any five English dramatists.

Or,

Name any five Indian English novelists.

Answer – (i) Shakespeare

(ii) Marlowe

(iii) Ben Jonson

(iv) Shiridon

(v) Congreve .

Or,

(i) R.K. Narayan

(ii) M.R. Anand

(iii) Raja Rao

(iv) Anita Desai

(v) Arvind Adige

19. Discuss the importance of English in India.

Or,

Write a short note on English as a world language.

Answer – English is very important for Indians. In the past it played a crucial role in initiating the Indians into the latest knowledge acquired by the western countries. It played an important role in providing a link language to our country. It helped in bringing the people of different regions on one platform. In fact it provides teeth to our freedom movements. It is due to English that our freedom struggle, could acquire the dimensions of national movement. Today science has brought the nations of the world very close. It is most important for we Indians to learn English in the age of globalisation of economy, diplomacy and technology.

Or,

20. Name the authors of the following words:

(a) Othello

(b) The Canterbury Tales

(d) The Waste Land

(e) The Rivals

Answer – (a) Shakespeare

(b) Chancer

(d) T.S. Eliot

(e) Sheridon.

2018 (A)

ENGLISH

SECTION-A (Objective)

Choose the most suitable option from the choices given :

1. Why do you tell a lie? (Choose the best passive voice)

(A) Why a lie is told by you?

(B) Why is a lie be told by you?

(D) Why is a lie being told by you?

Answer – (C) Why is a lie told by you?

2. We are taught grammer by Mr. Singh. (Choose the best active voice)

(A) Mr. Singth teaches us grammar.

(B) Mr. Singh teaching us grammar.

(D) Mr. Singh will teach grammar.

Answer – (A) Mr. Singth teaches us grammar.

3. I………. here since morning. (Choose the correct tense form)

(A) am waiting

(B) have been waiting

(D) will be waiting

Answer – (B) have been waiting

4. You have been riding non-stop for hours. You ….. be very tired. (Choose the correct auxiliary verb)

(A) must

(B) can

(D) would

Answer – (A) must

5. She ran out of the room. She was screaming. (Choose the correct combination)

(A) She ran to the room screaming

(B) She run out the room screaming

(D) She ran out of the room screaming

Answer – (D) She ran out of the room screaming

6. ………. you mind standing up for a moment? (Choose the correct auxiliary verb)

(A) Would

(B) Could

(D) Can

Answer – (A) Would

7. I………. interested in metaphysics. (Choose the correct very form)

(A) am always

(B) have always been

(D) will always been

Answer – (B) have always been

8. He said. “I have got a toothache”. (Choose the correct indirect narration)

(A) He says he has got a toothache.

(B) He said he have a toothache.

(D) He had said that he got a toothache.

Answer– (C) He said that he had got a toothache.

9. She thanked me. (Choose the correct direct narration)

(A) She said to him, “Thank you”.

(B) She says to him. “Thank you”.

(D) She said to me, “Thank you”.

Answer – (D) She said to me, “Thank you”.

10. My brother did not ………. her. (Choose the meaningful expression)

(A) Chose

(B) Choosing

(D) Chosen

Answer – (C) Choose

11………. at a very high speed is dangerous. (Choose the meaningful expression)

(A) have written

(B) has written

(D) be written

Answer – (A) have written

12. She …….. six books on Indian Mythology. (Choose the meaningful expression)

(A) have written

(B) has written

(D) be written

Answer – (B) has written

13. This material is different ……… that. (Choose the correct preposition)

(A) to

(B) with

(D) from

Answer – (D) from

14. He climbed…….. the ladder. (Choose the correct preposition)

(A) at

(B) on

(D) in

Answer – (B) on

15. He has been absent ……..Monday. (Choose the correct preposition).

(A) since

(B) for

(D) by

Answer – (A) since

16. Choose the correct sentence:

(A) Sid can play Tenns as good as his brother.

(B) Sid will play Tennis is well as his brother.

(D) Sid has played Tennis as good as his brother.

Answer – (C) Sid can play Tennis as well as his brother.

17. Choose the correct sentence

(A) I have a home work to do

(B) I have home work to do.

(D) I having home work to do.

Answer – (B) I have home work to do.

18. Choose the correct sentence:

(A) That was sure a mistake.

(B) This was a sure mistake.

(D) That was surely a mistake.

Answer – (B) This was a sure mistake.

19. He …… if we had taken our food. (Choose he best option)

(A) asked

(B) asks

(D) had ask

Answer – (A) asked

20. All depends on ……..the examination. (Choose the best option)

(A) has passing

(B) will passing

(D) has passing

Answer – (C) his passing

21. You …… not go to attend the meeting. (Choose the best option)

(A) can

(B) need

(D) would

Answer – (B) need

22. When Radha ……. back, she will sleep. (Choose the best option)

(A) will come

(B) comes

(D) has come

Answer – (B) comes

23. Would you mind …….. to my house, please? (Choose the best option)

(A) to come

(B) have come

(D) coming

Answer – (D) coming

24. She is ……… most beautiful girl. (Choose the best article)

(A) an

(B) a

(D) no article required

Answer – (C) the

25. My sister ……… a dress for her birthday last week. (Choose the best option)

(A) buy

(B) buyed

(D) bought

Answer – (D) bought

26. Kamlesh has been ……… his house for a few days. (Choose the best option)

(A) repired

(B) repairing

(D) will repair

Answer – (B) repairing

27. Sita fell ……… the rickshaw. (Choose the best option)

(A) from

(B) of

(D) off

Answer – (A) from

28. You can do it ………. (Choose the best option)

(A) yourself

(B) himself

(D) themselves

Answer – (A) yourself

29. Choose the correct spelling:

(A) families

(B) famalies

(D) famlies

Answer – (A) families

30. What time does the bus………. central London? (Choose the best option)

(A) leave to

(B) leave for

(D) leave in

Answer – (B) leave for

31. ‘There is a house now far away where once I received love’- is from the poem

(A) Song of myself

(B) Ode to Autumn

(D) Snake

Answer – (C) My Grandmother’s House

32. The Soldier is a……… poem. (Choose the correct option )

(A) love

(B) happy

(D) war

Answer – (D) war

33. Kamala Das is ….. poetess. (Choose the correct option)

(A) American

(B) Indian

(D) Nigerian

Answer – (B) Indian

34. ‘Fire-Hymn’ is composed by (Choose the correct option)

(A) D.H. Lawrence

(B) K.N. Daruwala

(D) W.B. Yeats

Answer – (B) K.N. Daruwala

35. ‘I celebrate myself and sing myself-is written by (Choose the correct option)

(A) Walt Whitman

(B) W.H. Auden

(D) W.B. Yeats

Answer – (A) Walt Whitman

36. The word drama comes from a…… word. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Latin

(B) Scandinavian

(D) American

Answer – (C) Greek

37. The snake looked at the poet………. (Choose the correct option)

(A) happily

(B) confusingly

(D) vaguely

Answer – (D) vaguely

38. The speaker in ‘Fire-Hymn’ belongs to …….. religion. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Indian

(B) African

(D) Nigerian

Answer – (C) Zoroastriam

39. Macavity is full of ……… (Choose the correct option)

(A) happiness

(B) sadness

(D) deceitfulness

Answer – (D) deceitfulness

40. The Scholar Gipsy’ has been written by (Choose the correct option)

(A) Matthew Arnold

(B) W.B. Yeats

(D) J.M. Synge

Answer – (A) Matthew Arnold

41. Seibi was a twelve year old ………boy. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Chinese

(B) Japanese

(D) Indian

Answer – (B) Japanese

42. Our ancestors enjoyed ……… Rule. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Nice

(B) Society

(D) Nation

Answer – (C) Home

43. Martin Luther King dislikes ……… discrimination. (Choose the correct option) .

(A) caste

(B) sex

(D) racial

Answer – (D) racial

44. Lomov is a man of……… temperament. (Choose the correct option)

(A) happy

(B) Negative

(D) nervous

Answer – (D) nervous

45. Bertrand Russell was a Philosopher and a ………. (Choose the correct option)

(A) historian

(B) scientist

(D) geologist

Answer – (A) historian

46. ……… is called the father of the modern novel. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Richardson

(B) Fielding

(D) Dryden

Answer – (A) Richardson

47………. are rulers of ancient Egypt. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Americans

(B) Africans

(D) Pharaohs

Answer – (D) Pharaohs

48. Pearl S. Buck is an …. writer. (Choose the correct option)

(A) American

(B) Indian

(D) African

Answer – (A) American

49. ‘I Wave a Dream’ is a speech delivered by ……. (Choose the correct option)

(A) Germaine Greer

(B) Shiga Naoya

(D) Martin Luther King Jr

Answer – (D) Martin Luther King Jr

50. Nanukaka was the narrator’s ……. (Choose the correct option)

(A) maternal uncle

(B) father

(D) mother

Answer – (A) maternal uncle

SECTION-B (Subjective)

1. Write an essay in about 150-200 words on any one :

(a) Environmental Preservation

(b) Women Empowerment

(d) A Village Fair

(e) The Happiest Day of my life

Answer – (a) Environmental Preservation

Environmental Protection is guarding the natural resources of the environment from pollutants that are harmful. It involves engaging is sustainable environmental practices that do not destroy nature. The environment is anything that surrounds us and protecting it is our responsibility.

The environment supports our life. The natural process that occur in the environment promote the existence of life. With the current scientific innovations, the environment is endangered. There is the discharge of so many harmful greenhouse gases that disrupt the natural processes of the environment.

Forests play a very important role. Afforestation and reforestation should be our main agenda. Plant as many trees as possible they act as water catchment areas, they purify the air and are also a habitat for many animals. Wind and solar power are the best examples. That pose no challenge to the environment and they are naturally occurring. Practice good farming habits, use less chemicals in the gardens and in household chores. Chemicals pose a challenge to water bodies as well as the soil.

In conclusion, the environment is our responsibility. Take care of it and it will take care of us as well. It is a win-win situation.

(b) Women Empowerment

Women empowerment means empowering women with all their rights they should have in the family, society, school, college and country just like a man. It is to make them able so that they can make own independent decisions for their personal development. The status of women in the Indian society is still backward because of the gender inequality. Women also should be given equal rights like men to really empower them. They should not be treated as weak gender of the society as they occupy almost half population of the country so they are half strength of the country. Women have more patience and effort; they can better develop their country.

Sometimes it seems that why we are talking about women empowerment because how it is possible in the country where crimes against women are running in parallel. It loses the confidence level of women to actively come out of their homes and participate fearlessly in all the activities like a man. Some of the crimes against women in India are rape, sexual harassment, kidnapping and abduction, dowry death, molestation, torture, afficking, importation of girls, etc. Such crimes inhibit the women empowerment to spread its wings and empower women.

(c) Demonetisation

Demonetisation means withdrawing or stopping a currency denomination of its status as a legal tender. The process of demonetisation takes the symbolic meaning and power away from a given type of currency.

In India, it was announced on 8th November, 2016 that the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 banknotes would cease to qualify as valid tender from 9th November, 2016 onward.

Old coins and notes being replaced with new designs: Sometimes, certain denominations of old notes and coins are replaced with newer models. In this situation, the older coins can be officially demonetized.

A move to digital currency : Demonetisation has also moved the economy of India towards a cashless system. Some people predict that in the future we will use digital currency to pay for things and physical cash will be totally demonetized.

Demonetisation in India has worked in the many ways in India. India’s demonetisation process has tackled the country’s problem of counterfeit notes.

The process of demonetisation in India has not been without its challenges. It has, however, had both positive and negative impacts in the short-term. It remains to be seen if the positive impacts will be long-lasting.

(d) A Village Fair

The special features of the village fairs in India are that they fulfill the needs of the rural people. In almost each fair the cattle market is a necessary feature. In towns there are permanent markets. Hence, people do not feel the want of anything. They purchase their articles of daily need in the regular market.

In a Village fair, people come from parts to sell their various articles. Temporarily shops are erected. They are arranged in various rows. Generally, shops of one kind are arranged in one row. On one side there are shops of confectioners. On the other, there are shops of iron utensils. In a third row there are shops of steel trunks. Then there are shops of carpets, blankets, toys, shoes, books, wooden articles, utensils, handloom cloths, medicine, etc. Besides shops, there are hawkers who move about up and down the fair and sell their own little products. The village fair is really a good thing because it provides diversion and amusement and promotes trade and industry.

(e) The Happiest Day of my life

All my days are happy. My parents and sister keep me happy always. Good dresses, god food and good school are there in my family. My teachers teach me very well. The relatives are very fond of me. I have what a girl of my age should have. But the topic is happiest day in my life.

My birthday is my happiest day. I wait for it the whole year. That day I wear new dresses. My parents take me to the temple to offer worship in my name. Mt parents, sister, relatives and friends wish me Happy Birth day. My give sweets and chocolate to my friends who are studying with me in my school. They are also happy on that day.

‘On that day, we give feast to all in my family. I cut birthday cake. All are happy. I eat candies. On that day, I was the center of my whol family. For this I always long for it. The whole house is decorated with mango-tree-leaves and colour papers. he complete environment was colourful. I like it to my complete satisfaction.

2. Explain any two of the following:

(a) The ways of managing childbirth in traditional societies are many and varied.

(b) It is obvious that we know more than animals do, and it is common to consider this. one of our advantages.

Answer – (a) In the piece ‘Child is Born’ Germaine Greer discusses varied ways of managing childbirth in traditional societies and how well women are taken care of when they deliver children. The other women are always there to help them. The traditional societies are very helpful to these women.

(b) These lines have been taken from ‘Ideas that Have Helped Mankind’ which is written by Bertrand Russell. He says that our intellect and moral qualities make more knowledgeable than animals, and it now clear that we know more than animals do. It can be considered one of our advantages, but there is a little doubt whether it is in fact an advantage.

(c) These lines are from India Through a Traveller’s eyes’ written by Pearl S. Buck. The authoress expressed her idea about the role of the religion in Indian life. She cited the example of this fact by narrating whatever she experienced in one Indian family. While she was sitting in her hostess’s room. one gentleman came in an without speaking to them moved to the far end of the room. There he knelt his head bowed, and so remained for about a quarter of an hour. Her hostess explained that he was her husband’s eldest brother and was offering prayer. She meant to say that religion was present in every walk of an Indian life. It had both the best and the worst aspects. But she did not critize it.

3. Explain any one of the following:

(a) Here lies a most beautiful lady.

Light of step and heart was she;

(b) Broken, yet rebellious, 1swore this time

To save it from the sin of forgiving

He must be killed

Answer – (a) These are the opening lines of ‘An Epitaph’ in which walter de la Mare indicates to a grave and says that in this grave a most beautiful woman is lying. The poet adds ironically that she had the habit of moving here and there and had no commitment. He says that it is not enough for a lady to be beautiful. She must also have the qualities of mind and heart.

(b) These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Fire-Hymn’ which is written by Keko N. Daruwalla. The poet says that he has to consign his first born child to the fire contrary to the Parsi code as the nearest Tower of Silence is a thousand miles away from there. the poet feels that the fire is telling his that he is foregiven for the sin of the violation of the Parsi code. Though the poet is broken internally due to the calamity fallen on him, he feels this comment of fire rebelliously and swears to save fire from the sin of foregiving.

(c) These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Snake’ composed by D.H. Lawrence. he means to say about the common belief or the lesson of worldly education which has been given to him or he has received so far that snakes are dangerous for human beings Here ‘the voice of my education’ denotes the same belief to kill the snake when it appears before you. Here there is a special reference, a special meaning of the above term. In Sicily, where the speaker resides, there is a proverb “the black serpents are innocent and the gold (yellow) ones are poisonous.” The cobra happens to be brown-yellow and ought to be killed.

4. Write a letter to your sister, in about 100 words. asking her to visit your place in the holidays.

Or,

Write a letter to your headmaster in about 100 word. asking him for permission to use the library after school hours.

Answer –

Mahajan Toli No. 1

Ara

May 13, 2018

Dear Rehana

I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirit. I am anxious to know about you and your annual examination. How did you do in your exam? I think you must have done well. I am sure you must have got leisure time now. Dar sister, it is now more than a year that we met each other. I sometimes long to revive those happy days which we had spend together. Why not you chalk out a programme to visit us during the holidays and spend a few days hee at home.

I hope you will be able to come. I’ll accompany you for visiting all the places where we used to go. Mother conveys you her love and all of us wish you good luck for your bright future.

Please inform the date and time of your arrival. I’ll be there to receive you at the station. With love

Your loving brother

Shahnawaz Akhter

Or,

To,

The Headmaster

H.P.D. Jain High School, Ara

Sir,

Most humbly and respectfully, I beg to state that I am a student of Class XII of your school. My father is a poor farmer. He is unable to buy my text books. I have no other means to get the books for my studies. Now and then I have to borrow some books from my friends for a week and return them on time. I, too, feel that without the requisite books, I cannot prepare myself as much as I wish.

I, therefore, request you to permit me to use the library after school hours every day. For this, I shall ever remain grateful to you.

Yours obediently

Shahanawaz Akhter

Class XII

Roll No. 15

5. Answer in about 40 to 50 words, any five of the following:

(a) What is civilization in the real sense of the term?

(b) Why is Zakhir Hussian over whelmed?

(d) What does Martin Luther say about the life of Negroes?

(e) What are the dramatic structures of a tragedy?

(f) Name two works of Shakespeare.

(g) Why and how did the snake come out of the hole?

(h) Why is Macavity called a criminal?

Answer – (a) Civilization in the real sense of the term consists in the deliberate and voluntary restriction of wants, not in the multiplication of wants.

(b) Zakir Hussain is overwhelmed by the trust the people of India have placed in him by electing him to the highest office in the land.

(d) Martin Luther King Jr. says that the life of Negroes is unfortunately suppressed by the evil of racial segregation and discrimination. They still live on a lonely island of poverty.

(e) The dramatic structures are known as exposition (or initial incident), complication (or rising action), crisis (or turning point), denouncement (or falling action), catastrophe (in a tragedy) or conclusion (in a comedy).

(f) Hamlet, Othello

(g) The snake came to the water trough a fissure in the earth-wall to drink water by trailing its yellow brown body over the edge of the stone trough.

(h) It is all because Macavity is involved in criminal acts and is an abscounder. He violates human laws and cheats people at cards. He removes the important files containing treaties.

6. Write the summary of any one fo the poems :

(i) Snake (ii) Fire-Hymn

Or,

Write the summary of any one of the prose pieces :

(i) The Artist (ii) A Child I Born

Answer – (i) Snake

(ii) Fire-Hymn

Or,

(i) The Artist

The story is interesting. It has been nobly planned. It has artistic coherence and therefore it is an organic whole.

(ii) A Child is Born:

7. Write a note on American English.

Or,

What are the difficulties faced by Indians in learning English?

Answer – When the countries like U.S. Australia, Canada, New Zealand became independent of the British empire, the English language written and spoken there, too, tried to shed off some of the features of Queen English. The people there were not the native speakers of English. So, they created a new variety of English bringing some changes in the original spelling, grammar and pronunciation of the British English. The new variety of English that developed in America after its independence is called American English. The changes can be listed in the way.

Spelling Colour (British) Color (American)

Enclosure (British) Inclosure (American)

Litre (British) Liter (American)

Vocabulary Sweets (British) Candy (American)

Biscuits (British) Crackers (American)

Nappy (British) Diaper (American)

Motorcar (British) Automobile (American)

Brammer British American

He has got of the chair. He has gotten off the chair

I have just eaten I just ate.

In American English in ‘often’ ‘t’ sound is pronounced where as in British English it is silent. The Americans lengthen the vowel sound in words like ‘demand’ and ‘command’ contrary to in the British English.

Or,

English is not our native language. It is taught as a foreign or second language in India. So it is natural for Indians to face some difficulties in learning it. Indians feel difficulty in pronouncing the English words correctly with right stress. They fail to speak the English sentences with correct intonation. Some English sentences structures to not correspond to the structures of the sentences of their own languages. To them, the spelling of certain English words. too creates troubles. These are the areas where Indians make mistakes while speaking or writing English.

8. Match the poets given in List-A with their works in List-B:

List – A List – B

(a) Walter De La Mare (i) Song of Myself

(b) Rupert Brooke (ii) An Epitaph

(d) John Keats (iv) Snake

(e) Walt Whitman (v) The Soldier

Answer – (a)→(ii); (b)→(v); (c)→(iv); (d)→(iii); (e) → (i)

Or,

Translate any five of the following sentences into English:

(i) हमेशा सच बोलो।

(ii) जाड़े के बाद वसंत ऋतु आती है।

(iii) कल मेरी भेंट राजन से हुई।

(iv) सच्चा मित्र संसार में दुर्लभ है।

(v) वह कई वर्षों से घर नहीं आया है।

(vi) वह एक अच्छा तैराक है।

(vii) भारत का इतिहास गौरवशाली है।

Answer – (i) Always speak the truth.

(ii) Spring comes after winter.

(iii) I met Rajan yesterday.

(iv) A true friend is rare in the world.

(v). He has not come home for several years.

(vi) He is a good swimmer.

(vii) The history of India is glorious.

9. Read the passage and answer the questions that follow :

Sarojini Naidu was educated in her early years uner her father’s own care. wanted her to become a great mathematician or scientist but she loved to. wanted her to become a great mathematician or scientist but she loved to dream and write poems. She was hardly eleven when she wrote her first poem.

At nineteen she wrote a long poem in the manner of famous English poets. After her matriculation in India, she went to England for higher education. She met Sir Edmund who was a distinguished man of letters. He was impressed by her knowledge and intelligence. He was surprised to see that she had written poems in flawless English but felt disappointed to find that they had nothing of the East in them. he advised her to write something about her own country and from the onwards, she devoted herself to writing verses about India.

Questions:

(i) What did Sarojini Naidu’s father want her to choose as a career?

(ii) What did Sir Edmund advise Sarojini Naidu?

(iii) Why was he disappointed by her poems?

(iv) What did he advise her? Did she follow his advice.

Or,

Write a precis of the following passage and give a suitable title: Human life consists of a succession of small events, each of which is comparatively unimportant, and yet the happiness and success of every man depend upon the manner in which these smell events are dealt with. Character is built upon little things well and honourably. transacted. The success of a man in business depends upon his attention to littler things. The comfort of a household is the result of small things arranged and duly provided for. God government can only be accomplished in the same way by well regulated provision for doing little things.

Answer – (i) He wanted her to become a great mathematician or scientist

(ii) Sir Edmund advised Sarojini Naidu to write something about her own country.

(iii) He was disappointed to find that her poems had nothing of the East in them.

(iv) He advised her to write something about her own country. Yes, she followed his advice.

Or,

Title : Secret of Happiness and Success.

Small-events, though comparatively unimportant in human-life, still the happiness and success of everyman depend upon dealing in these small events. Business, household-comfort and good government’s success are the result of little things well and honourably transacted.

Bihar Secondary School Question Bank | Bihar Board Class 12th English Question Bank 2012-2023 | BSEB Class 12th English Notes (2)

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Bihar Secondary School Question Bank | Bihar Board Class 12th English Question Bank 2012-2023 | BSEB Class 12th English Notes (1)