CBSE Class 12 English Sample Question Paper – 1

Section A : Reading    [30 Marks]

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (12)

1. The President’s Office on Wednesday 24th December, 2014 announced the Bharat Ratna Award to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The announcement was made on the eve of Mr Vajpayee’s 90th birthday and the 153rd birth anniversary of Pandit Malaviya.
2. A Bharat Ratna for Pandit Malaviya, a freedom fighter and the founder of the Banaras Hindu
   University, was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaign. Justice Giridhar Malaviya, the grandson of Pandit Malaviya, was one of those who proposed the nomination of Mr Modi from Varanasi parliamentary constituency. Mr Vajpayee will be the 7th Prime Minister to receive the award, while Pandit Malaviya will be the 12th person to be honoured posthumously.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed delight at the announcement. “Bharat Ratna being conferred on Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a matter of great delight. The country’s highest honour to these illustrious stalwarts is a fitting recognition of their service to the nation. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya is remembered as a phenomenal scholar and freedom fighter who lit the spark of national consciousness among people. Atalji means so much to everyone. A guide, inspiration and giant among giants. His contribution to India is invaluable”, the Prime Minister said.
4. Politicians from across the spectrum welcomed the decision to honour the former Prime Minister. The Congress on Wednesday welcomed the conferment of Bharat Ratna on Mr Vajpayee and late educationist Malaviya, saying it hoped that the NDA Government will follow the path of ‘Raj Dharma’ and secularism shown by them. “We welcome the announcement of giving Bharat Ratna to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malaviya. To a certain extent, both represent the Indian thought which is secular and tolerant. We hope that this present government will walk in the path shown by these leaders”, Congress general secretary and incharge of Media Communication, Ajay Maken, told reporters in New Delhi.
5. JD(U) leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated Vajpayee and said the UPA Government should have conferred the award on the former Prime Minister. “Atalji’s contribution to the country will always be remembered. I congratulate him. We also wanted Bharat Ratna for Atalji. The UPA Government should have given this award to him”, he said.
6. Describing it as wonderful news, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien said his party and its Chief Mamata Banerjee have a “very special bond” with Mr Vajpayee. “She has worked with him. He has even been to her home to meet her and spent time with Mamatadi at her Kalighat residence and with her mother. They go back a long way. This is very welcome and it’s wonderful news that he has got Bharat Ratna”, the Rajya Sabha MP said.
7. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who visited Vajpayee at his residence soon after the announcement, said, “I would have come to congratulate Atalji anyway, but today we have come to give him double congratulations. We pray that Cod gives Atalji a long and healthy life.”
8. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, who is also a Bharat Ratna recipient, said he was “absolutely delighted” to get the news. “I think he deserves to be honoured in every possible way because in many ways he was a very great statesman of the country and one doesn’t have to agree with every bit of his policy to appreciate the human quality that was behind his Prime Ministerial leadership”, he said.
9. JD(U) President Sharad Yadav also hailed the decision saying, “I am very pleased with this announcement. Malaviya had a great role in Indian independence and he established a great institution like Banaras Hindu University. I have been associated with Atalji for many years and, even being in BJP, he respected the composite culture of India.”

(a) On the basis of your reading of the given passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option.    (1 x 4 = 4)

1. The announcement of award of Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was made on   
   (a) his birthday
   (b) Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday
   (c) the eve of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday
   (d) the eve of his death anniversary
2. Pandit Malaviya will be the    person to be so honoured after his death.
   (a) last
   (b) twelfth
   (c) seventh
   (d) first
3. What may be the reason for Ms Sushma Swaraj using the expression, “double congratulations” ?
   (a) He is to be congratulated both for his birthday as well as for being awarded the Bharat Ratna.
   (b) He is to be congratulated for both him and Pandit Malaviya receiving the Bharat Ratna.
   (c) Both he and Pandit Malaviya are to be congratulated for their birthday.
   (d) None of the above
4. Which of the following qualities does Atalji possess, as mentioned by various politicians?
   (a) He followed the path of’ raj dharma’ and secularism.
   (b) He respected the composite culture of India.
   (c) He gave guidance and inspiration.
   (d) All of the above

(b) Answer the following questions as briefly as possible.    (1 x 6 = 6)

1. How does Prime Minister Modi remember Pandit Malaviya as?
2. How did Ms Mamata Baneijee have a “very special bond” with Mr Vajpayee, as per a Rajya Sabha MP?
3. How does a Nobel laureate describe Mr Vajpayee?
4. Which leaders have mentioned that the UPA Government should have conferred the Bharat Ratna on Mr Vajpayee?
5. How does Mr Sharad Yadav describe Pandit Malaviya?
6. What is common between Pandit Malaviya and Mr Vajpayee, as per the Congress party?

(c) Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to (1 x 2 = 2)

1. Put forward (para 2)
2. Eminent (para 3)

Answer:
(a)

1. (c) the eve of Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday
2. (b) twelfth
3. (a) He is to be congratulated both for his birthday as well as for being awarded the Bharat Ratna.
4. (d) All of the above.

(b)  

1. Prime Minister Modi remembers Pandit Malaviya as a phenomenal scholar and freedom fighter
   who lit the spark of national consciousness among people.
2. As per the Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, Ms Mamata Banerjee has a “very special bond” with Mr Vajpayee because she had worked with him. He had also been to her home to meet her and spent time with her and with her mother at their residence.
3. Nobel laureate Amartya Sen describes Mr Vajpayee as a very great statesman of the country and the human quality that was behind his Prime Ministerial leadership was appreciable.
4. The only leader who has mentioned that the UPA Government should have conferred the Bharat Ratna on Mr Vajpayee is JD(U) leader and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
5. Mr Sharad Yadav describes Pandit Malaviya as having a great role in Indian Independence and establishing the Banaras Hindu University.
6. Congress general secretary and incharge of Media Communication Ajay Maken says that both of them represent Indian thought, which is secular and tolerant.

(c) 

1. Proposed
2. Illustrious

2. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (10)

1. An iconic 182 metre statue that’s a tribute to the Iron Man of India, is to be built near the Sadhu Bet Island, approximately 3.5 kms South of Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia in the Narmada district of Gujarat. This inspiring memorial site, with a number of edutainment components, is between the Satpura and Vindhyachal ranges, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River and the town of Kevadia. The majesty of this grand monument will be enhanced by a picturesque backdrop. Its unique location will prove to be beneficial for ecotourism and regional development. The total project cost is estimated to he ₹ 2989 crore, and will be completed in four years.
2. There could not be a more grand, as also apt, location for the Statue of Unity to be erected than the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. The grand monument will be placed directly facing the Narmada Dam, which, also named after the Iron Man of India, is at a distance of 3.2 kms from Sadhu Bet.
3. The dam itself is considered to be one of the largest structures standing at a height of 138 feet. Rising tallest from amid one of the most revered rivers of India, nestled in the foothills of mountainous terrain and surrounded by bountiful natural beauty, Sadhu Bet is an idyllic location for the proposed statue.
4. Already a tourist’s favourite, especially in the monsoons when the Sardar Sarovar Dam
   overflows in all its magnanimity, the Statue of Unity promises to be one of the most visited tourist spots not only of the nation but also the world. As a memorial to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the statue will not only remind every individual of our great nation’s freedom struggle; it will also inspire the people of our country to inculcate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s visionary ideologies of unity, patriotism, inclusive growth and good governance. This monument will not just be a mute memorial like the rest, but a fully functional, purpose-serving tribute that will spur all round socio- economic development, in the form of better connectivity, healthcare and education infrastructure, research centre for agriculture development and various tribal development initiatives. The underlying themes and pillars associated with the monument are:
   1. Livelihood generation
   2. Tribal development
   3. Research and education
   4. Social infrastructure
   5. Employment generation, and
   6. Environment protection
5. A monument of this stature will act as a catalyst to accelerate growth of the Narmada District, benefiting the resident population at large. The project site will be completed with modern infrastructure which will support a better standard of living for locals as well as better connectivity for visitors. The project site will be connected with modern connectivity infrastructure such as expressways, improved rail system and helipads. Through scientific area planning, clean industries will be located around the project site. Research facilities in the area of biotechnology, clean energy and ethnic crafts will generate white collar jobs in this area.
6. Location and development of educational institutions in the areas of agriculture, animal
   husbandry and pisciculture will generate an educational and skill development complex to support economic activity in the region. Development of tourism infrastructure to support MICE – Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions-will generate huge livelihood opportunities for the local tribal population.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option.    (1 x 2 = 2)

1. The Sardar Patel statue is being located between the mountain rangers.
   (a) Sardar Sarovar and Sadhu Bet
   (b) Narmada and Kevadia
   (c) Vindhyachal and Satpura
   (d) None of these
2. The location of this statue will generate research in what fields?
   (a) Biotechnology
   (b) Clean energy and ethnic crafts
   (c) Both (a) & (b)
   (d) None of these

(b) Answer the following questions as briefly as possible.    (1 x 6 = 6)

1. The statue of Sardar Patel will spur all round socio-economic development in what form?
2. How will this statue generate huge livelihood opportunities for the local tribal population?
3. In what ways will the statue of Sardar Patel inspire our countrymen?
4. What are the heights of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and Sardar Patel’s statue?
5. Where is Sardar Patel’s statue going to be located?
6. What are the fundamental themes and principles associated with this monument?

(c) Find the words in the given passage which convey the meaning similar to   (1 x 2 = 2)

1. Local (para 1)
2. Lifeless (para 4)

Answer:
(a)

1. (c) Vindhyachal and Satpura
2. (c) Both (a) & (b)

(b)

1. The statue of Sardar Patel will spur all round socio-economic development in the form of better
   connectivity, healthcare and education infrastructure, research centre for agriculture development and various tribal development initiatives.
2. This statue will generate huge livelihood opportunities for the local tribal population by developing tourism infrastructure to support meetings, conferences and exhibitions.
3. The statue of Sardar Patel will inspire our countrymen to inculcate Sardar Patel’s visionary ideologies of unity, patriotism, inclusive growth and good governance.
4. The height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam is 138 feet while the height of Sardar Patel’s statue will be 182 metres.
5. Sardar Patel’s statue is going to be located in the Narmada district of Gujarat at a distance of 3.2 km from Sadhu. Bet Island, approximately 3.5 kms South of Sardar Sarovar Dam at Kevadia.
6. The fundamental themes and principles associated with this monument are livelihood and employment generation, tribal development, improvement of social infrastructure, environment protection and research and education.

(c)  

1. Regional
2. Mute

3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. (8)

I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season. He was lounging upon the sofa in a purple dressing-gown, a pipe-rack within his reach upon the right, and a pile of crumpled morning papers, evidently newly studied, near at hand. Beside the couch was a wooden chair, and on the angle of the back hung a very shabby and disreputable hard felt hat, much the worse for wear, and cracked in several places. A lens and a forceps lying upon the seat of the chair suggested that the hat had been suspended in this manner for the purpose of examination.
“You are engaged”, said I; “perhaps I interrupt you.”
“Not at all. I am glad to have a friend with whom I can discuss my results. The matter is a perfectly trivial one” — he jerked his thumb in the direction of the old hat — “but there are points in connection with it which are not entirely devoid of interest and even instruction.”
I seated myself in his armchair and warmed my hands before his crackling fire, for a sharp frost had set in, and the windows were thick with the ice crystals. “I suppose”, I remarked, “that, homely as it looks, this thing has some deadly story linked on to it—that it is the clue which will guide you in the solution of some mystery and the punishment of some crime.”
“No, no. No crime”, said Sherlock Holmes, laughing. “Only one of those whimsical little incidents which will happen when you have four million human beings $11 jostling each other within the space of a few square miles. Amid the action and reaction of so dense a swarm of humanity, every possible combination of events may be expected to take place, and many a little problem will be presented which may be striking and bizarre without being criminal, We have already had experience of such.”
“So much so”, I remarked, “that of the last six cases which I have added to my notes, three have been entirely free of any legal crime.”
“Precisely. You allude to my attempt to recover the Irene Adler papers, to the singular case of Miss Sutherland, and to the adventure of the man with the twisted lip. Well, I have no doubt that this small matter will fall into the same innocent category. You know Peterson, the Commissionaire?”
“Yes”
“It is to him that this trophy belongs.”
“It is his hat.”
“No, no; he found it. Its owner is unknown. I beg that you will look upon it, not as a battered billycock, but as an intellectual problem. And, first, as to how it came here. It arrived upon Christmas morning in company with a good fat goose, which is, I have no doubt, roasting at this moment in front of Peterson’s fire.”

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using
headings and sub-headings. Use recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary (minimum4). Use a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it.    (5)
(b) Write a summary of the above passage in about 80 words.    (3)
Answer:
(a) Title : Sherlock Holmes With a Trophy
Notes

I. Nrtr meets Sherlock Holmes at home after Christmas

1. Holmes rlxg after examining a peculiar hat
2. Wants discuss matter with narrator
3. Hat indctd something peculiar
4. Not ncsrly related crime

II. Discussion with narrator

1. Holmes says earlier cases not always crimes
2. Hat not likely have crime behind it
3. Found by cmsr with fat goose
4. Owner unknown

Key to Abbreviation

Abbreviations	Words
nrtr	narrator
rlxg	relaxing
indctd	indicated
ncsrly	necessarily
cmsr	commission

(b) Summary The narrator met Sherlock Holmes at his home after Christmas, when Sherlock Holmes was relaxing after having examined a peculiar hat. The narrator apologised to Holmes for disturbing him, but was welcomed.
Holmes desired to discuss the results of his examination with the narrator, as the hat indicated something peculiar, although not necessarily related to crime, like some of his earlier cases. Holmes informed the narrator that the hat had been found with a dead goose by the Commissionaire, but its owner was unknown.

Section B : Writing Skills    [30 Marks]

Question 4:
Write an advertisement for within 50 words the vacancy of a receptionist at AKC Public School, Sarai Kala, Delhi. Mention the particulars relating to eligibility criteria.

Or

Answer:

Situation Vacant

Wanted a young, smart computer literate female receptionist for AKC Public School, Sarai Kala, Delhi. Graduate with good communication skills and pleasant personality. Fluency in spoken English is essential. Eligible candidates apply to the HR Manager with bio-data within ten days. Email:akcpul@gmail.com

Question 5:
You are Pranjal Sahni. You are worried that young children have to carry heavy bags on their shoulders to school. Write a letter to the Editor of the Hindustan Times expressing your concern and suggesting ways to lessen this burden.

Or

You are Sharman Joshi of Axis Cycles, a leading bicycle dealer in Gdrgaon. Write a business negotiation letter to TMC Bikes and More, Himachal street, Solan, Himachal Pradesh for receiving the catalogue and price list of their regular, mountain and foldable bikes.    (6)
Answer:
17/A-14, Civil Lines
Delhi – 110007
31st January, 20XX
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
New Delhi
Subject Burden of Heavy School Bags
Sir,
Through the columns of your widely circulated daily, I want to draw the attention of the educational authorities to the burden of the heavy bags that young children carry to school.
It is a pity that tiny kids carry a heavy load on their little shoulders. This load is much more than their physical strength can bear. Nowadays when education can be imparted through smart boards and other modern techniques, it makes it all the more redundant for children to carry heavy bags.
Games and methods of stress free learning without heavy books ought to be coupled with the optimum use of computers. All this will lessen the burden on children. Thus, tangible changes in the techniques of imparting education will go a long way in helping these little children.
Yours sincerely
Pranjal Sahni

Or

M/s Axis Cycles
Sector 14
Gurgaon-122001
28th February, 20XX
Ref. No. AC/ KL/GH-14/14

M/s TMC Bikes and More
Himachal Street
Solan – 173212
Subject Enquiry for Bicycles
Dear Sir,
We are interested to receive your current catalogue and price list for your regular and mountain bikes, as well as foldable bikes.
We are a leading bicycle dealer in Gurgaon and have branches in five neighbouring towns. If the quality of your products is satisfactory and the prices are reasonable, we expect to place regular orders for a fairly large numbers of bicycles.
We expect you to give us a special discount, as this would enable us to maintain the low selling prices that have been an important reason for the growth of our business. In return, we would be prepared to order a guaranteed annual number of bicycles, which can be mutually agreed.
Hoping to hear from you at the earliest.
Yours faithfully
For Axis Cycles
Sharmanjoshi

Question 6:
You are Shashi, Class XII-A. You are disturbed at the increasing reports in the newspapers of gender discrimination at the workplace experienced by women. Write a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly of your school on this problem. (150-200 Words)

Or

You are Abhinav/ Aardhana, Class XII-B. You are appalled to read a report on the trend in ‘global warming’ being reported in scientific journals. Write an article on ‘Global Warming and Climate Change’ for your school magazine in about 150-200 words.    (10)
Answer:
Respected Principal, worthy teachers and my dear friends. Today I, Shashi of Class Xll-A, want to express my concern on the increasing discrimination women are experiencing at the workplace.
Recently a major bank in the USA has been sued by the government for allegedly discriminating against its female employees, by not providing adequate promotion prospects comparable to male employees. Even the salaries of women in the bank are not on par with those of men on equivalent posts.
Gender discrimination at the workplace is against the law in India and the USA, besides many other countries. However, there are still obstacles in many companies which prevent women from achieving promotions that their qualifications and talents deserve. They face a form of discrimination known as the ‘glass ceiling’. So, it happens that, although there may be many women in junior and middle management positions in many firms, there are very few women in senior and top management positions.
The only silver lining to the clouds nowadays is that feminists, both men and women, saw this as sexism and a waste of women’s talents and have set out to change things. Women owe much improvement in the work situation due to the work carried on by these feminists. Hopefully, soon women at the workplace will be on par with men.
Thank you!

Or

Global Warming and Climate Change
by Aardhana, Class Xll-B

Experts in climatology are becoming extremely concerned about the changes in the world’s climate which are taking place recently. The changes currently being monitored are said to be the result of human activity, instead of being due to any natural causes.
The major problem is that the planet appears to be warming up. According to experts, this warming process, known as ‘global warming’, is occurring at a rate unprecedented in the last 10000 years. The implications for the planet are very serious. Rising global temperatures could lead to such ecological disasters as extremely high increases in the incidence of floods and droughts. These in turn could have a harmful effect on agriculture.
It is thought that this unusual warming of Earth has been caused by so called ‘greenhouse gases’, such as carbon dioxide, being emitted into the atmosphere by automobile engines and modem industrial processes. Such gases not only contribute to pollution of the atmosphere, but also create a greenhouse effect, by which the heat of the sun is trapped on the Earth. This leads to warming up of the planet, causing the climatic changes witnessed in recent years.

Question 7:
You are Sadbhavana/ Sridhar, Class XII-A. You are disturbed to observe beggars asking for alms at road crossings in the city. You feel that many of them are fake or are exploited by a mafia. Write an article on ‘Begging is a Bane’ for your school magazine in about 150-200 words.

Or

You are Sachin/ Shivani. You are speaking for the motion in a debate on ‘The Terminally 111 have a Right to Die’ organised in your school. Write the debate in about 150-200 words.    (10)
Answer:

Begging is a Bane
by Sridhar, Class XU-A

“I don’t want to give to beggars, especially to one who hounds me.” Chandrakanta is adamant about not giving alms to a fat lady begging at the railway station. However, she may not be aware that in many cities, beggars operate in gangs; they carve out territories and each beggar defends his respective territory with all his might. In most urban areas, gangs of women, made more effective by carrying babies and toddlers, defy traffic, the weather and the law to chase motorists and pedestrians for ‘small change’.
In other places, gangs of children skilled in the art of deception tap on car windows and gesticulate weakly for cash or food. How does the motorist react? Invariably with disapproval, but sometimes feeling guilty.
Thus, beggars are the bane of society. When confronted by someone begging for sustenance, many pretend not to hear. Other simply ignore the pleas, however pathetic they may be. Still others glare in disapproval or verbally challenge the beggar. However, is the increasing public hostility to begging justified? This is the question I put to my readers.

Or

Members of the Jury, worthy teachers and my dear friends. Today I, Shivani, will speak for the motion, ‘The Terminally III have a Right to Die.’
You may be aware of the British woman who has invoked her right to die, because her country’s government is infringing the European Convention on Human Rights by causing her to go on living in inhuman and degrading circumstances. She is suffering from motor neurone disease, an incurable and fatal wasting disease. Having lost the use of most of her bodily functions, although her mind is still functioning, she no longer enjoys any quality of life.
So, she is claiming the right to die with dignity at the time of her choice. Her wish is that the courts will agree in advance not to prosecute her husband if he assists her to die. Don’t you think her stand is justified?
Euthanasia or ‘mercy-killing’ should be a real possibility for people in the final stages of terminal illnesses who are in such severe pain or in a state of total incapacity that they do not wish to go on living. Of course, this condition should be certified by government approved physicians. This will come as a welcome release for such people.
Thank you!

Section C : Literature Textbooks and
Long Reading Text [40 Marks]

8. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. (1 x 4 = 4)

Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked…………

1. Where was the poet driving to?
2. Why was her mother’s face looking like that of a corpse?
3. What did the poet notice about her mother?
4. Name the literacy device used by the poet.

Or

Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go

1. What can the Earth teach us?
2. What does “everything seems dead” imply?
3. How will it later “proves to be alive”?
4. Why does the speaker count upto twelve?

Answer:

1. The poet was driving from her parent’s home to Cochin airport.
2. The poet’s mother’s face was colourless and seemed to have lost the fervour of life. It looked lifeless and ashen.
3. The poet noticed her mother dozing with her mouth open.
4. The poet has used a simile “her face ashen like that of a corpse” in the above lines.

Or

1. The Earth can teach us the lessons of preserving and resurrecting life.
2. The expression is symbolic of dooms day when all life on Earth will come to an end.
3. Life is an eternal and ongoing process. New life is believed to rise from the dead remains.
4. The speaker counts upto twelve to make the meditator experience ecstasy where all distractions and digressions wither away.

9. Answer any four of the following questions in about 30-40 words. (3 x 4 = 12)

1. Why had the villagers occupied the back benches of the class that day?
2. What are the different connotations of the word ‘garbage’ to the children and adult ragpickers of Seemapuri?
3. According to Keats, what spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits? How is it removed?
4. What proposal did the British officer’s secretary give to the Maharaja? Did the Maharaja agree to his proposal? Why/Why not?
5. “This man………, there is no reason under heaven, why he should live?” Why does Dr Sadao make this statement about the American prisoner of war?
6. Why did Edla entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?

Answer:

1. The announcement on the bulletin board categorically stated that only German would be taught in
   the schools of Alsace and Lorraine from thenceforth. The old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room because they were sorry that they had not gone to school for a longer period of time. It was the only opportunity they could avail themselves of, to thank their master for his forty years of meritorious service and a mark of respect for the country that was no more theirs.
2. For the children, garbage is like a mysterious package. They marvel at what they might find in the
   layers of the garbage dump. A chance finding of a coin or a currency note thrills them beyond imagination.
   But for the adults it is a means of survival as it provides them their daily bread. They view it as another job which will fetch them at least one meal a day.
3. Despair and disappointment are the integral features of life and so we often suffer pain and loss of hope due to the dearth of goodness and nobility in human nature. Our selfish and inhuman nature makes us gloomy and overshadow our happy thoughts, darkening our ways and making them unpleasant and unhealthy. All this spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits.
   It can be removed by a thing of beauty as it will drive away the sadness from our dark and gloomy self.
4. The British officer’s secretary sent a message to the Maharaja through his dewan that the Maharaja could actually kill the tiger and then allow the British officer to get himself photographed while holding the gun and standing over the tiger’s carcass. However, the Maharaja was resolute and did not agree to his request, because doing so would mean that other officers would also come with similar demands of tiger hunting.
5. The wounded American prisoner is a source of much worry and vexation for Dr Sadao. Saving him is a challenge for his skills as a doctor, although harbouring him in his house could lead to his arrest. The American’s treatment was an ultimate test of his patience. Thus, Dr Sadao was going through much mental conflict. So, when his wife Hana nauseates during the operation and he is unable to attend to her, Dr Sadao loses all control and makes the statement in question.
6. In spite of the ironmaster’s mistaken belief that the peddler was one of his old regimental comrades, Edla always thought of the peddler as a poor, homeless tramp. Therefore, she didn’t feel cheated when his true identity was revealed. She pitied his miserable condition, and thought that it would be wrong to send the peddler away, after they had promised him Christmas cheer.

Question 10:
Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words. (6)
The frustrations faced by adults and their personal experiences often intrude upon their interactions with their children. How does the story, ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?’, bear testimony to this fact? (VBQ)

Or

Gandhiji said “Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” It is very’clear from the lesson ‘Indigo’ by Louis Fischer that freedom from fear is a pre-requisite for justice.
Discuss in an article for the school magazine the ill-effects of fear—analysing whether Indians are really free from fear after independence.
Answer:
It is wrong on the part of adults to thrust their will on their children. Once a child is able to express himself or herself, one should not brush aside his queries, suggestions and opinions. If the adult finds the child’s approach to be erroneous, one should appeal to his reasoning rather than to force him to see the adult’s view point by using threatening or coercive methods.
The story of the Skunk who smelt so bad that he did not have any friends reminds Jack of his own childhood and its humiliations and he begins to feel that he is actually telling Jo something that is true. But when Jo interrupts, he is irritated by her and is even more so when she asks whether magic spells are real. Her asking many questions frustrates Jack. He completely ignores the fact that this is an evidence of Jo’s inquisitive mind. Even if he answers, his answers are short and peremptory.

Or

Ill Effects of Fear
By XYZ

Once Gandhiji remarked “Freedom for fear is more important than legal justice for the poor.” The peasants of Champaran were so crushed and fear-stricken that going to law courts was useless. The real relief for them was to be free from fear.
It was in Champaran in 1917 that Gandhiji’s belief in the freedom of spirit was achieved, when the masses gathered in support of him near the court in Motihari. Even today, most Indians are still afraid of those in power, because the powerful ones use their political clout to twist law and justice.
There are many horrifying cases of arrest of people who speak against political leaders, or are critical of their policies. In addition, bureaucracy, red-tapism, money and muscle power rule the roost. The only solution is that people should give up their fear of authority and fight for their rights.

Question 11:
Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words. (6)
“She was jealous of his silence. When he was not speaking it was as though he was somewhere, out there in the world in those places she had never been………….” Sophie was a romantic who also romanticised Geoff’s silence. Through him she yearned to reach out to the unknown. Explain.

Or

Crime and punishment is mainly a battle of units. Discuss with reference to the story ‘Evans Tries an O-Level.
Answer:
Sophie romanticised her brother’s silence. His work as an apprentice mechanic required him to travel each day to the far side of the city. She suspected that there were areas of his life about which she knew nothing as he was generally quiet. She presumed that when he was silent he was thinking of those places she had never been.
She wondered whether they were only the outlying districts of the city or places beyond in the surrounding country. She was fascinated simply because they were unknown to her and remained out of – her reach. She visualised the exotic and interesting people, of whom he never spoke. She longed to know them. She wished that some day he might take her with him. She was conscious of a vast world that awaited her arrival.

Or

There is indeed a fierce battle of wits between crime and punishment. The one who outdoes the other in this mind game wins the battle hands down. Evans and the prison authorities are incessantly involved in a battle of units. It’s a neck to neck race, especially between Evans and the Governor of the»prison, where finally Evans and his accomplices steal the show. They are no doubt, meticulous planners, who foresee and predict things. They are even able to know beforehand how their opponents will react in a particular situation.
Evans knows that Jackson has a soft corner in him and takes full advantage of the situation by getting the permission to keep his hat on. The Governor and Evans particularly leave no stone unturned in outwitting each other, or proving the other’s superior. The Governor takes utmost precautions and tries his best to prevent Evans escape. However, all his efforts like bagging the cell during the examination, figuring the hotel out etc prove futile. In this particular instance, it is Evans and his friends who call the shots.

Question 12:
Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words. (6)
What impression do you form about ‘The Invisible Man’? Is he able to gain the reader’s sympathy?

Or

What did the stranger’s luggage consist of ? What importance did it have for the stranger?
Answer:
The Invisible Man is given many names in the novel. At first he is the stranger who arrives at Iping then he is the Voice that startles everybody. However, his real name is Griffin.
Though he is the protagonist of the story, all his deeds are more like that of an antagonist. He is an eccentric scientist. He was very gifted but used his mind in a sinister way. He devised an experiment to become invisible and then started looting and murdering whoever came in his way.
He is very irritable and impatient. He loses his temper over petty things and starts hurting others. He has lost all sense of conscience and doesn’t feel sorry even after his burglary led to his father’s death.

Or

The stranger’s luggage was as remarkable as the stranger himself. The stranger was very anxious to get his luggage as soon as possible. His luggage was brought from the station by man named Fearenside, the cart-driver. As his luggage finally arrived, the stranger rushed down to reach the cart. When he saw the villagers hanging around the luggage, he would probably have yelled at the people to be careful with his boxes.
As soon as his luggage was carried upstairs at the inn, he at once began to unpack it. It comprised of a couple of trunks, a box of books, big, thick and heavy books. Then there were a dozen crates, boxes and cases containing objects packed in straw. These were actually glass bottles with some sort of chemicals, as the stranger was actually a scientist interested in chemical experiments. There were little fat bottles containing powders, small and slender bottles containing coloured and white fluids, blue bottles labelled poison, bottles with round bodies and slender necks, large green glass bottles, bottles with glass stoppers, bottles with wooden caps and so on.
The luggage was important perhaps because it might have contained the things required to make the stranger visible again.

Question 13:
Answer the following questions in about 120-150 words. (6)
Why do people regard weavers with suspicion in the novel ‘Silas Marner’?

Or

Write a character sketch of Godfrey Cass.
Answer:
In the nineteenth century in England, often weavers were strangers from other towns who came to live in villages like Raveloe; as such, they possessed no connection to the village, their parentage was unknown, and they were alienated by their jobs which required them to live quiet lives in their homes: “no one knew where these wandering men had their homes or their origins.” Furthermore, these strange, lonely men appeared only when they were carrying “a mysterious burden…in a heavy bag.” Nor, do they resemble the men of Raveloe; for, they are pale and smaller than the farmers and their sons. Thus, weavers such as Silas Marner are regarded with suspicion by the rustics of the village, who perceive them as mysterious and suspicious.”

Or

Godfrey Cass is the eldest son of Squire Cass, the most important man of rank in Raveloe. He is, therefore, the heir to the Cass estate. Godfrey is described as five-open faced good natured young man but he is weak-willed and unable to think beyond his own immediate material comfort.
As a young man, he enters into a rather hasty marriage with Molly Farren, with whom he has a daughter. However he never has the courage to publicly announce or accept the secret marriage.
This secret, coupled with Godfrey’s sense of guilt, keeps him paralysed for much of the novel. He is blackmailed by his younger brother Dunstan who knows his secret and threatens to reveal it to their father.
Godfrey is not evil in any way. He has no desire to harm anyone and is pained when he does so. It is perhaps because of this that luck often favours him. He is freed of his malicious brother simply by an accident. He is also delivered from Molly in a similarly fortuitous way. However, the fact cannot be devied that he lacks the moral courage to accept the responsibility for his actions. His final confession to Nancy is also driven by his fear after the discovery of Dunstan’s remains.
Thus, in spite of his physically powerful and graceful presence, Godfrey Cass is a rather passive character.

NCERT English for Class 12 Solutions

• Chapter 1 The Last Lesson
• Chapter 2 Lost Spring
• Chapter 3 Deep Water
• Chapter 4 The Rattrap
• Chapter 5 Indigo
• Chapter 6 Poets and Pancakes
• Chapter 7 The Interview
• Chapter 8 Going Places