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PRE-BOARD - I EXAMINATION (2015-16) CLASS: XII MAX.MARKS: 100 SUBJECT: ENGLISH CORE(301) TIME ALLOWED: 3 Hrs

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

i) This paper is divided into three Sections: A, B and C. All the sections are

compulsory.

(ii) Separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever

necessary.

Read these instructions very carefully and follow them faithfully.

(iii) Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

Q.1. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. 12m

1. In the democratic countries, intelligence is still free to ask whatever question it

chooses. This freedom, it is almost certain, will not survive another war. Educationists

should, therefore, do all they can while there is yet time to build up in the minds of their

charges, a habit of resistance to suggestion. If such resistance is not built up, the men and

women of the next generation will be at the mercy of that skillful propagandist who

contrives to seize the instruments of information and persuasion. Resistance to suggestion

can be built up in two ways. First, children can be taught to rely on their own internal

resources and not to depend on incessant stimulation from without. This is doubly

important. Reliance on external stimulation is bad for the character. Moreover, such

stimulation is the stuff with which propagandists bait their books, the jam in which the

dictators counsel their ideological pills. An individual who relies on external stimulation

thereby exposes himself to the full force of whatever propaganda is being made in his

neighbourhood. For a majority of people in the west, purposeless reading,

purposeless listening to radios, purposeless looking at films have become addiction,

psychological equivalents of alcoholism and morphinism. Things have come to such a

pitch that there are many millions of men and women who suffer real distress if they are

cut-off for a few days or even a few hours from news- papers, radio and music or movie

pictures. Like an addict to a drug, they have to indulge their vice not because their

indulgence gives them any real pleasure but because, unless they indulge they feel painful,

subnormal and incomplete. Even by intelligent people, it is now taken for granted that such

psychological addictions are inevitable and even desirable, that there is nothing to be

alarmed at in the fact that the majority of civilized men and women are now incapable of

living on their own spiritual resources, but have become exactly dependent on incessant

stimulation from without.

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2. How can children be taught to rely upon their own spiritual resources and resist the

temptation to become reading addicts, hearing addicts, seeing addicts? First of all, they

can be taught how to entertain themselves, by making things themselves, playing musical

instruments, by purposeful study, by scientific observation and by the practice of some art

and so on. But such education of the hand and the intellect is not enough. Psychology has

its Gresham‟s law, it is: that bad money that drives out the good. Most people tend to

perform the actions that require least efforts, to think the thought that are easiest to fill, the

emotions that are most vulgarly commonplace, to give rein to the desires that are most

nearly animal. And they will tend to do this even if they possess the knowledge and skill to

do otherwise. Along with the necessary knowledge and skill must be given the will to use

them even under the pressure of incessant temptation to take the line of least resistance and

become an addict to psychological drugs. Most people will not wish to resist these

temptations unless they have a coherent philosophy of life, which makes it reasonable and

right for them to do so. The other method of heightening resistance to suggestion is

purely intellectual and consists in training young people to subject the diverse devices of

the propagandists to critical analysis. The first thing that educators must do is to analyze

the words currently used in newspapers, on platforms by preachers and broadcasters.

The critical analysis and constructive criticism should reach out to the children and the

youth, with such clarity that they learn to react to forceful suggestions the right way at the

right time.

3. What, for example, does the word „nation‟ mean? To what extent are speakers and writers

justified in talking of a nation as a person? In what sense can a nation be described as

having a will or national interest? Are these interests and will, the interests and will of the

entire population? Is it not only advisable but also essential to think in terms of all the

above details so that meaningful progress is promoted, thus making democracy thrive

better?

Q.1.1.Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions by choosing the most

appropriate option from the options given below. 3x1=3

1. Children should be taught to rely on their

(a) own internal resources

(b) intelligence

(c ) communication skills

(d) teachers and parents

2. In the West, purposeless reading, purposeless listening to radios and watching films

have become

(a) very common

(b) their second habit

(c ) a psychological addiction

(d) a part of their lives

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3. Majority of civilized men and women have become exactly dependent on

(a) newspapers, radios and films (b) (b) external sources of entertainment ( c ) constant stimulation from without d. their own spiritual resources

4. The critical analysis and constructive analysis should reach out to a) children b) children and adults c) adults only d) none

Q.1.2 Answer the following questions in about 15-20 words. 6x1=6

1) How can children be helped from becoming reading, hearing and seeing

addicts ?

2) How can critical analysis help us?

3) What are intelligent people in democratic countries free to ask?

4) When will people be able resist the psychological temptations?

5) What alarming fact about civilized people does the writer talk about?

6) What were the different meanings attributed to the concept ‟Nation‟?

7) Find words from the passage which mean the same as the words given below

2 x1=2

(a) Continuing without interruption ( para 1)

(b) Logical and consistent (para 2)

Q.2 Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow.

I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER

I remember, I remember The house where I was born, The little window where the sun Came peeping in at morn ; He never came a wink too soon Nor brought too long a day ; But now, I often wish the night Had borne my breath away.

I remember, I remember The roses, red and white, The violets and the lily-cups- Those flowers made of light The lilacs where the robin built,

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And where my brother set The laburnum on his birthday,- The tree is living yet !

I remember, I remember Where I used to swing, And thought the air must rush as fresh To swallows on the wing ; My spirit flew in feathers then That is so heavy now, And summer pools could hardly cool The fever on my brow.

I remember, I remember The fir trees dark and high; I used to think their slender tops Were close against the sky: It was a childish ignorance’ But now it is little joy To know I’m farther off from Heaven Than when I was a boy.

Q.2.1 Read the poem carefully and answer the questions by choosing the most

appropriate option from the options given below. 2x1=2

(1) The poet remembers

(a) his village

(b) his house

(c) his town

(d) his neighbourhood

(2) The sun came peeping in through :-

(a) the little window

(b) the big window

(c ) the open door

(d) the hole

Q.2.2 Answer the following questions15-20 words. 6x1=6

(1) Name three flowers that are mentioned in the poem.

(2) Which trees had their slender tops?

(3) Which tree is still alive?

(4) What does the poet often wish?

(5) What couldn‟t the summers pools do?

(6) What was a childish ignorance for the poet?

Q.2.3 Find from the poem words which mean the same as:- 2x1=2

(a) Slim

(b) very short time

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Q.3 Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow: 8 marks

1. Over the last fifty years, millions of rupees have undoubtedly been spent on child

care in this country. Yet it is not sub-Saharan Africa that is the home of the mal-

nourished child but India where, according to UNICEF statistics 53% of all

children are mal-nourished. The reasons for mal-nutrition among certain children

are not far to seek. It is a multi-sectional, multi–level problem that involves not just

the availabilities but also inadequacy in child care in terms of easy access to health

facilities, safe drinking water, environment, sanitation and of course, literacy.

2. Neither the setting-up of the National Nutritional Council in 1994, under the

chairmanship of the Prime Minister, nor the Integrated Child Development Scheme

launched in 1975, to promote the holistic development of the child under six years

of age, have made any visible or vocal differences or improvement in the sordid

situation. Unfortunately, the purpose of strengthening the capacities of the

community and of those whose care has failed to deliver the goods because the

schemes envisaged have had only marginal impact in the area of nutrition where it

is most wanting and woeful. On paper we have plenty of policies and programmes,

but as far as performance is concerned we have earned enough notoriety. The need

of the hour is to translate them into action and results what we have tried to sell in

the form of promises and populist pronouncements.

3. The most urgent areas of attention and immediate actions are nutrition, health and

education of children, whose well-being reflects the health of the society and

caring outlook of the policy. Since the causes of mal-nutrition of children are many

like exploding population, bias against the female child, weak and suffering

mothers, the remedy calls for care of the mother and care by the mother, besides an

effective control over population explosion. Ignorance on what foods should be

taken is another contributory factor that results in mal-nutrition among women and

children. The implementation of various schemes to fight the menace of mal-

nutrition and undernourishment of children requires planning, coordination and

monitoring by high powered bodies right down to the village level.

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage, make notes on it using

headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations, wherever

necessary. Give the passage a suitable title. 5

(b) Give a summary of the passage in your own words in about 80 words. 3

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SECTION: B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) 30 MARKS

Q.4. You are Naveen/Naveena, Sports Captain of Delhi Public School, Hyderabad

(T.S).Draft a notice in not more than 50 words for the school notice board asking the

students to give their names for Inter-class cricket tournament. 4

OR

Draft a matrimonial advertisement on behalf of the family of a girl belonging to the

Brahmin community to be published under classified columns of a local daily . The

family has its own business in Patna, Bihar. Do not exceed 50 words. 4

Q.5 You have read many articles and have watched many programmes on the TV which

give alarming information about the rapid spread of AIDS in India. You feel that

awareness is the only weapon to fight the menace. Write a letter to the Editor of a

national newspaper, expressing your views on the problem and offering suggestions

to control it. You are Maneesh Kumar/Maneesha Kumari, residing at 44, Kamala

nagar, Bhopal (M.P.) (word limit -150 words) 6

OR

You are Sarita / Sunil, residing at 119/5, Railway Colony, Raipur(C.G.). You have

seen an advertisement in “The Hindustan Times” for the post of PGT Commerce on

contractual basis in Kendriya Vidyalaya, I.I.T Chennai T.N. Write an application to

the Principal applying for the same. Give your detailed Bio-data also. 6

Q.6 The government has banned smoking in public places with a concern for the ill effects

of smoking. Write an article on „Hazards of Smoking‟ in about 150-200 words for

your school magazine. You are Milind/Madhuri. 10

OR

In most Indian families, particularly in rural areas, there is great discrimination

against the girl child. Daughters are considered a burden and are treated inferior to

sons in the matter of food, education, health care and freedom. Write an article in

about 150-200 words, to be published in your school magazine showing how such an

attitude is unjust as well as harmful.

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Q.7. You are Rohan/Reena, Head Boy/Head Girl of your school. You wish to improve

discipline among the students. You have to address the school assembly. You wish to

point out the importance of discipline for students at school and at home. Write your

speech in 150-200 words showing how virtues like punctuality, regularity, obedience,

cleanliness, politeness come automatically if students observe basic discipline. 10

OR

In recent times, there has been a sudden proliferation of tuition and coaching centres.

Are they relevant and useful? Are they a boon or bane for our education system?

What is your stand? Write in the form of debate in about 150- 200 words. 10

SECTION: C (TEXT BOOKS AND LONG READING TEXT) 40 Marks

Q.8 Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

“Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,

victory with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their brothers

in the shade, doing nothing”.

(a) Name the poem and the poet. 1

(b) In which wars are there no survivors? 1

(c) Who would put on clean clothes? 1

(d) What does „put on clean clothes‟ signify? 1

OR

“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

but soon

put that thought away”.

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(a) Name the poem and the poet. 1

(b)Whose face is compared to a corpse? 1

(c) What did the poet realize and why? 1

(d) Why is the poet perturbed? 1

Q.9 Answer any FOUR of the following questions in 30-40 words each: - 4x3 = 12

a. For Franz, what was much more tempting than going to school and why?

b. Why did Gandhiji chide the lawyers of Muzzafarpur ? What other lessons does

Gandhiji teach them?

c. What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie

discourage her from having such dreams?

d. How did the Maharaja manage to retain his kingdom?

e. Why did the Governor call Radcliffe? What did he learn from the call?

f. Why didn‟t Mr Lamb like curtains?

Q.10Answer any one of the following question in 120-150 words: 6

What impression do you form of Dr. Sadao as a man and as a surgeon from your

reading of the story „The Enemy‟?

OR

Why, do you think, was Roger‟s mommy angry? Is her anger justified? What course of

action does she follow? 6

Q.11 Answer any one of the following question in 120-150 words: 6

“God helps those who help themselves. A man who does nothing never gets any

opportunity to succeed.” Discuss the dictum in the light of the following expressions

with reference to “Deep Water”

“I used every way I knew to overcome this fear, but it held me firmly in its grip.

Finally, one October, I decided to get an instructor and learn to swim”

OR

“The essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through

understanding and love.” Justify this statement with reference to the story “The

Rattrap

Q.12. Answer the following question in about 120-150 words:-

Discuss the major themes of the novel “The Invisible Man” 6

Q.13. Answer the following question in about 120-150 words:-

Write the Character sketch of Griffin. 6

**************************************************************

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CLASS XII SUB:ENGLISH CORE TIME: 3 HOURS MM:100

MARKING SCHEME

SECTION: A [READING] 30 Marks

1. NOTE: No marks should be deducted for mistakes of grammar, spelling or word

limit. Full marks may be awarded if the student has been able to identify core ideas. If

a student literally lifts a portion of the given passage as an answer to a question, no

mark(s) to be deducted for this as long as it is relevant.

Q.1.11

1. (a) own internal resources 4x1=4 2. (c) a psychological addiction 3. (c) constant stimulation from without

4. (b) children and adults Q.1.2 6x1=6

1. Children should be taught how to entertain themselves by making things by themselves, playing musical instruments or doing scientific observations.

2. Critical analysis brings clarity to the mind, teaching how to react to forceful suggestion in the right way at the right time.

3. whatever question they choose. 4. to use them even under pressure. 5. When they have a coherent philosophy of life 6. Incapable of living on their own spiritual resources and have become dependent on incessant stimulations from without.

Q.1.4 (a) incessant (b) coherent 2x1=2

Q.2(I)

1. (b) his house 1

2. (a) the little window 1

Q.2.2 1.roses, violets and lilies 6x1=6 2. Fir trees had their slender tops 3. The laburnum tree is still alive. 4. That the night had borne his breath away 5. The fever on the poet’s brow. 6. To think that the slender tops of the fir trees were close against the sky.

Q.2.3 (a) slender (b) wink 2x1=2

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3. NOTE MAKING:

If a student has attempted only summary or only notes, due credit should be given.

Minimum 3 Main Headings and 3 Sub-Headings for content with maximum 5 should

be given. Notes provided below are only guidelines. Any other title, main points and

sub-points should be accepted if they are indicative of the student’s understanding of

the given passage and the notes include main points with suitable and recognizable

abbreviations minimum 4 and maximum 6. Abbreviated words can be underlined.

Complete sentences should not be accepted as notes.

Numbering of points can be indicated in different ways and these should be accepted as

long as a consistent pattern is followed.

Distribution of Marks:

Title: 1 Mark

Content (Min. 3 & Max. 5 Headings and sub-headings with proper indentation, numbering

and notes) 3 Marks

Abbreviations (with or without key) minimum 4 1 Mark

NOTES

1. Malnutrition among the children

1.1 53% malnourished

1.2 mothers& child care

1.3 health facilities

2. Launching schemes & literacy

2.1 Launching of schemes

2.2 National Nurtit’n Council 1994

2.3 ICDS

2.4 Only marginal impact seen

3. Areas of Action

3.1 implementing policies into action

3.2 Stress of child edn.& mother care

3.3 proper plan’g

3.4 control on populati’n

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Key to abbreviations used

Nutrit’n =nutrition 2 . ICDS = Integrated Child Development Scheme 3. edn = education 4. & = and 5. Populat’n = population 6. Plan’g =planning

Title :- Child care in India

Summary 3 MARKS

In India malnutrition among the children is a great problem. It needs urgent attention.

According to UNICEF 53% of the children are under-nourished. It is because there is a dearth

of mother and child care. Certain schemes have been launched but these schemes proved to

be of little help because of poor implementation. We have to enforce our policies into deeds

and give special stress on nutrition and the education of both child and mother. We have to

control our population. For this proper planning and coordination is needed.

SECTION: B [ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS]

Q.4.NOTICE

Format: 1 Mark The format should include: Notice, School’s Name, Date, Heading, Writer’s Name with Designation (at the end of notice), box. Content: 2 Marks Expression: 1 Mark

OR

Q.4 Classified Advertisement

Format: 1 Mark The format should include:- Heading, box, Contact address Content should include:- brief description of bride and her family, description of expected bridegroom, family income, caste etc. 2 Marks Expression: 1 Mark

Q.5. LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Format: 1 Mark 1. Sender’s Address, 2. Date, 3. Receiver’s Address, 4. Subject 5. Salutation, 6. Body, 7. Complimentary Close 8. signature Content: 3Marks Expression: 2 Marks [Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling. Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style]

OR

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Q.5 Application for Job

Format: 1 mark *1. Sender’s Address, 2. Date, 3. Receiver’s Address, 4. Subject 5. Salutation, 6. Body, 7. Complimentary Close, 8. signature Content: 3Marks Expression: 2 Marks [Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling. Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style]

Q.6. ARTICLE WRITING

Format: (Title& Writer’s name) 1 Mark Content: 5 Marks Expression 4 Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling: 2 Marks Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style: 2 Marks Value Points:- -Respiratory diseases - cancer Decreased strength Risk to family members Drains the pocket OR Discrepancies in terms of food, Education Health facilities Freedom property

Q.7. SPEECH / DEBATE WRITING

Content: 5 Marks Expression 5 Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling: 2 ½ Marks Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style: 2 ½ Marks

SECTION: D (TEXT BOOKS & LONG READING TEXT)

Q.8 (a) Poem –Keeping Quiet, Poet- Pablo Neruda 4x1=4 (b) There are no survivors in the wars of poisonous gases and the wars

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of firearms. (c) The war-wagers would put on clean clothes. (d) ‘Put on clean clothes’ signifies giving up of the old ways and adapting healthier ways of living

OR

a. My mother at sixty six, Kamala Das

b. The poet’s mother’s face is compared to a corpse.

c. She realized that her mother had become pale and grey like ash. She grew old and

had a wrinkled face. She thought that her mother would not live for long.

d. She is perturbed because of the old age of her mother.

Q.9. 3 marks for each correct answer: 4x3=12

Content: 2 Marks Expression: 1 Mark

(a) To play in bright warm sun, to remain with birds in open field, to see Prussian

soldiers practising drills –much more tempting than going to school. Franz was not

good at French. He was late and had not done his homework.

(b) Gandhi chided the Lawyers for collecting big fees from the poor sharecroppers.

When peasants were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from

them. He also taught them to plan and organize to keep the movement alive. He gave

them a lesson in self-reliance.

(c ) Sophie lived in a dreamy world. She wanted to open a boutique. She wanted to have

the most amazing shop that city had ever seen. The other option was to be an actress.

She also thought of becoming a fashion designer. Jansie had her feet planted on the

ground. She wanted Sophie to be sensible and drop all her utopian plans.

(d) The Maharaja had prohibited a high ranking British Officer from hunting. Samples

of expensive diamond rings of different designs were brought from a famous

jeweller in Calcutta. The Maharaja sent all the 50 diamond rings to the British

Officer’s good lady. The lady accepted the whole lot. The Maharaja lost three lakhs

of rupees but managed to retain his kingdom.

(e) To enquire about the condition of the injured priest Mac Leery. Making the call

helps him realize that Evans had not escaped impersonating Mac Leery but stayed

behind impersonating the injured Mac Leery.

f. He feels that curtains shut the insides from the outside. They prevent the people

from enjoying the pleasures that the outside world has to offer.

Q10. LONG ANSWER QUESTION

Content: 3 Marks

Expression: 3 Marks

Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling: 1½ Marks

Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style: 1½ Marks]

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Value points

- Dr. Sadao a true Japanese, loved culture, traditions, and people.

- Intelligent, hard working, studied medicine and surgery.

- Married Hana, a Japanese girl.

- Obedient son

- Famous surgeon and scientist. Old general had full faith in him.

- Kind hearted; treated an enemy soldier.

- Brave enough to face a great risk to career and life by sheltering an enemy.

- Honest enough to own up to the general

- Suffers from guilt conscience

- Sets the prisoner free

OR

- She was angry because Roger lost his God given smell.

- Roger no longer emitted the bad smell he was born with.

- Got a new awful and unusually sweet smell of roses.

- God given smell could protect him against dangers.

- Smell of roses could attract the predators that could harm him.

- She was informed that the wizard had changed Roger’s smell into roses.

- Change of smell could cause risk to Roger’s life.

- Annoyed at the Wizard went to him, hit him with her umbrella.

- Asked him for Roger’s original smell to be restored to make him free from

dangers.

Q.11. LONG ANSWER QUESTION

Content: 3 Marks

Expression: 3 Marks

Grammatical Accuracy, Appropriate Words and Spelling: 1½ Marks

Coherence and Relevance of Ideas and Style: 1½ Marks]

Value points:-

-Incidents related to the misadventure that William Douglas experienced should be given.

- Douglas’ experience at YMCA swimming pool. -A big bully boy picked him up and threw him in the swimming pool. - this experience had a lasting impact on Douglas. -It deprived him of the joy of boating and swimming. - his determination of getting over the fear of water. His efforts and the success story - dictum should be justified/proved on the basis of the story.

OR

Value points :-

CBSE Pre Board Set-I Solved QuestionPaper Class XII English Core

Publisher : Faculty Notes Author : Panel Of Experts

Type the URL : http://www.kopykitab.com/product/9711

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