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AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY EXAMINATION BOARD

HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

CLASS XII EXAMINATION

MAY 2013

English Compulsory Paper I

Time: 50 minutes Marks: 40

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read each question carefully.
2. Answer the questions on the separate answer sheet provided. DO NOT write your answers on the
question paper.
3. There are 100 answer numbers on the answer sheet. Use answer numbers 1 to 40 only.
4. In each question there are four choices A, B, C, D. Choose ONE. On the answer grid black out
the circle for your choice with a pencil as shown below.

Candidates Signature

5. If you want to change your answer, ERASE the first answer completely with a rubber, before
blacking out a new circle.
6. DO NOT write anything in the answer grid. The computer only records what is in the circles.
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Listening Comprehension Section

In this section you will hear two recordings. Each one will be played twice.

Listen carefully to the first recording then read the questions. You will have two minutes reading
time.

The recording will then be replayed. You can make notes on your question paper.

When the recording has finished, enter your answers on your separate answer sheet. You will have
four minutes to pencil in your answers.

Follow the instruction on the front page of Paper I to show which of the options; A, B, C, or D you
have selected for each question.

Listening Passage I

This passage is a historical account of the eating habits in various cultures. It focuses on the tradition of
eating breakfast and elaborates on how the ancient human beings did not eat in the morning.

Source: Adapted from the last episode of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Clarissa Dickson Wright
broadcasted on BBC Four on Wednesday, 21 November, 2012 at 21:00 GMT

Now listen to the recording.

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Mark your responses to these questions on your multiple choice answer sheet.

1. The popular assumption that the author 5. Which of the following is TRUE about
refers to in the beginning of the passage is the ancient Romans?
that
A. They were health conscious.
A. in the past eating patterns were B. They did not like to eat.
not normal. C. They were very greedy.
B. the trend of having dinner is D. They loved a three-course meal.
declining.
C. the trend of eating three times a 6. The rich and poor all started having
day has always been so. breakfast in
D. eating patterns are subject to
fashions. A. 1740s.
B. the 17th century.
2. We can infer from the passage that taking C. the era of Chef Clarissa Wright.
D. the era of Industrial Revolution.
A. breakfast is a diminishing trend.
B. breakfast is a relatively new trend. 7. During the Industrial Revolution, all
C. drinks makes us alert. workers and officers had to take
D. processed food is a bad practice. breakfast, so that they could

3. Which of the following is TRUE? A. work efficiently.

B. follow the tradition.
A. Breakfast makes us slim. C. be healthy and happy.
B. Having three meals a day is D. become prosperous.
unhealthy.
C. Food historians do not like the 8. Which of the following is NOT
current eating patterns. mentioned in the passage as a breakfast
D. People always used to eat in the item?
same way as they do now.
A. Eggs
4. We know from the passage that all of the B. Cheese
following are useful effects of breakfast C. Coffee
EXCEPT that it D. Tea

A. helps us to remain attentive. 9. The rich classes of the late 18 th century

B. is beneficial for children.
C. helps us with weight management. A. had regular working hours.
D. has always been a part of history. B. had separate rooms for breakfast.
C. needed an early meal.
D. ate breakfast irregularly.

10. The passage mainly talks about the

history of

A. beneficial meals.
B. eating habits.
C. food during the Roman era.
D. food during the Industrial
Revolution.

PLEASE DO NOT TURN OVER THE PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD
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Now, we will play the second recording. It will also be played twice.

Listen carefully to the first playing, and then read the questions. You will have two minutes reading
time. The recording will then be replayed.

When the recording has finished, enter your answers on your separate answer sheet. You will have
four minutes to pencil in your answers.

Listening Passage II

The passage is about various characteristics of apples.

Source: http://www.botanical.com/

Now listen to the recording.

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Mark your responses to these questions on your multiple choice answer sheet.

11. Apples grow best in 16. In old times, people used to take apple
sauce with
A. warm climates.
B. valves of seeds. A. their meals.
C. cooler climates. B. their breakfasts.
D. charred regions. C. acidic foods.
D. heavy meat dishes.
12. Which of the following is CORRECT?
17. The sugar of a sweet apple is easily
A. Apples grow all over Pakistan.
B. Apples are not found near the A. predigested.
Swiss lakes. B. dissolved into the blood stream.
C. Apples are found in most C. digested in 85 minutes.
countries of Europe. D. ripened.
D. Apples have seed-valves on the
skin. 18. The kind of apple which is easiest to
digest is a
13. In order to get most nutrients we should
eat an apple A. ripe apple.
B. raw apple.
A. ripe. C. seeded apple.
B. with its skin. D. charred apple.
C. in cooler climates.
D. when it is acidic. 19. Acidity is reduced in the stomach by
apple
14. Which of the following is NOT a health
benefit of apples? A. skin.
B. juice.
A. They have seed-valves. C. fermentation.
B. They facilitate digestion. D. sugar.
C. They are beneficial for liver.
D. They neutralize acidity. 20. The main focus of this passage is

15. Which of the following indicates that I. the value of apples in Europe.
apples should be used each day? II. historical facts about apples.
III. nutritious value of apples.
A. Apples dietetic value lies in its
malic acid. A. I only
B. Apples help in dissolving fluids in B. I and II
the body. C. III only
C. An apple a day keeps the doctor D. II and III
away.
D. Apples help fight against skin
diseases.

PLEASE DO NOT TURN OVER THE PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD
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Reading Comprehension Section

This section has two reading passages; each followed by 10 multiple choice questions. You have 25
minutes time for this section. You are advised to spend approximately 12 minutes on each of the given
passages.
Read the passage carefully and then answer the multiple choice questions which follow:
Reading Passage I

The environmental benefits of planting cashew trees are numerous. The presence of cashew
orchards allows farmers to harvest large amounts of firewood which greatly reduces stress on
local forests by eliminating the need to cut down indigenous trees. Since cashew trees grow well
in harsh environments where other trees cant grow, cashew orchards allow farmers to reclaim
5 unusable land. These orchards also serve as habitats for birds, bees, and wild animals that
encourage biodiversity.

Cashews also help combat malnutrition since they have a high content of vitamin C. Since this
fruit does not have a long shelf life, it is always consumed locally ensuring that local people
benefit from its consumption. Cashew trees also serve as great windbreaks which allow farmers
10 to protect their crops from harsh winds which ultimately lead to higher crop yields. This in turn
helps ensure that the farmer can feed his family.

Cashew trees also serve as a great shade struct ure for families living in the tropics. Underneath
their dense crowns, people relax and hold social gatherings with protection from the hot sun.

Are cashews good for you? People are always asking what nutrients are found in cashews and
15 whether cashews are good for you and your body. This cashew related article describes how
magnesium-rich cashews cut the risk of colon cancer.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have found that a diet rich in magnesium may help
reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. As part of the Iowa Womens Health Study,
researchers followed almost 42,000 women aged 55-69 for 17 years.

20 After taking age, calories, other nutrients and traditional risk factors for colon cancer into
account, the women with the highest intake of magnesium (more than 351 milligrams a day) had
a 23% lower risk of colon cancer compared to those with the lowest intake (less than 245
milligrams a day). Magnesium intake, however, had little effect on rectal cancer.

In the study, more than 90% of the womens magnesium intakes came from food, not
25 supplements. The current recommended intake of magnesium is 400 milligrams a day. Good
sources include artichokes, avocados, bran cereal, cashews , dark chocolate, lentils, spinach and
wheat germ.

Source: organiccashewnuts.com
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Mark your responses to these questions on your multiple choice answer sheet.
21. Cashew trees grow where 26. The risk of colon cancer is reduced
through
A. trees are numerous.
B. indigenous trees grow. A. magnesium-rich cashews.
C. other trees cannot grow. B. consumption of nuts.
D. biodiversity is found. C. nutrients found in crops.
D. protection from hot sun.
22. Which of the following is an
environmental benefit of planting cashew 27. The sample population on which research
trees? was conducted consisted of

A. They grow in orchards. A. mature women.

B. They grow on unstable soil. B. young women.
C. They reduce chances of C. students of Iowa Womens
deforestation. Health.
D. They help against malnutrition. D. students of University of
Minnesota.
23. Cashew trees encourage biodiversity
because they 28. Magnesium rich cashews will result in

A. help farmers. A. reduced chances of all cancers.

B. provide shelter to wildlife. B. a 23% risk of cancer.
C. nurture food for the environment. C. lower risk of rectal cancer.
D. yield higher quality crops. D. reduced chances of one type of
cancer.
24. The presence of cashew trees is a fair
indication that 29. Which of the following CORRECTLY
represents the reduced risk of cancer in
A. harsh winds will blow. women who eat magnesium rich food?
B. plants will be sheltered from
harsh winds. Quantity of Risk of Colon
C. farmers will be provided with Magnesium Cancer
complete nutrition. A. 23 mg Reduced by 23 %
D. long shelf life of crops will be B. 351 mg Reduced by 23%
ensured. C. 42,000 Reduced by
mg 55-69%
25. Families living in tropics are benefited by D. 400 mg Reduced by 90%
the presence of cashew trees because they
30. At the end of the article, it is said that the
A. give indigenous plantation. best way to make magnesium a part of
B. provide dense crowns. ones diet is through
C. provide biodiversity.
D. ensure mild climate. A. supplements.
B. eating it in specified quantity.
C. food which contains magnesium.
D. eating more vegetables than meat.

PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE

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Now read the following passage carefully.

Reading Passage II

For over twenty years as physician, I have witnessed, time and again, the healing power of tears.
Tears are your bodys release valve for stress, sadness, grief, anxiety, and frustration. Also, you can
have tears of joy, say when a child is born or tears of relief when a difficulty has passed. In my own
life, I am grateful when I can cry. It feels cleansing, a way to purge pent up emotions so they dont
5 lodge in my body as stress symptoms such as fatigue or pain. To stay healthy and release stress, I
encourage my patients to cry. For both men and women, tears are a sign of courage, strength, and
authenticity.

There are numerous health benefits of tears. Like the ocean, tears are salt water. Protectively they
lubricate your eyes, remove irritants, reduce stress hormones, and they contain antibodies that fight
10 pathogenic microbes. Our bodies produce three kinds of tears: reflex, continuous, and emotional.
Each kind has different healing roles. For instance, reflex tears allow your eyes to clear out
poisonous particles when theyre irritated by smoke or exhaust. The second kind, continuous tears,
are produced regularly to keep our eyes lubricated--these contain a chemical called lysozyme
which functions as an anti-bacterial and protects our eyes from infection. Tears also travel to the
15 nose through the tear duct to keep the nose moist and bacteria free. Typically, after crying, our
breathing, and heart rate decrease, and we enter into a calmer biological and emotional state.

Emotional tears have special health benefits. Biochemist and tear expert Dr. William Frey
discovered that reflex tears are 98% water, whereas emotional tears also contain stress hormones
which get excreted from the body through crying. After studying the composition of tears, Dr. Frey
20 found that emotional tears shed these hormones and other toxins which accumulate during stress.
Additional studies also suggest that crying stimulates the production of endorphins, our bodys
natural pain killer and feel-good hormones. Interestingly, humans are the only creatures known to
shed emotional tears, though its possible that elephants and gorillas do too. Other mammals and
also salt-water crocodiles produce reflex tears which are protective and lubricating.

25 Crying makes us feel better, even when a problem pe rsists. We should all try to let go of outmoded,
untrue, conceptions about crying. It is good to cry. It is healthy to cry. This helps to emotionally
clear sadness and stress. Crying is also essential to resolve grief, when waves of tears periodically
come over us after we experience a loss. Tears help us process the loss so we can keep living with
open hearts. Otherwise, we are set up for depression if we suppress these potent feelings.

Adapted from Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform
Your Life (Three Rivers Press, 2011)
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Mark your responses to these questions on your multiple choice answer sheet.
31. Emotional tears act as a shield against 36. The writer's attitude towards crying is

A. poisonous particles. A. indifferent.

B. bacterial infection. B. approving.
C. depression. C. depressing.
D. irritants. D. protective.

32. Crying makes us feel better because it 37. When smoke irritates our eyes, they
produce
A. resolves the problem.
B. makes us calmer. A. lysozymes.
C. results in a setup for depression. B. endorphins.
D. suppresses potent feelings. C. reflex tears.
D. continuous tears.
33. According to the text, tears indicate
38. The opposite of periodically (line 27) is
A. courage.
B. health. A. continuously.
C. problem. B. purposely.
D. infection. C. protectively.
D. mechanically.
34. The author of this text is
39. The main theme of the passage is
A. William Frey.
B. a patient. A. crying resolves few things.
C. a doctor. B. crying is a sign of weakness.
D. a tear expert. C. long-held assumptions regarding
tears are wrong.
35. Eye infections are removed by D. crying resolves grief.

A. biochemist. 40. The author ends the passage by saying

B. tear experts. that
C. endorphins.
D. lysozyme. A. crying resolves health issues.
B. suppressing tears can result in
psychological problems.
C. men and animals shed emotional
tears.
D. we should avoid being sad.

END OF PAPER
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