DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

BOKARO STEEL CITY

ASSIGNMENT FOR THE SESSION 2011-2012

Class: XI Subject : English Assignment No. 1

Reading

1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow-
Catherine found herself alone in the gallery before the clocks had ceased to strike. It was no
time for thought; she hurried on with the least possible noise through the folding doors and
without stopping to look or breathe, rushed forward to the room. The lock yielded to her
hands and luckily, with no sullen sound that could alarm a human being. On tip toe she
entered. The room was before her but it was some minutes before she could advance
another step. She beheld what fixed her to the spot and agitated every feature—she saw a
large well-proportioned apartment, a handsome bed, a bright Bath stove, mahogany
wardrobes and neatly painted chairs on which the warm beams of a western sun gaily poured
through two sash windows! Catherine had expected to have her feelings worked and worked
they were. Astonished and doubt first seized her, and a shortly succeeding ray of common
sense added some bitter emotions of shame. How grossly mistaken she was in everything!
This apartment, to which she had given a date so ancient, a position so awful, proved to be
one end of what the General’s father, that is Henry’s grandfather, had built. There were two
other doors in the chamber; but she had no inclination to open either...
She was sick of exploring and desired but to be safe in her own room; and she was on the
point of retreating as softly as she had entered when the sound of footsteps, she could
hardly tell where, made her pause and tremble. To be found there, even by a servant, would
be unpleasant but by the master of the house, General Tilney himself, much worse! She
listened-the sound had ceased- and resolving not to lose a moment, she passed through and
closed the door. At that instant, a door beneath was hastily opened; someone seemed with
swift steps to ascend the stairs by the head of which she had yet to pass before she could
gain the gallery. She had no power to move. With a feeling of terror not very definable, she
fixed her eyes on the staircase and in a few minutes it gave Henry to her view. “Mr. Tilney!”
she exclaimed in a voice of more than common astonishment. He looked astonished too.
“Good God!” she continued, “how came you up that staircase?”
“How came I up that staircase!” he replied, greatly surprised. “Because it is the nearest way
from the stable yard to my own chamber.”
Based on your understanding of the passage, answer these questions.
1. What kind of atmosphere is created in the passage? Pick out the words and phrases
from the passage to support your answer.
2. What was Catherine doing in the gallery?
3. What were her emotions before and after entering the room?
4. Write the meaning of the following words/phrases.
a) Yielded b) had no inclination c) on the point of retreating

Writing

1. To mark the importance of woman in society on the International Women’s Day, different
women activists organized this day as ‘Care of Mother’ and ‘Care by Mother’. Being a reporter
of the Times of India, write a report.

2. Hypocrisy exists in abundant measure in our society. People do not practice what they
preach; they have double standards, are rude and dishonest but expect politeness and
honesty from others. There are numerous examples of lack of sincerity in our daily
experience. Write an article showing how such behavior causes disharmony at home, in the
neighborhood and at the work place.
3. You are the Co-coordinator of your School Literacy Club. You are deeply concerned about the
drop-outs and adult illiterates still living in slums and villages. On behalf of your literary club,
write a letter to the Editor of the Hindu regarding the need to reach out to the young school
drop outs and adult illiterates. Also give details of the steps your organization is taking in this
direction.
Grammar

1. Rearrange the following sentences in proper sequence to make a paragraph that makes
complete sense:
a. I found people running from me like a herd of deer, although I had no intention of
attacking them.
b. People ran for their lives at the sight of me.
c. As I passed through shutters were pulled down and people hid themselves under
culverts, on trees and behind pillars.
d. When I paused in front of a tailor’s shop, he abandoned his machine and shut himself
in a cupboard.
e. The population was melting out of sight.
f. It was still a busy hour in the city when I entered the Market Road.

2. Amita has to appear for an interview on 10th March for the post of a teacher. She wants the
direction to the address. Use the information given below and construct a dialogue.
Your residence – Vasant Vihar – have to take the right road – will I reach Kaytee Placement
– come to T point and take a right : Kaytee Placement is right across.

3. The following passage has errors. Identify the errors in each line and write them along with
the corrections.
Error Corrections
Summer internships were earlier confined with __________ ___________
a. only all disciplines were taken up __________ ___________
b. to reinforce that students learnt __________ ___________
c. in his regular curriculum. Colleges __________ ___________
d. now encourages students of arts, __________ ___________
e. humanities to take up smaller jobs __________ ___________
f. in fitting of environment to motivating __________ ___________
g. them into learn more about their __________ ___________
h. experience must turn out to __________ ___________
i. being lucrative to. __________ ___________

Literature

1. The end of the story – ‘Eyes have it,’ has a surprise for the narrator as well as for the
readers. Justify the statement.

2. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
a. What auspicious stories is the past referring to?
b. Explain the phrase – ‘ all glories auspicious.’

3. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:
‘Its nice to be told I have an interesting face. I am tired of people telling me I have a pretty
face.’
What distinction is the girl making between interesting and pretty?

4. Why is the water of Ganga referred to as holy? What significance does it have for people?
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