Section C

[25 marks]
[Time suggested : 60 minutes]

Questions 26 to 31 are based on the following passage.

1 It was lovely summer and after a challenging semester at the college, the
prospect of being home filled Arvind with excitement. Within an hour of
leaving his hostel, he was at the train station ready to begin his long, tedious
journey.
2
Arvind joined the impatient passengers elbowing their way onto the train. The 5
coach was packed with people trying to get to their seats. If any similarity was
to be found between ants and human beings, this was the place! He closed his
eyes and started thinking of home: the food he would relish, the friends he
would meet and the hours he would spend watching television.
3
After about fifteen minutes, the train hooted and pulled out of the station. 10
Arvind noticed that the seat opposite to him remained vacant. Expecting the
long journey to be very boring, Arvind took off his glasses and tried to sleep.
Some time later, the train stopped at a station before moving on again. Suddenly
his rest was disturbed by a movement. He could vaguely see the shape of a
suitcase, followed by a human silhouette. His eyes were very poor so he put on 15
his glasses, and what he saw took his breath away. There, in the opposite seat
was a girl of about his age with all the features that a teenage boy would look
4 for in his dream girl.

Of course, she did not notice Arvind, but the other passengers glanced at him
curiously – what was a teenager doing sleeping with his glasses on? He may
5 looked as if he was asleep but Arvind slept very little that night. 20

The next day, he was very energetic, or as teenagers often say, ‘hyperactive’ –
one of the chief symptoms of trying to impress a girl. It was the first time in his
life that he’d ever gone to the bathroom on a train to freshen up and make
himself look more presentable. Funnily enough, the person opposite did the
6 same. Minutes later, she was back in her seat. 25

There was no eye contact yet. His mind was racing fast, planning his next move
while the train thundered along. A line from his favourite song popped into his
head, ‘It’s Now or Never…’ Plucking up courage, Arvind asked her, “Tea?”
Short and sweet to begin with. First, silence, then a nod. That was the start that 30
Arvind has been hoping for. He behaved like a perfect gentleman. Then he
began to tell her about himself. She, on the other hand, was somewhat shy and
 said very little. Lunch and dinner were at his invitation and, eventually, it was
time to sleep. Just because she had said goodnight did not mean Arvind was to
7 have a good night’s sleep. He spent the whole night planning how he would
impress her further. 35

It was shortly after dawn when they arrived at their destination. Arvind saw his
parents waiting on the platform. Waving happily, they came towards him and
8 hugged him. Arvind’s mother said, “We are so …”Before she could finish her
sentence, she noticed the girl who was standing behind him.

9 “Hello Madam Saraswathy, how are you? Remember me? I am Sneha, your ex- 40
student from Class 2007.”

“Yes, of course! You were my favourite student. You’ve grown into a beautiful
young lady! Were you in the same coach?” Arvind turned and saw Sneha
nodding with a faint blushing smile. “Arvind, remember Sneha? You used to 45
play with her when she came over for tuition,’ his mother said. Arvind was so
embarrassed that he could hardly speak. His heart was beating fast and he
wished that the ground beneath him would swallow him up.