Pre-board I - 2020-21

English Core (301)

Class – 12
Max. Marks: 80
Time Allowed: 3 Hours

General Instructions:

1. This paper is divided into two sections: Part A and Part B:

Part A: 40 Marks
Reading Comprehension: 20 marks
Literature: 20 marks
Part B: 40 Marks
Writing: 20 marks
Literature: 20 marks
2. Both sections are compulsory.
3. Read instructions very carefully given with each section and question and
follow them faithfully.
4. Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.

PART A (OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS) - 40 MARKS

Reading Section: (20 Marks)
1. Read the passage given below:
(i) I was born a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia. I am not quite sure of the
exact place or exact date of my birth, but at any rate I suspect I must have been born
somewhere and at some time. As nearly as I have been able to learn, I was born near a
cross–roads post–office called Hale's Ford, and the year was 1858 or 1859. I do not know
the month or the day. The earliest impressions I can now recall are of the plantation and
the slave quarters—the latter being the part of the plantation where the slaves had their
cabins.
(ii) My life had its beginning in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging
surroundings. This was so, however, not because my owners were especially cruel, for
they were not, as compared with many others. I was born in a typical log cabin, about
fourteen by sixteen feet square. In this cabin I lived with my mother and a brother and
sister till after the Civil War, when we were all declared free.

(iii) Of my ancestry I know almost nothing. In the slave quarters, and even later, I heard
whispered conversations among the coloured people of the tortures which the slaves,
including, no doubt, my ancestors on my mother's side, suffered in the middle passage
of the slave ship while being conveyed from Africa to America. I have been unsuccessful

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 in securing any information that would throw any accurate light upon the history of my
family beyond my mother. She, I remember, had a half–brother and a half–sister. In the
days of slavery not very much attention was given to family history and family records—
that is, black family records. My mother, I suppose, attracted the attention of a purchaser
who was afterward my owner and hers. Her addition to the slave family attracted about
as much attention as the purchase of a new horse or cow. Of my father I know even less
than of my mother. I do not even know his name. I have heard reports to the effect that
he was a white man who lived on one of the near–by plantations. Whoever he was, I
never heard of his taking the least interest in me or providing in any way for my rearing.
But I do not find especial fault with him. He was simply another unfortunate victim of
the institution which the Nation unhappily had engrafted upon it at that time.

(iv) The early years of my life, which were spent in the little cabin, were not very different
from those of thousands of other slaves. My mother, of course, had little time in which
to give attention to the training of her children during the day. She snatched a few
moments for our care in the early morning before her work began, and at night after the
day's work was done. One of my earliest recollections is that of my mother cooking a
chicken late at night, and awakening her children for the purpose of feeding them. How
or where she got it I do not know. I presume, however, it was procured from our owner's
farm. Some people may call this theft. If such a thing were to happen now, I should
condemn it as theft myself. But taking place at the time it did, and for the reason that it
did, no one could ever make me believe that my mother was guilty of thieving. She was
simply a victim of the system of slavery. I cannot remember having slept in a bed until
after our family was declared free by the Emancipation Proclamation. Three children—
John, my older brother, Amanda, my sister, and myself—had a pallet on the dirt floor,
or, to be more correct, we slept in and on a bundle of filthy rags laid upon the dirt floor.
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer ANY TEN
questions from the eleven given below. (1x10 = 10)
i. The narrator’s description of his time and place of birth brings out the fact …
a. that little was done to keep records of slave children
b. that slaves could never know the place of their birth
c. that slaveholders cared a lot for the slaves and their families
d. that slaves had no intention to record the births of their children

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 ii. “but at any rate I suspect I must have been born somewhere and at some time.” Pick the
option in which the meaning of ‘suspect(ed)’ is the same as it is in the passage.
a. He resigned after being suspected of theft.
b. Five suspects have been detained for questioning.
c. Some of the evidence they produced was highly suspect.
d. I strongly suspect that this whole story is fictional.

iii. Based on your understanding of the passage, choose the option that conveys the tone of
the writer when he talks about his ancestry.
1. objective
2. biased
3. humorous
4. retrospective
a. objective and retrospective
b. biased and humorous
c. humorous and retrospective
d. biased and retrospective

iv. The synonym for the word ‘recollections’ in the context of the extract is:
a. amnesia
b. repressions
c. forgetfulness
d. memories

v. How long did the narrator have to live in his miserable, discouraging and desolate
surroundings?
a. till he was old enough to work
b. until he found himself a new slaveholder
c. till after the Civil War
d. till he got a college education

vi. In the passage, the narrator talks about how his mother’s purchase ‘attracted about as
much attention as the purchase of a new horse or cow’. This shows that
(a) newly bought slaves got the attention just as newly bought animals
(b) slaves were given special treatment when they came into the fold
(c) slaves had to be branded for ownership identification
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 (d) slaves had to be shackled like animals

vii. Pick the option showing the CORRECT use of the word ‘conveyed’ as in the text.
(a) His letter conveyed his farewell wishes to the family.
(b) A carriage conveyed her home because of the inclement weather.
(c) He conveyed his best wishes to the family.
(d) I conveyed my displeasure at the decision taken by the school.

viii. In the line: “If such a thing were to happen now, I should condemn it as theft myself.”
the narrator is referring to the incident where his mother
(a) had stolen a chicken to feed them
(b) had to take away some food from the owner’s house to feed her children
(c) had taken money from the slaveholder’s house to buy bread for her hungry children
(d) was caught for stealing corn from the barn

ix. The narrator does not put too much blame on his father for not taking care of him
because
(a) his father was a poor man himself
(b) his father had to take care of his sick parents
(c) his father was himself a hapless victim of the system that existed in his time
(d) his father was ailing and could not afford to look after him

x. The word ‘pallet’ means

(a) rags used to mop the floor of the log cabin
(b) wooden board for sitting or reclining on
(c) a thin board for mixing colours on when painting
(d) a cloth bag filled with straw, used for sleeping on

xi. The narrator’s mother could hardly give much attention to training her children because
(a) she went to work early morning and returned at night
(b) she was not supposed to spend her time training them
(c) she was never free even after work was over
(d) she was not interested in doing so

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 2. Read the following news report and answer questions that follow:

(i) Obesity in India more than doubled in children and tripled in adults between 1980 and
2015, shows an analysis of data from 195 countries from the Global Burden of Disease
Study. According to the study published in the latest issue of The New England Journal
of Medicine, India’s 180 million adults, including 14.4 million children between the ages
of two and 19 years, are obese. Overweight and obese children rose from 1.3% in 1980
to 3% in 2015. The corresponding rise in men was from 1% to close to 5%, and from 2%
to 7% in women.
(ii) “The rate at which obesity is growing in children is quite alarming as it means we will
be faced with a large number of obese adults, prone to non-communicable diseases such
as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and even certain types of cancer,” said Dr VK Bahl,
head of cardiology department at AIIMS.
(iii) India’s National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4), which is a pan-India survey that
provides information on population, health and nutrition, shows 2.8% of the women
surveyed had very high blood sugar levels. In men, the figure was 3.8%.
Hypertension is also a huge health concern, with 0.7% women and 0.9% men suffering
from it.
Epidemiologic studies have identified high body-mass index (BMI) — the weight in
kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres — as a risk factor for an
expanding set of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus,
chronic kidney disease, cancers, and musculoskeletal disorders.

(iv) In 2015, an estimated 107.7 million children, and 603.7 million adults were obese
worldwide. The overall prevalence of obesity was 5.0% among children and 12.0%
among adults.

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 (v) The peak in the prevalence of obesity was observed between the ages of 60 and 64 years
among women and between the ages of 50 and 54 years among men.
From 1990 through 2015, there was a relative increase of 28.3% in the global rate of
deaths related to high BMI.
(vi) From 41.9 deaths per 100,000 population in 1990, the number jumped to 53.7 deaths per
100,000 population in 2015. However, India’s obesity prevalence is significantly lower
than the levels seen in several Western countries such as America, where more than 30%
of adults and 12% of children were obese in 2015.

2.1 On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer ANY TEN questions
from the eleven that follow. (1x10 = 10)
i. According to the passage, obesity among Indian children from 1980 to 2015
(a) had been quite gradual and there was no reason to worry
(b) had doubled
(c) has not changed significantly
(d) has not been much of a concern for their health

ii. The rate of growth obesity among children is worrying because

(a) it could lead to lethargic adults in the future workforce
(b) it could make the entire adult population weak and unproductive
(c) a large number of adults will not be able to enter the workforce
(d) it could put a large number of obese adults prone to non-communicable diseases

iii. From data collected in 73 countries in the period 1980 till 2015, obesity among adults
has
(a) declined by 50 %.
(b) risen by 100% in men

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 (c) more than doubled among men and women
(d) risen by 50%

iv. India’s National Family Health Survey-4 blood sugar levels in

(a) women exceeded that of men by 1%
(b) men exceeded that of women by 1%
(c) showed no marked difference
(d) showed more than 3% difference

v. Pick out the statement that is true.

(a) BMI is a value based on a person’s height in centimetres divided by weight in grams.
(b) BMI is a value based on a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in metres.
(c) BMI is a value based on a person’s height in metres divided by weight in kilograms
(d) BMI is a value based on a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height
in metres.

vi. “The peak... years among men.” This is mainly a reference to

(a) the age group where maximum occurrence of obesity was observed in men and women
(b) the type of men and women where obesity was found to be common
(c) the age group where men and women could find themselves at risk for cardiovascular
disease
(d) the connection between advancing age and obesity among people

vii. Based on the given graphical representation of data in the passage, choose the option
that lists the statements that are TRUE with reference to the increase in percentage of
obesity among adults in the period of 1980 to 2015.
1. Women’s percentage increased from 10% to 15%
2. Men’s percentage increased from 10% to 15%.
3. Women’s percentage increased from 5% to 10%.
4. Men’s percentage increased from 5% to 10%.

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4

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 (d) 1 and 4

viii. In the cartoon, the child

(a) pays no attention to the doctor’s statement as he is preoccupied with his smart phone
(b) is upset and shocked at what the doctor tells him about his weight
(c) listens carefully to the doctor and makes queries about his weight
(d) enjoys the good-humoured joke from the doctor

ix. Which of the following statements is NOT substantiated by information in paragraph

1?
(a) Child obesity in India more than doubled in the period 1980 to 2015.
(b) Obesity among adults tripled between 1980 and 2015.
(c) This study is an analysis of data from 195 countries across the world.
(d) 14.4 million children between the ages of two and twenty years were found to be obese.

x. According to BMI ranges given in the visual stimulus, the ideal BMI should be
somewhere between
(a) 18.5 and 30
(b) 24.5 and 30
(c) 18.5 and 24.5
(d) 30 and 32.5

xi. Studies have associated high BMIs as a risk factor for which of the following diseases?
(a) respiratory diseases
(b) cancers
(c) tuberculosis
(d) bacterial diseases

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 LITERATURE (20 marks)
3.
Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY TWO of the three given
by answering the questions that follow. (4+4=8)

[A] She has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire lifetime -that’s what she has reaped! Her
husband, an old man with a flowing beard, says, “I know nothing except bangles. All I have
done is make a house for the family to live in.” Hearing him, one wonders if he has achieved
what many have failed in their lifetime. He has a roof over his head! The cry of not having
money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles, not even enough
to eat, rings in every home. The young men echo the lament of their elders. Little has moved
with time, it seems, in Firozabad. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the
ability to dream.

(i) The phrase ‘ mind-numbing toil’ refers to toil that is

(a) very interesting and inspiring
(b) extremely boring and tedious
(c) very easy and convenient
(d) extremely annoying and worrying

(ii) The sentence “ I know nothing except bangles.” conveys the speaker’s
(a) pride in bangle making
(b) optimism in bangle making
(c) helplessness that he knows nothing else except bangle making
(d) confidence in his art of bangle making

(iii) Choose the word which best matches the statement “All I have done is make a house for
the family to live in.”
(a) food
(b) clothing
(c) comfort
(d) shelter

(iv) What does ‘echo the lament of their elders’ mean?

(a) express the same grief as their elders
(b) imitate the cry of their elders
(c) weep like their elders
(d) blame their situation on their elders

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 [B] Presently, the landlords learned that Germany had developed synthetic indigo. They, thereupon,
obtained agreements from the sharecroppers to pay them compensation for being released from
the 15 per cent arrangement. The sharecropping arrangement was irksome to the peasants, and
many signed willingly. Those who resisted, engaged lawyers; the landlords hired thugs.
Meanwhile, the information about synthetic indigo reached the illiterate peasants who had
signed, and they wanted their money back. At this point Gandhi arrived in Champaran. He began
by trying to get the facts. First he visited the secretary of the British landlord’s association. The
secretary told him that they could give no information to an outsider. Gandhi answered that he
was no outsider.

(i) What is the tone of the author in the line: “ Those who resisted, engaged lawyers; the
landlords hired thugs.”
(a) cheerful
(b) optimistic
(c) critical
(d) outspoken

(ii) The tenant farmers could be released from the 15% arrangement by
(a) engaging lawyers
(b) hiring thugs
(c) outright protest
(d) paying a compensation

(iii) Which of the following statements is NOT true?

(a) The illiterate peasants wanted their money back.
(b) The British landlords relieved the peasants from the agreement for a compensation.
(c) The peasants hired thugs to get their money back from the British landlords.
(d) Synthetic indigo had taken away the commercial value of natural indigo.

(iv) Gandhi visited the office of the British landlord’s association because
(a) he needed all the facts to build a strong case against the British landlords
(b) the British landlords refused to part with the facts
(c) he distrusted the peasants who complained to him
(d) he did not have much time on his hands

[C] He adjusted the shade so not even a crack of day showed, and tiptoed to the door, in the
pretence that she was already asleep. But when he turned, she was crouching on top of
the covers and staring at him. “Hey. Get under the covers and fall faaast asleep. Bobby’s
asleep.”
She stood up and bounced gingerly on the springs.
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 “Daddy.”
“What?”
“Tomorrow, I want you to tell me the story that that wizard took that magic wand and hit
that mommy” — her plump arms chopped forcefully — “right over the head.”
“No. That’s not the story. The point is that the little skunk loved his mommy more than
he loved all the other little animals and she knew what was right.”

(i) Choose the option that best describes the traits of Jo from the given lines:
(a) impatient and persistent
(b) understanding and patient
(c) respectful and obedient
(d) violent and destructive

(ii) From the conversation between Jo and her father Jack it is clear that
(a) Jack was willing to change the ending of the story the next day
(b) Jo was happy with the ending of the story
(c) Jack was ready to spend some more time to end the story the way Jo had wanted
(d) Jack was firm with his decision to keep the ending as it was and had no intention to
change it

(iii) Jack’s “What?” to Jo when she called him, tells us about how he felt at that time. Pick
the option that correctly states his feelings.
(1) joyful
(2) irritated
(3) sad
(4) annoyed
(5) enthused
(6) amazed
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 4
(c) 3 and 4
(d) 5 and 6

(iv) “No. That’s not the story. The point is that the little skunk loved his mommy more than
he loved all the other little animals and she knew what was right.” This tells us that
Jack wanted

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 (a) to surprise Jo with a new ending
(b) Jo to enjoy the different ending to his story
(c) Jo to learn that parents know what is best for their children
(d) to annoy Jo and keep her awake.

4. Read the extracts given below and attempt ANY ONE of the two given by
answering the questions that follow. (4)

[A] Surely, Shakespeare is wicked, the map a bad example,

With ships and sun and love tempting them to steal—
For lives that slyly turn in their cramped holes
From fog to endless night? On their slag heap, these children
Wear skins peeped through by bones and spectacles of steel
With mended glass, like bottle bits on stones.
All of their time and space are foggy slum.
So blot their maps with slums as big as doom.

(i) What does “wearing skins on bones” suggest to you about these children in the
classroom?
(a) they have no proper clothes to wear
(b) they look pale and weak
(c) they wear clothes that stick to their thin bodies
(d) they are thin and weak and look emaciated

(ii) The map is a bad example for these slum school children because
(a) it tempts them to acquire things beyond their means by stealing
(b) it can never provide them the respite from their miserable world
(c) the map is not clear in its depiction of the outside world
(d) it can never help them to be successful in life

(iii) The expression “like bottle bits on stones” is an example of

(a) metaphor
(b) alliteration
(c) personification
(d) simile

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 (iv) What message does the poet convey to the authorities by the line: “ So blot their maps
with slums as big as doom.”
(a) if they do not fix the challenges facing these slum schools and the children in them then
they will not be able to stop the slums from growing out of control
(b) to provide these children with proper food and clothing for them to attend school
regularly
(c) to ensure that their parents are given proper jobs to afford schooling in good schools
(d) to clean the environment of these schools and provide better resources for these
children

[B] Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing

A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

(i) The phrase “every morrow” means

(a) every afternoon
(b) every new unborn day (tomorrow)
(c) every today
(d) every yesterday

(ii) The lines: “ Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways

Made for our searching” speak about our own
(a) goodness that makes us strong to fight any circumstance we are in
(b) strengths that can comfort us in every moment of time
(c) carelessness that cause us to ignore all suffering and pain
(d) imperfections and shortcomings that make us gloomy and sad

(iii) The rhyme scheme of the given lines are:

(a) aabcddee
(b) abbccdde
(c) abbcddee

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 (d) aabccdde

(iii) The literary device used by the poet in the following lines is: “are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth.”
(a) simile
(b) personification
(c) alliteration
(d) metaphor

5. Attempt ANY EIGHT questions from the ten given below. (1x 8 = 8)

(i) The story “The Rattrap” conveys through the characters of the crofter, Edla and the
ironmaster the desire
(a) of taking advice when one wishes it
(b) for human company in times of loneliness
(c) of asking forgiveness from one’s enemies
(d) for human material wants in times of poverty

(ii) Choose the phrase which is NOT TRUE with reference to what Monsieur Hamel wore
on the day of the last lesson.
(a) a beautiful green coat
(b) a frilled shirt
(c) a black silk cap
(d) a shiny overcoat

(iii) Spender in the poem: ‘An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum’ points out
(a) the effects of social inequalities on children studying in a slum school
(b) the levels of corruption faced in the echelons of power
(c) why all schools need to be treated well
(d) the degradation of environment in the city public schools

(iv) William Douglas in the lesson: “Deep Water” conveys the message that:
(a) schools need to prevent bullying of younger children
(b) children should always be accompanied by adults wherever they go

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 (c) one can conquer our fear by facing it bravely
(d) swimming in pools are as treacherous as swimming in rivers

(v) John Keats believes that beauty in some shape or form

(a) is always there to lift us from our dull spirits and comfort us
(b) is there to lead us along the path of self-destruction
(c) always manifests itself to people who can afford it
(d) can distract humans from their desires to succeed

(vi) To address the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran villages Gandhi
(a) opened primary schools with the help of volunteers
(b) set up night classes for adults
(c) called for big donations to buy clothes
(d) sought the help of the local British landlords

(vii) The theme of “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” is :

(a) finding creative self-expression through art in a patriarchal society
(b) love and equality brings happiness among people of the world
(c) forgiveness leads to peace and prosperity
(d) sympathy can end human suffering in the world

(viii) The poem: “Keeping Quiet” uses the salt gatherer to symbolise:
(a) incessant and blind action of man on the environment
(b) lack of human values while exploiting the environment
(c) man’s inability to stop, look and realise his self-destructive actions
(d) unavoidability of environmental destruction

(ix) The temple priests being able to afford shoes for their children points to the fact that
(a) they have got big financial donations from rich members
(b) their financial and economic situation has got better over the years
(c) the temple priests have worked hard to earn more
(d) they have become a well-organised welfare society

(x) In the poem, “My Mother at Sixty-six” the poet looks outside the car because

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 (a) she wanted to divert her mind from painful thoughts about her weak and aging mother
(b) look at the beautiful road as the car speeded along it
(c) enjoy the sight of children running out of their homes to play
(d) watch how the beautiful trees looked beside the road

PART B (SUBJECTIVE QUESTIONS) - 40 MARKS

Writing Section: (16 Marks)
6. You are AP Raman of 22/14 Arabi Tank Lane, Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Your grandmother 3
Mahalakshmi is missing from your home for the last 5 days. She was last seen going to
the nearby temple. Draft a suitable advertisement with all necessary details to be
published in a local daily in the classified column. Do not exceed 50 words.

7. The Sports Captain of St.Ann’s School, Jaisalmar, invited Shri. Harshvardhan Singh, 3
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports to be the Chief Guest on the occasion of the Annual
Sports Day of the school to be held on 27th of November 2020. On behalf of the minister
draft a reply to the invitation expressing your inability to attend the function. Do not
exceed 50 words.

8. While going through the newspaper, you came across the following advertisement for 5
vacancies for TV anchors and Newsreaders. Send in your bio-data with a cover letter,
specifying why you are suited to the opening. Do not exceed 150 words.
AN EXCITING, CHALLENGING, FUN OPPORTUNITY
Wanted anchors-cum-news reporters
A leading national television network requires newscasters
Key Responsibilities:
 Anchor news stories
 Assist in writing stories
 Research news
 Cover news events
Requisites:
 Good command over language
 Strong oral and written skills
 Knowledge of computers
Requirements:
 Participation in debates, dramatics etc.
Apply to:
The Advertisement, Box No.345, Jan Shakti, New Delhi

9. Recently you attended a seminar on preventive measures of coronavirus, organised by 5

The National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, New Delhi. The seminar was
organised for two days for all the Directors/Managers/Executives of major companies
and was held at National Convention Centre, New Delhi. Write a report on the seminar
in 120-150 words to be published in ‘The Indian Express’, New Delhi. You are
Garv/Gaurika, special correspondent of ‘The Indian Express’.
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 Literature : (24 Marks)
10. Answer any five of the given short answer type questions in 30-40 words. (5x2=10)

a. Why did M.Hamel write ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard?

b. How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute?
c. Why does Anees Jung say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web?
d. What was the content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla?
e. ‘Life is what it is all about ……’ How is keeping quiet related to life?
f. Why does Aunt Jennifer create ‘animals that are so different from her own character?

11. Answer any two short answer type questions out of three in 30-40 words. (2x2=4)
a. In what condition did Dr. Sadao find the American soldier on the seashore?
b. How did 'The World' help Charley to confirm his doubts regarding the existence of a
third level?
c. Why did Jack begin find the story telling ritual a chore?

12. Answer any one of the given questions in 120-150 words. (1x5=5)
a. The childhood experience of terror of Douglas made him stronger and more
determined. Elucidate the above statement supporting it with evidences from the text.

b. How did Gandhiji succeed in getting justice for the Indigo sharecroppers?

13. Answer any one of the given questions in 120-150 words. (1x5=5)
a. Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Lamb and Derry.
b. How did the mistakes committed by the prison authorities help Evans in escaping from
the prison?

-o0o0o0o-

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