English Core (301) Study Material 2014-15

NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI
JAIPUR REGION
STUDY MATERIAL 2014-15

CLASS-XII
ENGLISH CORE (301)
NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI, JAIPUR REGION
STUDY MATERIAL 2014-15 FOR CLASS-XII
(ENGLISH CORE (301))
CHIEF PATRON - SH G.S. BOTHYAL

Commissioner, NVS (HQ), Noida
PATRON -SH P.S. RANA
Dy. Commissioner NVS, RO,
Jaipur Region
In Charge - Sh. O.P. MUDGAL
Principal, JNV – Bikaner
Coordinator- - Dr. DEEPAK KUMAR
PGT - English JNV – Jaipur
TEAM MEMBERS
1. Mr. Sunil Kumar, PGT English, JNV Jaisalmer
2. Mr. Rajesh Gupta, PGT English, JNV Yamunagar
3. Ms. Anila Srivastava, PGT English, JNV Faridabad
4. Ms. Sanju Joshi, PGT English, JNV Udaipur
5. Ms. Manju Rani, PGT English, JNV Dholpur
6. Ms. Chanchal Sharma, PGT English, JNV Pali
7. Mr. J.P. Jangid, PGT English, JNV Bhivani
8. Mr. Sunil Kumar, PGT English, JNV Hisar
FOREWORD
This Study Material has been designed in e-form to fulfill the requirement of the students
who are appearing for ensuing CBSE examination 2014-15.After each lesson ‘slow learners
capsules’ are also given. The text book material (Flamingo & Vistas) is given in MS word
format; poetry section and Advanced Writing Skill which includes short composition,
report writing, Letter writing, Article/ speech writing are given separately in PPT format.
Short Composition is further elaborated in advt., poster, notice and formal & informal
letters of invitations.
This Study material includes:
I. Brief summary and Theme of the lessons
II. Short answer type and long answer type questions (Solved & unsolved )
III. Important point to remember
IV. Chapter wise question based on Theme , Plot and characters
V. Advanced Writing Skill & Poetry section in PPT format
VI. Capsules for slow learners
VII. Four sample papers with solution
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Navodaya Vidyalaya samiti Regional
Office Jaipur for their kind support. I feel thankful to all the teachers from various JNVs for
sending the material.
Dr. Deepak Kumar

PGT English,
JNV Paota, Jaipur (Raj
Contents
S.N Topic Description
o
Flamingo
1 The Last Lesson Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
Capsules for the slow learners
2 Lost Spring Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
3 Deep Water Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
4 The Rat trap Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
5 Indigo Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
6 Going Places Summary of the Chapters, Question & Answers
Vistas
1 The tiger King Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.)
2 The Enemy Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.
3 Should wizard hit mommy Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.)
4 On the face of it. Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.)
5 Evans tries an O’level Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.)
6 Memories of childhood Summary, Que. & answers (S.A + L.A.)
Poetry Section PPT format in separate folder
 My Mother at sixty six PPTs
 An Elementary Class room in a slum Theme, extract with Que. & answers
 Keeping quiet Capsules for the slow learners
 A Thing of Beauty As per new CBSE pattern
 Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers
Advanced Writing Skill PPT format in separate folder
 Short composition, PPTs , Layout
(Advt.,Notice,Poster,invitation) (format, tips, solved unsolved examples)
 Report writing
 Letter Writing (Business, letter to Editor, Format, Layout, solved and unsolved examples with
Job Application, Letters related to school verbal inputs
issues) As per new CBSE pattern
 Article/Speech/Debate writing
 Sample Question papers with Marking
Scheme
Flamingo
Lesson 1
The Last Lesson
Author: Alphonse Daudet
Summary
Franz didn’t want to go to school that day as his French teacher Mr. Hamel had
announced that he would take a test on French Participles and he was not prepared
for it. He was afraid of M Hamel’s ruler and being scolded. Although Franz was more
interested in spending day out of school but eventually he decided to go to the
school. On the way he passed through the Town Hall where he noticed a huge crowd
was there around the notice board. Franz didn’t stop there as he was well aware that
this board had always been serving bad news about the war. Blacksmith told him
that there was no need to hurry for school but Franz thought he was making fun of
him.
On Reaching School he was surprised to see the sea change in daily environment.
There was no noise as usual, no lesson chanting sound by students. It seemed as a
Sunday morning. All students were already in their class room. M Hamel was walking
with his iron ruler under his arm. Franz was frightened to enter in class as he
thought that he would be scolded badly as he was very late but to his surprise, M
Hamel did not say anything to him, rather welcomed him politely “Go to your place
quickly little Franz, we were beginning without you”. After sitting on his seat Franz
noticed that teacher was wearing his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt with a little
black silk cap having embroidery on it, this type of dress usually he wore on
functions or prize ceremonies only. Franz also noticed that the other villager
including old Hauser, former Mayor and former post master were also presented in
class they were in last benches. He couldn’t understand until M Hamel announced
the notice which was served from Berlin that now onwards no French would be
taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine, only German would be taught in the schools
of these two French cities and he emotionally requested students to be more
attentive for their last French lesson. Franz now realized that what was there on
notice board in Town Hall.
These words of notice fell on Franz like a thunder clap. He couldn’t believe it would
be his last lesson that day. He was badly repenting that why he didn’t learn, never
paid attention to his lessons. He hardly knew how to read and write French. He was
repenting that instead of studying he would go for other pleasant activities. His book
that seemed always burden to him now appeared to him like old friends. Even his
thoughts for his teacher M. Hamel changed. He forgot about his cranky nature and
his cruel ruler. Now he saw that the teacher had worn this dress in honor of his last
lesson. He also understood why older people were presented in class as they were
repenting why they never worried to go to school and they were there to show their
respect to their teacher, who served them for forty years.
When Franz’s name was called to recite the lesson, he made mistake and could not
even speak few words M. Hamel did not scold him rather he preached him that one
should not waste his precious time just by live in impression that there is plenty of
time and postponing the important things for next day. How would they feel when
someone will make fun of them that they were not able to speak or write the French
despite of being Frenchmen? Teacher did not put all blame on him but he also
blamed the parents who never bothered to send their children to school to study
instead they put their children to work on farms and in mill to earn extra money.
Even he blamed himself that he often would send his pupils to water his plants
instead of study at school and he would declare a holiday whenever he wanted to go
to fishing.
Teacher further said about the French language that it was the most beautiful,
clearest and most logical language of the world. People should stick with their
language it will be proven as the key to their prison in case they are enslaved. A
magic had happened that day in class the students understood everything very well,
because they were more attentive and teacher was more patient and polite on that
day.
Finally with very heavy heart, M Hamel stood up, he was very sad as he walked to
the black board, took a chalk and wrote on it “Vive La France” which means “Long
Live France” and declared the class was dismissed.
Important Question and Answers
Short-answer-type questions:
Q1: Why Franz was afraid of going to school that day?

A: The teacher M. Hamel had asked students to prepare for a test on Participles and
Franz even didn’t even know a single word of it so he was not feeling like to go to
school that day. Also Franz was afraid of M Hamel’s cruel iron rule, which he usually
kept under his arm and he was famous as very strict teacher.
Q2: What unusual changes did Franz notice in school that day?
A: As Franz entered in school he noticed the unusual silence as if it was a Sunday
morning. No noise of lesson chanting, no noise of opening and closing of desk
drawers. All students were already in class. Teacher was wearing the special fancy
dress which he would usually wear only on special occasions like prize ceremonies
etc.

Q3: What was the notice from Berlin and how did it affect class?
A: The notice, which was served from Berlin, was that no French language would be
taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine cities only German would be taught instead.
So M. Hamel, the French teacher was asked to vacate the place for a new German
teacher. The notice affected everyone badly. Everybody was repenting on wasting
the time and not learning the French.
Q4: Describe the impact of notice on Franz, M. Hamel and senior villagers?
A: The notice affected everybody deeply. Franz thought why he wasted his time on
leisure activities instead of learning his own language. The books which would seem
him as a burden now those books seemed to be old friends to him. H. Hamel was
feeling guilty for sending his students for his personal tasks. Villagers were feeling
guilty that why they did not send their children to study instead of sending them on
the farm for earning money.
Q5: Why did the feelings for M. Hamel change in Franz’s mind?
A: The impact of notice and fact that the teacher would be going away forever and
he will never be able to see him again in class made Franz’s feeling soften for him.
Earlier Franz would feel fear from his teacher because of his cranky nature and his
iron ruler but now all those feelings were totally vanished up for him.
Q6: Why older villagers were present in the class that day?
A: The older villagers were presented in class as they were feeling sorry for not
sending their children to study in school instead they sent them to the farms and
mills to earn extra money. One more reason for their presence was that they wanted
to pay their respect to the teacher who served them for forty years.
Q7: How did Mr. M Hamel describe the French language?

A: M. Hamel described French language as world’s most beautiful, clearest and
logical language. He also told that the love with one’s own language can be proven
as the key to the prison for the people who live in enslaved country.
Q.8. How did M. Hamel teach his last lesson in the class?
A : It was the last day of M. Hamel in school. He was in his fine dress. The villagers
had come there to pay their last respects. M.Hamel taught his lesson on French so
decently that the students realized French is an easy language. At last he became
emotional. He could not speak, he dismissed the school with writing on the
blackboard, “Vive La France"
Long-answer-type questions:
Q.1 . The people in the story suddenly realize how precious their language is
to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Ans: The story was written in the days of the Franco-Prussian war in which France
was defeated by Prussia. In this story the French districts of Alsace-Lorraine have
passed into Prussian hands. M. Hamel is the teacher of French and a boy, Franz who
was never serious in the class of M. Hamel. One day he was late for school. He
feared that his teacher would scold as he was not very sure about participles which
the teacher, M. Hamel, is going to test that day. But finally he decided to go to
school. As he entered he saw the crowd has gathered round the bulletin board. He
did not stop there. On arriving at school, he noted an unusual silence. He entered
into the class and was greeted with a strange sight. The last benches which were
always empty were occupied by the village elders who look grim and solemn. Franz
noticed M. Hamel was dressed nicely and asked Franz to sit so that he could start his
lesson. The teacher made a startling announcement that this would be their last
lesson in French as the new teacher would be arriving the following day. He said,
“The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine. The new teacher comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want
you to be very attentive.” There came a sudden change in the minds of the people
and they developed a new profound love for French. Franz was overcome with a
feeling of remorse and regretted for wasting his time in trivial pursuits. He decided
to pay attention to the lesson since school had become very important for him. The
people and Franz himself realized how precious their language is to them. M. Hamel
had been teaching in that school for last forty years. His dedication, devotion,
discipline impressed them. He realizes the real worth of his school and the teacher
whom they have all taken for granted all these years. M. Hamel in his last address
told about the importance of French. He called that it was the most beautiful
language in the world. It is the clearest and the most logical one. M.Hamel was
overcome by strong emotions and in large letter he wrote on the board ‘Vive La
France’ – long live France!
Q.2 Franz thinks:’ “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”
What could this mean?
Ans: The Alsace and Lorraine districts were under the regime of France. During the
Franco-Prussian war in which France was defeated by Prussia led by Bismarck and
both these districts have passed into Prussian hands. Earlier they were learning their
own language, French. As per new set up, an order was passed that German was to
be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.M. Hamel who had been teaching the
French for the last forty years. In his last lesson he told that from the next day in the
schools of both districts only German would be taught instead of French from a new
teacher. They won’t be learning their own most beautiful, clearest and logical
language. He told the importance of their own language, this feeling of M. Hamel
aroused their patriotic feelings. There came a sudden change in Franz. He disliked
learning German. He heard and saw the pigeons. He immediately remarked: “Will
they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” It is meant that the German
can impose German language on the people of Alsace and Lorraine but they can’t
impose this language on the birds etc. They can enslave the people but have no
authority to compel the cooing pigeons.
Q3: Write a brief character sketch of M. Hamel?

Ans: M. Hamel was taken as a strict teacher. Students were afraid of his iron ruler.
He was very sincere and dedicated teacher who served for forty long years as a
teacher to the village in Alsace City. When he got the news that only German
language will be taught in the school. He was totally broken. He remained sad during
his final class. This changed his behavior; he behaved rather very politely and
patiently. When Franz was not able to say his lesson correctly instead of scolding
him he just made him understand about the relevancy of learning the mother
tongue. He preached everyone presented in the class about that important things
should never be postponed. M. Hamel described French language as world’s most
beautiful, clearest and logical language. He also told that the love with one’s own
language can be proven as the key to the prison for the people who live in enslaved
country. Time flies very fast. M.Hamel was overcome by strong emotions and in
large letter he wrote on the board ‘Vive La France’ – long live France!
Capsule for slow learners:
Germany has defeated France. There is an order to teach German language. There
will be no teaching of French language.
Franz is a young boy. He saw crowd near bulletin board. He reaches school late. He
saw that school was very silent. M.Hamel was wearing his best dress. Old villagers
are also sitting in the class.
M. Hamel told that this was last lesson in French. Tomorrow German teacher will
come. Franz is very sad.
M. Hamel taught very slowly. He was not angry. Franz felt books were his friends.
Everything was very clear and easy.
M. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful language. It was a key to their
prison. In the end he writes “Vive La France” on blackboard.
Lesson .2. Lost Spring (Stories of Stolen Childhood)
Author: Anees Jung

This story narrates about the working children. The essay throws the lights on the
lives of two children, Saheb-e-Alam and Mukesh whose spring or childhood is lost in
misery and poverty.
Saheb is the son of two parents who migrated from Bangladesh. They came to Delhi
in 1971 as their house was swept away by repeated storms. Then they began to live
in Seemapuri, a slum of Delhi. Saheb like many other children of the slum was a rag
picker. They searched the rags and garbage and tried to find out coins. Sometimes
they found one rupee coins and sometimes even ten rupee coins. Saheb did not
attend any school as there was no school nearby. He was too poor to wear chappals.
Saheb liked the game of tennis. Someone gave him a pair of tennis shoes. But he
would never get the chance to play the game himself. At last, Saheb got employed in
a tea stall. He was not happy as he had lost his freedom. But he had no choice in
this matter.
The life of Mukesh at Firozabad was no better. Mukesh lived with his elder brother
who was a bangle maker. He wanted to be a driver and a motor-mechanic, not at all
eager to continue bangle making. But the people thought that it was their karam or
destiny that they were born into the caste of bangle-makers. So they were destined
to make bangles and they could not do anything else. Thousands of children are
engaged in bangle making and many of them lose their eyesight before becoming
adults. They do not know that it is illegal for children to work in that hazardous
condition in the glass factories. The story is the same in every family. Mukesh took
the writer to his house where the writer came to know that his grandfather had
become blind because of bangle making. He was happy that he had been able to
make a house for his own family to live in but his wife complained that she did not
get a full meal in her whole life.
Hundreds of years of slavery has killed the initiative of people to think of a better
life. They carry on their miserable life as they do not have the courage to rebel
against tradition.There is no leader among them. If someone dares to start a new
line, there are police, middle-men, sahukars and politicians to persecute them.
Police, middle-men and others would not allow them to take any other vocation.
Justice after all is the right of the rich and the powerful, not of the helpless like
Mukesh.
Q.1. Explain the significance of title ‘Lost Spring’.

Ans: In this lesson, the author Anees Jung examines and analyses the grinding
poverty and tradition that condemn children to a life of exploitation. Saheb as a
ragpicker whose parents have left behind a life of abject poverty in Bangladesh. His
family, like the many other families of rag pickers lives in Seemapuri. They live in
miserable condition. The writer is pained to see Saheb, whose name means the ruler
of the Earth, lose the spark of childhood. She then proceeds to tell about Mukesh
who does want to be his own master. Hailing from Firozabad, the centre of India’s
bangle making and glass blowing industry, he has always worked in the glass
making factory. His family does not know that it is illegal for children to work near
furnaces with such high temperatures. They are exposed to various health hazards
like losing their eyesight as they work in dark and dingy cells. The family of bangle
maker of Firozabad are so burdened that they have lost their ability to dream. The
writer’s observation is that these poor hopeless people are but pawn in the games
that are played by Sahukars, middlemen, the policemen, the bureaucrats and the
politicians. The title is meaningful as they lost their spring (childhood). The writer
has beautifully essayed the story of stolen childhood with a view to sensitise us to
the plight of these poor unfortunate children.
Q. Describe the life of rag pickers in Seemapuri?
A. The author’s description of the life of the rag pickers in Seemapuri is touching.
10,000 people have come as squatters, staying in structures of mud, with roofs of
tin and tarpaulin, devoid of sewage, drainage or running water. Squatters are
persons who unlawfully occupy any building or unused land. They have stayed there
without any identity but food is more important than identity. Their fields in Dhaka
could not give them food so they migrated. In Seemapuri survival means rag
picking. The elders have made it their profession for a fixed wages whereas for the
children rag picking is a game of treasure-hunting. They work through the garbage
with a hope that one day they would get a gold coin or a rupee note from the
garbage heap. Through years rag picking has acquired the proportions of a fine art.
In Seemapuri every child is skilled in this art form.
Saheb-e-Alam is a rag picker. He doesn’t know the meaning of his name – lord of
the universe-which he is not. He and his fellow rag pickers are barefooted and the
reason one of them gives is his mother does not bring his shoes down from the shelf.
The author has met many barefooted children roaming around. The reason is that it
is not lack of money but a tradition to stay barefoot. According to Anees Jung, it
is just an excuse to explain their state of poverty.
Q.2 .Why do children walk barefoot, in cities, or on village roads? Is it a

tradition or something else? What does the author Anees Jung state about it
in her story ‘Lost Spring’?
Ans: In this story the author analyses the grinding poverty and traditions that
condemn children to a life of exploitation. She has been noticing the group of
barefoot rag pickers children for many months. She asks one why he is not wearing
footwear. Another adds if he gets, he will throw them off. A third boy says that he
wants shoes, he has never owned a pair all his life. Then the author tells a story of a
man from Udipi as a young school boy, every morning on his way to school he would
briefly stop at the temple and pray the goddess for a pair of shoes. When he had
finally got a pair of shoes, he prayed, “Let me never lose them.” When Sahib wears
pairs of discarded tennis shoes due to a hole in one of them, it does not bother him.
For one who has walked barefoot even shoes with a hole is a dream comes true. The
reality of life is that there are number of innocent children who lose the spring
(youth) of their lives under the threat of grinding poverty. It is not due to lack of
money but a tradition to stay barefoot, is one explanation. This is only an excuse to
conceal perpetual state of poverty which is the cause of the children staying barefoot
in cities or on village roads.
Q3.How is Mukesh different from other bangle makers?What will he need to

realise his dream?
Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle-maker of Firozabad. Most of the young men of
Firozabad have no initiative or ability to dream, but Mukesh is an exception. He has
the capacity to take courage and break from the traditional family occupation. He
has strong will power also. He does not want to be a pawn in the hands of the
middlemen or moneylenders. He insists on being his own master by becoming a
motor mechanic.
He can realise his dream by joining a garage and learn the job of repairing cars and
driving them. He will have to overcome many hurdles before he succeeds. Money is
the first one. He will have to earn some money himself. Then comes transport
problem. The garage is a long way from his home. He will have to cover it twice
everyday anyhow—by walking on foot. Patience, hard work, firm will and the
determination to learn will help him realise his dream.
Q. Describe the general condition of bangle makers.
The glass bangles industry has many health hazards. It usually employs small
children. It is illegal to employ very young children in hazardous industries, but
certain forces like middlemen, moneylenders, police and politicians combine to
entrap the poor workers. Let us first consider the places where bangle makers work.
It is a cottage industry. They work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures. The
dingy cells are without air and light. Boys and girls work hard during day next to
lines of flames of flickering oil lamps. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circles
of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. That
is why they often end up losing their eyesight before they become adults.Glass
blowing, welding and soldering pieces of glass are all health hazards. Even the dust
from polishing the glass of bangles adversely affects the eyes and even adults go
blind. Thus the surroundings, prevailing conditions and the types of job involved–all
prove risky to the health
of the workers.
Q. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
. Child labour should be eliminated because the children employed at tender age as
domestic servants, dish-washers at road-side dhabas and in hazardous industries
making glass bangles, biris, crackers etc. lose the charm of the spring of their life.
Their childhood is stolen. Burdened by the responsibility of work, they become adults
too soon. Most of them are undernourished, ill-fed, uneducated, and poor. They have
a stunted growth. Child labour can be eliminated only through concerted efforts on
the part of government agencies, NGOs (Non-Government Organizations), co-
operative societies and political leaders. Mere passing of law will not help. Laws
should be enacted faithfully. The children thrown out of work should be rehabilitated
and given proper food, clothes, education and pocket money. Their feelings,
thoughts and emotions should be respected. Let them enjoy sunshine and fresh air.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1.Who is Saheb? What is he looking for in the garbage dumps and where
has he come from?
Ans: Saheb is a rag-picker of Seemapuri. The writer encounters him every morning
scrounging for gold in the garbage dumps in her neighbourhood. He hails from
Dhaka and he has migrated from Bangladesh in 1971. His house and fields were
destroyed by storm.
Q.2..Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it

metaphorically. Justify this statement.
A. Seemapuri is a slum in the outskirt of Delhi but it is far away from Delhi so far as
Delhi’s glitter and facilities are concerned. Here the squatters of Bangladesh live in
structures of mud with roof of tin or tarpaulin. There is no sewerage, drainage or
running water. Metaphorically, it is miles away from Delhi.
Q.3. ‘Garbage to them is gold.’ Why does the author say to about the rag-
pickers?
Ans: More than 10,000 rag-pickers of Seemapuri live in squatters. For them is
garbage is gold and it is wrapped in wonder. For a child, it is their bread. Sometimes
a child can find a silver coin or more in a heap of garbage. For the elders it is a
means of survival.
Q.4.Does the rag picking mean the same thing for parents and children?
Give reasons for your answer.
A. No, rag picking is not the same for parents and children. For children it is wrapped
in wonders where as for parents it is the means of survival.Parents view is practical
whereas children’s view is romantic.
Q.5.Through the years rag picking has acquired the ‘proportion of a fine art’
in Seemapuri. Justify the statement.
A. The means of survival of migrants of Bangladesh in Seemapuri is rag picking.
Garbage to them is gold. Like a fine art that has no end in appealing the sense of
beauty the rag picker’s scrounging the garbage is a never ending process which
provides them their daily bread day after day.
Q6.Why was not Saheb happy on getting a job?

A. Saheb was not happy on getting a job in tea stall for a salary of Rs.800/- per
month as he lost his freedom. He had to carry the stall owner’s steel canister in
place of his bag. He lost his carefree look He was now no longer his own master
Q7.For what is city of Firozabad famous?
A. The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is
engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry.
Families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making
bangles for the women in the land.
Q.8. what is the condition of the children working in the glass factory/
furnaces of Firozabad?
Ans: More than 20,000 children are illegally working in glass blowing factories in
Firozabad. They work around furnaces in high temperatures to weld glasses. They
work in dingy cells without light and air. Their eyes are adjusted to the dark than to
the light outside. Many of them become victims of losing their eye-sight before they
become adults. They work all day long.
Q.9. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream?
Ans: He belongs to the family of bangle maker in Firozabad where each family is
engaged in bangle making. They live in half built huts. Mukesh says. ‘I will be a
motor mechanic. I will learn to drive a car.’ Thus he wants to be his own master.
Q10. What does Mukesh’s grandmother think about their profession?
. Mukesh’s grandmother thinks that a God-given lineage can never be broken. Her
son and grandsons are born in the caste of bangle makers. They have seen nothing
but bangles.They are destined to make bangles.
Q11. Which forces conspire to keep bangle makers in poverty?
. Certain forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in

poverty. These include the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the
keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they impose a heavy
burden on the child.
Q12.Why don’t the bangle makers of Firozabad organize themselves?
The bangle makers are trapped in the vicious circle of middlemen and police. If they
organise a co operative they will be hauled up, beaten and dragged to jail by police
for doing something illegal. There is no leader to help them out from their misery.
They are the victims of greed and injustice.
Capsule for slow learners :
Saheb is a ragpicker. He lives in Seemapuri.It is a slum area.Around ten thousand

rag pickers live here. They have come from Bangla Desh.
He does not go to school. He carries a bag and picks things from garbage. Garbage
for rag pickers is gold. It is a means of survival.
Meaning of Saheb e Alam is lord of the universe but he is a rag picker.
In the end, we see him working in a tea stall. He gets 800 rupees per month. He is
not happy because he is not his own master.
Mukesh lives in Firozabad. He belongs to a family of bangle makers. They work in

small rooms. There is no light and fresh air.
Children work in the light of oil lamps. They work near furnaces. They join pieces of
glass and polish them. Glass dust makes them blind.
They are very poor. They live in mud houses. They do not get full meal.
They do not dare. They are afraid of powerful and rich people. They are exploited by
middlemen, sahukars and politicians.
Mukesh thinks differently. He wants to become a motor mechanic.
Lesson3. Deep Water
Author: William Douglas
Summary
The lesson “Deep Water “is an excerpt taken from “Of Men and Mountains “by
William Douglas. It describes how as a young boy, the narrator was nearly drowned
in a swimming pool. In this essay he talks about his fear of water and thereafter how
he finally overcame it.
The narrator decided to learn to swim. There was a pool at Y.M.C.A It offered him a
good opportunity. Swimming in the Yakima river was quite dangerous. His mother
had warned against it. But the Y.M.C.A. Pool was safe for swimming. It was 2 to 3
feet deep at the shallow end. At the deep end it was nine feet. The slope was
gradual.
William Douglas had an aversion to the water from the beginning. Once he stood at
the beach with his father. A wave swept over him and knocked him down. He was
buried in water .He was frightened. The Y.M.C.A. Pool revived those fears.
The narrator was alone at the pool. He didn't dare to go inside the water alone. Then
came a big bully of a boy. He cried “Hi Skinny!”Then he picked the narrator up and
tossed him into the deep end. He went at once to the bottom. He was frightened but
not out of his wits. He decided to make a big jump from the bottom. He would try to
come to the surface. He would lie flat on the water.Finally,he would paddle to the
edge of the pool.
Those nine feet were more likely ninety. His lungs were ready to burst. But when he
hit the bottom, he gathered all his strength. He made a great spring upwards. He
came up rather slowly. He opened his eyes but saw nothing but water. He grew
panicky. He was suffocating. He tried to cry but no sound came out. He swallowed
water and choked. His legs were paralysed and rigid.
A great force pulled him under water. He was getting dizzy. He went down endlessly.
Then stark terror seized him. His arms would not move. He tried to call for help.
Nothing happened. He sucked for air but got only water. Then all efforts ceased. He
felt like sleeping. He crossed to oblivion .When he woke up, he found himself lying
on his stomach beside the pool. He was vomitting. The chap who threw him in said
that he was 'only fooling’. But the narrator had nearly died.
For days he was constantly haunted by the fear. He never went back to the pool. He
feared water and avoided it whenever he could. Whenever he went near water, the
terror would seize him. His legs got paralysed. Icy horror would grab his heart. The
fear stayed with him as the years rolled by.
The narrator got an instructor. He went to a pool. He practiced five days a week. The
instructor put a belt round him. A rope attached to belt went through a pulley. On
each trip across the pool a bit of panic seized him. It was three months before the
tension began to disappear. He taught the narrator and then how to raise his nose
and inhale. He repeated the exercise hundreds of times.
Next the instructor taught him how to kick with his legs. For weeks he did just that.
At first his legs refused to work. But finally he could command them. At last the
instructor made him a real swimmer. But he still feared to be alone in the pool. This
went on until July. So he went to Lake Wentworth and dived off a dock at Triggs
Island. He swam two miled across the lake to Stamp Act Island. The fear fled and he
swam on. Finally he had conquered his fear of water.
It was a unique experience. It left a deep imprint on his mind. He could never forget
it. It had a deep meaning for him .He had experienced both the feelings that is the
sensation of dying and the terror that fear can produce.
Q.1. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Ans: The author, William Douglas talks about his fear of water and how he
overcomes it. He reveals how he had feared it ever since he was three or four years
old and his father had taken him to a beach in California. He was terrified of the
waves that swept over the beach and knocked him down leaving him breathless. He
decided to learn how to swim at the YMCA. Pool. Though the sight of the water
revived unpleasant memories he was determined to overcome them and learn to
swim. One day, while he was sitting on the side of the pool, a bigger boy flung him
into the deep end of the pool. The author hit the bottom and made a jump to the
surface., but he sank to the bottom again. He finally fainted. Then he decided to hire
the services of an instructor and master swimming. Initially, the instructor put a belt
round him and the attached rope through a pulley that run on an overhead cable.
Hour after hour, day after day till he began to get back his confidence. Thus through
sheer will power and practice, William overcame his fear of water and became a
swimmer. Though the instructor was satisfied with his progress but to test whether
he had lost all the vestiges of panic and fear, he went up to the Tieton, to Conrad
Meadows. He dived into it and swam across it and was overjoyed to learn that he
had at last conquest his fear of water. This experience is indeed a sign of courage,
grit, patience and determination and a lesson to us that any fear can be overcome
provided one perseveres
Q.2. What was the ‘misadventure’ at the YMCA swimming pool that the
writer William Douglas speaks about?
Ans:The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. The

author, William Douglas had joined the pool to learn to swim. One day he was sitting
alone on the side of the pool. There was no one there. He was afraid of going into
the water alone. So he was waiting for others to come. Suddenly a big boy came in.
He picked the writer up and tossed him into the pool. The writer was frightened but
not much. He at once went to the bottom of the pool. On the way down, he made a
plan. He would hit the bottom and make a big jump to the surface. But he came up
very slowly. He could see nothing but water. He grew panicky. Twice he tried to
jump, but the jump made no difference. At last he stopped all efforts. He relaxed.
There was no more panic. Everything blanked out. The curtain of life fell. But luckily,
before he was dead, he was taken out of the pool and saved.
Q.3. What larger meanings does Willim Douglas draw from his experience?
The experience of terror was a handicap Douglas suffered from during his childhood.
William Douglas had an aversion to the water from the beginning.Once he stood at
the beach with his father. A wave swept over him and knocked him down.He was
buried in water He was frightened.He decided to learn swimming in YMCA pool when
he was ten.There he was thrown in deep end of pool. It was a near death experience
for him. He avoided water as far as he could. When he tried to enter water, the stark
fear would seize him.This fear ruined his fishing trips.
His conquering of it shows his determination, will power and development of his
personality. He drew a larger meaning from this experience. “In death there is
peace.” “There is terror only in the fear of death.” He had experienced both the
sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. So the will to live
somehow grew in intensity. He felt released–free to walk the mountain paths, climb
the peaks and brush aside fear.
Short-answer questions:
Q1.What had happened when Douglas was three or four years old?
A.When Douglas was three or four years old he was on the California beach with his
father. There the sea waves knocked him down and swept over him. He felt
breathless buried in the water and was frightened; but his father laughed at him.
Q.2.What is the ‘misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about?
Ans: One day William Douglas was sitting alone on side of the Y.M.C.A pool. He was
waiting for the others to come so that he could start swimming. By chance there
came a big boy. He asked, “ Hi skinny! How’d you like to be ducked”? He picked and
tossed and threw him into the deep end of the pool. He speaks about this
misadventure, which caused a last of trouble to him.
Q.3. How did the drowning experience affect Douglas?

Ans: William Douglas feared water and whenever he went back to the pool, terror
seized him. He avoided water as far as he could. When he tried to enter water, the
stark fear would seize him. His legs became paralysed and icy terror would grab his
heart.
Q.4. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?
Ans: He was a man of courage, strong determination. He realized that fear of water
has become his sworn enemy. It was following him everywhere. He decided to get
rid of. Under the guidance of an expert instructor he learnt swimming and became
confident to face this terror. He dived into the Warm Lake, swam across to the other
shore and back. In this way he conquered his old terror.
Q.5. What does the mother of Douglas say about the YMCA pool?
Ans: He wanted to learn swimming. His mother had advised him against his visit to
the Yakima River since it was treacherous in nature. She considered Y.M.C.A pool as
the safest place because it was 2 or 3 feet at the shallow end and nine feet at the
deeper end.
Q.6. How did the instructor make Douglas a perfect swimmer?
Ans: He gave Douglas a practice for five days in a week. In the beginning he put a
belt around him and it was attached to the rope. The rope went through a pulley that
ran on an overhead cable. Each time his old fear returned. It went on for three
months. Then he taught him to put his face under water and exhale. He taught him a
raise his nose and inhale. Thus, piece by piece the instructor built him a swimmer.
Q7.How did Douglas finally over come his fear of water?
A. Douglas over came his fear of water by challenging the fear itself and going for
several round of swimming in the pool; but finally the residual fear he over came
when he went up to Tie ton to Conrad meadows and swam across the other shore
and back of the warm lake.
Q8.What thought of Roosevelt deeply impacted Douglas? How did the

thoughts apply to his life?
A. The thought of Roosevelt that there is terror in the fear of death had deep
impact on Douglas. He had experienced both the sensation of dying and the
terror of the fear of death. But later he brushed aside his fear by challenging it
by the will to live and succeeded.
Capsule for slow learners:
William Douglas tells about his fear of water. He has been afraid of water since
childhood.
He decided to learn swimming in YMCA pool. It was safe. He started feeling

comfortable.
One day a big boy threw him in deep end of the pool. He was drowning. Nine feet
became ninety for him. He was paralysed. He lost his breath.
He cried for help but nothing happened. Then all efforts ended. He thought he was
dead. When he came to senses he was vomiting. He was saved by people.
He feared water. The fear stayed with him for years. He took the help of an
instructor. He learnt to move his legs. He learnt to breathe in water. He was able to
swim in the pool. Finally, he swam in Lake Wentworth and Warm Lake to remove his
fear. He learnt that one should never be afraid.
The Rattrap
Summary at a Glance:
INTRODUCTION:
“ The Rattrap” is a well woven story based on human predicaments. It exposes the
plights of a man who was the victim of the circumstances and the cruelty of the
society. The protagonist of the story is the representative of the down trodden
society which is alienated and rootless. The story conveys the theme that human
goodness never dies. It is immortal. It can be enlightened by generosity.
The Tale of the grievances of a Vagabond (An Alienated fellow):
There was a poor man who sold rat-traps and earned his livelihood. His income from
the rattraps was not enough. So he also begged and stole petty things at times. He
was not a born thief as no man is. Necessity compelled him in the petty thieving. He
used to sleep at night in the houses of people if someone allowed him or some
places like factories like Ramsjo Iron-Works. Once an idea struck him that the world
is like a rat-trap full of temptations to trap men. If a man is tempted by the baits of
wealth, power, etc. he is trapped like a rat in a rat trap. The man selling rat-traps
lived a poor life without enough food or shelter. So he looked upon the world in the
light of his own sufferings. This philosophical outlook was his nice pass time . It was
based upon his personal experiences.
Shelter at the cottage of the Crofter:
Once he took shelter in the house of a man who was the crofter in Ramsjo Iron-
Works. The man was lonely without any family. He welcomed the rat-trap man as he
would get rid of his loneliness at least for a night. The crofter told him about his life
and showed him the thirty kronor that the crofter had kept near the window. Initially
he was happy to get the money but very soon the rat trap began to work. He feared
detection and avoided the highway.
The Ragamuffin in the Forest :
He was trapped in the dense wood .He walked through the forest and lost his way
there. He could not trace the path . there were logs, trunks , thickets and bushes.
Chilled cold doubled his miseries. Suddenly he heard a hammer sound. He staggered
towards the direction from which the sound was coming. He then saw the forge of
the Ramsjo Iron-Works and went there to spend the night near the forge. At that
time, the iron-master, the owner of the factory, came in. The iron-master by mistake
thought him to be his old friend, Nils Olof, with whom he had served in the regiment.
To help his friend fallen on bad days, he invited the peddler to his house. The rat-
trap man or peddler realized that the iron-master was making a mistake but he did
not correct him in the hope that he might help him a little.
But he did not like to go into his house as he feared that he might be exposed and
detected.
Arrival of Edla Willmansson:
Really angelic personalities revive the humanity . They are unique and
extraordinary. same happens in the story. The kind-hearted daughter of the iron-
master Edla Willmansson was too compassionate and loving to be resisted. She
suspected even that the man might have committed some crime. But she ignored
that and thought that the man, always haunted by fear and security, must have lived
a miserable life. She wanted to give him at least a night’s peace and security. She
assured the peddler that in her house, he would be safe from ant interference and he
would be free to leave anytime. She persuaded him to be her guest on the Christmas
Eve.
Homely and Christmassy Service:
The genuine compassion of Edla gave the man a sense of peace and security. He
slept all the while as if he wanted to make up for the sleepless nights he had spent
throughout his life.
He ate the Christmas delicacies. The daughter gave him the suit that he was given to
wear and she invited him to the next Christmas and assured him of secrecy and
security. The rat-trap man was overwhelmed and delighted.. The next morning when
Edla and her father went to the church they heard there that a ragamuffin had
robbed three ten kroner notes of the old crofter.It worried the both . They rushed to
home .After the arrival at home they found that the intruder had left the manor
house.
The Illumination of the Conscience:
But before leaving, he left the packet containing the thirty kronor of the crofter. He
wrote a letter to Edla asking her to return the money to the crofter. He wrote that
she had treated him with respect as if he was a real captain. She had treated him as
a man and not as a vagabond. That genuine regard had induced him to be a better
man and giving up stealing. Thus, the genuine compassion and kindness of Edla
changed the life of a ragamuffin and turned him to a better man. Really no one is
vagabond by birth but the circumstances and the cruelty of the society compel a
man to be vagabond. But evil souls can be illuminated by generous and genuine
treatment.
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Short Answer Type Questions :
Que. 1.What was the peddler’s philosophy about rattrap? Why did it amuse him?
Ans 1 . The peddler’s philosophy was that the whole world is a rattrap with several
baits in it. As one is tempted to bait and touches it the door is closed and everything
comes to an end like in a rattrap. The thought amused him because he has so far
been selling rattrap; but not fallen in this world’s rattrap
Que. 2.What kind of host was the old crofter?
Ans 2. The old crofter was an affectionate and generous host. He warmly welcomed
the peddler as he got someone to talk to in his loneliness. He served him porridge
for his supper and offered a pipe with tobacco roll to smoke and finally played with
him mjolis till bedtime.
Que 3.The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning? Is it
justified? Give reasons.
Ans . The rattrap peddler draws reader’s sympathy because of his poverty. The
author’s description of his clothes and appearance like –“his clothes are in rags, his
cheeks are sunken and hunger gleams his eyes” and his resorting to begging and
petty thievery to keep his body and soul together evoke reader’s sympathy
Que 4. Who do you think was at fault-the ironmaster or the peddler? Give two
reasons.
Ans 4 . I think the ironmaster was at fault because it was he who invited the tramp
to his house for the Christmas thinking him to be his old acquaintance; but on
knowing he was not his acquaintance he could not oppose his daughter’s decision to
offer him Christmas cheer.
Que 5.Why was the peddler grateful to the ironmaster and his daughter?
Ans 5. The peddler was grateful to the ironmaster and his daughter as they
empowered him to release himself from the world’s rattrap through their selfless
hospitality, love, sympathy, compassion, and understanding.
Some unsolved short answer type questions of the chapter:
Que 1 Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the
crofter?
Que . 2 Why did the ragamuffin opt the path through the wood?
Que 3 why did the crofter rob the old crofter?
Que . 4 What happened with the peddler in the forest?
Que .5 What made the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?
Que .6 Why did Edla refuge the intruder even after knowing his true identity?
Que .7 What did Edla do that enlightened his conscience?
Que .8 Why did the vagabond sign as captain Von Stahle?
Que .9 What worried the both , the father and the daughter at the church?
Que .10 Why did the tramp leave the Christmas gift?
Long Answer Type Questions :
‘’There is a saying kindness pays rudeness never.’’ In the story Elda’s attitude
towards men and matters is different from her father’s attitude.
Or
Draw the character of the protagonist of the story,Edla Willmansson.
Or
How did the totally dishonest and evil maker person become a decent and sober
fellow?
Or
How was the hidden goodness of a ragamuffin illuminated? Does it prove that no one
is vagabond by birth?
Ans . Really ‘The Rattrap’ is a touching tale of the human woes. It justifies the theme
that human predicaments are the result of the prevailing circumstances and the
cruelty of the society. The hero of the story is a ragamuffin, a rootless man .Driven
by want , hunger and starvation he does not feel humiliated in begging and stealing.
He is not welcomed by the sour faces of the world.
One day the crofter refuges him. But not for the sake of generosity and humanity.
But to release himself from the boredom of loneliness. The help done by him was not
enough to awaken the goodness of the tramp. He robbed the owner and took the
path of the woods. He was trapped there. At last he took shelter at the forge of the
Ramsjo Iron mill.
He was mistaken by the owner as his old regimental friend Captain Nils Olof. He
decided to help his friend. The tramp was tempted by the offer but controlled on his
greed. But Edla’s persuasion compelled him to accept the bait.
Edla a gorgeous and gregarious girl of elegant personality was an excellent

psychologist of human psyche. She studied the psyche of the ragamuffin. But she
believed in the beauty and ethics of the life . She negotiated the father to allow the
intruder to stay at the Christmas eve. She served homely and Christmassy
hospitality to the vagabond. All this eliminated the tramp manners of the
ragamuffin .His conscience was enlightened. He confessed his sin and upliftd his soul
up to the level of the captain , Mr. Von Stahle. Thus kindness pays rudeness never.
Some unsolved Long answer type questions of the chapter:
Que.1 What made the peddler finally change his way of life?
Que .2 No person is vagabond by birth but the negligence of the society and the
harsh situation compel a man to become a tramp.
Que .3How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human
predicament?
Que.4 Justify the title of the story ‘The Rattrap’
Value Based Question :
Que.1 Do you agree that this whole world is a Big Rattrap? Give reason in support of
your answer.
Or
Each heart needs love and compassion , Generosity and kindness can melt even the
iron hearts. Is it true in the context of the story,’ The Rattrap’?
Or
Human values are mortal. They sustain in the human souls. There is need to ignite
them. Justify it in the context of the story,’ The Rattrap’
Ans. Indeed it is true that ethical values never die. They vibrate in the human souls.
There is need of love and compassion to expose them . Everybody is formation of
circumstances. Our society influences the human manners and deeds. No one is
vagabond by birth but the society and the situations compel a man to be a
vagabond. Some time isolated and ignored people opt sinful path .The whole world is
a rattrap and tempts them by offering them baits, worldly luxuries and comforts. But
the human values never come to end. When such persons come in the contact of a
generous man their goodness is ignited. Same happens in the society. Edla’s
innocence, compassion , generosity and gregariousness touch the soul of the
ragamuffin . His goodness revives. He accepts his crime. He shows his gratefulness
to Edla. He determines to live a life like a captain. That is why he signs as Captain
Von Stahle.
INDIGO
CAPSULE SUMMARY :
INTRODUCTION :
The chapter is related to the political career of the Father of the Nation M.K.Gandhi. It
is a biographical sketch of the turning point of his life. THE FIRST CIVIL
DISOBEDIENCE was unique. In it the common men showed their fearlessness and self
reliance. It popularised M.K.Gandhi overnight. Fischer visited Sevagram, the ashram
of Gandhi, in 1942. There, Gandhi revealed the reason behind the decision to urge
the departure of the British, in 1917.
A Tale of the grievances of the Yeomen of Champaran: A Plea of Rajkumar

Shukla
In 1916, Gandhi attended the annual convention of the Indian National Congress in
Lucknow. During the proceedings, an illiterate peasant, Rajkumar Shukla, approached
Gandhi and requested him to visit his district. He was one of the sharecroppers of
Champaran who had come to appeal against the injustice and tyranny of the feudal
system in Bihar. The peasant accompanied Gandhi everywhere he went and
unrelentingly begged him to ‘fix a date’ for his visit to Champaran. In due course,
Gandhi was impressed by the tenacity and the woeful tale of the peasant, consented
to his request and asked him to meet in Calcutta.
Gandhi’s visit to Rajendra Prasad’s house at Patna :
At an appointed time, the legendary man boarded a train to Patna. At first, Gandhi
was taken to the house of Rajendra Prasad, a lawyer who later became the
President of the Congress party and then the first President of India. Rajendra Prasad
was out of town. Though the servants allowed them to stay on the grounds, Gandhi
was not allowed to draw water from the well as they mistook him for an untouchable.
Gandhi Ji did not feel humiliated .
En route to Champaran:
Gandhi decided to halt at Muzzafarpur en route to Champaran to gather more

information on the sharecroppers of Champaran. Eventually, on 15th April 1917,
Gandhi and Shukla arrived at Muzzafarpur station, and were received warmly by
Professor J.B. Kripalani and a huge number of students. Professor Melkani, a
government school teacher dared to accommodate Gandhi at his home though it was
considered quite unsafe for Indians to help ‘advocates of home-rule’. There was terror
of the oppressors ( Britishers)
Gandhi’s Agenda : Victory over Terror and Paved Way to Self Reliance:
With the spread of the news of Gandhi’s arrival, many sharecroppers started to
throng in. The lawyers of Muzzafarpur, who often represented these farmers in
courts, conveyed to Gandhi the nature of the condition faced by the peasants. On
being told the size of their fee, Gandhi chided the lawyers. Gandhi concluded that
approaching the court was hardly the solution; the real relief would be their freedom
from fear.
Indigo Sharecroppers’ Predicaments : Crisis of the Feudal System:
The Englishmen owned large estates of arable land in the Champaran while the
Indian tenants toiled hard. They were obliged by long-term contracts to grow indigo
on 15 percent of the holdings and surrendered the entire indigo harvest as rent. With
the development of synthetic indigo, the landlords exempted the tenants from the 15
percent arrangement but only after they paid compensation. When they got to know
the real reason for exemption, many of those who had signed asked for their money
to be returned. For the ones who tried to resist, the Englishmen hired thugs and
tortured the peasants.
Gandhi’s Intervention :
After his arrival, in order to get the authenticity, Gandhi visited to the Secretary of
the British Landlord’s Association. However, he was denied any information.
Next, he met to the British Official Commissioner of the Tirhut Division. But
instead of providing Gandhi with the information, the Commissioner bullied him and
asked him to leave the place at once. However, Gandhi did not leave, He went to
Motihari, the capital of Champaran, from where he continued his investigations.
Gandhi was ordered to leave ; Gandhi’s Dilemma :
One day, while on his visit to a maltreated peasant, Gandhi was stopped by a
messenger from the police superintendent commanding him to return. Gandhi
complied. He was given a decree to leave Champaran immediately. Gandhi signed the
order and wrote that he would disobey it for the sake of humanity . Consequently, he
was asked to appear before the court the next day.
First Step towards Liberation from fear :
Gandhi spent a busy night. First, he wired Rajendra Prasad requesting him to come
from Bihar, along with his influential friends. Then, he sent instructions to the ashram
and also wired a full Report to the Viceroy. In the morning, tenants in thousands,
gathered in front of the courthouse. This, according to Gandhi, was their first step
towards liberation from their fear of the Englishmen. The officials turned powerless
and it was Gandhi who finally helped them to control the crowd. The perplexed
authorities sought to postpone the trial. However, Gandhi protested against the
delay.
Release without Bail : Confession of Guilty ; Favoured the Voice of the Soul :
Gandhi read out a statement pleading guilty. He told the court that he disobeyed the
law, not because he disregarded the law but rather because he wanted to render the
‘humanitarian and national service in obedience to the higher law of our being, the
voice of conscience”. The magistrate declared a two-hour recess after which the
sentence was to be pronounced. He also asked Gandhi to supply bail for those 120
minutes. But when Gandhi refused, he was released without bail. After the court
reassembled, the judge announced that he would not be delivering the judgement for
several days during which Gandhi was allowed to remain at liberty.
Victory of Civil Disobedience: A Win of Aam Aadmi
As per Gandhi’s request, Rajendra Prasad, Brij Kishore Babu, Maulana Mazharul Huq
and several other prominent lawyers arrived from Bihar. These lawyers opined that
they would return to their own places in the event of his imprisonment. But as Gandhi
helped them understand their duty towards the peasants, they agreed to follow him
to the jail. Civil disobedience was won for the first time with the dropping of the case
against Gandhi, following the order of the Lieutenant-Governor of the province.
Official Commission of Enquiry:
Gandhi and the lawyers together noted down the statements made by ten thousand
peasants. Amidst the protest of the landlords, they made investigations and collected
added evidences and documents. Gandhi also sketched out civil disobedience plans
with associates to be carried out in case of his arrest. Gandhi was summoned to Sir
Edward Gait, the Lieutenant General in June. After a series of four interviews with
him, Gandhi succeeded in making the latter appoint an official commission of enquiry
into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation which consisted of the landlords, government
officials and Gandhi, the only one who represented the peasants.
Triumph over the Tyrants and Decline of the Feudal System:
Evidence was collected against the planters and it was agreed to make refunds to the
peasants. Gandhi initially quoted a repay of 50 per cent, but later approved the
landlords’ proposal of just 25 per cent. According to him, the amount was less
important than the fact that the planters were obliged to submit their
prestige. After a few years, British officials abandoned their estates. This put an end
to the sharecropping arrangement.
Gandhi’s effort to Eradicate Social and Cultural Backwardness:
Unsatisfied with just political and economic solutions, Gandhi wanted to bring about a
change in the social and cultural condition of Champaran. He opened up schools in six
different villages, and several of his disciples and family members volunteered as
teachers. His wife, Kasturbai, worked on the personal cleanliness and community
sanitation of the place. Gandhi also hired a doctor for the improvement of the health
condition. Even though living away from it, Gandhi regularly made enquiries about
the ashram, sending instructions and asking for financial accounts.
Influence of the Champaran Episode:
Although what he did was an ordinary thing, the episode was a decisive moment in
his life. According to the author, the politics for Gandhi was intricately linked with the
everyday activities. He considered it important that Indians stand on their own feet,
without any fear. Among other things, Gandhi also taught his fellow men the
importance of self-reliance rather than taking support of props. He was against using
the help of Charles Freer Andrews, an Englishman, since it showed the lack of self
confidence.
INDIGO
SOLVED SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Que.1. Why was Gandhi Ji influenced by the resolution and tenacity of Raj
Kumar Shukla ?
Ans . Rajkumar Shukla the Champaran-Sharecropper requested Gandhiji in
Congress Session in Lucknow to fix a date to visit Champaran where the
sharecroppers were subjected to injustice. Till Gandhiji fixed a date he did
not leave him rather he accompanied him wherever he went. Gandhiji was
impressed by his tenacity and determination and finally agreed to go there
from Calcutta.
Que 2 Why did Gandhi scold the lawyers of Champaran?
Ans 2. Gandhiji chided the lawyers for collecting big fees from the
sharecroppers to fight their case in law courts. He felt taking their case to
law courts would do little good when they were so crushed and fear
stricken. So his first priority was to free them from fear.
Que.3 What were the plights of the sharecroppers of Champaran?
Ans 3. The peasants of Champaran were tenants of British landlords. Under

long term sharecropping arrangement they were growing Indigo on 15
percent of their holding and surrendering the harvest as rent to the British
landlord. But when Indigo price fell due to synthetic Indigo developed in
Germany the landlords obtained agreement from the peasant to pay them
compensation which some of the peasants resisted and fought their case in
court.
Que 4.What made the Britishers realize that Indians could challenge their
supremacy ?
Ans 4. The spontaneous demonstration around the courthouse by the

peasants of Motihari on knowing that Gandhiji was in trouble was the
beginning of their liberation from fear of the British which made the British
realise that now the Indians can challenge their might.
Que.5 How did Gandhi made the peasants fearless and self reliant?
Ans.5. Gandhiji made the peasants fearless by letting them know about
their rights, fighting their case and by obtaining the refund of compensation
made to the British landlords who were behaving as lords above the law.
Some Unsolved Questions :
Que. 1 Why did Gandhi not accompany Raj Kumar Shukla immediately?
Que.2 Give one instance from the story that the social, evil untouchability was
there.
Que.3Why did the lawyers of the home rule not shelter Gandhi who was fighting
against the britishers?
Que.4 What was the dilemma of duties of Gandhi Jee?
Que.5 What did Gandhi do after reaching at Champaran to solve the problem of
sharecropping system?
Que.6 Why did the Britishers introduce the new system of sharecropping?
Que.7Why did Gandhi violate the law?
Que.8Why did Gandhi say that the battle of Champaran is won?
Que.9Why did Gandhi accept 25% of the compensated amount?
Que.10 Why did Gandhi start the campaign for the social and cultural upliftment of
Champaran?
SOLVED LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
Que.1 Why was the Champaran Movement a turning point in Gandhi’s political
career?
Or
The Champaran Movement was an endeavour to liberate common Indians from the
fear of the cruel Britishers?
Or
How did the civil disobedience popularise a common Indian lawyer and made him
the hero of the common Indians overnight?.
Or
The Champaran Civil Disobedience exhibited the strategic skills and dynamic
character of M.K.Gandhi. How? Explain it.
Ans In fact the Champaran episode was an historical upheaval (event) .Earlier to it
most of the political events were limited to the royal and upper section of the
society. No one bothered about the participation of the common people . Mostly their
grievances were neglected. It was the first effort of Gandhi who motivated the
common men to protest the evil custom and the sharecropping system. His aim was
to liberate the common man from the fear of the autocrats (Britishers).
He came to Champaran at the plea of Rajkumar Shukla as an unknown lawyer of

home rule. He was not popular in the common mass. He studied the case of the
exploitation of the tenants. He collected the authentic evidences against the estate
holders. He chided the lawyers for extorting high fee from the sharecroppers. He
took the help of his reliable friends to explore the solution of the mounting problem.
He defied the order of the Commissioner ‘’ Quit Champaran’’. He faced the dilemma
of duties (loyalty to law and the voice of soul).
Gandhi made the inhabitants so courageous that they made spontaneous

demonstration against the landlords. The lawyers became ready to accompany
Gandhi in jail. Gandhi made visit to the British Official Commissioner. He negotiated
with the Lieutenant Governor Sir Edward Gait. Ultimately a commission was
constructed to solve the problems of the yeomen. Gandhi was sole representative of
the peasants in it. Gandhi accepted its offer of 25% refund. He declared that the civil
disobedience was won. According to him amount of the refund was not important but
the surrender of the landlords was important. After it the estate was handed over to
the peasants and the landlords exited.
Thus whole episode reflects Gandhi’s dynamic character and his far sighted
strategy. His post civil disobedience campaign empowered the inhabitants socially
and educationally. Really it was a turning point in Gandhi’s political career. It was
the triumph of common man over fear . It was a milestone towards self reliance.
Some Unsolved Questions:
Que. 1 Justify that it was a victory over fear rather than triumph over Britishers.
Que. 2 How did M.K Gandhi emerge as a hero during the Champaran Civil
Disobedience?
Que. 3 Why did Gandhi plan to eradicate the social and cultural backwardness of
Champaran? Was it a part of his farsighted strategy and empowerment of the
inhabitants of Champaran?
Value Based Question:
Que.1 What values of Gandhi’s character compelled the Britishers to surrender?
Or
Gandhi did not accept the offer of the help of a British pacifist, Charles Freer
Andrews. Why?
Or
Que.3 Gandhi Ji gave a message of self reliance and fearlessness through the
Champaran Episode. Is it true?
Ans. Yes, of course Mahatma Gandhi was a legendary man. In the civil disobedience
of Champaran Gandhi emerged as a heroic person. His high values of life influenced
the followers. His ideology of life, truth and non violence impressed the Britishers
also.Gandhi Ji very intelligently encouraged the common man to protest the
injustice. He freed them from the fear and taught the lesson of self reliance. He did
not take the help of violence and evil means. He also violated the law for the sake of
the humanity. Later he accepted his guilty and showed his gratitude to law.Ghandhi.
He had faith in the strength of the common man. He was well planned about his
actions. All these values reflect the dynamism of his character. He empowered the
inhabitants of Champaran socially and culturally. These features of Gandhi’s
character developed faith in the followers and the opponents.
Going Places
By
A.R. Barton
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
INTRODUCTION :
It is a psychological story that delves the depth of the juvenile. Really adolescence is
the period of make believing. In it there is sharp contrast between reality and
fantasy. The story is influenced by the literary term stream of consciousness. The
theme of this story is adolescent fantasising and hero-worship. The story has
universal echo.
The Adventure of Youth : Sophie , A Day Dreamer
The story revolves around the life of Sophie, a teenager, who, like others of her age,
is filled with fantasies and desires. She is the protagonist of the story. She is day
dreamer. She comes from a poor financial background, but hopes to be sophisticated
in the future. Sophie dreams of possessing a boutique one day or being an actress or
fashion designer. She imagines the glamour and elegance of life. It is her mirage or
illusion.
Jansie , A Realistic and Worldly Youngster :
Sophie has a friend , Jansie . She is practical and nosey. She believes that both of
them are earmarked for the biscuit factory. Jansie, who is more realistic, tries to pull
Sophie to reality, but in vain.
Sophie A Victim of Poverty but fantasy is Lofty:
Sophie lives in a small house with her parents and brothers, Geoff and little Derek.
Though she exposes her feelings and desires but the family members are more
mature and know the facts of life. They call her fantasies and wild stories. The
parents are careless and do not understand the need of the youngsters. Rather than
they make fun on her.
Geoff a Source of Reliance:
Sophie finds a sort of fascination for her elder brother Geoff, who is tall, strong and
handsome and reserved. She envies his silence and often wonders about his
thoughts and areas of his life that she doesn’t know about. She exposes her dreams
to him. She shares her cooked stories and secrets with him. She tells him about her
dreams of glamorous career and romance with Danny Casey
Illusion of Sophie :
. Danny Casey is Irish football prodigy. A man who has fans in thousands.
The centre of this story is that Sophie fantasises about Danny Casey, whom she had
seen playing in innumerable matches. She makes up a story about how she met him
in the streets and tells this to Geoff. Geoff, who is more sensible than Sophie, does
not really believe her, even if she wants to. It seems an unlikely incident for Sophie
to meet the prodigy in their street, but when Sophie describes the meeting in all her
details, he begins to hope that it could be true. She tells him that Danny has
promised to meet her somewhere again.
The Illusion Breaks : Death of the Dreams :
Sophie gets so pulled into the story she made that she herself begins to believe that
its true. She waits for the Irish player in arcade, a lover’s point but obviously, he
never arrives. Then, she makes her way home, wondering how her brother would be
disappointed on knowing that Danny Casey never showed up. However, Sophie still
fantasises about her hero. Thus the story reveals the theme of hero worshiping and
adolescence fantasy. Really its age of wavering. In it the juvenile needs care and
counselling of the parents. If they are not cared they may go astray. So Sophie is
the representative of the adolescents.
SOLVED SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :
Que. 1 How is Jansie different from Sophie?
Ans . Jansie is practical and down to earth where as her friend Sophie lives in a
world of dream and fantasy. Sophie dreams to have a boutique, wants to become an
actress and fashion designer. But Jansie doesn’t want her to go on imaginary flights,
as she knows that they are made for biscuit factory.
Que. 2 What did Sophie think of Geoff ?
Ans. . Sophie thought of Geoff as grown up now. She suspected ‘areas of his life’
about which she knows nothing and he never spoke. Sophie thought when Geoff
didn’t speak he was thinking of these places. They attained a special fascination for
her simply because they were ‘unknown’ and beyond her reach.
Que .3 What was the reaction of the family on Sophie’s imaginative stories?
Ans. Geoff looked around Sophie abruptly with disbelief when he heard her meeting
with Danny Casey, the wonder boy of football. When she gave the footballer’s
detailed physical appearance he believed her. But Sophie’s father turned his head on
his thick neck with an expression of disdain and ridiculed her. He muttered
something inaudible and dragged himself round in his chair called it a wild story.
Que. 4 Did Sophie really meet to Danny Casey?
Ans. Sophie had once met Danny Casey in the arcade. When Sophie was looking at
the clothes in Royce’s window Danny came and stood beside her. But no one
believed in her as she always fantasized about him. Had she not met Casey she
could not have felt pain when failed to make people believe her.
Que. 5 Is the title of the story Going Places is justifiable?

Ans.. The title is appropriate as Sophie the protagonist- a teenager fantasizes and
goes to places in her imagination in the story and Geoff’s ‘areas of his life’ which
unknown to her holds a special fascination for her about which she romanticizes.
Some Unsolved Short Answer Type Questions:
Que.1 Why did Sophie say that they were earmarked for biscuit factories?
Que.2 What was the day dream of Sophie?
Que.3 How did Geoff react on Sophie’s cooked stories?
Que.4 Why did Sophie share her secrets and fantasy with her brother, Geoff?
Que.5 Who was the Irish football prodigy? Was he truly in love with Sophie?
Que.6 Did Sophie really meet to Danny Casey ?
Que.7 What was the weekly pilgrimage?
Que.8 How did Sophie react when she was watching the game o Danny Casey in the
stadium?
Que.9 Why did Sophie wait for Danny Casey in the arcade?
Que.10 Did Sophie realize the truth at last?
SOLVED LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION:
Que.1Jutify the title of the story “Going Places”.
Or
It is natural that adolescents have unrealistic dreams. Does it reflect in the character
of Sophie?
Or
Sophie’s fantasy is an escape from reality. Elucidate it.

Or
Contrast the character of Sophie and Jansie.
Or
The story “Going Places” has the theme of hero worship that is the part of teenager
psyche . Explain it.
Answer. In fact the story “Going Places” has universal appeal. It has the echo of
adolescence fantasy and its influence on their lives and career . The teenagers have
no bound of their flight of fancy. They live in the world of make believing. Many a
times they cannot discriminate between reality and imagination. It may their world
of illusion or an escape from the harsh realities. The youngsters are captivated by
glamour and grace of the life. They try to make it true in their world of dreams. Hero
worship is the side effect of it.
The protagonist of the story is Sophie, an adolescent of a middle class family. She is
irrational and fanciful. She imagines to spend a glamorous and elegant life. She
fantasizes to own a boutique shop or to become an actress. She dreams to marry
with her dream boy Danny Casey. She is a victim of hero worshipping. It is one
sided eccentric kind of love. Danny Casey is an Irish football prodigy. She imagines
his presence and interaction at Royce’s shop and in the arcade. All this is her illusion.
Jansie, her classmate is a practical teenager. She is nosey but rational. She tells day
dreaming is futile and they are earmarked for biscuit factories. Sophie shares her
secrets with her elder brother. He is reliable and mature. He advises her to quit the
dream world. Parents react strongly on her behaviour. At last
In this the way the story reveals the universal fact, juvenile fantasy. No doubt this is
a crucial turning point of life. Parents and teachers should counsel their children.
They must solve their psyche problems. They should teach them to cope with the
bitter reality. The title of the story is apt and appropriate. Going places is a dream
world of the youngsters.
Value Based Solved Question:
Que. Adolescence is the crucial period of life. Fantasy and hero worship are its
common symptoms . What are their benefits and hazards?
Or
Proper counselling and care of the parents and the teachers is required for
youngsters or they can be trapped in the world of illusion . Explain it in the context
of the story, ‘’Going Places’’.
Or
The world of glamour and elegance takes the juvenile away from the world that is
full of challenges and harsh realities. How can this escapism and illusion spoil the
career and life of the youth?
Ans. No doubt reality has bitter taste than fantasy. It is very hard to cope with it.
The youth has fascination towards glamour, luxuries and romance. They escape from
struggle and believe in short cuts of life. Some time they cannot match between
reality and imagination. They become the victim of day dreaming or hero worship.
Adolescents have bubbling and vibrant source of thoughts. They start living in the
world that is not real. Same happens in the story, ‘’Going Places’’. Sophie takes day
dreams and imagines living in a glamorous world. She fantasizes to possess a
boutique shop, to become a reputed actress and to marry with Irish prodigy Danny
Casey. But all these are wild stories. Such youngsters need special car of the
custodians. They should to be counselled and guided.
Vistas
The Tiger King
Summary
As soon as the Tiger king was born, the chief astrologer predicted that his death
would come from a tiger. He must be careful with the hundredth tiger. At the age of
twenty the Maharaja started out on a tiger hunt. He was able to kill ninety nine
tigers. There remained just one more tiger to complete his tally. On the third
birthday of his son he bought a wooden tiger for him. While playing with that toy
tiger one of the slivers pierced his right hand. Infection flared in his hand and he
died soon after the operation by doctors from Madras. In this way the hundredth
tiger took its final revenge upon the Tiger King.
Things to keep in mind ----- (Capsules)

 Astrologers predicted of the death of the king
 Miraculously the ten days old Jilani Jung Jung Bahadur spoke clearly and
intelligently raising questions about the cause of his death.
 Astrologer told the prince that the death would come from the tiger
 Overjoyed king after his first tiger hunt asked the state astrologer to
comment .The astrologer told him that the Maharaja must be very careful of
the hundredth tiger.
 The king marries a girl from a state with large no of Tigers
 Hundredth tiger was managed by the Dewan, was really not killed with the
kings hands and actually the hunters did the actual killing.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q. What was the prediction of the astrologers?
Ans As soon as he was born, astrologers had foretold that one day the Tiger King
would actually have to die.
Q. What was the miracle that took place after few days of birth of the tiger king?
Ans The miracle that took place was that a baby barely ten days old opens its lips in
speech. Not only has that it also raised intelligent questions
Q. Why was Maharaja in danger of losing his crown?
Ans Maharaja was in danger of losing his throne because a high ranking British
officer who visited Pratibandhapuram wanted to go fot hunt of a tiger. He was fonder
of being photographed with the tiger he had shot. The Maharaja refused the
permission.
Q. What unforeseen hurdle brought his mission to a standstill?
Ans The tiger population became extinct in the forest of Pratibandhapuram. Thirty
tigers still remained to be shot down by him to tally the 100. This hurdle brought his
mission a standstill.
Q. Why Maharaja’s anxiety was reached a fever pitch?
Ans The Maharaja’s anxiety reached a fever pitch when only one tiger was remained
to be shot to achieve his tally of hundred. One thought haunted him during day and
at night. He could give up the idea of tiger hunting altogether.
Q.:- The story is a satire on conceit of those in power. Explain?

Ans: - VALUE POINTS:-
(a).Tiger king - A powerful king
(b).his death cause - 100th tiger
(c).his haunting spree - 99 tiger
(d).100th tiger - a toy tiger
The story 'The Tiger King' is based only on the theme of power and its victims
where the Tiger king is a powerful ruler and innocent animals like tigers are victims.
The story discloses the death cause of Tiger king, as declared by the state
astrologer, is none else but a tiger. The Tiger king vowed to kill tigers and was
successful enough but as the story progresses, it is found that the 100th tiger would
be the death of the king .The king set out on a tiger haunting spree. He was able to
kill 99 tigers successfully. The 100th tiger managed by Dewan himself from his
house i.e. a circus tiger was not killed successfully by the king. He missed his mark.
In order to avoid the king’s fury of the hunters successfully killed the 100th tiger.
Satisfied with his 100th tiger haunting, the king started to pay attention to his royal
responsibilities. The story ends with the Tiger king’s death as caused by the toy
tiger, a petty gift on the occasion of royal prince's birthday. In this way the100th
tiger took his revenge upon the Tiger king. The story is predicting a good satire
because a real tiger or a toy tiger the ultimate death is from tiger. Some other
instances like role of Dewan, surgeon from Madras and toy shopkeeper. They
highlight the effect of dramatic irony with proper humorous atmosphere throughout
the story. The king might have been powerful taking his consideration but he was a
helpless victim of destiny. So the story is a kind of satire on conceit of those in
power.
The Enemy
Summary
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to the doorsteps of a Japanese

doctor named Sadao Hoki. The choice is very hard for Dr Sadao and his wife.
Should they hand him over to the police or save him from dying? Being a doctor,
Sadao gives top priority to save the life of a dying man. In doing this he has to
face a number of troubles of household and personal life. Not only does he save
him but also helps him in escaping to freedom.
Things to keep in mind------------- (Capsules)
 Sadao’s father never joked or played with him. Sadao’s education was his chief
concern and that’s why he had sent his to America at the age of twenty two to
learn everything of surgery and medicine.
 Hana-Sadao married Hana after his father’s consent and the marriage had
been arranged in Japanese way.They were perfectly happy and had two
children.
 Wounded American Soldier (POW) Tom found crawling in front of their house
ot beach. He was in a very bad condition and lay motionless.
 If they sheltered a white man or pow they would be arrested.But if they
handed him over as a prisoner he would certainly die.
 Sadao decided to operate on Tom with the help of his wife Hana.
 The Old General was himself in a critical condition of health.
 The old General promised Dr Sadao to send his personal assassins and dispose
off the body of the POW.
 Having waited for three consecutive nights Dr decided to arrange the escape of
the prisoner.
 What did Dr. Sadao finally do to get rid of the man?

Dr. Sadao arranged a boat for the POW to get rid from him. With the help of
the boat with food and water and extra clothes in it, he will be able to row to
the little island not far from the coast. The man could live there until he could
catch a Korean fishing boat.
 What did Dr. Sadao’s father say about the future of the Japan?
Dr. Sadao’s father had taken him often to the islands of the Japanese coast
where he never failed to say to the little brave boy that those island far away
are the stepping stones to the future for Japan. He further used to tell him that
no one can limit their future because it depends on what they make i
 Why was Dr. Sadao not sent abroad with Japanese troops?
Dr. Sadao was not sent abroad with Japanese troops because he was
perfecting a discovery which would render the wounds entirely clean. Further
the General was running under slight danger and might need operation,
treatment of which was under the way.
 What was the General’s suggestion to get rid of the American Soldier?
The general ruthlessly suggested that he had his own private assasins and
would send two of them to Dr. Sadao’s house to kill the POW and remove his
dead body, thereafter from his house.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Do you think the doctor’s final solutions to the problem was the best possible
one in that circumstances?
Ans: On doctor Sadao’s report about the P.O.W. before the General, it was
disclosed that the general would settle the matter by sending his personal assassins,
to kill and dispose the prisoner. But concerned about his personal health and well-
being,the General forget everything about the prisoner and his promise to the
doctor. The general’s failure to realize his promise had put the doctor’s household
business and family under a kind of jeopardy. Keeping in the mind, the alternatives
the doctor was having, like reporting to the police which might result in the danger
of treason and punishment or waiting for the general’s well-being and his
interference thereafter, everything was having possibilities of doctor’s punishment
or prison.Dr Sadao might have known about the realities of the Generals health and
that could be dangerous for doctor if waited .Moreover household servants might
start a rumour about the P.O.W. So the solution of escape plan was the only and one
alternative that could save the doctor and his family. Furthermore the General was in
the palm of Dr Sadao due to his failure to fulfill the promise. Dr Sadao’s condition as
a patriot and human being was like a cork under the situation. Humanity won against
the patriotic fervor. So, we can say under the many situational alternatives the
escape plan for the P.O.W., was only one which could save the doctor and his family.
Q.2:
What explains the attitude of the general in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it
human consideration, lack of national loyalty dereliction of duty or simply self-
absorption?

Ans:- VALUE POINTS:
(a).Different attitude-:
1).Human consideration
2).Lack of national loyalty
3).Dereliction of duty
4).Self absorption
(b).Sending of assassin
(c).Failure of promise
(d).Physical health of General
(e).Confession of General before Dr. Sadao
Amongest different attitude, mentality of General and his justification as
the supremo of the army and thereafter punishment to the POW, we can't regard
the General’s having human consideration or lack of national loyalty and of course
not dereliction of duty.It was certainly non else than General's self absorption that
he forgot everything about his promise of sending his personal assassins to kill
and dispose the POW in Dr. Sadao's house. There is no doubt that the General
was running under a critical health condition which might result in his death.
Through the story, we come to know that the General was highly concerned
about his disease and well being. On Dr. Sadao’s report regarding the POW,he
(General)confessed that Dr. needn’t do anything but he himself will settle the
matter. It was the promise before the surgery and the General failed to fulfill his
promise. General’s self absorption can also be proved through his words of
confession to Dr.Sadao, just after his surgery, ‘It is certainly very careless of me and
you know that it is not a dereliction of duty or lack of national loyalty but simply self
absorption that I forgot everything about my promise’. Furtheron General's being an
army officer, we can't doubt about his loyalty or dereliction of duty, as he has fought
many impossible battles for the country. So certainly there is no doubt about his
self-absorption that he forgot about his promise to Dr.Sadao.
Should Wizard Hit Mommy ?

Summary
Jack used to tell stories to his daughter Jo in the evenings and for Saturday
naps.Jo warmly responds to her father’s story telling. But she can’t excuse
Roger Skunk;s mother for making poor little Roger smell bad again. Her hero
must smell like roses and must not stink at any cost. So she wants her father
to make a little change in the story. She wants him to tell the story with a
different ending in which the mother skung is being hit on the head by the
wizard with his magic wand. But Jack didn’t like the ending and he imposed the
same ending on the child’s mind
Things to keep in mind------------- (Capsules)
 Basic Tale-Each new story was a slight variation of the basic tale. Every story
had a small creature usually having the name-Roger.It had some problem and
it went to old owl for solution. The old wise owl advised him to meet the
wizard. The wizard would solve the problem, demanding some pennies.
 Roger Skunk in the story is a bad smelling and stinky skung.
 All other little animals run away from him saying-Roger Stinky Skunk
 Roger asked the Wizard to replace his bad smell with the smell of roses and he
got changed in a skunk having the fragrance of roses.
 Mother skunk doesn’t like the smell and demand the wizard to change him
back to original smell.
 She hit an umbrella right over the wizard’s head
 Jo wanted to change the ending of the story and Jack denied.

o Describe Jack’s style of storytelling?
Ans. Jack in the story seems a perfect story teller.He is able to create
new stories to suit the mood of a child. He can create desired effects to
keep the interest of his daughter Jo. His excellence can be seen when he
quotes the voice of wizard.
o Describe Roger Skunk?

Ans. Roger Skunk was a little animal who smelled very badly. No other
animal came near him. He was segregated as nobody played with him.
o Why did all other animals tease Roger Skunk?

animal came near him. Whenever he wentout other animals would cry,
“Oh here comes Roger Stiky Skunk”. He was segregated as nobody
played with him.
o Why did Roger go in search of the wizard?

animal came near him. Whenever he went out other animals would cry,
“Oh here comes Roger Stinky Skunk”. The wise old owl advised him to
meet the wizard.
o How does Jo want the story to end?
Ans. Jo was unhappy to hear Roger Skunk’s bad smell again. Mother
skunk made the wizard change the smell by hitting on his head. Now Jo
wanted the wizard to hit the magic wand hard on her head. She also
wanted skunk to smell of roses.
o What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?
Ans. Jack feels himself caught in an ugly middle position. The harsh
realities and hardship of life made him think like that. It is the world of
day to day things that lack romance and beauty.
o What is Jo’s perspective?

Ans. The world of adults is the world of harsh realities. It lacks romance
and beauty. She can’t see her hero to smell bad again whichever way the
story may look. She wants Roger to smell of roses.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q.1:
What is the moral issue of the story?
Ans. The thematic reality of the story hints about the uniqueness and specialty of
child’s mind. It is a slow and steady process up to the age of adolescence. The
mother skunk got angry, despite the boon of rose fragrance, means only one thing
and that is, we should accept realities and genuinity in the life. The life itself is
complicated, it is not easy. Parents sometimes fail to simplify the things for their
children. They impose their thinking upon the soft and sensitive mind of a child. It is
said that parents can house their bodies in a child but not necessarily their thinking.
Throughout the story we come to know that a child should be left free to do the
things of their own, to commit mistakes and thereafter learn. Pressure of any kind
can mar the creativity of a child’s mind. Every child has right to make errors in the
life. He also has right to opt his ways whether wrong or right, good or bad, useful or
useless. Things will be learnt and analyzed itself. A philosopher has said’’ there is a
voice inside of me and I know it is right. I also know it is wrong for me. There is no
teacher, no preacher no parents or even no god to say that I am wrong. So what is
wrong or right must be handed over to the child’s mind and that only can make a
human being. Some other moral issues in the story are like Jack’s favor of the
mother before his daughter Jo and curiosity of a child of 3-5 year’s about reality and
unreality of the world.
ON THE FACE OF IT
-SUSAN HILL
SUMMARY
1. DERRY ENTERS LAMB’S GARDEN

Derry walks slowly and cautiously through the long grass. He enters Lamb’s garden.
Mr. Lamb speaks to him when he close at hand. Derry is startled and apologetic. He
didn’t know if there was anybody there. Mr. Lamb tries to make Derry comfortable.
He can pick up crab apples. Derry need not go away on Mr. Lamb’s account. He
doesn’t mind who comes in the garden. The gate is always open. Derry need not
climb the garden wall of the garden. Derry says he didn’t come there for stealing. Mr.
Lamb assures him that he can stay there.
2. DERRY’S BURNT FACE

Derry says that people are afraid of him. They look at his face and find it terrible and
ugly. Even when he himself sees his face in the mirror, he is afraid of himself. Mr.
Lamb says that he will get a ladder and a stick, and pull down the crab apples. He
makes jelly from them. Derry doesn’t want Mr . Lamb to change the subject. He
wants to talk about himself. Mr. Lamb thinks that perhaps Derry’s face got burnt it
all away. The acid ate up his face.
3. LAMB HAS A TIN LEG
Derry says that they are not similar. Mr. Lamb is old. Derry is young. Derry has got a
burned face. Lamb has got a tin leg. Similarly, one green plant is called a weed and
another flower. It is all life. It is growing. Lamb got his one leg blown off. Some kids
call him ‘Lamey Lamb’. But he doesn’t mind it. It fits. He doesn’t put on trousers to
cover his leg. A tin leg or a burnt face are not the only things to be taken notice of or
to be stared at. There are so many other things like crab apples, weeds sunflowers.
They deserve our attention. And Mr. Lamb enjoys life and people as much as he can.
4. DERRY SUFFERS FROM COMPLEX

Derry says that people have told him many fairies stories to console him. They say
that it is not important what ‘you look like’. People tell these comforting lies only to
console him. But Derry knows that he will not change. He will stay as a ‘monstrous
beast’. No one will kiss him ever. Only his mother and she too kisses on the other
side of his face. He doesn’t care if nobody ever kissed him. Mr. Lamb asks Derry if he
doesn’t care to be kissed by pretty girls. Girls with long hair and big eyes. Will he not
like to be kissed by the people he loves? Derry replies that no one will ever kiss him
and love him. He is grieved that he won’t ever look different. Even when he grows
old as Mr. Lamb, he will look the same. He will still only have a ‘half face’ but the
world has got a ‘whole face’. He should look at it.
5. DERRY INDULGES SELF-PITY

Derry is obsessed with what people say and comment about him. People remind
Derry that there are people even worse than him in the world. He might be blind,
dumb or mad by birth. Sometimes, people can be very cruel. A woman looked at
him. She said to another woman, ‘Look at that, that’s terrible thing’. She told her
that only a mother could love such a face. Mr. Lamb advises Derry to keep his ears
shut. Derry says that he doesn’t like being near to people. He can’t people staring at
him and passing cruel comments about him.
6. MR. LAMB SHOWS THE WAY

Mr. Lamb reminds Derry that he can’t lock himself up in a room and never leave it.
Then he narrates him the story of a man who was afraid of everything in the world.
So he went into his room, locked the door and stayed there. A picture fell off the wall
on to his head and killed him. Mr. Lamb says that he enjoys life as it comes. He sits
in the sun and reads book. He is not fond of curtains. Mr. Lamb motivates Derry.
Derry had got two arms, two legs, and eyes and ears. He has got a tongue and also
a brain. He can get on the way he wants, like all the rest. And if he chooses, he can’t
get on better than all the rest’. Derry asks, ’How?’ Mr. Lamb replies that Derry can
live the same way as he himself does. For him everybody is welcome. The gate is
always open. Derry says that there are some people he hates. Mr. Lamb says that
hatred is more harmful than a bottle of acid. Derry gets up and prepares to go. He
says he will come back. Mr. Lamb says that generally people say so but never come
back.
7. DERRY COMES BACK BUT MR. LAMB DIES

Derry comes home. His mother warns him not to go back there. Derry assures her
that she need not fear. Only an old man with a tin leg lives there. He has a huge
house and a garden. He is Mr. Lamb. He says things nobody else has ever said.
Derry runs to Mr. Lamb’s garden. He opens the garden gate. He cries that he has
come back. Suddenly there is a crash. The ladder falls back, Mr. Lamb also falls
down with it. He dies. Derry begins to weep. He goes on crying ‘Lamey Lamb ! I
did….. come back.’
SHORT ANSWERS
1. Why does Derry say :”….I’m not afraid. (Pause) People are afraid of me?’
ANS. Derry suffers from a complex. Most of the physically impaired persons suffer
from such a complex. He becomes withdrawn and defiant. He has got a burnt face.
People find his face very terrible. They get scared when they look at his horrible face.
So he is not afraid of the people but they are afraid of him.
2. Why did Derry come into Mr. Lamb’s garden ? Why was he startled?
ANS. Derry told Mr. Lamb that he did not enter the garden to steal anything. He
thought it was an empty place. He didn’t know3 if anybody was living there. He was
startled to see Mr. Lamb suddenly coming near and speaking to him. Derry asked in
disbelief and surprise : “What ?...... Who’s there?”
3. According to Derry, what do people think and say about him?
ANS. Derry thought that people were afraid of his burnt face. It was a terrible
thing. No one would ever kiss him except his mother. When people stared at him, he
felt6 they were afraid of him. This made him withdrawn. He tried to avoid meeting
people. Derry thought he was as ugly as a ‘devil’ and people thought him so.
4. How did Derry get his face burnt?
ANS. One side of Derry’s face was totally burnt. Mr. Lamb guessed that Derry’s
face got burned in a fire. Derry corrected him. He got acid all down on that side of
his face. The acid burned it all the way. It ate his face up.
5. Why does Derry tell Mr. Lamb that he is afraid of seeing himself in the mirror in
this story?
ANS. Derry got acid all down on none side of his face. The acid burnt it all away.
Whenever he looks at his face in the mirror, it looks terrible and very ugly. He is
afraid of seeing himself in the mirror. He suffers from a complex and becomes
withdrawn and defiant. He thinks that people too are scared when they look at his
horrible face.
6. Why does Mr. Lamb have a tin leg?

ANS. Mr. Lamb has a tin leg. One of his legs was blown off in the war. He has to
walk on an artificial tin leg. But Mr. Lamb doesn’t feel like a physically handicapped
person. Nor does he suffers from any inferiority complex. Children call him ‘Lamey
Lamb’ but he doesn’t mind it.
7. Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate open?
ANS. Mr. Lamb’s physical disability doesn’t crush his openness and large
heartedness. He is not alienated from the mainstream of life like Derry. On the other
hand, he keeps his house and heart open to people. Anybody can enter his garden.
He is not fond of curtains. He doesn’t believe in shutting things out. So he keeps his
gate open for all.
8. What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man, Mr. Lamb?
ANS. Derry notices certain things peculiar things about the old man. He has got a
tin leg. The real leg got blown off years back in the war. But Mr. Lamb doesn’t allow
his physical disability come in the way of enjoying his life fully. He keeps his gates
and garden open for the kids. They are not afraid of him. He likes to learn things.
Kids come for apples, pears and toffees. He has an open heart that welcomes all. He
has developed a positive attitude towards life, people and things.
9. Why does Derry’s mother warn him not to go to Mr. Lamb?
ANS. Derry’s mother claims to have hear5d many things about Mr. Lamb. She
has been told and warned by the people. She asks Derry not to go to him. Derry
asks her not to believe all she hears. He is determined to go there.
10. Why does not Derry stay to help Mr. Lamb to get the crab-apples?
ANS. Derry can’t stay to help Mr. Lamb to get the crab apples. He had been
Away from home for long. His mother must be worried. She wanted to know where
he was. His home was at a distance of three miles across the fields. He was 14 years
old but still his mother wanted to know where her son was.
11. How does Mr. Lamb’s brief association with Derry affect the latter?
ANS. Mr. Lamb’s brief association with Derry affects the latter quite deeply. He
learns from Lamb that disabilities should not be allowed to sour and distort our lives.
He develops a positive attitude towards life and people. He doesn’t care about his
face now. Nor does he bother what the people thinks about him. It is what he thinks
and feels that are more important for him. Mr. Lamb’s brief association makes Derry
mentally strong and confident to face the world as it is.
12. What is the bond that unites the two-the old man, Mr. Lamb and Derry, the
small boy?
ANS. The old man, Mr. Lamb and the small boy, Derry have the difference of
age, attitude and behaviour. Mr. Lamb is open to all and has a positive attitude
towards life and things. Derry is withdrawn and suffers from a complex that he has a
horrible and ugly face. However, there is a bond that unites the two. Both of them
are victims of terrible accidents. Lamb got one of his legs blown off and Derry got
one side of his face burnt as acid fell on it. These physical deformations unite the two
in spite of their age difference.
13. Has Derry overcome the complex regarding his burnt face? How?
ANS. Derry feels bad when people talk about his face. But now Derry is not the
same person. He has overcome his inferiority complex. Nor does he care what he
looks like. It is not important for him now. He is going back to Mr. Lamb to look at
things like him.
14. Describe the message that the play conveys to the readers.
ANS. The one-act play ’On The Face Of It’ conveys a definite message. Life
has to be lived. We should always be within the mainstream of life. We should not
allow ourselves to be alienated. Nor should we suffer from a complex if we are
physically challenged. We should accept life as it comes.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. ‘Though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from physical disability, their attitude to life
is very different’. Justify the relevance of this statement with reference to the story.
ANS. Derry’s main problem is his burnt face. One side of his face was eaten up by
the acid. He suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always
conscious that his face is ‘bad’, ‘terrible’ and ‘the ugliest thing’. People are ‘afraid’ of
him. He tries to escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. On
the other hand, Mr. Lamb doesn’t allow his physical disability to come in his way. He
accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards life, things and people. He
doesn’t find solace in escapism. Children tease him by calling ‘Lamey Lamb’ but he
doesn’t mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the war. But he is full of life and
enjoys it at its best. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and growing weeds
and flowers. Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He doesn’t trust people. He is touchy
and hyper-sensitive. Mr. Lamb is open-minded and open-hearted. All are welcome.
He loves everybody and everything. He teaches Derry how to handle people and
things.
2. ‘Derry is the victim of his own complex. He develops a negative attitude towards life
and people.’ Do you find some change in him in the end of the story?
ANS. Derry is a victim of his own inferiority complex. This complex is born out of a
distorted understanding of himself and the world. One side of his face was badly
burnt by acid. When he sees his face in the mirror he gets afraid of himself. Derry
develops a negative attitude towards life. He is withdrawn and defiant. He avoids
people. He can never think that anybody can love or kiss him except his own mother.
Derry’s deep complex leads him to total alienation. He is unlike Mr.

Lamb. Mr. Lamb has a tin leg. But he never allows his disability to sour the joys of
life. Derry makes himself quite pitiable and miserable. His hyper-sensitivity is like an
open wound. Cruel and uncharitable remarks upset the balance of his mind. Children
call Mr. Lamb’Lamey Lamb’ but he doesn’t mind it. Derry has developed a perverted
thinking. He mistrusts the world and its people. We find a change in Derry in the
end. Mr. Lamb’s ideas leave their imprints on him. He is free from that diseased
complex now.
3. ‘Generally persons suffering from a physical impairment feel a sense of alienation

and withdrawn themselves from the world. But Mr. Lamb never allows his physical
disability t6o sour and spoil the pace and pleasures of his life.’ Justify the statement
by giving examples from the text.
ANS. Physical impairment causes a deep mental agony. It gives birth to a deep
inferiority complex. The person gets alienated from the mainstream of life. He finds
solace in withdrawal and self-pity. But Mr. Lamb is an exception. He has a tin leg.
One of his legs was blown off in the war. He never allows his physical disability to
sour and spoil the pace and pleasures of his life. He accepts life as it comes. He tries
to find and give a definite meaning to it. He always lives for others and among
others. Nor does he become an object of self-pity. Everyone is welcome. He loves
everybody and everything.
Mr. Lamb is full of life. He enjoys sitting in the sun and reading
books. He grows plants, flowers and fruit trees. He collects honey and makes jelly
from apples. Children sometimes call him ‘Lamey Lamb’ but he doesn’t mind it. On
the other hand, he plays with them. He gives them toffees and apples to them. He
gives a new direction and meaning to Derry’s life before his death.
CAPSULE FOR SLOW LEARNERS
QUESTIONS FOR DRILL-
1. How and why does Derry enter Mr.Lamb’s garden?

2. Why is Derry in panic? What explanation does he give to Mr. Lamb?
3. Why does Derry say: ‘People are afraid of me?’
4. How did Derry get his face burned?
5. How did Mr. Lamb get one of his legs blown off? What do children call him?
6. How do people pass uncharitable remarks and comments on Derry’s face?
7. How does Mr. Lamb spend his time?
8. Why is Derry withdrawn and defiant?
9. Why does Derry come back to Mr. Lamb?
10. What change comes in Derry at the end?
11. How does Mr. Lamb die?
12. Why does Derry’s mother stop him from going to Mr. Lamb’s garden?
EVAN TRIES an O’LEVEL
SUMMARY
SECRETARY, EXAMINATIONS BOARD, RECEIVES A CALL FROM OXFORD

PRISON
It was early March. The Secretary of the Examinations board receives a call
from Oxford Prison. A chap called Evans started night classes in O-Level
German last September. He is very keen to get some sort of academic
qualification. The Governor enquires about the procedure. The Secretary asks
him not to worry about it. He will be sending him all the forma and other
necessary things. He enquires about Evans. The Governor assures him that
there is no record of violence against Evans. It is decided to examine him in
his prison cell. One of the parsons from St. Mary Mags is arranged to
invigilate.
‘EVANS THE BREAK’
The prison officers call him ‘Evans the Break’. He had escaped from prison
three times. At 8:30 in the morning Evans had two visitors. Jackson was the
senior prison officer on D Wing. He and Evans had already become ‘warm
enemies’. Stephens was a burly-surly officer. Evans’s face was unshaven. He
wears a dirty red and white bobble hat upon his head. They make sure that
his razor and nail scissors are taken away. He is given half an hour to
smarten himself.
REVEREND STUART McLEERY COMES TO INVILIGATE
McLeery carries a brown suitcase. It contains all necessary papers, including a

sealed question paper envelope. The two hour examination is to start at 9:15
a.m. Stephens brings two small square tables and two hard chairs. He places
them opposite to each other. They are taking no chances with Evans. Stuart
McLeery is greeted by Jackson at D Wing in the prison. It will be very difficult
for Evans to make another break. He is sitting in a locked cell and all the
prison officers are on alert. The invigilator’s duty is to ensure that the strictest
silence is observed. The Governor is worried about McLeery. If he has brought
something ,even a jack-knife, Evans can hold him hostage with such a
weapon.
EXAMINATION BEGINS
The examinee and the invigilator have already been introduced by Stephens.
McLeery asks Evans to write the name of the paper, his index number etc. At
9:40 a.m. the Assistant Secretary speaks to the Governor. They had forgotten
to place the correction slip in then examination package. Jackson fears if the
phone call is fake or it is some signal. But everything seems to be all right.
Evans sits staring straight in front of him holding his pen between his lips. At
10:50 a.m., Evans wants a blanket round his shoulders. He is feeling cold. At
10:51a.m., Stephens wonders if Evans is not planning a sudden batman leap
to suffocate McLeery in the blanket. At 11:20 a.m., McLeery informs Evans
that only five minutes remain. At 11:22 a.m., Governor wants to speak to
Stephens. He wants him to accompany McLeery to the main gates. At 11:25
McLeery announces ’Stop writing, please’. Stephens walks with McLeery to the
main gates. Two abnormalities can be noticed here. McLeery’s Scots accent
seems broader than ever. His long black overcoat is reaching almost to his
knees.
STEPHENS WANTS TO TAKE JUST LAST ONE LOOK AT EVANS.
Stephens wants to take just one last look at Evans. He makes his way to
Evans`s cell .He opens the peep hole once more . ‘Oh, no, Christ, no.’
Stephens cries . In Evans`s chair is lying a man .His tufted hair are washed
with red blood . The man is McLeery. Stephens shouts loudly for Jackson
.McLeery gives a long moan and tries to speak He asks them to get the police.
He knew where Evan has gone. Almost immediately sirens start sounding.
And within a minute McLeery, with Jackson and Stephen is greeted by the
Governor. McLeery shows him a photocopied sheet cleverly superimposed
over the last page of the question paper. The governor reads, “Don’t hit him
too hard- remember, he is a minister! And don’t overdo the Scots accent
when…. McLeery cries “Elsfield Way”. Evans has gone there. The governor is
furious. He asks who took Evans to the main gates. Stephen says that he
acted as he was directed. The governor himself rang him at 11.20. The
governor is angry again. He calls Stephens a blithering idiot. It was not he
that rang them at11.20 a.m. He also tells Jackson that his skull is empty. It
was Jackson who spent two hour in Evans cell and reported that there was
nothing hidden there. And yet Evans managed to conceal a false beard, a pair
of spectacles and also a sort of weapon .He had given McLeery such a terrible
blow with it. The governor read the last line of the paper left by Evans in
German. “…. make your way to ….to Neugraben”.
HUNT FOR EVANS
The governor lights a cigarette . It has been a “beautifully laid plan” . He had
left that question paper behind. Perhaps he was careless to leave that clue .
He is sure that ‘Mr clever - clever Evans’ will be back inside his cell again.
Then information comes that McLeery has spotted Evans driving off along
Elsfield Way.
The Governor asks Carter if he has managed to get

McLeery to hospital all right. He is told that McLeery is in the Radcliffe
hospital. Afew minutes later the Governor rings the hospital. The reply comes
that no one named McLeery is there. The ambulance was sent to Elsfield to
pick him up but he vanished. A quarter of an hour later they find S. McLeery,
securely bound and gagged in his study in Broad Street. He had been there
since 8:15a.m.
And by that time everybody in the prison knows what has
happened. It had not been Evans, impersonating McLeery, who had walked
out. It had been Evans, impersonating McLeery, who had stayed in.
WHERE DID EVANS GO?
Evans walks up to the reception desk of the Golden Lion Hotel. He had to do a
long and tricky operation. He was lucky that Jackson didn’t take his hat off.
Sticking a beard was one of the worst things. Evans now collects his keys. He
asks for an early morning call at 6:45 a.m. He thanks God that everything has
gone “beautifully smoothly.” He unlocks his bedroom door and then stands
frozen at the spot. Sitting on the bed was the Governor.
EVANS SURRENDERS
Evans is visibly shaken. For several minutes there is utter silence. He is

beaten in his own game. He tells that the correction slip killed two birds with
a single stone. It gave the name of the hotel for Evans and the exact time the
exam started. Then Evans asks how the Governor could locate the hotel in
which he was staying. The clue came from the paper itself. Evans wrote Index
number 313; Centre number 271. The six figures reference 313/271 landed
him there. The Governor stands up. He asks Evans to tell him how he got all
that blood to pour over his head. Evans replies that it was ‘pig’s blood’ from
the slaughter house. But to stop it from clotting he had to mix actual blood.
In the end, the Governor asks how he could manage to plan all this business.
Evans replies that he has many friends. The German teacher is one of them.
A silent prison officer handcuffs the recaptured Evans. He

does not resist. Two men clambered into the back seat of the prison van. The
Governor says farewell to him like a good old friend.
EVANS HAS THE LAST LAUGH
The prison van turns right on to the Oxford road. The silent prison officer
unlocks Evans’s handcuffs. He asks the driver to ‘move on’ to Newbury. “It
won’t take them long to find out-“. Thus Evans moves on to freedom. “He
proves that the Governor was a fool and only ‘good-for-a-giggle’. The man
who removes his handcuffs is Evans’s own man.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. Who was Evans? Describe two of his main characteristics.

Ans. James Roderick Evans was ‘quite a pleasant sort of chap’. He had no
record of violence. He was one of the stars of the Christmas Concert. But he
was ‘just a cogenital kleptomaniac’. The prison officers called him “Evans the
Break”. Thrice he had escaped from prison.
2. What was the unusual request that the Governor made to the Secretary of the
Examination Board?
Ans. The Governor made quite an unusual request to the Secretary of the
Examination Board. He wanted a prisoner, Evans, to be examined in the
prison cell. Evans was to appear in O-Level German examination. The Board
granted permission for conducting the examination in the prison’s cell.
3. What precautions were taken for the smooth conduction of the examination
and providing Evans with no means of escape?
Ans. The prison staff and the Governor made all precautions for the smooth
conduction of the examination. A parson, Mr . McLeery was to invigilate.
Stephens and Jackson were to stand outside the locked cell. Evans’s cell was
thoroughly searched for two hours. The Governor himself co-ordinated and
supervised all the activities.
4. Why did the prison officers call Evans-“Evans the Break”?

Ans. Evans was helpless. He was “a cogenital kleptomaniac”. He was often
arrested and sent to prison. But he had perfected the art of escaping from
prison. He had managed to escape prison thrice. So, the prison officers called
him “Evans the Break”. Evans was planning for the fourth escape.
5. What information did the Governor give to the Secretary of Examination Board
about Evans?
Ans. The Governor gave quite a satisfactory report about Evans to the
Secretary of the Board. It was stated that Evans had no record of violence. He
was quite a ‘pleasant sort of chap’. Evans was one of the stars at the
Christmas concert. He suffered from a weakness. He was just a cogenital
kleptomaniac.
6. Why did Jackson ask Stephens to take Evans’s razor and nail scissors out of
the cell after he finishe4d shaving?
Ans. The senior officer Jackson didn’t want to take any chance with ‘Evans
the Break’. He asked Stephens to take away his razor and nail scissors after
he had finished shaving. With the razor Evans could cut his throat. He could
also use the razor and the nail scissors as weapons against the invigilator
McLeery.
7. Who was Reverend Stuart McLeery? Did he really come to the prison to
invigilate?
Ans. Reverend Stuart McLeery was one of the parsons at St. Mary Mags.
He was to invigilate during the examination in the prison cell. The man who
came to invigilate was not McLeery. The real McLeery was found securely
bound and gagged in his study. Someone else impersonated McLeery in the
prison.
8. ‘Jackson found a puzzling thing in McLeery’s suitcase.’ How did McLeery explain
it?
Ans. One of the objects in McLeery’s suitcase was puzzling Jackson sorely.
There was a small semi-inflated rubber ring. It was about 12 inches in
diameter. McLeery told him that he suffered from haemorrhoids. He needed the
rubber ring when he was sitting down for some length of time.
9. What was the correction slip? Why did Evans say later that the correction slip
killed two birds with one stone?
Ans. There was a correction slip. They had forgotten to place it in the
examination package. The man impersonating the real McLeery asked Evans
to make the necessary correction. The correction slip killed two birds with a
single stone. It provided the name of the hotel ‘The Golden Lion’ for Evans
and the exact time the examination started.
10. Why was Stephens a little surprised to see a grey regulation blanket
draped round Evans’s shoulders?
Ans. At 10:50 a.m., the Governor got a ring. Evans requested him to put a
blanket around his shoulders. It was a bit cold in the cell. At 10:51 a.m.,
Stephens was surprised to see a grey regulation blanket draped round his
shoulders. He got worried and annoyed. He feared that Evans could plan a
sudden batman leap to suffocate McLeery.
11. Why is Stephens compared to a woman who would get up twenty times
to check that she had locked the front door? Why did he rush to the cell?
Ans. Stephens was to accompany McLeery to the main gate. He was to
make sure that the door was locked on Evans after McLeery had left the cell.
Stephens was behaving like a panicky woman. He would check twenty times
that he had locked the door. Stephens would rush to Evans,s cell to make
sure that the door was duly locked.
12. Why did Stephens cry when he opened the peep-hole of Evans’s cell?
Ans. Stephens made his way to Evans’s cell. He opened the peep hole once
more. He cried :”Oh, no ! Christ No !” There lay a man with his head smeared
in blood in Evans’s chair. For a second, Stephens thought it must be Evans.
But soon he realized that the man was McLeery. He raised an alarm and
called for the police.
13. What did the Detective Superintendent inform the Governor about
Evans?
Ans. The Detective Superindendent gave an important news to the
Governor about Evans. The Governor hoped that the Detective
Superintendent Carter managed to get ‘injured’ McLeery to the hospital all
right. The Detective Superintendent replied that Evans was in the Radcliffe
Hospital. He was weak and unable to walk and they rang for the ambulance
from the examination offices.
14. How was ‘injured’ McLeery able to befool the prison officers?
Ans. The ‘injured’ McLeery was able to befool the prison officers. Actually,
it was not the real McLery who visited the prison as an invigilator. He was
found tied and gagged in his study. The ‘injured’ McLeery was none else but
Evans himself who impersonated McLeery. He poured blood over his head and
gave the impression of being injured seriously. He was bleeding and an
ambulance was called for him from Radcliffe Hospital. He made escape
befooling all the prison officers.
15. How was Evans arrested?

Ans. Evans was beaten up in his own game. He had left clues that helped
in his arrest. The six figures 313/271 helped the Governor to find Evans at the
Golden Lion in Chipping Norton. He offered no resistance. He was handcuffed
and made to sit in the police van.
16. How did Evans outwit the Governor in the end?

Ans. Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the van. There, the hitherto
silent prison officer unlocked Evans’s handcuffs. It was the last act of
foolishness of the Governor. He didn’t identify the van and the driver. If he
had verified their identities, he could have avoided Evans’s escape. He was
“just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor that was all.
1. What lapses on the part of the police and the prison authorities helped Evans
to escape from the prison?
Ans. Evans had earned a reputation of being known as “Evans the Break”.
Thrice had he escaped from prison. Jackson, the senior prison officer had
spent two hours in searching Evans’s cell. And still Evans somehow managed
to conceal a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and other things.
Certainly, there were lapses on the part of police and prison authorities. They
helped Evans to escape from the prison.
First lapse was regarding Mr. McLeery. They didn’t verify his
identity. A fake McLeery impersonated the real McLerry. Actually, Mr. McLeery
had been bound and gagged in his study since 8:15 a.m. Had they verified it
the whole plan could have been exposed. Secondly, Jackson’s compassion
allowed Evans to wear his hat as lucky charm. It was a big lapse on his part.
Evans was allowed to wrap a grey blanket around him. Similarly, the German
teacher was nothing but a close friend of Evans. The last but most glaring
lapse was on the part of the Governor himself. Evans was rearrested. The
silent prison officer who handcuffed the recaptured Evans was actually
Evans’s man.
2. How did the Governor surprise Evans in his bedroom of the Golden Lion?
Describe the clues on the basis of which the Governor could arrest Evans. How
could Evans be able to have the last laugh providing that the Governor was
“just another good-for-a giggle”?
Ans. The governor realized rather late that the wily Evans had completely
outwitted him and his staff . Two incidents made things quite clear. First
McLeery was not in the hospital. Actually, he never came there. McLeery was
found out. He was securely bound and gagged in his study. He had been
there since 8.15 a.m. Now it became quite clear that McLeery never visited
the prison. It was Evans who impersonated McLeery and stayed inside the
cell. The governor on basis of the photocopied sheet drew some conclusion.
The six figure reference landed him in the middle of Chipping Norton. Evans
was shocked and surprised he Governor. The Governor was sitting on the bed
in the room. Evans did not resist. He was handcuffed and made to sit in the
prison van.
The last foolish act of the Governor made him a stock of laughter. The
arrested criminal slipped out of his net only due to his negligence. Had the
vehicle and persons in it been properly identified Evans would have been in
the cell. The Governor was “just another good-for-a giggle.”
3. What purpose did the question paper and the correction slip serve ? How did
they help both the criminals and the Governor?
Ans. The question paper and the correction slip served a dual purpose.
They helped Evans to escape. But they helped the Governor to track and
arrest the wily Evans too. Even the Governor praised the beautifully laid plan.
He deliberately but ‘careleswsly’ left the question paper behind. All the
invigilators made their own mistakes in judging the situation. Evans rightly
said that “the correction slip killed two little birds with a single stone.” The
index number 313 and the centre number 271 were both significant. So were
the six figures. On any Survey Map for Oxfordshire, one could find six figure
reference 313/271 and could land in the middle of the Chipping Norton.
The Governor looked down and surveyed the German question

paper. A photocopied sheet had been carefully and cleverly superimposed
over the last page of the question paper. Evans was a master mind who could
easily outwit his opponents. Evans got real McLeery bound and gagged in his
study. Another person impersonating McLerry was sent to the prison to help
him in his escape. These clues also helped the officials and the Governor in
locating the place and “The Golden Lion”. At last, Evans was arrested.
CAPSULE FOR SLOW LEARNERS
1. Who was Evans and why was he to be examined?

2. Why was Evans called “Evans the Break”? Did he prove himself a real break?
3. What was decided by the Board and the Governor about Evans’s examination?
4. Why was Stephens worried about Evans?
5. Who was McLeery and why did he come to the prison?
6. What instructions were given to Evans by McLeery? Did he follow them?
7. Why did Evans demand a blanket? Was Stephens happy when Evans was
provided with a blanket?
8. Why did Stephens run back to Evans’s cell?
9. What did Stephens see through the peep hole? What was his reaction?
10. What did McLeery say about Evans?
11. The correction slip killed two small birds with a single stone. Explain.
12. Did Evans expect the Governor to be at the Golden Lion Hotel? Explain.
13. How was Evans arrested?
14. How did Evans have the last laugh?
MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
ZITKALA-SA AND BAMA
SUMMARY
1. THE CUTTING OF MY LONG HAIR

ZITKALA-SA
THE FIRST DAY IN THE LAND OF APPLES
The first day in the land of apples was a bitter cold for me. Ground was
covered with snow; the trees were bare. The sound of the bell and clatter of
shoes were annoying to the sensitive ears. People murmured in an unknown
tongue. The narrator’s soul had lost her peace and freedom. But all was
useless.
THE INDIAN GIRLS IN SHINGLED HAIR
A pale –face woman came up after them. The girls were marching into the
dining room. These were Indian girls in stiff shoes and closely clinging
dresses. The boys entered through the opposite door. She was feeling very
uncomfortable. A small bell rang. She pulled out a chair and sat on it. But she
noticed that all others were standing. She felt confused. The second bell was
sounded. All were seated at last. She caught the eyes of a pale-face woman
on her. She was keenly watched by the strange woman. The third bell was
sounded. Everyone picked up his knife and fork and began eating.
HER FRIEND GIVES HER A TERRIBLE WARNING
Late in the morning the narrator’s friend Judewin gave her a terrible warning.
She had overheard the pale face woman talk. They talked about cutting their
long, heavy hair. Among her people, short hair was worn by cowards. Judewin
decided to submit but the narrator rebelled. She decided not to submit but to
struggle.
HER LONG HAIR SHINGLED
She disappeared. She came in a large room with three beds in it. She crawled
under the bed and hid herself. She heard footsteps nearby. The steps were
quickened. The voices grew louder. They looked under the bed. She was
dragged out. She was carried down-stairs and tied fast in a chair. She faced
extreme indignities. Her long hair was shingled like a coward! No one came to
comfort her. Now she was only one of many little animals driven by a herder.
2. WE TOO ARE HUMAN BEINGS

BAMA
WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL
The narrator was in the third class. She hadn’t yet heard people speak openly
of untouchability. But she had already seen, felt, experienced and got
humiliated by what it is. The distance from her school to home could be
covered in ten minutes. But she took from half an hour to reach there. She
watched all the fun and games that were going on. She saw performing
monkeys. She saw the snake charmer displaying his snakes. The other
attractions were : the Maariyaatta temple; the Pongal celebrations; the
statue of Gandhi and the sweet and snack stalls. She could go on and on.
Everything stopped her and attracted her attention.
ENTERTAINMENTS AND PERFORMANCES
Political parties would arrive. They cried through their mikes. Then there
might be a street play or a puppet show or a stunt performance. Some
entertainment or the other was always going on. She could see people
chopping onions or almonds blown down by the wind. All these sights stopped
her from going home. Then she would see people selling vegetables., fruits
and sweets.
FOOD PACKET HELD NOT BY HANDS BUT BY ITS STRING
One day the narrator saw that a threshing floor had been set up near her
street. The landlord sat there watching the proceedings. Then an elder of the
street came along from the bazaar. He was carrying a small packet. It
contained something like vadai. Or green banana bhaji. He came along
holding out the packet by its string without touching it. The elder went
straight to the landlord. He bowed low and extended the packet towards him.
The landlord opened it and began to eat. She went home and told the story in
all its comic details. She fell about with laughter but Annan was not amused.
He told her that the man was not being funny. He was from a low caste. He
couldn’t touch the food packet.
THE INCIDENT MAKES HER ANGRY
When she heard it, she felt terribly sad. It was disgusting. She felt so much
provoked and angry that she wanted to touch those vadais herself
straightaway. She wondered why poor people showed respect and bowed
before such cruel people. The rich forget that others are also human beings.
EDUCATION GIVES DIGNITY AND RESPECT
Annan told her that they were born in a community of “low caste” people.
They are never given any honour, dignity or respect. If they study and make
progress, they can throw away these indignities. If they are learned, people
will come to them of their own accord. The words Annan spoke to her that
day made a deep impression on her. She studied hard and stood first in her
class. Many people became her friends.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. How did the narrator find the new place?

Ans. The first day of the narrator in the land of apples was a bitter cold
one. The snow still covered the ground; the trees were bare. Noises and other
disturbances irritated her sensitive ears. People muttered in an unknown
tongue. Her spirit struggled for peace and freedom.
2. What did she notice about the Indian girls ?

Ans. The narrator was placed in the line of girls who were marching into
the dining room. These were Indian girls. They were in stiff shoes and closely
clinging dresses. Small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair.
3. How did Zitkala-sa react to the various sounds that came when the large bell
rang for breakfast?
Ans. Always a long bell rang for breakfast. Its loud metallic sound crashed
into Zitkala-sa’s sensitive ears. The clattering sound of shoes on the floor
annoyed her. It disturbed their peace. Then she would hear constant clash of
harsh voices. All these voices created a bedlam. Zitkala-sa found herself
trapped in such a bedlam and all her struggle to free herself from it was
useless.
4. ‘Eating by formula was the hardest trial in that first day,’ says Zitkala-sa.
What does she mean by ‘eating by formula’?
Ans. For Zitkala-sa ‘eating by formula’ was the hardest trial on the first
day. First, a small bell was rung. The students drew their chairs from under
the table. Zitkal-sa did the same. Then a second bell was sounded. All were
seated at last. A man’s voice was heard at one end of the hall. All others hung
their heads over their plates. The man ceased his mutterings. Then a third
bell was sounded. Everyone picked up their knife and fork, and began eating.
5. What did Judewin tell Zitkala-sa? How did she react to it?
Ans. Judewin had overheard the pale face woman talk about cutting her
long, heavy hair. Zitkal-sa was terrified. Their mothers had taught them that
only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the
enemy. Among her people short hair was worn by mourners and shingled hair
by cowards.
6. How/Why did she hide herself? Did she succeed?

Ans. The narrator disappeared unnoticed. She came to a large room with
three white beds in it. She crawled under the bed and cuddled herself in the
dark corner. From her hiding place she peered out. She shuddered with fear.
She couldn’t succeed in hiding herself for long. They stormed into the room
and dragged her out.
7. Why was the girl tied to the chair in the lesson?

Ans. Zitkala-sa was warned by her friend, Judewin. She had overheard the
pale face woman talk about cutting her long and heavy hair. Among her
people short hair was worn by mourners and shingled hair by cowards. She
decided not to submit but to struggle. She hid herself under the bed but was
caught. She resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. But at last she was
dragged and tied to a chair.
8. What did Zitkala-sa feel when her long hair was cut?
Ans. The narrator was found out. She was dragged out. She resisted by
kicking and scratching wildly. Inspite of herself, she was carried downstairs
and tied fast in a chair. The cold blades of scissors ran across her hair. And so
her long and heavy hair was shingled. No one came to help her. She felt
helpless, humiliated and wept bitterly.
WE TOO ARE HUMAN BEINGS
1. When did the narrator experience untouchability?

Ans. When the narrator was in the third class, she hadn’t yet heard people
speak only of untouchability. But the curse of untouchability did exist in the
society. She had already seen, felt and experienced it. There were occasions
when she felt humiliated by it.
2. ‘The distance from the narrator’s school to her home could be covered in ten
minutes.’ Why did she then cover it usually in half an hour to an hour ? What
were the things that stopped her?
Ans. The narrator took about half an hour to an hour to cover the distance
from her school to home. She used to watch all the fun, entertainment and
game on the way. All novelties and oddities in the streets and shops attracted
and stopped her from going home.
3. What made the narrator double up and shriek with laughter?

Ans. The narrator stood at a threshing floor near her house. Just then, an
elder of her street came along from the bazaar. He was carrying a small
packet. It contained vadai or green banana bhaji in it. He was holding out the
packet by its string, without touching it. The manner in which he was walking
made her double up and shriek with laughter.
4. Why wasn’t the narrator ‘s elder brother amused when she told him the story
in all its comic detail?
Ans. The narrator’s elder brother was not amused. He told her that the
man was not being funny. He belonged to a ‘low’ caste. The people of his
community couldn’t touch the food packet. Therefore, He was holding it out
by its string. Had he touched it, the landlord would never accept such a thing.
5. Why did the narrator feel terribly sad and provoked?

Ans. The narrator came to know why the elder carried the packet with a
string. She didn’t want to laugh any more. She felt terribly sad. She felt so
provoked and angry that she wanted to touch those wretched vadais herself.
She felt bad that people had to bow low and work so hard for their masters.
6. What advice did Annan offer to Bama?

Ans. Annan advised and encouraged Bama . He told her that they belonged
to a low caste. The people of his community were not respected, honoured or
given any importance. The members of their community could attain honour
and respect if they studied and prosper. If they become learned, people would
come to them of their own accord.
7. How was the narrator inspired by the words of her elder brother and his
advice?
Ans. The narrator was highly inspired by the words of her elder brother.
There was only one hope for the people of her caste. They could attain dignity
and honour if they were learned. Then people would come to them of their
own accord. The narrator studied very hard and stood first in her class. She
made a lot of friends.
8. What are the common features present in both the episodes?

Ans. ‘Memories of Childhood’ contains the writings of two women writers of
‘marginalised communities’. ‘The Cutting of My Long Hair’ highlights the racial
discrimination, the Native Indians of America suffering at the hands of the
white people. The girl’s long and heavy hair is shingled against her wish. In
‘We Too are Human Beings’ the narrator attains equality, dignity and fights
against untouchability.
1. Both the units of ‘Memories of Childhood’ present autobiographical episodes

from the lives of two women from ‘marginalised communities’. Describe the
main issues raised as well as the common features highlighted in them.
Ans. The lesson ‘Memories of Childhood’ presents autobiographical
episodes from the lives of two women. They highlight the plight of ‘the
marginalized communities’. The4 people of these communities never receive
honour and dignity due to them. In ‘Cutting of My Long Hair’ Bonnin describes
how an Indian girl suffered extreme indignities. She tried to maintain her
identity and her distinct culture. She liked to wear, long and thick hair. But
the ‘paleface woman’ and others dragged her out. They tied her fast in a chair
and gnawed off her long hair. In ‘We Too are Human Beings’ Bama, a Tamil
Dalit writer, presents the struggle of a girl of a low caste. The people of low
caste are never respected and honoured. They have to carry a food packet by
its string without touching it. The girl in ‘We Too are Human Beings’ struggles,
and stands first in the class. She attains equality and honour.
The most common features of these episodes is the struggle and fight
against racial and social discrimination. They don’t take oppression,
exploitation and injustice meekly.
2. Describe how the narrator in ‘The Cutting of My Long Hair’ resists and fights
against the attempt of shingling her long hair. How is she ultimately made to
lose her distinct cultural identity?
Ans. The narrator’s friend Judewin gave her a terrible warning. She knew a
few words of English. She had overheard the ‘paleface woman’. She talked
about cutting the long hair of the Native Indian girls. It was a shocking news.
Their mothers had taught them that shingled hair was worn by cowards!
Judewin advised her to submit. The narrator had made a decision. She was
not to submit. She was to struggle and fight against that oppression.
Then narrator disappeared unnoticed. She crawled under the bed and
cuddled herself in the dark corner. She shuddered with fear whenever she
heard footsteps nearby. Voices became louder. They stormed into the room.
She was dragged out. She resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. She was
carried downstairs and tied to a chair. They then gnawed off her long and
thick hair. No one came forward to help her. Nor was anybody present there
to console her.
3. Why was Bama amused at the scene of the old man carrying a food packet by
its string without touching it? Why was she filled with anger, dismay and revolt
later on ?
Ans. A strange scene amused Bama. An old man came from the side of the
bazaar. He was carrying a food packet. He was holding it by its string without
touching it. The manner of holding the packet amused Bama.
Bama narrated the whole story to elder brother. But he was not
amused. There was nothing comic about it. The landlord belonged to a high
caste. The old man belonged to a low caste. He couldn’t even touch the food
packet. Had he done so, the food could have been polluted. The landlord
would not have accepted it. On hearing this Bama was filled with anger,
dismay and revolt. She felt like touching that packet with her own hands.
They did not need to bow low to their masters. Her elder brother told her that
the people of their caste had no respect and dignity. They could earn honour
and dignity if they got education and knowledge. The words of her brother
touched her deeply. She worked hard and stood first in the class. She proved
that she was second to none.
4. ‘But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day.’ What
was the hardest trial that Zitkala-sa was yet to face after her unpleasant
experience in the dining room?
Ans. The first at school in the land of apples was a bitter cold one. The
landscape was dull. The snow still covered the ground, and the trees were
bare. A large bell rang for breakfast. A pale face woman seemed to be
supervising all the activities. The Indian girls wore sleeved aprons and
shingled hair. A small bell was tapped and the pupils drew their chairs from
under the table. A second bell was sounded. All were seated. She caught the
eyes of that pale face woman upon her. She was keenly watched by that
strange woman. Then a third bell was tapped and every one began eating.
For Zitkala-sa, ‘this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in
that first day.’ Late in the morning, her friend Judewin gave her a terrible
warning. She had overheard the pale face woman talk about cutting their long
and heavy hair. Among the Indians, short hair was worn by mourners, and
shingled hair by cowards! Judewin cautioned her to submit. But Zitkala-sa
rebelled. She decided to fight against the injustice.
5. Describe the experience Bama had on her way to her home which made her
feel sad?
Ans. The narrator was still a little girl. She belonged to a ‘low’ caste but
never had any bitter experience related to ‘untouchability’. One day an old
man her street attracted her attention. He was carrying a smell packet of food
by its string without touching it. The elder went straight to the landlord,
bowed low and extended the packet toward to him. She wanted to shriek with
laughter. The way such a big man was carrying a packet looked very funny.
Bama told the story in all its comic detail to her elder brother. But
her brother was not amused. The landlord was from an upper caste. He didn’t
want the man to touch the packet of food. If he did, it would be polluted. That
was why the man had to carry the packet by its string. When she heard this
her laughter vanished. She felt terribly sad. She felt so much provoked that
she herself wanted to touch those vadais straightway. These people too were
human beings and deserved human dignity and respect.
CAPSULES FOR SLOW LEARNERS
THE CUTTING OF MY LONG HAIR
1. Describe the first day of the narrator in the land of apples?

2. How and why did the narrator’s soul struggle to find peace?
3. Why did she feel miserable in the dining room?
4. What was the terrible warning that Judewin gave to the narrator?
5. What did the narrator decide? Did Judewin think like her?
6. How did the narrator try to hide herself from the pale face woman and others?
Did she succeed?
7. How was the narrator’s long and heavy hair shingled?
8. How did she feel when she was made one of the little animals led by the
herder?
9. Why did she feel uncomfortable in the dining room?
10. “Now I was only one of the little animals driven by a herder?” Why did the
narrator feel so?
WE TOO ARE HUMAN BEINGS
1. What did the narrator enjoy and watch while coming from her school to home?
2. Everything stopped and drew her attention.Why?
3. What funny thing did she notice at the corner of her street?
4. Why was her elder brother not amused when she told the story to him?
5. What were the inspiring words of her brother?
6. How did the narrator attain success in her life?

ENGLISH CORE
CODE NO. : 301
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – I
Max. Marks:100 Duration: 3 hrs.
Section A : Reading Max. Marks : 20
1. Read the passage given below and then answer the questions which follow : 12 Marks
1. I had submitted across an article 'Reforming our education system' recently wherein the need for our
educational system to shift its focus from insisting upon remembering to emphasizing or understanding was
stressed upon.
2. This article brought back the memory of an interesting conversation between my daughter and myself in
the recent times wherein I had learnt that Economics and Physics were a few of he most difficult subjects
for her as she had to mug up the answers. Though I offered to help her out with the immediate problem on
hand, I learnt subsequently that many a time it pays to mug up the answer properly, because the teachers
find it easier to evaluate that way. It seems the more deviation there is from the way the sentences are
framed in the textbook, the more risk one runs of losing marks on that count many a time.
3. This reminded me of a training session I had attended at work wherein we were required to carry out an
exercise of joining the dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without crossing
the trodden path more than once. Though the exercise seemed quite simple almost 95 percent of us failed to
achieve the required result, no matter how hard we tried. The instructor then informed us cheerily that it
happened all the time, because the dots that appeared to fit into a box like formation do not allow us to
think out of the box. That was when I realized that all of us carry these imaginary boxes in our minds
thanks to our stereotyped upbringing that forces our thinking to conform to a set pattern.
4. "What is the harm in conforming as long as it is towards setting up a good practice". Someone might
want to ask. Perhaps, no harm done to others but to the person being confined to "think by rote". It may
mean being deprived of rising to the heights he/she is capable of rising to, even without the person being
aware of the same.
5. If we instil too much of fear of failure in the children right from the young age, the urge to conform and
play safe starts stifling the creative urge which dares to explore, err and explore again. As we know, most
of the great inventions were initially considered to be most outrageous and highly impractical. It is because
the persons inventing the same were not bothered about being ridiculed and were brave enough to think of
the unthinkable these inventions came into being.
6. For many children studies are the most boring aspect of their lives. Learning instead of becoming fun, is
being considered the most mundane and avoidable activity thanks to the propagators of an educational
system that is more information oriented than knowledge oriented. Too much of syllabus, too many
students per teacher, lack of enough hands on exercises, teaching as a routine with the aim of completing
the syllabus in time rather than with a goal of imparting knowledge, the curriculum more often than not
designed keeping in view the most intelligent student rather than the average student. The peer pressure,
great expectations of the parents in an extremely competitive environment, the multitude of distractions in
an era of technological revolution are adding further to the burden on the young minds.
7. For a change, can we have some English/Hindi poems ickle, tickle and pickle the young minds and send
them on a wild goose chase for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow ? Can we have lessons in History
that make the child feel proud of his heritage instead of asking him to mug up the years of the events ? Can
the physics and chemistry lessons be taught more in the laboratories than in the classrooms ? Can a system
be devised so as to make the educational excursions compulsory in schools so that visits to
historical/botanical places are ensured without fail ? Can the educational institutes start off inter school
projects on the Internet, the way the schools abroad do, so as to encourage the child to explore on her own
and sum up her findings in the form of a report ?
8. Finally, can we make the wonder of the childhood last and get carried forward into the adulthood instead
of forcing pre-mature adulthood on children ? I, for one, have realized that it is worth doing so, hence I
have asked my child to go ahead by choosing to write the answers on her own, in her own language by
giving vent to her most fanciful imagination!
Source : The Hindu
1.1 On the basis of your understanding of the passage answer the following : 9 Marks
(a) What does the article "Reforming our Education System" emphasise ? 1 Mark
(b) What exercise was the author given in her training session ? 1 Mark
(c) What are the "imaginary boxes" that are referred to here ? 1 Mark
(d) What is the likely harm that may occur if a person is taught to always think by rote?2Mks.
(e) List the factors that have made learning a very boring process ? 2 Marks
(f) Give at least four suggestions the author gives for making schooling interesting. 2 Marks
1.2 Pick out the words from the passage which mean the following : 3 Marks
(a) Later (para 2)
(b) Conservative (para 3)
(c) In the beginning (para 5)
2. Read the passage given below :
How do we build a peaceful world ? This question demands an answer. The causes of war are many :
economic, political, social, ethnic and religious causes. But most people would not include television to be
among them. Let us look at the entertainment industry, movies and television in particular and notice the
amount of violence that is offered as entertainment. If the general public watches violence night after night,
year after year, the world will be a violent place.
In order to understand the connection it is important to review the nature of the mind. The mind of man is
like a computer; what you put in is what you get out, "Energy follows thought". You may lieve that you
are responsible for what you do but not for what you think. The reality is that you are responsible for what
you think because what you think determines what you are. You cannot change yourself by changing your
behaviour and keeping your old thoughts. But you can change your mind; and this is where real change
comes from. Your mental world is the only thing over which you have complete control.
Thoughts are a subtle form of matter. The problem with violent images on television is that they combine
thought and emotion, which gives the image more power. Listen to a violent TV programme from the next
room and notice the role of music in controlling your emotions. The audience is played with like a puppet
on a string. Do you find that honourable ? When the TV show is over and you turn it off, these thoughts are
still with you. Did the experience make you a better person ? How many years will you carry the memory
of those images around with you ?
It is an old saying that the hand that rocks the cradle controls the destiny. If television is the modern day
babysitter, then the quality of the images determines man's destiny. Should we be teaching our children that
violence is an acceptable solution to the problems of life ? The subconscious mind accepts whatever is
offered to it if impressed with repetition and intense emotion.
"As a man thinketh
in his heart, so is he".
Mankind is halfway between an animal and a God. Violence is a part of the animal world and therefore an
integral part of man's past. War was the constant state of primitive man; peace is the measure of the
advancement of civilization. Freewill, or the ability to choose, is humanity's most precious possession.
When you choose to be entertained by violence you are strengthening the animal nature within you.
When you refuse to be entertained by violence you are treading the part of discipleship. A disciple is
someone who consciously works on himself. The pat of discipleship is also called the path of purification.
At some point in the evolution of consciousness the individual chooses to weed out the elements of the
animal nature like anger and fear and begins to build into his consciousness the divine qualities like
harmlessness and compassion. The journey from seaweed to divinity is inevitable. You cannot change the
destination; but you can choose to go quickly or slowly, to go forward or back. Divine consciousness is
your inheritance, but to make the journey you must leave the animal nature behind.
Habit is one tool that humanity can use for advantage. Everyone who has learnt to play a musical
instrument or a sport knows the value of practice and more practice. If you make it a habit to practice your
music one-hour a day you will improve. If you watch violence every day you are tuning your instrument to
resonate with violence. Is this what you want ? Discipleship is hard work because it is becoming conscious
in areas of life that previously were unconscious. Habit can be consciously used to speed us along toward
our goal. Be a disciple, turn off the T.V.
By Michale Virat
(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. 5 Marks
(b) Write a summary of the above in 80 words using the notes. Suggest a title for your notes. .
3 Marks.
Section B: Advanced Writing Skills 35 marks
Q.3 A.K International School is looking for a receptionist for the school. Write an advertisement on behalf
of the administrative officer in the classified columns of the local newspaper giving necessary details. Draft
the advertisement in not more than 50 words.
OR
Suman/Suresh has cleared the Pre-Medical Pre-Dental entrance examination. The family is elated at the
achievement and they decide to have a get-together for all friends. Draft an informal invitation for the get-
together. 5 Marks
Q.4. You are Shekhar/Tripta a student of A.P Public School. Principals of two schools from Pakistan
visited your school as part of a cultural exchange programme. Students of the school put up a cultural show
in their honour. Write a report about it for your school magazine. (100-125 words).
OR
As you were driving back home from work you were witness to an accident between a Maruti car and a
truck. The driver of the car was seriously injured. There was confusion and chaos prevailing on the road.
Describe the scene in about 100 to 125 words. You are Sameer/Samiksha.
10 Marks
Q.5.Write a letter to the Editor of a National daily on the increasing beggar menace at
important tourist spots. Suggest suitable measures to curb this problem (125-150 words)
OR
You are Aditya/Alka. Write a letter to KCG Infotech, Pune asking for details regarding a summer course in
Multimedia offered by them. (125-150 words) . 10 Marks
Q.6. Some colleges conduct entrance test for admission to under-graduate courses like English (Hons.) and
Journalism (Hons.). Do you think that the entrance test is the right method of selecting students? Write an
article in about 150-200 words. You are Rohan/Rachita, a student of class XII at A.P. International School
Agra.
OR
Computer games and video games have become popular with children today. As a result outdoor games
seem to have no place in their life anymore. You are Satish/Sakshi. You had the opportunity of playing
Hide-n-Seek when you visited your cousins in a small town. You decide to write an article on your
experiences about the joys of playing outdoor games for the school magazine. Write the article in 150-200
words. 10 Marks
SECTION-C (TEXTBOOK) 45 Marks
Q7(a).Read the extracts given below and answer the questions: 4 Marks
“ Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.”
(a) Why were Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering? 1
(b) What is suggested by the image the massive weight of uncle’s wedding band? 1
(c) Why did Aunt Jennifer create animals which were so different from her own character? 2 OR
“And yet, for these
Children, these windows, not this map, their world,
Where all their future’s painted with a fog,
A narrow street sealed in with a lead sky
Far far from rivers, capes and stars of words.”
(a) What does the map on the wall signify? 1
(b) Who are these children? What is their world like? 2
(c) What kind of future does the poet foresee for them? 1
7 (b). Answer any two of the following questions in about 30-40 words. (2*2= 4 marks)
1. What kind of ordeals is Aunt Jennifer surrounded by?
2. What is the significance of the parting words of the poet and her smile, in My Mother at Sixty-six?
3. According to Pablo Neruda, what is it that human beings can learn from Nature?
Q.8. Answer any 6 of the following questions in about 30-40 words. ( 2*6=12 marks)
(a) Why was Franz afraid when he was going to school that day?
(b) What is the misadventure that William Douglas speaks about?
(c) Why did people doubt Evan’s sincerity towards taking the ‘O’ Level Exam, “Evans Tries an O-Level”?
(d) Why was the girl tied to a chair in Memories of Childhood?
(e) Why was Sophie jealous of her brother’s silence?
(f) Why did Rajkumar Shukla go to meet Gandhi?
(g)Why does Derry tell Mr. Lamb that he is afraid of seeing himself in the mirror in the story On the Face
of It?
Q.9. Answer any one of the following in about 100-125 words. 5 marks
The life of bangle makers of Firozabad was full of obstacles which forced them
to lead a life of poverty and deprivation. Discuss with reference to Lost Spring.
Or
How did the Tiger King meet his end? What is ironical about his death?
Q.10. Answer the following in about 100-125 words. 5 marks

Individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to hate each other even if they
do not know each other personally. At times it is seen that some of them rise
above such prejudices. What makes a human being do so?
Q.11.Draw the character -sketch of Griffin ‘the invisible man’ in your own words highlighting the main
traits of his personality. 8 Marks
Q.12. Why was Mrs. Hall shocked to see the visitor when she came to him with a mustard pot? 7 marks
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ENGLISH CORE
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – I
Marking Scheme
1. Objectives
• to understand the writers attitude and bias
• to develop the ability to comprehend language as required in related fields (education)
• to develop the ability to form opinions
1.1(a)It had emphasized the need for shifting education from remembering to understanding.1
(b) They had to join dots that were drawn in rows of three without lifting the pen and without erasing the
same path. 1
(c) These are ways of thinking that we cannot change. 1
(d) There is the likelihood that such a person may never rise in his ability to think. 2
(e) Too much syllabus 2
• Too many students per teacher
• No hands on exercise
• Curriculum designed for the bright child only
(f) Funny poems 2
• Science involving words
• History as stones.
• More lab-work
• More excursions
• lnterschool projects on internet.
1.2 (i) subsequently 1
(ii) stereotyped 1
(iii). Initially 1
2. Objectives
• to develop the skill of taking down notes from talks and lectures
• to develop the extracted ideas into sustained pieces of writing.
(a) Note: Building a Peaceful World

(1) Causes of war
(a) eco.
(b) pol.
(c) soc.
(d) ethnic
(e) rel.
(2) Nature of the Mind
(a) like a computer input and output
(b) man resp. for what you do
(c) what you do result of what you think.
(3) Violence on T.V.
(a) emotion and thought exploited
(b) Resides in the memory
(c) T.V. modern day baby sitter
(4) Man and Animal
(a) Primitive man ass. with war
(b) Violence that entertains exploits animal in man
(c) Man who weeds out violence moves towards discipleship.
(5) Habit a tool
(a) habit is practice
(b) choose what to practice
(i) violence
(ii) discipleship
Key to abbreviations
used
Eco – economics
Resp. – responsible
Pol. – political
Rel. – religions
Soc. – society
T.V. – television
Cons. – concedes
Ass. – associated
Marking :
Title – 1 mark
Abbreviations/symbols (any 4) 1 Mark
Content – (minimum 3 subheadings with proper indentation and notes) 3 Marks
(b) the notes shown be used to make the summary. 3 Marks
Marking :
Content 2 marks
Expression 1 mark
3. Option -I
Objectives: To draft a classified advertisement giving all the necessary details.
Marking: 5 marks
Title : Situation Vacant 1 mark
Content: Details 3 marks
• Educational Qualifications
• Spoken English & Computer knowledge
• Age
• Pleasant personality
• Whom to apply to and contact address
• Last date
Expression 1 marks
Option II
Format Address of self
Date
Salutation 1 mark
Content: Details
• Who is inviting whom and on what occasion 2 marks

• Date and time
• Venue
• Theme for the party
Expression: Coherence, Relevance 1 mark
Grammatical accuracy, spelling 1 mark
4. Marking Scheme
Option I
Report
Format Heading/Title
Name and class of the student ½ + ½ mark
Content What? 4 marks
When?
Where?
Who organized it?
Highlights of the guest’s speech and of the programme
Any other relevant information
Expression Spelling, grammatical accuracy 2 ½ marks
Coherence, relevance 2 ½ marks
Option II
Factual Description
Content
Value Points 5 marks
• Description of accident site
• Condition of occupants
• Number of occupants
• Condition of the vehicle
• Presence of ambulance and any other relevant information
Expression
Coherence and relevance 2 ½ marks
Grammar and spelling 2 ½ marks
Option-1 10 Marks
5. Objectives : • to write a formal letter
• to articulate one’s views on a social issue.
Marking :
Format : writer’s address, receiver’s address, date, subject, salutation and complementary close.
2 Marks
Content : • increasing number of beggars at places of tourist interest 4 Marks
• effects - poor impression of country on foreign visitors
• spoil the beauty of the place
• lead to crimes and increase in number of criminals
• suggestions for removal of beggars e.g.
• providing homes and employments
• taking stem action against beggars found begging
• any other relevant idea
Fluency 2 Marks
Accuracy 2 Marks
Option–II
Objectives : • to write a formal letter using the appropriate style and format
• write a letter seeking information
Marking :
Format : Writer’s address, receiver’s address, date, subject,
salutation and complementary close. 2 Marks
Content : 4 Marks
• introducing oneself
• details of information required
• reasons for seeking information
• how is information to be sent and where
Fluency 2 Marks
Accuracy 2Marks
6. Article- Argumentative/ Imaginative

Format Title, writer’s name 1 mark
Title - Entrance tests at colleges
Content 4 marks
• Language acquisition till class XII does not test their true abilities.
• Language not taken seriously by students
• Board results do not reveal the true potential
• Entrance test try to bring out their true capabilities
• Only students serious about the course will take the test
• So, these tests should be conducted
• Entrance test a burden on students
• Board results are fairly good as a yardstick as they judge 14 years of language acquisition.
• Students under lot of stress after studying for the whole year in class XII
• Unfair to put so much of pressure- no entrance test.
Expression - Coherence, relevance 2 ½ marks
Spelling, grammatical accuracy 2 ½ marks
Option II
• Outdoor games make us physically active, agile and alert
• Playing and running around with friends makes us happy
• It is exciting when we play, fight, agree and disagree
• Lot of exchange of ideas and thoughts
• Increase in number of friends hence social circle is broadened
• More joyful than sitting alone on computers and chatting
7.(a) Objectives: To test the student’s comprehension of the poem, their ability to interpret,
evaluate and respond to the lines of the poem.
Option -1
Value points:
a. because of weakness and the nervousness at her inability to stand up for herself. 1
b. It suggests constraints & responsibilities of married life. 1
c. She wants to be bold, brave, confident, independent, free and fearless like the tigers but is unable to
muster her courage for taking an initiative in this regard. She fulfils her desire of freedom through the
medium of art. 2
Or
a. Map significs a limitless world of opportunities but it is far removed for the slum children1
b. These children are poor and deprived children - slum school, dismal, impoverished world, authorities -
apathetic unfair 2
c. future-break’fog’ uncertainty, no way out. 1
7(b)
1. Constraints of married life
• The dominance of women by their husbands
• The compulsion of their domestic life
• Responsibility towards family (any two) 2
2. It signifies hope to meet mother again and an effort to conceal the pain of separation from ageing
mother.
• Promise of visiting the mother again
• To leave a smiling face behind for her mother, (any two) 2
3. to be quiet and still physically but active spiritually
• to grow at our own place
• to be contented with what we have (any two points) 2
8. Objectives: To test the student’s ability for local comprehension of the prose texts.
Marking Scheme:
Content : 1 mark
Expression : 1 mark
Value Point
a. was late
• had not prepared his lesson on participles
b. the incident when Douglas was thrown into the deep end of the pool by a boy who was about eighteen
years old and experienced death.
c. Evans was an experienced thief
• Had broken the jail many times
• People saw this as his way/strategy to escape from prison
d. She was refusing to accept their decision
• They wanted to cut her long hair
• She felt insulted because of this.
e. When he wasn’t speaking it was as though he was away in a world which Sophie had never visited and
wanted eagerly to visit.
f. To complain about injustice of the landlord system in Bihar and seek his help in this regard.
g.Derry was a boy of fourteen
• Has a burn scar on his face which makes him feel low/inferior
• He is scared of looking at himself in the mirror as he thinks that he looks ugly and no one in this world
likes him.
9. Objectives : To test global comprehension of prose texts

Marking Scheme:
Content : 3 marks
Expression : 2 marks
Value Points:
• Bangle makers born in poverty, live in poverty, die in poverty.
• For generations people have been engaged in this trade.
• Work in inhuman conditions.
• Although they work hard but the profit is meagre.
• Their hovels have crumbing walls, wobbly doors and no windows.
• They are overcrowded with humans and animals.
• Social customs, traditions, stigma of caste and people in authority combine so that they remain poor and
uneducated
• Money lenders, middlemen, politicians and policemen are all against them. These people are unable to
break this vicious circle.
• Unable to organize themselves into a co-operative due to lack of a leader..
• They have lost the ability to dream as the mind numbing toil has taken away their ability to dream and
desire to take any initiative
• They can only talk but not act to improve their lot because to do anything new requires courage and
courage is not a part of their upbringing.
Or
-The wooden toy tiger the king got as a birthday present for his son carved by an unskilled carpenter.
- It had a rough surface with tiny slivers of wood standing up like quills all over it.
- One of those slivers pierced the Maharaja’s right hand ,his arm got infected.
-In four days, it developed into a suppurating sore ,spread all over the arm.
-The king died while being operated upon.
-The king’s death is ironical but not surprising.
-Having ‘killed’ the 100th tiger, the king is jubilant ,is now at ease for he thinks he cannot die of a tiger’s
attack.
-he orders the ‘dead’ tiger to be taken in a procession through the town and gets a tomb erected over it.
- he does not know that the 100th victim was not killed by him but by other hunters.
- That is indeed quite ironical.
-Death is lurking around him and the king is unaware of it.
-it is ironical that a king who has killed 100 tigers and sometimes even empty-handed, is bold and fearless,
is a man of indomitable courage ,he first fails in killing an old and weak tiger which stood infront of him in
humble supplication.
- ultimately dies of a mere ‘sliver’ of a tiny, wooden ,toy tiger.
-ironically death does come to him from a tiger.
10. Objectives : To be able to comprehend incidents and evaluate the values ingrained in them.
Marking Scheme:
Content : value point (3 marks)
Expression : 2 marks (1 + 1 accuracy and fluency)
Value Points
• The feeling of hatred for enemy country is created by the system/ government/armies
• People are made to hate each other
• It is considered to be patriotic/ nationalistic
• Personally knowing or not knowing has no meaning in such cases.
• These are people who rise above such petty thoughts. For a true human being Humanity is above national
loyalty. All are human beings first and loyal citizens later.
• Like doctor Sadao- for him saving the patient was most important
• As a doctor that was his first duty/ethics-the sick, injured needed attention and the
country to which the patient belonged did not matter to him.
11. Marking Scheme:
Content : 5 marks
12. Marking Scheme:
Content : 4 marks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENGLISH CORE
CODE NO. : 301
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – II
Max. Marks Duration: 3 hrs.
1. Read the following passage and answer the given questions : 12 marks
1. MARIA AURORA COUTO’s Goa: A Daughter’s Story is an extraordinary narrative that weaves
together autobiography and collective history, bringing to light a rich social and cultural tapestry little
known outside its locus. Couto takes, as her demanding subject, the complex story of the Goan identity as a
product of the colonial encounter between the Indic and Iberian cultures, launched by this circumstance on
a trajectory distinct from his neighbours in British ruled India. Goa and its people have long had to suffer
the foolish stereotypes imposed upon them by Hindi cinema, charter tourism, and fanatical Indianisers: the
pernicious myths of the easy - going Goan drunkard, Goa as a kingdom of sun and sand, Goan culture as a
European aberration in an Indian environment, are all dispelled by Couto’s treatment, which is
distinguished by an elegance and sensitivity, a felicity of touch that masks the labour of archival research
and fieldwork.
2. Couto’s inquiry leads her into the records of the Portuguese colonial administration, the
reminiscences of the fast-vanishing generation of mandarins, scholars and activists who grew
up in colonial Goa. She re-creates vividly for us the lives of thinkers inspired by the drama that was the
European Enlightenment. She imparts a flesh-and-blood reality to the generic bugaboo of “conversion”,
attesting to the strategic, yet traumatic, choices made by communities faced with the Hobsonian
inquisitor’s choice between preservation of religious identity and loss of social and economic prestige.
3. The title of Couto’s book holds its key gesture; the author speaks as the inheritor of various
legacies, heirloom dilemmas, family tragedies, and sources of hope and regeneration. It is both a meditation
on the persistence and lacunae of collective memory, and also a compelling account of the development of
a private self through the momentous passage from colonialism to the post-colonial period. As her father’s
daughter, Couto paints a moving portrait of her father, a man devoted to the refinement of sensibility, but at
odds with conventional society; she memorializes the graceful, vanished milieu of cultivated intellectuals
and gifted artists in Goa and Dharwar, where she grew up during the 1950s. As the daughter of a particular
community, whose way of life was forever altered by the arrival ofthe Portuguese in 1510 A.D., Couto
reflects on the Saraswat Brahmins of Goa, descendants of Kashmiri scholar-priests who became influential
landowners and mandarins, and were locked into a complicated sequence of negotiations with the
Portuguese colonialists.
4. By contrast to the simple-minded tale of ruthless conquistadors thrusting sword and cross upon hapless
locals, Couto unfolds an intricate fabric of social and religious transactions,
demonstrating how concessions alternated with impositions, force was succeeded by relative
tolerance; and if conversion to Catholicism was used as a basis to divide Hindu families by the colonial
administration, through differentials of property transfer, those who remained
unconverted and marginalized staged a comeback through the espousal of trade. One lasting
result of this uneven rhythm of upheaval and tranquility was that, between the 16th and 18th
Centuries, one section of Goa’s elite converted to the Catholic faith, while others crossed the
river into North and South Kanara, or sailed to Kerala, or migrated to the Maratha territories, to preserve
their religious freedom in exile.
5. Sharing Couto’s ethnic background as I do (her ancestors remained behind and were baptized; my
ancestors crossed the river with their gods), I am amazed at the honesty and courage with which she has
chosen to address the theme of conversion, in a public sphere dominated by the forces of aggressive
majoritarianism. Living at the cusp of cultural narratives, couto investigates the processes of self-definition
and self-renewal, in response to the historical crises of migration, invasion, conversion and flight. With her,
we trace the gradual assimilation of the majority into the Portuguese language and European world-view; a
slower entry, shadowed by insecurity, into that world; the changing positions of the Portuguese as the
notion of divinely sanctioned kingship yielded before a humanist conception of the body politic. And so we
come to an appreciation of the distinctive character of Goan culture, in which the major divides are also the
most enduring bridges.
1.1 On the basis of your understanding answer the following. 9 Marks
1. Why is “Goa : A Daughter’s Story” called an extraordinary narrative? 1 Mark
2. What are the usual impressions one has of Goa? 2 Marks
3. Mention two aspects of Goa that Couto tries to reveal to us? 2 Marks
4. How did Goa’s elite save themselves from being converted to 2 Marks
Christianity?
5. Explain the statement “Living at the cusp of cultural narratives” 2 Mark
1.2 Find words that are similar in meaning to the following: 3 Marks
1. regard as an example of a fixed type (para 1)
2. recollection of the past (para 2)
3. forced upon (para 4)
2. Read the following passage:
STRESS is arguably the greatest killer in the world today. Stress per se does not kill but it leads to several
other medical conditions that are killers such as diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, and ulcers. It is
important to understand that stress does not occur overnight. It builds up over a period of time. Second,
stress knows no gender bias. It affects both men and women. Third, stress has begun to strike early.
Youngsters and school students also fall prey early and this affects them for a very long time. Fourth, stress
also has no industry bias. Last stress has begun to take its toll even in areas like sports earlier considered
stress busters.
Stress is a mental condition, not one of the body. From a behavioural disease in the past, it has now become
pathological since it causes stress changes in the normal physiology of the body.
Regardless of how stress is viewed in other systems of medicine, acupuncture tends to classify stress in
three ways. First are what can be called over-anticipators - perfectionists and workaholics. These are
inveterate chasers of work and when they do not have anything to do, they start worrying. The second
category is hyperactive people, either children or adults. The third can be called the “doubting Thomases”.
They are among the high-risk category of the stress-prone people.
All systems of medicine say the thinking, memory and ‘mind’ are seated in the brain. But in acupuncture,
the mind is situated in the Heart Meridian. The heart houses the mind. So anything concerned with
behavioural problems, that too in a stressed stage,will see the Heart Meridian being hyperactive, which
naturally leads to a stressed state in the brain. For, such people, either adults or children, the Heart
Meridian is stimulated for 15 days (30 minutes a day). After a gap of two to eight days, the procedure has
to be repeated. After about 90 days, the patient generally becomes normal.
Over-anticipators remain mentally active during nights leading to insomnia. Stimulation of their
Pericardium Meridian along their Heart Meridian eases their mind and they get a good night’s sleep after
60 sittings. Sometimes over anxiety leads to nightmares and dreams. Disturbance in the Liver
Meridian may cause this. This problem is also solved by a 60-day session.
Acupuncture says that when the Gall Bladder Meridian is not working properly, the person will become
indecisive. The more they are indecisive, the more confused they become and they go into a state of
unidentified stress. For such patients, the Gall Bladder Meridian will be stimulated for 15 days and after a
gap of 2-8 days, the procedure will be repeated. A total of 60 days treatment will be required.
Most medical systems work at how to “manage” stress. Consequently it is kept at minimal levels without it
being eliminated. However, in Acupuncture, because of superior aetiology, causes for the conditions are
known. Thus, for these vulnerable groups, Acupuncture is a pure definitive and time bound system.
Source: The Hindu
2.1 Make notes on the main points using recognizable abbreviations. Suggest a suitable title.
5 Marks
2.2 Make a summary of the above passage using the notes in not more than 80 words.
3 Marks
SECTION-B (ADVANCED WRITING SKILLS) (35 Marks)
3. You are Anil/Anita, the school captain of Orchids International School. You wish to call a meeting of
the Students' Council to discuss the measures to be taken to check the explosion of crackers in the school
premises during Diwali time. Draft the Notice in not more than 50 words.
5 Marks
OR
You are Ankit/Aditi School Captain of Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya. You have decided to celebrate "The
Grand Parents Day" in school. Draft a formal invitation to be sent to the grandparents of students of your
school giving details of the programme, day date and time etc. (50 words)
5 Marks
4. You attended a seminar conducted by Swami Krishnanada. The seminar was on the benefits of Yoga for
heart ailments and the need to practise it for good health. Write a
report about it for your newspaper. (100–125 words) 10 Marks
OR
You have been going for morning walks in a nearby park. A number of people of all
ages come to the park for jogging, meditation, yoga and morning walks. Describe the
scene of the park in about 100-125 words. 10 Marks
5. Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily on the mushrooming of various coaching centres and how
extra tuitions have become a common feature in a student's life. You are Vineet/Veena.
10 marks
OR
During summer months after your exams are over, you want to utilize your time by working for the
summer in a leading chain of restaurants. You are Sanjay/Geeta. Write an application for the post of a
supervisor giving your complete bio-data to the HR Manager Subways, GK Part II, New Delhi.
10 marks
6. Tourism as an industry is flourishing at the global level yet in our homes we do not have time to
entertain our guests with warmth and true hospitality. Guests are no longer the goods as they were thought
to be in earlier times. Write an article, discussing the present day preoccupations of the people with
themselves (for your school magazine) (150-200 words). 10 Marks
OR
Children usually come to school without taking breakfast in the morning. This habit
affects adversely the performance of students in academics and sports. Write a speech
in about 150–200 words to be given in your school assembly giving the benefits of
taking breakfast. 10 marks
SECTION-C (TEXTBOOKS) (45 Marks)

7 a. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow: (4 Marks)
1. “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 realized with pain
That she thought away.”
a) Where was the poet coming from? Where was she going? (1)
b) How does the poet describe her mother? (2)
c) Who does ‘she’ refer to in the last line? What thoughts had she driven away? (1)
OR
“. “Unless, governor, inspector, visitor,
This map becomes their window and these windows
That shut upon their lives like catacombs.”
(a) Why does the poet invoke ‘governor, ‘inspector’ and ‘visitor’? (1)
(b) What does ‘this map’ refer to? How can it become ‘their window’? (2)
(c) Which literary device has been used? Explain.(1)
7.b. Answer any two of the following questions. (2*2=4)
1-‘History is theirs whose language is the sun’. Explain.
2-Why do men become sad? How can this sadness be overcome?
3-What is the ‘familiar ache’?
Q-8- Answer any six of the following briefly in just 30-40 words each. (6 x 2 = 12)
a)-Why did Gandhiji agree to the British Landlords’ offer of just 25% refund of the compensation to the
farmers of Champaran ?
b)-Why did Charley say that Grand Central Station is growing like a tree in the story ‘The Third Level’?
c)-Did Jo approve of the mother’s action? What did she want the story to be like and why?
d)-What does Derry know about the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’? Why is he not convinced by its
moral?
e)-Compare and contrast the characters of Sophie and Jansie.
f)-Why did the Peddler not reveal his true identity when the ironmaster mistakes him to be the Captain?
g)-What strategy did he remember as he went down the water?
Q-9- Answer any one of the following questions. (5 Marks)
1.- Sophie has no touch with reality; Janise’s feet are, however, firmly planted on the ground. Discuss.
OR
2.-Had Bama not been guided properly by her elder brother regarding untouchability, she would have
grown up into a complex-torn woman. Do you agree? Justify.
Q-10- Answer the following question in 100-125 words. (5 Marks)
- The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense of
alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind of behaviour that the person expects from
others?
Q-11- Describe the character sketch of Mrs. Hall. (8 marks)
Q-12- Describe the ‘Climax’ of the novel “The Invisible Man”. (7 Marks)
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ENGLISH CORE
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – II
Marking Scheme
1. Objectives (Goa)
• to read and comprehend the given text
• to understand the writers attitude and bias
• to infer
• to differentiate between claims and realities.
Answers
1.1. She has been able to link up autobiography and the collective history of Goa. 1 Mark
1.2. • easy going Goan drunkard
• sun and sand kingdom
• Goan culture seen as Europian India (Any 2) 2 Marks
1.3. • lives of thinkers in Goa
• the pictures of conversion' 2 Marks
1.4. • they fought the conversion'
• they went away to Kerala 2 Marks
1.5. Two cultures Indian and European. 2 Marks
2. 3 Marks
(1) stereotypes
(2) reminiscences
(3) imposition
2. Objectives (Stress)
• to make notes from various resources
• to develop the extracted ideas into sustained pieces of writing.
Answers
Title: Free of Stress/ Acupuncture and Stress
(any other suitable title)
I. Medical conditions - result of stress
(a) diabetes
(b) B.P.
(c) heart problems
(d) ulcers
II. Facts about Stress
(a) builds over time
(b) no gender bias
(c) strikes early
(d) no part. prof.
(e) sports persons also
(f) mental condition affecting pathological and physiology changes
III. Stress as classified by Acupuncture
(a) over anticipators
(i) perfectionists
(ii) workaholics
(b) hyperactive
(c) doubting Thomases - high risk category
IV. Acupuncture beliefs

(a) mind in the heart meridian
(i) needs stimulation
(b) overanticipatois .
(i) stimulate pericardium prevents insomnia
(ii) 60 sittings
(c) gall bladder meridian
(i) makes patient indecisive
(ii) stimulation for 15 days.
Key to Abbreviations used

B.P. – Blood Pressure
Path. – Pathalogical
BIds. – builds
Phys. – Physical - physiological
Part. – Particular
Prof. – Profession
Marking: Title : 1 Mark

Abbreviations / symbols (only four) : 1 Mark
Content (minimum 3 sub-headings proper indentation) 3 Marks
2.2 Summary: The notes made may be used to write summary
Content: 2 marks
Expression: 1 mark
3. Notice
Format – Title, Date, Signature with designation 1 Mark
Content – (a) What ?
(b) When?
(c) Where?
(d) Why?
(c) For whom and by whom the meeting is being held?
(d) Agenda 2 Marks
(Word limit – 50)
Expression – coherence, relevance 1 Mark
spellings, grammatical accuracy 1 Mark
Title : The Grand Parents Day 1 Mark

Content : • issue invitation (to whom and by whom) 3 marks
• day, date, time
• venue
• programme
• special invites
Expression: coherence, relevance, spellings, grammatical accuracy 1 mark
4. Report
Format – Title, writer's name (place and date optional) 1 Mark
Content – • seminar
• where
• when
• duration
• organized by whom
• benefits for heart problems
• why we need to practise it 4 Marks
Expression – coherence, relevance, spellings, grammatical accuracy 2½ +2½ Marks
OR
Factual Description
Value Points :
Content – • park - its situation, morning scene, cool breeze, greenery etc. 5 Marks variety &
no. of people.
• various activities in the park
• over all impact of morning walk
Expression – coherence, relevance, spellings, grammatical accuracy 5 Marks
5. Formal Letter
Format – Writer's address, receiver's address, date, salutation, subject, complimentary close.
2 Marks
Content – • increasing number of coaching centers 4 Marks
• tuitions-a status symbol now
• students compelled to join tuition groups
• parental and peer pressure
• no time for relaxation
• any other relevant point e.g. money involved Expression –
Spellings and grammatical accuracy 2Marks
_ Coherence and relevance 2 Marks
OR
Job Application
Format – Writer's address, receiver's address, date, subject salutation and complimentary close
2 Marks
Content – • Covering Letter 4 Marks
• Reference to advertisement
• brief profile of self
• submission of application
• Resume/bio-data separately as enclosure
Expression – Spellings, grammatical accuracy 2 Marks
Coherence and relevance 2 Marks
Total : 10 Marks
6. Article
Format – Title, writer's name 1 Mark
Content – • attitude towards guests in earlier times 4 Marks
• present day scenario - fast paced, nuclear families, busy
schedules and hence practically no time for guests...
• growing self-centeredness
• Tourism - growing industry; economic gains
• Contrast in the two attitudes.
• any other relevant idea
Expression – Coherence, relevance 2½ Marks
spellings, grammatical, accuracy 2½ Marks
OR
Speech
Style/Format – Address and name of the speaker at the end or beginning 1 Mark
Content – (1) • Description of students who do not have breakfast in the morning. 4 Marks
• fall down on ground in assembly
• can't stand for a long time
• feel tired after playing or mass physical exercise.
• sleepy and drowsy during morning hours
• cannot concentrate on studies.
(2) Compare with students who have breakfast
• Active throughout
• more energetic
• can concentrate more etc. Expression – spellings,
grammatical accuracy 2½ Marks
– coherence, relevance 2½ Marks
7.A-a)-The poet had gone to her parents’ home to visit them. ½
-She was now going to Cochin airport. ½
b)-The poet describes her mother as old, pale, cold and senile. 1
-As she dozed off beside her, the mother looked almost like a corpse, for her face was colourless and
seemed to have lost the fervour of life. 1
c)- ‘She’ here refers to the poet. ½
-The thought of her mother’s approaching death which she wanted to put it away. ½
OR
a)- because they are the powerful people who can bring about a drastic change in the miserable lives of
the slum children. 1 Mark
-They can remove the social injustice and class inequalities.
b)-This map refers to the beautiful world of the rich. 2 Marks
-Their window refers to holes and the stinking slums of the unfortunate children of the slum.
-when the difference between the two is abridged.
c)-Simile has been used to describe the oppressive effect of the surroundings on their pathetic lives.
-The simile is: ‘these windows that shut upon their lives like catacombs.’ 1 Mark
7.b.1) -those who have the power and confidence in speech to influence others create history.
- Education only can give them power and strength like the sun to bring about a change in the lives of
the people.
2)-Men fail to understand themselves.
- always threatening themselves with death.
- do not understand themselves and become sad.
-A long silence might interrupt this sadness and make them good.
3)-The fear of losing her mother has tortured since her childhood .
-she had been intimately bound up with her.
- this ache is familiar to her; it is known to her.
Q-8-)
a)- Gandhiji explained that the amount of refund was less important than the fact that landlords were
obliged to surrender part of the money and with it part of their prestige.
b)- because he got lost there many times; he was always discovering new corridors ;pushing out new
tunnels; new doorways like roots of a huge tree.
c)- Jo did not approve of the mother’s action;
-she believed that to give back the skunk his smell, the Wizard should have hit the mother back.
- she believed the mother was silly and overbearing
d)-Derry had heard the tale that Beauty liked the monstrous Beast; when she kissed he turned into a
handsome prince.
- moral is how you look outside is not that important as how you look inside.
-Derry was not convinced as even if someone kissed he would never change and his mother always kissed
him only on the other cheek and that too out of compulsion.
- As a mother, she was supposed to love & kiss his son.
e)-Sophie was a dreamer.
-She carries her fantasies too far when she started living in them and moved away from the harsh reality.
- her friend Jansie was practical and down-to-earth.
- She firmly anchored her friend Sophie to reality whenever she spoke of her dreams.
f)-The Peddler thought that the ironmaster might take pity on him , give him some money believing that he
was an old acquaintance.
g)-To hit the bottom and spring/jump upwards
- bob to the surface like a cork and
–come out.
Q-9 Marking scheme-
Content-3 Marks
Expression-2 Marks
Value Points:
Both school going girls and intimate friends – both belong to lower middle class family – but
different from each other. Different approach to life - one a romantic, habitual dreamer and an
escapist. Sophie dreams of things beyond her reach, Sophie was an example of Fanatising and
Hero-worship.
– Jansie has a practical approach to life - discourages her friend’s wild dreams – nosey.
-lives in the reality and accepts it without any objection.
OR
Value points:
Annan an understanding and considerate elder brother – guides her properly – explains the social stigma of
untouchability – told that the elder carrying Vadai not comical but pathetic – victim of social prejudice –
Bama angry and provoked – Frustration might have lead to open revolt – Timely advice of Annan guides
her in right direction – He believed that people of their community should study and outshine others to earn
respect in the society. Bama follows his timely advice and grows up to be a balanced and well respected
individual of the society.
Q-10- Marking scheme
Content- 3 Marks
Expression- 2 Marks
Suggested Answer / Value Points-
Actual pain or inconvenience caused by physical impairment is often less than the sense of alienation felt
by the person with disabilities
– Physical disabilities cause pain once in life time
– But after this physical disability – a chain for other actions is set – causes mental agony –
-called Lamey lamb, mothers were afraid of sending their children because of his tin leg.
-Derry -burnt face –everyone pities him-only a mother could love that face
-Both Mr. Lamb and Derry have been the victims of verbal atrocities –
-Mr. Lamb takes comments lightly – Had a positive approach towards life.
-But Derry does not have Mr. Lamb’s attitude –
-Attitude of the people needs to be changed
- Physically impaired people do not want sympathy but acceptance in the form they are
-Wounds get healed –but bitter comments are never forgotten- leaves scars at the heart.
- People should have an all-inclusive approach towards life. They should treat each person creation alike as
all are creation of same god. Weed and a green flower plant are equally important as the creation of god.
11. Marking Scheme:
Content : 5 marks
12. Marking Scheme:
Content : 4 marks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENGLISH CORE
CODE NO. : 301
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – III

1. Read the passage given below and then answer the questions which follow : 12 Marks
1. From the moment a baby first opens its eyes, it is learning. Sight and sensation spark of a learning
process which will determine in large measure the sort of person it will become language stands head and
shoulders over all other tools as an instrument of learning. It is language that gives man his lead in
intelligence over all other creatures. No other creature can assemble a list of ideas, consider them, draw
conclusions and then explain his reasoning. Man can do all this because he possesses language. And if
thought depends on language, clearly the quality of an individual's thought will depend on that person's
language-rudimentary or sophisticated, precise or approximate, stereotyped or original.
2. Very young babies are soothed by human voice uttering comforting words close to them. This essentially
emotional response provides early evidence that feeling is an important component of language learning.
Children learn to use language in interaction with other human beings and this learning proceeds best
against a background of affectionate feedback from the person who is closest to them. This is seen to
perfection in the interaction between parent and baby : eyeslocked together, the adult almost physically
drawing 'verbal' response from the baby, both engulfed by that unique experience of intimate and joyful
'connecting' which sets the pattern of relationships between two people.
3. Thus, long before they can speak, children are involved in a two-way process of communication which is
steadily building a foundation on which their later use of language will be based. Constantly surrounded by
language, they are unconsciously building structures in their minds into which their speech and reading will
later fit-grammatical constructions, tense sequences and so on. The forms of these structures will depend on
the amount and complexity of speech they hear. The fortunate children are those who listen to articulate
adults expressing ideas and defending opinions. They will know, long before they can contribute
themselves that relationships are forged through this process of speaking and listening; that warmth and
humour have a place in the process, as have all other human emotions.
4. Using books is the most important means of ensuring a child's adequate language development. None of
us can endlessly initiate and maintain speech with very small children; we run out of ideas or just get plain
sick of it. Their lives are limited and the experience just isn't there to provide the raw material for constant
verbal interaction, without inevitable boredom on the child's part and desperation on the adult's...
5. Parents and children who share books share the same frame of reference. Incidents in every day life
constantly remind one or the other of a situation, a character, an action, from a jointly enjoyed book, with
all the generation of warmth and well being that is attendant upon such sharing. All too often, there is a
breakdown of communication between parents and children when the problems of adolescence arise. In
most cases this is most acute when the give-and- take of shared opinion and ideas has not been constantly
practised throughout childhood. Books can play a major part in the establishment of this verbal give-and-
take, because they are rooted in language.
6. Young children's understanding greatly outruns their capacity for expression as their speech strains to
encompass their awareness, to represent reality as they see it. Shades of meaning which may be quite
unavailable to the child of limited verbal experience are startlingly talked to toddler. All the wonderful
modifying words-later, nearly, tomorrow, almost, wait, half, lend, begin to steer the child away from the
simple extremes of "Yes" and "No" towards the adult word of compromise; from the child's black and
white world to the subtle shades and tints of the real world. The range of imaginative experience opened up
by books expands the inevitably limited horizons of children's surroundings and allowed them to make
joyful, intrigued, awestruck acquaintance with countless people, animals, objects and ideas in their first
years of life, to their incalculable advantage.
7. Books also help children to see things from other points of view besides their own as they unconsciously
put themselves into other people's places- 'if that could happen to him, it could happen to me.' This
imaginative self-awareness brings apprehensions and fears as well as heightened hopes and joys.
8. In books children can experience language which is subtle, resourceful, exhilarating and harmonious;
languages which provides the human ear (and understanding) with a pointed and precise pleasure, the
searing illuminating impact of good and true words.
(Adapted from Babies Need Books by Dorothy Butler)
Q.1- On the basis of your reading of the above passage answer the following questions. 9 (1) List three
things that a baby can do from the moment that it is born that enable it to learn about the world around it.
1 mark
(2) How does the range of language affect a person's thinking? 1 Mark
(3) What advantages do children who listen to articulate adults enjoy in comparison with the others ?
2 marks
(4) Why according to the writer is talking alone an inadequate base for language development?
1 mark
(5) What is the role of books in maintaining good relationships? Explain. 2 Marks
(6) Pick out two other advantages of books mentioned in the passage. 2 Marks
(7) Find words from the passage that mean : 3 Marks
(a) Pronounce distinctly (para 3)
(b) accompany (para 5)
(c) give and take (para 6)
2. Read the passage given below : 8 marks
In the democratic countries, intelligence is still free to ask whatever questions 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, the men and women of the next generation who will otherwise be at the mercy of
that skilful 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 dictators conceal their ideological pills. An individual who
relies on external stimulations 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-in, purposeless listening to radios, purposeless looking at films have become addictions,
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 a newspaper, radio, music or moving pictures. Like the addict to a drug, they have to indulge
their vice, not because the indulgence gives them any real pleasure, but because, unless they indulge, they
feel painfully 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 that fact
that the majority of civilized men and women are now incapable of living on their own spiritual resources,
but have become abjectly dependent on incessant stimulation from without.
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, by playing musical instruments, by purposeful study, by scientific
observation, 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 bad money that drives out the good. Most people tend to
perform the actions that require least efforts to think the thoughts that are easiest to feel. 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. Their critical analysis and constructive criticism should reach out to the
children and the youth with such a clarity that they learn to react to forceful suggestions the right way at the
right time.
(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. 5 Marks
(b) Write a summary of the above passage in 80 words, using the notes made. 3 marks
and also suggest a suitable title.
Section B : Advanced Writing Skills Max. Marks : 35

3. You are the Secretary of your school’s sports club. You are planning to start ‘Joggers' club’ for your
school students during summer vacation. Draft a notice for the school display board inviting students to
join the club. Give all relevant details. You may mention any offers for early birds. (word limit 50)
5 Marks
OR
You are Ajay Chandran, the Secretary of your school “Painting Club”. You have received an invitation
from the nearby Kendriya Vidyalaya to participate in the activities of the Painting Club during autumn
break. Write a reply declining the offer and giving a valid reason. (word limit 50)
5 Marks
4. The Debating Society of your school has recently held a workshop on ‘Continuous and Comprehensive
Evaluation’ (CCE) introduced for the students for class X in all schools. The students discussed the
assessment made by the school on the basis of their participation in various activities and the system of
grading. Write a report in 100 – 125 words for your school magazine. You are Parveen / Payal , Secretary
of the Society.
OR
You are Roshan /Roshini, Secretary of Cultural club, Hyderabad Public School, Hyderabad. As a member
of N.G.C. (National Green Corps), write a report, in 100 – 125 words for your school magazine.
(10 marks)
5. You are Pooja Sharma, a citizen of Delhi. You feel deeply concerned about the growing apathy of people
towards eve-teasing in local buses. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing your deep concern
about the problem and suggest ways in which women can all ensure their own, safety. (word limit 125-150)
(10 Marks)
OR
You are Malvika the head girl of your school. On the occasion of farewell function to Class XII your class
has decided to give a gift of Children’s Encyclopedia for the school library. Write a letter to Messrs.
Galgotia & Sons, Connaught Place, New Delhi, placing an order for the same mentioning the discount.
(word limit 125 150) (10 Marks)
6. The use of computers is becoming very popular in every sphere of life in India. On the basis of reading
the news item given below, write a speech in about 200 words emphasizing the advantages of using
computers in everyday life. (10 marks)
Computer sales in Asia rise 16% in QI : Computer sales in Asia, including India,
rose 16% to 7.4 million units in the March quarter compared with the previous year.
Sales were slightly higher than expected, including in the key markets of Australia
and India, IDC said. Compared with the previous quarter, however, sales dipped 5%
due to seasonal trends. “The Asia Pacific region’s PC market got off to a solid start
in 2004”, said IDC analyst Bryan Ma.
OR
The following newspaper headlines relate to an earthquake in your city. Read these
headlines and write an article for your school magazine suggesting ways to manage the
disaster. (about 200 words) 10 Marks
4000 feared dead in the earthquake

multi-storeyed buildings collapse
Builders mafia violate certification
NGOs come to rescue .Disaster management techniques help
children escape the calamity.
7 A. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow: (4 Marks)
. “ but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon”
a) Where was the poet standing? (1)
b) Who does ‘her’ here to? How did she look like? (1)
c) Explain: ’wan, pale as a late winter’s moon’. (2)
OR
“Fishermen in the cold sea
Would not harm whales
And the m an gathering salt
Would look at his hurt hands.”
a) What is ‘fisherman’ symbolic of? (1)
b) What has happened to the man gathering salt? What must he do? (2)
c) What image does the poet create in the last line? (1)
7.b. Answer any two of the following questions. ( 2*2=4)
a)- What makes human beings love life in spite of all the suffering?
b)-What do the tigers made by the Aunt symbolize?
c)- Why did the poet start ’looking out’? What does her gesture suggest?
Q-8. Answer any six of the following questions. (2*6=12)
a)-Why did Gandhiji feel that it was useless for the peasants to go to law courts?
b)- Why was the YMCA pool considered safer when compared to the Yakima River?
c)-“Saheb is no longer his own master”, says the writer. What does she mean?
d)-Franz didn’t learn French whom did M. Hamel blame?
e)- What was the miracle that took place in the royal palace?
f)-‘‘But Sadao searching the spot of black in the twilight sea that night, had his reward’’. What was the
reward?
g)-Who is Jo? How has she changed in the past two years? How did Jo behave in ‘reality phase’?
Q-9- Answer any one of the following questions. (5 Marks)
When did the Tiger King stand in danger of losing his kingdom? How was he able to avert the danger?
OR
How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the Governor?
Q-10- Answer the following question in 100-125 words. (5 Marks)
- “All we have to fear is fear itself” What greater philosophy is depicted in “Deep Water”?
Q.11. Describe the way the strange visitor was dressed in the novel ‘The Invisible Man’, (8 Marks)
Q.12. Narrate the episode of Mr. Thomas Marvel’s first meeting with the invisible man.(7 Marks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ENGLISH CORE
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – III
Marking Scheme
Answer Key
1. (1) Sight, sound and sensation 1 Mark
(All three to be included)
(2) • helps assemble a list of ideas
• consider these ideas
• draw conclusions based on these ideas
• explain his reasoning ½+½ Marks (Any two)
(3) • learn to use lang. for interaction with other human beings
• lang. becomes a unique experience of joy
• helps build relationship with other people 2 Marks (Any two)
(4) Talking alone is inadequate because
• child is not always exposed to a complexity of speech if the adult is not articulate. 1 Mark
(5) Parents and children who share books
• share situations 2 marks
• share characters
• share action
This fosters a good relationship that will grow into adolescence.
(6) • Children are exposed to a range of vocabulary 2 marks
• imaginative experience expanded
• see/things from other points of view
• creates self awareness.
(Any two advantages)
(7) (a) Pronounce distinctly (para 3) articulate
(b) accompanies (para 5) – attendant
(c) give and take (para 6) - compromise 3 Marks
2. (a) Note-making
Title – Developing Resistance to Suggestion 1 Mark
1. Resistance to suggestion can be built upon in two ways
(a) Childr. rely on themselves
(b) Not on external stimulatn.
(c) Ext. stimulatn.
(i) bad for character
(ii) propagandists use it
(iii) distators use it
(iv) gets addictive
(v) dep. on spiritual help
2. How sh. childr. be taught to rely on themselves.
(a) self entertainment
(b) musical instruments
(c) scientific observation.
3. Ed. not to take the line of least defence
(a) critically analyses
(b) react to suggestions right way-right time 3 Marks+1 Mark for abbreviations
Key to Abbreviations used

Childr. – children
Stimulatn. – stimulation
Dep. – depends
Sh. – should
Ed. – education
(b) Summary
The summary should include all the important points given in the notes. Marks to be awarded
with the following considerations in view. 3 Marks
Content 2 Marks
Expression 1 Mark
Marks for the title be awarded either in the notes or the summary. 2 + 1 = 3 Marks
3. Option–l
Objective : To use an appropriate style to draft a notice.
Marking : 2 marks for content. ½ for each point and credit should be given for ideas coherently and
clearly.
The following four points carry ½ mark each:
• title (what)
• venue, time, date (when)
• participation (who)
• salient features (How)
Format : 1 Mark.
Fluency : 1 Mark
Accuracy : 1 Mark
OR
Option–2
Objective : To use an appropriate style to express inability / decline an invitation.
Marking : 2 marks for content ½ for each point and 3 marks for expression.
The following four points carry ½ marks each:
• Acknowledging and thanking for the invitation
• inability to accept offer with regrets
• reason for the same
• wishing them success 2 + 3 = 5 Marks
4-REPORT WRITING
Format
title, reporter’s name [1 mark
Content [4 marks
Expression [5 marks
Grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling [2 ½
Coherence and relevance of ideas and style [2 ½
Suggested value points
-( A WORKSHOP ON CCE)
(or any other relevant title)
---what
---where
---when
--- Main speakers at the meeting
--- explanation of CCE ; reason for its implementation; expected success ,Students’ views and putting up
of queries. Questions asked by the media; replies
OR
( --- TOWARDS A GREENER ENVIRONMENT)
(or any other relevant title)

---what
---where
---when
--- Why
---Main speakers
--- activities organised, seminars
--- reason expected success ,Students’ views.
5. Option–l
Objective : To use an appropriate style to write a formal letter. To plan, organize and present
ideas coherently.
Marking : 2 marks for format.
(format clues the following points : Sender’s address, Addressee’s address, date,
subject, salutation, subscription and complimentary close)
-4 marks for the body / content of the letter and
4 marks for expression (2 for fluency and 2 marks for accuracy)
Content may include the following value points
• introduction/elaboration of the problem of eve-teasing in local buses
• expression of concern
• suggestions to women for their own safety
-try in judo-:karate / self defence
-carrying chilli powder
-shouting for help
-not to move alone as far as possible in lonely lanes and streets etc.
Total : 2+4+4 = 10 Marks
OR
Option–2
Format- 2 Marks
• statement of order in clear words giving name, number, edition and publication
• terms and condition of delivery of encyclopedia
Total : 2+4+4 = 10 Marks
6. Option–l
Objective : To write in a style appropriate to the given situation. To plan, organize and present ideas
coherently.
Marking : 1 mark for format (introduction of speech and appropriate ending)
4 marks for content and 5 for expression (2½ for fluency and 2½ for accuracy)
1 mark each for the following value points:
• by use of computer - updated data
• the fastest means of communication
• knowledge/information accessed easily
• various applications available for different things
OR
Option–2 : One mark for the format + title and name of the writer.
4 marks for the Content/value points.
• consequences of the earthquake - extent of disaster
• certification by the MCD / local body on the safety of the buildings
• training people in safety measures / disaster management techniques
• empowerment of NGOs
Expression- 5 Marks
7.A-a)-The poet was at the Cochin airport ½
-waiting to board the plane after the security check. ½
b)-’Her’ here refers to the poet’s mother. ½
-She was an aged lady and hence looked pale, cold like a corpse and colourless. ½
c)-In this simile, the poet compares the mother’s pale and withered face with the winter’s moon.
2
- The moon seems to lose its brightness in the winter season as it is veiled behind fog and mist. The
mother’s face also seemed to have lost its radiance which was now misted by age.
-Winter symbolizes death and the waning moon symbolizes decay. (any two)
OR
a)-The fisherman symbolizes man’s indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested interests. 1
b)-The man gathering salt has injured his hands. 2
-must look at hurt hands and realise the pain of violence caused to self.
c)-He creates the image of incessant suffering. 1
- In his effort to add comforts to his life he has paid no heed to the pain caused to him.
7.b.
a)- beautiful things on earth lifts the pall off our spirits and make life worth living.
- Each beautiful thing is like a link that forms a chain or wreath that binds us to this earth.
-Things of beauty instills a desire to live and enjoy beauty on the earth.
b)- They symbolize the spirit of courage, strength and fearlessness and freedom.
- Aunt Jennifer, a victim of male oppression, expresses her crushed feelings in the form of art.
- the tigers are symbolic of the fear of male domination with which Aunt Jennifer suffers.
c)-The poet started looking out of the window because she wanted to drive away the pain and agony she
experienced on seeing her aged mother.
- She wanted to drive away her helplessness in the wake of her mother’s ageing and approaching death.
8.A.
a)-The peasants are crushed and fear stricken.
-The lawyers charged high fee.
- The real remedy for their problem was to make them fearless and self-reliant as the law courts were also
in favour of the British.
b)-Yakima River was very deep, treacherous and there were many cases of drowning.
- YMCA pool was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end and nine feet at the deep end.
-So it was safer.
c)- having accepted the job at the tea-stall, Saheb has lost the independence that he enjoyed as a rag picker,
even though he was poor.
-Although he will now be able to supplement the family income, it will be at the cost of his freedom, which
is difficult, binding and unfair for someone so young.
-Earlier, he used to do the work as per his wish but now he will have to carry out the orders of the tea-stall
owner.
d)-M. Hamel didn’t blame only Franz for not learning and for being more interested in seeking the bird’s
eggs and sliding on the saar. He blamed the following also-
- parents who were more anxious for making their children work on a farm or at the mill to earn money.
- Himself, for sending the children to water the flowers and giving them a holiday whenever he wanted to
go fishing.
e)-When the Maharaja was a 10 day old infant, he spoke and asked intelligent questions about his death.
- After knowing that he would be killed by a tiger he uttered “Let tigers beware.”
f)-The “reward” was the escape of the enemy.
- Dr. Sadao searched the spot of black in the twilight sea that night to see if the man was still there but there
was no light. Obviously the man had gone.
-The person whom he saved was safe and he felt that the efforts made by him were successful.
g)-Jo was Jack’s 4 years old daughter.
-She was no more a patient listener.
- She did not take things for granted and tried to see things in her own way.
-She started demanding justification and clarifications for the things told.
- She started questioning. (any two)
Q-9
Distribution of marks
Content : { 3 marks
Expression { 2 marks
(Grammatical accuracy appropriate words and spelling -1 )
(Coherence and relevance of ideas and style – 1 )
Value points:
---after growing up Tiger King started killing tigers to save his life as predicted by the astrologer.
--- Banned tiger hunting for all.
---A British high ranking officer wanted to hunt tigers
---British officer even got ready to be photographed with a tiger killed by the tiger king.
--- Maharajah refused as if he would relent now, then he would have to allow other British officers also for
hunting tigers in his kingdom.
--- was in danger of losing his kingdom as he made a British officer angry.
---sent 50 rings worth 3 lacs of rupees as a gift to the Lady of the officer to select some as appeasement
---The Lady kept all and the Maharajah was also not at all troubled.
OR
---Evans wrote the exam in the cell, wrote his name in the question paper
---The Asst. Secretary informed the Governor that they had forgotten to place a correction slip in the exam
package and dictated it.
---The clue for Evans was in the paper itself, Index No was 313 and centre No 271
---Correction slip having the name of the hotel “Golden Lowen” helped Evans to escape and helped the
Governor also to trace him.
---Evans was able to escape again as he had many friends to help him.
--- After catching Evans again, the Governor allowed him to move with the prison officers without
checking their identity and proved to be a Gullible, good for giggle Governor.
10- Marking scheme
Content- 3 Marks
Expression- 2 Marks
-The misadventure at the Y.M.C.A. Pool.
- Various feelings of fear and peace while drowning.
- The philosophy that once a person accepts death or the worst situation, there is no trouble or fear. But if a
person is afraid of a particular situation, then the fear would mar his efforts for overcoming that particular
situation.
-Fear has to be removed.
-So, there is peace in death, all we have to fear is fear of death.
11- Marking scheme
Content- 5 Marks
Expression- 3 Marks
12- Marking scheme
Content- 4 Marks
Expression- 3 Marks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ENGLISH CORE
CODE NO. : 301
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – IV

A. 1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.(12 Marks)
1. First, a warning. The journey is tough, steep and peppered with hairpin bends. If you are not a hardened
traveller, by the time you reach Tawang your head is likely to be spinning. Add to it the breeze which
pierces through all your protective clothing and you could well be wondering what prompted you to make
this arduous trip to such Himalayan heights.
2. To get acclimatized to high altitude, the recipe is simple and strict – take it easy on the first day, lest you
find yourself out of breath and panting. Tuck yourself in a warm bed and sip some thupka (Tibetan noodle
soup) and begin your adventures the following day.
3. In fact when you get up the next morning, you will scarcely believe what you see. The picture postcard
beauty of the hill station in Arunachal Pradesh will simply take your breath away. The scenery is pristine
and the Himalayan ranges are lush with pine, oak and rhododendron forests. There is also a rich growth of
bamboo, which is the favorite food of the red panda found in this part of the Northeast.
4. Located about 10,000 feet above sea level, the Tawang monastery is the second oldest monastery in Asia,
which explains the rush of tourists to this remote settlement. The magnificent monastery overlooks the
valley and surrounded by mountains that seem to be towering around it like guards. The monastery’s
enormous yellow roof and white walls stand out like a beacon. The place is completely isolated from the
world.
5. One of the biggest attractions of the monastery is the three storey dukhang (assembly hall) that has a
magnificent eight-meter-high gilded image of Buddha.
6. The ancient library, leading onto the parkhang (main courtyard) has an excellent collection of old
scriptures, images and thankas (traditional paintings and monastery – or gompa in local language – is over
350 years old and is an important centre of pilgrimage for Buddhists.
7. The sixth Dalai Lama was born here. Also known as the Galden Namgyan Lhatse, the monastery is a
repository of Tibetan Buddhist culture.
8. Tawang does not have an airport or railway station of its own. It is connected with other town in Arunachal
Pradesh and Assam by road. Reaching Tawang from Kolkata is braving a long but rewarding journey. The
drive through the picturesque mountain country is spectacular and can leave you breathless as you wind
around steep hill-roads and maneuver sharp hairpin bends. In parts, the road can be rather treacherous.
This is definitely not a drive for the faint-hearted.
9. The journey to Tawang starts from Guwahati on a bus or a taxi to Bomdila. Past the Dirang valley with its
old dzong (fort), the road climbs sharply to Sela Pass at 13,940 feet. This barren, desolate landscape is
softened by a serene lake that lies below Sela Pass.
10. Twang has one main street and a warren on alleys to the houses that climb up the hillside towards the
towering monastery. It also has one quaint little bazaar which sells products ranging from talismans and
prayer wheels to garish sunglasses and transistors. The snack stalls are a plenty offering solja, the yak
butter tea, thupka and hot memos, the delicious steamed meat dumpling with chilly sauce.
1.1. Answer the following questions briefly. (9 marks)
(i) Why is the journey up Twang so arduous? (2)
(ii) What should a visitor do to acclimatize to high altitude? (1)
(iii) Why do people like to visit Tawang? (2)
(iv) Describe the Tawang monastery. (2)

(v) How can one reach Tawang? (2)
1.2. Pick out words or phrases which convey the same meaning as the following.
(3 marks)
(i) Extremely attractive ( Para 4)
(ii) Holy place (Para 6)
(iii) Huge, in great (Para 3)
2. Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow: (8 marks)
1. The small village of Somnathpur contains an extraordinary temple, built around 1268 A.D. by the Hoyasalas
of Karnataka – one of the most prolific temple-builders. Belur and Helebid are among their better-known
works. While these suffered during the invasions of the 14 th century, the Somnathpur temple stands more
or less intact in near-original condition.
2. This small temple captivates with the beauty and vitality of its detailed sculpture, covering almost every
inch of the walls, pillars and even ceilings. It has three shikharas and stands on a star-shaped, raised
platform with 24 edges. The outer walls have a profusion of detailed carvings: the entire surface run over
by carved plaques of stone. There were vertical panels covered by exquisite figures of gods and goddesses
with many incarnations being depicted. There were nymphs too, some carrying an ear of maize a symbol of
plenty and prosperity. The elaborate ornamentation, very characteristic of Hoyasala sculptures, was a
remarkable feature. On closer look- and it is worth it – the series of friezes on the outer walls revealed
intricately carved caparisoned (covered decorative cloth) elephants, charging horsemen, stylized flowers,
warriors, musicians, crocodiles, and swans.
3. The temple was actually commissioned by Soma Dandanayaka or Somnath (he named the village after
himself), the minister of the Hoyasala king, Narasimha, the Third. The temple was built to house three
versions of Krishna. The inner center of the temple was the kalyana mandapa. Leading from here were
three corridors each ending in a shrine, one for each kind of Krishna – Venugopala, Janardana and Prasanna
Keshava, though only two remain in their original form. In the darkness of the sanctum sanctorum, I tried
to discern the different images. The temple’s sculptural perfection is amazing and it includes the doors of
the temple and the three elegantly carved towers.
2.1. 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)
2.2. On the basis of the notes write a summary of the given passage. (3)
Section B : Advanced Writing Skills Max. Marks : 35
3. You are Sharon/Shan. You have been invited to attend the wedding of your friend’s sister during summer
Vacation. Respond to the invitation regretting your inability to attend it. (5 marks)
OR
Design an attractive Poster on “Say No to Plastic” issued by Sarva Suraksha Samiti an NGO stationed in Bangalore.
(5 marks)
4. You are Oisha / Omesh. Your school has organized an Exhibition-cum-Sale of the items made by the students in
their work-experience classes. You had an excellent and overwhelming response from the parents and the visitors.
The proceeds of the sale have been donated by your school in a function to ‘Helpline India; an organization for
supporting the orphans. Make a report of the same in 125 words to be published in your school bulletin/magazine.
(10 marks)
OR
An “Each One Plant One” camp was organized by your school to celebrate Vanamahotsava Day on 10 th November.
As Secretary of ‘Go-Green Club’ of your school, Armada Public School, Bhopal, write a Report in 100-125 words for
your school magazine. You are Ankit/Ankita of class XII. (10 marks)
5. Sheena, C-4, Postal Colony, Thrissur, bought an Usha Lexus automatic iron from M/s. Nandillath, Round North,
Thrissur. Within a week it started giving problems. She writes a letter to the dealer, complaining about the defects
and asks them to replace the piece. Write the letter for her in 125 words. (10
marks)
OR
You are Anuj/Anita living at #9/2, 5th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bangalore. You are very much pained to know about the
current state of affairs with regard to corruption and scandals in the Indian political Scene. Write a letter to the
Editor of the Hindu, showing your concern about the falling standards. (10
marks)
6. Write an article in not more than 200 words on the topic “The Power Crisis and its Impact” with regard to the
frequent power break down and load shedding operations in your city and many others .
(10 marks)
OR
A recent survey showed that there are still many communities in India which do not welcome the birth of a girl
child. Can a country which does not give equal rights to all its citizens’ even dream of becoming great? Write an
article in 175-200 words giving your views on the above issue and the steps we should take to solve this problem.
(10 marks)
SECTION-D (LITERATURE/TEXTBOOK) 45 Marks
7 A. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:
(4 marks)
“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.”
i) Whom does ‘those’ refer to here? (1)
ii) What does the poet mean by ‘victory with no survivors’? (1)
iii) What lesson will man learn when he just walks about with his brothers doing nothing?(1)
iv) Name the poem and the poet. (1)
Or
“We have imagined for the mighty dead,
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.”
i) Who are the ‘mighty dead’? (1)
ii) Explain ‘lovely tales have we heard or read? (1)
iii) Explain: ‘Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink’? (1)
iv) Name the poem and the poet. (1)
8. Answer any two of the following questions in about 30-40 words each: (2x2=4)
i) What is the significance of the images, ‘sprinting trees’ and merry children spilling out of their homes’ in the
poem “My Mother at Sixty-six”?
ii) What does the poet mean by saying, ‘let their tongues run naked into books’ in the poem “An Elementary School
Classroom in a Slum”?
iii) Explain: ‘They pace in sleek chivalric certainty’ in the poem “Aunt Jennifer’s Tiger?
9. Answer any 6 of the following questions in about 30-40 words each: (6x2=12)
i) How did the Champaran episode change the plight of the peasants?
ii) How does Mukesh’s grandmother view the family occupation of bangle making and its poverty?
iii) Why didn’t M.Hamel scold Franz for not learning his lesson?
iv) Why did Maharaja order the dewan to double the land tax?
v) Give two reasons why Dr. Sadao was not sent abroad with the Japanese troops?
vi) What was Roger Skunk’s problem? How did he get rid of it?
vii) Why did Bama take half hour to an hour to cover the distance to her home that would normally take only ten
minutes?
9. Answer any one of the following in about 100-125 words: (5 Marks)
What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination with reference to the lesson Evan
tries an O-Level?
Or
How did the instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas?
10. Answer the following in about 100-125 words: (5 Marks)
What made the peddler finally change his ways? What is the message conveyed?
11. How did the invisible man Mr. Griffin meet his end? (8 Marks)
12. What inhuman things did Dr. Kemp advise Adye to do in order to catch the invisible man in any case?
(7 Marks)
ENGLISH CORE
Class – XII
Sample Question Paper – IV
Marking Scheme
Answers
1.1.
(i) The journey to Tawang is difficult because the breeze pierces the protective clothes. The traveler’s head starts
spinning. 2
(ii) The visitor must get acclimatized to high altitude. He should take it easy on the first day.1
(iii) People are greatly attracted by the beauty of this hill station. The scenery is wonderful. 2
(iv) Tawang monastery is the second oldest monastery in Asia. It is located about 10,000 feet about sea level and
overlooks the valley and seems isolated from the world. 2
(v) Tawang does not have any airport. It is connected with other towns in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam by road.
So the visitor should make up his mind to undertake a long and rewarding journey. 2
1.2.
(i) Magnificent 1
(ii) Pilgrimage 1
(iii) Rhododendron 1
2. Temple of Somnathpur
1. Temple: the beauty and vitality
1.1. Detailed sculpture – covering walls, pillars, ceilings
1.1. a. Series of friezes on outer walls
1.1. b. intricately carved elephants
1.1. c. charging horsemen
1.1. d. stylized flowers
1.1. e. warriors, musicians, crocodile and swans
1.2. three shikharas – stands shaped, raised platform – 24 edges
1.3. the outer walls – detailed carvings
1.4. the entire surface – carved plaques of stone
1.5. vertical panels covered by exq. fig.
2. Representation of Hinduism
2.1. incarnations
2.2. many deities
3. Temple in the History

3.1. comm. Soma Dandanayaka or Somnath
3.2. the inner center of the temple – kalyana mandapa
3.3. three corridors ending in a shrine
Key
1. star 2.2. Write a summary of the note prepared in not more than 80 words. (3
marks)
2. exq exquisite
The summary should include all the important points given in the notes. Marks
3. fig figures
to be awarded
4. comm. commissioned
with the following considerations in view. 3
Marks
Content 2 Marks
Expression 1 Mark
Marks for the title be awarded either in the notes or the summary. 2 + 1 = 3 Marks
Title- 1 Mark
Abbreviations- 1 Mark
Notes (Atleast 3)- 3 Marks
3.Reply to informal Invitation
Format 1M
(Including Senders Address, date, Salutation and Complimentary close)
Content 2M
Expression 2M
a. Acknowledge and thank for inviting followed by details of event

b. Express inability with reason
c. Convey Good wishes
OR
POSTER
Format [1 mark
Content [2 marks
Expression [2 marks
 A Catchy Heading on the Topic

 Message of Appeal to avoid Plastics in catchy slogans and phrases
 Sketch to add attraction
 Name of the organization issuing it
QUESTION 4
REPORT WRITING
Format
title, reporter’s name [1 mark
Content [4 marks
Expression [5 marks
Grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling [2 ½
Coherence and relevance of ideas and style [2 ½
Title: Exhibition-cum-Sale
---What event?
---When?
---Where?
---Why?
---Guest of honour and other dignitaries
----Motivating speech by the guest
---Activities
---How the programme was organised?
---Overall response
---Any other relevant details
OR
Marking Scheme:
Title + Name of the Reporter (1)
Content (4)
Expression: Fluency 2½
Accuracy 2½
--- guests and dignitaries
---planting of saplings
---placards/march on the road
--- cultural programme; quiz etc
--- seminars
---- any other relevant details
QUESTION 5
LETTER WRITING
No marks are to be awarded if only the format is given. Credit should be given to creativity in presentation of
ideas.
Format
1. sender’s address, 2. date, 3. receiver’s address, 4. subject heading, 5. salutation, 6. complimentary close
[2 ]
Content [4 marks]
Expression [4 marks]
Grammatical accuracy appropriate words and spelling (2)
Coherence and relevance of ideas (2)
COMPLAINT LETTER
---- Details of the purchase( Where, When , how much, Bill no. etc.,)
---- State the problem with it.
---- Request for replacement
---- Complimentary close

OR
CORRUPTION AT HIGH LEVEL
----introducing self
----frustration over various scams
----detrimental effects on the future of India
----appeal to take the path of honesty
----request for a pledge to raise the nation’s reputation
QUESTION 6
ARTICLE WRITING
Format (Title and writer’s name) [1 mark
Content [4 marks
Expression [5 marks
(Grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling) 2 ½
(Coherence and relevance of idea and style) 2½
THE POWER CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT
---Power a great boon to mankind
---indiscriminate usage causing shortage
---leading to power cuts
---problems at various levels at home
---problem in the industry
----need to save power
----suggestions on saving electricity at home and public places
----how to have a power bright future
---- a suitable ending

---- (any relevant suggestions)
OR
THE GIRL CHILD (or any other relevant title)
-----a thought provoking introduction
----the hateful attitude towards a girl child shocking
----girl child has equal part in the family/society
----some incentives given and today the scenario is changing
----people must awake to the fact girls can also shine in various fields
--- Examples of Indian women who have excelled
----- Suggestion to erase these outdated ideas
SECTION –C (LITERATURE/TEXTBOOK)
7.A. i) ‘Those’ refers to the politician, the statesmen and the scientists who are involved in initiating and
aggravating wars. (1)
ii) Man’s activities are indeed heading him towards his doom. The war which man is waging against nature will one
day convert this ‘living planet’ into a dead one and human beings will become an extinct species. The war may be a
victory of man’s scientific knowledge, but there would be no survivors to celebrate this victory. (1)
iii) Man will realize the strength of humanity and become conscious of universal brotherhood. His destructive
activities would come to an end. (1)
iv) The name of the poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’ and the poet is Pablo Neruda. (1)
Or
i) The ‘mighty dead’ refers to the great men and women who are remembered for their glorious deeds. They
sacrificed their lives for noble cause. (1) ii) It refers to
the tales or stories of great personalities who have inspired and motivated the readers and the hearers.
(1)
iii) Beauty is the greatest gift of God to man which has been showered upon us from the heavens above. This
beauty is eternal and everlasting, in whose glory men on earth derive their perennial source of joy and happiness.
(1) iv) The name of the poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is
John Keats. (1)
7.b. i) Both sprinting trees and merry children are happy and young. They present a contrast to the mother’s pain
and old age and the poet’s worry and fear. They represent youth, joy,activity, vigour and spring whereas the
mother is old, sad,dozing,decaying and frail. She is passing through the winter of her life. (any two)
ii) It is in education that the poet sees hope for the slum children. He strongly feels that the lives of these children
will remain dark, narrow and unfulfilled unless they are educated and free.
iii) The movement of the tigers is sleek, stealthy, sure, majestic and elegant. They are sure of their purpose.
They are confident and fearless.
8.i) The Champaran episode released the peasants from the mortal fear of British landlords.
-made them aware of their rights.
-Apart from getting back 25% of the compensation money, they also learnt ‘courage’.
- realized that they too have defenders .
-British are not lords above the law.
-Within a few years, the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the peasants.
ii) Mukesh’s grandmother views bangle making as the destiny of her family.
- Her husband’s blindness, their misfortune and impoverished condition, she feels, are ordained by destiny.
-Years of suffering makes her accept everything in the name of karma or fate.
iii) M. Hamel did not scold Franz because he wanted him to realize his mistake of always putting off his lessons for
tomorrow.
-Such was the nature of all Alsacians and now the worst had hit them.
-They could no longer learn their own language.
-Though they were Frenchmen, yet they could neither speak nor write their language.
-It was his last lesson in French.
(iv) The Maharaja called the dewan and ordered him to immediately double the tax of the villagers who had
informed him about the presence of a tiger in the forest because despite his best efforts he was unable to locate
the beast.
v) Dr Sadao was not sent abroad with the Japanese troops firstly because-
- he was the General’s doctor who was ailing and might need an operation any time.
- Secondly Sadao was perfecting a discovery which was likely to “render wounds entirely clean.”
- So his presence in Japan was indispensable.
vi) Roger Skunk was a delightful child.

- His only problem was that he smelled awful.
- nobody likes to befriend him and play with him.
-He got rid of his bad smell with the help of wizard who changed the smell into that of roses.
vii) Bama would dawdle along, watching all the entertaining novelties and oddities in the streets.
-She would gaze at the shops and the bazaar enjoying the street scenes .
-so she would take at least an hour to reach home.
Q-9.
Marking Scheme:
Content (3)
Expression: Accuracy + Fluency (1+1 )
- Evans had already escaped from the jail on three earlier occasions, a lurking fear of another attempt to escape.
-all possible precautions taken not to provide him with any means of escape.
-The Governor personally monitored all security arrangements
-heavily guarded the Recreation Block
-Evans’ cell thoroughly checked to ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might
hamper the smooth conduct of the examination.
- to keep a strict watch on the activities of the cell, the Governor got it bugged.
-A police officer, Stephens was posted to keep a constant vigil on his activities.
- The invigilator too was frisked to make sure that he carried no objectionable material with him.
-But in spite of all these elaborate preparation Evans escaped.
Or
-Douglas was determined to learn swimming to get over his fear of water.
- engaged a professional instructor.
-rather than teaching him swimming in one go, the instructor built a swimmer out of him bit by bit.
-to make Douglas get over the terror of drowning, the instructor put a belt around his waist and attached it
securely to a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. For almost three months, he was repeatedly made to go back
and forth across the pool.
-Next he was taught to put his face under water and exhale through his nose and inhale. He repeated the exercise
hundreds of times.
-Later, for weeks together he was made to kick with his legs at the side of pool. finally he could command them.
-Thus inch by inch a swimmer was built.
Q-10. Marking Scheme:
Content (3)
Expression: Accuracy + Fluency (1 + 1 )
-The peddler had been living a despicable life of poverty, despair and frustration without ever coming across any
soul to understand, sympathize, love and guide him.
-Neither the crofter’s hospitality nor the ironmaster’s invitation to the manor house made any impact on him.
-In fact he repaid the crofter by stealing his earnings and the ironmaster by giving a piece of his mind when the
latter talked of taking the matter to the sheriff.
- Edla’s warmth, understanding ,love and genuineness touched him.
-When the girl treated him like a Captain, he spontaneously behaved like a real Captain.
- He didn’t want to let her down and feel sad on that occasssion.
-He left a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and enclosed a letter of thanks and confession in it.
-Leaving behind the stolen money to be restored to the owner, he redeemed himself from his dishonest ways
- emerged as a transformed person.
- The message is that man is basically good. Goodness even in a criminal can be awakened through love and
understanding.
11- Marking scheme:
Content- 5 Marks
Expression- 3 Marks
12. Marking scheme:
Content- 4 Marks
Expression- 3 Marks
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA SAMITI

STUDY MATERIAL 2014-15

STUDY MATERIAL 2014-15 FOR CLASS-XII

(ENGLISH CORE (301))

CHIEF PATRON - SH G.S. BOTHYAL

This Study material includes:

I. Brief summary and Theme of the lessons

III. Important point to remember

IV. Chapter wise question based on Theme , Plot and characters

V. Advanced Writing Skill & Poetry section in PPT format

VI. Capsules for slow learners

VII. Four sample papers with solution

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Navodaya Vidyalaya samiti Regional

sending the material.

Dr. Deepak Kumar

Author: Alphonse Daudet

Important Question and Answers

Q1: Why Franz was afraid of going to school that day?

Q7: How did Mr. M Hamel describe the French language?

Q3: Write a brief character sketch of M. Hamel?

Capsule for slow learners:

Lesson .2. Lost Spring (Stories of Stolen Childhood)

Author: Anees Jung

Q.1. Explain the significance of title ‘Lost Spring’.

Q. Describe the life of rag pickers in Seemapuri?

Q.2 .Why do children walk barefoot, in cities, or on village roads? Is it a

Q3.How is Mukesh different from other bangle makers?What will he need to

Q. Describe the general condition of bangle makers.

Q. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

Q.2..Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it

Q6.Why was not Saheb happy on getting a job?

Q7.For what is city of Firozabad famous?

Q.9. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream?

Q10. What does Mukesh’s grandmother think about their profession?

. Certain forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in

Q12.Why don’t the bangle makers of Firozabad organize themselves?

Capsule for slow learners :

Saheb is a ragpicker. He lives in Seemapuri.It is a slum area.Around ten thousand

Mukesh lives in Firozabad. He belongs to a family of bangle makers. They work in

Mukesh thinks differently. He wants to become a motor mechanic.

Lesson3. Deep Water

Author: William Douglas

Q.1. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?

Ans:The misadventure referred to happened at the Y.M.C.A. swimming pool. The

Q.2.What is the ‘misadventure’ that William Douglas speaks about?

Q.3. How did the drowning experience affect Douglas?

Q.4. How did Douglas overcome his fear of water?

Q.6. How did the instructor make Douglas a perfect swimmer?

Q7.How did Douglas finally over come his fear of water?

Q8.What thought of Roosevelt deeply impacted Douglas? How did the

He decided to learn swimming in YMCA pool. It was safe. He started feeling

The Tale of the grievances of a Vagabond (An Alienated fellow):

Shelter at the cottage of the Crofter:

The Ragamuffin in the Forest :

Arrival of Edla Willmansson:

Homely and Christmassy Service:

The Illumination of the Conscience:

Que. 2.What kind of host was the old crofter?

Some unsolved short answer type questions of the chapter:

Que 3 why did the crofter rob the old crofter?

Que . 4 What happened with the peddler in the forest?

Que .5 What made the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?